Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
All right, well, welcome to the postseason and to a
new episode of Rams Revealed. I'm your host, JB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Long.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
The Los Angeles Rams are a ten win team. They
are the sixth seed. They're going to Detroit for Wildcard weekend.
And our guest just finished his ninth professional season. He's
actually one of three players who pre date Sean McVay
and this coaching staff. He is right tackle, Rob Havenstein.
You've been on the program before, but it's been a while.
Thank you for stopping by to preview the postseason.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
How are you, Rob, I'm great. I'm great, you know,
thanks for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Congratulations on another regular season. In the books I mentioned
it's your ninth. We're going to talk about the year
gone by, We're going to talk about the trip to Detroit,
but I want to reflect on Week eighteen first. I
know you played the better part of half of it,
and we'll talk about the offensive line and some of
the things that went on. But since it ended on defense,
why don't we start there. I love the poetic finish
(00:54):
where three rookies kind of combine on a pressure of force,
fumble and a recovery in so many ways that that's
kind of the narrative arc of the twenty three Rams,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, No, one hundred percent. You know, we knew coming
in this season we're gonna we're gonna be young, and
we're gonna be really young, and we're gonna have some
growing pains and learn how to do things in the NFL.
And you know, it's just a personal no testament to
those guys, to Kobe, to Byron and.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Who who was the third who Jswan Johnson off his helmet?
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right, gets the forest
yep strip sack. You know, those guys to come in
and uh, you know, to impact a game and you know,
to seal the game and you know, get the victory
for us. You know, just just a true testament to them.
But it's a true testament to the team of kind
of how we've come together. Young guys have really kind
of bought into what we've been, what we've been preaching,
(01:41):
what Sean's been preaching. You know really, you know, ever
since the bye week and then you know we've been
you know, taking it from there.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
I know he didn't play yesterday, but Brock Perdy, that's
kind of mister irrelevants home and the Rams mister irrelevant
gets the clinching strips Sack. I love how that all
came full circle. Okay, I know all last week was
kind of spent saying, it doesn't matter who we play,
six or seven seed, not important to us. We just
got to get in it to win it. Now that
it's gone by, what did a tenth win really mean.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
To the Ramps? You know, winning is always going to
be obviously a good thing, whether it really mattered or
not what seed we went in at, where we played,
who we played, But there's something to be said about
just winning and for whether it was you know, all
backups in there, you know, stuff like that. In week eighteen,
we're still out there playing football and they're still on
(02:29):
this team, and so guys got valuable experience, game time experience,
crunch time experience. And I could one hundred percent tell
you it mattered to us. You know, for the guys
who were out there playing, it mattered to them. They
took it seriously. They you know, it wasn't like, oh,
let's just get out of here and you know, go
on the next week. It was let's go ahead and
find a way to go ahead and work my craft
in a game situation where maybe my opportunities have been
(02:52):
limited this season. So I think guys took a really good,
good step for it on that.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I thought it was a special day for two individuals
I want to call out in particular to too out
Well on offense and Russ East on defense, and kind
of similar stories like ready to step into big roles.
Starters on the front half of the schedule, have to
make room for some other emerging talents, and yet they're
in crunch time. Did they ever make winning plays? How
impressive is that that individuals like that on this team
(03:17):
were ready to step back into the occasion.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Yeah, no, I mean, I mean you said it perfectly,
Like obviously there's you know, being the NFL is tough,
and sometimes there's some good things that happen. Sometimes there's
some bad things that happen. But if you're confident about
yourself as a man, then you're gonna do what you
need to do to go ahead and make sure that
you can help out this team first off, but that
you're making strides about getting better at football. You know,
(03:41):
once you come out of college, you're not at your peak.
You're not even close, there's still a lot of growth
that needs to happen for everyone individually as a player,
and that's something that takes guys a little bit longer
to realize. Not those two guys. Those two guys have
you know, really one hundred percent locked into what they
need to do. And for us to make those two
big hit on the sideline, I mean that changed the game.
(04:03):
You go second and ten or you know, an explosive
down the field. Now we're flirting with they can do
what they want on offense because they only need ten
fifteen yards or something like that. So you know, testament
to Russ and then too too just staying ready. Uh,
you know, watching him obviously on offense, I could see
two two a little bit more. But you know, the
way he goes about his business, the way he practices,
the way he gets after it. You know, it's definitely
(04:24):
it's it's not a surprise to anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I love what you said there, Like careers aren't linear, right,
Like you can have snap counts reduced or even miss
time right for injury or other reasons, and yet still
make forward progress as an individual and as a team.
And I think that's true of Carson Wentz too. Of course,
what was it like going through the week of preparation
with him and then just hearing him in the huddle
on a game day.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yeah, you know, Carson obviously in the huddle you can
tell he's been there before. You know, it wasn't a
you know, there was no shakiness to his voice. There's
no this, no that, and you know he could tell it.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
I think he said he it was definitely high for
attempts in his career, but you know, like what he
was asked to do, and the and the pride he
took in it, and the way he took practice over
and you know, really kind of made it like, Okay,
you know when I'm running the show, I'm running the show.
And that was a you know, that was It's definitely
a confidence thing when you're in there in the huddle
and you know, your quarterbacks spitting out the play like
(05:18):
all right, let's get this done. It's not like a
you know, a question mark at the end of the play,
you know what I mean. So, uh, you know, but
if Carson get out there, it was definitely awesome to
see him. You know, after spending how many weeks has
it been since Carson's been with us to the by
since the bye. Yeah, there you go. But you know,
after you know kind of you know, knowing him and
(05:38):
kind of, you know, growing a friendship with Carson. You know,
he's an awesome guy, loves football the way he you know,
you see him after practice, he's you know, he's the
one guy running coaches on fly motions and and and
everything like that. You know, just kept trying to get
the timing down on the offense. So you know, he
puts in the work, he puts in the hours. It's
something that's important to him. And so when he got
his chance, you know, he stepped up and played.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
But you're telling me that design quarterback draws were not
something you repped as part of your first sixteen game
plans this season.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
No, no, there was. There was not too many. Too
many of that for Matthew. But you know, maybe we'll
sprinkle it in here up coming to Detroit.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Another neat wrinkle. Sean McVay kind of passes the play
sheet over to Mike Lafleur, who's the first year offensive
coordinator here. I think he's had a really positive impact.
You tell me, but what was that like to have
him running the show from the booth and calling your places.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
You know, that's actually news to me. I didn't know that.
Come on, really, I didn't know that. No, that's actually
that's that's awesome here. You know, Mike is Mike's done
an excellent job with the offense. The way he talks
in in in meetings and presents himself in front of
the room. You know, he's got a confidence about him.
You know, he's he's never had a bad day, not
that I can see. He's always smiling, just loves ball,
(06:49):
and so you know when it's coming like that. And
if that's the case, then I think he called a
pretty good game.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Wasn't it coming off the wristband?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Okay, so that much was different too in terms.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Of this the operation. Yep, yeah, with the operation. But
I've done that before with you know, backup quarterbacks kind
of coming in as you know, kind of limited reps
instead of you know, trying to hear the whole thing
in the in the helmet, you know, just slap it
down and read it out. Whether he's reading it or
it's coming in from a from the mic, makes a
little difference to me. So players were still coming in
obviously they looked a little different than would've done in
the first uh the first sixteen games. But you know,
(07:21):
I thought might call the call the great game.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
There you go, that's the case so seamless. You didn't
even know it right right exactly, Uh, Pooka Nkupa's record next,
if we can, and you and the entire starting offensive
line were there to begin the game, you were there
to begin the third quarter as you try and get
him those marks. What was that ambition like collectively and
what did it mean to you to see it happen
before your day was done?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Well, I just want to say that, you know, Pooka
is an out outstanding guy. Like for him to have
that record, it could have gone to a better person,
you know, the guys. The guy has fun with everything
he's at, you know, true competitors, you know, loves loves
getting after it, and him to have the success that
he's had has just been awesome to see. You know,
the physicality he brings, the smartness, the just the joy
(08:07):
for the game. You know, sometimes he'll kind of he'll
scream himself out of breath and you gotta, you know,
go ahead and get him a water after you know
he's been you know, makes a big catch on the sideline,
he realized like, hey, buddy, we got to keep playing,
like let's woo saw this a little bit, you know,
and let's let's keep going. But uh, to be there
out there to let him get his his record to
be in the record books, it's just it's just awesome.
(08:27):
It kind of just goes to show you, you know,
how good of good of a season he's had and
how good of a person he is. And you know,
couldn't have been happier for it. You know, it's happy.
You know, we got the dang thing out the way though,
so we can go ahead and start playing some football,
you know what I mean. It was it was kind
of like one of those uh you know, was we
needed one catch in one yard or something like that,
and he's like, all right, get him out of the game.
But you know, let's get going a little bit and
(08:48):
you know, start calling some a you know, you know
how we would normally normally call a game rather than
you know, you know, trying to get the record. But
you know, it was a uh, it's definitely needed to
be done. You know, I heard wanted him to get it.
So when I heard it, you know, heard it was playing.
He was going to get it and get out. I
was like, yeah, that's awesome. You know, couldn't have been
happier for him. You know, he's his lockers right next
(09:09):
to mine, so oh okay. He spent a good time
kind of kind of shooting the breeze with him. So
you know, he's an awesome guy and happier. Couldn't been
happier for him.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And you cap that drive off with a touchdown to
his eventual replacement, Tyler Johnson, and then you get to
pack it in for the postseason, right, yep, exactly, So
it all worked out. You touched on the joy that
he brings to the field, and joy, I think is
the word that's characteristic of the twenty three Rams, and
it preceded the wins, or at least I want to
make the case, Rob that it preceded the wins. Sometimes
(09:37):
winning's the best deodorant, right, and especially where you were
last season, But like, am I wrong that there was
something about this group and the approach that they took
that predated all the wins and definitely was still there
at three and six.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
There was to a point. Obviously, winning is like you said,
the best deodorant, Like, there's there's nothing that you know,
when something hurts, winning always makes it feel better, you
know what I mean. So it's that's always the goal.
But with how young we are, and not to say
this in a bad way, but you know, we're kind
of ignorant to some of the you know, the NFL
life because we're so young, and that's a good thing.
(10:11):
The blissful ignorance exactly, you know, a blissful ignorance. You know,
guys are out there. I mean you talk about guys
just playing for the love of the game. Like you know,
I know, Kyen's not a rookie, but Kyen's Kyen's a
young guy. You know, the jews he brings. The season
he's had has been awesome, the way, you know, the
way he goes about his business. As Steve, I'm gonna
pronounce it's wrong, la avi lah, That's what it is.
(10:32):
That's all I was gonna say. He's just Steve, do
you Yeah, He's just Steve Steve. And you know this
the joy that like, just the you know, the unhinging
joy that he plays with. You know, he's just he's
just out there playing ball. Playing a game he loves.
There's no you know, there's no there's no bad part
to it. He's just out there having fun. He's just
one hundred percent of himself. And you know, to see that,
(10:53):
it's you know, you know, an older guy finishing my
ninth season. You know, honestly, it is refreshing to come
on and be like, you know, like, this is the
game we love playing. This is you know, how it's
meant to be played. And then you know, anything that
we can as older guys kind of influence on the
younger guys that you know, maybe prepare, prepare the right way,
you know, everything that if they got to answer questions,
but that you know, just seeing the joy of you know,
(11:14):
him running down Mike Dup last week was you know,
it was it was honestly cool to see.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
I'm glad you said that because you've seen nine complete
RAMS rosters. Is that what distinguishes this one? Like when
you look back and tell friends and family what was
different about this group? You think that's it? The element
you just touched on.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah, yeah, well, I mean with how with how young
we are and just I think we're a complete team.
And that's not saying that that's not exclusively to on
the field. That's just like like we're connected locker room,
we don't have we don't have problem people. We don't
have a problem in the locker room. Like everything's good,
everything's gelling, and we have great competitiveness out there on
(11:51):
the practice field, so we can kind of you know,
talk our smack on the practice field, you know, get
people going. Or I think Ernest Jones is you know,
one of the best at that, and for him to
be a captain this year, you know, awesome because he
brings such a juice when we do go competitive one
on ones in the seaton during the season. And that's
another kind of change we took at the buy a week.
Sean was going to put an emphasis on that and
(12:12):
like let's go good on good, Let's let's get what
we can out of, you know, out of practice and
push each other to get better. It's not just a
dress rehearsal, Like we're going there to get better for
this game, for the season, for each player individually. And
so I think it's been I think it's been fun.
So that's probably what I'd say.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
He's a captain. You are too, And I remember the
model the way shirts, and you know, I thought that
meant a lot. I thought that was a great theme
for this season that Sean came up with. Outside, maybe
it got some yucks, but like, how much pride do
you take now as a ten win playoff team having
modeled the way, having been one of those captains that
helped get this underclass to their first postseason.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Yeah, you know if I had a little bit a
little part in that obviously, you know, beyond mind my
right tackle role, you know, as a leader, I think
we just have such good leaders on this team. When
you talk about a Cooper Cup, Matthew Stafford, the way
Aaron Donald is taking over the defensive side of the ball,
and not just on his play, but you know, you
got guys in there with the shirts off doing curls,
you know, twenty four to seven hit you know, the
(13:09):
whole defense, hitting abs, you know, trying to get abs
like ad. But you know that's just like, to me,
that's modeling the way. Like maybe he told them to
do this, maybe he didn't, But people just see the
way Aaron works and they're like, well, he's one of
the best ever do it. So why wouldn't I work
like that? Why wouldn't I jump in there with him.
And so it's just for us to have those type
(13:32):
of guys. And that's not even hitting on what Matthew brings, sure,
but it's you know, a special group of guys and
just honored to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Honestly, I know I'm taking a long time to get
to Matthew into the Lions.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
We'll get there.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
But I also think this is just the right moment
in time to talk about where you've been and where
you might go next. And going back to even twenty twenty,
I wonder if there were seeds of this season and
this turnaround in the depths of last year.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Yeah, you know, with with a hard year where the
good year and years paststall experience. It's it's it's all.
It's all in how you take it. Where they're good, bad,
or and different. I mean, you got to take you
got to take the growth. You got to take the
good things in your past experiences and take them the
right way and push yourself to become better like I was,
like I mentioned earlier, like you know, you're not at
(14:19):
the peak of your you're you as a player, like
they're still growing that needs to happen, and sometimes the
best growth is through difficult situations. And I you know,
last year was not the easiest situation to be a
part of what we five and twelve, and some of
those were, you know, not great, but it's for everyone
(14:40):
that was there on that team and stayed around. It
was a long look inward about all right, how do
I make sure that doesn't happen within my role of
the team. And I think we did that this year.
And then we brought in a lot a lot of
young talent who came in and produced and embrace the
culture and God after it. And you know, here we
are sitting at ten and seven, don't.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Have to respond to this, but I'll I always remember
about that season that you were the one who was
there for all seventeen of those on the offensive line.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
So kudos to you.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I've been saying in riding since the summer that I
think the offensive line was the strongest, the deepest, the
most improved unit on this team. I'm glad it came
to fruition and it's because of your hard work. So
can we go down the line and just briefly roll
call and discuss each individual who made that happen. Let's
start nearest to you, your your left shoulder, Kevin Dotson
when they make that trade and when they bring him in.
I know he didn't plug and play right away, but
(15:27):
now that you see it come to fruition, how meaningful
was that?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah? Obviously very meaningful. I mean Kot's you know, he
is a tried and true guard. You know, big barrel, jested,
strong dude, you know, plays and angry, he plays me.
You know, he's a true guard. And for him to
pick up the offense the way he did, and even
when he kind of wasn't unsure about stuff, he wasn't prideful.
So he turn around and ask I tell him and
(15:51):
then and then you know, okay, got it. Boom. Play
looks great. And that's kind of early on when he was,
you know, still kind of learning everything. But you know,
Katt's done an excellent job the way he the way
he's responsive in meetings for being a you know, a
new guy in the room and uh, you know, it's
just been it's just been awesome and just getting to
know him, you know, he's he's one funny dude. It
(16:12):
may not seem like he is, he is a he's
a funny guy and so he's a He's a great
addition to the room.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Center. Coleman Shelton.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Yeah, Coleman is. Coleman's a grinder. It's just nothing more
needs to be said about that. I mean, this guy
has you know, had opportunities. I don't want to say
taken away, but uh, you know in in years past,
maybe not maybe not even here, but no one wanted
to give Coleman, you know, a chance. Coleman just kept
(16:41):
playing well and well and kept doing the right things
and getting better and better and better to basically came
to the point of like, okay, we we you know,
we can't not give him, give him an opportunity because
the way this guy works, the way he takes control
of the offense, the way he cares about getting us
in and out of the right plays, in working with
(17:02):
Matthew and then even you know him, him and Brian Allen.
You know, for Brian to be the starter last year
and then to back up this year, the way Coleman
and Brian have worked together and bounced off like you know,
two of the best they're two of the best friends
on the team. You know that they're after practice working
on cans, working on film, talking about defensive tackles, what works,
what doesn't work against certain guys, and just that whole
collaboration you know in the center just gives you a
(17:24):
lot of confidence because me as a tackle half the time,
I just got to shut up and listen to what
the center says. So when we talk about our third
down plan and our run can plan, you know, I
I don't have to know what like a center does.
Obviously I got to worry about other things. But you know,
if there's ever if I'm if I am ever unsure
about some I'm going to shut up and listen to
the center because I a hundred percent no know he's
on the dot with it.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I think it's an underrated piece to this offensive line
is having a super Bowl winning center. Brian Allen there
backing up, No, don't doing some of that dirty work.
You've touched on Steve a little bit already, So maybe
we just spin it for based on what he did
as a rookie. How bullish are you on obviuolist future.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
I mean, Sky's limit with Steve, the way he's going
out and played, the way he's fixed things through his
practice and then the way he's grown as professional, especially
in the meeting room, because that's where a lot of
it can get done because you can ask questions. And
he was a little a little nervous to ask questions
at first when when Steve first got here because because
(18:22):
his reason reasoning was he over explained his questions, which
I'm like, don't care at all, but I need to.
I need to hear you speak about the game so
I understand how you understand the game. And that was
just kind of a concept he didn't really didn't understand
fully coming in because he didn't want to say something
stupid and and everyone Coleman Brian aj were like, no,
(18:45):
we want, like, just speak how you would speak about
the game so I can. So when it comes you
know to you know, nutcutting time, I know how you're
thinking about this block, and you know how I'm thinking
about this block, and then you come together, you know,
as you know a left guard, left tackle, right guard,
right tackle, you know, center to both guards, like you know,
that's when you know, you know how it's going to
(19:07):
be fit and how the how the defenders playing you,
and then it turns out to be a good block.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So and let's go to left tackle next. I know
you've got some roots in Michigan, which we'll speak about,
but Aleric Jackson's from Windsor, Ontario, you know, went to
high school in Detroit. I can't imagine what's going through
his mind and his family as he gets set to
go play the Detroit Lions. But he's another one of
those guys that wasn't given anything. Was he kind of
had to earn this spot?
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yeah, one hundred percent. You know, you know him and
him and Joe were giving, you know, the opportunity, you know,
to to win left tackle at the beginning of the
year and age I obviously came out and you know,
came out on top on that aspect, and you know,
I think he's done an absolutely excellent job though over
there playing left tackle. He's a his game day demeanor
would be one of stoic. You know, he's just a
(19:50):
stoic guy who was just you know, straight, you know,
straight faced, boom, nothing shakes and nothing rattle rattles in.
There's good. There's a good conversation that rooms between him
and Steve, me and him. If I see something that
you know that they know someone had taught me in
the past, and I'll go ahead and relay that information.
It's always very you know, like, okay, I'm listening to
(20:10):
what you're saying. I'll write it down. And then he
takes what works for him and implements it to his game.
And it's not everything I say, because everything I don't
want to do everything I say. I want him to
take what he feels like can help him and then
put it into his game. And that's exactly what's been
going on. But he's been a you know, he's been
a rock over there at left tackle.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
And if you guys were a hoops team, then John
Noapen would be six Man of the Year. I mean,
how vital has it been to have that break glass
in case of emergency.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Option, right, you know, to have you know, another starter
as a backup. You know, we got too luckily with
Brian and Joe, and you know that just that makes
us better because you know, unfortunately I missed a couple
of games this year and it's just plug and play.
You don't feel you have to protect a certain guy
or change the offense or do anything because Joe's that
just that, you know, that solid of a guy, that
(20:58):
solid of a player, and so that's the especial especially
with all the positions he's been playing right guard, left guard. No,
he hasn't played left guard, right guard, left tackle, right tackle.
Like that's hard. A lot of people think, like, oh,
going from right to left is is easy, But it's
like it's doing everything backwards. Your outside hand becomes your
inside hand, your feet are backwards. Everything just feels off.
(21:18):
And for Joe to do that seamlessly, sometimes without a
lot of notice, is uh, you know, just an absolute
testament to him. And I couldn't beha here for Joe.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I mean, so many people deserve credit, including Wendy, your
position coach. I hate to skip ahead, but I do
want to ask about Mike Munchak, just seeing him around
this facility, to have a Hall of Famer right in
the building as a consultant. You know, he's been a
head coach, he's been an offensive line coach. Can you
give us an example of how he would contribute, for instance,
to a game plan like the one you're about to
put together.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, every Thursday that you know he's he's around town.
He basically runs the meeting him and him and Zach,
And I think that's like I said, you know, kudos
to Wendy is that he's you know, he doesn't have
Wendy doesn't have pride. So he sits back and lets
Munch and Zach Kromer take in our our third down
meeting about how they see how the rushers were going against,
(22:08):
how they like to rush, how they operate on each
side for certain for certain looks that tackles will give
or guards will give, or sentence will give. And you know,
he just the way he talks about the game, it's
just it's just so conversation, like it's not coaching, Like
it's a conversation that you're like, oh man, that's a
really good way to look at that. You know, he's
not just you know, boring stuff into you. It's just
(22:30):
like a true conversation where it's easy to pick up,
it's easy to digest, it's easy to understand. And for
him and then you kind of like you said, look
back at you know what he's done in the past.
But he's a Hall of Fame guard. You know, I've
been telling him for weeks like I would just show
up here in the gold Jack and just walk around
walk around with him just because I mean, I mean,
I mean, you got the dang thing. But you know,
(22:51):
for for Mike Munchek to be around and you know,
care and to give us his his opinion on how
how it is. And you know, I've I've I've talked
to him and kind of during during our little lunch
break for a couple of weeks. And sometimes it's about ball,
sometimes it's about life. And you know, anything that man
can say that you can pick up is definitely gonna
(23:12):
help you. So, you know, couldn't be happy that he's
he's been around.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
I've been around you enough to know that you probably
won't answer this question, but was it your best season?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Oh, you're right, I'm not going to answer.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Well, then let me say it for you. I hope
sooner rather than later you get some of the recognition
and the accolades that you've deserved for a long time
in this league. You've been in a unique position of
having been in a championship huddle with Boat, Jered Goff
and Matthew Stafford the quarterbacks for this weekend. Yep, what's
your reaction when you find out the Rams.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Are going to Detroit? You know, first reaction was, I'm
excited that we're in the playoffs. I'm excited to go
go play a football game, have an opportunity to go
compete for a world title again, having been there twice
one to one. You know, it's addicting. That's that's that's
what I want to do again. I know it's everyone's
(23:58):
job to get out there and sell storylines and stuff
like that, but I think for this team, the way
I'm gonna I'm gonna instruct our room like this is
this is playoff football. It's there's like obviously there's great
storylines and everything like that, but when it comes down
to playing football, like, that's what we're here for. So
the one thing I do know is Detroit has one
(24:21):
heck of a defense. They play well together. They've got
they've got superstars, and then they've got role players who
play their role very well and they all work extremely
well together. And it's a tough defense. And it's gonna
be a tough place to play that. You know, I
haven't had a home playoff game in what thirty years.
Place is going to be rocking, it's going to be electric.
(24:42):
We're gonna be on silent count anyway. So it doesn't
really matter if you can't really hear too much, So
you know, I'm excited for the opportunity to go play.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Just this morning, I was thinking about that NFC Championship
game in New Orleans where Jared's kind of pressing everything
he can into his ear holes to keep the noise
out of the superdume. I feel like Sunday it's going
to be a lot like that.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Sure, And that was that was one of the loudest
experiences I've I've been a part of Jared calm plays
and I'm leaning over to my right guard, Austin byThe
and the hell did he just say? It's kind of
with you know, not whisper scream in my ear, just
the kind of the nuts and bolts of what I
needed to hear. Boom, got it, Okay, you know, let's
go play football. But it was loud, and I think
(25:21):
it's gonna be something like that again.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
What is different about the postseason in the National Football League?
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Everything just gets everything gets tighter, everything gets harder. Everything's
just you can't afford to let something slip and expect
to go to go win the game. So I think
your preparation has to be that much more turned up,
that much more on point you have to recover harder.
You have to you know, whether it's you're eating to
(25:51):
put on weight or you know, maintain a certain weight, like,
you got to do that better. You got to do
everything better. Your home life's got to be better. Whatever
it is, everything just has to be better. And uh,
you know, at the end of the day, the goals,
just the goals, not to play a pretty game or
a complete game or anything like that. The goal is
to win. And so however you can get that done,
(26:14):
just go win. Didn't come this far just to come
this far right exactly. Tell us about your roots in
Michigan and what you're going to go through. Speaking of
your family life going back to Detroit, well, I'm I'm
originally from Maryland. Mom and dad moved down to Maryland
from Michigan. My dad's from Taylor and my mom's from
(26:36):
Saint Louis, and I got family in East Lansing. They
were I had some family in Alma and now they're
in uh Feton up in Lake Comma, Michigan. Not Lake Michigan,
the city of Lake And so you know, I've got
you know, I've been to Michigan and growing up, you know,
every year for for a lot of years. You know,
(26:57):
great plays, cool play. So I haven't heard too much
on the old ticket side of things.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
But uh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, so we'll see how that goes.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
I hear it's a tough ticket.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
I can imagine. I can imagine it's gonna be a
tough one. Rob.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
I've really enjoyed the conversation. I've learned so much. We
finish Rams Revealed with three and out our closing segment.
I got three final questions for you, and then we'll
get you to the game plan for the Detroit line.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Sound good, sounds great?
Speaker 1 (27:18):
So first question, If Andrew Whitworth played until age forty,
then Rob Havenstein can play until.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
He's I can play until I'm done.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Okay, another decade.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
We'll see, all right, I hope.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
So we talked a little pizza before the show, and
so I think this is kind of a take your
pick multiple choice here Detroit style, Chicago deep Dish, a
New York slice, or fill in the blank with a
ride in ballot.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
My wife would go Detroit style, Okay, I'd probably go
to New York Slaves, really good, solid New York Slaves
cut Pep Berney's Cup of sausage. Maybe a little cat
of sprinkle on top, can't go wrong with it.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Did you catch one before the Giants game?
Speaker 2 (28:01):
No? Got no?
Speaker 1 (28:02):
No too discipline this time of year. Well, sorry to
tempt you. No, you already said you got to button
up the diet this time in the place. That's a
missed opportunity by me. Finally, I want to talk girl
dad power with you. I feel like that's kind of
been a secret ingredient for the twenty twenty three Los
Angeles Rams. Your youngest was born last March. Got three girls. Now,
Carson's got three girls, Matthew's got four. I believe Wendy's
(28:25):
got a bunch of girls as well. So what is
it like to be the father of daughters and how
does that make you a better pro?
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Well? Sometimes it can definitely test your patience a little bit.
But you know, it's ah to kind of have have
three daughters and have you know these you know, these
angels at home. You know's it's just it's so vastly
different than what we get here at the facility, lifting
(28:56):
and waves playing football, you know, because you know when
I go home, it's they could give you know, two
f's about what happened at football, and so whether good,
better and different during practice during the games, they don't care.
They just want to play, you know. And it's to
be able to kind of force yourself to understand about
how to check that stuff at the door. Really gives
(29:18):
you a chance to kind of digest what you're feeling,
how you're feeling, what's actually important, what do you need
to do to get better at football while you're all well,
for me doing this, you know, playing barbies, you know,
at my house, and it's a it's been a learning experience,
but it's a you know, I wouldn't trade it for
(29:39):
the world.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
So if Matthew's daughter's telling pregame, don't get tackled, daddy,
your daughters tell you no, Daddy, don't let Matthew get tackled.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
No. I don't think they're they're that in tune of
the game of football. Now. They've been coming to the
games just so they can watch Bluie the whole time
pretty much pretty much. But it's uh strategy, but it's uh.
They always send me pregame, uh my wife make sure
this where it's They always just chant go, daddy, go,
and so something you know, half the time. It's you
know they're in there, you know, their little outfits or
(30:10):
the only come out looking like absolute barbarians. And they're
both in underwear with their hair hair is all tied up,
and they got marker down their chest and everything like that,
and you know, you're just getting getting wild videos and
you just kind of laugh and smile and like, okay,
you know, I was a That's that's what it's all about,
right there. Rob.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
It's been a real privilege to check in with you
and to see it grow up as a RAM and
you and your young family too. We wish you all
the best and here's to a successful postseason run with
the Los Angeles. I appreciate it all right, Rob Havenstein,
I'm JB. Long La off to Detroit wild Card weekend
Sunday night in prime time. Cannot wait. Thank you for
joining us for a very special postseason edition of RAMS Review.