January 5, 2026 • 45 mins
We head into the 2nd hour of MMQB with MIKE HOLMGREN and HUGH MILLEN - How would Coach have gone up against a defense like Seattle’s shutting his team down? - Is this team peaking at the right time defensively AND offensively? - What do the Seahawks need to work on offensively? - Should the Hawks have taken the points? :30- MMQB continues as we talk to Coach about the job that John Schneider has done on this team in the last 18 months. Who would Coach like to see the Hawks avoid in the playoffs? Do we have the QB that can lead this team to win it all? :45- we close out this Monday show with one last thing for Coach Holmgren.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is the Monday Morning Quarterback on your Home for
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LLC dot com. Now the Monday Morning Quarterback with Mike
hom Grin and Hugh Millin.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Here's Chuck and.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Buck all right, nine o'clock hour here on this Monday,
Happy New Year to everyone. Great to have you with
us as we get back into the day routine around
these here parts. It's Chuck Powle, Bucky Jacobs and Ashley
Ryan with you here and of course our Monday Morning
Quarterback stars, Hugh Millan, who's been with us since eight o'clock,
and Mike Homer, who now joins us here in studio
(01:14):
at nine o'clock. I do want to mention because there's
a lot of news on Monday after the season ends.
Turns out we will have a new head coach in
the division next year. The Arizona Cardinals have decided to
let go Jonathan Gannon, despite reports here in the last
few days saying that he was safe and that they
were going to bring him back. They have let young
(01:35):
Jonathan Gannon go there in Arizona. So a new direction
starting with the Cardinals going forward. All Right, we've got
great things to talk about around here. Number one seed,
a thirteen to three win over the San Francisco forty
nine ers to lock that up on Saturday night, and
Mike Homer now joins the conversation.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Happy new Year, Happy new Year. Guy's good to be.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Here, great to have you, great to see you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And man, I mean, I can't imagine that there were
many times in your career where you're like this defensive
guy's got my number. And I can't imagine that Kyle
Shanahan's had too many experiences with that, but coach, I mean,
what was Mike McDonald doing to take everything away from
Kyle Shanahan Saturday night?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
You know what, It's a little bit of a puzzle
because the forty nine ers had looked so good offensively
prior to the game, and so I was a little surprised,
quite honestly. How many games were you score?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Thirteen?
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Do you win?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
You know? And they won?
Speaker 5 (02:37):
And San Francisco they dominated. They dominated the forty nine ers,
I think, and Hugh touched on it earlier about what
they chose to do defensively in their lineup the Seahawks
and then how Kyle responded, and that was that I
(02:58):
would have responded toff diferently.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
I might.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
I'm not saying it would have worked, but I'm saying,
if you're all of a sudden playing against more nickel
and dime people at smaller guys a little bit, you know,
then I'm gonna go power. I'm not going to be
messing around with a lot of different different formations and
different personnels. Necessarily, I'm going to keep that fullback. We're
(03:22):
gonna we're gonna run at you and then see how
you handle that. Because that defense, I'm sorry, you no please,
But the defense the way that the way we set up,
you know, obviously they have aggressive guys in the secondary,
and uh, it worked. But I thought Kyle kind of
almost played into the Seahawks hands just a little bit.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
You know.
Speaker 7 (03:44):
I think what Mike might say, Mike McDonald might say,
is that he says, hey, we're nickel. But you know,
last year we had Witherspoon who was one hundred and
eighty one pounds at the combine. This year we have
Nick and worry as Nicol who was exactly two hundred
and twenty pounds at the combine. So we've gained thirty
(04:05):
nine pounds there. And so when they play him, Mike,
you know, terminology, I think we'd use as just Nicol Sam.
He's just a Nicol Sam, right, like a Sam backer.
And yet so I think he would say, we feel
like we almost have linebacker type of size, you know,
at two twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
But then how.
Speaker 7 (04:24):
About Mike forty nine ers? This is not forty nine
or football. They had Kyle Yushchev on the field for
nineteen plays, but they only had him in the backfield once.
They were doing this thing where he'd started the wing
when the balls snapped with the wing. He try and
run backwards and then try and be a lead blocker.
(04:46):
But you know, you know, probably something looked good on
a whiteboard, but they never really got to the physicality
part that you suggest that you would have tried to
get to.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Yeah, and your point about looking good on the whiteboard.
You know, you get in the room and you start creating,
and you're with your coaching staff and you're you got
all these great plays and all these things. Well, that's
all well and good. That's all well and good, until
you try and do that in the game and it
doesn't work. We've talked about it how many times this
year that it's not working.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Go to plan B. What's Plan B.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Put put Usha in the backfield, let him be the
lead blocker and see if that works. See what happens there,
you know, because it's worked for us in the past.
So having said all that, however, you can't take anything
away from what Mike Mike McDonald has put together defensively
and how that defensive team plays. I got a feeling
(05:38):
watching the game, you guys, that emotionally it wasn't it
wasn't even close. Forget about the x's and o's and
all that stuff. It just seemed like there was a
lot more fire on the seox side to me than
the forty nine er side.
Speaker 8 (05:54):
Does it look like their peeking at the right time?
And defensively they most certainly are, but oftenlatively, you know,
they they did enough and it never felt like the
game was really in question because of what you said,
just the overall atmosphere and the way in which the
defense was playing. But it does it feel like this
team is kind of, you know, rising at the right time.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
I think so, Buck, and I think the the although
like I said, thirteen points usually doesn't win.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
For you, you know.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
So there's still some hope, I mean, still some feeling
about the offensive team offensive side of the ball. Although
the running game was look good, you know, and that
that seems to be there, that seems to be getting better,
and how they they're using Walker and Sharbonne and because
we've talked about it again all year that some games
they didn't do much and then we go why are
(06:49):
they doing this? And but that that seems to be
clicking a little bit better now and that will help
Sam Darnold, you know.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
And so.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
You get into the playoffs, you're playing the best teams
that finish the season, and you just have to be
at your best. And I think offensively, I'm not sure
we've seen that yet.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
We saw it a couple.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Times during the season, but consistently it hasn't been exactly
the same.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I would ask you that because I certainly wanted to
discuss this before our time expired here today, and so Hugh,
I want to ask you the same conversation. I mean,
all the Hayes in the Barn.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Fourteen to three, got the number one seed.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You get to a week to rest up, get healthy.
Looks like they're going to be the healthiest team in
the league two weeks from now. What concerns, if any,
do you have as they get ready for this postseason run.
And he I'll start with you, and maybe they don't
have any. Maybe you're just like, just keep doing what
you're doing. That's the only the advice that I would give.
Speaker 7 (07:53):
Well, I think they got to work on the red
zone and the red zone frings, you know that the
friends being you know, the area you know, call it
the thirty five forty you know, just kind of like
you're almost in in Myers field goal territory. I think
that they they've installed there, and I think the big
play standpoint. I almost wonder if Sam, like there was
(08:14):
a play.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Now.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
I know i'm gonna say this on the radio. I'm
gonna give the impression that this was happening all over.
It was not happening all over. But there was a
play Mike where they're trying to get Jackson Smith and
Jigbaw on a you know deep angle cross right to left. Guys,
that's an intermediate crossing route and you got to check down.
But you're gonna have a clear out generally, and then
you know, it can be a post, it can be
(08:35):
a go. Well, on this case, you got Rashichi head
on a high angle corner. So he's on Sam Donald's left.
He lines up on the left, he starts like he's
going to the middle field, and then he goes high
to the back, piling on the left a flag you know,
high flag route, and then you're gonna have JSN schematically
uh from the right side fit into that area intermediate
(08:57):
under But but you've got Rashichi heat. Clear that out. Man,
I'm looking at that. I would tell fourteen Mike, I'd say, hey,
crank that thing.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Up.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Just throw it high to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Give him a chance.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
You might.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
You know, it looks like he's got a step, maybe
a step and a half. Just go let him go,
you know, get the ball, maybe you get a pass interference,
or you're loosen him up. So I think maybe just like,
let's let's take a couple of big shots. What's the
last time we saw a go route up the sideline,
you know, or a post route where you try and
beat quarters coverage. So that would be a couple of
(09:30):
things I'd want to get out of the offense.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Yeah, And I think that because of how everyone's been
talking about Sam all year and for the last two years,
probably there might be a little part of him. Yep,
that doesn't want to take that chance. I'm not saying that,
but I'm guessing here. But here, you know what an
interesting thing, Chuck to your point about having a number
(09:54):
one seed. The experience I had with the forty nine
ers with coach Walsh. We we had a great year, dominated
had the had the first round by m HM, so
we had two weeks to prepare. Then we played Minnesota
in that game and they beat us. They came in
and beat us in San Francisco and it was horrible.
(10:17):
And we tried to analyze why for those two weeks
we we prepared for two teams. We didn't know who
we were going to play, so you're prepared. And and
Bill later said, I made a mistake, you know, because
we prepared for and we practiced like crazy for two weeks,
and we practiced. By the time we got to the game,
(10:39):
we didn't have any juice. It seemed like left and
then we had practiced for against two teams, two different teams.
You know, it just was there. The preparation and how
they do it now is going to be huge. I
don't know how Mike's going to do it, but.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
But it's the whole team kai.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Oh no, they can all fit in that theater, that's right. No,
but I think no, but that's going to be huge
how he does that.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Monday morning quarterback session with Hugh and with coach here
this morning, as we have a lot of sea our
things to discuss, and look, you brought it up a
couple of times, so let's dive into this topic of conversation,
and that is the offense, having only scored thirteen points,
even though they played well, felt like they were moving
(11:25):
the ball. They had a couple of really impressive drives,
one at the beginning of the game and an eight
minute drive at the end of the game.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
So what is it?
Speaker 3 (11:32):
What are the finer two points that you felt that
they had an issue with. Does it just boil down
to Jason Myers having a bad game or was there
more to it?
Speaker 5 (11:41):
No, well, he that was unusual. You know where that's automatic.
So there's yeah, usually six points, you know. I mean,
so then instead of thirteen, it's nineteen, but it's still
field goals. There's still field goals instead of touchdowns. And
Hugh brought it up earlier. You know the red zone
and what you do down there and have the plan
for the red zone, and you know, again that was
(12:04):
my baby. So if we came away with field goals
instead of touchdowns, I blame myself. I don't know how
they set it up. But there was a couple of
fourth down situations there that they didn't convert. I thought
Sam missed a touchdown and an easy touchdown throw down
in there close and took a sack that got them
out of position. So the fourth down, the red zone,
(12:27):
red zone. To answer your question, and then if you're
gonna go for it on fourth down instead of taking
the points, it better be the play on your sheet.
This is guaranteed to win. This is guaranteed to happen,
and it's they've struggled with that just a little bit.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
Let's talk about what you said there, the playdown on
the goal line. I think a lot of fans are
you know, just talking about the philosophy. And of course
nobody wants to see Darnold take a sack. I couldn't
believe Anthony Bradford Mike on a turn protection they got,
you know, full right guard turning left, there's only three
guys to block. There's a delayed blitz. I don't know
(13:05):
how Anthony Bradford doesn't see that guy and come off
of them, but it was like he had blinders on.
But at any rate, not absolving Sam Darnold. If I'm
coaching them, as you said, you know you'll get at
least one minus on that. But but just the philosophy
of what happened down there, not taking the field goals,
the decision to throw the ball on first and goal
(13:27):
from the one. What'd you make of all that sequence
early on in the game.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Well, they're don They had a great drive and they're
on the one yard line, so I'm not a post
to them throwing on first down. It surrives me a
little bit the way they were running, you know, but
you have four downs and you're on the one yard line.
You're thinking, okay, I could run four quarterback snakes and
get it in.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
You know.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
Somehow I got to get it in. But they went
for a pass on first down, which is the down
to do it. That's the down to do it if
you're going to throw the ball because everyone's geared up,
everyone's kind of got their tail up, and they're going
to stop you from getting that one yard. I thought
that type of play we used to run a lot,
and the throw was not I'm not talking about the
(14:09):
play they ran. The play we used to run, well,
very similar. The throw was to the guy in the flat.
That was the guy. You design the play to get
that guy open, and you're not looking anyplace else, really,
or you don't have time for that, and it's first down.
If you don't have me throw it away, come back
second down.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
On the one. You know.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
And to me, I guess he couldn't see him, but
on the TV he looked to be open. I mean
that that was the guy I thought he was supposed
to throw the ball to, so and I'm going, oh no,
And then the sack just adds on to that. So
you either hit that guy in the flat or you
(14:49):
throw it away and you come back second and go
from the one. That was what bothered me more than
anything else.
Speaker 7 (14:55):
Well, Mike, let's talk about the scheme there, because because
I always say the precisions the details right, and and
Kubiak elected schematically, is it fair to say that usually
on that play there in ifirmation green right, your your
green formation, Yes, that the full back from the ifirmation,
(15:15):
and you would often set it to green strong where
the fullback is a little bit offset to the playside.
But but the fullback's gonna bluff and that he's in
the flat is how it's typically done right, right, But Seattle,
and I know we had Fox two and Hound two
and Hound four and all that stuff, But just for
the for the listeners, the decision, am I gonna have
(15:37):
the full back in the flat? Or am I gonna
have the full back blot and then the tailback from
the ifirmation he's gonna run a flat. Obviously, affects the timing.
I think you're right. I sent a photo. Maybe Chuck
and Buck can show you the photo of of where
it was from Darnald's perspective. The block just happened to
(15:59):
line up in his vision, I think. And it just,
you know, one of those things that happens where it's
clearly wide open, but the block blocks his vision. And
and maybe Darnold is quick to get off because that
it's the tailback, not the fullback who's in the flat
a little bit later, messes with your timing a little bit.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah, I you know, I understand what you're saying, but
I would say, just if that's the play, stay with
it a little longer. You got to move out of there,
Stay with it a little longer if you might still
have him. I think they. I think he still would
have had him, but he decided to stop. And I'm
(16:41):
trying to remember exactly what his footwork was. But and
you know that, but I just say, stay with it,
you know, and then if you don't get it, you
come back and you got another play on that one.
Speaker 8 (16:51):
Do you agree with the not taking the points right there?
I mean, you have them backed up with your defense
and like I think they were at the four yard
line when they went forward on fourth down, and so
it's like, well, if we don't get it, then you know,
if we can stop them down here, if our defense
comes out in place. But this is before you'd seen
what your defense was going to do to their offense.
Do you take the points there or do you like,
(17:11):
we'll find we'll pin them if we turned it over
on downs?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
I think I probably, I probably disagree with my friends
sitting across from me here, but I take the points.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
You know, I would take the points.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I would have taken them, and that's would yeah, and
that's the guestion.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
But I do understand the logic of what he's accomplishing, Like, hey,
even if we don't get it, we've got him pinned
back and get the ball back.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
And that's an interesting look at it, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Just the wrong one.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Look, I know it's hard for you to agree with me.
You were good to the first one, and then you
know that you don't have to add.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
That little.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Well, let me ask you this. I mean, you were
an offensive guy.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
My guess is you don't have a lot of pillows
that are you know that are monogram defense wins championships. No, yeah, uh.
And yet there have been a few over the years.
Eighty five Bears, Ravens. Ravens, they had a team defense
one champion. There have been a few that have won championships.
When you look at this Mike McDonald defense, do you think.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
That can win the championship? Right there? That defense.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
They're good enough to win the championship? Can they do
it by themselves? I don't think so. I Well, that's
that's the offensive guy talking now, you know, because you
got to have you got to score more than thirteen points.
You got to score more than sixteen points. I think
when you get into the playoffs and you play start
playing the teams that have a little bit more juice
(18:38):
than some teams.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
All right, yeah, So do you think from a standpoint
of how that play calling went, do you just keep
leaning on the running game and be you know, content,
you know, keeping it in the teams type of thing.
As you said, you make the field goals as nineteen
to three, or does that do you say, hey, the
(19:02):
running game is going to really give us an opportunity
to go play pass on first down and try and
get some chunk plays.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
How would you balance that?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Do you think that they have the right balance right now.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
I think they do. You know, there's as the game.
Every game is different. So as this game went along,
look at it the Rams, go ahead, go back to
the Rams game thirty eight, thirty seven or whatever it was,
you know, and then this game is different. So you're
going through the game and you're on the sideline. You're thinking,
these guys can't score, they can't do anything against us,
(19:37):
So you start thinking about how reckless or how how
exaggerated you want to be on offense as opposed to
let's just we'll kick the field goals, we can get
to sixteen nineteen. They're not going to do anything, So
that enters in. But yeah, the way the running game
was going, I run the ball, stay with it, but
(20:00):
then playpass screen. I'm always you got to do that too,
and then you still should work.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah, yeah, and take the points when you get them.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, that's right, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Yeah, Mike Olmgren, you mellan with us some more. Monday
Morning Quarterback on the other side. Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Now back to the Monday Morning Quarterback, brought to you
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Speaker 9 (20:36):
Forty of the God dot Gun staff four man Rush
five of the pattern, Nity Twells Right Time in complete,
Dot see Hawks stand Sea Analysts back on top of
the NFT West Seahawks thirteen forty nine ers three.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
It's Monday morning, Quarterback, so much more to discuss, so
we're just going to discuss at all.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
How about that Hugh Millan is with us.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
We've also got Mike homerun with us, Ashley Bucky Chuck
with you here on this Monday.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Happy New Year to everyone.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Your football team's really good and they've accomplished what they
set out to accomplish as far as the regular season goes.
And I know we got a lot of different areas
to cover, but I didn't want to get through the
hour without talking about your friend John schneider Man. Two seasons,
two big decisions head coach and quarterback. And it couldn't
(21:32):
have been easy. I mean, it's not like Pete was
doing a terrible job and Gino was a terrible quarterback.
It wasn't easy decisions, and yet he pulls the trigger
coach on both of those decisions, and they couldn't have
worked out better in my estimation anyway. I mean, just
talk about the job John Schneider's done here in the
last eighteen months to get this team to where.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
It is right now.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Well, you know, he's really done a great job. You know,
those are big, big decisions to make, and usually if
it doesn't work, then you're you're in a little trouble,
you know, but you can't worry about that. You got,
you know, And I would say Leonard Williams, I would
say Jones. I would say he's made the moves he's
made in the last couple of years, you know, have
(22:13):
gotten the team to where they are. I remember going
in telling him before you hired Mike, I said, I
think you ought to hire an offensive coach, and so
he thought, you know, we had we had a nice discussion.
I've known him forever, and uh, unfortunately he didn't listen
to me, you know, and he hired Mike. But he
sent me John was in San Francisco and he sent
me a really nice text. He was he was at
(22:35):
the hotel and he said I'm at the hotel. We're
about ready to leave to go to the stadium, and
I was just reflecting on thirty years ago and Green Bay.
We came in to play San Francisco there, and you
let Regie McKenzie and I come with you on the plane,
and you won the game, and he thanked ron Wolf
and me and all this came. It was just really nice,
(22:58):
nice way to start the new year. But I'm so
very happy for him because he was finally I don't
know exactly how they worked it when he and Pete
were together. I'm sure there was a lot of give
and take and all that, but I don't know who
made the final call. But now john is in a
position now and they gave him the final call and
(23:18):
it's paid off.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
He's done a great job.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
Mike, that's a great story. You deserve that. But I
want to pick up on that. Why did you say
that he should get an offensive coach? Obviously Pete had
been a defensive coach, and and and just as a review,
I think that what they wanted was to get a
brilliant mind, and they really had their mind on Ben
(23:44):
Johnson on the offensive side of the ball. And then
Mike McDaniel on the Mike McDonald on the defensive side
of the ball, and they, you know, once they interviewed McDonald,
they just said, this guy's got the juice, this is
the this is the dude. But you know, there are
some people's say, well, if you if if you hire
a defensive coach and then your quarterback and your offense
(24:06):
really hums, You're going to lose your coordinator in this
case Kubiak, and then that's going to really set the
offense back. But why did you want them to have
an offensive coach? And and and what about that component
of it?
Speaker 5 (24:20):
Well, again, I was thinking for my own history and
how I you know, I thought it was easier for
me to do, you know, if I wanted to call
the players who offensively to find the right defensive coordinator,
to find that guy and then hand it to him,
which I did, And.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
I thought that was an easier path.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
And then based on what they had gone through for
the last couple of years, uh with the offense in Seattle,
I thought it was my own it was my own
feeling that enter into that, you know. And and John,
I think if if John the Chicago Bear coach, Ben
Jon Johnson. I believe they hied they interviewed him as well,
(25:06):
and my feeling was that that that did not go well.
I don't know what that means exactly, but so it
has turned out. I told Jack, I'm glad he didn't
listen to me, you know, but he was going to
do his own thing. I was just kind of thing
having some fun with him and saying, you know, you
know what, you need a guy that really call the
(25:27):
plays and do all that kind of stuff. And so
it was more like one of those conversations coach.
Speaker 8 (25:32):
I mean with the playoffs, you know, they get to
take this week offen, sit back and get healed up
and rest and see who they're gonna play. Of the
teams in the NFC, which would be the one that
you think they maybe would want to avoid in the
first round, Rams Niners? Is it that easy or is
it just it doesn't matter? Bring on all comers?
Speaker 10 (25:55):
Is it?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Eagles, Bears, Packers? Do you worry about them?
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Well?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
I think they've played you know, I'm I'm not so
worried about the Packers right now because they seem to
be struggling. To me, well, they've lost five in a row.
I mean it's it's not. But I think the Eagles
will will cause problems for anybody they play. Yeah, but
I think the Rams, to me, the Rams, the Rams
(26:20):
are right up there at the top. I think they're
They're the Seahawks and the Rams are, in my opinion,
the two best teams in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Do we have the quarterback to win at all?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
I mean, there seem to be a lot of critics
out there of Sam Donald and they won't go away.
I had buddies nationally texting why does Sam Donald always
get criticized?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
And I'm like, I don't know. I get it early
in his career because he wasn't playing well.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
He's played really well the last two years, but he
certainly hasn't proven he can win a super Bowl. To
this point in his NFL career, he hasn't even proven
he can have playoff success. So what makes this Sam
different than the one that we've seen in the past.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Well, I think he is different.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
I think he's he's I think he's played very well
this year and everyone will point to that four interception game,
but that hasn't happened since he's and he's been sacked
a couple of times that play in the game I
didn't like, you know, but I don't think Sam. There
are some teams I refer to my friend Andy Reid
in Kansas City the last few years that mahomes kind
(27:25):
of won the games for them, and I don't think
Sam Donald. I don't think they're asking him to do that.
I think we've got this great defense we got now
establishing a really pretty good running game. He has proven
he can do, but he doesn't have to win it
by himself, and so I think that's the difference than
(27:46):
some of the teams that have won Super Bowls in
the past.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
But he won't get in the way of them.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
When no, I don't think so. I think I think
you know, I'm gonna stick with him all the way.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Yeah, Mike.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
Is part of the calculus for Sam Donald at thirty
three and a half million, which you know, it's hard
to say that's a bargain, but the fact is it's
the eighteenth highest paid on an average basis, and to
have him under contracted that in those terms, I'll give
you a couple guys to Marcus Lawrence. You pick him up,
(28:17):
he goes to the Pro Bowl, and I can't overstate
that the Josh Jones playing left tackle in the last
three weeks two of the two biggest games of the year.
You haven't had Charles Cross, right, it's been Josh Jones
and it's been very quiet over there at left tackle,
which is a good thing. And he was four million,
(28:39):
his predecessor was one point two million. You could maybe
infer that that the money you're saving with Donald you
can get guys like DeMarcus Lawrence and backups like Josh Jones.
How much of that component do you when you kind
of think of the team and how it's structured. They say, okay,
that enters into how we evaluate Sam Darnold.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Well, I think you know, like you said, it's hard
to say he's only making thirty three million. I mean,
you know, uh, but but you're right, and some teams
that have to pop huge for the quarterback. You you
you lose some good players at other positions because the
(29:21):
way that salary cap is set up, so he he's
going to be who he is, and if he continues
to be who he is, his next deal, because he's
not that his next deal.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Now you're gonna have to make this crappy thirty three million.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
No, No, he can eat, you know, he doesn't. He can
he can eat at a nice restaurant instead of a
coffee shop.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
You know.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
But no, But then then we'll see how it gets juggled,
because we've talked about it before on the show. You know,
every once in a while, the super Bowl timing and
your roster timing gets different once that quarterback gets paid
fifty million, And so you're gonna reference your friend Andy
(30:04):
Reid again, that's right there you go. I mean, look
at how dominant they were when they weren't having to
pay him, and even though he gives them a little
bit of a break. I don't think it's a coincidence.
You know, it's not the tire equation, But I don't
think it's a coincidence that they're not as good since
they've had to actually pay them. Well, didn't they talk
about that Brady doing that for a long time on
(30:24):
New England. I think they're probably they're probably stashing something somewhere, probably,
you know, yeah, I mean no, I could be right,
Atriot's never no, of course they don't, yeah no, but
you know they Yeah, if a quarterback's willing to do that,
most of them are not, certainly their agents are not.
Speaker 8 (30:45):
Yeah, coach, I mean there's been a lot of talk
about Sam and then the turnovers, and understandably so, and
yet I think that all of us agree in order
to make that thing go, you're gonna have to sometimes
try to fit it in windows.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
An interception are gonna happen? To me?
Speaker 8 (30:59):
My bigger concern the fumbles, right, And so I'm wondering
a couple of things that he almost had a fumble
when it was a ten to three game. He did
have a fumble, he got stepped on, and then it's
going down and the handoff went south and luckily Charbonnay
got on that ball. Otherwise they're right in position to
possibly tie the game up, even after dominating the way
that they had all the way into the fourth quarter
(31:20):
when that happened.
Speaker 6 (31:21):
What do you teach a guy about.
Speaker 8 (31:24):
I mean, sometimes it's just as possible if you don't
see the guy coming from behind you and he, you know,
hits your arm and you knocks it out.
Speaker 6 (31:30):
That's what it is.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
But is there something that you taught a guy of, Hey,
we really got to do this to make sure when
I get hit that it's not dislodging the ball, because
I think that could be a bugaboo that would come
back to haunt them if it happens in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
Yeah, I think yes.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
First of all, you talk about it and there are
drills that you do to get his mind thinking, Okay,
I get this kind of pressure, I'm getting squeezed. This
is what I do with the ball. There are drills
to do that. Now, how he processed is that and
does it help him or does it I keep seeing
the same thing or what? I can't answer that for him,
(32:09):
but absolutely absolutely there are things you talk about and
in their drills to help fix that. But you know what, guys,
I think until he wins the Super Bowl, ye, people
are going to be talking about Sam Darnold in a
in a in a kind of a question different way.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah, hear what your thoughts on the fumbles situation?
Speaker 7 (32:32):
Yeah, you'd you'd rather not fumble than fumble. I think
that there's they're not all created equal. I mean, I
think if you're draw if you separate your hands and
you're in the process of throwing, and your eyes are
taking to you to a certain portion of the field
in one angle of your field of view, and somebody
(32:53):
from an area you couldn't expect to see he hits you.
You know, I think that that's absolvable, right. I do
think that it's you know, the turnover worthy plays that
Pro football focus on tracks they try and you know,
they say that that kind of takes some of the
luck out of it. So Sam Donald, as we know,
(33:17):
he has twenty turnovers, he's judged to have nineteen turnover
worthy plays. So of all the quarterbacks, there's only three
quarterbacks who are at one hundred percent or more. The
most unlucky guy this year is Jared Goff. He's got
one hundred and eight percent of them, but Sam Donald's
out one hundred and five percent. The average you take
(33:41):
out the Donald, the average is seventy one percent of
your turnover worthy plays are going to result in turnovers,
you know. And for example, Caleb Williams, only half of
his turnover worthy plays has resulted. So I think he's
been a little bit unlucky. And then the other part
of it is Mike that the ratio of Big Time
(34:02):
throws to UH to turnover worthy on plays. Sam Darnold
is well above the median, and he's above Drake May
who's supposed to be you know, first or second in
the MVP. He's above Justin Herbert, He's above Trevor Lawrence,
He's above Patrick Mahomes, c J. Stroud, Lamar Jackson like so, so, yes,
(34:24):
he's got more turnover worthy plays than you'd like. He
has been in lucky in the way I've said it,
But Mike, he's offsetting that with with you know, these
these categories where he's number one in the NFL and
in deep throws and and uh passer rating when deep
and as I said, the Racio big time throw to
turnover worthy plays is very favorable compared to some of
(34:46):
those guys I just mentioned.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Yeah, that's why, excuse me, that's why I think I
understood what you said. You know, everyone a while he
hasked to, you know, coach me up a little. But no,
that's why I'm in his corner. And and and you
know what, it's he's not going to have to do
(35:08):
this by himself though with this team. I don't think.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, he's saying the big play Sam Donald makes makes
up for the additional the additional risks that he you know, yeah, yeah,
all right, we're going to close it out with one
last thing. Next Sports Radio ninety three point three kJ
(35:32):
r F M all right, one last thing to close
out the radio program Monday morning quarterback session with Hugh
Millen and Mike Holmgren. Coach Holmgren's part brought to you
(35:54):
by Toyota of Kirkland R and R Foundation Specialists and
slab Jack, Ray Sunk and car.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Creed at one eight six six. Slab Jack, we got.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
One last thing for coach here on this Monday, Bucky,
what do you.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
Got, Well, I mean, I have a couple other football ones,
but I just thoroughly enjoy when coach comes in here
and gives you a hard time about things. So I'm
gonna I'm gonna go ahead and go that direction instead.
And maybe you know right now is a good time
where Christmas is over, New Year's is gone, Is it
time to for people to take their Christmas tree down?
Speaker 6 (36:28):
For example?
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Well, I think it is. I think it is.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
We yesterday was you can tell by my scars on
my hands.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
The trees.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
We have a fake tree and there's a lot of
folks in there, and you know so. But but you
take it down, you down. Yeah, we took the tree down.
Got a couple of trees, the stuff we decorate the
house with because you do that, you do that right
after New Year's right, That's what made.
Speaker 6 (36:55):
No sense, because then there's another haul of then.
Speaker 5 (36:57):
And I have I just happened to ask my friend
when I I can't man in this morning, I said, Chuck,
I took my trees down yesterday. Did you take your
tree down?
Speaker 4 (37:05):
No? Well, of course you put it.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
Remember if you remember, he put his tree up before,
not after Thanksgiving before and so the tree then he's
not going to take the tree down.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
He told me till April, April April.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
So my thing was, why don't you just why don't
you just avoid the work and leave it up all year?
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Lights up all year?
Speaker 2 (37:30):
So yeah, just put maybe like a partition around it.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
You know, you're very disciplined in your work. You're very
disciplined in your work life. You are very undisciplined on
when you should do this decoration. And there are rules, okay, rules,
I enjoyed joy.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Maybe maybe there comes some people here that just you know,
the world.
Speaker 8 (37:51):
Is proper joy at the proper time, that's right, you know. Yeah,
you have a Valentine's Day tree up.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
You have meatballs at Christmas?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Yeah, yes, it's a loud and clear all right, Hugh,
do you have a question for coach?
Speaker 7 (38:05):
Yeah, sure, I'm still in cloud nine from Saturday night,
so I'm I want to just get back my final
thought and Mike on the defense, is there anything that
we haven't hit on when I watched the tape? Mike,
you know, obviously you defend a quarterback on his side
of line of scrimmage with the pass rush, and then
on your side defensively, uh, with with everything you're doing
(38:27):
in coverage, And I'd be hard pressed to try and
say which side I was more impressed with. I just
I just thought they had, you know, you know, all
the coverages that they played I talked about earlier, they
just played so complete against Rock Purty whip sawed him
a couple of times, including at the end, uh, what
uh from your perspective, what impressed you? And then just
(38:51):
talking a generic sense about what what you think gums
up a pass offense more a great pass rush or
just the great covers on the back end.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
Well, I think first of all, they show both of those,
you know, their their defense. And I said earlier in
the show that when you when I watched the game
without analyzing it like you dough, the the spark and
the fire of their defense and how their their aggressiveness
and they're jumping around and their team, their team tackling
(39:22):
and all that kind of stuff. You saw that if
you're watching on television, you saw that. And so getting
them prepared and San Francisco had had offensively has been
playing very very well the last four or five games
and pretty pretty came back. So they just shut them down.
They shut them down, and they did it with a
(39:42):
combination their front four, their front They can do things
with their front four and the defensive line that other
teams need extra people, and that allows them to have
extra people in the secondary and linebackers to rally around
and to make coverages very very difficult to anticipate. And
(40:03):
so that combination, I think is what strikes me is
that and it comes from Mike McDonald. That's what he
does and that's what he's done.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
I love how they're all on board both sides of
the ball. They just seem to just soak him up,
all his advice, all of his wisdom, and they all
play with the same kind of energy and they all
play with that goldfish mentality of like if I made
a mistake, I'm not going to change the way I play.
They just always forward. So very impressed by the entire
(40:33):
operation right now, I would ask you, today is not
just today for us to celebrate here in Seattle the
accomplishments of a local football team regular season wise, but
this is also a dark day in a lot of
NFL cities because way they call it black Monday, a
lot of head coaches lose their job, and I want
to say a lot want to repeat that.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
I think we've had what four.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
Since the close of business yesterday in the National Football
League two job open we're already out there, So we're
already up to six head coaching vacancies this offseason.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
What do you make of it? Well, it's always a
sad day for me.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
I remember when I went into coach at BYU and
Norm Chow, who got in the league, we were friends.
He goes the beauty of being here because Lavelle Edwards
was such a we were they were always going to
be good, and he was the type of man he was.
He goes when it comes to black Monday or whatever
it was in college football, we don't have to worry
(41:27):
about it, like some people do. And so you know,
I never thought about it when I was coaching. I
never thought about it all that much.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (41:36):
And I never did get fired. I had to leave Cleveland,
that was a different deal. But as a coach, and
I feel bad, I feel bad for the guys. I
feel bad. I wasn't a big guy guy who fired
a lot of guys on my staff and things like that.
I thought, listen, we can make this work. Come on,
you gotta you know you're coaching. Coaches do, but head coaches,
(41:56):
it just seems to me, chuck. Now it seems different
because you know Pete Pete Carroll fired in one year. Yeah,
guys get fired after two years. That didn't seem to
be the way it was. You know, when I was coaching,
it seemed like you had a little more time. The
second thing I want to say is that a lot
(42:17):
of times the coach has to play the cards he
was dealt, and the general manager usually escapes without any problem.
And so I see it. I don't I don't like it.
I don't, you know. But if the team is really
that poor and the owner made a mistake, I suppose
(42:37):
he has to do what he has to do.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
But it's for me. It's a sad day when it happens.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Yeah, it seems to be a lot even with players,
there seems to be a lot more in the modern
day of we're not going to live with a mistake.
If it's not working, we're going to cut it off
right there and we'll make another decision. And so that
seems to be what they're doing with players and with
coaches right now.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
But you know.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Certainly you don't get this long of a leash to
try to prove yourself.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
There's no question about that. And there's no way you
can fire the owner.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Yeah, So how many owners should be fired right now?
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (43:14):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (43:14):
I think, oh, there's that's a long list.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
We don't have time. We don't have time.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Well, you know what, we do have a couple extra
minutes here, So I'll start making the list. You start, coach, Yeah,
we'll go round the rid Well and in Arizona.
Speaker 4 (43:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
And I you know, I'm not I'm not sold on
the Carolina's owner. Yeah, you know so, but I don't
want to get in any trouble. I'm I'm I'm ra
almost retired.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
Uh And and here, like Michael Bidwell is like leaps
and bounds ahead of Bill like that is a that's
a night and day improvement. And he's still bad.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
But really, what does well to the You know, the
Raiders had a bad year this year, but you look
at some teams in Cleveland. I was there in Cleveland,
so I know their situation a little bit. But they've
had It's not just this year, say ten years of
and you have five coaches or four coaches and ten
or whatever. That's too many, you know. Okay, you got
(44:16):
to learn from your mistakes, get the right people to choose.
I see where Brady's going.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
To be involved?
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Yeah in this Matt Ryan just got hired by the
Falcons though, Boy, so he's going to be I think
a general manager?
Speaker 4 (44:28):
Did he get the general manager job?
Speaker 6 (44:30):
See?
Speaker 3 (44:31):
A lot of stuff going on, a lot of stuff's
going on, no question about it.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Well, gentlemen, great, are we still killing minutes?
Speaker 6 (44:37):
No?
Speaker 4 (44:37):
Are we?
Speaker 2 (44:38):
Well? I mean, god, I got like a minute? You
got a minute? No? Okay, I can't okay, all right,
no are you kidding? My wife might differ on that point, but.
Speaker 4 (44:50):
Let's talk about the officials.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Can we got? Gentlemen? Awesome stuff?
Speaker 3 (45:01):
As always, Thank you very much, Hugh mellon Mike Holmgren
as we wrap up another edition of Monday Morning Quarterback
and of course now the playoffs get ready to begin.
We don't have to play for a long time, but
let the playoffs get underway. Exciting year both Hugh and
with coach and of course with the division champion Seattle Seahawks.
(45:22):
We will talk to you tomorrow at six o'clock. Coming
up next, it's MJ and Kid on KJR.
Speaker 6 (45:27):
Wow.
Speaker 10 (45:27):
You can't miss a thing from today's show because we're
on demand.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
Their podcast will be up right after the show.
Speaker 10 (45:33):
Just click on demand on our website at ninety three
three KJR dot com and click on checking Bug podcast
to replay anytime anywhere from Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJR FL.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
This report is sponsored by Swinemish Casino and Lodge.
Speaker 6 (45:51):
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LLC dot com. Now the Monday Morning Quarterback with Mike
hom Grin and Hugh Millin.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Here's Chuck and.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Buck all right, nine o'clock hour here on this Monday,
Happy New Year to everyone. Great to have you with
us as we get back into the day routine around
these here parts. It's Chuck Powle, Bucky Jacobs and Ashley
Ryan with you here and of course our Monday Morning
Quarterback stars, Hugh Millan, who's been with us since eight o'clock,
and Mike Homer, who now joins us here in studio
(01:14):
at nine o'clock. I do want to mention because there's
a lot of news on Monday after the season ends.
Turns out we will have a new head coach in
the division next year. The Arizona Cardinals have decided to
let go Jonathan Gannon, despite reports here in the last
few days saying that he was safe and that they
were going to bring him back. They have let young
(01:35):
Jonathan Gannon go there in Arizona. So a new direction
starting with the Cardinals going forward. All Right, we've got
great things to talk about around here. Number one seed,
a thirteen to three win over the San Francisco forty
nine ers to lock that up on Saturday night, and
Mike Homer now joins the conversation.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Happy new Year, Happy new Year. Guy's good to be.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Here, great to have you, great to see you.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And man, I mean, I can't imagine that there were
many times in your career where you're like this defensive
guy's got my number. And I can't imagine that Kyle
Shanahan's had too many experiences with that, but coach, I mean,
what was Mike McDonald doing to take everything away from
Kyle Shanahan Saturday night?
Speaker 5 (02:20):
You know what, It's a little bit of a puzzle
because the forty nine ers had looked so good offensively
prior to the game, and so I was a little surprised,
quite honestly. How many games were you score?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Thirteen?
Speaker 6 (02:35):
Do you win?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
You know? And they won?
Speaker 5 (02:37):
And San Francisco they dominated. They dominated the forty nine ers,
I think, and Hugh touched on it earlier about what
they chose to do defensively in their lineup the Seahawks
and then how Kyle responded, and that was that I
(02:58):
would have responded toff diferently.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
I might.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
I'm not saying it would have worked, but I'm saying,
if you're all of a sudden playing against more nickel
and dime people at smaller guys a little bit, you know,
then I'm gonna go power. I'm not going to be
messing around with a lot of different different formations and
different personnels. Necessarily, I'm going to keep that fullback. We're
(03:22):
gonna we're gonna run at you and then see how
you handle that. Because that defense, I'm sorry, you no please,
But the defense the way that the way we set up,
you know, obviously they have aggressive guys in the secondary,
and uh, it worked. But I thought Kyle kind of
almost played into the Seahawks hands just a little bit.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
You know.
Speaker 7 (03:44):
I think what Mike might say, Mike McDonald might say,
is that he says, hey, we're nickel. But you know,
last year we had Witherspoon who was one hundred and
eighty one pounds at the combine. This year we have
Nick and worry as Nicol who was exactly two hundred
and twenty pounds at the combine. So we've gained thirty
(04:05):
nine pounds there. And so when they play him, Mike,
you know, terminology, I think we'd use as just Nicol Sam.
He's just a Nicol Sam, right, like a Sam backer.
And yet so I think he would say, we feel
like we almost have linebacker type of size, you know,
at two twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
But then how.
Speaker 7 (04:24):
About Mike forty nine ers? This is not forty nine
or football. They had Kyle Yushchev on the field for
nineteen plays, but they only had him in the backfield once.
They were doing this thing where he'd started the wing
when the balls snapped with the wing. He try and
run backwards and then try and be a lead blocker.
(04:46):
But you know, you know, probably something looked good on
a whiteboard, but they never really got to the physicality
part that you suggest that you would have tried to
get to.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Yeah, and your point about looking good on the whiteboard.
You know, you get in the room and you start creating,
and you're with your coaching staff and you're you got
all these great plays and all these things. Well, that's
all well and good. That's all well and good, until
you try and do that in the game and it
doesn't work. We've talked about it how many times this
year that it's not working.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Go to plan B. What's Plan B.
Speaker 5 (05:17):
Put put Usha in the backfield, let him be the
lead blocker and see if that works. See what happens there,
you know, because it's worked for us in the past.
So having said all that, however, you can't take anything
away from what Mike Mike McDonald has put together defensively
and how that defensive team plays. I got a feeling
(05:38):
watching the game, you guys, that emotionally it wasn't it
wasn't even close. Forget about the x's and o's and
all that stuff. It just seemed like there was a
lot more fire on the seox side to me than
the forty nine er side.
Speaker 8 (05:54):
Does it look like their peeking at the right time?
And defensively they most certainly are, but oftenlatively, you know,
they they did enough and it never felt like the
game was really in question because of what you said,
just the overall atmosphere and the way in which the
defense was playing. But it does it feel like this
team is kind of, you know, rising at the right time.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
I think so, Buck, and I think the the although
like I said, thirteen points usually doesn't win.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
For you, you know.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
So there's still some hope, I mean, still some feeling
about the offensive team offensive side of the ball. Although
the running game was look good, you know, and that
that seems to be there, that seems to be getting better,
and how they they're using Walker and Sharbonne and because
we've talked about it again all year that some games
they didn't do much and then we go why are
(06:49):
they doing this? And but that that seems to be
clicking a little bit better now and that will help
Sam Darnold, you know.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
And so.
Speaker 5 (07:01):
You get into the playoffs, you're playing the best teams
that finish the season, and you just have to be
at your best. And I think offensively, I'm not sure
we've seen that yet.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
We saw it a couple.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Times during the season, but consistently it hasn't been exactly
the same.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
I would ask you that because I certainly wanted to
discuss this before our time expired here today, and so Hugh,
I want to ask you the same conversation. I mean,
all the Hayes in the Barn.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Fourteen to three, got the number one seed.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You get to a week to rest up, get healthy.
Looks like they're going to be the healthiest team in
the league two weeks from now. What concerns, if any,
do you have as they get ready for this postseason run.
And he I'll start with you, and maybe they don't
have any. Maybe you're just like, just keep doing what
you're doing. That's the only the advice that I would give.
Speaker 7 (07:53):
Well, I think they got to work on the red
zone and the red zone frings, you know that the
friends being you know, the area you know, call it
the thirty five forty you know, just kind of like
you're almost in in Myers field goal territory. I think
that they they've installed there, and I think the big
play standpoint. I almost wonder if Sam, like there was
(08:14):
a play.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Now.
Speaker 7 (08:15):
I know i'm gonna say this on the radio. I'm
gonna give the impression that this was happening all over.
It was not happening all over. But there was a
play Mike where they're trying to get Jackson Smith and
Jigbaw on a you know deep angle cross right to left. Guys,
that's an intermediate crossing route and you got to check down.
But you're gonna have a clear out generally, and then
you know, it can be a post, it can be
(08:35):
a go. Well, on this case, you got Rashichi head
on a high angle corner. So he's on Sam Donald's left.
He lines up on the left, he starts like he's
going to the middle field, and then he goes high
to the back, piling on the left a flag you know,
high flag route, and then you're gonna have JSN schematically
uh from the right side fit into that area intermediate
(08:57):
under But but you've got Rashichi heat. Clear that out. Man,
I'm looking at that. I would tell fourteen Mike, I'd say, hey,
crank that thing.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Up.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Just throw it high to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Give him a chance.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
You might.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
You know, it looks like he's got a step, maybe
a step and a half. Just go let him go,
you know, get the ball, maybe you get a pass interference,
or you're loosen him up. So I think maybe just like,
let's let's take a couple of big shots. What's the
last time we saw a go route up the sideline,
you know, or a post route where you try and
beat quarters coverage. So that would be a couple of
(09:30):
things I'd want to get out of the offense.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Yeah, And I think that because of how everyone's been
talking about Sam all year and for the last two years,
probably there might be a little part of him. Yep,
that doesn't want to take that chance. I'm not saying that,
but I'm guessing here. But here, you know what an
interesting thing, Chuck to your point about having a number
(09:54):
one seed. The experience I had with the forty nine
ers with coach Walsh. We we had a great year, dominated
had the had the first round by m HM, so
we had two weeks to prepare. Then we played Minnesota
in that game and they beat us. They came in
and beat us in San Francisco and it was horrible.
(10:17):
And we tried to analyze why for those two weeks
we we prepared for two teams. We didn't know who
we were going to play, so you're prepared. And and
Bill later said, I made a mistake, you know, because
we prepared for and we practiced like crazy for two weeks,
and we practiced. By the time we got to the game,
(10:39):
we didn't have any juice. It seemed like left and
then we had practiced for against two teams, two different teams.
You know, it just was there. The preparation and how
they do it now is going to be huge. I
don't know how Mike's going to do it, but.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
But it's the whole team kai.
Speaker 5 (10:57):
Oh no, they can all fit in that theater, that's right. No,
but I think no, but that's going to be huge
how he does that.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Monday morning quarterback session with Hugh and with coach here
this morning, as we have a lot of sea our
things to discuss, and look, you brought it up a
couple of times, so let's dive into this topic of conversation,
and that is the offense, having only scored thirteen points,
even though they played well, felt like they were moving
(11:25):
the ball. They had a couple of really impressive drives,
one at the beginning of the game and an eight
minute drive at the end of the game.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
So what is it?
Speaker 3 (11:32):
What are the finer two points that you felt that
they had an issue with. Does it just boil down
to Jason Myers having a bad game or was there
more to it?
Speaker 5 (11:41):
No, well, he that was unusual. You know where that's automatic.
So there's yeah, usually six points, you know. I mean,
so then instead of thirteen, it's nineteen, but it's still
field goals. There's still field goals instead of touchdowns. And
Hugh brought it up earlier. You know the red zone
and what you do down there and have the plan
for the red zone, and you know, again that was
(12:04):
my baby. So if we came away with field goals
instead of touchdowns, I blame myself. I don't know how
they set it up. But there was a couple of
fourth down situations there that they didn't convert. I thought
Sam missed a touchdown and an easy touchdown throw down
in there close and took a sack that got them
out of position. So the fourth down, the red zone,
(12:27):
red zone. To answer your question, and then if you're
gonna go for it on fourth down instead of taking
the points, it better be the play on your sheet.
This is guaranteed to win. This is guaranteed to happen,
and it's they've struggled with that just a little bit.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
Let's talk about what you said there, the playdown on
the goal line. I think a lot of fans are
you know, just talking about the philosophy. And of course
nobody wants to see Darnold take a sack. I couldn't
believe Anthony Bradford Mike on a turn protection they got,
you know, full right guard turning left, there's only three
guys to block. There's a delayed blitz. I don't know
(13:05):
how Anthony Bradford doesn't see that guy and come off
of them, but it was like he had blinders on.
But at any rate, not absolving Sam Darnold. If I'm
coaching them, as you said, you know you'll get at
least one minus on that. But but just the philosophy
of what happened down there, not taking the field goals,
the decision to throw the ball on first and goal
(13:27):
from the one. What'd you make of all that sequence
early on in the game.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Well, they're don They had a great drive and they're
on the one yard line, so I'm not a post
to them throwing on first down. It surrives me a
little bit the way they were running, you know, but
you have four downs and you're on the one yard line.
You're thinking, okay, I could run four quarterback snakes and
get it in.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
You know.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
Somehow I got to get it in. But they went
for a pass on first down, which is the down
to do it. That's the down to do it if
you're going to throw the ball because everyone's geared up,
everyone's kind of got their tail up, and they're going
to stop you from getting that one yard. I thought
that type of play we used to run a lot,
and the throw was not I'm not talking about the
(14:09):
play they ran. The play we used to run, well,
very similar. The throw was to the guy in the flat.
That was the guy. You design the play to get
that guy open, and you're not looking anyplace else, really,
or you don't have time for that, and it's first down.
If you don't have me throw it away, come back
second down.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
On the one. You know.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
And to me, I guess he couldn't see him, but
on the TV he looked to be open. I mean
that that was the guy I thought he was supposed
to throw the ball to, so and I'm going, oh no,
And then the sack just adds on to that. So
you either hit that guy in the flat or you
(14:49):
throw it away and you come back second and go
from the one. That was what bothered me more than
anything else.
Speaker 7 (14:55):
Well, Mike, let's talk about the scheme there, because because
I always say the precisions the details right, and and
Kubiak elected schematically, is it fair to say that usually
on that play there in ifirmation green right, your your
green formation, Yes, that the full back from the ifirmation,
(15:15):
and you would often set it to green strong where
the fullback is a little bit offset to the playside.
But but the fullback's gonna bluff and that he's in
the flat is how it's typically done right, right, But Seattle,
and I know we had Fox two and Hound two
and Hound four and all that stuff, But just for
the for the listeners, the decision, am I gonna have
(15:37):
the full back in the flat? Or am I gonna
have the full back blot and then the tailback from
the ifirmation he's gonna run a flat. Obviously, affects the timing.
I think you're right. I sent a photo. Maybe Chuck
and Buck can show you the photo of of where
it was from Darnald's perspective. The block just happened to
(15:59):
line up in his vision, I think. And it just,
you know, one of those things that happens where it's
clearly wide open, but the block blocks his vision. And
and maybe Darnold is quick to get off because that
it's the tailback, not the fullback who's in the flat
a little bit later, messes with your timing a little bit.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Yeah, I you know, I understand what you're saying, but
I would say, just if that's the play, stay with
it a little longer. You got to move out of there,
Stay with it a little longer if you might still
have him. I think they. I think he still would
have had him, but he decided to stop. And I'm
(16:41):
trying to remember exactly what his footwork was. But and
you know that, but I just say, stay with it,
you know, and then if you don't get it, you
come back and you got another play on that one.
Speaker 8 (16:51):
Do you agree with the not taking the points right there?
I mean, you have them backed up with your defense
and like I think they were at the four yard
line when they went forward on fourth down, and so
it's like, well, if we don't get it, then you know,
if we can stop them down here, if our defense
comes out in place. But this is before you'd seen
what your defense was going to do to their offense.
Do you take the points there or do you like,
(17:11):
we'll find we'll pin them if we turned it over
on downs?
Speaker 5 (17:14):
I think I probably, I probably disagree with my friends
sitting across from me here, but I take the points.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
You know, I would take the points.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I would have taken them, and that's would yeah, and
that's the guestion.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
But I do understand the logic of what he's accomplishing, Like, hey,
even if we don't get it, we've got him pinned
back and get the ball back.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
And that's an interesting look at it, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Just the wrong one.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Look, I know it's hard for you to agree with me.
You were good to the first one, and then you
know that you don't have to add.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
That little.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Well, let me ask you this. I mean, you were
an offensive guy.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
My guess is you don't have a lot of pillows
that are you know that are monogram defense wins championships. No, yeah, uh.
And yet there have been a few over the years.
Eighty five Bears, Ravens. Ravens, they had a team defense
one champion. There have been a few that have won championships.
When you look at this Mike McDonald defense, do you think.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
That can win the championship? Right there? That defense.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
They're good enough to win the championship? Can they do
it by themselves? I don't think so. I Well, that's
that's the offensive guy talking now, you know, because you
got to have you got to score more than thirteen points.
You got to score more than sixteen points. I think
when you get into the playoffs and you play start
playing the teams that have a little bit more juice
(18:38):
than some teams.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
All right, yeah, So do you think from a standpoint
of how that play calling went, do you just keep
leaning on the running game and be you know, content,
you know, keeping it in the teams type of thing.
As you said, you make the field goals as nineteen
to three, or does that do you say, hey, the
(19:02):
running game is going to really give us an opportunity
to go play pass on first down and try and
get some chunk plays.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
How would you balance that?
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Do you think that they have the right balance right now.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
I think they do. You know, there's as the game.
Every game is different. So as this game went along,
look at it the Rams, go ahead, go back to
the Rams game thirty eight, thirty seven or whatever it was,
you know, and then this game is different. So you're
going through the game and you're on the sideline. You're thinking,
these guys can't score, they can't do anything against us,
(19:37):
So you start thinking about how reckless or how how
exaggerated you want to be on offense as opposed to
let's just we'll kick the field goals, we can get
to sixteen nineteen. They're not going to do anything, So
that enters in. But yeah, the way the running game
was going, I run the ball, stay with it, but
(20:00):
then playpass screen. I'm always you got to do that too,
and then you still should work.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Yeah, yeah, and take the points when you get them.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, that's right, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Yeah, Mike Olmgren, you mellan with us some more. Monday
Morning Quarterback on the other side. Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Now back to the Monday Morning Quarterback, brought to you
by muckelshut Bingo by North Creek roofed the Washington Center
for Sleep and by court construction on your home for
the twelfth Man Sports Radio ninety three point three KJR FM.
Speaker 9 (20:36):
Forty of the God dot Gun staff four man Rush
five of the pattern, Nity Twells Right Time in complete,
Dot see Hawks stand Sea Analysts back on top of
the NFT West Seahawks thirteen forty nine ers three.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
It's Monday morning, Quarterback, so much more to discuss, so
we're just going to discuss at all.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
How about that Hugh Millan is with us.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
We've also got Mike homerun with us, Ashley Bucky Chuck
with you here on this Monday.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Happy New Year to everyone.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Your football team's really good and they've accomplished what they
set out to accomplish as far as the regular season goes.
And I know we got a lot of different areas
to cover, but I didn't want to get through the
hour without talking about your friend John schneider Man. Two seasons,
two big decisions head coach and quarterback. And it couldn't
(21:32):
have been easy. I mean, it's not like Pete was
doing a terrible job and Gino was a terrible quarterback.
It wasn't easy decisions, and yet he pulls the trigger
coach on both of those decisions, and they couldn't have
worked out better in my estimation anyway. I mean, just
talk about the job John Schneider's done here in the
last eighteen months to get this team to where.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
It is right now.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Well, you know, he's really done a great job. You know,
those are big, big decisions to make, and usually if
it doesn't work, then you're you're in a little trouble,
you know, but you can't worry about that. You got,
you know, And I would say Leonard Williams, I would
say Jones. I would say he's made the moves he's
made in the last couple of years, you know, have
(22:13):
gotten the team to where they are. I remember going
in telling him before you hired Mike, I said, I
think you ought to hire an offensive coach, and so
he thought, you know, we had we had a nice discussion.
I've known him forever, and uh, unfortunately he didn't listen
to me, you know, and he hired Mike. But he
sent me John was in San Francisco and he sent
me a really nice text. He was he was at
(22:35):
the hotel and he said I'm at the hotel. We're
about ready to leave to go to the stadium, and
I was just reflecting on thirty years ago and Green Bay.
We came in to play San Francisco there, and you
let Regie McKenzie and I come with you on the plane,
and you won the game, and he thanked ron Wolf
and me and all this came. It was just really nice,
(22:58):
nice way to start the new year. But I'm so
very happy for him because he was finally I don't
know exactly how they worked it when he and Pete
were together. I'm sure there was a lot of give
and take and all that, but I don't know who
made the final call. But now john is in a
position now and they gave him the final call and
(23:18):
it's paid off.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
He's done a great job.
Speaker 7 (23:21):
Mike, that's a great story. You deserve that. But I
want to pick up on that. Why did you say
that he should get an offensive coach? Obviously Pete had
been a defensive coach, and and and just as a review,
I think that what they wanted was to get a
brilliant mind, and they really had their mind on Ben
(23:44):
Johnson on the offensive side of the ball. And then
Mike McDaniel on the Mike McDonald on the defensive side
of the ball, and they, you know, once they interviewed McDonald,
they just said, this guy's got the juice, this is
the this is the dude. But you know, there are
some people's say, well, if you if if you hire
a defensive coach and then your quarterback and your offense
(24:06):
really hums, You're going to lose your coordinator in this
case Kubiak, and then that's going to really set the
offense back. But why did you want them to have
an offensive coach? And and and what about that component
of it?
Speaker 5 (24:20):
Well, again, I was thinking for my own history and
how I you know, I thought it was easier for
me to do, you know, if I wanted to call
the players who offensively to find the right defensive coordinator,
to find that guy and then hand it to him,
which I did, And.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
I thought that was an easier path.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
And then based on what they had gone through for
the last couple of years, uh with the offense in Seattle,
I thought it was my own it was my own
feeling that enter into that, you know. And and John,
I think if if John the Chicago Bear coach, Ben
Jon Johnson. I believe they hied they interviewed him as well,
(25:06):
and my feeling was that that that did not go well.
I don't know what that means exactly, but so it
has turned out. I told Jack, I'm glad he didn't
listen to me, you know, but he was going to
do his own thing. I was just kind of thing
having some fun with him and saying, you know, you
know what, you need a guy that really call the
(25:27):
plays and do all that kind of stuff. And so
it was more like one of those conversations coach.
Speaker 8 (25:32):
I mean with the playoffs, you know, they get to
take this week offen, sit back and get healed up
and rest and see who they're gonna play. Of the
teams in the NFC, which would be the one that
you think they maybe would want to avoid in the
first round, Rams Niners? Is it that easy or is
it just it doesn't matter? Bring on all comers?
Speaker 10 (25:55):
Is it?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
Eagles, Bears, Packers? Do you worry about them?
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Well?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
I think they've played you know, I'm I'm not so
worried about the Packers right now because they seem to
be struggling. To me, well, they've lost five in a row.
I mean it's it's not. But I think the Eagles
will will cause problems for anybody they play. Yeah, but
I think the Rams, to me, the Rams, the Rams
(26:20):
are right up there at the top. I think they're
They're the Seahawks and the Rams are, in my opinion,
the two best teams in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Do we have the quarterback to win at all?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
I mean, there seem to be a lot of critics
out there of Sam Donald and they won't go away.
I had buddies nationally texting why does Sam Donald always
get criticized?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
And I'm like, I don't know. I get it early
in his career because he wasn't playing well.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
He's played really well the last two years, but he
certainly hasn't proven he can win a super Bowl. To
this point in his NFL career, he hasn't even proven
he can have playoff success. So what makes this Sam
different than the one that we've seen in the past.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Well, I think he is different.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
I think he's he's I think he's played very well
this year and everyone will point to that four interception game,
but that hasn't happened since he's and he's been sacked
a couple of times that play in the game I
didn't like, you know, but I don't think Sam. There
are some teams I refer to my friend Andy Reid
in Kansas City the last few years that mahomes kind
(27:25):
of won the games for them, and I don't think
Sam Donald. I don't think they're asking him to do that.
I think we've got this great defense we got now
establishing a really pretty good running game. He has proven
he can do, but he doesn't have to win it
by himself, and so I think that's the difference than
(27:46):
some of the teams that have won Super Bowls in
the past.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
But he won't get in the way of them.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
When no, I don't think so. I think I think
you know, I'm gonna stick with him all the way.
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Yeah, Mike.
Speaker 7 (27:57):
Is part of the calculus for Sam Donald at thirty
three and a half million, which you know, it's hard
to say that's a bargain, but the fact is it's
the eighteenth highest paid on an average basis, and to
have him under contracted that in those terms, I'll give
you a couple guys to Marcus Lawrence. You pick him up,
(28:17):
he goes to the Pro Bowl, and I can't overstate
that the Josh Jones playing left tackle in the last
three weeks two of the two biggest games of the year.
You haven't had Charles Cross, right, it's been Josh Jones
and it's been very quiet over there at left tackle,
which is a good thing. And he was four million,
(28:39):
his predecessor was one point two million. You could maybe
infer that that the money you're saving with Donald you
can get guys like DeMarcus Lawrence and backups like Josh Jones.
How much of that component do you when you kind
of think of the team and how it's structured. They say, okay,
that enters into how we evaluate Sam Darnold.
Speaker 5 (29:00):
Well, I think you know, like you said, it's hard
to say he's only making thirty three million. I mean,
you know, uh, but but you're right, and some teams
that have to pop huge for the quarterback. You you
you lose some good players at other positions because the
(29:21):
way that salary cap is set up, so he he's
going to be who he is, and if he continues
to be who he is, his next deal, because he's
not that his next deal.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Now you're gonna have to make this crappy thirty three million.
Speaker 5 (29:37):
No, No, he can eat, you know, he doesn't. He can
he can eat at a nice restaurant instead of a
coffee shop.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
You know.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
But no, But then then we'll see how it gets juggled,
because we've talked about it before on the show. You know,
every once in a while, the super Bowl timing and
your roster timing gets different once that quarterback gets paid
fifty million, And so you're gonna reference your friend Andy
(30:04):
Reid again, that's right there you go. I mean, look
at how dominant they were when they weren't having to
pay him, and even though he gives them a little
bit of a break. I don't think it's a coincidence.
You know, it's not the tire equation, But I don't
think it's a coincidence that they're not as good since
they've had to actually pay them. Well, didn't they talk
about that Brady doing that for a long time on
(30:24):
New England. I think they're probably they're probably stashing something somewhere, probably,
you know, yeah, I mean no, I could be right,
Atriot's never no, of course they don't, yeah no, but
you know they Yeah, if a quarterback's willing to do that,
most of them are not, certainly their agents are not.
Speaker 8 (30:45):
Yeah, coach, I mean there's been a lot of talk
about Sam and then the turnovers, and understandably so, and
yet I think that all of us agree in order
to make that thing go, you're gonna have to sometimes
try to fit it in windows.
Speaker 6 (30:57):
An interception are gonna happen? To me?
Speaker 8 (30:59):
My bigger concern the fumbles, right, And so I'm wondering
a couple of things that he almost had a fumble
when it was a ten to three game. He did
have a fumble, he got stepped on, and then it's
going down and the handoff went south and luckily Charbonnay
got on that ball. Otherwise they're right in position to
possibly tie the game up, even after dominating the way
that they had all the way into the fourth quarter
(31:20):
when that happened.
Speaker 6 (31:21):
What do you teach a guy about.
Speaker 8 (31:24):
I mean, sometimes it's just as possible if you don't
see the guy coming from behind you and he, you know,
hits your arm and you knocks it out.
Speaker 6 (31:30):
That's what it is.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
But is there something that you taught a guy of, Hey,
we really got to do this to make sure when
I get hit that it's not dislodging the ball, because
I think that could be a bugaboo that would come
back to haunt them if it happens in the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
Yeah, I think yes.
Speaker 5 (31:46):
First of all, you talk about it and there are
drills that you do to get his mind thinking, Okay,
I get this kind of pressure, I'm getting squeezed. This
is what I do with the ball. There are drills
to do that. Now, how he processed is that and
does it help him or does it I keep seeing
the same thing or what? I can't answer that for him,
(32:09):
but absolutely absolutely there are things you talk about and
in their drills to help fix that. But you know what, guys,
I think until he wins the Super Bowl, ye, people
are going to be talking about Sam Darnold in a
in a in a kind of a question different way.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah, hear what your thoughts on the fumbles situation?
Speaker 7 (32:32):
Yeah, you'd you'd rather not fumble than fumble. I think
that there's they're not all created equal. I mean, I
think if you're draw if you separate your hands and
you're in the process of throwing, and your eyes are
taking to you to a certain portion of the field
in one angle of your field of view, and somebody
(32:53):
from an area you couldn't expect to see he hits you.
You know, I think that that's absolvable, right. I do
think that it's you know, the turnover worthy plays that
Pro football focus on tracks they try and you know,
they say that that kind of takes some of the
luck out of it. So Sam Donald, as we know,
(33:17):
he has twenty turnovers, he's judged to have nineteen turnover
worthy plays. So of all the quarterbacks, there's only three
quarterbacks who are at one hundred percent or more. The
most unlucky guy this year is Jared Goff. He's got
one hundred and eight percent of them, but Sam Donald's
out one hundred and five percent. The average you take
(33:41):
out the Donald, the average is seventy one percent of
your turnover worthy plays are going to result in turnovers,
you know. And for example, Caleb Williams, only half of
his turnover worthy plays has resulted. So I think he's
been a little bit unlucky. And then the other part
of it is Mike that the ratio of Big Time
(34:02):
throws to UH to turnover worthy on plays. Sam Darnold
is well above the median, and he's above Drake May
who's supposed to be you know, first or second in
the MVP. He's above Justin Herbert, He's above Trevor Lawrence,
He's above Patrick Mahomes, c J. Stroud, Lamar Jackson like so, so, yes,
(34:24):
he's got more turnover worthy plays than you'd like. He
has been in lucky in the way I've said it,
But Mike, he's offsetting that with with you know, these
these categories where he's number one in the NFL and
in deep throws and and uh passer rating when deep
and as I said, the Racio big time throw to
turnover worthy plays is very favorable compared to some of
(34:46):
those guys I just mentioned.
Speaker 5 (34:47):
Yeah, that's why, excuse me, that's why I think I
understood what you said. You know, everyone a while he
hasked to, you know, coach me up a little. But no,
that's why I'm in his corner. And and and you
know what, it's he's not going to have to do
(35:08):
this by himself though with this team. I don't think.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, he's saying the big play Sam Donald makes makes
up for the additional the additional risks that he you know, yeah, yeah,
all right, we're going to close it out with one
last thing. Next Sports Radio ninety three point three kJ
(35:32):
r F M all right, one last thing to close
out the radio program Monday morning quarterback session with Hugh
Millen and Mike Holmgren. Coach Holmgren's part brought to you
(35:54):
by Toyota of Kirkland R and R Foundation Specialists and
slab Jack, Ray Sunk and car.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Creed at one eight six six. Slab Jack, we got.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
One last thing for coach here on this Monday, Bucky,
what do you.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
Got, Well, I mean, I have a couple other football ones,
but I just thoroughly enjoy when coach comes in here
and gives you a hard time about things. So I'm
gonna I'm gonna go ahead and go that direction instead.
And maybe you know right now is a good time
where Christmas is over, New Year's is gone, Is it
time to for people to take their Christmas tree down?
Speaker 6 (36:28):
For example?
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Well, I think it is. I think it is.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
We yesterday was you can tell by my scars on
my hands.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
The trees.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
We have a fake tree and there's a lot of
folks in there, and you know so. But but you
take it down, you down. Yeah, we took the tree down.
Got a couple of trees, the stuff we decorate the
house with because you do that, you do that right
after New Year's right, That's what made.
Speaker 6 (36:55):
No sense, because then there's another haul of then.
Speaker 5 (36:57):
And I have I just happened to ask my friend
when I I can't man in this morning, I said, Chuck,
I took my trees down yesterday. Did you take your
tree down?
Speaker 4 (37:05):
No? Well, of course you put it.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
Remember if you remember, he put his tree up before,
not after Thanksgiving before and so the tree then he's
not going to take the tree down.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
He told me till April, April April.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
So my thing was, why don't you just why don't
you just avoid the work and leave it up all year?
Speaker 4 (37:28):
Lights up all year?
Speaker 2 (37:30):
So yeah, just put maybe like a partition around it.
Speaker 5 (37:33):
You know, you're very disciplined in your work. You're very
disciplined in your work life. You are very undisciplined on
when you should do this decoration. And there are rules, okay, rules,
I enjoyed joy.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Maybe maybe there comes some people here that just you know,
the world.
Speaker 8 (37:51):
Is proper joy at the proper time, that's right, you know. Yeah,
you have a Valentine's Day tree up.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
You have meatballs at Christmas?
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Yeah, yes, it's a loud and clear all right, Hugh,
do you have a question for coach?
Speaker 7 (38:05):
Yeah, sure, I'm still in cloud nine from Saturday night,
so I'm I want to just get back my final
thought and Mike on the defense, is there anything that
we haven't hit on when I watched the tape? Mike,
you know, obviously you defend a quarterback on his side
of line of scrimmage with the pass rush, and then
on your side defensively, uh, with with everything you're doing
(38:27):
in coverage, And I'd be hard pressed to try and
say which side I was more impressed with. I just
I just thought they had, you know, you know, all
the coverages that they played I talked about earlier, they
just played so complete against Rock Purty whip sawed him
a couple of times, including at the end, uh, what
uh from your perspective, what impressed you? And then just
(38:51):
talking a generic sense about what what you think gums
up a pass offense more a great pass rush or
just the great covers on the back end.
Speaker 5 (39:01):
Well, I think first of all, they show both of those,
you know, their their defense. And I said earlier in
the show that when you when I watched the game
without analyzing it like you dough, the the spark and
the fire of their defense and how their their aggressiveness
and they're jumping around and their team, their team tackling
(39:22):
and all that kind of stuff. You saw that if
you're watching on television, you saw that. And so getting
them prepared and San Francisco had had offensively has been
playing very very well the last four or five games
and pretty pretty came back. So they just shut them down.
They shut them down, and they did it with a
(39:42):
combination their front four, their front They can do things
with their front four and the defensive line that other
teams need extra people, and that allows them to have
extra people in the secondary and linebackers to rally around
and to make coverages very very difficult to anticipate. And
(40:03):
so that combination, I think is what strikes me is
that and it comes from Mike McDonald. That's what he
does and that's what he's done.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
I love how they're all on board both sides of
the ball. They just seem to just soak him up,
all his advice, all of his wisdom, and they all
play with the same kind of energy and they all
play with that goldfish mentality of like if I made
a mistake, I'm not going to change the way I play.
They just always forward. So very impressed by the entire
(40:33):
operation right now, I would ask you, today is not
just today for us to celebrate here in Seattle the
accomplishments of a local football team regular season wise, but
this is also a dark day in a lot of
NFL cities because way they call it black Monday, a
lot of head coaches lose their job, and I want
to say a lot want to repeat that.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
I think we've had what four.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
Since the close of business yesterday in the National Football
League two job open we're already out there, So we're
already up to six head coaching vacancies this offseason.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
What do you make of it? Well, it's always a
sad day for me.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
I remember when I went into coach at BYU and
Norm Chow, who got in the league, we were friends.
He goes the beauty of being here because Lavelle Edwards
was such a we were they were always going to
be good, and he was the type of man he was.
He goes when it comes to black Monday or whatever
it was in college football, we don't have to worry
(41:27):
about it, like some people do. And so you know,
I never thought about it when I was coaching. I
never thought about it all that much.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (41:36):
And I never did get fired. I had to leave Cleveland,
that was a different deal. But as a coach, and
I feel bad, I feel bad for the guys. I
feel bad. I wasn't a big guy guy who fired
a lot of guys on my staff and things like that.
I thought, listen, we can make this work. Come on,
you gotta you know you're coaching. Coaches do, but head coaches,
(41:56):
it just seems to me, chuck. Now it seems different
because you know Pete Pete Carroll fired in one year. Yeah,
guys get fired after two years. That didn't seem to
be the way it was. You know, when I was coaching,
it seemed like you had a little more time. The
second thing I want to say is that a lot
(42:17):
of times the coach has to play the cards he
was dealt, and the general manager usually escapes without any problem.
And so I see it. I don't I don't like it.
I don't, you know. But if the team is really
that poor and the owner made a mistake, I suppose
(42:37):
he has to do what he has to do.
Speaker 4 (42:39):
But it's for me. It's a sad day when it happens.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Yeah, it seems to be a lot even with players,
there seems to be a lot more in the modern
day of we're not going to live with a mistake.
If it's not working, we're going to cut it off
right there and we'll make another decision. And so that
seems to be what they're doing with players and with
coaches right now.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
But you know.
Speaker 3 (43:03):
Certainly you don't get this long of a leash to
try to prove yourself.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
There's no question about that. And there's no way you
can fire the owner.
Speaker 2 (43:10):
Yeah, So how many owners should be fired right now?
Speaker 4 (43:13):
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (43:14):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (43:14):
I think, oh, there's that's a long list.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
We don't have time. We don't have time.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Well, you know what, we do have a couple extra
minutes here, So I'll start making the list. You start, coach, Yeah,
we'll go round the rid Well and in Arizona.
Speaker 4 (43:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (43:32):
And I you know, I'm not I'm not sold on
the Carolina's owner. Yeah, you know so, but I don't
want to get in any trouble. I'm I'm I'm ra
almost retired.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
Uh And and here, like Michael Bidwell is like leaps
and bounds ahead of Bill like that is a that's
a night and day improvement. And he's still bad.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
But really, what does well to the You know, the
Raiders had a bad year this year, but you look
at some teams in Cleveland. I was there in Cleveland,
so I know their situation a little bit. But they've
had It's not just this year, say ten years of
and you have five coaches or four coaches and ten
or whatever. That's too many, you know. Okay, you got
(44:16):
to learn from your mistakes, get the right people to choose.
I see where Brady's going.
Speaker 4 (44:21):
To be involved?
Speaker 3 (44:22):
Yeah in this Matt Ryan just got hired by the
Falcons though, Boy, so he's going to be I think
a general manager?
Speaker 4 (44:28):
Did he get the general manager job?
Speaker 6 (44:30):
See?
Speaker 3 (44:31):
A lot of stuff going on, a lot of stuff's
going on, no question about it.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Well, gentlemen, great, are we still killing minutes?
Speaker 6 (44:37):
No?
Speaker 4 (44:37):
Are we?
Speaker 2 (44:38):
Well? I mean, god, I got like a minute? You
got a minute? No? Okay, I can't okay, all right,
no are you kidding? My wife might differ on that point, but.
Speaker 4 (44:50):
Let's talk about the officials.
Speaker 2 (44:52):
Can we got? Gentlemen? Awesome stuff?
Speaker 3 (45:01):
As always, Thank you very much, Hugh mellon Mike Holmgren
as we wrap up another edition of Monday Morning Quarterback
and of course now the playoffs get ready to begin.
We don't have to play for a long time, but
let the playoffs get underway. Exciting year both Hugh and
with coach and of course with the division champion Seattle Seahawks.
(45:22):
We will talk to you tomorrow at six o'clock. Coming
up next, it's MJ and Kid on KJR.
Speaker 6 (45:27):
Wow.
Speaker 10 (45:27):
You can't miss a thing from today's show because we're
on demand.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
Their podcast will be up right after the show.
Speaker 10 (45:33):
Just click on demand on our website at ninety three
three KJR dot com and click on checking Bug podcast
to replay anytime anywhere from Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJR FL.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
This report is sponsored by Swinemish Casino and Lodge.
Speaker 6 (45:51):
There's been work
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