January 22, 2026 • 20 mins
Kurt Warner, Hall of Fame quarterback and Westwood One broadcaster, joins Softy and Dick, along with Coach Mike Holmgren, to preview the NFC Championship between the Seahawks and Rams, Mike Macdonald, LA’s offense, Sam Darnold, and running game.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our twelfth Man Playoff coverage continues. ESFL Playoffs, brought to
you by Seattle's closest sports book. Snow call me Casino
and Hotel on your home for the twelfth Man, the
NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl sixty. Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJR FM. Now back to Softie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
All right, boys and girls, we are back of the
five twenty Bar and Grill. Mike Holgrin's here hanging out
until seven o'clock tonight, but joining us Mike right now
in the radio show was one of your former quarterbacks
in Green Bay. We had his partner in crime, Kevin
Harlan with us on yesterday show. And now we get
the other half of that Westwood One broadcast brew thingleer
here on Sunday at three point thirty, the great Kurt
(00:44):
Warner is joining us right now in the radio show.
And Kurt at Softy Dick and Mike Holmgren and Kurt.
I'll tell you, Mike is very nervous because he doesn't
want you to be as intimidated now by him as
you were when he coached you back in Green Bay. Okay,
he's softened. He doesn't yell at anymore. He's a different man.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I promise you, you know, Kurt, don't even answer that, Kirk,
don't even go there. I will tell you, guys, I
worked with and I worked with Kevin and Kurt on games,
you know, and we had a blast and and you
guys know this. I I rarely made any mistakes in
(01:25):
my coaching career. Yeah right, you know that. The number
one biggest mistake. Yeah, yeah, was letting Kurt Warner go wow.
But we've since made up. He's not mad at me,
even though he torched me in his book.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, Kurt, I'll tell you what my mistake is that
Mike couldn't hear you now he can, so go ahead
and say hi to coach.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I was, he was head coach. He was intimidating when
I got there. And as I've gotten to know him
over the years, I love that man. And I don't
want to say he's a softy, but but he's got
an unbelievable heart. And it's been, uh, it's been a
pleasure to get to know him more. Since I wasn't
there in Green Bay very long. To to get to
know him over the years and call games with him
(02:07):
and all of that coach. So there is you know, coach,
there's no animosity, no hard feelings whatsoever. It was probably
the best thing that could have happened to me at
that point in time in my career. So I appreciate you,
but it's always good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well, thanks, Kurt, and now now hand me a napkin.
Please say I'm sweating here. I didn't know what he
was going to say. Okay, Hey, listen, I got a
couple questions for you. First of all, I enjoyed working
with you and Kevin on the broadcast before and so
have a great one on Sunday. Mike McDonald, he's been
here two years and look where he's Look what he's done.
(02:44):
Is that surprising to you? How often does that happen
with young coaches?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Well, I mean I think from a scheme standpoint, it's
not surprising. Because what he did in Baltimore with that group.
You're like, Okay, he's got a unique mind. The things
that he brings to the table, the variety that he
brings in his scheme. You're like, we, I know he
can coach. I think the thing that surprises me more
(03:10):
than anything is how quickly he's built this defense and uh,
you know, into into being you know, one of the
best defenses in the league. To get the certain pieces
that he's gotten that he has with this football team
that allows him to play to that scheme a lot
of times when guys take over, you know, when guys
are fired, it's like, Okay, the cupboard is somewhat there.
(03:32):
It's going to take some time to build this up.
This defense is is special, and you know they've got
guys at the corners, uh, Nick the MONMORI uh, you
know what they what they've done with him and how
he's become kind of their Kyle Hamilton, Leonard Williams and
uh and Lawrence and everybody else. Like, I'm surprised at
how quickly they've been able to build the roster in
(03:54):
such a way that they can do all these creative
things that that Mike wants to do. And that's to
me obviously why they're at this point. And you know,
they competed the way they have this year, but I
think I'm definitely surprised that you know, your couple, you know,
what might brings with the scheme, fits of the players
so quickly and to have this kind of success in
the year too, is pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, you know, he's it's remarkable because but you said
it very well to come in and then be able
to put something together and in two years, Wow, it's
it's it's something they're they're really good on defense. You
played a long time and a lot of years. And
the quarterback for the Rams has played a long time,
(04:36):
Matt Stafford. If you were, it's and when I watch
him play, I'm going, wow, he is really can still
throw it, he can still move. He thinks. How would
you if you were Matt Stafford? How would you go
in thinking what do I want to do against this team?
How can I how can I beat this Seahawks defense?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Well, I think the biggest thing coach is you have
to be ready. And there's two facets to me that
are going to be key. You've got to be ready
for the different pressures. That's what Mike's done everywhere he's
been is He's going to bring a variety of different pressures.
You've got to be ready for those, and ready for
those can mean a lot of different things. You know,
whether that's the play call that you get into, whether
(05:17):
that's the protection scheme that you have, or whether that's Okay,
if they're going to bring a guy that's free, what
is my answer? How do I answer that question? You know,
when I watched the game last week between the Rams
in Chicago, I felt the hot answers by Matthew Stafford
and John McVay in the second half, got a big
hot answers to the tight end that led to their
(05:37):
last touchdown. They got a big hot answer to Puka
in overtime right when they were on the cusp of
field goal range that put him in field goal range
to win the game. I believe that's going to be
key in this game is there's going to be some
pressures where you can't block it up, you don't see it,
you don't know where it's coming from. Who wins that
particular battle I think will go a long way. So
Matthew Stafford is going to have to be ready for
(05:59):
that and they're going to have to have some answers.
And I think the other side of it, too, is
the guys on the outside, the corners of the Seattle
team love to play physical football. They are gonna get
up in your face, They're going to challenge you physically,
and they are going to contest throws can you make
those contested catches, can you make those contested throws? Or
(06:19):
does Seattle win those battles? I think are the two
biggest things that you're looking for in this game is
attacking those pressures and getting positive plays, and then can
you match the physicality of the secondary of this Seattle team.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Well, we're privileged to have the Hall of Fame quarterback
Kurt Warner on the air right now, and you mentioned
Puka Kurt, and he had two hundred and twenty five
yards the last time they played, which is startling. What
you're the quarterback, What does McDonald have to do? You
played with great wide receivers and you've gone into games thinking,
(06:56):
I'm sure your coach said they're probably gonna double this
guy or make it hard for you to throw in.
What do you think McDonald's going to do to kind
of take away Puka?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean, you mentioned it. They did double him a
number of times in the last game. But you know
as well as anybody, you can't double a guy every snap.
You've got to switch that up in certain situations. If
you watch that game, you know the first game out,
I think he had seventy five yards, maybe eight catches,
which is obviously still a solid day. But that's the
kind of day that you need to force Pooka to
(07:28):
have the two twenty five. You can't let him have that.
And you know when you watch that game, man, he
got a fifty four yarder, a fifty one yarder and
a forty one yarder I believe, And they were all
on inbreaking routes, attacking the middle of the field. That
is something that they want to do. They'll do it
(07:48):
with all their guys, but they want to do that
with Puoka. He runs this little rap eight to ten
yard in on the backside. They will run that a
number of times. He runs the big in the dagger
concept they run at a number of times. But they
find ways to use Puoka across the middle of the field.
And so Mike McDonald and the Seattle team have been
very good all year at preventing the big plays. You've
(08:11):
got to prevent the big plays from Puka this time out.
You know, that was you know, that was the nature
of that game and why the Rams were ahead and
probably you know, if you looked at how it played out,
probably should have won the game up fourteen in the
in the fourth. But but That's what it was about.
It was about a number of huge plays that they
gave up to Puoka across the middle of the field.
(08:33):
You got to limit that. You know, either defense here
has to force the other team to go the long distance.
Can't let him have easy opportunities. You know, if you're
gonna win this football game.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Well, you know I've been. I've been all season long here,
been one of the loan defenders of Sam Darnold. I
really like what he's done. Yet people and you know,
they've had a great season so far. They've won a
lot of games he's thrown for or fourth out, but
people still are critical of him, are just waiting for
something bad to happen. When you watch Sam play, talk
(09:09):
to me about your feelings about him.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yeah, I mean I really like Sam. I think he's
done some great things over the last two years. But
I also understand the skepticism coach, you know as well
as I do that at that position. Ultimately, it's going
to come down to, like, Sam's a starting quarterback in
the NFL. He's proven that for two years. That's not
the question. The question is is he an elite guy?
(09:33):
Is he a guy that can carry his team. I
always believe that if you want to get into that
elite category, fair or unfair, you've got to show when
nothing else is working, when your defense isn't great, when
you're not running the football, that you can win games
and carry a team with your right arm. And that's
the one thing to me that Sam has not proven yet.
(09:55):
You know that. You know, everybody talks about the playoff
game last year when they were more in dropback mode,
and we all know what happened in that game, the
first Rams game, when they were down in that game
and he had to kind of throw them back into it.
I know it was a close game, but there was
four interceptions in that game. That's the one question that
Sam has to answer now. If I'm Seattle, I don't
(10:16):
want him to have to answer it tomorrow. I want
to run the football. I want to play action because
that's where Sam's at his best. The bootlegs. He's great,
throwing on the run, he's great when you can kind
of limit those decisions when you play action and you
cut the field in half and all that. Like, he's
really good in those situations. And that's where you want
to live if you are Seattle. If you're the Rams.
(10:38):
You want to stop all of that and go, okay, Sam,
show us you can beat us. Now. The one beautiful
thing is that he did that in the last game
when they were down and he had to bring him back,
and it was more in that mode and he proved,
I think something to a lot of people. But this
is another element. You know, you're in a championship game,
(10:58):
you haven't truly been tested did that way in which
you have to carry your team if they get into
one of those games, that's going to be the question,
and it'll have a chance if they do, to answer
that question for everybody. And so that to me, coach,
is really the only thing that's sitting out there with
Sam Darnold. Doesn't mean he's a bad quarterback. Doesn't mean
(11:18):
he hasn't had an incredible year and two incredible years,
two fourteen win seasons, all that stuff is phenomenal. But
you know as well as I do, there are some
good starting quarterbacks in this league and there's some great ones,
and to me, he's yet to prove he can be
a great one. But he's been really really good for
two years.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Fair enough, I think the two it kind of leads
me to my last question because the guys at the
table want to ask you some stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
No, we're good.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
No, No, this is great.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I'm but Kurt, I'm having a cocktails we speak, just
watching you guys talk.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Man, this is right, keep going away and I should
be there in person a person. Man.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
No, but Zach sharbon Ay got injured and hurt in
the last game and camp so ken Walker is really
kind of by himself. They have not done that all
season long. They've they've balanced them up and in the
last few games where they've really cranked out the rushing yardage,
it's been both of them. Now they just have Walker
(12:18):
and if he Sam might have to, he might have
to crank it up. How do you see the rushing
game with just one back like that?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Yeah, I mean that's a huge loss for Seattle, and
you know, I was bummed to see that. I really think.
You know, there's been times this year where that, to me,
has been the better back of the two. And Kenneth
is great, but Zach, you know, brings a different kind
of mentality and that physicality and you feel like every
time he touches it, even though Kenneth can go the
(12:48):
distance that Zach is going to get positive yards and
he's going to physically punish a defense. So that one
two punch of those two guys I think really made
this run game unique and special. And so that's an
he is a huge, huge loss for Seattle. You know,
we've seen Kenneth at times have to carry this team.
(13:08):
He did it when he was really young, so I
believe he can do that. But I do believe it
changes the dynamic of their run game and and what
a defantastic to expect without sharbon A, you know, being
that you know that that that second punch that they
can deliver. So I'm very interested to see how that
shows up in this game and and what kind of
(13:30):
effect that has in this game. But really bummed for
the young man because I thought he was playing well
and he's such a huge part of what they've done
this year. So it's disappointing, kind of like the Boniz thing.
It's disappointing when you have key cogs that get injured
in the divisional round and don't get a chance to
really have their impact and for a chance to go
to the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Oh well said you know I again we're talking with
Kurt Warner Hall of Fame quarterback who was the only
mistake I ever made as a coach? You but we
won't we won't go into that uh out. You know
what you've You've been with a couple of teams. You
yourself have gone and played for different teams. How important
(14:15):
is the coach to quarterback connection or offensive coordinator to
quarterback connection. I'm talking now in the cases sam and
and Kubiak.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
It's huge. You know, when you move from one system
to another, you know, you very seldom see you know,
really good or great quarterbacks have great success in more
than one place. You know, a lot of these guys
that you know that end up having great careers stay
in one place with one system for a long period
of time because they've gotten either comfortable in that system
(14:49):
or that system has allowed them to play to their
their highest potential. And so when you bounce from one
place to another, that's not always an easy transition, you know,
with what a team does. I always believe that every
quarterback sees the game differently, and the whole goal is
to find somebody that designs plays or calls plays, that
(15:11):
sees the game the way you see the game. You know,
like coach, we go back to all the way back
to Green Bay with the West Coast system like that
didn't necessarily fit my skill set, you know, so much
of that system was kind of based on low to high.
You know, we're going to take the underneath stuff and
then we'd work up. I was a guy that always
(15:32):
saw the field pop down, like I always wanted to
push the envelope and throw the ball down the field
and then work down, you know, to those shorter throws.
And so just a simple example there of kind of
the mentality, you know, when you go from one place
to another. I was also a guy that, you know,
when I was with Saint Louis, really in my entire career,
(15:52):
I was an anticipatory guy. I wanted to see it.
I anticipated I got the ball out. You know. I
didn't want a lot of option routes. I didn't want
a lot of you know, routes where I had to
sit back and wait for somebody else to make a
decision and hold the football. When I went to New York,
they wanted to build a whole system around you know,
choice route. Hey, this guy can hook or break in
(16:12):
or go deep. And all that did was handcuff me
and my great strengths because now I'm holding the football
and I'm trying to wait and hoping that somebody sees
it look like I see it. So, you know, those
are a couple of different examples of how, you know,
even though there's a lot of plays in every playbook
that look primarily the same, how they're coached, how they're taught,
(16:34):
how it fits to the mentality of the quarterback is
extremely important. And so it has been impressive because you know,
what Minnesota did you know last year, to me, is
very different when what Seattle has done this year. You know,
they were more dropped back, throw the ball down the field,
stretched the field as opposed to you know, the play
(16:57):
action and the run sets and things that Seattle's doing
this year. So it's been you know, it's been impressive
to watch Sam you know, go from one system to
the other. I do believe this Seattle system fits him
even more than than Minnesota did with the great, you
know season he had last year. I believe this kind
of system fits him even better. But it isn't not
(17:19):
an easy thing to learn a new offense and to
have an offense that fits your skill set set. Going
from one place to another.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Well, you know, from a coach's perspective, I was fortunate
enough to come in the league with Joe Montana and
he did everything. He was pretty good doing things the
right way.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Then then I go to Green Bay and I get
a young man named Brett Farv and I'm trying to
teach the same way, and I said, this isn't working.
He's never going to be do that. So you have
to change. And I think, I think, but the key
to a great season is that connection between coach and quarterback.
In my opinion, Now, listen, the last thing I want
(18:01):
to and then I'm kicking it to these guys.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
You do it.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
You know, you're everyone knows about your football career, and
everyone knows about what you're doing now in broadcasting, but
you're you, you're a lot more than that. Talk just
a little bit about some of the things you're doing now.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Yeah, I mean, you know, there's so many things that
you know, we continue to try to do. The amazing thing,
coach is that the NFL gives you some incredible platforms
to be able to impact people. And so, you know,
I was very fortunate to win the Walter Payton Man
of the Year Award for a lot of the work
that I did with my kind of what I call
my player foundation, you know, when I was playing, you know,
(18:43):
different things with single moms and you know, and make
a wish children and different things. So we still do
a number of those different programs. We've also got a
second foundation now called Treasure House, which is kind of,
you know, our newest passion. And you know, you know,
coach that my oldest son suffered at traumatic brain injury
when he was four months old, and so it has
(19:04):
dealt with those struggles his entire life, and so my
wife and I, you know, created a community living facility
for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You know,
tier in Arizona. It's completely full, it's thriving, and we're
looking to expand Treasure Houses and build those across the country.
And so, you know, that's kind of my outside of
(19:26):
football type work, you know, to go along with, as
you said, all the all the other stuff that that
I love doing in the game of football, whether that's
you know, working on the NFL network and doing game
day morning, whether that's calling games for Westwood One, whether
that's my own personal training, whether that's I created my
own coaching and teaching website called Qbconfidential dot com. And
so I got my hands in a lot of things coach.
(19:48):
But I consider myself extremely blessed. And you know, this
is what retirement should be. Me being able to do
the things that I want to do, chase my seven
kids along with all these other things, and do it
all my own time. And the things I do, I
love to do, and so it's a it's a beautiful
life that I live.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Well. Listen, you're a special guy, not only is a
football player as a family guy and the things you
do in your other endeavors. So thank you so much
for coming on on the program today. It's always good
to talk with you and have a great game on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
I appreciate it. Coach, it's always great to talk to
you as well.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Great stuff man Kurt Warner and with us there on
the radio show, one of the all time greats. Right,
NFL MVP, super Bowl, MVP all that. So he's doing
the game with Harlan. You're going to hear that game
on Sunday on our air, by the way, three thirty
kickoff on Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
Right, we got a lot more for.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
You by the way. All right, yeah, you're we're gonna
put the Cleague lights on you. Mike next on ninety
three three KJJRFM,
Our twelfth Man Playoff coverage continues. ESFL Playoffs, brought to
you by Seattle's closest sports book. Snow call me Casino
and Hotel on your home for the twelfth Man, the
NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl sixty. Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJR FM. Now back to Softie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
All right, boys and girls, we are back of the
five twenty Bar and Grill. Mike Holgrin's here hanging out
until seven o'clock tonight, but joining us Mike right now
in the radio show was one of your former quarterbacks
in Green Bay. We had his partner in crime, Kevin
Harlan with us on yesterday show. And now we get
the other half of that Westwood One broadcast brew thingleer
here on Sunday at three point thirty, the great Kurt
(00:44):
Warner is joining us right now in the radio show.
And Kurt at Softy Dick and Mike Holmgren and Kurt.
I'll tell you, Mike is very nervous because he doesn't
want you to be as intimidated now by him as
you were when he coached you back in Green Bay. Okay,
he's softened. He doesn't yell at anymore. He's a different man.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I promise you, you know, Kurt, don't even answer that, Kirk,
don't even go there. I will tell you, guys, I
worked with and I worked with Kevin and Kurt on games,
you know, and we had a blast and and you
guys know this. I I rarely made any mistakes in
(01:25):
my coaching career. Yeah right, you know that. The number
one biggest mistake. Yeah, yeah, was letting Kurt Warner go wow.
But we've since made up. He's not mad at me,
even though he torched me in his book.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, Kurt, I'll tell you what my mistake is that
Mike couldn't hear you now he can, so go ahead
and say hi to coach.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I was, he was head coach. He was intimidating when
I got there. And as I've gotten to know him
over the years, I love that man. And I don't
want to say he's a softy, but but he's got
an unbelievable heart. And it's been, uh, it's been a
pleasure to get to know him more. Since I wasn't
there in Green Bay very long. To to get to
know him over the years and call games with him
(02:07):
and all of that coach. So there is you know, coach,
there's no animosity, no hard feelings whatsoever. It was probably
the best thing that could have happened to me at
that point in time in my career. So I appreciate you,
but it's always good to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well, thanks, Kurt, and now now hand me a napkin.
Please say I'm sweating here. I didn't know what he
was going to say. Okay, Hey, listen, I got a
couple questions for you. First of all, I enjoyed working
with you and Kevin on the broadcast before and so
have a great one on Sunday. Mike McDonald, he's been
here two years and look where he's Look what he's done.
(02:44):
Is that surprising to you? How often does that happen
with young coaches?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Well, I mean I think from a scheme standpoint, it's
not surprising. Because what he did in Baltimore with that group.
You're like, Okay, he's got a unique mind. The things
that he brings to the table, the variety that he
brings in his scheme. You're like, we, I know he
can coach. I think the thing that surprises me more
(03:10):
than anything is how quickly he's built this defense and uh,
you know, into into being you know, one of the
best defenses in the league. To get the certain pieces
that he's gotten that he has with this football team
that allows him to play to that scheme a lot
of times when guys take over, you know, when guys
are fired, it's like, Okay, the cupboard is somewhat there.
(03:32):
It's going to take some time to build this up.
This defense is is special, and you know they've got
guys at the corners, uh, Nick the MONMORI uh, you
know what they what they've done with him and how
he's become kind of their Kyle Hamilton, Leonard Williams and
uh and Lawrence and everybody else. Like, I'm surprised at
how quickly they've been able to build the roster in
(03:54):
such a way that they can do all these creative
things that that Mike wants to do. And that's to
me obviously why they're at this point. And you know,
they competed the way they have this year, but I
think I'm definitely surprised that you know, your couple, you know,
what might brings with the scheme, fits of the players
so quickly and to have this kind of success in
the year too, is pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Yeah, you know, he's it's remarkable because but you said
it very well to come in and then be able
to put something together and in two years, Wow, it's
it's it's something they're they're really good on defense. You
played a long time and a lot of years. And
the quarterback for the Rams has played a long time,
(04:36):
Matt Stafford. If you were, it's and when I watch
him play, I'm going, wow, he is really can still
throw it, he can still move. He thinks. How would
you if you were Matt Stafford? How would you go
in thinking what do I want to do against this team?
How can I how can I beat this Seahawks defense?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Well, I think the biggest thing coach is you have
to be ready. And there's two facets to me that
are going to be key. You've got to be ready
for the different pressures. That's what Mike's done everywhere he's
been is He's going to bring a variety of different pressures.
You've got to be ready for those, and ready for
those can mean a lot of different things. You know,
whether that's the play call that you get into, whether
(05:17):
that's the protection scheme that you have, or whether that's Okay,
if they're going to bring a guy that's free, what
is my answer? How do I answer that question? You know,
when I watched the game last week between the Rams
in Chicago, I felt the hot answers by Matthew Stafford
and John McVay in the second half, got a big
hot answers to the tight end that led to their
(05:37):
last touchdown. They got a big hot answer to Puka
in overtime right when they were on the cusp of
field goal range that put him in field goal range
to win the game. I believe that's going to be
key in this game is there's going to be some
pressures where you can't block it up, you don't see it,
you don't know where it's coming from. Who wins that
particular battle I think will go a long way. So
Matthew Stafford is going to have to be ready for
(05:59):
that and they're going to have to have some answers.
And I think the other side of it, too, is
the guys on the outside, the corners of the Seattle
team love to play physical football. They are gonna get
up in your face, They're going to challenge you physically,
and they are going to contest throws can you make
those contested catches, can you make those contested throws? Or
(06:19):
does Seattle win those battles? I think are the two
biggest things that you're looking for in this game is
attacking those pressures and getting positive plays, and then can
you match the physicality of the secondary of this Seattle team.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Well, we're privileged to have the Hall of Fame quarterback
Kurt Warner on the air right now, and you mentioned
Puka Kurt, and he had two hundred and twenty five
yards the last time they played, which is startling. What
you're the quarterback, What does McDonald have to do? You
played with great wide receivers and you've gone into games thinking,
(06:56):
I'm sure your coach said they're probably gonna double this
guy or make it hard for you to throw in.
What do you think McDonald's going to do to kind
of take away Puka?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
I mean, you mentioned it. They did double him a
number of times in the last game. But you know
as well as anybody, you can't double a guy every snap.
You've got to switch that up in certain situations. If
you watch that game, you know the first game out,
I think he had seventy five yards, maybe eight catches,
which is obviously still a solid day. But that's the
kind of day that you need to force Pooka to
(07:28):
have the two twenty five. You can't let him have that.
And you know when you watch that game, man, he
got a fifty four yarder, a fifty one yarder and
a forty one yarder I believe, And they were all
on inbreaking routes, attacking the middle of the field. That
is something that they want to do. They'll do it
(07:48):
with all their guys, but they want to do that
with Puoka. He runs this little rap eight to ten
yard in on the backside. They will run that a
number of times. He runs the big in the dagger
concept they run at a number of times. But they
find ways to use Puoka across the middle of the field.
And so Mike McDonald and the Seattle team have been
very good all year at preventing the big plays. You've
(08:11):
got to prevent the big plays from Puka this time out.
You know, that was you know, that was the nature
of that game and why the Rams were ahead and
probably you know, if you looked at how it played out,
probably should have won the game up fourteen in the
in the fourth. But but That's what it was about.
It was about a number of huge plays that they
gave up to Puoka across the middle of the field.
(08:33):
You got to limit that. You know, either defense here
has to force the other team to go the long distance.
Can't let him have easy opportunities. You know, if you're
gonna win this football game.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Well, you know I've been. I've been all season long here,
been one of the loan defenders of Sam Darnold. I
really like what he's done. Yet people and you know,
they've had a great season so far. They've won a
lot of games he's thrown for or fourth out, but
people still are critical of him, are just waiting for
something bad to happen. When you watch Sam play, talk
(09:09):
to me about your feelings about him.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Yeah, I mean I really like Sam. I think he's
done some great things over the last two years. But
I also understand the skepticism coach, you know as well
as I do that at that position. Ultimately, it's going
to come down to, like, Sam's a starting quarterback in
the NFL. He's proven that for two years. That's not
the question. The question is is he an elite guy?
(09:33):
Is he a guy that can carry his team. I
always believe that if you want to get into that
elite category, fair or unfair, you've got to show when
nothing else is working, when your defense isn't great, when
you're not running the football, that you can win games
and carry a team with your right arm. And that's
the one thing to me that Sam has not proven yet.
(09:55):
You know that. You know, everybody talks about the playoff
game last year when they were more in dropback mode,
and we all know what happened in that game, the
first Rams game, when they were down in that game
and he had to kind of throw them back into it.
I know it was a close game, but there was
four interceptions in that game. That's the one question that
Sam has to answer now. If I'm Seattle, I don't
(10:16):
want him to have to answer it tomorrow. I want
to run the football. I want to play action because
that's where Sam's at his best. The bootlegs. He's great,
throwing on the run, he's great when you can kind
of limit those decisions when you play action and you
cut the field in half and all that. Like, he's
really good in those situations. And that's where you want
to live if you are Seattle. If you're the Rams.
(10:38):
You want to stop all of that and go, okay, Sam,
show us you can beat us. Now. The one beautiful
thing is that he did that in the last game
when they were down and he had to bring him back,
and it was more in that mode and he proved,
I think something to a lot of people. But this
is another element. You know, you're in a championship game,
(10:58):
you haven't truly been tested did that way in which
you have to carry your team if they get into
one of those games, that's going to be the question,
and it'll have a chance if they do, to answer
that question for everybody. And so that to me, coach,
is really the only thing that's sitting out there with
Sam Darnold. Doesn't mean he's a bad quarterback. Doesn't mean
(11:18):
he hasn't had an incredible year and two incredible years,
two fourteen win seasons, all that stuff is phenomenal. But
you know as well as I do, there are some
good starting quarterbacks in this league and there's some great ones,
and to me, he's yet to prove he can be
a great one. But he's been really really good for
two years.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Fair enough, I think the two it kind of leads
me to my last question because the guys at the
table want to ask you some stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
No, we're good.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
No, No, this is great.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I'm but Kurt, I'm having a cocktails we speak, just
watching you guys talk.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
Man, this is right, keep going away and I should
be there in person a person. Man.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
No, but Zach sharbon Ay got injured and hurt in
the last game and camp so ken Walker is really
kind of by himself. They have not done that all
season long. They've they've balanced them up and in the
last few games where they've really cranked out the rushing yardage,
it's been both of them. Now they just have Walker
(12:18):
and if he Sam might have to, he might have
to crank it up. How do you see the rushing
game with just one back like that?
Speaker 4 (12:27):
Yeah, I mean that's a huge loss for Seattle, and
you know, I was bummed to see that. I really think.
You know, there's been times this year where that, to me,
has been the better back of the two. And Kenneth
is great, but Zach, you know, brings a different kind
of mentality and that physicality and you feel like every
time he touches it, even though Kenneth can go the
(12:48):
distance that Zach is going to get positive yards and
he's going to physically punish a defense. So that one
two punch of those two guys I think really made
this run game unique and special. And so that's an
he is a huge, huge loss for Seattle. You know,
we've seen Kenneth at times have to carry this team.
(13:08):
He did it when he was really young, so I
believe he can do that. But I do believe it
changes the dynamic of their run game and and what
a defantastic to expect without sharbon A, you know, being
that you know that that that second punch that they
can deliver. So I'm very interested to see how that
shows up in this game and and what kind of
(13:30):
effect that has in this game. But really bummed for
the young man because I thought he was playing well
and he's such a huge part of what they've done
this year. So it's disappointing, kind of like the Boniz thing.
It's disappointing when you have key cogs that get injured
in the divisional round and don't get a chance to
really have their impact and for a chance to go
to the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Oh well said you know I again we're talking with
Kurt Warner Hall of Fame quarterback who was the only
mistake I ever made as a coach? You but we
won't we won't go into that uh out. You know
what you've You've been with a couple of teams. You
yourself have gone and played for different teams. How important
(14:15):
is the coach to quarterback connection or offensive coordinator to
quarterback connection. I'm talking now in the cases sam and
and Kubiak.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
It's huge. You know, when you move from one system
to another, you know, you very seldom see you know,
really good or great quarterbacks have great success in more
than one place. You know, a lot of these guys
that you know that end up having great careers stay
in one place with one system for a long period
of time because they've gotten either comfortable in that system
(14:49):
or that system has allowed them to play to their
their highest potential. And so when you bounce from one
place to another, that's not always an easy transition, you know,
with what a team does. I always believe that every
quarterback sees the game differently, and the whole goal is
to find somebody that designs plays or calls plays, that
(15:11):
sees the game the way you see the game. You know,
like coach, we go back to all the way back
to Green Bay with the West Coast system like that
didn't necessarily fit my skill set, you know, so much
of that system was kind of based on low to high.
You know, we're going to take the underneath stuff and
then we'd work up. I was a guy that always
(15:32):
saw the field pop down, like I always wanted to
push the envelope and throw the ball down the field
and then work down, you know, to those shorter throws.
And so just a simple example there of kind of
the mentality, you know, when you go from one place
to another. I was also a guy that, you know,
when I was with Saint Louis, really in my entire career,
(15:52):
I was an anticipatory guy. I wanted to see it.
I anticipated I got the ball out. You know. I
didn't want a lot of option routes. I didn't want
a lot of you know, routes where I had to
sit back and wait for somebody else to make a
decision and hold the football. When I went to New York,
they wanted to build a whole system around you know,
choice route. Hey, this guy can hook or break in
(16:12):
or go deep. And all that did was handcuff me
and my great strengths because now I'm holding the football
and I'm trying to wait and hoping that somebody sees
it look like I see it. So, you know, those
are a couple of different examples of how, you know,
even though there's a lot of plays in every playbook
that look primarily the same, how they're coached, how they're taught,
(16:34):
how it fits to the mentality of the quarterback is
extremely important. And so it has been impressive because you know,
what Minnesota did you know last year, to me, is
very different when what Seattle has done this year. You know,
they were more dropped back, throw the ball down the field,
stretched the field as opposed to you know, the play
(16:57):
action and the run sets and things that Seattle's doing
this year. So it's been you know, it's been impressive
to watch Sam you know, go from one system to
the other. I do believe this Seattle system fits him
even more than than Minnesota did with the great, you
know season he had last year. I believe this kind
of system fits him even better. But it isn't not
(17:19):
an easy thing to learn a new offense and to
have an offense that fits your skill set set. Going
from one place to another.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Well, you know, from a coach's perspective, I was fortunate
enough to come in the league with Joe Montana and
he did everything. He was pretty good doing things the
right way.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Then then I go to Green Bay and I get
a young man named Brett Farv and I'm trying to
teach the same way, and I said, this isn't working.
He's never going to be do that. So you have
to change. And I think, I think, but the key
to a great season is that connection between coach and quarterback.
In my opinion, Now, listen, the last thing I want
(18:01):
to and then I'm kicking it to these guys.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
You do it.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
You know, you're everyone knows about your football career, and
everyone knows about what you're doing now in broadcasting, but
you're you, you're a lot more than that. Talk just
a little bit about some of the things you're doing now.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Yeah, I mean, you know, there's so many things that
you know, we continue to try to do. The amazing thing,
coach is that the NFL gives you some incredible platforms
to be able to impact people. And so, you know,
I was very fortunate to win the Walter Payton Man
of the Year Award for a lot of the work
that I did with my kind of what I call
my player foundation, you know, when I was playing, you know,
(18:43):
different things with single moms and you know, and make
a wish children and different things. So we still do
a number of those different programs. We've also got a
second foundation now called Treasure House, which is kind of,
you know, our newest passion. And you know, you know,
coach that my oldest son suffered at traumatic brain injury
when he was four months old, and so it has
(19:04):
dealt with those struggles his entire life, and so my
wife and I, you know, created a community living facility
for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You know,
tier in Arizona. It's completely full, it's thriving, and we're
looking to expand Treasure Houses and build those across the country.
And so, you know, that's kind of my outside of
(19:26):
football type work, you know, to go along with, as
you said, all the all the other stuff that that
I love doing in the game of football, whether that's
you know, working on the NFL network and doing game
day morning, whether that's calling games for Westwood One, whether
that's my own personal training, whether that's I created my
own coaching and teaching website called Qbconfidential dot com. And
so I got my hands in a lot of things coach.
(19:48):
But I consider myself extremely blessed. And you know, this
is what retirement should be. Me being able to do
the things that I want to do, chase my seven
kids along with all these other things, and do it
all my own time. And the things I do, I
love to do, and so it's a it's a beautiful
life that I live.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Well. Listen, you're a special guy, not only is a
football player as a family guy and the things you
do in your other endeavors. So thank you so much
for coming on on the program today. It's always good
to talk with you and have a great game on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
I appreciate it. Coach, it's always great to talk to
you as well.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Great stuff man Kurt Warner and with us there on
the radio show, one of the all time greats. Right,
NFL MVP, super Bowl, MVP all that. So he's doing
the game with Harlan. You're going to hear that game
on Sunday on our air, by the way, three thirty
kickoff on Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
Right, we got a lot more for.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
You by the way. All right, yeah, you're we're gonna
put the Cleague lights on you. Mike next on ninety
three three KJJRFM,
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