January 2, 2026 • 23 mins
Tatum Everett from VEN is back for the MVP!
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome into the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. I'm your Host, Tatum
Everett and the Purple close out the regular season at
home on Sunday, trying to end the year with a
winning record is a border Battle finale when the Vikings
welcome Green Bay to US Bank Stadium for a noonkick
on CBS. We're so excited about the guests that we
have on the show. This week, we sit down with
(00:27):
Lauren Pinter, who's one of our many talented game presentation
staff members. That team is instrumental to our award winning
in game experience, and they really outdid themselves with the
winner white out on Christmas Day. Lauren will give us
all the behind the scenes tea on what went into
such a spectacular game day. But first we check in
with Good Morning Football host Mantiteo, who was at Sunday's game.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
He spent a morning at our.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
TCO studios to host Good Morning Football with Jamie Erdall,
and then they were on the broadcast team for the
Vikings Lions game. So we asked him all about that,
as well as his thoughts on fellow former Notre Dame
defensive standout and Vikings current legend Harrison Smith joining us
now is a Good Morning Football's co host, Manti Tale Mantai,
(01:14):
thank you so much for being here. I feel like
this place looks all familiar to you though.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
We miss it. We miss it. We're there obviously. Last
week for those of you who don't know, we actually
had the opportunity to bless you shooting Good Morning Football
from the Vikings facility, and everyone there was just so
welcoming and just lovely, and I thought you guys were
just tremendous hosts, and so thank you so much, guys,
We really appreciate it. We miss you.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, it wasn't your first time in the practice facility either.
You said you had visited at Winter Park, which I
thought was super interesting.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, actually it's my first time in that one, the
one that I visited coming out in twenty thirteen. I
had a little pre draft visit. It wasn't that facility.
And let me just say, that's more than just a facility.
That's like a resort over there. It's I got lost,
I mean, thank goodness, I had some help to get
to the studio, but it's it's definitely a work of art.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Speaking of work of art, how about the Vikings Defensive
performance against the Lions. What stood out to you.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
The most, Well, what stood out to me the most
has been what stood out to me, you know, since
Brian Flores has been a defensive coordinator. I love and
I don't just say that because I'm on this show,
but I love watching the defense. I think it's pure
art is as when it comes to just the tech,
the technician of the defense, just being able to disguise.
(02:39):
I am. I was blessed to be in a defense
My first four years were disguising. Was was huge in
our approach. And to see Brian Flores how he utilizes
his players, especially guys like Harrison Smith. He gives them
the luxury of doing things that maybe outside of the
lines of the defense a little bit, but that I
think adds to how difficult it is to go against
(03:02):
a defense like that. So it was beautiful to watch.
I know, Jamie Earla, I had a blast watching her
team do their thing. And me, as a defensive connoisseur,
as I like to admit that it's it was. It was.
It was a it was a performance that I think
everybody remember for a long time.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Well, let me pick your brain then, because I want
to you know, everyone talks about how difficult it is
to commit the disguise and to be able to do
that for an entire sixty minute game, right, So, so
as like from your perspective, when does it click and
how hard is it to to to be able to
pull that off each and every week for you know,
seven weeks.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Well, it takes very very smart players, it takes a
very very good coach, and so there's layers to it. Right.
Number One, I have to know my job as as
one eleven on the team. I have to know my
job in any given scheme and any given coverage, and
then to be able to take those steps to get
to where the vikings are, I have to know everybody
(04:00):
else's job around me. Why because a disguise only works
if everybody's in unison. Right. If if one guy's doing something,
a quarterback will look and be like, well, there's one
guy out of place. Like the defensive structure fits like
a puzzle. If one thing happens, if somebody is blitzing,
there should be a defensive back that's covering them a
little bit. And so for the vikings that are at
(04:22):
that level where hey, we know how the disguise things.
So well, to make this coverage look like the coverage
you want him to think we're running, but then to
have the execution and level of execution where we could
morph into the coverage that we're actually in. And I
share this on the on the broadcast on game day.
I share with a lot of young players that aren't
(04:45):
in the NFL yet, and I tell them all the time,
it's like the difference between the pro level and every
other level is the pro level is played pre snap.
And what I mean by that is, if I'm not
ninety nine point nine percent sure what you're going to
do before the ball even snaps, I'm behind the eight.
Now when you have a defense like Brian Flores's defense
where I just kind of articulated where they're moving post snap,
(05:09):
now you're put in the situation as a quarterback where
you have to diagnose things in less than two seconds
because the Minnesota front is going to get to you
in two seconds. And not a lot of people can
diagnose things in two seconds, right, And so it fits
hand in hand with the disguising, with the pressure, with
how smart the players are to get to the positions,
(05:29):
and they need to go from that disguise and it's
just a whole big dilemma for an offense.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, and it looked like that was exactly what the
Lions were up again, says the Bidens were able to
commit six turnovers, and of course one of those was
a beautiful interception by your guy, Harrison Smith, former Notre
Dame guys, and a chance for you guys to kind
of connect a little bit. I know you wore the
jersey on Good Morning Football on Monday, so thanks for that.
(05:56):
But of course, I mean it felt like Harrison was
playing some.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Of his bad US football.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
What did you see from your guy, Well, I saw.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
A guy who was just relishing in a moment, a
guy who understands that he's not in the beginning of
this career, he's towards the end, if not the end,
and if he was gonna, if he was going to
have that moment that he could look back in the
event that he steps away from the game and a
wonderful career as a Minnesota Viking that he wanted to
leave it knowing that I gave it up. I gave
(06:26):
him my all. And so the stats say what they say,
but you could see the effort that he played with.
You could see the next level of wisdom in the defense.
He was a coach out there. He wasn't just a safety,
he wasn't just a captain or a leader. He was
a coach and he's continued to be that for the
decade plus career that he's had as a Viking. And
(06:49):
just seeing him point and direct guys presnt paid let's
do this, Hey, I'm going to stand here and then
be able to do what he does from the line
of scrimmage. It was nice to watching. I cheered on.
I cheered him on during the game. I actually mentioned
him in our in our podcast that you know, if
the Vikings were going to come up with this one,
a lot of it was going to be dictated by Harrison,
(07:10):
and I wasn't trying to predict the future. But I'm
glad that he proved me right a little bit. So
I gotta shout him up for that.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
What made you feel that way so strongling.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Well, when you have the defense that Brian Flores has.
Number One is because there's so many moving parts, there
has to be somebody a voice that make sure that
everybody's on the same page. Because as as complex as
that defense is, it is so easy for one person
to not do the right thing, and if you are
not doing the right thing, that leaves a gaping hole.
(07:42):
And so I wasn't only just talking about Harrison's ability
to play this game. I was also hinting on the
fact that Harrison is that voice that the other the
other ten guys in that huddle listened to. Right And
so for this whole thing to work the way that
it's that we've enjoyed it for enjoyed it working for
a year now, Harrison has to be on his p's
(08:02):
and q's, not only doing his job, but ensuring that
the other guys are doing theirs. And then you see
what happens on Christmas Day when all of that stuff
is clicking and it's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
A lot of Vikings fans are already rilling the cries
for a gold jacket for him. What would what would
you say about? How how would you make the case
for Harrison Smith getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
You know, it's funny. I was hoping that we had
more time. After they presented the red Christmas Netflix jackets
to Ben Ginko and Murphy at the end of the game,
Jamie and I were pushing to get Harrison one, but
because they didn't give him one, I was hoping for
more time so I could make a comment. And the
comment I wanted to make was, I know that Harrison
Smith didn't get a red jacket, but I think it's
(08:47):
fitting because the reserve for the gold one. I honestly
think he's he's earned that, and he doesn't. I use
the word earned, you know, specifically, because it's he's been
everything and more, not only for that football team and
his teammates, but for the city of Minnesota. I told it.
(09:07):
I told him he and are ver ver close friends.
We played together at Notre Dame. I told him pregame.
I was like, bro, I've talked to almost everybody on
the streets as I walked around Minnesota while I was
there those three days, and everybody said something great about
Harrison Smith the man, and so I have no doubt
he'll make he'll make it to Canton. But whether he
does or not, he reminds me a lot about Drew Brees,
(09:30):
where he's a Hall of Fame player, but he's also
a Hall of Fame human being.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
That's awesome. Yeah, thanks for sharing that. That's really really cool.
One more question for you before I let you get going,
because uh, you know, here here in Minnesota, we do
pride ourselves for our game presentation and giving the best
experience for our fans. I see the smile. What did
you make of the Winter wide out? And then obviously
(09:54):
Netflix with the halftime show and just the whole atmosphere
of Christmas Day, Well.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Just together everybody. For those people who didn't see the set,
we were actually up there in the stands with everyone.
And so what we were originally gonna do is while
the game was was on, We're gonna go back to
the trucks and watch the game. But as as everybody
started to fill in the stadium and you start to
feel that energy and that excitement and they're doing the
(10:20):
skull chance and the Galla horn is going, I looked
at Jamie. I was like, Jamie, screw it, Like we're
gonna sit right here, We're and enjoy this thing from
from our seats. And what a treat it was. It
says a lot about the Minnesota Vikings fan base for
them to to to show up for their team like that,
a game where you know you're not going to the playoffs,
(10:41):
you know that you know everything is looking towards hey,
we hope we have it next year. But yet the
thing was packed and everybody was loud, and the excitement
and the cheering and all the turnovers it was. It
was a great end to a challenging year and a
year that I think none of us thought was going
(11:02):
to come for the Minnesota Vikings. I picked the Minnesota
Vikings to win the North before the season began, and
so did Jamie Eardl. So we're very, very high on
the on the Vikings, and I know the fans are too,
and I'm hoping for a better year for them next year.
But what a way to end the year at home
at US Bank Stadium. I couldn't have thought of a
better Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Gift, of course, and we still have one more left.
Can't wait to host the Packers. I have my phone
out because Manti want to make sure everyone is able
to catch you on Good Morning Football Monday through Friday,
starting at seven am Central Time on the NFL networked
for US here in Minnesota, Good Morning Football Overtime does
stream from Monday through Friday at nine am on the
Roku channel and syndicated on Fox nine Plus. I don't
(11:42):
know if you've ever I mean, I've seen it. I'm
so I love to on Fox nine Plus that starts
Monday through Friday at ten am. Manti, thank you so
much for being here and you guys were so wonderful.
We enjoyed hosting you and come back whenever you want.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Oh, we will thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Thanks so much to Manti for some of his time.
We do have to take a quick break, but when
we return, Lorn Pinter joins the show to give us
all that behind the scenes knowledge on what it took
to make the Christmas Day Games such a success. Say
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Speaker 2 (12:31):
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Speaker 3 (12:37):
My thanks, Recket, Recket are your Hey? Everybody?
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Welcome in to another episode of the Tailgate brought to
you by ticket Master. It's me your host Cy Aminsen
taking you through the final week of the NFL season
for your Minnesota Vikings. Now, normally this is a two
man show, myself the great Chad Daniels. Unfortunately, with holidays
and travel and schedules.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
The final episode of the season will be a solo one.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
It's just me.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
It's Will Jase here. I shouldn't say it's solo. Producer
Jay Nelson is here, but it'll be me. Colin cowharding
my feelings directly into a microphone as we prepare for
Packer week. For the final week, people are it's kind
of in two camps. As we are eight and eight,
(13:37):
We've won a bunch of games in a row. The
Packers are going to be without a bus load full
of people. We have a chance to go nine to eight.
And you have the people who are thrilled, they needed
some meaning, they needed some positivity. You have the other
people who are furious they wanted the draft pick. They
don't like to middle. They either want to be on
(13:58):
the top or the bottom. And I think you can
only be where you're at.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So we are at eight and eight.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
I know it's not a one for one comparison, but
I want to harken back Jay to a few years
ago when the Lions got a when the schedule was
set up weird when.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It should have been. You know, the Lions shouldn't have
known their.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Fate in my opinion, before they played on Sunday Night
Football against the Green Bay Packers. They were eliminated, and
they came out and they played their hearts out and.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Won a big game. And a lot of people have viewed.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That as the springboard into what has been the Lions run. Now,
obviously they're on a run because of all the crazy
talent and the coaching, etc.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Etc.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
But that was a big moment for them.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
And I've said this on this show before, and it's
something I'm a firm believer in, is locker rooms are
weird places. When teams start winning like that, they start
believing it, they start believing in one another. When they
start losing that way, they start believing in it, they
stop believing in one another. So every year is its
own team and its own roster and its whole own thing.
(15:09):
But it's not like this is gonna be a new
unit Florida ceiling. You have the pillars, the general manager,
the ownership, the general manager, the coach, a vast majority
of his coaching staff positional coaches, and you have a
lot of cornerstone players spread all over the roster. So yes,
(15:30):
the roster and some things are going to look different
next year, but not much. And the messaging and the
vibes and the community that's built underneath KOC isn't gonna
change significantly from what he's been doing each and every
year up and to this point. And so I don't
take lightly like would I love a high draft pick, Yes,
(15:52):
but if you're gonna win a few games and land
in the football purgatory, which is not a top five
to seven pay and not in the playoffs, well then
do it in a meaningful way. You know, you've seen
Koc at the end of each game when he does
his post games, he keeps referencing before this streak started,
go out and win one game, and then like whatever
(16:14):
this streak is that some people think is meaningless. There's
been a belief in the locker room about it. There's
been a belief and a preaching from the coaching staff
about it. And I do think that matters. I do
think it carries through. I do think for Justin Jefferson
Jordan Addison, you know, for the young guys, Dallas Turner,
Donovan Jackson, people who are gonna be here next year.
(16:35):
You know, there's a long list of those guys. I
do think it matters, and so not only am I
all in on winning this game. I don't care who
they line up. I don't I don't care if they
put their significant others or siblings on the field in
Green Bay, squash them. I like watching Green Bay lose,
even if they don't have anything to play for. Squash them,
run them into the mud, and walk out with all
(16:57):
these wins in a row.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And let's build what we're to do next.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Let's worry about next year, but let's carry that momentum
from this one, because that's the best case scenario given
you've arrived at this point.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
For sure, I think the thing that you know, coaching
staffs and teams want to do is build stability. And
if you're at the end of your season with these
different players and guys have different escalators, guys have different meanings.
All these guys are the alphas of the alphas, and
all they want to do is win. The entire thing
is to put good plays on tape and to build
a winning culture. And I think you cited the thing
that I've been thinking about all season long is the
(17:30):
end of that Lion season, and they got to the
end of the year, and then they continued that going
into next season. It's it's something that I think that
everyone that's on this roster and everyone that's going to
be on this roster next year are looking at and
pointing at, saying, finish off on a five game win streak,
which would mean Kevin O'Connell has a five game win
streak and every season he's been a coach for the Vikings.
That is a big deal. And for all of these
(17:51):
guys that can carry that momentum into the offseason into
whatever they end up retooling into and then into the
twenty twenty sixth season, which ought to be a fun one.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Yeah, I think you're right. I think you lean into it.
I think I think you build meaning into this run
in a season that didn't go where anybody wanted it
to go and did have some negativity around it. What
are the things that you can lean on and look
back at and go that that was a good thing.
I'm I'm staking my mental energy, I'm giving space to that,
(18:23):
and to me, when you talk about this win streak,
you talk about the second half of the season, it's
the defense.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
After they got healthy.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
We got a glimpse of why everybody was having this
who's the quarterback discussion, why we were talking about stuff
like that in the outseason, because it looks like a
championship caliber defense. They look like they can play with
anyone anywhere at any time. This thing where they didn't hold,
where no one got a passing touchdown on them for
however long Jay sixth Street games, that wasn't that Dak
(18:54):
was in that run. Yeah, Dak Prescott and Seedee Lamb
were in that run. And so I just think when
you look at the defense, you look at the places
that the production came from on a high level, there's
not going to be enough turnover that if we are
fortunate enough and this goes into my resolutions, but if
(19:17):
we are fortunate enough to retain the defensive coordinator and
you know, build a little bit more talent around that
side of the ball, I don't see any reason why
not only is that one of your positive pillars from
this season, but it's something that's springboards in the next
season and you should be the same amount whatever you
felt last season. I think if we get Jalen Redmand back,
(19:40):
if this thing looks you know, if Dallas Turner takes
the step forward that it looks like he's taking, there's
no reason that it shouldn't just be something you're happy
about this season, something that you're springing forward into next season.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I think the biggest thing is, you know, there's always
going to be roster turnover there. There's a host of
players at this point who are going to be unrestricted
free agents and some other people that have different designations.
But ultimately it's the same thing like we were just
talking about. It's about consistency, it's about building a winning culture,
and like you said, a lot of it's going to
depend on what happens with the defensive coordinator. It's also
going to depend on what's going to happen with some
of those players that have been playing out of their
(20:15):
minds this season.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
You cited Jalen Redman.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Redman's the guy that's and he's going to be a
highly sought after piece of the puzzle here in the
upcoming offseason, and so it's going to be very interesting
to see what happens with him, and I just think
if you can bring a guy like that back into
the fold and pay him and keep him for the future,
I think that is a guy you can build around
as a young talent for this defense.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Let me do the other one the other, you know,
because this is a subset. This is the year in review,
the second thing I'm leaning on, But it's a it's
a bullet point of the header that is the defense.
When are we going to start talking about Andrew van
Ginkel as more than a high level unique gadget The
way he's discussed by media and by you know, fans
(20:59):
got in this guy, we're any unique?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Oh he's so smart? Any Like, I'm over it.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
And maybe part of it is you couldn't find a
more perfect marriage than him and the defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
They really work together.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Flores knew that brought him in and it's but I
don't want to be dramatic to be like, this is
a guy that should be talked about in Defensive Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
But it's not a fluke.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
What he did last year, those interceptions, the ballhawk always
being in the right place. He's an absolute freak, and
I think we need to move from discussing his unique
Swiss army gadget nature into starting to discuss him amongst
the better and or best all around defensive players in
(21:40):
the league, because that's what he looks like. It's not
a small sample size anymore. It's two seasons.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
He's one hundred percent of difference. Maanker, I remember coming
out of Miami, everyone's like, this guy just flashes whenever
he gets into games. And I think you talked about
the fact that he had the multiple pick sixes last
season that really put him on the map for us,
But then you just you see him out there making
those similar kind of plays, just game in and game out.
About the fact that, you know, being a former quarterback,
he kind of understands what they're looking for and what
they're trying to do, so he masks it as well
(22:05):
as he does. And the guy's been nothing but absolutely
a plus for us since he walked in the door.
So Fan Ginkle's a guy that you noticed when he
wasn't on the field, and when he got back, you
started to see different things pop off. You started to
see other people around him benefiting from the plays that
he was making. And so he's a guy another one.
It's just like, that is a guy you can help
build around on this defense moving forward.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
It reminds me with him of the early Patriots team,
because when that two thousand, two thousand and one, two
three four, when that first run of the Patriots was
winning and having success, I remember what the narrative was.
It was all these you know, hardened dads across America going, see,
that's how you win. No egos, no superstars, just a team.
(22:50):
And the truth was, we just didn't realize how many.
It took a minute to go, oh, there's a bunch
of borderline Hall of famers and Hall of famers on
this team.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Guys that were yeah weekend and week out that end
up becoming Pro Bowlers and then stuck in Canton with
bust after bust.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Yeah, you just didn't recognize it at the time. And
I wonder to the Van Ginkle thing, would like, he's
a gadget player, he's everywhere. Is this that I wonder
if years from now we will look back and go, oh,
you mean one of the best players in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
That's maybe I'm.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Being a little ridiculous, but I just have such a
high level of belief in what that guy is and
what his ceiling is, that that's number two for me.
Stick around for more after the break Right here on
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(23:42):
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Vikings
Welcome into the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. I'm your Host, Tatum
Everett and the Purple close out the regular season at
home on Sunday, trying to end the year with a
winning record is a border Battle finale when the Vikings
welcome Green Bay to US Bank Stadium for a noonkick
on CBS. We're so excited about the guests that we
have on the show. This week, we sit down with
(00:27):
Lauren Pinter, who's one of our many talented game presentation
staff members. That team is instrumental to our award winning
in game experience, and they really outdid themselves with the
winner white out on Christmas Day. Lauren will give us
all the behind the scenes tea on what went into
such a spectacular game day. But first we check in
with Good Morning Football host Mantiteo, who was at Sunday's game.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
He spent a morning at our.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
TCO studios to host Good Morning Football with Jamie Erdall,
and then they were on the broadcast team for the
Vikings Lions game. So we asked him all about that,
as well as his thoughts on fellow former Notre Dame
defensive standout and Vikings current legend Harrison Smith joining us
now is a Good Morning Football's co host, Manti Tale Mantai,
(01:14):
thank you so much for being here. I feel like
this place looks all familiar to you though.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
We miss it. We miss it. We're there obviously. Last
week for those of you who don't know, we actually
had the opportunity to bless you shooting Good Morning Football
from the Vikings facility, and everyone there was just so
welcoming and just lovely, and I thought you guys were
just tremendous hosts, and so thank you so much, guys,
We really appreciate it. We miss you.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, it wasn't your first time in the practice facility either.
You said you had visited at Winter Park, which I
thought was super interesting.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, actually it's my first time in that one, the
one that I visited coming out in twenty thirteen. I
had a little pre draft visit. It wasn't that facility.
And let me just say, that's more than just a facility.
That's like a resort over there. It's I got lost,
I mean, thank goodness, I had some help to get
to the studio, but it's it's definitely a work of art.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Speaking of work of art, how about the Vikings Defensive
performance against the Lions. What stood out to you.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
The most, Well, what stood out to me the most
has been what stood out to me, you know, since
Brian Flores has been a defensive coordinator. I love and
I don't just say that because I'm on this show,
but I love watching the defense. I think it's pure
art is as when it comes to just the tech,
the technician of the defense, just being able to disguise.
(02:39):
I am. I was blessed to be in a defense
My first four years were disguising. Was was huge in
our approach. And to see Brian Flores how he utilizes
his players, especially guys like Harrison Smith. He gives them
the luxury of doing things that maybe outside of the
lines of the defense a little bit, but that I
think adds to how difficult it is to go against
(03:02):
a defense like that. So it was beautiful to watch.
I know, Jamie Earla, I had a blast watching her
team do their thing. And me, as a defensive connoisseur,
as I like to admit that it's it was. It was.
It was a it was a performance that I think
everybody remember for a long time.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Well, let me pick your brain then, because I want
to you know, everyone talks about how difficult it is
to commit the disguise and to be able to do
that for an entire sixty minute game, right, So, so
as like from your perspective, when does it click and
how hard is it to to to be able to
pull that off each and every week for you know,
seven weeks.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Well, it takes very very smart players, it takes a
very very good coach, and so there's layers to it. Right.
Number One, I have to know my job as as
one eleven on the team. I have to know my
job in any given scheme and any given coverage, and
then to be able to take those steps to get
to where the vikings are, I have to know everybody
(04:00):
else's job around me. Why because a disguise only works
if everybody's in unison. Right. If if one guy's doing something,
a quarterback will look and be like, well, there's one
guy out of place. Like the defensive structure fits like
a puzzle. If one thing happens, if somebody is blitzing,
there should be a defensive back that's covering them a
little bit. And so for the vikings that are at
(04:22):
that level where hey, we know how the disguise things.
So well, to make this coverage look like the coverage
you want him to think we're running, but then to
have the execution and level of execution where we could
morph into the coverage that we're actually in. And I
share this on the on the broadcast on game day.
I share with a lot of young players that aren't
(04:45):
in the NFL yet, and I tell them all the time,
it's like the difference between the pro level and every
other level is the pro level is played pre snap.
And what I mean by that is, if I'm not
ninety nine point nine percent sure what you're going to
do before the ball even snaps, I'm behind the eight.
Now when you have a defense like Brian Flores's defense
where I just kind of articulated where they're moving post snap,
(05:09):
now you're put in the situation as a quarterback where
you have to diagnose things in less than two seconds
because the Minnesota front is going to get to you
in two seconds. And not a lot of people can
diagnose things in two seconds, right, And so it fits
hand in hand with the disguising, with the pressure, with
how smart the players are to get to the positions,
(05:29):
and they need to go from that disguise and it's
just a whole big dilemma for an offense.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, and it looked like that was exactly what the
Lions were up again, says the Bidens were able to
commit six turnovers, and of course one of those was
a beautiful interception by your guy, Harrison Smith, former Notre
Dame guys, and a chance for you guys to kind
of connect a little bit. I know you wore the
jersey on Good Morning Football on Monday, so thanks for that.
(05:56):
But of course, I mean it felt like Harrison was
playing some.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Of his bad US football.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
What did you see from your guy, Well, I saw.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
A guy who was just relishing in a moment, a
guy who understands that he's not in the beginning of
this career, he's towards the end, if not the end,
and if he was gonna, if he was going to
have that moment that he could look back in the
event that he steps away from the game and a
wonderful career as a Minnesota Viking that he wanted to
leave it knowing that I gave it up. I gave
(06:26):
him my all. And so the stats say what they say,
but you could see the effort that he played with.
You could see the next level of wisdom in the defense.
He was a coach out there. He wasn't just a safety,
he wasn't just a captain or a leader. He was
a coach and he's continued to be that for the
decade plus career that he's had as a Viking. And
(06:49):
just seeing him point and direct guys presnt paid let's
do this, Hey, I'm going to stand here and then
be able to do what he does from the line
of scrimmage. It was nice to watching. I cheered on.
I cheered him on during the game. I actually mentioned
him in our in our podcast that you know, if
the Vikings were going to come up with this one,
a lot of it was going to be dictated by Harrison,
(07:10):
and I wasn't trying to predict the future. But I'm
glad that he proved me right a little bit. So
I gotta shout him up for that.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
What made you feel that way so strongling.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Well, when you have the defense that Brian Flores has.
Number One is because there's so many moving parts, there
has to be somebody a voice that make sure that
everybody's on the same page. Because as as complex as
that defense is, it is so easy for one person
to not do the right thing, and if you are
not doing the right thing, that leaves a gaping hole.
(07:42):
And so I wasn't only just talking about Harrison's ability
to play this game. I was also hinting on the
fact that Harrison is that voice that the other the
other ten guys in that huddle listened to. Right And
so for this whole thing to work the way that
it's that we've enjoyed it for enjoyed it working for
a year now, Harrison has to be on his p's
(08:02):
and q's, not only doing his job, but ensuring that
the other guys are doing theirs. And then you see
what happens on Christmas Day when all of that stuff
is clicking and it's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
A lot of Vikings fans are already rilling the cries
for a gold jacket for him. What would what would
you say about? How how would you make the case
for Harrison Smith getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
You know, it's funny. I was hoping that we had
more time. After they presented the red Christmas Netflix jackets
to Ben Ginko and Murphy at the end of the game,
Jamie and I were pushing to get Harrison one, but
because they didn't give him one, I was hoping for
more time so I could make a comment. And the
comment I wanted to make was, I know that Harrison
Smith didn't get a red jacket, but I think it's
(08:47):
fitting because the reserve for the gold one. I honestly
think he's he's earned that, and he doesn't. I use
the word earned, you know, specifically, because it's he's been
everything and more, not only for that football team and
his teammates, but for the city of Minnesota. I told it.
(09:07):
I told him he and are ver ver close friends.
We played together at Notre Dame. I told him pregame.
I was like, bro, I've talked to almost everybody on
the streets as I walked around Minnesota while I was
there those three days, and everybody said something great about
Harrison Smith the man, and so I have no doubt
he'll make he'll make it to Canton. But whether he
does or not, he reminds me a lot about Drew Brees,
(09:30):
where he's a Hall of Fame player, but he's also
a Hall of Fame human being.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
That's awesome. Yeah, thanks for sharing that. That's really really cool.
One more question for you before I let you get going,
because uh, you know, here here in Minnesota, we do
pride ourselves for our game presentation and giving the best
experience for our fans. I see the smile. What did
you make of the Winter wide out? And then obviously
(09:54):
Netflix with the halftime show and just the whole atmosphere
of Christmas Day, Well.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Just together everybody. For those people who didn't see the set,
we were actually up there in the stands with everyone.
And so what we were originally gonna do is while
the game was was on, We're gonna go back to
the trucks and watch the game. But as as everybody
started to fill in the stadium and you start to
feel that energy and that excitement and they're doing the
(10:20):
skull chance and the Galla horn is going, I looked
at Jamie. I was like, Jamie, screw it, Like we're
gonna sit right here, We're and enjoy this thing from
from our seats. And what a treat it was. It
says a lot about the Minnesota Vikings fan base for
them to to to show up for their team like that,
a game where you know you're not going to the playoffs,
(10:41):
you know that you know everything is looking towards hey,
we hope we have it next year. But yet the
thing was packed and everybody was loud, and the excitement
and the cheering and all the turnovers it was. It
was a great end to a challenging year and a
year that I think none of us thought was going
(11:02):
to come for the Minnesota Vikings. I picked the Minnesota
Vikings to win the North before the season began, and
so did Jamie Eardl. So we're very, very high on
the on the Vikings, and I know the fans are too,
and I'm hoping for a better year for them next year.
But what a way to end the year at home
at US Bank Stadium. I couldn't have thought of a
better Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Gift, of course, and we still have one more left.
Can't wait to host the Packers. I have my phone
out because Manti want to make sure everyone is able
to catch you on Good Morning Football Monday through Friday,
starting at seven am Central Time on the NFL networked
for US here in Minnesota, Good Morning Football Overtime does
stream from Monday through Friday at nine am on the
Roku channel and syndicated on Fox nine Plus. I don't
(11:42):
know if you've ever I mean, I've seen it. I'm
so I love to on Fox nine Plus that starts
Monday through Friday at ten am. Manti, thank you so
much for being here and you guys were so wonderful.
We enjoyed hosting you and come back whenever you want.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Oh, we will thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Thanks so much to Manti for some of his time.
We do have to take a quick break, but when
we return, Lorn Pinter joins the show to give us
all that behind the scenes knowledge on what it took
to make the Christmas Day Games such a success. Say
hello to flawlessly smooth skin at pure Lux Medspa, the
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for collagen induction therapy.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
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Com backslash Vikings for exclusive offers to Vikings fans.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
My thanks, Recket, Recket are your Hey? Everybody?
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Welcome in to another episode of the Tailgate brought to
you by ticket Master. It's me your host Cy Aminsen
taking you through the final week of the NFL season
for your Minnesota Vikings. Now, normally this is a two
man show, myself the great Chad Daniels. Unfortunately, with holidays
and travel and schedules.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
The final episode of the season will be a solo one.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
It's just me.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
It's Will Jase here. I shouldn't say it's solo. Producer
Jay Nelson is here, but it'll be me. Colin cowharding
my feelings directly into a microphone as we prepare for
Packer week. For the final week, people are it's kind
of in two camps. As we are eight and eight,
(13:37):
We've won a bunch of games in a row. The
Packers are going to be without a bus load full
of people. We have a chance to go nine to eight.
And you have the people who are thrilled, they needed
some meaning, they needed some positivity. You have the other
people who are furious they wanted the draft pick. They
don't like to middle. They either want to be on
(13:58):
the top or the bottom. And I think you can
only be where you're at.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
So we are at eight and eight.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
I know it's not a one for one comparison, but
I want to harken back Jay to a few years
ago when the Lions got a when the schedule was
set up weird when.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
It should have been. You know, the Lions shouldn't have
known their.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
Fate in my opinion, before they played on Sunday Night
Football against the Green Bay Packers. They were eliminated, and
they came out and they played their hearts out and.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Won a big game. And a lot of people have viewed.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
That as the springboard into what has been the Lions run. Now,
obviously they're on a run because of all the crazy
talent and the coaching, etc.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Etc.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
But that was a big moment for them.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
And I've said this on this show before, and it's
something I'm a firm believer in, is locker rooms are
weird places. When teams start winning like that, they start
believing it, they start believing in one another. When they
start losing that way, they start believing in it, they
stop believing in one another. So every year is its
own team and its own roster and its whole own thing.
(15:09):
But it's not like this is gonna be a new
unit Florida ceiling. You have the pillars, the general manager,
the ownership, the general manager, the coach, a vast majority
of his coaching staff positional coaches, and you have a
lot of cornerstone players spread all over the roster. So yes,
(15:30):
the roster and some things are going to look different
next year, but not much. And the messaging and the
vibes and the community that's built underneath KOC isn't gonna
change significantly from what he's been doing each and every
year up and to this point. And so I don't
take lightly like would I love a high draft pick, Yes,
(15:52):
but if you're gonna win a few games and land
in the football purgatory, which is not a top five
to seven pay and not in the playoffs, well then
do it in a meaningful way. You know, you've seen
Koc at the end of each game when he does
his post games, he keeps referencing before this streak started,
go out and win one game, and then like whatever
(16:14):
this streak is that some people think is meaningless. There's
been a belief in the locker room about it. There's
been a belief and a preaching from the coaching staff
about it. And I do think that matters. I do
think it carries through. I do think for Justin Jefferson
Jordan Addison, you know, for the young guys, Dallas Turner,
Donovan Jackson, people who are gonna be here next year.
(16:35):
You know, there's a long list of those guys. I
do think it matters, and so not only am I
all in on winning this game. I don't care who
they line up. I don't I don't care if they
put their significant others or siblings on the field in
Green Bay, squash them. I like watching Green Bay lose,
even if they don't have anything to play for. Squash them,
run them into the mud, and walk out with all
(16:57):
these wins in a row.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And let's build what we're to do next.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Let's worry about next year, but let's carry that momentum
from this one, because that's the best case scenario given
you've arrived at this point.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
For sure, I think the thing that you know, coaching
staffs and teams want to do is build stability. And
if you're at the end of your season with these
different players and guys have different escalators, guys have different meanings.
All these guys are the alphas of the alphas, and
all they want to do is win. The entire thing
is to put good plays on tape and to build
a winning culture. And I think you cited the thing
that I've been thinking about all season long is the
(17:30):
end of that Lion season, and they got to the
end of the year, and then they continued that going
into next season. It's it's something that I think that
everyone that's on this roster and everyone that's going to
be on this roster next year are looking at and
pointing at, saying, finish off on a five game win streak,
which would mean Kevin O'Connell has a five game win
streak and every season he's been a coach for the Vikings.
That is a big deal. And for all of these
(17:51):
guys that can carry that momentum into the offseason into
whatever they end up retooling into and then into the
twenty twenty sixth season, which ought to be a fun one.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Yeah, I think you're right. I think you lean into it.
I think I think you build meaning into this run
in a season that didn't go where anybody wanted it
to go and did have some negativity around it. What
are the things that you can lean on and look
back at and go that that was a good thing.
I'm I'm staking my mental energy, I'm giving space to that,
(18:23):
and to me, when you talk about this win streak,
you talk about the second half of the season, it's
the defense.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
After they got healthy.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
We got a glimpse of why everybody was having this
who's the quarterback discussion, why we were talking about stuff
like that in the outseason, because it looks like a
championship caliber defense. They look like they can play with
anyone anywhere at any time. This thing where they didn't hold,
where no one got a passing touchdown on them for
however long Jay sixth Street games, that wasn't that Dak
(18:54):
was in that run. Yeah, Dak Prescott and Seedee Lamb
were in that run. And so I just think when
you look at the defense, you look at the places
that the production came from on a high level, there's
not going to be enough turnover that if we are
fortunate enough and this goes into my resolutions, but if
(19:17):
we are fortunate enough to retain the defensive coordinator and
you know, build a little bit more talent around that
side of the ball, I don't see any reason why
not only is that one of your positive pillars from
this season, but it's something that's springboards in the next
season and you should be the same amount whatever you
felt last season. I think if we get Jalen Redmand back,
(19:40):
if this thing looks you know, if Dallas Turner takes
the step forward that it looks like he's taking, there's
no reason that it shouldn't just be something you're happy
about this season, something that you're springing forward into next season.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I think the biggest thing is, you know, there's always
going to be roster turnover there. There's a host of
players at this point who are going to be unrestricted
free agents and some other people that have different designations.
But ultimately it's the same thing like we were just
talking about. It's about consistency, it's about building a winning culture,
and like you said, a lot of it's going to
depend on what happens with the defensive coordinator. It's also
going to depend on what's going to happen with some
of those players that have been playing out of their
(20:15):
minds this season.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
You cited Jalen Redman.
Speaker 5 (20:18):
Redman's the guy that's and he's going to be a
highly sought after piece of the puzzle here in the
upcoming offseason, and so it's going to be very interesting
to see what happens with him, and I just think
if you can bring a guy like that back into
the fold and pay him and keep him for the future,
I think that is a guy you can build around
as a young talent for this defense.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Let me do the other one the other, you know,
because this is a subset. This is the year in review,
the second thing I'm leaning on, But it's a it's
a bullet point of the header that is the defense.
When are we going to start talking about Andrew van
Ginkel as more than a high level unique gadget The
way he's discussed by media and by you know, fans
(20:59):
got in this guy, we're any unique?
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Oh he's so smart? Any Like, I'm over it.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
And maybe part of it is you couldn't find a
more perfect marriage than him and the defensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
They really work together.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Flores knew that brought him in and it's but I
don't want to be dramatic to be like, this is
a guy that should be talked about in Defensive Player
of the Year.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
But it's not a fluke.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
What he did last year, those interceptions, the ballhawk always
being in the right place. He's an absolute freak, and
I think we need to move from discussing his unique
Swiss army gadget nature into starting to discuss him amongst
the better and or best all around defensive players in
(21:40):
the league, because that's what he looks like. It's not
a small sample size anymore. It's two seasons.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
He's one hundred percent of difference. Maanker, I remember coming
out of Miami, everyone's like, this guy just flashes whenever
he gets into games. And I think you talked about
the fact that he had the multiple pick sixes last
season that really put him on the map for us,
But then you just you see him out there making
those similar kind of plays, just game in and game out.
About the fact that, you know, being a former quarterback,
he kind of understands what they're looking for and what
they're trying to do, so he masks it as well
(22:05):
as he does. And the guy's been nothing but absolutely
a plus for us since he walked in the door.
So Fan Ginkle's a guy that you noticed when he
wasn't on the field, and when he got back, you
started to see different things pop off. You started to
see other people around him benefiting from the plays that
he was making. And so he's a guy another one.
It's just like, that is a guy you can help
build around on this defense moving forward.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
It reminds me with him of the early Patriots team,
because when that two thousand, two thousand and one, two
three four, when that first run of the Patriots was
winning and having success, I remember what the narrative was.
It was all these you know, hardened dads across America going, see,
that's how you win. No egos, no superstars, just a team.
(22:50):
And the truth was, we just didn't realize how many.
It took a minute to go, oh, there's a bunch
of borderline Hall of famers and Hall of famers on
this team.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
That's what I was gonna say.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Guys that were yeah weekend and week out that end
up becoming Pro Bowlers and then stuck in Canton with
bust after bust.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Yeah, you just didn't recognize it at the time. And
I wonder to the Van Ginkle thing, would like, he's
a gadget player, he's everywhere. Is this that I wonder
if years from now we will look back and go, oh,
you mean one of the best players in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
That's maybe I'm.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Being a little ridiculous, but I just have such a
high level of belief in what that guy is and
what his ceiling is, that that's number two for me.
Stick around for more after the break Right here on
the Vikings tail get presented by Ticketmaster, but first as
the official ticket marketplace of the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL.
(23:42):
Ticketmaster is the safest and most convenient marketplace to score
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