Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Jared pumps that left leg, takes the snap back looking
looking great protection, throws end zone.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It is caught.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4 (00:07):
Sam Laporta, What a crap right over the defender's head.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Oh my goodness. Welcome for Week seven of the NFL season.
This is the twenty in the Huddle podcast. I am
Tim twentyman and it's a big game on Monday night
football ABC. So I thought no better than to have
the Channel seven ABC Sports director Brad Gallly on. Brad,
(00:32):
thanks for joining me.
Speaker 4 (00:32):
I appreciate you pumping the applause please, yes, yes, guys, thikes.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Thank you so much, Live studio. You guys are great.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Thank you no, thanks for having me on and thanks
for letting me invite myself on. I think I said
to you in training camp how much fun I had
with you doing this last year and what a resource
you have become over these last year's man, to be
a for the Lions team that's rolling and for people
to come here every week get a player chat, and
so to be honest with you, man, I'm pumped.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
It's a big one Monday night.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
We just talked Lions two guys like we're in a
basement yeah, everybody does that. My x account is a
great example of that. All right, let's start with this
trivia with twenty men week seven since the start of
twenty twenty three, namely the two quarterbacks who have led
the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
In twenty three.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I think you're asking me because, well, I want to
go to golf and Josh Allen, but I'm gonna guess
that Baker Mayfield might be in there too.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff and that to me. Obviously
you don't they're not on the field together. But that's
such a huge matchup in this game. You know, Jared
on the year is number one in passing touchdowns, number
two in passer rating, Mayfield's third in passing touchdowns and
top five and radio. I mean, these two guys are
playing at an MVP level. How fun are matchups like
(01:49):
this when you got two guys at the quarterback position
that are playing as well as they are.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
After watching Lions games.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Before we watch these Lions games, I think the number
one highlight that's been most exciting week to week has
been watching what Baker Mayfield's done, not just what Tampa's done.
What Baker Mayfield has been good. And we've listened right
to the assistant coaches and Dan Campbell at the beginning
of the week talk about the respect that this coaching
staff and then everybody in this building has for Baker Mayfield,
not just what he's done in the past, but especially
what he's doing this year. Mike Evans has been out,
(02:16):
Chris Godwin's been out what he's done with a Mecca
Buca like he is a special brand of a winning quarterback.
And then on the flip side of it, people across
the NFL get bored a by what Jaric GoF does.
But if you're bored by excellence, man, you just don't
get it right. What he does is difficult, and I
think we're starting to unlock a little bit more publicly
what he does right, not just checks at the lines,
(02:38):
but almost creating plays and in talking to Dan and
with John Morton what he's doing. So I think watching
Jared take yet another step forward this year, seeing Baker
take another step forward this year puts us on a
collision course for what's going to be a great game.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
You know, And it's two teams that are familiar with
each other too. I mean, it's to be the fourth
matchup in the last two years. Lions have two to
one advantage. Obviously the playoff win in twenty twenty three,
but that was a performance, you know that that Tampa
Bay came on the road and beat them last you know,
last year. And so when two teams know each other
as what can be the difference? What do you see
as maybe the biggest matchup or difference in this game Monday?
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Now, Oh, I think those questions almost answer themselves, right,
Like you as a competitor, don't like being basically posterized.
And Baker last year was the leading rusher in this
game for Tampa and now I only had I think
thirty four to thirty five yards, but he posterized the
Lions linebackers a couple times and that's an amazing unit. Yeah,
but on his way to leading Tampa to a win.
(03:36):
So I think the biggest matchup is it's annoying, right,
we always say it, but like trying to contain a
mobile quarterback. Is he as mobile as some of the
other guys they have faced or will face. You could
argue yes, you could argue no. But I think the
pride factor from knowing each other from those linebackers, having
those moments like Derek Barnes did in the playoffs, that
rivalry almost of linebackers against Baker and seeing what he
(03:56):
can do kind of just outside of that pocket. That's
the matchup I think be watching the most because he
won it week two here last year.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
And I think a couple of interesting storylines with both teams. Obviously,
the line secretary is a little banged up there without
Terry and Arnold, DJ Reid, DeVante Maddox will have to
see Brian Branch is going to be suspended for this game.
But then you look at the flip side of it,
and yes, they might get Mike Evans back. He's returned
to practice. He hasn't played since Week three. But Ambuka
(04:25):
doesn't look good after suffering a hamstring injury. No Chris krowdwin,
no Bucky Irving. To me like, it's not a matter
of Ifjury's gonna have his win, right Brad? And So
I think the best teams always have those depth players
that are able to step up in moments and make
key plays. And so to me, like, what is this
kind of depth that at Tampa Bay's wide receiver look
(04:46):
like versus the depth that Detroit secondary, Like who finds
you know, which backup receiver, backup corner finds that one
play on a big third down or that key takeaway
or that big touchdown down the field get behind and
the defus to make the difference. I just can't help
but think back that, like maybe this game is a
little bit of depth is going.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
To play a factory because everyone freaks out here right
now in this town and across our state of oh
my gosh, all the injuries in the secondary for good reason,
right Like, it didn't look great against Kansas City. There
were some miscues and some questionable penalties, but in Tampa
they're also saying, oh my gosh, what are we gonna
do without all of our weapons out there against Detroit's defense?
And so in football, yeah, like the the next man
(05:28):
up cliche, I think we'll rear its head this week.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I think it's a good point by you.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
And getting a Lee McNeil back is so huge And
I'm not trying to jump our conversation here, but sorry,
we've always been really good at looking at it, left
this homework having him there, right Like what they've had
to do on the flip side of what they had
to do last year, right, Like they had a healthy
secondary down the stretch, they had a depleted D line,
And now we're seeing the story flip a little bit
and getting McNeil back and seeing the emergence of a
(05:53):
few of those pieces around and just unleashing Aiden Hutchinson,
like he's had really good games against this Tampa front. Yeah,
which is not a lot of things that a lot
of pass rushers can say. So I think a McNeil
will help in that too. But the depth, man, I
think is a big point and then something to watch.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
So huge to have a leam next to hutch too.
I mean, it's such a dynamic because as good as
you know Williams and Reader have been, I mean those
are more kind of run stuffers right first and second
down guys, terrific against the run. Give you a little
something against the past. But we talked about Alee McNeil.
That was three and a half sacks last year, he's
had five and a season he had forty five rushes.
(06:28):
The Lions were fourth in the NFL last year in
pressures from the internal component of their defensive line, and
so he just adds that element and now you can
with some of the stunts and some of the different
things that you can do. I mean, you know this
from your from your time of Brother Rice. When when
you know you can get on the edge and you
get some guys inside that can give you some juice
(06:50):
to it just changes the whole dynamic, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
I went back and watched a little bit of the
Dallas game the first half this week when Aiden got
hurt last year, and we needed some clips to run
to say, hey, mc neil's coming back. Oh my gosh,
the way that he was ripping through that Cowboys line.
Two sacks in the first half.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
He was a beast.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
But how do you stop Aleem McNeil and Aiden Hutchinson.
You have to make choices. You have to basically defer
a few options on your offense. You have to chip,
you have to really plan for both of those guys.
And then well, that frees up the rookie. I mean
that frees up so much and helps again your secondary
to have McNeil back. It's it's one or the other man,
Aiden or him that's gonna come up and make a play.
(07:28):
And I know that Aiden. We've talked to how many
weeks in a row here, like you've really stepped up
your game. I think you asked him last week like
is it possible, man, can you unlock another level? And
he looked at you nicely, but also like yeah, man,
that's why I do this. And now with a leam
next to him, I think that's that next level that
we know he's capable of doing and that he is too.
And again like McNeil's a beast. Sean Diane Hamilton, right
(07:49):
the linebackers coach said what he does at three hundred pounds, girl,
men should not be able to do.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, and he does it and.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I look at it.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Al kadd you know Muhammad on the podcast a couple
of weeks ago. Let's not forget what he's contributed to
the other side too. So not only do you have
you know, a leam and and hutch and what you're
gonna do, you know, double team there, but Alkane Muhama's
got four and a half sacks and six games. He's
contributed on the other side too. And now the depth
that you have a defensive tackle, I mean you've got
probably four legit starters from this league at defensive tackleing
(08:18):
you can run guys in. So look, we talked about
the secretary, right, and look, they're hurting and they're gonna
need guys to step up. But boy, the best way
to step up, in my opinion, is for that front
seven over. Suffocate them, don't let them have time. Give
those guys in the back end an extra half second
or second, you know, to guard somebody, and and you
(08:38):
know you do that, and I think you're gonna be
a pretty good shack.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Let's give a shout out to Alkuidee Mohammad, the younger,
his son, and let's try to get him a sideline pass.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
And let me tell you why.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
The game against Minnesota in week eighteen, we had scheduled
an interview post game in the event of a Lion's win,
and the Lions great media relations Staf said, you're getting
Alkuadem Mohamed after his big performance. He brings him up
and his son's standing there with him, who's super tall, right, yeah,
and he goes, can my son come in?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
He can? He is it? I'm like, bring them in, man,
this is this is a huge deal.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
You guys just won the division in a crazy scenario.
So he talked, he talks with us this is my dad.
I'm so proud of him. I'm standing there trying to cry,
like trying to hold back to.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Here's his best hype man.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
It is so guess what happens the next time I
see them in Baltimore on the sidelines Monday night football?
Oh Alquade Muhammad had a big game and I saw
his son. I go, your dad's gonna have another big
one night. He goes, Man, from your mouth to God's ears,
Let's see it happen.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
So let's have it happen.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
We need to get him sideline pass the side passes
at least on Monday.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Come on, let's make it happen.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
One.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Maybe you look back at last week one trend that
that maybe raises a few eyebrows. Four wins for Detroit.
They've scored at least thirty four points, right well, obviously,
right tim they score thirty four points, are probably gonna
win seventeen and thirteen and their two losses.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
It is it right is the.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Easiest to say that this team goes as the offense
goes because you don't want to say that because you'
they played a lot of complimentary football this year. But
in those two losses. Really to me, when I look
at the game, it's been more on the offense than
it's been on the defense. Is is easy to say
Detroit's got to score points and they've got to be
(10:14):
really good offensively to win this game one day.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
I mean, what did Dan say to us at the
beginning of the week against Kansas City. What the Chiefs
do so well and maybe better than anybody in football
over really the last decade, is they win?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Now?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
What does that mean? They just find a way?
Speaker 4 (10:28):
And it sounds again such a simple answer, but they
did it against the Lions, and he said at halftime
of that game, we're three plays away from really blowing
this thing open. And what were those things? Aman Ross,
Saint Brown drop on fourth down? Never happens. A punt?
They punted in the fourth quarter too, Like when was
the last time this team coming back punted in the
fourth quarter? There were so many. I mean, even Scotty
(10:48):
Montgomery said it wrapping up this week, looking back, he goes,
we just didn't make those explosive plays in the critical moments.
And for fans on the outside that may go, no,
there's something deeper, there's something bigger. Sometimes you just lose
one on one battles, you lose a moment, and that's
the complete difference of a drive. It's the difference in
the game. And those stacked up for this team against
Kansas City. Now that's a long answer. Here's my one
(11:09):
thing of maybe what hurt them. Maybe Goff didn't have
as much time. Some of those drives started with Jamiir
Gibbs loss of three yards. Some of them ended with
a third down sack. Yeah, Taylor Decker, Yeah, it's if
you don't have your left tackle in there, that's been
your guy for a decade, you're gonna notice. And all
respect himanu all respected Dan Skipper for making his season
(11:31):
debut and stepping in and playing well. Not having Taylor
Decker against the Kansas City Chiefs, I think hurt this
team a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Good news on that front. Taylor Decker didn't practice Wednesday,
but Dan Cambill said he's expected back at practice Thursday.
That's a good sign that maybe he's trending toward money.
Knowing he's got a week off after with the bye two,
so obviously that would be huge, not just in the
past game two, but the run game too. Taylor doesn't
get enough credit for what he does on the left
side there.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
And they've said it right, they want to get David
Montgomery back more involved he took over in Cincinnati, but
it's really skewed a little more towards Jamiir Gibbs, which
I don't think is a huge surprise. He's younger, he's
one of the best backs in the league. But I
think for powered football what they want to do and
controlling the clock, getting David Montgomery more carries I think
will be critical, and having deck around the field will
help that.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
We're running away from Vida Bay might be a good
idea too. All right, what do you guys have planned
before the game? Channel seven?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Getting out with the people I think is a huge
part of what we're gonna do, because I mean there
were years tim right where getting one Monday night football
game would be a big deal, And so when our
team sees on the schedule that we got, oh my gosh,
we get to see a Monday night football game on
the road in Baltimore and bring that coverage to everybody
back in Detroit. And we went out there, we were live,
We had Joe Buck with us, sat down with Dan
Campbell sat down with them and Rossi and Brown hearing
(12:41):
what he's doing in the community. We're gonna do that
and amplified even more. We're gonna have our anchors out
in the middle of brush straight talking with the people
anchoring our coverage from out there. Alex Criscenti and I
are gonna be inside. We've got some special guests we
are working on lining up with us to join us
for the pregame coverage.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Teazer, it's like he's a professional test.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Well, to be honest with you, we haven't locked everything
in yet, so that's his team as I'm about to get.
But ESPN is always so good to us, and they're
bringing their whole crew. Scot Vanpelt announced last Monday night
they're bringing the Countdown crew through.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Oh nice.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, so we seven o'clock to start, which seven o'clock
start of bedtime, baby, come on. So we're gonna do
it up big and I think it's a big way
for our station and for everybody involved in our team
behind the scenes, our producer Tony rox At, our camera
guys Chad and Brandon you see here all the time.
It's a great way for us to really put on
display what our team loves to do and showing off
(13:28):
this team in these uniforms.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
By the way, well it'll be fun. The Blacks.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
I love the Blacks and these helmets are so tight.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
They're so tight.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Everyone will obviously be watching the lead up into that game,
which is look the two best teams in the NFC
going after it in Week six in a game that
could have playoff implications. Who knows down the line. So
it's a big one. You guys will have it all
covered at Channel seven PC.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Take the time, No big deal.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
I did pick in the NFC Championship before the year,
Tampa against Detroit, with Detroit winning and beating Kansas City
in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
So I'm just saying, tam okay, we'll check back in.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
It all lining up.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Thanks for having me on man, appreciate you any time.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Welcome back to the twenty in the Huddle podcast. Very
happy to welcome in Tate, Ratleige, rookie guard I doing.
Thanks for joining me. So this is probably you know,
old hat for you because in college I thought this
was so unique. When I came to you approach you
asked you if you wanted to be on the podcast.
You're like, yeah, sure, I used to have a podcast.
It was called Mullets on the Mic.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Who did you do?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Was it with the Brett Thorson in college? And then
how did that start?
Speaker 5 (14:32):
And it started off as a podcast called real Talk? Okay,
it was with the guy I played with. He asked
me to do it, and it kind of just started
as like, Okay, let's do this whatever. Then it's turned
out something I actually enjoyed doing, and then it kind
of grew traction, grew traction, and then we kind of
separated from that company doing that whatever, and then me
and Brett started Mullets on the Micay. It was completely
(14:52):
different podcast from the first one we had, and it
did pretty well. It just kind of once I moved on,
I was like, I don't want to be that rookie
or the bib, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
So we kind of separated from that. But no, it
was a good time.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
We both had Mullets's was not as good as mine,
but yeah, we both had them.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
So that was a pretty clever nickname, we thought.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
So it did pretty well.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Is it something maybe past your rookie year, because you know,
once you're in the League. You know, Saint Brown's got one.
A lot of different players do it. Is it something
that you would like to maybe get back to, and
if so, who would be the ideal podcast partner in
that locker room or offensive line room.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
I think so, yeah, definitely, No, it's definitely something I
want to get into. I think media is kind of
what I want to do when I'm done playing football.
I feel like it's so I feel like I have
a good personality and it's like, oh no, I guess
I have the look that attracts people. Not in that way,
but you know what I'm saying, It's interesting. But no,
the office line room, I'd probably say. I feel like
Graham would be really interesting to have a podcast with.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
I think you can go down some.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Crazy rabbit holes of conversation crazy, So I think that would.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Be that'd be hilarious.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
You embraced the hair obviously, with the mullets on the mic.
We just joked about it. Have you find have you
found it interesting that it's kind of taken on this
own thing on social media? Sometimes there's some dedicated things,
some dedicated sites to it it, things like that. I mean,
how much do you do you love it?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Embrace it.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
It started off as a complete joke. I did it
during COVID. My dad did it in the front yard,
and it was the worst haircut I've ever had in
my life.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
And I was like, all right, we're just gonna see
where its goes COVID.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
I'm not seeing anybody right now, like nobody has to
see me, so it doesn't really matter that much.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
And then I got to college.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
They had a six month awkward phase at least it
was that, and I just kind of wrote it out whatever,
and then got into college, kind of kept it, and
then it started actually gaining traction and became really my
brand almost in college.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yeah, so I kind of just stuck with it and
it just become my thing.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Now.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think there's a financial opportunity here.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Yeah, moving forward.
Speaker 5 (16:50):
Yeah, I saw much on a head and shoulders commercial.
I was like, dang, I need him to hook me
up with.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
No there you go, and yeah, I love the business
savvy of Yeah so young, Well, let's get to the
football part of it a little bit. You know, weeks
You've now had six weeks under your belt. It seems
like you're really settling in nicely, aren't.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
You trying to of course there's learning cars every week.
I mean you can watch that game last week. I
had plenty of them against Chris Jalones, I mean, a
great player, and of course you see those every week.
Not quite to that stature, but you see good players
every week. And of course there's gonna be learning carves
the weekend and week out. And I think it's to me,
just how fast can I learn from that and not
let it happen again?
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And how much did week one? Because obviously it was
well dog just some of the missus signs. It wasn't
just you, it was across that offensive line. Was that
almost a wake up call for that room? Was can
you look back at that and be like, Okay, that
was maybe a positive for this for me and for
this room moving forward, because we know we've got to
take care of the little details and some of the
things that communications. That's the thing. It's not like you
guys were getting beat physically. It was just some of
(17:44):
the mental things and how quickly did you guys move on?
Speaker 5 (17:47):
So for me it was definitely a reality check. It
was Okay, maybe I don't know this offense like I
think I know this offense under pressure crowd noise. How
well do I know this offense to be able to
process things and see what we're doing without being necessarily
hear Graham what grahams saying. So for me it was Okay,
maybe I don't know this as well as I need to,
so kind of diving back in that playbook and like
core knowing get where we're working to without Graham.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Having to tell me kind of thing. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
So, and then the kills and everything. But it was
a reality check for me definitely. And then I think
the offensive line room there was definitely ah that wasn't
good enough attitude in the offensive line room and quick
to improve it.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
And the leader that offensive line, Hank Fraley. Just how
much of a benefit has it been to have a
guy like that who played for a long time, who
was considered one of the best offensive line coaches in
the league to have him as your mentor how big
is that Ben stepping into this league?
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I mean, it's awesome.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
I learned so much about football day in and day
out with him and technique and little things like this,
what I can do to help myself in this situation,
in that situation. So I think it's with him being
the leader of the offensive line room. I mean, you
see how much respect these guys have for him. So
that shows me, before I even got here, knew much
about him, that he's doing something right for these guys
to respect him like that. So coming in here and
actually seeing it for myself, he's a players coach. I mean,
(18:59):
the guys love him.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I love him. I mean he does a great job.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
How much easier has it been to adjust the NFL
playing between Graham and Penny Sewell.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
It's it's made it a lot easier.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I'm not gonna name names, but I've talked to some
of the guys that i've I've played with in the
past and talking about their rookie years, and they've all
told me how lucky I am to have those two
by my side. So definitely, with Pena it means like
our double teams, I think they have a chance to
be successful, even if I don't necessarily fit it right,
because I know he's coming full speed.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
And has a lot of power behind him.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Yeah, and then Graham, Graham's gonna get me on the
right page no matter what, So he does a really
good job at that. So I think playing next to
them has made life a lot easier for me.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
It's important.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I'm glad you brought that up, because it's important to
realize for a young player sometimes it's not just the team,
but it's the players around them in this situation as well,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Oh definitely.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
I mean, another one of my buddies called me and
they're like, you should be grateful.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
I was like, what do you mean?
Speaker 5 (19:53):
And they're like, I was like, I am, but like,
what do you what do you mean? They're like, the
situation you're in, the people you're playing with us, they
were like, you just.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Need to grateful for that. Now.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
It's like, I mean, kind of put me in perspective
looking at some of my friends around the league who
maybe didn't have such a great first first year or whatever,
and then they grew eventually, and then yeah, kind of
seeing the situation I'm stepping into as a rookie and
next to the guys I'm playing with in the room,
I mean, I think it's awesome opportunity.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Let's talk about Tampa Bay a little bit.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
You mentioned Chris Jones, obviously you know a dynamic player
in his own right. Vida Bay is another one that
you're gonna see this week, just what you see on
film from him, and then what you see just overall
from this Tampa defense. To me, it looks like an
aggressive kind of attacking defense. What do you see on tape?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
I mean watching film.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
He's one of the most powerful humans I've ever seen,
and obviously I haven't really seen it yet. I'm seeing
it on film, So seeing it on film is impressive.
What he does to interior offensive line and the problems
he gives them in the run game, pass game. He
is a big difference maker in the game just by himself.
And of course they have great players around them. And
to their defense, they like you said, attack style, they
(21:00):
bring a lot of pressure. They're gonna pressure, They're gonna
make people get the ball out fast. So they do
a good job disguising things, trying to get people to
do something that they want them to do to bring
something else. So they do a good job of everything,
I think. And of course they're just a physical football team.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I think they blitzed the third most in the league,
almost thirty three percent. How nice they have a veteran
guy like Jared because it just seems like Jared is
playing at an MVP level and he's just on top
of it pre snap and gets you guys in the
right position to be successful. How valuable has he been
done you guys up.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
Well, Jared says Jared. It goes no matter what we think,
what he sees ghosts because he always sees something we don't.
He's our shot collar and we know he knows where
that pressure is coming from. He knows when he's hot,
he knows when he needs to get the ball out.
And then again, I think he trusts us up front.
So I think that that helps a lot with him
being able to stand in there and you see some
of the throws he makes. He stand at enter and
takes a hit, and to see that, I think that
(21:52):
makes offense a lineman and respect their quarterback a lot
when they'll stand in there and.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Take a hit like that.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
No, I know you've got an offensive meeting coming up
real quick. Let's let's have a little fun here with
the offensive line room. A little insight from the rookie
into the offensive line room. Who's strongest guy in that room?
Speaker 5 (22:05):
Oh man, the strongest guy in the room. I'm probably
gonna have to say Christian. Christian's pretty strong.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Who's the most most athletic. I think we all maybe
know this one, but I'm curious to your perspective.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
In space. I've never seen somebody move like that especially amazing.
It's impressive.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Who's the funniest guy in that room?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Best hair? Me? There?
Speaker 5 (22:30):
You go?
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Yeah, that was easy.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Who would you not want to date your daughter in
that room?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Christian?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
We'll just leave that one there, all right.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
How much you're looking forward to those on Monday night
football a national stage? The Bucks are five and one,
It's it's the blackout. I mean, what is it like
playing at Ford Field? And how much you excited for
that opportunity to play really good football team on a
national stage.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Electric Every time we played there, it's been awesome. That
atmospher is it's amazing. So but coming out in these uniforms,
got to play good at them. So that's that's kind
of the thing with me. If you're gonna look good,
you gotta play good. So I'm looking forward to playing
a really good team on primetime Monday night football.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
It's gonna be exciting. I go get them.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Have fun.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
Appreciation.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
Welcome back to the toy m Huddle Podcast presented by Microsoft.
I am very happy, Welcome to Scott Smith. He does
a great job with the Buccaneers, the senior writer and
editor there. Scott, thanks you to take the time. I
appreciate it.
Speaker 6 (23:32):
Great to do it again. It's like we it's like
every year now at this.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
You know, I was just gonna say, these are two
teams that are very familiar with each other now having
this is gonna be the fourth matchup in the last
three years. And you know, when Scott, I was looking
at the statistics I tweet out every week kind of
the rankings comparison between the two teams, and I can't
remember a time where I was like, Wow, this is
such two teams that are evenly matched, really offensively defensively.
(24:00):
When that's the case, what's the biggest difference going to
become Monday to deciding who wins or loses this game
in your opinion?
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Well, I'm gonna sound an extremely uncreative when I say this,
but turnovers definitely make a difference. Do these two teams
have combined to turn the ball over just five times
in twelve combined games, and that's the one game where
we did turn the ball over we lost, and the
other five games we didn't turn the ball over once
and it's Baker Mayfield is doing such a good job
protecting the football, keeping the ball out of harm's way
(24:29):
and not having a lot of turnover worthy throws, especially
since early in the season. So if either team breaks
through in that regard, maybe Aiden Hutchinson goes crazy against
this again like he did last week and gets a
stripsack or something, I mean last year, that could really
turn the game. Because you're right, these are two evenly
matched teams that can go toe to toe on the scoreboard,
and this could be like a lot of our games
(24:49):
have been a matter of which offense has the ball last.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Now we certainly, as Desroit Lions fans, don't want Baker
Mayfield to have the ball last, given what's happened this
year with him and Scott. When you look back to
the start of two thousand and three, Jared Golf and
Baker Mayfield number one and number two in touchdown passes
touchdown yards. You look at this year, Jared's number one
in touchdowns, number two in passer rating Baker's I think
(25:16):
third and touchdowns that they're both having terrific MVP caliber seasons.
How great of a matchup is this just between the
two quarterbacks obviously not on the field together, but it's
the most important position in football in determining wins and
losses how well your quarterback plays. These are two quarterbacks
that are playing really, really well. How fun of a
matchup is this gonna be Monday Night between those two guys.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Specifically, it's a lot of fun because, like you said,
most teams are not going to go very far unless
they have a very good quarterback, right, And both of
these teams got their quarterbacks in kind of their franchise
type quarterbacks and not the usual way. You know, a
lot of people thought, I'm sure that wasn't the case
on your team's side, with a lot of people thought
golf was just just to throw in and that Matt
(25:58):
Stafford trade or Mayfield had to bounce around and you know,
had the bad, the unsatisfying year in Carolina. Uh when
we signed him as a one year deal, any team
could have had him one year deal, not that much.
And now both of those guys were performing like two
of the best and certainly two of the most productive
quarterbacks in the NFL. So just put them both on
(26:18):
the same stage. Two former first overall picks who kind
of had to find a new home before really hitting
their stride. It's a fantastic story. And yeah, how the
two of those guys played is going to be what
this game comes down to.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
You know, injuries are obviously going to be a big
component of this this game heading in, you guys are
banged up offensively, you know, wide receiver, and Buka and
Godwin don't know if they'll play. Bucky Irving probably not
gonna play. You do get Mike Evans back at practice
this week. We'll have to see how that goes, but
that's obviously huge. Detroit is decimated at the cornerback position,
so and in the secondary, Brian Branch is gonna have
(26:53):
to serve that suspension one of their best defensive players.
So I just update midweek where you guys the injury
wise and maybe some concerns or maybe some good news
on your end.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Yeah, there's a little bit of both. We haven't had
an official injury report come out yet, but we did
have practice today and Coach Bowles's media session afterwards, and
Mike Evans and our two corners that missed the last games,
I'm McCollum and Benjamin Morrison are all practiced today. Mike
was a little bit limited, but the corners were full go.
And even I don't think they have fully ruled out
(27:28):
the possibility of a Mecca Abuka coming back yet. It's
a long shot, probably, But coach did say at the
beginning of the week that he does not expect to
see Bucky Irving and Chris Guy went out there on
the practice field, So if they're not practicing, they're not
going to play. So we don't expect to get those
two guys back. But Mike Evans has a shot. He's
not a sure thing yet. He was limited today and
we have to see how it goes this week, but
(27:48):
that would be obviously a big boost us to get
him back.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
You know.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
If not, it's good, it's really gonna come down. In
my opinion, I think a big matchup is going to
be the depth the Lions have in the secondary and
the depth that you know Tampa Bay has, you know,
at the wide receiver position. Maybe just give Lions fans
a little bit of a scouting report on that depth
at wide receiver that's really stepped up in the last
few weeks and allowed Tampa Bay to continue rolling even
(28:14):
with some of the injuries that they've dealt with.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
Yeah, when a Mecca went down before the start of
the second half, we were down our top four I
mean top four receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jaal McMillan
who's on injured reserve right now, and then a Mecca
Buca and that Baker Mayfield was able to continue moving
the ball. I mean we're still ranked I think sixth
or eighth in passing yards. He's still moving the ball
(28:36):
because some of these guys really stepped up. And the
names you need to be familiar with. You probably have heard.
Your fans have probably heard of Sterling Shepherd. He had
a pretty nice long career with the Giants. He's been
rejuvenated since coming here and hooking back up with his
college teammate Baker Mayfield, and those two have a really
good connection. Shepherd tends to step up and make a
couple of big plays in big moments, like he did
(28:58):
on our final touchdown game clinch I mean white field
goal game clinching drive against the forty nine ers. And
then you got the two young guys, Cam Johnson and
Tees Johnson. Cam Johnson had really only been returning kicks
and punts for us before. He didn't have a catch
in his NFL career before this past week. But he's
a guy that a lot of people don't know anything about.
He's the first player in the history of the NFL
(29:19):
to come from Barton College in North Carolina, and he's
just he's been a hit ever since he's got here.
People want to say he's small. He's not small. He's
short for an NFL receiver, but he's really rocked up
and he doesn't really look that small out there in
the field, and he's tough, and he was really a
surprise in this last game making plays over the middle
(29:41):
of the field, kind of filling the kind of role
that Mike Evans would have for you and the crutch
time at the end of that game. And then Tedes
Johnson was a guy we were really excited to get.
Felt he was a steal in the seventh round, had
a really productive career in Oregon, and it's just an
all round good receiver. But he is really small. He's
when somebody mentioned that the podium that asked a question
(30:01):
saying one hundred and fifty pounds, the coach is like,
you're being generous by calling him one hundred fifty pounds.
This is this is a little guy and that's why
he was available in the seventh round. But he's fast
and he's really got his game is really polished for
a Brookie. In this last game, on his forty five
yard touchdown, he was supposed to run a route across
(30:22):
the field, like a deep over maybe, but he could
see that if he did that, he would be running
right to where the safety was stationed, and that the
safety hadn't really gotten a lot of depth. So he
on the fly adjusted that to a seam route and
could see what was working and threw up his hand
and Baker saw him, and Baker says, for rookie to
have the wherewithal to make that adjustment in the middle
of a route is something you don't normally see. So
(30:43):
a lot of these guys are going to have probably
some pretty interesting careers, but they're just getting started.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Yeah, they're just getting start. But they're gonna play big
roles Monday, as will the depth in Detroit secondary and
that'll be, you know, obviously a key matchup to watch,
all right, last one for Scott in your opinion, what's
the big guests matchup? What does what does Tampa Bay
have to do to come to Detroit escape with win
and improve to six and one and really be in
control of their destiny in the NFC.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
Oh man, there's so many good ones. I mean, wow,
I should have been ready for this question. The obvious
one would be Aiden Hutchinson against either of our tackles,
because Aiden Hudginson against Tristan Wurfs would be two of
the best players in the NFL. Going at it. It looked
to me on next year like he rushes from both sides, right, Yeah,
he got it equally, so that means he's also gonna
be rushing. And it's Charlie Heck. Last year when we played, y'all,
(31:33):
we were playing with a backup right tackle because Luke
Eticky was out, and that's the case again this year.
So Tryla the Heck's been playing good, don't get me wrong,
but you're on your backup now. And then Aiden Hutchinson
really ate our backup alive last year four point five sacks.
So that's a good one. I think you're The Detroit
(31:53):
Lions offense is so good at staying balanced, and with
those two running backs there, you can have a fresh
one in the game at all times. They both can
make big plays. You run the ball so well in
the red zone, which has been a bit of a
problem for us. If you want to look at advantage,
look at your red zone offensive members against our red
zone defense numbers, and that's a good area for the Lions.
So that would be big. So our run defense, on
(32:15):
the other hand, has been very good. And I did
a really good job this past week of limiting the
yards up for the catch by Christian McCaffrey. So if
we can do that again against those two guys, that
would be big.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Just a note for your Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans here,
Hutches going for a fifth straight game with a sack
and a fourth straight game with a force fumble. So
he's been playing at elite level and his ears probably
perk up a little bit when he hears backup tackle.
Speaker 6 (32:41):
Yeah, and I was looking at didn't he have seven
and a half sacks in just five games last year?
He did, so if you had him together in his
last eleven games, he has thirteen and a half sacks.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
He does.
Speaker 6 (32:51):
That's ridiculous, that's true.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Yeah, and Scott, I think he's playing better than he
was at that point last year. I mean, he just
he feels good, he looks good, and he's making and impact.
And look, Detroit's gonna need those guys because we've talked
about the injuries and the secondary Well, how do you
counter that. You have your front seven guys and your
defensive line step up for those guys. And so that'll
be what Detroit's looking for. But it should be a
(33:12):
great matchup. I'm excited for this one Monday night football
at Ford Field. It's gonna be crazy and you've got
a really good team coming in that's playing some really
good football. I'm sure you've enjoyed covering them over the
first six games. They've looked great. I will be sure
to stop by and say hello. Safe travels up, and
I can't wait for Monday.
Speaker 6 (33:29):
All right, thanks great, talking to you again