November 21, 2024 • 36 mins
J.B. Long, D'Marco Farr, and Maurice Jones-Drew talk takeaways after Week 11, special teams struggles, prioritizing the running game, keys to victory on Sunday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
From the Toyota Patio here at SOFI Stadium, site of
Sunday Night football, the Rams and the Eagles. Welcome to
a new edition of Between the Horns, presented by your
Southern California Toyota Dealers.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm JB.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Long with my friends and colleagues DeMarco Farr and Maurice
Jones Drew. The band is back together to be back
at the stadium. It's a chili fall morning here as
we record.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Is that why you're rocking a hat. I've never seen
you rock a hat before. That's new.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I just ran out of time getting the kids out
the door to school.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
So what we said.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Our last show before Thanksgiving? I guess how the holiday's
treating you?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
So far?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Good, so far. Everybody's coming to my house this year,
so I'm making turkey. I'm more scared of that than
the Philadelphia Eagles right now.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Huh oh oh. I mean that's tough. You know. I
got lucky. My grandmother taught my wife how to cook.
And she's kind of you know, she's getting up there
in a so she doesn't remember everybody, and she was
eating the last Thanksgiving, was like, uh, who made this?
And I make this? I said, oh, then we know
what we're doing. So thanksgivings at my house, but not
with everybody nice, just grandma and uncle.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
We're gonna get to takeaways from the win of the
Patriots in just a second. But one of mine is
food related, which is man, That New England clam chowder
was good. We might need to build that into our
own repertoire.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
And it was. It was right on time too, because
though temper just started to drop at the end, and
it was right on time.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
You didn't have any This is why I started to
hate you guys. Oh I didn't have a single bite
of clam chowder. I heard you guys eating though. Would
you have partaken?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Though?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Is that your deal?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
There's some things I cannot resist in good clam chowder
on the East Coast. There I gotta have. That was
on the money. What about the football part of it?
What do you four days later, still thinking about good, bad,
and otherwise from that win over New England? Well, you
know me, I think we all feel the same way.
A win is a win is a win. I could
care less how it looks one point a thousand points
as long as you got the W. So there were
some good things, there's some bad things. I think you
(01:57):
could have made that game a whole lot easier than
you made it. So this is still a work in progress,
but is when you're working to try to get better.
As long as you keep coming up with w's, then
so be it. So they always say winning is great deodorant,
and man did that smell good? And that six hour
flight on the way back, they did check a lot
of boxes.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Some of the things that we were asking for, you
might say, begging for them to do, they were more
explosive that Cooper Cup touched down the longest offensive play
of the season. And then MJD, I hope you get
your commission for solving some of the red zone issues.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I mean, you just throw a little bit out there
to see what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Well, if you were watching the show last week, I
thought MJD did a great job kind of breaking down
the philosophy.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Say yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I told him. I said, look, there's there's six windows
that you do. You attack in the red zone, and
really you want to attack the outside, the front pilon,
the back pilon, the ones you want to attack, and
then every now and then, if you're going to attack
the middle of the field behind the goal post. You
have to have crossers coming. Well, the Rams decided to
attack the front pylon on the Puka Nakoua play and
the Cooper Cup touchdown, and then the back pylon on
the Kobe Parkinson, which was nice.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, that won the cup that little when he rolled
out and then and just throw it to them. I mean,
how do you you can't cover that. That's one where
you just tip your cap and say, coach, I don't
know what to do on defense.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
And we've been begging for that. Well, moving the pocket,
moving the launch point. They did it on two of
the touchdowns using some other personnel. Like great to have
Cooper Cup and pukin Akua go over one hundred yards each. Yes,
collectively three touchdowns combined. But Colby Parkinson gets his first
and it feels like, oh okay, you're starting to unlock
some things. You're forcing the defense to respect all of
your eligibles.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Now, I think you're exactly right. We kind of talked
about the tight ends too. DeMarco, just where have they been?
What's been going on? You haven't seen that much production
out of them. Is it a Tyler Higbee situation? Or
is it just guys aren't showing up. And it seemed
like a lot of those questions were answered on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I can't wait to get Higgs back. But that was
the best tight end day they've had all season long,
blocking and Parkinson finally getting in the end zone. So look,
when you talk about what you're about to face with Philly,
all these weapons they have, if you have a good
group of tight ends, that little gray area in between
that's making Hey, you can slow them down some Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
How about defensive The Rams have already matched their takeaway
total from last season through ten games this year.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Well, look, it's to me, it's all about the front,
and it's all about the entire defense all eleven. But
what's driving this thing, what's driving this football team really
is that young front. Jared Verse should be Rookie of
the Year, Defensive Rookie of the year. I think Braden
Fist is as good as advertised Kobe Turner is. He's
on a heater. I think six seven tackles a game
for four straight weeks and he's been just an absolute force.
(04:22):
And he's calling the front. Yeah, he's getting everybody lined up,
so he's doing double duty and he's bawling his butt off,
so that front is just driving everything. I just hope
the offense gives them a chance to rest and then
go attack and rush the pass.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
He has to turn his ears off.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's all it happens, man. I mean, it's right there.
I mean, look, you know what you're trying to do.
They know what you're trying to do. You're gonna have
to play the hard count a little bit better. But
I'd rather have guys that are aggressive than the opposite.
I think that's the part of being young. You don't
have kids. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
When you have kids and there's all craziness, dads know
how to turn their ears off and let the craziness
go without even still focus on the things. When you're young,
those ears are still active and you're listening to me.
I thought the defense, the good part is what you
talked about, the young front. The bad part was a
young front right, making mistakes when you should have ended
the game, the penalties towards the end, the face mask obviously,
(05:09):
the personal foul. Those are things that you can have
and that's those are young issues, right, and that's what's
you know. You have to love it and then understand
it too, right. You can't be like, hey, you can't
do this with that energy that they bring. So I
just think that is they mature, which they've done an
awesome job of just playing. But when they mature, I
think you're gonna really see this defense explode. And I also
say this, I mean, as much as we talk about
(05:31):
Jared Verse, Brandon fixed Fisk has done him also he
should be up for Rookie of the Year too. I
don't know how many sacks he has, but he's up there.
I mean, he's getting just as much pressure or causing
as much havoc as versus as well.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I love it, just not off the bench. When you're
an off the bench guy, Rookie of the year, that's
not you. It's a Jared Verse thing. I'm sorry, yeah,
what you're saying. But like spot duty guy, that's great.
He's got a motor. I love him. And I've been
saying this since camp that dude is one of the
best stunt runners the Rams have. But Jared Verse from
start to finished, handing the dirt from play one to
play ninety nine, and he has been that guy. So
(06:04):
I hope he gets the nut and.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
They are one two rookie sacks by the way, Fist
taking over with his handful by a half a sack.
We'll see a Verse can get back this week. They've
gone back to back with forrest fumbles. Byron Young has
sacks in four straight games. He was a big part
of that closing effort. Look, he'd love to see the
Rams be better on third down, Stafford. You know, pitching
and catching on third down in particular is probably an
area for growth in the back half of this schedule.
(06:27):
But if you pun in play defense, to have b
why do his thing, and to have cam Kinchins, who's
the NFC Defensive Player of the Week again for the
second time in three games, close that thing with a
pick and take a seat.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I wish he would have scored. I know, I
know you're against it, but I'm on the block. Extra
point a takeaway. We want to put points on the board, man.
This is points come in different ways. The miscellaneous points
are the best ones, the ones that you're not you're
not accounting for.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
It's the end of the game. Take that thing to
the house. Do they teach takeaways at Miami? Is that
a It must be?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
No?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, like, is that a class, the professor. The
guy that comes out of there is a ballhawk. But
it's it's all about opportunity. It's all about pressure and
closing games is a mindset. And this is so funny.
Our guys are here, the ninety nine team, the defense.
I can't wait to see Todd Lite. He's the one
that hit me up to this. It's just three perfect
plays to end the football. That's it on defense. And
(07:23):
it starts with the first You get that one, you
get the second and third play you get that when
you're off the field game over. So it's all just
a mindset. Most young guys when they get to the
end of game mode, I need to make the play.
I need to make the play. Sometimes that works against you.
Breathe make a play, disrupt, get off the field, and
win the ball game. So it's all a mindset. The
three perfect plays they put together should have ended the
(07:43):
game a quarter earlier, though, because they did it and
punched that out and it was fourth down and Verse
pulls a guy off the pile and it cost him.
It's it's hard. I don't want to coach that out
of him because he was helping his teammate. But you
have to be smarter about those end of game situations,
especially with and no knock. With an officiating crew like that,
that's a little helter skelter that anything that they think
(08:06):
is a foul, they're gonna bang you for. So just
be smart. Let it go, Yell at the reft to
pull him off, don't touch the guy, get off the field.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Penalties we'll talk about a little bit later. As it
relates to the Philadelphia Eagles. It's actually been one of
the strengths of the Rams, one of the least penalized
teams in the National Football League. Want to touch on
special teams briefly, because the Rams have taken several steps
forward in that phase. It felt like a couple steps back.
Shout out to Mike Hoit for his blocked extra point
that was huge, But a couple of short early kickoffs
(08:33):
costs the Rams. Obviously, the miss twenty six yarder. I
will say this in defense of Joshuacarty. There's something in
the water going around, because it's not just him, across
the league, future Hall of famers, including the guy you're
gonna face this week in Philadelphia. Everybody's missing kick.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, I think it's a you know Richard Sherman one
of his podcasts, he was like, you can find a
kicker selling bricks, Like, no question, you can.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You can pick.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You don't know how. You don't know how hard kicking
is until you actually go out there and try it.
And the one thing about it is, I think one
of my good college buddies is the special teams coach
for the Baltimore Race. You're talking about Tucker, who's missed
a couple of them, right, and he's like, people go
through slumps and they really hit me. It resonated with
me because in two thousand and seven I went to
(09:15):
a crazy slump, like an eight game slum where I
couldn't score, like I was right there that fumble or
whatever it may be, and I understand that you have
to allow kickers to kind of work through those things
and as they get going, I think they'll be find
CARDI I thought did an awesome job like bouncing back
after missing that that twenty six yard came back and
he buried the next one. My heart was racing. I
know yours was as well. I could feel it as
(09:36):
we were calling the game. But to go ahead and
make that kick and to have that same nice swing
is what you're looking for. And again, you have a
young team, Like just because your quarterback is old, doesn't
mean in your receiver, your Cooper cut those are your
two old guys. Everybody else is pretty much under twenty five,
under twenty six. So you have a young team that
you have to coach through some of these mistakes.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Did you call Stafford old?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Just now? Hey only a couple of years younger than me.
That's foot bold.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And when you're talking about place I get it. Everybody
goes through it, and I'm trying to. Some of my
best friends in life are placekickers, and I try to
have as much patience as possible. But when you're out there,
when it's on the line, you've got to make your kicks, period,
end of story. You've got to hit those extra points.
And I like the guy. I love the guy. I
even like the kickers that stink I do. They're good people.
(10:21):
But in those situations, you have got to hit your kicks.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Because otherwise your coach isn't gonna run you out there.
In an end of game situation where three wins it,
that's it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I mean I thought they were I thought Sean McVay
was setting up Cardi to be the hero, and then
when he punted, I'm like, okay, well that tells me
a lot there. There might be an issue there, but
the last thing you want is for him to go
out there and miss that. Then his confidence is down here.
So I get both sides of it, but as placekickers
or as teammates of placekickers, when you're out there, just
(10:50):
like I expect Mo to do his job. I got
to do my job, You got to do yours.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Put it through the upright, He's been better here at
so far, and so maybe getting back in his home
stadium on Sunday night on the primetime life will be
good for joshuaccarty and the Special Teams unit. We'll certainly
have our eye on every fourth down decision right as
you're prepared to face the Philadelphia Eagles, because how lethal
and persistent persistent they are on that down, and also
the fact that Jake Elliott is having kicking troubles himself.
All right, where do we start with this preview? I
(11:16):
thought we might focus on the defensive Rookie of the
Year battle because of the leading candidates here in Los
Angeles and the two defensive backs that Philadelphia brings to town.
They are resurgent. They are part of what could be
the best defense in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Now, yeah, well, I'll say I'll start with our defense first.
I think third down is going to be so important
to not allow to get the fourth and one. Yeah,
fourth and two, fourth and three, because they're gonna go
for that every day of the week. So third down
you're gonna have a more sense of urgency to try
to keep them in fourth and five. Because of the
way that touch push works and how aggressive the Eagles are,
(11:51):
this is gonna be your toughest challenge today. That's probably
the most talented team in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles,
if you look at it from top to bottom on paper, right,
offensive lines all really good. Uh, tight ends can play
running back obviously Saquon Barkley hurling the guy backwards. Yeah
that was that was embarrassing for US Jack fans wow
as well. But then you have a J. Brown, who
(12:12):
we've seen multiple times, right, and what he brings to
the table. And if you're a corner, if you're Darius Williams,
like covering a J. Brown, that's like that that's gonna
be tough because again, aj six three two hundred and
thirty five pounds and Darris is what five nine what
one hundred and eighty.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
And he's got to come fit that edge and the
running game exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
So you're gonna you're gonna be up for a task
and it's gonna be important that this defensive line get pressure,
that these linebackers find a way to fit. And you
know that they're gonna try to attack your linebackers in
the in the passing game. That's what they've done in
the past with Saquon, so you have to it's it's
gonna be a group effort to do that. But at
the end the with saying all that third down is
gonna be the most important down and it's not gonna
be getting to fourth down. It's gonna be keeping it
(12:54):
fourth and long instead of fourth and short.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
On third you need zero's TFLs takeaways. Yes, And speaking
to your point about the offensive line, maybe the best
tackle tandem in the National Football League. If it's not
the best offensive line in the National Football League, it's
at least the best ince the Rams have scene since
Week one in Detroit. Yeah, but they had some success
against that Detroit lines offensive line. So think how far
they've come since then.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yeah, and there's a lot of pride there with those
two tackles. There's a lot they think they can do,
which is great. They may leave those edges open on
third down and say your guys can't get to my
guys because of my tackles. And if you win, there's
Jalen Hurts. But that's half the problem. Is he can scramble.
And when you talk about guys like Brown at receiver,
it's not the call player that scares me. It's the
jazz session. It's when he breaks contained because he is
(13:37):
so big and he plays the rules letter tight or
really tight, and he plays bullyball like Debo will just
you know, force his way into the end zone. So yeah,
it's gonna be tough. You're gonna have to keep him
in the pocket. Third down is, like you said, is
gonna be an adventure for both sides. You got to
get off the field and you got to stay on
it if you're Matthew Stafford, because if you give them
the football again, more often than not, they're gonna drive
(13:59):
that thing right down your throat.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah, you know, I think this battle could be decided
as soon as Sunday night. It first has a big
game and the Rams win, Like that's it right there
in week twelve for me, If not, then maybe Quinon
Mitchell or Cooper Dejeen, like the top two picks in
their draft class. Again, you've been talking trying.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
To tell people. Ever, I was trying to tell people
in the draft like that was the best player that
I had seen. And I know, yeah, they thought the
Rams were gonna take it, right, and then the Rams
go with Bradon Fisk and then he go, he gets there.
They they've done a great job of really identifying their issues, right,
They've they've had secondary issues for the last couple of years.
They go out and draft two guys first and second round.
(14:35):
They've kind of solidified that Cooper Dejene in the slot
terrific tackler, right, And so you're gonna be paired up
against Cooper cup and who breaks a ton of tackles.
So that's gonna be a big issue. And then I'm
excited to see how Quinya Mitchell handles the physicality of
Pookina Kua. That's what I'm interested to see because he's
done a great job against like Terry McLaurin and other
guys that are more finesse, right, They're not as like
(14:58):
I'm gonna go through you like we saw Pookakup catch
that third down slant. I'm gonna go through you to
catch this slant. He hasn't really seen that type of physicality,
So let's see how he matches up with that when
they get massed up. If he can handle the size
and the brute ability of Puka.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Let's go to the other side of the trenches. And
that is the Rams offensive line reconstituted as it was
in New England, with Bolimber the rookie center stepping back
in war McClendon held his own at right tackle. We'll
see if Rob Hagnstein is able to make it back
for this week or if it's McLendon again. But just
like you kind of go from the one oh one
class in New England to the graduate level test on
the other side of the ball, kind of the same
(15:34):
thing here. When you're looking at the menacing front of
the Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Eagles sweat is when you draw up pass rushing outside linebacker,
it looks like him tall, lean the guy makes moves inside.
Davison carter I mean, it's less get your hands down
kung fu style. This is clubs and take you out
of your shoes. So this will be a full time job.
And I love Brandon Graham fifteen years in. Oh dude,
He's an absolute technician and just a dog out there
(16:00):
talk trash the whole.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
The whole game.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
So this is gonna be for This will be the
stiffest test of the year for this rams O line.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
It's funny you talk about the clubs and stuff with Carter.
I've also seen Carter's whip with win with straight finesse,
like don't touch me, get at like hands and get there.
So you're gonna whoever's going against him mass They're gonna
have their hands full. Now Davis is just a bigger body.
He's gonna try to like bull rush you. But Carter's
been playing unreal.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yes, I mark something he said this week that last
year when the Philadelphia Eagles are here, he keyed in
on the fact that, oh, we're playing in a silent
count environment. And so they started studying the hand signal
and they got get off and they got to Matthew Stafford.
He's banking on that again. Sunday Night Football Philly travels.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
You know what big guys hate though, tempo, oh, no huddle,
wear them out.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, that's the one thing I've always I played with
the tule. I played with a couple guys. You're your
head coach at Washington was with me and Jacksonville. That
was one of his things. We played bigger defensive lineman.
Throw the ball to the outside, get those guys running sideline,
the sideline, and keep them on the ball right, and
then take your shots like the old time. When he
comes out, then you have your chance to run your
offense and take your shots. I remember Sean used to
(17:08):
do that a lot with that metal huddle, keeping guys
on the field and locking them in and doing all
the different things. It may be time to do that
again this week and right and use it to your advantage.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Interesting though, because he's been shuffling personnel at his skill
group more than ever before right this year at tight
end and receiver, So that prevents you from kind of
using some of that tempo to your advantage.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
And wise you can, like you said, make them go
side to side and a lot of motions, make them talk,
make them have to reset a lot. Maybe you get
keys on him.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I will say this, unlike last week where New England
just blitz the daylights out of Matthew Stafford and he
torched them a couple of times. That's not what Vic
van Jo and Philly do. It's not their identity, it's
not their philosophy. And they don't have to because the
game records they have upfront. So you'll have to beat
them a different way.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Most like, oh, yeah, they're gonna sit back and play coverage.
I mean, they're gonna rush for They're gonna play coverage
every now and then. They're gonna get the manna man.
And you know, Nakobe Dean is playing really well and
normally you say, okay, I think that we have a
matchup with Kyron against the linebacker. N Kobe Dean has
kind of showed up and a guy that hasn't played
in a little bit had to work his way into playing.
(18:10):
He's he's really getting this. He's kind of the center
point to this defense, right him and Zach Bond. Yeah,
I mean they're both they're both doing a great job
of covering the.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Back out of the backfield. That's Fangio to me, those
two linebackers. That's basically him on the field. How they
get you covered up and aligned to whatever you're doing
just so they can get after you. With that front,
they don't make a ton of mistakes. You're gonna have
to earn every single yard.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Am I the only one who's fascinated by like Vic Fangio,
the specter of his defense and what it's meant to
every stage of the Sean McVay rams era like he
was the one who put the blueprint down in Chicago
on another son in night yead six to one. Then
Bill Belichick borrowed from and led to their downfall in
the Super Bowl. I think it's led to several evolutions
of the Rams, whether it's hiring Brandon Staley and adopting
(18:51):
some of that with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, or
even evolving your running game the way that they have
in these last couple of years. And that's kind of
where I'm going next, because I think, with you here
in the seats next to me in this game coming,
it's the perfect time to dig into the running games
because Philadelphia is elite with their quarterback, offensive line and
running back and the Rams aren't getting enough. And when
you look at the key to their stretch run last season.
(19:13):
It started in Week twelve, a trip to Arizona, the
return of Kiraing Williams, and they were a runaway freight
train from there. Is that within their reach, let's start
on the Rams running game. Is that within their possibility
right now in this moment.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I think it is. I personally believe it is. I
just think there's been a lot of issues. Right You've
had the offensive line woes, You've had some schematic issues,
guys trying to block with not the right leverage, and
then you've had runners miss holes. I was gonna say
against the Patriots, they had ran the counter trade to
the right, Kirroen breaks it for like, you know, twenty
(19:46):
yards thirty yards. Then they go back and run the
same play to the left and he dives inside instead
of following that that pulling tight end around. And so again,
it's been a little bit of both. When you have
great schematics, you have to hit it, and it sucks
as a run because when you're in a situation where
you have to be almost be perfect in the run game,
it's hard for you. Now you're like laser focus, like
(20:07):
I got to make the right read. I have to
do this instead of just reacting to things, and so
I think that's kind of what they're working through right now.
I thought making the change that the offensive line helped
a ton last week, Like I love I love Limber
back in that spot. I think Limber has done an
awesome job. And we talked about the blessing in disguise
over over the last couple between the horns. But that
that is right, all those reps. Now I feel more
(20:30):
comfortable with him being the center, and now I have
extra guys that can play other positions. And then the
last light least. It's it's the schematics, right. Last year,
everyone thought the Rams were a down outside zone team.
They became a downhill team, right and Kyron was breaking
off runs, he was manipulating the linebacker doing all those things. Well,
you have a whole offste now to study what they
were doing. So now you have to zig when they're zagging,
(20:52):
which means, okay, we need to get back to the
outside zone a little bit. We've seen the Rams have
a ton of success with their outside zone, so maybe
that's something you have to look for. Hooking guys and
getting around the outside and trying to get bigger plays.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Any perspective on that, do you want to flip to
the other side.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
I was just putting myself on the other side of
what he was saying as a defense, and I just
remember I could you could tell when a running back
has zero confidence in his line. And it was almost
laughable the stuff they would try to do when we're
just kicking the guys butt in front of us. All
these tricks and all this stuff. It ain't working, bro,
I mean, why stop? And even when he's got a lane,
he's chasing ghosts because we're kicking his butt so bad.
(21:28):
But to me, to fix a good running game, you
just have to keep going through it. And you tell me.
I think Kyron is a good back, a better than
average running back in the National Football League, But I
do expect guys like him and your lead back to
be able to break tackles every now and then, even
if I get it, sometimes the design of the play
(21:48):
is to get you one on one and then I
expect you to win. That's what Philly does. Can I
expect Kyron the same out of Kyron? I think I should.
Don't have a question.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
He did it last year.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
That's what I'm saying so at some point it's not
about scheme or it's not about whatever. Sometimes it's about
that guy deciding he's just not going down.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Before we talk about stopping Philadelphia's run, I just want
to tack on that. When we say running game, at
least speaking for myself, I don't always mean a traditional handoff.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Right.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
There's all sorts of extensions of the running game, your
quick game, you're now stuff like what game was it Minnesota?
Or they motioned away from Puka, like they motioned the
quads away from Pookin, just threw him now route and
let him go get his Like that's an extension of
the running game. To me, your screen game, which has
not clicked, is part of that. Because what's Fick Fangio
gonna do. Like there's a reason why mel Kaier this
(22:32):
offseason was like we got to ban two high safety shelves,
Like this is the guy. He's gonna tack down your explosives.
He's not gonna give you zero blitz sixty nine to
the house. He's gonna make you earn it one step
at a time.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Yeah, And I also put play action pass in your
running game, right, and.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
That's effort's been incredible at it.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
And that's why I've when the red zone, I was like,
the play action passed the fake stretch. When you run stretch,
you have success with it. They all start to overcommit
and then you're able to boot away. And that's a
part of your running game as well, because again it's
off of a run action. To me, I think, again,
whatever you figure out success And I said it on
the broadcast when Kiren broke that counter run and then
(23:10):
Sean came right back to it. We've never seen Sean
do that. Go same play the other side.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
I will say this to you, reminded me of something
and to Mark and I have discussed this recently. I
think Sean's best ability as a play caller is stacking blocks,
like forming his own patterns, his own tendencies, making sure
that you know what he's going to do, showing you
that same look and then giving you an answer to it,
flipping the script, using your rules and your principles against you. Well,
(23:35):
here's the problem. It's been under construction so much of
trying to assemble this plane at thirty thousand feet after
takeoff that he hasn't been able for multiple weeks to
put those tendencies down on tape, do them well, has
success with them, and then say, oh, you think I'm
going to give you this here it is out the back.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Well, I thought he did that against the Patriots in
the first play where he threw the ball to pukin Nakua. Right,
he gives you a heavy run action, then he runs
like he's going left and he comes back and he's
wide open. Yeah, and how many times we've seen him
fit in on the linebackers and safeties. They're getting to that,
and that's why I said it's it's taking a little
bit of time because of all the missing pieces. But
I think again, as long as they continue to work out,
(24:12):
it's like the old adage is chopping wood, right, you
just got to keep chopping the venture of the tree falls.
That's what they're at right now because they started so
late with all the injury. Or your axe breaks on
or the axe hits off the wood and it goes
right into a guy's leg in your locker room.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
But that's never first pass to Puka was so awesome motion.
Then you go back through the line of stag like
that's that's just pure design. You gotta love it.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
And again if they hit a few more of those
third downs, maybe you start to build off of that
sooner in the game and you run away with that victory. Again,
the Patriots last week, good effort. Definitely not the Eagles
you're contending with here, in part because Philadelphia has the
best running game in the National Football League. Running back, quarterback,
you name it, they do at all. About The only
bad thing you can say about Sequon is he keeps
getting tackled inside the two yard line and letting his
(24:55):
quarterback hawk his touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Right first and foremost, we need to is this my
single uh to the Giants? Why why would you do this?
Why would you allow this man to hit Freecy nor
where he was going? So the whole world has to
deal with this.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I think you know the answer, and do it with
a behind the scenes show tracking your every decision out
there for everyone.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
What are we doing?
Speaker 2 (25:15):
You knew he was going to Philly. Everyone knew he
was going to Philly. If he didn't, if he left
the Giants, I mean that's if you're a running back,
why wouldn't you want to go to Philly? They have
everything you have a running quarterback. So now the defense
has to play eleven on eleven football, so I don't
have to see two guys, only have one guy to beat.
Then they have an offensive line that can create seams.
And guess what. On top of all that, they have
two first round two first round wide receivers on the
(25:36):
outside that can go and a tight end that can
make plays. I'm just a piece of thing.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I'm just a piece of the puzzle. Winning isn't complicated.
People complicated.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
I do like this opportunity, opportunity for the Rams defense though,
and Chris Shult because a little bit, like we said before, Miami,
they've developed this reputation for being like pocket puncturers, like
takeaway artists, disruptors, but they have other muscles to flex,
and they have stopped some pretty good running games. It's
not been as consistent or as persistent as we like
to see, but I like the chance they have ahead
(26:04):
of them Sunday.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Night, the Rams stopping this this rushing attack against Look,
if here's the thing, and you can tell me, facing
guys like Maurice when it gets cold and you're outdoors,
that stinks. Facing Saquon Barkley outdoors when he's got a
lead or he can pound on you that stinks. So
you're here, you're in so far. I think the same applies.
The last thing you want to do is let Philly
(26:25):
have a lead going into the fourth. You'll see Saquon
a lot. You may see him hurtle two guys going backwards.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
He's this game, but at historical levels after halftime in
terms of yards per carry.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
But if you're doing the job offensively, if you're staying
on the field, if you're running the football effectively, if
you're keeping Saquon and company off the field, you've got
a better chance to beat him. The more points you score,
the less you see Saquon. The less you score, the
more you're gonna see him. I'll say this too, Stopping
stopping the run is going to be tough. Let's let's
just put it's going to be hard to do that.
(26:55):
But you have to beat your one on one blocks, right.
That's how you stop the Eagles. It's when you get
one on one because they double team a ton. When
you get that one on one, if it's on the edge,
if it's over the guard, if it's over the center,
you have to win your one on one. And the
other part is this all you talked about offensively. If
you get up and you were able to force Jalen
Hurts to have to throw the ball, that's where you're
(27:16):
at your best. Because Jalen Hurts drop back game, that's
where the Eagles aren't like the top of the league.
They're they're kind of in the middle, towards the bottom.
So getting him to have this drop back a ton,
that's where you win this game. When he could do
the play action pass and the.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Quarterback run and all that in the red zone and
the potition push, then the year in the world of trouble.
So forcing him to be play left handed is gonna
be what you want to do.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Two things on that, I'm encouraged by the progress that
Tyler Davis has made it as a defensive tackle. That
Bobby Brown is put together maybe his best month as
a pro. Like those are the times of early down
run stuffers. You're gonna need to have big nights against
these Eagles.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
No question.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
This is what you're here for. I mean, this is
if you're Bobby Brown, this is how you're gonna make
your money. If you want to make some money in
the NFL, this is it here. You were the biggest
body they have the whitest guy by far. I mean,
like you said, the first guy that gets off the
bus is him. So if you want to make a
name for yourself, go nose to nose with Philly and
turn them back.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Well, he gets in TFLs on. He's he's done that.
Like he's dominated Miami. He dominated the line of scrimmage
against Miami. He's dominated the line of scrimmage against Minnesota.
He's done some really good things. This is gonna be
your tough test. And you're right if you want to,
if you want to get paid, go out here and
start moving guys out the way.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
He walks like he's carrying luggage. So beat that guy.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So I gotta tell you this that we're in the
elevator getting on the go on the bus, and like
you know, I kind of get in the back corner
of the elevator and he got in. He took like
the whole thing up. It was just me and him.
I was like, bro, like this thing is big enough
for the bus? Stare said. It's like, and it's big
enough for all Like we asked three more people. He
was just walking around. I was like, I get it now.
Ice was through a metal detector that's how big he is. Yes,
(28:50):
So that was before the game.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
After the game, were flying home from New England, and
before the plane takes off. Well MJD didn't see it.
He was already sleeping because that's what he does. But
DeMarco and I were watching the Seattle Seahawks go to
Santa Clara and get that win over the San Francisco
forty nine ers, kind of reframe the division, put it
back within comfortable striking distance. Let's turn the playoff picture now,
the six and four Cardinals and the five and five
(29:12):
Seahawks this week. We said it last week. You better
be accustomed to rooting for the Seahawks, as awkward as
that feels, because the Rams need them right now.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
We are Seahawks fans right now. Oh yeah, we the
Rams have the toughest assignment this weekend of anybody, right
I got Philly.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
San Francisco and banged up going to the Snow and Lambeau.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You could argue, but yeah, but I mean, so we're
all Seahawks fans. I don't know what to make of Seattle.
I don't know what to make of Arizona right now.
Are they really the best team in this division?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
They're nuxt three at Seattle at Minnesota, home to Seattle.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
It's tough.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
They had a tough stretch, it's cold, and this is
you know, Kyler Murray is a run around type guy.
Will he still be that guy when it turns cold
and you got to go play outdoors? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
So I'll say this. I don't think this is a
gotta have it must win Sunday for the Los Angeles
Rams because of what happened in the division. But I
will say, if you want to keep your wildcard hopes alive,
you gotta win this one. Because I'm looking at Minnesota.
If they win this week, that's nine for them, Gonna
be tough to catch them. If Green Bay wins this week,
and that's what the Rams want to happen, beat the
(30:14):
forty nine ers, that's eight plus the head to head,
they're getting a bit out of reaching the wildcard. And
if Washington wins this week, that's eight for them, and
they've got a clear path to eleven or maybe twelve
with the schedule that I've seen. So again we return
our focus to the division. I think that's the best
and hopefully not the only, but definitely the most direct
path to the postseason be better than those other three teams.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
I want to turn the league Auden's head because I
don't know that many people that's picking the Rams to
beat Philadelphia because they think Philadelphia is this unstoppable juggernaut.
So what happens if we get to Monday and the
opposite happens? So how do you start reconfiguring who goes
where and whatever? But I agree with you, I think
the easiest path to make the playoffs is to win
the NFC West. Some of these teams are just gonna
(30:57):
run by you by by their schedule. But I think
if you beat Philadelphia, you change a lot of opinions.
You changed perception like that.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
It reminds me of a time I was in Jacksonville
and we were playing and we were kind of either
going we were going against the Colts for the division,
and Jack Darrell said this, and it resonates right now,
like we can only worry, Like we can worry about
what they're doing, but we have to control. We can control,
We have to handle our business. If you do what
you're supposed to do, everything else all fall into place.
You can't like, we can't be playing Philadelphia and rooting
(31:26):
for Seattle right like we can. But as a player,
you have to be locked in on making sure you're
doing the best you can to beat Philly, because that's
the only path that matters, is that the one that
you create. Now when you get into a situation where
you have to like we're over here holding hands and
hoping and watching TV and hoping. So that's the worst
feeling in the world because it's out of your control.
And as a competitor, you want to have control everything, right,
you want to be able to control your own destiny.
(31:48):
So if I'm the Rams, I'm focusing on on on Philly,
we beat Philly, then hey, Seattle, hope you do your thing.
Green Bay, hope you do your thing. If you don't,
we still took care of what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I hear you by not listening to you, like, because
at four point thirty on Sunday, I'm be doing this.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, I'm not talking about I'm not talking about us.
I'm talking about the players, yeah, and the fans. We
all should be looking roodent.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Because I've got the I've got the magic number ten
in my head, right, ten wins. I hope that's enough.
Maybe it'll be eleven. But if I'm thinking, how do
the Rams get from five to ten between now and
the end of the season, I think the last two
are gotta habits, Right, you get to host Arizona and
Seattle to finish. Given what we're talking about winning the division,
you got a bank those, right, So then that means
can you get three of these next five between now
and then? I think they can?
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Why not? Same as you? It just being I heard
nothing of what you said. Beat Philadelphia, that's it.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Beat Philly.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Huh, All right, then fine, give us the game and
that's that's all you're gonna talk. Okay, you get to
start keys of victory then.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Okay, we we We've said it. I mean it's it's
a retread. I mean, you've got to stop Saquon Barkley.
That's going to be number one. They're gonna lead with that.
That's the tip of the spear. When you get in
the red zone. I think it's a mathematical certainty they
score because they have so many weapons, even ones we
haven't mentioned. We didn't even talk about their tight ends
and they're good. Yeah, so there's a lot of issues there.
So I think this game It comes back to what
(33:06):
the Rams do. Offensively, Ken Matthew Stafford and companies stay
on the field long enough, pick up first downs, score
when you get down the field, and put the pressure
on Jalen Hurts to have to throw the ball to win.
If it's the opposite way, I wouldn't say you have
no chance, but your chances are slim to beat them
if they're running the football.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go something completely
different than I normally go, like running game or third down.
Like to me is put pressure on Kellen Moore, put
pressure on their oc force him to have to call
it the perfect game with meaning that offensively, your scoring points,
you're holding the ball. Defensively, you're creating some issues for
him where he can't just turn around and be like,
(33:43):
oh here handed off to Saquon, oh here. He has
to start dialing up plays. When he dials up plays.
We saw it in LA when he was with the Chargers.
We saw with the Cowboys he tends to get a
little nervous. And what I mean by nervous is like
he'll call a play and it just it just doesn't
flow the same. When he gets out of his flow.
That the Eagles don't look as good. And I think
(34:04):
early in the year they the Packers did a great
job of getting them out of the flow, and the
Saquon saved them right this the Saints got them out
of their flow. Saquon saved them right. So if you
can find a way to get him out of their flow,
get him out of his flow, I think you have
a great chance of really putting up some points and
doing some good things.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Something you said earlier reminded me. You know, we've been
harping on the slow starts for the Rams. In seven
of their ten games, they haven't scored so much as
a point in the first quarter. You know, he's been
even worse. Philadelphia has put up eight zeros in the
first quarter. So maybe there's an opportunity to jump them
and kind of dictate some of those terms like you're
talking about. Hey, one other thing in the backdrop that
I want to mention here before we go on between
the Horns, DeMarco and all his buddies from the championship team,
(34:44):
fifth anniversary to be here and.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
We still look good? Is everybody coming? Every most of
the guys are coming. That was the cool thing about winning.
When we did, we were all roughly the same age.
So yeah, we get to all come back and do
this again. So special. So we're gonna mission for a
little bit. We'll bet I'll be doing that halftime stuff.
I'll be doing the m scene. I'll get to announced
Tory and Isaac, and it's gonna be so much. I
cannot wait to get to game day. Tory, who's going
(35:08):
into the Hall of Fame? Some Yes, this is the year.
You tell me we were both teammates at Tory Hole. Listen, Tory,
I learned a lot from Tori. I actually have two
teammates going in. Hopefully this year it's gonna be Fred
Taylor and Tory. Yeah, that'd be awesome. Look, Tory does
if if the other guys are already in, then Tory
Holt is definitely he should be. And let's get this done.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
All right.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Let me see if I can check all the Toyota
boxes here. It's Sunday Night Football, presented by Toyota, the
Rams hosting the Philadelphia Eagles, trying to snap that six
game winning streak. We say so long and have a
good rest of your week. From the Toyota patio. Here
at gorgeous Sofi Stadium, and as always, between the horns
is presented by your Southern California Toyota dealers.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
That was nice.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Wow you did that.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Let's check, get behind the wheel of our Toyota and
drive home Ago.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
I'm sure
From the Toyota Patio here at SOFI Stadium, site of
Sunday Night football, the Rams and the Eagles. Welcome to
a new edition of Between the Horns, presented by your
Southern California Toyota Dealers.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm JB.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Long with my friends and colleagues DeMarco Farr and Maurice
Jones Drew. The band is back together to be back
at the stadium. It's a chili fall morning here as
we record.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Is that why you're rocking a hat. I've never seen
you rock a hat before. That's new.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I just ran out of time getting the kids out
the door to school.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
So what we said.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Our last show before Thanksgiving? I guess how the holiday's
treating you?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
So far?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Good, so far. Everybody's coming to my house this year,
so I'm making turkey. I'm more scared of that than
the Philadelphia Eagles right now.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Huh oh oh. I mean that's tough. You know. I
got lucky. My grandmother taught my wife how to cook.
And she's kind of you know, she's getting up there
in a so she doesn't remember everybody, and she was
eating the last Thanksgiving, was like, uh, who made this?
And I make this? I said, oh, then we know
what we're doing. So thanksgivings at my house, but not
with everybody nice, just grandma and uncle.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
We're gonna get to takeaways from the win of the
Patriots in just a second. But one of mine is
food related, which is man, That New England clam chowder
was good. We might need to build that into our
own repertoire.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
And it was. It was right on time too, because
though temper just started to drop at the end, and
it was right on time.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
You didn't have any This is why I started to
hate you guys. Oh I didn't have a single bite
of clam chowder. I heard you guys eating though. Would
you have partaken?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Though?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Is that your deal?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
There's some things I cannot resist in good clam chowder
on the East Coast. There I gotta have. That was
on the money. What about the football part of it?
What do you four days later, still thinking about good, bad,
and otherwise from that win over New England? Well, you
know me, I think we all feel the same way.
A win is a win is a win. I could
care less how it looks one point a thousand points
as long as you got the W. So there were
some good things, there's some bad things. I think you
(01:57):
could have made that game a whole lot easier than
you made it. So this is still a work in progress,
but is when you're working to try to get better.
As long as you keep coming up with w's, then
so be it. So they always say winning is great deodorant,
and man did that smell good? And that six hour
flight on the way back, they did check a lot
of boxes.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Some of the things that we were asking for, you
might say, begging for them to do, they were more
explosive that Cooper Cup touched down the longest offensive play
of the season. And then MJD, I hope you get
your commission for solving some of the red zone issues.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I mean, you just throw a little bit out there
to see what happens.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Well, if you were watching the show last week, I
thought MJD did a great job kind of breaking down
the philosophy.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Say yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I told him. I said, look, there's there's six windows
that you do. You attack in the red zone, and
really you want to attack the outside, the front pilon,
the back pilon, the ones you want to attack, and
then every now and then, if you're going to attack
the middle of the field behind the goal post. You
have to have crossers coming. Well, the Rams decided to
attack the front pylon on the Puka Nakoua play and
the Cooper Cup touchdown, and then the back pylon on
the Kobe Parkinson, which was nice.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Yeah, that won the cup that little when he rolled
out and then and just throw it to them. I mean,
how do you you can't cover that. That's one where
you just tip your cap and say, coach, I don't
know what to do on defense.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
And we've been begging for that. Well, moving the pocket,
moving the launch point. They did it on two of
the touchdowns using some other personnel. Like great to have
Cooper Cup and pukin Akua go over one hundred yards each. Yes,
collectively three touchdowns combined. But Colby Parkinson gets his first
and it feels like, oh okay, you're starting to unlock
some things. You're forcing the defense to respect all of
your eligibles.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Now, I think you're exactly right. We kind of talked
about the tight ends too. DeMarco, just where have they been?
What's been going on? You haven't seen that much production
out of them. Is it a Tyler Higbee situation? Or
is it just guys aren't showing up. And it seemed
like a lot of those questions were answered on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
I can't wait to get Higgs back. But that was
the best tight end day they've had all season long,
blocking and Parkinson finally getting in the end zone. So look,
when you talk about what you're about to face with Philly,
all these weapons they have, if you have a good
group of tight ends, that little gray area in between
that's making Hey, you can slow them down some Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
How about defensive The Rams have already matched their takeaway
total from last season through ten games this year.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Well, look, it's to me, it's all about the front,
and it's all about the entire defense all eleven. But
what's driving this thing, what's driving this football team really
is that young front. Jared Verse should be Rookie of
the Year, Defensive Rookie of the year. I think Braden
Fist is as good as advertised Kobe Turner is. He's
on a heater. I think six seven tackles a game
for four straight weeks and he's been just an absolute force.
(04:22):
And he's calling the front. Yeah, he's getting everybody lined up,
so he's doing double duty and he's bawling his butt off,
so that front is just driving everything. I just hope
the offense gives them a chance to rest and then
go attack and rush the pass.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
He has to turn his ears off.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
That's all it happens, man. I mean, it's right there.
I mean, look, you know what you're trying to do.
They know what you're trying to do. You're gonna have
to play the hard count a little bit better. But
I'd rather have guys that are aggressive than the opposite.
I think that's the part of being young. You don't
have kids. Right.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
When you have kids and there's all craziness, dads know
how to turn their ears off and let the craziness
go without even still focus on the things. When you're young,
those ears are still active and you're listening to me.
I thought the defense, the good part is what you
talked about, the young front. The bad part was a
young front right, making mistakes when you should have ended
the game, the penalties towards the end, the face mask obviously,
(05:09):
the personal foul. Those are things that you can have
and that's those are young issues, right, and that's what's
you know. You have to love it and then understand
it too, right. You can't be like, hey, you can't
do this with that energy that they bring. So I
just think that is they mature, which they've done an
awesome job of just playing. But when they mature, I
think you're gonna really see this defense explode. And I also
say this, I mean, as much as we talk about
(05:31):
Jared Verse, Brandon fixed Fisk has done him also he
should be up for Rookie of the Year too. I
don't know how many sacks he has, but he's up there.
I mean, he's getting just as much pressure or causing
as much havoc as versus as well.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
I love it, just not off the bench. When you're
an off the bench guy, Rookie of the year, that's
not you. It's a Jared Verse thing. I'm sorry, yeah,
what you're saying. But like spot duty guy, that's great.
He's got a motor. I love him. And I've been
saying this since camp that dude is one of the
best stunt runners the Rams have. But Jared Verse from
start to finished, handing the dirt from play one to
play ninety nine, and he has been that guy. So
(06:04):
I hope he gets the nut and.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
They are one two rookie sacks by the way, Fist
taking over with his handful by a half a sack.
We'll see a Verse can get back this week. They've
gone back to back with forrest fumbles. Byron Young has
sacks in four straight games. He was a big part
of that closing effort. Look, he'd love to see the
Rams be better on third down, Stafford. You know, pitching
and catching on third down in particular is probably an
area for growth in the back half of this schedule.
(06:27):
But if you pun in play defense, to have b
why do his thing, and to have cam Kinchins, who's
the NFC Defensive Player of the Week again for the
second time in three games, close that thing with a
pick and take a seat.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, I wish he would have scored. I know, I
know you're against it, but I'm on the block. Extra
point a takeaway. We want to put points on the board, man.
This is points come in different ways. The miscellaneous points
are the best ones, the ones that you're not you're
not accounting for.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
It's the end of the game. Take that thing to
the house. Do they teach takeaways at Miami? Is that
a It must be?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
No?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, like, is that a class, the professor. The
guy that comes out of there is a ballhawk. But
it's it's all about opportunity. It's all about pressure and
closing games is a mindset. And this is so funny.
Our guys are here, the ninety nine team, the defense.
I can't wait to see Todd Lite. He's the one
that hit me up to this. It's just three perfect
plays to end the football. That's it on defense. And
(07:23):
it starts with the first You get that one, you
get the second and third play you get that when
you're off the field game over. So it's all just
a mindset. Most young guys when they get to the
end of game mode, I need to make the play.
I need to make the play. Sometimes that works against you.
Breathe make a play, disrupt, get off the field, and
win the ball game. So it's all a mindset. The
three perfect plays they put together should have ended the
(07:43):
game a quarter earlier, though, because they did it and
punched that out and it was fourth down and Verse
pulls a guy off the pile and it cost him.
It's it's hard. I don't want to coach that out
of him because he was helping his teammate. But you
have to be smarter about those end of game situations,
especially with and no knock. With an officiating crew like that,
that's a little helter skelter that anything that they think
(08:06):
is a foul, they're gonna bang you for. So just
be smart. Let it go, Yell at the reft to
pull him off, don't touch the guy, get off the field.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Penalties we'll talk about a little bit later. As it
relates to the Philadelphia Eagles. It's actually been one of
the strengths of the Rams, one of the least penalized
teams in the National Football League. Want to touch on
special teams briefly, because the Rams have taken several steps
forward in that phase. It felt like a couple steps back.
Shout out to Mike Hoit for his blocked extra point
that was huge, But a couple of short early kickoffs
(08:33):
costs the Rams. Obviously, the miss twenty six yarder. I
will say this in defense of Joshuacarty. There's something in
the water going around, because it's not just him, across
the league, future Hall of famers, including the guy you're
gonna face this week in Philadelphia. Everybody's missing kick.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, I think it's a you know Richard Sherman one
of his podcasts, he was like, you can find a
kicker selling bricks, Like, no question, you can.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
You can pick.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You don't know how. You don't know how hard kicking
is until you actually go out there and try it.
And the one thing about it is, I think one
of my good college buddies is the special teams coach
for the Baltimore Race. You're talking about Tucker, who's missed
a couple of them, right, and he's like, people go
through slumps and they really hit me. It resonated with
me because in two thousand and seven I went to
(09:15):
a crazy slump, like an eight game slum where I
couldn't score, like I was right there that fumble or
whatever it may be, and I understand that you have
to allow kickers to kind of work through those things
and as they get going, I think they'll be find
CARDI I thought did an awesome job like bouncing back
after missing that that twenty six yard came back and
he buried the next one. My heart was racing. I
know yours was as well. I could feel it as
(09:36):
we were calling the game. But to go ahead and
make that kick and to have that same nice swing
is what you're looking for. And again, you have a
young team, Like just because your quarterback is old, doesn't
mean in your receiver, your Cooper cut those are your
two old guys. Everybody else is pretty much under twenty five,
under twenty six. So you have a young team that
you have to coach through some of these mistakes.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Did you call Stafford old?
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Just now? Hey only a couple of years younger than me.
That's foot bold.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
And when you're talking about place I get it. Everybody
goes through it, and I'm trying to. Some of my
best friends in life are placekickers, and I try to
have as much patience as possible. But when you're out there,
when it's on the line, you've got to make your kicks, period,
end of story. You've got to hit those extra points.
And I like the guy. I love the guy. I
even like the kickers that stink I do. They're good people.
(10:21):
But in those situations, you have got to hit your kicks.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Because otherwise your coach isn't gonna run you out there.
In an end of game situation where three wins it,
that's it.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I mean I thought they were I thought Sean McVay
was setting up Cardi to be the hero, and then
when he punted, I'm like, okay, well that tells me
a lot there. There might be an issue there, but
the last thing you want is for him to go
out there and miss that. Then his confidence is down here.
So I get both sides of it, but as placekickers
or as teammates of placekickers, when you're out there, just
(10:50):
like I expect Mo to do his job. I got
to do my job, You got to do yours.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Put it through the upright, He's been better here at
so far, and so maybe getting back in his home
stadium on Sunday night on the primetime life will be
good for joshuaccarty and the Special Teams unit. We'll certainly
have our eye on every fourth down decision right as
you're prepared to face the Philadelphia Eagles, because how lethal
and persistent persistent they are on that down, and also
the fact that Jake Elliott is having kicking troubles himself.
All right, where do we start with this preview? I
(11:16):
thought we might focus on the defensive Rookie of the
Year battle because of the leading candidates here in Los
Angeles and the two defensive backs that Philadelphia brings to town.
They are resurgent. They are part of what could be
the best defense in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Now, yeah, well, I'll say I'll start with our defense first.
I think third down is going to be so important
to not allow to get the fourth and one. Yeah,
fourth and two, fourth and three, because they're gonna go
for that every day of the week. So third down
you're gonna have a more sense of urgency to try
to keep them in fourth and five. Because of the
way that touch push works and how aggressive the Eagles are,
(11:51):
this is gonna be your toughest challenge today. That's probably
the most talented team in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles,
if you look at it from top to bottom on paper, right,
offensive lines all really good. Uh, tight ends can play
running back obviously Saquon Barkley hurling the guy backwards. Yeah
that was that was embarrassing for US Jack fans wow
as well. But then you have a J. Brown, who
(12:12):
we've seen multiple times, right, and what he brings to
the table. And if you're a corner, if you're Darius Williams,
like covering a J. Brown, that's like that that's gonna
be tough because again, aj six three two hundred and
thirty five pounds and Darris is what five nine what
one hundred and eighty.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
And he's got to come fit that edge and the
running game exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
So you're gonna you're gonna be up for a task
and it's gonna be important that this defensive line get pressure,
that these linebackers find a way to fit. And you
know that they're gonna try to attack your linebackers in
the in the passing game. That's what they've done in
the past with Saquon, so you have to it's it's
gonna be a group effort to do that. But at
the end the with saying all that third down is
gonna be the most important down and it's not gonna
be getting to fourth down. It's gonna be keeping it
(12:54):
fourth and long instead of fourth and short.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
On third you need zero's TFLs takeaways. Yes, And speaking
to your point about the offensive line, maybe the best
tackle tandem in the National Football League. If it's not
the best offensive line in the National Football League, it's
at least the best ince the Rams have scene since
Week one in Detroit. Yeah, but they had some success
against that Detroit lines offensive line. So think how far
they've come since then.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yeah, and there's a lot of pride there with those
two tackles. There's a lot they think they can do,
which is great. They may leave those edges open on
third down and say your guys can't get to my
guys because of my tackles. And if you win, there's
Jalen Hurts. But that's half the problem. Is he can scramble.
And when you talk about guys like Brown at receiver,
it's not the call player that scares me. It's the
jazz session. It's when he breaks contained because he is
(13:37):
so big and he plays the rules letter tight or
really tight, and he plays bullyball like Debo will just
you know, force his way into the end zone. So yeah,
it's gonna be tough. You're gonna have to keep him
in the pocket. Third down is, like you said, is
gonna be an adventure for both sides. You got to
get off the field and you got to stay on
it if you're Matthew Stafford, because if you give them
the football again, more often than not, they're gonna drive
(13:59):
that thing right down your throat.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Yeah, you know, I think this battle could be decided
as soon as Sunday night. It first has a big
game and the Rams win, Like that's it right there
in week twelve for me, If not, then maybe Quinon
Mitchell or Cooper Dejeen, like the top two picks in
their draft class. Again, you've been talking trying.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
To tell people. Ever, I was trying to tell people
in the draft like that was the best player that
I had seen. And I know, yeah, they thought the
Rams were gonna take it, right, and then the Rams
go with Bradon Fisk and then he go, he gets there.
They they've done a great job of really identifying their issues, right,
They've they've had secondary issues for the last couple of years.
They go out and draft two guys first and second round.
(14:35):
They've kind of solidified that Cooper Dejene in the slot
terrific tackler, right, And so you're gonna be paired up
against Cooper cup and who breaks a ton of tackles.
So that's gonna be a big issue. And then I'm
excited to see how Quinya Mitchell handles the physicality of
Pookina Kua. That's what I'm interested to see because he's
done a great job against like Terry McLaurin and other
guys that are more finesse, right, They're not as like
(14:58):
I'm gonna go through you like we saw Pookakup catch
that third down slant. I'm gonna go through you to
catch this slant. He hasn't really seen that type of physicality,
So let's see how he matches up with that when
they get massed up. If he can handle the size
and the brute ability of Puka.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Let's go to the other side of the trenches. And
that is the Rams offensive line reconstituted as it was
in New England, with Bolimber the rookie center stepping back
in war McClendon held his own at right tackle. We'll
see if Rob Hagnstein is able to make it back
for this week or if it's McLendon again. But just
like you kind of go from the one oh one
class in New England to the graduate level test on
the other side of the ball, kind of the same
(15:34):
thing here. When you're looking at the menacing front of
the Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Eagles sweat is when you draw up pass rushing outside linebacker,
it looks like him tall, lean the guy makes moves inside.
Davison carter I mean, it's less get your hands down
kung fu style. This is clubs and take you out
of your shoes. So this will be a full time job.
And I love Brandon Graham fifteen years in. Oh dude,
He's an absolute technician and just a dog out there
(16:00):
talk trash the whole.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
The whole game.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
So this is gonna be for This will be the
stiffest test of the year for this rams O line.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
It's funny you talk about the clubs and stuff with Carter.
I've also seen Carter's whip with win with straight finesse,
like don't touch me, get at like hands and get there.
So you're gonna whoever's going against him mass They're gonna
have their hands full. Now Davis is just a bigger body.
He's gonna try to like bull rush you. But Carter's
been playing unreal.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yes, I mark something he said this week that last
year when the Philadelphia Eagles are here, he keyed in
on the fact that, oh, we're playing in a silent
count environment. And so they started studying the hand signal
and they got get off and they got to Matthew Stafford.
He's banking on that again. Sunday Night Football Philly travels.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
You know what big guys hate though, tempo, oh, no huddle,
wear them out.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, that's the one thing I've always I played with
the tule. I played with a couple guys. You're your
head coach at Washington was with me and Jacksonville. That
was one of his things. We played bigger defensive lineman.
Throw the ball to the outside, get those guys running sideline,
the sideline, and keep them on the ball right, and
then take your shots like the old time. When he
comes out, then you have your chance to run your
offense and take your shots. I remember Sean used to
(17:08):
do that a lot with that metal huddle, keeping guys
on the field and locking them in and doing all
the different things. It may be time to do that
again this week and right and use it to your advantage.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Interesting though, because he's been shuffling personnel at his skill
group more than ever before right this year at tight
end and receiver, So that prevents you from kind of
using some of that tempo to your advantage.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
And wise you can, like you said, make them go
side to side and a lot of motions, make them talk,
make them have to reset a lot. Maybe you get
keys on him.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
I will say this, unlike last week where New England
just blitz the daylights out of Matthew Stafford and he
torched them a couple of times. That's not what Vic
van Jo and Philly do. It's not their identity, it's
not their philosophy. And they don't have to because the
game records they have upfront. So you'll have to beat
them a different way.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Most like, oh, yeah, they're gonna sit back and play coverage.
I mean, they're gonna rush for They're gonna play coverage
every now and then. They're gonna get the manna man.
And you know, Nakobe Dean is playing really well and
normally you say, okay, I think that we have a
matchup with Kyron against the linebacker. N Kobe Dean has
kind of showed up and a guy that hasn't played
in a little bit had to work his way into playing.
(18:10):
He's he's really getting this. He's kind of the center
point to this defense, right him and Zach Bond. Yeah,
I mean they're both they're both doing a great job
of covering the.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Back out of the backfield. That's Fangio to me, those
two linebackers. That's basically him on the field. How they
get you covered up and aligned to whatever you're doing
just so they can get after you. With that front,
they don't make a ton of mistakes. You're gonna have
to earn every single yard.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Am I the only one who's fascinated by like Vic Fangio,
the specter of his defense and what it's meant to
every stage of the Sean McVay rams era like he
was the one who put the blueprint down in Chicago
on another son in night yead six to one. Then
Bill Belichick borrowed from and led to their downfall in
the Super Bowl. I think it's led to several evolutions
of the Rams, whether it's hiring Brandon Staley and adopting
(18:51):
some of that with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, or
even evolving your running game the way that they have
in these last couple of years. And that's kind of
where I'm going next, because I think, with you here
in the seats next to me in this game coming,
it's the perfect time to dig into the running games
because Philadelphia is elite with their quarterback, offensive line and
running back and the Rams aren't getting enough. And when
you look at the key to their stretch run last season.
(19:13):
It started in Week twelve, a trip to Arizona, the
return of Kiraing Williams, and they were a runaway freight
train from there. Is that within their reach, let's start
on the Rams running game. Is that within their possibility
right now in this moment.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I think it is. I personally believe it is. I
just think there's been a lot of issues. Right You've
had the offensive line woes, You've had some schematic issues,
guys trying to block with not the right leverage, and
then you've had runners miss holes. I was gonna say
against the Patriots, they had ran the counter trade to
the right, Kirroen breaks it for like, you know, twenty
(19:46):
yards thirty yards. Then they go back and run the
same play to the left and he dives inside instead
of following that that pulling tight end around. And so again,
it's been a little bit of both. When you have
great schematics, you have to hit it, and it sucks
as a run because when you're in a situation where
you have to be almost be perfect in the run game,
it's hard for you. Now you're like laser focus, like
(20:07):
I got to make the right read. I have to
do this instead of just reacting to things, and so
I think that's kind of what they're working through right now.
I thought making the change that the offensive line helped
a ton last week, Like I love I love Limber
back in that spot. I think Limber has done an
awesome job. And we talked about the blessing in disguise
over over the last couple between the horns. But that
that is right, all those reps. Now I feel more
(20:30):
comfortable with him being the center, and now I have
extra guys that can play other positions. And then the
last light least. It's it's the schematics, right. Last year,
everyone thought the Rams were a down outside zone team.
They became a downhill team, right and Kyron was breaking
off runs, he was manipulating the linebacker doing all those things. Well,
you have a whole offste now to study what they
were doing. So now you have to zig when they're zagging,
(20:52):
which means, okay, we need to get back to the
outside zone a little bit. We've seen the Rams have
a ton of success with their outside zone, so maybe
that's something you have to look for. Hooking guys and
getting around the outside and trying to get bigger plays.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Any perspective on that, do you want to flip to
the other side.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
I was just putting myself on the other side of
what he was saying as a defense, and I just
remember I could you could tell when a running back
has zero confidence in his line. And it was almost
laughable the stuff they would try to do when we're
just kicking the guys butt in front of us. All
these tricks and all this stuff. It ain't working, bro,
I mean, why stop? And even when he's got a lane,
he's chasing ghosts because we're kicking his butt so bad.
(21:28):
But to me, to fix a good running game, you
just have to keep going through it. And you tell me.
I think Kyron is a good back, a better than
average running back in the National Football League, But I
do expect guys like him and your lead back to
be able to break tackles every now and then, even
if I get it, sometimes the design of the play
(21:48):
is to get you one on one and then I
expect you to win. That's what Philly does. Can I
expect Kyron the same out of Kyron? I think I should.
Don't have a question.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
He did it last year.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
That's what I'm saying so at some point it's not
about scheme or it's not about whatever. Sometimes it's about
that guy deciding he's just not going down.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Before we talk about stopping Philadelphia's run, I just want
to tack on that. When we say running game, at
least speaking for myself, I don't always mean a traditional handoff.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Right.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
There's all sorts of extensions of the running game, your
quick game, you're now stuff like what game was it Minnesota?
Or they motioned away from Puka, like they motioned the
quads away from Pookin, just threw him now route and
let him go get his Like that's an extension of
the running game. To me, your screen game, which has
not clicked, is part of that. Because what's Fick Fangio
gonna do. Like there's a reason why mel Kaier this
(22:32):
offseason was like we got to ban two high safety shelves,
Like this is the guy. He's gonna tack down your explosives.
He's not gonna give you zero blitz sixty nine to
the house. He's gonna make you earn it one step
at a time.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Yeah, And I also put play action pass in your
running game, right, and.
Speaker 1 (22:47):
That's effort's been incredible at it.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
And that's why I've when the red zone, I was like,
the play action passed the fake stretch. When you run stretch,
you have success with it. They all start to overcommit
and then you're able to boot away. And that's a
part of your running game as well, because again it's
off of a run action. To me, I think, again,
whatever you figure out success And I said it on
the broadcast when Kiren broke that counter run and then
(23:10):
Sean came right back to it. We've never seen Sean
do that. Go same play the other side.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
I will say this to you, reminded me of something
and to Mark and I have discussed this recently. I
think Sean's best ability as a play caller is stacking blocks,
like forming his own patterns, his own tendencies, making sure
that you know what he's going to do, showing you
that same look and then giving you an answer to it,
flipping the script, using your rules and your principles against you. Well,
(23:35):
here's the problem. It's been under construction so much of
trying to assemble this plane at thirty thousand feet after
takeoff that he hasn't been able for multiple weeks to
put those tendencies down on tape, do them well, has
success with them, and then say, oh, you think I'm
going to give you this here it is out the back.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Well, I thought he did that against the Patriots in
the first play where he threw the ball to pukin Nakua. Right,
he gives you a heavy run action, then he runs
like he's going left and he comes back and he's
wide open. Yeah, and how many times we've seen him
fit in on the linebackers and safeties. They're getting to that,
and that's why I said it's it's taking a little
bit of time because of all the missing pieces. But
I think again, as long as they continue to work out,
(24:12):
it's like the old adage is chopping wood, right, you
just got to keep chopping the venture of the tree falls.
That's what they're at right now because they started so
late with all the injury. Or your axe breaks on
or the axe hits off the wood and it goes
right into a guy's leg in your locker room.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
But that's never first pass to Puka was so awesome motion.
Then you go back through the line of stag like
that's that's just pure design. You gotta love it.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
And again if they hit a few more of those
third downs, maybe you start to build off of that
sooner in the game and you run away with that victory. Again,
the Patriots last week, good effort. Definitely not the Eagles
you're contending with here, in part because Philadelphia has the
best running game in the National Football League. Running back, quarterback,
you name it, they do at all. About The only
bad thing you can say about Sequon is he keeps
getting tackled inside the two yard line and letting his
(24:55):
quarterback hawk his touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Right first and foremost, we need to is this my
single uh to the Giants? Why why would you do this?
Why would you allow this man to hit Freecy nor
where he was going? So the whole world has to
deal with this.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
I think you know the answer, and do it with
a behind the scenes show tracking your every decision out
there for everyone.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
What are we doing?
Speaker 2 (25:15):
You knew he was going to Philly. Everyone knew he
was going to Philly. If he didn't, if he left
the Giants, I mean that's if you're a running back,
why wouldn't you want to go to Philly? They have
everything you have a running quarterback. So now the defense
has to play eleven on eleven football, so I don't
have to see two guys, only have one guy to beat.
Then they have an offensive line that can create seams.
And guess what. On top of all that, they have
two first round two first round wide receivers on the
(25:36):
outside that can go and a tight end that can
make plays. I'm just a piece of thing.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
I'm just a piece of the puzzle. Winning isn't complicated.
People complicated.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
I do like this opportunity, opportunity for the Rams defense though,
and Chris Shult because a little bit, like we said before, Miami,
they've developed this reputation for being like pocket puncturers, like
takeaway artists, disruptors, but they have other muscles to flex,
and they have stopped some pretty good running games. It's
not been as consistent or as persistent as we like
to see, but I like the chance they have ahead
(26:04):
of them Sunday.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Night, the Rams stopping this this rushing attack against Look,
if here's the thing, and you can tell me, facing
guys like Maurice when it gets cold and you're outdoors,
that stinks. Facing Saquon Barkley outdoors when he's got a
lead or he can pound on you that stinks. So
you're here, you're in so far. I think the same applies.
The last thing you want to do is let Philly
(26:25):
have a lead going into the fourth. You'll see Saquon
a lot. You may see him hurtle two guys going backwards.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
He's this game, but at historical levels after halftime in
terms of yards per carry.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
But if you're doing the job offensively, if you're staying
on the field, if you're running the football effectively, if
you're keeping Saquon and company off the field, you've got
a better chance to beat him. The more points you score,
the less you see Saquon. The less you score, the
more you're gonna see him. I'll say this too, Stopping
stopping the run is going to be tough. Let's let's
just put it's going to be hard to do that.
(26:55):
But you have to beat your one on one blocks, right.
That's how you stop the Eagles. It's when you get
one on one because they double team a ton. When
you get that one on one, if it's on the edge,
if it's over the guard, if it's over the center,
you have to win your one on one. And the
other part is this all you talked about offensively. If
you get up and you were able to force Jalen
Hurts to have to throw the ball, that's where you're
(27:16):
at your best. Because Jalen Hurts drop back game, that's
where the Eagles aren't like the top of the league.
They're they're kind of in the middle, towards the bottom.
So getting him to have this drop back a ton,
that's where you win this game. When he could do
the play action pass and the.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Quarterback run and all that in the red zone and
the potition push, then the year in the world of trouble.
So forcing him to be play left handed is gonna
be what you want to do.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Two things on that, I'm encouraged by the progress that
Tyler Davis has made it as a defensive tackle. That
Bobby Brown is put together maybe his best month as
a pro. Like those are the times of early down
run stuffers. You're gonna need to have big nights against
these Eagles.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
No question.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
This is what you're here for. I mean, this is
if you're Bobby Brown, this is how you're gonna make
your money. If you want to make some money in
the NFL, this is it here. You were the biggest
body they have the whitest guy by far. I mean,
like you said, the first guy that gets off the
bus is him. So if you want to make a
name for yourself, go nose to nose with Philly and
turn them back.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Well, he gets in TFLs on. He's he's done that.
Like he's dominated Miami. He dominated the line of scrimmage
against Miami. He's dominated the line of scrimmage against Minnesota.
He's done some really good things. This is gonna be
your tough test. And you're right if you want to,
if you want to get paid, go out here and
start moving guys out the way.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
He walks like he's carrying luggage. So beat that guy.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
So I gotta tell you this that we're in the
elevator getting on the go on the bus, and like
you know, I kind of get in the back corner
of the elevator and he got in. He took like
the whole thing up. It was just me and him.
I was like, bro, like this thing is big enough
for the bus? Stare said. It's like, and it's big
enough for all Like we asked three more people. He
was just walking around. I was like, I get it now.
Ice was through a metal detector that's how big he is. Yes,
(28:50):
So that was before the game.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
After the game, were flying home from New England, and
before the plane takes off. Well MJD didn't see it.
He was already sleeping because that's what he does. But
DeMarco and I were watching the Seattle Seahawks go to
Santa Clara and get that win over the San Francisco
forty nine ers, kind of reframe the division, put it
back within comfortable striking distance. Let's turn the playoff picture now,
the six and four Cardinals and the five and five
(29:12):
Seahawks this week. We said it last week. You better
be accustomed to rooting for the Seahawks, as awkward as
that feels, because the Rams need them right now.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
We are Seahawks fans right now. Oh yeah, we the
Rams have the toughest assignment this weekend of anybody, right
I got Philly.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
San Francisco and banged up going to the Snow and Lambeau.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
You could argue, but yeah, but I mean, so we're
all Seahawks fans. I don't know what to make of Seattle.
I don't know what to make of Arizona right now.
Are they really the best team in this division?
Speaker 1 (29:39):
They're nuxt three at Seattle at Minnesota, home to Seattle.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
It's tough.
Speaker 3 (29:45):
They had a tough stretch, it's cold, and this is
you know, Kyler Murray is a run around type guy.
Will he still be that guy when it turns cold
and you got to go play outdoors? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
So I'll say this. I don't think this is a
gotta have it must win Sunday for the Los Angeles
Rams because of what happened in the division. But I
will say, if you want to keep your wildcard hopes alive,
you gotta win this one. Because I'm looking at Minnesota.
If they win this week, that's nine for them, Gonna
be tough to catch them. If Green Bay wins this week,
and that's what the Rams want to happen, beat the
(30:14):
forty nine ers, that's eight plus the head to head,
they're getting a bit out of reaching the wildcard. And
if Washington wins this week, that's eight for them, and
they've got a clear path to eleven or maybe twelve
with the schedule that I've seen. So again we return
our focus to the division. I think that's the best
and hopefully not the only, but definitely the most direct
path to the postseason be better than those other three teams.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
I want to turn the league Auden's head because I
don't know that many people that's picking the Rams to
beat Philadelphia because they think Philadelphia is this unstoppable juggernaut.
So what happens if we get to Monday and the
opposite happens? So how do you start reconfiguring who goes
where and whatever? But I agree with you, I think
the easiest path to make the playoffs is to win
the NFC West. Some of these teams are just gonna
(30:57):
run by you by by their schedule. But I think
if you beat Philadelphia, you change a lot of opinions.
You changed perception like that.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
It reminds me of a time I was in Jacksonville
and we were playing and we were kind of either
going we were going against the Colts for the division,
and Jack Darrell said this, and it resonates right now,
like we can only worry, Like we can worry about
what they're doing, but we have to control. We can control,
We have to handle our business. If you do what
you're supposed to do, everything else all fall into place.
You can't like, we can't be playing Philadelphia and rooting
(31:26):
for Seattle right like we can. But as a player,
you have to be locked in on making sure you're
doing the best you can to beat Philly, because that's
the only path that matters, is that the one that
you create. Now when you get into a situation where
you have to like we're over here holding hands and
hoping and watching TV and hoping. So that's the worst
feeling in the world because it's out of your control.
And as a competitor, you want to have control everything, right,
you want to be able to control your own destiny.
(31:48):
So if I'm the Rams, I'm focusing on on on Philly,
we beat Philly, then hey, Seattle, hope you do your thing.
Green Bay, hope you do your thing. If you don't,
we still took care of what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
I hear you by not listening to you, like, because
at four point thirty on Sunday, I'm be doing this.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, I'm not talking about I'm not talking about us.
I'm talking about the players, yeah, and the fans. We
all should be looking roodent.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Because I've got the I've got the magic number ten
in my head, right, ten wins. I hope that's enough.
Maybe it'll be eleven. But if I'm thinking, how do
the Rams get from five to ten between now and
the end of the season, I think the last two
are gotta habits, Right, you get to host Arizona and
Seattle to finish. Given what we're talking about winning the division,
you got a bank those, right, So then that means
can you get three of these next five between now
and then? I think they can?
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Why not? Same as you? It just being I heard
nothing of what you said. Beat Philadelphia, that's it.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Beat Philly.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Huh, All right, then fine, give us the game and
that's that's all you're gonna talk. Okay, you get to
start keys of victory then.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Okay, we we We've said it. I mean it's it's
a retread. I mean, you've got to stop Saquon Barkley.
That's going to be number one. They're gonna lead with that.
That's the tip of the spear. When you get in
the red zone. I think it's a mathematical certainty they
score because they have so many weapons, even ones we
haven't mentioned. We didn't even talk about their tight ends
and they're good. Yeah, so there's a lot of issues there.
So I think this game It comes back to what
(33:06):
the Rams do. Offensively, Ken Matthew Stafford and companies stay
on the field long enough, pick up first downs, score
when you get down the field, and put the pressure
on Jalen Hurts to have to throw the ball to win.
If it's the opposite way, I wouldn't say you have
no chance, but your chances are slim to beat them
if they're running the football.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go something completely
different than I normally go, like running game or third down.
Like to me is put pressure on Kellen Moore, put
pressure on their oc force him to have to call
it the perfect game with meaning that offensively, your scoring points,
you're holding the ball. Defensively, you're creating some issues for
him where he can't just turn around and be like,
(33:43):
oh here handed off to Saquon, oh here. He has
to start dialing up plays. When he dials up plays.
We saw it in LA when he was with the Chargers.
We saw with the Cowboys he tends to get a
little nervous. And what I mean by nervous is like
he'll call a play and it just it just doesn't
flow the same. When he gets out of his flow.
That the Eagles don't look as good. And I think
(34:04):
early in the year they the Packers did a great
job of getting them out of the flow, and the
Saquon saved them right this the Saints got them out
of their flow. Saquon saved them right. So if you
can find a way to get him out of their flow,
get him out of his flow, I think you have
a great chance of really putting up some points and
doing some good things.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Something you said earlier reminded me. You know, we've been
harping on the slow starts for the Rams. In seven
of their ten games, they haven't scored so much as
a point in the first quarter. You know, he's been
even worse. Philadelphia has put up eight zeros in the
first quarter. So maybe there's an opportunity to jump them
and kind of dictate some of those terms like you're
talking about. Hey, one other thing in the backdrop that
I want to mention here before we go on between
the Horns, DeMarco and all his buddies from the championship team,
(34:44):
fifth anniversary to be here and.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
We still look good? Is everybody coming? Every most of
the guys are coming. That was the cool thing about winning.
When we did, we were all roughly the same age.
So yeah, we get to all come back and do
this again. So special. So we're gonna mission for a
little bit. We'll bet I'll be doing that halftime stuff.
I'll be doing the m scene. I'll get to announced
Tory and Isaac, and it's gonna be so much. I
cannot wait to get to game day. Tory, who's going
(35:08):
into the Hall of Fame? Some Yes, this is the year.
You tell me we were both teammates at Tory Hole. Listen, Tory,
I learned a lot from Tori. I actually have two
teammates going in. Hopefully this year it's gonna be Fred
Taylor and Tory. Yeah, that'd be awesome. Look, Tory does
if if the other guys are already in, then Tory
Holt is definitely he should be. And let's get this done.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
All right.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Let me see if I can check all the Toyota
boxes here. It's Sunday Night Football, presented by Toyota, the
Rams hosting the Philadelphia Eagles, trying to snap that six
game winning streak. We say so long and have a
good rest of your week. From the Toyota patio. Here
at gorgeous Sofi Stadium, and as always, between the horns
is presented by your Southern California Toyota dealers.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
That was nice.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Wow you did that.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Let's check, get behind the wheel of our Toyota and
drive home Ago.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
I'm sure
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