October 3, 2025 • 38 mins
Tennafitzgerald HOUR 1 --Montage--Vikings --Bercich
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Blake Moore Montage this week because the common Man Dan
Cole is out.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He's up at his Camp Richards starting today.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
So Tena Fitzgerald said, sale noon to three today, Brett.
I noticed you had to go back a couple weeks
or some of those Viking silence. You couldn't go back
to last week, could you? I mean I played a.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Couple okay, as much as there were yeah, yeah, And
I just skipped the Falcons game entirely and just went
to the Beatles.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
There wasn't much to play it.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
We have a loaded packed guests filled Tena Fitzgerald.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Pete Bursuch London calling for him. He's in London. He'll
be on the call on Sunday. He's going to join us.
I'm guessing it'll be six thirty pm his time, at
twelve thirty pm Central time.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
About a half hour from now.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Of course it's a Friday, so the Little Bee will
be here at one o'clock today and we are playing
program pass Word even without common I will be playing,
Brett will be hosting, and then Nordo, my fellow producer.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
We'll join forces.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
For the producer team, we'll take on Lowby and Johnny
Krasinski from the Athletics. So that'll be a one thirty
today two fifteen, Brett, I know, always your favorite game
to play. Are you smarter than a Packers fan? We
do have a giveaway today with those tickets to see
the University of Saint Thomas taking on North Dakota at
Grand Casino Arena in October twelfth, So will play Who's
(01:18):
Smarter than a Packers Fan at two fifteen, and then
Wild hockey fans get paid. Wild finishing up their preseason tonight,
and then it's onto the regular season. Michael Russo, the
best in the business, covers the Wild for the Athletic.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
He will join at two thirty.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
As for the game on Sunday, Vikings versus Browns, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Like typically you.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Go into a game like this and go, well, we
know what Cleveland's got, how can we play against them?
But it's really kind of a mystery to me, Brett.
Given how important an offensive line is to a that
side of the ball being able to move it down
on the field, I don't know how our offensive line
is going to function against their defensive line.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We already know about Miles Garrett.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Arguably the top edge rusher in all of football in
the world. And the injury report comes out today and
we all kind of saw this coming as the week
was progressing, But now we get full on clarity. That
center Ryan Kelly with that concussion, he's out. Then you're going, all, right, well,
(02:30):
we got a quality backup in Michael Jurgens, right. Nope,
he's out with a hamstring injury. Brian O'Neal, we knew
what that knee injury he was out. Left guard Donovan
Jackson with that wrist injury he missed against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's out.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So your offensive line sixty percent of your starters out.
All you have remaining is your left guard and your
left tackle. Who know, No Fries on the right side,
Fries on the right. I'm confusing myself right now. I
think he's in the left anyway. Regardless, No, he's on
the right side because Donovan Jackson was playing left. Will
(03:05):
Fry is your right guard. And obviously, you know, when healthy,
one of the top left tackles in all football in
Christian Darris. So at least if you're going to have
an offensive lineman, I guess that's the one you want.
Assuming Miles GARRETTI at least line up against him at times.
I don't know how much they'll move him around, but
sixty percent of your offensive line is out, and then
(03:28):
your backup center is out, which means Blake Brandell is
going to start at center on Sunday. And I think
he's a quality backup. But he's never played it down
of center in his life, at least in a game. Obviously,
he's practiced there at times. So any offense, if you
had like four healthy offensive linemen, just having a new
(03:49):
center alone can be a little dicey at times, especially
when the quarterback is relatively new as well, in terms
of the exchange in terms of communication at the line,
setting up blocking schemes for whatever the opponents are going
to do. So an offensive lineman who's never played center before,
(04:11):
and then you are also going to start an undrafted
rookie and Joe Huber at left garden and then at
right tackle you're going to start justin school who LEAs
has played a little bit this year, obviously with Darrisa
out to begin the season, but now he's on the
right side of it was the left side, and let's
face it, when he was there in the left side,
(04:31):
like there was a drop off there from Christian DEARRISA,
it's just justin school. And then on top of that,
your best blocking running back is not playing in Aaron Jones.
That is not Jordan Mason has some qualities I like
over Aaron Jones, but blocking pass protection is not one
(04:52):
of them. Now, potentially the only saving grace here is CJ.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Hamm did practice this week.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
He hasn't participated all year in a game coming back
from that knee injury. He's still listed as questionable. I'm
not sure if he's gonna go. Even if he does go,
you know, is he on a pitch count of some sort.
But given your offensive line struggles, you need all the help,
all the reinforcements you can get, and hopefully potentially you
can see CJ.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Ham on the field.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I'm guessing Brett that we are going to see a
lot of Josh Oliver on the field because you have
five offensive linemen you don't trust. And I what I'm
most curious about in this game is will koc change
his offensive philosophy because I kind of feel like he
(05:43):
has to. KOs has always been a guy multiple wide
receivers on the field. We're gonna We're gonna have our
quarterback drop back and hold on to the ball a
little bit longer than other teams because we want those
intermediate routes to open up, some deep routs to open up.
And I just don't know if they are going to
have the time, and frankly, the personnel you'd want to have,
(06:06):
I think Josh Oliver has to be out there a
good chunk of the time.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So that's gonna eliminate. Assuming TJ.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Hockinson's out there, that you're now eliminating, You're not gonna
have many three wide receiver sets out there. And you
can't just run the ball either, because one all those
offensive line changes too. Cleveland is the best in football
through four weeks against the run. So I don't know
what you think, Brett, I just don't know. It's got
to be a beflow game. It's got to be. You've
(06:33):
played the Isaiah Rodgers highlights on the Montage. Defense not
only has to shut them down, but they're gonna have
to force turnovers, give your team, give your offense short fields,
maybe have to score run of their own. I just
don't envision a scenario where this Vikings offense is putting
up a lot of points unless the defense and special
teams is putting in them advantageous situations.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, this is gonna have to be a complimentary football game.
The only good news is that you're facing a quarterback
who's making his first NFL start, completely unproven. I don't
know what's more untrustworthy, a rookie quarterback making his first
start or three out of your offensive lineman being done.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I mean, the one.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Thing's for sure, And I think it's like a historically
low over underline as it stands right now.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yes, I think fast year it's the lowest thirty five
and a half. Yeah, you've and I wouldn't be surprised
if the under hit. I think it's going to be
an underwhelming camp in that sense for sure. It's it's
going to be a grind.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And you saw it with Rogers too last week against
the Vikings, just getting the ball out just just as
quick as humanly possible because Rogers can't move and the
pass rush is good for the Vikings. The fan has learned,
so they just got it out as fas as possible
and it worked out for him. It's going to have
to change. It's not whether Kosi should change. He has
to change.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
It's not going to work, but.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
I feel like he's always been reluctant to do that.
He's one of those I'm going to show you how
great of a play caller I am. And I feel
like I think the fact that you mentioned they are
starting a rookie quarterback, which might lead you believe that
at least our defense gonna.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Have some success.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I think Koc's got to be a little more conservative
in this game, and that's going to frustrate fans. Right
you're going to You're going to watch them playing, you know,
run the ball in first down, run the ball in
second down, third and six, showing it, throwing the ball
short of the sticks. Guy, you know that kind of
stuff is frustrating. But you also just cannot turn the
(08:21):
ball over in this game. You make make Dylan Gabriel
and that Browns offense have to go the full length
of the field, and they shouldn't be able to put
up a ton of points.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I think it's got to be a bflow game. Will see.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I do want to get your opinion, Brett, maybe a
little bit of a scouting report on the Cleveland Browns
since your Packers had a very low scoring game with
him just a couple of weeks ago, So we'll talk
about that, what to expect from Cleveland on the peak
at the Purple segment next right here on the ten
of Fitzgerald.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
All right, welcome back to the ten of fits Derild.
We'll talk.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
We'll talk with Pete Bursich, analysts for the Vikings RD
to and work about ten to fifteen minutes from now. Brett,
I did want to get your a little scouting report
from you since you are a Green Bay Packers fan.
Your team took on the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago,
had a ten toh in lead and then just blew
it in delicious fashion. But I want to get your opinion. Yeah,
(09:18):
because I have not watched a Cleveland Browns game this year,
I have an idea of what they're like. Clearly, their
offense has been struggling mightily. That's why the why the
quarterback change is being made from Joe Flacco, who's going
to be about as old as.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Me at this point, to the young rookie.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
But defensively, I think you saw in that game your
your Packers' offense struggled to move the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
So what can you tell me about the Cleveland Browns. Yeah,
I should.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I should also mention, by the way, this is peak
at the Purple brought to you by brought to you
by Affordable Electric.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
It's shockingly affordable.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, they're going to have a long peak at this
Browns defense at tottenhamhaws Forer Stadium. It's it's the real deal, man.
The Packers offense three out of four weeks was really good.
Jordan Love over one hundred thirteen pass rating in each
of those games except for the game against the Browns
because he was pressured like forty five percent of his dropbacks.
(10:08):
They are stingy. The front seven, thank you. The front
seven is just so good at stopping the run. Josh
Jacobs couldn't get going at all. They didn't have time
and all the dump offs were just cut off. I
mean it was they didn't adjust quick enough and I
don't think they respected the Browns defense as much and
it cost him. Despite all that, they could have won
(10:31):
the game. You get ready for the delicious again. But
the block field goal. Every single time the brown scored points,
it was because of good field position given to them.
So the offense isn't great, it's just I mean even
the interception. The Love interception was a brilliant play by
the cornerback who basically said, I'm going to not play
(10:53):
my man and man coverage and jump another route that
I'm not even supposed to be covering. They are really,
really good, and they made Jordan Love's life. Hell, it's
going to be a struggle.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
My thought going into this is, and you can say
this about any game in the National Football League, So
I get this is kind of cliche, but when you
have a team that struggles offensively like Cleveland does, especially
passing the ball, you want to put them into a
situation where they're even one dimensional, right, Like Cleveland wants
to run the ball. Quinch On Judkins, the rookie they
(11:24):
got out of Ohio State who didn't play the first
two games because he wasn't signed because he had off
the field issues that apparently got resolved or went away.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
But that happens in Cleveland a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Well, yeah, he's been kind of their bellcow now the
last two weeks. I'm sure he didn't get as many
touches in the Green Bay game, but last week he
got even more. And they're gonna want to run the ball,
and even just from what I've seen of Dylan Gabriel
out of Oregon is he doesn't appear to me to
(12:03):
have like a super strong nfl arm right like he
I compared him kind of to Russell Wilson the other
day and that he like he can throw the deep
ball and kind of like throw it into a bucket
a little bit, you.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Know, with the like with the little touch.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I think he's got the capability of thrown touch passes.
But if you need to throw it into like a
tight window over the middle, when your tight end's kind
of covered and you got to just throw it in
the right spot, I just don't know if he has
nfl arm strength.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
To do that.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
And then on top of that, he doesn't have weapons
to throw to. You know, Jerry Judy had a good
year last year, but he has already struggled here through
the first four weeks. And that's like his number one
and only option from a wide receiver standpoint at this point.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Cedric Tillman, Who's their number two? I believe.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
I haven't seen the latest injury report, but I thought
he was going to miss this game. I couldn't even
tell you who the third wide receiver is Brett and
I played lots of fantasy football. Yeah, I couldn't tell
you who their number three is. Now, they got a
couple tight ends, David and Joku looks like he is
going to go. He's been banged up a little bit.
He's a quality tight end. Harold Fannin's a rookie tight
end that put up monster numbers in college last year.
(13:15):
But like, I just don't think he's got a lot
of help. They're gonna want to run the ball. So
if there's a way to get out to lead. Now,
your Packers got out to that to nothing lead and
blew it, so maybe, well but if there's a way
to somehow make Dylan Gabriel and that Brown's offense one
dimensional where you're up ten points at some point, and
I do think then maybe that is the chance we
(13:36):
can kind of get away from Cleveland a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Well, again, the Packers didn't give up any points until
like three minutes left in the game. Yeah, you know,
so there's a ten to nothing lead, and the only
reason the Brown's got points is because they got to
take away and then they blocked a kick which the
ball tumbled into the past the fifty yard line to
give him better position to win the game.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So it really to me the key this is going.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
To be quite the The ball talker doesn't really promote
the game very well. I think turnovers well that too.
I think your most important player might be Ryan right,
just deep and just hoping that you can play the
field at.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Least he's healthy. He's one guy on our team that's healthy.
That's true.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
You've got a block for him too, the fans learned.
But I think he might be your most important because
the only reason they scored is because they got favorable
field position against the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Sidetrack for a second, Yes, how are you and the
Dave Sinnikons of the world and the Carl Gerberschmidts of
the world and Green Bay Packer Nation feeling about how
this season is going? Because I have to imagine first
two games of the year, dominant against big game contender
(14:42):
and the detrouder Detroit Lions. Right, not only did you
beat him, but you were in control of the entire game.
They didn't score until garbage time. Yeah, and if you
look what Detroit has looked like since then, like, yeah,
So that was a pretty impressive opening performance for the
Greenwow Packers. Then the following week, you've got another NFC
contender in Washington at the time, Jayden Daniels is still
(15:04):
healthy coming into Lambeau, and so you start out and
you control that game. So two straight games against what
going into the season many thought were the best teams
in the NFC, the two of the best teams in
the NFC. To go from that to that loss that
we've just talked about against Cleveland and then last week
(15:26):
the tie against the Dallas Cowboys. Not that the season's over, right,
I mean, you're still two one on one, You're gonna
be in playoff position. I think you're still a quality team.
But I have to imagine after two weeks, you guys
are thinking we're going to the big game this year? Okay,
and it has that mentality change at all. Is there
a little bit of doubt after the last two weeks. Oh,
I'm sure the majority of people will tell you, thank you.
(15:49):
I'm sure the majority of listeners will say, we always
think that we're.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Going to the Big mom every year.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
So there's that, But the delusion was at an all
time high, for myself included. I still don't think it's
out of the question. I'm just not as confident. I'm
not going to make Super Bowl here. We come Montages
anytime soon for at least a month. If they play
a month of solid football, we'll talk. But it just
the Dallas game was just a defensive like collapse, which
(16:14):
was crazy because they were so lights out in the
first three weeks. Even against Cleveland, they're really good, and
in the Cleveland game, they just felt like they didn't
have the right game plan for that defense.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
In that password, you're blaming the coach.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I'm blaming him and the special teams coordinator because they
blew two games.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Your most important player was he was great.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It was blocking field goals and blocking kick returns.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
They just there's been a lot of that. This year
has changed.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I don't well, now you're starting to see the special
teams kick like a little knuckler into the landing zone.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yea, they muffled me.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So that's what happened to Green Bay where they kick
a little knuckleball to the one yard line. You just
knee it in the end zone and you take it
the twenty. Meanwhile, on our side, you kick it to him.
Normally they take it out to like the forty five. Yeah,
so you're just starting with your hand tied behind your
back because of special teams, not to mention, they still
should have won that Cleveland game. Have we just blocked
(17:09):
the field goal normally and just blocked the rushers coming in?
Speaker 2 (17:13):
But what do I know? I'm not panicking quite yet.
To answer your question, let's go to.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
London to get some actual professional football advice. We're gonna
talk with Pete Burstich, analysts for the Vikings Rada Network.
He joins us next right here on the ten Fitzgerald
and Fitzgerald. Ain't no fun unless you have Pete Burstich,
analysts for the Vikings Rado Network on. It's to preview
Vikings Browns, and he's doing it from London.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Peter, how you doing over there?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I am good. It's rainy today, though, Okay, I'm jealous
of the weather. It's been fifty you know, fifty something
and I think a couple of sunny days. But yeah, we're.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Gonna hit We're gonna hit ninety the day over here.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Yeah, that's I miss wearing shorts, be honest with you.
It's like, can't can't wear shorts out here?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
What has been the favorite thing you've done while you've
been in London over the last week. I'm assuming you
haven't been working the whole time. You've got a little
vacation time in.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Well, I got We've gone up to Cambridge, which was
really cool for the University of University of Cambridge is
and that's it's a beautiful, beautiful area. Saint Mary's Church,
a bunch of spots up there, just you know. And
then I got to go to the a couple of
the Imperial War museums, and then Duxford for the Air Museum,
(18:34):
which is pretty cool too. So yeah, yeah, a couple
a lot of a lot of museums up here, apparently.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Any big Friday night plans, no, no, nothing.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I'm going to eat dinner and just do nothing.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
What's the good food there? What have you been eating?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I've had fish and chips like ten times. It's good though,
unless you want a burger and there's nothing else like
other than that. You get you get the shepherd pie,
Shepherd's pies of the world, and then other foods that
you have no idea what they are.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Yeah, I would struggle over there.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, it's kind of like you just stay safe, you
go with the fish and chips and it all works out.
So that's a little different. I mean for the players
their foods. I'm pretty sure you have brought over or
they give them kind of a menu so they eat
a little bit more normally. But yeah, the diet, the
diets are a little different around here, all right.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
I want to ask you maybe a potential nerdy football question,
because as someone who did not play football at a
high level, I don't know if there might be zero
answer to this, but there might be an interesting answer
to this.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Left handed quarterbacks. What changes not only.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
From the way the offensive structured, how you defend them.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Does the ball come spinning.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Differently the wide receivers, like, what changes when the left
handed quarterback's in.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Yeah, I think a little back in the day of
the West Coast offense with the forty nine ers, with
you know, Joe Montana and then Steve Young took over,
they basically had to flip flopball the plays, meaning the
(20:17):
you know a West Coast offense, which teams call themselves
West Coast now, but they don't run the same routes,
they don't run the same running game. It's the West
Coast was just very verbose and they teams have adopted
that still where they have to name every ship motion
formation and all that stuff. It sounds like a different language.
And they called themselves West Coast offense, which anyway, but
(20:39):
I digress easiest. Most the West Coast offense was traditionally
a right handed offense, meaning most of the plays in
the passing routes and the three out strong routes and
all those things that tied end they usually want the
quarterbacks right. Well, when you have a left handed quarterback,
then you just flip it of that. I don't think
(21:01):
there's there's much of a difference in the ball yet
spent in a different direction, but the receivers should get
used to that pretty quickly. But outside of that, I'm not,
you know, not a whole lot. Defensively, I don't think
it matters one one bit between a right hand and
or left stand of quarterback. I don't think maybe tendencies
might change, but it doesn't doesn't change the way the
(21:23):
defense works at all.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Okay, let's advance this further, not even talking specifically about
Dylan Gabriel. But I'm curious, like when a quarterback change
is made in terms of when you were a player
or even when you're a coach, maybe you have broadcasting
experience as well. You know, part of me goes, well,
this guy's a third round rookie quarterback that wasn't super
highly thought of before the draft, and the offense it's
(21:46):
probably going to struggle with him. But a part of
me also goes, do other players get sparked a little
bit this by a change?
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Right?
Speaker 1 (21:53):
You saw Jackson Dark come in for the Giants last
week and all of a sudden that defense was was
stopping Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Right like your past experience,
do Ajot does the team got to spark sometimes from
the from the from a quarterback change.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
I think sometimes especially if it happens in game and
the guy goes out there and plays hard. That can
you know? In this case, I mean I I was
curious about that as well. I mean, you're on the road,
meaning you're you're in a different country, and you're bringing
in a third round rookie to play against Brian Flores
(22:27):
as he's had very good a lot of success against
young quarterbacks. It doesn't make much sense. But then you
take a look at Joe Flacco's numbers, you know, two
touchdowns six interceptions, a passer rating in the sixties. You know,
they had they had to make a change, and I
think the big, the big part of that is just
getting the ball to Jerry Judy. I mean, you know,
(22:49):
Judy has been around since twenty twenty four, around a
top ten wide receiver, and then you look at his
numbers this year and he's received very little, if any attention.
You know, they're kind of relegated to anonym chick sweeps
and some of those other things. So I do think
if you know, if this is going to work for
(23:11):
Dylan Gabriel, he's gonna have to find a way to
get the ball to Jerry Judy early and often. And
you know that might that might spark some things up front.
But I mean this, this this team, the defense is
remarkably dominant. I mean given up two hundred and twenty
five yards or two hundred and twenty two yards a game.
I mean, it's the difference. You know, Arizona's at like
(23:33):
two forty something, but the next team is at two
seventy five. I mean that's a fifty yard difference per game.
That you know what I mean, They've been They've been
unbelievably dominant. Have they given up a lot of points. Yes,
they've been putting a lot of bad positions with turnovers
and then kick returns and things like that. So don't
don't fall sure, don't fall asleep on this defense that
(23:55):
Cleveland has. I mean, they're they're outstanding. They're very, very
very good. So that is going to help a young quarterback.
But also is going to help a young quarterback is
a running games and you know Quinn Shawn Judkins has
run the ball pretty well, But they depend on a
lot of rookies. You know, Harold Fannins a rookie tight end, Judkins,
(24:18):
you know, Judkins is a rookie running back. I mean,
they've got a lot of rookies out there. So that's
that's just you know, screens inconsistency. Then I have a
rookie quarterback or rookie tailback and a rookie fullback slash
tight end. Who is the number one receiver from a
reception basis on the teams? Yeah, I don't know, But
(24:42):
then again, slack it has been that bad, so I
think that's certainly option. And the problem is is they
could be horrific offensively and they're still going to be
in the game with that defense.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Well, can you tell me about Dylan Gabriel, then what
are Strengthswater has weaknesses, not a whole lot.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I mean, I I don't, you know, I haven't I've
never really s see him play. I know he has
I think as many, if not more he broke. He
has more touchdowns at the FCS level than any other
quarterback quick passing game coming out of Oregon. So if
you know, if they do that, I don't think they're
going to let him do that though. I don't think
(25:18):
they're going to spread out the offense and let him
just throw, make sure throws all around. I think that
they're going to run the football and then play acts
and pass and then let him open his arm up
a little bit that way to you know, to Jerry
Judy and to you know, to the rest of the
right you know, Jamari Thrash and Tillman and the rest
of that wide receiver court. So I don't I just
(25:43):
think that they're going to try to up the yards
per attempt in that regard. I don't necessarily think they're
going to have him slinging it all over the yard
on a short thrower basis.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
All right, obviously on the offensive side of the ball.
I'm guessing most of the concern is going to go
on the offensive line. Here you have three stars out
that would be Brian O'Neill, Ryan Kelly, and Donovan Jackson.
And then you even have a backup center who's out
in Michael Jurgens.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Is this is this code read for you in.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Terms of your level of concern about our offensive line
in this game, given who they're going up against.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yah, sixty percent of the offensive line is either in
a different spot or on starters. So yeah, it's a
huge concern. That's that means that we're going to have
the tight ends are going to be highly involved. C. J.
Hamm will probably be highly involved in past defense. But
the good news is is just our wide receiver corps.
How good Addison's looked since he's been back. You know.
(26:39):
The problem with the challenge there is that those are
usually longer down the field, longer developing type routes, and
as you know, my keeping Miles Garrett off quarterback for
a while, even if you have two guys on them,
it's going to be tough. You know, Here's here's the deal, Brandon,
you got to just put together, decent drives, a quick
(27:00):
shooting yourself in the foot. You got to quit getting
inside the twenty, being at first and ten and you know,
getting a good run first down and then getting the
penalty and then getting the sack and then having to
kick a field goal. Right, you just have to get
out of that that that whatever that is that we're
stuck in. And instead of ending drives of field goals,
(27:20):
you got to end a few of them with touchdowns,
and that you know that can happen. So the self
inflicted penalties have to go the procedural ones. That has
to get a lot better, especially against a defense that's
as good as the one we're going to go against,
because if you help that defense out at all, you're
gonna you know, you're gonna come out come away from
(27:41):
the game with two hundred and twenty five yards of
total offense. And that may not get it done.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Let's stick with the offensive line. I want to talk
about Blake Brendel specifically. He's he's making the move to
center because the first two centers are out. Apparently it's
had no experience ever playing center in an actual game.
Obviously has practiced there, but how big of an adjustment.
Is that, like, out of all the positions on the offense,
like that would be the hardest one to switch to.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
You know. Here's the thing though, is I'm trying to
remember his name right now. It's run right on the
top of my head. But the center for the Lions,
he just retired recently.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, rag Now.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Ragnow started out as a guard and it didn't go
very well. And then they moved in the center and
it took off. I mean some guys. For some guys
that the changes is just exactly what they needed. So
who knows it could it could be that case rag Now.
Definitely he went from being an average to okay guard
(28:39):
to being one of the best centers in the league. Uh,
you know, and and this could it could happen to
to Brandell. I mean, he's a big guy. Uh. He
played He played well beginning of last year at guard
in the first you know, four or five six games,
and he kind of fell off as a year went on.
But you know, he's played well before. He's you know,
(29:00):
he's had some good games and so I have you know,
some hope there that that they you know, they're not
putting them there out of necessity. They're putting them there
because they feel that that's where he where he can
maybe take off. And you know, we don't. We don't
know how Ryan Kelly Ryan Kelly situation is, and it
(29:21):
could be a long term thing. We don't know. He's
not an IR, so I don't it's not expected right now,
but you know, having a veteran there and putting you know,
so Donovan Jackson when he comes back and slide back
in the guard and Brian O'Neill and maybe, you know,
we'll see I mean, I don't know. That's that's the
only way I could read into it. But we'll find
(29:42):
out pretty quickly whether or not he can handle it.
And I talked about procedural penalties. Well, you've got a
brand new center guy who've never played there, so good
luck with that.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Is Miles Garrett the best pass rusher in football, and
you know what's what's the offensive game plan and how
you slow him down?
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Given given your issues in.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
The Yeah, well, Miles Garrett is unique. He's he's he
reminds me a little bit or a lot of Reggie White.
Miles Garrett is one of the strongest defensive linemen I
have seen. I mean, he's taken the offensive tackles and
he's throwing them around like rag dolls. He's freakishly strong,
(30:21):
and that's the part that that's the part that scares
you because even if the tackles block and I'm he
can march him right back into the lap of the
quarterback and that's a pressure for the quarterback. Yeah, he
gets chipped all the time. He's always getting double team
but he still manages to be productive for you know.
And then if there is a play where you leave
him alone one on one, he knows that he feels
(30:43):
it and if it's a deep throw, you better look out.
That ball better be coming on quickly if you don't
have two people on him. Uh So, Yeah, he's he
plays on the right hand side of the defense by
eighty seven percent of the time, so he'll be lining
(31:03):
up against Darrisaw quite a bit. So keep an eye
on that. If you see him playing less defensive ending
over Justin's school more than fifteen percent of the time,
then that's something that Cleveland is really taking into account.
They're you know, they're there, they're schematically game plan wise
and moving him over to the other side to get
(31:24):
to get to the backup offensive tackle. So that's something
I'll be watching closely in the booths and you know,
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Historically it seems like Kevin O'Connell offenses quarterback holds the
ball a little bit longer because he likes to give
time for those intermediate routes to open up and a little
bit deeper roused open up.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Given the line issues.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Can can Kaos have the same offensive philosophy he always
does or is he need to change things up a
little bit in this game?
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Well? Yeah, I mean you have to. You have Every
offense has an identity, right, you got it, you got
dangerous doing something. You got to make defenses have to
account for something. And it's been our vertical passing game.
You know, you watch Cleveland on film and and they
don't pattern and read. They don't do a lot of
(32:12):
things where if the rush doesn't get there, Yeah, guys
running wide open down the field, they just they just
don't account for it. They count on the rush getting there.
So I know our offense is definitely deepened down, you know,
getting deep and getting down the field. You can't just
sacrifice your identities. But at the same time, you can't
(32:32):
ask guys to do things that they're incapable of doing.
So there's kind of a balance there. Right, you have
a young quarterback and McCarthy. For the first couple of weeks,
the offense we ran with him was not the normal
offense that you know, we've seen the last couple of weeks,
you know, we we haven't seen We've seen a much
much quicker passing game, quick throws, you know, those are
(32:55):
all those all benefit Carson Wentz. So there's there's been
some movement in play calling, a lot more, I think
than people think. But your bread and butter is still
your bread and butter, right, you still have to you know,
that's what you do. And you you know, you're not
out there with the guys that you had penciled in
(33:16):
and when the season started, So is that, you know,
you just throw the baby out with the bath water
as a coach, or do you just reinvent the wheel?
And so it's hard to restyle your entire offense three
weeks into a season, you see what I mean. So
you have to stick with a lot of what got
(33:37):
you know, what has been your bread and butter over
the past few years. And yeah, I mean what exacerbates
the problem too. Is when guys are falling out in
the second quarter, guys are falling out in the third quarter, right,
you don't have a full week to work with them,
and you're you're constantly changing things along the way. I mean,
it's a nightmare. These injuries and the injuries that this
(33:58):
team's experienced offensively, you know, with the offensive line has
been an absolute nightmare in my opinion for any coach. Well,
you know, take take that. Take that for what it's worth.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
We're talking with the Vikings analyst for the Vikings ready
to now where Pete burst.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
He's out in London.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
A couple more questions for Pete before we let him
party in London tonight. Andrew Van Ginkel out with a
neck injury. It's you know, the two games he's played,
Vikings are two and zero and have defended the run
quite well. The two games he's been out, they've lost
and have gotten gashed on the run by Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
How important has been Ginkel to the run?
Speaker 1 (34:35):
And then follow up question, how have you seen Dallas
Turner looking in his place?
Speaker 4 (34:42):
I think Dallas played the best game I've seen him
play against Cincinnattie as far as how it went against Pittsburgh,
I don't know. But what Pittsburgh did was they ran
out tackle quite a bit, so they weren't running necessarily
up in the A and B gaps or run and
for you know, more of the outside. They're bringing in Washington,
(35:03):
who was a six to seven, two and eighty some
pound tight end, like an extra offensive lineman, and they
were bringing in an extra offensive lineman, and they were
running in that off tackle spot where the outside linebacker lives.
And you know, Garnard does a massiful job of playing
the run. I think it's kind of the underappreciated part
(35:24):
of both he and Ben Ginkle's game is just how
well they play the outside like they do. And it's hard,
and I think Turner's getting better, but the entire defense
needs to improve in that regard. And you can't just
run away from Gernard all the time. There's stunts involved,
(35:44):
there's a lot of other things involved. I think that
the defenses you have to do. But that's kind of
like what Kevin O'Connell was talking about when he said
we kind of played Pittsburgh's game. It meant he meant
that we just, you know, let them just run the ball.
They were never behind, right, they were They never felt
the need to have to press as an offense. They
(36:05):
could sit back and just keep handing the football off
and wearing our guys out. So you know, that's that's
a you know, that's a problem. Is it all on
Dallas Turner? No? Can he play the run better? Yes?
And he needs to They all they all need to.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Really last question for you before we let you go.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Harrison Smith has yet to start in his two games
since he's returned, just thirty nine defensive snaps twenty two
against Cincinnati's seventeen against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Obviously, since he missed.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
The first two games with a personal health matter, his
his playing time thus far. Is this just putting him
on a pitch count, like trying to work back as
conditioning or is there still something that we're concerned about here?
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Yeah, I don't know. I would assume that's what that is.
I mean, what's what's ironic is it's it's the whole
thing is is absolutely turned on its head from a
year ago. Between our run defense and pass defense. Last year,
a pass defense was in the mid you know, mid twenties,
higher twenties, and our run defense was top five, and
then this year it's completely the other way, right. I
(37:06):
mean we haven't faced we haven't really faced a a
Mahomes type quarterback yet or Allen type quarterback yet that's
going to want to throw the football. So you know,
I have we been tested through the air. No, We're
going to see another rookie quarterback again this week, and
this team Cleveland is going to want to run the football.
(37:28):
My point is, who you have at safety in some
of those situations I don't think is necessarily going to
be as crucial as it would be if you are
playing like when we pay the Eagles in a week
or two. You know that's gonna be That's gonna be
a different, different animal right there altogether with Jalen Hurts,
So my point is, I don't think there's a rush
(37:51):
to get him out there for sixty snaps or fifty snaps.
I think they're kind of easing them back into it
and letting, you know, THEO Jackson and the rest of
the crew kind of get some stats and get some experience.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Thanks Pete, appreciate it. Enjoying the rest of your time
in London. We'll listen to you Sunday morning.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Thank you, Brandon. I always enjoyed being on the tennis Fitzgerald.
It's one of the highlights of my life.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
You're one of my favorite lifeboats.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Appreciate, appreciate you say it in the day, all right,
Thanks Thanks p Pee Purseuch Analysts for the Vikings right
a network Vikings pregame at six point thirty Sunday morning.
That game starts in London at eight thirty. Of course
you can hear that right here on the fan. Little
Be joins me next, and we're actually gonna talk a
little bad bunny.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Little Be next
Blake Moore Montage this week because the common Man Dan
Cole is out.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
He's up at his Camp Richards starting today.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
So Tena Fitzgerald said, sale noon to three today, Brett.
I noticed you had to go back a couple weeks
or some of those Viking silence. You couldn't go back
to last week, could you? I mean I played a.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Couple okay, as much as there were yeah, yeah, And
I just skipped the Falcons game entirely and just went
to the Beatles.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
There wasn't much to play it.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
We have a loaded packed guests filled Tena Fitzgerald.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Today.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Pete Bursuch London calling for him. He's in London. He'll
be on the call on Sunday. He's going to join us.
I'm guessing it'll be six thirty pm his time, at
twelve thirty pm Central time.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
About a half hour from now.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Of course it's a Friday, so the Little Bee will
be here at one o'clock today and we are playing
program pass Word even without common I will be playing,
Brett will be hosting, and then Nordo, my fellow producer.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
We'll join forces.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
For the producer team, we'll take on Lowby and Johnny
Krasinski from the Athletics. So that'll be a one thirty
today two fifteen, Brett, I know, always your favorite game
to play. Are you smarter than a Packers fan? We
do have a giveaway today with those tickets to see
the University of Saint Thomas taking on North Dakota at
Grand Casino Arena in October twelfth, So will play Who's
(01:18):
Smarter than a Packers Fan at two fifteen, and then
Wild hockey fans get paid. Wild finishing up their preseason tonight,
and then it's onto the regular season. Michael Russo, the
best in the business, covers the Wild for the Athletic.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
He will join at two thirty.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
As for the game on Sunday, Vikings versus Browns, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Like typically you.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Go into a game like this and go, well, we
know what Cleveland's got, how can we play against them?
But it's really kind of a mystery to me, Brett.
Given how important an offensive line is to a that
side of the ball being able to move it down
on the field, I don't know how our offensive line
is going to function against their defensive line.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
We already know about Miles Garrett.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Arguably the top edge rusher in all of football in
the world. And the injury report comes out today and
we all kind of saw this coming as the week
was progressing, But now we get full on clarity. That
center Ryan Kelly with that concussion, he's out. Then you're going, all, right, well,
(02:30):
we got a quality backup in Michael Jurgens, right. Nope,
he's out with a hamstring injury. Brian O'Neal, we knew
what that knee injury he was out. Left guard Donovan
Jackson with that wrist injury he missed against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's out.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So your offensive line sixty percent of your starters out.
All you have remaining is your left guard and your
left tackle. Who know, No Fries on the right side,
Fries on the right. I'm confusing myself right now. I
think he's in the left anyway. Regardless, No, he's on
the right side because Donovan Jackson was playing left. Will
(03:05):
Fry is your right guard. And obviously, you know, when healthy,
one of the top left tackles in all football in
Christian Darris. So at least if you're going to have
an offensive lineman, I guess that's the one you want.
Assuming Miles GARRETTI at least line up against him at times.
I don't know how much they'll move him around, but
sixty percent of your offensive line is out, and then
(03:28):
your backup center is out, which means Blake Brandell is
going to start at center on Sunday. And I think
he's a quality backup. But he's never played it down
of center in his life, at least in a game. Obviously,
he's practiced there at times. So any offense, if you
had like four healthy offensive linemen, just having a new
(03:49):
center alone can be a little dicey at times, especially
when the quarterback is relatively new as well, in terms
of the exchange in terms of communication at the line,
setting up blocking schemes for whatever the opponents are going
to do. So an offensive lineman who's never played center before,
(04:11):
and then you are also going to start an undrafted
rookie and Joe Huber at left garden and then at
right tackle you're going to start justin school who LEAs
has played a little bit this year, obviously with Darrisa
out to begin the season, but now he's on the
right side of it was the left side, and let's
face it, when he was there in the left side,
(04:31):
like there was a drop off there from Christian DEARRISA,
it's just justin school. And then on top of that,
your best blocking running back is not playing in Aaron Jones.
That is not Jordan Mason has some qualities I like
over Aaron Jones, but blocking pass protection is not one
(04:52):
of them. Now, potentially the only saving grace here is CJ.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Hamm did practice this week.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
He hasn't participated all year in a game coming back
from that knee injury. He's still listed as questionable. I'm
not sure if he's gonna go. Even if he does go,
you know, is he on a pitch count of some sort.
But given your offensive line struggles, you need all the help,
all the reinforcements you can get, and hopefully potentially you
can see CJ.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Ham on the field.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I'm guessing Brett that we are going to see a
lot of Josh Oliver on the field because you have
five offensive linemen you don't trust. And I what I'm
most curious about in this game is will koc change
his offensive philosophy because I kind of feel like he
(05:43):
has to. KOs has always been a guy multiple wide
receivers on the field. We're gonna We're gonna have our
quarterback drop back and hold on to the ball a
little bit longer than other teams because we want those
intermediate routes to open up, some deep routs to open up.
And I just don't know if they are going to
have the time, and frankly, the personnel you'd want to have,
(06:06):
I think Josh Oliver has to be out there a
good chunk of the time.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So that's gonna eliminate. Assuming TJ.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Hockinson's out there, that you're now eliminating, You're not gonna
have many three wide receiver sets out there. And you
can't just run the ball either, because one all those
offensive line changes too. Cleveland is the best in football
through four weeks against the run. So I don't know
what you think, Brett, I just don't know. It's got
to be a beflow game. It's got to be. You've
(06:33):
played the Isaiah Rodgers highlights on the Montage. Defense not
only has to shut them down, but they're gonna have
to force turnovers, give your team, give your offense short fields,
maybe have to score run of their own. I just
don't envision a scenario where this Vikings offense is putting
up a lot of points unless the defense and special
teams is putting in them advantageous situations.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Yeah, this is gonna have to be a complimentary football game.
The only good news is that you're facing a quarterback
who's making his first NFL start, completely unproven. I don't
know what's more untrustworthy, a rookie quarterback making his first
start or three out of your offensive lineman being done.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I mean, the one.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Thing's for sure, And I think it's like a historically
low over underline as it stands right now.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Yes, I think fast year it's the lowest thirty five
and a half. Yeah, you've and I wouldn't be surprised
if the under hit. I think it's going to be
an underwhelming camp in that sense for sure. It's it's
going to be a grind.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And you saw it with Rogers too last week against
the Vikings, just getting the ball out just just as
quick as humanly possible because Rogers can't move and the
pass rush is good for the Vikings. The fan has learned,
so they just got it out as fas as possible
and it worked out for him. It's going to have
to change. It's not whether Kosi should change. He has
to change.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
It's not going to work, but.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
I feel like he's always been reluctant to do that.
He's one of those I'm going to show you how
great of a play caller I am. And I feel
like I think the fact that you mentioned they are
starting a rookie quarterback, which might lead you believe that
at least our defense gonna.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Have some success.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
I think Koc's got to be a little more conservative
in this game, and that's going to frustrate fans. Right
you're going to You're going to watch them playing, you know,
run the ball in first down, run the ball in
second down, third and six, showing it, throwing the ball
short of the sticks. Guy, you know that kind of
stuff is frustrating. But you also just cannot turn the
(08:21):
ball over in this game. You make make Dylan Gabriel
and that Browns offense have to go the full length
of the field, and they shouldn't be able to put
up a ton of points.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I think it's got to be a bflow game. Will see.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
I do want to get your opinion, Brett, maybe a
little bit of a scouting report on the Cleveland Browns
since your Packers had a very low scoring game with
him just a couple of weeks ago, So we'll talk
about that, what to expect from Cleveland on the peak
at the Purple segment next right here on the ten
of Fitzgerald.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
All right, welcome back to the ten of fits Derild.
We'll talk.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
We'll talk with Pete Bursich, analysts for the Vikings RD
to and work about ten to fifteen minutes from now. Brett,
I did want to get your a little scouting report
from you since you are a Green Bay Packers fan.
Your team took on the Cleveland Browns two weeks ago,
had a ten toh in lead and then just blew
it in delicious fashion. But I want to get your opinion. Yeah,
(09:18):
because I have not watched a Cleveland Browns game this year,
I have an idea of what they're like. Clearly, their
offense has been struggling mightily. That's why the why the
quarterback change is being made from Joe Flacco, who's going
to be about as old as.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Me at this point, to the young rookie.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
But defensively, I think you saw in that game your
your Packers' offense struggled to move the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
So what can you tell me about the Cleveland Browns. Yeah,
I should.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
I should also mention, by the way, this is peak
at the Purple brought to you by brought to you
by Affordable Electric.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
It's shockingly affordable.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Yeah, they're going to have a long peak at this
Browns defense at tottenhamhaws Forer Stadium. It's it's the real deal, man.
The Packers offense three out of four weeks was really good.
Jordan Love over one hundred thirteen pass rating in each
of those games except for the game against the Browns
because he was pressured like forty five percent of his dropbacks.
(10:08):
They are stingy. The front seven, thank you. The front
seven is just so good at stopping the run. Josh
Jacobs couldn't get going at all. They didn't have time
and all the dump offs were just cut off. I
mean it was they didn't adjust quick enough and I
don't think they respected the Browns defense as much and
it cost him. Despite all that, they could have won
(10:31):
the game. You get ready for the delicious again. But
the block field goal. Every single time the brown scored points,
it was because of good field position given to them.
So the offense isn't great, it's just I mean even
the interception. The Love interception was a brilliant play by
the cornerback who basically said, I'm going to not play
(10:53):
my man and man coverage and jump another route that
I'm not even supposed to be covering. They are really,
really good, and they made Jordan Love's life. Hell, it's
going to be a struggle.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
My thought going into this is, and you can say
this about any game in the National Football League, So
I get this is kind of cliche, but when you
have a team that struggles offensively like Cleveland does, especially
passing the ball, you want to put them into a
situation where they're even one dimensional, right, Like Cleveland wants
to run the ball. Quinch On Judkins, the rookie they
(11:24):
got out of Ohio State who didn't play the first
two games because he wasn't signed because he had off
the field issues that apparently got resolved or went away.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
But that happens in Cleveland a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Well, yeah, he's been kind of their bellcow now the
last two weeks. I'm sure he didn't get as many
touches in the Green Bay game, but last week he
got even more. And they're gonna want to run the ball,
and even just from what I've seen of Dylan Gabriel
out of Oregon is he doesn't appear to me to
(12:03):
have like a super strong nfl arm right like he
I compared him kind of to Russell Wilson the other
day and that he like he can throw the deep
ball and kind of like throw it into a bucket
a little bit, you.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Know, with the like with the little touch.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I think he's got the capability of thrown touch passes.
But if you need to throw it into like a
tight window over the middle, when your tight end's kind
of covered and you got to just throw it in
the right spot, I just don't know if he has
nfl arm strength.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
To do that.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
And then on top of that, he doesn't have weapons
to throw to. You know, Jerry Judy had a good
year last year, but he has already struggled here through
the first four weeks. And that's like his number one
and only option from a wide receiver standpoint at this point.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Cedric Tillman, Who's their number two? I believe.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
I haven't seen the latest injury report, but I thought
he was going to miss this game. I couldn't even
tell you who the third wide receiver is Brett and
I played lots of fantasy football. Yeah, I couldn't tell
you who their number three is. Now, they got a
couple tight ends, David and Joku looks like he is
going to go. He's been banged up a little bit.
He's a quality tight end. Harold Fannin's a rookie tight
end that put up monster numbers in college last year.
(13:15):
But like, I just don't think he's got a lot
of help. They're gonna want to run the ball. So
if there's a way to get out to lead. Now,
your Packers got out to that to nothing lead and
blew it, so maybe, well but if there's a way
to somehow make Dylan Gabriel and that Brown's offense one
dimensional where you're up ten points at some point, and
I do think then maybe that is the chance we
(13:36):
can kind of get away from Cleveland a little bit.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
Well, again, the Packers didn't give up any points until
like three minutes left in the game. Yeah, you know,
so there's a ten to nothing lead, and the only
reason the Brown's got points is because they got to
take away and then they blocked a kick which the
ball tumbled into the past the fifty yard line to
give him better position to win the game.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So it really to me the key this is going.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
To be quite the The ball talker doesn't really promote
the game very well. I think turnovers well that too.
I think your most important player might be Ryan right,
just deep and just hoping that you can play the
field at.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Least he's healthy. He's one guy on our team that's healthy.
That's true.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
You've got a block for him too, the fans learned.
But I think he might be your most important because
the only reason they scored is because they got favorable
field position against the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Sidetrack for a second, Yes, how are you and the
Dave Sinnikons of the world and the Carl Gerberschmidts of
the world and Green Bay Packer Nation feeling about how
this season is going? Because I have to imagine first
two games of the year, dominant against big game contender
(14:42):
and the detrouder Detroit Lions. Right, not only did you
beat him, but you were in control of the entire game.
They didn't score until garbage time. Yeah, and if you
look what Detroit has looked like since then, like, yeah,
So that was a pretty impressive opening performance for the
Greenwow Packers. Then the following week, you've got another NFC
contender in Washington at the time, Jayden Daniels is still
(15:04):
healthy coming into Lambeau, and so you start out and
you control that game. So two straight games against what
going into the season many thought were the best teams
in the NFC, the two of the best teams in
the NFC. To go from that to that loss that
we've just talked about against Cleveland and then last week
(15:26):
the tie against the Dallas Cowboys. Not that the season's over, right,
I mean, you're still two one on one, You're gonna
be in playoff position. I think you're still a quality team.
But I have to imagine after two weeks, you guys
are thinking we're going to the big game this year? Okay,
and it has that mentality change at all. Is there
a little bit of doubt after the last two weeks. Oh,
I'm sure the majority of people will tell you, thank you.
(15:49):
I'm sure the majority of listeners will say, we always
think that we're.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Going to the Big mom every year.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
So there's that, But the delusion was at an all
time high, for myself included. I still don't think it's
out of the question. I'm just not as confident. I'm
not going to make Super Bowl here. We come Montages
anytime soon for at least a month. If they play
a month of solid football, we'll talk. But it just
the Dallas game was just a defensive like collapse, which
(16:14):
was crazy because they were so lights out in the
first three weeks. Even against Cleveland, they're really good, and
in the Cleveland game, they just felt like they didn't
have the right game plan for that defense.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
In that password, you're blaming the coach.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I'm blaming him and the special teams coordinator because they
blew two games.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Your most important player was he was great.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It was blocking field goals and blocking kick returns.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
They just there's been a lot of that. This year
has changed.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I don't well, now you're starting to see the special
teams kick like a little knuckler into the landing zone.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yea, they muffled me.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So that's what happened to Green Bay where they kick
a little knuckleball to the one yard line. You just
knee it in the end zone and you take it
the twenty. Meanwhile, on our side, you kick it to him.
Normally they take it out to like the forty five. Yeah,
so you're just starting with your hand tied behind your
back because of special teams, not to mention, they still
should have won that Cleveland game. Have we just blocked
(17:09):
the field goal normally and just blocked the rushers coming in?
Speaker 2 (17:13):
But what do I know? I'm not panicking quite yet.
To answer your question, let's go to.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
London to get some actual professional football advice. We're gonna
talk with Pete Burstich, analysts for the Vikings Rada Network.
He joins us next right here on the ten Fitzgerald
and Fitzgerald. Ain't no fun unless you have Pete Burstich,
analysts for the Vikings Rado Network on. It's to preview
Vikings Browns, and he's doing it from London.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Peter, how you doing over there?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
I am good. It's rainy today, though, Okay, I'm jealous
of the weather. It's been fifty you know, fifty something
and I think a couple of sunny days. But yeah, we're.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Gonna hit We're gonna hit ninety the day over here.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Yeah, that's I miss wearing shorts, be honest with you.
It's like, can't can't wear shorts out here?
Speaker 1 (18:02):
What has been the favorite thing you've done while you've
been in London over the last week. I'm assuming you
haven't been working the whole time. You've got a little
vacation time in.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
Well, I got We've gone up to Cambridge, which was
really cool for the University of University of Cambridge is
and that's it's a beautiful, beautiful area. Saint Mary's Church,
a bunch of spots up there, just you know. And
then I got to go to the a couple of
the Imperial War museums, and then Duxford for the Air Museum,
(18:34):
which is pretty cool too. So yeah, yeah, a couple
a lot of a lot of museums up here, apparently.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Any big Friday night plans, no, no, nothing.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I'm going to eat dinner and just do nothing.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
What's the good food there? What have you been eating?
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I've had fish and chips like ten times. It's good though,
unless you want a burger and there's nothing else like
other than that. You get you get the shepherd pie,
Shepherd's pies of the world, and then other foods that
you have no idea what they are.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Yeah, I would struggle over there.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, it's kind of like you just stay safe, you
go with the fish and chips and it all works out.
So that's a little different. I mean for the players
their foods. I'm pretty sure you have brought over or
they give them kind of a menu so they eat
a little bit more normally. But yeah, the diet, the
diets are a little different around here, all right.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
I want to ask you maybe a potential nerdy football question,
because as someone who did not play football at a
high level, I don't know if there might be zero
answer to this, but there might be an interesting answer
to this.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Left handed quarterbacks. What changes not only.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
From the way the offensive structured, how you defend them.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Does the ball come spinning.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Differently the wide receivers, like, what changes when the left
handed quarterback's in.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Yeah, I think a little back in the day of
the West Coast offense with the forty nine ers, with
you know, Joe Montana and then Steve Young took over,
they basically had to flip flopball the plays, meaning the
(20:17):
you know a West Coast offense, which teams call themselves
West Coast now, but they don't run the same routes,
they don't run the same running game. It's the West
Coast was just very verbose and they teams have adopted
that still where they have to name every ship motion
formation and all that stuff. It sounds like a different language.
And they called themselves West Coast offense, which anyway, but
(20:39):
I digress easiest. Most the West Coast offense was traditionally
a right handed offense, meaning most of the plays in
the passing routes and the three out strong routes and
all those things that tied end they usually want the
quarterbacks right. Well, when you have a left handed quarterback,
then you just flip it of that. I don't think
(21:01):
there's there's much of a difference in the ball yet
spent in a different direction, but the receivers should get
used to that pretty quickly. But outside of that, I'm not,
you know, not a whole lot. Defensively, I don't think
it matters one one bit between a right hand and
or left stand of quarterback. I don't think maybe tendencies
might change, but it doesn't doesn't change the way the
(21:23):
defense works at all.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Okay, let's advance this further, not even talking specifically about
Dylan Gabriel. But I'm curious, like when a quarterback change
is made in terms of when you were a player
or even when you're a coach, maybe you have broadcasting
experience as well. You know, part of me goes, well,
this guy's a third round rookie quarterback that wasn't super
highly thought of before the draft, and the offense it's
(21:46):
probably going to struggle with him. But a part of
me also goes, do other players get sparked a little
bit this by a change?
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Right?
Speaker 1 (21:53):
You saw Jackson Dark come in for the Giants last
week and all of a sudden that defense was was
stopping Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Right like your past experience,
do Ajot does the team got to spark sometimes from
the from the from a quarterback change.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
I think sometimes especially if it happens in game and
the guy goes out there and plays hard. That can
you know? In this case, I mean I I was
curious about that as well. I mean, you're on the road,
meaning you're you're in a different country, and you're bringing
in a third round rookie to play against Brian Flores
(22:27):
as he's had very good a lot of success against
young quarterbacks. It doesn't make much sense. But then you
take a look at Joe Flacco's numbers, you know, two
touchdowns six interceptions, a passer rating in the sixties. You know,
they had they had to make a change, and I
think the big, the big part of that is just
getting the ball to Jerry Judy. I mean, you know,
(22:49):
Judy has been around since twenty twenty four, around a
top ten wide receiver, and then you look at his
numbers this year and he's received very little, if any attention.
You know, they're kind of relegated to anonym chick sweeps
and some of those other things. So I do think
if you know, if this is going to work for
(23:11):
Dylan Gabriel, he's gonna have to find a way to
get the ball to Jerry Judy early and often. And
you know that might that might spark some things up front.
But I mean this, this this team, the defense is
remarkably dominant. I mean given up two hundred and twenty
five yards or two hundred and twenty two yards a game.
I mean, it's the difference. You know, Arizona's at like
(23:33):
two forty something, but the next team is at two
seventy five. I mean that's a fifty yard difference per game.
That you know what I mean, They've been They've been
unbelievably dominant. Have they given up a lot of points. Yes,
they've been putting a lot of bad positions with turnovers
and then kick returns and things like that. So don't
don't fall sure, don't fall asleep on this defense that
(23:55):
Cleveland has. I mean, they're they're outstanding. They're very, very
very good. So that is going to help a young quarterback.
But also is going to help a young quarterback is
a running games and you know Quinn Shawn Judkins has
run the ball pretty well, But they depend on a
lot of rookies. You know, Harold Fannins a rookie tight end, Judkins,
(24:18):
you know, Judkins is a rookie running back. I mean,
they've got a lot of rookies out there. So that's
that's just you know, screens inconsistency. Then I have a
rookie quarterback or rookie tailback and a rookie fullback slash
tight end. Who is the number one receiver from a
reception basis on the teams? Yeah, I don't know, But
(24:42):
then again, slack it has been that bad, so I
think that's certainly option. And the problem is is they
could be horrific offensively and they're still going to be
in the game with that defense.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
Well, can you tell me about Dylan Gabriel, then what
are Strengthswater has weaknesses, not a whole lot.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I mean, I I don't, you know, I haven't I've
never really s see him play. I know he has
I think as many, if not more he broke. He
has more touchdowns at the FCS level than any other
quarterback quick passing game coming out of Oregon. So if
you know, if they do that, I don't think they're
going to let him do that though. I don't think
(25:18):
they're going to spread out the offense and let him
just throw, make sure throws all around. I think that
they're going to run the football and then play acts
and pass and then let him open his arm up
a little bit that way to you know, to Jerry
Judy and to you know, to the rest of the
right you know, Jamari Thrash and Tillman and the rest
of that wide receiver court. So I don't I just
(25:43):
think that they're going to try to up the yards
per attempt in that regard. I don't necessarily think they're
going to have him slinging it all over the yard
on a short thrower basis.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
All right, obviously on the offensive side of the ball.
I'm guessing most of the concern is going to go
on the offensive line. Here you have three stars out
that would be Brian O'Neill, Ryan Kelly, and Donovan Jackson.
And then you even have a backup center who's out
in Michael Jurgens.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Is this is this code read for you in.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Terms of your level of concern about our offensive line
in this game, given who they're going up against.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
Yah, sixty percent of the offensive line is either in
a different spot or on starters. So yeah, it's a
huge concern. That's that means that we're going to have
the tight ends are going to be highly involved. C. J.
Hamm will probably be highly involved in past defense. But
the good news is is just our wide receiver corps.
How good Addison's looked since he's been back. You know.
(26:39):
The problem with the challenge there is that those are
usually longer down the field, longer developing type routes, and
as you know, my keeping Miles Garrett off quarterback for
a while, even if you have two guys on them,
it's going to be tough. You know, Here's here's the deal, Brandon,
you got to just put together, decent drives, a quick
(27:00):
shooting yourself in the foot. You got to quit getting
inside the twenty, being at first and ten and you know,
getting a good run first down and then getting the
penalty and then getting the sack and then having to
kick a field goal. Right, you just have to get
out of that that that whatever that is that we're
stuck in. And instead of ending drives of field goals,
(27:20):
you got to end a few of them with touchdowns,
and that you know that can happen. So the self
inflicted penalties have to go the procedural ones. That has
to get a lot better, especially against a defense that's
as good as the one we're going to go against,
because if you help that defense out at all, you're
gonna you know, you're gonna come out come away from
(27:41):
the game with two hundred and twenty five yards of
total offense. And that may not get it done.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Let's stick with the offensive line. I want to talk
about Blake Brendel specifically. He's he's making the move to
center because the first two centers are out. Apparently it's
had no experience ever playing center in an actual game.
Obviously has practiced there, but how big of an adjustment.
Is that, like, out of all the positions on the offense,
like that would be the hardest one to switch to.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
You know. Here's the thing though, is I'm trying to
remember his name right now. It's run right on the
top of my head. But the center for the Lions,
he just retired recently.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Yeah, rag Now.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
Ragnow started out as a guard and it didn't go
very well. And then they moved in the center and
it took off. I mean some guys. For some guys
that the changes is just exactly what they needed. So
who knows it could it could be that case rag Now.
Definitely he went from being an average to okay guard
(28:39):
to being one of the best centers in the league. Uh,
you know, and and this could it could happen to
to Brandell. I mean, he's a big guy. Uh. He
played He played well beginning of last year at guard
in the first you know, four or five six games,
and he kind of fell off as a year went on.
But you know, he's played well before. He's you know,
(29:00):
he's had some good games and so I have you know,
some hope there that that they you know, they're not
putting them there out of necessity. They're putting them there
because they feel that that's where he where he can
maybe take off. And you know, we don't. We don't
know how Ryan Kelly Ryan Kelly situation is, and it
(29:21):
could be a long term thing. We don't know. He's
not an IR, so I don't it's not expected right now,
but you know, having a veteran there and putting you know,
so Donovan Jackson when he comes back and slide back
in the guard and Brian O'Neill and maybe, you know,
we'll see I mean, I don't know. That's that's the
only way I could read into it. But we'll find
(29:42):
out pretty quickly whether or not he can handle it.
And I talked about procedural penalties. Well, you've got a
brand new center guy who've never played there, so good
luck with that.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Is Miles Garrett the best pass rusher in football, and
you know what's what's the offensive game plan and how
you slow him down?
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Given given your issues in.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
The Yeah, well, Miles Garrett is unique. He's he's he
reminds me a little bit or a lot of Reggie White.
Miles Garrett is one of the strongest defensive linemen I
have seen. I mean, he's taken the offensive tackles and
he's throwing them around like rag dolls. He's freakishly strong,
(30:21):
and that's the part that that's the part that scares
you because even if the tackles block and I'm he
can march him right back into the lap of the
quarterback and that's a pressure for the quarterback. Yeah, he
gets chipped all the time. He's always getting double team
but he still manages to be productive for you know.
And then if there is a play where you leave
him alone one on one, he knows that he feels
(30:43):
it and if it's a deep throw, you better look out.
That ball better be coming on quickly if you don't
have two people on him. Uh So, Yeah, he's he
plays on the right hand side of the defense by
eighty seven percent of the time, so he'll be lining
(31:03):
up against Darrisaw quite a bit. So keep an eye
on that. If you see him playing less defensive ending
over Justin's school more than fifteen percent of the time,
then that's something that Cleveland is really taking into account.
They're you know, they're there, they're schematically game plan wise
and moving him over to the other side to get
(31:24):
to get to the backup offensive tackle. So that's something
I'll be watching closely in the booths and you know,
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Historically it seems like Kevin O'Connell offenses quarterback holds the
ball a little bit longer because he likes to give
time for those intermediate routes to open up and a little
bit deeper roused open up.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Given the line issues.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Can can Kaos have the same offensive philosophy he always
does or is he need to change things up a
little bit in this game?
Speaker 4 (31:50):
Well? Yeah, I mean you have to. You have Every
offense has an identity, right, you got it, you got
dangerous doing something. You got to make defenses have to
account for something. And it's been our vertical passing game.
You know, you watch Cleveland on film and and they
don't pattern and read. They don't do a lot of
(32:12):
things where if the rush doesn't get there, Yeah, guys
running wide open down the field, they just they just
don't account for it. They count on the rush getting there.
So I know our offense is definitely deepened down, you know,
getting deep and getting down the field. You can't just
sacrifice your identities. But at the same time, you can't
(32:32):
ask guys to do things that they're incapable of doing.
So there's kind of a balance there. Right, you have
a young quarterback and McCarthy. For the first couple of weeks,
the offense we ran with him was not the normal
offense that you know, we've seen the last couple of weeks,
you know, we we haven't seen We've seen a much
much quicker passing game, quick throws, you know, those are
(32:55):
all those all benefit Carson Wentz. So there's there's been
some movement in play calling, a lot more, I think
than people think. But your bread and butter is still
your bread and butter, right, you still have to you know,
that's what you do. And you you know, you're not
out there with the guys that you had penciled in
(33:16):
and when the season started, So is that, you know,
you just throw the baby out with the bath water
as a coach, or do you just reinvent the wheel?
And so it's hard to restyle your entire offense three
weeks into a season, you see what I mean. So
you have to stick with a lot of what got
(33:37):
you know, what has been your bread and butter over
the past few years. And yeah, I mean what exacerbates
the problem too. Is when guys are falling out in
the second quarter, guys are falling out in the third quarter, right,
you don't have a full week to work with them,
and you're you're constantly changing things along the way. I mean,
it's a nightmare. These injuries and the injuries that this
(33:58):
team's experienced offensively, you know, with the offensive line has
been an absolute nightmare in my opinion for any coach. Well,
you know, take take that. Take that for what it's worth.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
We're talking with the Vikings analyst for the Vikings ready
to now where Pete burst.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
He's out in London.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
A couple more questions for Pete before we let him
party in London tonight. Andrew Van Ginkel out with a
neck injury. It's you know, the two games he's played,
Vikings are two and zero and have defended the run
quite well. The two games he's been out, they've lost
and have gotten gashed on the run by Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
How important has been Ginkel to the run?
Speaker 1 (34:35):
And then follow up question, how have you seen Dallas
Turner looking in his place?
Speaker 4 (34:42):
I think Dallas played the best game I've seen him
play against Cincinnattie as far as how it went against Pittsburgh,
I don't know. But what Pittsburgh did was they ran
out tackle quite a bit, so they weren't running necessarily
up in the A and B gaps or run and
for you know, more of the outside. They're bringing in Washington,
(35:03):
who was a six to seven, two and eighty some
pound tight end, like an extra offensive lineman, and they
were bringing in an extra offensive lineman, and they were
running in that off tackle spot where the outside linebacker lives.
And you know, Garnard does a massiful job of playing
the run. I think it's kind of the underappreciated part
(35:24):
of both he and Ben Ginkle's game is just how
well they play the outside like they do. And it's hard,
and I think Turner's getting better, but the entire defense
needs to improve in that regard. And you can't just
run away from Gernard all the time. There's stunts involved,
(35:44):
there's a lot of other things involved. I think that
the defenses you have to do. But that's kind of
like what Kevin O'Connell was talking about when he said
we kind of played Pittsburgh's game. It meant he meant
that we just, you know, let them just run the ball.
They were never behind, right, they were They never felt
the need to have to press as an offense. They
(36:05):
could sit back and just keep handing the football off
and wearing our guys out. So you know, that's that's
a you know, that's a problem. Is it all on
Dallas Turner? No? Can he play the run better? Yes?
And he needs to They all they all need to.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Really last question for you before we let you go.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Harrison Smith has yet to start in his two games
since he's returned, just thirty nine defensive snaps twenty two
against Cincinnati's seventeen against Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Obviously, since he missed.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
The first two games with a personal health matter, his
his playing time thus far. Is this just putting him
on a pitch count, like trying to work back as
conditioning or is there still something that we're concerned about here?
Speaker 4 (36:45):
Yeah, I don't know. I would assume that's what that is.
I mean, what's what's ironic is it's it's the whole
thing is is absolutely turned on its head from a
year ago. Between our run defense and pass defense. Last year,
a pass defense was in the mid you know, mid twenties,
higher twenties, and our run defense was top five, and
then this year it's completely the other way, right. I
(37:06):
mean we haven't faced we haven't really faced a a
Mahomes type quarterback yet or Allen type quarterback yet that's
going to want to throw the football. So you know,
I have we been tested through the air. No, We're
going to see another rookie quarterback again this week, and
this team Cleveland is going to want to run the football.
(37:28):
My point is, who you have at safety in some
of those situations I don't think is necessarily going to
be as crucial as it would be if you are
playing like when we pay the Eagles in a week
or two. You know that's gonna be That's gonna be
a different, different animal right there altogether with Jalen Hurts,
So my point is, I don't think there's a rush
(37:51):
to get him out there for sixty snaps or fifty snaps.
I think they're kind of easing them back into it
and letting, you know, THEO Jackson and the rest of
the crew kind of get some stats and get some experience.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Thanks Pete, appreciate it. Enjoying the rest of your time
in London. We'll listen to you Sunday morning.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
Thank you, Brandon. I always enjoyed being on the tennis Fitzgerald.
It's one of the highlights of my life.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
You're one of my favorite lifeboats.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
Appreciate, appreciate you say it in the day, all right,
Thanks Thanks p Pee Purseuch Analysts for the Vikings right
a network Vikings pregame at six point thirty Sunday morning.
That game starts in London at eight thirty. Of course
you can hear that right here on the fan. Little
Be joins me next, and we're actually gonna talk a
little bad bunny.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Little Be next
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