Twentyman in the Huddle: Lions-Buccaneers Week 2 Preview

On this episode of Twentyman in the Huddle podcast presented by Microsoft, Tim Twentyman is joined by Eric Woodyard, Frank Ragnow, Scott Smith and Stacey Dales, previewing the Detroit Lions’ second playoff rematch to start the season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to town on Sunday.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Takes the snap, turns, gives to Montgomery.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Bright Side tucks out the Trod Lions.

Speaker 1 (00:06):
This game over. Pack it up, boys, we're going home.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to week two of the NFL season. Lines have
another rematch of the playoffs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I'm really happy to welcome in. Eric Woodyard does a
great job with ESPN covering the Detroit Lions.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
Eric.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Before we start, though, I have to give it off,
shout out to my son Connor twenty men turned seventeen
this week. Your son Ethan, you bring him around. He
comes around during training camp and stuff. Holds Ethan ten. Now,
I was a travel hockey dad, travel baseball dad.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Yeah, it's pretty good basketball basketball.

Speaker 4 (00:46):
He just started football. So yeah, shout out to Connor
our happy birthday. Well, yeah, want son, man, he doing
all that type of stuff. Man, every day, I feel
like I'm ripping a running this morning, same thing. I
took him to school, you know, yeah, practice last night,
practice today. So it's ten.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
That's a fun age, man. That's when they're starting to
kind of get into their own right. It is all right, Well,
let's get into this matchup because it's a good one.
And look Eric, you had a great statistic about just
how difficult this Lion's schedule was to start.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Obviously, had the Week.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
One rematch of the Wildcard playoffs with the Rams, get
an overtime win there, Now you run it right back,
you get a Division round rematch against the Bucks.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Had you had a crazy sting.

Speaker 4 (01:20):
So I was doing my research, you know, and definitely
it's kind of rare for teams to have these early
playoff rematches, you know, to start the season. So obviously
the Rams Week one, you come back with Tampa Bay.
It's only been you know, three other teams in NFL
history that have you know, ran it back from the
previous two playoff rematches, and all three of those teams
reached the super Bowl. So you look at two thousand
and seven, the Patriots, they lost in the super Bowl.

(01:42):
But before that, the nineteen eighty the nineteen eighty four
to forty nine Ers they won the super Bowl, and
the nineteen sixty six Packers they won a Super Bowl.
So this is rare territory, you know, for them to
come back and run it back. So I mean, I
know it's been Super Bowl, Super Bowl, and Dan Campbell
and the players trying to get away from it. But
it is Super Bowl those type of I mean, it's
hard to overlook stuff like that when we're looking into that,
so you know, that's kind of rare.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
It was a big win Week one.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
You know, obviously overtime, tough opponent, that's a team I
think that you're going to see it when it's all
said and done, the NFC fighting for a playoff spot,
and that's critical when it comes to tie breakers and matchups.
You get another one this week. Let's get into three
big keys about this week's matchup. First, to me, it's
it's I thought Baker Mayfield and that offense looked terrific.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
Now, that passing game was great, Baker, I.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Think it was twenty four of thirty, two hundred and
eighty nine yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, one hundred and
forty four, one hundred and forty point, the three passer
rating and it's a first year new offensive co Liam
Cohen there Just what did you see from that performance?
And what does what does Detroit have to do to
try to limit that kind of explosiveness.

Speaker 4 (02:47):
So funny story, I mean, Baker, I picked him up
later on my fantasy team, so I was watching that
relatively closely when he was doing I got a lot
of points off that so shot the Baker first week,
let me get that weird. But yeah, so, I mean
I thought it was cool. You know, he got a
lot of different targets over there. You know, that's a
high powered offense over there. You look at what Rashaan
White was able to do, seventy seventy five receiving yards.

(03:07):
Chris Godwin, you know, Jayleen McMillan, Mike Evans, all those
guys were able to, you know, really really shine in
that first game. So I think the Lions they really
have to be disciplined. They need smart play from Carlton Davis.

Speaker 5 (03:17):
I know.

Speaker 4 (03:17):
You know, Carlton Davis got experience those guys six seasons.
You know those guys, So I think that's somewhat of
an advantage having six years under his belt to play
with them. And then we need Terry On Arnold, you know,
those guys to step up, you know, be a little
more disciplined. I thought he was up and down in
that first week, but I think a little more consistent
play from him. Also, you know, you look at the safeties, Kirby, Joseph,
Brian Branch. I think they're gonna play a big role

(03:37):
in this game, So I think they need guys to
be more consistent, a little more disciplined, and I think
from there on, I think, you know, just cleaning up
a little bit of that play that was really the
off season. What they really wanted to clean up was
that secondary So you know, stronger play from those guys,
it's gonna be a big challenge.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
And that was the Week one, right.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
We always see sloppier play, a little bit more inconsistent
play with Week one, especially when you couple the fact
that those guys hadn't played a lot of time in
the training camp. I mean, those guys were injured at
different points and didn't get a whole lot of time,
and now you're dealing with the environment there and the
turned out Lions fans and the noise and communication. So
I would expect that to be much better. You look
at that performance, and obviously Matthew threw for over three

(04:14):
hundred yards, had a lot of success, but when you
look at Davis and Arnold specifically, they targeted Davis thirteen times,
completed nine for one hundred and fourteen yards, but sixty
three of those was a short catch and run that
he slipped on the nine yard touchdown pass to Cooper Cup.
Another play he slipped on Terry and Arnold through him
ten times completed eight.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
One of those was a really.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Nice route by Cooper Cup, a twenty one yard comeback
that you know, kind of turned Arnold around a little bit.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
Really good route.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
But other than that, seven catches for thirty six yards.
I think when it's all said and then the lines
will take that right.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
You know, and so that sham. Yeah, you got to. Yeah,
but this matchup's a little bit different.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
I mean those guys, especially Mike Evans on the outside,
it's a different. Cooper Cup is kind of that precision guy,
that route runner. That guy's always in the right spot.
Mike Evans is a guy I thought Baker Mayfield said
it best this week. He said, if it's fifty to fifty,
it's not really fifty to fifty. I like mister Evans
on that one, and he's right. I mean, that is
such a weapon, right, Yeah, definitely a big weapon. And

(05:09):
like you said, you got to have guys to be disciplined.
I think they were a little rusty though in that
first game. Just going back to your point, and I
asked a couple of guys that after the first game
for the Lions, I think, I think you have to
factor that in. No preseason experience, like you say, injury,
so I think, like you say, it has.

Speaker 4 (05:23):
To be cleaned up a little more, right. I mean
definitely when you get that time off. I don't think
they're gonna, like Dan Campbell was saying, not use them
for the preseason again going forward. That's not like an excuse,
I don't think. But you have to factor that aspect
in as well. And you're throwing them right in the
deep end, especially these guys that's young, that's quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
All.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, of course, I expect it to be better all
the way around, both sides of the ball, you know,
week two, and I think of one big part getting
into our second keys for that is how do they
get it?

Speaker 1 (05:51):
I'm say I'm more involved, man.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
I can imagine if anybody who's been around this guy,
I know he was extremely bish his dad.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
I talked to his dad.

Speaker 4 (06:00):
He said he better not be over there getting you know,
getting complacent, because they got the ads around the city.
He got the Little Seasons commercial. So I don't think
his family's tolerating that. I don't think he's tolerating that.
You know, the guy, what six targets, three receptions, thirteen yards.
That's not gonna happen again. I mean, that's just not
This is typical. And I think this defense is tailored
for him to get off. I mean, you look at
what he was able to do last year when they

(06:20):
played them in the playoffs. He had a touchdown the
game before that. They saw it them week six. You know,
twelve receptions, you know, tied for the second most at
the time, and you know in his career, So I
think this is a game to kind of get him
back on track. And I think, you know, they were
trying to get him involved. I think it was just
a mix of you know, them with the coverage, and
I think it was just a mix of just things
falling apart a little bit, Like you know, Jered Goff

(06:42):
said after the game, you know, he was like he
didn't feel like they were doing anything in particular, so
like take him out of it. But I think, you know,
he's a focal point now. Obviously it was a big game,
and I think it was just a quiet night. Jmo
got off with so many different weapons so I don't
think anybody expected him to have that type of game again.
And I think you look at the success that he
did had last year against his Buccaneer team, I don't
really see him really falling off at off anything. He's

(07:03):
probably pissed off this week.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
And one of the big storylines this week coming on
Tampa Bay is the issues that they're having a cornerback
and safety. Some of the injuries they have there, Bryce
Hall going to ir Zion McCollum had a concussion, left
of the Dame, Josh Hayes, their number one backup has
an ankle injury, and then Antoine Winfield was in a.

Speaker 1 (07:18):
Boot after that game.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
So I mean, that's the chunk of your second and
they've had to sign, you know, an undrafted guy this
weekend and that's very much in flux, and I think
that's advantage a'man Ross Saint Brown, Jared Golf this passing
attack at home, I would expect we see a much
bigger performance from Saint Brown's I.

Speaker 4 (07:36):
Think so man, that guys, you know, one of the
most disciplined, motivated guys, and any little thing he looking
at so I know he's licking his chops to try
to get back out there to.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
Saint Brownie your fantasy team.

Speaker 4 (07:46):
No, no, I have Baker, all right, I don't got
on this edition.

Speaker 2 (07:52):
Right, Let's get into our third big key and one
that I think we're both excited to see is what
kind of impact.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
Can DJ Reader have?

Speaker 2 (07:59):
Because if you watch that Rams game, you have to
be excited about the way that front minus DJ Reader
got after Matthew Stafford. Not a ton of sacks too,
but they hit him twelve times. He you know, he
was on the run a little bit. He was pressured
all game. And now you add a guy like DJ
Reader into the mix.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
You're smiling. I'm spine.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
I Dan Campbell's smiling down the stairs. And what do
you expect from him?

Speaker 4 (08:20):
Man, I think he's going to come in. I don't
think there's no pressure on him. I think he's going
to come in and find his way. He really helped
their interior defense out a lot.

Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
I mean, you know, I talked to him before the
season started as he was trying to get in the
loop of everything, and he was saying, yeah, he doesn't
feel as any pressure. He just want to come in
and be an impact player. He's not relied upon to
get crazy amount of stacked stats or anything like that.
He's just going to come in and be consistent veteran presence.
You got Levi, you know, you got Ellen McNeil, and
I think they're super excited to play with this veteran.
He's been a part of a turnaround as well already before,

(08:49):
coming from you know, the Bengals team, and I think
that that that type of stuff like that is you know, invaluable.
So I think he brings that as well as his
as well as his production. So I expect him to
really help that interior.

Speaker 2 (09:00):
And you mentioned Levi, and I thought he had a
terrific Week one game. But now when you put DJ
into that mix and Marcus Davenport, I thought had a
great game. Now there's not only talent eat but there's
depth along that defensive front.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
And that's important.

Speaker 2 (09:11):
When you talk about seventeen games a eighteen week schedule,
you're gonna need those guys. And now they can run
guys in and out, they can keep guys fresh. That
hasn't always been the case here. You've had some studs
obviously on this defensive line, but now you got five
six guys that can go out there, make place for
you and compete. You can shuffle those guys in, keep
them fresh. I think that's huge. And just from a

(09:33):
rushing perspective, you look at Tampa Bay thirty rushes one
hundred and twelve yards three point seven average.

Speaker 1 (09:38):
Not bad.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Okay, now you're putting Alee McNeil and DJ Reader, the
too top ten run stuffers in the league, next to
each other. I just want to see how that works together.
Just all that beef right there, I mean that's bringing
the beef.

Speaker 4 (09:52):
Yeah, McNeil. I mean he was saying they want to
be violent. That's what that's what these defense want to
be on that So you add him into that. This
defense is violent, it's mean, it's angry, and I think
you add a guy like DJ Reader only makes it
even better.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
And I think it's gonna allow guys like alexans A
Lonely to fly around. If you saw him thirteen tackles,
three tackles for lost last week. Just everything is gonna,
I think open up for the guys behind them. It's
gonna be a much faster paced I think more playmaking
with that Detroit defense with him in the center there,
because he's gonna take double teams, and so it's Hutch

(10:23):
and so now you get Marcus Davenport one on one,
you get a Lee McNeil one on one. Just as
an offensive line, what do you do?

Speaker 1 (10:30):
How do you attack it?

Speaker 2 (10:31):
And I think that's the fun thing if you're a
Detroit Lions fan.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
Definitely, definitely, man, this team is revamped it especially defensively
in that area particularly. We talked about secondary earlier. So
once they all put it together, get time to play
shake the Russ we haven't even saw. I feel like,
as long as they stay healthy, the best of this
team at all. I mean that was just a little,
really small window that we saw this first week. So
it's a lot of excitement with that defense.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
You're exciting Lions fans here, I know, because it's a
great atmosphere Week one, it's going to be a great
atmosphere here, a tough opponent if you can come away.
I think with two wins off two playoff caliber teams
have those tie breakers, I think that's huge for this team.
Those were the three keys to Sunday's game. He is
Eric Wood, who does a great job with ESPN. We'll

(11:14):
be back in a minute. Welcome back to the twenty
in the Huddle podcast. Very happy to welcome Frank rag
now all Pro Center for the Detroit Lions, brand new
father I saw that piece on ABC. How fun was
that to be a part of and just how is
fatherhood changing a little bit?

Speaker 1 (11:34):
Frank, Yeah, it was really cool.

Speaker 6 (11:36):
I think the coolest part to me was to be
able to highlight my wife because she's incredible and does
a lot for our family. And I'm extremely blessed. But
it's been It's every It's amazing. It's such a huge
change of my perspective on everything in life. I feel

(11:56):
like it's called me. I really realize what matters. Football
is just football to me now, and I just feel
like it's made me a better person and father or husband, everything.
He's just been such a blessing.

Speaker 1 (12:12):
And I saw Matt training camp a couple of times.
How old is he now?

Speaker 6 (12:15):
He's getting he's over he's just turned thirteen months.

Speaker 2 (12:17):
Just thirteen months, so he's starting to be on the
move now and stuff like that.

Speaker 1 (12:22):
That's a tough time.

Speaker 2 (12:23):
I'll age myself here, Frank, you know how crazy it is.
And my advice to you is taking every day.

Speaker 1 (12:29):
Mine turned seventeen.

Speaker 6 (12:31):
Yes, is crazy, but it feels like it's flying thirteen.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
Months fly by, haven't it? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (12:37):
How cool is it to be in a room there too?
And that piece highlight on ABC if you haven't seen,
it's a great one. It gets all five of you
guys who are now dads together. But just to have
that community within that offensive line group and just have
guys that are in similar spots, wives that are in
similar spots.

Speaker 1 (12:52):
I think you guys highlighted that too. It feels like
family in that room. It always has been, but especially now,
don't it.

Speaker 6 (12:58):
For sure? It's a blessing to be able to lean
on these guys, asked the advice of Penay Graham, Taylor Kevin,
like to hear what they have to say, and they've
already been through it, and then we all are going
through a lot of the same things, so we're able
to relate and have good conversation about it all.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
All right, let's get to football. How rewarding was that
overtime drive for you? I mean, you guys pride yourself
on playing big boy ball offensive line here you have
for years, but that was the true definition of it
right there. I mean, six rushes sixty yards, went right
down the field through it one time for ten yards,
but that was big boy ball. How impressive was that?

Speaker 1 (13:32):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (13:32):
It felt good. Would have liked to get that going
a little bit earlier in the game, but we able
to make it happen. You definitely felt like David was
hit a different level there and it was pretty special
to be a part of that. I feel like the
whole offense kind of feeledes him as he feeled off
him as he kept going, and then we just tried
to execute or do our job and do what we
need to do.

Speaker 1 (13:51):
How much did you guys appreciate having a running back
like that back?

Speaker 2 (13:54):
I mean, they talk all the time about the kind
of thunder and lightning, but David really can be that
thun But there's a little lightning in there.

Speaker 1 (14:01):
To you, he's kind of that mixed guy.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
But when he gets going, man, he is really tough
to tackle, but guys bounce off him and he's just
a guy that can run between the tackles make big plays.
How nice is it to have a guy like that
running behind you.

Speaker 6 (14:13):
Yeah, he's relentless and to know that he's one cutaway
or running over, one guy away from making a big one.
It definitely motivates you more to finish your block. Block
a little bit harder for a few more seconds and
see what happens. And he showed it.

Speaker 1 (14:25):
You guys gonna get that going first quarter this week.
We're gonna laugh goal hard to go, you know.

Speaker 2 (14:31):
And I wrote after the game that the good teams
in this league find a way to win when they
don't play their best football. Is that one of the
takeaways that you can take from last week? And especially offensively,
I don't think we've seen this offense be explosive, one
of the best in the league. You weren't quite there
last week, especially in the passing game. But week one
is kind of the unknown.

Speaker 1 (14:50):
Is that?

Speaker 2 (14:51):
The one takeaway there that, hey, we're a good football team.
We still find a way to win even though we
don't play our best football.

Speaker 6 (14:56):
That's the good takeaway. That's what you have to take
away from it. You also have to be hard on yourself,
your harshest critics, and see where we went wrong and
fix all that stuff and not forget about that in
a win. But yeah, the good takeaway is good teams
find a way to win ugly. And I feel like
we did play some COMPROMENTNI football with the offense, defense,
and special team, so that's a good sign.

Speaker 2 (15:14):
What was the biggest disappointment for you after watching the tape? Money,
What's one area you'd like to see this offense maybe
clean up, especially heading into a Bucks game on Sunday.

Speaker 6 (15:22):
I'd just say, operation, we could definitely be cleaner, whether
it's false starts or whatnot, and how we're uh the
tempo in and out of the huddle and all that
stuff like that really can stress out a defense if
you're really on your p's and q's there.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
What about Kevin Zeitler, you got your first chance kind
of playing, you know, next to him. How has he
worked into that mix? Obviously an experienced player, played for
a terrific team in Baltimore. How does he fit into
that mix? How do you like that set up there
along the right side with you him?

Speaker 6 (15:49):
And obviously yeah, he's a strong, strong guard and does
a great job moving double teams him and had a
couple of them this week that were pretty good.

Speaker 2 (15:57):
Talk about this challenge this week with the Bucks. I mean,
that's a defense that is gonna come. They're going to
pressure you a lot of different ways. I think they
run pretty much every single defense in the book. When
you look through the course of a game. Just how
difficult the task this week? What's the main focus heading
into Sunday.

Speaker 6 (16:13):
Yeah, Coach Bowls is going to really stress you out.
I think they can run any coverage, any pressure, a
whole lot of fronts, and then you combine that with
a lot of talent upfront and a lot of guys
who've been in that system for a while, so we're
gonna have our hands full. They do a great job
stopping the run, They've always done a great job under him,
and then they'll bring a whole bowload of different pressures,
whether it's cover zero pressures or linebacker dogs, free safety,

(16:36):
They're bringing it all. So you got to really be
on your p's and q's. We got to make sure
we're overly communicating and trying to make sure we're all
on the same page.

Speaker 1 (16:42):
And you talked about some of the dogs that Vida
Bay is one of them.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
When I see that, do you take that approach sometimes
when you know you got a guy like that who's
just gonna be on you all game long, who's a
giant human being. Like Saturday, before the game, you're obviously
excited about. You're like, Oh, it's gonna be such an
heach all day.

Speaker 6 (17:02):
Freaking grizzly bear. Yeah, it's gonna be this. I know
I'm gonna have my hands full extremely large, extremely strong,
extremely athletic, very talented players, so got to bring in
every snap.

Speaker 1 (17:14):
You look forward to matchups like that too.

Speaker 2 (17:16):
I know we've talked in the past, like before you're
playing the Rams and getting like an Aaron Donald type
when you get those elite type players, do you look
forward to to those matchups.

Speaker 6 (17:24):
Part of it? Yeah, Like there's there's some parts you're
like not looking forward to that, but like, to be
able to compete against the best is only going to
bring out your best.

Speaker 1 (17:33):
I feel like, does he rank up there?

Speaker 2 (17:35):
Like do you have like a top three like currently playing?
I know Aaron Donald retires, so he's probably off that
list current current like list of the top three guys
that you're.

Speaker 6 (17:43):
Like like true noses. Yeah, him and Dexter are right
up there. Yeah, those two are like true nose guards.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
Those are the best, and you just know every play
they're going to be right across from You've got to
do your job. Here we go, here, we go. I
love it.

Speaker 2 (17:59):
Here we go again at Ford Field. What a great
atmosphere that was obviously all playoffs last year, but week
won as well.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
You expect the same thing.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
How much, Frank, is that becoming a home field advantage
for you and one of the best ones.

Speaker 5 (18:10):
In the league. Yeah.

Speaker 6 (18:11):
I don't think people realize how special it is and
how hard it is as an offense to operate on
the road when your crowd is absurd, like for me
as a center going on the road when it is
when you can't hear yourself, the communication and everything is
so much harder, and that really will frazzle on offense.
So the lotter we can be and we are so loud,

(18:33):
it is a huge advantage for us on defense.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
That's gonna be a crazy environment. I think the Tigers
are going on next door.

Speaker 1 (18:40):
Obviously it's going to be crazy in there.

Speaker 2 (18:42):
You get another NFC playoff rematch, an important game in
the NFC because at the end, you know those tie
breakers and things like that are gonna matter.

Speaker 1 (18:50):
It should be a fun one. What's the vibe in
the locker room going into this one? What's the feeling.

Speaker 6 (18:56):
I think we're excited, we know we're going to have
our hands full. We know there's very talented team on
offense and defense, and it's going to be a great
test for us.

Speaker 2 (19:05):
Well, it should be a really fun game. He is
frank right now, all pro center, one of the best
in the business. Thanks for joining the twenty in the podcast.

Speaker 1 (19:11):
I appreciate you for sure.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
You welcome back to the twenty then the Huddle podcast,
and I'm very happy to welcome Scott Smith, the senior
writer editor over at Buccaneers dot com. He does a
great job covering everything Bucks and Scott. I feel like
a little bit of deja vous. I had Jordan Redriek
from the Rams here last week, and now I've got you.

Speaker 1 (19:34):
It's like a playoff do over here to start the
regular season.

Speaker 5 (19:38):
Yeah, and we talked last year last year, and I
enjoyed that quite a bit. Didn't enjoy the outcome of
the games all that much, although that playoff game up
in Detroit was it was a pretty good game. It
was tied going into the fourth quarter, so disappointed in
how it ended, but we certainly felt like we played
well well.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
I have to ask you to start obviously a big
win for the books week one, you know, really took
care of business against Washington. But are you being signed
to play cornerback for the Buccaneers this Sunday? Because, boy,
that that was really an issue coming out of that game.
Where do you guys stand in terms of the cornerback
position in your health in the secondary.

Speaker 5 (20:13):
Well, we haven't got our injury report for the day yet,
so there's nothing official, but coach did tell us that
Zion McCollum, who was the starter opposite Jamel Dean and
then suffered a concussion, he did practice in a limited
fashion today. Coach bowl says he needs to see a
lot more before the week is done, and obviously he
has to clear the concussion protocol, but there's a chance
he'll be back. We had to put Bryce Hall on

(20:36):
injury reserve. He's the guy who came in for Zion
McCollum because he hurt his ankle, and then the next
man in would have been Josh Hayes, as second year
player we drafted last year, but he heard his ankle
on a special teams play, so we were down to
no corner. We only have four active corners that day,
and so one of our second year safety who played
slot corner last year came in to play outside corner,

(20:58):
a position a position he hadn't take a snap at
since he was a sophomore in high school Christian Izzian,
and he actually did a really good job. However, he's
probably not going to play there this week because Antoine
Winfield Junior is probably not gonna play due to a
foot injury, and they want to play Christian isy In
at safety now at pre safety. So uh, that's probably
how it'll shake out. We see, we'll see how some

(21:18):
of these injuries go. We also have an undrafted rookie
they like named Tyree Funderberg, and we resent a guy
who was on our practice squad last last year named
Keenan Isaac, so we have options there. It's the same
thing the coaches always say, next man up, So we'll
see how it goes.

Speaker 3 (21:32):
Now.

Speaker 2 (21:32):
There's a lot of moving parts obviously there with with
with the secretary going into an important game because you
know this is obviously two teams that face each other
in the playoffs last year, face each other in the
regular season. That Week six game was you know, important
for seeding and stuff like that. You don't know where
that's going to end up. You know, at the at
the end of the year here with two teams that
are expected to be in the mix in the playoffs.

(21:54):
But Scott, what was your impression of the win last
week against Washington? What was your biggest takeaway from from
from that match up?

Speaker 5 (22:00):
In that win, Well, I think it's how efficient and
productive the offense was right out of the gate. As
you know, shorter preseasons and more teams like we didn't
are not playing their starters a lot in the preseason.
RS only got one drive and so it would have
not been surprising for both teams to kind of come
out and be a little bit rusty on offense. But
the Bucks scored on their first five drives, then punted once,

(22:22):
and then scored three more times before a kneel down.
So seven scores in eight possessions is pretty darn good.
And it was really sort of a nice test run
for Liam Cohen and his new offense, and there was
a lot to like about it. There was a lot
to like about a running game that looks a little
bit better and now has two contributors in Rashad White
and Bucky Irving, and just I think the key to

(22:42):
me was we were nine to thirteen on third downs,
And what Liam Cohen said a lot during press conferences
leading up to the season was he wants this offense
and Baker in particular, to have answers. So when they
go out there and maybe they were thinking they were
going to see zone and then it looks like, man,
they have answers for that or vice versa. And they
have a lot a variety of run plays, and I
think the answers showed up on third downs nine of thirteen.

(23:06):
Is was the best of any team did this weekend.

Speaker 2 (23:08):
Yeah, they were really good on third down, and really
the passing game in general was really good. Baker makingfil
was efficient. Obviously, Mike Evans is Mike Evans, ten straight
years with one thousand receiving yards. He's always an issue.
I think that'll be one of the really interesting matchups
in this one comes Sunday. Is is that passing attack,
those weapons on the outside against really a very new

(23:28):
look Detroit secondary led by a guy that you guys
are pretty familiar with over there, Carlton Davis third.

Speaker 1 (23:34):
Just we saw week one what he can do. A
veteran guy.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
But you know what did he show you over you know,
six years in Tampa Bay? What kind of player is
Detroit getting and how much can maybe that help maybe
both sides, because those are gonna be two guys very
familiar with each other. Mike Evans is gonna be familiar
with Carlton vice versa. And how might that dynamic work
Sunday as well.

Speaker 5 (23:57):
Yeah, I think that last point is a good one
and it will be interesting, interesting to see who that
gives the advantage to, offensive player or defender. I don't
know yet, but yeah, Carlton really had a nice I
think six years here when he was definitely when he
was fully healthy and when he was playing in his peak,
he was I think he was a very underrated corner
for many of those years. For some stretch he had

(24:18):
a whole lot of pass breakups. I think he led
the league over a course of two season span at
one point, and he just he was a guy. He
was the only guy that we've really had in recent
years that there were certain games where you would take
him and have him shadow one specific receiver and he
did that really well on a couple occasions. So you
guys obviously got a very good player and you saw
that in Week one. The familiarity factor is going to

(24:40):
be interesting though, and.

Speaker 2 (24:41):
It'll be interesting to those veteran receivers. Now on the
other side is Terry and Arnold a rookie. He's only
played one game, look pretty good against the Rams, but
he'll obviously be tested. That should be one of the
fun matchups. Yeah, I heard that Baker Mayfield talk and
when the schedule came out that this was maybe one
of those games that some of those guys had had,
you know, circle when the schedule comes out, just because

(25:01):
of the way obviously last year ended in Detroit in
a playoff loss, and now you get to go back
there so early this week. Is that one that that
guys have been looking forward to once the schedule came
out maybe a little bit.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
The chance of redemption in Detroit.

Speaker 5 (25:16):
Absolutely, definitely one hundred percent. And just today Baker Mayfield said,
I think another big part of this is that the
Buccaneers considered playing the Lions a great measuring stick. So
you said it earlier. It's early in the season. We
don't know how this outcome will affect playoff seedings or
who wins divisions and so on. But no matter who
wins the game, if the Buccaneers feel like they're on

(25:37):
an equal footing with the Lions this weekend, especially up
there in that Rockets environment, they will consider that a
good measuring stick, and that's you know, there's I guess
I would put it this way. There aren't high national
expectations for the Bucks yet again this year, despite three
straight division titles and us pretty much keeping everybody we
had last year. There's a lot more obviously expectations internally.

(25:59):
But beating Washington in the first week after they you know,
pretty much struggled last year and have a rookie quarterback
isn't something that gave the Nashville media a whole lot
of reason to move us up a power ranking or whatever. Now,
if the Buccaneers look like they're on equal footing with
the Lions, especially in Detroit, that could change some people's minds.

Speaker 2 (26:17):
Well, I can tell you this, Dan Campbell and everybody
at the Meer Performance Center isn't taking the isn't overlooking
the Bucks. They know that's a darn good football team.
It took everything that they needed to do to beat
that team in the division playoffs. Obviously came down to
the last minute, the last drive there. So you know,
they're certainly not being overlooked here, especially if you look
at the way Baker Mayfield that offense played last week.

(26:38):
I think Detroit's defense has their work cut out for him.
But Scott, maybe one or two keys for you and
for the bucks for in this matchup in Detroit, one
or two things they really have to do well to
walk out of Detroit with a victory.

Speaker 5 (26:52):
Well, I'll start with the obvious cliche one, but I
think it's particularly true here. In the two losses to
Detroit last year, I believe the combined turn over margin
was three to zero in your favor. And it's hard,
really really hard on the road, especially in that environment
in Ford Field, especially if you do it early and
allow that whole building and the team to gain some
early momentum by turning the ball over early. You really

(27:15):
have to avoid that. It is really hard to win
on the road when you turn the ball over. So
we didn't have any takeaways, we didn't have any turnovers
in our first game. I think that could swing it
a little bit. And I think you've talked about it
a lot here, But how well will Baker and our
great offensive pass catching weapons fare against this new looking
Detroit secondary, Because I mean Baker threw the ball to

(27:38):
our top three targets pretty much obviously are Mike Evans,
Chris Godwin, and the running back were Sean White. He
threw twenty passes in their direction in that game and
completed nineteen of them. I mean, that's an unbelievable efficiency rate.
The only one that wasn't complete was a scrambling overthrow
in the end zone to Mike Evans. So if they
can do that kind of efficiency and can get guys

(27:59):
open in the secondary, that would because this could end
up being a shootout with all of the injury players
we have on defense. We also have some injury problems
up front on the defensive line, So injuries at the
front and the back is going to make it even
harder to stop that great Detroit defense. So I think
the Buccaneers have to be able to score to keep up,
and how Baker and his targets do against those new

(28:20):
guys in the secondary is probably the key.

Speaker 2 (28:21):
Yeah, I know, you've been around Mike Evans for a
long time.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
You know him. Does he even marvel you?

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Because from the outside looking in, you look at ten
straight one thousand yard seasons, you just look at the
consistency with him, the size and the speed, the ability
to catch fifty fifty balls. I love the comment that
Baker made. I think it was earlier today that that, yeah,
it's not really a fifty to fifty ball when it's
up to Mike Evans. I think that's advantage mister Evans.
He said, but do you marvel at that guy's just

(28:49):
consistent talent weekend week out, year in year out.

Speaker 5 (28:53):
I guess we've come to expect it now, but it
is pretty amazing. And two touchdowns in his first game. Uh,
he looks just the same. Last year, he looked like
he was in twenty seventeen form. He looks just as
good now. I don't know if did you happen to
see Kyle Brants peace on him today?

Speaker 1 (29:08):
I didn't know.

Speaker 5 (29:09):
He had teased that he had a hot take on Twitter.
He had teased that he had a hot take about Mike,
but then he didn't share it for like a day,
And today he came out and he said, Mike Evans
is the greatest player in Buccaneers history. Now, he did
acknowledge that he meant the word greatest, not necessarily best,
because we have five guys in the Hall of Fame.

(29:30):
They're all on the defensive side. But Kyle's argument was,
he's been so consistent for so long, and he's a
great guy in the locker room, he's a team leader,
he's just a great dude first of all. And to
have all those together, and Kyle's opinion makes him the
greatest buccaneer ever. I'd probably have to do a little
thinking to see if I agree or not, but he's
definitely up there, and you said it yourself. He's just

(29:53):
so consistent, year after year, game after game. He's never
played fewer than thirteen games in a season. As you know,
he's he's at ninety six touchdowns now, which is twelfth
all time, and he's four away from becoming the eleventh
player in NFL history to get one hundred touchdown catches.
He is, he's been a joy to be around for
more than a decade now and he's still going strong.

Speaker 2 (30:15):
Well that the Lions will certainly have their hands full
with him, and he's obviously been a guy that has
been around. The Lions know him very well. But maybe
who's a guy who's maybe new to this year or
maybe has an increased role. Maybe it wasn't a big
part of that Week six game, wasn't a big part
of the division game. But maybe who could be a
factor Sunday afternoon here in Detroit for the Bucks.

Speaker 5 (30:35):
Yeah, I'll go with our rookie center, Graham Barton, who
we drafted him out of Duke. He primarily played tackle
of Duke, but the plan all long was to move
him to center, and he did win a competition for
that job, and in the preseason and then in this
first game, he has really graded out very highly with
the coaches. He's he's a guy that's very athletic. You
could see on tape him and our right guard Cody

(30:56):
malk Mauk, they have good speed for that position. I mean,
you guys have penned Penney Suel, so you know what
I'm talking about. He can get all over the field.
He can get downfield twenty thirty yards on the screen
and he's just moving guys at the line of scrimmage.
And our run game last year was not very good.
It was a little better at the end of season.
I don't remember how he did in the playoff game
up there, but that was a huge point of emphasis

(31:19):
and we needed to get better in the interior line
because the tackle's played pretty well. So we got a
new center in Graham Barton. We got Ben Brettison and
he's played very well from the Giants. And then our
second year guy, Cody Mauk, a second round pick a
year ago, really put on a lot of strength and
size in the offseason because that was really his main
deficiency as a rookie. He's very good technically and very athletic,
but he just was having a little trouble with some

(31:40):
of the more bigger, more powerful guys. So you've got
those guys now actually moving guys and creating lanes and
cutback lanes for our running backs, and it's the running
game has completely revitalized so far, and that could be
a major difference between this team now and the last
time you guys saw it.

Speaker 2 (31:59):
Yeah, Graham Barton was a guy that I loved in
the draft. I was kind of hoping he would he
would fall to Detroit. Uh, it worked out with him
getting obviously Terry and Arnold, But but he's a guy
that I really love.

Speaker 1 (32:08):
Fits what they do.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
When you talk about the wrong game, I can see
that having watched his tape at Duke and the way
that he can move people. I can see how that's
an instant upgrade. But you guys played in Detroit in
the playoffs obviously last year. You know the atmosphere. You
can expect a similar thing. If it's anything like last week,
those guys were, those people in that same were turned
up and it's going to be loud. Do anything different

(32:30):
to prepare for that? Or does it help that you
were just there, you know, at the end of last
year and probably its most frenzy environment. Does it help
that they know what they're in for.

Speaker 5 (32:38):
Yeah, I think so, And I feel like they felt
like they handled that pretty well. And really a lot
of our guys after that game and this week before
this game, I've talked about how much they really enjoyed
playing in that atmosphere. It just gets them pumped up too.
But it is obviously a challenge, and if you saw
us in our practice practice field, like any team that's
coming up to play there, you're practicing the things you

(32:59):
do in order to be able to communicate. That doesn't
mean it'll be easy, but they do feel like they
did a pretty good job of communicating last year, and
so that probably gives them confidence that they're going into
this game that they can do it again.

Speaker 2 (33:10):
Well, it should be a really fun atmosphere, Scott. It's
two really good teams that everything are going to be
right there in the end in the playoff picture in
the NFC. So it's a big two week two matchup.
You gotta love those in the NFL. It's fun you, sir,
have a safe trip up here. I will make sure
I come and say hello and thank you. As always,
always great stuff from you from a Bucks perspective. I
appreciate you taking the time. Scott Smith, senior writer and

(33:33):
editor for Buccaneers dot Com.

Speaker 5 (33:34):
Thanks a lot, Tim, I really enjoyed it.

Speaker 1 (33:40):
Welcome back to the twenty minute Huddle Podcast.

Speaker 2 (33:42):
And I am very excited you guys and gals out
there because I have absolutely one of the best in
the business, Stacey Dales, who just got promoted to senior
national reporter.

Speaker 1 (33:53):
Very well deserved.

Speaker 2 (33:54):
Stacey has her hand on everything in the NFL. She
got a pulse on everything. Great information here. We're gonna
get into lines, we're gonna get into the NFC North
a little bit.

Speaker 1 (34:05):
Stacey, thank you so much for joining me. Welcome to
the twenty Huddle Podcast. How you been.

Speaker 3 (34:10):
Hey, what's up, Tim? Thanks for the intro. That was
super cool. I've been good.

Speaker 7 (34:16):
I've been ready for football for so long, and we
had an interesting Week one and here we're on to
Week two, and fortunately I am headed to Detroit because
I get the Bucks and Lions in Week two.

Speaker 3 (34:27):
Can't wait.

Speaker 1 (34:28):
Oh that's perfect.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
We usually talk, you know, obviously before the season, we
give kind of a preview of of of the NFC North.
But I love the fact that we get to talk
after week one because now some stuff has happened here,
We've got kind of an idea of who these teams
are starting to be. Well, let's start in Detroit, since
you are doing Detroit and and Tampa. Obviously a great
Week one win over you know, a team we I

(34:53):
think we both expect to be right in the mix
in the playoff picture in the NFC in the Rams.
What was your biggest takeaway from from that Week one
win for Detroit.

Speaker 7 (35:01):
I think my biggest takeaway was the overtime drive, right,
I mean, it was impressive, you know, going back and
looking at you first of all, it was just such
an exciting atmosphere. Matthew Stafford through the ball of kazillion times,
as you know, Tim, But I found the resolve of
the Lions to show up, like, let's carry this thing
over from the NFC Championship and show why we were

(35:23):
in that game and why we're you know, trying to
play for Super Bowl this season once again. First overtime
victory since twenty sixteen for the Detroit Lions. So when
you could finish a game in that fashion and on
the ground, by the way, with that drive it was
what was an eight place seven yard touchdown drive to
win it. Just the resolve, the conviction in the play

(35:46):
calling right and to see demo scorer at the end
of that drive and just close out the deal at home.
To me, that's the mark of tried and tested football team.
And it's only Week one, so I think that bodes well.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
No, that's a good line, and I think how I
wrote it or how I described it after the game
is good football teams in this league win games when
they don't play their best football. And that's I think
one takeaway from Detroit is you didn't play they didn't
play their best football, but they still found a way.
You talked about that drive and look, I'm on Roth
Saint Brown three catches thirteen yards and you still produce

(36:21):
enough points to win a game like that. So you know,
other guys step up. Jamison Williams and you know obviously Demo,
who you talked about when you I think we both
stays can expect this offense to be pretty good. We
expect Saint Brown to get rolling in this passing it
to get rolling a little bit. But to me, it's
always been how far this Lion's team will go? Is

(36:42):
how far this kind of revamp, new look defense can
take them?

Speaker 1 (36:46):
Do you agree?

Speaker 7 (36:47):
I do. I felt, like you know, I have just
notorious flashbacks of the second half against the San Francisco
forty nine ers in.

Speaker 3 (36:56):
That game, a game that I was at, and it
was just sitting in them.

Speaker 7 (37:00):
Press box and watching that thing unfold and watching Brock
Purty just go off.

Speaker 3 (37:04):
Not to bring it back, because the past is the past.

Speaker 7 (37:07):
In history is history, but uh, there's a reason that
the Detroit Lions retooled that defense in the fashion that
they did. I can't wait to see the growth of
Terry and Arnold and you know Ennis Rakestraw, and I
obviously love the addition of Carlton Davis, who hopefully will
give a few nuggets to his team on his former team,

(37:27):
the Tampa Bay Bucks this week. But I just I'm
just so anxious to see what Like Brad Holmes is
one of the best gms in the business and has
put together this roster over the last few seasons, and
I'm just really fascinated to see where this defense can go.
Kirby Joseph does he have Matthew Stafford's.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Number or.

Speaker 2 (37:51):
I think it might Well, you know, you know the
little quarrel between them last week obviously when he had
the hit you know that took out what was the
tight ends name Higbee Ye, he'd be took him out,
you know, obviously, and he had had the hit on
TG hockets and so you know him and Stafford get
after him. I thought about that incident right away when
Matthew through that interception to Kirby, like, oh, that had

(38:12):
to feel so great for Kirby.

Speaker 3 (38:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (38:14):
Well, we had him on in the off season on
some of our programming on NFL Network and he has
no shame in anything.

Speaker 5 (38:21):
He is.

Speaker 3 (38:21):
That guy has conviction. But you know, that's kind of
the roster they've built.

Speaker 7 (38:25):
And that's where Terry and Arnold A guy like that
comes in and adds that attitude. But you're right, Tim,
if this defense can take a step this season, the
offense is all there.

Speaker 3 (38:35):
I'm okay with am and Ra's performance.

Speaker 7 (38:37):
Actually, I mean you want more out of him because
he's an all Pro type receiver. But you know, see
Jamison Williams kind of take off and have the performance
that he did a career high. If he can do that,
almon Roe, Saint Brown's going to find more opportunities.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
I mean, as you know, he is the.

Speaker 7 (38:55):
Number one, you know, sort of chess piece that the
opposing defenses are trying to take away. Outside of the
run game, you're pleased if you if you ran the
ball the way you did.

Speaker 3 (39:07):
I think, you know, if you listen to.

Speaker 7 (39:09):
Todd Bowles, like he acknowledged this week when he talked
about the Lions, they can beat you in every way,
and I think the.

Speaker 3 (39:16):
Bucks are also a team that can do that.

Speaker 7 (39:17):
This is going to be a slug fest, I think
on Sunday between these two football teams, right Tim, Like
Baker Mayfield to me was the highest performing quarterback in
Week one of all the QBS with his you know,
four touchdown performance, and you see a healthy Chris Godwin
opposite Mike Evans.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
This offense can is and can.

Speaker 7 (39:38):
Be very explosive, but mostly they were efficient and the
offensive line did a good job.

Speaker 3 (39:43):
So this will be a fun game on Sunday.

Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
One addition to that Detroit defense too, that'll be big.
This week's stace is DJ Reader, he big free agent acquisition. Yeah,
and I just talked to him in the locker room
on Wednesday and he's excited about kind of making his
you know, the Lions debut, hutch A, Lee McNeil, DJ
Reader And we'll see if market is Davenport. He played
really well there too, So it should be fun. And

(40:07):
I agree that it could be a slugout too, especially
when you think about all the injuries that Tampa is
dealing with in their secondary. I think me and you
might have a chance to play corner for the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers Nars on Sunday. They're so down on guys,
so I could see this being high scoring, kind of
a shootout and really fun. All right, let's let's flip
over to Chicago a little bit. Now you live in Chicago,

(40:30):
you are very familiar with the Chicago Bears. Is this
basically just kind of a love You love to see
them win a football game, right when with special teams
and defense. But how concerned are you with the way
Caleb Williams played. I think we all maybe were a
little spoiled last year with how c J. Shroud came

(40:51):
in and we think maybe that's something that that you
should do. But that's a very rare case. Guys struggle.
It takes some time. How concerned are they in Chicago
about the way Caleb Williams and that offense played or
are they just happy that they you know, it was
a full team effort to get that win.

Speaker 3 (41:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (41:07):
Well I was at the game that was my first
game this season Chicago Tennessee, and you're right. The offense
just was paltry at best on Sunday. But that's what
you expect from a rookie quarterback. If I recall, and
going back in our research notes, CJ. Stroud's first game
with the Houston Texans wasn't great statistically, but his second
week was much better. So like Bobby Slowick and him

(41:30):
are going into year two and ironically they faced the
Bears in week two the Houston Texans, so.

Speaker 3 (41:37):
That'll be fun to watch how they adjust.

Speaker 7 (41:40):
I just think for Caleb Williams, we knew and we
know the Bears defense is going to be really good,
right Their secondary is elite, absolutely elite. To see what
Tyreek Stevenson and Jalen Johnson did against Tennessee and then
the turnovers, the takeaways, I think you clearly see why
Matt Eberflus is one of the best defensive play callers

(42:01):
in the National Football League. When you get a pressure
in the you know, I think it was the fourth quarter, Yeah,
and you get a pressure from DeMarcus Walker that leads
to a pick six by Tyreek Stevenson off of a
brilliant play call. That should excite Bears fans, but it's
going to take time. I just think we expect like
immediate results now from these rookies. Can you imagine, Tim,

(42:25):
I don't profess to know what it's like to have
four two hundred and fifty plus to three point fifty
or three hundred pound defensive lineman coming at me in
a pocket as a rookie quarterback in the NFL. I mean,
it's just it's hard for veteran quarterbacks at times like it.

Speaker 3 (42:43):
I just think you got to be patient.

Speaker 7 (42:45):
But I also think that, like Chicago needs to find
a run game, I think that, you know, rookie quarterbacks
need to take the check down, like when I go
back and watch Monday Night Football and Brock Party. Rock
Party is a great processor of the game. We saw
that in his rookie campaign last year.

Speaker 3 (43:00):
But he just makes the easy throw.

Speaker 7 (43:02):
Like you know, you see Jared Goff make the easy throw,
You'll see Baker do the same thing. I just think,
you know, make the easy throw. Get the tight ends involved.
I don't think Cole Kmett was involved enough on Sunday
in the past game maybe pass Pro because their offensive
line struggled with some of the looks that Dinnard Wilson
threw at the rookie quarterback. But he's going to see

(43:23):
a whole lot more of those looks here to come.
So patience is really a virtue for young quarterbacks and
offenses to start any NFL season. So defense is there, right,
But I think it's going to take time for any offense,
let alone a rookie quarterback led offense.

Speaker 2 (43:38):
No, I think it's a great point by you, because
what's the quarterback's best friend, right, that slot receiver, right
that that tight end over them, all those short easy
throws first read, it's not there swinging out to a back.
They've got a pretty good one there that can catch
the football out of the backfield. And so I agree
with you one hundred percent, and just make the game
easier for him, make it simpler for him. I know

(44:00):
you want to make the big place and he's got
a big arm and he can scramble and look down
the field. But those are hard plays. Those are hard
plays for veteran quarterbacks to make. Make the easy ones.
And then if you get that look or the play
breaks down, use his natural athleticism. Make a play, but
don't make it be a big part of the offense.
Simple easy, get it out of his hands, then open
it up for the big play. I think it's a

(44:21):
great point by you.

Speaker 3 (44:22):
Yeah, there's no question.

Speaker 7 (44:23):
And even like when I look at Monday Night Football
with Aaron Rodgers, you know, I just think Aaron Rodgers
plays the quarterback position brilliantly like I always have. I've
watched him do things that like there's no way he
could have done that, but he did, like manufacture comebacks
in his career the way he has. There's a reason
he's a four time MVP. But like, did he use

(44:44):
a tight end against the San Francisco forty nine ers? No,
And I just think you become so vast. And Shane
Waldron is a coach that we know historically has loved
the use of tight end, so I'll be interested to
see how he incorporates them this week. But by and large,
what a win week one win for the NFC North.
I mean, the Vikings to you know, dismantle the Giants

(45:08):
and then to see obviously Chicago win a game that last.

Speaker 3 (45:13):
Year they probably would have lost.

Speaker 7 (45:15):
Tim, I don't know if you agree, but like they
closed out a game, and then the Lions showed why
they were the best team in the North last season
against a really good Rams squad and a quarterback who's
going to be in the Hall of Fame, like in
Matthew Stafford.

Speaker 3 (45:29):
So I just think it was a successful weekend.

Speaker 7 (45:32):
And we'll have to see what happens to the Packers
with Malik will will Willis at QB.

Speaker 2 (45:37):
Yeah, you brought it up, and that was the next
one I was going to get to. Is is this
in Green Bays? It just about surviving with Malik, you know,
Willis not getting too far behind. We don't know how
long Jordan Love is going to be out, like three
to four weeks, three to five you hear, it'll depend,
But is it? Is it just really they've got enough,
good enough, good enough team over there to win and
to compete in the NFC, and some have even said

(45:59):
to be a super favorite.

Speaker 1 (46:00):
But if you get too far behind, now you've you've
got to play behind the chase. Is it?

Speaker 2 (46:05):
Is it literally for the next half you know month?
Is it just don't get too far behind without Jordan Love?

Speaker 7 (46:10):
Yeah, I think when I think about Malik Willis and
we don't like plung Years ago, I had a strained mcl,
a sprain mcl from basketball, and like, you have to
let it.

Speaker 2 (46:22):
He Stacey's a heck of a basketball player, by the way,
a long time ago.

Speaker 8 (46:26):
Broken My pieces are all broken now. But you have
to let it heal, and then you have to get
confident again on it that you're not at a you know,
a place of like mentally concern and overly cautious, I
would say, especially for a quarterback in the NFL, who

(46:48):
you know, Jordan Love is a pocket passer.

Speaker 3 (46:50):
I mean he you know, when I look at him.

Speaker 7 (46:53):
He's really learned how to climb the pocket really well,
and an incredible throw against the Eagles in Brazil that
I can recall.

Speaker 3 (47:00):
I can't remember when it was in the game, but.

Speaker 7 (47:04):
You know, he wants to throw from the pocket, and
I just think he's going to have to get that
confidence when he comes back.

Speaker 3 (47:11):
But for Malik Willis, who is he right tim?

Speaker 7 (47:14):
We know he's a quarterback with a huge arm and
you know obviously played in Tennessee as a backup. He's
incredibly athletic, and so I think Matt Lafleur is underrated
in terms of putting the skill set of his quarterback
in the operation to succeed.

Speaker 3 (47:31):
And I think that he will do that get those
legs going.

Speaker 7 (47:35):
But Josh Jacobs is going to be extremely important, and
you know, without aj Dillon in the lineup due to injury,
he's got to become the man like we've seen Aaron
Jones be it obviously is now in Minnesota. But like they,
I just think they're going to need to figure out
ways to run the ball, get those legs going. By
Malik Willis and again another quarterback, because he'll have to

(47:58):
learn very quickly get the ball out of his hands
quickly to those that array of playmakers that.

Speaker 1 (48:04):
The Packers have, and there's a lot of them there,
so many.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
How strange was it to see the four to three
verse three four Jeff Hafley, the new defensive coordinator that
I mean, it's been how long, Stacy that we've seen
this kind of defense that we knew, you knew Green
Bay was going to come with that three four and
now it's just that that four to three look is
a little bit weird to me. But that's a good
that's a good defensive unit that I think can help
stem the.

Speaker 1 (48:28):
Loss of Jordan Love too.

Speaker 2 (48:29):
They've got some playmakers on that side of the ball
and and you know, I think that's going to be
a big key part of it as well.

Speaker 7 (48:36):
Yeah, it was kind of foreign watching them because they've
they've been in the Joe Barry thing for so long,
right and with all that shell and underneath type stuff
that they would just kind of hate. We're going to
give you that, but we're not going to give you
the big play. And I'll vividly remember you know, the
the JayR Alexander you know, touch and go with aj Brown,
and Brown just blasts them off across the middle for

(48:58):
a huge play. And you know, I think the players
are getting used to it a little bit, having the freedom,
a little bit more press and like a little bit
more one on one, and I think you're going to
see maybe some of those playmakers kind of come alive
for the Packers, like jay r Alexander.

Speaker 3 (49:16):
But as my dogs anoint.

Speaker 2 (49:19):
The show, I like, and the one got the one
perked up there behind you he or the other one.

Speaker 7 (49:24):
Yeah, my old, my old sugarfish Ruby. My landscapers are outside.
But yeah, I it's gonna be an interesting season, Tim
like with this division because I think it's extremely competitive,
and uh, you know, every team has some good quarterback play.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
I would give.

Speaker 7 (49:43):
I would sort of, you know, tip my cap to
the Vikings and Sam Darnold and yeah, he complete his
first twelve or fourteen balls against the Giants like that
is Kevin O'Connell. And so you know, Kirk Cousins really
enjoyed some Kevin O'Connell and those play calls.

Speaker 2 (50:00):
Well we find out if if and I know everybody's
going to say, well it was the New York Giants,
all right, come on that that doesn't count, right, And no,
offense to the New York Giants fans out there, but
the team strong lan at the moment. They play San
Francisco this week. Is this now okay, Minnesota's for real.
We'll know that after Week two.

Speaker 3 (50:17):
Well, I liked their defense last year.

Speaker 7 (50:20):
I think Brian Flores is very aggressive, the players love
to play in it. San Francisco is really damn good.
I'm here Monday night football. I was beyond and pressed.

Speaker 3 (50:33):
I mean, Trent Williams walks in like off the.

Speaker 7 (50:37):
Street because he, you know, he was in his sort
of holdout thing whatever. Brandon Auk looked a little rusty
to me, but I mean Rock Purty looks like a
ten year veteran. And for Christian McCaffrey too, and probably
we'll sit out again this week for him to not play.
And Mason comes in and runs for all almost one

(50:58):
fifty on the ground like.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
Against a New York Jets. Defense is good.

Speaker 2 (51:05):
They're just a machine. They're a machine offensively.

Speaker 3 (51:08):
They are a machine. And I sit here on a
liance pod.

Speaker 7 (51:11):
With you, as you know, we look at last year
the way it ended like, I mean, that's how good
Detroit was last season. Because it doesn't get a whole
lot better than what Kyle Shanahan has done with those Niners.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
Well, I know Lions fans here are wanting to see
a rematch of that contest again, hopefully here in Detroit
where maybe it's a little bit different, different outcome. But
the NFC, I agree with you, the NFC North that
I think is very underrated across the league.

Speaker 1 (51:41):
It should be fun.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
There's some good teams there, some teams I got to
survive a little bit with some injury stuff. Detroit is still,
in my opinion, the head of the class, but it's
a lot closer than people think. It should be a
fun division.

Speaker 1 (51:52):
The stays.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
I really appreciate you taking the time. You are my
go to for anything NFC North. I appreciate you. Congratulations
on the promotion, very well deserved, and we will all
be watching you all year long for sure.

Speaker 3 (52:06):
Thank you for having me.

Speaker 7 (52:07):
Can't wait to see you get a big hug on
Sunday at Ford Field, and I expect the decibels to
blow my ear drums.

Speaker 3 (52:14):
I always make sure I pack my.

Speaker 1 (52:18):
Ear plugs, little ear protectors. You're gonna need it.

Speaker 7 (52:21):
I do because it's an open press box. Everyone knows,
but it's so loud in there, like your deaf. It's
like you leave a concert and your ears are ringing.
That's what it's like at ford Field. I expect nothing
less at noon kickoff or I guess one o'clock kickoff
on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (52:36):
Yeah, it'll be crazy down there too. The Tigers are
at home this weekend too, so there'll be lots going
on across the street and there. Detroit will be fun.

Speaker 1 (52:45):
Stay.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
Thanks so much for joining me. I will say hello
on Sunday for sure. Enjoy the trip across across the
way here to Detroit. Safe travels, and we will see
you Sunday. Thanks so much.

Speaker 3 (52:56):
Thanks my friend

Speaker 7 (53:01):
Sie,