December 23, 2025 • 48 mins
92Noon! Finch - 12 Days of Vikings - Dan Miller
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, personal foul perfect, The game is open.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Let's go, everybody, Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Was back as I can remember. I always wanted to
be against SHD. Just easy, get it in here?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
What Conny is wide?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Don't it? And Randall fires it off of more eventful
than it.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Turner, it went out of bounds.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The clock expired, and the Timberwolves one three to one hundred.
They've staffed the three game losing streak to the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
That is Alan Horton calling the end of a Minnesota
Timberwolves victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. And welcome to nine
to noon. It's Paul Allen Noordu by my side and
uh Brett Blakemore guides the great Chip Left Covenant from
f M one hundred point three kfa N. We are
very happy to be joined by Chris Finch, coach of
the Minnesota Timberwolves, courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two
(01:48):
Harvest Dot Org. Good luck, Good good morning, Chris.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
How are you on fine Pa? Good morning to you.
How are you doing pretty well?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Thank you? Nick's at Target Center tonight. They they won
eight of nine. You guys have won eight of ten.
Should be a hum Dinger tonight. What do you think.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Yeah, we're looking forward to it, and one of the
one of the top teams in the league. They're coming
off with cup their Cup victory the other day. Uh,
playing with a ton of ton of momentum. Uh, and uh,
you know, really hard team to to guard.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, They're they're gonna sit Jalen Brunson this evening with
ankle management. How do you think that changes the game?
Speaker 6 (02:31):
Well, I mean, of course, like, uh, you know, he's
such a phenomenal player and he's been such an excellent
closer for them, you know, really really great in the
closing minutes of games. Certainly they're engine but they're they're
twelve and seven without him in the last two years.
That's a pretty good, pretty good percentage of wins there.
And they got a lot of talented players. We know,
(02:53):
Cats still a threat. They played with great connectivity on offense,
play fast, really share the ball well, beat you up
on the offensive, glass pretty good defensively too, So they're
a complete team.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
They're not just relying on one guy.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Probably, you know, before picks and switches and everything. Probably Uh.
A good test for Anthony Edwards tonight with O G. Nanobe,
don't you think.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Oh yeah, I mean there's always a lot of attention
put on ant. You know, they'll be they'll crowd them,
for sure. They'll they'll send multiple bodies at them. They
got a lot of guys that can guard them, or
you know, got guys who like to guard. They got
a lot of two way players on their roster with
bridges and and heart and uh so, yeah, so they'll definitely,
(03:43):
uh they'll try to make life as difficult as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Did you did you happen to see Adlman Saturday night?
He got mad Saturday night like you did Friday night.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, I just saw.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
I saw a little a little clip of the of
I guess his first uh first technical, But I didn't
watch I did not watch the game and didn't really
didn't really see the ejection part.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
What just just like overall, what what what are you
and other coaches seeking from officials?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Does it come down to more consistency?
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Well, you know, that's what everyone's gonna say, That's what
the league will say, That's what the officials will say.
We're all striving for some level of consistency. But you know,
I think there's there's more to it than that. I
think for me, it's it's it's about, you know, we
got to do a better job of getting the basics right.
We gotta get the I get the obvious ones. You know,
(04:41):
I think we've over complicated the way we look at
the game, sometimes from from a referee or officiating perspective.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And we've all been around the league.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
We know what a foul is, we know what we
know what a foul baiting looks like. Too so and
these you know, these these gray areas, there's gonna be
a ton of subjectivity. I think we're all fine with
that as long as that subjectivity is kind of evened out.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
And at the level of all, you know, the level
that we're playing at, we know there's going to be
some night to night differences, but there can't be such
drastic night tonight differences. There's got to be a standard
of play that we're trying to achieve every single night.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Friday night, when you were walking away by the bench,
did did somebody yell something at you?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Because I you know, I I know the officials, you know,
they'll bark back and they have opinions. Did did somebody
yell something at you? Do you mean like a fan
or well, no, like one of the raps, because you
were walking away and then you just like turned around
and then it was.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
On, oh oh no, Actually what I so generally like
when you have I definitely wanted the first technical, PA
like that was something I wanted. I wanted to send
a message, I wanted to be heard.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
And and then.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
You know, generally you don't get two technicals for one incident. Uh,
that's kind of the unwritten rule. So I got a
second technical and then that's really what what you know
annoyed me more than anything else to get the second
technical for basically the one outbursts one outburst, two technicals generally.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Not how it goes, you know, and I know you
were fined, but but did you get a chance to
discuss matters, uh with from with with anybody from the league,
you know, after this took place on Friday?
Speaker 6 (06:36):
Well, any any disciplinary process, the league has a protocol
that they go through. They they have a league investigator.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Call, you.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
Go through the timeline of events, things that were done,
are said. It's very much a he said, she said process.
You don't really have much of a like appeal process
in it. And you know, I spoke to the league
after the fine was issued. Talk to them, I thought,
(07:10):
you know, try to figure out how they got to
that to that number, that level of fine. So yeah,
there's an open dialogue. But the reality is the league is,
you know, judging Jerry in these situations.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So and the fine was thirty five k I mean,
you know that's more than a little walking around money.
Did you expect it to be for Toyota Prius? Did
you expect it to be more? Though?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
No, I mean president was, it's general it was I
expected it to.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Be a little less pa to be honest, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota timber Welfs court to
see of second Harvest heartlanda two harvest dot org. I. Meanwhile,
from that victory Friday night against Oklahoma City, Seriously, man,
good work by your staff. I mean, because we're six
minutes into the game, we lose the head coach yea
and Okacs on the other side of the gym. What
what what? What? What are some things they did that
(08:04):
you liked over the course of three and a half quarters.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
Well, you know, we got I got a great staff,
but you know, led by Mike uh who's very comfortable
taking over in those situations. And what they did is
they just kept pushing the guys to stay aggressive, you know,
the and we were rewarded with a better whistle and
get to the free throw line. And I thought they
(08:32):
did a really good job of executing executing the game plan,
staying on point there, managing the rotations, uh, you know,
kind of according to who who okaysee had on the floor.
We did a good job of matching some of their rotations.
So yeah, just I've never had much of a worry
and I don't try to micromanage those situations, whether it
(08:53):
have been the only other previous time I've been ejected,
or when I had the knee injury and I was
a little it removed from the action, you know, I
just I trust those guys. It's like, you know, I'm
not trying to stay in communication with them, having somebody
run back and forth to the bench or texting anybody
or anything like that. It's I just I trust them.
And it's hard to you know, it's hard to be
(09:15):
in the battle and looking over your shoulder trying to
get orders all the time from somebody. You gotta you
gotta go with your experience, your gut, your feel, and
I trust our guys one hundred percent to be able
to do it. And they're gonna make decisions and they're
gonna work or not work, and I'm fine with that.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So when you when you were watching the final three
and a half quarters on Friday night, did did you
notice a change in the officiating after you left?
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Uh? Well, yeah, for sure, I mean definitely. The I
thought the whistle even has had evened out a bit.
I mean we weren't getting much whistle at all before that,
So yeah, I think, you know, there's a long way
to go in the game. So I'm sure whether I
was there, was not there, would have probably corrected itself somehow.
(10:04):
But the guys, like I said, did a really good
job of staying aggressive and that's what you got to
do against a really aggressive defense.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Well, the I mean the foul on Edwards and that
not being called, I don't know, Man, last four years
we've seen that fifty times, that one on Julius Randall
with two guys, right, I mean, that's unbelievable. I mean
I can't say that I've ever seen a foul in
the NBA with two people ten to fifteen feet away
looking right at it, not blowing their whistles. I mean,
(10:32):
did when you talked to the investigator, did you get
any clarity as to like, like why they didn't call it?
Was it just just a bad moment?
Speaker 6 (10:41):
Well, Unfortunately, in the process, you know, the incidents of
the game that might trigger something are not discussed, so
they're not really part of the equation.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
You're just expected to be able to handle those moments.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
And then you know, gauge your conduct accordingly. So we
don't we don't talk about that like that's not you know,
in my disciplinary process, that's not part of the.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Equation, right, So that would be a whole separate.
Speaker 6 (11:11):
Conversation that you would have to have with refereeing refereeing
operations and basketball operations. And then you know, we've had
those conversations countless times, and but quite honestly, I find
those equally frustrating.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
So, right, I.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Wonder if Friday night and Saturday night with Adelman, I
I wonder if laying on the sword, so to speak,
certainly for you Friday, maybe David a little bit on Saturday. Yeah,
I wonder if that ruffled feathers behind the scenes. I mean,
maybe maybe there are wheels turning right now that that
you're not going to know about. But somebody jumps up
with the refs and is like, look, this is this
(11:50):
is getting ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Guys.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
We have to improve with at least the basic calls.
You think that happened.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, I'm not sure.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
I mean, we can only hope that. I mean, we
know the referees work. The referee department is working hard
to to you know, get young guys trained up to
to find consistency. We we understand that, and well we
also understand that we're in a bit of a transition period.
We've had a lot of really experienced referees leave the
game in the last couple of years. Pace of the
(12:18):
game has never been higher, technology, replay, all this stuff
puts even more of an emphasis and critical eye on
what's being called and not called, and it's creating, you know,
a very tough environment to be an official. Quite honestly,
I would I would never really want to be one,
but we do have to get better at it, and
(12:39):
I think we've got to make strides there in a hurry.
You know, there was other instances in the week that
preceded myself and David uh e May had made some
comments postgame. JB had made some comments. The JB Bigger
staff had made some comments post game too, So you know,
(13:00):
we've got to do a better job of keeping our
emotions in check. But you know, sometimes in the middle
of the season right now, like it, you know, it
gets hard, and you know that's what you seeing a
little bit in the NFL too. You know, generally you
don't hear much complaining about NFL officiating, but we've heard
(13:20):
more in the last two weeks than we've heard.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
In a while.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
So it might be just the state of the modern
sports landscape, right.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I'm glad you said that too, because, like you know,
with the white Caps the reps, you don't have much
problem with them. In the NFL, it's it's the the
ancillary officials, the side judges, the back judge and stuff
like that. And you know, it's I'm not so old
school where I'm like, all right, you have to officiate
games for thirty years in the Mayak and then ten
(13:51):
years in the Big ten and then maybe you get
a crack to get into the NFL. But but there
are people that are jumping levels and get into the
NBA in the NFL before they're ready, and and you know,
maybe maybe this is serendipity, maybe this is a positive
transpiring from a negative here, because it's clear that that
(14:12):
in both of those games, and those happen to be
to my favorite, my two favorite games that that you know,
some guys are over met. So we'll see where it
goes from here. Hey, just a couple of clothes. Are
you Are you liking your defensive late I mean in
four of the last five wins. I mean, the opponents
that have had to really work hard to get one
hundred points and can't cross one ten.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
Yeah, I am liking it. It's being driven by Rudy Gobert.
He's playing at a defensive player.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
At year level.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
He is very active. He's just you know, dominant on
the class. I like a perimeter defense right now. Our
game plan execution has been on point. So yeah, I'm
very much pleased with wear our defense. And we've done
a better job of rebounding, like at times that's then
struggle for us, and we've done a really good job,
(15:04):
particularly in the second half and in fourth quarters.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
What what are you like in about Anthony's game of late?
I mean, I watch all your games. I don't know Anthony,
but it just seems he seems calm. He just seems
like he's really calm right now.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, that's a great way to put it. I think
he's doing a good job of mixing and being aggressive.
But you know, sometimes like when he would face a
lot of you know, double teaming or traffic or you know,
teams that say, hey, we're just not gonna let you
play this way that you want to play, he would
kind of, you know, he would still play the game,
he would get his teammates involved, but he would maybe
(15:40):
not have the same like readiness and aggression to seize
the moment when he goes, he'd be get a little
bit passive. But I think he's he's kind of leveled
that out now and he's really doing both.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I know.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Lastly, I know you only can play the games they
put in front of you. But Christmas Night basketball in Denver?
Are are you a fan of playing on Christmas Day?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Oh? I love it. I love it, love it, love it.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
It's such an honor in our game to play on
Christmas Day. For one, you know, it's uh, the games
just kind of have a different feel, different kind of
a different vibe vibe around them. And you know, you
know that the rest of the league is watching, and
a lot of well, you know, the rest of the
sports world is watching too, and and uh, you know
(16:30):
dirty a little secret of this PA Like in our game,
you're either traveling on Christmas Day or playing on Christmas Day.
And I would rather be playing on Christmas Day than
traveling on Christmas Day.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
McDaniels make McDaniel's hip getting better, I believe so.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
I haven't gotten an update yet this morning on him,
but yesterday when I spoke to him, he said it
was already feeling much better.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Merry Christmas, brother. I greatly appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah you doo.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, we'll talk week go ahead, take care of thanks. Yep,
see you, but thank you. Chris Bench, coach with the
Minnesota Timberwolves. Courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two Harvest
dot Org. That's all part of the timber Tech What's
on deck set list in order to produces And I'm
Paul Allen. This is nine to noon.
Speaker 8 (17:17):
Every game is a big game when it's wild hockey.
Feel the intensity and excitement at Grand Casino Arena this
season here tickets Day Wild dot Com slash tickets, Wild
dot Com slash tickets.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Bye wins for JJ.
Speaker 7 (17:43):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas. We do it every year.
We love it, and here we go. Merry Christmas, Vikings fans.
It's nine to noon. I'm Paul Allen, buttnordo.
Speaker 9 (17:53):
On the first day of Chris miss My Vikings game
to me, I'll pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
On the second.
Speaker 9 (18:04):
Day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me to
Isaiah Rogers touchdowns and a pick for my guy Byron
Murphy Junior. On the third day of Chris miss Our
Vikings gave to us three different quarterbacks, just two tds
for Jets and pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
On the fourth day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us four picks.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Thrown by Rose Murk.
Speaker 9 (18:36):
Give b flowed three more years to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns
and pick four.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 9 (18:44):
On the fifth day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us five wins for JJ, four picks thrown by
Max give B flow those three more years, just two
tds for Jets by an interception.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
For Byron Murphy Junior, Yes, Sir.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
On the sixth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave
to me six sacks from Jalen Redmond, five wins for
JJ Dorothy, for td for Oliver, give me flow three
more years right now to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns, and an
interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the seventh day of
(19:29):
Chris missed My Vikings gave to me seven ducks for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ o'ka,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rodgers touchdowns, and finally an interception for number seven Byron
(19:50):
Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
On the eighth day.
Speaker 9 (19:53):
Of Chris missed My Vikings gave to me eight nasty losses.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Seven ducks for the Skull, six sacks for.
Speaker 9 (20:02):
Redmond, five wins four JJ, four tds, four nailor just
go ahead and get me fl of three years right now?
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Only two tds for Jets.
Speaker 9 (20:12):
What about that interception for Byron Murphy Juniors. On the
ninth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave to me
nine's foolish alter ego, eight nasty losses Me only won
seven games, six sacks.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
From Jalen Redmond, five tops, four jj.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
FO tds for all over three different quarterbacks, only two
tds for Jets and a pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
On the tenth day of Chris miss My Vikings game
to me ten games with no.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Honey for Justin nine eight nasty losses. Me only won
seven games so far.
Speaker 9 (20:57):
Six sacks for Jaylen Redmond, five taking away for jj kJ,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks, just two
tds for Gets, but that pick a metal lands for
Byron Murphy Junior. On the eleventh day of Chris miss
My Vikings gave to me eleven games from feel In.
(21:21):
Ten games with no honey for Justin nine eight nasty losses,
seven dugs for the Skull, six sacks for sixty.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
One, five wins.
Speaker 9 (21:32):
For JJ Let's Go, four picks thrown by Max, three
different quarterbacks, a couple of Isaiah Rogers touchdowns, and a
big interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the twelfth day
of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me twelve million
O line combos eleven days in Europe, ten games with
(21:55):
no HONDI for justin nine's injuries are a problem. Eight
nasty losses, seven dubs for the Skull, six saft for Jalen.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Redman, taking away win for JJ JJ.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
Four tds Perroler and Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rogers touchdowns and final wait a pick for my guy,
Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. I went to Byron Murphy Jr.
Five wins for JJ. That was a lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
I was nearly in tears yesterday.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Nine nine nine the alter.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Ego in the whole bit.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Nine's foolish alter ego. Eight nasty losses, seven doves for
the Skull. It's fun doing that yearly, thank you very
much for listening to it. If you missed it, we'll
play it back a little later. You're listening to nine
to noon. That was our annual twelve days of a
Vikings Christmas, and this year it timed up to the
team having two games to go in the season. So
(23:00):
thus hopefully two tds for Jets ends the season at
like three, four or five for Jets. Three different quarterbacks
we can go, we can go and just operate there. Yeah,
three different quarterbacks. Please, nothing against mister Wolford, but I
wouldn't mind another pick for Byron Murphy Junior. Yes, way, yes,
and maybe a sixth or a seventh win for JJ
(23:21):
and have to rethink the whole five thing, and sir,
maybe maybe while we're at it, nine, I don't want
thirteen million O line combos by the end of this
particular season, although everything so much in flux every time
of the season for a seven weeks coven and cleanup.
Coven and cleanup provided by nobody. Ognnoby is not playing
(23:43):
this evening. I knew Jalen Brunson wasn't playing this evening.
I did not know Ognnoby was not playing this evening.
So thanks to Aaron Freeman with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Eric
Nordquist with Nine to Noon Productions, and most importantly, thank
you Chris Finch for just not daggering me right in
the middle of a conversation where I'm just like setting
(24:04):
up some questions before we get into what happened on
Friday night.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
But I was sitting here listening and I'm thinking, I
wonder how mother, I wonder how Finch is gonna answer
that mother, because OG's out and you know what he did.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
He pivoted, just like any coach in a big spots.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
Circumstances change and he side steps it and he just well,
there's gonna be a lot of different types of matchups
and tests for Anthony Edwards tonight. They're very good, et cetera,
total class from the coach.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Now, the Detroit Lyons are next on the entertainment docket.
It is some hot Christmas Day football action. Three point
thirty kfan and what's going on with everybody? Here we go?
Media relations, got an audience. I'm cold, okay, I'm wearing
this sport coat that I got from the Vikings. You
start talking about him, then they leave. Yeah, they closed doors,
(24:51):
they get bashful. Yeah, we were in the business where
our names and opinions are on radio. Yeah. Behind the
sceners don't want to hear the old spearfish Sammy. They
prefer to stay behind the scenes and one hear the
old Lewiston al teaching lessons for decades assumably for profit.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Keepers of the intel tipers of the coats.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
It's cold in your building, okay, so that's why I'm
wearing this weird co Okay. Three two, God bless all
of you. Sequacy at ten thirty five, laying out the Lions.
Laying out the Lions doesn't necessarily mean, like, you know,
putting them on their backs. And yeah, Mama said, knock
Jared Goff out. I'm gonna knock Jared out. That'd be cool.
(25:29):
Laying out the Lions goes like this. And it's off
of text that in order sent me middle of the
afternoon yesterday just about you know where these two teams
were this time last year and week eighteen last year,
and I believe at near the end of the equation,
I think we had twenty nine combined wins and five
(25:53):
combined losses at the end of the equation. Yeah, so
with what's different, what's the same with them? Yea, The
Vikings and Lions had that gaudy, those gaudy ballyhooed records
last year and both got bounced in their first playoff
games and both got smashed and said playoff games. For
the Vikings it was the Rams down Arizona Way, and
(26:16):
for the Motor City Kitties it was at Ford Field
against Jaden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. So their box.
Dan Miller is next segment about fifteen minutes from now
and he'll probably go g Annoby on a couple of
my takes here, being like, well, actually, Paul, we've thrown
it five times to Dan Skipper in the last three games.
(26:37):
But nevertheless, there we talk about the vikings so frequently
that we are so immersed within this covenant that that
we know a lot of things that are going on
and potentially need to be fixed in the offseason. But
what about doo gies. It's the Lions. What has dramatic
(27:00):
changed with them to lead to that eight and seven record.
The lowest of low hanging fruit ever to hang would
be their offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving and going to
the Chicago Bears. Their defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has left. Oh,
Tom West, thank you very much for that scarf. I'm cold, man,
But I want to tell anybody around here I'm cold
because then I got to take nineteen different tests and everything.
(27:22):
I'm trying to get to claycy Hey. Okay, thank you
very much for the Thank you. Tom, don't leave home
without him. The best they are. They're very carrying, very
loving the airing. Glenn leaving, Yeah it matters, but there
are some things popping up with the Lions. That are
analogous to last year. Yeah, but they were able to
(27:43):
overcome them and then they got they get some time
off and they came back in the playoffs. And you know,
the way I put it last year was the elasticity
had been stretched too far and the whole thing just
popped with these injuries in everything. But consider this. The
Detroit Lions were seventh in fourth down conversions last year
(28:07):
and they go for it on fourth down a lot
of times. It's a Dan Campbell thing. After getting stopped
on down Sunday against Pittsburgh, I think they're now twentieth
heading into Week sixteen. So we've gone top ten to
bottom twelve. The Detroit Lions allowed two hundred and thirty
rushing yards to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They only had six
games last year where they gave up more than one
(28:29):
hundred and alien McNeil, Aiden Hutchinson and DJ Reider and
Jack Campbell their best run stoppers, they're all playing. They
gave up two point thirty on the ground to Pittsburgh,
and Pittsburgh not necessarily a run first operation. This, you know,
this is one that gets me here in watching back
Lion stuff yesterday, they never run trick plays anymore. They
(28:53):
just I mean they were a trick a minute. They
would run tricks in the first quarter of the fourth
game to set up something in the third or fourth
quarter of the fifteenth game. They never run trick plays anymore.
Branch and Joseph probably the best safety's duo in the NFL.
They're both out. I don't know if any of them
are coming back this Thursday, but Branch and Joseph are out.
(29:14):
So injuries again for these guys. Terry Arnold is on
IR yep, and he's on IR. Ben Johnson as the
Bears the story of the National Football League, so, I
mean that has to bug people there too. With that
win Saturday night, the Chicago Bears have only for a
week or the story of the National Football League, man,
I mean, they're going for a one seed in the
going for a one seed and a division championship in
(29:36):
the NFC. The Lions ran for fifteen yards on Sunday,
all right, and Gibbs and Montgomery played. Just listen to that.
The Detroit Lions in a football game late in the season,
they had to have ran for fifteen yards, and Jamier
Gibbs and David Montgomery both played the entire game. That's
(30:00):
that's the lowest total for the Kiddies since like nineteen seventy.
Laporta and brock Right super important. Tight Ends are very
very important to this offense, especially to Jared Goff. Sam
Laporta and brock Wright. They're both all done. I mean
it's over, Johnny. I think they're done for the year,
but they ain't playing New London. Spicer's Shane Zilstra is
(30:23):
now playing a ton and he never scored a touchdown.
So remember when the Vikings beat the Lions at Ford
Field earlier this season November second, The season signature victory
was November second, Sam Laporta had sixty six yards and
a forty yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.
(30:43):
He did sixty six yards and a forty yard touchdown
the first drive of the game, but then b flow
went to Flemoxing, Flora settled in and Laporta at thirty
yards and nothing the rest of the way. Tight Ends
are very, very very important to what is now Dan
Campbell's offense. Golf is going to be sacked more this
year than he was the last two with Ben Johnson.
(31:04):
When the Vikings beat the kiddies at Ford Field very
early November November two, Dan Campbell took the play calling
after the game from Ben Johnson's replacement, John Morton, and
Dan Campbell now calls offense. It's like b Flow rolls
in there and goes to flumoxing, And this is a
new offensive coordinator on whom they're counting. Campbell got so
(31:27):
pissed off he took the play calling from him and
Dan the man who's not on the fan, he calls
the plays. Now they can still score, all right, they
can still run up and down the field on you
should be careful. But it ain't the same as last year. No,
the Lions have lost two in a row. How about this,
The Lions have lost two in a row during the
season for the first time since twenty twenty two, That
(31:50):
was the year Ben Johnson became their offensive coordinator. See
a common thread here, y'all. So what about us? The
only thing with us? The Brozemer sideline passed to Jefferson
was big. If he gets his third start off the layoff,
which which would be you know, his his opportunity off Seattle,
then coming in second half and helping the win at
(32:12):
met Life and then starting here, if he gets this
opportunity third off, the layoff that pass to Jefferson was big.
He should be better for the opportunity if he if
he can handle things on a short week. We're still
hoping JJ McCarthy plays. But with the Detroit Lions, there
are just some stark there are some stark contrasts from
(32:32):
last year to this year, and they're unveiling themselves before
your very ears.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:38):
I went over the final eight, so that their last
eight games. That was their bye week when we when
we went to ford Field, they were fresh off the buy,
ready to rock. They were five and two Vikings win
from that game on. With that game on final eight,
they're averaging twenty nine points a game.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So there are different things about the offense. You mentioned,
just the inability to run the BA I think they
I mean, of.
Speaker 7 (33:01):
Their last eight, four of them they've rushed for fewer
than seventy four yards, very unkiddies, like in the Dan
Campbell era. But they're still finding their way to thirty
points a game. I think they're averaging twenty nine over
their last eight. So for me, my focus has been
and you know, trying to figure out that O line.
Frank ragnow to the point where he was going to
(33:22):
come out of retirement and then couldn't do it, and
just Ratledge and what they're getting on that interior o line,
that's something they'll focus on. But just the elastic is
the elasticity that you mentioned and it kind of popping
as it did last year, it has happened again and
that's why I focus so much. You mentioned Kirby, Joseph
and Brian Branch being out, Terry and Arnold the injuries
(33:45):
have reared their ugly heads together. They're averaging twenty seven
points against in their last eight games, and I'm just
going to go to the last five. These are their
yards allowed in their last five games. Five seventeen to
the Giant Geez, three point fifty nine to the pack.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Five seventeen to that Giants operation we saw without Scataboo
and Malakue neighbors, that is correct, Are you kidding me?
Speaker 7 (34:07):
And it took overtime for them to beat the Giants.
Then they lost to the Packers. They gave up three
point fifty nine to Jordan Loves Group, four seventeen to
those Cowboys, five nineteen to the Rams, and four eighty one.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Yester or two days ago.
Speaker 7 (34:23):
Now to the Steelers, the yards are there to be had,
and I mean, look at just how weird it is
the way we talk in Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Hey, if Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 7 (34:32):
Either ties or wins the turnover margin in the game,
here's this super gaudy record.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
I think Alex Lewis has like a tally.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
On a chalkboard in his apartment to make sure that
he keeps track of the correct number. Look at the
they're winning the turnover battle. They were tied with the
Giants and Packers. They were up three to nothing in
the Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
That was a win.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
But they won the turnover battle in both the Rams
and Steelers games and still lose. So there, their defense
is giving up a million yards. They are creating opportunity,
but the defense in totality over the course of games
isn't getting it done. The fourth down offense them going
away with no points and nothing off of some of
those fourth down plays that they want to run.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
The lack of.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
Tricks, this truly is. And you feel for Lions fans.
I mean, they're not too far removed from putting paper
bags on their heads and going to these games and
then suddenly they think they might be on the verge
of a Brady led dynasty, and just a couple of
years into this, now it's like injury concerns. Do we
want to pay these guys? Did we make the right investment?
The o lines and shambles, and just in very quick order,
(35:35):
we go from two teams playing for the one seed
to a year later celebrating Christmas with a couple of
teams that are drowning. The Vikings have already been eliminated.
The Kiddy's got to win both and hope that the
dirty Packers lose out just to get their way into
a wild card. Graz one freaking year has flipped all
of this on its head really for both teams. As
(35:59):
we're laying out the Lions, but of course we're in
some ways lamenting our favorite squad in the process.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
And that's what we're looking at. On a Christmas afternoon
to day.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
This is nine to noon.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
Were some school Pittsburgh shows. Five across that defensive front.
Speaker 10 (36:16):
Goff's got it all fourth down, back looking looking golf
throwing middle caught lee right side, had zone touchdown. Detroit
Lions had a step on the defender, and there was
nobody between him and the end zone toy seven yards.
The Lions are right back in this game.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
Dan the Man who now was on the fan. He's
Dan Miller, long time talented play by play voice for
the Detroit Lions, and I'm also the sports director and
talent at the Fox affiliate and the Motor City And
Dan the Man joins us now, Dan Miller, Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays to you and your family. Brother, How are
things hey?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Thanks are good, Pia, good to talk to you. Merry
Christmas to you and all your listeners.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
If if I had texted you flying back from New
Jersey or found a way to like call you when
we landed or something after that Pittsburgh debacle, would you
have said things are good, Pa, Merry Christmas to you
and your family and sounded all jovial and everything that
into that game. Man, we played your highlight yesterday. What
a tough play to call a but b that whole
(37:22):
thing just seemed like you worked on your last nerve.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Yeah, I didn't really. I thought the play would go
over when they had amen Ross stacked up, and I
think half the Pittsburgh defense did too when they because
most of them stopped playing and the defenders that were
on them kind of pushed them, so at that point
you think it's kind of over. Then he flips it
the golf and golf dives in and at that point
you really had no idea what was going on. And
(37:46):
then there's two flags in the end zone and you
know you're hoping maybe ones against them and ones against us,
but it appeared certainly there was OPI from the beginning,
so it took a long time to unfold, and we
were trying to guess during that time, and it was difficult,
and you were just hoping there was some sliver of
(38:08):
a chance that it might turn out that you get
another crack at this thing, or that maybe it was
against Pittsburgh, which appeared highly unlikely from the beginning. So
it was really that whole sequence, the four plays, and
you had two opis that wipe two touchdowns off the boards,
and thank the look that that was offensive pass interference
(38:29):
on Amen Rod. When they see you go into a defender,
fully extend your arms and that defender flies backwards, and
particular when that defender is probably give me be in
the Hall of Fame one day in Ramsey, he's going
to get that call and no argument with that. The
one on Tesla before that might have a little bit
of difference on that, but look, they that was the
final minute of the game. There were fifty nine other
(38:50):
minutes in that game where they didn't play well enough
to win.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Yeah, I'm eight and seven for the Lions Vikings out
of the playoffs. I mean, these two teams want to
combine twenty nine games last year and lost five and
you know in starting the short wait work on them
on your team. It's injuries to key players again, man,
I mean just it was a longer common thread last
year and you guys pushed through it beautifully. Laporta right,
(39:15):
the safety's best safety tannem in the NFL. I mean,
these things are big, man, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
It is, there's no doubt, and it's there's a lot
to it, and certainly that's part of it. You know,
they went seven games without points off of turnovers, which
has really been right up into that Rams game, which
has really been you know, the bread and butter for
this team. The defense would take it away. In the offense,
you know, would be able to rush it down the
(39:41):
field and score, and your two scores up and then
you build on that and that's the way they won games,
and that disappeared, and some of that was, certainly Kirby
Joseph being gone. You could just feel some of the
passes that hung in the air, the ones that he
used to run under and steal. And then losing Brian Branch,
who's the chess piece on that defense that Kelvin Shepherd
(40:03):
can use to move all over the place. And then offensively,
the port is a big guy. I think one of
the things that we all underestimated from the beginning was
the loss of Frank rag Now with his retirement and
brief comeback. Man that was so big. Just just having
that dude in the middle of that line before the snap,
(40:25):
after snap, after the snap just meant so much to
this defense. And I think that's taken away some of
the identity of this team. This team has been built
around that offensive line since the day they walked in
the door and drafted Piney Sewell and added him to
Decor and rag Now and then everybody else that came along,
and that identity hasn't been there. That ability to run
(40:47):
the ball consistently hasn't been there, and it feels like
an odd conversation Pa, because for most of the season
they led the league in scoring, but it just has
not felt that way often enough. And then defensively, man
their ability to stop the run, which has been top
five in the league the last two years, has not
been anywhere close to that and that's really hurt them
(41:08):
as well.
Speaker 6 (41:09):
Well.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
That two thirty against Pittsburgh. I mean, game Weell and
Warren can move a little bit, the quarterback never runs.
That's a two thirty man, And you know, like last
year it's I think only like six times teams went
over one hundred or one hundred and ten or something
against you guys. But you know, the rag Now piece
probably answers this question. But when I was watching it
flying back and then playing box score catchup, Gibbs and
(41:32):
Montgomery both played and the Lions ran for fifteen yards.
Are you kidding me? With that number? I thought I'd
never see that.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
And seventeen was on one run. We had in the
first half at least three guys coming off the edge untouched. Wow,
four tackles for loss in the running game. And it
just there's just something missing there, and it's been missing
for a while. And you know, we've had a couple
of games where certainly Gibbs has been really good and
(42:06):
Demo had a won fifty one earlier this year, but
it just hasn't been as consistent as it has been
in the past. And trace that back to the offensive line.
And then people will talk about coordinators, and you know,
nothing against Ben Johnson and nothing against Aaron Glenn, and
we do miss them. They're really good football coaches. But
I think this team misses Frank rag now more. I
think they missed that, that presence in the middle of
(42:28):
that line, and then that running game. And again, I
can't stress enough that, you know, you can talk about
Gibbs and Amen Ra and Garrett Golf and all those
guys and everybody else, this team took its strength from
that offensive line. Every time they walked on the field
with those guys, they felt like whatever type of game
(42:48):
you wanted to throw at them, they were going to
be able to handle it. You want to go slow,
you want to grind it out, they can do that.
You want to have a track meet, they can do that.
But it was because of that offensive line, and right
now it's just not the same. Decker has been banged
up a lot of the year playing Hurt hasn't practiced
some weeks and then goes out on Sunday and plays.
And you know, losing Zeidler last year that was significant
(43:11):
as well. I mean he held down one of those
guard spots. Now we're you know, playing Christian Mahogany and
Tate Ratlet's two guys who had virtually no experience. One
was a rookie and moment basically a rookie coming into
this year. So look, it's just these are things that
happen along the way. I still think this team has
a lot of talent. They're just gonna have to regroup
in this offseason, assuming a miracle doesn't happen here in
(43:34):
the next couple of weeks, and figure some things out.
But much like you guys, there's a ton of talent here.
You're just gonna have to shore some things up and
figure some things out. And I don't see either of
these teams, you know, beginning this long descent into a
rebuild or something like that. I see these teams with
problems that have cropped up you got to deal with
(43:57):
in the offseason, and you're gonna come back next year,
and I think you're gonna be area.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Again, Dan, the Vikings haven't given up a passing touchdown
in six consecutive games. And okay, Jackson Dart was a
disaster when we saw him, and you got Jaden Daniels
off at dislocated elbow with Marcus Mariota, but you also
have Jordan Love, Caleb William, Sam Darnold, and there was
another high enduring Dak Prescott.
Speaker 9 (44:21):
You know.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
So, I mean, how flabbergasted would you be if the
Lions left Christmas Day's game with no passing touchdowns against
a team that hasn't given given up one in a
month and a half.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't expect that, But you know that that's
no disrespect to Minnesota. It's just, you know, also a
lot of respect for the Lions and their ability to
pass the ball. And again, even as we said here today,
they're the second highest scoring team in the league, so
we've been putting points up. Now. That said, what we
did against the Vikings in that first game doesn't give
(44:55):
you a lot of confidence. What they did against that
defense in the four times they faced when Flores was
the coordinator before that did give you confidence. They scored
at least thirty each time, and they won all four
of those games, but last time out, they didn't handle
the pressure, they didn't adjust her in the game, and
Minnesota just kind of had their way with them and
they bullied them. And the Lions are gonna have to
(45:15):
be a lot better than that in this game or
passing touchdown or not, it's going to be difficult to win.
They've got to be significantly better that first game. Dan
Campbell said it earlier this week was probably the worst
game that the Lions had played this year. And that's
saying something about the way the Lions played, and it's
saying a lot about the way the Vikings played because
(45:37):
they came in to Ford Field and just ran right
over them on defense. And I mean literally, I mean
how many times did Jamier Gibbs just get trucked by
a linebacker blitzing? And that was putting him in a
tough spot all day And I'd be shocked if they
put him in that spot again coming up this week,
because it just it was a mismatch and it's not
(45:59):
it's not conducive to him last in a long time
one game day if you have that many collisions.
Speaker 3 (46:05):
So that November two, Dan, last one here Vikings went
at Ford Field, which hasn't happened a lot of late
and and Dan Campbell, the head coach, becomes the offensive
play caller, taking it from new guy John Morton. Why
did he do that at that time? And how has
it worked out?
Speaker 2 (46:22):
It's just been an inconsistent offense all year and the
results have been mixed. You know, they went into Washington
the week after that, I believe was the next game,
and Washington was terrible, and they were just you know,
beginning a you know, crash landing this year. And we
threw up whatever it was, fifty two points or something
like that and or forty four or whatever it was
(46:44):
and had a big game. But since then it's been spotty.
And again it's it's not like they're not scoring, but it's, yeah,
we see droughts we haven't seen before the Rams game,
we played really well in the first half. We have
twenty four to seventeen first three possessions, the second half
three and out, three and out, three and out, and
(47:04):
Stafford's doing what he does on the other side, and
all of a sudden you go from being ten up
at one point to ten down. So it's just been
productive overall. But two inconsistent to beat the better teams
in this league, and then you're playing catch up and
maybe you're scoring points, but if you're scoring points there
two scores down, it kind of defeats the purpose. So
(47:26):
it's been a strange year, man, and it just kind
of you are where you are. You got to finish
it strong. There's still a chance to get in the playoffs.
You got a little you got a ton of pride
to play for, and there's still a lot of talent.
Now I see both these teams. You guys have won
three in a row, and that's great, and that shows
a lot of character and a lot of fight when
(47:48):
you know a lot of your season had been a disappointment.
So we need to apply that same type of attitude
to coming off that Pittsburgh loss, which basically decimated your
playoff hopes. But you've got two games left against division opponents.
Go out and win them, finish this thing strong, and
then figure out what comes next.
Speaker 3 (48:08):
God bless you and your family, and I'll see you Thursday.
All right, Thanks for the time.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
Appreciate your brother's same to you and yours.
Speaker 3 (48:15):
So yeah, that's a Dan Miller boxed for the Lions
back after this
Okay, personal foul perfect, The game is open.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Let's go.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Let's go, everybody, Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Was back as I can remember. I always wanted to
be against SHD. Just easy, get it in here?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
What Conny is wide?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Don't it? And Randall fires it off of more eventful
than it.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Turner, it went out of bounds.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
The clock expired, and the Timberwolves one three to one hundred.
They've staffed the three game losing streak to the Bucks.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
That is Alan Horton calling the end of a Minnesota
Timberwolves victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. And welcome to nine
to noon. It's Paul Allen Noordu by my side and
uh Brett Blakemore guides the great Chip Left Covenant from
f M one hundred point three kfa N. We are
very happy to be joined by Chris Finch, coach of
the Minnesota Timberwolves, courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two
(01:48):
Harvest Dot Org. Good luck, Good good morning, Chris.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
How are you on fine Pa? Good morning to you.
How are you doing pretty well?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Thank you? Nick's at Target Center tonight. They they won
eight of nine. You guys have won eight of ten.
Should be a hum Dinger tonight. What do you think.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Yeah, we're looking forward to it, and one of the
one of the top teams in the league. They're coming
off with cup their Cup victory the other day. Uh,
playing with a ton of ton of momentum. Uh, and uh,
you know, really hard team to to guard.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Yeah, They're they're gonna sit Jalen Brunson this evening with
ankle management. How do you think that changes the game?
Speaker 6 (02:31):
Well, I mean, of course, like, uh, you know, he's
such a phenomenal player and he's been such an excellent
closer for them, you know, really really great in the
closing minutes of games. Certainly they're engine but they're they're
twelve and seven without him in the last two years.
That's a pretty good, pretty good percentage of wins there.
And they got a lot of talented players. We know,
(02:53):
Cats still a threat. They played with great connectivity on offense,
play fast, really share the ball well, beat you up
on the offensive, glass pretty good defensively too, So they're
a complete team.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
They're not just relying on one guy.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Probably, you know, before picks and switches and everything. Probably Uh.
A good test for Anthony Edwards tonight with O G. Nanobe,
don't you think.
Speaker 6 (03:19):
Oh yeah, I mean there's always a lot of attention
put on ant. You know, they'll be they'll crowd them,
for sure. They'll they'll send multiple bodies at them. They
got a lot of guys that can guard them, or
you know, got guys who like to guard. They got
a lot of two way players on their roster with
bridges and and heart and uh so, yeah, so they'll definitely,
(03:43):
uh they'll try to make life as difficult as possible.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Did you did you happen to see Adlman Saturday night?
He got mad Saturday night like you did Friday night.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, I just saw.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
I saw a little a little clip of the of
I guess his first uh first technical, But I didn't
watch I did not watch the game and didn't really
didn't really see the ejection part.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
What just just like overall, what what what are you
and other coaches seeking from officials?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Does it come down to more consistency?
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Well, you know, that's what everyone's gonna say, That's what
the league will say, That's what the officials will say.
We're all striving for some level of consistency. But you know,
I think there's there's more to it than that. I
think for me, it's it's it's about, you know, we
got to do a better job of getting the basics right.
We gotta get the I get the obvious ones. You know,
(04:41):
I think we've over complicated the way we look at
the game, sometimes from from a referee or officiating perspective.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And we've all been around the league.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
We know what a foul is, we know what we
know what a foul baiting looks like. Too so and
these you know, these these gray areas, there's gonna be
a ton of subjectivity. I think we're all fine with
that as long as that subjectivity is kind of evened out.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
And at the level of all, you know, the level
that we're playing at, we know there's going to be
some night to night differences, but there can't be such
drastic night tonight differences. There's got to be a standard
of play that we're trying to achieve every single night.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Friday night, when you were walking away by the bench,
did did somebody yell something at you?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Like?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Because I you know, I I know the officials, you know,
they'll bark back and they have opinions. Did did somebody
yell something at you? Do you mean like a fan
or well, no, like one of the raps, because you
were walking away and then you just like turned around
and then it was.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
On, oh oh no, Actually what I so generally like
when you have I definitely wanted the first technical, PA
like that was something I wanted. I wanted to send
a message, I wanted to be heard.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
And and then.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
You know, generally you don't get two technicals for one incident. Uh,
that's kind of the unwritten rule. So I got a
second technical and then that's really what what you know
annoyed me more than anything else to get the second
technical for basically the one outbursts one outburst, two technicals generally.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Not how it goes, you know, and I know you
were fined, but but did you get a chance to
discuss matters, uh with from with with anybody from the league,
you know, after this took place on Friday?
Speaker 6 (06:36):
Well, any any disciplinary process, the league has a protocol
that they go through. They they have a league investigator.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Call, you.
Speaker 6 (06:47):
Go through the timeline of events, things that were done,
are said. It's very much a he said, she said process.
You don't really have much of a like appeal process
in it. And you know, I spoke to the league
after the fine was issued. Talk to them, I thought,
(07:10):
you know, try to figure out how they got to
that to that number, that level of fine. So yeah,
there's an open dialogue. But the reality is the league is,
you know, judging Jerry in these situations.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So and the fine was thirty five k I mean,
you know that's more than a little walking around money.
Did you expect it to be for Toyota Prius? Did
you expect it to be more? Though?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
No, I mean president was, it's general it was I
expected it to.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Be a little less pa to be honest, Okay.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota timber Welfs court to
see of second Harvest heartlanda two harvest dot org. I. Meanwhile,
from that victory Friday night against Oklahoma City, Seriously, man,
good work by your staff. I mean, because we're six
minutes into the game, we lose the head coach yea
and Okacs on the other side of the gym. What
what what? What? What are some things they did that
(08:04):
you liked over the course of three and a half quarters.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
Well, you know, we got I got a great staff,
but you know, led by Mike uh who's very comfortable
taking over in those situations. And what they did is
they just kept pushing the guys to stay aggressive, you know,
the and we were rewarded with a better whistle and
get to the free throw line. And I thought they
(08:32):
did a really good job of executing executing the game plan,
staying on point there, managing the rotations, uh, you know,
kind of according to who who okaysee had on the floor.
We did a good job of matching some of their rotations.
So yeah, just I've never had much of a worry
and I don't try to micromanage those situations, whether it
(08:53):
have been the only other previous time I've been ejected,
or when I had the knee injury and I was
a little it removed from the action, you know, I
just I trust those guys. It's like, you know, I'm
not trying to stay in communication with them, having somebody
run back and forth to the bench or texting anybody
or anything like that. It's I just I trust them.
And it's hard to you know, it's hard to be
(09:15):
in the battle and looking over your shoulder trying to
get orders all the time from somebody. You gotta you
gotta go with your experience, your gut, your feel, and
I trust our guys one hundred percent to be able
to do it. And they're gonna make decisions and they're
gonna work or not work, and I'm fine with that.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
So when you when you were watching the final three
and a half quarters on Friday night, did did you
notice a change in the officiating after you left?
Speaker 6 (09:43):
Uh? Well, yeah, for sure, I mean definitely. The I
thought the whistle even has had evened out a bit.
I mean we weren't getting much whistle at all before that,
So yeah, I think, you know, there's a long way
to go in the game. So I'm sure whether I
was there, was not there, would have probably corrected itself somehow.
(10:04):
But the guys, like I said, did a really good
job of staying aggressive and that's what you got to
do against a really aggressive defense.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Well, the I mean the foul on Edwards and that
not being called, I don't know, Man, last four years
we've seen that fifty times, that one on Julius Randall
with two guys, right, I mean, that's unbelievable. I mean
I can't say that I've ever seen a foul in
the NBA with two people ten to fifteen feet away
looking right at it, not blowing their whistles. I mean,
(10:32):
did when you talked to the investigator, did you get
any clarity as to like, like why they didn't call it?
Was it just just a bad moment?
Speaker 6 (10:41):
Well, Unfortunately, in the process, you know, the incidents of
the game that might trigger something are not discussed, so
they're not really part of the equation.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
You're just expected to be able to handle those moments.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
And then you know, gauge your conduct accordingly. So we
don't we don't talk about that like that's not you know,
in my disciplinary process, that's not part of the.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Equation, right, So that would be a whole separate.
Speaker 6 (11:11):
Conversation that you would have to have with refereeing refereeing
operations and basketball operations. And then you know, we've had
those conversations countless times, and but quite honestly, I find
those equally frustrating.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
So, right, I.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Wonder if Friday night and Saturday night with Adelman, I
I wonder if laying on the sword, so to speak,
certainly for you Friday, maybe David a little bit on Saturday. Yeah,
I wonder if that ruffled feathers behind the scenes. I mean,
maybe maybe there are wheels turning right now that that
you're not going to know about. But somebody jumps up
with the refs and is like, look, this is this
(11:50):
is getting ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Guys.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
We have to improve with at least the basic calls.
You think that happened.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, I'm not sure.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
I mean, we can only hope that. I mean, we
know the referees work. The referee department is working hard
to to you know, get young guys trained up to
to find consistency. We we understand that, and well we
also understand that we're in a bit of a transition period.
We've had a lot of really experienced referees leave the
game in the last couple of years. Pace of the
(12:18):
game has never been higher, technology, replay, all this stuff
puts even more of an emphasis and critical eye on
what's being called and not called, and it's creating, you know,
a very tough environment to be an official. Quite honestly,
I would I would never really want to be one,
but we do have to get better at it, and
(12:39):
I think we've got to make strides there in a hurry.
You know, there was other instances in the week that
preceded myself and David uh e May had made some
comments postgame. JB had made some comments. The JB Bigger
staff had made some comments post game too, So you know,
(13:00):
we've got to do a better job of keeping our
emotions in check. But you know, sometimes in the middle
of the season right now, like it, you know, it
gets hard, and you know that's what you seeing a
little bit in the NFL too. You know, generally you
don't hear much complaining about NFL officiating, but we've heard
(13:20):
more in the last two weeks than we've heard.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
In a while.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
So it might be just the state of the modern
sports landscape, right.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I'm glad you said that too, because, like you know,
with the white Caps the reps, you don't have much
problem with them. In the NFL, it's it's the the
ancillary officials, the side judges, the back judge and stuff
like that. And you know, it's I'm not so old
school where I'm like, all right, you have to officiate
games for thirty years in the Mayak and then ten
(13:51):
years in the Big ten and then maybe you get
a crack to get into the NFL. But but there
are people that are jumping levels and get into the
NBA in the NFL before they're ready, and and you know,
maybe maybe this is serendipity, maybe this is a positive
transpiring from a negative here, because it's clear that that
(14:12):
in both of those games, and those happen to be
to my favorite, my two favorite games that that you know,
some guys are over met. So we'll see where it
goes from here. Hey, just a couple of clothes. Are
you Are you liking your defensive late I mean in
four of the last five wins. I mean, the opponents
that have had to really work hard to get one
hundred points and can't cross one ten.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
Yeah, I am liking it. It's being driven by Rudy Gobert.
He's playing at a defensive player.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
At year level.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
He is very active. He's just you know, dominant on
the class. I like a perimeter defense right now. Our
game plan execution has been on point. So yeah, I'm
very much pleased with wear our defense. And we've done
a better job of rebounding, like at times that's then
struggle for us, and we've done a really good job,
(15:04):
particularly in the second half and in fourth quarters.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
What what are you like in about Anthony's game of late?
I mean, I watch all your games. I don't know Anthony,
but it just seems he seems calm. He just seems
like he's really calm right now.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
Yeah, that's a great way to put it. I think
he's doing a good job of mixing and being aggressive.
But you know, sometimes like when he would face a
lot of you know, double teaming or traffic or you know,
teams that say, hey, we're just not gonna let you
play this way that you want to play, he would
kind of, you know, he would still play the game,
he would get his teammates involved, but he would maybe
(15:40):
not have the same like readiness and aggression to seize
the moment when he goes, he'd be get a little
bit passive. But I think he's he's kind of leveled
that out now and he's really doing both.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
I know.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Lastly, I know you only can play the games they
put in front of you. But Christmas Night basketball in Denver?
Are are you a fan of playing on Christmas Day?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Oh? I love it. I love it, love it, love it.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
It's such an honor in our game to play on
Christmas Day. For one, you know, it's uh, the games
just kind of have a different feel, different kind of
a different vibe vibe around them. And you know, you
know that the rest of the league is watching, and
a lot of well, you know, the rest of the
sports world is watching too, and and uh, you know
(16:30):
dirty a little secret of this PA Like in our game,
you're either traveling on Christmas Day or playing on Christmas Day.
And I would rather be playing on Christmas Day than
traveling on Christmas Day.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
McDaniels make McDaniel's hip getting better, I believe so.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
I haven't gotten an update yet this morning on him,
but yesterday when I spoke to him, he said it
was already feeling much better.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Merry Christmas, brother. I greatly appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah you doo.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, we'll talk week go ahead, take care of thanks. Yep,
see you, but thank you. Chris Bench, coach with the
Minnesota Timberwolves. Courtesy of Second Harvest Heartland and two Harvest
dot Org. That's all part of the timber Tech What's
on deck set list in order to produces And I'm
Paul Allen. This is nine to noon.
Speaker 8 (17:17):
Every game is a big game when it's wild hockey.
Feel the intensity and excitement at Grand Casino Arena this
season here tickets Day Wild dot Com slash tickets, Wild
dot Com slash tickets.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Bye wins for JJ.
Speaker 7 (17:43):
Twelve days of a Vikings Christmas. We do it every year.
We love it, and here we go. Merry Christmas, Vikings fans.
It's nine to noon. I'm Paul Allen, buttnordo.
Speaker 9 (17:53):
On the first day of Chris miss My Vikings game
to me, I'll pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
On the second.
Speaker 9 (18:04):
Day of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me to
Isaiah Rogers touchdowns and a pick for my guy Byron
Murphy Junior. On the third day of Chris miss Our
Vikings gave to us three different quarterbacks, just two tds
for Jets and pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Yes, Sir.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
On the fourth day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us four picks.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Thrown by Rose Murk.
Speaker 9 (18:36):
Give b flowed three more years to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns
and pick four.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 9 (18:44):
On the fifth day of Chris miss Our Vikings gave
to us five wins for JJ, four picks thrown by
Max give B flow those three more years, just two
tds for Jets by an interception.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
For Byron Murphy Junior, Yes, Sir.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
On the sixth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave
to me six sacks from Jalen Redmond, five wins for
JJ Dorothy, for td for Oliver, give me flow three
more years right now to Isaiah Rodgers touchdowns, and an
interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the seventh day of
(19:29):
Chris missed My Vikings gave to me seven ducks for
the Skull, six sacks for Redmond, five wins for JJ o'ka,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rodgers touchdowns, and finally an interception for number seven Byron
(19:50):
Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
On the eighth day.
Speaker 9 (19:53):
Of Chris missed My Vikings gave to me eight nasty losses.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Seven ducks for the Skull, six sacks for.
Speaker 9 (20:02):
Redmond, five wins four JJ, four tds, four nailor just
go ahead and get me fl of three years right now?
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Only two tds for Jets.
Speaker 9 (20:12):
What about that interception for Byron Murphy Juniors. On the
ninth day of Chris miss my Vikings gave to me
nine's foolish alter ego, eight nasty losses Me only won
seven games, six sacks.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
From Jalen Redmond, five tops, four jj.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
FO tds for all over three different quarterbacks, only two
tds for Jets and a pick four Byron Murphy Junior.
On the tenth day of Chris miss My Vikings game
to me ten games with no.
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Honey for Justin nine eight nasty losses. Me only won
seven games so far.
Speaker 9 (20:57):
Six sacks for Jaylen Redmond, five taking away for jj kJ,
four tds for Jalen Naylor, three different quarterbacks, just two
tds for Gets, but that pick a metal lands for
Byron Murphy Junior. On the eleventh day of Chris miss
My Vikings gave to me eleven games from feel In.
(21:21):
Ten games with no honey for Justin nine eight nasty losses,
seven dugs for the Skull, six sacks for sixty.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
One, five wins.
Speaker 9 (21:32):
For JJ Let's Go, four picks thrown by Max, three
different quarterbacks, a couple of Isaiah Rogers touchdowns, and a
big interception for Byron Murphy Junior. On the twelfth day
of Chris miss My Vikings gave to me twelve million
O line combos eleven days in Europe, ten games with
(21:55):
no HONDI for justin nine's injuries are a problem. Eight
nasty losses, seven dubs for the Skull, six saft for Jalen.
Speaker 4 (22:03):
Redman, taking away win for JJ JJ.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
Four tds Perroler and Naylor, three different quarterbacks to Isaiah
Rogers touchdowns and final wait a pick for my guy,
Byron Murphy Junior.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. I went to Byron Murphy Jr.
Five wins for JJ. That was a lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
I was nearly in tears yesterday.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Nine nine nine the alter.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Ego in the whole bit.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Nine's foolish alter ego. Eight nasty losses, seven doves for
the Skull. It's fun doing that yearly, thank you very
much for listening to it. If you missed it, we'll
play it back a little later. You're listening to nine
to noon. That was our annual twelve days of a
Vikings Christmas, and this year it timed up to the
team having two games to go in the season. So
(23:00):
thus hopefully two tds for Jets ends the season at
like three, four or five for Jets. Three different quarterbacks
we can go, we can go and just operate there. Yeah,
three different quarterbacks. Please, nothing against mister Wolford, but I
wouldn't mind another pick for Byron Murphy Junior. Yes, way, yes,
and maybe a sixth or a seventh win for JJ
(23:21):
and have to rethink the whole five thing, and sir,
maybe maybe while we're at it, nine, I don't want
thirteen million O line combos by the end of this
particular season, although everything so much in flux every time
of the season for a seven weeks coven and cleanup.
Coven and cleanup provided by nobody. Ognnoby is not playing
(23:43):
this evening. I knew Jalen Brunson wasn't playing this evening.
I did not know Ognnoby was not playing this evening.
So thanks to Aaron Freeman with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Eric
Nordquist with Nine to Noon Productions, and most importantly, thank
you Chris Finch for just not daggering me right in
the middle of a conversation where I'm just like setting
(24:04):
up some questions before we get into what happened on
Friday night.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
But I was sitting here listening and I'm thinking, I
wonder how mother, I wonder how Finch is gonna answer
that mother, because OG's out and you know what he did.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
He pivoted, just like any coach in a big spots.
Speaker 7 (24:19):
Circumstances change and he side steps it and he just well,
there's gonna be a lot of different types of matchups
and tests for Anthony Edwards tonight. They're very good, et cetera,
total class from the coach.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Now, the Detroit Lyons are next on the entertainment docket.
It is some hot Christmas Day football action. Three point
thirty kfan and what's going on with everybody? Here we go?
Media relations, got an audience. I'm cold, okay, I'm wearing
this sport coat that I got from the Vikings. You
start talking about him, then they leave. Yeah, they closed doors,
(24:51):
they get bashful. Yeah, we were in the business where
our names and opinions are on radio. Yeah. Behind the
sceners don't want to hear the old spearfish Sammy. They
prefer to stay behind the scenes and one hear the
old Lewiston al teaching lessons for decades assumably for profit.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Keepers of the intel tipers of the coats.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
It's cold in your building, okay, so that's why I'm
wearing this weird co Okay. Three two, God bless all
of you. Sequacy at ten thirty five, laying out the Lions.
Laying out the Lions doesn't necessarily mean, like, you know,
putting them on their backs. And yeah, Mama said, knock
Jared Goff out. I'm gonna knock Jared out. That'd be cool.
(25:29):
Laying out the Lions goes like this. And it's off
of text that in order sent me middle of the
afternoon yesterday just about you know where these two teams
were this time last year and week eighteen last year,
and I believe at near the end of the equation,
I think we had twenty nine combined wins and five
(25:53):
combined losses at the end of the equation. Yeah, so
with what's different, what's the same with them? Yea, The
Vikings and Lions had that gaudy, those gaudy ballyhooed records
last year and both got bounced in their first playoff
games and both got smashed and said playoff games. For
the Vikings it was the Rams down Arizona Way, and
(26:16):
for the Motor City Kitties it was at Ford Field
against Jaden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. So their box.
Dan Miller is next segment about fifteen minutes from now
and he'll probably go g Annoby on a couple of
my takes here, being like, well, actually, Paul, we've thrown
it five times to Dan Skipper in the last three games.
(26:37):
But nevertheless, there we talk about the vikings so frequently
that we are so immersed within this covenant that that
we know a lot of things that are going on
and potentially need to be fixed in the offseason. But
what about doo gies. It's the Lions. What has dramatic
(27:00):
changed with them to lead to that eight and seven record.
The lowest of low hanging fruit ever to hang would
be their offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving and going to
the Chicago Bears. Their defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has left. Oh,
Tom West, thank you very much for that scarf. I'm cold, man,
But I want to tell anybody around here I'm cold
because then I got to take nineteen different tests and everything.
(27:22):
I'm trying to get to claycy Hey. Okay, thank you
very much for the Thank you. Tom, don't leave home
without him. The best they are. They're very carrying, very
loving the airing. Glenn leaving, Yeah it matters, but there
are some things popping up with the Lions. That are
analogous to last year. Yeah, but they were able to
(27:43):
overcome them and then they got they get some time
off and they came back in the playoffs. And you know,
the way I put it last year was the elasticity
had been stretched too far and the whole thing just
popped with these injuries in everything. But consider this. The
Detroit Lions were seventh in fourth down conversions last year
(28:07):
and they go for it on fourth down a lot
of times. It's a Dan Campbell thing. After getting stopped
on down Sunday against Pittsburgh, I think they're now twentieth
heading into Week sixteen. So we've gone top ten to
bottom twelve. The Detroit Lions allowed two hundred and thirty
rushing yards to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They only had six
games last year where they gave up more than one
(28:29):
hundred and alien McNeil, Aiden Hutchinson and DJ Reider and
Jack Campbell their best run stoppers, they're all playing. They
gave up two point thirty on the ground to Pittsburgh,
and Pittsburgh not necessarily a run first operation. This, you know,
this is one that gets me here in watching back
Lion stuff yesterday, they never run trick plays anymore. They
(28:53):
just I mean they were a trick a minute. They
would run tricks in the first quarter of the fourth
game to set up something in the third or fourth
quarter of the fifteenth game. They never run trick plays anymore.
Branch and Joseph probably the best safety's duo in the NFL.
They're both out. I don't know if any of them
are coming back this Thursday, but Branch and Joseph are out.
(29:14):
So injuries again for these guys. Terry Arnold is on
IR yep, and he's on IR. Ben Johnson as the
Bears the story of the National Football League, so, I
mean that has to bug people there too. With that
win Saturday night, the Chicago Bears have only for a
week or the story of the National Football League, man,
I mean, they're going for a one seed in the
going for a one seed and a division championship in
(29:36):
the NFC. The Lions ran for fifteen yards on Sunday,
all right, and Gibbs and Montgomery played. Just listen to that.
The Detroit Lions in a football game late in the season,
they had to have ran for fifteen yards, and Jamier
Gibbs and David Montgomery both played the entire game. That's
(30:00):
that's the lowest total for the Kiddies since like nineteen seventy.
Laporta and brock Right super important. Tight Ends are very
very important to this offense, especially to Jared Goff. Sam
Laporta and brock Wright. They're both all done. I mean
it's over, Johnny. I think they're done for the year,
but they ain't playing New London. Spicer's Shane Zilstra is
(30:23):
now playing a ton and he never scored a touchdown.
So remember when the Vikings beat the Lions at Ford
Field earlier this season November second, The season signature victory
was November second, Sam Laporta had sixty six yards and
a forty yard touchdown on the first drive of the game.
(30:43):
He did sixty six yards and a forty yard touchdown
the first drive of the game, but then b flow
went to Flemoxing, Flora settled in and Laporta at thirty
yards and nothing the rest of the way. Tight Ends
are very, very very important to what is now Dan
Campbell's offense. Golf is going to be sacked more this
year than he was the last two with Ben Johnson.
(31:04):
When the Vikings beat the kiddies at Ford Field very
early November November two, Dan Campbell took the play calling
after the game from Ben Johnson's replacement, John Morton, and
Dan Campbell now calls offense. It's like b Flow rolls
in there and goes to flumoxing, And this is a
new offensive coordinator on whom they're counting. Campbell got so
(31:27):
pissed off he took the play calling from him and
Dan the man who's not on the fan, he calls
the plays. Now they can still score, all right, they
can still run up and down the field on you
should be careful. But it ain't the same as last year. No,
the Lions have lost two in a row. How about this,
The Lions have lost two in a row during the
season for the first time since twenty twenty two, That
(31:50):
was the year Ben Johnson became their offensive coordinator. See
a common thread here, y'all. So what about us? The
only thing with us? The Brozemer sideline passed to Jefferson
was big. If he gets his third start off the layoff,
which which would be you know, his his opportunity off Seattle,
then coming in second half and helping the win at
(32:12):
met Life and then starting here, if he gets this
opportunity third off, the layoff that pass to Jefferson was big.
He should be better for the opportunity if he if
he can handle things on a short week. We're still
hoping JJ McCarthy plays. But with the Detroit Lions, there
are just some stark there are some stark contrasts from
(32:32):
last year to this year, and they're unveiling themselves before
your very ears.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:38):
I went over the final eight, so that their last
eight games. That was their bye week when we when
we went to ford Field, they were fresh off the buy,
ready to rock. They were five and two Vikings win
from that game on. With that game on final eight,
they're averaging twenty nine points a game.
Speaker 4 (32:55):
So there are different things about the offense. You mentioned,
just the inability to run the BA I think they
I mean, of.
Speaker 7 (33:01):
Their last eight, four of them they've rushed for fewer
than seventy four yards, very unkiddies, like in the Dan
Campbell era. But they're still finding their way to thirty
points a game. I think they're averaging twenty nine over
their last eight. So for me, my focus has been
and you know, trying to figure out that O line.
Frank ragnow to the point where he was going to
(33:22):
come out of retirement and then couldn't do it, and
just Ratledge and what they're getting on that interior o line,
that's something they'll focus on. But just the elastic is
the elasticity that you mentioned and it kind of popping
as it did last year, it has happened again and
that's why I focus so much. You mentioned Kirby, Joseph
and Brian Branch being out, Terry and Arnold the injuries
(33:45):
have reared their ugly heads together. They're averaging twenty seven
points against in their last eight games, and I'm just
going to go to the last five. These are their
yards allowed in their last five games. Five seventeen to
the Giant Geez, three point fifty nine to the pack.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Five seventeen to that Giants operation we saw without Scataboo
and Malakue neighbors, that is correct, Are you kidding me?
Speaker 7 (34:07):
And it took overtime for them to beat the Giants.
Then they lost to the Packers. They gave up three
point fifty nine to Jordan Loves Group, four seventeen to
those Cowboys, five nineteen to the Rams, and four eighty one.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Yester or two days ago.
Speaker 7 (34:23):
Now to the Steelers, the yards are there to be had,
and I mean, look at just how weird it is
the way we talk in Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Hey, if Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 7 (34:32):
Either ties or wins the turnover margin in the game,
here's this super gaudy record.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
I think Alex Lewis has like a tally.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
On a chalkboard in his apartment to make sure that
he keeps track of the correct number. Look at the
they're winning the turnover battle. They were tied with the
Giants and Packers. They were up three to nothing in
the Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (34:51):
That was a win.
Speaker 7 (34:52):
But they won the turnover battle in both the Rams
and Steelers games and still lose. So there, their defense
is giving up a million yards. They are creating opportunity,
but the defense in totality over the course of games
isn't getting it done. The fourth down offense them going
away with no points and nothing off of some of
those fourth down plays that they want to run.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
The lack of.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
Tricks, this truly is. And you feel for Lions fans.
I mean, they're not too far removed from putting paper
bags on their heads and going to these games and
then suddenly they think they might be on the verge
of a Brady led dynasty, and just a couple of
years into this, now it's like injury concerns. Do we
want to pay these guys? Did we make the right investment?
The o lines and shambles, and just in very quick order,
(35:35):
we go from two teams playing for the one seed
to a year later celebrating Christmas with a couple of
teams that are drowning. The Vikings have already been eliminated.
The Kiddy's got to win both and hope that the
dirty Packers lose out just to get their way into
a wild card. Graz one freaking year has flipped all
of this on its head really for both teams. As
(35:59):
we're laying out the Lions, but of course we're in
some ways lamenting our favorite squad in the process.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
And that's what we're looking at. On a Christmas afternoon
to day.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
This is nine to noon.
Speaker 4 (36:12):
Were some school Pittsburgh shows. Five across that defensive front.
Speaker 10 (36:16):
Goff's got it all fourth down, back looking looking golf
throwing middle caught lee right side, had zone touchdown. Detroit
Lions had a step on the defender, and there was
nobody between him and the end zone toy seven yards.
The Lions are right back in this game.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
Dan the Man who now was on the fan. He's
Dan Miller, long time talented play by play voice for
the Detroit Lions, and I'm also the sports director and
talent at the Fox affiliate and the Motor City And
Dan the Man joins us now, Dan Miller, Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays to you and your family. Brother, How are
things hey?
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Thanks are good, Pia, good to talk to you. Merry
Christmas to you and all your listeners.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
If if I had texted you flying back from New
Jersey or found a way to like call you when
we landed or something after that Pittsburgh debacle, would you
have said things are good, Pa, Merry Christmas to you
and your family and sounded all jovial and everything that
into that game. Man, we played your highlight yesterday. What
a tough play to call a but b that whole
(37:22):
thing just seemed like you worked on your last nerve.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Yeah, I didn't really. I thought the play would go
over when they had amen Ross stacked up, and I
think half the Pittsburgh defense did too when they because
most of them stopped playing and the defenders that were
on them kind of pushed them, so at that point
you think it's kind of over. Then he flips it
the golf and golf dives in and at that point
you really had no idea what was going on. And
(37:46):
then there's two flags in the end zone and you
know you're hoping maybe ones against them and ones against us,
but it appeared certainly there was OPI from the beginning,
so it took a long time to unfold, and we
were trying to guess during that time, and it was difficult,
and you were just hoping there was some sliver of
(38:08):
a chance that it might turn out that you get
another crack at this thing, or that maybe it was
against Pittsburgh, which appeared highly unlikely from the beginning. So
it was really that whole sequence, the four plays, and
you had two opis that wipe two touchdowns off the boards,
and thank the look that that was offensive pass interference
(38:29):
on Amen Rod. When they see you go into a defender,
fully extend your arms and that defender flies backwards, and
particular when that defender is probably give me be in
the Hall of Fame one day in Ramsey, he's going
to get that call and no argument with that. The
one on Tesla before that might have a little bit
of difference on that, but look, they that was the
final minute of the game. There were fifty nine other
(38:50):
minutes in that game where they didn't play well enough
to win.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Yeah, I'm eight and seven for the Lions Vikings out
of the playoffs. I mean, these two teams want to
combine twenty nine games last year and lost five and
you know in starting the short wait work on them
on your team. It's injuries to key players again, man,
I mean just it was a longer common thread last
year and you guys pushed through it beautifully. Laporta right,
(39:15):
the safety's best safety tannem in the NFL. I mean,
these things are big, man, aren't they.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
It is, there's no doubt, and it's there's a lot
to it, and certainly that's part of it. You know,
they went seven games without points off of turnovers, which
has really been right up into that Rams game, which
has really been you know, the bread and butter for
this team. The defense would take it away. In the offense,
you know, would be able to rush it down the
(39:41):
field and score, and your two scores up and then
you build on that and that's the way they won games,
and that disappeared, and some of that was, certainly Kirby
Joseph being gone. You could just feel some of the
passes that hung in the air, the ones that he
used to run under and steal. And then losing Brian Branch,
who's the chess piece on that defense that Kelvin Shepherd
(40:03):
can use to move all over the place. And then offensively,
the port is a big guy. I think one of
the things that we all underestimated from the beginning was
the loss of Frank rag Now with his retirement and
brief comeback. Man that was so big. Just just having
that dude in the middle of that line before the snap,
(40:25):
after snap, after the snap just meant so much to
this defense. And I think that's taken away some of
the identity of this team. This team has been built
around that offensive line since the day they walked in
the door and drafted Piney Sewell and added him to
Decor and rag Now and then everybody else that came along,
and that identity hasn't been there. That ability to run
(40:47):
the ball consistently hasn't been there, and it feels like
an odd conversation Pa, because for most of the season
they led the league in scoring, but it just has
not felt that way often enough. And then defensively, man
their ability to stop the run, which has been top
five in the league the last two years, has not
been anywhere close to that and that's really hurt them
(41:08):
as well.
Speaker 6 (41:09):
Well.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
That two thirty against Pittsburgh. I mean, game Weell and
Warren can move a little bit, the quarterback never runs.
That's a two thirty man, And you know, like last
year it's I think only like six times teams went
over one hundred or one hundred and ten or something
against you guys. But you know, the rag Now piece
probably answers this question. But when I was watching it
flying back and then playing box score catchup, Gibbs and
(41:32):
Montgomery both played and the Lions ran for fifteen yards.
Are you kidding me? With that number? I thought I'd
never see that.
Speaker 2 (41:40):
And seventeen was on one run. We had in the
first half at least three guys coming off the edge untouched. Wow,
four tackles for loss in the running game. And it
just there's just something missing there, and it's been missing
for a while. And you know, we've had a couple
of games where certainly Gibbs has been really good and
(42:06):
Demo had a won fifty one earlier this year, but
it just hasn't been as consistent as it has been
in the past. And trace that back to the offensive line.
And then people will talk about coordinators, and you know,
nothing against Ben Johnson and nothing against Aaron Glenn, and
we do miss them. They're really good football coaches. But
I think this team misses Frank rag now more. I
think they missed that, that presence in the middle of
(42:28):
that line, and then that running game. And again, I
can't stress enough that, you know, you can talk about
Gibbs and Amen Ra and Garrett Golf and all those
guys and everybody else, this team took its strength from
that offensive line. Every time they walked on the field
with those guys, they felt like whatever type of game
(42:48):
you wanted to throw at them, they were going to
be able to handle it. You want to go slow,
you want to grind it out, they can do that.
You want to have a track meet, they can do that.
But it was because of that offensive line, and right
now it's just not the same. Decker has been banged
up a lot of the year playing Hurt hasn't practiced
some weeks and then goes out on Sunday and plays.
And you know, losing Zeidler last year that was significant
(43:11):
as well. I mean he held down one of those
guard spots. Now we're you know, playing Christian Mahogany and
Tate Ratlet's two guys who had virtually no experience. One
was a rookie and moment basically a rookie coming into
this year. So look, it's just these are things that
happen along the way. I still think this team has
a lot of talent. They're just gonna have to regroup
in this offseason, assuming a miracle doesn't happen here in
(43:34):
the next couple of weeks, and figure some things out.
But much like you guys, there's a ton of talent here.
You're just gonna have to shore some things up and
figure some things out. And I don't see either of
these teams, you know, beginning this long descent into a
rebuild or something like that. I see these teams with
problems that have cropped up you got to deal with
(43:57):
in the offseason, and you're gonna come back next year,
and I think you're gonna be area.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Again, Dan, the Vikings haven't given up a passing touchdown
in six consecutive games. And okay, Jackson Dart was a
disaster when we saw him, and you got Jaden Daniels
off at dislocated elbow with Marcus Mariota, but you also
have Jordan Love, Caleb William, Sam Darnold, and there was
another high enduring Dak Prescott.
Speaker 9 (44:21):
You know.
Speaker 3 (44:21):
So, I mean, how flabbergasted would you be if the
Lions left Christmas Day's game with no passing touchdowns against
a team that hasn't given given up one in a
month and a half.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Yeah, I wouldn't expect that, But you know that that's
no disrespect to Minnesota. It's just, you know, also a
lot of respect for the Lions and their ability to
pass the ball. And again, even as we said here today,
they're the second highest scoring team in the league, so
we've been putting points up. Now. That said, what we
did against the Vikings in that first game doesn't give
(44:55):
you a lot of confidence. What they did against that
defense in the four times they faced when Flores was
the coordinator before that did give you confidence. They scored
at least thirty each time, and they won all four
of those games, but last time out, they didn't handle
the pressure, they didn't adjust her in the game, and
Minnesota just kind of had their way with them and
they bullied them. And the Lions are gonna have to
(45:15):
be a lot better than that in this game or
passing touchdown or not, it's going to be difficult to win.
They've got to be significantly better that first game. Dan
Campbell said it earlier this week was probably the worst
game that the Lions had played this year. And that's
saying something about the way the Lions played, and it's
saying a lot about the way the Vikings played because
(45:37):
they came in to Ford Field and just ran right
over them on defense. And I mean literally, I mean
how many times did Jamier Gibbs just get trucked by
a linebacker blitzing? And that was putting him in a
tough spot all day And I'd be shocked if they
put him in that spot again coming up this week,
because it just it was a mismatch and it's not
(45:59):
it's not conducive to him last in a long time
one game day if you have that many collisions.
Speaker 3 (46:05):
So that November two, Dan, last one here Vikings went
at Ford Field, which hasn't happened a lot of late
and and Dan Campbell, the head coach, becomes the offensive
play caller, taking it from new guy John Morton. Why
did he do that at that time? And how has
it worked out?
Speaker 2 (46:22):
It's just been an inconsistent offense all year and the
results have been mixed. You know, they went into Washington
the week after that, I believe was the next game,
and Washington was terrible, and they were just you know,
beginning a you know, crash landing this year. And we
threw up whatever it was, fifty two points or something
like that and or forty four or whatever it was
(46:44):
and had a big game. But since then it's been spotty.
And again it's it's not like they're not scoring, but it's, yeah,
we see droughts we haven't seen before the Rams game,
we played really well in the first half. We have
twenty four to seventeen first three possessions, the second half
three and out, three and out, three and out, and
(47:04):
Stafford's doing what he does on the other side, and
all of a sudden you go from being ten up
at one point to ten down. So it's just been
productive overall. But two inconsistent to beat the better teams
in this league, and then you're playing catch up and
maybe you're scoring points, but if you're scoring points there
two scores down, it kind of defeats the purpose. So
(47:26):
it's been a strange year, man, and it just kind
of you are where you are. You got to finish
it strong. There's still a chance to get in the playoffs.
You got a little you got a ton of pride
to play for, and there's still a lot of talent.
Now I see both these teams. You guys have won
three in a row, and that's great, and that shows
a lot of character and a lot of fight when
(47:48):
you know a lot of your season had been a disappointment.
So we need to apply that same type of attitude
to coming off that Pittsburgh loss, which basically decimated your
playoff hopes. But you've got two games left against division opponents.
Go out and win them, finish this thing strong, and
then figure out what comes next.
Speaker 3 (48:08):
God bless you and your family, and I'll see you Thursday.
All right, Thanks for the time.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
Appreciate your brother's same to you and yours.
Speaker 3 (48:15):
So yeah, that's a Dan Miller boxed for the Lions
back after this
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