January 5, 2026 • 50 mins
Vikes beat the Pack 16-3 and their season ends on a 5-game win streak. Reaction, drive-by player chats, Vikes Bites and a few listener talkbacks during the opening hour!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Okay, Happy Monday to you and welcome to
nine to Noon. Excellent work per usual by the master
mixer of the Monday Montage, Eric Nordquisz, producer of nine
to Noon and one of the co hosts of the
Friday football Feast. Ain't no feast, Ain't no feast anymore Feastless.
(00:23):
Talked to Wayne Larravy this morning, missed him on the
phone call play by play guy for Green Bay Packers,
and he called back, I missed it.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Let me this voicemail Chicago BESN.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Meanwhile, given the Bears beat the Packers a couple of
weeks ago, Matt Lafleur I had a lot to say
following a yesterday's l to the Minnesota Vikings, but when
pressed on his matchup potentially against the Chicago Bears in
the postseason, mister Laflour said.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And I will have my venges in this life for
the next.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I wonder if we ever nine to Noon will Montage
end of a season with Queen.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
And we are the champions.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
I wonder if nine to Noon ever will Montage end
of a long season with Queen. We are the champions
every single year, every single year. It's Brian McKnight and
(01:35):
one last cry and that seems to be what it
was yesterday at us Bank Stadium for the likes of
Harrison Smith, c j Ham, members of their families in
the stands, and even some teammates. C j Ham is
a professional and personal mentor for young Vikings running back
(02:00):
Xavier Scott, and Xavier was very emotional on the sideline
as cj Ham was embracing set back and his teammates
tears dropped the eye of the Duluth native two. Green
Bay went third preseason game on it with the Sorels
(02:22):
and Kenny James of the world. Lafleur took a time
out with the second left to make sure his squad
didn't get shut out. The venerable cj Ham scored the
game's only touchdown. Took both teams an hour to convert
a third down Dallas Turner. Dallas Turner took advantage of
an overmatched backup tackle, which is what he's supposed to do.
(02:44):
It looks like he's heading the right way in a hurry.
Reiker's the best kicker in the National Football League and
don't at me, Will Reiker is the best kicker in
the National Football League, and don't at me Jefferson at
his first one hundred yard game since London and Green
Bay heads to the wild Card round to play Chicago.
(03:07):
And it stinks the Minnesota Vikings are not going to
the playoffs. Seriously. I don't use the word hate frequently.
I just hate it. I just hate it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Hate it.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Expected to play out birth into the season, didn't get it.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Three quarterbacks played.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Two would be too many, and a season that was
a big fat uh uh ran my floor as to
Pittsburgh scenario and for Ol Friday at the feast by
somebody who knows more about the inner workings of the
game than me.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And I'm now off that take up and at him?
Ye allan up and at him. I'm now off that take.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Hear me when I tell you this, I am off
my big Tomlin will fix the race with the Rooney's take.
Let the record show plenty of time to chat b
flow in the Minnesota bike, plenty of time to discuss
McCarthy and the play leave play leave, play leave, play
leave and so on. I would love to see the
(04:10):
defense and the kicker in the playoffs. I think everybody
else would too. The supports Minnesota Vikings football and are
take it a day with the twenty four hour rule
to just hate the fact that Minnesota Vikings are not
in the postseason. But case arasserra right, whatever will be
will be case Arrasserrah. So, what did you think of
(04:31):
the season? Talkbacks around nine to forty five and during
the week of interested talkbacks on all this Vikings non
playoffs stuff, and if you're so inclined, the careers of
twenty two and thirty and your chance to be heard
via the free iHeart audio app downloaded. Now that's where
(04:53):
you do the talkbacks. But first our final locker room
drive bys of twenty twenty five. The Minnesota Vikings finished
on a five game winning streak and O'Connell has won
more than he's lost three of his four years.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Harry and C. J.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Ham were common threads in the chats, and we started
with safety Theo Jackson, my man won fifty seven games
to start his career sans a sack, and now he
has won in consecutive games. Leo Jackson started the drive
bys with the safety asking him Theo overall, what did
you think of this old nine to eight?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
You know, it was definitely a season that we didn't
plan on having. You know, I feel like we had
a lot of growth since since the start of the season.
To finish off this way, you know, I feel like
that were going in the right direction for next year.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And the Vikings beat Green Bay by thirteen to close festivity.
It's very emotional with Kevin the coach taking a time
out so Harrison Smith can get that ovation. And just
like the Lions game, you guys went to eleven on
him on the sideline. You know, if this is it
for Harrison Smith, you being a safety, what what have
you learned from him?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Like?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
What? What? What? What can you model after? The way
he plays?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Honestly, it's kind of hard to model to to, but
you know, just I feel like just the way he
thinks about the game, you know, the way he moves
during during the game. I feel like I've picked up
a lot on that, and you know, just really just
trusting what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And lastly, what about c J. Ham?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
I mean CJ got super emotional too at the end.
Holy cow. I mean, a couple of great guys and
dynamite players, but c J. Ham too, Man, what's it
what's it like?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
What?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
What has it been? Like being a teammate with CJ.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
That's my dog man, you know, special teams. Me and him,
we bump bonded a lot over over over these last
four years.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Uh, that's tough. I don't even know what to even
say about c C CJ. Like it's nothing but great
things that you can say about C CJ. So you know,
I told me this with me, I said, I hate it,
but I love that for you, you know. So you know,
probably I'm probably gonna call them a couple of times,
but you know, I'm happy for him.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I enjoy your off season.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Thank you for your kindness as usual, and congratulations, I'm
finishing with a winning record.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Thank you, appreciate you. That's THEO Jackson.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
As the drive buys are underway here in a Minnesota
Vikings locker room that is celebratory following a sixteen to
three victory over the Green Bay Packers. Border Battle one
thirty one goes the way of the Minnesota Vikings and
let's see what we can do over here. They're rolling
(07:43):
in and out of this locker room. And here we go.
A couple of offensive linemen too, of my favorite to
Michael Jergins. Not many starts. I have less than a
handful of starts for you, ma'am, but they came at
the end and and you you played quite well. What
do you think can possibly pave the way not only
(08:05):
for you, but like the offensive line and everything moving forward.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
I think it's just continuing to get reps all together.
You know, like you said, we a lot of different
combinations in the line this year. You know, I'll say
it a little differently than you said it, but you know,
we have a lot of fun together. We spend a
lot of time together. And I think you know, we
were an ascending group and throughout the all season we're
going to continue to ascend. And I think it was
a special group and we were playing our best football
here at the end of the year. And you know,
(08:32):
just going to hit that stride in the off season
and carry that momentum.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
It's like twenty four to twenty five different offensive line
combinations this year.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
It's been unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
And and you're still very young in your career and
there are many many starts ahead of you as your
career rolls on, Like what what did this experience help
you with? Going against the likes of Alee McNeil and
then the Packers today stuff like that, like, like, what
did you learn into the season that really has you
pining to come back and improve next year?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
You know, I think it's just taking those reps and
learning what it's like to be out there in a
game and understanding what to focus on, understanding to hear
in the play call, how to make the calls that
it's best for the line, especially.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
For me coming from an RPO system.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
Learning how the different aiming points in the blocks and
how to attack those combos. Something I've gotten more comfortable
with throughout the year. And you know, something that now
I've gotten game reps and experience with and continue to
visualize and grow on it, and you know, do a
lot of that in the whole season.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
My man, what can you say about the guy to
my right, Will Fries, I mean, all those offensive line combinations,
My man's out here starting all seventeen.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
I don't believe that guy missed a snap.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Yeah, he's a warrior, especially coming off a you know,
I don't want to say it, but you know, after
last season, and it's a great guy, great, great to
have in the room.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
He's awesome, He's he's really happy he's here.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Enjoy your off season. Thank you for the job. Oh appreciation,
Michael Jurgens, Will Will seventeen stars didn't miss a snap.
I mean we we've discussed it before a little bit.
We ain't got to get in depth into it, but
I mean, like when you got here, you were coming
off a pretty significant injury, and you know, watching you
and training camp and stuff like that, it just seemed.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
From afar because you've had an excellent career.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
You know that Will's working himself back into shape and
then off the injury and everything, and then boom, we
play against the Bears a soldier field and just finished
beating the Green Bay Packers for a nine to eight record,
and you made all the starts. I mean, that's just congratulations. Man.
I know you're paid to do that. But all those
offensive line combinations that had to be difficult, right.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
You know, I'm first off, I'm really lucky to be
able to make it through the year healthy, and I
have a lot of really good teamates lean on. You know,
it wasn't easy the whole year, but you know, having
guys like you know, Brian Oilex to me, Ryan Kelly
and you know, Michael Jurgen stepping late in the air,
Like those guys are rocks and it's awesome playing next
to him, and you know, they they you know, home
in the entire year, you know, kind of kind of
make it through. So I gotta give all my credit
(10:44):
to the teammates, and you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Tackle Brian O'Neil played in his seventeenth border battle today
against Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And you know, even like Blake Brandle, I mean the.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Position flexibility he has he had to step in for
Brian in that Detroit game. I mean, you guys have
depth with this, but really it just seems I'm afar
like it was a very cohesive, tight group, like you
guys really enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
Oh man, it's it's the best group of guys in
the world. I wouldn't want to play with anyone else.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
The way they you know, accepted me into the group,
you know, coming from a different team, and the way
we're able to grow the whole year, and like you
kind of said, all those different line combinations kind of
help out.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
It's it's tough at first, but when you start getting
rips next to each other and learning each other, it
just helps the whole group grow as a whole. And uh,
you know, those guys I got their chance to play.
You're gonna keep getting better. It's a big off season
for everyone and you know we got a lot to
build off and look forward to this offseason.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Well, you're fantastic.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
It was great getting to know you a lot better
this or getting to know you period. But as well
as we did by the end of the year, You're
very good at what you do.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Man.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Look forward to calling your games next year. Thank you
very much, appreciate it. Yeah, but that's up. Well, Fries,
thank you by the way for uh we said last week.
My wife loved it, so can't remember what I said,
but it sounds like it was complimentary and and God
bless you and your family. Okay, Will Fries started all
seventeen games, all right, last drive by, I mean I
got to say good. Yeah, look at that big SMI
(12:00):
right there in those nice chains.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Congratulations on joining Randy ho F and Mike Evans as
a future hof for sure is one of only three
to have at least one thousand yards in six seasons.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
You had more than one hundred yards today.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Thank heavens for the first time since that Cleveland Tottenham
Hotspur game and also earlier in the week.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Man, I was there for it. I came out for
it too, to see your reaction.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The Uh, I'm the announcer, I'm not really media, but
but you know, you and I do so much work
together during the season. Man, I wanted to see you
accept that media Corey Stringer Good Guy Award for the
second time. I believe too. So what's that mean to
you when when the media acknowledges you like that.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
No, it means a lot, just just after this season.
It's been a difficult season emotionally, physically, you know. So
it's just it is part of my job to, you know,
come here. You know, I got that C on my chest.
I'm classified the leader leader of this team. So h
it's up to me, you know, whether I come in
(13:02):
in the building and I continue to lead, continue to
have that high spirit and continue to motivate my teammates
to continue to push forward. Uh, rather than you know,
having my head down and being negative and really giving
up on the on the season. So uh, I love
this team. I love this game of football that I
play every single day. So it's just you know about
(13:22):
being blessed to come out here and and playing this
this sport that I love at the highest highest level. So, uh,
it's it's really, it's really just it's just one of
those tough ones, man. You know, it's it's I hate
to see, you know, this beat our last opportunity of
this season. I hate to see my dog, Harry and
(13:43):
c J him go out.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (13:46):
But the fact that we finished the season five straight
wins and uh, you know we can come in and
lock on with a happy smile on our face and
uh with that pride and joy about continue to finish,
finish the season and continue on to next season.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
So uh, it's definitely a journey.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Justin what was it like having CJ.
Speaker 7 (14:04):
Hamm as a teammate a great phenomenal just to hear
his story when I first came in, to see him lead,
to see him blossom as a as a player. You know,
it's not too many fullbacks that's still in his lead.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (14:18):
So for him to continue to be a main role
in our offense, to score today, Uh, to to have
his last touchdown on his field in front of his family,
in front of his fans, that's just that's the thing
that means the most, uh, you know, to to see
him crying with emotions about the love that he had
for this game, the love that he had for his
teammates in this organization.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Uh. That that that really means a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
And lastly, you decompression time, right, just just get away
wherever you're gonna go, go to your family or whatever,
and just like what do you do? I mean, because
you know it needs to be better next year, not you,
the the passing part needs to be better next year.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
McCarthy started just game today.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
So if you look at Drake May and bo Nix
and all those quarter kaleb, you know, through their first
ten games they had some problems too. So I mean,
the young man needs more opportunity.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Right, Oh for sure. And we definitely will connect more.
Speaker 7 (15:13):
Our relationship will be connected connected more throughout this offseason.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
So we don't have the same results.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
So we don't come back and say we should have
did this or we're regretting you know, different moves or
different decisions that we made. So it's up to me,
is up to the guys in this in this room
to get better and to continue to get better.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (15:34):
And as a captain, as a leader, as one of
the best receivers of the league. I got to, you know,
get my young game with me and connect with him
more and more. So that's definitely the plan this off season.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
We can eliminate one of and just go with the
best receiver in the NFL because you are and man,
there was a touchdown earlier this season here where you
were just blocking your tail off to get.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
The running game into the end zone.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
So you know what I think you your man, You're fantastic.
Thank you very much for the kindness all year and
to make God bless you and your family always appreciate you, Paul,
Thank you Sea about that's Justin Jefferson, Love you, jo.
Justin Jefferson the best wide receiver in the NFL with
a with a drive by see you about Brian O'Neil
seventeenth border battle against Green Bay and chatted with Jurgens
(16:19):
and Will Fries a little bit.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But man, I mean you've been through and scene a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
But I mean, like twenty three, twenty four, twenty five
different offensive line combinations this year, that's that's just crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Huh.
Speaker 8 (16:29):
Yeah, it's not ideal, but you know, we made the
most of it, and uh, you know, a lot of
credits to the guys who came in that weren't expecting
to have to play a lot this year and came
in and did an admirable job. Jergs came in and
did a really good job at center. Blake Brandall has
now played meaningful snaps at every single position on the
offensive line for the Vikings, which is really cool and
(16:51):
just one of the all time best glue guys and
locker room guys, a line room guys that you could
ask for. And they told me, they told me yesterday,
if it's going really well, we're gonna get Blake some
action at the end they give him to give him
a little, uh, a little send off for a job
well done this year. So yeah, it was a really
fun day for a lot of different reasons.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Brian, what what what has it been like being a
teammate with c. J.
Speaker 9 (17:16):
Ham.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
It's It's been awesome.
Speaker 8 (17:19):
He's he really is the best, unbelievable player, unbelievable person,
unbelievable a teammate. And I'm gonna be calling him. I'm
gonna be calling him this summer. I know, I know
it might be it, but you know, I'm holding out
hope I don't know who he is, but yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Love that dude. What about Harrison Smith?
Speaker 8 (17:37):
Uh, you know, all time, all time, all time, liking
first ballot, ring of honor should be Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Just one of the.
Speaker 8 (17:45):
Realist dudes that you could ever ask for football player.
I think the best compliment I've heard somebody give him
is he loves playing football.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
He doesn't. He loves being foot like.
Speaker 8 (17:57):
He loves playing football, not being a football player. He
loves the game, he loves the team, he loves the
locker room.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
All the other stuff he's okay with, but he loves this.
Speaker 8 (18:05):
And we had more guys like that, we'd be in
a really good spot.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, well we do with you.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Like I've said before, one of the toughest guys that
I've called in a quarter century. And I appreciate the
kindness with these little chats. May God bless you and
your family this offseason. Look forward to seeing you at ots.
Speaker 8 (18:21):
Appreciate it, Pa, I'll be there, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's Brian O'Neill, right tackle for the Minnesota Vikings try
Buys after a victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I got to stop you real quick. I mean, what happened.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
It was a you know, a great vib today.
Speaker 9 (18:33):
Obviously to finish this even strong like that, and obviously
you know, to see Harrison Harrison Smith's moment, it was
definitely you know n C. J.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Hammil was very emotional the day to day.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
But it feel good to get the do Obier Murphy Junior.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I mean when I say what happened, I meant, you know,
you won eighteen in a row without a pick, then
he got picks and two consecutive games.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
We needed to get three consecutive games here. But I
mean it's not like they threw it at a ton exactly.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
But you know, we'll always talk about this once they come.
They come in bunches. Obviously just sticking to the script.
Obviously wanted more ton of verse for his defense, but
obviously just you know, cat my head right, got the
interceptions that I needed to make make those plays.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
But they'll be there again.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Byron, what is Harrison Smith meant to you? One of them?
Speaker 9 (19:11):
You know that's a big brother than me. Obviously been
watching him since you know, I was younger. It's just
so you know, be honest to be his teammate, always
a blessed to be his teammate. Obviously he's the leader
of our of our defense, but obviously all the stuff
he's done for this game, that's the most respected, and
I know he knows that as well.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You're awesome.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Enjoy your off season. May God bless your family, and
I look forward to seeing you at OT.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Sir, God bless you. Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Byron Murphy Junior, one of our very favorites here in
the in the drive by Covenant where let's head over
here and find another defensive person. Here's Andrew Van Ginkle.
Mister van Ginkole. What's going on, my man? Everything good?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Not today? Not today? Got it? Okay? Well ipe up
to not today?
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I mean you were down on the field for like
three seconds longer than normal. I'm like, holy cow, did
to get hurt or something? The nine in the nine
and eight season want to I want to just begin
here with a couple of drive bys for you, Harrison Smith.
Your two years here. You've played with Harrison you know,
I know you're not in the DB's room, but nevertheless,
he's a scholar of the game, and to hear Kevin
(20:12):
O'Connell described like the cat and mouse game against Dak
Prescott and the likes of Jared Goff A couple of
high enders right there.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
What what's it like being a teammate with Harrison Smith? Uh,
you know, it's special.
Speaker 10 (20:23):
I've learned a lot from him, had some great conversations,
you know, something that I will cherish forever. And who
knows that if this will be his last game or not.
You know, he's had a hell of a career. I
mean I got to watch him growing up and then
I get to play with him. It's it's something that's,
you know, truly special to me. And you see a
guy like that play at this type of level, it's
it's special. And the way he can impact the game is.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
It's one of one, Andrew, and that that's one of
many things that I genuinely appreciate about you. Is hell,
some of the most simplistic things are special to you.
You know, the these simple things in life. Hey Dallas, congratulations,
good job, Bud, Dallas Turner a couple of sacks today.
But like pregame, when you saw Jim clinsauser on the
sideline carrying too North Dakota meet Rock Valley, Iowa. You
(21:06):
wanted to meet Jim, you know, because I know you
have appreciation for his game from like when you were
growing up, but it's like the simple things like that,
you know those are important.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Right, Yeah, it's huge.
Speaker 10 (21:17):
You know something that you hear on the radio from
you know UPA's it's special when you get a meet
a guy like that with his impact to this team,
to this organization, and you know that's what they do
a great job here with all the legends and guys
that have had success and you know, made an impact
on this team. It's true, it's cool and when you
get a meet guy like that, you get a really
(21:37):
I'm just dig into what it means to be a
Viking and be a part of such a great organization.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Lastly, with Brian Flores and the defense, say, you guys,
unfurl the more you're playing it two years for you now,
you know, but you did miss some time this year.
The farther you get into the season are the tricks
and the deception and like the expectations easier to decipher,
because I mean, it's one of the most underrated stories
in the NFL because the record's nine and eight that
(22:03):
the Vikings defense is absolutely one of the best overhaul
defenses in the NFL, but it's not going to the playoffs,
so nationally not a lot of people talk about it.
But is is flores defense easier to decipher for veterans?
Speaker 10 (22:17):
Yeah, you know, I think if you want to play
in Flora's defense, you have to be smart and dependable.
And we do so many different things. We vary from
week to week. We're constantly changing and evolving, and you know,
Flow does a good job of putting us in positions
to succeed that game. And depending on who we're playing
and who they got over there is depending on how
(22:38):
we're going to play them and attack them. And so
you got to be smart. You gotta be able to
play multiple positions. You got to be able to move
and you know, have good instincts and when you got
guys like Harrison Smith, that can allow you to be
in the best position, the best play possible, and it
allows you to play fast and kind of expect plays
that are coming and which ultimately leads to turnovers and
(23:00):
puts a lot of pressure on them.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
And lastly, congratulations to you and your wife on the
birth of your newest child. What is said child's name
and how many do you have now?
Speaker 10 (23:09):
Little boy's true at Wildler and this our third little boy.
They're super grateful. My wife Sam's a trooper and this
is a great job. So very blessed.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Oh I would say, you know, hey, go enjoy Turk
and Caicos or maybe this elongated vacation.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
To warm weather.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
But you got all I know, well, you got the
new baby, and you got a stable over there. But
hey man, God bless you. Genuinely, genuinely appreciate not only
the way you play, but the prayers we have before
each and every game, and just your kindness. So look
forward to seeing you at OTAs. And thanks for everything.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yep, thank you, Pa, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
The gink is on fai yam final drive buys for
the two zero two five timber Tech timber tech dot
com thank you for everything not only twenty twenty five
but into twenty twenty six, providing the What's the on
deck nine to Noon, which includes vikes bites around the
Corner orchestrated by Nordo, who did good work with the
(24:08):
One Last Cry Monday Morning montage. I'm Paul Allen, Good morning,
this is nine to Noon.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
The fan.
Speaker 8 (24:29):
What up?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Welcome back nine to Noon? It is time for Vikes
by it's Vike's bite, not the Vike's bite that is correct.
Speaker 11 (24:38):
Vikings ending their season sadly yesterday without a playoff Berth,
but they did add end the season with a fifth
consecutive victory in Border Battle one thirty one, CJ. Ham
scoring his second rushing touchdown of the season. Just kind
of on this note, and we're gonna bring up Harrison
Smith as well. Awesome interview that Ben Lieber had with
(24:59):
Harrison's Smith in the locker room. Will be playing that
back later on nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
But just CJ.
Speaker 11 (25:05):
Ham and you think about the journey from Duluth Denfeld
and finding his way, trying out, making the team, carving
out a spot for himself even I mean, now we're
talking through two regimes PA where the offense changes, his
snaps may go down on offense, and CJ Ham's like,
all right, well, I'm just going to go become the
baddest ass special teams captain and handle business in that
(25:27):
area and finding his way into a nearly decade long career.
There's kind of thoughts on seeing CJ get his way
into the end zone yesterday in the finale and what
really CJ has meant over again nearly a decade in purple.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Well, he's been a bastion of excellence. And I don't
throw that term out too often when it comes to
football players, but on and off the field, as a father,
as a husband, balancing the hours and the time that
goes into lasting decade in the National Football League, where
the lines are long, when the gigs are hard to find,
(26:04):
man and the diminishing nature of the fallback is very apparent.
Just a bastion of excellence, as salt of the earth.
He took what he had, made the most of it
for a decade and gets to walk away from the
game on his terms, which is rare in the National
Football League. So nine to Noon applaud CJ.
Speaker 11 (26:26):
Ham absolutely vis bites how about this Vike's bite. So
Tom and everybody thanks again, Tom and everybody associated with
Zone Coverage Zone coverage dot com. They cover all sorts
of the Minnesota sports scene, but in particular Vikings related
coverage coverage. Mister John bonus Tom Schreier putting together Nordo's
(26:48):
numbers on a weekly basis, and Tom handed me this yesterday.
The Vikings have held their opponents to minus three net
passing yards or fewer in the first half. They did
this yesterday for the second time this season, becoming the
first team to do so since the Jets in twenty
twenty three, first time in Vikings team history since two
thousand and three when the stats started being measured. As
(27:12):
we closed the book on things, there are many things
that this team has to sweat, this fan base has
to sweat, as we've discussed pa, but one thing we
can't sweat is how good this defense was really for
the totality of the season, shutting down the pass getting
to the QB. Sadly, the turnovers and the takes weren't
there where we needed them until it was a giving
season in which we were takers on Christmas Day against
(27:35):
those kiddies. Yep, But all the same, the shutdown factor
and this defense over the course of twenty twenty five
one of the many pleasures I think, despite not being
a playoff team, that you can sink your teeth into
and really enjoy about what we watched over the seventeen
and and did.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
So through myriad injuries to key players like Blake Cashman
came into the game yesterday with one hundred and thirty
seven tackles. If he had gotten eighteen yesterday, he would
have had the most tackles in a single season of
any Viking in the history of the team.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
All Right, well, green Bay with what.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
It offered yesterday in third preseason like fash third preseason game,
like fashion, Emmanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks couldn't get through
the line of scrimmage to get to Cashman. But like
Cashman had won thirty seven and he missed four games,
so he would have been a cinch to crack Greenway's
twenty eleven record of one fifty four. Grenard in out
(28:29):
finishes the season on ir Van Ginkel gone a month
and change. Harrison Smith misses a couple to start the season.
So through all of that to be able to achieve
what this defense achieved, it finishes the season pretty.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Much exactly in my heart.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
It's easy to share pretty much exactly what I said
after that Lions game that it's one of the more
underrated stories in the NFL that nationally, like nobody know
Am Newton, no Ryan Clark, no stephen A Smith, no
Dan Orlovski. They ain't talking about it. Why nine and
eight terrorism, Yeah, this is nine and eight. This is
nine and eight radio, that's nine and eight terrorism unless
(29:12):
something changed with the afternoon games. I believe the Vikings
finished first in the league in fumble recoveries. They were
near the top and forced fumbles. It was like weeks
like weeks seven through thirteen or something, they were allowing
twenty six points per game and their take give was
minus thirteen. Then during the four games up to the
(29:34):
Packers game, they were given up twelve a game, so
that obviously got better off yesterday and their take give
the turnover differential went to plus seven. Yeah, So I
mean they put that pedal to the metal at the
end of the season with what they had, so that
that you know, it's it's when it comes to the
sweats and the pragmatic nature of the pillars of sweats.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
For now, when did the reap flores?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Is the play leaf play leave forever with McCarthy and
can we finally nail more draft picks and have them
help post taste and for years to come, So that
that's where my mind is heading into this offseason.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Bikes Bikes.
Speaker 11 (30:18):
They did remain number one in fumble recoveries, by the way,
I think. Let me see here it was thirteen and
that was according to PFR Pro Football Reference, that's still
number one in the NFL. Now that the Week eighteen
games all all finished up, we now officially really know
who our opponents are going to be road and home.
(30:40):
Of course, we all celebrate Happy Schedule Day once the
spring hits.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
But road schedule looks cool. Road schedule's interesting.
Speaker 11 (30:47):
You get Bears, Lions, and Packers, of course, but then
you're going to hit up the Saints and the Bucks
of the NFC South, and you get to go see
Drake May Pa and you get to go see Bravele
and Drake May out east. The New York Jets, New
York Jets first team, by the way, in nearly a
century to not have an interception via their defense all
season long.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
The Jets finished was zero interceptions, no picks, Oh my heavens.
Speaker 11 (31:12):
No picks, and it was only three or four takes
by the defense in totality the entire season. So Patriots
and Jets on the road, and then it will be
the Niners of the NFC West is they finished third
in that division. The third place bit also impacts the
home schedule, as you'll be seeing the Indianapolis Colts and
the Washington Commanders part of the AFC South and NFC West.
(31:35):
So that's where our home and road opponents may have
been impacted by finishes, and that's.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Where we sit into twenty twenty six. By not finishing
last in the division. The Minnesota Vikings went from getting
the Giants, Cardinals and Titans to the Commander's forty nine
Ers and Colts. I mean, it's not precipitous with the change,
but you put the Niners in there, and it kind
of is of Jaden finds the Fire and Danny Dimes
(32:02):
as opposed to Titans in search of new coach, Cardinals
who knows what's up with them, and the New York
Giants also in search of a new coach.
Speaker 11 (32:11):
Okay, well, I think the Colts are going to have
issues specifically early in the season, unless I mean Riley Leonard.
You saw him try to air it out in that
finale against the Tit they excuse me the Texans yesterday,
but Danny Dimes terarn his achilles. I don't see how
there's any shot that he would be available if they
and I think he's going to be a free agent.
Let's say they choose to bring him back. How on
(32:32):
earth would he be available by opening day in terms
of finishing third for me? And maybe people will discount
it or look at it different differently. I don't necessarily say, oh,
my goodness, we have to play the Commanders instead of
the Giants.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
I don't really look at it that way.
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Yes, record wise, Colts significantly at this stage better team
than cam Ward and the Titans. Maybe that's subject to change.
The only one that I really think of is Man.
It would have been nice to play the Cards with
the potentially a new head coach for versus Shanahan and
the Niners on the road. So I just how can
you sweat this schedule at this stage of the season.
I'm still sweating the fact that we're not playing a
(33:08):
game this weekend that I'm going to watch.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
I hate it.
Speaker 11 (33:11):
An NFC North border battle that my team is not
involved in. Yeah, I believe that'll be on Saturday night.
But there you are, there's the twenty twenty six schedule.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
To put a rap on you.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
I'm not and I'm not and I'm not saying that,
you know, my vibe or my feeling is the right
way to look at it. I'm just saying it's my
vibe end or my feeling, So I get it. And
what that is is, I'm not on the we only
missed by a half game bit. It's like a lot
of people have brought that up to me a lot
the last weekend. Well it's really after Duvernet's kick return.
(33:46):
It's what I said then, is what I feel now.
When you know there is a super long shot, super
long shot that you make the postseason, and you have
three major holidays in front of you, Thanksgivings a New
Year's Day, that's a shame on you. I mean, that's
an absolute shame on you to know that you're ninety
(34:08):
five percent not going to make the playoffs and you
got three major holidays in front of you. So they
never after the du Vernet kick return, they never were
making the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
And the half.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Game thing, big deal, man, big deal with the freaking
half game thing.
Speaker 11 (34:22):
Well, you know what, I'll say this for listeners and
fans that are clinging, appreciating that there were reasons to
be optimistic. Kind of okay, So how am I going
to sum up this season?
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Fire?
Speaker 11 (34:35):
Everybody? This was a complete mess. You told us the
roster was set to win. Now you moved on from
Rogers and Darnold and all these opportunities with veteran qbs.
You said the kid was ready. He clearly was not.
And this thing's a complete mess. Whole regime's got to go.
That's one way that you can sum it up. The
other end of it, I do appreciate the idea that
some are saying, you know what, this did suck. The
(34:57):
quarterback wasn't ready. We saw growth pieces, but it wasn't
good enough. We had one hundred injuries, and yes, if
we can just freaking stop DuVernay, we are, and I
forget what the other if the Bears had lost here
and maybe it played this way, technically, they were close
to even potentially winning the NFC North.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
So this is silver lining season.
Speaker 11 (35:16):
And those that look to burn the thing down or
those that are looking for consolation in some of those ideas,
I'm not really mad at it. To your point, though,
I'm not sitting here going, yeah, we were just a
Duverney kick away.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I can't I can't get there at this stage. The
the I think I'm into the equation.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
You know, they're they're like yesterday had some highlights to
it being in the building wasn't nearly as energetic or
emotional as Christmas Day against the Lions, where Harry the
hit Man was repeatedly honored on the sideline and stuff
like that, and it was a really really touching situation.
They were touching moments yesterday, don't get me wrong. Yeah,
(35:54):
but one thing that I'll never forget. And I'm glad
into the game, you know, because I got wrapped up
yesterday on the potential of well, how long did do
you have quick twitch access to how long the game took? Like,
like what the final time of the game was.
Speaker 11 (36:10):
On a total game time? I mean, not as quick
twitch as you probably. Sorry, Well, here here's the bit.
It's with Clayton tone terrorism. It was super predictable.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Green Bay would run seventy or eighty percent of the
time clock runs. Now you got the Vikings with the
ball and they're going to play a regular offensive game.
Then you get into John Hussey, the white Hat, the referee,
and John Hussey's group called calls the fourteenth most penalties
(36:45):
of the seventeen staffs.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
It's two to forty two.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, so Hussy, they don't throw many flags. Hussy wants
to get out of their fast too. Tune terrorism Green
and goal gonna run. So it's I got wrapped up
yesterday over and Hussey did his part too, by the way,
but I got.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Everybody trying to get out of there.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Philadelphia and Las Vegas earlier this season, Philly b Las
Vegas thirty one zip. That game took two hours and
thirty one minutes. In nineteen ninety six, Indianapolis Colts and
San Diego Chargers played. That game took two minutes, twenty
nine seconds, fastest game in the history of the NFL.
I thought we were going to crack that yesterday. Into
the game, man, I'm like, we're going to crack this today. Now,
(37:32):
I got this Hussy steam too.
Speaker 12 (37:33):
Man.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
He never throws any flags, but see see after I
explained that early in the game, I'm like, John Hussey
and the Hussy crew might be my favorite. Of all
the officiating crews in the NFL. Games are always in control.
With John Hussey, he's just he's a cool cat, and
he's just.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
His staff is really really good. So I'm like, you know,
I'm glad we got Hussy today.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Man.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
He's one of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
He and his staff up and he kind of validated
that that later in the game when referee John Hussey
took the went on the microphone after a vike during
the Vikings time out and said the vike he said
this to everybody in the stadium. The Vikings took a
time out to honor Harrison Smith. John Hussey said that
(38:21):
on the microphone in the stadium.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
I mean, I can't remember the last time a referee
said something into a microphone that was non infraction related,
and and everybody stood. John Hussey is the bomb man.
But to forty two. So we missed it. You know,
we missed it by about fifteen minutes down.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Oh admit, we're behind it.
Speaker 11 (38:39):
I was actually looking at the clock and thinking to myself, Okay,
we got a Wolves game at five. Yeah, so we
got to fill this time with fan line. Yeah, and
I'm thinking to myself, season ending fan line. Can you
stretch this? Can we take the coach maybe a minute
or two a couple extra questions here before before we
get to fan line and put a rap on this thing.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
But it was as it should have been.
Speaker 11 (39:02):
Most likely, is you've got a team that has nothing
to play for non postseason year and the other team's
just trying to get out alive and get to the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
So John Hussey on the microphone time out Vikings. They
took the time out to honor Harrison Smith, so good
place went nuts. Matt, Yeah, I love that it's Vikes bites.
Some talkbacks around the corner. I might drop in some
later in the show if not. Plenty of time this
week to formulate some Vikings takes and talkers and tedium
and tie them to maybe Tuesday talkbacks. So your talkbacks
(39:33):
are around the corner. Followed by the analyst Pete Burstch
and in Booth, analyst for the Vikings Audio Network. All
that's around the corner in KFA.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Hey, Paul Nordo.
Speaker 12 (39:50):
I think it goes without saying the biggest talker this
offseason will be the quarterback situation. Me personally, I think
McCarthy showed it up Flashes to at least earn A
on the roster, but I wouldn't be surprised if they
brought in some competition for him this coming off season.
I would love to get your guys' thoughts on this
and what or not you still believe he could be
our future franchise quarterback going forward.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Yeah, that's going to be on the minds of football
fans and a lot of Vikings fans for days, weeks,
and months. And welcome back to nine to noon talk
Back Central for this segment. I mean, yes, there will
need to be some form of a different or a
veteran quarterback brought into the Minnesota Vikings franchise.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
However, I would make JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Minus seven hundred to be the starting quarterback for the
Vikings Week one next year. Yeah, minus seven hundred minimum,
massive favorite, meaning if you want to win one hundred,
you've got to put seven hundred up to get my
one hundred. And if you don't think it's going to
be the case, you put up your one hundred and
nine to Noon gives you like five fifty something like that.
(41:03):
So he's prohibitively favored us. When it comes to what
I or we believe about what's next for JJ and
like franchise quarterback and stuff like that. That that, I mean,
that's gonna take some while for me. That's gonna take
a while for me to unpack, because yes, I'm excited
to watch JJ McCarthy version two start eleven Week one
(41:26):
next year. But a franchise quarterback, that's a big, big tag.
I gotta think that out a little bit.
Speaker 11 (41:33):
Yeah, and he just needs I mean, there's no way
after what we've seen, you know, six and four of
this and total TD's that there's no way that you
could prognosticate that he's the franchise QB or will be
at this stage.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
I'm with you, though, Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
I am I'm not going to go through days, weeks
and months of talking about JJ McCarthy every single day. No,
I mean, that's that's a nine to noon mandate. That's
an edict. It'll be chatted about, it will be discussed,
and if new things emerge to me from a background
standpoint that I feel without a breaching trust I can share,
(42:09):
I will share. But until we see him not play
leaf play leaf play leaf play leaf play leaf play leave.
It's very hard for me to formulate a conclusive opinion.
Speaker 11 (42:23):
Exactly, but but I I would happen to agree with
you here.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
I think he's the massive favorite. To start. There will be.
Speaker 11 (42:29):
Another QB name, you know, raising the level of that room,
I think is how it's been phrased. Yeah, in the
in the last week or so and and and that's
the goal. But still I think I think McCarthy would
be in a very good spot to start well and
and and you know, from a from a veteran backup standpoint,
I have no idea. I mean, I'm gonna wait for
(42:52):
teams to play in the postseason and then some rumors
from reliable people to circulate as to potentially like but
names can be made available.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
One thing that.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
I know I do feel and won't change from is
no matter how substandard people believe a certain name is,
I will yield to to what what what happened here
in the regular season with Sam Darnold and and some
of the things they got out of Carson Wentz when
(43:23):
he was healthy, some things they got out of Nick
Mullins when he was healthy, and and the way Daniel
Jones will set up for success to go somewhere else,
sadly go somewhere else. So, uh, it's not really the name.
It the individual name on which I'm going to focus.
But it's the philosophy and the theory of what you
(43:44):
just said there where you said, uh, fortifying the room
or raising the level. But but I I will actually I.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
Have no idea it was available.
Speaker 11 (43:52):
Well, but if you look at the name, so I'm
not interested in reading the names for you, that does
play into it for me. Why why he would be
massively favored now I'm looking at the free agents save
for And this is also what makes him heavily favored.
Is the alternative would be team makes massive blockbuster move
for a guy from another team, and you've seen the
(44:14):
superstar stuff being bandied about, and what so and so
would look like in purple and gold, and just the
lack of likelihood there combined with what is out there,
I just it's too early to give up on this investment.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
Oh yeah, or is it? You know? You know what
I mean. So, but it's way, way, way too early
for me.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
I mean because like in his I don't have the
game calling depth chart in front of me. But up
to yesterday's game, he was three and oh in his
previous three starts, and his completion percentage was sixty six.
His yards per attempt was eight and a half. Yeah,
eight and a half's a fat number. Might even lead
the NFL if you do it over the course of
a season. And he had seven touchdowns against two picks.
(44:54):
I mean, it's to each their own with their taste
as to what you want to say, exponentially with jumps.
But there was a jump in improvement for the twenty
two year old during the course of the season.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
There was.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
So the expectation is with maturity and with knowledge and
physically growing into age twenty three, he turns twenty three
and like just a few weeks. Well, then the expectation
is that it will be even better next year.
Speaker 11 (45:26):
And I don't know what that would look like. Yeah,
I agree with you. There more more talkbacks here. Well,
this one's a little more pessimistic, but an optimistic bent
towards the end.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
Hy Paul, Here's what I think of the season.
Speaker 13 (45:38):
Quasi out, koc can stay, Flores hopefully stays. We need
to find a new quarterback. Harrison Smith is a Hall
of Famer and C. J. Ham dalut Dunfeld stand up,
(45:59):
lut dunf Den, He'll stand up.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Thanks for the talkback. Let's do let me see here,
let's do one more.
Speaker 14 (46:06):
Good morning Nordo and Pa Mike from Tampa. Great to
see the Vikings win five in a row, but I
still feel like this season was a big disappointment. We
don't know where we are with JJ, too many injuries,
too many things went wrong with him. We spent a
lot of money in the offseason last year to do
not a lot. It's not very nice to see us
(46:27):
out of the playoffs yet again. Need to see a
playoff win in a deep playoff run next year, or
I think that we need to move on from the
current leadership.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
What do you think, well, moving on from the current
leadership if that includes the head coach, let's you know,
let's not forget well a he has a really really
good regular season record o and two in the postseason,
very easy and amenable with whom to work for, people
with the vikings that matters. So yeah, I mean, if
(46:56):
Kevin O'Connell's included in the leadership, then you can just
go out and draw lines back because that ain't happening.
I don't believe that the timing is right to move
on from general managers and or personnel people, certain personnel
people at this stage of the equation. So I make
it minus eighteen hundred to win one hundred that Quasia
(47:19):
doofa Mensa will be the general.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Manager in the next year.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
And finally, off the tone of I think it was Mike,
Mike and Tampa. Yeah, I'm I'm greatly disappointed too. And
it's strange in that this really all just hit me
within like the last half week, where you know, like
I said, after Duverne had that kick return and Santos
walked off on the vikings that for all intents and
(47:45):
purposes as I go, that was it. I mean, the
percentage was too bad to make the postseason. You got
monsters in front of you on the schedule, and that
three to eight percent I was out on that. So
when you Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's stay in front
of you and you know you're not going to make
the playoffs. That's why I started introducing these are human
(48:07):
nature games, and from a human nature standpoint, it was
ten of ten try for every single player on that
team to win five consecutive. Well, that comes back to
leadership too. That's that's the word culture that is trite
and overused in a lot of different places.
Speaker 2 (48:22):
It's not here, you can believe me or not.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
It's not because if it was, then you would have
problems with effort and you'd be benching people and things
like that over the final month and change. But you know,
I was the one who loudly said into the playoffs.
I mean, there was a qualifier into the regular season,
training camp and stuff.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
There was a qualifier.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
Unless you have debilitating, massive injuries and have like a
quarterback carousel, well then maybe making the playoffs would be
more difficult than I think. But I'm disappointed they didn't
make the playoffs. And yeah, it's I was there for
all three quarterbacks, just like everybody else was, and all
of the injuries and the twenty five offensive line.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
Yes, that's a lot. That is a lot.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
But they invested in a roster to make the postseason
and advance through the postseason. And if you're investing in
people who are coming off previous debilitating injuries and they
have to miss time again, well who should be surprised?
All right, So therefore that's a look in the mirror
moment in my opinion, And I ain't talking about me.
(49:32):
So yeah, I'm disappointed they didn't make the playoffs. I
mean I was greatly, greatly disappointed recently that they didn't
make the playoffs, man, because I started thinking about some
ideas and takes and talkers and stuff like that into
the season. Then you look at the totality of it
and you recognize the defense finished as one of the
best overall defenses in the NFL against Sam Darnold, Jordan Love,
(49:58):
Caleb Williams, Jayden Dan Annuals at all. It wasn't a
Flukey Clayton tune every single game thing, and the kicker
is the best in show.
Speaker 2 (50:07):
Don't at me.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
So it's just a freaking shame that they're not bringing
this defense and this kicker into the postseason. It's really
starting to bug me. So let's call the animals.
Good morning, Okay, Happy Monday to you and welcome to
nine to Noon. Excellent work per usual by the master
mixer of the Monday Montage, Eric Nordquisz, producer of nine
to Noon and one of the co hosts of the
Friday football Feast. Ain't no feast, Ain't no feast anymore Feastless.
(00:23):
Talked to Wayne Larravy this morning, missed him on the
phone call play by play guy for Green Bay Packers,
and he called back, I missed it.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Let me this voicemail Chicago BESN.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Meanwhile, given the Bears beat the Packers a couple of
weeks ago, Matt Lafleur I had a lot to say
following a yesterday's l to the Minnesota Vikings, but when
pressed on his matchup potentially against the Chicago Bears in
the postseason, mister Laflour said.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And I will have my venges in this life for
the next.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I wonder if we ever nine to Noon will Montage
end of a season with Queen.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
And we are the champions.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
I wonder if nine to Noon ever will Montage end
of a long season with Queen. We are the champions
every single year, every single year. It's Brian McKnight and
(01:35):
one last cry and that seems to be what it
was yesterday at us Bank Stadium for the likes of
Harrison Smith, c j Ham, members of their families in
the stands, and even some teammates. C j Ham is
a professional and personal mentor for young Vikings running back
(02:00):
Xavier Scott, and Xavier was very emotional on the sideline
as cj Ham was embracing set back and his teammates
tears dropped the eye of the Duluth native two. Green
Bay went third preseason game on it with the Sorels
(02:22):
and Kenny James of the world. Lafleur took a time
out with the second left to make sure his squad
didn't get shut out. The venerable cj Ham scored the
game's only touchdown. Took both teams an hour to convert
a third down Dallas Turner. Dallas Turner took advantage of
an overmatched backup tackle, which is what he's supposed to do.
(02:44):
It looks like he's heading the right way in a hurry.
Reiker's the best kicker in the National Football League and
don't at me, Will Reiker is the best kicker in
the National Football League, and don't at me Jefferson at
his first one hundred yard game since London and Green
Bay heads to the wild Card round to play Chicago.
(03:07):
And it stinks the Minnesota Vikings are not going to
the playoffs. Seriously. I don't use the word hate frequently.
I just hate it. I just hate it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Hate it.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Expected to play out birth into the season, didn't get it.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Three quarterbacks played.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Two would be too many, and a season that was
a big fat uh uh ran my floor as to
Pittsburgh scenario and for Ol Friday at the feast by
somebody who knows more about the inner workings of the
game than me.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And I'm now off that take up and at him?
Ye allan up and at him. I'm now off that take.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Hear me when I tell you this, I am off
my big Tomlin will fix the race with the Rooney's take.
Let the record show plenty of time to chat b
flow in the Minnesota bike, plenty of time to discuss
McCarthy and the play leave play leave, play leave, play
leave and so on. I would love to see the
(04:10):
defense and the kicker in the playoffs. I think everybody
else would too. The supports Minnesota Vikings football and are
take it a day with the twenty four hour rule
to just hate the fact that Minnesota Vikings are not
in the postseason. But case arasserra right, whatever will be
will be case Arrasserrah. So, what did you think of
(04:31):
the season? Talkbacks around nine to forty five and during
the week of interested talkbacks on all this Vikings non
playoffs stuff, and if you're so inclined, the careers of
twenty two and thirty and your chance to be heard
via the free iHeart audio app downloaded. Now that's where
(04:53):
you do the talkbacks. But first our final locker room
drive bys of twenty twenty five. The Minnesota Vikings finished
on a five game winning streak and O'Connell has won
more than he's lost three of his four years.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Harry and C. J.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Ham were common threads in the chats, and we started
with safety Theo Jackson, my man won fifty seven games
to start his career sans a sack, and now he
has won in consecutive games. Leo Jackson started the drive
bys with the safety asking him Theo overall, what did
you think of this old nine to eight?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
You know, it was definitely a season that we didn't
plan on having. You know, I feel like we had
a lot of growth since since the start of the season.
To finish off this way, you know, I feel like
that were going in the right direction for next year.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And the Vikings beat Green Bay by thirteen to close festivity.
It's very emotional with Kevin the coach taking a time
out so Harrison Smith can get that ovation. And just
like the Lions game, you guys went to eleven on
him on the sideline. You know, if this is it
for Harrison Smith, you being a safety, what what have
you learned from him?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Like?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
What? What? What? What can you model after? The way
he plays?
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Honestly, it's kind of hard to model to to, but
you know, just I feel like just the way he
thinks about the game, you know, the way he moves
during during the game. I feel like I've picked up
a lot on that, and you know, just really just
trusting what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And lastly, what about c J. Ham?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
I mean CJ got super emotional too at the end.
Holy cow. I mean, a couple of great guys and
dynamite players, but c J. Ham too, Man, what's it
what's it like?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
What?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
What has it been? Like being a teammate with CJ.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
That's my dog man, you know, special teams. Me and him,
we bump bonded a lot over over over these last
four years.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Uh, that's tough. I don't even know what to even
say about c C CJ. Like it's nothing but great
things that you can say about C CJ. So you know,
I told me this with me, I said, I hate it,
but I love that for you, you know. So you know,
probably I'm probably gonna call them a couple of times,
but you know, I'm happy for him.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I enjoy your off season.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Thank you for your kindness as usual, and congratulations, I'm
finishing with a winning record.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Thank you, appreciate you. That's THEO Jackson.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
As the drive buys are underway here in a Minnesota
Vikings locker room that is celebratory following a sixteen to
three victory over the Green Bay Packers. Border Battle one
thirty one goes the way of the Minnesota Vikings and
let's see what we can do over here. They're rolling
(07:43):
in and out of this locker room. And here we go.
A couple of offensive linemen too, of my favorite to
Michael Jergins. Not many starts. I have less than a
handful of starts for you, ma'am, but they came at
the end and and you you played quite well. What
do you think can possibly pave the way not only
(08:05):
for you, but like the offensive line and everything moving forward.
Speaker 5 (08:09):
I think it's just continuing to get reps all together.
You know, like you said, we a lot of different
combinations in the line this year. You know, I'll say
it a little differently than you said it, but you know,
we have a lot of fun together. We spend a
lot of time together. And I think you know, we
were an ascending group and throughout the all season we're
going to continue to ascend. And I think it was
a special group and we were playing our best football
here at the end of the year. And you know,
(08:32):
just going to hit that stride in the off season
and carry that momentum.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
It's like twenty four to twenty five different offensive line
combinations this year.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
It's been unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
And and you're still very young in your career and
there are many many starts ahead of you as your
career rolls on, Like what what did this experience help
you with? Going against the likes of Alee McNeil and
then the Packers today stuff like that, like, like, what
did you learn into the season that really has you
pining to come back and improve next year?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
You know, I think it's just taking those reps and
learning what it's like to be out there in a
game and understanding what to focus on, understanding to hear
in the play call, how to make the calls that
it's best for the line, especially.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
For me coming from an RPO system.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
Learning how the different aiming points in the blocks and
how to attack those combos. Something I've gotten more comfortable
with throughout the year. And you know, something that now
I've gotten game reps and experience with and continue to
visualize and grow on it, and you know, do a
lot of that in the whole season.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
My man, what can you say about the guy to
my right, Will Fries, I mean, all those offensive line combinations,
My man's out here starting all seventeen.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
I don't believe that guy missed a snap.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Yeah, he's a warrior, especially coming off a you know,
I don't want to say it, but you know, after
last season, and it's a great guy, great, great to
have in the room.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
He's awesome, He's he's really happy he's here.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Enjoy your off season. Thank you for the job. Oh appreciation,
Michael Jurgens, Will Will seventeen stars didn't miss a snap.
I mean we we've discussed it before a little bit.
We ain't got to get in depth into it, but
I mean, like when you got here, you were coming
off a pretty significant injury, and you know, watching you
and training camp and stuff like that, it just seemed.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
From afar because you've had an excellent career.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
You know that Will's working himself back into shape and
then off the injury and everything, and then boom, we
play against the Bears a soldier field and just finished
beating the Green Bay Packers for a nine to eight record,
and you made all the starts. I mean, that's just congratulations. Man.
I know you're paid to do that. But all those
offensive line combinations that had to be difficult, right.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
You know, I'm first off, I'm really lucky to be
able to make it through the year healthy, and I
have a lot of really good teamates lean on. You know,
it wasn't easy the whole year, but you know, having
guys like you know, Brian Oilex to me, Ryan Kelly
and you know, Michael Jurgen stepping late in the air,
Like those guys are rocks and it's awesome playing next
to him, and you know, they they you know, home
in the entire year, you know, kind of kind of
make it through. So I gotta give all my credit
(10:44):
to the teammates, and you're right.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Tackle Brian O'Neil played in his seventeenth border battle today
against Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And you know, even like Blake Brandle, I mean the.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Position flexibility he has he had to step in for
Brian in that Detroit game. I mean, you guys have
depth with this, but really it just seems I'm afar
like it was a very cohesive, tight group, like you
guys really enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
Oh man, it's it's the best group of guys in
the world. I wouldn't want to play with anyone else.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
The way they you know, accepted me into the group,
you know, coming from a different team, and the way
we're able to grow the whole year, and like you
kind of said, all those different line combinations kind of
help out.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
You know.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
It's it's tough at first, but when you start getting
rips next to each other and learning each other, it
just helps the whole group grow as a whole. And uh,
you know, those guys I got their chance to play.
You're gonna keep getting better. It's a big off season
for everyone and you know we got a lot to
build off and look forward to this offseason.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Well, you're fantastic.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
It was great getting to know you a lot better
this or getting to know you period. But as well
as we did by the end of the year, You're
very good at what you do.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Man.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Look forward to calling your games next year. Thank you
very much, appreciate it. Yeah, but that's up. Well, Fries,
thank you by the way for uh we said last week.
My wife loved it, so can't remember what I said,
but it sounds like it was complimentary and and God
bless you and your family. Okay, Will Fries started all
seventeen games, all right, last drive by, I mean I
got to say good. Yeah, look at that big SMI
(12:00):
right there in those nice chains.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Congratulations on joining Randy ho F and Mike Evans as
a future hof for sure is one of only three
to have at least one thousand yards in six seasons.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
You had more than one hundred yards today.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Thank heavens for the first time since that Cleveland Tottenham
Hotspur game and also earlier in the week.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Man, I was there for it. I came out for
it too, to see your reaction.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The Uh, I'm the announcer, I'm not really media, but
but you know, you and I do so much work
together during the season. Man, I wanted to see you
accept that media Corey Stringer Good Guy Award for the
second time. I believe too. So what's that mean to
you when when the media acknowledges you like that.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
No, it means a lot, just just after this season.
It's been a difficult season emotionally, physically, you know. So
it's just it is part of my job to, you know,
come here. You know, I got that C on my chest.
I'm classified the leader leader of this team. So h
it's up to me, you know, whether I come in
(13:02):
in the building and I continue to lead, continue to
have that high spirit and continue to motivate my teammates
to continue to push forward. Uh, rather than you know,
having my head down and being negative and really giving
up on the on the season. So uh, I love
this team. I love this game of football that I
play every single day. So it's just you know about
(13:22):
being blessed to come out here and and playing this
this sport that I love at the highest highest level. So, uh,
it's it's really, it's really just it's just one of
those tough ones, man. You know, it's it's I hate
to see, you know, this beat our last opportunity of
this season. I hate to see my dog, Harry and
(13:43):
c J him go out.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (13:46):
But the fact that we finished the season five straight
wins and uh, you know we can come in and
lock on with a happy smile on our face and
uh with that pride and joy about continue to finish,
finish the season and continue on to next season.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
So uh, it's definitely a journey.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Justin what was it like having CJ.
Speaker 7 (14:04):
Hamm as a teammate a great phenomenal just to hear
his story when I first came in, to see him lead,
to see him blossom as a as a player. You know,
it's not too many fullbacks that's still in his lead.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (14:18):
So for him to continue to be a main role
in our offense, to score today, Uh, to to have
his last touchdown on his field in front of his family,
in front of his fans, that's just that's the thing
that means the most, uh, you know, to to see
him crying with emotions about the love that he had
for this game, the love that he had for his
teammates in this organization.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
Uh. That that that really means a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
And lastly, you decompression time, right, just just get away
wherever you're gonna go, go to your family or whatever,
and just like what do you do? I mean, because
you know it needs to be better next year, not you,
the the passing part needs to be better next year.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
McCarthy started just game today.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
So if you look at Drake May and bo Nix
and all those quarter kaleb, you know, through their first
ten games they had some problems too. So I mean,
the young man needs more opportunity.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Right, Oh for sure. And we definitely will connect more.
Speaker 7 (15:13):
Our relationship will be connected connected more throughout this offseason.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
So we don't have the same results.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
So we don't come back and say we should have
did this or we're regretting you know, different moves or
different decisions that we made. So it's up to me,
is up to the guys in this in this room
to get better and to continue to get better.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (15:34):
And as a captain, as a leader, as one of
the best receivers of the league. I got to, you know,
get my young game with me and connect with him
more and more. So that's definitely the plan this off season.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
We can eliminate one of and just go with the
best receiver in the NFL because you are and man,
there was a touchdown earlier this season here where you
were just blocking your tail off to get.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
The running game into the end zone.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
So you know what I think you your man, You're fantastic.
Thank you very much for the kindness all year and
to make God bless you and your family always appreciate you, Paul,
Thank you Sea about that's Justin Jefferson, Love you, jo.
Justin Jefferson the best wide receiver in the NFL with
a with a drive by see you about Brian O'Neil
seventeenth border battle against Green Bay and chatted with Jurgens
(16:19):
and Will Fries a little bit.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But man, I mean you've been through and scene a lot.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
But I mean, like twenty three, twenty four, twenty five
different offensive line combinations this year, that's that's just crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Huh.
Speaker 8 (16:29):
Yeah, it's not ideal, but you know, we made the
most of it, and uh, you know, a lot of
credits to the guys who came in that weren't expecting
to have to play a lot this year and came
in and did an admirable job. Jergs came in and
did a really good job at center. Blake Brandall has
now played meaningful snaps at every single position on the
offensive line for the Vikings, which is really cool and
(16:51):
just one of the all time best glue guys and
locker room guys, a line room guys that you could
ask for. And they told me, they told me yesterday,
if it's going really well, we're gonna get Blake some
action at the end they give him to give him
a little, uh, a little send off for a job
well done this year. So yeah, it was a really
fun day for a lot of different reasons.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Brian, what what what has it been like being a
teammate with c. J.
Speaker 9 (17:16):
Ham.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
It's It's been awesome.
Speaker 8 (17:19):
He's he really is the best, unbelievable player, unbelievable person,
unbelievable a teammate. And I'm gonna be calling him. I'm
gonna be calling him this summer. I know, I know
it might be it, but you know, I'm holding out
hope I don't know who he is, but yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Love that dude. What about Harrison Smith?
Speaker 8 (17:37):
Uh, you know, all time, all time, all time, liking
first ballot, ring of honor should be Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Just one of the.
Speaker 8 (17:45):
Realist dudes that you could ever ask for football player.
I think the best compliment I've heard somebody give him
is he loves playing football.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
He doesn't. He loves being foot like.
Speaker 8 (17:57):
He loves playing football, not being a football player. He
loves the game, he loves the team, he loves the
locker room.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
All the other stuff he's okay with, but he loves this.
Speaker 8 (18:05):
And we had more guys like that, we'd be in
a really good spot.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, well we do with you.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Like I've said before, one of the toughest guys that
I've called in a quarter century. And I appreciate the
kindness with these little chats. May God bless you and
your family this offseason. Look forward to seeing you at ots.
Speaker 8 (18:21):
Appreciate it, Pa, I'll be there, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
That's Brian O'Neill, right tackle for the Minnesota Vikings try
Buys after a victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
I got to stop you real quick. I mean, what happened.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
It was a you know, a great vib today.
Speaker 9 (18:33):
Obviously to finish this even strong like that, and obviously
you know, to see Harrison Harrison Smith's moment, it was
definitely you know n C. J.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Hammil was very emotional the day to day.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
But it feel good to get the do Obier Murphy Junior.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I mean when I say what happened, I meant, you know,
you won eighteen in a row without a pick, then
he got picks and two consecutive games.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
We needed to get three consecutive games here. But I
mean it's not like they threw it at a ton exactly.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
But you know, we'll always talk about this once they come.
They come in bunches. Obviously just sticking to the script.
Obviously wanted more ton of verse for his defense, but
obviously just you know, cat my head right, got the
interceptions that I needed to make make those plays.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
But they'll be there again.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Byron, what is Harrison Smith meant to you? One of them?
Speaker 9 (19:11):
You know that's a big brother than me. Obviously been
watching him since you know, I was younger. It's just
so you know, be honest to be his teammate, always
a blessed to be his teammate. Obviously he's the leader
of our of our defense, but obviously all the stuff
he's done for this game, that's the most respected, and
I know he knows that as well.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
You're awesome.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Enjoy your off season. May God bless your family, and
I look forward to seeing you at OT.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Sir, God bless you. Appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Byron Murphy Junior, one of our very favorites here in
the in the drive by Covenant where let's head over
here and find another defensive person. Here's Andrew Van Ginkle.
Mister van Ginkole. What's going on, my man? Everything good?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Not today? Not today? Got it? Okay? Well ipe up
to not today?
Speaker 1 (19:50):
I mean you were down on the field for like
three seconds longer than normal. I'm like, holy cow, did
to get hurt or something? The nine in the nine
and eight season want to I want to just begin
here with a couple of drive bys for you, Harrison Smith.
Your two years here. You've played with Harrison you know,
I know you're not in the DB's room, but nevertheless,
he's a scholar of the game, and to hear Kevin
(20:12):
O'Connell described like the cat and mouse game against Dak
Prescott and the likes of Jared Goff A couple of
high enders right there.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
What what's it like being a teammate with Harrison Smith? Uh,
you know, it's special.
Speaker 10 (20:23):
I've learned a lot from him, had some great conversations,
you know, something that I will cherish forever. And who
knows that if this will be his last game or not.
You know, he's had a hell of a career. I
mean I got to watch him growing up and then
I get to play with him. It's it's something that's,
you know, truly special to me. And you see a
guy like that play at this type of level, it's
it's special. And the way he can impact the game is.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
It's one of one, Andrew, and that that's one of
many things that I genuinely appreciate about you. Is hell,
some of the most simplistic things are special to you.
You know, the these simple things in life. Hey Dallas, congratulations,
good job, Bud, Dallas Turner a couple of sacks today.
But like pregame, when you saw Jim clinsauser on the
sideline carrying too North Dakota meet Rock Valley, Iowa. You
(21:06):
wanted to meet Jim, you know, because I know you
have appreciation for his game from like when you were
growing up, but it's like the simple things like that,
you know those are important.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Right, Yeah, it's huge.
Speaker 10 (21:17):
You know something that you hear on the radio from
you know UPA's it's special when you get a meet
a guy like that with his impact to this team,
to this organization, and you know that's what they do
a great job here with all the legends and guys
that have had success and you know, made an impact
on this team. It's true, it's cool and when you
get a meet guy like that, you get a really
(21:37):
I'm just dig into what it means to be a
Viking and be a part of such a great organization.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
Lastly, with Brian Flores and the defense, say, you guys,
unfurl the more you're playing it two years for you now,
you know, but you did miss some time this year.
The farther you get into the season are the tricks
and the deception and like the expectations easier to decipher,
because I mean, it's one of the most underrated stories
in the NFL because the record's nine and eight that
(22:03):
the Vikings defense is absolutely one of the best overhaul
defenses in the NFL, but it's not going to the playoffs,
so nationally not a lot of people talk about it.
But is is flores defense easier to decipher for veterans?
Speaker 10 (22:17):
Yeah, you know, I think if you want to play
in Flora's defense, you have to be smart and dependable.
And we do so many different things. We vary from
week to week. We're constantly changing and evolving, and you know,
Flow does a good job of putting us in positions
to succeed that game. And depending on who we're playing
and who they got over there is depending on how
(22:38):
we're going to play them and attack them. And so
you got to be smart. You gotta be able to
play multiple positions. You got to be able to move
and you know, have good instincts and when you got
guys like Harrison Smith, that can allow you to be
in the best position, the best play possible, and it
allows you to play fast and kind of expect plays
that are coming and which ultimately leads to turnovers and
(23:00):
puts a lot of pressure on them.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
And lastly, congratulations to you and your wife on the
birth of your newest child. What is said child's name
and how many do you have now?
Speaker 10 (23:09):
Little boy's true at Wildler and this our third little boy.
They're super grateful. My wife Sam's a trooper and this
is a great job. So very blessed.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Oh I would say, you know, hey, go enjoy Turk
and Caicos or maybe this elongated vacation.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
To warm weather.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
But you got all I know, well, you got the
new baby, and you got a stable over there. But
hey man, God bless you. Genuinely, genuinely appreciate not only
the way you play, but the prayers we have before
each and every game, and just your kindness. So look
forward to seeing you at OTAs. And thanks for everything.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yep, thank you, Pa, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
The gink is on fai yam final drive buys for
the two zero two five timber Tech timber tech dot
com thank you for everything not only twenty twenty five
but into twenty twenty six, providing the What's the on
deck nine to Noon, which includes vikes bites around the
Corner orchestrated by Nordo, who did good work with the
(24:08):
One Last Cry Monday Morning montage. I'm Paul Allen, Good morning,
this is nine to Noon.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
The fan.
Speaker 8 (24:29):
What up?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Welcome back nine to Noon? It is time for Vikes
by it's Vike's bite, not the Vike's bite that is correct.
Speaker 11 (24:38):
Vikings ending their season sadly yesterday without a playoff Berth,
but they did add end the season with a fifth
consecutive victory in Border Battle one thirty one, CJ. Ham
scoring his second rushing touchdown of the season. Just kind
of on this note, and we're gonna bring up Harrison
Smith as well. Awesome interview that Ben Lieber had with
(24:59):
Harrison's Smith in the locker room. Will be playing that
back later on nine to noon.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
But just CJ.
Speaker 11 (25:05):
Ham and you think about the journey from Duluth Denfeld
and finding his way, trying out, making the team, carving
out a spot for himself even I mean, now we're
talking through two regimes PA where the offense changes, his
snaps may go down on offense, and CJ Ham's like,
all right, well, I'm just going to go become the
baddest ass special teams captain and handle business in that
(25:27):
area and finding his way into a nearly decade long career.
There's kind of thoughts on seeing CJ get his way
into the end zone yesterday in the finale and what
really CJ has meant over again nearly a decade in purple.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Well, he's been a bastion of excellence. And I don't
throw that term out too often when it comes to
football players, but on and off the field, as a father,
as a husband, balancing the hours and the time that
goes into lasting decade in the National Football League, where
the lines are long, when the gigs are hard to find,
(26:04):
man and the diminishing nature of the fallback is very apparent.
Just a bastion of excellence, as salt of the earth.
He took what he had, made the most of it
for a decade and gets to walk away from the
game on his terms, which is rare in the National
Football League. So nine to Noon applaud CJ.
Speaker 11 (26:26):
Ham absolutely vis bites how about this Vike's bite. So
Tom and everybody thanks again, Tom and everybody associated with
Zone Coverage Zone coverage dot com. They cover all sorts
of the Minnesota sports scene, but in particular Vikings related
coverage coverage. Mister John bonus Tom Schreier putting together Nordo's
(26:48):
numbers on a weekly basis, and Tom handed me this yesterday.
The Vikings have held their opponents to minus three net
passing yards or fewer in the first half. They did
this yesterday for the second time this season, becoming the
first team to do so since the Jets in twenty
twenty three, first time in Vikings team history since two
thousand and three when the stats started being measured. As
(27:12):
we closed the book on things, there are many things
that this team has to sweat, this fan base has
to sweat, as we've discussed pa, but one thing we
can't sweat is how good this defense was really for
the totality of the season, shutting down the pass getting
to the QB. Sadly, the turnovers and the takes weren't
there where we needed them until it was a giving
season in which we were takers on Christmas Day against
(27:35):
those kiddies. Yep, But all the same, the shutdown factor
and this defense over the course of twenty twenty five
one of the many pleasures I think, despite not being
a playoff team, that you can sink your teeth into
and really enjoy about what we watched over the seventeen
and and did.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
So through myriad injuries to key players like Blake Cashman
came into the game yesterday with one hundred and thirty
seven tackles. If he had gotten eighteen yesterday, he would
have had the most tackles in a single season of
any Viking in the history of the team.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
All Right, well, green Bay with what.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
It offered yesterday in third preseason like fash third preseason game,
like fashion, Emmanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks couldn't get through
the line of scrimmage to get to Cashman. But like
Cashman had won thirty seven and he missed four games,
so he would have been a cinch to crack Greenway's
twenty eleven record of one fifty four. Grenard in out
(28:29):
finishes the season on ir Van Ginkel gone a month
and change. Harrison Smith misses a couple to start the season.
So through all of that to be able to achieve
what this defense achieved, it finishes the season pretty.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Much exactly in my heart.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
It's easy to share pretty much exactly what I said
after that Lions game that it's one of the more
underrated stories in the NFL that nationally, like nobody know
Am Newton, no Ryan Clark, no stephen A Smith, no
Dan Orlovski. They ain't talking about it. Why nine and
eight terrorism, Yeah, this is nine and eight. This is
nine and eight radio, that's nine and eight terrorism unless
(29:12):
something changed with the afternoon games. I believe the Vikings
finished first in the league in fumble recoveries. They were
near the top and forced fumbles. It was like weeks
like weeks seven through thirteen or something, they were allowing
twenty six points per game and their take give was
minus thirteen. Then during the four games up to the
(29:34):
Packers game, they were given up twelve a game, so
that obviously got better off yesterday and their take give
the turnover differential went to plus seven. Yeah, So I
mean they put that pedal to the metal at the
end of the season with what they had, so that
that you know, it's it's when it comes to the
sweats and the pragmatic nature of the pillars of sweats.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
For now, when did the reap flores?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Is the play leaf play leave forever with McCarthy and
can we finally nail more draft picks and have them
help post taste and for years to come, So that
that's where my mind is heading into this offseason.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Bikes Bikes.
Speaker 11 (30:18):
They did remain number one in fumble recoveries, by the way,
I think. Let me see here it was thirteen and
that was according to PFR Pro Football Reference, that's still
number one in the NFL. Now that the Week eighteen
games all all finished up, we now officially really know
who our opponents are going to be road and home.
(30:40):
Of course, we all celebrate Happy Schedule Day once the
spring hits.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
But road schedule looks cool. Road schedule's interesting.
Speaker 11 (30:47):
You get Bears, Lions, and Packers, of course, but then
you're going to hit up the Saints and the Bucks
of the NFC South, and you get to go see
Drake May Pa and you get to go see Bravele
and Drake May out east. The New York Jets, New
York Jets first team, by the way, in nearly a
century to not have an interception via their defense all
season long.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
The Jets finished was zero interceptions, no picks, Oh my heavens.
Speaker 11 (31:12):
No picks, and it was only three or four takes
by the defense in totality the entire season. So Patriots
and Jets on the road, and then it will be
the Niners of the NFC West is they finished third
in that division. The third place bit also impacts the
home schedule, as you'll be seeing the Indianapolis Colts and
the Washington Commanders part of the AFC South and NFC West.
(31:35):
So that's where our home and road opponents may have
been impacted by finishes, and that's.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Where we sit into twenty twenty six. By not finishing
last in the division. The Minnesota Vikings went from getting
the Giants, Cardinals and Titans to the Commander's forty nine
Ers and Colts. I mean, it's not precipitous with the change,
but you put the Niners in there, and it kind
of is of Jaden finds the Fire and Danny Dimes
(32:02):
as opposed to Titans in search of new coach, Cardinals
who knows what's up with them, and the New York
Giants also in search of a new coach.
Speaker 11 (32:11):
Okay, well, I think the Colts are going to have
issues specifically early in the season, unless I mean Riley Leonard.
You saw him try to air it out in that
finale against the Tit they excuse me the Texans yesterday,
but Danny Dimes terarn his achilles. I don't see how
there's any shot that he would be available if they
and I think he's going to be a free agent.
Let's say they choose to bring him back. How on
(32:32):
earth would he be available by opening day in terms
of finishing third for me? And maybe people will discount
it or look at it different differently. I don't necessarily say, oh,
my goodness, we have to play the Commanders instead of
the Giants.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
I don't really look at it that way.
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Yes, record wise, Colts significantly at this stage better team
than cam Ward and the Titans. Maybe that's subject to change.
The only one that I really think of is Man.
It would have been nice to play the Cards with
the potentially a new head coach for versus Shanahan and
the Niners on the road. So I just how can
you sweat this schedule at this stage of the season.
I'm still sweating the fact that we're not playing a
(33:08):
game this weekend that I'm going to watch.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
I hate it.
Speaker 11 (33:11):
An NFC North border battle that my team is not
involved in. Yeah, I believe that'll be on Saturday night.
But there you are, there's the twenty twenty six schedule.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
To put a rap on you.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
I'm not and I'm not and I'm not saying that,
you know, my vibe or my feeling is the right
way to look at it. I'm just saying it's my
vibe end or my feeling, So I get it. And
what that is is, I'm not on the we only
missed by a half game bit. It's like a lot
of people have brought that up to me a lot
the last weekend. Well it's really after Duvernet's kick return.
(33:46):
It's what I said then, is what I feel now.
When you know there is a super long shot, super
long shot that you make the postseason, and you have
three major holidays in front of you, Thanksgivings a New
Year's Day, that's a shame on you. I mean, that's
an absolute shame on you to know that you're ninety
(34:08):
five percent not going to make the playoffs and you
got three major holidays in front of you. So they
never after the du Vernet kick return, they never were
making the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
And the half.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Game thing, big deal, man, big deal with the freaking
half game thing.
Speaker 11 (34:22):
Well, you know what, I'll say this for listeners and
fans that are clinging, appreciating that there were reasons to
be optimistic. Kind of okay, So how am I going
to sum up this season?
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Fire?
Speaker 11 (34:35):
Everybody? This was a complete mess. You told us the
roster was set to win. Now you moved on from
Rogers and Darnold and all these opportunities with veteran qbs.
You said the kid was ready. He clearly was not.
And this thing's a complete mess. Whole regime's got to go.
That's one way that you can sum it up. The
other end of it, I do appreciate the idea that
some are saying, you know what, this did suck. The
(34:57):
quarterback wasn't ready. We saw growth pieces, but it wasn't
good enough. We had one hundred injuries, and yes, if
we can just freaking stop DuVernay, we are, and I
forget what the other if the Bears had lost here
and maybe it played this way, technically, they were close
to even potentially winning the NFC North.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
So this is silver lining season.
Speaker 11 (35:16):
And those that look to burn the thing down or
those that are looking for consolation in some of those ideas,
I'm not really mad at it. To your point, though,
I'm not sitting here going, yeah, we were just a
Duverney kick away.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I can't I can't get there at this stage. The
the I think I'm into the equation.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
You know, they're they're like yesterday had some highlights to
it being in the building wasn't nearly as energetic or
emotional as Christmas Day against the Lions, where Harry the
hit Man was repeatedly honored on the sideline and stuff
like that, and it was a really really touching situation.
They were touching moments yesterday, don't get me wrong. Yeah,
(35:54):
but one thing that I'll never forget. And I'm glad
into the game, you know, because I got wrapped up
yesterday on the potential of well, how long did do
you have quick twitch access to how long the game took? Like,
like what the final time of the game was.
Speaker 11 (36:10):
On a total game time? I mean, not as quick
twitch as you probably. Sorry, Well, here here's the bit.
It's with Clayton tone terrorism. It was super predictable.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Green Bay would run seventy or eighty percent of the
time clock runs. Now you got the Vikings with the
ball and they're going to play a regular offensive game.
Then you get into John Hussey, the white Hat, the referee,
and John Hussey's group called calls the fourteenth most penalties
(36:45):
of the seventeen staffs.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
It's two to forty two.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, so Hussy, they don't throw many flags. Hussy wants
to get out of their fast too. Tune terrorism Green
and goal gonna run. So it's I got wrapped up
yesterday over and Hussey did his part too, by the way,
but I got.
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Everybody trying to get out of there.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Philadelphia and Las Vegas earlier this season, Philly b Las
Vegas thirty one zip. That game took two hours and
thirty one minutes. In nineteen ninety six, Indianapolis Colts and
San Diego Chargers played. That game took two minutes, twenty
nine seconds, fastest game in the history of the NFL.
I thought we were going to crack that yesterday. Into
the game, man, I'm like, we're going to crack this today. Now,
(37:32):
I got this Hussy steam too.
Speaker 12 (37:33):
Man.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
He never throws any flags, but see see after I
explained that early in the game, I'm like, John Hussey
and the Hussy crew might be my favorite. Of all
the officiating crews in the NFL. Games are always in control.
With John Hussey, he's just he's a cool cat, and
he's just.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
His staff is really really good. So I'm like, you know,
I'm glad we got Hussy today.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Man.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
He's one of my favorites.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
He and his staff up and he kind of validated
that that later in the game when referee John Hussey
took the went on the microphone after a vike during
the Vikings time out and said the vike he said
this to everybody in the stadium. The Vikings took a
time out to honor Harrison Smith. John Hussey said that
(38:21):
on the microphone in the stadium.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
I mean, I can't remember the last time a referee
said something into a microphone that was non infraction related,
and and everybody stood. John Hussey is the bomb man.
But to forty two. So we missed it. You know,
we missed it by about fifteen minutes down.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Oh admit, we're behind it.
Speaker 11 (38:39):
I was actually looking at the clock and thinking to myself, Okay,
we got a Wolves game at five. Yeah, so we
got to fill this time with fan line. Yeah, and
I'm thinking to myself, season ending fan line. Can you
stretch this? Can we take the coach maybe a minute
or two a couple extra questions here before before we
get to fan line and put a rap on this thing.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
But it was as it should have been.
Speaker 11 (39:02):
Most likely, is you've got a team that has nothing
to play for non postseason year and the other team's
just trying to get out alive and get to the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
So John Hussey on the microphone time out Vikings. They
took the time out to honor Harrison Smith, so good
place went nuts. Matt, Yeah, I love that it's Vikes bites.
Some talkbacks around the corner. I might drop in some
later in the show if not. Plenty of time this
week to formulate some Vikings takes and talkers and tedium
and tie them to maybe Tuesday talkbacks. So your talkbacks
(39:33):
are around the corner. Followed by the analyst Pete Burstch
and in Booth, analyst for the Vikings Audio Network. All
that's around the corner in KFA.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Hey, Paul Nordo.
Speaker 12 (39:50):
I think it goes without saying the biggest talker this
offseason will be the quarterback situation. Me personally, I think
McCarthy showed it up Flashes to at least earn A
on the roster, but I wouldn't be surprised if they
brought in some competition for him this coming off season.
I would love to get your guys' thoughts on this
and what or not you still believe he could be
our future franchise quarterback going forward.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
Yeah, that's going to be on the minds of football
fans and a lot of Vikings fans for days, weeks,
and months. And welcome back to nine to noon talk
Back Central for this segment. I mean, yes, there will
need to be some form of a different or a
veteran quarterback brought into the Minnesota Vikings franchise.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
However, I would make JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Minus seven hundred to be the starting quarterback for the
Vikings Week one next year. Yeah, minus seven hundred minimum,
massive favorite, meaning if you want to win one hundred,
you've got to put seven hundred up to get my
one hundred. And if you don't think it's going to
be the case, you put up your one hundred and
nine to Noon gives you like five fifty something like that.
(41:03):
So he's prohibitively favored us. When it comes to what
I or we believe about what's next for JJ and
like franchise quarterback and stuff like that. That that, I mean,
that's gonna take some while for me. That's gonna take
a while for me to unpack, because yes, I'm excited
to watch JJ McCarthy version two start eleven Week one
(41:26):
next year. But a franchise quarterback, that's a big, big tag.
I gotta think that out a little bit.
Speaker 11 (41:33):
Yeah, and he just needs I mean, there's no way
after what we've seen, you know, six and four of
this and total TD's that there's no way that you
could prognosticate that he's the franchise QB or will be
at this stage.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
I'm with you, though, Yeah, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
I am I'm not going to go through days, weeks
and months of talking about JJ McCarthy every single day. No,
I mean, that's that's a nine to noon mandate. That's
an edict. It'll be chatted about, it will be discussed,
and if new things emerge to me from a background
standpoint that I feel without a breaching trust I can share,
(42:09):
I will share. But until we see him not play
leaf play leaf play leaf play leaf play leaf play leave.
It's very hard for me to formulate a conclusive opinion.
Speaker 11 (42:23):
Exactly, but but I I would happen to agree with
you here.
Speaker 2 (42:26):
I think he's the massive favorite. To start. There will be.
Speaker 11 (42:29):
Another QB name, you know, raising the level of that room,
I think is how it's been phrased. Yeah, in the
in the last week or so and and and that's
the goal. But still I think I think McCarthy would
be in a very good spot to start well and
and and you know, from a from a veteran backup standpoint,
I have no idea. I mean, I'm gonna wait for
(42:52):
teams to play in the postseason and then some rumors
from reliable people to circulate as to potentially like but
names can be made available.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
One thing that.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
I know I do feel and won't change from is
no matter how substandard people believe a certain name is,
I will yield to to what what what happened here
in the regular season with Sam Darnold and and some
of the things they got out of Carson Wentz when
(43:23):
he was healthy, some things they got out of Nick
Mullins when he was healthy, and and the way Daniel
Jones will set up for success to go somewhere else,
sadly go somewhere else. So, uh, it's not really the name.
It the individual name on which I'm going to focus.
But it's the philosophy and the theory of what you
(43:44):
just said there where you said, uh, fortifying the room
or raising the level. But but I I will actually I.
Speaker 2 (43:51):
Have no idea it was available.
Speaker 11 (43:52):
Well, but if you look at the name, so I'm
not interested in reading the names for you, that does
play into it for me. Why why he would be
massively favored now I'm looking at the free agents save
for And this is also what makes him heavily favored.
Is the alternative would be team makes massive blockbuster move
for a guy from another team, and you've seen the
(44:14):
superstar stuff being bandied about, and what so and so
would look like in purple and gold, and just the
lack of likelihood there combined with what is out there,
I just it's too early to give up on this investment.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
Oh yeah, or is it? You know? You know what
I mean. So, but it's way, way, way too early
for me.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
I mean because like in his I don't have the
game calling depth chart in front of me. But up
to yesterday's game, he was three and oh in his
previous three starts, and his completion percentage was sixty six.
His yards per attempt was eight and a half. Yeah,
eight and a half's a fat number. Might even lead
the NFL if you do it over the course of
a season. And he had seven touchdowns against two picks.
(44:54):
I mean, it's to each their own with their taste
as to what you want to say, exponentially with jumps.
But there was a jump in improvement for the twenty
two year old during the course of the season.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
There was.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
So the expectation is with maturity and with knowledge and
physically growing into age twenty three, he turns twenty three
and like just a few weeks. Well, then the expectation
is that it will be even better next year.
Speaker 11 (45:26):
And I don't know what that would look like. Yeah,
I agree with you. There more more talkbacks here. Well,
this one's a little more pessimistic, but an optimistic bent
towards the end.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
Hy Paul, Here's what I think of the season.
Speaker 13 (45:38):
Quasi out, koc can stay, Flores hopefully stays. We need
to find a new quarterback. Harrison Smith is a Hall
of Famer and C. J. Ham dalut Dunfeld stand up,
(45:59):
lut dunf Den, He'll stand up.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Thanks for the talkback. Let's do let me see here,
let's do one more.
Speaker 14 (46:06):
Good morning Nordo and Pa Mike from Tampa. Great to
see the Vikings win five in a row, but I
still feel like this season was a big disappointment. We
don't know where we are with JJ, too many injuries,
too many things went wrong with him. We spent a
lot of money in the offseason last year to do
not a lot. It's not very nice to see us
(46:27):
out of the playoffs yet again. Need to see a
playoff win in a deep playoff run next year, or
I think that we need to move on from the
current leadership.
Speaker 1 (46:35):
What do you think, well, moving on from the current
leadership if that includes the head coach, let's you know,
let's not forget well a he has a really really
good regular season record o and two in the postseason,
very easy and amenable with whom to work for, people
with the vikings that matters. So yeah, I mean, if
(46:56):
Kevin O'Connell's included in the leadership, then you can just
go out and draw lines back because that ain't happening.
I don't believe that the timing is right to move
on from general managers and or personnel people, certain personnel
people at this stage of the equation. So I make
it minus eighteen hundred to win one hundred that Quasia
(47:19):
doofa Mensa will be the general.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Manager in the next year.
Speaker 1 (47:22):
And finally, off the tone of I think it was Mike,
Mike and Tampa. Yeah, I'm I'm greatly disappointed too. And
it's strange in that this really all just hit me
within like the last half week, where you know, like
I said, after Duverne had that kick return and Santos
walked off on the vikings that for all intents and
(47:45):
purposes as I go, that was it. I mean, the
percentage was too bad to make the postseason. You got
monsters in front of you on the schedule, and that
three to eight percent I was out on that. So
when you Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's stay in front
of you and you know you're not going to make
the playoffs. That's why I started introducing these are human
(48:07):
nature games, and from a human nature standpoint, it was
ten of ten try for every single player on that
team to win five consecutive. Well, that comes back to
leadership too. That's that's the word culture that is trite
and overused in a lot of different places.
Speaker 2 (48:22):
It's not here, you can believe me or not.
Speaker 1 (48:24):
It's not because if it was, then you would have
problems with effort and you'd be benching people and things
like that over the final month and change. But you know,
I was the one who loudly said into the playoffs.
I mean, there was a qualifier into the regular season,
training camp and stuff.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
There was a qualifier.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
Unless you have debilitating, massive injuries and have like a
quarterback carousel, well then maybe making the playoffs would be
more difficult than I think. But I'm disappointed they didn't
make the playoffs. And yeah, it's I was there for
all three quarterbacks, just like everybody else was, and all
of the injuries and the twenty five offensive line.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
Yes, that's a lot. That is a lot.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
But they invested in a roster to make the postseason
and advance through the postseason. And if you're investing in
people who are coming off previous debilitating injuries and they
have to miss time again, well who should be surprised?
All right, So therefore that's a look in the mirror
moment in my opinion, And I ain't talking about me.
(49:32):
So yeah, I'm disappointed they didn't make the playoffs. I
mean I was greatly, greatly disappointed recently that they didn't
make the playoffs, man, because I started thinking about some
ideas and takes and talkers and stuff like that into
the season. Then you look at the totality of it
and you recognize the defense finished as one of the
best overall defenses in the NFL against Sam Darnold, Jordan Love,
(49:58):
Caleb Williams, Jayden Dan Annuals at all. It wasn't a
Flukey Clayton tune every single game thing, and the kicker
is the best in show.
Speaker 2 (50:07):
Don't at me.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
So it's just a freaking shame that they're not bringing
this defense and this kicker into the postseason. It's really
starting to bug me. So let's call the animals.
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