Top 5, Ben Goessling! - Bumper to Bumper 11/07/25 Hour Three

Bumper to Bumper with Dan Barreiro!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Just in case you missed it, it's the top five
sports talkers of the day. Now it's time for Dan
Barrero's Top five and five brought to you by Gutter
Helmet of Minnesota. Never clean your gutters again. Learn more
at gutter Helmet MNT dot com.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
No, we come to find out your teas was too good. Yeah,
to the point where Lobo texts you or calls the
hotline called me called you to say, did the Wild
make a big trade?

Speaker 3 (00:30):
And the answer to that, unfortunately alas is no.

Speaker 4 (00:33):
Wild big trade. Never heard that in the same sentence.
Sure we do go here.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
Time now for the obligatory Kevin Faulness Minnesota Wild mention.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
It didn't go well for the Wild last night.

Speaker 5 (00:45):
Resoft, but poin Corna on the forour check. Bronzie able
to take it free, knocked it out for favor seven
seconds left if it comes away up holding up top
to Billiam got a hustle on his backhand, spiked it
back down low presoft can center in.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
A wild run out of time.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Yeah, l in CAROLINEAP four to three. Your final butt
reinforcements are on the way. With the breaking news that
Zucarello is in against the Islanders tonight on Long Island,
he's playing with Rossi and Caprisot like that top line.
Johansson and Tarasenko each moved down one line. Also, Danila,
you're off, welcome back. Jones and Pittlick are out and

(01:21):
yesper Valsetett in the net for your Minnesota while tonight
against Islanders. That's at six. You'll hear it right here
on the fantast controversy. No short term, short term there
could be. I've always been a Valsett guys to say, so,
will this change everything for the wild and for capriceof
that's the hope. The hope as it bounces it out
a little bit more and Caprisov will be able to

(01:43):
with his buddy who he's friends with and they gel
well together, him and Zucarello. And then you give Boldie
the freedom to maybe play with Eck and a Johansson
or someone else on his line, and you can spread
the love a little bit more than they have recently.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
How stupid was I'd have picked the Vikings? Am I
going to regret that?

Speaker 5 (02:00):
Well?

Speaker 2 (02:00):
I picked the Yeah, you did the Lions last week
and that didn't work out either.

Speaker 4 (02:05):
Let's do what are picking the Vikings are picking the Packers.
It's a good question at this point.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Who's to say, Yeah, anyway, I digress you said you
were saying, so.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
It has the potential to maybe not change everything. Yeah,
little hope it helps a little. That's what we've been
waiting on this whole time. So hopefully, if not tonight,
in the near future, it changes, it turns things around.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
You're Wolves.

Speaker 4 (02:25):
They are in the NBA Cup tonight, that's at seven.
You'll hear it on the iHeartRadio at the Timberwolves channel
against the Jazz at home.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
Your thoughts, well, somebody.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Told me that the Jazz are the Jazz represent the
perfect trap team or trap game right now, that everybody
had picked the under before the season started on victories
for them. But they've already like surprised several teams who
weren't paying attention, and that if you.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Don't pay attention and you.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Don't take them seriously enough, you'll find yourselves with an
l The hope is that now that this is edge
of Anthony Edward's second game back, that he will be
a little bit more acclimated and a little bit better
into the mix. There's a million ideas going on around
changing the starting lineup, bringing Nods into the starting lineup,

(03:18):
moving Jayden to the bench. I'm not sure how I
feel about that. I do know this that if you
continue to go with de Vincenzo in the starting lineup,
you can make an argument for that. The problem is
in doing so, you weaken the bench.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Right.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
That's I think just among the issues facing this team
where they absolutely.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Need I think two.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Of the three relatively inexperienced players to force the hand
of the head coach to play well enough when they
do play that he's got some things to think about,
and that on a consistent basis has not happened yet
or even close. And as we talked about first segment
of the show, we've got three teams in this town
struggling defensively, and the Wolves in the Wild are at

(04:10):
the top of that list. The Wolves are not close
to what they've been doing, what they've done at their
best defensively, and they might be worse as a rebounding
entity than they've ever been at least since they got
good as a team. And what the answer that to
that is, I don't know. I mentioned on Guardie and
I Do a TV show called Enough Said, which will

(04:31):
be on late tonight, I think after Sports on Fox nine.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
I don't know the exact time, maybe ten thirty ish.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
That the Celtics in the preseason, they're head coach very
unhappy with their defensive rebounding. His edict in the preseason was,
if you allow your man to grab an offensive rebound,
you are out as of the next stoppage and play.

(05:02):
And he was trying to send a message or convey
the notion we really have to, you know, dig deep
and drill down on not allowing offensive rebounds. God forbid,
if the Viking, if the Wolves of Finchy would have
done that during the Knicks game, it would have been
a revolving Dora players almost start to finish because the
New York had over twenty offensive rebounds. And to me,

(05:24):
I always view that that's defensive rebounding is should be
part of how you established and identify good defense. And
their rebounding is a real problem at this point, big
time problem, especially when Rudy's out of the game, sometimes
even when he's in the game.

Speaker 3 (05:41):
So they the.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
Obvious questions, do they have the pieces to smooth things out.
It's a long season. We've learned that the hard way before.
But it feels very unsettled right now in Timberwolves land.

Speaker 4 (05:56):
If that would have been the case, you would have
heard the of notious substitution horn about every status to
play exactly right. There are four vikings with statuses going
into the game this weekend. THEO Jackson is questionable with
a concussion. Oh, he did practice fully today. Aaron Jones
questionable with a shoulder slash tow he was limited today,
and then Okudah and Josh Oliver are out. Those are

(06:19):
your injury statuses. Everyone else is either fully practiced or
not injury related.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
With vet rest, well, you know, Lavelle brought up Jones
and I thought he did play. He looked fresh last
week before he got hurt, and so you have that
ongoing issue of being reminded that at his best, it
is at his freshest, he still injects an element that
I don't even think Jordan Mason can inject. And so

(06:46):
best case scenario for any quarterback, but certainly the kid
is He's got all these pieces around him, including Jones.
But the question is the same as it's always been
on Jones. Can he stay healthy? And the early signs
are not real good. So we'll we'll see where that
where that goes questionable? Right, So what you said, he's listed.

Speaker 4 (07:03):
As now questionable, he was limited that that means it
could mean he could play, But then is he the same?
You know you better off sitting them a couple of weeks.
I don't know, but he's back where he's been a lot.

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Not healthy, and the Vikings knew that going into this.
They did that. You have to know it's on the middle.
Good move, that's right.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
Yeah, Thursday night football. I don't know if you caught
any of it. Oh, I tried to game. Really was
the eight and two Broncos. Yes, I still can't believe it. No,
and I get a lot of people can't. I understand
not having a good day because I try to defend
my club and saying that they just didn't have a
good day.

Speaker 3 (07:39):
But against the two and seven.

Speaker 4 (07:41):
Raiders and you only score ten points at home, you
get the win. We're happy for you. But yeah, it
was bad.

Speaker 3 (07:47):
They didn't look like an eight and two team.

Speaker 6 (07:49):
No.

Speaker 2 (07:49):
I was talking about if the Bears beat the Giants
on Sunday, they'd be six and three. I don't view them,
or wouldn't view them. As a legitimate six and three team.
It's hard to view the Broncos as a legitimate eight and
two team. Their defense is real, it appears, their offense
is really up and down. The QB has been surprisingly
effective at times, to the point where you say, well

(08:10):
that ended up that might have been a good draft pick,
and then under pressure yesterday he was hideous.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
He was absolutely horrible.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
So I don't I know that the Broncos are not
I think, going if they keep anywhere near this level,
even if they have a gaudy record, they're not going
to be taken all that seriously as being a significant
a playoff threat. This felt like a throwback Thursday Night
game to the days when it seemed like every game
was hideous, because we've had actually some better Thursday Night
games more recently. But this is probably just a fit.

(08:38):
Oh my god, this one was bad, There's no question
about that. And it wasn't I don't think it was
just good defense at all. It was really really bad offense.
And Vegas I thought, you know, like everybody, I like
the idea Pete carrollby and back in the league, but
we're seeing the limits of what he can do because
I think they have some talent issues there and I

(08:58):
don't even I don't think they're courter back.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
Situation is very tenable long term either.

Speaker 4 (09:02):
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Speaker 3 (09:11):
Lots of text coming in.

Speaker 2 (09:13):
I forgot to get to one that was for lovel
but we'll get to as many as we can and
then we'll prepare for Ben guestling. A lot of texts
regarding our gambling controversy and discussion earlier that devolved into
something that had nothing to do with the subject that end.
But when you're when you're a gambler and that's all
you care about, then you're going to bring the subject

(09:33):
to where you want it, whether it had anything to
do with what we were talking about today.

Speaker 4 (09:41):
Head over a contest page for your shot at a
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Speaker 2 (09:56):
I just retweeted a Mike Tice tweet. It appears you
know he's doing is He's got a new podcast previewing
NFL games each week and has had very good guests
on it. I think he had the quarterback whisper they
get KOC this week. So if you follow me on
x you can take a look at the retweet and

(10:17):
maybe watch a part of his conversation. Tyson's conversation a
former Vikings head coach with the current Vikings head coach
going into a very significant game for both the Vikings, and.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
You can argue, again, if you.

Speaker 2 (10:34):
Make predictions on the basis of the desperation factor alone,
then you would pick the Ravens because the Ravens, you know,
they they had so much slippage when their number one
quarterback was out. They really need this game to get
themselves back. We checked the Ravens current record for me,
while I also look at a couple of other Raves

(10:54):
three and five, Yeah, three and five. So again, they
if they fall at some point, even with Lamar, they
they fall too far behind out of five hundred or
under five hundred, their margin for error gets reduced. So
they're definitely more desperate. Although on the other hand, the
Vikings lose. They're back to under five hundred at four
and five. A lot of texts. This came in while

(11:15):
Lavell was on. This is from Clayton out of Rochester.
He says that Lavell is out with Nordo a few
weeks ago. Total story about how he lost a bowling
ball down in Florida at Twins spring training back in
the guardy days.

Speaker 3 (11:28):
You know this story. I think I was there for that,
he said.

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Years later, the long lost bowling ball resurfaced and the
Twins called him saying they found it. The work that
was put in by some unpaid intern For the Minnesota
Twins to find the ball has to be fascinating. Does
that bowling ball have more strikes left in it than
the Twins' bullpen arms? Oh, it was a long way
to get to the cheap shot that. I admire his
patience and his tenacity and his willingness to let the

(11:54):
story breathe Regarding our gambling discussion, idiots will try to
make an argue betting on farts when it comes to money, Dan,
you and Royce are exactly right. O Line only has
to move the wrong way by one foot to allow
the sack. Young college kids just by nature think they're invincible.

(12:15):
Win a time and two or two and the endorphins
get moving. Then the losses start coming. Gamblers forget they
don't build the taj Mahal in the desert because the
odds are in the customer favor. Customers favor hundreds of
billions of mafia money made by numbers on five cent
bets to start.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
Nowadays you just start with five bucks.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
What's wrong with the argument that when it's legal it
makes it safer is it fails to account that it's
an app that's going to have an all algorithm, which
I feel make it inherently more addicting, and it's on
a phone which is always five feet away at all time.
These texters might be as defensive as the gun nuts

(12:58):
are when you tell them they can't bring an AK
four seven into a Burger King Dan, I do not
need gambling to get by in my day today, I
do enjoy sports betting and responsibility, while in other states
I should say I do enjoy sports betting responsibility, while
in other states I also like watching sports without saying

(13:20):
having anything on the line.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
Fad.

Speaker 2 (13:23):
The fact that there is an abrupt spike in athletes
getting involved gives me a not so great feeling going
forward on how I spend my money. City Streets Guy writes,
good gambling are at no notes, and this is coming
from someone who has bristled a little when you were
talking about this topic a year or two ago. I'm
in the pro sports gambling but not a sports gambler

(13:44):
myself camp. But it's clear there's some real fallout from
the ubiquity of sports betting, and I'm nervous about where
this goes in the future. Even if I think sports
betting should exist in a vacuum. Clearly the system needs
more checks and balances, and I'm burnt out with the
endless betting. Commercials hate to break into the sports gambling bobos,
but the more scandals that break, the lower the chance

(14:05):
betting will ever be legal here. For those that have
to do it, Wisconsin is not that far away. And
the other thing that occurs to me is if you
are heavily into betting, don't you want to see this
police as much as possible because of the possibility that
you lose money on a bet that was fraudulently fraudulent,
fraudulent at least set up. I would think you, of

(14:27):
all people, you got more to lose in that regard
eliminating player props, and seventy five percent of those concerns.

Speaker 3 (14:35):
Are not as a bigger problem. I agree.

Speaker 2 (14:37):
We've talked about that a couple of weeks ago as well.
Dan asked the vets who give you a hard time
if they want their bets to be lost when the
player fixes the game in opposition with their wager question
ask them that question from grape from Wrigleyville via Chicago.

(15:02):
Gambling has ruined sports. I hope they don't legalize betting
in Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (15:07):
Where did it go from there?

Speaker 2 (15:09):
I hope they don't legalize betting in Minnesota. I'll say again,
I have no dog in that fight. I have not
been a major resistor of it coming here, But I
still don't understand what I got from a lot of
the gambling community that well, in the light, if you
make it legal, for example, for college players to bet,

(15:32):
or for anybody to bet, then there's an even greater
chance that that it's less likely that bad things are
going to happen. It's already legal in lots of places.
Just because it's not legal here doesn't mean it's not
legal in many other places, and we're having more issues
with gambling in more sports than we've had in a

(15:54):
long time, so that that that logic does not even
I think, add up, Dana. According to Google AI, our
varks are not naturally aggressive, but they will defend themselves.

Speaker 3 (16:07):
Hold on too many texts coming in here in a row,
let me scroll down.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
When threatened, their primary defense is to escape by digging
a burrow or running away, but if cornered, they will
use their sharp claws and powerful legs to fight back
against predators, including humans.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
Dan.

Speaker 2 (16:32):
Betting with a bookie would still be illegal. The better
example for your argument, which I share, is if a
college player quote manipulated their performance unquote in order to
allow their buddies guys in the dorm to make easy
money on a prop bet for example. Well, there are
many examples, and I if we've learned anything through the
last three or four years, it's that we did not

(16:53):
have the creativity or the imagination to anticipate the ways
in which the system might get gamed and the way
people might try to gain advantage. I think that's what
we're learning, and that's why I think there's.

Speaker 3 (17:09):
Stuff out there.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
My guess is there's stuff out there right now that
we haven't thought of yet, because we haven't caught up
with the creativity of guys who are make it their
business to find ways to manipulate this system as it
becomes larger and larger and the amounts of money become
larger and larger as well. But the issue today, and

(17:33):
that's why I'm still confused why it went sideways, had
nothing to do. There was no rant about by God,
there should never be legalized gambling in the state of Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (17:44):
Didn't come up at all.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
I'm beginning to think Blakemore might have a point that
these folks might rival the defensiveness of the pot community.

Speaker 3 (17:54):
I mean, there's great similarity in it.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
Where not even discussing what we're talking about here because
you are so paranoid and so defensive.

Speaker 3 (18:06):
I guess about that given issue. But I one thing I.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
Will be pretty adamant about. I can't tell you what
moves you to watch a sporting event, and if part
of what moves you to watch that you can't enjoy
a sporting event if you do not have money on it.
I can't tell you that that's not true, because that
may well govern what you pay attention to and what

(18:34):
you're high is.

Speaker 3 (18:35):
But what I can tell you is.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
There are a lot of people who don't need it,
and have never needed it and will never need it
as well. And I sense sometimes in the gambling community
that's where the real arrogance is, like, well, there's the
idea of I mean, are you kidding me? A bet?
Winning a bet? That's the ultimate high? Maybe it is
for you, but you're delusional. If because it's the high

(19:02):
for you, it must be that the people who don't
do it simply are missing out. There's no more arrogant
position than that. My position is live and let live.
If you want to bet, smoke them if you got them.
I don't care. I really don't, and I've never on that.
You have never heard me on this show rant or
come out four square against the concept of legalizing betting here,

(19:27):
like with pot, what I have said is as it
becomes a bigger and bigger part of the culture, we
should be able to explore the ramifications of it without
then being viewed as you're a hater.

Speaker 3 (19:43):
You can't have it both ways.

Speaker 2 (19:44):
If you want it more available, if you want it
more plentiful, we have a right the wider culture to
be to pay attention to the ramifications of doing it
and the blowback that might be associated with doing them
doing it. And that's I think where the pot community
and the gambling community community share that same level defensivens.

(20:05):
It's like they don't want to hear about that. I
don't want to hear about that because it kind of
muddies the waters a little bit. Well, it's our waters too,
because we end up sharing in all this, and in
the case of betting and these sorts of scandal scandals,
those those who care about sports are affected because, believe
it or not, integrity is supposed to have something to
do with what we're doing. As I mentioned earlier, Now

(20:27):
it's even hitting the ultimate fighting community, which is not
my community, but also indicates that there are a number
of ways in which this thing is getting bigger and bigger.
Bottom of the hour break, Ben Gesling will preview Vikings
and Ravens will get his view and his prediction, which
is already up. I think Viastartribune dot Com on a

(20:47):
Sunday's game that is now.

Speaker 3 (21:03):
It's the Bumper to Bumper show.

Speaker 2 (21:05):
Rack sprites by American Pressure six o'clock is our out
time today. Minnesota Wild Hockey is the reason, and generally
Lavella joins us about now, but with some scheduling issues,
he joined in the four o'clock hour, and Ben Gesling
is with us to wrap things up now via the
Kinneticot Water Systems hotline, brought to you by as always

(21:27):
Standard Heating and Air Conditioning. I believe, Sir, today was
a Sante Samuel visit day. Here he's making it's either
five or six stops, if I'm not mistaken. Do we
have any inkling how it might have gone, any sense
of where we are, how aggressive we might be.

Speaker 6 (21:48):
What do you think, Well, there's certainly interest. I think
there is. I think going to be a push to
get him here. It will probably come down to how
everybody feels, whether it's the Vikings or the Packers are
in there and the feelers are in there. He's coming
back from that neck injury, so will a lot of
this will probably come down to how each team feels

(22:09):
comfort wise with him being back on the field and
what they see the role being. But I think m
Chevin O'Connell said today he's always liked him, and I
think there's a belief that he would fit in nicely here.
He's been more of an off coverage corner and probably
would fit in a lot of the things they like
to do. They like to play their corners off in

(22:30):
some of the zones. I think that's something that they
would be able to plug him in and do. And
it sounded like the medicals were yesterday and then the
onfield stuff with today. I think there's going to be
an effort to get him here if everybody feels good
about the medicals, And it'll depend on what offers come
through and how it compares with everybody else. But he

(22:52):
certainly have an opportunity here, and I think there's genuine
interest in trying to make something happen if everybody feels
good about the fit and the health of the player.

Speaker 2 (23:00):
And refresh my memory on the significance of the injury,
whether that might be still a question depending on doctors
and physicals and all that kind of good stuff.

Speaker 6 (23:11):
Yeah, he's coming back from a neck injury, so that
obviously is a significant thing and they have to figure out,
you know, just I think he had spinal fusion surgery
in April, which you hear players do that, but that
can be a dicey thing where players that go through
it sometimes it's a one hit in the right place,

(23:31):
can be a pretty significant, you know, possibly catastrophic thing
going forward. So a lot of this comes down to
how comfortable each team is with his prognosis and what
they feel comfortable taking on in terms of risk. I mean,
that's that's a decision that probably comes down to the
individual teams and to him and his agent to some extent.
But yeah, that is a significant one to come back

(23:54):
from it. I think that's part of the reason the
medicals are so important here, because there may be some
team to feel differently about it than others, and it
could come down to who says, yeah, we're comfortable enough
with this and yeah we're going to take a run
at it. So a lot of it, I think will
come down to that, just because of the injury and
how significant that is.

Speaker 4 (24:12):
Now.

Speaker 3 (24:12):
On the other hand, he's only twenty six, you know.

Speaker 2 (24:14):
I mean that's so if you if he's healthy, if
this works, and you say, we're not talking about a guy,
you know, like a thirty three year old cornerback or
anything like that. Four played for the Chargers, obviously, starting
in two thousand and twenty one for four years, so
we'll see how that goes.

Speaker 3 (24:33):
I think.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
The Packers and Bears within the division are also visits.
I think he already visited the Packers yesterday and I
think it's the Bears early next week as well.

Speaker 3 (24:43):
So he's playing it, he's milking it, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (24:47):
Yeah, it's interesting that there are that many teams that
are all fighting with each other in the NFC North,
both in the standings and then for the same player
it is. It's again, it'll probably come down to who says, yeah,
we're comfortable enough and we're going to meet the financial demands,
because I would imagine he's going to try to get
what he can. I think you're probably talking about a

(25:08):
one year deal. But yes, the kind of thing where
if you get him in your building, you probably get
the first crack of bringing him back the fact that
he's twenty six, if you feel comfortable with it. I
have a feeling teams will say we want a corner
in our building that's proven and that's still on the
right side of kind of the age curve of things here.
So yeah, there will be a legitimate interest. It just

(25:30):
comes down to the comfort factor with that injury, and
everybody may feel a little bit differently about that, and
you know, it's that risk tolerance thing for everybody. But yeah,
this one because you have all of these teams competing
with each other that need cornerback help. The Vikings certainly
are in that group. Yeah, kind of an interesting wrinkle
for a mid season Yeah, it is a possible transaction.

(25:52):
It adds a little spice to it, that's for sure.

Speaker 3 (25:54):
There's no question about that.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
Your preview and prediction is already up via start debuwing,
and you ultimately pick the Ravens in a close game,
you have a thirty to twenty seven. How close did
you come to picking the Purple and what ultimately got
in the way of you giving the Vikings their second

(26:17):
straight victory.

Speaker 6 (26:19):
Yeah, I thought pretty hard about it. I mean, I
think they will have opportunities to keep JJ McCarthy clean
against this path rush. They blits a lot, but they
don't get.

Speaker 3 (26:30):
Home a lot.

Speaker 6 (26:31):
In fact, I think Nambi Madaweke is still tied for
the team lead in sacks despite the fact that he
hasn't played since Week two. So it's not a group
that puts a ton of pressure on quarterbacks, despite the
fact that they try to throw a lot of things
at different teams. So if the Vikings can protect JJ McCarthy,

(26:51):
he may have the cleanest set of pockets that he's
had in his you know, to this point short NFL career,
which is not saying much, he's been under a lot
of pressure. But I think if you can get him
a game that he has time to work, that could
give him opportunities. The things that can turn me are
this secondary the Ravens have is very good. They Anatohi Golman,

(27:14):
the former Chargers safety, which allows them to put Kyle
Hamilton in the first round pick from twenty twenty two,
in the slot. I think that changes some things with
some of what they want to do, putting him with
Marlon Humphrey and in the corner group that they have
which is pretty strong. And then on offense, the part
that ultimately made it hard for me to pick the
Vikings is just they have struggled a lot with mobile

(27:37):
quarterbacks this season. Jalen Hurts not run on them, but
he extended a lot of plays to seven seconds and
hits some throwns down the field. Obviously, Caleb Williams had
a productive day running the ball. Justin Herbert I think
ran for sixty some yards in that game and then
was able to extend some things. So Lamar Jackson being
able to make plays downfield, forcing those corners and they're

(27:59):
going to play without Jokuda again, I just think asking
those corners to do what they're going to have to
do with Lamar Jackson able to get out of the pocket.
Not to mention the run game that they have with
Jackson Derrick Henry. I think the Vikings played well enough
against the run last week that they may be able
to carry some of that forward. I think they feel
good about some of the progress they made there. But

(28:20):
I just think it's one of those where Jackson playing
the way he has, especially if there's some opportunities to
pick on that secondary with broken plays. I think that's
ultimately what Tip said. I thought pretty hard about picking
the Vikings. Ultimately, I guess did what I did last week,
picked them to cover, but picked the other team to win.
I was wrong on the ultimate pick last week with
the Lions winning the game. We'll see what happens this week.

(28:42):
I you know, if they cover, I guess that's something
but yeah, I ultimately picked the Ravens largely because of
Lamar Jackson.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
Well, you can also throw in, for whatever it's worth,
the so called desperation factor that if the Ravens lose,
they fall to three and six and they're in serious
trouble at that point.

Speaker 3 (28:59):
Probably right, yeah, they are.

Speaker 6 (29:01):
And that's a team that won twelve games last year, obviously,
a team that has been a contender in the AFC
for a long time, and I think expected to be
close to the top of that division again this year.
And they are kind of staring into the void a
little bit here where if they don't win this game,
like you say, at three and six, the wild card
picture gets awfully tough to come back and the division

(29:25):
starts to slip away. So I think it's one of
those games where they have a lot on the line
and they are relatively healthy. I mean, their injury support
didn't have anybody on it until today. Now. The context
that we need to insert there is the stuff that
happened with Lamar Jackson a couple of weeks ago in
the injury report. So grains of salts are probably applicable

(29:48):
to some of these things, but they if they are
that healthy. I think that's significant as well. So it's
a group that can do a lot of things behind
a pretty good offensive line. They've got Patrick Ricard, the
three hundred pounds fullback. They'll try to play volley ball,
They'll try to wear the Vikings out. It'll be a
question of how good that run defense is if they're

(30:09):
able to do what they did last week against Detroit.
But yeah, I think the fact that this group is
as desperate as it is and it's a team that's
been a contender, I think there's going to be a
pride factor that may ultimately play in this game as well.
I think it's going to be a jacked up environment
at US.

Speaker 3 (30:25):
Think, yeah, I should say people are going.

Speaker 6 (30:26):
To be excited after that win. But yeah, it'll be
a tough test from a football perspective for the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (30:33):
I think you.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
Taught you right about the Kyle Hamilton factor. It's a
good one. It's juicy, it's an interesting angle tell our
audience and a little more detail why you brought up
his name so prominently.

Speaker 6 (30:47):
Yeah, he came up a couple of times. I feel
like there are a few interviews this week that people
talked about how good he is, and it's a local
angle factor, I guess because he was the fourteenth pick
in the twenty twenty two draft. People remember the Vikings
had the twelve pick in that draft. So rather than
staying and picking whether it would have been Kyle Hamilton

(31:09):
or Jamison Williams who ultimately went with that pick, or
Trent McDuffie at the corner, you know, some of those
guys would have been options. They trade back twenty spots
in the famous trade with the Lions and they take
Lewis Seene thirty second in the first round. So obviously
they were in the market first safety. They liked the
idea of adding one and then make that trade to
also try to accumulate more picks. But Kyle Hamilton has

(31:32):
turned into one of the better safeties in the NFL
that also plays a lot of nickel. The Ravens put
him in a lot of different spots and move him
around quite a bit. So a player that could have
been in Minnesota, I think, a player that a lot
of fans at least were bringing up saying, boy, the
Vikings really would benefit from him being here, and certainly
the early returns on his career have been impressive enough

(31:55):
that it would have been interesting. And as it is,
he will be part of a secondary that he'll get
some matchups with Justin Jefferson when he's in the slot,
and we'll probably get put in a number of different
spots where the Vikings have to be aware of where
he is, just because he is that versatile and can
do a lot of different things. So there's a little
bit of a butterfly effect to that trade, which we've

(32:15):
talked about a lot, but in this case it's a
player they might have had that's going to be one
of the big factors they have to deal with, at
least when they have the ball on someday.

Speaker 2 (32:25):
Is b Flow a big spy guy when the opposing
quarterback is as elusive as Lamar is, or is he
likely to consider that sort of thing, given as you mentioned,
the inability we've had dealing with quarterbacks getting out of
the pocket and making some plays with their legs.

Speaker 3 (32:44):
What's our approach in that sense?

Speaker 6 (32:47):
Yeah, I think he will use the spy I mean
they did it with Caleb Williams. In fact, the play
that Blake Cashman got hurt with the hamstring in that
game was he was trying to chase down Caleb Williams
when he got out. But they used Cashman as a spy,
there being a little bit of that in recent weeks
with Jalen Hurts. Certainly they were spying there and I
think even justin Herbert a little they did it. I

(33:09):
would expect they will use one on Sunday, whether that's Cashman,
you know, maybe Van Ginkel a little bit, but yes,
I think they will try to have somebody in that
spot because you have to worry about that with him,
And certainly he is the NFL's all time leading rusher
among quarterbacks already and he's still like twenty seven years old,

(33:33):
so he will be in some cases almost like a
running back. I think he's had you know, seven or
eight hundred yards at least almost every season in his career,
even to Cliffs one thousand I think once. So he
is one of those players that you have to have
a plan for. It's not just a let's rush him.
It's got to be let's rush him with a plan

(33:54):
to deal with the contingencies for when he does get
out of the pocket or he steps up and find
in space, you know, but in the middle of the
pocket to go straight up the field, So yeah, I
think they will use a spy. I would expect to
see the cashman, maybe Van Ginkle, I could see half
probably not mentalistic cashman will be my bet that they'd
use in that spot and then he try to rush

(34:15):
him from different places. But they will have to have
a plan for him, and I expect that probably will
include spying on him in a few spots.

Speaker 2 (34:21):
Are we going to be able to run to help
nine or are we just going to, like you say,
just try to try to throw the ball against a
team that has not had a particularly outstanding ability to
get home on the QB.

Speaker 6 (34:35):
Well, I think they will. They'll have to try to
throw a fair amount and I expect they will. But
test in that secondary is I think a concern, and
being able to run the ball against this group would
be helpful. It's just always that question of how much
are they going to commit to it. The fact that
Aaron Jones sounds like it's going to play certainly helps.
I mean I talked to him in the locker room

(34:57):
briefly today and he said he had the shoulder taped
up and had his toe taped up and practice and
felt fine. And he has played through enough things in
his career he didn't seem to have much question about
whether he'll be able to do it. So I think
having him is a big factor. Having him in pass
protection could also be a big factor. And then just
as a receiver, he probably gets the ball in some
of those situations. But yeah, I think they have to

(35:19):
try to run because this secondary has not given up
a lot, and there are enough veteran players that know
how to make plays in the ball that if JJ
McCarthy has some moments where he puts it into harm's way,
they may get themselves in trouble with turnovers. So I
think taking care of the ball and being able to

(35:40):
extend drives. I think even times where if he's if
nine is running a little hot, I think sometimes the
run game can be a nice way to say, hey,
hand it off here. There is a little bit of
an easy button. I think they will lean on those things.
I think it's wise to do that, and I would
expect I'll try to do some of that. Sunday.

Speaker 3 (36:00):
Thanks as always for the help. We appreciate you and
enjoy the game. Sunday. We'll chat next week, all right,
sound good, Dan, Thank you.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
Sir, that is Ben Gestling, brought to you by Standard
Heating and Air Conditioning. On the Sunday high noon game,
there'll be no Gopher football Sunday. I assume it'll be
Packer preview, believe it or not. What time will that
last get? It be right before us at eight o'clock.
Then a one hour edition of Sermons nine to ten.
Pregame show for the Vikings game will start at promptly

(36:30):
at ten a m. And then opening kickoff just about noon.
You play your night game this week right Green Bay,
Monday night. You got the Monday night or that's matchup. Yeah,
that's a really nice matchup. I assume the Bears are
also a noon game within the division. They're taking on
the Giants. That's also on on Sunday, so we will

(36:54):
have I don't know, might be some hoo's your hotline
on Sunday for Sunday Sermons because the Hoosiers are taking
on It's the trap game at Penn State. Dangerous if
you want opponent, because Packer Preview was right ahead of you.
Just stick around there it is.

Speaker 3 (37:16):
I know.

Speaker 2 (37:17):
I think he's actually been there at least once for
a game this year. If I'm not mistake. He's got
a killed there, He's got a kid exactly. It so, uh,
that will be I'm sure we'll have more Vikings conversation
by then if there's anything new.

Speaker 3 (37:31):
It is interesting to hear that.

Speaker 2 (37:34):
Guestling thinks there's a good chance even though Jones is
listed as questionable that in his conversation with him, it
sounds like.

Speaker 3 (37:40):
He's going to give it a go.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
Will he be as effective as he looked before he.

Speaker 3 (37:43):
Got hurt last week.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
I don't know, but he definitely helps the helps nine,
there's no question about that. We're out of six for
Minnesota whild hockey. That's why we're a little bit early today.
I want to remind you that if you missed any
portion of the program, it's all podcastable, of course, and
we'll be available to you sometime after the show today

(38:06):
via the free free free iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 3 (38:12):
Guest lineup today included.

Speaker 2 (38:13):
Unfortunately, Carl Gerbschmidt at three thirty as part of the
picks segment, Lavelle a lot of baseball conversation, especially with
the unveiling of the new manager that was at four
point thirty. We got into it some We ended up
in a gambling discussion that got ugly, lots of good
texts on that, and then Guessling joined us at five

(38:34):
point thirty to give us one more preview of the
Vikings Ravens game. I was about to say Browns and
the spread. We went with three and a half right
in our picks. I've seen any I've seen it as
much as four. I don't know how much movement there's been.
And nationally, when I look at all the pundits, I

(38:54):
can't find anybody picking the Viking. I might be the
only Jackal who's picked the Vikings this week, and I
may regret it.

Speaker 3 (39:03):
I don't deny it.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
It felt it doesn't feel logical, but I just have
a weird feeling that they might win this game this week. So,
by the way, we for seasonal boost here at the
fan we could We certainly could use it. We always
like it when the local team is in the mix.
You at least want them to be in the mix,
and a victory over the Ravens would most assuredly put

(39:25):
us over five hundred for the first time in a
while and will put us in the mix.

Speaker 3 (39:28):
I've got a.

Speaker 4 (39:28):
Site that has all the major debting like you can
look at a line from every company. Basically the lowest
is three and a half, but I see some as
high as four.

Speaker 3 (39:38):
And a half.

Speaker 4 (39:39):
Is that for the Ravens? Yeah, so not a lot
of love in Vegas for for your purpose.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
Definitely not. And what's the spread we want with on
your game? Packer's Eagles?

Speaker 4 (39:50):
We went with one and a half. I believe Packers favorite,
Packer's favorite. Despite what took place last week against Carolina,
every line I'm seeing is either one or one and
a half. For green Bay, You're still in first place though,
right That is correct moment, no other contexts needed, and
the Vikings are still in last place.

Speaker 2 (40:09):
If I'm not mistaken, that is also correct. But Lions
in Green Bay did kind of come back to the
pack no pun intended this last week as well, So
it it looks like it is going to shape up
to be an interesting race. And as I mentioned, the
Bears are in position with the home game against the
Giants to get the six and three. But I don't
believe it's a very legitimate six and three. But part
of that is you had you're the last place team,

(40:31):
you get the last place schedule, and to a certain extent,
they're at least taking advantage of much of that schedule
as well.

Speaker 3 (40:39):
All right, we win tonight, hockey. Did the Wild get
it done to night? What do you think?

Speaker 5 (40:43):
Fully?

Speaker 4 (40:43):
The addition of Zagurello and Eurov changes everything, and that's
really good as well.

Speaker 2 (40:48):
That's that's, that's the reason to pay attention to it
right here on the fan all by itself. Thanks for watching,
Thank you once again for listening. Enjoy the bit of
winter headed our way weekend, I'm told, and we will
talk to you on a Sunday morning at nine.

Speaker 3 (41:05):
You want wear pants, not wear pants?

Speaker 2 (41:07):
You can do one apsle you need me