October 30, 2025 • 34 mins
Welcome back to The Vikings Tailgate - Presented by Ticketmaster - The official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings. Cy Amundson welcomes back Lions super fan Zach Martina to the show to break down the spooky Lions successes this season. Cy and Zach look at the 50-year Bobby Layne curse, Zach’s big brain, Dan Campbell’s tricks-and-treats, Zach’s jump-y Green Bay experience, the return of J.J. McCarthy to Michigan, and Zach’s ghastly predictions for the rest of the season. All of this and more is in Episode 61 of The Vikings Tailgate - Presented by Ticketmaster - The official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings. Also, be sure to check out Zach Martina’s new comedy special on zachmartina.com or youtube.com.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:45):
the cricket reckets for better.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Come here.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hey, everybody, welcome in to another episode of the Tailgate,
brought to you by tikket Master. It is the day
before Halloween, and it is three days before your Minnesota
Vikings take on the Detroit Lions. And joining me in
place of Chad. Chad gets a couple of breaks this year,
(01:16):
and he gets a couple of breaks because we have
show favorites that need to come on and talk about
their team. This week, we have the most recurrent guest
in the history of the tailgate, Detroit Lions super fan,
a guy who was more fun to talk to when
their team was bad and our team was way better.
(01:37):
Ladies and gentlemen, the great Zach Martine and Zach, we
have to listen to me. We have to talk about
this upcoming game. We have to talk about what I
need to be a get right game. I think this
is an excellent get right opportunity for my team. But
I need to start with something we touched on. I
(01:59):
think the first time you were ever on the show.
Because it's Halloween weekend, I saw this article and it
was talking about all the weirdest stuff that's ever happened
in Detroit and with the Lions, and on and on
and on, and one of the things in there, it's
the Bobby Lane curse.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
So for those who haven't listened to the show or
don't go that far back with the show. So in
nineteen fifty eight, the Lions trade Bobby Lane to Pittsburgh.
To Pittsburgh, and he's a star, right he is.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
He is the Patrick Mahomes of his time.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
They trade him and he places a fifty year curse
on the Detroit Lions, and I love sports curses. I
think they're so, you know, the Red Sox thing, the
Cubs thing until they got broken. At some point, whether
the curse is real or just it begins to believe
itself and you can't. I don't know what happens. But
(02:59):
in the case of the Bobby Lane curse, it runs
nineteen fifty eight. It's supposed to end in two thousand
and eight.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And it was adjusted for inflation. So that's it lasts,
it's gone, and what a few years longer than that.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Well, here's what I would say is super interesting. The
last year of the curse, your team went oh and sixteen,
which is a wild way, and in that fifty years
you lost more games than any team in the entire league,
and you end on an oh and sixteen. Then you
got Stafford, yep, and now you're moving forward and now
(03:32):
out of the it's almost like it's real. That's as
my I guess my question to start, as I babble
through the beginning of this show is how real is
it to Detroit fans? Because Stafford led to golf with
led to all these changes, Dan, here we go and
now you are a multi year championship contending team that
(03:52):
people are picking at the beginning of the season, do
you buy this? Are you all in on the Bobby
Lane Curse? And now that it's over, you're off and running.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I would be hard pressed to find a Detroit Lions
fan that does not believe in the Bobby Lane Curse.
Because we needed a reason. We needed a reason that
we were like, Okay, well this is this can't be
just the organization. This can't just be our team is
it's in the universe, it's intergalactic, it's whatever words you
want to use. But it was at least a reason
(04:23):
we could say, well, yeah, but you know we've got this,
Like I mean, Calvin Johnson was on the team before
Matthew Stafford and he was part of that and oh
and sixteen team. When you have a receiver like that,
you have Barry Sanders. I mean people out there that
aren't even Lions fans that are still watching highlights of
Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson's The plays that they made
were ridiculous. And to be part of a fifty years
(04:47):
stretch where you are losing more games than any other
team in the franchise, you have to have a reason
because it doesn't make sense when you have players of
that caliber. It just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So is there now that you're this new team and
my team is coming off, I would say, you know,
from a fan standpoint, one of the more difficult losses
in the Kevin O'Connell era, right, And I think that
just that sentence speaks to how impressive the coaching staff
(05:19):
has been. I always use the example. You can use
a ton of them, but winning a game with Josh
Dobbs calling the plays into the headset in Atlanta like
the overcoming adversity, you know, has finally this team has
finally arrived in the place where it felt like adversity
steam rolled them against the Chargers. And I think everybody
(05:42):
went whoa, and everybody, you know, fans are stepped back,
and we're not quite where we expected we would be.
So this game this week is so interesting to me
because it's it's potentially a fork in the road. Right,
You're playing one of the best teams in the NFL. Well,
you believe yourself to be a very good football team.
(06:05):
Are you gonna do what everybody in the media and
a lot of negative fans are saying, Are you gonna
get rolled by the Lions or is this gonna be
the game where everybody went. Then they went in and
took care of Detroit and they're building, turned the season
around and went going. So you know, there's a lot
of pivot points in NFL seasons, but this one feels
like it potentially could be one for a team that
(06:25):
is in desperate need of it. Is there any is
there any part of your little fan brain that feels
that you might be vulnerable to a desperate team coming
in and punching you in the face.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Let me, let me go ahead and show you how
little my fan brain is. I'm not gonna take your bait.
I'm not gonna take your bait of insulting me and
coming at me saying I have a little brain. I
have a size eight head, all right. When I played
football in high school, they had do special order a helmet.
All right, when you knock on this skull, it is
not hollow. It's not little SI, thank you, and I
(07:01):
it is not. It is a big brain. It is
a big old brain. But I don't I'm I mean,
I'm always nervous because I've been hurt in the past,
but coming off of a bye, our team getting a
little bit healthy, you know, we've been decimated in the secondary,
but that last game, I think you'd find a lot
(07:21):
of Lions fans who think that this defense will play
harder for Kelvin Shepherd than they did for Aaron Glenn.
I don't know what it is. It's but this guy
rallies the troops and you can see that. So coming
off of a Monday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
who have, I mean the early favorite for offensive Rookie
of the Year, a returning Mike Evans, I mean, their
(07:43):
receiving corps is no thing to just sneeze at. To
have those guys step up and play under Kelvin Shephard
was huge. Now that makes me a little bit more
confident in our depth because we do have a lot
of those guys returning. DJ Reid isn't necessarily yet, but
we get Branch back, We're gonna get Joseph back. We
can I think we're gonna get Avonte Maddox back. A
(08:04):
Meek Robertson has just got that dog in him and
he showed that against Tampa Bay. And then we also
got Aleam mcneilback, who is now coming He played one game,
he's coming back. Off of a bye, and that's not
a defensive tackle that just stuffs the run. He is
eating up space in the middle and rushing the passer
from the interior of the line. I feel really good
coming off of the bye. I feel really good coming
(08:25):
off of the bye. Who will come into at a
home game, no less.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
All I'm hearing, Zach. All I'm hearing is everything that
I said, the opportunity that when when it happens, Because
here's the thing. You gave you a little speech about
your brain, and now it triggered me, so now I'm
against you. All I'm hearing is the accomplishment for when
we pivot correctly against your team will be even greater
(08:53):
because there are no excuses. You're off a bye, you're healthy.
But can you answer me this? What are the odds? So,
because I've watched you guys a lot this year, Dan,
I just I just need this to be one of
those games, Zach where Dan Campbell makes a couple of
the decisions that I want this to be one of
(09:14):
the weeks where you go, ah, I'd love that one back.
A couple of those fourth down, a couple of the
gutsy risky calls because here's the thing. It can't always work.
You know it works more than it doesn't. That's how,
that's how you know you choose to keep doing it.
But I need that risky behavior to bite them this week.
(09:34):
That's what I need. I need that Niners game, you know,
the playoffs a couple of years ago. I need a
couple of risky decisions to bite you, guys, because here,
here's what I'll tell you. I think the Vikings deserve
a little good favor this week. And I don't have
a reason for that. Maybe it's my emotional state going
into the game, but I think we need to come
(09:56):
ready to play. And I would love to see you,
guys just take a little bit of that c Detroit
risk taking mentality that has somehow developed in a very
short period of time despite being put through a fifty
year curse. I would love a little bit of that
to bite you. Just step up and snap you sy.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I understand what you want here, and you're you know what,
you know what you're asking for it you're asking for
a treat, and I think you're about to be tricked. Halloween.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I'll cancel this show right now. You know what, I'm
just realizing in the history of you being on the show.
You've been on the show for three years before this season.
The first season, we were very good with Kirk and
you were having that season where you beat Green Bay
at the end of the year and you were like
turning around. You had the major season before the season.
Second season, you had a really great year. We didn't
(10:45):
have a reason to feel bad because we had a
quarterback situation that we were battling through. Third year, we're
both great. We play each other. It sucks that we
lost to you at the end of the season, but
we're both great. We're both feeling good. This is the
first year that there's some angst in this conversation between
you and I. This is the first year where you're
still doing well and we're not doing the things we
(11:08):
want to be doing. And I gotta tell you, I
hate it.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I buddy, I'll tell you. The angst is all on
one side, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
I understand. So you have an ad I've never noticed
the attitude and tell my team is not where I
need it.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I you know what, I just I'm taking it one
game at a time. Got it all thanks to you know,
coach Campbell. He makes some great calls and uh, that
Campbell gamble really does come into play. You're gonna see it,
You're gonna get it. But uh, you're not gonna you're
gonna get When I said you're gonna get tricked, you're
gonna get hit with at least two trick plays and
(11:45):
they are.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Are they still that prevalent? Are the trick plays still
that prevalent?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Oh? You guys, Oh yeah, I would say I would
argue that. I mean, it's tough to say because over
the years of the past couple of years, our offense
has been pretty balanced, but it is more so this year,
and that is because Johnny Morton, our new offensive coordinator.
He is he has an affinity for the play action,
so he even more so has to establish the run.
(12:11):
You're gonna see a lot of Junior Gibbs. I hope
you see a little bit more of David Montgomery. I'd
like to see that split go back to a bit
more even time share just for wear and tear purposes.
But I think you're gonna see I think you're gonna
see something out of Jamison Williams this week. He is
he's been a little quiet, but he has too much
speed and too much talent to just continue to be quiet,
(12:35):
especially at home, especially off the buy, when you've got
all that time to kind of script up your playbook.
I think you're gonna see some real big plays from
I'll be honest, all of our playmakers and maybe even
our second string tight end, rock Right. That's right, brock Right.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You you just laid out a lot of stuff, but
you you went to the place that you are predicting
against us success from a backup tight end. I can't
be in such a place with you that I'm listening
to you gleefully tell me that in a division matchup,
I expect an excellent game from a second string tight end.
(13:12):
I can't do it. You know how much you would
hate me if I came on here and predicted a
monster day receiving from our backup tight end. It would
just it wouldn't be good.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I know. But you didn't let me finish the context
of it.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
You want to stop talking. It felt like the context.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
No, I didn't. I took a I took a breath,
and you're like, I can't, I can't do it. Here's
what I was gonna say, is our second string tight
end brock Wright has actually been having an incredible season
and playing he's I think he's been out playing a
lot of the number one tight ends in the league.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Okay, so cool. So you just wanted to hammer down
that you think you have two number one tight ends
on your roster.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
In addition to two number one running backs and two
number one receivers. Yes, that's what I did want to
hammer down.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
What I am curious about outside of the matchup this
week is for a few years, everyone has understood that
this is a very competitive division. I think a lot
of people thought with your former coordinator going to Chicago,
it could become even more competitive. It seems that has happened.
But I gotta tell you, man, and you're not going
(14:17):
to like this. From an outsider's perspective, the Packers seems
so good at football. I don't raise your eyebrow at
me like that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
I was at that first game. I was at that
game at Lambeau, so I raised my eyebrow because it
was taking me back to a dark place to start
this year.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And I want to tell the fans something because you
come on here so positive and so happy after that
first game at Lambeau. So Mica gets traded you go
to Lambeau for the opening game of the year, you
guys get thaw rottled, and for all the confidence, the
text that you sent me might as well have just
(14:59):
been a picture of like Thelma and Louise's car going
off the cliff. So so you've you've you've obviously recovered
from that. The team is doing very well. But I
got to I mean, I think the Packers. I think
you need to be worried about the Packers. I think,
if i'm if I'm picking with my brain right now,
they are the team even above the Eagles, that seems
(15:22):
most likely.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I well, in regard to the text message I sent
you and the tone that you have conveyed, it reminds
me a lot of the tone that you were giving
me just before we went to break. Okay, that's so
we can commiserate there, I understand, I do. I mean,
I'm not gonna deny that the Packers are good. Josh
Jacobs is incredible. I mean, they're doing it with I mean,
(15:48):
Micah Parsons is their star that and he's the only
one you can really make.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I mean, I guess Tucker Craft has been playing very
very well for them, But Outside of that, no one
player has been doing great. I mean Watson and Jayden
Reid have been hurt. Who else, I mean, Matthew Golden
has been underwhelming. So I think that they're good. I'm
not gonna deny that one real quick thing, shout out
(16:16):
to all This is tough for me to say, especially
on this Vikings podcast. Shout out to all those Packers
fans they were I didn't pay for a beer all
I didn't pay for a beer all day. We add
up early, we went to the tailgate.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Bought beer. I don't think that's a reason to shout
out an entire fan base in the way they handle it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
And my car and my car died the next day,
and I'm trying to figure out how to get at
a jump and this woman in a Green Bay Packers
hoodie goes, oh, is your car dead? And I'm in
all Lions gear. My wife is in all Lions gear.
And she's like, oh, is your car dead? And we're like, yeah,
we're about to call someone. She goes, don't you pay
money for that. I will be right back with my
jumper cables. She put her dog inside, came over and said,
(16:57):
don't worry guys, it's just the first game. You'll get
us next time. Yeah, thanks getting question, just thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Here's my question for you on that story that doesn't
move me emotionally in any way, shape or form.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
What have you been moved emotionally? Siy huh, I'm looking
at me.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Talk about that. That's not your job is not to
have those discussions with me. My question is, if you
to beat them thirty eight to ten, you think she's
out there jumping your car saving you money. You think
you're getting beers bought all over the place. I think package.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was pregame. Pregame's not gonna change.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I think the victory shades the behavior. I'm not interested in.
I'm not interested. And this is what I was gonna
ask you, And this I actually think this is this
sucks about you, that stupid curse.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Me personally, Yes, I've that stupid curse made you. You're
basically like a dog that got adopted.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Right. You're in a good home now and for the
first time you're like, Wow, this is great. There's nothing
everything's great like, there's no nothing is negative, nor should
it be. You're finally in a good place you deserve
to be in a good place. But what I don't
understand is you've developed the cockiness, but you haven't developed
any of the disdain. You're over. Here's just on me.
(18:20):
Packer fans are kind you like? Tell me why why
have you yet to disdain any of the other teams?
And I don't want some upper brow I'm a good person. Answer.
That's not how That's not how sports angst works. We'll
see if you lose in another NFC championship game or
second round how you're feeling about other teams. But what why?
(18:44):
You should already be down the road of not you
really want to be in our division. You want to
play like the girl, don't like the Packers, don't like
their fans. What are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Let me go ahead and say to your adopted dog analogy. Yeah,
I do have a good home now, and I am
happy with where I am. But you'll I will maintain
you can go back through every appearance I have had
on this podcast. I never forgot the roads that I
grew up on, all right, I never forgot how hard
(19:16):
it was. I'm just happy to be here. I'm wagging
my tail, all right. I wouldn't have liked the Packers
until I don't like the Packers. Let's get that clear.
I do not like the team, the Packers. But the
tailgate experience at Lambeau was fantastic because it was basically
a professional level college football tailgate game, which I have
never been a part of, and that was fantastic. And
(19:39):
for people in their I mean, they did not think
they were gonna win. They were all about like, oh,
the Lions are the team, like this is the team.
This is the team, this is the team. And despite that,
they were like, Okay, here's some beers. And I think
I get that. I get that, like you're trying to
set your expectations low so you don't so you don't
disappoint yourself. And then all all of a sudden you
(20:00):
turned it around and you're like, well, you know, I'm
I'm just a humble fan. That's all it is.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I I don't have a speechless ladies and gentlemen, speechless.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I will agree with you. I think everyone should go
to a game in Lambeau. I think it is an
immensely unique experience. I you know, I've told this story
on the show and on other Viking programs. I was
at the Randy Moss Mooning game one of the great
sports experiences of my life. But I also remember, like
(20:36):
midway through the third quarter when we were beating them
in a playoff game and they still had Brett farre
and we were the underdogs. I remember my nephew Seth
and I thinking we should probably put our jackets on
and tone it down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
You know, that was not my experience, because we were
getting throttled the whole game.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
See that's what I'm saying. I think, and I think
because you're such a puppy dog, You're sitting there getting throwed,
and even though you were worried about the team, I
think you knew you were gonna be okay. So you
just got to glide through this experience. And what I
needed that experience to do for you is galvanize an
amount of disdain that thrusts you into the adversarial relationship
(21:17):
that you're supposed to have with these other teams. Now,
I will say, we've never had that with you, But
I think in this podcast, I'm starting to develop it.
I think this is the first time I'm really really
starting to develop it.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
This is the first year where people are like they're
for the longest. For the last two seasons, they were like,
I mean, it's the Lions, let them have this. This
is this year.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
This year is very very tired of it.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
It's very different, and people are no longer giving us
the leash, so to speak.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
You should have won your title two years ago. I
don't need you to be good in the regular season
for five more years. I'm tired of it that, you know.
I think about that a lot with the Chiefs, you know,
watching them, you know, on Monday night. To see an
organization that has had the high level success start to
have the high level success. There's an endearing aspect to it,
but it can only be endearing for so long. My
(22:08):
question is, and this this will fuel me going into
this weekend in our techt threads, do you believe that
this is the year? Like just being a true look
at everything. You see what the Lions are doing, you
know where the Eagles are at over in the other division,
(22:28):
you see what's happening there. Now the Chiefs are real again.
Do you believe this is the year? And I think
my follow up to that is, do you look at
the last two years losses? You know a lot of
injury issues, you know, stuff like to be more happenstance
if you're able to get all the way through the
(22:49):
season team intact. Do you believe it'll be the first
time the Lions get to showcase their real team in
the playoffs. What is your long haul vision right now?
I want it on record for when we talk later
in the season.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
All right, Well, to your point of losing players last year, absolutely,
I think we go much further in the playoffs, and
I do believe that we would have made the super
Bowl if we did not lose sixteen starters. And I
know there's only eleven on that side, but okay, you
lose your starter, then the next man up and then
he goes down. I mean, I've in my and I'm
(23:24):
a football fan. I like just obviously the Lions are
my favorite team, but I am a football fan and
I follow the game. I have never seen one side
of the ball decimated like that, like season ending injuries
to first and second string. So I do think things
would have been different last year had we been able
to maintain some health. Now onto this year, I absolutely
(23:45):
think that we are built to go deep into the
playoffs and showcase what kind of team we actually are.
And I would I would I would push to what
we saw against Tampa Bay in that secondary step up
we got you know, we did get the return of
Alee McNeil, but we only had like so, we did
(24:07):
not have a starting corner out there. We did not
have a starting safety out there. We had guys that
were on the practice squad. We had guys that were
just and they were they were locking guys down. They
were locking good receivers down. Uh, they were locking Mecca down,
they were locking Mike Evans down. I mean, Baker Mayfield
only threw for I think two hundred and fifty yards
(24:27):
and in the first half, I think they only had
thirty yards offense. So if we can maintain health and
we continue to play the way that we've been playing
on offense, yeah, I one hundred percent thinks one hundred
percent think we can do it.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I've asked you this question before, and it's just I'm
just checking in on it. It's a little callback to
what we spoke about earlier in the show, but I'm
just checking in on it because I want to keep
getting it on record for as long as it takes,
because it's either going to be a relevant question at
some point or it's going to be a completely irrelevant
wrong question. Will there come a point in time where
(25:04):
the gamble nature of the way your team approaches things
rubs you the wrong way? Is there an amount of
like if you go into the playoffs this year and
the gamble bites you, will you start to wonder like, hey,
maybe we should reel it in or are you still
all in on this identity? I just and I know
the answer. I just want to keep putting you on
(25:27):
record because some someday I am going to put a
montage of your answers together.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
We well, you have offered a different context in this question.
What is the scenario where I would be sick of
the Campbell gamble? And that is if it was blatantly
obvious that Dan Campbell was losing his mind and going
for it egregiously on you know from Mark two or
(25:53):
you know, and and over and over and over again.
If there was clear cut evidence that Dan Campbell had
some sort of stroke on the on the sidelines and
was calling ridiculous, then I would be like, Okay, maybe
we need someone. But until that happens, and I don't
think it will because the man is fit as a
fiddle inside and out. That's right, he too has a
(26:15):
big brain. I think that you know, I'm one hundred
percent in on the identity because I think you live
by the sword and you die by the sword. I'm
not gonna be the guy. I'm never gonna be the
guy who's like, yeah, we did it on fourth dollar,
we got there, Oh, we took this chance. On the
other all the trick plays, Oh my god, yeah, and
then it doesn't work, and I'm like, screw this guy.
That is not a fan, that is not someone who
(26:37):
follows the team the way that I follow the team
and the way that I love this team.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
You did a great job of answering that question the
way everybody answers every important topic in arguments in our
society currently, which is like, yeah, there's evidence, but let
me tell you what I decide for what.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
You don't get to contextualize your question and then recontextualize
my answer. You don't get to do that, my friend.
Are you You're losing your mind if you think that
is going to fly here on the tailgate. It's my
tailgate now. It's my tailgate now, and you're losing your mind.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Of course I'm losing my mind. Of course I am.
I am beyond losing my mind. I started this show
by pitching like. My pitch to you was that this
against one of the best teams league. I've told I'm
the sort of pressure I'm putting on my team that
I have no control over, which is this is a
(27:42):
get right game, going into one of the best team
in the league's buildings when they got healthy and are
coming off a bye. Yeah, Zach, my mind is gone.
But let me tell you something.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
As a friend, I want you to know that when
you used the verb I need, I did get a
little concern. I was like, Okay, maybe I should send
him some muffins. Tell do you like poison Berry? I
know you like.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
I love Huckleberry, but.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Good nice, nice.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Some good old fashioned bitterroot valley Huckleberry. Your team is
gonna lose.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Oh you like something that's bitter.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
My team is gonna get right, and the gamble will
bite you now and again when it's important. Those are
my predictions. What do you think the score is gonna be? Well, okay,
well here's what I'll tell you. We do do the
since Chad came onto the show, we do do the
prediction segment a little bit differently. Okay, you do a
(28:42):
score prediction, then you do a player prediction, and then
you do a personal prediction.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Before I make my prediction, what is McCarthy's status. He's down,
McCarthy's playing.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Okay, McCarthy's that's my understanding. Jay can text me if
I'm wrong, But as of this recording, my understanding is
JJ McCarthy is our quarterback this weekend.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Okay, now go on with your example. I didn't mean
to interrupt.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
I just needed to know. I think you've got that
big old brain, Zach. Come on, come on, you you
clearly you clearly understand. How like my personal prediction for
this week, because that's the one you maybe need help with.
Is I predict that I will be the least appropriate
(29:26):
I've ever been in our text thread on Sunday. I
just see that coming. And I wouldn't have had that
prediction before this episode, but I see it coming. Score
player and personal.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Score player and personal. I think that the score is
thirty eight to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
That is egregious. You're an egregious person.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Thirty eight to seventeen. And I just want to be
clear that it's the Lions that get the thirty eight,
and we understood that, and the the Packers that I'm
sorry the Vikings. I was just thinking about teams I
prefer less than the Lions. I think that we get
the thirty eight and then the Vikings get the seventeen
and the only reason you get that last seven is
(30:14):
it's a garbage time touchdown and we've pulled all our starters.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Who's your player? That was a Greek? Who's your player?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
My player this week has gotta be Jamison Williams. He's
been too quiet and he's just too good. I think
he has oh boy, five receptions for eighty plus yards
and one of which is a thirty plus yard touchdown, and.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
My immensely specific my what did you want? No, it's great,
it's a good point.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
My personal prediction is, as I was telling Jay before
the show, November seventh is my ten year anniversary with
my wife. So on Sunday I will be in Mexico
with my with a with a drinking my hand and
my iPad on the other watching this game, and I think, uh,
I think I'm gonna get a I'm gonna put a
(31:07):
lion like a lion's emblem on my chest, my bare
chest that I've oiled up, and just get a nice
tan tattoo, a sun a farmer's tan tattoo of the
Lion's emblem. And then as soon as we get that,
that's that win. I'm gonna look over at my beautiful
wife and I'm gonna just be like, Babe, we did it.
(31:28):
And then I'm gonna plan a big kiss onre Goes.
It's not ten years in. I go no, the Lions won.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I have started to disdain this show, speaking of the
word disdain that has come up so often throughout the
programs today. I think you're right about the seventeen, but
I think you're gonna score the seventeen will be at
about one hundred and twenty five. I think that.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Twenty five yards. That's probably a good estimate for you. Yeah,
you're probab gonna get about one hundred twenty five yards.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I think all this talk about your secondary I think
JJ's had enough time to rest. I'm gonna buy the hype.
I'm gonna buy the hype. I'm gonna buy. I'm gonna
homer in on a level I haven't because I've got
to match your homer level. So guess what I think.
JJ McCarthy is gonna come in and knock the shoes
and socks off everybody. And those two wide receivers Jet
(32:20):
j J J Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jets,
Justin Jefferson and Jordan Patterson, they are gonna eat your
little braggy secondary apart. I think one hundred yards for
each guy. And I'm changing my personal prediction. I am
gonna text your wife and have her send me a tattoo,
a picture of your son tattoo, so I just have
(32:43):
access to that every time, every time I need it.
Moving into the future, despite how this went, I sure
care about you lot hey and real quick you and
I'm gonna do this because it's important to me. But
I don't think it reflects how I feel about the program.
You're a fantastic stand up.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Oh thanks.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
You have a brand new special out, sure do. It's
called A Lot to Live For? Correct?
Speaker 2 (33:09):
That's it?
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Yeah, it's on YouTube. How can people find it? What's
the easiest?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Just search your name?
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Z A H M A R T I N. I
just searched that and yeah it's been up now it's
gonna be two days ago. I put it up and
it's been doing really really well and the feedbacks when
positive and I'm proud of it.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I'm proud of it as well, and I'm proud of
you for that and nothing in your football world. I
care about you and we will see you. What do
we are? We last game this season?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Second Las last game this season, which would be greatcause
it could be a lot like the game we had
last year.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I know what you're doing and I'm not going to
be a part of it. I'm not going to be
a part of a big thanks Zach for coming on
the show. We appreciate it, and thank you to all
you guys for listening to our podcast feed while you're here.
Give a review. Do the stars write the words? It
helps us a lot. Finally, a huge shout out to Ticketmaster,
the official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings, for helping
(34:05):
this show happened. We will be back next week with
both Chad and I. Enjoy the game, Everybody
Hey, Viking fans, Right now you can pick up a
commemorative Pepsi Vikings Cup at us Bank Stadium, participating High
v Fast and Fresh locations and Buffalo Wild Wings locations.
And oh, by the way, when you pick up your cup,
you will have your chance to win Victor's Ride or
other great prizes. Viking fans deserve Pepsi Score as the
(00:24):
official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL.
Ticketmasters the safest and most convenient marketplace to score fully
verified Vikings tickets. So get those touchdown celebrations ready and
score your tickets today at ticketmaster dot com. Slash Vikings
(00:45):
the cricket reckets for better.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Come here.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Hey, everybody, welcome in to another episode of the Tailgate,
brought to you by tikket Master. It is the day
before Halloween, and it is three days before your Minnesota
Vikings take on the Detroit Lions. And joining me in
place of Chad. Chad gets a couple of breaks this year,
(01:16):
and he gets a couple of breaks because we have
show favorites that need to come on and talk about
their team. This week, we have the most recurrent guest
in the history of the tailgate, Detroit Lions super fan,
a guy who was more fun to talk to when
their team was bad and our team was way better.
(01:37):
Ladies and gentlemen, the great Zach Martine and Zach, we
have to listen to me. We have to talk about
this upcoming game. We have to talk about what I
need to be a get right game. I think this
is an excellent get right opportunity for my team. But
I need to start with something we touched on. I
(01:59):
think the first time you were ever on the show.
Because it's Halloween weekend, I saw this article and it
was talking about all the weirdest stuff that's ever happened
in Detroit and with the Lions, and on and on
and on, and one of the things in there, it's
the Bobby Lane curse.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
So for those who haven't listened to the show or
don't go that far back with the show. So in
nineteen fifty eight, the Lions trade Bobby Lane to Pittsburgh.
To Pittsburgh, and he's a star, right he is.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
He is the Patrick Mahomes of his time.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
They trade him and he places a fifty year curse
on the Detroit Lions, and I love sports curses. I
think they're so, you know, the Red Sox thing, the
Cubs thing until they got broken. At some point, whether
the curse is real or just it begins to believe
itself and you can't. I don't know what happens. But
(02:59):
in the case of the Bobby Lane curse, it runs
nineteen fifty eight. It's supposed to end in two thousand
and eight.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And it was adjusted for inflation. So that's it lasts,
it's gone, and what a few years longer than that.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Well, here's what I would say is super interesting. The
last year of the curse, your team went oh and sixteen,
which is a wild way, and in that fifty years
you lost more games than any team in the entire league,
and you end on an oh and sixteen. Then you
got Stafford, yep, and now you're moving forward and now
(03:32):
out of the it's almost like it's real. That's as
my I guess my question to start, as I babble
through the beginning of this show is how real is
it to Detroit fans? Because Stafford led to golf with
led to all these changes, Dan, here we go and
now you are a multi year championship contending team that
(03:52):
people are picking at the beginning of the season, do
you buy this? Are you all in on the Bobby
Lane Curse? And now that it's over, you're off and running.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I would be hard pressed to find a Detroit Lions
fan that does not believe in the Bobby Lane Curse.
Because we needed a reason. We needed a reason that
we were like, Okay, well this is this can't be
just the organization. This can't just be our team is
it's in the universe, it's intergalactic, it's whatever words you
want to use. But it was at least a reason
(04:23):
we could say, well, yeah, but you know we've got this,
Like I mean, Calvin Johnson was on the team before
Matthew Stafford and he was part of that and oh
and sixteen team. When you have a receiver like that,
you have Barry Sanders. I mean people out there that
aren't even Lions fans that are still watching highlights of
Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson's The plays that they made
were ridiculous. And to be part of a fifty years
(04:47):
stretch where you are losing more games than any other
team in the franchise, you have to have a reason
because it doesn't make sense when you have players of
that caliber. It just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So is there now that you're this new team and
my team is coming off, I would say, you know,
from a fan standpoint, one of the more difficult losses
in the Kevin O'Connell era, right, And I think that
just that sentence speaks to how impressive the coaching staff
(05:19):
has been. I always use the example. You can use
a ton of them, but winning a game with Josh
Dobbs calling the plays into the headset in Atlanta like
the overcoming adversity, you know, has finally this team has
finally arrived in the place where it felt like adversity
steam rolled them against the Chargers. And I think everybody
(05:42):
went whoa, and everybody, you know, fans are stepped back,
and we're not quite where we expected we would be.
So this game this week is so interesting to me
because it's it's potentially a fork in the road. Right,
You're playing one of the best teams in the NFL. Well,
you believe yourself to be a very good football team.
(06:05):
Are you gonna do what everybody in the media and
a lot of negative fans are saying, Are you gonna
get rolled by the Lions or is this gonna be
the game where everybody went. Then they went in and
took care of Detroit and they're building, turned the season
around and went going. So you know, there's a lot
of pivot points in NFL seasons, but this one feels
like it potentially could be one for a team that
(06:25):
is in desperate need of it. Is there any is
there any part of your little fan brain that feels
that you might be vulnerable to a desperate team coming
in and punching you in the face.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Let me, let me go ahead and show you how
little my fan brain is. I'm not gonna take your bait.
I'm not gonna take your bait of insulting me and
coming at me saying I have a little brain. I
have a size eight head, all right. When I played
football in high school, they had do special order a helmet.
All right, when you knock on this skull, it is
not hollow. It's not little SI, thank you, and I
(07:01):
it is not. It is a big brain. It is
a big old brain. But I don't I'm I mean,
I'm always nervous because I've been hurt in the past,
but coming off of a bye, our team getting a
little bit healthy, you know, we've been decimated in the secondary,
but that last game, I think you'd find a lot
(07:21):
of Lions fans who think that this defense will play
harder for Kelvin Shepherd than they did for Aaron Glenn.
I don't know what it is. It's but this guy
rallies the troops and you can see that. So coming
off of a Monday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
who have, I mean the early favorite for offensive Rookie
of the Year, a returning Mike Evans, I mean, their
(07:43):
receiving corps is no thing to just sneeze at. To
have those guys step up and play under Kelvin Shephard
was huge. Now that makes me a little bit more
confident in our depth because we do have a lot
of those guys returning. DJ Reid isn't necessarily yet, but
we get Branch back, We're gonna get Joseph back. We
can I think we're gonna get Avonte Maddox back. A
(08:04):
Meek Robertson has just got that dog in him and
he showed that against Tampa Bay. And then we also
got Aleam mcneilback, who is now coming He played one game,
he's coming back. Off of a bye, and that's not
a defensive tackle that just stuffs the run. He is
eating up space in the middle and rushing the passer
from the interior of the line. I feel really good
coming off of the bye. I feel really good coming
(08:25):
off of the bye. Who will come into at a
home game, no less.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
All I'm hearing, Zach. All I'm hearing is everything that
I said, the opportunity that when when it happens, Because
here's the thing. You gave you a little speech about
your brain, and now it triggered me, so now I'm
against you. All I'm hearing is the accomplishment for when
we pivot correctly against your team will be even greater
(08:53):
because there are no excuses. You're off a bye, you're healthy.
But can you answer me this? What are the odds? So,
because I've watched you guys a lot this year, Dan,
I just I just need this to be one of
those games, Zach where Dan Campbell makes a couple of
the decisions that I want this to be one of
(09:14):
the weeks where you go, ah, I'd love that one back.
A couple of those fourth down, a couple of the
gutsy risky calls because here's the thing. It can't always work.
You know it works more than it doesn't. That's how,
that's how you know you choose to keep doing it.
But I need that risky behavior to bite them this week.
(09:34):
That's what I need. I need that Niners game, you know,
the playoffs a couple of years ago. I need a
couple of risky decisions to bite you, guys, because here,
here's what I'll tell you. I think the Vikings deserve
a little good favor this week. And I don't have
a reason for that. Maybe it's my emotional state going
into the game, but I think we need to come
(09:56):
ready to play. And I would love to see you,
guys just take a little bit of that c Detroit
risk taking mentality that has somehow developed in a very
short period of time despite being put through a fifty
year curse. I would love a little bit of that
to bite you. Just step up and snap you sy.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I understand what you want here, and you're you know what,
you know what you're asking for it you're asking for
a treat, and I think you're about to be tricked. Halloween.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I'll cancel this show right now. You know what, I'm
just realizing in the history of you being on the show.
You've been on the show for three years before this season.
The first season, we were very good with Kirk and
you were having that season where you beat Green Bay
at the end of the year and you were like
turning around. You had the major season before the season.
Second season, you had a really great year. We didn't
(10:45):
have a reason to feel bad because we had a
quarterback situation that we were battling through. Third year, we're
both great. We play each other. It sucks that we
lost to you at the end of the season, but
we're both great. We're both feeling good. This is the
first year that there's some angst in this conversation between
you and I. This is the first year where you're
still doing well and we're not doing the things we
(11:08):
want to be doing. And I gotta tell you, I
hate it.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I buddy, I'll tell you. The angst is all on
one side, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
I understand. So you have an ad I've never noticed
the attitude and tell my team is not where I
need it.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I you know what, I just I'm taking it one
game at a time. Got it all thanks to you know,
coach Campbell. He makes some great calls and uh, that
Campbell gamble really does come into play. You're gonna see it,
You're gonna get it. But uh, you're not gonna you're
gonna get When I said you're gonna get tricked, you're
gonna get hit with at least two trick plays and
(11:45):
they are.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Are they still that prevalent? Are the trick plays still
that prevalent?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Oh? You guys, Oh yeah, I would say I would
argue that. I mean, it's tough to say because over
the years of the past couple of years, our offense
has been pretty balanced, but it is more so this year,
and that is because Johnny Morton, our new offensive coordinator.
He is he has an affinity for the play action,
so he even more so has to establish the run.
(12:11):
You're gonna see a lot of Junior Gibbs. I hope
you see a little bit more of David Montgomery. I'd
like to see that split go back to a bit
more even time share just for wear and tear purposes.
But I think you're gonna see I think you're gonna
see something out of Jamison Williams this week. He is
he's been a little quiet, but he has too much
speed and too much talent to just continue to be quiet,
(12:35):
especially at home, especially off the buy, when you've got
all that time to kind of script up your playbook.
I think you're gonna see some real big plays from
I'll be honest, all of our playmakers and maybe even
our second string tight end, rock Right. That's right, brock Right.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You you just laid out a lot of stuff, but
you you went to the place that you are predicting
against us success from a backup tight end. I can't
be in such a place with you that I'm listening
to you gleefully tell me that in a division matchup,
I expect an excellent game from a second string tight end.
(13:12):
I can't do it. You know how much you would
hate me if I came on here and predicted a
monster day receiving from our backup tight end. It would
just it wouldn't be good.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I know. But you didn't let me finish the context
of it.
Speaker 1 (13:27):
You want to stop talking. It felt like the context.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
No, I didn't. I took a I took a breath,
and you're like, I can't, I can't do it. Here's
what I was gonna say, is our second string tight
end brock Wright has actually been having an incredible season
and playing he's I think he's been out playing a
lot of the number one tight ends in the league.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Okay, so cool. So you just wanted to hammer down
that you think you have two number one tight ends
on your roster.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
In addition to two number one running backs and two
number one receivers. Yes, that's what I did want to
hammer down.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
What I am curious about outside of the matchup this
week is for a few years, everyone has understood that
this is a very competitive division. I think a lot
of people thought with your former coordinator going to Chicago,
it could become even more competitive. It seems that has happened.
But I gotta tell you, man, and you're not going
(14:17):
to like this. From an outsider's perspective, the Packers seems
so good at football. I don't raise your eyebrow at
me like that.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
I was at that first game. I was at that
game at Lambeau, so I raised my eyebrow because it
was taking me back to a dark place to start
this year.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And I want to tell the fans something because you
come on here so positive and so happy after that
first game at Lambeau. So Mica gets traded you go
to Lambeau for the opening game of the year, you
guys get thaw rottled, and for all the confidence, the
text that you sent me might as well have just
(14:59):
been a picture of like Thelma and Louise's car going
off the cliff. So so you've you've you've obviously recovered
from that. The team is doing very well. But I
got to I mean, I think the Packers. I think
you need to be worried about the Packers. I think,
if i'm if I'm picking with my brain right now,
they are the team even above the Eagles, that seems
(15:22):
most likely.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I well, in regard to the text message I sent
you and the tone that you have conveyed, it reminds
me a lot of the tone that you were giving
me just before we went to break. Okay, that's so
we can commiserate there, I understand, I do. I mean,
I'm not gonna deny that the Packers are good. Josh
Jacobs is incredible. I mean, they're doing it with I mean,
(15:48):
Micah Parsons is their star that and he's the only
one you can really make.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Oh.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I mean, I guess Tucker Craft has been playing very
very well for them, But Outside of that, no one
player has been doing great. I mean Watson and Jayden
Reid have been hurt. Who else, I mean, Matthew Golden
has been underwhelming. So I think that they're good. I'm
not gonna deny that one real quick thing, shout out
(16:16):
to all This is tough for me to say, especially
on this Vikings podcast. Shout out to all those Packers
fans they were I didn't pay for a beer all
I didn't pay for a beer all day. We add
up early, we went to the tailgate.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Bought beer. I don't think that's a reason to shout
out an entire fan base in the way they handle it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
And my car and my car died the next day,
and I'm trying to figure out how to get at
a jump and this woman in a Green Bay Packers
hoodie goes, oh, is your car dead? And I'm in
all Lions gear. My wife is in all Lions gear.
And she's like, oh, is your car dead? And we're like, yeah,
we're about to call someone. She goes, don't you pay
money for that. I will be right back with my
jumper cables. She put her dog inside, came over and said,
(16:57):
don't worry guys, it's just the first game. You'll get
us next time. Yeah, thanks getting question, just thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Here's my question for you on that story that doesn't
move me emotionally in any way, shape or form.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
What have you been moved emotionally? Siy huh, I'm looking
at me.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Talk about that. That's not your job is not to
have those discussions with me. My question is, if you
to beat them thirty eight to ten, you think she's
out there jumping your car saving you money. You think
you're getting beers bought all over the place. I think package.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It was pregame. Pregame's not gonna change.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
I think the victory shades the behavior. I'm not interested in.
I'm not interested. And this is what I was gonna
ask you, And this I actually think this is this
sucks about you, that stupid curse.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Me personally, Yes, I've that stupid curse made you. You're
basically like a dog that got adopted.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Right. You're in a good home now and for the
first time you're like, Wow, this is great. There's nothing
everything's great like, there's no nothing is negative, nor should
it be. You're finally in a good place you deserve
to be in a good place. But what I don't
understand is you've developed the cockiness, but you haven't developed
any of the disdain. You're over. Here's just on me.
(18:20):
Packer fans are kind you like? Tell me why why
have you yet to disdain any of the other teams?
And I don't want some upper brow I'm a good person. Answer.
That's not how That's not how sports angst works. We'll
see if you lose in another NFC championship game or
second round how you're feeling about other teams. But what why?
(18:44):
You should already be down the road of not you
really want to be in our division. You want to
play like the girl, don't like the Packers, don't like
their fans. What are you talking about?
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Let me go ahead and say to your adopted dog analogy. Yeah,
I do have a good home now, and I am
happy with where I am. But you'll I will maintain
you can go back through every appearance I have had
on this podcast. I never forgot the roads that I
grew up on, all right, I never forgot how hard
(19:16):
it was. I'm just happy to be here. I'm wagging
my tail, all right. I wouldn't have liked the Packers
until I don't like the Packers. Let's get that clear.
I do not like the team, the Packers. But the
tailgate experience at Lambeau was fantastic because it was basically
a professional level college football tailgate game, which I have
never been a part of, and that was fantastic. And
(19:39):
for people in their I mean, they did not think
they were gonna win. They were all about like, oh,
the Lions are the team, like this is the team.
This is the team, this is the team. And despite that,
they were like, Okay, here's some beers. And I think
I get that. I get that, like you're trying to
set your expectations low so you don't so you don't
disappoint yourself. And then all all of a sudden you
(20:00):
turned it around and you're like, well, you know, I'm
I'm just a humble fan. That's all it is.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I I don't have a speechless ladies and gentlemen, speechless.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I will agree with you. I think everyone should go
to a game in Lambeau. I think it is an
immensely unique experience. I you know, I've told this story
on the show and on other Viking programs. I was
at the Randy Moss Mooning game one of the great
sports experiences of my life. But I also remember, like
(20:36):
midway through the third quarter when we were beating them
in a playoff game and they still had Brett farre
and we were the underdogs. I remember my nephew Seth
and I thinking we should probably put our jackets on
and tone it down a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
You know, that was not my experience, because we were
getting throttled the whole game.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
See that's what I'm saying. I think, and I think
because you're such a puppy dog, You're sitting there getting throwed,
and even though you were worried about the team, I
think you knew you were gonna be okay. So you
just got to glide through this experience. And what I
needed that experience to do for you is galvanize an
amount of disdain that thrusts you into the adversarial relationship
(21:17):
that you're supposed to have with these other teams. Now,
I will say, we've never had that with you, But
I think in this podcast, I'm starting to develop it.
I think this is the first time I'm really really
starting to develop it.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
This is the first year where people are like they're
for the longest. For the last two seasons, they were like,
I mean, it's the Lions, let them have this. This
is this year.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
This year is very very tired of it.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
It's very different, and people are no longer giving us
the leash, so to speak.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
You should have won your title two years ago. I
don't need you to be good in the regular season
for five more years. I'm tired of it that, you know.
I think about that a lot with the Chiefs, you know,
watching them, you know, on Monday night. To see an
organization that has had the high level success start to
have the high level success. There's an endearing aspect to it,
but it can only be endearing for so long. My
(22:08):
question is, and this this will fuel me going into
this weekend in our techt threads, do you believe that
this is the year? Like just being a true look
at everything. You see what the Lions are doing, you
know where the Eagles are at over in the other division,
(22:28):
you see what's happening there. Now the Chiefs are real again.
Do you believe this is the year? And I think
my follow up to that is, do you look at
the last two years losses? You know a lot of
injury issues, you know, stuff like to be more happenstance
if you're able to get all the way through the
(22:49):
season team intact. Do you believe it'll be the first
time the Lions get to showcase their real team in
the playoffs. What is your long haul vision right now?
I want it on record for when we talk later
in the season.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
All right, Well, to your point of losing players last year, absolutely,
I think we go much further in the playoffs, and
I do believe that we would have made the super
Bowl if we did not lose sixteen starters. And I
know there's only eleven on that side, but okay, you
lose your starter, then the next man up and then
he goes down. I mean, I've in my and I'm
(23:24):
a football fan. I like just obviously the Lions are
my favorite team, but I am a football fan and
I follow the game. I have never seen one side
of the ball decimated like that, like season ending injuries
to first and second string. So I do think things
would have been different last year had we been able
to maintain some health. Now onto this year, I absolutely
(23:45):
think that we are built to go deep into the
playoffs and showcase what kind of team we actually are.
And I would I would I would push to what
we saw against Tampa Bay in that secondary step up
we got you know, we did get the return of
Alee McNeil, but we only had like so, we did
(24:07):
not have a starting corner out there. We did not
have a starting safety out there. We had guys that
were on the practice squad. We had guys that were
just and they were they were locking guys down. They
were locking good receivers down. Uh, they were locking Mecca down,
they were locking Mike Evans down. I mean, Baker Mayfield
only threw for I think two hundred and fifty yards
(24:27):
and in the first half, I think they only had
thirty yards offense. So if we can maintain health and
we continue to play the way that we've been playing
on offense, yeah, I one hundred percent thinks one hundred
percent think we can do it.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I've asked you this question before, and it's just I'm
just checking in on it. It's a little callback to
what we spoke about earlier in the show, but I'm
just checking in on it because I want to keep
getting it on record for as long as it takes,
because it's either going to be a relevant question at
some point or it's going to be a completely irrelevant
wrong question. Will there come a point in time where
(25:04):
the gamble nature of the way your team approaches things
rubs you the wrong way? Is there an amount of
like if you go into the playoffs this year and
the gamble bites you, will you start to wonder like, hey,
maybe we should reel it in or are you still
all in on this identity? I just and I know
the answer. I just want to keep putting you on
(25:27):
record because some someday I am going to put a
montage of your answers together.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
We well, you have offered a different context in this question.
What is the scenario where I would be sick of
the Campbell gamble? And that is if it was blatantly
obvious that Dan Campbell was losing his mind and going
for it egregiously on you know from Mark two or
(25:53):
you know, and and over and over and over again.
If there was clear cut evidence that Dan Campbell had
some sort of stroke on the on the sidelines and
was calling ridiculous, then I would be like, Okay, maybe
we need someone. But until that happens, and I don't
think it will because the man is fit as a
fiddle inside and out. That's right, he too has a
(26:15):
big brain. I think that you know, I'm one hundred
percent in on the identity because I think you live
by the sword and you die by the sword. I'm
not gonna be the guy. I'm never gonna be the
guy who's like, yeah, we did it on fourth dollar,
we got there, Oh, we took this chance. On the
other all the trick plays, Oh my god, yeah, and
then it doesn't work, and I'm like, screw this guy.
That is not a fan, that is not someone who
(26:37):
follows the team the way that I follow the team
and the way that I love this team.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
You did a great job of answering that question the
way everybody answers every important topic in arguments in our
society currently, which is like, yeah, there's evidence, but let
me tell you what I decide for what.
Speaker 2 (27:05):
You don't get to contextualize your question and then recontextualize
my answer. You don't get to do that, my friend.
Are you You're losing your mind if you think that
is going to fly here on the tailgate. It's my
tailgate now. It's my tailgate now, and you're losing your mind.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Of course I'm losing my mind. Of course I am.
I am beyond losing my mind. I started this show
by pitching like. My pitch to you was that this
against one of the best teams league. I've told I'm
the sort of pressure I'm putting on my team that
I have no control over, which is this is a
(27:42):
get right game, going into one of the best team
in the league's buildings when they got healthy and are
coming off a bye. Yeah, Zach, my mind is gone.
But let me tell you something.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
As a friend, I want you to know that when
you used the verb I need, I did get a
little concern. I was like, Okay, maybe I should send
him some muffins. Tell do you like poison Berry? I
know you like.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
I love Huckleberry, but.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
Good nice, nice.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Some good old fashioned bitterroot valley Huckleberry. Your team is
gonna lose.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Oh you like something that's bitter.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
My team is gonna get right, and the gamble will
bite you now and again when it's important. Those are
my predictions. What do you think the score is gonna be? Well, okay,
well here's what I'll tell you. We do do the
since Chad came onto the show, we do do the
prediction segment a little bit differently. Okay, you do a
(28:42):
score prediction, then you do a player prediction, and then
you do a personal prediction.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Before I make my prediction, what is McCarthy's status. He's down,
McCarthy's playing.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Okay, McCarthy's that's my understanding. Jay can text me if
I'm wrong, But as of this recording, my understanding is
JJ McCarthy is our quarterback this weekend.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Okay, now go on with your example. I didn't mean
to interrupt.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
I just needed to know. I think you've got that
big old brain, Zach. Come on, come on, you you
clearly you clearly understand. How like my personal prediction for
this week, because that's the one you maybe need help with.
Is I predict that I will be the least appropriate
(29:26):
I've ever been in our text thread on Sunday. I
just see that coming. And I wouldn't have had that
prediction before this episode, but I see it coming. Score
player and personal.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Score player and personal. I think that the score is
thirty eight to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
That is egregious. You're an egregious person.
Speaker 2 (29:52):
Thirty eight to seventeen. And I just want to be
clear that it's the Lions that get the thirty eight,
and we understood that, and the the Packers that I'm
sorry the Vikings. I was just thinking about teams I
prefer less than the Lions. I think that we get
the thirty eight and then the Vikings get the seventeen
and the only reason you get that last seven is
(30:14):
it's a garbage time touchdown and we've pulled all our starters.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Who's your player? That was a Greek? Who's your player?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
My player this week has gotta be Jamison Williams. He's
been too quiet and he's just too good. I think
he has oh boy, five receptions for eighty plus yards
and one of which is a thirty plus yard touchdown, and.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
My immensely specific my what did you want? No, it's great,
it's a good point.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
My personal prediction is, as I was telling Jay before
the show, November seventh is my ten year anniversary with
my wife. So on Sunday I will be in Mexico
with my with a with a drinking my hand and
my iPad on the other watching this game, and I think, uh,
I think I'm gonna get a I'm gonna put a
(31:07):
lion like a lion's emblem on my chest, my bare
chest that I've oiled up, and just get a nice
tan tattoo, a sun a farmer's tan tattoo of the
Lion's emblem. And then as soon as we get that,
that's that win. I'm gonna look over at my beautiful
wife and I'm gonna just be like, Babe, we did it.
(31:28):
And then I'm gonna plan a big kiss onre Goes.
It's not ten years in. I go no, the Lions won.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I have started to disdain this show, speaking of the
word disdain that has come up so often throughout the
programs today. I think you're right about the seventeen, but
I think you're gonna score the seventeen will be at
about one hundred and twenty five. I think that.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Twenty five yards. That's probably a good estimate for you. Yeah,
you're probab gonna get about one hundred twenty five yards.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I think all this talk about your secondary I think
JJ's had enough time to rest. I'm gonna buy the hype.
I'm gonna buy the hype. I'm gonna buy. I'm gonna
homer in on a level I haven't because I've got
to match your homer level. So guess what I think.
JJ McCarthy is gonna come in and knock the shoes
and socks off everybody. And those two wide receivers Jet
(32:20):
j J J Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jet Jets,
Justin Jefferson and Jordan Patterson, they are gonna eat your
little braggy secondary apart. I think one hundred yards for
each guy. And I'm changing my personal prediction. I am
gonna text your wife and have her send me a tattoo,
a picture of your son tattoo, so I just have
(32:43):
access to that every time, every time I need it.
Moving into the future, despite how this went, I sure
care about you lot hey and real quick you and
I'm gonna do this because it's important to me. But
I don't think it reflects how I feel about the program.
You're a fantastic stand up.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Oh thanks.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
You have a brand new special out, sure do. It's
called A Lot to Live For? Correct?
Speaker 2 (33:09):
That's it?
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Yeah, it's on YouTube. How can people find it? What's
the easiest?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (33:14):
Just search your name?
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Z A H M A R T I N. I
just searched that and yeah it's been up now it's
gonna be two days ago. I put it up and
it's been doing really really well and the feedbacks when
positive and I'm proud of it.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I'm proud of it as well, and I'm proud of
you for that and nothing in your football world. I
care about you and we will see you. What do
we are? We last game this season?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Second Las last game this season, which would be greatcause
it could be a lot like the game we had
last year.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I know what you're doing and I'm not going to
be a part of it. I'm not going to be
a part of a big thanks Zach for coming on
the show. We appreciate it, and thank you to all
you guys for listening to our podcast feed while you're here.
Give a review. Do the stars write the words? It
helps us a lot. Finally, a huge shout out to Ticketmaster,
the official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings, for helping
(34:05):
this show happened. We will be back next week with
both Chad and I. Enjoy the game, Everybody
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