Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
But now it's time to turn our attention to those
left in the playoff gauntlet, and to help us cover
that is Damon Parson from Bleacher Report as always, Happy
New Year, and man, you are the best at this
and we're so blessed to have you on our show.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Bud, Hey always blessed to be here. Happy New Year
to you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hey, look, I would say the same for for maybe
Trey Falco if his Steelers would stop sucking. Let's start
with that team for a minute, because I've been talking
about my Panthers for a five win team way too much.
We'll get to them in a minute on the back
end of this. But Pittsburgh literally limping into these playoffs
(00:39):
right now. We have our reasons and theories as to
why things are disconnected, and I maybe would say that
they're just not as great as maybe we thought they were.
But what is Pittsburgh right now? And is there anything
they can do to ignite anything that would inspire you
to say maybe they can go on a run.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I think it starts with defense, right It starts with
you know, team j Watt and that defensive line, that
pass rush making it easier on the secondary. I think
they were out of Dante Jackson didn't play yesterday and
everything of this weekend, So you need to get him
back into the rotation, get him healthy, to have that
veteran presence in the cornerback room along with Joey Porter
(01:18):
Junior and Making Fitzpatrick and everything. But I look at
that passers. It starts there stopping to run, making teams
one dimensional to where you can allow a TJ. Watt
to become the game record that he is. And because
they got to help out this offense, this offense is
I never fully bought into it, simply because of the
way it looked. And yet like once like when when
(01:41):
Fields was ended, was ball control, it was run game,
it was physicality. And when Russ came into this situation
and he started the moon balls and the deep throws,
it looked exciting, but it was like, first of all,
Demick throw was over twenty yards on the lowest completion
percentage throws in football. So you can't live off of that.
(02:04):
You have to make the routine plays, the routine throws,
and for a low for a good portion of that
run where the offenses looked like they were humming, it
was a lot of incredible catches from the pickens, from
past fire mutes and different things like that. I think
they need to offensively get with the run game going.
But also you got a guy in Calvin Austin who's
(02:26):
a really good run at to catch explosive or dealer.
Let's get some early touches to him, like Shorten underneath stuff,
some button hook spot concepts, just quick stuff to where
it keeps your it keeps you ahead of the change.
I talked about it on the LOCKDWN front of that podcast.
Quarterback Player. I want my quarterbacks. It's simil as to basketball.
(02:47):
I don't want you taking threes right out of the game.
Like we get the ball, we get the first possession,
We're not jacking thirty fullers. I don't want that now.
I mean the NBA is like that, but I don't
want my shooters shooting cold. I'd rather you get to
the cup, get to the butt, Yeah, to the bucket,
get and get your confidence going. I don't really feelers
is just get Russell Wilson going earlier in games with
(03:09):
the quick stuff. Force those defenses, those defenses and those
safeties to creep up to try and take away, to
run that to catch stuff then let's get the moon
ball going off of play action things like that. But
it starts with the defense getting quick stops, three and outs,
and then the offense just has to play better.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Dam I really liked that you started with the defense
on this team because a lot of the focus really
has been on the offense. And oh, justin fields Russell Wilson,
what about GP, who's their wide receiver too. But I'm
sure you're familiar with a lot of the tominisms, you know,
Tomlin has a lot of these of his sleeve. But
there's one that sticks out to me. As you know,
scared money, scared money, don't make money. You know, we
don't live in our fears. You know, if you blink,
don't if you blink, don't blink, cut your eyelids off,
(03:48):
those kind of things. But I look at this defense
and I wonder if they are playing scared. It seems
like this defense kind of sits back and waits to
make sure that big plays don't happen, and so they're
getting cut up in the middle of the field and
it's death by a thought and paper cuts. Is that
something that you see changing in the foreseeable future. Do
you think that's something that needs to be changed here defensively,
because we obviously know what's going on offensively and things
(04:08):
on that things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, I feel like, you know, and I think some
of the not in that, but some of the inconsistent
play with the offense then trickles down to how the
defense performs because they're trying. It's like they're playing not playing.
It's almost like playing not to lose instead of playing
to you know. And I would like to see them
just go ahead, man up, be physical, Be be the
(04:33):
Steelers defensively, Be the Steelers opposing the offenses in the mouths,
like reset the line of scrimmage, own the line of scrimmage, right.
I think that's a big part. And they got to
get that because I've seen there's been you know, contacts
and stuff like that, like you know, conversations on social
media and I can't remember which game it was a
couple of weeks ago where it looks like there was
(04:54):
like a miscommunication, look like it should have been fired.
It was a fire zone. Oh yeah, fall and every thing.
And you've got got some guys who like they're playing man,
there's missing, you know, nobody's communicating right, and then it's
like a big I think it was the money was
against the Chiefs Travis Kelsey, but left why those defenders
just staying at a like what's going on? Like you
(05:14):
gotta you gotta cut that stuff out. You're in the playoffs.
Now you gotta against Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Oh and the guys in the playoffs are gonna tear
that the shreds absolutely, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
When you start, because it's all about creating, moving, putting
you in positions to communicate. Like offensively, I do like
when teams play zone because now I can start motioning,
I can start doing different things, making you bump over
a gap, making you communicate pre snap when you didn't
really want to, you know what I mean, Like, hey,
(05:46):
I got I got my zone. But when I start
putting on, I put trips to your side and cover three.
Now your cover three corner has to have to communicate
with the safety and who's rolling down and who's getting
into the curl of flats. I want to make that
a problem for you, and I think for them is
that they for me In my opinion, I don't mind
them playing zone, but I think with the pass rush
(06:06):
you have with the corners that you have with the
defense that you have, I would like to see more
man coverage, especially against the Ravens offense that might be
devoid of Za Flowers with the I think it's like
a knee spring, not play. Like even if he does play,
he's not nowhere near one hundred percent, right, this just happens.
(06:27):
So like playpress man. You want to get in the
face of Rashad Bateman. You want to get in the
face of Nelson Aguilar, who else they whoever they throw
out there. You want to disrupt those guys and make
Lamar hold the ball. Now, granted he's been doing some
outstanding things this year, he might be the m v
P at the end of the day, but you got
to make him win from the pocket. And not that
(06:47):
he can't, he can, but you got to just make
it difficult on him. And if you start having those
miscommunications in that zone, it could be it could be
a long night.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Absolutely. And you know the Ravens are multiple two and
the way they use their wide receivers, their tight ends
with Andrews and likely and the way the Steelers have
been given so much stuff across the in the middle.
Even if they do come up and press man coverage.
They got to make sure they take care of those
two tight ends too, that are deadly.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Absolutely, you have to stop that those tight ends in
the past because they don't have a robust wide receiver. Course,
this is not Cincinnati with t Higgins and Jamar Chase
that type of receiver talent, but they don't have that.
So you got to stop Isaiah, like to stop and
slow down Mark Andrews, and of course stop Lamar Jackson
and Derrick Henry before they get going.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Easier said than done, especially when they got a three
hundred pound full back out there playing fall.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
I love a three hundred pound full back.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Man, he's an animale. He's got some hands too.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Man's a luxury keys though, when you've got a very
good team that has everything, and then you know, you
know what, we got to have that three hundred pound fullback. Hey,
real quick, I asked you a question about a couple
of teams here. Let's start with the Vikings and the Lions.
They tangled last night, and look, Dan Campbell, you know
it's true to his word. He said before you know,
(08:01):
we're gonna go out there and we're gonna take everybody.
Were a whip some my ass will be healthy.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Hopefully healthy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
They survived San Francisco, although Frisco played pretty well, and
last night I think, you know the the takeaway from me,
what was Aaron Glenn just needs to take the tape
of that game, put it on the desk of any
GM looking for a head coach that you know needs
to leader them in but also a damn good football mind.
Let them watch the tape. Just go outside drinking coffee,
(08:26):
have a smoke, and come on back and see if
they'll hire it. That was a masterclass. All they've got
injured right now. The Lions have restored my faith that
they are the front runners. And you know, Sam's gonna
have Sam moments. What was your takeaway from the game
last night and does it change your perspective on the
NFC picture moving forward?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, I think they're They're They're the clear cut. I'm
gona be honest with you. If this team is healthy,
I know Pat Mahomes is Pat Mahomes and I get
all that this is the best team in football. They're healthy,
and it's not. To me, it's not really even that close.
Like when they're healthy Hudson and all that stuff like
with that offense that they have and the multiplicity that
they bring offensively, they can run it with speed and explosiveness.
(09:10):
When they have David Montgomery can run it with power.
They have the speed at wide receiver and Jamison Williams.
You got Sam Laporta at tight end. You have amarras
Saint Brown, the sun God as he calls himself in
the slot. Like they can do everything. So watching that
game last night, the physicality they played with defensively against
(09:30):
that receiving corps of Jordan Dadson, Justin Jefferson in company.
First of the vikings they made Sam Donald was so
uncomfortable and not confident in the pocket. He didn't trust
what he saw. He was going through reads much faster
than he should have because he had It was one
red zone trip where they had I think it might
(09:52):
have been Jordan Addison running out of the slot or
out of a trip set slat route just straight to
the pylon. He was wide open, and Sam didn't look.
Sam looked like look, he looked at just Justin Jefferson
and immediately pivoting off of that side of the ball,
on that side of the field. And I was like, Sam,
you gotta you got to stay over there and you
(10:12):
gotta get he was sped up last night and they
did a great job as thea Darius Smith has been
such a fine trade partner or trade acquisition for them.
And yeah, I think the Aaron Glynn any any GM
and ownership team for an NFL franchise said we need
somebody that when things get when the going gets rough,
he's gonna make sure that the ship is settled with
(10:37):
all those injuries to still be able to do what
he's done. And they lost even losing Terry On on
them last night their first round find. They lost him
in the game, like he said, he's gonna play because
they got the first, they got the buy and everything
he said he's gonna play. But still, yeah, Aaron Glynn
is a masterful job without with all the injuries, twenty
guys missing on defense right now, shout out to job.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
It's outstanding. It It would be, you know, the offensive equivalent.
I'm sure we've seen this before, doing more with less
than you've ever had, and it stays the same. But
Glenn has been working magic there and the testimony to
his leadership and also his football acumen which should get
him a job pretty soon, and I'll say this as
we dive back into the world of Carolina Panthers. Look,
(11:23):
it's been a struggle here. You and I were at
camp together last year. We saw some of what Bryce
Young was being thrown into with Frank Reich and sort
of an arranged merit staff that we know really wasn't
his idea, but he went along with it. And this
has been such a great experience. And I'll tell you why.
I know they're only a five win team. Three of
those games they lost was the Gauntlet, three great games
(11:45):
against three of the best you'll find on the schedule.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
I'll take more from those the one tape.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Absolutely, And your quarterback is starting to see the field
and play with you know, the kind of reactive, you know,
intelligent instead he played with at Alabama. Because he's confident
in himself. He knows he's got a coach that has
his back. Whereas the narratives Rex Ryan Hillo before where fire,
Dave canallycy sucks. Dave has done a great job with
(12:12):
this team. As for you, when you watch this team
from up close in a distance, they got to fix
the defense. We know that, but this offense coming together
the way it has would you give it a pretty
good grade this year in terms of, hey, this is
a success story.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Now, Yeah, I think I think they The biggest thing
for the Carolina passes that Bryce took a step forward.
He looks like the Alabama Bryce. He looks confident, he's
playing fast, he's playing in a sense. You know, he's
playing care free for the first time. You're free for
this strength in his career exactly, you know. And you
(12:45):
feel good about that simply because now you get to
the draft right now. I'm gonna be honest and Cala
Panther fans hated me for it, didn't They weren't happening
when I made the comment, I don't like losing meanings.
I don't like winning meaning those games in a sense
of in this draft, with the blue tip talent being
so minimal, I would have preferred. I wanted to have
(13:05):
a performance you had like with Bright's playing well offense.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Playing but Atlanta win the coin toss.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Defense that I'm gonna be as defense is the reason
we lost.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
We tried, all you do that three straight games against
that one. Yeah, they tried. I mean I think there's
a good point there. I mean, you control the controllables,
and I think at the point where they win the toss,
you know guys they talked to in that locker room man,
and it's I still cover this team to this day.
It's it's important to know that they can go into
(13:36):
that stadium with that crowd that's you know, losing its
voice and then they start dwindling out when the coin
toss goes Carolina's way. There's real value in that. It
will be interesting draft season, but I think you know,
it's pretty clear what they got a zone in on.
Dan Morgan talked to us today. Obviously, it's run fits,
it's setting the edge, it's it's run defense in its
pass rush. They've got to find a way to get
(13:57):
the defense back to like top twenty. And at that point,
I think they can win this division.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
I really, And you're you're getting an all pro back
off injury hopefully next year in that round maybe, I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
It's gonna look different. It's gonna look that defense should
look different with with with Derek you know, Derrick Brown back.
And that's why for me, it's like, you know, them
being a I picked they have pick eight right now,
I'm like, you don't need a quarterback, So that's good. Now.
I was like, Okay, we got hopefully one of these
blue chip guys and you're talking about Abdul Carter, Mason Graham.
One of these top two defensive linemen fall to you
(14:29):
at eight, which is possible, is just not as possible
if you had the six pick or whatever. Like you know,
you gotta hope that you know, two quarterbacks are gone
to tour McMillan is off the board. Yeah, like I mean,
like Travis Hunters, Like, you gotta hope one of these
teams take an offensive lineman so that you can get
one of those two like instant game changes, whether it's
(14:49):
Mason Graham and you paying him besides Derek Brown, or
it is abdual Carter. I love to fit for Abdul Carter.
I think da can now said that Evere is returning
four to me with that announcement, I'm drafting abdual Carter
if he's on the board.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Would you be so upset if one of those top
offensive lineman field of the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
No, I wouldn't be mad with it. I would still
go defense simply because of the fact getting one to
those blue blue chip guys and This is the offensive
line class overall. It doesn't have the same cache as
last year with Joe, Alton, Olu, Fashion Lou and JC
we saw like six offensive linemen like the first twenty picks.
(15:31):
But there's depth in this class. There's depth in this class.
There's guys that could play. You think about Donovan Jackson
from Ohio State, who was thrust it from playing left
guard to playing left tackles. He had to giving up
a sack in like seven games in the position he's
never he hasn't been playing. That's not his natural position,
you know what I mean, the way he played against
Oregon's defensive line. To have the NFL talent all over at.
(15:53):
Djula's younger brother is probably a top ten lock coming
into the summer for twenty NFL Draft. He's sixty six,
like two sixty two seventy. He's a freak of nature
when you look at him and for him to handle
those guys, those different style rushers, he's a guy I
think about day two that you can add more so
probably to the interior if you wanted to, but like
(16:15):
maybe you want to add you know, kind of find
all a center or if you're looking for a replacement
for a tackle, you know what I mean, for either
Taylor Mooton whenever that time comes, or if you know,
you feel like Ikey isn't getting it done and you
can go ahead and try and replace him. But I
definitely would look at I would rather have Abdul Carter
with this. With Everro's defense you try to. I mean,
Jademil clown doesn't usually go back to the same place,
(16:38):
but if you can get him to stay home, yeah,
and then you get an Abdul Carter, and then you
get Derek Brown healthy he comes back. Yeah, this depense
go look a lot different.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think Clowny played one of his best games since
he's been here yesterday because he was banged up. He
really wasn't playing for incentives and he can't. He stayed
on the field. He was the only guy getting any
pressure on Pinnis and Sean Robinson two has done a
great job this year. Other than that, guys like Shy
Tuttle and a host of other characters. I'll be honest
with you, I know a lot of players. There's a
guys showing up on the roster I've never heard of.
(17:09):
That's how bad it's been this year. Schamar bars tholing
me shout out to him. He played Drake London tight,
but that's the corner covering Drake London. Look, we got
to tighten it up, man. Everybody's got to get healthy
and get right. But I like Canalis, I like where
they're going. You don't want to read too much into
a win over Atlanta, but obviously Bryce is doing some
things that we never thought he was going to do
after week two. So I'm just glad we're out of
(17:31):
the Andy Dalton vortex right now. Do you have a
thought on the MVP. I think you're leaning Lamar. I'm
in that direction now after what I saw the past
couple of weeks. Josh has put up great numbers. What
is the MVP to you? What does it mean? And
who's your front runner right now?
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Man? Right now, my front runner is Lamar. What he's
done this season just he and I saw just a
different vibe from him, just kind of even in the
off he's been looking at the training stuff and different
things like that. He looked like a total different guy
and like he's I think his his numbers are outrageous of.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
He dropped like twenty pounds to work on some of
the acceleration and the mobility. He has missed the d
he's been faster. You posted a clip this weekend where
he's just in the open field and his eyes are
where they need to be and he's throwing a dime
on a rope. I mean, people take for granted what
he's done. I know Josh Allen had a couple of
one shining moment moments this year that we're sort of
(18:32):
like Heisman moment moments. And he's a very good player,
a very great player. I'm with you on that. Sa
Kuan's been tremendous. We're kind of getting short on time here,
so I didn't want to cut you off without saying
a happy New Year once again. Can you get a
plug in real quick for your podcast because it's a
must listen Trey and I were just talking about it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Oh absolutely, five days a week. You know your favorite
podcast platform, lock though innfil Draft podcast getting ready to start,
you know, sense of the off stuff for the college
football playoffs that you know the prospects to watch. Also,
Senior Bowl is right around the corner just in a
couple of weeks, so yeah, stay tuned us there. Of course,
check out your Scott reports over at Bleach Report, not
(19:12):
just for myself but for the Bleacher Report team. Have
an awesome team over there, Brandon Thorne, Matt Holder, Corey Ginnings,
like we cover everything for every position, so you know
that you're gonna get the best, best quality content over there.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Well, Damon Parson is the best that we have on
this show in terms of the NFL landscape. Happy new Year,
my man, and thanks for putting up with my Panthers excitement.
It's been a minute since I've seen a quarterback do
something like that. But it is Atlanta, and as you
noted yesterday, I just read your tweet Atlanta playing soft zone.
So there you go, Parties killed. There's David Parson. You
(19:46):
great to hear from you.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Be well in the new year and we'll talk to
you soon. There he goes,
But now it's time to turn our attention to those
left in the playoff gauntlet, and to help us cover
that is Damon Parson from Bleacher Report as always, Happy
New Year, and man, you are the best at this
and we're so blessed to have you on our show.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Bud, Hey always blessed to be here. Happy New Year
to you guys.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hey, look, I would say the same for for maybe
Trey Falco if his Steelers would stop sucking. Let's start
with that team for a minute, because I've been talking
about my Panthers for a five win team way too much.
We'll get to them in a minute on the back
end of this. But Pittsburgh literally limping into these playoffs
(00:39):
right now. We have our reasons and theories as to
why things are disconnected, and I maybe would say that
they're just not as great as maybe we thought they were.
But what is Pittsburgh right now? And is there anything
they can do to ignite anything that would inspire you
to say maybe they can go on a run.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I think it starts with defense, right It starts with
you know, team j Watt and that defensive line, that
pass rush making it easier on the secondary. I think
they were out of Dante Jackson didn't play yesterday and
everything of this weekend, So you need to get him
back into the rotation, get him healthy, to have that
veteran presence in the cornerback room along with Joey Porter
(01:18):
Junior and Making Fitzpatrick and everything. But I look at
that passers. It starts there stopping to run, making teams
one dimensional to where you can allow a TJ. Watt
to become the game record that he is. And because
they got to help out this offense, this offense is
I never fully bought into it, simply because of the
way it looked. And yet like once like when when
(01:41):
Fields was ended, was ball control, it was run game,
it was physicality. And when Russ came into this situation
and he started the moon balls and the deep throws,
it looked exciting, but it was like, first of all,
Demick throw was over twenty yards on the lowest completion
percentage throws in football. So you can't live off of that.
(02:04):
You have to make the routine plays, the routine throws,
and for a low for a good portion of that
run where the offenses looked like they were humming, it
was a lot of incredible catches from the pickens, from
past fire mutes and different things like that. I think
they need to offensively get with the run game going.
But also you got a guy in Calvin Austin who's
(02:26):
a really good run at to catch explosive or dealer.
Let's get some early touches to him, like Shorten underneath stuff,
some button hook spot concepts, just quick stuff to where
it keeps your it keeps you ahead of the change.
I talked about it on the LOCKDWN front of that podcast.
Quarterback Player. I want my quarterbacks. It's simil as to basketball.
(02:47):
I don't want you taking threes right out of the game.
Like we get the ball, we get the first possession,
We're not jacking thirty fullers. I don't want that now.
I mean the NBA is like that, but I don't
want my shooters shooting cold. I'd rather you get to
the cup, get to the butt, Yeah, to the bucket,
get and get your confidence going. I don't really feelers
is just get Russell Wilson going earlier in games with
(03:09):
the quick stuff. Force those defenses, those defenses and those
safeties to creep up to try and take away, to
run that to catch stuff then let's get the moon
ball going off of play action things like that. But
it starts with the defense getting quick stops, three and outs,
and then the offense just has to play better.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
Dam I really liked that you started with the defense
on this team because a lot of the focus really
has been on the offense. And oh, justin fields Russell Wilson,
what about GP, who's their wide receiver too. But I'm
sure you're familiar with a lot of the tominisms, you know,
Tomlin has a lot of these of his sleeve. But
there's one that sticks out to me. As you know,
scared money, scared money, don't make money. You know, we
don't live in our fears. You know, if you blink,
don't if you blink, don't blink, cut your eyelids off,
(03:48):
those kind of things. But I look at this defense
and I wonder if they are playing scared. It seems
like this defense kind of sits back and waits to
make sure that big plays don't happen, and so they're
getting cut up in the middle of the field and
it's death by a thought and paper cuts. Is that
something that you see changing in the foreseeable future. Do
you think that's something that needs to be changed here defensively,
because we obviously know what's going on offensively and things
(04:08):
on that things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, I feel like, you know, and I think some
of the not in that, but some of the inconsistent
play with the offense then trickles down to how the
defense performs because they're trying. It's like they're playing not playing.
It's almost like playing not to lose instead of playing
to you know. And I would like to see them
just go ahead, man up, be physical, Be be the
(04:33):
Steelers defensively, Be the Steelers opposing the offenses in the mouths,
like reset the line of scrimmage, own the line of scrimmage, right.
I think that's a big part. And they got to
get that because I've seen there's been you know, contacts
and stuff like that, like you know, conversations on social
media and I can't remember which game it was a
couple of weeks ago where it looks like there was
(04:54):
like a miscommunication, look like it should have been fired.
It was a fire zone. Oh yeah, fall and every thing.
And you've got got some guys who like they're playing man,
there's missing, you know, nobody's communicating right, and then it's
like a big I think it was the money was
against the Chiefs Travis Kelsey, but left why those defenders
just staying at a like what's going on? Like you
(05:14):
gotta you gotta cut that stuff out. You're in the playoffs.
Now you gotta against Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Oh and the guys in the playoffs are gonna tear
that the shreds absolutely, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
When you start, because it's all about creating, moving, putting
you in positions to communicate. Like offensively, I do like
when teams play zone because now I can start motioning,
I can start doing different things, making you bump over
a gap, making you communicate pre snap when you didn't
really want to, you know what I mean, Like, hey,
(05:46):
I got I got my zone. But when I start
putting on, I put trips to your side and cover three.
Now your cover three corner has to have to communicate
with the safety and who's rolling down and who's getting
into the curl of flats. I want to make that
a problem for you, and I think for them is
that they for me In my opinion, I don't mind
them playing zone, but I think with the pass rush
(06:06):
you have with the corners that you have with the
defense that you have, I would like to see more
man coverage, especially against the Ravens offense that might be
devoid of Za Flowers with the I think it's like
a knee spring, not play. Like even if he does play,
he's not nowhere near one hundred percent, right, this just happens.
(06:27):
So like playpress man. You want to get in the
face of Rashad Bateman. You want to get in the
face of Nelson Aguilar, who else they whoever they throw
out there. You want to disrupt those guys and make
Lamar hold the ball. Now, granted he's been doing some
outstanding things this year, he might be the m v
P at the end of the day, but you got
to make him win from the pocket. And not that
(06:47):
he can't, he can, but you got to just make
it difficult on him. And if you start having those
miscommunications in that zone, it could be it could be
a long night.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Absolutely. And you know the Ravens are multiple two and
the way they use their wide receivers, their tight ends
with Andrews and likely and the way the Steelers have
been given so much stuff across the in the middle.
Even if they do come up and press man coverage.
They got to make sure they take care of those
two tight ends too, that are deadly.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Absolutely, you have to stop that those tight ends in
the past because they don't have a robust wide receiver. Course,
this is not Cincinnati with t Higgins and Jamar Chase
that type of receiver talent, but they don't have that.
So you got to stop Isaiah, like to stop and
slow down Mark Andrews, and of course stop Lamar Jackson
and Derrick Henry before they get going.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Easier said than done, especially when they got a three
hundred pound full back out there playing fall.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
I love a three hundred pound full back.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Man, he's an animale. He's got some hands too.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Man's a luxury keys though, when you've got a very
good team that has everything, and then you know, you
know what, we got to have that three hundred pound fullback. Hey,
real quick, I asked you a question about a couple
of teams here. Let's start with the Vikings and the Lions.
They tangled last night, and look, Dan Campbell, you know
it's true to his word. He said before you know,
(08:01):
we're gonna go out there and we're gonna take everybody.
Were a whip some my ass will be healthy.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Hopefully healthy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
They survived San Francisco, although Frisco played pretty well, and
last night I think, you know the the takeaway from me,
what was Aaron Glenn just needs to take the tape
of that game, put it on the desk of any
GM looking for a head coach that you know needs
to leader them in but also a damn good football mind.
Let them watch the tape. Just go outside drinking coffee,
(08:26):
have a smoke, and come on back and see if
they'll hire it. That was a masterclass. All they've got
injured right now. The Lions have restored my faith that
they are the front runners. And you know, Sam's gonna
have Sam moments. What was your takeaway from the game
last night and does it change your perspective on the
NFC picture moving forward?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, I think they're They're They're the clear cut. I'm
gona be honest with you. If this team is healthy,
I know Pat Mahomes is Pat Mahomes and I get
all that this is the best team in football. They're healthy,
and it's not. To me, it's not really even that close.
Like when they're healthy Hudson and all that stuff like
with that offense that they have and the multiplicity that
they bring offensively, they can run it with speed and explosiveness.
(09:10):
When they have David Montgomery can run it with power.
They have the speed at wide receiver and Jamison Williams.
You got Sam Laporta at tight end. You have amarras
Saint Brown, the sun God as he calls himself in
the slot. Like they can do everything. So watching that
game last night, the physicality they played with defensively against
(09:30):
that receiving corps of Jordan Dadson, Justin Jefferson in company.
First of the vikings they made Sam Donald was so
uncomfortable and not confident in the pocket. He didn't trust
what he saw. He was going through reads much faster
than he should have because he had It was one
red zone trip where they had I think it might
(09:52):
have been Jordan Addison running out of the slot or
out of a trip set slat route just straight to
the pylon. He was wide open, and Sam didn't look.
Sam looked like look, he looked at just Justin Jefferson
and immediately pivoting off of that side of the ball,
on that side of the field. And I was like, Sam,
you gotta you got to stay over there and you
(10:12):
gotta get he was sped up last night and they
did a great job as thea Darius Smith has been
such a fine trade partner or trade acquisition for them.
And yeah, I think the Aaron Glynn any any GM
and ownership team for an NFL franchise said we need
somebody that when things get when the going gets rough,
he's gonna make sure that the ship is settled with
(10:37):
all those injuries to still be able to do what
he's done. And they lost even losing Terry On on
them last night their first round find. They lost him
in the game, like he said, he's gonna play because
they got the first, they got the buy and everything
he said he's gonna play. But still, yeah, Aaron Glynn
is a masterful job without with all the injuries, twenty
guys missing on defense right now, shout out to job.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
It's outstanding. It It would be, you know, the offensive equivalent.
I'm sure we've seen this before, doing more with less
than you've ever had, and it stays the same. But
Glenn has been working magic there and the testimony to
his leadership and also his football acumen which should get
him a job pretty soon, and I'll say this as
we dive back into the world of Carolina Panthers. Look,
(11:23):
it's been a struggle here. You and I were at
camp together last year. We saw some of what Bryce
Young was being thrown into with Frank Reich and sort
of an arranged merit staff that we know really wasn't
his idea, but he went along with it. And this
has been such a great experience. And I'll tell you why.
I know they're only a five win team. Three of
those games they lost was the Gauntlet, three great games
(11:45):
against three of the best you'll find on the schedule.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
I'll take more from those the one tape.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Absolutely, And your quarterback is starting to see the field
and play with you know, the kind of reactive, you know,
intelligent instead he played with at Alabama. Because he's confident
in himself. He knows he's got a coach that has
his back. Whereas the narratives Rex Ryan Hillo before where fire,
Dave canallycy sucks. Dave has done a great job with
(12:12):
this team. As for you, when you watch this team
from up close in a distance, they got to fix
the defense. We know that, but this offense coming together
the way it has would you give it a pretty
good grade this year in terms of, hey, this is
a success story.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Now, Yeah, I think I think they The biggest thing
for the Carolina passes that Bryce took a step forward.
He looks like the Alabama Bryce. He looks confident, he's
playing fast, he's playing in a sense. You know, he's
playing care free for the first time. You're free for
this strength in his career exactly, you know. And you
(12:45):
feel good about that simply because now you get to
the draft right now. I'm gonna be honest and Cala
Panther fans hated me for it, didn't They weren't happening
when I made the comment, I don't like losing meanings.
I don't like winning meaning those games in a sense
of in this draft, with the blue tip talent being
so minimal, I would have preferred. I wanted to have
(13:05):
a performance you had like with Bright's playing well offense.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Playing but Atlanta win the coin toss.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Defense that I'm gonna be as defense is the reason
we lost.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
We tried, all you do that three straight games against
that one. Yeah, they tried. I mean I think there's
a good point there. I mean, you control the controllables,
and I think at the point where they win the toss,
you know guys they talked to in that locker room man,
and it's I still cover this team to this day.
It's it's important to know that they can go into
(13:36):
that stadium with that crowd that's you know, losing its
voice and then they start dwindling out when the coin
toss goes Carolina's way. There's real value in that. It
will be interesting draft season, but I think you know,
it's pretty clear what they got a zone in on.
Dan Morgan talked to us today. Obviously, it's run fits,
it's setting the edge, it's it's run defense in its
pass rush. They've got to find a way to get
(13:57):
the defense back to like top twenty. And at that point,
I think they can win this division.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
I really, And you're you're getting an all pro back
off injury hopefully next year in that round maybe, I mean.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
It's gonna look different. It's gonna look that defense should
look different with with with Derek you know, Derrick Brown back.
And that's why for me, it's like, you know, them
being a I picked they have pick eight right now,
I'm like, you don't need a quarterback, So that's good. Now.
I was like, Okay, we got hopefully one of these
blue chip guys and you're talking about Abdul Carter, Mason Graham.
One of these top two defensive linemen fall to you
(14:29):
at eight, which is possible, is just not as possible
if you had the six pick or whatever. Like you know,
you gotta hope that you know, two quarterbacks are gone
to tour McMillan is off the board. Yeah, like I mean,
like Travis Hunters, Like, you gotta hope one of these
teams take an offensive lineman so that you can get
one of those two like instant game changes, whether it's
(14:49):
Mason Graham and you paying him besides Derek Brown, or
it is abdual Carter. I love to fit for Abdul Carter.
I think da can now said that Evere is returning
four to me with that announcement, I'm drafting abdual Carter
if he's on the board.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Would you be so upset if one of those top
offensive lineman field of the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
No, I wouldn't be mad with it. I would still
go defense simply because of the fact getting one to
those blue blue chip guys and This is the offensive
line class overall. It doesn't have the same cache as
last year with Joe, Alton, Olu, Fashion Lou and JC
we saw like six offensive linemen like the first twenty picks.
(15:31):
But there's depth in this class. There's depth in this class.
There's guys that could play. You think about Donovan Jackson
from Ohio State, who was thrust it from playing left
guard to playing left tackles. He had to giving up
a sack in like seven games in the position he's
never he hasn't been playing. That's not his natural position,
you know what I mean, the way he played against
Oregon's defensive line. To have the NFL talent all over at.
(15:53):
Djula's younger brother is probably a top ten lock coming
into the summer for twenty NFL Draft. He's sixty six,
like two sixty two seventy. He's a freak of nature
when you look at him and for him to handle
those guys, those different style rushers, he's a guy I
think about day two that you can add more so
probably to the interior if you wanted to, but like
(16:15):
maybe you want to add you know, kind of find
all a center or if you're looking for a replacement
for a tackle, you know what I mean, for either
Taylor Mooton whenever that time comes, or if you know,
you feel like Ikey isn't getting it done and you
can go ahead and try and replace him. But I
definitely would look at I would rather have Abdul Carter
with this. With Everro's defense you try to. I mean,
Jademil clown doesn't usually go back to the same place,
(16:38):
but if you can get him to stay home, yeah,
and then you get an Abdul Carter, and then you
get Derek Brown healthy he comes back. Yeah, this depense
go look a lot different.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I think Clowny played one of his best games since
he's been here yesterday because he was banged up. He
really wasn't playing for incentives and he can't. He stayed
on the field. He was the only guy getting any
pressure on Pinnis and Sean Robinson two has done a
great job this year. Other than that, guys like Shy
Tuttle and a host of other characters. I'll be honest
with you, I know a lot of players. There's a
guys showing up on the roster I've never heard of.
(17:09):
That's how bad it's been this year. Schamar bars tholing
me shout out to him. He played Drake London tight,
but that's the corner covering Drake London. Look, we got
to tighten it up, man. Everybody's got to get healthy
and get right. But I like Canalis, I like where
they're going. You don't want to read too much into
a win over Atlanta, but obviously Bryce is doing some
things that we never thought he was going to do
after week two. So I'm just glad we're out of
(17:31):
the Andy Dalton vortex right now. Do you have a
thought on the MVP. I think you're leaning Lamar. I'm
in that direction now after what I saw the past
couple of weeks. Josh has put up great numbers. What
is the MVP to you? What does it mean? And
who's your front runner right now?
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Man? Right now, my front runner is Lamar. What he's
done this season just he and I saw just a
different vibe from him, just kind of even in the
off he's been looking at the training stuff and different
things like that. He looked like a total different guy
and like he's I think his his numbers are outrageous of.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
He dropped like twenty pounds to work on some of
the acceleration and the mobility. He has missed the d
he's been faster. You posted a clip this weekend where
he's just in the open field and his eyes are
where they need to be and he's throwing a dime
on a rope. I mean, people take for granted what
he's done. I know Josh Allen had a couple of
one shining moment moments this year that we're sort of
(18:32):
like Heisman moment moments. And he's a very good player,
a very great player. I'm with you on that. Sa
Kuan's been tremendous. We're kind of getting short on time here,
so I didn't want to cut you off without saying
a happy New Year once again. Can you get a
plug in real quick for your podcast because it's a
must listen Trey and I were just talking about it.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Oh absolutely, five days a week. You know your favorite
podcast platform, lock though innfil Draft podcast getting ready to start,
you know, sense of the off stuff for the college
football playoffs that you know the prospects to watch. Also,
Senior Bowl is right around the corner just in a
couple of weeks, so yeah, stay tuned us there. Of course,
check out your Scott reports over at Bleach Report, not
(19:12):
just for myself but for the Bleacher Report team. Have
an awesome team over there, Brandon Thorne, Matt Holder, Corey Ginnings,
like we cover everything for every position, so you know
that you're gonna get the best, best quality content over there.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Well, Damon Parson is the best that we have on
this show in terms of the NFL landscape. Happy new Year,
my man, and thanks for putting up with my Panthers excitement.
It's been a minute since I've seen a quarterback do
something like that. But it is Atlanta, and as you
noted yesterday, I just read your tweet Atlanta playing soft zone.
So there you go, Parties killed. There's David Parson. You
(19:46):
great to hear from you.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Be well in the new year and we'll talk to
you soon. There he goes,
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