September 20, 2024 • 40 mins
On this episode of Twentyman in the Huddle podcast presented by Microsoft, Tim Twentyman is joined by Justin Rogers, Darren Urban and Terrell Williams, previewing the Detroit Lions’ first road test of the season as they head to Glendale, Arizona to face the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Sunday.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Lions try to get the football back Mayfield looking. Pressure
comes as he throws it over the middle of intercepted
by the Lion picked.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Up Ryan Branch up to make the grab, and the
Lions have got the football back.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to Week three of the NFL. This is the
twenty in the Huddle podcast, Week three already.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I know, man, it feels like it takes forever to
get here and then over.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
He is Justin Rodgers, formerly of the Detroit News, now
of the Detroit Football Network. Correct. I want to talk
about that for just a second, real quick, before we
get into our three keys to the game. But look,
you covered this team for the Detroit News for a
number of years and I'm live before that, and I'm
live before that. You know, thought you were you know,
you had a value for your work. It wasn't matched
(00:50):
and to take that step to venture off into your
own how scary that probably was with with two small
kids and a white I got a lot of respect
for that, just kind of what went went into that thought.
And how's it going for you so far?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I explained to somebody the morning of launch, I had,
you know, planned on launching eight in the morning. I
woke up at five, and I said it was like
eighty percent excitement and twenty percent sheer terror. You know,
I I was able to sleep comfortably outside of that
morning because I have a sportive wife that you know,
gave me the runway to do this. And then I'm
(01:28):
such a diligent planner, you know, I kind of picked
away at the idea for several months until you know,
it became clear that that was the switch that I
was going to flip. And so, you know, I felt
like I had everything in a row financially in terms
of all the boxes I needed to check and look.
I had I think modest goals to start. UH had
(01:48):
to re establish them because I've hit so many of
the early goals. It's it's been a really really great experience.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It's it's fully subscriber funded. I mean, the readers pay
for my my existence and profession now. And to know
that the support has been there has been very reassuring
and humbling too.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
And you're your own boss, which is the great part
the whole deal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I don't have any chill with that, so I pushed myself.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
My boss is a jerk, all right. Well, it's doing.
I'm glad it's doing great. It's another terrific resource for
Lions fans out there. We'll put the website on the
screen right there for you, and let's get into these
three keys first off, because obviously one in one, this
(02:33):
is a big early game for Detroit. Last year, you know,
they stumbled week two, were able to go in week three,
win a game, roll off four straight and that kind
of got rolling. You don't want this to steam roll
the other way though, so you know, obviously I think
one thing that needs fixing right away is number one
key to this one is cleaning up the red zone.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, you look at this team. They were one of
the best bread zone teams last year, converted nearly two
thirds of their trips maybe it was exactly two thirds
into touchdowns. Right now, they're sitting at twenty six twenty
seven percent after one for seven showing against Tampa, and
I think Tampa kind of unveiled a formula that challenges
Detroit going forward. It was this this rush for drop seven.
(03:14):
I always have such a great appreciation of watching a
great zone defense do what they're supposed to do, and
they played it to perfection. They didn't get too deep.
They kept, you know, eyes on everything shallow, limiting the
yak and Detroit couldn't come up with an answer, and so
they've got to find a way, i think, to be
more efficient with the run game. First of all, you know,
(03:34):
it starts with making those second and third of manageables,
a lot of negative plays that are right against against Tampa,
and then to finding ways to crack those zones, those
almost prevent esque zones in the red zone, because if
you can't, teams are going to keep using that blueprint
against you until you prove you can beat it.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
That's the big point there, because now there's the film,
now there's the blueprint, you're.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Going to see it.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
I think the Detroit's got to do much better in
the seams some of those quick hitters in the in
the middle portion of the field, and that's a that's
a tough airy because you've got to get over the
linebackers and inside and there's not a lot of space
to do the inside the defensive backs. But they've got
to do a better job. I think Sam Laporte's got
to be a little bit more key in the red zone.
He was huge for them in the red zone last
year hasn't been a big factor first two weeks. Now, Look,
(04:16):
there's lots of miles to feed in this offense, so
I understand it, but he's got to be a guy
to me, especially in the red zone, that that's got
to be a factory. You've got to target him two, three,
four times in the red zone because he can make
those plays for it. I think the disappointing thing that
Dan Campbell brought up to about the red zones wasn't
one thing justin I think if it's one thing and
you can look at it and be like, okay, that
(04:36):
was the issue, but it was misd assignments, It was
some miss blocks, it was some bad play calls, it
was some bad reads. I mean, it was a little
bit of everything. And I think when you watch the
tape that's probably a little bit of a frustrating thing
for Dan Campbell, But when the guys watch it, they're like, Okay,
I think we can fix that stuff because it wasn't
just one issue. Even though that's frustrating, I think individually
(04:58):
guys can clean that up and they could be better there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, I think going back to what Tampa did that
maybe took it away was they really put emphasis on
the flats, you know, and the Lions love those quick
passes out there, whether it's to Jmo to Khalif to
Saint Brown. They use Gibbs out there, and they were
just on it. As soon as those passes hit the flats,
they were on it. And so what does that tell you?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Got to adjust?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
You gotta find ways to hit the middle of the field.
You know something I asked Running Beast coaches got a
Montgomery today how to unlock Jamir Gibbs as a pass catcher. Yeah,
you know, I think they need to find They need
to go find theoretic's tape, go find those angle rets.
Those Texas routes were unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
He said.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
You want to get him the ball going forward upfield,
face to the you know the direction they're going.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
That's the round. He seems like a terrific option round
guy for me. I mean, not many linebackers in this
league are going to be able to stay with him.
And to your point about the strategy of playing in
the flats, I thought Tampa did a great job when
you played that defense. You also have to be able
to tackle, and I thought they came up and they
tackled really really well. To your point about getting him
faced up, don't get them three yards out where he's
turning his back to catch the ball. I like those
(06:01):
option routes moving forward middle of the field. I think
when when a team does the seven the cover seven zone,
the middle of the field is where you have to
attack the seams. And to me, it's Gibbs and it's Laporta.
Those are your guys in those seams. I think those
are your your seam killers. Obviously with the mon Ros
Saint Brown, you look at the.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
One touchdown they did have, right, what do they do?
They took Laporta and they took Saint Brown and kind
of ran them to the same depth and they had
to decide which way to go, and they kind of
squeezed on Laporta. It opened Saint Brown. He caught the
ball at the four or five six yard line and
was able to get down to the one, setting up
first and goal at the one. I'm gonna take this
team first and goal at the one to get into
the end zone ninety eight percent of the time, and
(06:39):
so you know when you're your first and ten at
the eleven, that's a lot tougher road. So yeah, attack
the middle of the field, stress them out. You have
all these weapons, like you talked about, stress them find
the open one, and Jared should be able to get
better that as a season progressive.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Heading into this game. Cardinals twenty second in red zone
defense about fifty five point six percent, but they're number
three on third down. They've been terrific in that area.
So that's kind of what you know when you're in
the red zone that that third down is that money done.
You've got to get into manageable second and thirds. I
think for the Lions too too many times second nine,
(07:16):
second eleven, second twelve. Now you're limited in the red zone.
One it takes a run game away. They got to
be much better on first down in the red zone.
I think that's gonna be a big key too.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
We'll certainly showed up late in that game, right, I mean,
none of those those third and longs in the red
zone were in the third and fourth quarter, and you
know they're trying to execut a comeback. They didn't have
the ability to kick a field goal to tie it,
so you know it really killed him.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
All right, Let's get to our number two big key,
and it's it's to me, it's it's going to be
containing Kyler Murray and that offense. But but Murray especially
you look at what he did last week. He was
only the second player in NFL history and I thought,
this is a crazy statistic to have two hundred passing yards,
at least fifty rushing and a perfect passer rating. It's
happened two times in the history of the NFL, and
(07:59):
he was one. He was that good last week. Now look,
last week, Baker Mayfield was able to escape the pocket
and make some places with his feet, did so more
as a passer though we did have the one rushing touchdown,
but that was more of a design draw. I think
the design run that's gonna happen. Look, guys are gonna
make places, and Kyler's gonna get out, He's gonna make plays.
You just have to know going in that that's gonna happen.
It's to me, it's limiting the big place. Don't let
(08:21):
that become something that comes over the top or happened
too many times where it affects the log game.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I think this is an area where the Lions' scheme
works in their favor. What do we see a lot
on first downs, we see five down, right, So you've
got more bodies across. Not only you see five down,
you see massive guys in Davenport and Hutchinson and Reader
and McNeil. You got a three hundred and fifteen pound
leeve Ion Zerrique playing defensive. And so you have the
(08:47):
lanes clogged on the inside. You have athleticism on the
outside that gives you a shot before the snap. Now,
once the ball is snap, the key is don't run
past the freaking quarterback.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And it's really really.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Hard because so many of those sacks come from the loop,
from running the hoop, from getting behind, from catching the
quarterback off guard, and the young player struggle with it
the most right. And I actually saw a play from Hutchinson,
his final sack, the one he split with with Levi,
that showed to me his growth as a young player.
(09:20):
That one a lean, penetrated baker reddit tried to step
forward and you saw Aiden recognizing it early. His eyes
were up, his head was up as he was bowl rushing,
and he took that little step back and he closed
down the lane and it led to a sack. You
can't get past. If you get past Kyler, you're not recovering.
I mean, he is just one of the absolute fastest quarterbacks.
(09:43):
And it's not just fast, it's that lateral quickness, that
ability to change directions. It's so so rare, and you
know he's not even looking to run most of the time.
That's I think that's what makes him so impressive is
he's keeping his eyes downfield. He wants to throw the ball.
I think that touchdown last week and star the ram
he makes four guys missing the backfield, scrambling hard was
(10:03):
left and he finds the tight end in the back
of the end zone for an eighteen yard touchdown. He's
killing teams with his arm more than he's killing him
with their feet. But that ability to extend that play
makes him even more lethal.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
That's the key. When you extend. Now all of a sudden,
routes come off off cycle there and you know, guys
look to make plays. Now he's got that weapon deep
in Marvin Harrison Junior to hit the home run when
he extend those plays. So to your point, I think
he's evolved a little bit. Instead of before he would
(10:35):
just run, run, pick up what he could and do that.
Now he's looking for the big play. The breakdown of
the defense. That's where Detroit's got to be sound. And look,
this is a Cardinals offense that's humming right now. Sixty
nine points in two games, eight touchdowns, four field goals,
three hundred and fifty five rushing yards, forty two first downs.
I mean, they are rolling right now. I thought Detroit's
(10:56):
defense played much better Week two against the Bucks. Look
at some of those statistics, and they dominated that game
for the most part. There were just a couple plays
here and there where the Bucks beat him on. But
I think that's a great matchup going into this game.
But that, to me is the key for this line's defense.
Don't let Kyler ruin it for you.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah, and I mean you bring up Marvin Harrison, I mean,
good night. I mean you knew he was gonna be
good if you watched him in college, right, I'm just
skipping right to the point.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Three.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
No, No, Arthur Key is two rookies we think that
are going to be pretty big in this contest for
either side, and that's Marvin Harrison Junior for the Cardinals
and Terry and Arnold for the Detroit Lions. Go ahead
on on Marvin Harrison.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Prototypical frame right six three, two hundred and change. Elite athleticism,
elite hands, and then the feel that you can't teach.
And the play I look at from that Rams game
last week. He was running a deep over a deep
cross and kind of got undercut by of the safety
and what does he do? Just turns it up field
Like that's a veteran move to think that I can
(11:59):
go all schedule on my route and my quarterback will
figure it out because he's smart. He's he's a veteran now.
And it resulted in a I don't know how many
yards sixty plus yard touchdown the post route he ran
to the end zone. He had an inch to make
that play happen. He hauls it in and he gets the
toes down. I mean, he is exceptional and the Lions
(12:21):
are going to have their hands full. I think it's
always important to prevent big plays as much as possible.
Don't let him pass you. I mean, I know you
have really good playmakers in the back end, and Brian
Branch and Kirby Joseph, and you know, Arnold's got the
speed to keep up with him, and Davis has the
physicality to keep up with him. But just don't let
(12:43):
him behind you, because he will make every one of
those guys pay because he's that good, even though he
has two games of experience under his belt.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
And I thought it was really mature by him to
come out after that game. You know, caught you know,
four balls for one hundred and thirty yards, two touchdowns.
Kyler Murray I think was seventeen to twenty one in
that game. The four income were to Marvin Harrison and
that young man. After the game was asked about his performance,
obviously breakout game in the NFL, and he said, yeah,
but those fourign completions that that Kyler had, they were
(13:13):
all to me. I can't have that. Just to have
that presence of mind in that moment. It speaks to
his maturity. And you're right, he is a big play
waiting to happen. You gotta like Branch and Kirby bike
back there. I think that's a terrific safety duel, and
those guys get their hands on footballs to make place.
But don't put yourself in that situation where you've got
to do that. Because Marvin Harrison Junior is really really good.
(13:37):
I want to get your opinion on what you thought
of the first two weeks of Terry and Arnold. You know,
I thought he's played pretty well. They've thrown it them
thirteen times, completed eleven of those for one hundred and
twenty nine yards and a touchdown. You look at those numbers,
that's a one thirty three rating and you're like a
lot of those dinks and dunks, you know, so you know,
and that's and that's gonna happen. The three pass interference
(13:59):
penal tes tic TAC maybe a little bit also as
a face mask in there. Maybe it's a little bit
up and down his first two games.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
What have you thought of the rookie that I was
laughing at the thought today because you know, he's probably
gonna have a club on that that finger, and I'm thinking,
might not be the worst thing in the world to
not have a hand to grab, right, because that's that
is the hardest thing for for young cornerbacks to come
to this league. Colleg foot will lets you be a
little bit more fiscal. I think it's a better game,
honestly in that facet of it. I don't like the
(14:28):
spot foul. I don't know what the compromise is, but
you know, to think that he got a forty one
yard penalty for that, it felt like the crime and
the punishment were not you know.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I think when he got when he got up around
the head, that's probably what did it for me. I
think the hand fighting with between both guys was okay,
but once he got the hand up up up around
the around the head, that's what probably did it for
the official.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I would say none of the calls surprised me because
that's just how they officiate in this league. And and
young cornerbacks have to learn that you have to play
with your feet more than your hands. You have to
play the ball more than the man. Those are the
two most fundamental rules for a cornerback of this league.
I think he's got the mentality. I think he's got
the physical skill set. I love the way he tackles
(15:09):
in the open field. I think his man coverage skills
have looked better than his zone coverage skills. I think
he's just he's still finding a feel for how the
route concepts work. Cup and Evans both beat him on
deep curls as he was a deep cover three defender.
On the touchdown to god Win the forty one yarder,
he abandoned his zone, got sucked into too defending a post,
(15:30):
and now you got Kirby and Tarran Unol overlapping while
Godwin just runs the wheel and he's all alone. So
that'll come with time, right that that is an experience thing.
You need to see it, you need to process it,
you need to understand it. He's not stupid, right, I
mean that's he's an intelligent full Player's got a high
football I Q. He's driven and so I think it's
just a matter of just rep rep rep, and these
(15:52):
these are going to be so valuable that he's getting
he's taking his licks now. By the time the end
of the season rules round and certainly twenty twenty five,
like he should be a pretty darn good player, a
legit high end to low end one by a second season.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, I think there's no worry with this football team
with him. When you watch the tape, he's there, he's in.
If you're getting beat, that's one thing. If you're just
not getting it mentally, that's one thing. But he's in position.
I think it's just technique. It's little tiny things that
he's got to clean up, like you talked about, you know,
play the ball more than the man, and he'll figure
that stuff up. I'm not worried about him at all.
(16:28):
I think he's gonna be a really good player.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
No, the other thing I'm really curious about in this
game is their run game, right, Like we talked about Murray, Yeah,
James Connor is David Montgomery. I mean, they're very similar
styles that obviously they have some differences to him, but
just a really fundamentally sound between the tackles. Runner averages
four point six starts per carry. I imagine that Murray's
(16:51):
threat of running probably creates some spacing for him to
take advantage of it. But like the Lions are very
good run defense, that's going to benefit them. I felt
like by the end of last week, the Bucks weren't
even trying to run up the middle. They were trying
some gadget runs around the premter because DJ Raiders stepped
in and suddenly there was nowhere to go right again,
we talked about that beef in the middle with McNeil
and Levi, and you know, once Davenport gets folded back
(17:13):
in the mix, like, they're gonna be very, very tough
to run against. But they still you can't sleep on Connor.
You got to make sure you're shutting down those run lines.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Yeah, two other big ones for me. It'll be fun
to see all five of those guys on the defensive
front together for the first time. Marcus Davenport was back
at practice this week. He missed last week with a
groin injury. Good to see him back on the practice field.
And just what those five guys can do together. I
think we'll be pretty fun to watch. And then what
kind of game plan do they have for Buddha Baker too?
I mean that guy. I know you asked a couple
(17:41):
questions on Wednesday to Dan and some of the assistant coaches,
But when you watch the film of that game versus
the Rams, I mean, he's everywhere. He's a missile, he
he and he comes up and attacks the run game,
and you've got to have a plan for him if
you're gonna run the football.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I love great safety play. It's like one of my
favorite things to watch in football. It's why I have
such a great a prech for Brian Branch. I think
Brian Branch is already a very good football player, right.
I think Buddha Baker's what you hope he becomes right,
that just that ability to fire downhill with such confidence.
He had I think two or three tackles for loss
and he just he doesn't get touched. He just shoots
(18:17):
down from ten yards deep with just this. He knows
what he's doing, he has a plan of attack, and
they can't seem to stop him.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
And so yeah, it was an offensive lineman don't really
plan for that. You don't have to plan to block
a safety typically, but you have to.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
It's almost like marking the middle linebacker, right, like you've
got a mark where he is on the field because
he's a problem.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
So it'll be a fun one, first one on the
road for Lions. Something tells me a little bit needed.
You know, this is a team that kind of likes
going on the road, likes that, and you know us
versus everybody mentality, you know, you need a big win.
I think it fits this team's personality to go on
the road and try to get one. But it won't
be easy. That's a good football team playing good ball,
and this is a big one Week three, right, Well,
(18:58):
they put up forty one points least forty one.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It is not the game he thought it was when
the schedule came out, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Welcome back to the twenty Mahaddle Podcast presented by Microsoft.
I am very happy to welcome in a man who
has been described as one of the best defensive line coaches.
Before we get into football, we've got to talk about
Taj your son quite the hockey player. I know that's
(19:26):
close to my heart because my son grew up in
Detroit playing travel hockey, now plays varsity for Bloomfield Hills.
But how is he doing so far?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
I don't like it up here.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I know that was part of the reason you guys
kind of came out, a huge part.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Yeah, he's playing playing for Compyware good. Yeah, doing playing
Triple A hockey there and doing doing a great job.
And you know now he's also playing football and hockey,
which we couldn't keep them away from football, but hockey
is his love. And he's playing defenseman and he's checking
guys when he's not supposed to check. At twelve.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That's also he's there hitting. Is it this year and next.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Year they sat at thirteen? Yeah, they're still a year away, but.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
This is the year that's important. They'll start coaching it now,
you'll practice it because you've got to it can't just
be that hard adjustment.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Football for him actually helps him as far as he's
a running back and linebacker, so he's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
I love it. So your first impressions of Detroit hockey
versus Nashville hockey at the youth level.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
You know, it is it is completely different. I thought
they did a good job in Nashville for what they had,
but there's so many teams here that are I mean,
it's really competitive and really competitive, and you know, I
think they do a good job with development because there's
ice on two sheets of ice and every neighborhood. So
(20:48):
it's a lot different.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Now, all right, let's get to football a little bit.
Last week obviously a tough loss, but you can look
at your unit, the performance up front, how they limited
the run got after Baker Mayfield, and obviously you Hutch
with the four and a half sacks. You've seen a
lot of great performances over the years. Have you ever
been a part of one like that? And you were
with von Miller I think over at Texas A and
(21:11):
m Right obviously had some great guys at Tennessee. But
have you ever seen an individual performance like you saw
from Hutch?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
You know, what's funny is on I think it was
Wednesday last week. I was just I don't know why
it popped in my head, but I was telling Hutch
a story about when in Dan's first game when he
took over in Miami, we played the Tennessee Titans and
cam Wake had three sacks in the first half, actually
(21:38):
at four in the first half of the game, and
we kind of laughed about that story and it was unbelievable.
Then when he got to three, I said, hell, maybe
maybe you can. You could be the next guy to
do it. But the thing is is he does so
much more than the stats. He does a good or
the sacks and all of that. He does a good
job of setting up the pass rush games and calling it,
(22:02):
and he's been a great leader for us. But really
the whole group, Hutch is not getting no sacks without
the help of those guys on the interior, and he'll
admit that himself. So it's all of us working together.
But as far as Hutch as a player, I told
the guys, I think, you know, I've had some hard workers.
I've had Sue and Jeff Simmons, and but the hardest
(22:25):
worker that I've ever been around is actually another Michigan Wolverine,
which is Charles Woodson in Oakland. Like he just worked
his butt off even when he was older, and Hutch
is kind of the same same type of guy, like
he wants to get the perfect reps in practice and
work his butt off. So it's good to see everything
(22:48):
paying off.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
I think line Stans will be all right if Hutch
ends up having the same career as Charles Woodson had,
you know. But what marvels me about Hutch is now
he plays ninety percent of the snaps, you know, and
he's got a motor that never quits. So not only
does he play that many snaps, but he never takes
plays off either, And I think that's a unique combination
amongst big guys too.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Yeah. Yeah, And he wants to take every practice rep
and every one on one pass rush rep. And I
always tell him, like I'll pull him out of practice
and say he wants to go, and it's like, you
know what I got to protect you from you, like,
you can't take every rep. But that's why he's a
good player and becoming a great player is because he
(23:30):
works at it. So it doesn't just happen. You don't
see very many great players that are just great. Usually
there's a work ethic behind it.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
How great was a c DJ reader in the middle there?
I got to think what twenty five snaps someone right
in there made an impact? And I think some people
you obviously see him as a big guy, a run stuffer,
but I think people sleep a little bit on his athleticism.
There are a couple plays where he came real close
to having some sex. I think he can influence the
pass rush as well, would you like from from the elite.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
To elite run defender always kind of been that, but
like you said, he affects the quarterback. And I think
sometimes fans will look at a stat sheet and then
they form their opinions based on the stat sheet. You
can't tell me that the people that are watching the game,
they're locked in on the noseguard like they're not. They're
(24:18):
not looking at that. But the thing that the things
that he does impacts the game in so many ways,
Like he's pushing the pocket, forcing a quarterback to move left,
move right, step back, and then now the other guys
go clean them up. But like you said, he's a
he's a much better pass rusher than what he gets
credit for.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
That's some serious beef you got in the middle of
there now with the Leam, Yeah, I mean, and those
who are just going to continue to get better. I mean,
obviously they hadn't hadn't had a lot of time on task.
You know, DJ was out all training camp, and you've
got to learn the guy next to you a little bit,
especially on the defensive line when you're doing stunts and
doing some of the other games that you play and
stuff like that. It's just going to keep getting better
and better.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
You know, their first time a Leam and and Aleam
and Reader, their first time really practicing or playing together
in pads was in that game the against Tampa. Like
they really didn't have a chance to practice because Reader
wasn't practicing, and then when we brought him back, it
(25:17):
was returned to play, so he was kind of on
a scout team, and then when we came back, we
didn't have pads on. So their first time being in
pads together was in that game against Tampa. And we
still haven't had in a game yet Hutch Mac Davenport
and Levi and all those guys in there together, and
(25:41):
so I'm looking forward to see what that looks like.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Are you cheating? Are you looking at my questions here?
Because my next one was getting all five players back
to together. How excited are you for that? Especially with
the way Marcus played week one too. I thought that
was very underrated what he did on that other side
and getting that back.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
From what he did and that opener from just a
physicality standpoint, and I think it opened even the DBS
are talking about what he was able to do. And
those guys enjoy working together, like we sit in the
meeting room and you listen to him talk and they
talk about the game and how we want to play
(26:19):
the game, and it's an impressive group, you know. So
we're excited to get all of them out there. And
I mean even Wingo like the Dan challenged our foot.
Dan and AG challenged us to get better from week
one to week two, and I think that group, along
with the football team, was able to get better. I
know we didn't win the football game, but you can
(26:41):
see the improvement, and that's really what you're trying trying
to get to. I mean, I don't know how many
playoff games are played in September, but you know, we're
just getting better and better and better every week. That's
what we're looking for.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
I like the line you used. I think you said
is crushing the can on the edge when you have
Marcus in Aiden in there, and then now you add
reader and leave inside. And that's going to be important
this week because what do you see on tape. Obviously,
Kyler Murray is a guy who's made plays with his
legs outside the pocket a lot. He's got a weapon
in Marvis Harrison Junior on the outside that can be
(27:15):
real dangerous if he's allowed to extend some plays. Just
the challenge this week.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Scary scary, scary football player. I mean, he was Levi's
teammate at Alan High School in Texas and he's been
doing that since high school, running around. Even when you
think you got him boxed in, he's still able to
slither around and make some play. So it's going to
be a challenge for us. But you know, we're we're
(27:40):
gonna go after him and attack him and do those things.
So it'll be a good challenge for us, and it'll
be a good challenge for him the way we're going
to rush the passer.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
You mentioned Levi a couple of times. I knew you.
I know you weren't here when he first got here,
when he was dealing with his back injury nearly ended
his careers. Herrol, just how much how happy are you
for what he's become now now he's healthy, and what
he's doing and how he's played the first two weeks.
He's a big part of what you guys have done.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
I spend so much time with Levi on the in
the draft process when he was coming out, and I
I begged and hoped that we would take him uh
in Tennessee, to pair him with Jeff Simmons inside, and
we didn't. And and it's funny because now we come
together and I, you know, I've watched him from Afar
(28:29):
and and I would hear the stories he's and and
when I first got here, I said, you know what,
you got to change a chance to change the narrative.
And he's been able to do that in a major way.
And he's healthy, Like that's the biggest thing. I mean,
we want to call kids bus and and some guys
just develop at a different rate, and other guys that
(28:51):
you can't judge him when they're hurt, you know, And a.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Back is a back, like that's that's a finicky thing.
That's that's a serious injury.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
At that position, you're if you have a bad back,
I don't know how you do it. So the fact
that he's been able to overcome that and he's playing
at such a high level for us is exciting to see.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
The young guys except you a little bit Wingo.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Yeah, like Wingo's coming. Like I thought, last week, again
in a loss, he looked better than he did at
any point in the preseason, and that that's a good
thing for us. I mean, Pascal is another guy that's
a third year player that is really fighting for playing.
The thing that we have is we have a lot
(29:34):
of depth on our interior, and that's such a huge
thing because you know, guys get banged up. Well you
can just yeah, it's gonna happen. But those two guys
are the ones that come to mind for me as
far as guys that you can see getting better. And again,
we're just trying to improve every week and hopefully we
(29:56):
could take another step this week.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Well, that defensive line took a big, big step last week.
I think it's going to be the catalyst for what
you guys do defensively. I think you guys have those
guys playing. I think you have those guys playing a really,
really high level up front. It should be a great
test this week. Thanks so much for joining me. I
love the insight like talking big boy football inside there
doesn't get the doesn't get the play a lot of
(30:18):
the times that it does, but I love the conversation.
Thanks for joining me.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Darren. Absolutely welcome back to be twenty in the Huddle
podcast presented by Microsoft, and I am very happy to
welcome in Darren Urban. He does a great job covering
everything over over in Arizona for the Cardinals. The director
of editorial content and the senior writer for the Arizona Cardinals. Darren,
(30:44):
thanks for joining me. Appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Thanks for inviting me too.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Well.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's another fun matchup, right NFC matchup. We'll see what
kind of implications this has later in the season, but
a big one early on. You know, Cardinals are obviously
coming off a big win against the Rams last week
after dropping their Week one contest Lions the other side
of it, you know, one a close game Week one,
but fell short last week, so they're looking for a
(31:10):
bounce back. But let's start with this Darren, I, have
you ever seen a quarterback play as well as Kyler
Murray played last week? What was it? Two hundred and
sixty six passing yards, fifty nine rushing, a perfect passer rating.
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
You know, it's funny that you bring that up in
the podcast that I do here for the site. We
were just having that conversation and it's I guess it
depends there's nuance there statistically, probably not, efficiency, probably not.
He did out of a game in Las Vegas in
(31:47):
twenty twenty two. He wasn't great some of the game,
but the team was terrible, and he basically put the
team on his back that day and ran for a touchdown,
through for a touchdown, ran for a two point conversion,
three roof for a two point conversion. I don't know
if you remember that one, but it's it's the one
where he had like scrambled for like twenty seconds before
he ran in the two pointer row.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Oh yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
His stats weren't great that day, but that was that
was a game that like only Kyler Murray could do.
That was something similar in terms of what we saw Sunday.
The difference between this Kyler Murray and previous versions. Is
that you're now adding in the playmaking into a situation
where the offense fits him, and it is very effective
(32:34):
within the offense. It's it's not asking for him to
do everything. And you've seen it with the running game.
Now you see it with Marvin Harrison and Trey McBride
that they've got some guys to throw to. It's it
can be a very efficient offense. And I think as
he kind of comes into his own with his coaching
staff full time after missing half the year last year,
(32:54):
you're really being able to see the results.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And it really does look like it fits there. I
mean sixty nine points, eight touchdowns, seven hundred and fifty
nine yards, three hundred and fifty five rushing, forty two
first downs. I mean they can attack you in a
lot more ways than I think previous years with Kyler.
And I think one of the big things when watching
his game from last week too is correct me if
I'm wrong, But he looks like he's at a point
(33:17):
now where he's scrambling, he's moving, he's using his legs
to throw the ball down field, not so much gain
yards with his legs, and I think that's opened up
this offense a lot too. When you put a playmaker
like Marvin Harrison Junior on the outside.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Well, I yes, that is all true, and it's what
you hope for. If you have a quarterback who can
move like Kyler Murray, and I'm sure this would go
with any quarterback who's able to scramble and buy some time,
you need to have receivers that can compliment that because
if the defense is worried about that quarterback getting out
(33:54):
and maybe heading up the field by himself, you have
situations like last week where Marvin Harrison ends up running
free in the secondary multiple times. Now, I'm not saying
that that's gonna happen every week. The Rams definitely got
messed up a couple of times on defense last week,
but because you've got a McBride, like A great example
(34:15):
is the sixty yard touchdown to Harrison. That play was
a rollout, a play action rollout to the right that
was going to go back across the field to Trey McBride.
Three Rams defenders went to McBride and a fourth was
coming over to help, and that's the guy that kind
of rubbed off Harrison and Harrison kind of ran past him.
And he got past the corner and got wide open.
(34:36):
If you can start using those pieces that aren't getting
the ball on a particular play to draw defenders, that's
where you get all this openness. And that goes back
to again the threat of Kyler running the play action.
Not only did you worry about James Connor the initial
part of that play, then all of a sudden, Kyler
is running And even if he hadn't thrown that ball,
he would have gained ten or fifteen yards if he
(34:58):
decided to run because of where the defense was. I mean,
there's they have so many options right now. This Drew
Petsing offense looks really good.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Yeah, And defensively they're playing some pretty good football too.
To hold Matthew Stafford and and and that collection of
weapons over there to ten points is pretty good. And
it really was playing behind the line of scrimmage, playing
on on you know, Los Angeles side. I think it
was twelve tackles for lost five sacks. I mean that
was a pretty good performance too. But they've been playing
some pretty good football to start this side. That's front seven.
(35:29):
Is that their strength particularly we all know about Buddha
Baker obviously, and the impact that he has a safety,
But how good does that front seven play in right now?
Speaker 4 (35:37):
You know they had a great game last week, and
you certainly don't want to throw a bunch of cold
water on it. But the Rams were missing Puku Nakua,
they lost Cooper Cup by the end of the first half,
and they were missing three starting offensive line and that
makes a difference, especially when you're about to go against
the Lions team that has arguably the best offensive line
in the league, and they're all healthy. So we'll see,
(35:59):
We'll see how it carries over. But I do think
that this defense plays hard. I think Nick Rollis, the
defensive coordinator, does a nice job putting them in the
positions they need to do to be as successful as
they can. I think ultimately what's going to determine the
wins and losses of this team is going to be
can the defense do enough to keep their offense in
(36:20):
a position where if they play offensively like they can,
you're basically outscoring teams. I don't expect this defense to
hold teams to ten points a week. But at the
same time, you know, maybe you're running into a lines
I mean, the lines out a ton of yards last week,
couldn't quite finish off drives. You know, that would be
something that would play into a strength of a Cardinals defense,
(36:42):
a kind of a bend but not break and then
kind of let the offense take over.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
I'm sure everybody in Arizona was excited to see kind
of that breakout game from Marvin Harrison Junior or just
just how good can he be Darren?
Speaker 4 (36:53):
I mean, he can be what everybody thinks he can be.
I mean the first week was an anomala. I do
think there was a lot of things that went into it.
It was windy in Buffalo, so I think that affected
some things. Buffalo did do some things to cover him better,
but ultimately I think it was time on task that
Kyler and Marvin hadn't had because neither one of them
(37:16):
really played in the preseason. And it's you know, you've
been doing this long enough tim the first week or
two in the NFL, there's so many times when we
go back and we look how a team did in
week one or week two and you're thinking this had
nothing to do with how they were the rest of
the season. So that's why I'm hesitant on a lot
of stuff. But they were still trying to figure out
(37:36):
Marvin Harrison. Teams are going to pay attention to him.
He's going to be he is the number one receiver
for this team. He's going to be the number one receiver.
The issue again, defenses are going to have is okay,
if you put a lot of stock and worrying about
him all the time. Trey McBride is really good, and
Michael Wilson, who's kind of under the radar, can do
some things. And oh, by the way, this running game
(37:58):
since the end of last year, can really grind up
a lot of yards. So you know, they they've gotten
to the point where they have enough options that even
if the other team looks at Marvin, they're gonna be
some things that they're gonna have to pay for. That
all said, I think Marvin Harrison is definitely gonna be
the real deal. And you know is he gonna have
a Jamar Chase justin Jefferson rookie season In terms of stats,
(38:20):
I don't know about that, but in terms of impact,
I think he can.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
I'm glad you mentioned the run game. James Conner obviously,
you know terrific player. Dan Campbell had a great line
this week when when Asabai said he runs heavy, I
thought that was a great way to describe him because
he does bring the thunder. Injury concerns Darren leading into
this one. Stuff that you're watching over there. Anybody come
on everything, everybody come out of Sunday, okay, or there's
(38:46):
some concerns they are leading into this week.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
The biggest injury issues that they have are guys that
are already on ir In terms of the guys that
have been playing, they're relatively healthy. That's why Gannon didn't
play anybody in the preseason and so far it's paid off.
The guys that got hurt were practice injuries, but nobody
got hurt in preseason and they've stayed healthy at this point.
So you knock on wood and as we can see
around the league, tim, I mean, injuries are already playing
(39:10):
a huge factor in how some teams are going to go.
In this team's division alone, obviously, the Cardinals just played
the Rams for forty nine. Ers are a team that
already beat up. So that's a huge part of this
is can teams stay healthy, and right now the Cardinals are.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
One or two big keys for the Cardinals to come
away with a victory at State Farm on Sunday against
this Lions team that that's you know, obviously it's a
big game for them coming off a loss. You don't
want to start one to two. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:38):
Oh, and I think for both teams it's a huge deal.
The number one thing I'm thinking is you can't let
Hutchinson ruin the game. If you're the Cardinals, I think
you have a good enough run game where you can
potentially keep them off balanced. But your passing game was
so efficient last week, but you did not see a
pass rusher like the Lions have in Hutchinson. And I
think the other thing defensively, you just got to be smart.
(40:01):
I don't know if you're going to necessarily hold the
lines down like you held down the Rams, but if
you can out physical the Lions, and I think the
Lions are one of the most physical teams the Cardinals
will see. And that's where the Cardinals are right now.
Gannon is a physical type of coach and he's built
a physical type team. I'm looking forward to that. But
you can't let the Lions gash you on the ground.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
It should be a good one to physical football teams.
Two teams that like to run to run the ball.
That two defenses that are playing much better than we've
seen in years past. Two and it's a big NFC matchup.
It should be a great one. Darren, thank you so
much for taking the time. Appreciate you and I'll come
over and say hello in the press box on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
Thanks for having me. Tim
Lions try to get the football back Mayfield looking. Pressure
comes as he throws it over the middle of intercepted
by the Lion picked.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Up Ryan Branch up to make the grab, and the
Lions have got the football back.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Welcome to Week three of the NFL. This is the
twenty in the Huddle podcast, Week three already.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I know, man, it feels like it takes forever to
get here and then over.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
He is Justin Rodgers, formerly of the Detroit News, now
of the Detroit Football Network. Correct. I want to talk
about that for just a second, real quick, before we
get into our three keys to the game. But look,
you covered this team for the Detroit News for a
number of years and I'm live before that, and I'm
live before that. You know, thought you were you know,
you had a value for your work. It wasn't matched
(00:50):
and to take that step to venture off into your
own how scary that probably was with with two small
kids and a white I got a lot of respect
for that, just kind of what went went into that thought.
And how's it going for you so far?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I explained to somebody the morning of launch, I had,
you know, planned on launching eight in the morning. I
woke up at five, and I said it was like
eighty percent excitement and twenty percent sheer terror. You know,
I I was able to sleep comfortably outside of that
morning because I have a sportive wife that you know,
gave me the runway to do this. And then I'm
(01:28):
such a diligent planner, you know, I kind of picked
away at the idea for several months until you know,
it became clear that that was the switch that I
was going to flip. And so, you know, I felt
like I had everything in a row financially in terms
of all the boxes I needed to check and look.
I had I think modest goals to start. UH had
(01:48):
to re establish them because I've hit so many of
the early goals. It's it's been a really really great experience.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
It's it's fully subscriber funded. I mean, the readers pay
for my my existence and profession now. And to know
that the support has been there has been very reassuring
and humbling too.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
And you're your own boss, which is the great part
the whole deal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I don't have any chill with that, so I pushed myself.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
My boss is a jerk, all right. Well, it's doing.
I'm glad it's doing great. It's another terrific resource for
Lions fans out there. We'll put the website on the
screen right there for you, and let's get into these
three keys first off, because obviously one in one, this
(02:33):
is a big early game for Detroit. Last year, you know,
they stumbled week two, were able to go in week three,
win a game, roll off four straight and that kind
of got rolling. You don't want this to steam roll
the other way though, so you know, obviously I think
one thing that needs fixing right away is number one
key to this one is cleaning up the red zone.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, you look at this team. They were one of
the best bread zone teams last year, converted nearly two
thirds of their trips maybe it was exactly two thirds
into touchdowns. Right now, they're sitting at twenty six twenty
seven percent after one for seven showing against Tampa, and
I think Tampa kind of unveiled a formula that challenges
Detroit going forward. It was this this rush for drop seven.
(03:14):
I always have such a great appreciation of watching a
great zone defense do what they're supposed to do, and
they played it to perfection. They didn't get too deep.
They kept, you know, eyes on everything shallow, limiting the
yak and Detroit couldn't come up with an answer, and so
they've got to find a way, i think, to be
more efficient with the run game. First of all, you know,
(03:34):
it starts with making those second and third of manageables,
a lot of negative plays that are right against against Tampa,
and then to finding ways to crack those zones, those
almost prevent esque zones in the red zone, because if
you can't, teams are going to keep using that blueprint
against you until you prove you can beat it.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
That's the big point there, because now there's the film,
now there's the blueprint, you're.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Going to see it.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
I think the Detroit's got to do much better in
the seams some of those quick hitters in the in
the middle portion of the field, and that's a that's
a tough airy because you've got to get over the
linebackers and inside and there's not a lot of space
to do the inside the defensive backs. But they've got
to do a better job. I think Sam Laporte's got
to be a little bit more key in the red zone.
He was huge for them in the red zone last
year hasn't been a big factor first two weeks. Now, Look,
(04:16):
there's lots of miles to feed in this offense, so
I understand it, but he's got to be a guy
to me, especially in the red zone, that that's got
to be a factory. You've got to target him two, three,
four times in the red zone because he can make
those plays for it. I think the disappointing thing that
Dan Campbell brought up to about the red zones wasn't
one thing justin I think if it's one thing and
you can look at it and be like, okay, that
(04:36):
was the issue, but it was misd assignments, It was
some miss blocks, it was some bad play calls, it
was some bad reads. I mean, it was a little
bit of everything. And I think when you watch the
tape that's probably a little bit of a frustrating thing
for Dan Campbell, But when the guys watch it, they're like, Okay,
I think we can fix that stuff because it wasn't
just one issue. Even though that's frustrating, I think individually
(04:58):
guys can clean that up and they could be better there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Yeah, I think going back to what Tampa did that
maybe took it away was they really put emphasis on
the flats, you know, and the Lions love those quick
passes out there, whether it's to Jmo to Khalif to
Saint Brown. They use Gibbs out there, and they were
just on it. As soon as those passes hit the flats,
they were on it. And so what does that tell you?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Got to adjust?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
You gotta find ways to hit the middle of the field.
You know something I asked Running Beast coaches got a
Montgomery today how to unlock Jamir Gibbs as a pass catcher. Yeah,
you know, I think they need to find They need
to go find theoretic's tape, go find those angle rets.
Those Texas routes were unstoppable.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
He said.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
You want to get him the ball going forward upfield,
face to the you know the direction they're going.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
That's the round. He seems like a terrific option round
guy for me. I mean, not many linebackers in this
league are going to be able to stay with him.
And to your point about the strategy of playing in
the flats, I thought Tampa did a great job when
you played that defense. You also have to be able
to tackle, and I thought they came up and they
tackled really really well. To your point about getting him
faced up, don't get them three yards out where he's
turning his back to catch the ball. I like those
(06:01):
option routes moving forward middle of the field. I think
when when a team does the seven the cover seven zone,
the middle of the field is where you have to
attack the seams. And to me, it's Gibbs and it's Laporta.
Those are your guys in those seams. I think those
are your your seam killers. Obviously with the mon Ros
Saint Brown, you look at the.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
One touchdown they did have, right, what do they do?
They took Laporta and they took Saint Brown and kind
of ran them to the same depth and they had
to decide which way to go, and they kind of
squeezed on Laporta. It opened Saint Brown. He caught the
ball at the four or five six yard line and
was able to get down to the one, setting up
first and goal at the one. I'm gonna take this
team first and goal at the one to get into
the end zone ninety eight percent of the time, and
(06:39):
so you know when you're your first and ten at
the eleven, that's a lot tougher road. So yeah, attack
the middle of the field, stress them out. You have
all these weapons, like you talked about, stress them find
the open one, and Jared should be able to get
better that as a season progressive.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Heading into this game. Cardinals twenty second in red zone
defense about fifty five point six percent, but they're number
three on third down. They've been terrific in that area.
So that's kind of what you know when you're in
the red zone that that third down is that money done.
You've got to get into manageable second and thirds. I
think for the Lions too too many times second nine,
(07:16):
second eleven, second twelve. Now you're limited in the red zone.
One it takes a run game away. They got to
be much better on first down in the red zone.
I think that's gonna be a big key too.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
We'll certainly showed up late in that game, right, I mean,
none of those those third and longs in the red
zone were in the third and fourth quarter, and you
know they're trying to execut a comeback. They didn't have
the ability to kick a field goal to tie it,
so you know it really killed him.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
All right, Let's get to our number two big key,
and it's it's to me, it's it's going to be
containing Kyler Murray and that offense. But but Murray especially
you look at what he did last week. He was
only the second player in NFL history and I thought,
this is a crazy statistic to have two hundred passing yards,
at least fifty rushing and a perfect passer rating. It's
happened two times in the history of the NFL, and
(07:59):
he was one. He was that good last week. Now look,
last week, Baker Mayfield was able to escape the pocket
and make some places with his feet, did so more
as a passer though we did have the one rushing touchdown,
but that was more of a design draw. I think
the design run that's gonna happen. Look, guys are gonna
make places, and Kyler's gonna get out, He's gonna make plays.
You just have to know going in that that's gonna happen.
It's to me, it's limiting the big place. Don't let
(08:21):
that become something that comes over the top or happened
too many times where it affects the log game.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
I think this is an area where the Lions' scheme
works in their favor. What do we see a lot
on first downs, we see five down, right, So you've
got more bodies across. Not only you see five down,
you see massive guys in Davenport and Hutchinson and Reader
and McNeil. You got a three hundred and fifteen pound
leeve Ion Zerrique playing defensive. And so you have the
(08:47):
lanes clogged on the inside. You have athleticism on the
outside that gives you a shot before the snap. Now,
once the ball is snap, the key is don't run
past the freaking quarterback.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
And it's really really.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Hard because so many of those sacks come from the loop,
from running the hoop, from getting behind, from catching the
quarterback off guard, and the young player struggle with it
the most right. And I actually saw a play from Hutchinson,
his final sack, the one he split with with Levi,
that showed to me his growth as a young player.
(09:20):
That one a lean, penetrated baker reddit tried to step
forward and you saw Aiden recognizing it early. His eyes
were up, his head was up as he was bowl rushing,
and he took that little step back and he closed
down the lane and it led to a sack. You
can't get past. If you get past Kyler, you're not recovering.
I mean, he is just one of the absolute fastest quarterbacks.
(09:43):
And it's not just fast, it's that lateral quickness, that
ability to change directions. It's so so rare, and you
know he's not even looking to run most of the time.
That's I think that's what makes him so impressive is
he's keeping his eyes downfield. He wants to throw the ball.
I think that touchdown last week and star the ram
he makes four guys missing the backfield, scrambling hard was
(10:03):
left and he finds the tight end in the back
of the end zone for an eighteen yard touchdown. He's
killing teams with his arm more than he's killing him
with their feet. But that ability to extend that play
makes him even more lethal.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
That's the key. When you extend. Now all of a sudden,
routes come off off cycle there and you know, guys
look to make plays. Now he's got that weapon deep
in Marvin Harrison Junior to hit the home run when
he extend those plays. So to your point, I think
he's evolved a little bit. Instead of before he would
(10:35):
just run, run, pick up what he could and do that.
Now he's looking for the big play. The breakdown of
the defense. That's where Detroit's got to be sound. And look,
this is a Cardinals offense that's humming right now. Sixty
nine points in two games, eight touchdowns, four field goals,
three hundred and fifty five rushing yards, forty two first downs.
I mean, they are rolling right now. I thought Detroit's
(10:56):
defense played much better Week two against the Bucks. Look
at some of those statistics, and they dominated that game
for the most part. There were just a couple plays
here and there where the Bucks beat him on. But
I think that's a great matchup going into this game.
But that, to me is the key for this line's defense.
Don't let Kyler ruin it for you.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Yeah, and I mean you bring up Marvin Harrison, I mean,
good night. I mean you knew he was gonna be
good if you watched him in college, right, I'm just
skipping right to the point.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Three.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
No, No, Arthur Key is two rookies we think that
are going to be pretty big in this contest for
either side, and that's Marvin Harrison Junior for the Cardinals
and Terry and Arnold for the Detroit Lions. Go ahead
on on Marvin Harrison.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Prototypical frame right six three, two hundred and change. Elite athleticism,
elite hands, and then the feel that you can't teach.
And the play I look at from that Rams game
last week. He was running a deep over a deep
cross and kind of got undercut by of the safety
and what does he do? Just turns it up field
Like that's a veteran move to think that I can
(11:59):
go all schedule on my route and my quarterback will
figure it out because he's smart. He's he's a veteran now.
And it resulted in a I don't know how many
yards sixty plus yard touchdown the post route he ran
to the end zone. He had an inch to make
that play happen. He hauls it in and he gets the
toes down. I mean, he is exceptional and the Lions
(12:21):
are going to have their hands full. I think it's
always important to prevent big plays as much as possible.
Don't let him pass you. I mean, I know you
have really good playmakers in the back end, and Brian
Branch and Kirby Joseph, and you know, Arnold's got the
speed to keep up with him, and Davis has the
physicality to keep up with him. But just don't let
(12:43):
him behind you, because he will make every one of
those guys pay because he's that good, even though he
has two games of experience under his belt.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
And I thought it was really mature by him to
come out after that game. You know, caught you know,
four balls for one hundred and thirty yards, two touchdowns.
Kyler Murray I think was seventeen to twenty one in
that game. The four income were to Marvin Harrison and
that young man. After the game was asked about his performance,
obviously breakout game in the NFL, and he said, yeah,
but those fourign completions that that Kyler had, they were
(13:13):
all to me. I can't have that. Just to have
that presence of mind in that moment. It speaks to
his maturity. And you're right, he is a big play
waiting to happen. You gotta like Branch and Kirby bike
back there. I think that's a terrific safety duel, and
those guys get their hands on footballs to make place.
But don't put yourself in that situation where you've got
to do that. Because Marvin Harrison Junior is really really good.
(13:37):
I want to get your opinion on what you thought
of the first two weeks of Terry and Arnold. You know,
I thought he's played pretty well. They've thrown it them
thirteen times, completed eleven of those for one hundred and
twenty nine yards and a touchdown. You look at those numbers,
that's a one thirty three rating and you're like a
lot of those dinks and dunks, you know, so you know,
and that's and that's gonna happen. The three pass interference
(13:59):
penal tes tic TAC maybe a little bit also as
a face mask in there. Maybe it's a little bit
up and down his first two games.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
What have you thought of the rookie that I was
laughing at the thought today because you know, he's probably
gonna have a club on that that finger, and I'm thinking,
might not be the worst thing in the world to
not have a hand to grab, right, because that's that
is the hardest thing for for young cornerbacks to come
to this league. Colleg foot will lets you be a
little bit more fiscal. I think it's a better game,
honestly in that facet of it. I don't like the
(14:28):
spot foul. I don't know what the compromise is, but
you know, to think that he got a forty one
yard penalty for that, it felt like the crime and
the punishment were not you know.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I think when he got when he got up around
the head, that's probably what did it for me. I
think the hand fighting with between both guys was okay,
but once he got the hand up up up around
the around the head, that's what probably did it for
the official.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
I would say none of the calls surprised me because
that's just how they officiate in this league. And and
young cornerbacks have to learn that you have to play
with your feet more than your hands. You have to
play the ball more than the man. Those are the
two most fundamental rules for a cornerback of this league.
I think he's got the mentality. I think he's got
the physical skill set. I love the way he tackles
(15:09):
in the open field. I think his man coverage skills
have looked better than his zone coverage skills. I think
he's just he's still finding a feel for how the
route concepts work. Cup and Evans both beat him on
deep curls as he was a deep cover three defender.
On the touchdown to god Win the forty one yarder,
he abandoned his zone, got sucked into too defending a post,
(15:30):
and now you got Kirby and Tarran Unol overlapping while
Godwin just runs the wheel and he's all alone. So
that'll come with time, right that that is an experience thing.
You need to see it, you need to process it,
you need to understand it. He's not stupid, right, I
mean that's he's an intelligent full Player's got a high
football I Q. He's driven and so I think it's
just a matter of just rep rep rep, and these
(15:52):
these are going to be so valuable that he's getting
he's taking his licks now. By the time the end
of the season rules round and certainly twenty twenty five,
like he should be a pretty darn good player, a
legit high end to low end one by a second season.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, I think there's no worry with this football team
with him. When you watch the tape, he's there, he's in.
If you're getting beat, that's one thing. If you're just
not getting it mentally, that's one thing. But he's in position.
I think it's just technique. It's little tiny things that
he's got to clean up, like you talked about, you know,
play the ball more than the man, and he'll figure
that stuff up. I'm not worried about him at all.
(16:28):
I think he's gonna be a really good player.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
No, the other thing I'm really curious about in this
game is their run game, right, Like we talked about Murray, Yeah,
James Connor is David Montgomery. I mean, they're very similar
styles that obviously they have some differences to him, but
just a really fundamentally sound between the tackles. Runner averages
four point six starts per carry. I imagine that Murray's
(16:51):
threat of running probably creates some spacing for him to
take advantage of it. But like the Lions are very
good run defense, that's going to benefit them. I felt
like by the end of last week, the Bucks weren't
even trying to run up the middle. They were trying
some gadget runs around the premter because DJ Raiders stepped
in and suddenly there was nowhere to go right again,
we talked about that beef in the middle with McNeil
and Levi, and you know, once Davenport gets folded back
(17:13):
in the mix, like, they're gonna be very, very tough
to run against. But they still you can't sleep on Connor.
You got to make sure you're shutting down those run lines.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Yeah, two other big ones for me. It'll be fun
to see all five of those guys on the defensive
front together for the first time. Marcus Davenport was back
at practice this week. He missed last week with a
groin injury. Good to see him back on the practice field.
And just what those five guys can do together. I
think we'll be pretty fun to watch. And then what
kind of game plan do they have for Buddha Baker too?
I mean that guy. I know you asked a couple
(17:41):
questions on Wednesday to Dan and some of the assistant coaches,
But when you watch the film of that game versus
the Rams, I mean, he's everywhere. He's a missile, he
he and he comes up and attacks the run game,
and you've got to have a plan for him if
you're gonna run the football.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
I love great safety play. It's like one of my
favorite things to watch in football. It's why I have
such a great a prech for Brian Branch. I think
Brian Branch is already a very good football player, right.
I think Buddha Baker's what you hope he becomes right,
that just that ability to fire downhill with such confidence.
He had I think two or three tackles for loss
and he just he doesn't get touched. He just shoots
(18:17):
down from ten yards deep with just this. He knows
what he's doing, he has a plan of attack, and
they can't seem to stop him.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
And so yeah, it was an offensive lineman don't really
plan for that. You don't have to plan to block
a safety typically, but you have to.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
It's almost like marking the middle linebacker, right, like you've
got a mark where he is on the field because
he's a problem.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
So it'll be a fun one, first one on the
road for Lions. Something tells me a little bit needed.
You know, this is a team that kind of likes
going on the road, likes that, and you know us
versus everybody mentality, you know, you need a big win.
I think it fits this team's personality to go on
the road and try to get one. But it won't
be easy. That's a good football team playing good ball,
and this is a big one Week three, right, Well,
(18:58):
they put up forty one points least forty one.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It is not the game he thought it was when
the schedule came out, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Welcome back to the twenty Mahaddle Podcast presented by Microsoft.
I am very happy to welcome in a man who
has been described as one of the best defensive line coaches.
Before we get into football, we've got to talk about
Taj your son quite the hockey player. I know that's
(19:26):
close to my heart because my son grew up in
Detroit playing travel hockey, now plays varsity for Bloomfield Hills.
But how is he doing so far?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
I don't like it up here.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
I know that was part of the reason you guys
kind of came out, a huge part.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Yeah, he's playing playing for Compyware good. Yeah, doing playing
Triple A hockey there and doing doing a great job.
And you know now he's also playing football and hockey,
which we couldn't keep them away from football, but hockey
is his love. And he's playing defenseman and he's checking
guys when he's not supposed to check. At twelve.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That's also he's there hitting. Is it this year and next.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Year they sat at thirteen? Yeah, they're still a year away, but.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
This is the year that's important. They'll start coaching it now,
you'll practice it because you've got to it can't just
be that hard adjustment.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Football for him actually helps him as far as he's
a running back and linebacker, so he's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
I love it. So your first impressions of Detroit hockey
versus Nashville hockey at the youth level.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
You know, it is it is completely different. I thought
they did a good job in Nashville for what they had,
but there's so many teams here that are I mean,
it's really competitive and really competitive, and you know, I
think they do a good job with development because there's
ice on two sheets of ice and every neighborhood. So
(20:48):
it's a lot different.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
Now, all right, let's get to football a little bit.
Last week obviously a tough loss, but you can look
at your unit, the performance up front, how they limited
the run got after Baker Mayfield, and obviously you Hutch
with the four and a half sacks. You've seen a
lot of great performances over the years. Have you ever
been a part of one like that? And you were
with von Miller I think over at Texas A and
(21:11):
m Right obviously had some great guys at Tennessee. But
have you ever seen an individual performance like you saw
from Hutch?
Speaker 2 (21:17):
You know, what's funny is on I think it was
Wednesday last week. I was just I don't know why
it popped in my head, but I was telling Hutch
a story about when in Dan's first game when he
took over in Miami, we played the Tennessee Titans and
cam Wake had three sacks in the first half, actually
(21:38):
at four in the first half of the game, and
we kind of laughed about that story and it was unbelievable.
Then when he got to three, I said, hell, maybe
maybe you can. You could be the next guy to
do it. But the thing is is he does so
much more than the stats. He does a good or
the sacks and all of that. He does a good
job of setting up the pass rush games and calling it,
(22:02):
and he's been a great leader for us. But really
the whole group, Hutch is not getting no sacks without
the help of those guys on the interior, and he'll
admit that himself. So it's all of us working together.
But as far as Hutch as a player, I told
the guys, I think, you know, I've had some hard workers.
I've had Sue and Jeff Simmons, and but the hardest
(22:25):
worker that I've ever been around is actually another Michigan Wolverine,
which is Charles Woodson in Oakland. Like he just worked
his butt off even when he was older, and Hutch
is kind of the same same type of guy, like
he wants to get the perfect reps in practice and
work his butt off. So it's good to see everything
(22:48):
paying off.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
I think line Stans will be all right if Hutch
ends up having the same career as Charles Woodson had,
you know. But what marvels me about Hutch is now
he plays ninety percent of the snaps, you know, and
he's got a motor that never quits. So not only
does he play that many snaps, but he never takes
plays off either, And I think that's a unique combination
amongst big guys too.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Yeah. Yeah, And he wants to take every practice rep
and every one on one pass rush rep. And I
always tell him, like I'll pull him out of practice
and say he wants to go, and it's like, you
know what I got to protect you from you, like,
you can't take every rep. But that's why he's a
good player and becoming a great player is because he
(23:30):
works at it. So it doesn't just happen. You don't
see very many great players that are just great. Usually
there's a work ethic behind it.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
How great was a c DJ reader in the middle there?
I got to think what twenty five snaps someone right
in there made an impact? And I think some people
you obviously see him as a big guy, a run stuffer,
but I think people sleep a little bit on his athleticism.
There are a couple plays where he came real close
to having some sex. I think he can influence the
pass rush as well, would you like from from the elite.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
To elite run defender always kind of been that, but
like you said, he affects the quarterback. And I think
sometimes fans will look at a stat sheet and then
they form their opinions based on the stat sheet. You
can't tell me that the people that are watching the game,
they're locked in on the noseguard like they're not. They're
(24:18):
not looking at that. But the thing that the things
that he does impacts the game in so many ways,
Like he's pushing the pocket, forcing a quarterback to move left,
move right, step back, and then now the other guys
go clean them up. But like you said, he's a
he's a much better pass rusher than what he gets
credit for.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
That's some serious beef you got in the middle of
there now with the Leam, Yeah, I mean, and those
who are just going to continue to get better. I mean,
obviously they hadn't hadn't had a lot of time on task.
You know, DJ was out all training camp, and you've
got to learn the guy next to you a little bit,
especially on the defensive line when you're doing stunts and
doing some of the other games that you play and
stuff like that. It's just going to keep getting better
and better.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
You know, their first time a Leam and and Aleam
and Reader, their first time really practicing or playing together
in pads was in that game the against Tampa. Like
they really didn't have a chance to practice because Reader
wasn't practicing, and then when we brought him back, it
(25:17):
was returned to play, so he was kind of on
a scout team, and then when we came back, we
didn't have pads on. So their first time being in
pads together was in that game against Tampa. And we
still haven't had in a game yet Hutch Mac Davenport
and Levi and all those guys in there together, and
(25:41):
so I'm looking forward to see what that looks like.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Are you cheating? Are you looking at my questions here?
Because my next one was getting all five players back
to together. How excited are you for that? Especially with
the way Marcus played week one too. I thought that
was very underrated what he did on that other side
and getting that back.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
From what he did and that opener from just a
physicality standpoint, and I think it opened even the DBS
are talking about what he was able to do. And
those guys enjoy working together, like we sit in the
meeting room and you listen to him talk and they
talk about the game and how we want to play
(26:19):
the game, and it's an impressive group, you know. So
we're excited to get all of them out there. And
I mean even Wingo like the Dan challenged our foot.
Dan and AG challenged us to get better from week
one to week two, and I think that group, along
with the football team, was able to get better. I
know we didn't win the football game, but you can
(26:41):
see the improvement, and that's really what you're trying trying
to get to. I mean, I don't know how many
playoff games are played in September, but you know, we're
just getting better and better and better every week. That's
what we're looking for.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
I like the line you used. I think you said
is crushing the can on the edge when you have
Marcus in Aiden in there, and then now you add
reader and leave inside. And that's going to be important
this week because what do you see on tape. Obviously,
Kyler Murray is a guy who's made plays with his
legs outside the pocket a lot. He's got a weapon
in Marvis Harrison Junior on the outside that can be
(27:15):
real dangerous if he's allowed to extend some plays. Just
the challenge this week.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Scary scary, scary football player. I mean, he was Levi's
teammate at Alan High School in Texas and he's been
doing that since high school, running around. Even when you
think you got him boxed in, he's still able to
slither around and make some play. So it's going to
be a challenge for us. But you know, we're we're
(27:40):
gonna go after him and attack him and do those things.
So it'll be a good challenge for us, and it'll
be a good challenge for him the way we're going
to rush the passer.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
You mentioned Levi a couple of times. I knew you.
I know you weren't here when he first got here,
when he was dealing with his back injury nearly ended
his careers. Herrol, just how much how happy are you
for what he's become now now he's healthy, and what
he's doing and how he's played the first two weeks.
He's a big part of what you guys have done.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
I spend so much time with Levi on the in
the draft process when he was coming out, and I
I begged and hoped that we would take him uh
in Tennessee, to pair him with Jeff Simmons inside, and
we didn't. And and it's funny because now we come
together and I, you know, I've watched him from Afar
(28:29):
and and I would hear the stories he's and and
when I first got here, I said, you know what,
you got to change a chance to change the narrative.
And he's been able to do that in a major way.
And he's healthy, Like that's the biggest thing. I mean,
we want to call kids bus and and some guys
just develop at a different rate, and other guys that
(28:51):
you can't judge him when they're hurt, you know, And a.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Back is a back, like that's that's a finicky thing.
That's that's a serious injury.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
At that position, you're if you have a bad back,
I don't know how you do it. So the fact
that he's been able to overcome that and he's playing
at such a high level for us is exciting to see.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
The young guys except you a little bit Wingo.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Yeah, like Wingo's coming. Like I thought, last week, again
in a loss, he looked better than he did at
any point in the preseason, and that that's a good
thing for us. I mean, Pascal is another guy that's
a third year player that is really fighting for playing.
The thing that we have is we have a lot
(29:34):
of depth on our interior, and that's such a huge
thing because you know, guys get banged up. Well you
can just yeah, it's gonna happen. But those two guys
are the ones that come to mind for me as
far as guys that you can see getting better. And again,
we're just trying to improve every week and hopefully we
(29:56):
could take another step this week.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Well, that defensive line took a big, big step last week.
I think it's going to be the catalyst for what
you guys do defensively. I think you guys have those
guys playing. I think you have those guys playing a really,
really high level up front. It should be a great
test this week. Thanks so much for joining me. I
love the insight like talking big boy football inside there
doesn't get the doesn't get the play a lot of
(30:18):
the times that it does, but I love the conversation.
Thanks for joining me.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
Darren. Absolutely welcome back to be twenty in the Huddle
podcast presented by Microsoft, and I am very happy to
welcome in Darren Urban. He does a great job covering
everything over over in Arizona for the Cardinals. The director
of editorial content and the senior writer for the Arizona Cardinals. Darren,
(30:44):
thanks for joining me. Appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
Thanks for inviting me too.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Well.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's another fun matchup, right NFC matchup. We'll see what
kind of implications this has later in the season, but
a big one early on. You know, Cardinals are obviously
coming off a big win against the Rams last week
after dropping their Week one contest Lions the other side
of it, you know, one a close game Week one,
but fell short last week, so they're looking for a
(31:10):
bounce back. But let's start with this Darren, I, have
you ever seen a quarterback play as well as Kyler
Murray played last week? What was it? Two hundred and
sixty six passing yards, fifty nine rushing, a perfect passer rating.
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Speaker 4 (31:25):
You know, it's funny that you bring that up in
the podcast that I do here for the site. We
were just having that conversation and it's I guess it
depends there's nuance there statistically, probably not, efficiency, probably not.
He did out of a game in Las Vegas in
(31:47):
twenty twenty two. He wasn't great some of the game,
but the team was terrible, and he basically put the
team on his back that day and ran for a touchdown,
through for a touchdown, ran for a two point conversion,
three roof for a two point conversion. I don't know
if you remember that one, but it's it's the one
where he had like scrambled for like twenty seconds before
he ran in the two pointer row.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Oh yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
His stats weren't great that day, but that was that
was a game that like only Kyler Murray could do.
That was something similar in terms of what we saw Sunday.
The difference between this Kyler Murray and previous versions. Is
that you're now adding in the playmaking into a situation
where the offense fits him, and it is very effective
(32:34):
within the offense. It's it's not asking for him to
do everything. And you've seen it with the running game.
Now you see it with Marvin Harrison and Trey McBride
that they've got some guys to throw to. It's it
can be a very efficient offense. And I think as
he kind of comes into his own with his coaching
staff full time after missing half the year last year,
(32:54):
you're really being able to see the results.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And it really does look like it fits there. I
mean sixty nine points, eight touchdowns, seven hundred and fifty
nine yards, three hundred and fifty five rushing, forty two
first downs. I mean they can attack you in a
lot more ways than I think previous years with Kyler.
And I think one of the big things when watching
his game from last week too is correct me if
I'm wrong, But he looks like he's at a point
(33:17):
now where he's scrambling, he's moving, he's using his legs
to throw the ball down field, not so much gain
yards with his legs, and I think that's opened up
this offense a lot too. When you put a playmaker
like Marvin Harrison Junior on the outside.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Well, I yes, that is all true, and it's what
you hope for. If you have a quarterback who can
move like Kyler Murray, and I'm sure this would go
with any quarterback who's able to scramble and buy some time,
you need to have receivers that can compliment that because
if the defense is worried about that quarterback getting out
(33:54):
and maybe heading up the field by himself, you have
situations like last week where Marvin Harrison ends up running
free in the secondary multiple times. Now, I'm not saying
that that's gonna happen every week. The Rams definitely got
messed up a couple of times on defense last week,
but because you've got a McBride, like A great example
(34:15):
is the sixty yard touchdown to Harrison. That play was
a rollout, a play action rollout to the right that
was going to go back across the field to Trey McBride.
Three Rams defenders went to McBride and a fourth was
coming over to help, and that's the guy that kind
of rubbed off Harrison and Harrison kind of ran past him.
And he got past the corner and got wide open.
(34:36):
If you can start using those pieces that aren't getting
the ball on a particular play to draw defenders, that's
where you get all this openness. And that goes back
to again the threat of Kyler running the play action.
Not only did you worry about James Connor the initial
part of that play, then all of a sudden, Kyler
is running And even if he hadn't thrown that ball,
he would have gained ten or fifteen yards if he
(34:58):
decided to run because of where the defense was. I mean,
there's they have so many options right now. This Drew
Petsing offense looks really good.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
Yeah, And defensively they're playing some pretty good football too.
To hold Matthew Stafford and and and that collection of
weapons over there to ten points is pretty good. And
it really was playing behind the line of scrimmage, playing
on on you know, Los Angeles side. I think it
was twelve tackles for lost five sacks. I mean that
was a pretty good performance too. But they've been playing
some pretty good football to start this side. That's front seven.
(35:29):
Is that their strength particularly we all know about Buddha
Baker obviously, and the impact that he has a safety,
But how good does that front seven play in right now?
Speaker 4 (35:37):
You know they had a great game last week, and
you certainly don't want to throw a bunch of cold
water on it. But the Rams were missing Puku Nakua,
they lost Cooper Cup by the end of the first half,
and they were missing three starting offensive line and that
makes a difference, especially when you're about to go against
the Lions team that has arguably the best offensive line
in the league, and they're all healthy. So we'll see,
(35:59):
We'll see how it carries over. But I do think
that this defense plays hard. I think Nick Rollis, the
defensive coordinator, does a nice job putting them in the
positions they need to do to be as successful as
they can. I think ultimately what's going to determine the
wins and losses of this team is going to be
can the defense do enough to keep their offense in
(36:20):
a position where if they play offensively like they can,
you're basically outscoring teams. I don't expect this defense to
hold teams to ten points a week. But at the
same time, you know, maybe you're running into a lines
I mean, the lines out a ton of yards last week,
couldn't quite finish off drives. You know, that would be
something that would play into a strength of a Cardinals defense,
(36:42):
a kind of a bend but not break and then
kind of let the offense take over.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
I'm sure everybody in Arizona was excited to see kind
of that breakout game from Marvin Harrison Junior or just
just how good can he be Darren?
Speaker 4 (36:53):
I mean, he can be what everybody thinks he can be.
I mean the first week was an anomala. I do
think there was a lot of things that went into it.
It was windy in Buffalo, so I think that affected
some things. Buffalo did do some things to cover him better,
but ultimately I think it was time on task that
Kyler and Marvin hadn't had because neither one of them
(37:16):
really played in the preseason. And it's you know, you've
been doing this long enough tim the first week or
two in the NFL, there's so many times when we
go back and we look how a team did in
week one or week two and you're thinking this had
nothing to do with how they were the rest of
the season. So that's why I'm hesitant on a lot
of stuff. But they were still trying to figure out
(37:36):
Marvin Harrison. Teams are going to pay attention to him.
He's going to be he is the number one receiver
for this team. He's going to be the number one receiver.
The issue again, defenses are going to have is okay,
if you put a lot of stock and worrying about
him all the time. Trey McBride is really good, and
Michael Wilson, who's kind of under the radar, can do
some things. And oh, by the way, this running game
(37:58):
since the end of last year, can really grind up
a lot of yards. So you know, they they've gotten
to the point where they have enough options that even
if the other team looks at Marvin, they're gonna be
some things that they're gonna have to pay for. That
all said, I think Marvin Harrison is definitely gonna be
the real deal. And you know is he gonna have
a Jamar Chase justin Jefferson rookie season In terms of stats,
(38:20):
I don't know about that, but in terms of impact,
I think he can.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
I'm glad you mentioned the run game. James Conner obviously,
you know terrific player. Dan Campbell had a great line
this week when when Asabai said he runs heavy, I
thought that was a great way to describe him because
he does bring the thunder. Injury concerns Darren leading into
this one. Stuff that you're watching over there. Anybody come
on everything, everybody come out of Sunday, okay, or there's
(38:46):
some concerns they are leading into this week.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
The biggest injury issues that they have are guys that
are already on ir In terms of the guys that
have been playing, they're relatively healthy. That's why Gannon didn't
play anybody in the preseason and so far it's paid off.
The guys that got hurt were practice injuries, but nobody
got hurt in preseason and they've stayed healthy at this point.
So you knock on wood and as we can see
around the league, tim, I mean, injuries are already playing
(39:10):
a huge factor in how some teams are going to go.
In this team's division alone, obviously, the Cardinals just played
the Rams for forty nine. Ers are a team that
already beat up. So that's a huge part of this
is can teams stay healthy, and right now the Cardinals are.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
One or two big keys for the Cardinals to come
away with a victory at State Farm on Sunday against
this Lions team that that's you know, obviously it's a
big game for them coming off a loss. You don't
want to start one to two. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (39:38):
Oh, and I think for both teams it's a huge deal.
The number one thing I'm thinking is you can't let
Hutchinson ruin the game. If you're the Cardinals, I think
you have a good enough run game where you can
potentially keep them off balanced. But your passing game was
so efficient last week, but you did not see a
pass rusher like the Lions have in Hutchinson. And I
think the other thing defensively, you just got to be smart.
(40:01):
I don't know if you're going to necessarily hold the
lines down like you held down the Rams, but if
you can out physical the Lions, and I think the
Lions are one of the most physical teams the Cardinals
will see. And that's where the Cardinals are right now.
Gannon is a physical type of coach and he's built
a physical type team. I'm looking forward to that. But
you can't let the Lions gash you on the ground.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
It should be a good one to physical football teams.
Two teams that like to run to run the ball.
That two defenses that are playing much better than we've
seen in years past. Two and it's a big NFC matchup.
It should be a great one. Darren, thank you so
much for taking the time. Appreciate you and I'll come
over and say hello in the press box on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
Thanks for having me. Tim
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com