December 10, 2025 • 35 mins
Mike Dugar who covers the Seahawks via The Athletic is back for his weekly chat after the Seahawks dominated the Atlanta Falcons. Mike shares his thoughts on Nick Emmanwori as he played a strong game versus the Falcons, will the Seahawks face Philip Rivers, and much more. Mike Benton stops by to chat all things Kraken as they've been on a six game losing streak, do the Kraken need stars, what's been the issue regarding them losing, and much more.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
It's MJ in the midday on a Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Joining us coming up at the top of next hour,
Former Washington Husky and longtime NFL offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy
will join us talk about the Husky's upcoming bowl game
this Saturday on December thirteenth. Usually with bowl games you
get fifteen practices, but not when your bowl game is
(00:28):
on the same day, as arn't me and Navy.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
We'll talk to him about that. Joining us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Like he does each and every week from the athletic
he does the Seahawks Man and Man podcast with Christopher Kidd,
and of course you can check out his book The
Franchise Curated History of the Seahawks The Legion of Boom
Era Mike Dugar each and every week. Mike, So, last
week in the A didn't look so great in the
first half. And you know what, I don't care what
(00:55):
Peyton Manning and Eli Manning say on their stupid, you
know Monday night watch cast that nobody watches actually about.
You know, coaches don't make halftime adjustments. Well I can
tell you that that certainly Clint Kubiak and Mike McDonald
did on Sunday after only putting up six in the
first half and then putting up thirty one points to
(01:17):
outscore the Falcons thirty one to three in the second half.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
What happened, Yeah, I mean, I do think that.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
The defense was locked in from the beginning.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So like in st teams, you know, I think Jami
made both his kicks in the first half, and then
Nicki Mumury blocked a kick in the first half, So
it really was just the offense that still had, you know,
some crust in his eyes from the East Coast trip.
But I think that the big thing that change in
the second half was protection. Think Sam was sacked on
two of the first three drives, I believe in the
(01:49):
first half, and then he wasn't sacked at all, and
he still had some pressure in the second half, but
he was better at handling it. And Sam has shown
time and time again this season then if you protect him,
he'll generally be fine. You look at the games where
he had really struggle, which isn't many. He hasn't had
good protection. I look at the Rams, look at the Vikings,
those two games really.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Stand out in that regard.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And then when he's not protected, Sam gets the panicky
a little bit, you know, doesn't doesn't trust his feet,
doesn't follow his rules, and then.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Ends up going down or throwing a pick.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
And once he settled in and realized, oh hey he's
got kid gets me, I should be fine.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
You know.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Even that first sack, Charles Cross gets beat by James Parris,
the rookie edge rusher, three man rush. Just step up,
you know, and you'll be fined. And he didn't, and
he almost gave the talkers two points with the safety.
So there were some adjustments, but it really felt like
the old line was like, hey, guys, do you remember
that this this is the new US. You guys are
playing like the old Seahawks. Whole line play like the
(02:44):
new Seahawks ole line that protects the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, they did, They certainly did.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And Sam Darnold, as you mentioned, he stepped up JSN
got back into his groove. Two touchdown catches and all
of a sudden, now that you know, was there something
Do you think that Clint Kubiak just said, hey, we're not.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Doing this, we need to do this.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And the adjustment that he made going in that third court, well,
by the way, we'd be remiss Mike, you know, getting
one hundred yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start
the second half doesn't hurt by Rashiji heat either.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah. You know, I don't know where the official MG
in the midday stances on whether momentum is real. I
tend to lean towards the fact of momentum, kind of
being like the placebo effect, like if the players believe
it to be real, then it is real, you know.
And over the years stopping to players, I do think
(03:39):
it's a thing. You know, bad plays, good plays, they
just swing the game. Are human beings at the end
of the day. So yeah, I think that that was
the momentum swing. Those guys went out there were like,
all right, she's gonna go take this back to the house.
We'll get a stop the offensive score. Next thing you know,
we're up two scores and these guys can't there's no
way they can come back from down two touchdowns exactly
(04:00):
what happened. But seeing she he do it first, I
do think they have the whole team, you know, jolt
the defense, like I said, already had that, but it
really gave the offense a lift, like, oh, they.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Are better than these guys.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Uh So, yeah, I'm of the position that momentum is real.
I know some people are not, but it is and
I think that was an example of it that they
saw that. You know, they saw the well, first off,
the Falcons have the worst kickoff return you to end
the league. Yeah, so it was there was not a
coincidence that Mike MacDonald kind of called a shot at
half time, untild she needed to go take it back.
The odds were in its favor and he was right.
(04:33):
So that helped as well playing the Falcons. But yeah,
that was a huge momentum bust. It was like a
shot to the arm for the offense today. They took advantage.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They certainly did. And you mentioned the defense, Mike day
all day long. I mean Kirk Cousins, I mean he
held up for the pretty much the better part of
the first half. In the second half, it was just
painful to watch if you're in a Falcons fan. But
from the Seahawks standpoint, they just been doing what they
do all year. Mike, this is a team and you
know I mentioned this and you look at the totality
(05:04):
of the season, the Seahawks are second in the NFL
and giving up most turnovers behind the Vikings. Seahawks have
given up twenty three turnovers on the season. The Rams
have given up eleven. If you divided those turnovers in
half and you cut that down, Mike by fifty percent,
this team might be undefeated. That's how great this defense is.
(05:26):
Think about that second most turnovers in the league and
the defense and this team's record is ten and three.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, I really think that's as much as the team
has turned it over. It really is when you think
about it, just the Sam Darnold stat you when you
talk about what's predictive for the rest of the season.
For instance, like I think in that total you mentioned
with Seattle's takeaways or excuse me, they're giveaways, you have
Jelen Milroe pitching the ball right, that's not gonna happen again.
(05:57):
You have I think one of the Jackson Smith and
Jig before in Week one. Jackson is pretty sure hand
and I'm counting on that not happening again. Cooper cuts
through an interception against the Texans for reasons only him
god and Clint Kubiak. No, I'm pretty sure that won't
happen again. So it really is to Sam leaves the
league in turnovers and it's second in turnover rate. But
(06:17):
I've been I've been spitting out this stat this week
is probably one of my favorite to kind of speak to.
What you are talking about is that Sam is the
you know, the most efficient quarterback in the league on
plays that.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Don't end in the turnover.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
You know, it's like, legitimately, when you protect the ball,
this team can probably just walk to the super Bowl
with how good the team, the defense, and the special
teams are playing. It really just comes down to, hey,
is Sam gonna turn it over today? The answer is yes,
and they might be in a dog fight the answer
is no. The other we're gonna see Drew Locke midway
through the fourth.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, And Mike, you go back to of all games,
which to me I actually came out.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I think a lot of people did as well.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
A month ago in so far against the Rams and
through four interceptions and you know, Jason Myers, if he
had channeled his inner Brandon Aubrey, you Seahawks win that
game on a walk off after the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Through four picks.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's insane, Mike, that's in like and that to me,
right then and there shows just the elite greatness I mean,
I've got hey, I told kid this week.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
It kind of on the show this week, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
And I don't like to be, Mike one of those
people that gets caught up in recency bias.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
But I have a premonition.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I think that the Seahawks can get to the super Bowl,
and I believe they can if they If they do,
do you know who I think they're gonna go up
against the Houston Texans in a rematch. I'm telling you
right now, man, I can see it. You got because
that defense, and you saw what they did to Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
They don't the only c J.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Stroud's back Goo Ryans is a younger version, well not
too much younger, but close to Mike McDonald's age. But
they it's almost they're all mirror images of each other.
And I'm telling you right now, I don't buy the
Patriots in the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I just don't.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And I think the Houston Dexans CJ. Strouds made the
playoffs before a couple times. Watch out. That's just going
looking down the road. But when you have a team
like this, Yeah, and there's another thing too, Mike, how
about this stat this this team right now that all
(08:37):
time that they are I believe, just fourth and point
differential in terms of all time. And we're going back
to the twenty twelve Seattle Seahawks season. We're going when
they were plus one sixty seven two thousand and five,
plus one eighty one in twenty thirteen plus one eighty
(09:00):
This team right now is that plus one sixty one.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Hey, next four games they might beat that twenty thirteen mark.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah, Dimico ryans only forty one, by the way, So yeah,
right there, to your point with Mike McDonald's the Smitch Older, Yeah,
I mean, I hope people can can really understand that
those the point, those point differentials that you're rattling off
are hard to That's hard stuff to do, man. That
really means that you are smoking your opponent each week.
Like I think when they made you can get to
(09:29):
can fact check me on this, but I'm pitty sure
when they made the playoffs in twenty twelve, or excuse me,
twenty twenty two, the last time they made it, they
were only like plus twelve, I want to say, a
very small number like that. So to be plus one
sixty three plus one anything is just miraculous. Yeah, it's
crazy what Michecdonald has done with this team in terms
of just laying the hammer on opponents on a weekly basis.
(09:53):
But yeah, I mean I could see Houston there. They
kind of have a similar They just have to worry
about ken their offense just not get in the way.
You know, can see j not do the wrong thing
because I mean, if you score, if you're the Texans,
like we score seventeen points, it's over. The other thing
is probably not getting more than that. And the same
thing with the Seahawks right now. If Seahawks get to seventeen,
(10:16):
it's over for the opponent for the most part, maybe
unless they play the Rams. Yeah, I mean this is
this is mark one of the best teams in the league,
if not the best.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
The Rams have a very good argument.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
And here's the only thing about the Seahawks and the
Rams in that rematch. As good as the Seahawks can
feel about, hey, you know, Sam's not going to turn
it over four times again, so we should be fine,
the Rams are probably saying, hey, Stafford's not going to
play his worst game of the year against the Seahawks.
And I think the more the more predictive thing for
the Rams, which is argument. I don't think anyone can
(10:48):
truly go against even the Seawks fans. They'll say, our
number two receivers are not going to have one touch
for one yard, you know which de Varka Adams had
in that game. Even if you think he won't go
crazy to think that he would just have one catch
for one yard. Again, I think it's it's nonsensical, you know.
And if you're a Rams fan saying that, who might
have disagreed with you? And then if you're a Seahawks fans,
San SAMs and I gonna throw four picks who might
(11:10):
have disagreed with you? You know? So I think both sides
have an argument, which is why Week sixteen next week,
because in that football is the biggest regular season game
in the last like six years.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Oh I yeah, could be longer, Mike, could be longer,
because I mean this, here's the thing about it. You
go back six years ago, I mean, did the Seahawks
really truly at that point did anybody I mean I
wasn't here then, but I followed them obviously. Did they
really have a chance Did anybody think they really had
a shot at winning the Super Bowl?
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Back then?
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Now?
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Now to me, Mike, it's not only belief.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Here should be an expectation that this team has a
chance to win Super Bowl. You know what's weird, I
learned something new after bringing up I didn't realize Demico's
three years older than Mike McDonald.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, like, dude, Demico looks like he's twenty five. He
needs to be carded if he goes for a drink.
He looks really young. I mean that dude is I mean, man,
I mean he looks. Wow, he looks I mean he
don't even look older when he played.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I thought he was. I thought he was young. Mike
McDonald's only thirty eight years old. Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
So listen, when you talk about this team, let's let's
Mike McDonald right then and there, Mike, how about this.
The Seahawks team has won sixteen of their last twenty
one games going back to last season, and Mike McDonald
is thirteen and two on the road as the Seahawks
head coach.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Parse those both of those and break those down.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, you know, I think the road record records home
in a way. Those splits, generally, I think reflects who
you are as a team. For the most part, like
if you're a good team and if you're excuse me,
if you're an elite team, you'll win wherever you play.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Which is what they are.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You look at now their home record.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I don't have it off the top of my head,
but I'm sure it's swinging right back in Mike McDonald's
face over very quickly because they keep beating people and
then putting.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Differential at home.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I'm sure it's just starting to look outstanding, you know,
because you know, they only lost by three to the Bucks,
four to the Niners, and then just beat the snot
out of the Saints Cardinals and the Vikings didn't score,
so it's probably looking great. So I said that to say,
Mike McDonald just has an elite operation independent of where
they are. You know, I'm sure if they go play
in Australia next year, they'll go win that game as well.
(13:24):
It probably just really doesn't matter where they line up,
and it doesn't matter because Mike McDonald has set the standard.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
One of the things I love what Derek Ball told
me after the Vikings game. He said, one of our
sayings is it doesn't have to be close, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
And while that's a little arrogant, hey, but I love it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
It's the reality though, Like when you do the work
and you have the talent and you have the scheme,
when you trust your training, it doesn't have to be close.
You don't need to, you know, a fourth down stop
in the red zone to beat a Brams team led
by Jimmy g which is one of those sixteen wins
that you're talking about going back to last season, you know,
So it doesn't have to be And if you have
the right attitude and the right work ethic, you can
(14:02):
go out there and just beat up on people, which
is what they've been doing. I will say this though, Mark,
I think they're six and three in the conference in
the NFC, if I got that right, all six of
those wins I believe are against teams with losing records,
that's right in the three laws. And then the losses
I believe are all against teams who are in the
playoffs as of today. So I do need to see
(14:23):
them go out there and handle business against the team
that they would potentially see, you know, because then you
start talking about Sam again, what happened in those three
losses the conference teams? Right they sam through four picks
in one and the other two games. The last play
from scrimmage for the Seahawks is a Donald turnover, a
fumble and a pick. So what is he going to
do when one is the offense going to do? Now?
(14:45):
Just him when there's a real opponent on the other side.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Mike Dugar from the Athletic host Seahawks Man and Man
podcast with our own Christopher Kid, joins us each in
every week.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
How about nickim me and Morey Mike.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I mean, this is a pick that was turned over
for from DK Metcalf going to Pittsburgh. He had an interception, block,
field goal, sack, six tackles, and two TFLs. First in
Atlanta on Sunday. What can you say about this guy?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I think he's He's really a unicorn. You know, he
got the Camp Chessler comps mostly because his DV coach.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
I believe at South Carolina was Cam's DV coach.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
So he was telling everybody within earshot, like, hey, I
got another one.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I got one of those. I got one of those
hybrid guys.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Look at him, he's the next up and look I
get that comparison.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
It's fine.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I think He's really just his own player, you know. Yeah,
because he doesn't cover like Cam does, and then Cam
doesn't rush the passer like Nick does, and then legitimately
are different players. Uh. And what Nick does is just
really really really special, you know he is. He is
all of his combine testing come to life. And not
every players like that. I mean, you know that Mark,
some of these guys like all look at his forty
(15:55):
so Ben chamillions and you know his short shuttle will
be great.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
He kills the workout.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And then he can't act. So he played football, you
know he can test. Well, those are not the same
the same thing, you know. Like I remember one time
I was talking. I showed Kandre Diggs, you know for
currency Hawk safety. Now, I showed him as relative athletics score.
I showed it to pull up the page. He saw
all that red on there, that show he couldn't play.
He's like, man, he was like my thank good in
my underwear. You know what I'm saying. Like I'm a
football player. I go out there and play ball and
(16:20):
with all that testing, you know, and but when those
two things converge, when you get a six three, two
hundred and twenty pound guy with long arms, and I
think he ran like four to three and forty Like
when you get that, and then he can also play football.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Yeah, we don't.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
They don't make many of those, you know. That's why
guys who are better than Nick on the team, like Spoon,
like Jay Love, They're like, I look at this kid,
and I think he could be the best thing in
the world since sliced bread because he just has he
has the talent, he has the physical stuff, and then
Mike McDonald is the last piece of the puzzle said,
I truly believed this mark.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
If Nick had went.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
To like thirty other teams, he would not. I think
he is. He's benefiting directly from playing for Mike McDonald.
I think maybe if he went to Baltimore he could
be or maybe even the Chargers because they got like
guys like Derwin James and Kyle Hamilton. They know how
to use like Nick. But yeah, I think he's really
benefiting from the scheme.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
The fact that he is just a do it.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
All guy, ranbacker and rusher, run stopper, coverage guy. It
really is impressive watching him and not only just seeing
what he's doing currently, but then thinking about man, I
think he's barely old enough to rent a car without
getting the extra insurance.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
This is a young dude.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
When he develops, he's really gonna be a special, special,
special player.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Mike Dugard from the Athletic Here on MJ in the
midacl Sports Leader ninety three to three kJ R FM.
So are we gonna see forty four year old grandpa?
Philip Rivers on Sunday? Mike, I mean, is that what
I don't? I mean, not that this Seahawks sick elite
defense needed any extra help, but Daniel Jones goes down
(18:01):
out for the season, Achilles injury season on the brink
for the Colts, and literally, you're gonna sign a forty
four year old grandpa.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I mean, that's where we're at right now.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I don't want I was about to say I can't
believe in doing this, but I can because the long
I've been around this game and coaches, they just.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Love what they know.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
You know, they if I know Phillip can throw it,
then I'm gonna call him. Like if I know Joe
Flacco can can throw it, I'm gonna call him. You know,
these older guys like, hey, I know they got this.
You know, I think we'll see more and more of this,
if guys getting called out of retirement out of the
broadcast booth in times of desperation, because these coaches just
(18:42):
want to go with what they know. And so that's
the part that makes sense in my brain. The other
part doesn't make sense, Like on the flip side, a
little devil on I guess on the opposite shoulder is
what the hell are the colts thinking? This guy out there,
he's gonna get killed.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Mike, have you ever heard of have you seen those
stories on the six and eleven o'clock news about senior
abuse and assisted living homes? Like, Mike, Like, I got
news for you. Little Luminfield ain't an assistant living home.
But if you're gonna put a senior out on the field,
he's going to get abused by Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy,
(19:19):
Jaron Reid, Ernest Jones, I mean, Nick Emon Worrie.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
This is going to happen on Sundays.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
So hey, I listen, Philip, I hope you were and
your agent you looked at that liability waiver really closely.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, no, this is I'm a big movie guy. This
is like straight out of Mister three thousand just the
football version, you know, the Bernie Mack joan where he
comes out of retirement. And remember the scene in that
movie where they Liken swing hitting a baseball to holding
up a beard bottle at the bar and then dropping
it and catching it before it hits the ground, you know,
And Bernie Mack does that in the movie, and then
(19:57):
he thinks that he caught it, and then he puts
it on the table and walks away, and.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Then the camera zooms in the bottom of the bottle.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Is cracked and the beer's filling out, and you're like,
oh my god, this is going to go very poorly.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
That's Philip Rivers right now.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Like I'm sure in those first couple of practices, I
think they're going live today the Colts are He's gonna
feel great. Probably it's He'm like, ooh, look at me,
I'm spinning it. Tyler Warrens open these play action screens
diagrams to Jonathan Taylor. We got this and then that first,
I mean a second drive on Sunday, Mark, if he
plays that, might you might be able to just bet
(20:30):
your mortgage on the Seahawks generating a negative play on
it like sac picks six Force fumble or something like
that first shrive will probably be great. And then once
you no longer have that first fifteen plays.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
To lean on, that old guy is in trouble. He is.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
If he was twenty four, he'd be in trouble against
this defense for his worth. But yeah, forty four, he
just got no shot.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
No, no, you really don't. I mean you saw how
bad Aaron Rodgers struggle. And Aaron Rodgers has been playing
football for twenty one straight years, going back to two thousand.
I've even know, well, let's be real, it's first three
years he sat behind Aaron Brett Farv. But nonetheless he's
been in the league for twenty plus straight years, been
playing for eighteen of those twenty one straight years. So yeah,
(21:11):
not that they need any help, Mike. Any worries on
I I mean, it's a stupid question, but I'm gonna
ask it anyway. Any worries on this being a look
ahead game to Thursday night, which is basically the de
facto NFC West Divisional Championship game.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Well, you know, I don't think so. I think that
Mike McDonald, the way he operates, I think he has
found a better version, or at least a more modern
version of what Pete Carroll was saying. Like, you know,
I used to say, treat every game like a championship opportunity.
Speaker 4 (21:42):
That was his version of like.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Making sure they knew, hey, you can't overlook anyone. We
can every game of the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Don't get beat.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
And while that I understood that, and it worked for
a while, it's just these guys are humans. It's the
truth is every game is not a championship opportunity. Sometimes
it's just Week seven. That doesn't mean Week seven is unemployed,
but we just know that it's not the super Bowl
in our minds. You can't tell me that it is.
Whereas Mike McDonald's, he's done a better version of putting
the spin on that, which is like, trust our process,
(22:10):
play to our standard. I think his favorite one is
a style of ball that no one else wants to play.
That's on the wall when you walk out to the
practice field. So when that's your Montreal, just play our ball.
It doesn't matter if if it's Max Brosmer, if it's
Philip Rivers, if it's Hurt Cousins, if it's Aaron Rodgers,
Jordan Love and Boogeyman, Candy man, don't matter, Like, go
out there, play our style of ball. I think that's
(22:32):
how you avoid letdowns or track games or look at
whatever you want to ascribe, like looking past the Colts
to be so.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
I think they should be fine. This defense is just
humming right now. I think now that that.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Pro Bowl voting coming out, Guy's like, hey, wait a minute,
now I'm six, How can I get the third in
my position? Guys tweeting out the little Pro Bowl thing
and put it on their Instagram telling their friends and
family to go vote.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
So, yeah, these guys are hungry.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Everybody wants sacks, forced fumbles, TFLs. Yeah. I fear for
Philip Rivers of safety on Sunday. Maybe the first half.
But I don't know how he picks himself up off
the turf in the fourth quarter when he's hit by
Derek Half like the third time in the game.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
No, No, I know. All I know is this edder
and James is in walking through that door. Reggie Wayne's
not walking through that door. My guys from the U
Marvin Harrison Seniors not walking through that door. It could be,
it could be brutal. Mike Dugar does Seahawks Man and
Man with Christopher Kidd. He can read his stuff on
the Athletic excellent stuff.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
See you Sunday.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
We got two games coming up Sunday, Mike in five days,
Sunday and the next Thursday night. It's gonna be a
fun time here in Seattle. I'll see you on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You got it, Mike. Speaking of Mike, well, have Mike
Benton coming up next. Meet the Kraken. We'll talk to
him coming up next right here, Lincoln Kennedy at the
top of next hour. Right here, MJ and the Midday
Christopher Kids, Sports Radio ninety three to three KJRFM, FDIC
and Clickway Athletics. Ready to level up your training. Clickway
(24:06):
Athletics is where Washington's lifters, athletes, and go getters come
for real results. Our coach is pushed with purpose, our
max pump equipment hits harder, and our culture rewards effort
not excuses. Twenty four to seven locations in Seattle, Everett, Renton,
and Marysville. Clickway offers personal training, focus group sessions, and
(24:26):
nutrition coaching, plus personalized progress tracking so every rep actually
means something. Start your seven day free pass today at
Clickwayathletics dot Com and feel what it's like to train
the Clickway, by the way, that's Clickwayathletics dot Com. Clickway
with a K Mike Kracking have fallen and they can't
(24:48):
get up. They've lost six in a row. It is
they have hit the low point of the season. We
hope this is the lowest point this season. What's going
on over the last six games?
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Well, m J I saider here that it was kind
of a combination of the first couple of games where
they just you know, flat out couldn't score a goal,
and then we saw after that it was you know,
basically a mish mash of defensive issues, which really I
thought came to a head in that Edmonton game one
week ago where they gave up nine. But yeah, I
(25:22):
think in a sense of, you know, where matters have gone.
I looked back from last Saturday when they came back
home to face the Red Wing in a game that
they they really knew they wanted to have and they
kind of had to have after losing that one nine
to four to Edmonton, and the way that this team
has been able to adapt to Lane lambert structure and
(25:44):
his system. They had a tight game in the last
five minutes of the third period, and under normal stringent
defensive circumstances, if you get into a tie game last
five minutes, you're basically already playing why you're in overtime,
which also means extremely cautious and extremely careful with the
(26:05):
fucking you're basically finding a way to not give that
one up. And unfortunately they did. I mean, they had
a great look offensively advice and then they lost track
of a rebound and Troy came right back off the rush,
which is something that you don't want to allow. But
then Joey the court, maybe that's the goal that he
wants back, you know, even though Patrick Kane it was
(26:27):
from at least side of the circles and he saw
it clean all the way. So you know, it's kind
of tough, you know, thinking about just how close they
were to try and to right the ship, and then
something that they've been preaching to try to rein back
in just goes a rise in which I thought made
a loss like that super frustrating. And then we get
(26:48):
to the Minnesota game where you know you're facing three,
four or five high danger scoring chances and you had
to have Philip Grewbauer dial in playoff Philip Grewbauer. I mean,
consider that Minnesota doesn't score much. If you're facing a
team like say Edmonton or Colorado or even Toronto, I
mean you're playing with fire and games like that. If
(27:11):
you're giving up wide open looks front of the net
U two on given a one point nearly a three
on zero, I mean you're just asking to go down
three nothing in the first five six minutes the first
period here, which then you know, despite the crack and
playing the close game, they lost that one in the
pair a couple of empty nutters, and that led to
basically your captain calling you out and your head coach
calling you out. And the meeting was behind this was
(27:34):
that you know, there can't be any passengers here on
this team, and I have the way that they were
able to I think process that. You know, I've talked
to a couple of the guys this morning back in
the room. They've they got a pretty clear head as
far as what they want to do, and a pretty
good start out of the gate is pretty important for
tonight against LA.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Well, Mike, I mean, listen, I'm just going to call
for like what it is. I'm looking at the points
leaders in the NHL right now, the highest ranked player
from the iatle crack In is Jordan Eberley at one
thirty seven, tied for one hundred and thirty seventh in
the NHL. Lane Lambert is the right choice. You can't
continue to you know, basically, what it comes down to
is this doing the same thing over and over again
(28:14):
expecting different results is the definition of insanity. They fired
the coach three times and so now we're on the
Lane Lambert. Okay, so he's the guy. I like Lane Lambert.
It's not his fault. They don't have any stars. At
the end of the day, you got no stars. And
this is not like where you can just put this
team together.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Every sport needs stars. You don't have any.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Connor McDavid scored as many goals last week on Thursday
Night as a hat trick as Maddy Beniers has all season.
That's sad and that's pathetic. They gotta get stars. If
you're not going to be able to draft a Nathan McKinnon,
and I get it, you have to have the worst record.
You have to you know, hit that that lottery. Then
you gotta go out and get a Mitch Martner. And
(28:58):
that's what Vegas did, and that's why Vegas is. You
know where Vegas is. You gotta get stars and they
don't have any stars, and that will not change.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So we could talk about this and that and the other.
Laye Lambert's the right coach.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
It's not his fault because I know what a perfection
line looks like. I saw it in Boston my last
three years when they had Patrice Bursron, David Posternock and
Brad Marshand. We just need one of those guys here,
one of them. We don't have any of them. And
if you don't have guys who can score goals, you're
not gonna win games. It's I'm not I don't need
(29:32):
to be Scotty Bowman to tell you that, Mike, you
played the game.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
I didn't. But you gotta get stars.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
And I don't know who's the stars here, but you
need someone to step up in score goals, and it's
and Lane Lambert. You know he can only do so much.
You can only do so much, but you gotta get stars.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
And ultimately we're seeing more and more of these days.
Mja of where did those stars come from? Right, is right,
primarily in the draft. I mean, free agency in the
NHL today just does not work like it doesn't stay
Major League Baseball, the NBA, et cetera. I mean, I
even look at the team that we're watching right now
(30:11):
at morning skate in the Los Angeles Kings, Adrian Kent.
They was supposed to be a headliner for this next
year's supposedly free agent elite class, which was going to
be the antithesis of what was an absolute price fell
from this past offseason. Well, I mean, guess what. McDavid's
off the market, Capri Sobs off the market, and now
(30:32):
Kemp they is off the market. And I had a
chance to talk with, you know, somebody from the LA
area about this here for our Crack and Weekly show,
and you know, the base of the question was post
I mean, why didn't Camp they waited out take the
bag and you know, go for the extension and slot out.
The answer was, you just wanted.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
To stay there.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
He's got a wife and kids. Family. I mean, it's
kind of involving into it differently now these days.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
MJ.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
I mean, I mean, guys aren't chasing the free agent
bag like they are used to, and they're they're really
valuing job security but also a winning program much more
of these days. And that's where the big difference I
think kind of kicks in here for this. So again,
it just puts it right back here. Either there are
(31:20):
two ways to upgrade your team basically unless you have
a free agent out there, and the question is can
you outbid teams like Vegas, like the Rangers, like Toronto
can throw Edmonton and there at Colorado and they've got
money and a winning pedigree here to kick around. Those
are very, very tough factors. It's not just the fact
that you've got a great place to play and facility
(31:42):
rank everything, but you know what, it certainly counts in
this league. So after that, then you've got to figure
it out by trade and when those guys you know
become available, it's like you have to strike when the
iron is hot, or you have to figure out a
way here to do this in the draft. And so
this is where it's gonna really I think kick.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Into the Kraken.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
But when you go to the draft, you got to
hate your totals and you also have to find a
way to play the patient game with a lot of
these guys. I mean, Birtley Capton will be good in
this league. You know, Matt Eveniers is growing into a
solid defensive two ways center. You're going to get your
verger On like numbers. But again he's still in his twenties.
He still got room to grow. Shane Writ's only twenty
(32:19):
one years of age. So those guys take time and
they will need to take time as well.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Fair enough tonight, La Kings. They're a pretty good team.
What are they gotta do? What is Lane Lambert and
his team got to do to stop this six game
losing streak.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
You can expect maybe another two to one or three
two type of game them day. They play very very
similar lead to the Minnesota Wild. They really don't score
much if they do not give up much as well
when it comes to gold production and when it comes
to shot suppression. So I think you're really getting into
a dangerous case of trying to play, you know, the
(33:00):
race of three or four goals and you know, I
think keeping missing to five on five and the nearly
going is going to be very important sting out of
the penalty spots. But I mean, I thought Alchemist really
touched on this as well. The crack it had to
keep adapting to a shooter's like mentality, and this is
ultimately where when they get the puck up ice for
us going to really count. I thought Brandon Montor's taking
(33:22):
that much more to harg He's got ten. He had
ten shot attemps last game. Even Johnny Newman was firing
the biscuit quite a bit and I want to say
had about seven eight shot attempts. But it's it's, you know,
the impression where you know, once the puck is on
your stick that there's always a better play to work
it around to where they're trying to get away from.
(33:44):
And it's more a shot volume that is really.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Going to count.
Speaker 5 (33:46):
So I think from what we've seen under the hood,
they made some pretty good steps here in that direction.
But it's it's that it's that necessity to be self
as as Lane Lambert says, with the puck that they're
really trying to get about with here, and the fash
that they can do that here, the better against that way, all.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Right, Mike Betton, we appreciate Meet the Kraken and Mike
Betton every week. Brought to you by the fine folks
at Mechanics Bank. Check out their website, Mechanicsbank dot com
where relationships matter.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And Clickway Athletics. That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Start your seven day free pass today at Clickwayathletics dot com.
That's Clickway with a K and feel what it's like
to train the Clickway. We'll talk to you next week, Mike.
Hopefully tonight they can get back on the winning side
of things.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
I love a side of that, you bet thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Okay, Mike Betton, we are going to talk. I got
my day's messed up. It's on me tomorrow. Great day.
We had great day today as well. Mike Dugar coming
up at noon. We haven't talked to him a couple months.
We haven't talked to him since right after Game seven
of the ALCS. But tremain person is going to chime
in on the Mariners and exactly what's next after Josh Naylor.
(35:00):
Get to Tremaine person coming up at noon and don't
forget what.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Do you say?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Text of the Day at twelve thirty MJ. Christopher Kidd
Sports Radio ninety three three KJR Time
It's MJ in the midday on a Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Joining us coming up at the top of next hour,
Former Washington Husky and longtime NFL offensive lineman Lincoln Kennedy
will join us talk about the Husky's upcoming bowl game
this Saturday on December thirteenth. Usually with bowl games you
get fifteen practices, but not when your bowl game is
(00:28):
on the same day, as arn't me and Navy.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
We'll talk to him about that. Joining us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Like he does each and every week from the athletic
he does the Seahawks Man and Man podcast with Christopher Kidd,
and of course you can check out his book The
Franchise Curated History of the Seahawks The Legion of Boom
Era Mike Dugar each and every week. Mike, So, last
week in the A didn't look so great in the
first half. And you know what, I don't care what
(00:55):
Peyton Manning and Eli Manning say on their stupid, you
know Monday night watch cast that nobody watches actually about.
You know, coaches don't make halftime adjustments. Well I can
tell you that that certainly Clint Kubiak and Mike McDonald
did on Sunday after only putting up six in the
first half and then putting up thirty one points to
(01:17):
outscore the Falcons thirty one to three in the second half.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
What happened, Yeah, I mean, I do think that.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
The defense was locked in from the beginning.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So like in st teams, you know, I think Jami
made both his kicks in the first half, and then
Nicki Mumury blocked a kick in the first half, So
it really was just the offense that still had, you know,
some crust in his eyes from the East Coast trip.
But I think that the big thing that change in
the second half was protection. Think Sam was sacked on
two of the first three drives, I believe in the
(01:49):
first half, and then he wasn't sacked at all, and
he still had some pressure in the second half, but
he was better at handling it. And Sam has shown
time and time again this season then if you protect him,
he'll generally be fine. You look at the games where
he had really struggle, which isn't many. He hasn't had
good protection. I look at the Rams, look at the Vikings,
those two games really.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Stand out in that regard.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And then when he's not protected, Sam gets the panicky
a little bit, you know, doesn't doesn't trust his feet,
doesn't follow his rules, and then.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Ends up going down or throwing a pick.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
And once he settled in and realized, oh hey he's
got kid gets me, I should be fine.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
You know.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Even that first sack, Charles Cross gets beat by James Parris,
the rookie edge rusher, three man rush. Just step up,
you know, and you'll be fined. And he didn't, and
he almost gave the talkers two points with the safety.
So there were some adjustments, but it really felt like
the old line was like, hey, guys, do you remember
that this this is the new US. You guys are
playing like the old Seahawks. Whole line play like the
(02:44):
new Seahawks ole line that protects the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, they did, They certainly did.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
And Sam Darnold, as you mentioned, he stepped up JSN
got back into his groove. Two touchdown catches and all
of a sudden, now that you know, was there something
Do you think that Clint Kubiak just said, hey, we're not.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Doing this, we need to do this.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And the adjustment that he made going in that third court, well,
by the way, we'd be remiss Mike, you know, getting
one hundred yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start
the second half doesn't hurt by Rashiji heat either.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah. You know, I don't know where the official MG
in the midday stances on whether momentum is real. I
tend to lean towards the fact of momentum, kind of
being like the placebo effect, like if the players believe
it to be real, then it is real, you know.
And over the years stopping to players, I do think
(03:39):
it's a thing. You know, bad plays, good plays, they
just swing the game. Are human beings at the end
of the day. So yeah, I think that that was
the momentum swing. Those guys went out there were like,
all right, she's gonna go take this back to the house.
We'll get a stop the offensive score. Next thing you know,
we're up two scores and these guys can't there's no
way they can come back from down two touchdowns exactly
(04:00):
what happened. But seeing she he do it first, I
do think they have the whole team, you know, jolt
the defense, like I said, already had that, but it
really gave the offense a lift, like, oh, they.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Are better than these guys.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Uh So, yeah, I'm of the position that momentum is real.
I know some people are not, but it is and
I think that was an example of it that they
saw that. You know, they saw the well, first off,
the Falcons have the worst kickoff return you to end
the league. Yeah, so it was there was not a
coincidence that Mike MacDonald kind of called a shot at
half time, untild she needed to go take it back.
The odds were in its favor and he was right.
(04:33):
So that helped as well playing the Falcons. But yeah,
that was a huge momentum bust. It was like a
shot to the arm for the offense today. They took advantage.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They certainly did. And you mentioned the defense, Mike day
all day long. I mean Kirk Cousins, I mean he
held up for the pretty much the better part of
the first half. In the second half, it was just
painful to watch if you're in a Falcons fan. But
from the Seahawks standpoint, they just been doing what they
do all year. Mike, this is a team and you
know I mentioned this and you look at the totality
(05:04):
of the season, the Seahawks are second in the NFL
and giving up most turnovers behind the Vikings. Seahawks have
given up twenty three turnovers on the season. The Rams
have given up eleven. If you divided those turnovers in
half and you cut that down, Mike by fifty percent,
this team might be undefeated. That's how great this defense is.
(05:26):
Think about that second most turnovers in the league and
the defense and this team's record is ten and three.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, I really think that's as much as the team
has turned it over. It really is when you think
about it, just the Sam Darnold stat you when you
talk about what's predictive for the rest of the season.
For instance, like I think in that total you mentioned
with Seattle's takeaways or excuse me, they're giveaways, you have
Jelen Milroe pitching the ball right, that's not gonna happen again.
(05:57):
You have I think one of the Jackson Smith and
Jig before in Week one. Jackson is pretty sure hand
and I'm counting on that not happening again. Cooper cuts
through an interception against the Texans for reasons only him
god and Clint Kubiak. No, I'm pretty sure that won't
happen again. So it really is to Sam leaves the
league in turnovers and it's second in turnover rate. But
(06:17):
I've been I've been spitting out this stat this week
is probably one of my favorite to kind of speak to.
What you are talking about is that Sam is the
you know, the most efficient quarterback in the league on
plays that.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Don't end in the turnover.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
You know, it's like, legitimately, when you protect the ball,
this team can probably just walk to the super Bowl
with how good the team, the defense, and the special
teams are playing. It really just comes down to, hey,
is Sam gonna turn it over today? The answer is yes,
and they might be in a dog fight the answer
is no. The other we're gonna see Drew Locke midway
through the fourth.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, And Mike, you go back to of all games,
which to me I actually came out.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I think a lot of people did as well.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
A month ago in so far against the Rams and
through four interceptions and you know, Jason Myers, if he
had channeled his inner Brandon Aubrey, you Seahawks win that
game on a walk off after the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Through four picks.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's insane, Mike, that's in like and that to me,
right then and there shows just the elite greatness I mean,
I've got hey, I told kid this week.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
It kind of on the show this week, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
And I don't like to be, Mike one of those
people that gets caught up in recency bias.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
But I have a premonition.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I think that the Seahawks can get to the super Bowl,
and I believe they can if they If they do,
do you know who I think they're gonna go up
against the Houston Texans in a rematch. I'm telling you
right now, man, I can see it. You got because
that defense, and you saw what they did to Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
They don't the only c J.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Stroud's back Goo Ryans is a younger version, well not
too much younger, but close to Mike McDonald's age. But
they it's almost they're all mirror images of each other.
And I'm telling you right now, I don't buy the
Patriots in the Broncos in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I just don't.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And I think the Houston Dexans CJ. Strouds made the
playoffs before a couple times. Watch out. That's just going
looking down the road. But when you have a team
like this, Yeah, and there's another thing too, Mike, how
about this stat this this team right now that all
(08:37):
time that they are I believe, just fourth and point
differential in terms of all time. And we're going back
to the twenty twelve Seattle Seahawks season. We're going when
they were plus one sixty seven two thousand and five,
plus one eighty one in twenty thirteen plus one eighty
(09:00):
This team right now is that plus one sixty one.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Hey, next four games they might beat that twenty thirteen mark.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah, Dimico ryans only forty one, by the way, So yeah,
right there, to your point with Mike McDonald's the Smitch Older, Yeah,
I mean, I hope people can can really understand that
those the point, those point differentials that you're rattling off
are hard to That's hard stuff to do, man. That
really means that you are smoking your opponent each week.
Like I think when they made you can get to
(09:29):
can fact check me on this, but I'm pitty sure
when they made the playoffs in twenty twelve, or excuse me,
twenty twenty two, the last time they made it, they
were only like plus twelve, I want to say, a
very small number like that. So to be plus one
sixty three plus one anything is just miraculous. Yeah, it's
crazy what Michecdonald has done with this team in terms
of just laying the hammer on opponents on a weekly basis.
(09:53):
But yeah, I mean I could see Houston there. They
kind of have a similar They just have to worry
about ken their offense just not get in the way.
You know, can see j not do the wrong thing
because I mean, if you score, if you're the Texans,
like we score seventeen points, it's over. The other thing
is probably not getting more than that. And the same
thing with the Seahawks right now. If Seahawks get to seventeen,
(10:16):
it's over for the opponent for the most part, maybe
unless they play the Rams. Yeah, I mean this is
this is mark one of the best teams in the league,
if not the best.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
The Rams have a very good argument.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
And here's the only thing about the Seahawks and the
Rams in that rematch. As good as the Seahawks can
feel about, hey, you know, Sam's not going to turn
it over four times again, so we should be fine,
the Rams are probably saying, hey, Stafford's not going to
play his worst game of the year against the Seahawks.
And I think the more the more predictive thing for
the Rams, which is argument. I don't think anyone can
(10:48):
truly go against even the Seawks fans. They'll say, our
number two receivers are not going to have one touch
for one yard, you know which de Varka Adams had
in that game. Even if you think he won't go
crazy to think that he would just have one catch
for one yard. Again, I think it's it's nonsensical, you know.
And if you're a Rams fan saying that, who might
have disagreed with you? And then if you're a Seahawks fans,
San SAMs and I gonna throw four picks who might
(11:10):
have disagreed with you? You know? So I think both sides
have an argument, which is why Week sixteen next week,
because in that football is the biggest regular season game
in the last like six years.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Oh I yeah, could be longer, Mike, could be longer,
because I mean this, here's the thing about it. You
go back six years ago, I mean, did the Seahawks
really truly at that point did anybody I mean I
wasn't here then, but I followed them obviously. Did they
really have a chance Did anybody think they really had
a shot at winning the Super Bowl?
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Back then?
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Now?
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Now to me, Mike, it's not only belief.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Here should be an expectation that this team has a
chance to win Super Bowl. You know what's weird, I
learned something new after bringing up I didn't realize Demico's
three years older than Mike McDonald.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, like, dude, Demico looks like he's twenty five. He
needs to be carded if he goes for a drink.
He looks really young. I mean that dude is I mean, man,
I mean he looks. Wow, he looks I mean he
don't even look older when he played.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
I thought he was. I thought he was young. Mike
McDonald's only thirty eight years old. Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
So listen, when you talk about this team, let's let's
Mike McDonald right then and there, Mike, how about this.
The Seahawks team has won sixteen of their last twenty
one games going back to last season, and Mike McDonald
is thirteen and two on the road as the Seahawks
head coach.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Parse those both of those and break those down.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, you know, I think the road record records home
in a way. Those splits, generally, I think reflects who
you are as a team. For the most part, like
if you're a good team and if you're excuse me,
if you're an elite team, you'll win wherever you play.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Which is what they are.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
You look at now their home record.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I don't have it off the top of my head,
but I'm sure it's swinging right back in Mike McDonald's
face over very quickly because they keep beating people and
then putting.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Differential at home.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
I'm sure it's just starting to look outstanding, you know,
because you know, they only lost by three to the Bucks,
four to the Niners, and then just beat the snot
out of the Saints Cardinals and the Vikings didn't score,
so it's probably looking great. So I said that to say,
Mike McDonald just has an elite operation independent of where
they are. You know, I'm sure if they go play
in Australia next year, they'll go win that game as well.
(13:24):
It probably just really doesn't matter where they line up,
and it doesn't matter because Mike McDonald has set the standard.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
One of the things I love what Derek Ball told
me after the Vikings game. He said, one of our
sayings is it doesn't have to be close, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
And while that's a little arrogant, hey, but I love it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
It's the reality though, Like when you do the work
and you have the talent and you have the scheme,
when you trust your training, it doesn't have to be close.
You don't need to, you know, a fourth down stop
in the red zone to beat a Brams team led
by Jimmy g which is one of those sixteen wins
that you're talking about going back to last season, you know,
So it doesn't have to be And if you have
the right attitude and the right work ethic, you can
(14:02):
go out there and just beat up on people, which
is what they've been doing. I will say this though, Mark,
I think they're six and three in the conference in
the NFC, if I got that right, all six of
those wins I believe are against teams with losing records,
that's right in the three laws. And then the losses
I believe are all against teams who are in the
playoffs as of today. So I do need to see
(14:23):
them go out there and handle business against the team
that they would potentially see, you know, because then you
start talking about Sam again, what happened in those three
losses the conference teams? Right they sam through four picks
in one and the other two games. The last play
from scrimmage for the Seahawks is a Donald turnover, a
fumble and a pick. So what is he going to
do when one is the offense going to do? Now?
(14:45):
Just him when there's a real opponent on the other side.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Mike Dugar from the Athletic host Seahawks Man and Man
podcast with our own Christopher Kid, joins us each in
every week.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
How about nickim me and Morey Mike.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
I mean, this is a pick that was turned over
for from DK Metcalf going to Pittsburgh. He had an interception, block,
field goal, sack, six tackles, and two TFLs. First in
Atlanta on Sunday. What can you say about this guy?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I think he's He's really a unicorn. You know, he
got the Camp Chessler comps mostly because his DV coach.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
I believe at South Carolina was Cam's DV coach.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
So he was telling everybody within earshot, like, hey, I
got another one.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I got one of those. I got one of those
hybrid guys.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Look at him, he's the next up and look I
get that comparison.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
It's fine.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I think He's really just his own player, you know. Yeah,
because he doesn't cover like Cam does, and then Cam
doesn't rush the passer like Nick does, and then legitimately
are different players. Uh. And what Nick does is just
really really really special, you know he is. He is
all of his combine testing come to life. And not
every players like that. I mean, you know that Mark,
some of these guys like all look at his forty
(15:55):
so Ben chamillions and you know his short shuttle will
be great.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
He kills the workout.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
And then he can't act. So he played football, you
know he can test. Well, those are not the same
the same thing, you know. Like I remember one time
I was talking. I showed Kandre Diggs, you know for
currency Hawk safety. Now, I showed him as relative athletics score.
I showed it to pull up the page. He saw
all that red on there, that show he couldn't play.
He's like, man, he was like my thank good in
my underwear. You know what I'm saying. Like I'm a
football player. I go out there and play ball and
(16:20):
with all that testing, you know, and but when those
two things converge, when you get a six three, two
hundred and twenty pound guy with long arms, and I
think he ran like four to three and forty Like
when you get that, and then he can also play football.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Yeah, we don't.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
They don't make many of those, you know. That's why
guys who are better than Nick on the team, like Spoon,
like Jay Love, They're like, I look at this kid,
and I think he could be the best thing in
the world since sliced bread because he just has he
has the talent, he has the physical stuff, and then
Mike McDonald is the last piece of the puzzle said,
I truly believed this mark.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
If Nick had went.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
To like thirty other teams, he would not. I think
he is. He's benefiting directly from playing for Mike McDonald.
I think maybe if he went to Baltimore he could
be or maybe even the Chargers because they got like
guys like Derwin James and Kyle Hamilton. They know how
to use like Nick. But yeah, I think he's really
benefiting from the scheme.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
The fact that he is just a do it.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
All guy, ranbacker and rusher, run stopper, coverage guy. It
really is impressive watching him and not only just seeing
what he's doing currently, but then thinking about man, I
think he's barely old enough to rent a car without
getting the extra insurance.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
This is a young dude.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
When he develops, he's really gonna be a special, special,
special player.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Mike Dugard from the Athletic Here on MJ in the
midacl Sports Leader ninety three to three kJ R FM.
So are we gonna see forty four year old grandpa?
Philip Rivers on Sunday? Mike, I mean, is that what
I don't? I mean, not that this Seahawks sick elite
defense needed any extra help, but Daniel Jones goes down
(18:01):
out for the season, Achilles injury season on the brink
for the Colts, and literally, you're gonna sign a forty
four year old grandpa.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
I mean, that's where we're at right now.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I don't want I was about to say I can't
believe in doing this, but I can because the long
I've been around this game and coaches, they just.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
Love what they know.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
You know, they if I know Phillip can throw it,
then I'm gonna call him. Like if I know Joe
Flacco can can throw it, I'm gonna call him. You know,
these older guys like, hey, I know they got this.
You know, I think we'll see more and more of this,
if guys getting called out of retirement out of the
broadcast booth in times of desperation, because these coaches just
(18:42):
want to go with what they know. And so that's
the part that makes sense in my brain. The other
part doesn't make sense, Like on the flip side, a
little devil on I guess on the opposite shoulder is
what the hell are the colts thinking? This guy out there,
he's gonna get killed.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Mike, have you ever heard of have you seen those
stories on the six and eleven o'clock news about senior
abuse and assisted living homes? Like, Mike, Like, I got
news for you. Little Luminfield ain't an assistant living home.
But if you're gonna put a senior out on the field,
he's going to get abused by Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy,
(19:19):
Jaron Reid, Ernest Jones, I mean, Nick Emon Worrie.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
This is going to happen on Sundays.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
So hey, I listen, Philip, I hope you were and
your agent you looked at that liability waiver really closely.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, no, this is I'm a big movie guy. This
is like straight out of Mister three thousand just the
football version, you know, the Bernie Mack joan where he
comes out of retirement. And remember the scene in that
movie where they Liken swing hitting a baseball to holding
up a beard bottle at the bar and then dropping
it and catching it before it hits the ground, you know,
And Bernie Mack does that in the movie, and then
(19:57):
he thinks that he caught it, and then he puts
it on the table and walks away, and.
Speaker 4 (20:01):
Then the camera zooms in the bottom of the bottle.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Is cracked and the beer's filling out, and you're like,
oh my god, this is going to go very poorly.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
That's Philip Rivers right now.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Like I'm sure in those first couple of practices, I
think they're going live today the Colts are He's gonna
feel great. Probably it's He'm like, ooh, look at me,
I'm spinning it. Tyler Warrens open these play action screens
diagrams to Jonathan Taylor. We got this and then that first,
I mean a second drive on Sunday, Mark, if he
plays that, might you might be able to just bet
(20:30):
your mortgage on the Seahawks generating a negative play on
it like sac picks six Force fumble or something like
that first shrive will probably be great. And then once
you no longer have that first fifteen plays.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
To lean on, that old guy is in trouble. He is.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
If he was twenty four, he'd be in trouble against
this defense for his worth. But yeah, forty four, he
just got no shot.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
No, no, you really don't. I mean you saw how
bad Aaron Rodgers struggle. And Aaron Rodgers has been playing
football for twenty one straight years, going back to two thousand.
I've even know, well, let's be real, it's first three
years he sat behind Aaron Brett Farv. But nonetheless he's
been in the league for twenty plus straight years, been
playing for eighteen of those twenty one straight years. So yeah,
(21:11):
not that they need any help, Mike. Any worries on
I I mean, it's a stupid question, but I'm gonna
ask it anyway. Any worries on this being a look
ahead game to Thursday night, which is basically the de
facto NFC West Divisional Championship game.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Well, you know, I don't think so. I think that
Mike McDonald, the way he operates, I think he has
found a better version, or at least a more modern
version of what Pete Carroll was saying. Like, you know,
I used to say, treat every game like a championship opportunity.
Speaker 4 (21:42):
That was his version of like.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Making sure they knew, hey, you can't overlook anyone. We
can every game of the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Don't get beat.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
And while that I understood that, and it worked for
a while, it's just these guys are humans. It's the
truth is every game is not a championship opportunity. Sometimes
it's just Week seven. That doesn't mean Week seven is unemployed,
but we just know that it's not the super Bowl
in our minds. You can't tell me that it is.
Whereas Mike McDonald's, he's done a better version of putting
the spin on that, which is like, trust our process,
(22:10):
play to our standard. I think his favorite one is
a style of ball that no one else wants to play.
That's on the wall when you walk out to the
practice field. So when that's your Montreal, just play our ball.
It doesn't matter if if it's Max Brosmer, if it's
Philip Rivers, if it's Hurt Cousins, if it's Aaron Rodgers,
Jordan Love and Boogeyman, Candy man, don't matter, Like, go
out there, play our style of ball. I think that's
(22:32):
how you avoid letdowns or track games or look at
whatever you want to ascribe, like looking past the Colts
to be so.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
I think they should be fine. This defense is just
humming right now. I think now that that.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Pro Bowl voting coming out, Guy's like, hey, wait a minute,
now I'm six, How can I get the third in
my position? Guys tweeting out the little Pro Bowl thing
and put it on their Instagram telling their friends and
family to go vote.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
So, yeah, these guys are hungry.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Everybody wants sacks, forced fumbles, TFLs. Yeah. I fear for
Philip Rivers of safety on Sunday. Maybe the first half.
But I don't know how he picks himself up off
the turf in the fourth quarter when he's hit by
Derek Half like the third time in the game.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
No, No, I know. All I know is this edder
and James is in walking through that door. Reggie Wayne's
not walking through that door. My guys from the U
Marvin Harrison Seniors not walking through that door. It could be,
it could be brutal. Mike Dugar does Seahawks Man and
Man with Christopher Kidd. He can read his stuff on
the Athletic excellent stuff.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
See you Sunday.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
We got two games coming up Sunday, Mike in five days,
Sunday and the next Thursday night. It's gonna be a
fun time here in Seattle. I'll see you on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I appreciate you having me.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
You got it, Mike. Speaking of Mike, well, have Mike
Benton coming up next. Meet the Kraken. We'll talk to
him coming up next right here, Lincoln Kennedy at the
top of next hour. Right here, MJ and the Midday
Christopher Kids, Sports Radio ninety three to three KJRFM, FDIC
and Clickway Athletics. Ready to level up your training. Clickway
(24:06):
Athletics is where Washington's lifters, athletes, and go getters come
for real results. Our coach is pushed with purpose, our
max pump equipment hits harder, and our culture rewards effort
not excuses. Twenty four to seven locations in Seattle, Everett, Renton,
and Marysville. Clickway offers personal training, focus group sessions, and
(24:26):
nutrition coaching, plus personalized progress tracking so every rep actually
means something. Start your seven day free pass today at
Clickwayathletics dot Com and feel what it's like to train
the Clickway, by the way, that's Clickwayathletics dot Com. Clickway
with a K Mike Kracking have fallen and they can't
(24:48):
get up. They've lost six in a row. It is
they have hit the low point of the season. We
hope this is the lowest point this season. What's going
on over the last six games?
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Well, m J I saider here that it was kind
of a combination of the first couple of games where
they just you know, flat out couldn't score a goal,
and then we saw after that it was you know,
basically a mish mash of defensive issues, which really I
thought came to a head in that Edmonton game one
week ago where they gave up nine. But yeah, I
(25:22):
think in a sense of, you know, where matters have gone.
I looked back from last Saturday when they came back
home to face the Red Wing in a game that
they they really knew they wanted to have and they
kind of had to have after losing that one nine
to four to Edmonton, and the way that this team
has been able to adapt to Lane lambert structure and
(25:44):
his system. They had a tight game in the last
five minutes of the third period, and under normal stringent
defensive circumstances, if you get into a tie game last
five minutes, you're basically already playing why you're in overtime,
which also means extremely cautious and extremely careful with the
(26:05):
fucking you're basically finding a way to not give that
one up. And unfortunately they did. I mean, they had
a great look offensively advice and then they lost track
of a rebound and Troy came right back off the rush,
which is something that you don't want to allow. But
then Joey the court, maybe that's the goal that he
wants back, you know, even though Patrick Kane it was
(26:27):
from at least side of the circles and he saw
it clean all the way. So you know, it's kind
of tough, you know, thinking about just how close they
were to try and to right the ship, and then
something that they've been preaching to try to rein back
in just goes a rise in which I thought made
a loss like that super frustrating. And then we get
(26:48):
to the Minnesota game where you know you're facing three,
four or five high danger scoring chances and you had
to have Philip Grewbauer dial in playoff Philip Grewbauer. I mean,
consider that Minnesota doesn't score much. If you're facing a
team like say Edmonton or Colorado or even Toronto, I
mean you're playing with fire and games like that. If
(27:11):
you're giving up wide open looks front of the net
U two on given a one point nearly a three
on zero, I mean you're just asking to go down
three nothing in the first five six minutes the first
period here, which then you know, despite the crack and
playing the close game, they lost that one in the
pair a couple of empty nutters, and that led to
basically your captain calling you out and your head coach
calling you out. And the meeting was behind this was
(27:34):
that you know, there can't be any passengers here on
this team, and I have the way that they were
able to I think process that. You know, I've talked
to a couple of the guys this morning back in
the room. They've they got a pretty clear head as
far as what they want to do, and a pretty
good start out of the gate is pretty important for
tonight against LA.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Well, Mike, I mean, listen, I'm just going to call
for like what it is. I'm looking at the points
leaders in the NHL right now, the highest ranked player
from the iatle crack In is Jordan Eberley at one
thirty seven, tied for one hundred and thirty seventh in
the NHL. Lane Lambert is the right choice. You can't
continue to you know, basically, what it comes down to
is this doing the same thing over and over again
(28:14):
expecting different results is the definition of insanity. They fired
the coach three times and so now we're on the
Lane Lambert. Okay, so he's the guy. I like Lane Lambert.
It's not his fault. They don't have any stars. At
the end of the day, you got no stars. And
this is not like where you can just put this
team together.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Every sport needs stars. You don't have any.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Connor McDavid scored as many goals last week on Thursday
Night as a hat trick as Maddy Beniers has all season.
That's sad and that's pathetic. They gotta get stars. If
you're not going to be able to draft a Nathan McKinnon,
and I get it, you have to have the worst record.
You have to you know, hit that that lottery. Then
you gotta go out and get a Mitch Martner. And
(28:58):
that's what Vegas did, and that's why Vegas is. You
know where Vegas is. You gotta get stars and they
don't have any stars, and that will not change.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So we could talk about this and that and the other.
Laye Lambert's the right coach.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
It's not his fault because I know what a perfection
line looks like. I saw it in Boston my last
three years when they had Patrice Bursron, David Posternock and
Brad Marshand. We just need one of those guys here,
one of them. We don't have any of them. And
if you don't have guys who can score goals, you're
not gonna win games. It's I'm not I don't need
(29:32):
to be Scotty Bowman to tell you that, Mike, you
played the game.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
I didn't. But you gotta get stars.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
And I don't know who's the stars here, but you
need someone to step up in score goals, and it's
and Lane Lambert. You know he can only do so much.
You can only do so much, but you gotta get stars.
Speaker 5 (29:51):
And ultimately we're seeing more and more of these days.
Mja of where did those stars come from? Right, is right,
primarily in the draft. I mean, free agency in the
NHL today just does not work like it doesn't stay
Major League Baseball, the NBA, et cetera. I mean, I
even look at the team that we're watching right now
(30:11):
at morning skate in the Los Angeles Kings, Adrian Kent.
They was supposed to be a headliner for this next
year's supposedly free agent elite class, which was going to
be the antithesis of what was an absolute price fell
from this past offseason. Well, I mean, guess what. McDavid's
off the market, Capri Sobs off the market, and now
(30:32):
Kemp they is off the market. And I had a
chance to talk with, you know, somebody from the LA
area about this here for our Crack and Weekly show,
and you know, the base of the question was post
I mean, why didn't Camp they waited out take the
bag and you know, go for the extension and slot out.
The answer was, you just wanted.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
To stay there.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
He's got a wife and kids. Family. I mean, it's
kind of involving into it differently now these days.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
MJ.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
I mean, I mean, guys aren't chasing the free agent
bag like they are used to, and they're they're really
valuing job security but also a winning program much more
of these days. And that's where the big difference I
think kind of kicks in here for this. So again,
it just puts it right back here. Either there are
(31:20):
two ways to upgrade your team basically unless you have
a free agent out there, and the question is can
you outbid teams like Vegas, like the Rangers, like Toronto
can throw Edmonton and there at Colorado and they've got
money and a winning pedigree here to kick around. Those
are very, very tough factors. It's not just the fact
that you've got a great place to play and facility
(31:42):
rank everything, but you know what, it certainly counts in
this league. So after that, then you've got to figure
it out by trade and when those guys you know
become available, it's like you have to strike when the
iron is hot, or you have to figure out a
way here to do this in the draft. And so
this is where it's gonna really I think kick.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Into the Kraken.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
But when you go to the draft, you got to
hate your totals and you also have to find a
way to play the patient game with a lot of
these guys. I mean, Birtley Capton will be good in
this league. You know, Matt Eveniers is growing into a
solid defensive two ways center. You're going to get your
verger On like numbers. But again he's still in his twenties.
He still got room to grow. Shane Writ's only twenty
(32:19):
one years of age. So those guys take time and
they will need to take time as well.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Fair enough tonight, La Kings. They're a pretty good team.
What are they gotta do? What is Lane Lambert and
his team got to do to stop this six game
losing streak.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
You can expect maybe another two to one or three
two type of game them day. They play very very
similar lead to the Minnesota Wild. They really don't score
much if they do not give up much as well
when it comes to gold production and when it comes
to shot suppression. So I think you're really getting into
a dangerous case of trying to play, you know, the
(33:00):
race of three or four goals and you know, I
think keeping missing to five on five and the nearly
going is going to be very important sting out of
the penalty spots. But I mean, I thought Alchemist really
touched on this as well. The crack it had to
keep adapting to a shooter's like mentality, and this is
ultimately where when they get the puck up ice for
us going to really count. I thought Brandon Montor's taking
(33:22):
that much more to harg He's got ten. He had
ten shot attemps last game. Even Johnny Newman was firing
the biscuit quite a bit and I want to say
had about seven eight shot attempts. But it's it's, you know,
the impression where you know, once the puck is on
your stick that there's always a better play to work
it around to where they're trying to get away from.
(33:44):
And it's more a shot volume that is really.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Going to count.
Speaker 5 (33:46):
So I think from what we've seen under the hood,
they made some pretty good steps here in that direction.
But it's it's that it's that necessity to be self
as as Lane Lambert says, with the puck that they're
really trying to get about with here, and the fash
that they can do that here, the better against that way, all.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Right, Mike Betton, we appreciate Meet the Kraken and Mike
Betton every week. Brought to you by the fine folks
at Mechanics Bank. Check out their website, Mechanicsbank dot com
where relationships matter.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
And Clickway Athletics. That's right.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Start your seven day free pass today at Clickwayathletics dot com.
That's Clickway with a K and feel what it's like
to train the Clickway. We'll talk to you next week, Mike.
Hopefully tonight they can get back on the winning side
of things.
Speaker 5 (34:34):
I love a side of that, you bet thank you.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Okay, Mike Betton, we are going to talk. I got
my day's messed up. It's on me tomorrow. Great day.
We had great day today as well. Mike Dugar coming
up at noon. We haven't talked to him a couple months.
We haven't talked to him since right after Game seven
of the ALCS. But tremain person is going to chime
in on the Mariners and exactly what's next after Josh Naylor.
(35:00):
Get to Tremaine person coming up at noon and don't
forget what.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Do you say?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Text of the Day at twelve thirty MJ. Christopher Kidd
Sports Radio ninety three three KJR Time
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.