January 21, 2026 • 21 mins
Kevin Harlan of CBS and Westwood One joins Dave Softy Mahler to talk about the 2025 Seahawks season surprising people, the Rams recent play and chances going into the NFC Championship, the 12th Man impact, Sam Darnold, the coaches, and AFC news.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com on Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJARFM.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
They are NFL champions the seattlesy Hawks half one on
Super Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL.
This is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin harlantin.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
He's a bulldozer, He's up peace.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Brought to you by Twin Peaks in tuck Willa open
every Sunday morning, just in time for kickoff.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It was like a pin doll haanging off. Buddies up
twenty three yard catch.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It run, catch every game, every bite and every sip
only at Twin Peaks.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Tug Willa Hit the.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
Cuts down, Hit the cuts down. HiT's crab byke curse.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Now with Kevin, here's Softy.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Fourth down and four fourteen of the rams shut gun
staff goes back for four man Lush.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
He's chased, He's fushed, He's all the way back to
the forty.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
He's backpedaling and throws a pass.
Speaker 6 (01:04):
In Texad touchdown.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Touchdown Chicago is kind of touchdown pass with Cole come in.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
If you hadn't seen it.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Deal would not believe it.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Tendemonium it Soldier Field. Ah That voice, that silky smooth voice.
Speaker 7 (01:24):
That voice will be here calling the NFC Championship game
for Westwood One on Sunday at three point thirty at
lumen Field. Seahawks rams winner of the Super Bowl, and
I cannot wait to see my friend and shake his
hand and see him in person as he enters that
stadium on Sunday afternoon one more time.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
We'll see if the Hawks can pull this off.
Speaker 7 (01:46):
But I am so fired up that we're carrying the
game on Sunday with Westwood One, all courtesy of our
friends at Twin Peaks Tukwila.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It's our pal, Kevin, Harlan Kevin, how are you, buddy.
Speaker 8 (01:57):
I'm good. We're gonna see each other. I don't know
if it's her Saturday or Sunday, but right we're gonna
we're gonna get together. I'm looking forward to that. Can't
wait to get up there and see probably right now
the best team in pro football and with a chance
for them to go back to the big Game, which
would be absolutely wonderful. Was it forty eight? Was that
the last Super Bowl? Forty eight the last Seahawks Super Bowl?
(02:20):
On my off one of those? Well, they won, probably off.
Speaker 7 (02:22):
They won forty eight, forty three to eight, and then
they lost against Tom Brady and the Patriots in a
game that we don't really like to talk about.
Speaker 8 (02:31):
We don't want to talk about that, Malcolm Butler, No,
we want to talk about that. Marshawn Lynch, No, boy,
do want to talk about that? Man?
Speaker 6 (02:38):
There are sorry, Amory.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Oh Jesus, I'm saying all these great things about you.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
You're just stumping them all.
Speaker 8 (02:46):
You know. That's bad. That's bad. I agree. That was
not right.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
That was not right.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
Well, there is there is a little bit of, uh,
you know, chatter up here in Seattle about maybe playing
the Patriots and getting a little bit of revenge for
that game, you know, twelve years ago.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
But we'll hold off on that for a second. So
first of all, let me ask you about what you
just said.
Speaker 7 (03:06):
Maybe the best team in the NFL, right just dismantles
the Niners in the divisional round forty one to six.
They're up twenty four to six at halftime in that game,
the game was over when Rashid Shaheed took the opening
kickoff pack for a touchdown.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
How surprised were you?
Speaker 7 (03:23):
How surprised do you think the NFL world was to
see the Hawks just take apart the Niners last weekend?
Speaker 8 (03:30):
Well, I think that when Kittle went down, it's more
than just losing a game changing tied end. It's losing,
you know, kind of the emotional leader of that team,
especially on the offensive end. They've lost their two big
pillars on defense. I don't know how they made it
that far. Quite frankly. I think that when you play
(03:53):
a division follow and we're gonna see it again up
there this weekend, you know so much about them that
once you find that little advantage, man, you can crawl
right through that baby and just cash in. And that's
that's exactly what they did against the Niners. I don't
think that's the same scenario with the Rams, quite frankly,
(04:14):
And I think the Niners were coming in probably stunned
that they beat Philadelphia. I had to go across country
and then back up there to see you guys, and
it just I think the attrition of all the injuries
and fighting week in and week out, and mccafferre wasn't
a hundred percent. We saw, yeah, he was trying to
regain some form in that game. It just wasn't meant
(04:37):
to be hawked for Rusted. They were focused and that
they've got so much in front of them. It's a
shame about charbonn A. But aside from that, they come
in I think with a very healthy mindset and I
think they're going to give the Rams all they can handle.
They certainly gave that to the Niners last weekend.
Speaker 7 (04:54):
Well, now you got a football team in La right
that's coming in here having to come back from the
East Coast overtime game, hard fought game against the Bears
on on Sunday. You know, the Hawks had the the
extra day, obviously the Rams went to overtime. How much
do you think that that extra work and the travel
that the Rams had to put in last weekend, how
(05:16):
much does that really mean you think this Sunday?
Speaker 8 (05:20):
Well, you know, it was unfortunate that they played the
last game Sunday night, that it won another quarter. Basically
over time that that cold and I was there, it
just zap's you. And not that they aren't built to
withstand that, because clearly they have. They have gone through
their own injuries this season, gotten a couple of guys back,
(05:40):
you know, getting Lake back in the secondary has been
I think very important for the Rams. I just I
just think they are probably going to be, you know,
everything we think. You know, it's it's the travels there,
we get that. But it will be Sunday night to
Sunday night, so it's not like they're losing a full day.
(06:02):
They're they're basically just just you know, just trying to
get the mindset out. It's gonna be. It's gonna feel warmer.
I think it's about forty five degrees Sunday for kickoff
variable wins, which means not much less than you know,
single digit wins. Uh, partly cloudy skies. It's gonna feel
like Captiva Florida compared to what Chicago was. Just like
(06:23):
the moon. It was as cold as being on the
moon last week in Chicago. But let me just tell
you something, those games, those outdoor games with snow and
wind and everybody final to me, man that's football, and
I hate to see these dome stadiums and and I
just think it just added to the whole, you.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
Know, narrative of the Rams being.
Speaker 8 (06:46):
You know, just a rugged team. They go all the
way to Carolina, they win, they're late, they rally to
win that game. They come back to win in Chicago
with with you know, a team that came back to
tie them late in the game, four or so overtime,
and then they found a way to win. This is
as good a team as there is in the league,
(07:06):
with the exception of the Seahawks. The two best teams
in Pro football are playing Sunday night in Seattle. Well, yeah,
there is no doubt in my mind with that.
Speaker 7 (07:14):
Yeah, Kevin, you mentioned being there for the Rams Bears game,
and the last two Rams games they struggled to put
away Carolina, struggled to put away Chicago. They lost a
couple in a row in December to Seattle and Atlanta.
And there's some folks that are saying that this is
not the same Rams team that we saw earlier in
the year, and it doesn't sound like you're really buying that.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Well I'm not.
Speaker 8 (07:38):
I just I just think that the way they played
against the Bears in Chicago. Is a tough team. They
may be the third best team in the NFL. That
was a very difficult victory, hard Funt. The only question
I've got is what do they have left in the
tank after going on the road twice or if they
build up such resiliency and they're now to any of
(08:01):
the emotional factors or location factors that may play into
the postseason, are they immune from that? Have they been
immunized from all of those things about playing on the
road just to take on you know, and what is
a season defining game. They know that team very well.
They were just up there, so that takes a little Now,
(08:23):
it doesn't take the preparation out, but it takes that,
you know, that kind of like what do we face them?
Like when they played the Bears and when they played Carolina.
They played Carolina actually in the regular season, But when
you're play an unfamiliar foe, it just puts more on
your plate, right, I mean, you got more stuff you
got to deal with in terms of preparation. Just but
with the Seahawks, they know exactly what they are, and
(08:46):
the Seahawks know exactly what the Rams are and that
to me, just spells an incredible final in the NFC.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
Yeah, well, we're fired up that you're coming up here
with Kurt. Kurt Warner is going to be on with
Mike Congrin tomorrow, by the way, at four to so
we got both both halves of the broadcast crew and
A Russ Tuckers I think's doing sideline for you guys
on Sunday and A Danie'll hear that on KJR on
Sunday afternoon. But I want to go back though to
the last time you were at this stadium for an
(09:15):
NFC Championship game January eighteenth, two thousand and fifteen.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Tied in over time at twenty two shotguns. Nap winds
up one launching spiral down the middle, hits.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It over the shoulder, touch of the goal line, hit
the touchdown, hit the touchdown, hits grab.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
I curse.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Seattle is won. The Seawks have one A thirty five.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yard touchdown pass Wilson Touck curse mL Seahawks are going
back to.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
Jermaine Jermaine curse game winner twenty eight to twenty two
against Tremond Williams thirty five yard touchdown Seahawks are down
nineteen seven three minutes to go in the fourth quarter,
and the improbable comeback against the Green Bay Packers. You saw,
you saw that day what the twelfth man can be
all about. And there was some talk you and I
(10:07):
were talking, remember earlier in the year, about the home
field advantage and is it gone now?
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Is it?
Speaker 7 (10:13):
Is it now gone in Seattle? And it feels like
it's back. And I wonder if the NFL is the
people around the league and you believe that this is
now the ultimate home field advantage once again.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Well, it's as good as there is. It's as good
as Zerohead, it's as good as Buffalo, it's as good
as Pittsburgh. And I hold those places as the loudest
buildings in the NFL. So it's absolutely as loud. And
there's nothing to think that they're not going to be
even louder or more passionate if they If there's such
(10:45):
a thing with that fan base on trying to cheer
on this team, I mean, it's it's pretty remarkable how
much they take pride in filling those seats and doing
what they do to support that team, and that that
place will be rocking. I mean, I can't think of
a louder louder venue. Quite frankly arrowhead because they had
(11:08):
been so many times to the Super Bowl. Had had
expected so you know, it had nine consecutive AFC Championship
games that they had played. You know, here here was
a team that had a lot of home playoff games.
And it wasn't like they were exhaling a bit. But
you know when you've not been there for a long time,
(11:31):
and that is the case with the Seahawks. Now. To
be in this position to make that jump and go
to the big game, yeah, I just expected to be deaf,
and I think it'll be very difficult. And I think
there is no better quarterback better prepared to handle that
than Stafford and McVeigh and and they'll be ready to go.
(11:51):
They've got a veteran a group of receivers. The quarterback
will be able to handle anything that you put at them.
And and that again levels that playing field. Yeah, it's
gonna be a game of turnovers. It's gonna be a
game of opportunistic offensive play. It's gonna have to be
pressure on the quarterbacks to disrupt their rhythm. I mean,
(12:13):
all the things we talk about will be a play
on Sunday night.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Well, I wonder how much pressure is on Stafford versus
Sam Donald, Kevin. I mean, Stafford's been here before, He's
won a title. This is what Sam Donald's third playoffs
start in his career. This is the biggest game Sam
Donald's ever played in college, high school, pro whatever.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
I mean.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
I talk about the Rose Bowl against Penn stay back
in the day, but come on, this is the NFL.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
So I don't know.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
Talk to me about the pressure that these guys feel.
And a lot of people Kevin are waiting for Sam Donald,
as you know, to fall flat on his face.
Speaker 6 (12:46):
They are, and that is that is a narrative. There's
no doubt.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
I do think the pressure probably is more on Donald.
I don't think it shows. I think early success really
affects how he traverses the rest of the game. And
they're going to come out and Clint's gonna put together
a terrific game plan, I have no doubt, and it
will be with that in mind, getting this guy off
(13:12):
to a comfortable, confident start will be paramount and I'm
just certain they're going to do it. He has got,
you know, clutch receivers, He's got an emerging tight end,
he's got number nine. Even with twenty six gone. Yeah,
you know, there is still so much that.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
He has around them around him.
Speaker 8 (13:35):
That he can rely on that that I would like
to think the collective will give him his best effort.
And I know it's a narrative if I've called so
many of his games the last couple of years, and
I guess I just kind of feel like like he's
grown exponentially with every hurdle that he has faced. He
(13:58):
had the trough a bit in the middle of the
season and came out of it finish strong, and then
showed his most brilliant colors in the win against the Niners.
So that really on my list of things to watch,
probably isn't significant as opposed to just what the teams
are doing. I will tell you I think the Rams
will come out incredibly confident. I think the Rams will
(14:22):
come out not with that like what do we have
to lose? I don't think it'll be that kind of confident. Yeah,
it'll be like we got to Carolina, came back and
beat them on the road in the playoffs. We went
to Chicago, battled a very difficult environment in terms of
weather and the team we were facing at home and
(14:42):
with a ton of momentum and still came out of
that and it may have gone to overtime, but you
found a way. And I think that's that has added
to the confidence well of the Rams. I think they
come in and they've been there. A lot of the
guys on this team were in the Super Bowl a
couple of years ago. They won't blink. They will not blink,
and that again leads me to think that this game
(15:05):
could be just h.
Speaker 7 (15:06):
Well, I can't wait for Sunday, Man and far be it,
Kevin for me to tell you what the hell to
talk about on your broadcast on Sunday.
Speaker 8 (15:13):
Oh you're gonna yeah. I'm assuming something's coming up here
that you want me to say.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
Well, I would love to hear as I as I
get in the car and hear the pregame on Sunday,
I'd love to hear you and Kurt. You want to
get Ross involved, that's your prerogative, but whatever, I'd love
to hear you guys talk about this coaching matchup between
McDonald and McVeigh, because I don't know if there's a
better offensive versus defensive mind battle going in the NFL
(15:41):
right now besides the battle between these two young guys.
One guy's gonna turn forty on Saturday, the other guy
will turn thirty nine in June. One guy's in his
sixteenth playoff game, other guys in his second playoff game.
And I could argue that McVeigh is the best offensive
mine in football, and I can definitely argue that McDonald's
the best defensive mind in football. How about how about
(16:01):
this coaching matchup between these two head coaches.
Speaker 8 (16:05):
There is not another coach in pro football who resembles
in every way what McVeigh is an offense than what
McDonald means defensively. And then just above that, bolting above
that line. As a head coach and leaders, they are
they are. They are two of two. They're young, they're energetic, clearly,
(16:30):
they're incredibly communicative. They have got a feel for the
pulse of their teams. They know just what they need
when they need it. And if anyone is looking for
the mere image of McVeigh, it would be McDonald. I
think they've got the same kind of gusto, the same
(16:52):
kind of deep reservoir of knowledge. Yeah, I think I
think everything about those two is in locksteps. So the
only difference is McVeigh has been at it a little
bit longer, and I don't know at this stage if
that what that really means. I think you take a
team this far, you win a division as difficult as
the West, you have that number one seed. I think,
(17:14):
you know, Mike has proven everything that he needs to prove,
and regardless of what happens Sunday, it will not change
anybody's opinion of what a great, wonderful young coach the
John Schneider has chosen.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
Well, Kevin, before you go, we've spent the majority of
our visit talking about the Hawks game on Sunday, which
is appropriate because we're in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
When you're calling the game on Sunday, But I don't know.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
You close your eyes, do you see a possibility Jared
Steadham filling in for Bonnicks if the Broncos win that
game Sunday at home against the Patriots. Can you close
your eyes and in reality see that happening without Bonnicks.
Speaker 8 (17:51):
Having a hard time doing it? Dave, quite frankly, emotionally,
it was a blow to that team to head. He
is such a unifier, such a leader, even in his
second year. I can't think it would be comparable to
you losing Darnold the Rams, you know, losing Stafford. These
(18:15):
guys are one of ones like like, they're not they're
not They're not replaceable. And now I'll say that with
the caveat that you've got as smart a offensive mind
and head coach in the league in Sean Payton, and
I think that he will definitely divid a different looking
(18:39):
kind of offense. I think there'll be some surprises to it.
I think it's gonna it's gonna be lowering the downside
to the point where it's almost you know, uh Sea level,
and and and just trying to keep things as even keel.
The turnover thing is a big deal because Nicks doesn't
throw them, and and taking the sacks is the other
(19:03):
thing that that Nicks was so good at. And he
didn't get the team behind the change much by taking
sack after sack, demoralizing and offense making it stagnant. So
I don't know what he's gonna do, but it's gonna
be fun to watch and see what he's devised. Yeah,
but the way that defense of New England plays and
the way that quarterback is playing, it just just on
(19:26):
the outside looking in. It seems hard for me to
really realize an outcome where the Patriots don't somehow find
a way against the back of quarterback was making I
think his fifth career start.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
All right thirty seconds before you go, Kevin, Did the
Bills make the right call?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Whack and Sean McDermott.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
I wasn't certain until I heard the owners speak today,
And what I heard the owner say just was really
just was just bad. You know. First of all, the
organization misspelled words in the release about what McDermott had meant.
And then I heard the owner I think it was today,
it was it last night, whenever it was, and give
(20:08):
him some of his reasons, and I'm thinking.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
Whoa, whoa, whoa hold on.
Speaker 8 (20:13):
Their text, like like what like what do you like? It?
Just that didn't that didn't really materialize in my mind.
So anyway, Yeah, I guess I kind of felt like,
like now, I really don't know. Listen, you know, I
think they should hire as Belichick. I gotta be honest,
I think I do, I do I do. I think
(20:33):
I think Belichick is Belichick has struggled so much about
a quarterback when Brady left. He's got a quarterback in Buffalo.
He's ready to go. That That's why I would I'd
give him a three year deal. I'd pay him, I'd
pay him twenty a year. I'd say the team is ready,
let's go. And I think I'd like to think he'd
(20:54):
take it. He could break the shoe a record, he
could do all the things he wants to do and
finish up in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Dude, I mean, I think he would take it.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
I'm not sure if the Bills would hire him, but
he would take it for certain. All Right, dude, great stuff,
Travel safe. I know you got a bunch of stuff
going on between now and Sunday, so we will try
and catch up over the weekend. But we'll see you
Sunday for sure at the stadium three point thirty kickoff
Westwood One. We got the broadcast right here on KJR.
We'll see you then. Good stuff, Bud.
Speaker 8 (21:22):
No other place I'd rather be than in that stadium
on a Sunday watching what I think is gonna be
an epic game.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Let's go.
Speaker 7 (21:29):
Kevin Harlan with us on the radio show courtesy at
Twin Peaks.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Tuck Willow. We're gonna break.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
We got cracking hockey pregame with the Islanders coming at
six on ninety three to three KJRFM.
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softy and Dick on your home for
the Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by
Duke Seafood. Why not make it a Duke's night tonight.
Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood dot com on Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJARFM.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
They are NFL champions the seattlesy Hawks half one on
Super Bowl forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL.
This is Softy's weekly visit with Kevin harlantin.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
He's a bulldozer, He's up peace.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Brought to you by Twin Peaks in tuck Willa open
every Sunday morning, just in time for kickoff.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
It was like a pin doll haanging off. Buddies up
twenty three yard catch.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
It run, catch every game, every bite and every sip
only at Twin Peaks.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Tug Willa Hit the.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
Cuts down, Hit the cuts down. HiT's crab byke curse.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Now with Kevin, here's Softy.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Fourth down and four fourteen of the rams shut gun
staff goes back for four man Lush.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
He's chased, He's fushed, He's all the way back to
the forty.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
He's backpedaling and throws a pass.
Speaker 6 (01:04):
In Texad touchdown.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Touchdown Chicago is kind of touchdown pass with Cole come in.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
If you hadn't seen it.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Deal would not believe it.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Tendemonium it Soldier Field. Ah That voice, that silky smooth voice.
Speaker 7 (01:24):
That voice will be here calling the NFC Championship game
for Westwood One on Sunday at three point thirty at
lumen Field. Seahawks rams winner of the Super Bowl, and
I cannot wait to see my friend and shake his
hand and see him in person as he enters that
stadium on Sunday afternoon one more time.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
We'll see if the Hawks can pull this off.
Speaker 7 (01:46):
But I am so fired up that we're carrying the
game on Sunday with Westwood One, all courtesy of our
friends at Twin Peaks Tukwila.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
It's our pal, Kevin, Harlan Kevin, how are you, buddy.
Speaker 8 (01:57):
I'm good. We're gonna see each other. I don't know
if it's her Saturday or Sunday, but right we're gonna
we're gonna get together. I'm looking forward to that. Can't
wait to get up there and see probably right now
the best team in pro football and with a chance
for them to go back to the big Game, which
would be absolutely wonderful. Was it forty eight? Was that
the last Super Bowl? Forty eight the last Seahawks Super Bowl?
(02:20):
On my off one of those? Well, they won, probably off.
Speaker 7 (02:22):
They won forty eight, forty three to eight, and then
they lost against Tom Brady and the Patriots in a
game that we don't really like to talk about.
Speaker 8 (02:31):
We don't want to talk about that, Malcolm Butler, No,
we want to talk about that. Marshawn Lynch, No, boy,
do want to talk about that? Man?
Speaker 6 (02:38):
There are sorry, Amory.
Speaker 7 (02:40):
Oh Jesus, I'm saying all these great things about you.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
You're just stumping them all.
Speaker 8 (02:46):
You know. That's bad. That's bad. I agree. That was
not right.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
That was not right.
Speaker 7 (02:51):
Well, there is there is a little bit of, uh,
you know, chatter up here in Seattle about maybe playing
the Patriots and getting a little bit of revenge for
that game, you know, twelve years ago.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
But we'll hold off on that for a second. So
first of all, let me ask you about what you
just said.
Speaker 7 (03:06):
Maybe the best team in the NFL, right just dismantles
the Niners in the divisional round forty one to six.
They're up twenty four to six at halftime in that game,
the game was over when Rashid Shaheed took the opening
kickoff pack for a touchdown.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
How surprised were you?
Speaker 7 (03:23):
How surprised do you think the NFL world was to
see the Hawks just take apart the Niners last weekend?
Speaker 8 (03:30):
Well, I think that when Kittle went down, it's more
than just losing a game changing tied end. It's losing,
you know, kind of the emotional leader of that team,
especially on the offensive end. They've lost their two big
pillars on defense. I don't know how they made it
that far. Quite frankly. I think that when you play
(03:53):
a division follow and we're gonna see it again up
there this weekend, you know so much about them that
once you find that little advantage, man, you can crawl
right through that baby and just cash in. And that's
that's exactly what they did against the Niners. I don't
think that's the same scenario with the Rams, quite frankly,
(04:14):
And I think the Niners were coming in probably stunned
that they beat Philadelphia. I had to go across country
and then back up there to see you guys, and
it just I think the attrition of all the injuries
and fighting week in and week out, and mccafferre wasn't
a hundred percent. We saw, yeah, he was trying to
regain some form in that game. It just wasn't meant
(04:37):
to be hawked for Rusted. They were focused and that
they've got so much in front of them. It's a
shame about charbonn A. But aside from that, they come
in I think with a very healthy mindset and I
think they're going to give the Rams all they can handle.
They certainly gave that to the Niners last weekend.
Speaker 7 (04:54):
Well, now you got a football team in La right
that's coming in here having to come back from the
East Coast overtime game, hard fought game against the Bears
on on Sunday. You know, the Hawks had the the
extra day, obviously the Rams went to overtime. How much
do you think that that extra work and the travel
that the Rams had to put in last weekend, how
(05:16):
much does that really mean you think this Sunday?
Speaker 8 (05:20):
Well, you know, it was unfortunate that they played the
last game Sunday night, that it won another quarter. Basically
over time that that cold and I was there, it
just zap's you. And not that they aren't built to
withstand that, because clearly they have. They have gone through
their own injuries this season, gotten a couple of guys back,
(05:40):
you know, getting Lake back in the secondary has been
I think very important for the Rams. I just I
just think they are probably going to be, you know,
everything we think. You know, it's it's the travels there,
we get that. But it will be Sunday night to
Sunday night, so it's not like they're losing a full day.
(06:02):
They're they're basically just just you know, just trying to
get the mindset out. It's gonna be. It's gonna feel warmer.
I think it's about forty five degrees Sunday for kickoff
variable wins, which means not much less than you know,
single digit wins. Uh, partly cloudy skies. It's gonna feel
like Captiva Florida compared to what Chicago was. Just like
(06:23):
the moon. It was as cold as being on the
moon last week in Chicago. But let me just tell
you something, those games, those outdoor games with snow and
wind and everybody final to me, man that's football, and
I hate to see these dome stadiums and and I
just think it just added to the whole, you.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
Know, narrative of the Rams being.
Speaker 8 (06:46):
You know, just a rugged team. They go all the
way to Carolina, they win, they're late, they rally to
win that game. They come back to win in Chicago
with with you know, a team that came back to
tie them late in the game, four or so overtime,
and then they found a way to win. This is
as good a team as there is in the league,
(07:06):
with the exception of the Seahawks. The two best teams
in Pro football are playing Sunday night in Seattle. Well, yeah,
there is no doubt in my mind with that.
Speaker 7 (07:14):
Yeah, Kevin, you mentioned being there for the Rams Bears game,
and the last two Rams games they struggled to put
away Carolina, struggled to put away Chicago. They lost a
couple in a row in December to Seattle and Atlanta.
And there's some folks that are saying that this is
not the same Rams team that we saw earlier in
the year, and it doesn't sound like you're really buying that.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Well I'm not.
Speaker 8 (07:38):
I just I just think that the way they played
against the Bears in Chicago. Is a tough team. They
may be the third best team in the NFL. That
was a very difficult victory, hard Funt. The only question
I've got is what do they have left in the
tank after going on the road twice or if they
build up such resiliency and they're now to any of
(08:01):
the emotional factors or location factors that may play into
the postseason, are they immune from that? Have they been
immunized from all of those things about playing on the
road just to take on you know, and what is
a season defining game. They know that team very well.
They were just up there, so that takes a little Now,
(08:23):
it doesn't take the preparation out, but it takes that,
you know, that kind of like what do we face them?
Like when they played the Bears and when they played Carolina.
They played Carolina actually in the regular season, But when
you're play an unfamiliar foe, it just puts more on
your plate, right, I mean, you got more stuff you
got to deal with in terms of preparation. Just but
with the Seahawks, they know exactly what they are, and
(08:46):
the Seahawks know exactly what the Rams are and that
to me, just spells an incredible final in the NFC.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
Yeah, well, we're fired up that you're coming up here
with Kurt. Kurt Warner is going to be on with
Mike Congrin tomorrow, by the way, at four to so
we got both both halves of the broadcast crew and
A Russ Tuckers I think's doing sideline for you guys
on Sunday and A Danie'll hear that on KJR on
Sunday afternoon. But I want to go back though to
the last time you were at this stadium for an
(09:15):
NFC Championship game January eighteenth, two thousand and fifteen.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Tied in over time at twenty two shotguns. Nap winds
up one launching spiral down the middle, hits.
Speaker 5 (09:25):
It over the shoulder, touch of the goal line, hit
the touchdown, hit the touchdown, hits grab.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
I curse.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Seattle is won. The Seawks have one A thirty five.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yard touchdown pass Wilson Touck curse mL Seahawks are going
back to.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
Jermaine Jermaine curse game winner twenty eight to twenty two
against Tremond Williams thirty five yard touchdown Seahawks are down
nineteen seven three minutes to go in the fourth quarter,
and the improbable comeback against the Green Bay Packers. You saw,
you saw that day what the twelfth man can be
all about. And there was some talk you and I
(10:07):
were talking, remember earlier in the year, about the home
field advantage and is it gone now?
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Is it?
Speaker 7 (10:13):
Is it now gone in Seattle? And it feels like
it's back. And I wonder if the NFL is the
people around the league and you believe that this is
now the ultimate home field advantage once again.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Well, it's as good as there is. It's as good
as Zerohead, it's as good as Buffalo, it's as good
as Pittsburgh. And I hold those places as the loudest
buildings in the NFL. So it's absolutely as loud. And
there's nothing to think that they're not going to be
even louder or more passionate if they If there's such
(10:45):
a thing with that fan base on trying to cheer
on this team, I mean, it's it's pretty remarkable how
much they take pride in filling those seats and doing
what they do to support that team, and that that
place will be rocking. I mean, I can't think of
a louder louder venue. Quite frankly arrowhead because they had
(11:08):
been so many times to the Super Bowl. Had had
expected so you know, it had nine consecutive AFC Championship
games that they had played. You know, here here was
a team that had a lot of home playoff games.
And it wasn't like they were exhaling a bit. But
you know when you've not been there for a long time,
(11:31):
and that is the case with the Seahawks. Now. To
be in this position to make that jump and go
to the big game, yeah, I just expected to be deaf,
and I think it'll be very difficult. And I think
there is no better quarterback better prepared to handle that
than Stafford and McVeigh and and they'll be ready to go.
(11:51):
They've got a veteran a group of receivers. The quarterback
will be able to handle anything that you put at them.
And and that again levels that playing field. Yeah, it's
gonna be a game of turnovers. It's gonna be a
game of opportunistic offensive play. It's gonna have to be
pressure on the quarterbacks to disrupt their rhythm. I mean,
(12:13):
all the things we talk about will be a play
on Sunday night.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Well, I wonder how much pressure is on Stafford versus
Sam Donald, Kevin. I mean, Stafford's been here before, He's
won a title. This is what Sam Donald's third playoffs
start in his career. This is the biggest game Sam
Donald's ever played in college, high school, pro whatever.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
I mean.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
I talk about the Rose Bowl against Penn stay back
in the day, but come on, this is the NFL.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
So I don't know.
Speaker 7 (12:37):
Talk to me about the pressure that these guys feel.
And a lot of people Kevin are waiting for Sam Donald,
as you know, to fall flat on his face.
Speaker 6 (12:46):
They are, and that is that is a narrative. There's
no doubt.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
I do think the pressure probably is more on Donald.
I don't think it shows. I think early success really
affects how he traverses the rest of the game. And
they're going to come out and Clint's gonna put together
a terrific game plan, I have no doubt, and it
will be with that in mind, getting this guy off
(13:12):
to a comfortable, confident start will be paramount and I'm
just certain they're going to do it. He has got,
you know, clutch receivers, He's got an emerging tight end,
he's got number nine. Even with twenty six gone. Yeah,
you know, there is still so much that.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
He has around them around him.
Speaker 8 (13:35):
That he can rely on that that I would like
to think the collective will give him his best effort.
And I know it's a narrative if I've called so
many of his games the last couple of years, and
I guess I just kind of feel like like he's
grown exponentially with every hurdle that he has faced. He
(13:58):
had the trough a bit in the middle of the
season and came out of it finish strong, and then
showed his most brilliant colors in the win against the Niners.
So that really on my list of things to watch,
probably isn't significant as opposed to just what the teams
are doing. I will tell you I think the Rams
will come out incredibly confident. I think the Rams will
(14:22):
come out not with that like what do we have
to lose? I don't think it'll be that kind of confident. Yeah,
it'll be like we got to Carolina, came back and
beat them on the road in the playoffs. We went
to Chicago, battled a very difficult environment in terms of
weather and the team we were facing at home and
(14:42):
with a ton of momentum and still came out of
that and it may have gone to overtime, but you
found a way. And I think that's that has added
to the confidence well of the Rams. I think they
come in and they've been there. A lot of the
guys on this team were in the Super Bowl a
couple of years ago. They won't blink. They will not blink,
and that again leads me to think that this game
(15:05):
could be just h.
Speaker 7 (15:06):
Well, I can't wait for Sunday, Man and far be it,
Kevin for me to tell you what the hell to
talk about on your broadcast on Sunday.
Speaker 8 (15:13):
Oh you're gonna yeah. I'm assuming something's coming up here
that you want me to say.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
Well, I would love to hear as I as I
get in the car and hear the pregame on Sunday,
I'd love to hear you and Kurt. You want to
get Ross involved, that's your prerogative, but whatever, I'd love
to hear you guys talk about this coaching matchup between
McDonald and McVeigh, because I don't know if there's a
better offensive versus defensive mind battle going in the NFL
(15:41):
right now besides the battle between these two young guys.
One guy's gonna turn forty on Saturday, the other guy
will turn thirty nine in June. One guy's in his
sixteenth playoff game, other guys in his second playoff game.
And I could argue that McVeigh is the best offensive
mine in football, and I can definitely argue that McDonald's
the best defensive mind in football. How about how about
(16:01):
this coaching matchup between these two head coaches.
Speaker 8 (16:05):
There is not another coach in pro football who resembles
in every way what McVeigh is an offense than what
McDonald means defensively. And then just above that, bolting above
that line. As a head coach and leaders, they are
they are. They are two of two. They're young, they're energetic, clearly,
(16:30):
they're incredibly communicative. They have got a feel for the
pulse of their teams. They know just what they need
when they need it. And if anyone is looking for
the mere image of McVeigh, it would be McDonald. I
think they've got the same kind of gusto, the same
(16:52):
kind of deep reservoir of knowledge. Yeah, I think I
think everything about those two is in locksteps. So the
only difference is McVeigh has been at it a little
bit longer, and I don't know at this stage if
that what that really means. I think you take a
team this far, you win a division as difficult as
the West, you have that number one seed. I think,
(17:14):
you know, Mike has proven everything that he needs to prove,
and regardless of what happens Sunday, it will not change
anybody's opinion of what a great, wonderful young coach the
John Schneider has chosen.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
Well, Kevin, before you go, we've spent the majority of
our visit talking about the Hawks game on Sunday, which
is appropriate because we're in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
When you're calling the game on Sunday, But I don't know.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
You close your eyes, do you see a possibility Jared
Steadham filling in for Bonnicks if the Broncos win that
game Sunday at home against the Patriots. Can you close
your eyes and in reality see that happening without Bonnicks.
Speaker 8 (17:51):
Having a hard time doing it? Dave, quite frankly, emotionally,
it was a blow to that team to head. He
is such a unifier, such a leader, even in his
second year. I can't think it would be comparable to
you losing Darnold the Rams, you know, losing Stafford. These
(18:15):
guys are one of ones like like, they're not they're
not They're not replaceable. And now I'll say that with
the caveat that you've got as smart a offensive mind
and head coach in the league in Sean Payton, and
I think that he will definitely divid a different looking
(18:39):
kind of offense. I think there'll be some surprises to it.
I think it's gonna it's gonna be lowering the downside
to the point where it's almost you know, uh Sea level,
and and and just trying to keep things as even keel.
The turnover thing is a big deal because Nicks doesn't
throw them, and and taking the sacks is the other
(19:03):
thing that that Nicks was so good at. And he
didn't get the team behind the change much by taking
sack after sack, demoralizing and offense making it stagnant. So
I don't know what he's gonna do, but it's gonna
be fun to watch and see what he's devised. Yeah,
but the way that defense of New England plays and
the way that quarterback is playing, it just just on
(19:26):
the outside looking in. It seems hard for me to
really realize an outcome where the Patriots don't somehow find
a way against the back of quarterback was making I
think his fifth career start.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
All right thirty seconds before you go, Kevin, Did the
Bills make the right call?
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Whack and Sean McDermott.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
I wasn't certain until I heard the owners speak today,
And what I heard the owner say just was really
just was just bad. You know. First of all, the
organization misspelled words in the release about what McDermott had meant.
And then I heard the owner I think it was today,
it was it last night, whenever it was, and give
(20:08):
him some of his reasons, and I'm thinking.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
Whoa, whoa, whoa hold on.
Speaker 8 (20:13):
Their text, like like what like what do you like? It?
Just that didn't that didn't really materialize in my mind.
So anyway, Yeah, I guess I kind of felt like,
like now, I really don't know. Listen, you know, I
think they should hire as Belichick. I gotta be honest,
I think I do, I do I do. I think
(20:33):
I think Belichick is Belichick has struggled so much about
a quarterback when Brady left. He's got a quarterback in Buffalo.
He's ready to go. That That's why I would I'd
give him a three year deal. I'd pay him, I'd
pay him twenty a year. I'd say the team is ready,
let's go. And I think I'd like to think he'd
(20:54):
take it. He could break the shoe a record, he
could do all the things he wants to do and
finish up in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
Dude, I mean, I think he would take it.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
I'm not sure if the Bills would hire him, but
he would take it for certain. All Right, dude, great stuff,
Travel safe. I know you got a bunch of stuff
going on between now and Sunday, so we will try
and catch up over the weekend. But we'll see you
Sunday for sure at the stadium three point thirty kickoff
Westwood One. We got the broadcast right here on KJR.
We'll see you then. Good stuff, Bud.
Speaker 8 (21:22):
No other place I'd rather be than in that stadium
on a Sunday watching what I think is gonna be
an epic game.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
Let's go.
Speaker 7 (21:29):
Kevin Harlan with us on the radio show courtesy at
Twin Peaks.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
Tuck Willow. We're gonna break.
Speaker 7 (21:34):
We got cracking hockey pregame with the Islanders coming at
six on ninety three to three KJRFM.
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