Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
That you were listening to a Sean O'Connell show, your
source for the best huts football coverage.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Here's oc from the.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Murdoch Hyundai Studio of ESPN seven hundred ninety two to
one alf Am, Welcome back into the Sean O'Connell Show,
proudly brought to you by Big Willie Sports Bar in
Salt Lake. Check him out at seventeen seventeen South Main Street.
No Sean O'Connell today, it's Bryson Biaucci's sitting in for
(00:34):
Sean O'Connell. He'll be back on Monday. We'll be with
you here on a Friday edition of the show tomorrow
as well, getting you ready for a weekend of college
and National Football League football. And speaking of which, Thursday
Night football comes your way later on tonight the Westwood
one Call on ESPN seven hundred and ninety two to
one FM, and then over on our stage. She's mine
(00:54):
in Jordan Station on one O three nine and ninety
eight three ESPN the Fan you'll hear the Home Rams
call and this man DeMarco Farr, the sideline analyst, not
a sideline reporter, the sideline analyst for the Rams. Welcome
in now it's one DeMarco, far DeMarco. Glad to have
you back on it, Glad to talk to you again,
my friend. How are things?
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Oh, let me Adam, it's forty nine or week. Cannot
wait for this. This is gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
That's up in the gate, no doubt. And you know
what for the Rams, things before the game starts starting
to look a little bit better, might I say, because
the injuries are starting to pile up for the forty
nine ers. So how you feeling with the injury situation,
with the way that this game set up tonight? How
are we feeling about the Rams?
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh, not gonna work, not buying it. It's still the
San Francisco forty nine Ers. Strange things happen in this rivalry,
this this division rival It seems like we always the
Rams do. They always catch the Niners in a period
of transition and then something bad happens for the Rams.
So I know they've got a rash of injuries. But
I'll tell you what they do have. They still have
(01:56):
McCaffrey back there, They still have Trent Williams, they still
have friend, they still have some weapons to hurt you.
So you got to play this as if this was
three years ago when this forty nine er window was
wide open. They can derail a lot of your goals
for this year. So this is very important for the Rams.
And I thought it was really cool after such an
emotional win last week versus the Colts, where just it
(02:20):
was going back and forth. You were fortunate you had
the touchback that went in your favor. Right at the
end of that game, Sean McVay gave his his team
the credit, the props, the game, bowls and whatnot, and
then right after he said, we got Sanfran next week
with first place on the line, so set your minds right.
So they're taking this seriously. They need to be ahead
of the Niners. It's not about them being injured. It's
(02:41):
about the Rams playing their best game tonight.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
No doubt about it. And one thing that's been really
impressive with this Rams team is of course the BYU
product from just down the road from us in pukin Akula.
He's been outstanding and some say he might even be
in the MVP conversation is that going too far? And
what have you thought about pokin a start.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I am so glad he's being recognized and I think
it's you know, it's it's the fantasy football era we're in.
It's about yards and points and whatnot. And you know,
he doesn't score as often as some other receivers, but
he is just as dangerous, you know, from twenty to twenty.
So he does a lot for the offense. He's basically
a receiver slash tight end. They count on him to block.
(03:21):
I mean sometimes he's the point of attack in the
run game to spring guys, so and he's willing to
do that. But then what really has set him apart
this year is his route running. His hands have improved.
I think Matthew Stafford trusts him. There is a level
of respect there between the two. They know they have
that second sense about each other. So you have a
quarterback that's willing to feed him and feed that. So yeah,
(03:44):
I mean, I think by the numbers, I think Pukaku
will be in the running for the MVP. But as
far as what he does for the football team, he's
already been the MVT for this football team.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
With Niakua getting so many targets, how has that affected
DeVante Adams and his ability to affect that offense in
a big way.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I'm not sure what affects Davante Adams. He is a
special guy. He doesn't have any insecurity about who he
is or his place in the offense or his place
in the NFL. He's a great receiver as a matter
of fact, A lot of us on the RAMS side
the broadcast, I feel it's going to be a DeVante
Knight tonight. So he's the one dude that you can't
sleep on period. If you think he might be frustrated
(04:24):
or be a second fiddle in the offense, next you
know he's behind you. That touchdown pass he caught for
Matthew Stafford was unbelievable. The way Stafford moved that safety
with his eyes. He's been doing that all year. So
as that relationship continues to develop and it gets on
the same level, dare I say like Puka, then we'll
start to see some real fireworks.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
DeMarco far the RAMS sideline analyst, is here with this
for a couple more minutes on the Sean O'Connell Show
ESPN seven hundred and ninety two to one FM. Debarco.
A lot of the talk in the preseason was about
Matthew Stafford's back in the injury since then I haven't
heard a lot about it, which is a good sign.
It sounds like maybe that trailer they brought in with
the red light therapy and everything's working out for him.
(05:06):
Tell us a little bit about that situation with Matthew
Stafford and his health.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
He's moving into Darth Vader territory, right where you get
all the equipment just to keep your alive. Yeah, is
what it is. I mean, he's got a lot of
miles on his on his belt, on his tires. You know,
he's thirty seven years old. He's played a lot of football,
so it is to be expected that you know, you're
gonna have to take care of a guy like that,
But it does come up. The back was everything in
training camp. It kind of goes away with your first
(05:31):
and second win and now you're three to one. But
every time he won hops one, or he gets sacked
or you know, he gets stuffed on a sneak and
he gets up a little bit slow, we all kind
of collectively hold our breath because you know, he is
thirty seven, he's had a back injury, so we don't know.
But look, I don't think any quarterback in the league
closes like Matthew Stafford. It's like Seabiscuit. All you need
(05:54):
to do is get him neck and neck with the
faster horse around the backstretch and he's gonna win that.
So he's got to had to fire. That drives his
football team. But the back hasn't been a thing until
it will become a thing at some point. It's a
long season.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
How about the defensive side of the football. I know
in the last couple of years the Rams have invested
in the defensive side of football, guys like Jared Vers
and others. How are we feeling about the defensive side
and where's the weakness in this Rams defense if there
is any?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Well, there was a subplot to last week's game a
lot too. The edge rusher for Indianapolis was out there
now everyone in LA because he's from here, are played
here in college. Everyone wanted him. He was the first
player taken in the draft, I think, if I'm not mistaken,
So the Rams got Jared Verse, and if you had
to redraft, you would definitely take Verse because of what
(06:44):
you know about him and how hard he plays. But
that was fun watching those two go at it. But
Jared Verse, in my opinion right now, is the most
physical edge rusher the league has, and that includes Michael Parsons.
It's not as how do you say stylistic as Miles Garrett, Like, wow,
that was a pretty move with Jared Vorses, Like, damn,
did he knock the guy's teeth out? I hope that
(07:06):
guy's okay. Did you see him run through the center
from the Colts? I did not see that. Oh my gosh.
So they lined them up at Mike linebacker. He took
like a three yard running start and just ran right
through Bordolini and then Superman dove out to Daniel Jones.
I wish Daniel Jones was miked up. That would have
been fun to see that. It would have. But I mean,
(07:27):
he has just been a wrecking machine. He leads the defense.
I think at some point he'll leave this entire football team.
He's got that sort of gravity. So uh. And I
remember talking to him before week one and I said,
you know what motivates you? And he looked be in
the eye. Right in pregame he goes, I'm out here
to change lives. I'm playing for keeps, and I think
(07:48):
he was dead serious about that. So he's been a
great acquisition for this football team, and I think he's
doing nothing but getting better each and every rep.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Marco far is here with us on the Sean O'Connell
show Rams sideline. An let's getting us ready for some
Thursday night football, DeMarco. If the Rams are going to
beat the forty nine ers tonight, how were they going
to do it? And what should the game plan be
for Matthew Stafford in the game.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Well, number one, defensively, you have got to stop McCaffrey.
You did. You finally stopped Saquon Barkley up in Philadelphia,
and that was easier said than none. That was in
his house when you didn't have benefit the crowd noise
and you stopped him. You did the same against Jonathan Taylor.
You forced the game onto the quarterback shoulders. Now, same
thing this week. If you stop McCaffrey, if you take
(08:33):
away the run game for Shanahan and the forty nine
ers offense, I don't know where they go with the football.
I don't. I'm not sure the forty nine ers know
where they go with the football. So that's got to
be job number one for the Rams and the defense.
Job number two is keep the pressure on. Offensively, you
have to score. You have to score touchdowns. You could
put so much of a lead on them that you
(08:54):
could take away a run game by a two score
or a three score lead. Then they have to throw
in your house with crowd noise. So to me, that's
the game plan. First, McCaffrey, Matthew Stafford and the offense
keep pace and then start to pile on and then
get after the passer as best you can.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Hey, DeMarco, you were part of those great Rams teams
in the early two thousands, and I'd be remiss if
I didn't ask you about them that year in two thousand.
I'm just curious because Saint Louis had been a great
baseball town forever, but you guys took over that town.
It was incredible. Just what was that like when you
guys got on win on that run and just captured
(09:33):
the imagination of Saint Louis.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Well, okay, so I was a rookie in ninety four
when we left here. So I'm just walking in this.
I have no idea what's going on. I'm just wide eyed.
I'm just trying to make the football team. But I
remember waking up that spring after my rookie year going
into ninety five, turning on the TV and seeing Georgia
Frontieri on TV with Sparklers where it says Saint Louis
(09:56):
rams and I'm like, okay, well, I guess we moved.
So we go to Saint Louis and I just remember
seeing the trucks pull in. It was just our equipment
pulling in the town and the trucks got a ticker
tape parade. It's like, wow, do they know we only
won four games last year? You know what I mean?
That's that's that's stuff you do for champions But that's
(10:16):
how excited they were to have football back in town.
So it took a while to get going. We had
to let go of a coach and then hired Dick Vermeil.
But once we got a hold of something as a team,
that city was more than willing to just go all
in on us, and the support was incredible. The Dome
(10:37):
was by far the loudest place I have ever been.
I'm talking concerts, fireworks, everything on third down in the
playoffs or in the NFC Championship train trying to get
to the super Bowl. It was as loud as anything
in the world. And the parade coming back home after
we won, it was just as loud and just as otherworldly.
It was so special. It was wild. I look back,
(11:00):
I thought it now it's like, wow, did that all
that stuff really happen? Or I'm in some sort of
fever dream, But it really did. It was that special.
It was that great. And you know, for that team,
we're still together, We're still teammates and we will be forever.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
And is that same type of love for this football
team kind of transition back to Los Angeles? Is there
the fan base there in LA starting to attach themselves,
especially after the first Super Bowl? What does it feel
like now in Las? The team's gone back.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It's starting to grow. So I have a ten year old,
she's in the fifth grade, and since the Rams have
come back, you start to see more and more kids
wearing Rams jerseys or Rams flags on game day. Before
you didn't see many, or you saw other football teams.
Now you're starting to see more. Last week, I've never
seen that many LA fans in so far be that
(11:47):
loud in that game. So it's starting to grow. Now
here's the one problem. It starts tonight because I'm curious
as to how many Red jerseys are going to be
there tonight, so we still have to worry about getting
them out first, and the only way to do that
is to annihilate the forty nine ers, make them feel
stupid for showing up. Hey, look, why don't we go
to sofa to watch our team get beat up again?
(12:08):
You know what I mean. So if the Rams win
to night, that's four in a row. If you can
run that to five, six, seven, eight, nine in a
row and make this a laugher, yeah, you'll stop them
from coming in. You cantroll it with your own your
own fans. That's how you start to build momentum.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Oh absolutely absolutely. Hey DeMarco, thank you so much for
your time here on game day. Good luck later on
tonight and we'll be listening.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Thanks guys, talk to you guys soon.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
That is DeMarco far Rams sideline analyst. You can hear
him along with JB. Long and Maurice Strones Drew over
on one O, three nine and ninety eight three ESPN.
The fan our brother station with the call. That's the
home call and the home of the La Rams here
in the state of Utah.