July 24, 2025 • 41 mins
Falcons Audible is BACK! Dave Archer and D.J. Shockley are back to preview the Atlanta Falcons' 2025 AT&T training camp. From the biggest storylines to the players with the most to prove, they give you everything you need to know for the start of training camp.
0:00 - Intro
2:15 - Offseason activities
6:00 - Training Camp memories
10:45 - Having fans back at camp
15:40 - Biggest storylines
19:43 - Top position group battles
25:40 - Players with something to prove
30:30 - 2025 draft class expectations
34:30 - Goals for 2025 training camp
40:35 - Outro
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Before we get we get to this week's Falcons Audible,
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(00:22):
doers get more done? Order select in stock items by
four pm, subject to availability. Welcome to Falcons Audible, presented
by AT and T. I'm Dave Archer. That's DJ Shockley.
Derek Rackley's not with us, racks out softballing out on
the West Coast with his daughter.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
He will be.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Back with us next week as we get things started
this week pre training camp edition of Falcons Audible. Shock Man,
it's good to see you, brother.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
No, Douve's good to be back. Man. I'm excited for
this season, excited to get going.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
As we record this podcast, we are literally one day
away from them getting on the grass. And before we
start the podcast, I even told Archi, but I wanted
to do this because we're starting a new season and
I got to give my man his Flowers Arch, What
years this with the Falcons? What year is this calling
Falcons games? Because you have done it at a high rate. Man,
(01:16):
I'm I'm a fan. I've told them this a thousand times.
But if you guys don't listen to Arch, I know
a lot of people who do listen, who say they.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Turn off everything and just turn on the radio. But
what year is this? Man?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
And I think you know the credibilities to the roof
man play for this team. Now you get to do
all the different things you do with this organization. I'm
just proud to say I know you, man, but what
year is this for you?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I appreciate you saying that. Shock. It's been fun to
work with you. You and I have worked a number
of years together. This is twenty two, twenty two coming up,
I think twenty for calling the games, twenty three. I
did the pregame post game show way back at three.
So Ben been associated with the team for a long time.
Very proud. I had an opportunity appreciate you and you've
(01:59):
been You been doing stuff with this team for a
long time as well, So you and I are old
veterans of this kind of stuff. I got a few
more I got a few more years in the bank
than you do, but I appreciate being here with you. Bron. Yeah,
speaking of that, we spend a little bit off season,
and so what did the Shockley family get a chance
to do with this off season? It kind of sticks
out to you to get in you know what.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think the best thing for Media's offseason was being
able to spend more time to famu As we know,
doing football season, it is go, go, go go. We're
always on the move, We're always doing something. And also
I got a chance to kind of get away with
the fam. I got a chance to.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Watch my son play travel baseball.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Get to be there on Saturdays and you know, sit
there as a fan, sit in my little rock and chair,
have my you know, my little beveragers off to the side,
you know, just sit there and watch him.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And that's what I look forward to. Man.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I don't get a chance to do that in the fall,
miss like his games or Saturdays in football. So just
to get the chance to wake up and do that
early in the morning, to be at the park all day,
it's pretty cool. Get to go watch my daughter she
ran tracticed them for the first time in the spring,
so I was able to go watch her. She actually
really did well in it, and uh it brought out
some different excitement for that. I never thought that she
(03:09):
would be excited about. So it was cool to be
able to do that. And then we took a lot
family vacate to Jamaica. Yeah, it was Jamaica, man, Good times,
good times month. We jumped in the blue Hole. We
uh you know, went.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Atv Ryn uh in the pool for hours.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Of course, you're in the hotel room all day with
each other, so you just get that good family time, man,
And it's what we need, you know. It gives us
the kind of refresh we need as we get ready
for this long season. So a little charger definitely definitely
was good times. I'll chat about you, man. Off season
consisted of a few things.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Had a chance to go visit my son out in Arizona.
Lives in Arizona and been working out there. Worked for
a big housing company out there, residential housing companies, a
supervisor out there, so I got a chance to spend
the time with him and his wife and the golf
out in are We actually did slip. It's funny because
he moved out there didn't care anything about golf, and
he here in Atlanta and he lives out there and
all these golf courses all the place in Arizona, and
(04:04):
he's playing golf all the time. So but one thing
I did get a chance to do, and I'm going
to throw this out to the Falcon fan out there.
I had a chance to go on the Falcon Fan cruise.
You had things to do. You couldn't go with us
that time, but we had. It was ten of us
former players, the likes of Michael Turner and Alan Rossum
and you know, Chris Moore, a lot of these, A
lot of different guys went on a trip with us.
(04:27):
But we got a chance to hang out with Falcon fans.
There's about one hundred and fifty two hundred fans wow
on the boat with us. We were a Royal Royal
Caribbean cruise Line Utopia the Seas, which is the second
largest cruise ship in the world, second only to the
new one that they just came out with, which called
Icon of the Seas I think. But I got a
chance to go down to the Bahamas with the fans.
It was really cool. Spend a lot of times you
(04:49):
get a chance check out the cruise of the Falcons
Falcons Fan Cruise, and go ahead and register. Come, come do,
come do with us. There'll be I don't know who
all get a chance to go, and I'm lobbying to
get it go again next year, maybe shot can go.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How accessible were you too, like the fans, because like obviously.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Right there crew right there, yeah, right there with the fans.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Got to pick your brain about uh aj Terrell and
all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah, not only that, you know there we're playing different games.
We're throwing the football with them, We're doing a bunch
of stuff out on the beach with him and stuff
like that. So you get a chance, go find the
Falcons Fan Cruise and see if you can get registered
for that. That was that was really fun.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
C Man, I never been on a cruise, so it
would be interested with did you ever get like sea
sick anything?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Or you were pretty good? It was.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
This thing is like a sh a floating shopping mall. Okay,
you don't even know you're on the ocean, dude. It's
like it's like seventeen floors high and it just cuts
through the water. Now, we didn't you know, we weren't
in the North Sea or anything like that, that kind
of stuff, but it was it was really cool. So
if you get a chance, go check out Falcons Fan cruise.
There's a lot of photos up right now, I think
(05:51):
on the Lantafalcons dot com you can check it out.
But if you want to, you know, get get in
your mind, maybe register for that next May. I believe
that thing will set sail again. All right, Training camps
here is shocked. We talked about it. I want a
training camp memory or two for you, is you came
into camp, what was the overall feeling? What what are
these guys feeling as they come to camp, whether they're
(06:13):
a new guy or an old guy. And sometimes that's
the same.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The fun thing about training camp, man, there's a little
sense of urgency because you go through off season, you
got OTA's and mini camps. You really know like there's
not really you're getting ready for a game. You know
you're gonna have practice this week, you know you're gonna
have some practice next week, but you're not really getting
ready for the season. Training camp hits and you look
up and say, oh, we can have two weeks.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
We got a real game.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
It's getting real, Like think about it, Oh, in a month,
am I gonna be on this ball club?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And that's kind of how I thought about it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Was like, Okay, in a month, depending on my performance,
will I be in Atlanta Falcon And that.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Goes through your brain a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
The other part for me that that that kind of
sets in for me, I think about a lot is
the bonds you make during training camp, the fun you
had because you're around guys, and when I was here,
we would get here early in the morning, you know,
six in the morning or whatever, and you'd be here
to For me, when I was a rookie, it was
I was here to ten thirty at night, and you're
here all day with your team.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
You're staying at the dorms over there.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
And I also remember during training camp the cool rookie
skits and the singing, all that kind of stuff. You
see different personalities from guys, and you find out what
guys have been doing in the off season, what makes
them go, and you kind of build that rapport with them,
and it's just fun to have that kind of you know, moment,
(07:35):
because you never are gonna have that group together again.
And you think about it, we had what I don't
know what, ninety guys coming to camp, and you knew
during that camp that was that ninety guys, And by
the time camp ends, it's gonna be fifty three guys,
sixty whatever it is that's on the team, and you
go your separate way.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
So you build those bonds with guys.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And there's guys who I was in training camp with
that didn't make the team and still friends with today.
And it's cool to have those moments to celebrate guys,
but also you know, it's a real deal.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Now it's time to go to work.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I know you had some cool teammates and some cool
experiences during your training cap What was the funest members
you got?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, I think that I would echo what you're saying
is it's a really strange situation because it's competitive. You're
trying to be one of fifty three guys that makes
us roster. There's ninety guys coming to camp. You don't
have to be a five beta CABA to figure out
the numbers don't necessarily equate, so you're competing with guys
(08:38):
that you're actually pulling for two to help you win.
It's really a strange dynamic in that you're not really
pulling against the player. You're trying to concentrate on yourself
and put your best foot forward. You hope he does too,
and then whoever wins that job wins that job. So
it's really a kind of a mind freeze to a
(08:58):
certain extent, where you're trying to fight through those kind
of things. But when I think back to training camp,
I think about the heat of Atlanta. I came down
here as a young guy trying to make a club,
much like you did when you came in from Georgia. Here.
I come from Iowa State down and they had had
they had one of the best quarterbacks in Falcons history
was still here, Steve Barkowski, and so you're learning from
(09:19):
him how to be a pro. But I remember fifteen
straight days of tow a days in full pads. They
don't do that anymore now because they're smarter than they
were back when I was playing. But you forgot what
day it was. I remember, I remember the heat of Atlanta.
I remember the two a days. I remember Scott Case
(09:39):
and I playing nerf hoop at night in our room.
We had a hurd hoop, but we're shooting.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Shooting arm last for fifteen straight as of two at eight.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah, you struggled, you struggle, the arm would get dead.
You know, you had ice, you had the ice, the
arm after every practice. And then the thrill of making
the team shock. You felt this too. I mean, when
you fight through all that, the heat, the battles, the
uh you know, the the tough days in the morning,
and you've got a rally in the afternoon because you
(10:07):
got to have a better practice, you know, and an
absorbing playbook. And then I remember the coach walked by
me after the third preseason game, uh, Dan Henning, and
he said, uh, hey, David, you found a place to
live yet, Ay, and you talk about a feeling. Now,
there's no way I can describe because you don't know
(10:27):
you're I'm like, you'd like you're talking about shock. It's
a it's an everyday grind mentally, physically, emotionally because this
is your dream. You want to play in the league,
right and and so yeah, I never forget that. That
was one of the great feelings, one of the great
memories I have of that. Okay, training camp starts essentially
on Thursday here and we're we're recording this on a Wednesday.
(10:51):
The training camp starts Thursday, the players are in the
building doing a lot of interviews, some of the some
of the administrative things, if you will, that go into
kind of getting ready for a season. And they'll hit
the field on Thursday, and then we've got open practices
and the fans sold.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Out, mad mad last year. What does that?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
What did that mean to you? Shock We had the
field and my training camp was in Swanee, but very
similar setup. The big Hill people came out, got all
set up on the hill and watched his practice. You
get the same thing here at Flowery Branch. Tell me
about that, especially as a guy that played his high
school football in Georgia, played his college football in Georgia,
(11:34):
and all of a sudden, you're playing your pro football
in Georgia. What did that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
First of all, it was cool to be drafted by
the team that you grew up watching and to be
in the state was really cool. And then have the
opportunity to come to the Atlanta Falcons and for years
you watch them on TV and you're like, oh man,
that would be cool, and you see all the fans
and to be a part of it, it.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Was really surreal. I remember my rookie year.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Obviously in two thousand and six, we also still had
Michael Vick and the biggest face in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
And I remember running.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Out first practice, and you know, we used to do
a drill where you, you know, kind of you say,
you're like five ten yards away and you're just you're
you're jogging across and you're just getting warmed up, and
the fans are on the heel. Every time we got
towards the heel. It was as many people call it
my name as it was Michael Vick.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
And I was.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Baffled by, like I'm looking at him, like this dude
is everything and people are still fans of me.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
And I tell you, it gives you a little bit
more juice than you think.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It gives you a little bit more excitement to go
out and perform because so many people.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
You know, are watching and when you succeed.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I remember the first time getting in the my first
ever preseason game, and I'm a seventh round pick. I
don't get into you know, fourth quarter, if if if that,
and I get in probably middle of the fourth quarter,
and as soon as I run on the field, all
your year is fans barking. And it was a pretty
cool feeling that you know, people actually wanted to see
(13:07):
me play and then to play here. It's just you know,
cheer you on the top. So it's cool to have
the fans back. I know you guys are excited. All
three days are sold out coming up over the next
three days, which is really cool. It shows a lot
of excitement for the season, and I don't think fans
would be excited arch for a team that doesn't have
the potential or I think there are a lot of
(13:30):
guys that fans are excited to see and that speaks volumes.
I think for this organization to where they're at, obviously
the season and end the way we wanted, but still
coming to this year, fans are excited about what we've
done in the off season and to have you guys
at camp. For these players, trust me, it means a
lot for these guys to walk out of the locker
(13:51):
room and look over to their right and see just
a heel full of fans cheering kids out there. They
trying to come before school goes, and everybody just enjoying
that time watching one of their favorite teams is always
pretty cool. So I'm glad that we get the fans back.
I'm glad that the fans are coming out and it's
sold out. Speaks volumes to what this team could be.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Yeah, a lot of energy. You guys provide that energy,
especially when it gets a little bit warm and you
start to get into some of the days, the dog
days of training camp. To have that energy on the fields,
almost like running in the Mercedes Benz Stadium and you
need something to happen in the fourth quarter, and the
way the fans rise up down there, UH to help
the help the players kind of find that extra piece
(14:34):
of energy. Tickets are free. We talked talking about talking
sold out, but you got to do go to Atlanta
Falcons dot com slash training camp and get your tickets
now again they're free. Go get your tickets so you
can come out and watch the Atlanta Falcons UH and
really pump them up and get them ready to go. Now,
we're doing a live show Saturday from practice here if
you'd like to tune in Saturday morning to watch the
(14:55):
practice alongside Taylor Vismore and a couple of special surprise
VIP guests. We'll be doing that on Atlanta Falcons dot com.
So I'm excited about that. I was just visiting with
with Taylor a little bit ago. We're trying to put
that put a plan together for the show and and
I think you'll enjoy it. It's a kind of a
cutting edge deal doing a kind of a live broadcast
during training camp. We'll have I think Tory mcelhaney, but
(15:18):
down on the fields she's going to talk to potentially
Raheem Morris, kind of a sideline reporter type deal, and
we'll describeing and stuff. So this should be a lot
of fun, So tune in Alantafalcons dot com. You can
find a lot of details about that on on Atlanta
Falcons dot com. And what we're going to be doing.
All right, let's dive into what we potentially are going
to see or what you're hoping to see if you
(15:39):
start looking at training camp, give me some storylines you
think are sticking out to you shock that that probably
are sticking out in the fans' minds as well.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I think a lot of people are interested in obviously
what happens with Michael Penny jun I think a lot
of people think that's a big storyline. For me, I
don't think it's as big of a storyline as people think.
I think we saw what Michael Pinnock's was about last year. No,
it was a small sample size, but I think for
us we saw enough out of his play that gives
(16:09):
us confidence that this guy can get it done. And
obviously a whole season will tell that, and he's gonna
have his opportunity, and obviously three games last year he
showed some really good things.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
The biggest storyline for me, I think is on the
other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
There are a lot of new faces, you got a
new coordinator, you got a new aggressive scheme, So I
think how fast this defense comes together is a huge
storyline for me. There's a couple of position groups we're
gonna talk about here in a minute, But for me,
I'm paying a little bit more attention to the defensive
side the ball. You look on the offensive side and
you start going through the position groups and you're like,
(16:42):
you feel pretty good about it.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
You got a lot of guys who played a lot
of ball.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Defense, You got a lot of guys who played some
ball too, But you got a lot of new faces
and a lot of new spots, and you got a
new coordinator coming in here in year one. How quickly
can they get together, because we don't have time to say,
all right, this is gonna be a two three year deal.
We're trying to do this here in this season, in
year one. So I think the biggest storyline going for me.
One thing that I'm really looking forward to is watching
(17:08):
all the different components of this defense.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Yeah, I think that defense, certainly, based on what we
did in the draft, would be an area that obviously
was concerned for the Falcons. They wanted to address that area.
Obviously not very good. You're thirty first in the league
in sacks. You went out and got a couple of
guys who can rush the passer in the first and
first round, and then you went and got a couple
of ballhawks right after that. Two guys are going to
play in the secondary alongside Jesse Bates and AJ Terrell.
(17:34):
Only eighteen takeaways last year. We were minus six in
the giveaway takeaway ratio. Not very good against the run either.
If I look at the numbers here, we were fifteenth
versus the run. You were twenty second, twenty third in
total defense. So yes, you need to fix the pass rush,
also need to be able to stop the runs. There's
a lot of battles and things that we're going to
talk about here in a few minutes, so I would
(17:55):
agree with you. The expanse of the offense is another
story for me in that whychel what Michael Pennox is
going to bring the table. Like you said, we got
a little taste in those last three games, but maybe
not as much. They kind of stayed to confines of
what they've been doing the first fifteen games of the year,
first fourteen games of the year. So now all of
a sudden, with Penix's ability to get out of the pocket.
(18:15):
And I'm not talking about get out of the pocket
and run, which he's capable of doing if he needs
to extend plays. I'm talking about making defenses defend sideline
to sideline. Now you're no longer going to be able
to defend in a seven yard box. Now you've got
a guy that's going to be able to bootleg off
of Ajon Robinson and Tyler Algear and get out on
the perimeter and now stretch you in different ways horizontally
(18:39):
as well as vertically down the field. Another piece of it,
to me shock is the introduction, maybe the reintroduction of
the vertical passing game. We saw some of that with
Matt Ryan in his last year here, have not really
seen that as much over the last few years. And
Pennis has an unbelievable ability from a put a guy.
(19:01):
And there's nobody better in a fifty to fifty ball
situation than Drake London, who's coming off a monster season.
So maybe some of those explosive plays that you don't
have to be on the field for fifteen plays, now
you're on the field for six plays and you shove
one in the end zone. I'll be interested to see
some of those kind of things tape.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
And we saw some of that too. We saw his
ability to throw the football down the field. I think
there was a couple of games last year where hey,
you put a guy up to bat, it was incomplete.
Guess what next play you put him back up to
bat again. And I think that's something we'd like to see,
is pushing the ball vertically, forcing a defense to cover
the entire three and the third sideline and sideline and
make sure teams know that yes what yeah, it's going
(19:39):
to be some underneas stuff, but guess what, you got
to beware of the ball going over your head too.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
So that's a good call.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
All right, let's talk about position groups now that they're
kind of sticking out. We know the Pinnix is a
guy that people are gonna be paying attention to. You
mentioned you're pretty relaxed with that. I think that we'll
continue to watch him progress. Obviously, we know that he's
still essentially a rookie quarterback and we'll watch that play out.
Give me a position group or two that stick out
in your mind that you really are gonna hone in on,
(20:05):
maybe early on in camp.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
One for me is the interior defensive line. I am
excited to see where this group goes. Obviously, for the
last ten years, we've seen a guy where number ninety
seven and Grady Jared be that guy you knew coming in.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
All right, we know what this guy's about.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
We know on the interior of this defensive line what
you're gonna get with number ninety seven. Now, no Grady Jared,
who is that next guy to step forward and be
the kallus forward?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
And we know in this league we talk a lot
about the perimeter guy.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
We talk a lot about, you know, having those kind
of playmakers on the outside, which you gotta have. But
you also have to have the depth on the interior
lines of scrimmage, and I think the line of scrimmagees
matter most. And in this league, if you can stop
the run and then you can get out to the passer,
that's a big deal. You talked about adding some of
these guys in the draft, obviously, with two guys that
(20:55):
would rush the passer in the first round, but what
about the interior part of the the defensive line. And
we've seen it over years. Just go down the road
playing against a Vita Vea over there, Tampa. You knew
every time you step into that ball again, he was
going to be a factor in the run game in
the past game, you knew that. Can the Falcons have
that guy? Obviously you got on your mine. You got
(21:16):
Harrison TQ comeback. Ruke and Dorles is gonna be two
big guys who you're gonna ask a lot of. Can
Rouke take that next step? Is gonna be a big,
big topic of conversation. Obviously, Lake Alna is a big
part of it. But you need to have impact defensive linemen,
guys who can make a difference in ballgame. So that
part of this defense is I'm not gonna say a concern,
(21:39):
but it's something that I'm really gonna pay a close
attention to and see what what kind of issues can
they create upfront? And I think with Grady gone, there's
gonna be a couple of guys that feel like, you
know what, maybe I'm that next guy to kind of
feel that void and say, you know what, I can
be the guy that can carry us for the next
ten years.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
I think we know we got it on your model.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
You know, he's been around the league, he's played, he's
you know, been one of those kind of guys the
reason why you brought him here. But then also you
talk about some of the young guys who are going
to ask to be.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Play a key role in that interior defensive line.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Now obviously on the outside that's another topic as well,
and we can easily go there. I know a lot
of people you just talked about being able to get
to the passer against sacks. That's a big deal. But
I also feel like with what we have that's gonna
be a big conversation. I can't wait to see how
these guys continue to progress as the training camp goes on.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Well, you and I are in the same page because
I wrote, I wrote d line, So I won't go there.
I'll go to my next grip that I was going
to talk about. But defensive line. Remember old Brick brings
an attacking style of defense, meaning you're gonna pick a
gap and you're gonna shoot it. There's none of this
grabbing guys on holding and kind of throwing them off
and trying to play a stalemate at the line of scrimmage.
They're looking to penetrate and make plays in the backfield.
(22:51):
So what Shock is talking about is paramount that you
have guys in that interior defensive line that can penetrate
and create problems for blocking schemes. So now all of
a sudden, linebackers are running free, and maybe they are,
they're penetrating. We know we've got one of the best
into your linebackers in the league. And Kaden Ellis led
the team in tackles yes year, one hundred and fifty tackles.
He had sixteen quarterback hits. I mean, the dude was everywhere.
(23:15):
And you're adding a couple of guys that have similar
capabilities to this roster and to these guys. So I'll
go I'll go to the back end. I'll go to
the secondary. I think you feel really comfortable about the
All Pro Jesse Bates at safety. I think you feel
really good about aj Terrell and what he brings the
table at the corner spot. So now what happens in
(23:37):
maybe the other three spots? And I say three because
you've got a corner, you got another safety, and you've
got your nickelback situation. And the nickel is one that
you might have gone out and drafted a guy that
potentially ends up being your starter in Billy Bowman at nickel.
Now d Alford, who's played here the last couple of
years and had some really good moments, is going to
(23:59):
have something to say about that. So there's gonna be
some really good competition back there. Mike Hughes returns as corner,
had a really good year last year. But you've got
some young guys that are chomping at the bit. We've
got a guy, a young guy that I think is
gonna challenge a little bit in Kobe Bryant, a kid
out of Kansas who had thirteen career interceptions, a three
time first team All Big Twelve corner. He's gonna come
(24:20):
in and say, wait a minute, why can't I start
at that corner spot, so I think there's gonna be
some really good competition. And then you look at the
safety spot. Shock with with Watts returning, how about DeMarco
Hellam's a guy lost in the shuffle here. Hey, don't
forget about me. I took the job away from a
guy two years ago and then I got hurt in preseason.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Reason why Justin Simmles here for sure?
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Yeah it might not even have been here. DeMarco Helm's
not gotten hurt. So here's a guy that wants to
reclaim his opportunity. So the secondary some battles there as well.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, some real, some real battles back there. That's gonna
be interesting too, because you just you name seven or
eight different guy that absolutely could play a part in
how this season goes on the back end. And as
we know, this is a league where teams want to
throw the football around the yard and you gotta have
guys who can hold up.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
You gotta have guys who have extreme confidence.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
And we know we got a lot of guys who
have that, but can they show it, can they do it?
Can they be a big part of what this defense
is about? And you talk about having an aggressive scheme
that Olbrick wants to play with. Those guys have to
make a hold up in man coverage. Olbrick is gonna
want to get in this guy's face and say, you
know what, we're gonna play press man coverage on the outside.
Let's hold up and let's go be those kind of guys.
Are you One thing I wanted to ask you was,
(25:32):
obviously we talked about some of the position groups that
we're looking forward to watching, but there's also a group
or select amount of players that feel like maybe they
have something to prove. And when you look at either
side of the ball, is there a player, is there
a couple of players, Maybe it's a position group that
you feel like they have something to prove coming into
(25:53):
a training camp in this season.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Well, I think that certainly the easiest place for us
to point is we'll go to Kyle Pitts the typen,
and I think that a lot of people will point
to that. Everything I understand about Kyle, he's had a
really good offseason. He's chomping at the bit to get back.
I think that he and Penis has spent some time
in the offseason together where there's been some bonding there.
(26:15):
Kyle's one of those kind of guys that there were
moments last year where he had a four game stretch
where he had I don't know, twenty one receptions, three
hundred yards and a couple of touchdowns in just a
four game stretch and then maybe got left out of
the equation a little bit, maybe because the quarterback didn't
throw it to him, maybe because the defense took him away,
or maybe is his own fault. He wasn't playing at
(26:37):
the level he's capable playing at. But he's kind of
that guy that I think is that last piece on
the offense. You know, Bajeon Robinson's going to bring it
coming off a monster year last year, some nineteen hundred
yards in total offense. Drake London, who has surface is
one of the seven to eight best wide receivers in
the National Football League. What Darnell Mooney was able to
(26:57):
do just on the edge of being another thou yard receiver.
We know what al Jeer can do when he comes
in the game. Ray Ray McCleod, his contributions, he had
a career year last year. Is that third wide receiver.
But that last piece is this is this guy that
you drafted three overall about four years ago that if
he can come into his own much like he did
(27:18):
his rookie year, that's the one that sticks out to me.
If you're just going to find one guy that you
think could be a difference making dude, that really takes
you to a different level. We saw it. Penix finds
him right at the end of the game against Washington.
He goes down load to make a really difficult catch
and against tight coverage. Those are his capabilities. That's what
(27:38):
you want to see every Sunday.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Well, that's a great call because I think that's probably
number one for the fans. I mean, as much as
you know, we're both around the city, people always asking me,
you know, well, what's up with Kyle?
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Is Kyle still gonna be here?
Speaker 1 (27:50):
It?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Can he be a difference maker? He was taking number
four overall, he had a great rookie year. What's happened?
Speaker 3 (27:56):
So I think that's a big part of the conversation
is where Kyle Pitts stands within his offense and can
he get back to what everybody thought he was gonna
be when they when they drafted him. For sure, for me,
when I think about it's not even a position group.
I think it's a group of players. For me, it's
the Year two guys. The Year two guys can they
be Can they take that next step and have real
(28:19):
value on his team? Obviously we talked about Route maybe
gonna be one of the key callus in that interior
defensive different doorless.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
We saw j D.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Bertranch step in last year played really well in some
in some key moments. We know Brigland Trice was hurt
last year. Can he come back and can he have
some value and helped us in Casey Washington is another guy,
a receiver. You talked about a bunch of guys who
already are solidified this self. But case he can have
some value. We've seen him, have you know some moments
where maybe special teams, maybe he comes in and plays
(28:50):
a role, maybe when a guy goes down, and can
he be a factor. I think those Year two guys,
can they really provide value in year two? Because you're
gonna these guys, I'm sure you got a great rookie class.
You think that's gonna come in here in that value?
Can you guys from last season? A couple of them
banged up. I heard Rooke talk maybe probably a month
(29:10):
ago and they asked him about his rookie season and
he goes, man, I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
There was a lot I had to learn.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
The speed was different, the physicality was different, and I
had to mentally get myself wrapped up around this is different,
and I think a lot of guys have to adapt
to it as rookies, especially playing in those strenches.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I mean, it's some grown men up there.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
But I think if those year two guys come in
and make a huge impact and have some tremendous value
on this team and provide some really good solid additions,
I think you have a spot where thing you feel
good about those guys. So I'm looking forward to seeing
of those year two guys who can take that next step.
Can those guys be guys that you say, you know
(29:56):
what those were quality picks?
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Well, I think it's such a good point. Shock and
the group that needs who needs to take the biggest step.
And you just mentioned a couple of names there. I
think Ruke Rorow is a big I think he fits
what Olbrick wants to do. If you look at what
he did at Clemson and knifing through and creating problems
with his ability his quickness and his size. A rower
(30:20):
row is one of those guys that stands up as
well as Dorless. I think you're dead on there. What
are you hoping to see from the twenty twenty five
draft class? What are we hoping to get there? I
mentioned some of the number shock thirty one sacks. You're
thirty first in the league. Obviously, that's one of those
areas that you'd hope to address. You had a couple
of guys there, and yet eighteen takeaways last year, eighteen
(30:42):
takeaways was kind of in the middle of the pack
as far as takeaways go, but you were minus six
in the giveaway takeaway ratio. I think only one team
made the playoffs with a minus giveaway takeaway and that
was the Tampa Bay Bucks got in. I think they
were minus two. So tell me about what you expect
out of the the draft clash. What are we hoping
we get out of that?
Speaker 3 (31:02):
I think the number one thing you get from this
draft class's tons of experience. I think you got guys
who are gonna come in here and be ready for
the moment. And I don't think playing the National Football
League will be too big for these guys. And a
lot of them talked about having, you know, even with
all the experience of what they played, having somewhat of
chips on the shoulder about being able to perform at
(31:24):
this next level you're talking about. Obviously, Jaylen Walker and
James Pearce brought in here for one reason, and they
talked about it when they first got drafted. Is I
know what the expectations were when we got here. We
were drafted to go get the quarterback. You got two
guys in the back end and Billy Bowen and Xavier Watou.
Like you mentioned, a key stat is takeaways. Oh they
(31:46):
did that in college with these they did that. They
were top of the country over their career in doing that.
So you're talking about guys who are used to getting
the ball in their hands. So I'm excited to see
how much of an addition, how much of an impact
these guys can have on this defense. And we talked
so much about where this defense is and what obrig
(32:07):
wants to do, and the word we both use is aggressive.
I think all four of those guys you will put
in an aggressive category, who want to go get the football,
who want to get after the quarterback, who want to
be impact players who want to change the game. And
for me, when I look at this twenty twenty five
draft class and when the season's over, I want to
know how many impact plays these guys had.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And for a lot of.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
People, you want to say, oh, well, what's a real
impact play? Something that changes dynamic of a game, and
whether it's one game, three games, four games, you do
something in those games that changes something for your ball club.
It changes field position, it gives you the ball back
to your offense, it does something that you say, what,
that's why we drafted that guy. And I think there's
(32:53):
going to be instance this season where we see all
four of those guys have those kind of impacts throughout
the season, and anything other than that, it's cherry on top.
So I'm excited to see how integral these guys will
be a part of this defense. You know, whether you
know the snap count is you know, fifty percent, whether
it's forty percent or maybe some of these guys you
(33:14):
can ask a lot from. And I think those two
pass rushers, you're gonna ask those guys to play a
key role this season. But who knows what happens on
the back end. It's gonna be fun to see what
these guys end up.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
The two teams that went to the Super Bowl, the
Kansas City Chiefs in the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year, Kansas
City had thirty nine sacks, which was eighteenth in the league.
A lot of people feel like, okay, the sacks or
whether they gotta dictate getting there. They were plus six
in the giveaway takeaway. Okay. The Philadelphia Eagles who won
the Super Bowl and got after Patrick Mahomes, they had
(33:44):
forty one sacks. They were thirteenth in the league in sacks,
even though we talked about how how that Philadelphia Eagle
defense swarmed to get out of both Yeah, legue thirteenth
in the league, but they were plus eleven in the
giveaway takeaway. So it goes hand in hand. Pressure on
the quarterback, bad throws, My guys are seeking and fighting.
(34:04):
What I put down on my piece here is is
I talked about, you know, I don't know if you've
ever seen movies or maybe a documentary of watching piranhas
in the water, but if you throw a piece of
meat in the water, I called it feeding fronds the
quarterback and the ball. That's what we're hoping for and
shot kind of summarize that with what he was talking
(34:26):
about there. Yeah, all right, we prepare for the twenty
twenty five season. I think we talked about the aspects
of the team that need to improve over training camp.
You talked about D line performance versus the run and
the pass. What do you need to see a shock
in camp that gives you a feeling that this team
is going to be better than they were a year ago,
or progressing to the regular season with Tampa Bay sitting
(34:49):
there in week one, What do you need to see
in camp that makes you feel good about what you're doing,
what you're seeing.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I think where I'm going with this, a lot of
people won't be able to kind of put their hands
on it and notice it. But I think for guys
like us who watch it differently, and maybe there are
a lot of fans out here who watch it in
the same facet, But for me, it's.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
A daily It's a daily.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Act of being consistent, competitive, but also being accountable, and
I think that bodes well for as you head to
the season. If you're consistent every day in how you
go out and prepare it, you're accountable with your teammates
on how you practice and how you get after people
and you're super highly competitive. Once you get to the game,
(35:35):
all that stuff comes together and it makes for really
good football. I believe if the guy next to you, you
know you're keeping him accountable, he's keeping you accountable. You
guys have been through the battles and the wars in
training camp, and you guys have been consistently doing it.
When you get in the game, it becomes second nature
to you. And for me, I want to see that
on a daily basis. How consistent will the offense be
(35:57):
when it comes to a red zoneduction when they're going
against the defense.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
How competitive will they be.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
When they'll O and D line get together and they're
going on one on one and they're competing in fighting.
How accountable will Jesse Bates be, which we know he
will be with some of the young guys and bringing
those guys along and they make a mistake, willly be
on their tail about some stuff. I think all those
things go hand in hand with what makes a really
good ball club. And once you get to that first
(36:24):
game and you can see that stuff come out during
the ballgame. So for me, can I see that daily?
Can I see these guys and I know this. Guys
are gonna compete, you know it. But can it be
something on a consistent and daily basis of going out
and doing it every day that shows you, all right,
this team has some and I think we've been a
part of our show. We've been a part of teams
where you feel like, I trust that guy. I know
(36:45):
when that guy steps on the field with me, I
know that guy's gonna be he's gonna go twelve yards
and he's gonna come flat and he's gonna come to
the sideline. You trust that guy because guess what, in practice,
he was consistent with it. We were accountable with both
our stamps were accountable with going to be and you
knew once you got in the game, regardless of what
that corny did, Guess what, I can let this thing
go and feel good about it. And I think that's
(37:07):
a big part of going into you know, the season,
is how countable are you with your teammates and can
that transfer into the game?
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Man, such a such a big word and a and
a cool word that you'ck just use. There is trust.
It happens in the offensive line. It happens from the
second level, from the first level of the defensive line
to the second level in linebackers talking and what they're
supposed to be. The communication in the back end, trusting
one another that you're going to do what you're supposed
to do, or you recognize what's going on. If you don't,
(37:36):
is somebody telling you what's going on? The communication that happens.
Trust a monster word. When you start talking about putting
eleven guys on the field that are going to play together,
you got to be able to trust one another, got
to be able to lean on that about you, well,
I wrote I wrote down something very similar said, both
sides win the day in training camp. So that's a
(37:57):
daily deal where Okay, the offense had their day, obviously
the defense rallies. It comes back and maybe they get
the afternoon if they've got a two today going on,
or they get that next morning, and it creates that
competition that you know that week in and week out,
day in and day out, you're going to compete, and
when you get in games on Sunday that that that
mentality comes out. They keep talking about Mamba mentality around here.
(38:20):
You know Kobe paying homage to Kobe Kobe Bryant, how
he played the game like it was his last game
every time he played. That's what they're trying to perpetuate here.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Shut Archa, let me let me throw one at you.
It's obviously, uh, we're off script.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Here with this question, but I think it bowls well
because we haven't mentioned it yet, and I think the
guy to him does as good as anybody.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
We both know him really well.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Rahie Morris, the head coach coming into a second year,
obviously there were some up and downs last year.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
What do you want to see from.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Raw heading into his second training camp of when you
think about getting this team Brady and prepare, is there
things that you feel like, oh, maybe we see a
different Raw in this situation, or you think this is
a guy to just learn from the things that happen
in year one and he's gonna take off in year
two and get this team ready to go.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
Yeah, I think that what you said there the latter part.
I think that you hope that every time you go
out you're a little bit better than you were before.
I remember a coach telling me early on when I
first started playing this game, you're never the same person
when you take the when you leave the field after practicing,
you either are better or you're worse. You never stay
(39:31):
the same because there's too much information, there's too many reps,
there's too many opportunities to improve and learn. More often
than not, if you're paying attention doing mental reps, you're
getting the physical reps, you're gonna be just a little
bit better. Your players say it all the time. I
want to be one percent better after practice than I
was today. I would think that based on the way
raw works, the way Raheem works in his study, in
(39:56):
turning over every rock as to what he can do
to be better. That's what he spent the whole offseason doing.
Last year was not what they were hoping for. They
got up your six and three. Things look good, You're
a couple of games ahead of Tampa, and then the
wheels started to get a little wobbly and they fell off.
And why did that happen? I guarantee you they went
back and evaluated all those decisions they made in game plays,
(40:19):
called all those kind of things. And so I'm expecting
for him to be better just because I know his
work ethic. I know Zach Robinson's work ethic. We've been
around Jeff Ulbrick before Marquise Williams, those guys and that staff.
So that's what I'm expecting, Shock, So I think that
I think we're all set.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
That's it for today. We'll be back on Tuesday to
recap the first weekend of training camp as well as
working rack back with us Derek Brackley. We'll be back
with us on the podcast the meantime. Make sure you
check out our live broadcast this Saturday on YouTube. It'll
be me and Taylor Bismore along with some special guests,
so tune in. Shock made drop by who knows, So
(40:59):
tune in and hang out with this and watch practice.
Always remember to like, subscribe and review at Spotify, iTunes,
Atlanta Falcons dot com and YouTube and we'll see you
next time. Make sure that you're with us. It's really
good to be with YouTube. Brother. It's football season.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
We're back
Before we get we get to this week's Falcons Audible,
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(00:22):
doers get more done? Order select in stock items by
four pm, subject to availability. Welcome to Falcons Audible, presented
by AT and T. I'm Dave Archer. That's DJ Shockley.
Derek Rackley's not with us, racks out softballing out on
the West Coast with his daughter.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
He will be.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Back with us next week as we get things started
this week pre training camp edition of Falcons Audible. Shock Man,
it's good to see you, brother.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
No, Douve's good to be back. Man. I'm excited for
this season, excited to get going.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
As we record this podcast, we are literally one day
away from them getting on the grass. And before we
start the podcast, I even told Archi, but I wanted
to do this because we're starting a new season and
I got to give my man his Flowers Arch, What
years this with the Falcons? What year is this calling
Falcons games? Because you have done it at a high rate. Man,
(01:16):
I'm I'm a fan. I've told them this a thousand times.
But if you guys don't listen to Arch, I know
a lot of people who do listen, who say they.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Turn off everything and just turn on the radio. But
what year is this? Man?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
And I think you know the credibilities to the roof
man play for this team. Now you get to do
all the different things you do with this organization. I'm
just proud to say I know you, man, but what
year is this for you?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I appreciate you saying that. Shock. It's been fun to
work with you. You and I have worked a number
of years together. This is twenty two, twenty two coming up,
I think twenty for calling the games, twenty three. I
did the pregame post game show way back at three.
So Ben been associated with the team for a long time.
Very proud. I had an opportunity appreciate you and you've
(01:59):
been You been doing stuff with this team for a
long time as well, So you and I are old
veterans of this kind of stuff. I got a few
more I got a few more years in the bank
than you do, but I appreciate being here with you. Bron. Yeah,
speaking of that, we spend a little bit off season,
and so what did the Shockley family get a chance
to do with this off season? It kind of sticks
out to you to get in you know what.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think the best thing for Media's offseason was being
able to spend more time to famu As we know,
doing football season, it is go, go, go go. We're
always on the move, We're always doing something. And also
I got a chance to kind of get away with
the fam. I got a chance to.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Watch my son play travel baseball.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Get to be there on Saturdays and you know, sit
there as a fan, sit in my little rock and chair,
have my you know, my little beveragers off to the side,
you know, just sit there and watch him.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
And that's what I look forward to. Man.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I don't get a chance to do that in the fall,
miss like his games or Saturdays in football. So just
to get the chance to wake up and do that
early in the morning, to be at the park all day,
it's pretty cool. Get to go watch my daughter she
ran tracticed them for the first time in the spring,
so I was able to go watch her. She actually
really did well in it, and uh it brought out
some different excitement for that. I never thought that she
(03:09):
would be excited about. So it was cool to be
able to do that. And then we took a lot
family vacate to Jamaica. Yeah, it was Jamaica, man, Good times,
good times month. We jumped in the blue Hole. We
uh you know, went.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Atv Ryn uh in the pool for hours.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Of course, you're in the hotel room all day with
each other, so you just get that good family time, man,
And it's what we need, you know. It gives us
the kind of refresh we need as we get ready
for this long season. So a little charger definitely definitely
was good times. I'll chat about you, man. Off season
consisted of a few things.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Had a chance to go visit my son out in Arizona.
Lives in Arizona and been working out there. Worked for
a big housing company out there, residential housing companies, a
supervisor out there, so I got a chance to spend
the time with him and his wife and the golf
out in are We actually did slip. It's funny because
he moved out there didn't care anything about golf, and
he here in Atlanta and he lives out there and
all these golf courses all the place in Arizona, and
(04:04):
he's playing golf all the time. So but one thing
I did get a chance to do, and I'm going
to throw this out to the Falcon fan out there.
I had a chance to go on the Falcon Fan cruise.
You had things to do. You couldn't go with us
that time, but we had. It was ten of us
former players, the likes of Michael Turner and Alan Rossum
and you know, Chris Moore, a lot of these, A
lot of different guys went on a trip with us.
(04:27):
But we got a chance to hang out with Falcon fans.
There's about one hundred and fifty two hundred fans wow
on the boat with us. We were a Royal Royal
Caribbean cruise Line Utopia the Seas, which is the second
largest cruise ship in the world, second only to the
new one that they just came out with, which called
Icon of the Seas I think. But I got a
chance to go down to the Bahamas with the fans.
It was really cool. Spend a lot of times you
(04:49):
get a chance check out the cruise of the Falcons
Falcons Fan Cruise, and go ahead and register. Come, come do,
come do with us. There'll be I don't know who
all get a chance to go, and I'm lobbying to
get it go again next year, maybe shot can go.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How accessible were you too, like the fans, because like obviously.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Right there crew right there, yeah, right there with the fans.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Got to pick your brain about uh aj Terrell and
all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah, not only that, you know there we're playing different games.
We're throwing the football with them, We're doing a bunch
of stuff out on the beach with him and stuff
like that. So you get a chance, go find the
Falcons Fan Cruise and see if you can get registered
for that. That was that was really fun.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
C Man, I never been on a cruise, so it
would be interested with did you ever get like sea
sick anything?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Or you were pretty good? It was.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
This thing is like a sh a floating shopping mall. Okay,
you don't even know you're on the ocean, dude. It's
like it's like seventeen floors high and it just cuts
through the water. Now, we didn't you know, we weren't
in the North Sea or anything like that, that kind
of stuff, but it was it was really cool. So
if you get a chance, go check out Falcons Fan cruise.
There's a lot of photos up right now, I think
(05:51):
on the Lantafalcons dot com you can check it out.
But if you want to, you know, get get in
your mind, maybe register for that next May. I believe
that thing will set sail again. All right, Training camps
here is shocked. We talked about it. I want a
training camp memory or two for you, is you came
into camp, what was the overall feeling? What what are
these guys feeling as they come to camp, whether they're
(06:13):
a new guy or an old guy. And sometimes that's
the same.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The fun thing about training camp, man, there's a little
sense of urgency because you go through off season, you
got OTA's and mini camps. You really know like there's
not really you're getting ready for a game. You know
you're gonna have practice this week, you know you're gonna
have some practice next week, but you're not really getting
ready for the season. Training camp hits and you look
up and say, oh, we can have two weeks.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
We got a real game.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
It's getting real, Like think about it, Oh, in a month,
am I gonna be on this ball club?
Speaker 2 (06:43):
And that's kind of how I thought about it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Was like, Okay, in a month, depending on my performance,
will I be in Atlanta Falcon And that.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Goes through your brain a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
The other part for me that that that kind of
sets in for me, I think about a lot is
the bonds you make during training camp, the fun you
had because you're around guys, and when I was here,
we would get here early in the morning, you know,
six in the morning or whatever, and you'd be here
to For me, when I was a rookie, it was
I was here to ten thirty at night, and you're
here all day with your team.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
You're staying at the dorms over there.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
And I also remember during training camp the cool rookie
skits and the singing, all that kind of stuff. You
see different personalities from guys, and you find out what
guys have been doing in the off season, what makes
them go, and you kind of build that rapport with them,
and it's just fun to have that kind of you know, moment,
(07:35):
because you never are gonna have that group together again.
And you think about it, we had what I don't
know what, ninety guys coming to camp, and you knew
during that camp that was that ninety guys, And by
the time camp ends, it's gonna be fifty three guys,
sixty whatever it is that's on the team, and you
go your separate way.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
So you build those bonds with guys.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And there's guys who I was in training camp with
that didn't make the team and still friends with today.
And it's cool to have those moments to celebrate guys,
but also you know, it's a real deal.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Now it's time to go to work.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
I know you had some cool teammates and some cool
experiences during your training cap What was the funest members
you got?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yeah, I think that I would echo what you're saying
is it's a really strange situation because it's competitive. You're
trying to be one of fifty three guys that makes
us roster. There's ninety guys coming to camp. You don't
have to be a five beta CABA to figure out
the numbers don't necessarily equate, so you're competing with guys
(08:38):
that you're actually pulling for two to help you win.
It's really a strange dynamic in that you're not really
pulling against the player. You're trying to concentrate on yourself
and put your best foot forward. You hope he does too,
and then whoever wins that job wins that job. So
it's really a kind of a mind freeze to a
(08:58):
certain extent, where you're trying to fight through those kind
of things. But when I think back to training camp,
I think about the heat of Atlanta. I came down
here as a young guy trying to make a club,
much like you did when you came in from Georgia. Here.
I come from Iowa State down and they had had
they had one of the best quarterbacks in Falcons history
was still here, Steve Barkowski, and so you're learning from
(09:19):
him how to be a pro. But I remember fifteen
straight days of tow a days in full pads. They
don't do that anymore now because they're smarter than they
were back when I was playing. But you forgot what
day it was. I remember, I remember the heat of Atlanta.
I remember the two a days. I remember Scott Case
(09:39):
and I playing nerf hoop at night in our room.
We had a hurd hoop, but we're shooting.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Shooting arm last for fifteen straight as of two at eight.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Yeah, you struggled, you struggle, the arm would get dead.
You know, you had ice, you had the ice, the
arm after every practice. And then the thrill of making
the team shock. You felt this too. I mean, when
you fight through all that, the heat, the battles, the
uh you know, the the tough days in the morning,
and you've got a rally in the afternoon because you
(10:07):
got to have a better practice, you know, and an
absorbing playbook. And then I remember the coach walked by
me after the third preseason game, uh, Dan Henning, and
he said, uh, hey, David, you found a place to
live yet, Ay, and you talk about a feeling. Now,
there's no way I can describe because you don't know
(10:27):
you're I'm like, you'd like you're talking about shock. It's
a it's an everyday grind mentally, physically, emotionally because this
is your dream. You want to play in the league,
right and and so yeah, I never forget that. That
was one of the great feelings, one of the great
memories I have of that. Okay, training camp starts essentially
on Thursday here and we're we're recording this on a Wednesday.
(10:51):
The training camp starts Thursday, the players are in the
building doing a lot of interviews, some of the some
of the administrative things, if you will, that go into
kind of getting ready for a season. And they'll hit
the field on Thursday, and then we've got open practices
and the fans sold.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Out, mad mad last year. What does that?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
What did that mean to you? Shock We had the
field and my training camp was in Swanee, but very
similar setup. The big Hill people came out, got all
set up on the hill and watched his practice. You
get the same thing here at Flowery Branch. Tell me
about that, especially as a guy that played his high
school football in Georgia, played his college football in Georgia,
(11:34):
and all of a sudden, you're playing your pro football
in Georgia. What did that mean to you?
Speaker 3 (11:38):
First of all, it was cool to be drafted by
the team that you grew up watching and to be
in the state was really cool. And then have the
opportunity to come to the Atlanta Falcons and for years
you watch them on TV and you're like, oh man,
that would be cool, and you see all the fans
and to be a part of it, it.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Was really surreal. I remember my rookie year.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Obviously in two thousand and six, we also still had
Michael Vick and the biggest face in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
And I remember running.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Out first practice, and you know, we used to do
a drill where you, you know, kind of you say,
you're like five ten yards away and you're just you're
you're jogging across and you're just getting warmed up, and
the fans are on the heel. Every time we got
towards the heel. It was as many people call it
my name as it was Michael Vick.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
And I was.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Baffled by, like I'm looking at him, like this dude
is everything and people are still fans of me.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
And I tell you, it gives you a little bit
more juice than you think.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It gives you a little bit more excitement to go
out and perform because so many people.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
You know, are watching and when you succeed.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I remember the first time getting in the my first
ever preseason game, and I'm a seventh round pick. I
don't get into you know, fourth quarter, if if if that,
and I get in probably middle of the fourth quarter,
and as soon as I run on the field, all
your year is fans barking. And it was a pretty
cool feeling that you know, people actually wanted to see
(13:07):
me play and then to play here. It's just you know,
cheer you on the top. So it's cool to have
the fans back. I know you guys are excited. All
three days are sold out coming up over the next
three days, which is really cool. It shows a lot
of excitement for the season, and I don't think fans
would be excited arch for a team that doesn't have
the potential or I think there are a lot of
(13:30):
guys that fans are excited to see and that speaks volumes.
I think for this organization to where they're at, obviously
the season and end the way we wanted, but still
coming to this year, fans are excited about what we've
done in the off season and to have you guys
at camp. For these players, trust me, it means a
lot for these guys to walk out of the locker
(13:51):
room and look over to their right and see just
a heel full of fans cheering kids out there. They
trying to come before school goes, and everybody just enjoying
that time watching one of their favorite teams is always
pretty cool. So I'm glad that we get the fans back.
I'm glad that the fans are coming out and it's
sold out. Speaks volumes to what this team could be.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Yeah, a lot of energy. You guys provide that energy,
especially when it gets a little bit warm and you
start to get into some of the days, the dog
days of training camp. To have that energy on the fields,
almost like running in the Mercedes Benz Stadium and you
need something to happen in the fourth quarter, and the
way the fans rise up down there, UH to help
the help the players kind of find that extra piece
(14:34):
of energy. Tickets are free. We talked talking about talking
sold out, but you got to do go to Atlanta
Falcons dot com slash training camp and get your tickets
now again they're free. Go get your tickets so you
can come out and watch the Atlanta Falcons UH and
really pump them up and get them ready to go. Now,
we're doing a live show Saturday from practice here if
you'd like to tune in Saturday morning to watch the
(14:55):
practice alongside Taylor Vismore and a couple of special surprise
VIP guests. We'll be doing that on Atlanta Falcons dot com.
So I'm excited about that. I was just visiting with
with Taylor a little bit ago. We're trying to put
that put a plan together for the show and and
I think you'll enjoy it. It's a kind of a
cutting edge deal doing a kind of a live broadcast
during training camp. We'll have I think Tory mcelhaney, but
(15:18):
down on the fields she's going to talk to potentially
Raheem Morris, kind of a sideline reporter type deal, and
we'll describeing and stuff. So this should be a lot
of fun, So tune in Alantafalcons dot com. You can
find a lot of details about that on on Atlanta
Falcons dot com. And what we're going to be doing.
All right, let's dive into what we potentially are going
to see or what you're hoping to see if you
(15:39):
start looking at training camp, give me some storylines you
think are sticking out to you shock that that probably
are sticking out in the fans' minds as well.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I think a lot of people are interested in obviously
what happens with Michael Penny jun I think a lot
of people think that's a big storyline. For me, I
don't think it's as big of a storyline as people think.
I think we saw what Michael Pinnock's was about last year. No,
it was a small sample size, but I think for
us we saw enough out of his play that gives
(16:09):
us confidence that this guy can get it done. And
obviously a whole season will tell that, and he's gonna
have his opportunity, and obviously three games last year he
showed some really good things.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
The biggest storyline for me, I think is on the
other side of the ball.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
There are a lot of new faces, you got a
new coordinator, you got a new aggressive scheme, So I
think how fast this defense comes together is a huge
storyline for me. There's a couple of position groups we're
gonna talk about here in a minute, But for me,
I'm paying a little bit more attention to the defensive
side the ball. You look on the offensive side and
you start going through the position groups and you're like,
(16:42):
you feel pretty good about it.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
You got a lot of guys who played a lot
of ball.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Defense, You got a lot of guys who played some
ball too, But you got a lot of new faces
and a lot of new spots, and you got a
new coordinator coming in here in year one. How quickly
can they get together, because we don't have time to say,
all right, this is gonna be a two three year deal.
We're trying to do this here in this season, in
year one. So I think the biggest storyline going for me.
One thing that I'm really looking forward to is watching
(17:08):
all the different components of this defense.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Yeah, I think that defense, certainly, based on what we
did in the draft, would be an area that obviously
was concerned for the Falcons. They wanted to address that area.
Obviously not very good. You're thirty first in the league
in sacks. You went out and got a couple of
guys who can rush the passer in the first and
first round, and then you went and got a couple
of ballhawks right after that. Two guys are going to
play in the secondary alongside Jesse Bates and AJ Terrell.
(17:34):
Only eighteen takeaways last year. We were minus six in
the giveaway takeaway ratio. Not very good against the run either.
If I look at the numbers here, we were fifteenth
versus the run. You were twenty second, twenty third in
total defense. So yes, you need to fix the pass rush,
also need to be able to stop the runs. There's
a lot of battles and things that we're going to
talk about here in a few minutes, so I would
(17:55):
agree with you. The expanse of the offense is another
story for me in that whychel what Michael Pennox is
going to bring the table. Like you said, we got
a little taste in those last three games, but maybe
not as much. They kind of stayed to confines of
what they've been doing the first fifteen games of the year,
first fourteen games of the year. So now all of
a sudden, with Penix's ability to get out of the pocket.
(18:15):
And I'm not talking about get out of the pocket
and run, which he's capable of doing if he needs
to extend plays. I'm talking about making defenses defend sideline
to sideline. Now you're no longer going to be able
to defend in a seven yard box. Now you've got
a guy that's going to be able to bootleg off
of Ajon Robinson and Tyler Algear and get out on
the perimeter and now stretch you in different ways horizontally
(18:39):
as well as vertically down the field. Another piece of it,
to me shock is the introduction, maybe the reintroduction of
the vertical passing game. We saw some of that with
Matt Ryan in his last year here, have not really
seen that as much over the last few years. And
Pennis has an unbelievable ability from a put a guy.
(19:01):
And there's nobody better in a fifty to fifty ball
situation than Drake London, who's coming off a monster season.
So maybe some of those explosive plays that you don't
have to be on the field for fifteen plays, now
you're on the field for six plays and you shove
one in the end zone. I'll be interested to see
some of those kind of things tape.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
And we saw some of that too. We saw his
ability to throw the football down the field. I think
there was a couple of games last year where hey,
you put a guy up to bat, it was incomplete.
Guess what next play you put him back up to
bat again. And I think that's something we'd like to see,
is pushing the ball vertically, forcing a defense to cover
the entire three and the third sideline and sideline and
make sure teams know that yes what yeah, it's going
(19:39):
to be some underneas stuff, but guess what, you got
to beware of the ball going over your head too.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
So that's a good call.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
All right, let's talk about position groups now that they're
kind of sticking out. We know the Pinnix is a
guy that people are gonna be paying attention to. You
mentioned you're pretty relaxed with that. I think that we'll
continue to watch him progress. Obviously, we know that he's
still essentially a rookie quarterback and we'll watch that play out.
Give me a position group or two that stick out
in your mind that you really are gonna hone in on,
(20:05):
maybe early on in camp.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
One for me is the interior defensive line. I am
excited to see where this group goes. Obviously, for the
last ten years, we've seen a guy where number ninety
seven and Grady Jared be that guy you knew coming in.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
All right, we know what this guy's about.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
We know on the interior of this defensive line what
you're gonna get with number ninety seven. Now, no Grady Jared,
who is that next guy to step forward and be
the kallus forward?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
And we know in this league we talk a lot
about the perimeter guy.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
We talk a lot about, you know, having those kind
of playmakers on the outside, which you gotta have. But
you also have to have the depth on the interior
lines of scrimmage, and I think the line of scrimmagees
matter most. And in this league, if you can stop
the run and then you can get out to the passer,
that's a big deal. You talked about adding some of
these guys in the draft, obviously, with two guys that
(20:55):
would rush the passer in the first round, but what
about the interior part of the the defensive line. And
we've seen it over years. Just go down the road
playing against a Vita Vea over there, Tampa. You knew
every time you step into that ball again, he was
going to be a factor in the run game in
the past game, you knew that. Can the Falcons have
that guy? Obviously you got on your mine. You got
(21:16):
Harrison TQ comeback. Ruke and Dorles is gonna be two
big guys who you're gonna ask a lot of. Can
Rouke take that next step? Is gonna be a big,
big topic of conversation. Obviously, Lake Alna is a big
part of it. But you need to have impact defensive linemen,
guys who can make a difference in ballgame. So that
part of this defense is I'm not gonna say a concern,
(21:39):
but it's something that I'm really gonna pay a close
attention to and see what what kind of issues can
they create upfront? And I think with Grady gone, there's
gonna be a couple of guys that feel like, you
know what, maybe I'm that next guy to kind of
feel that void and say, you know what, I can
be the guy that can carry us for the next
ten years.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
I think we know we got it on your model.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
You know, he's been around the league, he's played, he's
you know, been one of those kind of guys the
reason why you brought him here. But then also you
talk about some of the young guys who are going
to ask to be.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Play a key role in that interior defensive line.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Now obviously on the outside that's another topic as well,
and we can easily go there. I know a lot
of people you just talked about being able to get
to the passer against sacks. That's a big deal. But
I also feel like with what we have that's gonna
be a big conversation. I can't wait to see how
these guys continue to progress as the training camp goes on.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Well, you and I are in the same page because
I wrote, I wrote d line, So I won't go there.
I'll go to my next grip that I was going
to talk about. But defensive line. Remember old Brick brings
an attacking style of defense, meaning you're gonna pick a
gap and you're gonna shoot it. There's none of this
grabbing guys on holding and kind of throwing them off
and trying to play a stalemate at the line of scrimmage.
They're looking to penetrate and make plays in the backfield.
(22:51):
So what Shock is talking about is paramount that you
have guys in that interior defensive line that can penetrate
and create problems for blocking schemes. So now all of
a sudden, linebackers are running free, and maybe they are,
they're penetrating. We know we've got one of the best
into your linebackers in the league. And Kaden Ellis led
the team in tackles yes year, one hundred and fifty tackles.
He had sixteen quarterback hits. I mean, the dude was everywhere.
(23:15):
And you're adding a couple of guys that have similar
capabilities to this roster and to these guys. So I'll
go I'll go to the back end. I'll go to
the secondary. I think you feel really comfortable about the
All Pro Jesse Bates at safety. I think you feel
really good about aj Terrell and what he brings the
table at the corner spot. So now what happens in
(23:37):
maybe the other three spots? And I say three because
you've got a corner, you got another safety, and you've
got your nickelback situation. And the nickel is one that
you might have gone out and drafted a guy that
potentially ends up being your starter in Billy Bowman at nickel.
Now d Alford, who's played here the last couple of
years and had some really good moments, is going to
(23:59):
have something to say about that. So there's gonna be
some really good competition back there. Mike Hughes returns as corner,
had a really good year last year. But you've got
some young guys that are chomping at the bit. We've
got a guy, a young guy that I think is
gonna challenge a little bit in Kobe Bryant, a kid
out of Kansas who had thirteen career interceptions, a three
time first team All Big Twelve corner. He's gonna come
(24:20):
in and say, wait a minute, why can't I start
at that corner spot, so I think there's gonna be
some really good competition. And then you look at the
safety spot. Shock with with Watts returning, how about DeMarco
Hellam's a guy lost in the shuffle here. Hey, don't
forget about me. I took the job away from a
guy two years ago and then I got hurt in preseason.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Reason why Justin Simmles here for sure?
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Yeah it might not even have been here. DeMarco Helm's
not gotten hurt. So here's a guy that wants to
reclaim his opportunity. So the secondary some battles there as well.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, some real, some real battles back there. That's gonna
be interesting too, because you just you name seven or
eight different guy that absolutely could play a part in
how this season goes on the back end. And as
we know, this is a league where teams want to
throw the football around the yard and you gotta have
guys who can hold up.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
You gotta have guys who have extreme confidence.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
And we know we got a lot of guys who
have that, but can they show it, can they do it?
Can they be a big part of what this defense
is about? And you talk about having an aggressive scheme
that Olbrick wants to play with. Those guys have to
make a hold up in man coverage. Olbrick is gonna
want to get in this guy's face and say, you
know what, we're gonna play press man coverage on the outside.
Let's hold up and let's go be those kind of guys.
Are you One thing I wanted to ask you was,
(25:32):
obviously we talked about some of the position groups that
we're looking forward to watching, but there's also a group
or select amount of players that feel like maybe they
have something to prove. And when you look at either
side of the ball, is there a player, is there
a couple of players, Maybe it's a position group that
you feel like they have something to prove coming into
(25:53):
a training camp in this season.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Well, I think that certainly the easiest place for us
to point is we'll go to Kyle Pitts the typen,
and I think that a lot of people will point
to that. Everything I understand about Kyle, he's had a
really good offseason. He's chomping at the bit to get back.
I think that he and Penis has spent some time
in the offseason together where there's been some bonding there.
(26:15):
Kyle's one of those kind of guys that there were
moments last year where he had a four game stretch
where he had I don't know, twenty one receptions, three
hundred yards and a couple of touchdowns in just a
four game stretch and then maybe got left out of
the equation a little bit, maybe because the quarterback didn't
throw it to him, maybe because the defense took him away,
or maybe is his own fault. He wasn't playing at
(26:37):
the level he's capable playing at. But he's kind of
that guy that I think is that last piece on
the offense. You know, Bajeon Robinson's going to bring it
coming off a monster year last year, some nineteen hundred
yards in total offense. Drake London, who has surface is
one of the seven to eight best wide receivers in
the National Football League. What Darnell Mooney was able to
(26:57):
do just on the edge of being another thou yard receiver.
We know what al Jeer can do when he comes
in the game. Ray Ray McCleod, his contributions, he had
a career year last year. Is that third wide receiver.
But that last piece is this is this guy that
you drafted three overall about four years ago that if
he can come into his own much like he did
(27:18):
his rookie year, that's the one that sticks out to me.
If you're just going to find one guy that you
think could be a difference making dude, that really takes
you to a different level. We saw it. Penix finds
him right at the end of the game against Washington.
He goes down load to make a really difficult catch
and against tight coverage. Those are his capabilities. That's what
(27:38):
you want to see every Sunday.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Well, that's a great call because I think that's probably
number one for the fans. I mean, as much as
you know, we're both around the city, people always asking me,
you know, well, what's up with Kyle?
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Is Kyle still gonna be here?
Speaker 1 (27:50):
It?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Can he be a difference maker? He was taking number
four overall, he had a great rookie year. What's happened?
Speaker 3 (27:56):
So I think that's a big part of the conversation
is where Kyle Pitts stands within his offense and can
he get back to what everybody thought he was gonna
be when they when they drafted him. For sure, for me,
when I think about it's not even a position group.
I think it's a group of players. For me, it's
the Year two guys. The Year two guys can they
be Can they take that next step and have real
(28:19):
value on his team? Obviously we talked about Route maybe
gonna be one of the key callus in that interior
defensive different doorless.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
We saw j D.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Bertranch step in last year played really well in some
in some key moments. We know Brigland Trice was hurt
last year. Can he come back and can he have
some value and helped us in Casey Washington is another guy,
a receiver. You talked about a bunch of guys who
already are solidified this self. But case he can have
some value. We've seen him, have you know some moments
where maybe special teams, maybe he comes in and plays
(28:50):
a role, maybe when a guy goes down, and can
he be a factor. I think those Year two guys,
can they really provide value in year two? Because you're
gonna these guys, I'm sure you got a great rookie class.
You think that's gonna come in here in that value?
Can you guys from last season? A couple of them
banged up. I heard Rooke talk maybe probably a month
(29:10):
ago and they asked him about his rookie season and
he goes, man, I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
There was a lot I had to learn.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
The speed was different, the physicality was different, and I
had to mentally get myself wrapped up around this is different,
and I think a lot of guys have to adapt
to it as rookies, especially playing in those strenches.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I mean, it's some grown men up there.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
But I think if those year two guys come in
and make a huge impact and have some tremendous value
on this team and provide some really good solid additions,
I think you have a spot where thing you feel
good about those guys. So I'm looking forward to seeing
of those year two guys who can take that next step.
Can those guys be guys that you say, you know
(29:56):
what those were quality picks?
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Well, I think it's such a good point. Shock and
the group that needs who needs to take the biggest step.
And you just mentioned a couple of names there. I
think Ruke Rorow is a big I think he fits
what Olbrick wants to do. If you look at what
he did at Clemson and knifing through and creating problems
with his ability his quickness and his size. A rower
(30:20):
row is one of those guys that stands up as
well as Dorless. I think you're dead on there. What
are you hoping to see from the twenty twenty five
draft class? What are we hoping to get there? I
mentioned some of the number shock thirty one sacks. You're
thirty first in the league. Obviously, that's one of those
areas that you'd hope to address. You had a couple
of guys there, and yet eighteen takeaways last year, eighteen
(30:42):
takeaways was kind of in the middle of the pack
as far as takeaways go, but you were minus six
in the giveaway takeaway ratio. I think only one team
made the playoffs with a minus giveaway takeaway and that
was the Tampa Bay Bucks got in. I think they
were minus two. So tell me about what you expect
out of the the draft clash. What are we hoping
we get out of that?
Speaker 3 (31:02):
I think the number one thing you get from this
draft class's tons of experience. I think you got guys
who are gonna come in here and be ready for
the moment. And I don't think playing the National Football
League will be too big for these guys. And a
lot of them talked about having, you know, even with
all the experience of what they played, having somewhat of
chips on the shoulder about being able to perform at
(31:24):
this next level you're talking about. Obviously, Jaylen Walker and
James Pearce brought in here for one reason, and they
talked about it when they first got drafted. Is I
know what the expectations were when we got here. We
were drafted to go get the quarterback. You got two
guys in the back end and Billy Bowen and Xavier Watou.
Like you mentioned, a key stat is takeaways. Oh they
(31:46):
did that in college with these they did that. They
were top of the country over their career in doing that.
So you're talking about guys who are used to getting
the ball in their hands. So I'm excited to see
how much of an addition, how much of an impact
these guys can have on this defense. And we talked
so much about where this defense is and what obrig
(32:07):
wants to do, and the word we both use is aggressive.
I think all four of those guys you will put
in an aggressive category, who want to go get the football,
who want to get after the quarterback, who want to
be impact players who want to change the game. And
for me, when I look at this twenty twenty five
draft class and when the season's over, I want to
know how many impact plays these guys had.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
And for a lot of.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
People, you want to say, oh, well, what's a real
impact play? Something that changes dynamic of a game, and
whether it's one game, three games, four games, you do
something in those games that changes something for your ball club.
It changes field position, it gives you the ball back
to your offense, it does something that you say, what,
that's why we drafted that guy. And I think there's
(32:53):
going to be instance this season where we see all
four of those guys have those kind of impacts throughout
the season, and anything other than that, it's cherry on top.
So I'm excited to see how integral these guys will
be a part of this defense. You know, whether you
know the snap count is you know, fifty percent, whether
it's forty percent or maybe some of these guys you
(33:14):
can ask a lot from. And I think those two
pass rushers, you're gonna ask those guys to play a
key role this season. But who knows what happens on
the back end. It's gonna be fun to see what
these guys end up.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
The two teams that went to the Super Bowl, the
Kansas City Chiefs in the Philadelphia Eagles. Last year, Kansas
City had thirty nine sacks, which was eighteenth in the league.
A lot of people feel like, okay, the sacks or
whether they gotta dictate getting there. They were plus six
in the giveaway takeaway. Okay. The Philadelphia Eagles who won
the Super Bowl and got after Patrick Mahomes, they had
(33:44):
forty one sacks. They were thirteenth in the league in sacks,
even though we talked about how how that Philadelphia Eagle
defense swarmed to get out of both Yeah, legue thirteenth
in the league, but they were plus eleven in the
giveaway takeaway. So it goes hand in hand. Pressure on
the quarterback, bad throws, My guys are seeking and fighting.
(34:04):
What I put down on my piece here is is
I talked about, you know, I don't know if you've
ever seen movies or maybe a documentary of watching piranhas
in the water, but if you throw a piece of
meat in the water, I called it feeding fronds the
quarterback and the ball. That's what we're hoping for and
shot kind of summarize that with what he was talking
(34:26):
about there. Yeah, all right, we prepare for the twenty
twenty five season. I think we talked about the aspects
of the team that need to improve over training camp.
You talked about D line performance versus the run and
the pass. What do you need to see a shock
in camp that gives you a feeling that this team
is going to be better than they were a year ago,
or progressing to the regular season with Tampa Bay sitting
(34:49):
there in week one, What do you need to see
in camp that makes you feel good about what you're doing,
what you're seeing.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I think where I'm going with this, a lot of
people won't be able to kind of put their hands
on it and notice it. But I think for guys
like us who watch it differently, and maybe there are
a lot of fans out here who watch it in
the same facet, But for me, it's.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
A daily It's a daily.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Act of being consistent, competitive, but also being accountable, and
I think that bodes well for as you head to
the season. If you're consistent every day in how you
go out and prepare it, you're accountable with your teammates
on how you practice and how you get after people
and you're super highly competitive. Once you get to the game,
(35:35):
all that stuff comes together and it makes for really
good football. I believe if the guy next to you, you
know you're keeping him accountable, he's keeping you accountable. You
guys have been through the battles and the wars in
training camp, and you guys have been consistently doing it.
When you get in the game, it becomes second nature
to you. And for me, I want to see that
on a daily basis. How consistent will the offense be
(35:57):
when it comes to a red zoneduction when they're going
against the defense.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
How competitive will they be.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
When they'll O and D line get together and they're
going on one on one and they're competing in fighting.
How accountable will Jesse Bates be, which we know he
will be with some of the young guys and bringing
those guys along and they make a mistake, willly be
on their tail about some stuff. I think all those
things go hand in hand with what makes a really
good ball club. And once you get to that first
(36:24):
game and you can see that stuff come out during
the ballgame. So for me, can I see that daily?
Can I see these guys and I know this. Guys
are gonna compete, you know it. But can it be
something on a consistent and daily basis of going out
and doing it every day that shows you, all right,
this team has some and I think we've been a
part of our show. We've been a part of teams
where you feel like, I trust that guy. I know
(36:45):
when that guy steps on the field with me, I
know that guy's gonna be he's gonna go twelve yards
and he's gonna come flat and he's gonna come to
the sideline. You trust that guy because guess what, in practice,
he was consistent with it. We were accountable with both
our stamps were accountable with going to be and you
knew once you got in the game, regardless of what
that corny did, Guess what, I can let this thing
go and feel good about it. And I think that's
(37:07):
a big part of going into you know, the season,
is how countable are you with your teammates and can
that transfer into the game?
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Man, such a such a big word and a and
a cool word that you'ck just use. There is trust.
It happens in the offensive line. It happens from the
second level, from the first level of the defensive line
to the second level in linebackers talking and what they're
supposed to be. The communication in the back end, trusting
one another that you're going to do what you're supposed
to do, or you recognize what's going on. If you don't,
(37:36):
is somebody telling you what's going on? The communication that happens.
Trust a monster word. When you start talking about putting
eleven guys on the field that are going to play together,
you got to be able to trust one another, got
to be able to lean on that about you, well,
I wrote I wrote down something very similar said, both
sides win the day in training camp. So that's a
(37:57):
daily deal where Okay, the offense had their day, obviously
the defense rallies. It comes back and maybe they get
the afternoon if they've got a two today going on,
or they get that next morning, and it creates that
competition that you know that week in and week out,
day in and day out, you're going to compete, and
when you get in games on Sunday that that that
mentality comes out. They keep talking about Mamba mentality around here.
(38:20):
You know Kobe paying homage to Kobe Kobe Bryant, how
he played the game like it was his last game
every time he played. That's what they're trying to perpetuate here.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Shut Archa, let me let me throw one at you.
It's obviously, uh, we're off script.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Here with this question, but I think it bowls well
because we haven't mentioned it yet, and I think the
guy to him does as good as anybody.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
We both know him really well.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
Rahie Morris, the head coach coming into a second year,
obviously there were some up and downs last year.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
What do you want to see from.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Raw heading into his second training camp of when you
think about getting this team Brady and prepare, is there
things that you feel like, oh, maybe we see a
different Raw in this situation, or you think this is
a guy to just learn from the things that happen
in year one and he's gonna take off in year
two and get this team ready to go.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
Yeah, I think that what you said there the latter part.
I think that you hope that every time you go
out you're a little bit better than you were before.
I remember a coach telling me early on when I
first started playing this game, you're never the same person
when you take the when you leave the field after practicing,
you either are better or you're worse. You never stay
(39:31):
the same because there's too much information, there's too many reps,
there's too many opportunities to improve and learn. More often
than not, if you're paying attention doing mental reps, you're
getting the physical reps, you're gonna be just a little
bit better. Your players say it all the time. I
want to be one percent better after practice than I
was today. I would think that based on the way
raw works, the way Raheem works in his study, in
(39:56):
turning over every rock as to what he can do
to be better. That's what he spent the whole offseason doing.
Last year was not what they were hoping for. They
got up your six and three. Things look good, You're
a couple of games ahead of Tampa, and then the
wheels started to get a little wobbly and they fell off.
And why did that happen? I guarantee you they went
back and evaluated all those decisions they made in game plays,
(40:19):
called all those kind of things. And so I'm expecting
for him to be better just because I know his
work ethic. I know Zach Robinson's work ethic. We've been
around Jeff Ulbrick before Marquise Williams, those guys and that staff.
So that's what I'm expecting, Shock, So I think that
I think we're all set.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
Ye.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
That's it for today. We'll be back on Tuesday to
recap the first weekend of training camp as well as
working rack back with us Derek Brackley. We'll be back
with us on the podcast the meantime. Make sure you
check out our live broadcast this Saturday on YouTube. It'll
be me and Taylor Bismore along with some special guests,
so tune in. Shock made drop by who knows, So
(40:59):
tune in and hang out with this and watch practice.
Always remember to like, subscribe and review at Spotify, iTunes,
Atlanta Falcons dot com and YouTube and we'll see you
next time. Make sure that you're with us. It's really
good to be with YouTube. Brother. It's football season.
Speaker 2 (41:15):
We're back
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