November 18, 2025 • 43 mins
Future Hall of Fame Linebacker London Fletcher is joined by 10-Year NFL Tight End Logan Paulsen and Bram Weinstein to give instant reactions to the Washington Commanders heartbreaking loss from the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain.
Hosts: London Fletcher, Logan Paulsen, Bram Weinstein
Producer: Jason Johnson
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming up on the Booth Review. How about the Defense
finding its form in Spain?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hey, Chris Rod Driguez or should I call him El Aubette.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Day, let's go and I like eating food brand in Spain.
Let's get after this thing.
Speaker 4 (00:15):
You know what you like enpennadas? You love? That's coming
up next on the Booth Review.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome to the latest Return to America edition of the
Booth Review podcast. I'm Bram Whiteside with London Fletcher and
Logan Paulsen. We're brought to you by Microsoft Surface Copilot
plus PC and Logan is in the Big Bear AI
Command Center studio. London and I are on remote vacation
as we head into our bye week before we get
into the game. Just you've had a chance to sit
(00:46):
on a very long flight take in an entire week.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
What do you remember about Madrid?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Man?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It was it was an amazing experience. I'll tell you
that I'll miss it already. I'm not gonna even lie.
Being backstay side with Smoot, I definitely definitely had a
bleach wish I got an opportunity to see a little
bit more of the historic Madrid.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
Maybe needed could have used.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
A couple more days, but just an overall great experience
fan ex fans were they came out and droves great
energy in the stadium. Only disappointing part was that we
lost that football game.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, I mean it was really special. I totally agree
with Fletch and it was we were really busy. I
think I did more work than I thought we were
going end up doing while we're out there, Fletch, every
day we were doing something and so like we didn't
get to see the city a ton, but I think
like the events that we did get to do, like
the flag football thing was really cool, the churo tasting
was cool, the what was it the Flamenco, right, that
(01:45):
was pretty cool. International Fletch made an appearance and brand
was showing this move so all that stuff was great
and stuff that I'm going to remember for a long time.
But I do I do agree with Fletch. I think
there was maybe one more day. Could have seen the museum,
seen the central park they have there, seen some of
that downtown and stuff. But overall, really uh, very positive experience.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
The night before the Flamenco lesson the competitive Gene of London,
Fletcher came out where he was surveying the room to
see who can dance with him, and we found out
you're the winner here. You are a Flamenco ledgend. Flamenco legend,
London Fletcher.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Yeah. Yeah, I will say this.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I did get a little nervous because as I was
talking with Bram and his wife, and Bram's wife said, uh,
you know, Bram's a really good dancer and he's into it,
and I was like, you know what that that really
did surprise me, that that you you like to dance
and you can and you're a good dancer.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
So I was like, you know what, Brahm is a dark.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Cart's what I have to worry about.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Logan.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Logan showed up to a Flamenco lesson in shorts and
a T shirt, so you just element.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I didn't realize there was a dress code. That's my bad,
that's on me. I'll be better next.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Literally never heard of Flamenco dancing before in your life.
All right, let's get into the game a little bit.
You know, this one was obviously a much more competitive
game than the last couple. Dan Quinn took over as
the play caller on defense when I had talked to
him a couple of days before the game, he had
talked about like level setting really that I think he
(03:22):
just wanted to get back into a position where the
team was playing consistently, not just with the kind of
energy they're looking for, but just consistently on that side
of the ball. And frankly, I think that that was
kind of accomplished here. I know a Chan had some
big numbers, but there was if they were looking for
a level reset London, I think they got it a
little bit in Miami.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Do you see that?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I definitely saw that. You can see the difference in
just what DQ calling the defense is the energy that
they played with, the speed that they played, with greater
attention to detail. It mixed up some of their pressures
where looks that we hadn't seen all season long. I thought,
I thought you definitely could see the energy, especially you know,
(04:06):
down in the red area.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Didn't play as much man and man as they typically do.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I thought DQ wanted to eliminate some of the big
explosive plays or the communication issues.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
That they had.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So we played a lot of zone defense and just
this feel, and we talked a lot about this in
leading up to the game. A lot of times with
the play caller and defense is about because they didn't
have like a ton of new calls. It's just a
matter of when you decide to call certain defenses, and
that's that's something that you just get a feel for it.
And the best ones that I've been around, they just
(04:35):
have a natural feel of win to dial up certain things.
And I feel like they got a lot accomplished that
they were looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yeah, man, it was it was like watching a new
team on the defense side of the football this week.
I think, you know, we talked about last week with
Detroit before that versus Seattle and how that didn't even
at times feel like NFL defense. Then all of a sudden,
this week comes around. I totally agree fletch way more
zone coverage, Tampa two great disguises to the Tampa two
cover three, Cover six. And the thing that I was
(05:03):
worried about is like, maybe you put in a bunch,
you put in new calls, or you emphasize different things.
That's maybe what I say, do you emphasize different things?
And but how many reps have you banked there? And
I think the thing that really stood out to me
is just how clean they were specifically in the back
end with like matching concepts, eyes to route combinations, which
is stuff that we haven't seen for like a couple
of weeks, four or five weeks something like that. So
(05:25):
that was unbelievable. I thought, again, playing Warzone helped the
linebackers in terms of playing fast to the football McGee,
Frankie Bobby, I thought, we're this is the best again
they've looked at a couple of weeks just.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Connectively.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah, not having the conflicts of man man responsibilities and
run fits. It seemed like it cleaned a lot of
that stuff up for him. I think the Nickel players
did an excellent job. Noig Monoghany I thought when when
when Kwan was in the box, two did some really
nice physical things. So it was it was crazy just
to see everyone kind of maximized through the play calling
a little bit. And I don't know how he did it,
(06:01):
but the coaching detail that he was able to put
on at Fletch from you know, Monday to day or
from Sunday to today or in a week was just
incredible to me.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I'll say this, and I'm glad you touched that last
part of it. I felt like, guys were more disciplined
in their their run fits, especially and a couple there
were still a couple of fits they could have did
a little bit better, but that happens in every football game,
especially against a team like Miami that has so many
different challenging run type of players, whether it's a unique
(06:33):
counter type run fits or certain type of leads, things
like that. So with the volume and variety of run
plays that the Miami Dolphins have, I thought the defensive line,
the linebackers, guys, uh, even the secondary guys that had
to fit where they needed to fit on the.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
Run, I thought it was a lot better. They were.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
They creased us a little bit on the on the edges,
but in terms of the inside stuff, much better, but
way way better what we have been seeing it.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And it wasn't just the linebackers like I thought, Like
kin Law, I thought had one of the better games
I've seen watching the film again, obviously as the two penalties,
but like the down to down consistency and owning the gap,
you know, Goldman owning his gap, you know, Jalen Holmes
holding the gap on the It just I mean, it felt,
and I don't want to sound like I'm it just
felt so different than it's felt.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
It came from a place where I was like, there's
no way they can get to a serviceable spot, and
then all of a sudden, the defense was more than serviceable,
and it was really impressive in some instances. And so yeah,
and again, like you said, some of those big runs,
like some of those perimeter fits are tough. You know,
like there was one player I remember, they're running like
a pin poll, and traditionally on a pin poll you
wouldn't down block a three technique, but they down blocked
(07:46):
the three technique, the guard gets out to the perimeter,
and so just kind of some unusual things that Miami
did that made it challenging to fit some of those
perimeter runs. But again, I just trying to articulate it
to someone who don't watch film, Like it's like everyone
was on a string, everyone knew everyone was supposed to
be and it just was such a unique watch compared
to what we've seen the last three or four weeks.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
There were a couple things that really stood out to me. Lundy,
you mentioned it, the Jonathan Jones blitz. I think we've
been waiting for switch ups from this team we got
one there. I mean, we looked at each other the
second they did it, We're like, where's this been, you know,
for the.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Last four or five six weeks.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
And the other one that really stood out to me
was the von millersack, where this was going back anyway
because there was going to be a holding penalty against Miami,
but it reminded me towards the end of the first
half against Dallas when they hit the big play to
George Pickens, and afterwards we were all asking the question
why were they playing so forward against them when they
had so many yards to go And they made a
(08:42):
nice play over the top, but the positioning of the
players was what was in question after the play had occurred.
On this one, it seemed that they had a feel
for the moment, the down, the distance and two we
just had nowhere to go. And this play wouldn't account
whether he made a play or not. It wouldn't have mattered.
But he extended extended it, you know, he chases him down,
(09:02):
he gets a sack, so they get to put that
on there. But it was the total defensive feel for
the moment that really kind of stood out in those
two particular plays to me.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
From the game in Spain.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Absolutely, I'm gonna start with the the corner blitz that
Jonathan Jones ended up coming up with the sack. I
thought it was a great designed, great game because they
only end up rushing four players. It's called it's labeled
up blitz, but it really is a simulated pressure because
it's just four guys rushing and you're playing. They end
(09:34):
up playing cover two off of it on the back end,
and that really because you're playing zone behind it and
there's an unaccount of floor, unaccount of for rusher, they
don't pick it up. You got a free runner to
the quarterback and then you're playing zone coverage and two
us trying to figure that out to navigate the coverage
while you have a free runner coming at of me
(09:54):
ends up getting the sack. So just the you're showing,
you know, overload to one side the offense alignment, they
have to count from a protection standpoint, and all of
a sudden lo and behold, we send the corner blitz.
We actually sent the corner blitz a couple of times
or nickel blitz it certain depending on the personnel grouping.
Several times there was another overload six man pressure. They
(10:16):
ended up we didn't. Miami picked that one up and
they got a first down on them. But just it
was just a couple of different unique touches from a
pressure standpoint. The play you're talking about where Vin gets
a sacked, that was a third down play, third and ten.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
You don't you say, hey, we're gonna play the sticks.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We're gonna get everybody lined up at the sticks forced
to it to.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Read it out.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It was just a three man rush and because of
you know not and we play zone at the sticks,
so to speak, it forces them to hold on to
the football.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
I mean maybe it was quarters covers.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You're forcing them to hold on to the football a
little bit longer, trying to wait for things to clear out,
and Voon being relentless. Just a couple of different things.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
It's just about knowing and down a distance, knowing the
situation and going out and executing.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Yeah, I totally agree, And I think like some of
the stuff we were talking about was on full display
quite honestly with that Jonathan Jones pressure like fletch, I
don't know, like you were talking about how they're all
kind of line up with the line of scrimmage it
looks like they're bringing it all out pressure and then
the way the coverage disperses, it wasn't like clunky, It
wasn't like this guy's way ahead of this guy. It
was like they were all on a string, all rotating together.
(11:26):
And to see them cover the grass like instantly on
the cadence. They all knew where they were supposed to be.
It just it's something that we haven't seen really from them.
And then the other thing too is kin Law does
a great job. He's playing like the backside a gap,
so of the defensive left he basically runs and has
contained to the defensive right. And so like you know
in weeks past, he might get caught up with the
(11:47):
tackle orknocket all the way out. He gets all the
way out to the perimeter so that you have a
nice pocket. Jonathan Jones comes in makes the tackle like
just the I think it's the details Fletch, like you
were talking about, like the detail on the von Miller sack. Right,
it's a three man rush, but Law beats the two men.
He ends up getting the holding call, you know, fifty five.
It's a great job winning on the perimeter. And then
the the I discipline in the secondary to kind of
(12:10):
attack the sticks I'm looking at, I'm relating to the
right people, Like, there's not nobody like running free. It
just was very different than what we've seen. And I
think those two plays are perfect examples of like good
scheme but excellent execution and guys knowing how they fit
in the defensive structure.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
And I want to I think we'd be remiss because
I like, I look at this and I think Joe
Whitt has gotten you know, blamed for a lot of
stuff that wasn't necessarily his fault. Guys just weren't playing
to the detailed stuff then that they needed to be.
The attention to details stuff like that. So did guys
(12:47):
Antennas go up a little bit more because you know, hey,
the Q's in the building. Now he's in the room,
he's in the install he's in there, and he's like, God,
you guys have been put on notice, like this is
I believe in Joe wib We've run this system. Yeah,
you know, our whole time together. But there was a
greater attention to detail and execution that the guys did.
(13:10):
And was it the being in the week in Madrid
and just really having more times. They talked about it
a lot more meetings things like that, because you know,
when you leave them, you leave Madrid, I mean, you
leave practice silly where you're gonna go.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
You just spend time with them for them.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So for whatever reason it was, they played a lot better,
and they asked you, it a lot better?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Is something you, fletch, I was gonna ask you, Is
it something you feel like they can do moving forward?
Like it seems like yes, but I don't know it
just it's such a departure from what it was, like
is it something they can carry through?
Speaker 5 (13:41):
And yeah, yeah, I think they can carry through.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
And I think there's there's some things that they can
even be cleaner with just playing playing even better on
certain like we talked about some of the fits on
some of the funky counter runs, or even a couple
one of the one of the perimeter runs that got
out that got on them. Just getting a little bit
too thick on a on a block like initially you're
(14:05):
you're taking it on, just leveraging, leveraging that that blocker
a little bit. You don't have to be asstick if
you if you are a little bit more outside, that'll
force that runner back inside and then it'll limit the
game to maybe five yards instead of fifteen yards.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
That deal they'll build on. But it's a lot of
stuff from this ball game that they can get better at.
And I think the q's press conference he talked about
even some of the disguise is preaching that and you
know you may be at an instead of lining up
showing your showing your covers right away, we can start
in that two sheldn rotate.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
So there's a lot to build on from this tape.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Some of it who you play too, I mean, like
while they were having trouble on that side of the ball,
they hit a run of top seven offenses Seattle, Detroit, Dallas,
Kansas City. They turn around, they play Miami, who's not
moving the ball like they did a couple of years ago.
They really have a one hit wonder. I mean they've
been leaning on a chan He had his certainly the
(15:02):
other day too. But what they do have coming up
on the other side of the Bye Denver terrific record.
They go through long stretches of time where they have
trouble scoring. They're not a top scoring offense. They're gonna
get Minnesota's a very different offense this year under JJ
McCarthy than they were with Sam Darnold. They're going to
get the Giants, So I think there's gonna be some
opportunities here where the competition isn't humming like some of
(15:23):
the ones that they faced while they were kind of
going through all of this as well and trying to
fix their own side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, I mean that's true, but I think it's still
there's regardless. I don't I think the way they played
in that ball game on Sunday, whether it was Kansas City, Seattle,
whoever the offense is, we would have seen a lot
better results if they pay play with that type of
attention to detail, that type of meticity, that type of
(15:53):
just speed, you know, just if they do those things
to the matter that they did against Miami, against those
prior teams that you mentioned, we're not allowing thirty five
points or thirty whatever we're allowing back in those days
that we'll we would definitely held those teams in to
a lot for your points.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah. I think it's just it was such a departure,
like it's like I wanted to see this defense versus Detroit,
or this defense or this version of the detail versus
Seattle because I think, again, I don't know if we
win those football games, but at least it's going to
be much more competitive. And I mean the other thing
is like the offense did a great job possessing the football.
They were better on third down. It was much more
complimentary in terms of game flow and nature of game.
(16:35):
So there were so many things that kind of were
different than what we've seen the past couple of weeks.
It was really nice to see. And again, like Brady
you alluded to, they are going to again some offenses
here that you know aren't necessarily clicking on all cylinders
like with the with the Broncos and the Minnesota's. But
you know, if this version of if the defense comes
to play, you get this version of kin law Bobby
(16:55):
Frankie Jordan playing this level this way at the second level,
like you got to man, because like they were really motivated.
Like I think about the execution in those two fourth
down stops, like that was tremendous, Like it was it
wasn't just one play, It was like four consecutive plays
of people doing what they're supposed to do. And again,
like we just not have not seen that like, really
this year that comprehensively, So it was great to see
(17:17):
and I hope that they can continue it.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, I think like the goal line stands to me
are emblematic of like everyone knows what the record is, right,
so there's a e And we pointed this out on
the broadcast Miami in gold to go situations was perfect
this year. There were thirteen for thirteen scoring touchdowns. They
were stopped twice on gold to go situations and one
(17:40):
in the highest of high leverage moments at the end
of the game, which it could have should have set
up a game winning field goal for them. If you
were ever wondering where's the effort, like are they still
locked in? Are they still playing for one another? Are
they still playing for the staff? With all the things
that have been going on, That to me was emblematic
of it that those things occurred there. So that was
(18:01):
the extremely positive sign. I mean, we can't do anything
about the record.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
But if you're wondering where is this team, where's this
locker room, go watch those goal line stands and you'll
see exactly where they are.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, no, you're you're spot on with that. Just the
the Goldman play on that last fourth down play Man
does a great job destroying his blocker get off block.
Bobby Wagner got in there, is Frankie got in there
just in the in a you gotta have a type
(18:35):
of situation. There was another time Frankie on the fourth
and two the Dolphins go for it.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Logan and I we we We've already talked about that.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Just to coverage the UH that's a that's a difficult
route combination to defend, especially as a middle linebacker because
with their ice what they're doing because of the coverage,
you're isolating a speedier wide receiver on a mike linebacker.
I played that coverage hundreds of times in my career
(19:07):
in my just throughout my career and playing playing defense.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Maybe not hundreds, maybe.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Let's call it more dozens, but a high level a
high level amount. And you have to know what you're
dealing with. And you're talking about one of the fastest
receivers in the national football in Jayalen Waddle screaming across
the field and you have to cover him, and you
can't count on anybody from the backside to bail you
out because they have their own things they have to
(19:34):
deal with making sure they don't allow their guys to
be open. So it was an outstanding job by Bobby
to be able to get his hand on that football
and prevent a touchdown.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
And then there's the kin Law play on the play
before the Goldman player where he kind of plays the
leverage of the block and he jumps on him and
then and then Bobby and Frankie come and it's just
like and like you just Bram, you mentioned it, like
the effort like to see you know, five hats in
the picture, red hats at the at the time that
the clip is getting run and for them to push
him out of the end zone was great. And then
(20:06):
it just I mean it was those plays were so
fun to watch as a fan of football.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, probably is not going to get talked about enough.
Prior to the third down stop by by ken Law.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
The mcgie tackle.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
The McGee tackle, yes, to keep him from getting in
the end zone to give us more chances. So it's
just like just putting consecutive plays together. And we talked
about that, just the four plays consecutively in that goal
to gold situation, because there was some times to even
get in that situation that the a chain, they had
(20:43):
a funky little toss that they missed up on and
he made several guys missing.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Then he's he gets down to that, Uh, not.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
A necessituation for him to get into that situation, for
us to get in that situation. Yeah, McGee tackle, Ken
Law tackle and then the last played by by Goldman Louisvu.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You know, just just some great plays made in that
red zone.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Let's talk about the offense. So this has been such
a strange year. Clip Scotten has been dealt a very
odd hand. I mean, it's every week. It's just a
whole new group of people that consistently are being asked
to kind of step up. And I think when we
talked to Marcus Mariota after the game, and one of
the things we talked about with him was trust in
people who he's not spending a lot of time practicing with.
(21:31):
In a high leverage moment, he throwing a pass to
Jacoby Jones who hadn't played in an NFL game and
they're converting it. They unfortunately had a slip at the
goal liner. That's a zach Ertz touchdown a million times
out of a million times. If he doesn't slip on
the field over and over and over. They're finding a way.
And I know it doesn't look like it because of
(21:52):
the point total here, but they found a way to
move the ball, They reignited the run game, and in
these high leverage moments, they found trust in players that
are either inexperienced or clearly have not had a lot
of rep time. So I know the point total doesn't
look right, but I actually thought the offense played pretty well,
moved the ball effectively, ran the clock down, controlled time
(22:13):
of possession, and in a lot of ways played a
pretty solid game short of the big mistake in overtime.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's that's it, right, And
I think when you look at the two miss field
goals at six points, the missed fourth down conversion that's seven,
So you're looking at twenty six points really from an offense,
and I know that it doesn't show up in the points,
but that's why, you know, you kind of make mistakes
on teams, You make a mistake in the red zone,
you make a mistake with the muff punk. Because I
really believe that if the defense ends up standing up
(22:42):
after that fourth and two, they punt you get the
ball back there, probably on the thirty five to forty
yard line, you're gonna go down to get points there too.
So it just I think I don't think it's the offense.
I think it's the context of the game that kind
of makes the offensive production look a little bit different.
I think Cliffs doing a great job with personnel groupings
twelve eleven, thirteen, Big thirty Team Big twelve, kind of
finding ways to maximize people, the play action pass games
(23:04):
coming to life a little bit, finding easier opportunities for Marcus,
and it just it's starting to click a little bit.
I know this defense isn't you know the eighty five
Bears the Miami Dolphins that we just played, but they
executed and I think, you know, there's obviously a bunch
of reasons for that. We'll get into that more as
we go, but I do think that when you look
at the design of it, when you look at the execution,
this is more what I was expecting from this year
(23:25):
from the offense as well.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, I feel like the offense was definitely aided too
by the run game, in particular Chris Chris Rodriguez and
what he was able to do really setting the tone
running with great physicality but also having great vision to
be in some cutbacks runs, seeing some making some guys
miss breaking tackles. Was that when you got that type
(23:50):
of production out of him, that opens up You mentioned
the play action pass game and being able to make
some plays.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
Down the field.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
That's not necessarily you know, thirty yards on the sideline,
but you're getting Deebo Samuel big big dig in the
middle of the field off of even just a token
play action that the that the defense have to has
to respect.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
And I thought even a.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Quick game, especially early, anytime the Dolphins ran Blisz, it
seemed like Marcus knew exactly where to go with the
football and it was a it was I was I
was impressed. I wish the red zone offense. That's probably
where they're probably most disappointed in not being able to
get touchdowns in those situations in those red zones. As
(24:34):
you mentioned, Bram, that the urge slip otherwise uh is
a touchdown. I was surprised more guys didn't slip on
that on that surface. I thought it was a little
bit slicker surface. So what type of cleats you wore
in that ball game was going to be paramount to
you having a success on that field.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, I'm really glad you brought up the run game too,
because I think the other thing with Chris Rodriguez everyone
talks about him and why he's being productive. I think
you're seeing with him specifically, like an NFL runner, a
guy that understands when to be patient, a guy that
understands when to kram it, a guy that knows how
to keep the offense on schedule. And so like, how
many times in the game was it like he's been
(25:12):
hitting the backfield. You know, it looks like it's going
to be second and eight, but hey, it's actually second
and six, and we're you know, we're ahead of the chains.
We can run a little quick game. Next play it's
third and one, we go for a little like kind
of Spider two. Wive Banana tied it in the flat
on fourth and you know what I mean, it just
let the offense stay on schedule in a way that
I think, you know, Bill Krosky Merritt is still evolving
(25:32):
as a runner, right, He's still learning, like, not every
play in the NFL is going to be a home run.
And I think Chris Rodriguez really understands that and you
feel that when he's when he's at the helm is
the back. You know, he understands how to maximize the
offensive line. And I think the offensive line is playing
really well, like they're doing some great stuff in the
run game. I think Brandon Coleman has that big wide
did some really nice stuff in terms of creating some
(25:53):
run lane. So he's getting support. But I also think
Chris Rodriguez understands how to play that instrument and knows
has a good feel for like, hey this is an
explosive opportunity. Let me do this jump cut and get going,
or hey I need to cram this in here, get
us four and keep us on schedule.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Offensively, Yeah, he's really matured this year in a lot
of ways. They asked him to change his body.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
He did.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
He got a speed coach, he got faster. He clearly
is tough.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
As a runner. And I'm with you, Logan.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I think like I see a different player with him,
and he's been getting more and more opportunities.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
And I agree with you about Bill. I think this
is a rookie.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
I think he's got extremely instinctive tendencies and I think
he's got explosive qualities, but he's learning the game. And
I think the like a couple of weeks ago, when
Cliff and dan Quinn were both kind of hinting things
about you kind of need to take what's there for you,
I think they were nodding at him a little bit
(26:51):
in saying he's kind of learning that it's not all
going to be big plays and that you sometimes just
have to follow where the play is designed to go.
And hopefully, I think over time, because he's got incredible
instincts and extreme explosiveness, that once he gets more and
more reps, more and more feel for it, that you're
(27:11):
going to see more home runs out of him. But
I agree with you by Chris Rodriguez. He's the singles
and doubles hitter, and every once in a while, because
of his power now to go along with the speed
that he built, he's got a couple of home runs
in him too.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yeah, But I also say this, I think with the Bill,
he had a couple of nice runs in that ball
game as well where he broke. I think one time
he was tackled right at about the line of scrimmage,
kept his wheel, his legs turning and end up picking
up about three or four yards, just a situation where hey,
(27:46):
let me just get my pads down, run behind my pass,
pick up some yards, and then he had a he
had a ten nice ten yard run where we're designed
to go back, go to the left, I believe, and
he was able to use his great vision, which is
one of the things he has. He comes out the
backside and he's able to pick up ten yards. So
in that in that ball game, you know, some things
(28:06):
that he did. They're not going to all be as
we guys mentioned the home run plays, but just hey,
this is this is the opportunity. It might be four yards,
pick up that four yards, and then hey, here's a
ten yard rum, just to keep us ahead of ahead
of schedule.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
So he's learning. I mean, it's just he's going through
through a rookie year.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
But I thought there were a couple of times where
he had some really nice runs as well.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yeah, And I don't think I'm saying that he's like
not playing well. I just think there's a value to
maybe the consistency of Chris Rodriguez, especially early in a
game when you're kind of like what you know, weathering
some adversity like and just someone who's going to keep
you on schedule. I think at some point, obviously Build's
extremely talent, we'll get into that larger role that people
(28:50):
were expecting frohim earlier in the year. But I think now,
like Brahm said, it's dude, running back in the NFL
is a different animal man. Like defensive linemen are better linebacker.
Linebackers are better corner and safeties are better tacklers. They're
better with their run fits, and so you really have
to trust the like the soft spot of a run,
you know. I think that's something else that comes up,
is like it's not gonna be this gaping hole. It's like, hey,
(29:12):
this is just a little bit looser than the rest
of the front. I'm gonna cram in here for three
or four and we're gonna live to play another day.
And that's a skill. And I think the more he
gets to watch, the more he gets to play, obviously,
the better he's gonna get. Like I think he's gonna
be a dynamic player for sure. It's just part of,
you know, kind of the unexpected challenges, Like everyone talks
about the difficulties for offensive linemen and corners and quarterbacks
(29:32):
I think there's a little bit of a learning curve
for running backs as well when it comes to running
the football at the NFL level.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Yeah, I think over time, he's like, he's going to
see his pitch. He needs to wait for his pitch.
When he finds it, he's going to hit a home
run off of it. This has happened a little bit
with Rodriguez, and partially I think it's because he did
what the team asked him to do. They needed him
to get faster, they needed him to change his body
a little bit to have the ability to do this.
(29:58):
I think they like what he brings to the field,
They like the aggressiveness he plays with, They like within
the structure that he runs, but he needed to change
his body just a little bit, get a little bit faster,
to hit a speed and a power dynamic that allows
him to be more effective than he was. He did
that and you're starting to see that now with him.
For Bill, he's going to learn to wait for his
(30:18):
pitch and when he gets the right one, that's when
you're gonna start seeing some of these home runs.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
And I just think it's time with him.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I love the way he plays, but I can see
where you're looking at this if probably from the coach's
point of view, where they're going, we kind of just
needed you to do this on this one. We get
what you're doing and we know what you're trying to do,
but we need you to wait for your pitch because
you're going to get that three to two fastball every
once in a while, and we know you're gonna hit
it out of the park.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
Yeah, that that happens.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And we also have to understand it's a kid who
only played one game a year ago.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
So I mean, it's one thing that you do it
in practice, because he practiced all year long. It's one
thing to practice. And I'm not sure what the defenses
were like Arizona, But are they in the Pac twelve?
Speaker 5 (31:02):
Now? What conference? Are they here? Now? Big twelve? I
don't know what conference we are, but just.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Does the Pac twelve exist anymore?
Speaker 5 (31:12):
This?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Are they Big twelve?
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Though?
Speaker 5 (31:17):
No, they don't.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I think it's like Big twelve is like I have
no I don't know. I'm not gonna.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Whatever whatever they are. But but just.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
One guy one game last year, his senior year, and
then he's rusty and so things can, especially as the
running back, things can kind of happen. Your mind may
be going faster than your needs to, so you're like, okay,
let me get it, let me hit it.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
And just you know, he'll, he'll, he'll.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
He probably benefited from watching Chris and McNichols Jeremy do
some things, and the coach are like, hey, you see
how these guys are hitting, and it's great to have
those guys in the room from them.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
But yeah, so they'll they'll be all right, He'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
All right, let's talk about that bye week a little bit.
Defense played a lot better. I think there's still room
probably for them, assuming you know, no more injuries. Will
Harris coming back, which looks like is happening sooner rather
than later. I think it's going to be a boost
for them offensively.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
They could get a number of stars back. I don't
know where Terry is at this point, or Jayden Daniels,
Noah Brown. We're not sure yet. There's a possibility that
in the not too distant future they have them back
out on the field. There is the and I know
what the record is, but there is the promise of
a very different team, especially if on the defensive side
of the ball, things are going to continue to kind
of improve from clearly where it was to what it
(32:34):
was on Sunday to what it could be with more time.
So how are you guys thinking about the bye week
for this team.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
As I look at this and I'm not sure how much.
I don't expect them probably to practice much so when
we say bad week for first of all, for the
guys who are injured, those guys continue to rehab and
continue to obviously try to get healthy. They'll probably I
would assume, have the rest of this week off and
(33:05):
maybe have an extra practice next week on Monday. But
this bye week is more about because of the time
and getting getting those guys who are injured healthy healthy
or hopefully they can return. You mentioned some of the
guys that are potentially coming back, even if there's another
guy who hasn't played for is a Drake Jackson. His
twenty one day window open up last week as well,
(33:27):
so maybe maybe he's able to play. That's another young
defensive end. I'm sure they would love to see what
they have in him. And it's a yeah, I think
this bye week is more about obviously getting healthy having
that extra day of practice next week will aid, especially
if you got a guy some guys return to, whether
it's Will Harris, maybe Terry, maybe Jaye, and just another
(33:51):
additional practice for them to kind of get their sea
legs together, so to speak. So it's a for DQ
and the defense as a player to kind of get
a little bit better feel of each other to especially
when you're talking about disguise some things stuff like that.
So it's definitely beneficial to us, it'll be beneficial to them.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think I look at what
they did were able to do in Madrid, like with
Dan kind of leading the charge there, and if they're
able to continue to add layers to what they did,
add layers to the disguise, get a little healthier, get
some more talented pieces back in the rotation. I think
that's again, like I'm careful or cautious to use the
(34:31):
word excited because of like how up and down this
season has been. But I think about what this offense
could be with Jade and Terry and Noah back in
the fold and trailing Burke's healthy and all these pieces
that we've acquired because of the adverse, And you're like man,
this could be pretty cool, and the new role for
Brandon Coleman at the big tight end spot and the
emergence of that position group. But just like, okay, like
(34:51):
this could be cool offensively, and then we're much more
explosive now and we have the flexibility to go big
or small and fast and spread them out, which is
something that we wouldn't have been able to cultivate have
we not had the injuries. And then defensively, now we've
kind of it seems like we've found something I don't
want to say the magic bullet, but something akin to that.
And now all of a sudden we can add you know,
more pass rush help and get Will Harrison there. And
(35:12):
I think about how he was as a communicator this
offseason before he was hurt, and just what that could
do for some of these different zone coverage looks and
some of these disguises. And I'm like, this could be
this could be pretty exciting heading downe the back stretch
and uh, and again I don't want to I don't
want to use the word excited because I'm just say
costs caustiously optimistic is what I'm gonna say, right.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Yeah, but it is I want to see what it
looks like.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
I want to see what it looks like. But I
do think there are some things, like.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
The coaches want to see what it looks like because
it's not just about this season, the rest of this season,
but it's also about next year and when you're trying
to build your team and revap your roster. Hey, what
are the what are our most pressing needs? What positions?
Is this a guy we'd like to on your contract?
(35:57):
Is this something is for free agency before he gets
to free agency? Those are things that questions, questions that
need to be answered.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
I mean, shoot, even like Jacoby Jones, like we wouldn't
even know. Like when he signed him, I was like,
I don't really understand this guy's role. But then watching
how they used him as kind of like a tight
end slash receiver, like inserting in the run game, cracking
down his ability and suddenness to win versus man, It's like,
I don't even I wouldn't even even known that that's
a viable option, right, A guy that could do that,
that had that skill set right. So, in a way,
(36:28):
this injury thing, while super annoying and incredibly frustrating, has
revealed some people to some pieces with some talent that
could have roles moving forward, like Floodshed, Like, it's not
about this year only, it's about kind of these last
couple weeks of the season, heading into the off season,
and all of a sudden, you say, man, this guy maybe
can play some NFL football and could have a role
on this team moving forward, which again is I don't
(36:49):
want to say excited, but yeah, is something that I'm
I'm looking forward to watching.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
Yeah, Like I'm hoping we're through the worst of it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I think because in Miami went through essentially the worst
and we played them, They fired their GM. There's a
lot of chatter about what to his future is. Tyreek
Hill gets injured, they traded away a star player, and
then it seemed to kind of level out.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
They have talented, they have talent on their team.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
And it leveled out a little bit. They've won three
of their last fourth, including beating Buffalo. And I'm hoping
that while we didn't have the similar things and we
didn't train anybody away and we're not firing anybody like
I do hope that we've kind of gotten through whatever
the worst of it was. Everything that could go wrong,
did We had a bazillion injuries. We caught a schedule
that was a nightmare. While we're navigating all these injuries
(37:35):
and navigating what we're trying to get accomplished, especially on
one side of the ball, and all of a sudden,
we're coming out on the other side, and I'm hoping,
like my expectations, I think, like you guys are like,
I want to keep them. I don't know a level
I want to be level headed about what I expect
to see, but I do expect a different brand of
football coming out of this on the other side.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
And that's what I think.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I'm really excited really both sides of the ball, especially
if Jaden is going to come back and play, very
excited to see what it looks like on both sides
of the ball once we get past the bye week here.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's uh, you're you're spot on.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Both of you guys are spot on with this and
wish which we have more of the season left, more
than six games left, and you know, get those guys
back earlier. If we win that ball game in Miami,
maybe and it's a different, different conversation, and you're still
kind of I mean, we never we never know what
to do the rest of the season, how it's going
(38:28):
to play out, continue to play out. But obviously winning
that game would have a you know, increased our likelihood
if we went out, maybe we'll be able to sneak
in there in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
But let's just get healthier.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
See what these guys get get looked like once we're healthy,
you know, whatever there.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
Is that we get Jason j D five back, Terry.
You know, we haven't heard a lot about Noah.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
He's the one we haven't heard a lot about in
terms of is he gonna come back because he's the
one that he's on I R so in terms of
his h opening, his return to play, and we have
not he's not. He hasn't got to that point again,
So maybe he's not as close as we can anticipate
or think he is.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
But uh, it would be great to get Terry, Will.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Harris Jaden back and kind of see what happens from
there and hopefully that's.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
Not a long time thing as well.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Yeah, I agree, all right, Logan, So, as I experienced
with you, you order multiple meals in one sitting.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
What did you what did you think of top us?
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Was that just something you could do you even understand
the idea of small shareable plates or no?
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I mean it was actually right up my alley, you
know what I'm saying. Because I like to try a
bunch of different stuff, So just like get get a
bunch of things, all different flavors that eat them all myself. Yeah,
so it kind of it just fit. It fit perfectly.
So instead of getting two dinners, I get six, Just
kind of snack that all down and go to town,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
I hoot, how did you feel about the ship ing
part of it? Were you like down with that?
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Or I mean I was down with it because, like
you know, especially when when work's paying the bill, you
just order as much as you want. Just be like,
all right, let's just let's get out of it here
a little bit. You know, people people drink, some people
do whatever. But I'm gonna eat. I'm gonna eat my food,
you know.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
So I need to just tell the story about when
we're at the fan rally and you and Logan went
to get food, went to order food that you you
thought Logan ordered food.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
But so so let me set the scene.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
We're at the We're at the Irish bar where we
had the fan rally, you were like two thousand people there.
It was like there was a line out the door.
It was one in, one out situation. So the place
was just jammed right, and to order food you had
to go to the bar.
Speaker 4 (40:44):
You had to wait in this long line.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
To order food, and then you didn't know when it
was coming out when you're gonna get it. So it's
like you got one shot at this thing. And I'm
standing there with Logan and he says, like, what are
you going to get? And I said a cheeseburger and
he said, oh, I'm gonna get that too, And then
when we finally got up to the front, he ordered
a bacon cheeseburger with a side salad okay, and then
(41:06):
said two of them. And I looked at him, and
I'm like, oh, okay, he's.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Ordering for me.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Like I just assumed since we were ordering, I thought
it was presumptuous that he got me a salad instead
of fries.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
But then I looked then I looked at you. But
then I looked at you and I said, are you
going to order? And he said, I ordered to drink.
Speaker 5 (41:23):
I did.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
I looked at you. I said, you're gonna order.
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Who that's somebody who said we're going to order the
same thing and then they ordered two of it.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
Thinks they need to order a third hamburger. But I
didn't ask let me go.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
He was furious, like he found out that I thought
one of those burgers was mine.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
He was furious.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
I was very I was very gracious, Bram. I got
your food. I shared. But I'm saying, like, why would
I order you? I wouldn't. I didn't know what you wanted.
I didn't know you wanted a side salad. You know
what I'm saying. I talked about it, but now.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Was the side salad. I should have known.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Like, that's presumptuous that he ordered me a salad. I
guess he thinks I needed. But we said we were
going to get the same pig, and then you ordered
two of the same thing, and I assumed you.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Ordered for me.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Facts. I mean, it's it's tough in the streets, brim
you know, Peter be eating, is what I'm going to say,
And I was.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
I was doing eat. I'll tell you that I was surprised.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
I was surprised that when Logan came back with the
two burgers, he actually gave you one.
Speaker 5 (42:23):
I've seen this guy.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I was like, how could he not uncomfortable afternoon if
he didn't give me one of those hamburgers.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
He did, he did share. He gave you one of
the burgers. He ate one, then he went back and
ordered him. And that's right.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
I'm a big fellow, man, I'm a growing boy.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
At the topst bar, you ordered like two of everything.
It was just that thing was just comedy, comedy, comedy,
comedy coming for you.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Hey, you know it's that's that's a good spot to be, man.
They got good food, somepignana, some steak, some fish. I
was living like a king, bros.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Is that what you call.
Speaker 3 (43:04):
Like remember Theda with the beef and the thing and
it was good?
Speaker 6 (43:08):
Uh huh and banadass Okay, cool, all right, I'd go
back there by the way.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
That place was awesome. You want to say there, I'm
cool with that. I'll do that anytime. That place was.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
Drink, Bram, you're not drinking either, but really good drakes.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Man, it has really good cocktails.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
International.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
No, you don't have to share, you just order one.
You get your own.
Speaker 5 (43:38):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
That's it, all right, everybody that'll do it for the
Booth Review. We'll see you after The Bye Booth review
was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command Center Studio.
Big Bear AI offers mission ready AI for a rapidly
evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and its fans.
Coming up on the Booth Review. How about the Defense
finding its form in Spain?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hey, Chris Rod Driguez or should I call him El Aubette.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Day, let's go and I like eating food brand in Spain.
Let's get after this thing.
Speaker 4 (00:15):
You know what you like enpennadas? You love? That's coming
up next on the Booth Review.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Welcome to the latest Return to America edition of the
Booth Review podcast. I'm Bram Whiteside with London Fletcher and
Logan Paulsen. We're brought to you by Microsoft Surface Copilot
plus PC and Logan is in the Big Bear AI
Command Center studio. London and I are on remote vacation
as we head into our bye week before we get
into the game. Just you've had a chance to sit
(00:46):
on a very long flight take in an entire week.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
What do you remember about Madrid?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Man?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
It was it was an amazing experience. I'll tell you
that I'll miss it already. I'm not gonna even lie.
Being backstay side with Smoot, I definitely definitely had a
bleach wish I got an opportunity to see a little
bit more of the historic Madrid.
Speaker 5 (01:09):
Maybe needed could have used.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
A couple more days, but just an overall great experience
fan ex fans were they came out and droves great
energy in the stadium. Only disappointing part was that we
lost that football game.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, I mean it was really special. I totally agree
with Fletch and it was we were really busy. I
think I did more work than I thought we were
going end up doing while we're out there, Fletch, every
day we were doing something and so like we didn't
get to see the city a ton, but I think
like the events that we did get to do, like
the flag football thing was really cool, the churo tasting
was cool, the what was it the Flamenco, right, that
(01:45):
was pretty cool. International Fletch made an appearance and brand
was showing this move so all that stuff was great
and stuff that I'm going to remember for a long time.
But I do I do agree with Fletch. I think
there was maybe one more day. Could have seen the museum,
seen the central park they have there, seen some of
that downtown and stuff. But overall, really uh, very positive experience.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
The night before the Flamenco lesson the competitive Gene of London,
Fletcher came out where he was surveying the room to
see who can dance with him, and we found out
you're the winner here. You are a Flamenco ledgend. Flamenco legend,
London Fletcher.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Yeah. Yeah, I will say this.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I did get a little nervous because as I was
talking with Bram and his wife, and Bram's wife said, uh,
you know, Bram's a really good dancer and he's into it,
and I was like, you know what that that really
did surprise me, that that you you like to dance
and you can and you're a good dancer.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
So I was like, you know what, Brahm is a dark.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Cart's what I have to worry about.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Logan.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Logan showed up to a Flamenco lesson in shorts and
a T shirt, so you just element.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I didn't realize there was a dress code. That's my bad,
that's on me. I'll be better next.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Literally never heard of Flamenco dancing before in your life.
All right, let's get into the game a little bit.
You know, this one was obviously a much more competitive
game than the last couple. Dan Quinn took over as
the play caller on defense when I had talked to
him a couple of days before the game, he had
talked about like level setting really that I think he
(03:22):
just wanted to get back into a position where the
team was playing consistently, not just with the kind of
energy they're looking for, but just consistently on that side
of the ball. And frankly, I think that that was
kind of accomplished here. I know a Chan had some
big numbers, but there was if they were looking for
a level reset London, I think they got it a
little bit in Miami.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Do you see that?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I definitely saw that. You can see the difference in
just what DQ calling the defense is the energy that
they played with, the speed that they played, with greater
attention to detail. It mixed up some of their pressures
where looks that we hadn't seen all season long. I thought,
I thought you definitely could see the energy, especially you know,
(04:06):
down in the red area.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Didn't play as much man and man as they typically do.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I thought DQ wanted to eliminate some of the big
explosive plays or the communication issues.
Speaker 5 (04:14):
That they had.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So we played a lot of zone defense and just
this feel, and we talked a lot about this in
leading up to the game. A lot of times with
the play caller and defense is about because they didn't
have like a ton of new calls. It's just a
matter of when you decide to call certain defenses, and
that's that's something that you just get a feel for it.
And the best ones that I've been around, they just
(04:35):
have a natural feel of win to dial up certain things.
And I feel like they got a lot accomplished that
they were looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Yeah, man, it was it was like watching a new
team on the defense side of the football this week.
I think, you know, we talked about last week with
Detroit before that versus Seattle and how that didn't even
at times feel like NFL defense. Then all of a sudden,
this week comes around. I totally agree fletch way more
zone coverage, Tampa two great disguises to the Tampa two
cover three, Cover six. And the thing that I was
(05:03):
worried about is like, maybe you put in a bunch,
you put in new calls, or you emphasize different things.
That's maybe what I say, do you emphasize different things?
And but how many reps have you banked there? And
I think the thing that really stood out to me
is just how clean they were specifically in the back
end with like matching concepts, eyes to route combinations, which
is stuff that we haven't seen for like a couple
of weeks, four or five weeks something like that. So
(05:25):
that was unbelievable. I thought, again, playing Warzone helped the
linebackers in terms of playing fast to the football McGee,
Frankie Bobby, I thought, we're this is the best again
they've looked at a couple of weeks just.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Connectively.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Yeah, not having the conflicts of man man responsibilities and
run fits. It seemed like it cleaned a lot of
that stuff up for him. I think the Nickel players
did an excellent job. Noig Monoghany I thought when when
when Kwan was in the box, two did some really
nice physical things. So it was it was crazy just
to see everyone kind of maximized through the play calling
a little bit. And I don't know how he did it,
(06:01):
but the coaching detail that he was able to put
on at Fletch from you know, Monday to day or
from Sunday to today or in a week was just
incredible to me.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I'll say this, and I'm glad you touched that last
part of it. I felt like, guys were more disciplined
in their their run fits, especially and a couple there
were still a couple of fits they could have did
a little bit better, but that happens in every football game,
especially against a team like Miami that has so many
different challenging run type of players, whether it's a unique
(06:33):
counter type run fits or certain type of leads, things
like that. So with the volume and variety of run
plays that the Miami Dolphins have, I thought the defensive line,
the linebackers, guys, uh, even the secondary guys that had
to fit where they needed to fit on the.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
Run, I thought it was a lot better. They were.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
They creased us a little bit on the on the edges,
but in terms of the inside stuff, much better, but
way way better what we have been seeing it.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And it wasn't just the linebackers like I thought, Like
kin Law, I thought had one of the better games
I've seen watching the film again, obviously as the two penalties,
but like the down to down consistency and owning the gap,
you know, Goldman owning his gap, you know, Jalen Holmes
holding the gap on the It just I mean, it felt,
and I don't want to sound like I'm it just
felt so different than it's felt.
Speaker 5 (07:23):
You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
It came from a place where I was like, there's
no way they can get to a serviceable spot, and
then all of a sudden, the defense was more than serviceable,
and it was really impressive in some instances. And so yeah,
and again, like you said, some of those big runs,
like some of those perimeter fits are tough. You know,
like there was one player I remember, they're running like
a pin poll, and traditionally on a pin poll you
wouldn't down block a three technique, but they down blocked
(07:46):
the three technique, the guard gets out to the perimeter,
and so just kind of some unusual things that Miami
did that made it challenging to fit some of those
perimeter runs. But again, I just trying to articulate it
to someone who don't watch film, Like it's like everyone
was on a string, everyone knew everyone was supposed to
be and it just was such a unique watch compared
to what we've seen the last three or four weeks.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
There were a couple things that really stood out to me. Lundy,
you mentioned it, the Jonathan Jones blitz. I think we've
been waiting for switch ups from this team we got
one there. I mean, we looked at each other the
second they did it, We're like, where's this been, you know,
for the.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Last four or five six weeks.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
And the other one that really stood out to me
was the von millersack, where this was going back anyway
because there was going to be a holding penalty against Miami,
but it reminded me towards the end of the first
half against Dallas when they hit the big play to
George Pickens, and afterwards we were all asking the question
why were they playing so forward against them when they
had so many yards to go And they made a
(08:42):
nice play over the top, but the positioning of the
players was what was in question after the play had occurred.
On this one, it seemed that they had a feel
for the moment, the down, the distance and two we
just had nowhere to go. And this play wouldn't account
whether he made a play or not. It wouldn't have mattered.
But he extended extended it, you know, he chases him down,
(09:02):
he gets a sack, so they get to put that
on there. But it was the total defensive feel for
the moment that really kind of stood out in those
two particular plays to me.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
From the game in Spain.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Absolutely, I'm gonna start with the the corner blitz that
Jonathan Jones ended up coming up with the sack. I
thought it was a great designed, great game because they
only end up rushing four players. It's called it's labeled
up blitz, but it really is a simulated pressure because
it's just four guys rushing and you're playing. They end
(09:34):
up playing cover two off of it on the back end,
and that really because you're playing zone behind it and
there's an unaccount of floor, unaccount of for rusher, they
don't pick it up. You got a free runner to
the quarterback and then you're playing zone coverage and two
us trying to figure that out to navigate the coverage
while you have a free runner coming at of me
(09:54):
ends up getting the sack. So just the you're showing,
you know, overload to one side the offense alignment, they
have to count from a protection standpoint, and all of
a sudden lo and behold, we send the corner blitz.
We actually sent the corner blitz a couple of times
or nickel blitz it certain depending on the personnel grouping.
Several times there was another overload six man pressure. They
(10:16):
ended up we didn't. Miami picked that one up and
they got a first down on them. But just it
was just a couple of different unique touches from a
pressure standpoint. The play you're talking about where Vin gets
a sacked, that was a third down play, third and ten.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
You don't you say, hey, we're gonna play the sticks.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
We're gonna get everybody lined up at the sticks forced
to it to.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Read it out.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It was just a three man rush and because of
you know not and we play zone at the sticks,
so to speak, it forces them to hold on to
the football.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
I mean maybe it was quarters covers.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
You're forcing them to hold on to the football a
little bit longer, trying to wait for things to clear out,
and Voon being relentless. Just a couple of different things.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
It's just about knowing and down a distance, knowing the
situation and going out and executing.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Yeah, I totally agree, And I think like some of
the stuff we were talking about was on full display
quite honestly with that Jonathan Jones pressure like fletch, I
don't know, like you were talking about how they're all
kind of line up with the line of scrimmage it
looks like they're bringing it all out pressure and then
the way the coverage disperses, it wasn't like clunky, It
wasn't like this guy's way ahead of this guy. It
was like they were all on a string, all rotating together.
(11:26):
And to see them cover the grass like instantly on
the cadence. They all knew where they were supposed to be.
It just it's something that we haven't seen really from them.
And then the other thing too is kin Law does
a great job. He's playing like the backside a gap,
so of the defensive left he basically runs and has
contained to the defensive right. And so like you know
in weeks past, he might get caught up with the
(11:47):
tackle orknocket all the way out. He gets all the
way out to the perimeter so that you have a
nice pocket. Jonathan Jones comes in makes the tackle like
just the I think it's the details Fletch, like you
were talking about, like the detail on the von Miller sack. Right,
it's a three man rush, but Law beats the two men.
He ends up getting the holding call, you know, fifty five.
It's a great job winning on the perimeter. And then
the the I discipline in the secondary to kind of
(12:10):
attack the sticks I'm looking at, I'm relating to the
right people, Like, there's not nobody like running free. It
just was very different than what we've seen. And I
think those two plays are perfect examples of like good
scheme but excellent execution and guys knowing how they fit
in the defensive structure.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
And I want to I think we'd be remiss because
I like, I look at this and I think Joe
Whitt has gotten you know, blamed for a lot of
stuff that wasn't necessarily his fault. Guys just weren't playing
to the detailed stuff then that they needed to be.
The attention to details stuff like that. So did guys
(12:47):
Antennas go up a little bit more because you know, hey,
the Q's in the building. Now he's in the room,
he's in the install he's in there, and he's like, God,
you guys have been put on notice, like this is
I believe in Joe wib We've run this system. Yeah,
you know, our whole time together. But there was a
greater attention to detail and execution that the guys did.
(13:10):
And was it the being in the week in Madrid
and just really having more times. They talked about it
a lot more meetings things like that, because you know,
when you leave them, you leave Madrid, I mean, you
leave practice silly where you're gonna go.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
You just spend time with them for them.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So for whatever reason it was, they played a lot better,
and they asked you, it a lot better?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Is something you, fletch, I was gonna ask you, Is
it something you feel like they can do moving forward?
Like it seems like yes, but I don't know it
just it's such a departure from what it was, like
is it something they can carry through?
Speaker 5 (13:41):
And yeah, yeah, I think they can carry through.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
And I think there's there's some things that they can
even be cleaner with just playing playing even better on
certain like we talked about some of the fits on
some of the funky counter runs, or even a couple
one of the one of the perimeter runs that got
out that got on them. Just getting a little bit
too thick on a on a block like initially you're
(14:05):
you're taking it on, just leveraging, leveraging that that blocker
a little bit. You don't have to be asstick if
you if you are a little bit more outside, that'll
force that runner back inside and then it'll limit the
game to maybe five yards instead of fifteen yards.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
That deal they'll build on. But it's a lot of
stuff from this ball game that they can get better at.
And I think the q's press conference he talked about
even some of the disguise is preaching that and you
know you may be at an instead of lining up
showing your showing your covers right away, we can start
in that two sheldn rotate.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
So there's a lot to build on from this tape.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Some of it who you play too, I mean, like
while they were having trouble on that side of the ball,
they hit a run of top seven offenses Seattle, Detroit, Dallas,
Kansas City. They turn around, they play Miami, who's not
moving the ball like they did a couple of years ago.
They really have a one hit wonder. I mean they've
been leaning on a chan He had his certainly the
(15:02):
other day too. But what they do have coming up
on the other side of the Bye Denver terrific record.
They go through long stretches of time where they have
trouble scoring. They're not a top scoring offense. They're gonna
get Minnesota's a very different offense this year under JJ
McCarthy than they were with Sam Darnold. They're going to
get the Giants, So I think there's gonna be some
opportunities here where the competition isn't humming like some of
(15:23):
the ones that they faced while they were kind of
going through all of this as well and trying to
fix their own side of the ball.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, I mean that's true, but I think it's still
there's regardless. I don't I think the way they played
in that ball game on Sunday, whether it was Kansas City, Seattle,
whoever the offense is, we would have seen a lot
better results if they pay play with that type of
attention to detail, that type of meticity, that type of
(15:53):
just speed, you know, just if they do those things
to the matter that they did against Miami, against those
prior teams that you mentioned, we're not allowing thirty five
points or thirty whatever we're allowing back in those days
that we'll we would definitely held those teams in to
a lot for your points.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah. I think it's just it was such a departure,
like it's like I wanted to see this defense versus Detroit,
or this defense or this version of the detail versus
Seattle because I think, again, I don't know if we
win those football games, but at least it's going to
be much more competitive. And I mean the other thing
is like the offense did a great job possessing the football.
They were better on third down. It was much more
complimentary in terms of game flow and nature of game.
(16:35):
So there were so many things that kind of were
different than what we've seen the past couple of weeks.
It was really nice to see. And again, like Brady
you alluded to, they are going to again some offenses
here that you know aren't necessarily clicking on all cylinders
like with the with the Broncos and the Minnesota's. But
you know, if this version of if the defense comes
to play, you get this version of kin law Bobby
(16:55):
Frankie Jordan playing this level this way at the second level,
like you got to man, because like they were really motivated.
Like I think about the execution in those two fourth
down stops, like that was tremendous, Like it was it
wasn't just one play, It was like four consecutive plays
of people doing what they're supposed to do. And again,
like we just not have not seen that like, really
this year that comprehensively, So it was great to see
(17:17):
and I hope that they can continue it.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Yeah, I think like the goal line stands to me
are emblematic of like everyone knows what the record is, right,
so there's a e And we pointed this out on
the broadcast Miami in gold to go situations was perfect
this year. There were thirteen for thirteen scoring touchdowns. They
were stopped twice on gold to go situations and one
(17:40):
in the highest of high leverage moments at the end
of the game, which it could have should have set
up a game winning field goal for them. If you
were ever wondering where's the effort, like are they still
locked in? Are they still playing for one another? Are
they still playing for the staff? With all the things
that have been going on, That to me was emblematic
of it that those things occurred there. So that was
(18:01):
the extremely positive sign. I mean, we can't do anything
about the record.
Speaker 4 (18:05):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
But if you're wondering where is this team, where's this
locker room, go watch those goal line stands and you'll
see exactly where they are.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, no, you're you're spot on with that. Just the
the Goldman play on that last fourth down play Man
does a great job destroying his blocker get off block.
Bobby Wagner got in there, is Frankie got in there
just in the in a you gotta have a type
(18:35):
of situation. There was another time Frankie on the fourth
and two the Dolphins go for it.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Logan and I we we We've already talked about that.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Just to coverage the UH that's a that's a difficult
route combination to defend, especially as a middle linebacker because
with their ice what they're doing because of the coverage,
you're isolating a speedier wide receiver on a mike linebacker.
I played that coverage hundreds of times in my career
(19:07):
in my just throughout my career and playing playing defense.
Speaker 5 (19:12):
Maybe not hundreds, maybe.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Let's call it more dozens, but a high level a
high level amount. And you have to know what you're
dealing with. And you're talking about one of the fastest
receivers in the national football in Jayalen Waddle screaming across
the field and you have to cover him, and you
can't count on anybody from the backside to bail you
out because they have their own things they have to
(19:34):
deal with making sure they don't allow their guys to
be open. So it was an outstanding job by Bobby
to be able to get his hand on that football
and prevent a touchdown.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
And then there's the kin Law play on the play
before the Goldman player where he kind of plays the
leverage of the block and he jumps on him and
then and then Bobby and Frankie come and it's just
like and like you just Bram, you mentioned it, like
the effort like to see you know, five hats in
the picture, red hats at the at the time that
the clip is getting run and for them to push
him out of the end zone was great. And then
(20:06):
it just I mean it was those plays were so
fun to watch as a fan of football.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, probably is not going to get talked about enough.
Prior to the third down stop by by ken Law.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
The mcgie tackle.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
The McGee tackle, yes, to keep him from getting in
the end zone to give us more chances. So it's
just like just putting consecutive plays together. And we talked
about that, just the four plays consecutively in that goal
to gold situation, because there was some times to even
get in that situation that the a chain, they had
(20:43):
a funky little toss that they missed up on and
he made several guys missing.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Then he's he gets down to that, Uh, not.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
A necessituation for him to get into that situation, for
us to get in that situation. Yeah, McGee tackle, Ken
Law tackle and then the last played by by Goldman Louisvu.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You know, just just some great plays made in that
red zone.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Let's talk about the offense. So this has been such
a strange year. Clip Scotten has been dealt a very
odd hand. I mean, it's every week. It's just a
whole new group of people that consistently are being asked
to kind of step up. And I think when we
talked to Marcus Mariota after the game, and one of
the things we talked about with him was trust in
people who he's not spending a lot of time practicing with.
(21:31):
In a high leverage moment, he throwing a pass to
Jacoby Jones who hadn't played in an NFL game and
they're converting it. They unfortunately had a slip at the
goal liner. That's a zach Ertz touchdown a million times
out of a million times. If he doesn't slip on
the field over and over and over. They're finding a way.
And I know it doesn't look like it because of
(21:52):
the point total here, but they found a way to
move the ball, They reignited the run game, and in
these high leverage moments, they found trust in players that
are either inexperienced or clearly have not had a lot
of rep time. So I know the point total doesn't
look right, but I actually thought the offense played pretty well,
moved the ball effectively, ran the clock down, controlled time
(22:13):
of possession, and in a lot of ways played a
pretty solid game short of the big mistake in overtime.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's that's it, right, And
I think when you look at the two miss field
goals at six points, the missed fourth down conversion that's seven,
So you're looking at twenty six points really from an offense,
and I know that it doesn't show up in the points,
but that's why, you know, you kind of make mistakes
on teams, You make a mistake in the red zone,
you make a mistake with the muff punk. Because I
really believe that if the defense ends up standing up
(22:42):
after that fourth and two, they punt you get the
ball back there, probably on the thirty five to forty
yard line, you're gonna go down to get points there too.
So it just I think I don't think it's the offense.
I think it's the context of the game that kind
of makes the offensive production look a little bit different.
I think Cliffs doing a great job with personnel groupings
twelve eleven, thirteen, Big thirty Team Big twelve, kind of
finding ways to maximize people, the play action pass games
(23:04):
coming to life a little bit, finding easier opportunities for Marcus,
and it just it's starting to click a little bit.
I know this defense isn't you know the eighty five
Bears the Miami Dolphins that we just played, but they
executed and I think, you know, there's obviously a bunch
of reasons for that. We'll get into that more as
we go, but I do think that when you look
at the design of it, when you look at the execution,
this is more what I was expecting from this year
(23:25):
from the offense as well.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, I feel like the offense was definitely aided too
by the run game, in particular Chris Chris Rodriguez and
what he was able to do really setting the tone
running with great physicality but also having great vision to
be in some cutbacks runs, seeing some making some guys
miss breaking tackles. Was that when you got that type
(23:50):
of production out of him, that opens up You mentioned
the play action pass game and being able to make
some plays.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
Down the field.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
That's not necessarily you know, thirty yards on the sideline,
but you're getting Deebo Samuel big big dig in the
middle of the field off of even just a token
play action that the that the defense have to has
to respect.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
And I thought even a.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Quick game, especially early, anytime the Dolphins ran Blisz, it
seemed like Marcus knew exactly where to go with the
football and it was a it was I was I
was impressed. I wish the red zone offense. That's probably
where they're probably most disappointed in not being able to
get touchdowns in those situations in those red zones. As
(24:34):
you mentioned, Bram, that the urge slip otherwise uh is
a touchdown. I was surprised more guys didn't slip on
that on that surface. I thought it was a little
bit slicker surface. So what type of cleats you wore
in that ball game was going to be paramount to
you having a success on that field.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, I'm really glad you brought up the run game too,
because I think the other thing with Chris Rodriguez everyone
talks about him and why he's being productive. I think
you're seeing with him specifically, like an NFL runner, a
guy that understands when to be patient, a guy that
understands when to kram it, a guy that knows how
to keep the offense on schedule. And so like, how
many times in the game was it like he's been
(25:12):
hitting the backfield. You know, it looks like it's going
to be second and eight, but hey, it's actually second
and six, and we're you know, we're ahead of the chains.
We can run a little quick game. Next play it's
third and one, we go for a little like kind
of Spider two. Wive Banana tied it in the flat
on fourth and you know what I mean, it just
let the offense stay on schedule in a way that
I think, you know, Bill Krosky Merritt is still evolving
(25:32):
as a runner, right, He's still learning, like, not every
play in the NFL is going to be a home run.
And I think Chris Rodriguez really understands that and you
feel that when he's when he's at the helm is
the back. You know, he understands how to maximize the
offensive line. And I think the offensive line is playing
really well, like they're doing some great stuff in the
run game. I think Brandon Coleman has that big wide
did some really nice stuff in terms of creating some
(25:53):
run lane. So he's getting support. But I also think
Chris Rodriguez understands how to play that instrument and knows
has a good feel for like, hey this is an
explosive opportunity. Let me do this jump cut and get going,
or hey I need to cram this in here, get
us four and keep us on schedule.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Offensively, Yeah, he's really matured this year in a lot
of ways. They asked him to change his body.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
He did.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
He got a speed coach, he got faster. He clearly
is tough.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
As a runner. And I'm with you, Logan.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I think like I see a different player with him,
and he's been getting more and more opportunities.
Speaker 4 (26:27):
And I agree with you about Bill. I think this
is a rookie.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
I think he's got extremely instinctive tendencies and I think
he's got explosive qualities, but he's learning the game. And
I think the like a couple of weeks ago, when
Cliff and dan Quinn were both kind of hinting things
about you kind of need to take what's there for you,
I think they were nodding at him a little bit
(26:51):
in saying he's kind of learning that it's not all
going to be big plays and that you sometimes just
have to follow where the play is designed to go.
And hopefully, I think over time, because he's got incredible
instincts and extreme explosiveness, that once he gets more and
more reps, more and more feel for it, that you're
(27:11):
going to see more home runs out of him. But
I agree with you by Chris Rodriguez. He's the singles
and doubles hitter, and every once in a while, because
of his power now to go along with the speed
that he built, he's got a couple of home runs
in him too.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yeah, But I also say this, I think with the Bill,
he had a couple of nice runs in that ball
game as well where he broke. I think one time
he was tackled right at about the line of scrimmage,
kept his wheel, his legs turning and end up picking
up about three or four yards, just a situation where hey,
(27:46):
let me just get my pads down, run behind my pass,
pick up some yards, and then he had a he
had a ten nice ten yard run where we're designed
to go back, go to the left, I believe, and
he was able to use his great vision, which is
one of the things he has. He comes out the
backside and he's able to pick up ten yards. So
in that in that ball game, you know, some things
(28:06):
that he did. They're not going to all be as
we guys mentioned the home run plays, but just hey,
this is this is the opportunity. It might be four yards,
pick up that four yards, and then hey, here's a
ten yard rum, just to keep us ahead of ahead
of schedule.
Speaker 5 (28:21):
So he's learning. I mean, it's just he's going through
through a rookie year.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
But I thought there were a couple of times where
he had some really nice runs as well.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yeah, And I don't think I'm saying that he's like
not playing well. I just think there's a value to
maybe the consistency of Chris Rodriguez, especially early in a
game when you're kind of like what you know, weathering
some adversity like and just someone who's going to keep
you on schedule. I think at some point, obviously Build's
extremely talent, we'll get into that larger role that people
(28:50):
were expecting frohim earlier in the year. But I think now,
like Brahm said, it's dude, running back in the NFL
is a different animal man. Like defensive linemen are better linebacker.
Linebackers are better corner and safeties are better tacklers. They're
better with their run fits, and so you really have
to trust the like the soft spot of a run,
you know. I think that's something else that comes up,
is like it's not gonna be this gaping hole. It's like, hey,
(29:12):
this is just a little bit looser than the rest
of the front. I'm gonna cram in here for three
or four and we're gonna live to play another day.
And that's a skill. And I think the more he
gets to watch, the more he gets to play, obviously,
the better he's gonna get. Like I think he's gonna
be a dynamic player for sure. It's just part of,
you know, kind of the unexpected challenges, Like everyone talks
about the difficulties for offensive linemen and corners and quarterbacks
(29:32):
I think there's a little bit of a learning curve
for running backs as well when it comes to running
the football at the NFL level.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Yeah, I think over time, he's like, he's going to
see his pitch. He needs to wait for his pitch.
When he finds it, he's going to hit a home
run off of it. This has happened a little bit
with Rodriguez, and partially I think it's because he did
what the team asked him to do. They needed him
to get faster, they needed him to change his body
a little bit to have the ability to do this.
(29:58):
I think they like what he brings to the field,
They like the aggressiveness he plays with, They like within
the structure that he runs, but he needed to change
his body just a little bit, get a little bit faster,
to hit a speed and a power dynamic that allows
him to be more effective than he was. He did
that and you're starting to see that now with him.
For Bill, he's going to learn to wait for his
(30:18):
pitch and when he gets the right one, that's when
you're gonna start seeing some of these home runs.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
And I just think it's time with him.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
I love the way he plays, but I can see
where you're looking at this if probably from the coach's
point of view, where they're going, we kind of just
needed you to do this on this one. We get
what you're doing and we know what you're trying to do,
but we need you to wait for your pitch because
you're going to get that three to two fastball every
once in a while, and we know you're gonna hit
it out of the park.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
Yeah, that that happens.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And we also have to understand it's a kid who
only played one game a year ago.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
So I mean, it's one thing that you do it
in practice, because he practiced all year long. It's one
thing to practice. And I'm not sure what the defenses
were like Arizona, But are they in the Pac twelve?
Speaker 5 (31:02):
Now? What conference? Are they here? Now? Big twelve? I
don't know what conference we are, but just.
Speaker 4 (31:08):
Does the Pac twelve exist anymore?
Speaker 5 (31:12):
This?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
I have no idea.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Are they Big twelve?
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Though?
Speaker 5 (31:17):
No, they don't.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I think it's like Big twelve is like I have
no I don't know. I'm not gonna.
Speaker 5 (31:22):
Whatever whatever they are. But but just.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
One guy one game last year, his senior year, and
then he's rusty and so things can, especially as the
running back, things can kind of happen. Your mind may
be going faster than your needs to, so you're like, okay,
let me get it, let me hit it.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
And just you know, he'll, he'll, he'll.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
He probably benefited from watching Chris and McNichols Jeremy do
some things, and the coach are like, hey, you see
how these guys are hitting, and it's great to have
those guys in the room from them.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
But yeah, so they'll they'll be all right, He'll be fine.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
All right, let's talk about that bye week a little bit.
Defense played a lot better. I think there's still room
probably for them, assuming you know, no more injuries. Will
Harris coming back, which looks like is happening sooner rather
than later. I think it's going to be a boost
for them offensively.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
They could get a number of stars back. I don't
know where Terry is at this point, or Jayden Daniels,
Noah Brown. We're not sure yet. There's a possibility that
in the not too distant future they have them back
out on the field. There is the and I know
what the record is, but there is the promise of
a very different team, especially if on the defensive side
of the ball, things are going to continue to kind
of improve from clearly where it was to what it
(32:34):
was on Sunday to what it could be with more time.
So how are you guys thinking about the bye week
for this team.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
As I look at this and I'm not sure how much.
I don't expect them probably to practice much so when
we say bad week for first of all, for the
guys who are injured, those guys continue to rehab and
continue to obviously try to get healthy. They'll probably I
would assume, have the rest of this week off and
(33:05):
maybe have an extra practice next week on Monday. But
this bye week is more about because of the time
and getting getting those guys who are injured healthy healthy
or hopefully they can return. You mentioned some of the
guys that are potentially coming back, even if there's another
guy who hasn't played for is a Drake Jackson. His
twenty one day window open up last week as well,
(33:27):
so maybe maybe he's able to play. That's another young
defensive end. I'm sure they would love to see what
they have in him. And it's a yeah, I think
this bye week is more about obviously getting healthy having
that extra day of practice next week will aid, especially
if you got a guy some guys return to, whether
it's Will Harris, maybe Terry, maybe Jaye, and just another
(33:51):
additional practice for them to kind of get their sea
legs together, so to speak. So it's a for DQ
and the defense as a player to kind of get
a little bit better feel of each other to especially
when you're talking about disguise some things stuff like that.
So it's definitely beneficial to us, it'll be beneficial to them.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I think I look at what
they did were able to do in Madrid, like with
Dan kind of leading the charge there, and if they're
able to continue to add layers to what they did,
add layers to the disguise, get a little healthier, get
some more talented pieces back in the rotation. I think
that's again, like I'm careful or cautious to use the
(34:31):
word excited because of like how up and down this
season has been. But I think about what this offense
could be with Jade and Terry and Noah back in
the fold and trailing Burke's healthy and all these pieces
that we've acquired because of the adverse, And you're like man,
this could be pretty cool, and the new role for
Brandon Coleman at the big tight end spot and the
emergence of that position group. But just like, okay, like
(34:51):
this could be cool offensively, and then we're much more
explosive now and we have the flexibility to go big
or small and fast and spread them out, which is
something that we wouldn't have been able to cultivate have
we not had the injuries. And then defensively, now we've
kind of it seems like we've found something I don't
want to say the magic bullet, but something akin to that.
And now all of a sudden we can add you know,
more pass rush help and get Will Harrison there. And
(35:12):
I think about how he was as a communicator this
offseason before he was hurt, and just what that could
do for some of these different zone coverage looks and
some of these disguises. And I'm like, this could be
this could be pretty exciting heading downe the back stretch
and uh, and again I don't want to I don't
want to use the word excited because I'm just say
costs caustiously optimistic is what I'm gonna say, right.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
Yeah, but it is I want to see what it
looks like.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
I want to see what it looks like. But I
do think there are some things, like.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
The coaches want to see what it looks like because
it's not just about this season, the rest of this season,
but it's also about next year and when you're trying
to build your team and revap your roster. Hey, what
are the what are our most pressing needs? What positions?
Is this a guy we'd like to on your contract?
(35:57):
Is this something is for free agency before he gets
to free agency? Those are things that questions, questions that
need to be answered.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
I mean, shoot, even like Jacoby Jones, like we wouldn't
even know. Like when he signed him, I was like,
I don't really understand this guy's role. But then watching
how they used him as kind of like a tight
end slash receiver, like inserting in the run game, cracking
down his ability and suddenness to win versus man, It's like,
I don't even I wouldn't even even known that that's
a viable option, right, A guy that could do that,
that had that skill set right. So, in a way,
(36:28):
this injury thing, while super annoying and incredibly frustrating, has
revealed some people to some pieces with some talent that
could have roles moving forward, like Floodshed, Like, it's not
about this year only, it's about kind of these last
couple weeks of the season, heading into the off season,
and all of a sudden, you say, man, this guy maybe
can play some NFL football and could have a role
on this team moving forward, which again is I don't
(36:49):
want to say excited, but yeah, is something that I'm
I'm looking forward to watching.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
Yeah, Like I'm hoping we're through the worst of it.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I think because in Miami went through essentially the worst
and we played them, They fired their GM. There's a
lot of chatter about what to his future is. Tyreek
Hill gets injured, they traded away a star player, and
then it seemed to kind of level out.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
They have talented, they have talent on their team.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
And it leveled out a little bit. They've won three
of their last fourth, including beating Buffalo. And I'm hoping
that while we didn't have the similar things and we
didn't train anybody away and we're not firing anybody like
I do hope that we've kind of gotten through whatever
the worst of it was. Everything that could go wrong,
did We had a bazillion injuries. We caught a schedule
that was a nightmare. While we're navigating all these injuries
(37:35):
and navigating what we're trying to get accomplished, especially on
one side of the ball, and all of a sudden,
we're coming out on the other side, and I'm hoping,
like my expectations, I think, like you guys are like,
I want to keep them. I don't know a level
I want to be level headed about what I expect
to see, but I do expect a different brand of
football coming out of this on the other side.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
And that's what I think.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I'm really excited really both sides of the ball, especially
if Jaden is going to come back and play, very
excited to see what it looks like on both sides
of the ball once we get past the bye week here.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's uh, you're you're spot on.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Both of you guys are spot on with this and
wish which we have more of the season left, more
than six games left, and you know, get those guys
back earlier. If we win that ball game in Miami,
maybe and it's a different, different conversation, and you're still
kind of I mean, we never we never know what
to do the rest of the season, how it's going
(38:28):
to play out, continue to play out. But obviously winning
that game would have a you know, increased our likelihood
if we went out, maybe we'll be able to sneak
in there in the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (38:36):
But let's just get healthier.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
See what these guys get get looked like once we're healthy,
you know, whatever there.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
Is that we get Jason j D five back, Terry.
You know, we haven't heard a lot about Noah.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
He's the one we haven't heard a lot about in
terms of is he gonna come back because he's the
one that he's on I R so in terms of
his h opening, his return to play, and we have
not he's not. He hasn't got to that point again,
So maybe he's not as close as we can anticipate
or think he is.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
But uh, it would be great to get Terry, Will.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Harris Jaden back and kind of see what happens from
there and hopefully that's.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
Not a long time thing as well.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Yeah, I agree, all right, Logan, So, as I experienced
with you, you order multiple meals in one sitting.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
What did you what did you think of top us?
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Was that just something you could do you even understand
the idea of small shareable plates or no?
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I mean it was actually right up my alley, you
know what I'm saying. Because I like to try a
bunch of different stuff, So just like get get a
bunch of things, all different flavors that eat them all myself. Yeah,
so it kind of it just fit. It fit perfectly.
So instead of getting two dinners, I get six, Just
kind of snack that all down and go to town,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (39:57):
I hoot, how did you feel about the ship ing
part of it? Were you like down with that?
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Or I mean I was down with it because, like
you know, especially when when work's paying the bill, you
just order as much as you want. Just be like,
all right, let's just let's get out of it here
a little bit. You know, people people drink, some people
do whatever. But I'm gonna eat. I'm gonna eat my food,
you know.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
So I need to just tell the story about when
we're at the fan rally and you and Logan went
to get food, went to order food that you you
thought Logan ordered food.
Speaker 4 (40:26):
But so so let me set the scene.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
We're at the We're at the Irish bar where we
had the fan rally, you were like two thousand people there.
It was like there was a line out the door.
It was one in, one out situation. So the place
was just jammed right, and to order food you had
to go to the bar.
Speaker 4 (40:44):
You had to wait in this long line.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
To order food, and then you didn't know when it
was coming out when you're gonna get it. So it's
like you got one shot at this thing. And I'm
standing there with Logan and he says, like, what are
you going to get? And I said a cheeseburger and
he said, oh, I'm gonna get that too, And then
when we finally got up to the front, he ordered
a bacon cheeseburger with a side salad okay, and then
(41:06):
said two of them. And I looked at him, and
I'm like, oh, okay, he's.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
Ordering for me.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
Like I just assumed since we were ordering, I thought
it was presumptuous that he got me a salad instead
of fries.
Speaker 3 (41:17):
But then I looked then I looked at you. But
then I looked at you and I said, are you
going to order? And he said, I ordered to drink.
Speaker 5 (41:23):
I did.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
I looked at you. I said, you're gonna order.
Speaker 1 (41:24):
Who that's somebody who said we're going to order the
same thing and then they ordered two of it.
Speaker 4 (41:29):
Thinks they need to order a third hamburger. But I
didn't ask let me go.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
He was furious, like he found out that I thought
one of those burgers was mine.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
He was furious.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
I was very I was very gracious, Bram. I got
your food. I shared. But I'm saying, like, why would
I order you? I wouldn't. I didn't know what you wanted.
I didn't know you wanted a side salad. You know
what I'm saying. I talked about it, but now.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Was the side salad. I should have known.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Like, that's presumptuous that he ordered me a salad. I
guess he thinks I needed. But we said we were
going to get the same pig, and then you ordered
two of the same thing, and I assumed you.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Ordered for me.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Facts. I mean, it's it's tough in the streets, brim
you know, Peter be eating, is what I'm going to say,
And I was.
Speaker 5 (42:10):
I was doing eat. I'll tell you that I was surprised.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
I was surprised that when Logan came back with the
two burgers, he actually gave you one.
Speaker 5 (42:23):
I've seen this guy.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I was like, how could he not uncomfortable afternoon if
he didn't give me one of those hamburgers.
Speaker 2 (42:31):
He did, he did share. He gave you one of
the burgers. He ate one, then he went back and
ordered him. And that's right.
Speaker 3 (42:39):
I'm a big fellow, man, I'm a growing boy.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
At the topst bar, you ordered like two of everything.
It was just that thing was just comedy, comedy, comedy,
comedy coming for you.
Speaker 3 (42:51):
Hey, you know it's that's that's a good spot to be, man.
They got good food, somepignana, some steak, some fish. I
was living like a king, bros.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
Is that what you call.
Speaker 3 (43:04):
Like remember Theda with the beef and the thing and
it was good?
Speaker 6 (43:08):
Uh huh and banadass Okay, cool, all right, I'd go
back there by the way.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
That place was awesome. You want to say there, I'm
cool with that. I'll do that anytime. That place was.
Speaker 5 (43:24):
Drink, Bram, you're not drinking either, but really good drakes.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
Man, it has really good cocktails.
Speaker 3 (43:31):
International.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
No, you don't have to share, you just order one.
You get your own.
Speaker 5 (43:38):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (43:39):
That's it, all right, everybody that'll do it for the
Booth Review. We'll see you after The Bye Booth review
was filmed at the Big Bear AI Command Center Studio.
Big Bear AI offers mission ready AI for a rapidly
evolving world, proudly protecting the Washington Commanders and its fans.
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