October 30, 2025 • 18 mins
Mike Holmgren joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the Vikings situation at quarterback, the Seahawks-Commanders game this Sunday night, Seattle’s running game, Washington’s down season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s huge year, and Pete Carroll.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As part of our NonStop 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.
That's what makes Toyota of Kirkland so special. And by
(00:21):
R and R Foundation specialist serving Western Washington for over
twenty years now from the five twenty Bar and Grail
in Bellevue, Mike Holmgrin went softy and dear.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
All right by the way, looking for a place to
do holiday photos.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
The Holiday Collective in Bellevue is the perfect place for
you and your family to get in the holiday spirits.
Gonna be three festive backdrop, same day photo delivery, and
lots of fun. If you're interested, Take the family and
go to Q four media dot org. That's Q four
media dot org to book. Right now, you think Mike
Holmgren would come by and take some Santa photos with
you and me by the way at the Holiday Collective
(00:57):
in Bellevue, sitting on his lap, Why why not? I
think we should be able to sit on Santa's lap.
You ever dress up as Santa Claus for a family
Christmas parties?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Mike, No, No, I haven't. I haven't. I leave that laws.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, God, see that shocks me.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
That stuns me that you, being the elder States part
of the family, have never dressed If the kids asked you,
would you do it?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Though? Heck, if I asked you, would you do it?
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Uh? Well, if you asked me, if my kids asked me,
if I do it, I would?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah? What about me?
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Well, now let's leave it. Can we leave it at that?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Well, we're having a big company holiday party and I
would like you to dress up as Santa Claus by
the way, so maybe we can make it part of
your new contract here for next year or something. But
Mike Congrin is with us on the air, and we'll
get to the Commander Seahawks in a minute. We saw
them play on Monday, albeit with a different quarterback. Looks
like Jane Daniel is going to play on Sunday night
against the Hawks. But Mike, I gotta first all ask
(01:51):
you about what's going on Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
At the end of last year, had Daniel Jones and
Sam Darnold on the roster together, two of you could
argue top five six quarterbacks in the NFL right now,
and they're both gone.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
JJ McCarthy is gonna start. Carson Wentz has hurt.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
They just signed John Woolford, who Seahawk fans remember beat
the Hawks in a playoff game back in twenty twenty. Well,
the Rams. But my question to you is this, if
you're Kevin O'Connell and you won fourteen games a year
ago with Sam Darnold Vikings, let him walk, and now
you're just a mess at the quarterback position, how angry
(02:27):
are you? Honestly? If you're Kevin O'Connell right now, the
coach of the Vikings.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I'm pretty upset, you know, And I you know, I
don't know how they work, but it's who makes the decision,
who makes the final call. I think probably he does,
you know, And they obviously like JJ McCarthy and so,
but it has not no you look at that and
you go, oh boy, we made a mistake there. And
if you're gonna be honest about it, so I think
(02:54):
it's hard right now, it's hard, and it just shows
every team Washington is a great example too. You lose
your quarterback, you're starting quarterback, the whole thing changes. Now.
Sometimes you get lucky or not lucky, but sometimes you
can get a game here and there, but usually it
changes your whole team.
Speaker 5 (03:12):
Well, how long is that leash with McCarthy there, do
you think? Because it's a different situation. They're supposed to
they're built to win right now. They won fourteen games
last year, so this isn't a rebuilding team that's like, oh,
we're going to give this young kid three years. I mean,
how long a lease if you have a playoff ready
team around him, should you give him?
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Well, that's the thing I think they really clearly they
think he's the answer, but he has been injured and
he has not been the answer. Because he's been injured,
he has been able to play, and there it amounts
to what his ownership think. In this NFL now, I
think there are the leashes are shorter. I mean, they
(03:53):
want to win now and they want to do that,
and I don't think the Vikings are any different. And
unless this guy can come back and just kind of
shoot lights up and stay lights out and stay healthy,
you know, I think it's tough for the coach.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, you mentioned you thought it was O'Connell's call. I mean,
nobody knows for sure, but he would just take us
behind the scenes and tell us, I mean, the the
the idea to let Darnald walk after drafting McCarthy. Do
you think that that was kind of O'Connell's wish that, Hey,
you know what we got one year out of Sam,
Let's see what the young guy can do. I wanted him,
(04:29):
we drafted him because of me. Or do you think
that was the GM making that call?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I take it has to be the head coach
making that call. But I would I would say this,
and I've been in situations where you draft, you draft
a quarterback high but and he's going to be the guy,
but right away, no, let him learn and keep keep
Donald for another year, see how it goes. And then
(04:55):
I groomed the guy and get him ready to play,
but just to clear the deck and say the ball
to the young rookie. And he's a good player, but
he's been hurt.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Well when it comes to Donald, now I's switching to that.
I mean people used to say, well, Sam, Donald's never
succeeded anywhere, but is it fair now? That we can say,
Wait a second, Sam Donald has never failed when being
in a competent system. He's now two for two.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah. No, he's a good player, and I think I
said that, and I stick with him, and he shows
me everything you need at the position the way he's
been playing right now. He makes good decisions, he makes
him on time, he's smart, he's a good leader, his
teammates like him, all those things. He's coachable, and now
he's entering a new phase of his life. I'm happy
(05:41):
to see him. Happy for him. Yeah, but I don't
know why. You know what, Dave, You're quite I don't
know why they did it. I really don't.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, well they did it because they drafted a guy.
What tenth overall?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Is that what it was? McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
So, I mean, like you said, they could have given
the kid another year to sit. I mean, the Packers
always gave those guys a couple of years and works
worked out pretty good.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Man.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
But Mike homeguns with us and Seahawks commanders on Sunday night,
and I'm noticing that the Seahawks are first in the
NFL MIC and run defense yards and yards per carry,
by the way, but they're thirty first in yards per
carry on rushing offense. All right, they've played seven games.
We're in the week nine of the NFL season. We've
asked Hugh Millin if he thinks the running game can
(06:22):
really improve significantly between now and the end of the year.
I think he said he's skeptical of that happening. What
do you think can the Seahawks go from almost worse
to maybe even middle of the pack in their rushing
attack on offense or is it late enough for the
game or we can just say they are what they are.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Well, I think there's a room for improvement because right
now they're not functioning very well on offense, so rushing
the ball and so they will get better, but I
think it's that's not going to get them where they
want to go. I think the passing game is what
will get them to the playoffs and potentially a Super
Bowl run. But they need to pick up the running.
(07:02):
And you know, we said it all along. The offensive
line is one of the questions on the football team.
I think guys are try and hid. We got good
positions that left tackle and so on and so forth,
but as a group, it hasn't The new system hasn't
worked the way they wanted it to. I don't think.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Something that surprised me a little bit, Coach, is how
evenly split the carries are between Ken Walker and Sharbon Amy.
It's fifty seven forty three right now between those two
guys in percentages, and Walker's averaging four and a half
yards of carry and Sharbon is averaging two point eight
yards of carry. I mean, is it time to just say, hey,
Ken's the number one and we're going to give him
(07:41):
seventy to seventy five percent of the carries.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I would say so, you know, but again, and we've
talked about this on the show before. I came from
a time where you had a running back he got
the majority of the carries. When he got tired or
needed a blow, he come out, go back in. The
other guy get five carries, six carries just to give
your number one guy a blow. When Shawn Alexander almost
got two thousand yards in the season, right, it's because
(08:07):
we handed him the ball. And I think I think
your point is a good one. In the effort, you
know the reasoning behind splitting it like that, I'm not
sure it's it's the new NFL kind of You know,
every team has like two running backs and they shuffle
them a little bit, except for Henry, you know, in Baltimore.
(08:28):
But that's how they do it now. And I think
it's analytics. Someone, some little guy with glasses in the
upper room told me you should do this, and then
that's what they do.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Well, you mentioned Sean almost get into two thousand. He
was one hundred and twenty yards short. If you wouldn't
have given the bott to Maurice Morris seventy one times,
he would have gotten two thousand yards.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Man.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
And every time I see Sean, he says, remind Homegrin
of that, by the way.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Every time.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Yeah, well, I know I saw him. I saw him
once when I was doing a game for Westwood. He
came in the thing and he goes, you know, I
could have got I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You know, Well, what do you make of this Commander's team? Man?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Because Dick was talking yesterday and there's a lot of
people that just think they're a little bit of a
flash in the pan from last year. And I mean
I remember them just crushing the Lions in that divisional game.
I mean there was no flash in the paint about that.
That was a really good Lion team. They were banged
up on defense at the time. I get it, but
they looked awesome in that game, and then they had
their ass kicked against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship. So
(09:28):
what do you make of this Commander's team? What are
you making Jaydon Daniels. I mean, you see a real
kind of big time threat when they're healthy, or do
you see maybe a little bit of a one hit
wonder from last year?
Speaker 4 (09:39):
No, I think the threat. They're a threat when they're healthy.
You know, they have a really good coach. I believe
in Dan Quinn yep, and then Jayde and Daniels. He's
really good. But he's been hurt. He's missed some games.
And like I said, when the quarterback who was you're
depending on him. They're depending on him for a lot
of things on that football team. He makes the running
(09:59):
game that he makes a lot of things go. And
when he's hurt, it's a different different team. Now. That
says nothing about the defense or anything like that, but
they've been injured, and I think that's the number one
thing I think they're We'll see. I think if Daniels plays,
I think he's gonna play, you might see a little
different team, but the Seahawks, you know, their defense is
(10:21):
playing so well that I'm still pretty optimistic about the
hawks chances.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Well, it's kind of a similar situation with the quarterback
we last faced and the quarterback we're facing now.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Coach, is that c. J.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Stroud and Jayden Daniels had excellent rookie years and then
year number two for both of them has kind of
been not quite so good. So what is it between
year one and year two? Is it just more teams
getting film on them? Or why do we see the
old sophomore slump from that position sometimes?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Well, that's the first thing is now teams know who
they are and know what their strengths are. They've studied them,
so they have a much better idea of who that
player is in his second year. And then you know,
look at what's happened to the rest of the team.
Did they lose receivers, did some of their offensive line
get hurt and those types of things, and then all
(11:11):
of a sudden, the young guy starts to press to
make plays, maybe do a little bit more than what's there.
Stroud didn't have a very good game at all against
the Hawks, and then last unme, he he was lights out.
He was really good. So it's a funny. It's a
funny bitsits as you know. But I think that in
the second year, teams know them better. Yeah, And so
(11:32):
I think they're they're they're both good players and they're
gonna be good for a long time.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Mike homegrown with us with the five twenty bar and
girl and Mike. The Seahawks could be getting Robbie Oats
back for this game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I'm looking at the injury report.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
He was a full participant in practice today for the Hawks.
That twenty one day window has started, so he very
well might play on Sunday night against the Commanders. And look,
I mean, obviously they weren't phenomenal running the ball. They
had that Onewaukee game against the Saints and we three.
They weren't great running the ball. But I think they
drafted this guy for a reason. They were playing him
for a reason. Can you see a scenario where a
(12:07):
rookie fullback out of Alabama who hasn't played in a
month actually could be the key to unlocking the Seahawk
rushing attack. If he plays on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
It'll be he'll help them, Dave, He'll help them, no
question about it. And you know, I'm a fullback person,
so I want to see that happen. Yeah, but there's
more that there's more to it than that. There really is.
I think what we talked about for let walker kim
more carries get him going. You know, you watch him
come out of a game, and I'm always looking at
(12:42):
how they react and how players are, their emotionalness and
things like that. He's not looking like he's having a
lot of fun to me, and he is. I think
his personality, he's one of those guys that can't help
you a lot. Let him play, got him loose, But
having the fullback there, yeah, that'll help. That will help,
and particularly if they hit a couple or then all
of a sudden, everyone gets deuced up and it's good.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Coach JSN just one offensive player of the month of
October in the NFC. I took a look at the numbers.
He has gained a third of all the Hawks yards
this year, and he's gained a half of all the
Hawks receiving yards this year. Why aren't teams able to
just take him away with certain coverages? Because there's not
any other weapons on his offense that have really presented themselves.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
No, I mean, that's that's an amazing question, Dicky, because
I feel the same way. I mean, he is the man.
He is the one that's that's carrying the offense, the
one receiver who's carrying the offense. No cup, and every
once in a while the tight end they'll make a
play and things like that. But how he has been
able to and Jake Mhowe he's been able to get
(13:45):
open and make plays, and how he runs after the catch,
and how teams know he is that guy. Why they
can't do something, you know, is kind of puzzling to me.
I remember when we played Carolina in the championship game
and I don't you know, I left the defense alone
sopt Parry.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Once.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
When I would walk in there, I said, the one
thing I want you to do. I want you to
hit this receivers Smith on the line every time. Don't
let him get off the line clean on any snap. So,
however you decide to do that, do that because he
was the difference mayor maker for that team. And why
teams don't do that with Jigma, I don't know. Yeah,
(14:26):
but they maybe they tried and it hasn't worked. You know,
you'd have to ask you. He knows all the films, Mike.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I'm looking at Pete Carroll in his last four years
as a head coach in the NFL. He's twenty seven
and thirty one. They were twelve and four of the
Hawks were in twenty twenty. That's when they lost that
COVID playoff game that John Wolford who now plays for Minnesota.
Since then, he's twenty seven and thirty one. He's seventy
four years old. The Raiders are two and five and
(14:55):
they look awful. For lack of a better question, and
you didn't coach when you were seven, but put yourself
in Pete carroll shoes. How difficult is this gonna be
for him to figure this out at seventy four years
old with the Raiders and Mark Davis in Vegas.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Yeah, that's that's that's a tough one. I I am.
I've thought about that a little bit of why he
did that, you know. And then I obviously I didn't
coach as long as Pete did, but and I loved
every minute of my coaching thing. But then I reached
the point where I said it's I want to do
some other things, and it's time. And obviously, you know,
he's got a lot of you know, he is, he's enthusiastic,
(15:35):
he jumps around, he choos gum, he does all that stuff. Yeah,
and he's and he's he likes he likes it, he
likes the likes the environment, he likes being that person.
And so yeah, good for him. But then all of
a sudden you start losing games. And then I don't
care how old you are. As a coach, that takes
its toll. And if you're older, you might say, why
(15:56):
do I do this? Because he's you know, he's been
a great coach for long long time, and now it's
not too much fun for him, I don't think. So
he's good. He'll have if it continues to go this way,
he'll have some decisions to make. I think at the
end of the season.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
You know what else he likes to do coach. He
likes to get recycled players and sign them again. And
he did it again with Tyler Lockett.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I know that's great.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Yeah, I mean how much did you I mean, obviously
Hasslebeck's a notable example, but how often did you like
to pick your old players on your new team.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Well, it depended who they were. You know, we were
so heard my last year. If you're a remember and
I signed Jerry Rice and I signed Corn Robinson back
because I couldn't play the receivers. We got down to
the gas station. You know, it just it's it's fun.
I mean, it's encouraging, and you like you know, obviously
they had a great relationship, but you know, you try
(16:52):
and build a team and then if an older guy,
someone you had can come in and help really make
a difference, you do it. But you don't just do
it because you like the guy.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Yeah, but you're talking about bringing guys in to help
you build a culture, right, not just the talent. I mean,
clearly he's bringing this was the easiest call in the
history of the world that he was going to bring
lock it into kind.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Of help help helps you build the locker room.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
But how much did you bring those guys in specifically
just to help implement your culture versus what they could
do on the field at that time?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
I wouldn't do that.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You wouldn't do it.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Wow, Okay, no, no, not if that's the only reason, Yeah,
then I'm not doing Then I'm not doing my job.
I'm not doing my job. That's how I looked at it.
So if you even come in and do that, what
you're talking about was still contribute on the field, sure
football in the game.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I do it right, Like when Pete had lawyer Malloy,
you know, early on, and who was the guy from
us see the wide receiver Mike Williams. You bring Mike
Williams to help out, you know, just kind of get
things going. All right, man, he listen, rest up, and
hopefully we'll see.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
You in a week.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
All right, all right, Bud, all right, then Mike homeroom
with us. We're going to break more to come from
the five twenty bar and Grail. I believe we're gonna
try and track down Taylor. I get her pick for
tonight's game, Jackson, do we have her record on the air?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
By the way this year, I'll just say this, it's bad.
It's really bad. Is it worse than you on Wednesdays?
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Yes? It is because she really isn't one yet, know Okay,
it's how she's over due.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I mean, she's due told me to.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Well, we'll find out what We'll see who Taylor from
the five twenty likes tonight at about four point fifty
before Ravens Dolphins coming up from the five twenty bar
and grail on ninety three three KJRFM
As part of our NonStop 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.
That's what makes Toyota of Kirkland so special. And by
(00:21):
R and R Foundation specialist serving Western Washington for over
twenty years now from the five twenty Bar and Grail
in Bellevue, Mike Holmgrin went softy and dear.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
All right by the way, looking for a place to
do holiday photos.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
The Holiday Collective in Bellevue is the perfect place for
you and your family to get in the holiday spirits.
Gonna be three festive backdrop, same day photo delivery, and
lots of fun. If you're interested, Take the family and
go to Q four media dot org. That's Q four
media dot org to book. Right now, you think Mike
Holmgren would come by and take some Santa photos with
you and me by the way at the Holiday Collective
(00:57):
in Bellevue, sitting on his lap, Why why not? I
think we should be able to sit on Santa's lap.
You ever dress up as Santa Claus for a family
Christmas parties?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Mike, No, No, I haven't. I haven't. I leave that laws.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, God, see that shocks me.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
That stuns me that you, being the elder States part
of the family, have never dressed If the kids asked you,
would you do it?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Though? Heck, if I asked you, would you do it?
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Uh? Well, if you asked me, if my kids asked me,
if I do it, I would?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah? What about me?
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Well, now let's leave it. Can we leave it at that?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Well, we're having a big company holiday party and I
would like you to dress up as Santa Claus by
the way, so maybe we can make it part of
your new contract here for next year or something. But
Mike Congrin is with us on the air, and we'll
get to the Commander Seahawks in a minute. We saw
them play on Monday, albeit with a different quarterback. Looks
like Jane Daniel is going to play on Sunday night
against the Hawks. But Mike, I gotta first all ask
(01:51):
you about what's going on Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Minnesota.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
At the end of last year, had Daniel Jones and
Sam Darnold on the roster together, two of you could
argue top five six quarterbacks in the NFL right now,
and they're both gone.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
JJ McCarthy is gonna start. Carson Wentz has hurt.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
They just signed John Woolford, who Seahawk fans remember beat
the Hawks in a playoff game back in twenty twenty. Well,
the Rams. But my question to you is this, if
you're Kevin O'Connell and you won fourteen games a year
ago with Sam Darnold Vikings, let him walk, and now
you're just a mess at the quarterback position, how angry
(02:27):
are you? Honestly? If you're Kevin O'Connell right now, the
coach of the Vikings.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I'm pretty upset, you know, And I you know, I
don't know how they work, but it's who makes the decision,
who makes the final call. I think probably he does,
you know, And they obviously like JJ McCarthy and so,
but it has not no you look at that and
you go, oh boy, we made a mistake there. And
if you're gonna be honest about it, so I think
(02:54):
it's hard right now, it's hard, and it just shows
every team Washington is a great example too. You lose
your quarterback, you're starting quarterback, the whole thing changes. Now.
Sometimes you get lucky or not lucky, but sometimes you
can get a game here and there, but usually it
changes your whole team.
Speaker 5 (03:12):
Well, how long is that leash with McCarthy there, do
you think? Because it's a different situation. They're supposed to
they're built to win right now. They won fourteen games
last year, so this isn't a rebuilding team that's like, oh,
we're going to give this young kid three years. I mean,
how long a lease if you have a playoff ready
team around him, should you give him?
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Well, that's the thing I think they really clearly they
think he's the answer, but he has been injured and
he has not been the answer. Because he's been injured,
he has been able to play, and there it amounts
to what his ownership think. In this NFL now, I
think there are the leashes are shorter. I mean, they
(03:53):
want to win now and they want to do that,
and I don't think the Vikings are any different. And
unless this guy can come back and just kind of
shoot lights up and stay lights out and stay healthy,
you know, I think it's tough for the coach.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, you mentioned you thought it was O'Connell's call. I mean,
nobody knows for sure, but he would just take us
behind the scenes and tell us, I mean, the the
the idea to let Darnald walk after drafting McCarthy. Do
you think that that was kind of O'Connell's wish that, Hey,
you know what we got one year out of Sam,
Let's see what the young guy can do. I wanted him,
(04:29):
we drafted him because of me. Or do you think
that was the GM making that call?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Well, I take it has to be the head coach
making that call. But I would I would say this,
and I've been in situations where you draft, you draft
a quarterback high but and he's going to be the guy,
but right away, no, let him learn and keep keep
Donald for another year, see how it goes. And then
(04:55):
I groomed the guy and get him ready to play,
but just to clear the deck and say the ball
to the young rookie. And he's a good player, but
he's been hurt.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Well when it comes to Donald, now I's switching to that.
I mean people used to say, well, Sam, Donald's never
succeeded anywhere, but is it fair now? That we can say,
Wait a second, Sam Donald has never failed when being
in a competent system. He's now two for two.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah. No, he's a good player, and I think I
said that, and I stick with him, and he shows
me everything you need at the position the way he's
been playing right now. He makes good decisions, he makes
him on time, he's smart, he's a good leader, his
teammates like him, all those things. He's coachable, and now
he's entering a new phase of his life. I'm happy
(05:41):
to see him. Happy for him. Yeah, but I don't
know why. You know what, Dave, You're quite I don't
know why they did it. I really don't.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, well they did it because they drafted a guy.
What tenth overall?
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Is that what it was? McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
So, I mean, like you said, they could have given
the kid another year to sit. I mean, the Packers
always gave those guys a couple of years and works
worked out pretty good.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Man.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
But Mike homeguns with us and Seahawks commanders on Sunday night,
and I'm noticing that the Seahawks are first in the
NFL MIC and run defense yards and yards per carry,
by the way, but they're thirty first in yards per
carry on rushing offense. All right, they've played seven games.
We're in the week nine of the NFL season. We've
asked Hugh Millin if he thinks the running game can
(06:22):
really improve significantly between now and the end of the year.
I think he said he's skeptical of that happening. What
do you think can the Seahawks go from almost worse
to maybe even middle of the pack in their rushing
attack on offense or is it late enough for the
game or we can just say they are what they are.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Well, I think there's a room for improvement because right
now they're not functioning very well on offense, so rushing
the ball and so they will get better, but I
think it's that's not going to get them where they
want to go. I think the passing game is what
will get them to the playoffs and potentially a Super
Bowl run. But they need to pick up the running.
(07:02):
And you know, we said it all along. The offensive
line is one of the questions on the football team.
I think guys are try and hid. We got good
positions that left tackle and so on and so forth,
but as a group, it hasn't The new system hasn't
worked the way they wanted it to. I don't think.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Something that surprised me a little bit, Coach, is how
evenly split the carries are between Ken Walker and Sharbon Amy.
It's fifty seven forty three right now between those two
guys in percentages, and Walker's averaging four and a half
yards of carry and Sharbon is averaging two point eight
yards of carry. I mean, is it time to just say, hey,
Ken's the number one and we're going to give him
(07:41):
seventy to seventy five percent of the carries.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I would say so, you know, but again, and we've
talked about this on the show before. I came from
a time where you had a running back he got
the majority of the carries. When he got tired or
needed a blow, he come out, go back in. The
other guy get five carries, six carries just to give
your number one guy a blow. When Shawn Alexander almost
got two thousand yards in the season, right, it's because
(08:07):
we handed him the ball. And I think I think
your point is a good one. In the effort, you
know the reasoning behind splitting it like that, I'm not
sure it's it's the new NFL kind of You know,
every team has like two running backs and they shuffle
them a little bit, except for Henry, you know, in Baltimore.
(08:28):
But that's how they do it now. And I think
it's analytics. Someone, some little guy with glasses in the
upper room told me you should do this, and then
that's what they do.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Well, you mentioned Sean almost get into two thousand. He
was one hundred and twenty yards short. If you wouldn't
have given the bott to Maurice Morris seventy one times,
he would have gotten two thousand yards.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Man.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
And every time I see Sean, he says, remind Homegrin
of that, by the way.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Every time.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Yeah, well, I know I saw him. I saw him
once when I was doing a game for Westwood. He
came in the thing and he goes, you know, I
could have got I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You know, Well, what do you make of this Commander's team? Man?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Because Dick was talking yesterday and there's a lot of
people that just think they're a little bit of a
flash in the pan from last year. And I mean
I remember them just crushing the Lions in that divisional game.
I mean there was no flash in the paint about that.
That was a really good Lion team. They were banged
up on defense at the time. I get it, but
they looked awesome in that game, and then they had
their ass kicked against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship. So
(09:28):
what do you make of this Commander's team? What are
you making Jaydon Daniels. I mean, you see a real
kind of big time threat when they're healthy, or do
you see maybe a little bit of a one hit
wonder from last year?
Speaker 4 (09:39):
No, I think the threat. They're a threat when they're healthy.
You know, they have a really good coach. I believe
in Dan Quinn yep, and then Jayde and Daniels. He's
really good. But he's been hurt. He's missed some games.
And like I said, when the quarterback who was you're
depending on him. They're depending on him for a lot
of things on that football team. He makes the running
(09:59):
game that he makes a lot of things go. And
when he's hurt, it's a different different team. Now. That
says nothing about the defense or anything like that, but
they've been injured, and I think that's the number one
thing I think they're We'll see. I think if Daniels plays,
I think he's gonna play, you might see a little
different team, but the Seahawks, you know, their defense is
(10:21):
playing so well that I'm still pretty optimistic about the
hawks chances.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Well, it's kind of a similar situation with the quarterback
we last faced and the quarterback we're facing now.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Coach, is that c. J.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
Stroud and Jayden Daniels had excellent rookie years and then
year number two for both of them has kind of
been not quite so good. So what is it between
year one and year two? Is it just more teams
getting film on them? Or why do we see the
old sophomore slump from that position sometimes?
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Well, that's the first thing is now teams know who
they are and know what their strengths are. They've studied them,
so they have a much better idea of who that
player is in his second year. And then you know,
look at what's happened to the rest of the team.
Did they lose receivers, did some of their offensive line
get hurt and those types of things, and then all
(11:11):
of a sudden, the young guy starts to press to
make plays, maybe do a little bit more than what's there.
Stroud didn't have a very good game at all against
the Hawks, and then last unme, he he was lights out.
He was really good. So it's a funny. It's a
funny bitsits as you know. But I think that in
the second year, teams know them better. Yeah, And so
(11:32):
I think they're they're they're both good players and they're
gonna be good for a long time.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Mike homegrown with us with the five twenty bar and
girl and Mike. The Seahawks could be getting Robbie Oats
back for this game on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I'm looking at the injury report.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
He was a full participant in practice today for the Hawks.
That twenty one day window has started, so he very
well might play on Sunday night against the Commanders. And look,
I mean, obviously they weren't phenomenal running the ball. They
had that Onewaukee game against the Saints and we three.
They weren't great running the ball. But I think they
drafted this guy for a reason. They were playing him
for a reason. Can you see a scenario where a
(12:07):
rookie fullback out of Alabama who hasn't played in a
month actually could be the key to unlocking the Seahawk
rushing attack. If he plays on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
It'll be he'll help them, Dave, He'll help them, no
question about it. And you know, I'm a fullback person,
so I want to see that happen. Yeah, but there's
more that there's more to it than that. There really is.
I think what we talked about for let walker kim
more carries get him going. You know, you watch him
come out of a game, and I'm always looking at
(12:42):
how they react and how players are, their emotionalness and
things like that. He's not looking like he's having a
lot of fun to me, and he is. I think
his personality, he's one of those guys that can't help
you a lot. Let him play, got him loose, But
having the fullback there, yeah, that'll help. That will help,
and particularly if they hit a couple or then all
of a sudden, everyone gets deuced up and it's good.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Coach JSN just one offensive player of the month of
October in the NFC. I took a look at the numbers.
He has gained a third of all the Hawks yards
this year, and he's gained a half of all the
Hawks receiving yards this year. Why aren't teams able to
just take him away with certain coverages? Because there's not
any other weapons on his offense that have really presented themselves.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
No, I mean, that's that's an amazing question, Dicky, because
I feel the same way. I mean, he is the man.
He is the one that's that's carrying the offense, the
one receiver who's carrying the offense. No cup, and every
once in a while the tight end they'll make a
play and things like that. But how he has been
able to and Jake Mhowe he's been able to get
(13:45):
open and make plays, and how he runs after the catch,
and how teams know he is that guy. Why they
can't do something, you know, is kind of puzzling to me.
I remember when we played Carolina in the championship game
and I don't you know, I left the defense alone
sopt Parry.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Once.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
When I would walk in there, I said, the one
thing I want you to do. I want you to
hit this receivers Smith on the line every time. Don't
let him get off the line clean on any snap. So,
however you decide to do that, do that because he
was the difference mayor maker for that team. And why
teams don't do that with Jigma, I don't know. Yeah,
(14:26):
but they maybe they tried and it hasn't worked. You know,
you'd have to ask you. He knows all the films, Mike.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I'm looking at Pete Carroll in his last four years
as a head coach in the NFL. He's twenty seven
and thirty one. They were twelve and four of the
Hawks were in twenty twenty. That's when they lost that
COVID playoff game that John Wolford who now plays for Minnesota.
Since then, he's twenty seven and thirty one. He's seventy
four years old. The Raiders are two and five and
(14:55):
they look awful. For lack of a better question, and
you didn't coach when you were seven, but put yourself
in Pete carroll shoes. How difficult is this gonna be
for him to figure this out at seventy four years
old with the Raiders and Mark Davis in Vegas.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Yeah, that's that's that's a tough one. I I am.
I've thought about that a little bit of why he
did that, you know. And then I obviously I didn't
coach as long as Pete did, but and I loved
every minute of my coaching thing. But then I reached
the point where I said it's I want to do
some other things, and it's time. And obviously, you know,
he's got a lot of you know, he is, he's enthusiastic,
(15:35):
he jumps around, he choos gum, he does all that stuff. Yeah,
and he's and he's he likes he likes it, he
likes the likes the environment, he likes being that person.
And so yeah, good for him. But then all of
a sudden you start losing games. And then I don't
care how old you are. As a coach, that takes
its toll. And if you're older, you might say, why
(15:56):
do I do this? Because he's you know, he's been
a great coach for long long time, and now it's
not too much fun for him, I don't think. So
he's good. He'll have if it continues to go this way,
he'll have some decisions to make. I think at the
end of the season.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
You know what else he likes to do coach. He
likes to get recycled players and sign them again. And
he did it again with Tyler Lockett.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I know that's great.
Speaker 5 (16:18):
Yeah, I mean how much did you I mean, obviously
Hasslebeck's a notable example, but how often did you like
to pick your old players on your new team.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
Well, it depended who they were. You know, we were
so heard my last year. If you're a remember and
I signed Jerry Rice and I signed Corn Robinson back
because I couldn't play the receivers. We got down to
the gas station. You know, it just it's it's fun.
I mean, it's encouraging, and you like you know, obviously
they had a great relationship, but you know, you try
(16:52):
and build a team and then if an older guy,
someone you had can come in and help really make
a difference, you do it. But you don't just do
it because you like the guy.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Yeah, but you're talking about bringing guys in to help
you build a culture, right, not just the talent. I mean,
clearly he's bringing this was the easiest call in the
history of the world that he was going to bring
lock it into kind.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Of help help helps you build the locker room.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
But how much did you bring those guys in specifically
just to help implement your culture versus what they could
do on the field at that time?
Speaker 4 (17:22):
I wouldn't do that.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You wouldn't do it.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Wow, Okay, no, no, not if that's the only reason, Yeah,
then I'm not doing Then I'm not doing my job.
I'm not doing my job. That's how I looked at it.
So if you even come in and do that, what
you're talking about was still contribute on the field, sure
football in the game.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I do it right, Like when Pete had lawyer Malloy,
you know, early on, and who was the guy from
us see the wide receiver Mike Williams. You bring Mike
Williams to help out, you know, just kind of get
things going. All right, man, he listen, rest up, and
hopefully we'll see.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
You in a week.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
All right, all right, Bud, all right, then Mike homeroom
with us. We're going to break more to come from
the five twenty bar and Grail. I believe we're gonna
try and track down Taylor. I get her pick for
tonight's game, Jackson, do we have her record on the air?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
By the way this year, I'll just say this, it's bad.
It's really bad. Is it worse than you on Wednesdays?
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Yes? It is because she really isn't one yet, know Okay,
it's how she's over due.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I mean, she's due told me to.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Well, we'll find out what We'll see who Taylor from
the five twenty likes tonight at about four point fifty
before Ravens Dolphins coming up from the five twenty bar
and grail on ninety three three KJRFM
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