January 22, 2026 • 38 mins
In the second hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain sit down for the hour with Coach Mike Holmgren to look ahead to the NFC Championship between the Seahawks and Rams, plus Hall of Famer quarterback and broadcaster Kurt Warner jumps on the show.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL,
Your home for the twelfth Man proudly presents former Seahawks
head coach and Super Bowl champion Mike Combgrin. Brought to
you by Toyota of Kirkland. The championship team at Toyota
of Kirkland does all the little things that exceed your
expectations and that's what makes Toyota of Kirkland so special.
(00:20):
And by R and R Foundation specialist serving Western Washington
for over twenty years now. From the five twenty Bar
and Grail in Bellevue, Mike hom grid with Softy and.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Did all right, here we go, baby. This is why
I was just thinking about this. This is why we
pay you the big bucks. Why is that to be
here for this moment, biggest game of the year.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Right?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Pretty exciting? Pretty good?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Have you actually been wondering why we pay you the
big bucks? Is that what you were talking about? Like
you didn't really know?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, I did a little research this weekend and found
out about what everyone's getting paid.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Yes, oh you did, huh? Yeah, so you know that
Dick and I are both woefully underpaid.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Well, I wouldn't say that I don't think I should
say that on the air.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Okay, you just did, knowing you a little love here.
Why don't you say it all?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Help us out? I said on the on the totem poll,
I would not be near the top.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Yeah you would, Yeah, it would be I would be.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, you helped me get I will always thank
you for this. You helped me get the first one
hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
That was not right?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Remember that, Remember that consation.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We had at Hector's which is now gone. I mean,
imagine being me having to go convince this guy. Scared
the hell out of me. Here comes Mike Conger.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What do you want? You want to do a radio
yet with us?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Here he is fifteen years later, he's still with us.
But Mike confidence with us? Man, this is exciting Seahawks
and Rams for the NFC Championship on Sunday. I don't know, man,
I mean go back to last weekend just boat racing
the Niners forty one to six. How much confidence You've
used the word booie a lot this week? Should our
(01:52):
confidence be buoyed as Seahawks fans after what we saw
they do or they did to the forty nine ers
last Saturday.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Well that game last Saturday. Anybody that watched it and
realizes now that how good the Seahawks can be. Yeah,
because the forty nine ers. Listen, the forty nine ers,
look at they were hurt and they weren't the team
that they have been. But they've still finished the season
twelve and four or something or twelve and five, and
so you know what they did that doesn't usually happen.
(02:22):
Look at all the other playoff games, all of them
were really close and they just decided by a field
goal here and there. So that was the only one
that did it. And that's off to the Seahawks. They
were ready and they just took it to the forty
nine ers. They just blasted them. Now, having said that,
let's throw a little caution, a little caution this week,
(02:43):
rams are a better team than the forty nine ers. Yeah, right,
and so we'll see. But listen, I said this a
few weeks ago, and I'll say it again. I always
lose my bets to Dick, but I will say it again.
I think that this is the year the Seahawks are
gonna win it all. I really believe that.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
You know that the forty nine ers were banged up,
no question, but they they did go to Philadelphia the
week before and win on the road against.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
The defending champions. So it's funny people like forget that.
They're just like, oh, the Seahawks killed them and then
they killed them again.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
No, they went to Philadelphia and won, so they weren't
totally devastated.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But what they were, coach, I think is they were tired.
Speaker 5 (03:20):
And I'm wondering how much is fatigue a factor?
Speaker 4 (03:24):
If you're the La Rams.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
You have gone to Carolina on the road, you last
week went on the road and played in ten degree
temperatures into overtime, and meanwhile Seattle's played what two and
a half quarters of football in the last three weeks.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
How much do you think that is a factor in this?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I think it is a factor. How much it's going
to be we'll see. But obviously the Seahawks have an
advantage there because not only are they tired, but you
get guys that are nicked up a little bit because
they played and he without a lot of rest, and
so yeah, it's going to be a factor. That something
(04:01):
the Rams have to overcome what they expect to win.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, Well, the thing that I am dying to know
is what the hell happened in that last game we
played against the Rams, because I'm looking, Mike, at the
end of the fourth quarter, LA had four hundred yards
of offense with thirteen thirty four left to go in
the game, they had four hundred and ninety yards of
offense and they were up by sixteen. So you saw
that game with McVeigh just having his way with McDonald
(04:25):
for the first forty seven minutes and change of that day,
and then something clicked obviously for the Hawks. I mean
what we're to click is Rashid Hiahed's return. That got
the whole thing energized. Right, So go back to that
game and tell me, if you're Sean McVeigh, do you
feel good that you.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Figured something out against the Seahawk defense?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Well? I think they. I think they know each other
like as good as you can know each other, right, Okay,
So the fact that they were able to do that
tells me, well, they have good offensive people. They're a
good offensive team. I think some people are Are they
the best in offensive team? And you know, yes, offense,
and so they have the people. Now that game, Sean
(05:09):
McVay is feeling very badly about that game. I think
was thirty to fourteen at one point, right, it was
correct and then all of a sudden, you don't lose
games like that. You know, you don't lose.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
You think that still piss him off.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
He's thinking about it, Yeah, and he thinks about it.
He goes, Okay, what could I have done? I've heard
him say this, and every coach says, most coaches say it.
Look at yourself first. Look at yourself first. What did
I do in that game that I could have done differently,
have a different outcome? And that's he's looked at that. Okay,
Then he puts that aside. He goes, I'm not doing
that again. If the situation will be the same, I'm
(05:45):
gonna handle it this way. And so, but that's what
you do. That's what coaches do.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Coach.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
I was watching that Bears Rams game last weekend, rooting
for the Bears all the way through.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
But as we got closer to the end of the game,
I was like, am.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
I rooting for the team because Caleb Williams is crazy?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
He is crazy good at some of the throws that
he can make.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
So did the most dangerous Now obviously the most veteran
quarterback won the game. But did the most dangerous quarterback
potentially lose that game last week?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yeah? He did? I mean he he did? I mean
that team did. I had the same feeling, Dick because
in that weather and what they did in that one
throw a one throwing man, I go, oh my goodness,
how did that happen? But I think if the Rams,
but Caleb Williams and what he can do fits in
with the Rams don't do too well in my opinion,
(06:38):
And I don't think there Their secondary is okay, it's okay,
but it's it's the You can take advantage of their
secondary if you have enough time to throw the ball
in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, should we ask Mike the question? We started shows
to do it?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So I got text from a buddy of mine, my
friend Justin's big, big fan of yours, by the way,
Uh you've met him actually a couple of times.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
And he he he asked me, would you rather have.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The ball down four, one play from the five yard
line needing a touchdown to beat the Rams, or would
you rather be up for on defense and the Rams
have to score a touchdown on your defense to win
the game. What do you want, you feel more comfortable
in your defense stopping them, or Donald the offense getting
(07:21):
the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
You know how I love hypothetically. Why I know how I.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Love that Now you're not the coach here because if
you're the coach, I know.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
What you'd pick, you'd.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Want the ball.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
I mean, but but in reality, uh is the.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Coach the fan? I mean?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Just you know again, if you were coaching in this game,
and you had Mike McDonald's defense, and you had Sam Donald, and.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
You're a Seahawks fan, You're you're.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Coaching this game. Coaching, You're coaching the game. Okay, Because
of course I want you to put your coach.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I want want offense.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
You want to be offense.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You want to be down by four and need to
score as opposed to protecting the league.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Why?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Because I have confidence in our offense. I always have
my sheet. Would this play to win the game? I've
thought about it, I've planned for it, and that's what
we wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Well, let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, because I asked the question I was asking, I
had the same answer because I thought there might be
something in the back pocket that the Rams haven't seen.
How many of those plays do you have in your
back pocket that you can choose from that you know
that Sean McVay has not seen before.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, you probably have one in each category, or a
couple in each category. On your play sheet. You know
you have first and ten, you have second down, you
have third down, you have third and short, you have
goal line. You have a game, a play to win
the game. So you don't have too many because you
can't prepare and do them properly during the week. But
(08:44):
you have some. Yeah, yeah, you have some. I remember
I remember a play on the goal line that we
had against Carolina and they had not seen it, and
I said, this is going to work, is absolutely going
to work. And sure enough, the guy was white. You know,
they couldn't cover. It was a goal line play out
the five yard line and that through the ball and
the ball got tipped. The ball got tipped right, the
(09:05):
guy was wide open. Okay, now it didn't work. It
did not work, but it should have worked.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
What time of the game did you run that? Do
you remember when it was?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I don't, okay, but it wasn't the last play of
the game.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
I'm talking about it last place.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Did you kick their butt? Let's do this.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We're gonna break Kurt Warner with a K, your former
quarterback in Green Bay, is gonna join us. And then
Kurt Warner with a C will join us tomorrow on
the radio show.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
All right, so get ready to talk to Kurt Warner
with a k.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Next on ninety three three KJRFF.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
Our twelfth Man Playoff coverage continues.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
The NFL 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 kJ r FM.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Now back to Saftie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
All right, boys and girls, we are back of the
five twenty bar and grill home Grins here hanging out
until seven o'clock tonight. But joining us Mike right now
on 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 thinger
here on Sunday at three point thirty.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
The great Kurt Warner.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
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 he's softened a bit. He doesn't yell at anymore.
He's a different man, I promise you.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
You know, Kurt, don't even answer that, Kirk, don't even
go there. I'll tell you, guys, I worked with Kevin,
and I worked with Kevin and Kurt on games, you know,
and we had a blast. And and you guys know this.
I rarely made any mistakes in my coaching career. Yeah right,
(11:02):
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 (11:13):
Ah 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 7 (11:20):
I was just he was, hey, 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 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 get to get
to know him over the years and call games with
(11:41):
him and all of that. Coach, so there is uh,
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 but it's always good to
talk to you.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Well, thanks, Kurt, and now now hand me a napkin
please that I'm sweating her. Didn't know what he was
gonna say. Okay, hey, listen, I got a couple of
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.
(12:19):
Is that surprising to you? How often does that happen
with young coaches?
Speaker 7 (12:24):
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.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
The things that he.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
Brings to the table, the variety that he brings in
his scheme. You're like, I know he can coach. I
think the thing that surprises me more than anything is
how quickly he's built this defense and you know, into being,
you know, one of the best defenses in the league.
To get the certain pieces that he's gotten that he
(12:57):
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. 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 Demnmory, Uh.
You know what they what they've done with him, and
(13:18):
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 such a way that they can do all these
creative things that that Mike wants to do and that
to me is obviously why they're at this point. And
you know they've competed the way they have this year.
(13:39):
But I think I'm definitely surprised that you know, your couple,
you know what Mike 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 (13:51):
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,
(14:11):
Matt Stafford. If you were it's and when I watch
him play, ib going wow, he is really he can
still throw it, he can still move. He thanks. 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 7 (14:29):
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.
He's going to bring a variety of different pressures. Uh,
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
(14:52):
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 a 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 last touchdown. They got a big hot answer
(15:14):
to Puka in overtime right when they were on the
cusp of field goal range that put them in field
goal range to win the game. I believe that's gonna
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 that, and they're going to have to have some answers.
(15:36):
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
does Seattle win those battles? I think are the two
(15:57):
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 second theory of this
Seattle team.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
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,
(16:31):
I'm sure your coach said they're probably going to double
this guy or make it hard for you to throw him.
What do you think McDonald's going to do to kind
of take away Pooka.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
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
(17:03):
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
(17:23):
with all their guys, but they want to do that
with Puka. 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 that a number of times. But they find
ways to use Pooka across the middle of the field.
And so Mike McDonald and the Seattle team has been
very good all year at preventing the big plays. You've
(17:46):
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 and in
the fourth. But that's what it was about. It was
about a number of huge plays that they gave up
(18:06):
to Pooka across the middle of the field. 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 going
to win this football game.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
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, you know, they've
had a great season so far, they've won a lot
of games. He's thrown for four thousand yards, but people
still are critical of him, are just waiting for something
(18:40):
bad to happen. When you watch Sam play, talk to
me about your feelings about him.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
Yeah, I mean I really like saying I think he's
done some great things over the last two years. But
I also understand the skepticism coach you you know as
well as I do that at that position. Ultimately, it's
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?
(19:08):
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.
(19:30):
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
(19:51):
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. 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're Seattle, if you're the Rams, you want to
(20:14):
stop all of that and go, Okay, Sam, show us
you can beat us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Now.
Speaker 7 (20:18):
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. You haven't truly been tested that
way in which you have to carry your team. If
(20:39):
they get into one of those games, that's going to
be the question. And he'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
he hasn't had an incredible year and two incredible years,
two fourteen win seasons, all that stuff is phenomenal. But
(21:00):
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 (21:12):
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 (21:20):
No, we're good.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
No, no, right, but.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Kurt, I'm having a cocktails we speak, just watching you
guys talk.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Man, this is keep going away and I should be
there in person. Man.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
No, but Zach Sharbonnay got injured and hurt in the
last game and can't play. So ken Walker is really
kind of by himself. They have not done that all
season long. They 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
(21:53):
and if if he Sam might have to he might
have to crank it up. How do you see the
Russian game? It's just one back like that.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:02):
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 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 distance,
(22:23):
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 to me
is a huge huge loss for Seattle. You know, we've
seen Kenneth at times have to carry this team. He
(22:43):
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
defense has to expect without sharbon A you know, being
that you know that that that second punch that they
can deliver. So so I'm very interested to see how
that shows up in this game and what kind of
(23:05):
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 Bonis 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 (23:26):
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 know, but
we won't, we won't go into that 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
(23:50):
is the coach to quarterback connection or offensive coordinator to
quarterback connection. I'm talking now in the case of Sam
and and Kubiak.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
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
(24:24):
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
(24:46):
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 work up. I was a guy that always
(25:07):
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. They are 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,
(25:27):
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
(25:47):
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 exacs samples 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,
(26:09):
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
(26:32):
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
(26:54):
an easy thing to learn a new offense and to
have an offense that fits your skill sets. That's going
from one place to another.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
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. Then then I go to Green Bay and
I get a young man named Brett Favre, 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
(27:25):
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 to and then I'm kicking it to
these guys. You do it. You know, 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
(27:48):
than that. Talk just a little bit about some of
the things you're doing now.
Speaker 7 (27:55):
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,
(28:18):
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 a traumatic brain injury
when he was four months old, and so it has
(28:39):
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
(29:01):
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.
(29:23):
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 (29:41):
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 7 (29:57):
I appreciate it. Coach, It's always great to talk to
you you as well.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Great stuff, man, Kurt Warner with us there on the
radio show.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
One of the all time greats, right, NFL MVP, super
Bowl MVP, all that. So he's doing the game with Harlan.
You're gonna hear that game on Sunday on our air.
By the way, three thirty kickoff on Sunday afternoon. All right,
we got a lot more for you, by the way.
All right, yeah, you're we're gonna put the cleage lights
on you. Mike Next on ninety three three KJRFM, our.
Speaker 6 (30:24):
Twelfth Man playoff coverage continue.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
ESFL Playoffs, brought to you by Seattle's closest sportsbook. 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.
Speaker 6 (30:41):
Now back to Sufti and Din.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
All right, we're back of the five twenty. Good work
with Kurt Warner.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
By the way, thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I'm telling you, man, when we first hired you, it
was really nervous about these interviews.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
You're surprising even me.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Well, I meant I missed one question I wanted to ask.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
That's okay, Well happen one again?
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Uh, well, why don't we ask you the one question
that you wanted to ask him, which is about the
oblique injury. Yeah, okay, so the injury report is out today.
Charles Cross, by the way, another did not practice all right,
So all three year left tackles sat out practice.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Mike McDonald did say that he's optimisty correct, But.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
How hobbled will he be because he's not practicing. This
is now the second consecutive day. So again I don't
think anybody is doubting he's going to be out there, right.
Question is what kind of condition will he be in
for the game on Sundays.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
So Sam was limited today.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
You played the position, you coach the position, obleak, how
much is that concerning you for Sunday?
Speaker 3 (31:38):
It's a concern because you know, when you tork the
ball and you're throwing the ball, and they particularly when
he goes to his left and he's doing all this
stuff that has an effect on that part of your body, right,
And so if they're resting him, you wouldn't normally rest
your starting quarterback this week. You know, you don't have
(31:58):
a lot of days to practice, you know, and so
the fact that he's resting tells me there's more they
are there, you know. And so now I looked up oblique.
I wasn't sure what oblique was, and I looked it
up and started reading about it. And it's usually more
common in baseball players. Okay, but they can inject that
(32:21):
and eliminate some of the pain. So if they have
to do that, they'll they'll do that.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
You asked Kurt about the run game. I want to
ask you about the run game. How would you divide
the carries up? You don't have charbonnaise eight to ten
to eleven carries, so how would you go about making
sure that the run game was just as successful as
it was with the two bats?
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Well, you know, Dick, I've been kind of a proponent
of giving Walker more carries, and he's had all season.
If he's not tired, if I don't know what, I
don't know how he in the game. Some guys get
tired and they need a break. He's not tired. Let him.
We should be fine. Unless he gets nicked up. Okay,
you worry about that a little bit. But if they
(33:06):
have another back, you know, I don't know if they
have the acres or somebody else can come in carrying
the ball, not as much, not as much. I like
him in the passing game though, but if they you know,
if you've given the ball, let him go right right now.
If if that isn't working, if the running game for
(33:27):
some reason there's it shouldn't it shouldn't be there. But
if that's not working, then what what happens is what
we talked about before the passing game and Sam, that's
got to work.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Well.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I I wonder I want to talk to Hugh about
this again tomorrow, but I want to get your thoughts
because I want to secretly compare your thoughts to what
no one says tomorrow on the radio show.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Is it just between us? Now?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Okay, who do you think has the advantage the third
time around? The quarterback or the defense facing that quarterback?
If Stafford's going to see this defense for the third time,
Darnold will see that defense for the third time. Who
has a bigger advantage when it comes to knowing what's
coming being more prepared? The quarterback seeing the defense again
or the defense seeing.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
The quarterback again.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
You know what I'm gonna say already before asking meow, just.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Tell me the quarterback?
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Why?
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Why?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Because I'm saying I'm seeing him. They're not going to
change dramatically what they're doing on defense. They're gonna do
what got him there and what got him going last week.
So I can prepare for that. We know, if we
can pass protect, if the team can pass protect, we'll
complete passes. I don't care who's back there, right But
(34:39):
if we can't do that. We played in the New
York Giants when I was first in the league. Lawrence
Taylor knows guys, and they pressured up middle and then
crowded the quarterback and made it very hard, very hard.
Buddy Ryan and the Bears defense because they were you
didn't see anything like that during the year. Yeah, it
was totally different, and so so you know, you taught
(35:01):
it differently offensively during the week. You didn't go one, two, three, four, okay.
Used to go okay, throw to the open guy, whoever
comes open first, throw him, you know, and so you
know it's different. But that's the that's the beauty of it.
That's what fires up your juices, you know, getting prepared
for a good a good team.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
Coach, It's ridiculous We've had to wait a decade and
a half. But your guy John Schneider is finally the
Executive of the.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Year in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Oh easy, yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
Pro Football Riders just named him today. Oh, good for him. Bad,
good for him.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Good for him. Now I feel real bad I yelled
at him all those times.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Yeah, I'm sure he feels terrible. Also. I mean it's
almost a badge of honor.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Right, there's only a few people on this planet they
can say they were yelled at by Mike Holmgret and
I'm one of them.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, right, you are one.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
I wear that with honor.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
By the way, all right, I didn't yell at you
very loud.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Though, oh I would. I would disagree with that. What
do you got planned for Sunday? What are you doing
at three thirty on Sunday afternoon?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
I'm gonna sit down and my couch and with my
pad my hand and chart the game. Okay, uh and
then tell everyone leave me alone. Yeah, don't bother me.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Less. Actually, we had a bunch of people in there.
The family came over for the last game, and and
I love it when they do, but there's too many,
too much activity if I'm going to concentrate on the game, right,
you know.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
You feel good about Sunday, nervous, what's your what's your
kind of overall?
Speaker 3 (36:22):
I think they'll win. I think it'll be a heck
of a game, though, Yeah, I really think. I'm I
This is exciting, dude. The two best teams are playing
in the championship game.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
And look, it just seems like for two years these
guys get together and every game is dynamite, every game
comes down to the wire, and they're two and two
and their last four. You see the numbers on point score,
on yards identical, We're almost identical. Twenty six, twenty overtime
two years ago, uh thirty twenty five in LA two
years ago. A two point win for the Rams this year,
(36:54):
a one point win for the Hawks this year.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
It's unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
You know what, I don't understand. You put the ages
of the two coaches together, right, and they match me.
That is true, And.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Well, you know what, I'm actually glad you brought that up.
I know we're late here and you gotta run and
you're too many to commute home. But I do want
to ask you, from a coach's perspective, how much does
the experience of McVeigh matter on Sunday This guy's gonna
turn forty on Saturday. Then he's gonna go coach in
a sixteenth playoff game on Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
Well McDonald's at what thirty eight years old? Is that right, Dick?
Speaker 2 (37:26):
And he's gonna coach his second playoff game on Sunday.
How much does that really matter on game day?
Speaker 3 (37:31):
I think I think the advantage the experience. Mcveay has
an advantage of slight advantage that way, because of the
game that's been because the emotions of the game. The
game is different, it will be different, Okay, and the
super Bowl is out there to reach, right.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
I love it?
Speaker 2 (37:46):
All right, go home, we'll talk next week, all right,
see Mike Hogan with us on the radio show. We're
gonna break Rick new HEISLI and join us at five
point twenty. Our conversation earlier Dick about what do you
do from the five yard line? We have numbers on
how many teams score touchdowns all fourth down the Nerd
Machine Breaking Down courtesy of Hugh Millon.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
We'll get to those next on ninety three three kJ
r F
As part of our non stop coverage of the NFL,
Your home for the twelfth Man proudly presents former Seahawks
head coach and Super Bowl champion Mike Combgrin. Brought to
you by Toyota of Kirkland. The championship team at Toyota
of Kirkland does all the little things that exceed your
expectations and that's what makes Toyota of Kirkland so special.
(00:20):
And by R and R Foundation specialist serving Western Washington
for over twenty years now. From the five twenty Bar
and Grail in Bellevue, Mike hom grid with Softy and.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Did all right, here we go, baby. This is why
I was just thinking about this. This is why we
pay you the big bucks. Why is that to be
here for this moment, biggest game of the year.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You know what?
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Right?
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Pretty exciting? Pretty good?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Have you actually been wondering why we pay you the
big bucks? Is that what you were talking about? Like
you didn't really know?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, I did a little research this weekend and found
out about what everyone's getting paid.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Yes, oh you did, huh? Yeah, so you know that
Dick and I are both woefully underpaid.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Well, I wouldn't say that I don't think I should
say that on the air.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Okay, you just did, knowing you a little love here.
Why don't you say it all?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Help us out? I said on the on the totem poll,
I would not be near the top.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
Yeah you would, Yeah, it would be I would be.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, you helped me get I will always thank
you for this. You helped me get the first one
hundred dollars.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
That was not right?
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Remember that, Remember that consation.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We had at Hector's which is now gone. I mean,
imagine being me having to go convince this guy. Scared
the hell out of me. Here comes Mike Conger.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
What do you want? You want to do a radio
yet with us?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Here he is fifteen years later, he's still with us.
But Mike confidence with us? Man, this is exciting Seahawks
and Rams for the NFC Championship on Sunday. I don't know, man,
I mean go back to last weekend just boat racing
the Niners forty one to six. How much confidence You've
used the word booie a lot this week? Should our
(01:52):
confidence be buoyed as Seahawks fans after what we saw
they do or they did to the forty nine ers
last Saturday.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Well that game last Saturday. Anybody that watched it and
realizes now that how good the Seahawks can be. Yeah,
because the forty nine ers. Listen, the forty nine ers,
look at they were hurt and they weren't the team
that they have been. But they've still finished the season
twelve and four or something or twelve and five, and
so you know what they did that doesn't usually happen.
(02:22):
Look at all the other playoff games, all of them
were really close and they just decided by a field
goal here and there. So that was the only one
that did it. And that's off to the Seahawks. They
were ready and they just took it to the forty
nine ers. They just blasted them. Now, having said that,
let's throw a little caution, a little caution this week,
(02:43):
rams are a better team than the forty nine ers. Yeah, right,
and so we'll see. But listen, I said this a
few weeks ago, and I'll say it again. I always
lose my bets to Dick, but I will say it again.
I think that this is the year the Seahawks are
gonna win it all. I really believe that.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
You know that the forty nine ers were banged up,
no question, but they they did go to Philadelphia the
week before and win on the road against.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
The defending champions. So it's funny people like forget that.
They're just like, oh, the Seahawks killed them and then
they killed them again.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
No, they went to Philadelphia and won, so they weren't
totally devastated.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But what they were, coach, I think is they were tired.
Speaker 5 (03:20):
And I'm wondering how much is fatigue a factor?
Speaker 4 (03:24):
If you're the La Rams.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
You have gone to Carolina on the road, you last
week went on the road and played in ten degree
temperatures into overtime, and meanwhile Seattle's played what two and
a half quarters of football in the last three weeks.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
How much do you think that is a factor in this?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I think it is a factor. How much it's going
to be we'll see. But obviously the Seahawks have an
advantage there because not only are they tired, but you
get guys that are nicked up a little bit because
they played and he without a lot of rest, and
so yeah, it's going to be a factor. That something
(04:01):
the Rams have to overcome what they expect to win.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, Well, the thing that I am dying to know
is what the hell happened in that last game we
played against the Rams, because I'm looking, Mike, at the
end of the fourth quarter, LA had four hundred yards
of offense with thirteen thirty four left to go in
the game, they had four hundred and ninety yards of
offense and they were up by sixteen. So you saw
that game with McVeigh just having his way with McDonald
(04:25):
for the first forty seven minutes and change of that day,
and then something clicked obviously for the Hawks. I mean
what we're to click is Rashid Hiahed's return. That got
the whole thing energized. Right, So go back to that
game and tell me, if you're Sean McVeigh, do you
feel good that you.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Figured something out against the Seahawk defense?
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Well? I think they. I think they know each other
like as good as you can know each other, right, Okay,
So the fact that they were able to do that
tells me, well, they have good offensive people. They're a
good offensive team. I think some people are Are they
the best in offensive team? And you know, yes, offense,
and so they have the people. Now that game, Sean
(05:09):
McVay is feeling very badly about that game. I think
was thirty to fourteen at one point, right, it was
correct and then all of a sudden, you don't lose
games like that. You know, you don't lose.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
You think that still piss him off.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
He's thinking about it, Yeah, and he thinks about it.
He goes, Okay, what could I have done? I've heard
him say this, and every coach says, most coaches say it.
Look at yourself first. Look at yourself first. What did
I do in that game that I could have done differently,
have a different outcome? And that's he's looked at that. Okay,
Then he puts that aside. He goes, I'm not doing
that again. If the situation will be the same, I'm
(05:45):
gonna handle it this way. And so, but that's what
you do. That's what coaches do.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Coach.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
I was watching that Bears Rams game last weekend, rooting
for the Bears all the way through.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
But as we got closer to the end of the game,
I was like, am.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
I rooting for the team because Caleb Williams is crazy?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
He is crazy good at some of the throws that
he can make.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
So did the most dangerous Now obviously the most veteran
quarterback won the game. But did the most dangerous quarterback
potentially lose that game last week?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Yeah? He did? I mean he he did? I mean
that team did. I had the same feeling, Dick because
in that weather and what they did in that one
throw a one throwing man, I go, oh my goodness,
how did that happen? But I think if the Rams,
but Caleb Williams and what he can do fits in
with the Rams don't do too well in my opinion,
(06:38):
And I don't think there Their secondary is okay, it's okay,
but it's it's the You can take advantage of their
secondary if you have enough time to throw the ball
in my opinion.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, should we ask Mike the question? We started shows
to do it?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So I got text from a buddy of mine, my
friend Justin's big, big fan of yours, by the way,
Uh you've met him actually a couple of times.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
And he he he asked me, would you rather have.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
The ball down four, one play from the five yard
line needing a touchdown to beat the Rams, or would
you rather be up for on defense and the Rams
have to score a touchdown on your defense to win
the game. What do you want, you feel more comfortable
in your defense stopping them, or Donald the offense getting
(07:21):
the touchdown.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
You know how I love hypothetically. Why I know how I.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Love that Now you're not the coach here because if
you're the coach, I know.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
What you'd pick, you'd.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Want the ball.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
I mean, but but in reality, uh is the.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Coach the fan? I mean?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Just you know again, if you were coaching in this game,
and you had Mike McDonald's defense, and you had Sam Donald, and.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
You're a Seahawks fan, You're you're.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Coaching this game. Coaching, You're coaching the game. Okay, Because
of course I want you to put your coach.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I want want offense.
Speaker 4 (07:51):
You want to be offense.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You want to be down by four and need to
score as opposed to protecting the league.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Why?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Because I have confidence in our offense. I always have
my sheet. Would this play to win the game? I've
thought about it, I've planned for it, and that's what
we wanted to do.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
Well, let's talk about that.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Yeah, because I asked the question I was asking, I
had the same answer because I thought there might be
something in the back pocket that the Rams haven't seen.
How many of those plays do you have in your
back pocket that you can choose from that you know
that Sean McVay has not seen before.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Well, you probably have one in each category, or a
couple in each category. On your play sheet. You know
you have first and ten, you have second down, you
have third down, you have third and short, you have
goal line. You have a game, a play to win
the game. So you don't have too many because you
can't prepare and do them properly during the week. But
(08:44):
you have some. Yeah, yeah, you have some. I remember
I remember a play on the goal line that we
had against Carolina and they had not seen it, and
I said, this is going to work, is absolutely going
to work. And sure enough, the guy was white. You know,
they couldn't cover. It was a goal line play out
the five yard line and that through the ball and
the ball got tipped. The ball got tipped right, the
(09:05):
guy was wide open. Okay, now it didn't work. It
did not work, but it should have worked.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
What time of the game did you run that? Do
you remember when it was?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:15):
I don't, okay, but it wasn't the last play of
the game.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
I'm talking about it last place.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Did you kick their butt? Let's do this.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We're gonna break Kurt Warner with a K, your former
quarterback in Green Bay, is gonna join us. And then
Kurt Warner with a C will join us tomorrow on
the radio show.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
All right, so get ready to talk to Kurt Warner
with a k.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Next on ninety three three KJRFF.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
Our twelfth Man Playoff coverage continues.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
The NFL 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 kJ r FM.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Now back to Saftie and Dick.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
All right, boys and girls, we are back of the
five twenty bar and grill home Grins here hanging out
until seven o'clock tonight. But joining us Mike right now
on 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 thinger
here on Sunday at three point thirty.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
The great Kurt Warner.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
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 he's softened a bit. He doesn't yell at anymore.
He's a different man, I promise you.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
You know, Kurt, don't even answer that, Kirk, don't even
go there. I'll tell you, guys, I worked with Kevin,
and I worked with Kevin and Kurt on games, you know,
and we had a blast. And and you guys know this.
I rarely made any mistakes in my coaching career. Yeah right,
(11:02):
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 (11:13):
Ah 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 7 (11:20):
I was just he was, hey, 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 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 get to get
to know him over the years and call games with
(11:41):
him and all of that. Coach, so there is uh,
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 but it's always good to
talk to you.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
Well, thanks, Kurt, and now now hand me a napkin
please that I'm sweating her. Didn't know what he was
gonna say. Okay, hey, listen, I got a couple of
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.
(12:19):
Is that surprising to you? How often does that happen
with young coaches?
Speaker 7 (12:24):
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.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
The things that he.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
Brings to the table, the variety that he brings in
his scheme. You're like, I know he can coach. I
think the thing that surprises me more than anything is
how quickly he's built this defense and you know, into being,
you know, one of the best defenses in the league.
To get the certain pieces that he's gotten that he
(12:57):
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. 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 Demnmory, Uh.
You know what they what they've done with him, and
(13:18):
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 such a way that they can do all these
creative things that that Mike wants to do and that
to me is obviously why they're at this point. And
you know they've competed the way they have this year.
(13:39):
But I think I'm definitely surprised that you know, your couple,
you know what Mike 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 (13:51):
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,
(14:11):
Matt Stafford. If you were it's and when I watch
him play, ib going wow, he is really he can
still throw it, he can still move. He thanks. 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 7 (14:29):
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.
He's going to bring a variety of different pressures. Uh,
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
(14:52):
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 a 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 last touchdown. They got a big hot answer
(15:14):
to Puka in overtime right when they were on the
cusp of field goal range that put them in field
goal range to win the game. I believe that's gonna
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 that, and they're going to have to have some answers.
(15:36):
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
does Seattle win those battles? I think are the two
(15:57):
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 second theory of this
Seattle team.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
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,
(16:31):
I'm sure your coach said they're probably going to double
this guy or make it hard for you to throw him.
What do you think McDonald's going to do to kind
of take away Pooka.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
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
(17:03):
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
(17:23):
with all their guys, but they want to do that
with Puka. 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 that a number of times. But they find
ways to use Pooka across the middle of the field.
And so Mike McDonald and the Seattle team has been
very good all year at preventing the big plays. You've
(17:46):
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 and in
the fourth. But that's what it was about. It was
about a number of huge plays that they gave up
(18:06):
to Pooka across the middle of the field. 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 going
to win this football game.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
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, you know, they've
had a great season so far, they've won a lot
of games. He's thrown for four thousand yards, but people
still are critical of him, are just waiting for something
(18:40):
bad to happen. When you watch Sam play, talk to
me about your feelings about him.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
Yeah, I mean I really like saying I think he's
done some great things over the last two years. But
I also understand the skepticism coach you you know as
well as I do that at that position. Ultimately, it's
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?
(19:08):
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.
(19:30):
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
(19:51):
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. 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're Seattle, if you're the Rams, you want to
(20:14):
stop all of that and go, Okay, Sam, show us
you can beat us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Now.
Speaker 7 (20:18):
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. You haven't truly been tested that
way in which you have to carry your team. If
(20:39):
they get into one of those games, that's going to
be the question. And he'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
he hasn't had an incredible year and two incredible years,
two fourteen win seasons, all that stuff is phenomenal. But
(21:00):
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 (21:12):
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 (21:20):
No, we're good.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
No, no, right, but.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Kurt, I'm having a cocktails we speak, just watching you
guys talk.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Man, this is keep going away and I should be
there in person. Man.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
No, but Zach Sharbonnay got injured and hurt in the
last game and can't play. So ken Walker is really
kind of by himself. They have not done that all
season long. They 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
(21:53):
and if if he Sam might have to he might
have to crank it up. How do you see the
Russian game? It's just one back like that.
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (22:02):
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 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 distance,
(22:23):
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 to me
is a huge huge loss for Seattle. You know, we've
seen Kenneth at times have to carry this team. He
(22:43):
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
defense has to expect without sharbon A you know, being
that you know that that that second punch that they
can deliver. So so I'm very interested to see how
that shows up in this game and what kind of
(23:05):
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 Bonis 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 (23:26):
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 know, but
we won't, we won't go into that 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
(23:50):
is the coach to quarterback connection or offensive coordinator to
quarterback connection. I'm talking now in the case of Sam
and and Kubiak.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
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
(24:24):
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
(24:46):
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 work up. I was a guy that always
(25:07):
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. They are 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,
(25:27):
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
(25:47):
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 exacs samples 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,
(26:09):
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
(26:32):
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
(26:54):
an easy thing to learn a new offense and to
have an offense that fits your skill sets. That's going
from one place to another.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
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. Then then I go to Green Bay and
I get a young man named Brett Favre, 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
(27:25):
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 to and then I'm kicking it to
these guys. You do it. You know, 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
(27:48):
than that. Talk just a little bit about some of
the things you're doing now.
Speaker 7 (27:55):
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,
(28:18):
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 a traumatic brain injury
when he was four months old, and so it has
(28:39):
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
(29:01):
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.
(29:23):
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 (29:41):
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 7 (29:57):
I appreciate it. Coach, It's always great to talk to
you you as well.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Great stuff, man, Kurt Warner with us there on the
radio show.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
One of the all time greats, right, NFL MVP, super
Bowl MVP, all that. So he's doing the game with Harlan.
You're gonna hear that game on Sunday on our air.
By the way, three thirty kickoff on Sunday afternoon. All right,
we got a lot more for you, by the way.
All right, yeah, you're we're gonna put the cleage lights
on you. Mike Next on ninety three three KJRFM, our.
Speaker 6 (30:24):
Twelfth Man playoff coverage continue.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
ESFL Playoffs, brought to you by Seattle's closest sportsbook. 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.
Speaker 6 (30:41):
Now back to Sufti and Din.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
All right, we're back of the five twenty. Good work
with Kurt Warner.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
By the way, thank you.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
I'm telling you, man, when we first hired you, it
was really nervous about these interviews.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
You're surprising even me.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Well, I meant I missed one question I wanted to ask.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
That's okay, Well happen one again?
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Uh, well, why don't we ask you the one question
that you wanted to ask him, which is about the
oblique injury. Yeah, okay, so the injury report is out today.
Charles Cross, by the way, another did not practice all right,
So all three year left tackles sat out practice.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Mike McDonald did say that he's optimisty correct, But.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
How hobbled will he be because he's not practicing. This
is now the second consecutive day. So again I don't
think anybody is doubting he's going to be out there, right.
Question is what kind of condition will he be in
for the game on Sundays.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
So Sam was limited today.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
You played the position, you coach the position, obleak, how
much is that concerning you for Sunday?
Speaker 3 (31:38):
It's a concern because you know, when you tork the
ball and you're throwing the ball, and they particularly when
he goes to his left and he's doing all this
stuff that has an effect on that part of your body, right,
And so if they're resting him, you wouldn't normally rest
your starting quarterback this week. You know, you don't have
(31:58):
a lot of days to practice, you know, and so
the fact that he's resting tells me there's more they
are there, you know. And so now I looked up oblique.
I wasn't sure what oblique was, and I looked it
up and started reading about it. And it's usually more
common in baseball players. Okay, but they can inject that
(32:21):
and eliminate some of the pain. So if they have
to do that, they'll they'll do that.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
You asked Kurt about the run game. I want to
ask you about the run game. How would you divide
the carries up? You don't have charbonnaise eight to ten
to eleven carries, so how would you go about making
sure that the run game was just as successful as
it was with the two bats?
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Well, you know, Dick, I've been kind of a proponent
of giving Walker more carries, and he's had all season.
If he's not tired, if I don't know what, I
don't know how he in the game. Some guys get
tired and they need a break. He's not tired. Let him.
We should be fine. Unless he gets nicked up. Okay,
you worry about that a little bit. But if they
(33:06):
have another back, you know, I don't know if they
have the acres or somebody else can come in carrying
the ball, not as much, not as much. I like
him in the passing game though, but if they you know,
if you've given the ball, let him go right right now.
If if that isn't working, if the running game for
(33:27):
some reason there's it shouldn't it shouldn't be there. But
if that's not working, then what what happens is what
we talked about before the passing game and Sam, that's
got to work.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Well.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I I wonder I want to talk to Hugh about
this again tomorrow, but I want to get your thoughts
because I want to secretly compare your thoughts to what
no one says tomorrow on the radio show.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Is it just between us? Now?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Okay, who do you think has the advantage the third
time around? The quarterback or the defense facing that quarterback?
If Stafford's going to see this defense for the third time,
Darnold will see that defense for the third time. Who
has a bigger advantage when it comes to knowing what's
coming being more prepared? The quarterback seeing the defense again
or the defense seeing.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
The quarterback again.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
You know what I'm gonna say already before asking meow, just.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Tell me the quarterback?
Speaker 7 (34:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:14):
Why?
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Why?
Speaker 3 (34:15):
Because I'm saying I'm seeing him. They're not going to
change dramatically what they're doing on defense. They're gonna do
what got him there and what got him going last week.
So I can prepare for that. We know, if we
can pass protect, if the team can pass protect, we'll
complete passes. I don't care who's back there, right But
(34:39):
if we can't do that. We played in the New
York Giants when I was first in the league. Lawrence
Taylor knows guys, and they pressured up middle and then
crowded the quarterback and made it very hard, very hard.
Buddy Ryan and the Bears defense because they were you
didn't see anything like that during the year. Yeah, it
was totally different, and so so you know, you taught
(35:01):
it differently offensively during the week. You didn't go one, two, three, four, okay.
Used to go okay, throw to the open guy, whoever
comes open first, throw him, you know, and so you
know it's different. But that's the that's the beauty of it.
That's what fires up your juices, you know, getting prepared
for a good a good team.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
Coach, It's ridiculous We've had to wait a decade and
a half. But your guy John Schneider is finally the
Executive of the.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Year in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Oh easy, yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
Pro Football Riders just named him today. Oh, good for him. Bad,
good for him.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Good for him. Now I feel real bad I yelled
at him all those times.
Speaker 4 (35:37):
Yeah, I'm sure he feels terrible. Also. I mean it's
almost a badge of honor.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Right, there's only a few people on this planet they
can say they were yelled at by Mike Holmgret and
I'm one of them.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, right, you are one.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
I wear that with honor.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
By the way, all right, I didn't yell at you
very loud.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Though, oh I would. I would disagree with that. What
do you got planned for Sunday? What are you doing
at three thirty on Sunday afternoon?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
I'm gonna sit down and my couch and with my
pad my hand and chart the game. Okay, uh and
then tell everyone leave me alone. Yeah, don't bother me.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:07):
Less. Actually, we had a bunch of people in there.
The family came over for the last game, and and
I love it when they do, but there's too many,
too much activity if I'm going to concentrate on the game, right,
you know.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
You feel good about Sunday, nervous, what's your what's your
kind of overall?
Speaker 3 (36:22):
I think they'll win. I think it'll be a heck
of a game, though, Yeah, I really think. I'm I
This is exciting, dude. The two best teams are playing
in the championship game.
Speaker 4 (36:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
And look, it just seems like for two years these
guys get together and every game is dynamite, every game
comes down to the wire, and they're two and two
and their last four. You see the numbers on point score,
on yards identical, We're almost identical. Twenty six, twenty overtime
two years ago, uh thirty twenty five in LA two
years ago. A two point win for the Rams this year,
(36:54):
a one point win for the Hawks this year.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
It's unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (36:57):
You know what, I don't understand. You put the ages
of the two coaches together, right, and they match me.
That is true, And.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Well, you know what, I'm actually glad you brought that up.
I know we're late here and you gotta run and
you're too many to commute home. But I do want
to ask you, from a coach's perspective, how much does
the experience of McVeigh matter on Sunday This guy's gonna
turn forty on Saturday. Then he's gonna go coach in
a sixteenth playoff game on Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 4 (37:23):
Well McDonald's at what thirty eight years old? Is that right, Dick?
Speaker 2 (37:26):
And he's gonna coach his second playoff game on Sunday.
How much does that really matter on game day?
Speaker 3 (37:31):
I think I think the advantage the experience. Mcveay has
an advantage of slight advantage that way, because of the
game that's been because the emotions of the game. The
game is different, it will be different, Okay, and the
super Bowl is out there to reach, right.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
I love it?
Speaker 2 (37:46):
All right, go home, we'll talk next week, all right,
see Mike Hogan with us on the radio show. We're
gonna break Rick new HEISLI and join us at five
point twenty. Our conversation earlier Dick about what do you
do from the five yard line? We have numbers on
how many teams score touchdowns all fourth down the Nerd
Machine Breaking Down courtesy of Hugh Millon.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
We'll get to those next on ninety three three kJ
r F
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.