Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
I'm so proud of this group. The resilience, the finish,
the ability to to really just go, you know, really
blow for blow with an amazing team. First and foremost,
got to give the Rams a ton of credit and
what they've been building and what they did and what
they brought out in us, and that's what we needed.
We needed that kind of challenge so that our guys
could rise to the occasion, make plays, have a more
(00:29):
balanced attack, and be able to play the type of
offensive football we know we're capable of. Defensively, you know. Uh,
the Rams put together some amazing drives, made some incredible plays,
some incredible throws and catches. You know, got more than
we wanted in the run game as well, the Rams did,
you know, and so a lot a lot of stuff
to clean up from that aspect, you know, the big
return early on, you know, just some some adversity that
(00:52):
our guys had to face today, but the ability to
just continue to battle. And I gotta say, I mean
just Bank of America Stadium, the fans showed up in
the weather, it was wet, they were loud, and it
was noticeable the third downs, especially at the end. We
can't take those things for granted, in the edge that
it gives us on our rushes, you know, even the
last the last rush that we got the sack fumble.
(01:13):
You know, they're having to they're up against the clock.
There was a delay a game, and that just gives
us a little bit of an edge, you know, to
get off the ball, to attack it and and come
on with the win.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Coming off of the.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Short week, guys were missing some really key players on
the defensive side of the ball.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
The way the Rams have been playing, not many people
outside of this building were giving you guys a chance.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Can you just talk about the message in the locker room,
not only from you, but familiars on this team.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Really the challenge was for the guys, you know, and
Saturday night just saying, you know, we have seen the
rams best football, and they've been playing amazing. And I said,
no one's seen our best yet. And while they while
they still made yards and they still did things, our
best football still out there in front of us, and
that's our goal is to find it. But our guys
came together offensively, you know, and really executed today, and
(02:01):
you know, starting with the run game, offensive line, you know,
just calm those guys out, you know, just Icky and
dlu and Korbs having an excellent day, Jake Kerhan stepping
in when we needed him to, and you know, Taylor
Moten had to come out for a little bit, and
Josh had a series in there, but he was able
to come back and finish. But we can't do it
without those guys, because we were able to run the
ball like we like to and put us into some
(02:23):
favorable third down and fourth down situations where we could
be aggressive, knowing that we had shorter sticks to go against.
But it all starts up front, you know. And then
Bryce just executing on third down and finding us some
wins in some critical downs was huge. Those fourth downs
you had two that resulted in touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
What did you see on those on those plays?
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Just matchups and Jalen Coker, you know, Jalen Coker providing
that first touchdown, you know, knowing that we liked the
matchup outside and he's a guy that's been playing great
ball and we just haven't been able to really just
you know, make him come alive. It was still with
four catches, you know, so we still like to see
him come away with a few more, but that one
and then just being able to run the ball and
showing play action for tmax touchdown allowed us to get
(03:03):
the one on ones, get the box the way we
wanted it to, which is the design and the philosophy
of what we do. And but it was some of
those third down runs that got us into those favorable
situations that allowed us to be aggressive.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
That question is bouncing back. Your team hasn't lost back
to back games since the first two games of the year.
Where does this resilience come from.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
For your group?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
It's humility, It's it's playing games where we're humbled by
not having great execution and knowing that we have to
get back to our basics, our fundamentals and execution and
and this is a humble group. It's it's the leadership
of our team. You know, it's Derek Brown and and
you know it's Bryce and these guys taking one game
and saying we can do better than this and rising
(03:44):
to the challenge, making sure that we're being intentional with
what we're doing every single day and how critical it
is to execute on game day.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Had you know, a great run with Rico and Chuba
obviously trying to play through injury, not that long ago.
He looks like he's physically.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
Back right now.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I know you even trying to run two backs for a
while of injuries have gotten in a way.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
What does that allow you to do?
Speaker 3 (04:02):
When did you get to kind of fully realize that out.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
There, Yeah, it's just fresh, it's fresh legs when they
go out there. And you know, for Rico was a
huge checkdown on the last drive. We didn't come away
with points on the drive, but putting the ball out
there in his hands, whether it's a run or a pass,
just get the ball into Rico and Chuba his hands
and let them affect the game because of who they are,
because of the aggressive style that they play with. And
so it's a dream to be able to have two
(04:26):
guys that you can count on and I can call
anything that I have on the call sheet and trust
that it's going to get executed.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Down plays, the touchdowns, And then what gives you the confidence?
Speaker 3 (04:35):
What gave you the confidence of Brice that I didn't
put it inside?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Its just I always feel confident with Bryce and those situations.
And you know, the bigger the stakes, the higher the moments,
you know, he stays the same in terms of his
execution and it allows me to just call the best
thing for that area. But again, it's the balance of
the run game, you know, and be able to give
us those those type of opportunities. Building off the bowth
down theme, I believe you leave the Panthers lead them
(05:00):
game fourth down.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Intents are going forward.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I'm sure a lot of that is circumstantial, but is
there an overall like principle that you believe, hey, it's
fourth down, we're.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Going to go for it.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Well, the who you're playing matters, and certainly with the
Rams and the high powered offense that they have, it
makes me a little bit more aggressive than you know.
Coach George Lee and I have these conversations during the
week talking about our strategy and and who we're playing
and if it would be good you know, what's it
looking like on the other side, Like let's try to
steal a series here if we can, you know, And
and we came out with touchdowns, you know, first downs
(05:31):
I would have been you know, thrilled with. But to
come away with touchdowns is fantastic, you know, to really
capitalize on some of those single high one on one matchups,
and and that's what that's what we've been hoping our
guys do is to be able to come away with
those opportunities. It's single high. They're Manda man, somebody's got
to win, and the guys found great wins for us today.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
You ever see any difference in Bryce when a game
went the way last week's game went? What do you
see any difference in him personality wise through the week?
Speaker 1 (05:59):
I do not, No, I see I see the same
type of intentionality. We had great conversations early in the
week and he's like, I'm going through my process and
we have our checkpoints, you know, after Wednesday for the
base game plan Thursdays with the third down Fridays, and
then we wrap up on Saturdays. Kind of this is
how we're going to win this game. And we have
those conversations and he's executed it and he continues to
(06:19):
lead out there, which I'm really proud.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
Of him for visioned Derek Brown's leadership and helping get
to this point. He had a deplection on the first
interception and strips back there, just what have you seen
from you just today but throughout the time you've been
here that led to you, guys get this kind of moment.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
There's a resilience and depth of character with Derek where
he's not concerned with what's happening on the other side
of the ball, and when the offense might be struggling
for a series or two, you're going to get the
same Derek Brown, regardless whatever the score is. We're up,
we're down, You're going to get the same Derek Brown.
And that's what I love to point to for the
whole group, Like, guys, let's just continue to do our
job well, Let's continue to empty the tank every time
(06:55):
you're out there on the field, you know, whether it's
in practice or the games. And that's what continues to
show up for Derek.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I think jat Fer and I a tenth different starting
offensive line combinations you've used today, and it just never
seems like those guys are a liability. Noh. Thing's perfect necessarily,
But what is it about the way you're coaching them,
the Joe Gilbert preparing these guys that you're running all
these different combinations out there and they're still largely getting
a job done.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
It's just work ethic. It's Goodie and Joe. It's the
way that they're the way that they structure the meetings
They're always talking. When you go out there on the field,
whether it's a defensive period, you're going to see the
offensive line on the side working on something. They're going
to be working on a what if front, a what
if pressure with our protection plan. It's during special teams
(07:35):
that are just constantly working, constantly talking. It's that type
of you know, camaraderie communication that it requires to play
really good footballs.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
At that strip sack l one hit on staff Or
it looked like you all played that pretty great that
third down, or Darren got in there.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
What did you see and what was the concept there?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah, again, I got to talk about I got to
talk about our fan base and the noise. The crowd noise,
it matters, and it allows us to just get a
jump because we're locked in on the ball. They basically
are going off a movement as well, and it just
gives us an advantage. And it just felt like we
got to jump on that rush and they protected really
well for most of the game, and some of those
(08:14):
big shots they had down the field were far beyond
the two and a half three seconds that I'm preaching
for the offensive side. You know, if Stafford was able
to kind of evaluate. Whenever you give him a chance
like that, he'll find a completion somewhere. But they stayed
with it, and and our mentality is finished and every
single opportunity we get, you know, we're gonna get everything.
You're gonna get everything we have.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
You see things under the game.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Did you see the Hubbard being used as much.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
As you used it because they haven't been doing really
that much of the models.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Well, absolutely, It just it's just the way that the
game played out. You know, we had more attempts, we
had more opportunities, and then it really came down to
some third down you know, some third down conversions and
then also some third down runs and Tube has been
our primary third down back right now with the protections,
but we also run the ball some and that's a
great opportunity. Just make sure he gets his type.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Which is.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
Last question.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
How much satisfaction do you get ahead of the fact
you had the saying it's all about the ball, no
turnovers and the preparation for how much wet ball, cold weather,
How do you simulate that?
Speaker 1 (09:13):
It just it all starts with the ball, and it's
about how we approach it during the week. It's about
the habits were constantly our coaching staff, they're constantly on
the defensive side talking about the number of attempts that
we get at the ball and offensively, you know, we
have to make sure that we're wrapping it up in traffic,
and the guys were great about that today.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Mike Jackson getting into.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
The end zone.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Oh, it's unbelievable. And first career uh pick six for Mike,
which was really kind of I was a little bit shocked,
you know, but again I look back and I was
with him for a long time in Seattle, and he
had some interceptions. I could never remember him running one
back and but just a great payoff. You know, his
the fundamentals were right, his feet were in the ground,
he broke on the ball perfectly and then came away
(09:55):
with the score. It was awesome.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Speak to the John Ranson and Smith Wade did stuff
into he was starting.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
With him up and down. I thought. I thought Shaw
Smith Wade did a really solid job today. Whether it
was in bas or Nickel. You know, Lathan was working
through some things. You know, there's gonna be some stuff
to clean up, but he played physical and that's what
we count on from him. He showed up. He showed up,
making hits in the run, game in the past game,
had a nice sack, you know. So he's a dynamic player.
(10:21):
He brings a lot to us, and the challenge for
him is to just continue to be connected with the
back half. He and Nick Scott, you know, having that communication,
and you know, I've just kind of ribbed Nick afterwards.
It was like, come on, you gotta get your guy going.
You know, there was a couple of things that we
could have covered down better with in terms of who
was where, but generally showed up and made his plays.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
And You've been asked this, but Bryce, just Bryce, I
think it's eleven now, fourth quarter, overtime, you know, game
winning drives agree what is you know, what has he
been able to do and what are you seeing from
him in those situations.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
It's the consistency of play. And the thing that I
appreciate the most about Bryce is regardless of the moment,
regardless of the time in the game or the score,
when I put the ball in his hands, he stays
the same. He stays even his eyes are in the
right place, and then he executes the play and finds
his best available receiver. And that's the part that I
love just being able to count on with Bryce