Full Transcript for Huddle Up for Week 11 Against the Rams

string guys playing really well. And I think that's just a sign of everybody understands what this defense is all about, because you're. 00:05:30 Speaker 4: Just plugging guys in and they're making plays. 00:05:33 Speaker 2: You there's a play. There are always some plays within a game Dave and I go, that's a Dave woman play right there. And I think of the fourth and goal when they uh when tyle Kotta gets into the backfield and chops him down. I think Peeley kind of forced to running back to bounce a little bit, and tyle Kotta get is back there. I looked at the end zone and it's like gap integrity and Stellman at the line of scrimmage one that which allowed Tylecotta just to be free and get back. I love plays like that because it shows that everyone is doing their job right. 00:06:00 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's really I mean, look, at some point, you know, you go, okay, well, guys are backups for a reason, and we would love to have Julian Love back out there. But Okata doing doing a great job. And you ever walk next to that guy. He is not a big no no and he is a guy that really will will bring everything. 00:06:19 Speaker 4: So I love what Mike McDonald said to him. 00:06:23 Speaker 3: I'm kind of paraphrasing, but he just said, play with energy, don't try to solve every problem. 00:06:27 Speaker 4: The plays will come to you. 00:06:29 Speaker 3: And they've they've that's what they've they've gotten out of their backups. 00:06:33 Speaker 2: You mentioned this two one hundred and ninety eight yards in the ground. You got zach Sharbone fourteen cares for eighty three in a touchdown. Halani gets a touchdown, CA nine gets fourteen cares himselves for sixty seven. You think this is the formula right here, like fourth to half and half obviously for Zak and in Walker you sprinkle in some Hallani as well, and then Rashid with a couple of cares himself. 00:06:51 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:06:51 Speaker 3: I mean, and first of all, I think with Rashid in there and whenever you you know, have the threat of that fly sweep, it just kind of cuts your defense in half. Everybody on the backside has to be disciplined and and stay home and so that always creates you know, great great angles for the blockers and everything. But yeah, as far as that goes, I'm trying to figure out who is my favorite back. 00:07:15 Speaker 2: You know, I like Sharpening because I. 00:07:17 Speaker 3: Just like his power and you know that he there's always the threat that he's going to run you over. But Canine looks incredibly explosive too. But I'll tell you what, when we get into the Rams, I feel like their run game is better than ours. I mean it is statistically, but then also if you look at just the way they time up the blocking and when especially Karen Williams hits the hole, it's just like perfectly timed. 00:07:43 Speaker 2: So and that's where we need to, you know, take a step forward. Cooper Cup is going back. Well, we don't go there now. Let me let me pause on that. Well, we'll get to Cooper Cup in him being back there as focus just a little bit more on the game that we saw. There was a guy who stepped up and made a couple of good plays two weeks in a row. Now Reek Woman, man, he's looking like he's getting his confidence back. 00:08:03 Speaker 3: I loved what Reek did when I did my little recap that we do for our shows on the on the website. You know, he was the last guy I talked about, and I know he only had and I got a chance to talk to him after the game, but he was put down for two passes broken up. 00:08:19 Speaker 2: I thought there was more than that. Yeah, first of all, and. 00:08:22 Speaker 3: And then he was just incredibly sticky And what a great what a great story he is. I mean, I think he was in the doghouse. Maybe he got saved because some of the injuries that were going on early on, and he's just played his way right and now all of a sudden, he's he's making plays and he's got that confidence and you know, and I feel like once you do that, it's like I always say, it's like putting a recipe in your back pocket. You're like, Okay, I know I can do that. I can I can cover these guys, I can run with them. And he's start He's also finishing, right. That's the one thing that you you hear a lot from McDonald is a guy's not finishing. He's finishing play and there's an urgency in the way that he plays. So yeah, I mean, he's a great story. I think this year. I think when we look back, if he continues to play this way, especially. 00:09:10 Speaker 2: Yup, love the contributions that we are getting all across the board. Man, the D line, the second level, the third level of the offense is doing this thing. You're gonna need these guys to step up. So one of the guys who I think is gonna have a big role in this game is gonna join us pretty soon. That's Nick emon Rawer. He is gonna join us here on the huddle. You guys, stay tuned. That's coming up next. 00:09:29 Speaker 1: Back to the Huddle only on the home of the Seahawks, Seattle Sports. 00:09:35 Speaker 2: Welcome back to the huddle. Michael Bumpers with Dave Whyman. We're joined now by Nick Emunori safety for your safety, Nickel, moving round backers, sometimes rushing off the edge. Man is doing doing a little bit of everything, man, and over the weeks, it's been kind of fun to see. Did you do different things? 00:09:53 Speaker 4: Man? 00:09:54 Speaker 2: They're really opening up the playbook for you. How you feeling about that? Feeling good about that? 00:09:58 Speaker 5: Man? 00:09:58 Speaker 6: You know how the week's going, you know, learning more stuff and just figuring myself out, figuring out this defense and figuring out how the NFL works. 00:10:07 Speaker 4: So you play like a veteran. 00:10:09 Speaker 3: Man, it looks like you're like a four year vet in the league. Just I mean, it was it difficult to come in and then the speed. When did you feel like you were up to speed? Because it looked like right away to my eyes. 00:10:23 Speaker 6: Yeah, n I

appreciate that, but yeah, it was. It was a little difficult coming in as far as like just transitioning to the NFL game, as far as like how things work and the schemes and just the defense. 00:10:33 Speaker 2: And like learning what to do. 00:10:34 Speaker 6: And but I think from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint, I wasn't. 00:10:38 Speaker 2: That far behind. 00:10:39 Speaker 6: So I got some great coaches here, great vets. You know, we got a great room. So it's like when you got great people around you, it's easier to develop. And it just made my process even better. 00:10:49 Speaker 4: He answers questions like a veto. 00:10:51 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, I remember we interviewed you early in the season and you said something that stayed with me and I was like, oh, man, that you had your moment yet, And he was like, I since you said, now they got to worry about me, Like I ain't worry about them. They gotta about me. So now when I watch you play, I try to get that mentality, like that's the way he's thinking when he's on that football film and it shines you can see that stuff. 00:11:10 Speaker 4: Man. 00:11:11 Speaker 2: What was it like going up against a good tight end and McBride last week? That was a fun match up. Yeah, that was a cool matchup. 00:11:17 Speaker 5: Man. 00:11:17 Speaker 6: I missed in the first game, and you know, you know, I knew coming up to this game I was gonna be relied on heavily as far as as well as the whole secondary too. But you know, I knew that was my matchup all week in practice. You know, there was three verses eighty five. Whatever matchup coverage you had is you're on eighty five. So I was excited for that matchup. 00:11:35 Speaker 4: You know. 00:11:35 Speaker 6: And I think I did well held my own, you know, made a lot of plays against him. But he a good tight end, so I'll give him his respect. 00:11:41 Speaker 2: But he don't say nothing either, huh. Yeah, he wasn't really talking that much. 00:11:46 Speaker 4: You know. 00:11:46 Speaker 6: I don't think he really could have had room to talk, you know, the way the game was going. 00:11:51 Speaker 2: He wasn't really talking on film. 00:11:52 Speaker 6: He was a little you know, but I was expecting a little bit more, but I didn't even. 00:11:55 Speaker 4: Get that, yeah, or your talker on the field. 00:11:59 Speaker 6: I try to be, but like sometimes when the games, it's like I don't try to be, but like, you know, if the moments there, you all say a little something, let them know I'm here or whatever. But sometimes I be too tuned into the game and it's like it's so much going on. It's like I ain't got time. But you know, whenever I get my chance to, I'll let somebody know. 00:12:16 Speaker 2: We We interviewed a guy earlier today. We're gonna play his interview and he said the reason why, one of the reasons why the Hawks aren't getting a lot of attention but now y'all are, was because the bravado is different, you know, always leading the boom. And

I told him, I go, are you watching the same time my watching? Because y'all are making players out there and playing with passion, and I think that week by week I'm seeing more and more of that. 00:12:39 Speaker 6: Yeah, that's great. I think, you know, like people just kind of get caught up in nostalgia a little bit, you know, like that leading the boom earro was great and they one of the best defenses ever, but you know, if you look at watch our tape, man, I think were playing great ball on offense, defense, but especially on defense. Man, I think you know, and to this day, I don't think we've all been out there at the same time healthy. You know, we're still missing Julian. You know, Toa is doing a great job, but you know, we still miss some pieces here and there. But we're finally starting to click as a defense. As far as like disrupting the whole game, We've been doing that all season, but you know, it started clicking even our depth. 00:13:12 Speaker 2: We got a lot of depth pieces. 00:13:14 Speaker 6: But I think we're doing a great job as a defense, and we've been putting the league on notice every week. 00:13:19 Speaker 3: So Nick, we talked to you right after you got drafted, and we asked you, or I asked you a question, do you want to would you rather have a takeaway or would you rather have a pick a hit? And he wisely answered, if it's the Niners, I want to pick hit. 00:13:32 Speaker 5: And all. 00:13:33 Speaker 3: We got so many texts from people They're like, this is my new favorite seahawk. They love you for that, But seriously, I mean taking the ball away, I mean it's the whole point of of you know, playing defense is that that's probably you know number one right sack or a pick over a. 00:13:48 Speaker 6: Sack, pick over a set, yeah yeah, pick over a seck, especially you know, being a dB I like you know, growing up first start off playing corner, play safety. You know, like sacks are cool. I love getting sacks, like it's fun disrupting the game. But like getting the pick is like, you know, it's a litt bit more like you know, it's a great film behind that, especially picked sixties and stuff. 00:14:07 Speaker 2: So that'd be. 00:14:08 Speaker 6: Coming real soon, you know, you know, hopefully just speaking it to existence, you know, it would be coming definitely getting looking to get some picks, pick sixes and get some more takeaways in the secondary. I do a game preview for the Hawks every week, and I'm spoil it, but one of my keys to this game are just you against the tight ends. 00:14:25 Speaker 2: They line up in thirteen most in the NFL. For y'all listening to us, three tight ends, one running back and they run out of it. But they also throw out of it. What have you? Which kind of challenge do you think they present this week? Uh? 00:14:37 Speaker 6: You know, I think we gotta just like how they do different stuff, how different personnels. We can do the same stuff out Nickel personnel and stuff like you know, me playing Nickel, it kind of just changes kind of like our whole dynamic of the defense, Like it just gives us more room to move around freely and we can have like you know, it's just a different dynamic. Like you know, teams try to get out of Nickel because you can't really stop the running Nickel, but me, you know, you can stop the run guard tight end. You can do a little bit of everything. So I think it gives them a dynamic to kind of try to look how can they attack us and how can they get around us? More than how can we? You know, how am I going to look to stop them? It's kind of like how I always think, you know, so the best way to. 00:15:15 Speaker 3: Put it, who's a veat that's really giving you a lot of information and help you out a little bit. Who do you sort of rely on? Probably a lot of guys. But who do you hear from the most? Who do you talk to the most? 00:15:27 Speaker 6: I probably say Kobe Bryant if I had to single out one dude, But our room is it's hard to kind of single out one dude because our room is like generally genuinely filled a lot of vests, Like you got reek wieland Spoon, you got Julian Love Kobe, and so it's like, uh shack. So it's like we got a room full of vets and like older dudes. But I'll say like more one on one time. I sit right beside Kobe in the meeting room, so me and him have a little bit more like uh intimate conversations about what we're watching this stuff. 00:15:53 Speaker 2: Yeah, so what you played in the s SEC obviously, how do how do the twelves compare to that of the noise of the crowds in the SEC? 00:16:02 Speaker 6: Yeah, I think there's like probably a lot of stadium I played in as far as like like actual down and down noise and stuff. You know, se got a lot of great stadiums, super loud. A lot of people like mentioned Tennessee, even South Carolina great stadium. But uh, you know a lot of people said the NFL stadiums and the fans weren't really that loud and stuff. But Seattle, I've never heard that about like any Seattle team or like said the Seattle fans they go crazy. So when I went up here, like all the guys is telling me like, wait till you get in there for her own game, like you will see for real. So I ain't really believe them until I actually got in there and it was like we really couldn't hear to do beside you. So I think it's advantage for us though. You know, being out loud. 00:16:39 Speaker 2: Obviously helps us out. 00:16:41 Speaker 6: And it's just great to have that atmosphere because not a lot of NFL teams got that atmosphere as far as like fans come to the game and stuff. 00:16:47 Speaker 2: So I think that's I think that's great. I enjoy it. It's because of you guys, because you guys are giving them something to be hyped about. There were a couple of years here where it was loud, but not what it used to be. So that's that's a tipic cap to y'all. Man. 00:16:59 Speaker 3: Yeahs, back to draft day, a lot of people thought the Seahawks were gonna take you in the first round and where

you're expecting and you know, how did how did that go down? 00:17:10 Speaker 2: Yeah? 00:17:10 Speaker 4: Draft? 00:17:10 Speaker 6: That draft, it was kind of just like a it was like a weird I won't say weird, but it was like an odd time kind of like trying to figure out where I was going because a lot of teams had me going as early as maybe thirteen through the whole first round, so I had no idea where I was really going. But the team I did think, I thought I was either going to go seventeen to the Bengals or eighteen to the Seahawks right there. So and then a lot of teams in the back maybe back five or six picks, like the Commanders, Ravens, the Chiefs, Bills, I was pretty sure like one of those teams were going to come pick me up. But uh so when I when I didn't go in the first round, I was kind of like really kind of confused, so especially you know, looking at the next pick I didn't I didn't see see out in like the early second round, so I had no idea where I was going. So when they came up and traded me, I was kind of like confused on like who was actually on the phone and calling. Which is the craziest story, so like if you like really watched the interview or the draft calls, like I had no idea who was really on the phone or like what team was calling me because I knew Seattle picked like later in the second and it was like a whole bunch of different teams I never even spoke to, so that my draft day was crazy, but glad it. 00:18:16 Speaker 4: Worked out though. 00:18:17 Speaker 2: All right, it was working out great too. Yeah, we appreciate you man, Thanks for taking time out of your day. Yeah, and we'll talk to you soon. So I appreciate you guys. All right, all right, all right, safety Nick Emon Warren blessing us real quick when we come back. Then we'll hear from Patrick ol'tool and a whole bunch of others. We got the Sam Donald presser as well. That's next right here on the huddle. 00:18:35 Speaker 1: Back to the huddle only on the home of the Seahawks, Seattle Sports. 00:18:41 Speaker 2: Welcome back to the huddle on Michael Bumpus along with Dave Wyman. We'rejowing out by Patrick O'Connell LB for the Seahawks. How you doing, man good. I appreciate you for having me, thanks for taking time and you guys got a lot going on this week. Man. How's the body feeling? I mean, we're all at halfway through this thing. How's the mental? How's the body? Yeah, it's going good. 00:19:00 Speaker 7: Trying to stay ready, stay prepared, body's feeling good, mentals are good, just ready to go play. 00:19:05 Speaker 4: Yeah, you're run run down on kickoffs? 00:19:08 Speaker 2: Right? 00:19:08 Speaker 3: You on tell me the special teams that you're on. I want to say, Oh, yeah, the. 00:19:12 Speaker 7: Last game I was playing kickoff kwar and punt return. 00:19:16 Speaker 2: Yeah. How was that Getting back out there? 00:19:18 Speaker 4: Man? It was good. 00:19:18 Speaker 7: It felt good to be back out there with the guys and just putting my work to use on the field. 00:19:25 Speaker 4: So it was great being out there again. 00:19:27 Speaker 2: What do you think is the best the best part of your game? If you had to highlight something, what do you think would be? I mean, I would say effort. It's kind of overlooked in a lot of a lot of areas. You know, people say that effort is actually like a skill because if if everyone would do it, then they would play play with high effort every single play. And I think that's one area that I take pride in. So it's funny you say that I was my daughter yesterday had a bad practice and she gets in the car, she's all upset, and I go, well, you know what, effort will take care of all of that. And you can have a if you can have cannot be on point with your skills or whatnot. But if you just give effort, good things is gonna happen. So I'll make sure she listens to Iro. Yeah. 00:20:08 Speaker 4: I mean it's it's kind of interesting. 00:20:09 Speaker 3: It's kind For me, it was always kind of an awareness thing where I would see myself like jogging. 00:20:15 Speaker 2: Every once in a while and I'm like, oh man, what am I doing? 00:20:17 Speaker 4: Right? 00:20:18 Speaker 3: I mean that I feel like that you guys kind of have that going, especially if you're on the field with a guy like Witherspoon who's just constant energy, and kind of feel like that's what's going on with your defense right now. 00:20:28 Speaker 2: Everybody's just playing to a little bit higher standard. I agree. You know, everyone feeds off each other. 00:20:34 Speaker 7: You see guys like Spoon and every everyone honestly going out there and playing as hard as they can for for one another, and you don't want to let your brother down. So everyone's playing with higher energy, high effort, and it's just contagious. 00:20:46 Speaker 2: So I host the prehat time and postgame show, right So we get into the postgame showing and walking by some of the some of the fans and stuff, and they're like, what what is that to talk about? Like they just blew them out. I go, trust me, this is football. There's always something than these guys. These coaches are gonna critique and try to get you going. So even though you guys had a great day on defense, what do you think is something that what was the focus this week on working on? 00:21:10 Speaker 7: You know, there's always stuff, especially on like third downs, you can always focus on. You know, why they got this, why they got that. You know, if you just limit them to having like two or less a game, excuse me, if you get if they get too too less a game, then your percentages are gonna go way down and it's gonna make you such a better defense. And you know you can critique a little tiny things like that. There's always stuff. 00:21:35 Speaker 4: To work on. 00:21:35 Speaker 7: Like you said, it's too hard to pick out every single thing, but there's little plays here and there that you just take from the film and you make it happen on the on the field. 00:21:45

Speaker 3: You guys have special teams wise has been fantastic. You know, you got got the touchdown in Pittsburgh, you had a punp return for a touchdown, block to kick. I mean there's been a lot. What is a what's different about Jay Harribout The other thing is he's got too big d lineman running down the middle of the kickoff. I mean that's there's a lot of innovation going on there. So yeah, that's a good word. 00:22:06 Speaker 7: I was gonna bring up the creativity and just not staying stagnant. I'm always having a plan for for every single team, studying and preparing and dominating going out there and putting the work to use. I said, Jay's super creative with uh with the scheme, and then from there it's us putting the work in and trusting him and then going out and playing with high, high energy, high effort and making it come to life. 00:22:32 Speaker 2: I saw last week or the week before when Peelee punches the ball out him and uhh was it? Mike, Yeah, we're right next to each other right last week there was a gap in between, like two guys in between, and as a you know, my football mind kicks in and I go, I bet all week they prepare for this certain look and now you get something else. How often do tweaks like that happen? And then another question, how fun is kickoff cover now? Because we're playing at run seventy yards out of dank field, run through a guy bigger than him and try to get to the football. 00:23:06 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:23:07 Speaker 7: So to the first one, you know, it's super hard to prepare for because you know, we're, like I said, we're not gonna be stagnant. We're gonna move guys around, and I'm trying to be unpredictable. 00:23:16 Speaker 4: Uh. 00:23:16 Speaker 7: And then to your second point, it's like it's such a different game now with the with the kickoff rules and the dynamic kickoff, and now it's just like you, it's one on one. 00:23:27 Speaker 4: You have to beat your guy. 00:23:28 Speaker 7: You got to play with extension and play with length and go out and dominate your guy, and then you have to shed a block and then you got to make make a play. So which one you like better? The old one or the new one. I mean it's they both had their ups and down, so it's tough. 00:23:45 Speaker 2: I hated kickoff return. Actually I played my way out of that job. Yeah, just missed that. 00:23:51 Speaker 3: Yeah, oh yeah, sorry, but yeah, I mean it used to be you had to retreat like fifteen twenty yards and then. 00:23:57 Speaker 4: Turn around try to get a block. 00:23:58 Speaker 3: But uh yeah, So and then you know, all week I was calling them L one and R one, right, and then I saw that they were you know what three or two or whatever. 00:24:08 Speaker 4: They put the big guys out out on the side there. 00:24:11 Speaker 3: But what about takeaways you know you're starting to come and what's your kind of theory on that. 00:24:17 Speaker 2: I feel like it's like when you take care of all the. 00:24:19 Speaker 3: Small details, then you can kind of, you know, maybe take a shot every once in a while, but yeah, maybe something that starts to explode or you guys playing on defense in a way that makes you think there's gonna be more coming. 00:24:32 Speaker 7: Yeah, I'd say it's because of the emphasis that we put on it. And then from there, it's just like trusting the game plan, knowing the game game plan cold, and then going out and executing that. And then once once you're there, you got to be ball aware. So that's what we try and work on every single day in practices, being ball aware, knowing where the ball is every single plane, being able to punch at it or get a strip sack picking off the ball. And then if you're if you're not, then we're trying we're trying to uh put an emphasis on that, like I said, just and then you can get a fine every single day if you're if you're not making a play so. 00:25:10 Speaker 2: The room in the room, the punch out thing is really interesting to me too. 00:25:14 Speaker 3: They have a linebacker that Nate lan kid who kind of specializes in it. You know, if you go all in on that, you might miss a tackle. So I mean, what's the sort of formula there, because yeah, I mean it seems like you either if you're the second guy there, go ahead and take a shot or how does that work? 00:25:33 Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean a lot of times you teach uh, the first guy there's going to be the guy to wrap up the second guy and third guy and coming in to punch or rip. But you see guys that are really good at it where they can wrap and punch at the same time, or guys that tackle at the level of the ball so they put their helmet on it or they're they're punching through it while they're tackling and wrapping. And then you talk about like guys in transition, a lot guys that are just catching the ball turning up field. It's a great opportunity for guys to punch. But yeah, like you said, you know, Mike showed uh Nate Lanman in the team meeting just how how ball where he was and how we have to be sound as a team because guys like them on the other team are punching at the ball. 00:26:14 Speaker 2: I'm so glad that wasn't part of the game when I was playing. It was just rip, you know what I'm saying. 00:26:18 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's what we did. 00:26:19 Speaker 2: Yeah, that changed the game right there. Tell me about young Pat Man. Are you from Montana? Yeah, I am born and raised and raise Montana. You like to hunt, we like to. 00:26:27 Speaker 7: Do yeah, I mean when I have time, I like to get out of hunt and fish and do all the things that that we do over there, skiing and you know, skiing, building fires, doing whatever. 00:26:37 Speaker 2: I mean, just anything outside. Honestly, the Northwest introduced me to all that. I'm from LA. So the first time my camp was out here. Yep, first time I shot a gun was from out here. Got on the water out here, right, Yeah, the Northwest, I can imagine going a bit more easy, to have more intense than out here. 00:26:52 Speaker

7: Yeah, I mean it was. It was awesome growing up there and being able to do everything that I did. 00:26:56 Speaker 3: And yeah, yeah, they take your card away in Montana if you're not a hunter, Bill, Yeah, yep. Hey, uh, when when you were growing up, what position did you think, you know, once you got into football, you know, did you play offense or and then who were who are some of the guys that you looked up to that you really liked watching? 00:27:17 Speaker 7: Yeah, growing up, I always played running back in linebacker. Then I got to high school, uh, I still played. I played more full back tight end type the position, and then obviously played linebackers still going into college played my first year I started at the University of Mary uh it's small D two school in North Dakota, and I played off the ball backer. And then when I transferred into University of Montana, I more moved to basically play edge, so I was rushing the passer a lot more. Even though all that, Like, through all that, I was still a Seahawks fan and everything. So my whole life I was looking up to Bobby, watching him and then being able to play with him. 00:27:58 Speaker 2: My rookie year was pretty awesome. Specialty You ever hear of Jack Lambert? Oh? Yeah, okay, yeah, absolutely, that was my guy. Nice. 00:28:05 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:28:05 Speaker 3: When I was growing up, my mom framed my I had one of those sports illustrated posters that you could order and uh yeah, and she framed it for me and I still have it somewhere, but yeah, that was that was my guy, and I knew I was going to be a linebacker for for whatever reason, same with you. 00:28:20 Speaker 7: Yeah, I mean it just kind of stuck with me from from the time I was like in middle school. 00:28:26 Speaker 2: I just played linebacker and I loved it. 00:28:28 Speaker 4: I just love tackling, hitting guys. 00:28:30 Speaker 7: And just I think it was kind of a byproduct of the coaches I had. 00:28:35 Speaker 4: They kind of. 00:28:36 Speaker 7: Saw that that's where I belonged, and luckily that's it stuck. 00:28:40 Speaker 4: So it looked in his eyes and said he's got linebacker. 00:28:43 Speaker 2: Eyes, right, So he's gone away, Pat Man. We appreciate your time. 00:28:47 Speaker 4: Yeah, thank you. 00:28:47 Speaker 2: To have a good week and I'll go do your thing, sir, appreciate you all right, Linebacker Patrick O'Connell. When we come back, we'll hear from Sam A. Darland and his press. That's next right here on the huddle. 00:28:57 Speaker 1: This this he is the huddle every Thursday from noon to two on Seattle Sports. 00:29:03 Speaker 5: At the Arizona forty three opening drive by the Seahawks. 00:29:06 Speaker 8: Play fake and Donald's gonna roll left, hasstime, gonna let it fly, got a man deep reaching, got touchdown. Stay Hawks, and guess. 00:29:16 Speaker 2: Who Jackson fifth. 00:29:19 Speaker 8: And Jacob with the touchdown reception, tightly covered but dropping that baby in the bucket. Sam Donald from forty three half the Hawks up six vel. 00:29:31 Speaker 2: Let's go to the podium and hear from QB one Sam Donald, what's. 00:29:34 Speaker 4: Going on, guys? 00:29:35 Speaker 2: Good? 00:29:37 Speaker 9: Obviously a tough divisional game this week that we're really looking forward to. Got a uh, you know, a great great defense. You know, I feel like, you know, they're doing a really good job. I think they're you know, up there, if not number one and forcing turnovers. You know, that's always tough whenever you're on against the defense like that that can you know, punch the ball out, take it away defensively. And so for them, I think just you know, rushing coverage kind of working together. They got a great front tied tied with really good backers and really good dbs that make it all come to life. So we're really looking forward to the opportunity. How easy or hard. 00:30:09 Speaker 10: Is it to speed up your mechanics for delivery when you've got guys that are not just taking the ball away the. 00:30:16 Speaker 11: Cover back hits and pressures too. 00:30:18 Speaker 9: Yeah, you know, I think that's that's the name of the game, right if you can just if you can get home rushing four or five guys every single time, you know, you love that as a defensive coordinator especially, so you know, we got to be on our p's and q's. But also you know, they like to mix it up, they like to bring certain pressures, so we just got to be ready for it. 00:30:36 Speaker 11: How does the defense are playing this year compare to what you guys saw what you saw with them last year. 00:30:41 Speaker 9: Yeah, you know, they're doing some similar things, but obviously, like like every offense, like every defense, like every team in the NFL, you know, they're they're evolving, you know, with the personnel that they have and all the different things that they can do defensively. So you know, they've they've shown a lot of different things this year and we're about, you know, going up against these guys. 00:31:02 Speaker 4: What you see him from Clinton Lake thirty. 00:31:04 Speaker 9: Seven and how they use him, Yeah, you know, I feel like, you know, he's kind of the one back there that you know, is kind of directing people where to go and just kind of running the show back there. 00:31:16 Speaker 4: And for a good reason. 00:31:17 Speaker 9: You know, he seems like a smart football player, you know, and again it's you know, he's he's obviously, you know, really good, and not only him, but you know some of the other you know dbs that work along with him and the linebackers for that matter, in just disguising a lot of their coverages and a lot of their pressures. So it definitely makes it tough to go against. But uh, but exciting. Like I said about just the opportunity that we have. 00:31:40 Speaker 4: Do you go back and look. 00:31:41 Speaker 10: At those two games from last year against them much at all? 00:31:43 Speaker 4: Or is it obviously that was a different team you

were playing with it. I mean, we look at everything. 00:31:46 Speaker 9: Uh, you know, we're looking at all the games that they've played this year, you know, games that you know I played last year. Yeah, we look at we look at everything just to kind of see, you know, see what we what we could potentially get on Sunday. Defense is playing the way that it is. 00:32:04 Speaker 6: How is that change the change the entire field of the. 00:32:08 Speaker 10: Game for you on offense? 00:32:09 Speaker 2: Yeah? 00:32:10 Speaker 9: You know, I think I said this after the game, but you know, just playing playing with a defense like that, you know, can give you a lot of you know. 00:32:17 Speaker 4: Comfort as a quarterback. 00:32:18 Speaker 9: Obviously, you know, I'm still going to continue to push myself, push the guys on offense to continue to be better. You know, I think we got to continue to protect the football. I think that was a huge emphasis coming out of that game that we had last week. But again, you know, with with our defense playing the way that they are right now, yeah, they're playing well, and again we just got to continue to to do what we do on offense. 00:32:40 Speaker 12: You know, we're going to. 00:32:41 Speaker 2: Ask you, is this rams game personal for you? How personal this is? Uh No? 00:32:47 Speaker 9: I think I think for us it's just about going down there. For myself personally, it's about going down there and taking care of business. 00:32:54 Speaker 2: You know. 00:32:54 Speaker 9: That's that. You know, it's as simple as up from. 00:32:58 Speaker 4: That playoff game to you for yourself. 00:33:00 Speaker 9: For quarterbacking, yeah, I think, you know, just you know, having answers, I think that's the biggest thing is, you know. And I feel like I had opportunities to get the ball out and I didn't in that game, and uh yeah, I just feel like having answers for for certain looks and being able to just go through my progressions, go through my reads and trust my feet in my eyes. 00:33:21 Speaker 11: You talked about protecting the ball and and it just feels like a game that could definitely come down to the to the end. 00:33:27 Speaker 2: You guys have had to. 00:33:27 Speaker 4: Turnovers at the end of the game. 00:33:29 Speaker 11: How do you change that if that that that's what happens this week, is you get down to a close game. 00:33:34 Speaker 9: Yeah, I think it's just what I said. I think it's you know, being very just being very uh deliberate with kind of my progressions, going through my reads, understanding when the pockets you know, a little bit messy, and when I need to maybe check the ball down or even just throw it away. So I think that's that's gonna be a huge point of emphsis this week. But again, I like to play every single play as its own and and kind of go from there. 00:34:00 Speaker 6: You've only bit sacked ten times in nine games. 00:34:02 Speaker 4: What do you make of that fact? Yeah? 00:34:04 Speaker 9: I

think first of all, it's a it's a good you know, our offensive line is playing incredible tight ends, running backs, all those that are you know, in protection, they're doing a great job. And then our receivers being able to get open. And then for me, it's just being able to get the ball out and going through my reads. 00:34:21 Speaker 10: O guys have talked about the outside noise, it's kind of you know about this game and that we'll start to come around you guys more if you guys keep winning, How do you how do you sort of you know, eliminate that or not get that seat ende you guys? 00:34:33 Speaker 9: Yeah, I think you know, it's just understanding who we are, who I am as a person, Understanding the guys in the locker room, the coaching staff. You know, we're all working so hard every single week. You know, we enjoy the you know, when we do get a win, we enjoyed on Monday, but you know it's onto the next you know, Monday night really Tuesday, and we're focused on next week. 00:34:53 Speaker 11: You talked about a while ago leadership style that you kind of admires, the quiet like offensive line kind of Was that always the way that you kind of led or is there a time that you tried different kind of leadership styles and and settled on this one. 00:35:07 Speaker 2: No. 00:35:07 Speaker 9: I think for me, it's it's always you know, if if I need to speak up or you know, say something that the offensive guys need to hear, or a certain position group or a certain person needs to hear, Like I'm I'm gonna speak up, and I feel great about doing that. But you know, first and foremost, it's about doing my job. And if I'm if I'm not doing my job and I'm getting on people like that doesn't make sense to me, and it never has, and so I always make sure that I'm I'm trying to and it may come off as leading by example, but it's really just doing your job. And I feel like, you know, all those guys in that locker room are leaders because everyone in there tries to do their job and they do it at a high level. 00:35:46 Speaker 2: And that's just it. What does twelve attempts in the games say about your winning game and the fluid team of your offense? 00:35:53 Speaker 9: Yeah, it's a it's awesome, you know, to be able to run the ball that we the way that we did, I think without you know, the knees at the end and at the end of the first half, I think we're over two hundred yards. So you know, those guys are continuing to come together, like I always say, as an offensive line, and you know, as a running back group, tight end group, receiver group, even blocking blocking their tail tails off. Robbie oots doing this thing as a fullback, Brady, So it's good man, the whole, the whole group's really coming together and we're just going to continue to build off that week after week. 00:36:23 Speaker 13: Changing centers can be disruptive for an offense. But with Olu, can you tell, like this guy that started a bunch of games and also you got the reps with them in camp when there's a competition that can you notice that as well? 00:36:34 Speaker 2: Yeah? 00:36:34 Speaker 9: For sure, Yeah, I think Olu does a does a really good job. 00:36:36 Speaker 2: He did a really good job. 00:36:37 Speaker 9: When he got in there last week, so I know that he's going to continue to prepare his butt off and do everything that he can to help this team win. 00:36:46 Speaker 11: You guys seem to keep keep it light, keep it steady weekend even as things build. Who's who's the person that thinks to the funniest in the locker room? 00:36:54 Speaker 4: Actually the funniest who thinks that there? 00:36:56 Speaker 9: Because that is a that is a big difference, you know, I'm the I think Eric Sobert might be the funniest guy, but that's just you know again, that's everybody has a different taste. But Sabby is pretty funny. Coop I would say, thinks he's the funniest and I'm gonna have to go with that because he's tried to drill me on a couple of things, a couple of one liners, and yeah, I just thought this was a good time to maybe air that out. 00:37:22 Speaker 4: And uh, we'll see what he says about that. 00:37:24 Speaker 13: Speaking of Coop, obviously going back to l A and just for you haven't spent half a season around him, Now, what's he meant to to the offense, this team as a whole. 00:37:33 Speaker 9: Yeah, man, he's incredible. You know, I feel like I talk about it a lot, but just the work that he puts in, you know, it's unlike anyone else that I've ever met. Yeah, he's just he's been a huge, a huge fit for us, you know, as an offense, just the way that he works and just the things he can do on the field as well. He's also been a huge catalyst for kind of bringing these guys together, bringing the team together too. So you know, yeah, he's he's been very I don't know if this is probably the understatement of the year, but he's a very important piece to what we're building here. 00:38:05 Speaker 2: Appreciate it, guys. Coming up next, let's go into the trenches with Big Ray Roberts. 00:38:10 Speaker 1: This is the. 00:38:11 Speaker 2: Huddle, the handoff inside the show. He's gonna go Touchdown. 00:38:16 Speaker 1: Hawks exclusively on Seattle Sports on seven ten, Seattle Sports on YouTube, and the Seattle Sports App with hosts Michael Bumpus, Stacey. 00:38:26 Speaker 2: Rosk and Deep Why time to go inside the huddle. Welcome back to the huddle Michael Bumpus with Dave Wyman. And now we're going into the trenches with the big homie, Big Ray Roberts. 00:38:41 Speaker 4: Ray. 00:38:42 Speaker 2: Before we go into the trenches, start talking football. L Gray is a big man, intimidating, massive. Don't let him get us palls on you as a softer side. I just saw you curled up with a kittie cat all not. 00:38:58 Speaker 14: That is my rod and Big Mike. Uh I got that cat when she was about eight weeks old, dude, and uh and we have just been down like that forever and uh we've moved about six or seven times. And uh, she doesn't like anybody but

me and uh I named her d C because, uh, when I was bringing her home from the SPCA, my ex wife said, you know what color is a cat? I'm like, it's black and gray, and so she was like, that's like the same damn cat we always get. So I went, oh, well that's that's gonna be the cat's name, damn cat. 00:39:35 Speaker 2: And so it's so I called her. That's awesome. That made me smile a little bit big, right, that's awesome, dude. 00:39:42 Speaker 14: Oh yeah, that's oh man, like I that's my dog, Like that's my dog, but it's my cat. 00:39:49 Speaker 3: That sure isn't the Ray Roberts. I knew on the field, that's for sure. 00:39:52 Speaker 4: I know it right. 00:39:54 Speaker 14: I'm not even gonna lie like I was even a cat person. And then uh my son was like, Dad, you need like a and so this place I was staying wouldn't let you have dogs. So we went to see. He's like, let's go look at these cats. I'm like, okay, whatever. And so we took the little cat into the little observation room or whatever they call it, and the cat crawled up my body and sat on the top of my head. And so I was like, well, how can I not take this cat home? So it's just been my cat forever. 00:40:22 Speaker 2: That's awesome, man, All right, now now we can get into the trenches. Now, let's get into the trenches. A big ray there is. This is going to be a battle, right, I'm asking about just the Rams offensive line and how you think this defense can attack it, because when I look at the film, this is one of the best lines they've seen yet, and they're fundamentally sound. They get the bodies where they're supposed to be, but they haven't seen a d line like what the Seahawks are about to bring on Sunday. You know, as a you know, as a lineman looking at our defensive line, what are things that you think they can do to kind of disrupt what the Rams went to accomplish. 00:40:58 Speaker 14: Yeah, well, you know, obviously they're gonna have to. The Rams have to make a business business decision too and decide, like, you know, on which plays or which situations are they going to double team uh an individual player, and more than likely the first person they're gonna look at is Leonard Williams and go, okay, like, we have to make sure on these plays, on this down and distance or this part of the field, we have to have a double team, you know, on Leonard Williams. Well, then that means all those other dogs that you have that you have they have to win their share of those one on one battles. So Murphy has to win, Utenna has to win. 00:41:36 Speaker 6: Uh. 00:41:36 Speaker 14: The Marchers Lawrence has to win. You know, all those all those other cats that are that are getting reps, they have to win their share of those one on ones and be disruptive. You can allow them to take your best player in a situation out of the game and then not have the other dudes show up and do their things. So you're gonna need one or two of those dudes to have a really disruptive date, uh if they're the guys that are

getting singled up, you know, because you you can't look at that defensive line and say we're gonna double team everybody because it's impossible. So you got to go, like, what is the who is the most disruptive guy that we're not gonna let beat us? And I promise it that's going to be Leonard Williams. So then everyone else has to do there. They're gonna have to win their show wins, you know, we all You know with Paul Morier, he's always saying that it comes down to make them plays, and that's what it's going to come down to with this defensive line, is that if they can make more plays uh in they're one on one matchups, than the Rams can succeed, can succeed at blocking them. 00:42:36 Speaker 3: Hey, Ray, we just had NICKI men worry on And the thing you know when I when I watch him, it just he just seems like a five year veteran. I mean he's he's just very very calm and the way he moves on the field and it never looks out of position. Tell us give us a report card on on Gray's abel at the halfway point. 00:42:55 Speaker 14: You know, there has been the same way like for me, Gray, like you, you have your ups and downs as a rookie, Like you have plays where the guy gets you. And that's going to be for anybody, but more so as a rookie because you're saying a lot of new things, or guys are really focusing on what it is that you don't do well and trying to take advantage of it. And then you have to figure out how do you mitigate that. And sometimes as a rookie you're just not in that place yet to figure out how do you strengthen a weakness throughout the season, So you wait to af season, you try to get better at something so then so guys can kind of take advantage of that. But the thing I love about Gray is one he hasn't done a whole lot of things that have cost the team. So yeah, you know, people are gonna make plays because they get paid to play too. So he may give up a pressure or someone makes a tackle for loss, but he's not getting penoties. He's not having big blowouts where he's just totally missing guys and they're just running free in the in the backfield. He's playing with like the type of intensity that a second or third year player would play with. Like he his attention to detail, his lateral movement, the authority that he plays with his hands, That's what I like. My son Price plays offensive line at Portland State, and so he wanted me to show him some film of somebody that was doing good stuff. And so I took out Gray's abel and I'm like, look at his stance, look at the width of his feet, Like when his base when he's moving, his feet never comes together, I said, But then look at his hands. He's super patient with his hands, but then he's super authoritative with his hands, Like when he puts his hands on you, he's trying to put his hands on you, like he ain't trying to feel around and see what's going on. He's trying to put his fists through your chest. And I love that about him. And so that's a veteran type stuff, you know, and so that's what I love about him. He's like I always say, you go to the combines, you get these dudes that test off the charts, you know, for offensive line, and they could jump out in the gym lift all the weights run super super fast. But then you put a shoulders and shoulder pass and helmets on them and they can't bust the grape. But Gray's abel his football ability matches his athletic scores and it shows up on the field because he's a really good football player. 00:45:07 Speaker 2: Hey, big Gray. I've been kind of hammering all week that the Rams do a great job of using their tight ends, right, getting thirteen personnel three tight ends. What does a good tight end do? How does how does he help your job? 00:45:21 Speaker 3: Yeah? 00:45:21 Speaker 14: Well, first of all, the tight end to me has to be a willing blocker. Like there's some dudes that they they line up beside you because that's what the play asks them to do, but they're saying like, no, Big Ray's going to get about ninety percent of this block. I'm just gonna put my hands on the dudes, show the beads, and then I'm doing to get a plus for this play, and I'm gonna keep it moving. And there's other dudes that go like, hey, big Ray, like, what do you have to do because I got this guy. You know what I'm saying, Like, those are dudes that are willing blockers. I played with Farrell Edmunds and Farrel Edmonds was a huge tight end probably like six seven or six eight hundred and sixty pounds just his sons played linebacker in the league. They're big, strong dudes, and so when we had combination blocks, he would go bigger a, you can go to the linebacker. I'm like, I got you, you know, because he's going to handle the he's going to handle the defensive end. So I'm good with that. But we had other tight ends, you know, Ron Heller and Trey Junkin where I'm just like, uh, once y'all get out of the way, I got this, you know, like and uh So to me, that's what the When you can add a tight end that's willing to block, and then then the one that's really good at blocking, then you gain an advantage in that area because you're not having to then overcompensate for their lack of ability to to block or their lack of willingness to block. And this have done a good job of finding guys that have the willingness and the toughness, but they also have the skill to be good blockers, so it kind of gives you an advantage at the point of attack. And then even speaking of that bump, like just watching the last two three games and you QBAC is like they're known for this wide zone and we haven't seen the wide zone just kind of take off, you know, as far as the rushing yards. But then they're doing a really good job with their like downhill zones I want to call them, so they're more you know, between the tackles. They're doing a good job of like some of their pin and pull type plays where they're you know, blocking down and pulling the guard or pulling the guard in the in the tight end, like those types of plays. I think if

they kind of shifted their mindset in the run game and majored in those plays, but then also use those the wide zone and stuff for the play ash and all that kind of stuff, I think the running game will take off a little bit, because even the even Knine, when you can convince him to get his shoulder square to the line of stremmish and get downhill, he's a better runner than when he's trying to stretch you to the right and then cut it back to the left and then cut back to the right and stop and turn around and spend like he's just like he can do all that stuff and it's really cool, but that you can't have that be what he majors in. And then Charbonay is just a better back just getting downhill. He's not going to be he's not going to be great at running that wide zone stuff, but he's good at running between the tackles. And so I think, you know, this home stretch leading to the playoffs, if they kind of put their attention on maximizing their their run games between the tackles and then using that wive zone to stretched zone to create like some of those exposive plays, in my mind, that that would be a good way for them to think about the running game. 00:48:17 Speaker 2: There you go, we just went inside the trenches with Big ray A. Give a DC some love for me, man. 00:48:24 Speaker 14: Absolutely, big dog. I'll let her know that you said, what's up, and she'll she'll shout out of me out for you. 00:48:29 Speaker 2: Perfect appreciation. Man. Al Right, I see this weekend, all right, have a good one. All right, all right. Coming up next, we hear from the voice of the Seahawks, Steve Rabel necks right here on the huddle. 00:48:40 Speaker 1: Back to the huddle only on the home of the Seahawks, Seattle Sports. 00:48:46 Speaker 2: You're listening to the huddle on Michael Bump is with Dave Wyman, and like we are every week, we're joined by the voice of the Seahawks, Steve Rabel raves. How we doing great? 00:48:56 Speaker 4: Guys? 00:48:57 Speaker 5: How are you? 00:48:58 Speaker 2: We're doing good. I'm a little just a one and you're not here. I don't know you're usually not here, but seen a couple of times. I just thought maybe you would walk through this door. I'm okay with it. 00:49:08 Speaker 5: Yeah, you've got to put up with me on the plane. Uh and for the weekend. I don't Actually, I don't blame Dave at all. I wouldn't want me to walk through the door either. 00:49:17 Speaker 2: Well, it's not about Dave, it's about me. Rabes. I thought I was gonna see but let's talk some ball, man. This is how do you feel out? Do you get up of these games? Obviously you're a professional, you're gonna be ready, prepare to go, but uh in your preparation, does this game feel different for you? 00:49:34 Speaker 4: Yes? 00:49:35 Speaker 5: Yeah, a real short answer. Yes, I know that's not supposed to be the case. I know it's just the next one. I know that if you start focusing too much on one game, then it almost by definition starts to you know, take away from every

game that you're preparing for. But this one feels bigger. 00:49:54 Speaker 3: Rabes if they were to lose this game, where do you I guess I'm just basically asking where do you think the weaknesses are. 00:50:02 Speaker 2: For the Seahawks. 00:50:04 Speaker 3: Obviously you know the turnover ratio comes to mind, you know, kind of question marks about the run game for the Seahawks, and then you know the takeaway differential. But what do you think would finally catch up? Because the Seahawks team just looks invincible right. 00:50:20 Speaker 5: Now, Well they do, and you can you know, there are two different schools of thought on it. You can look at it that way, which is the way I tend to look at it. That the Seahawks are playing really really really really well. They're doing all the things right and all of the lingo of the coaches and stuff. They're stacking victories and all those things. They've had some little glitches, but they've been able to get around those. I mean, even when there's a you know, somebody rips off a thirty five or a forty yard run during the course of the game, as was the case against Arizona, they come right back and keep them out of the end zone. The Seahawks do defensively, So excuse me. I think there's there is a lot of reason to be positive, and I am positive about it. I'm just nervous about it. I always get nervous about games. I've got somebody at my front door. Would you guys talk amongst yourselves for one second? Come down, all right, hang on, you're with me now. So this is how a retired guy lives, comes down the step. Everybody at home gets to hear this. 00:51:25 Speaker 2: Hi, guys, come on in, just like the broadcast. 00:51:29 Speaker 4: You know. 00:51:30 Speaker 5: Yes, that's right. I was just on the phone as well with some folks from the Spacific Northwest Football Hall of Fame. So I was afraid that that would interfere with his phone call. But we get the We get the folks who are coming in to do a little work here. Anyway, thank you for putting up with me. So yeah, I think these guys are certainly capable of winning this football game. Remember last year the Seahawks game here during the season. You know, we throw three intercepts and have one hundred three yard touchdown return on an interception. That's how you lose that game by six points. Otherwise, you win against this basically same Rams team with a really good defense and Matthew Stafford a quarterback, and we dar near won that one except for making some of those dumb mistakes. So you know, we have every opportunity to win. We're good enough to win. Now, it's just a matter of can you go out there and bump. I was listening to you yesterday a lot, and one of the things you said, I was going to give you credit for it was you see this as a battle between our line and their d line. Thought it's going to be one or lost upfront in the trenches. And that's a really good point. As good as the quarterbacks are, if we can't protect, if we can protect, we have

a much better opportunity. 00:52:44 Speaker 2: Well, I appreciate you listening to us Raves, I know you're a busy man, clearly, you know you answering the door and Hall of Fame calls. He's got a lot going on, man. I appreciate that well. 00:52:55 Speaker 5: And the only reason I was listening because I was taped to a chair. 00:52:59 Speaker 2: That's cool. 00:53:00 Speaker 4: I love it. 00:53:01 Speaker 2: He raise we got. You know, Cooper comes going back to LA right and I expect there to be a video montage for him. If they don't, then something is really wrong with that organization. But how do you think that affects Cooper or do you think that he's such a focused individual that it's he'll be able to kind of compartmentalize it and just get moving. 00:53:26 Speaker 5: You know, we talked to him yesterday his kind of weekly presser there with after Mike McDonald spoke, and you know, you listen to Cooper and I basically take everything he says as gospel because he's been He's actually been totally honest and forthcoming every day, and every time he speaks to people, it's it's about how it's team, it's not him. He said, I'd be doing a disservice to the team if I thought this was about me going down there and having some sort of retribution against the Rams. All that said, he's also a human being. He also had, you know, just a terrific career with the Rams. I mean, you can't be the Triple Crown winner and Super Bowl MVP and and record setter that he was with the Rams and not be held in a high esteem by by that franchise and those fans. So I hope they do recognize him, and then I hope he goes out there and kicks their ass. That's what I'm hoping for. I don't know if that's going to be the case or not. 00:54:25 Speaker 3: Hey, revs Mike McDonald very interesting and the just every once in a while I'll pause and go, oh, yeah, he did. I mean, he does the barnyard thing, and when he was asked about that during the week, he said, you know that they were doing that, that idea came to him in the spring. You got defensive linemen running down on kickoffs. You know, just some of the some of the things that he does and the way he preps his the backups. I mean, and it all comes obviously there's lots of you know, assistant coaches that are that are getting it done. But I mean, it just it's pretty amazing to just kind of everyone for a while check and look at some of the things that he's doing differently, like leaving for an East Coast game on Saturday, you know, the way that they warm up. I mean, I don't ever remember a head coach that had this much of a stamp on his team. 00:55:14 Speaker 2: That's, you know, only in his second year. 00:55:17 Speaker 5: Yeah, but then you know, when he was asked about it yesterday, somebody asked, well, you know, and a lot of people are saying that, well. 00:55:24 Speaker 2: This is the. 00:55:26 Speaker 5: Defensive genius, the young defensive genius against the young offensive genius, Sean McVay against Mike McDonald, And

Mike said, no, it's not. He said, my job is to put the best plan I can put together so the players can go out there and succeed. He said, keep it simple, but go out there and make a plan that will work for the players that we have, that can help make them successful. And you know, he tends to deflect that kind of thing, but you know, it really is true. I got to believe that one of the reasons Josh I hired Mike McDonald was the success that he had when he was at Baltimore against that whole Shanahan school of offense with the forty nine ers and the Rams and the rest, and he's been very good at that. He's been terrific this season, and as the players have caught on more and more and every week they've gotten better and better. So you know, again, I go back to what you said, this is going to be a really good test for this football team. You know, our offense against their defense and vice versa. If their offensive line, which is one of the best in football, can't hold up against our four man, five man pass rush, then we're going to have obviously a whole lot better opportunity to win. They're a good football team. They got a lot of weapons, but we got a lot of guys young, old, and in between who can make plays. So I'm excited, and I'm also, you know, as I always am before every game, a little nervous. 00:56:54 Speaker 2: All right, Raves, Well we appreciate your time. I hope you know, Raves, you're the definition. There's not enough time hours in a day. You know, you got so much going on, so I hope you check every box on your list today. 00:57:06 Speaker 4: Man. 00:57:07 Speaker 5: Well, well we'll get it all done, and yes, we'll be ready to go by Sunday. 00:57:13 Speaker 2: All right, man, I'll talk to you then on the bos. 00:57:16 Speaker 5: Thanks, yes, right, thanks brother for you. 00:57:19 Speaker 2: All right, all right, that was the voice Steve Rabel. Will we come back. We'll get an a pony of preview from Sarah Barshop. That's next here on the huddle. 00:57:27 Speaker 1: This this is the huddles from noon to two Sports. 00:57:33 Speaker 2: All right, we welcome now esp N Rams reporter Sarah Barshop. Sarah, how are you doing? 00:57:39 Speaker 12: I'm doing well. 00:57:39 Speaker 8: How are you? 00:57:40 Speaker 2: We are good? We're good man. We're over here getting ready for a big matchup. But how what's the feel over there, Sarah? Because here it's like, you know, we're ramping up. This is a new team, new vibes. The Rams are like a mountain that you have to climb to assert yourself in this division. Is it as amped up for you guys over there? Are the Rams just used stuff like this? 00:58:01 Speaker 12: I don't know if they're used to stuff like this that. I think it's more just that they are not allowing themselves to think of this matchup as bigger than any other game. In fact, Matthew Stafford has asked about that yesterday and he said, you know, some people see these division games, not necessarily just because it's too seven and two teams, but just a division game is accounting for two. And he said, I understand that, but at the end of the day, like you can't let yourself get to where you're putting it, you know, at this high importance because it is a game. You know, it's their next game, and that's why it's the most important one. So I don't know if it's it's been hyped up inside the building. I think I get the sense that they are trying to look at it is, you know, just like they played the Niners last week, just another division game. 00:58:44 Speaker 2: And it didn't surprise me that Matthew Stafford is calm and cool about that. He's had himself a terrific season so far. Did you guys think you would get this type of production out of a thirty seven year old. 00:58:56 Speaker 12: You know, to me, I think, I look, I look back to the back injury he dealt with during training camp. I mean, I think while at the time I heard from everyone in the building, Hey, he'll be fine. It's you know, we're just being smart with him. It'll be okay. It was no doubt concerning when he's missing three weeks of training camp, So I think back to then and it was kind of like, is he going to make it through this season healthy? So I don't know that anyone could have anticipated what this year would have looked like for him so far. But I think a lot of it has to do with not only his health, but the health of the offense around him. 00:59:26 Speaker 2: These teams are really similar to when you look at numbers and even some of the things that they do offensively and defensively. The one thing I think that really jumps out to me, Sarah when I look at these offenses are them trying to get the run game going? I think what whims rush for Wood one twenty four last week and then the Hawks put together at a one ninety eight performance, but they're still kind of in the middle of the pack when it comes to running the football. What do you think the struggles are with la when he comes to running the rock? 00:59:54 Speaker 1: You know what? 00:59:54 Speaker 12: I think, unlike previous years, they've had a more balanced offense and it hasn't have to It hasn't have to be Kien Williams right. Like last year, Cooper Cup and Pugnakua missed time early in the year and so the Rams are very heavily depending on Kien Williams. I think that hasn't had to be the case this year, which is a good thing. But Sean McVay did acknowledge after the game Kyra and I believe had two touchdowns, and he said, that's you know, we want it. I'm glad we could get back giving the ball to him. I think they want to be more balanced, but I think it's for the Rams been a product of a really good passing game right now. 01:00:29 Speaker 2: And of course his defense is just doing amazing things. Byron Young probably not getting the love that he deserves. But is there another name on this defense that you feel like should get a bit more attention that people might not know about. 01:00:42 Speaker 12: You know, I don't know that people don't

know about him, but I think the way Brandon Fisk has played this year, he's been so disruptive and they have such a good front and not I mean, look, Byron Young has played very well and he is getting to the quarterback. I do think I was talking someone who described it kind of as team sacks, right, Like Fisk is getting pressure, Kobe Turner is getting pressure. So I do think they are rushing as a unit, which is something they talk about all the time. So I think Braden Fisk is a guy where I remember the Jacksonville game they played in London against the Jaguars, and Fisk was so disruptive. He didn't have a sack in that game. And so I think he has won this season. But he's a guy that when I watch, especially when I look back at games, he's someone who is making an impact. 01:01:29 Speaker 2: What does the Davante Adams effect look like? On this team? It sounds like he's going to play this week, and I just saw a quote from from the head coach saying he believes he's going to play. But what does he brought to this team? 01:01:42 Speaker 12: It's it's interesting how they kind of retooled their wide receivers room because they last year obviously had the veteran in Cooper Cup and Pooka and Akua has talked about how much he learned from Cooper. I think Davante just brings a different veteran feel. I mean Pooka talk about how just the technique he said he's seen that from DeVante Adams from Afar and really getting to learn it from him. During in the meeting room during training camp. On the field has made an impact on him, and then I think you see what he's doing in the red zone. Key and Matthew Stafford talked a lot early in the season how their connection was quite was not quite there yet, and it's something that regardless of how many years each of them had played, you have to get those reps, especially live game reps. And I think as the season has gone on, we've seen that connection continue to develop and showed up in the touchdowns and I think Adams has had six in the last three games. 01:02:39 Speaker 2: Yeah, he looks good. And what also looks good is the just the tight end play. With this team a lot of thirteen personnel, three tight ends out there. How does how do you feel like this stresses out the opponents when they roll out there with that personal package. 01:02:54 Speaker 12: I mean, I think especially because it's not how they started the season and move stein it grow. I think it sounds like when I've talked to players, it seems like Sean McVay is having a lot of fun calling plays like that, and I think that especially when it's it's also allowing right, like DeVante Adams has been the receiver a lot in those thirteen personnel maybe taking a little pressure off Pokinakua, who is so involved in the game and the run blocking and everything like that. So I think it's just early in the season we saw the ball go matthew S effort to Pokuinakua. I think he had the most catches through five weeks that a player ever had in a team's first five

games in NFL history, And so the offense is very much going through Pupunakua, and I think just the you know, the ability to put pressure on the defense where you know, Sean McVay has said, it's it's such just that we have three tight ends out there, but we believe in those guys and they can catch the ball and they've shown that. So I think it just puts pressure on the defense because it opens up the offense and they don't really know where the ball is going. Whereas before, yes, Popuku was hard to defend, but it was pretty clear it was probably him or Davante Adams early on. 01:04:04 Speaker 2: Sarah, we obviously love JSN in these parts of the region, and it feels like the nation has finally taken notice of him. Have the Rams talked about Jasn and how they planned to approach him, not. 01:04:19 Speaker 12: How they planned to approach him, because as Sean would say, I don't want to get too much into that, but just how dangerous he is and how you can't let him beat you. And look, it also talked about how many different weapons and it's not as easy as to say we're not gonna let this guy. Just a lot of respect for him is what I've heard this week, and how what a difference maker he can make in a game instantly. 01:04:44 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's special kind of kid man. So now let's focus on the quarterback position again. Matthew Stafford having a superb year, probably leading the MVP race in my opinion. Then you have Sam Donald over here as well. We look at this match, but we just look at two efficient quarterbacks. And from the other side, I always liked to get the opinion of, you know, the people were going up against. Just what do you guys see in Sam Donald? 01:05:10 Speaker 12: You know efficiency, That's exactly what you said. Sean McVay was talking yesterday about how I believe he said, like it's the guy we saw last year and of having that same success. Obviously when they saw him in that playoff game, it was a different story, but he said, what do you put on film last year? And those explosive plays too, Like I think I saw that Matthew Stafford and Sam Donald had the top two most explosive plays in the NFL this season. And that's what kind of what makes sense with the JSN. How dangerous he is, but just you know, how not only efficient, but how quickly they can get down the field with him. 01:05:50 Speaker 2: Last one I got for you, Sarah, the Rams win this game if what. 01:05:56 Speaker 12: Matthew Stafford has played the way he's played in the last three games. 01:06:00 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's been crazy to watch him go to work thirty seven years of age. I'm thirty nine, so I like seeing us late thirties get after and get it done. Hey, Sarah Man, we appreciate your time and I'm hoping to talk to you soon. 01:06:11 Speaker 12: Of course, I have a good one coming up next. 01:06:13 Speaker 2: We I have a sit down with Seahawks team a reporter that's John Boyle. 01:06:17 Speaker 1: Next year on the Huddle, back to the Huddle only on the home

of the Seahawks, Seattle Sports. 01:06:24 Speaker 2: You are listening to the Huddle every Thursday, twelve to two right here in Seattle Sports. And Michael bumpas with Dave Wyman. And now we are joined by our guy John Boy All you got the He's got the new gear on too. I'm jealous we'll throw back gear. I need some of that in my life. I gotta pay for mine, though some tells me get yours for free. Maybe a little bit big to the big game, man big. I don't get nervous. I get anxious. I'm almost nervous for this one. Are you okay? 01:06:52 Speaker 13: I mean, i'd say, just kind of excited to see how it plays. I like this is such a cool point of the season, like sea where teams stand. We know the Rams are really good, when all the Seehawks are really good. Now we get to see, like are they you know? Just right on pars is going to go down to the wire as one team separate itself. I don't know. I think it'll be a great game, but I'm really excited. 01:07:10 Speaker 3: I got to say I feel I feel snake bit a little bit as far as the injuries go, uh for this team. I mean, you look at Jalen Sundel's out, Jay Reid's out for a while. People don't I mean Drek Young means a lot to that, Uh, special team too. Yeah, he's huge, and then Sobert and Julian Love and I don't know, I don't think you're ever gonna hear that from from Mike McDonald but no, but it is kind of you know, and especially if you compare it to the Rams and look at their injury report. 01:07:39 Speaker 13: Yeah, you know, the Sex have had their share injuries. I think, you know, you wouldn't get a lot of sympathy from some forty nine ers fans right now or anything like that, but it's, you know, it's kind of the nature of the business. 01:07:48 Speaker 2: To me. What's really stood out is like they've yet. 01:07:50 Speaker 13: That these injuries have kind of been like spread out through the year where they've yet to really get to see especially on defense. I haven't really seen that defense full strength all year. So I mean the good news is are still playing really good football and guys are stepping up. We've seen the depth are really shine on defense. But yeah, I mean it's unfortunate but tough reality of this game. 01:08:07 Speaker 2: Yeah. We're talking to Nicki Moulory earlier and he said exactly that, like we haven't even seen everybody all together. And then I pointed out to him that I, you know, he's gonna have to have a big game because the Rams like to use their tight ends. And I asked him about his matchup with Big Bride last week. He felt like he did a great job. What did you think of him last week? I thought it's really good. 01:08:27 Speaker 13: I mean, look, there's gonna be a few plays that you know, Mike McGall brought this up like he's not gonna be perfect at the stage's career, but he's making a ton of playing four passes defense. Is really impressive for a for a young player who's not you know, this isn't a cornerback. He's on the edge getting thrown out of the time. He's playing

all over the place and then nine tackles. He's he's playing really good football. 01:08:45 Speaker 2: And you're right. 01:08:45 Speaker 13: I think having a guy like that is a big advantage in a game like this where the Rams like to be multiple the like he's a bunch of different multiple tight end sets. It's like you don't need to sub as much. When you got Nicki Monory out, there's like he can you know, he must spread out a bit and make make a receiver go against him. He's fast enough cover receiver if it's a tight end. He's big enough of physical enough to bang around with the tight end. So he's a very special player in that regard. 01:09:10 Speaker 2: Greek Wallan is really a great story for sure. 01:09:13 Speaker 3: You know, it's it's just kind of up and down for him, but recently up and I thought at the end of the game, he just he was all over the play, great coverage and everything, and what do you think that was that kind of a Mike McDonald effect? 01:09:26 Speaker 2: You think, Yeah, I. 01:09:27 Speaker 13: Think I think you know, give you guya have recredit as well, But I think coaching deserves a lot of credit for when you have a guy that's he's struggling a little bit early in the year, you know, had a few plays he'd go on back, he have some penalties, and really since he you know, he unfortunately got a concussion, missed the game. Since he's come back from that, he's strung together some really good games. And I you know, I think from a broader standpoint, a really cool coaching point in this team is the way, you know, it's really easy to talk about we need everybody in all seventy guys and all that, but to really get guys to buy into that where you know, you can have a tyres Knight, Loose's job come back and play a phenomenal game. You know, you can have cornerbacks where guys you know get lost in the depth. 01:10:03 Speaker 3: And even I mean you. 01:10:04 Speaker 13: Go back two weeks ago, he's the he's coming off the bench, Josh Job's starting ahead of the ahead of him, and he's only really playing in dime early in that Washing game. Then Joe gets hurt and he's on the field a bunch. So to have guys you know loud another guy they're gonaccount and he's he's essentially lost the starting job twice in the last two years. So to have a guy like that then come in and be ready to play at a high level, that speaks to coaching to me. 01:10:27 Speaker 2: People make a big deal about the coaching matchup, which I I mean you should, right. You have y who's been excited taking the league by storm, and then McDonald got this defense playing well. I haven't really listened to the Rams side and how McVeigh is approaching this, but I'm listening to to Mike McDonald. What what kind of fill are you getting from him? 01:10:44 Speaker 13: I mean, he's gonna downplay it, He's you know, I'm sure there's a part of him internally that won't talk about that's excited about, not just in McVeigh, but any challenge when you go against an offensive guy who's

innovative and you're a defensive guy like Mike McDonald's who's very innovative, it's that's got to just be fun, Like is a professional challenge to be like how we're going to match up. But I think for him to stay consistent with what he needs to also get through to his players for them to prepare their best, Like you can't go into this like, oh, this is me versus McVeigh, the two you know, offense and defensive genius, Like it's just got to be Okay, we're preparing for a game Monday. We're going through our same process Monday through Saturday to be at our best on Sunday. But yeah, I mean, it's it's exciting. It's just cool when you get guys who are you know, again very like young, innovative, creative coaches to see how they match up against each other. 01:11:30 Speaker 3: You wrote a little bit about Charles Cross and we haven't talked about him a lot this year, and that's good, right, Yeah, you're not talking about him, you know, certainly on the negative side, but he's got a pretty important matchup this week with Verse. 01:11:42 Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean that whole line. To me, that's could very well be the story of this game. Is that they've done a great job protecting Sam Darnold all year ten sacks, fewest in the league. But this is a Rams defense that can get after a quarterback. They've got some really good young guys up front, first being chief amongst them. And you know, any quarterback is going to do better when he's clean, and Sam darn has been great when they give him time to throw, So keep him clean. I think this offense will we'll do some good things. 01:12:10 Speaker 2: What did Cooper say about his return to Los Angeles? He said, this is revenge and I hate He's no. 01:12:16 Speaker 13: I mean he said to what you'd expect a professional to say, which is like, hey, this isn't about me. I had great times in LA you know, he's you know, that was home for him for almost a decade. 01:12:26 Speaker 2: He raised his children there. 01:12:28 Speaker 13: He's got a fondness for the organization, for this, for the city, for the fans, but also he's trying to win a football game, So you know, there's nothing you know, if there isn't anything personal for him. He's going to keep that quiet and not give him any Baltimore material. But he kind of liked what I was saying about the coach, like he's just focused on how do we get ready to go play good football game? 01:12:46 Speaker 3: Yeah, we uh talked to Patio here and he was talking about the Nate landman and that Mike showed like a little clip. 01:12:55 Speaker 2: Of him probably for some fumbles punching the ball out. 01:12:58 Speaker 4: Yeah. 01:12:59 Speaker 3: That we were just talking about it back in the day, like you would try to strip them from behind, or you know, try to pull their arms back whatever. But the way that's going now, I mean, that's a real talent. 01:13:10 Speaker 2: Yeah. 01:13:11 Speaker 3: And but yeah, what was what was Mike's message with showing the punch outs. 01:13:16 Speaker 13: Yeah, I think it's just any game you're gonna focus on ball security, but especially when you have a defense known for that. And look, the Seahawks offense has done a ton of things well this year. Taking care of the football has not necessarily been their strongest too. They've turned over sixteen times. Fortunately a lot of those have been when they're playing with the big lead, so it hasn't hurt them. But I don't think against the team's goods or Rams, you can be able to get away with a lot of turnovers. 01:13:37 Speaker 2: No, it's it's gonna be tight. 01:13:39 Speaker 4: Man. 01:13:39 Speaker 2: Vegas has the over under are like forty four and a half, and I don't know how I feel about that. 01:13:43 Speaker 4: What about the. 01:13:45 Speaker 2: Allowed to have a feeling on that, I don't know what it is. Yeah, I think it's like two and a half or something. 01:13:50 Speaker 3: But I mean there's never a home field advantage for the Rams right. 01:13:53 Speaker 13: Well, and the Seahawks have been better on the road for a couple of years. 01:13:57 Speaker 3: Yeah, but yeah, I mean I remember last year there was a Steeler game that was just they just dominated the whole stadium. 01:14:04 Speaker 4: So still the seems like it's still the case down there. 01:14:07 Speaker 2: I think there's potential for both games. You let me know which one you think, a high scoring shootout or a low scoring Dave Wyman grinder, Yeah, I mean both six or three. 01:14:18 Speaker 13: Both teams are so good on both sides of all neither would surprise me. Yeah, I think really the only what's gonna surprise me as if either team blew out the other one, because I think they're both so good. But like, both these teams have the firepower to score a lot. But both these teams have really talented defenses and pass rushes. Like, I don't care how good a quarterback is in the passing game, is if you're getting home with four rushers, and both these teams have the ability. 01:14:38 Speaker 2: To do that. 01:14:38 Speaker 13: If you can do that, you can make it really hard to play offense. 01:14:42 Speaker 3: Yeah, Schnyder's having an unbelievable year. Yeah, I feel like we haven't been talking about him enough. 01:14:46 Speaker 13: I know I've kind of been looking for excuses to mention, like this guy's got to be in the conversation, if not leading candidate for Executive the year. 01:14:53 Speaker 2: First of all, it's long overdue. 01:14:54 Speaker 13: Like the fact that he never won it is they built the Seahawks into a super Bowl team is kind of a shame. But yeah, I mean you look at obviously, that decision at quarterback is a very tough when you have a good quarterback, and Geo Smith was a very good quarterback last years. To make that to have the conviction to say we're gonna move on, we think we have a plan B in and I mean to call him Plan B, but a plan in place with Sam Darnold. But there's no guarantees you're gonna get him, and so then to go out sign him, you bring in Cooper Cup, you bringing to Marcus Warmers have been just two awesome veterans on the team, and then the draft classes killing it. So yeah, I don't I'd be hard pressed to say find anyone that had a better offseason. 01:15:31 Speaker 2: All Right, to wrap this thing up, what's gonna be the X factor for this one? 01:15:35 Speaker 14: Man? 01:15:35 Speaker 13: I to me, it's really just I mentioned the turnovers earlier, But just like I don't really care how good defense planning, I don't. I've yet to see defense can really slow the Seahawks offense down consistently if the Seahawks aren't getting their own way. So just take care of the football, and I think I think this offense can do some good things. 01:15:52 Speaker 2: I think the number three rush defense is going to be. 01:15:57 Speaker 3: Very, very vital in this game because I like the run game, you know, just the way they time it up and Karvin Williams hits the holes at just the right time basically, And and I don't know how you I mean, it's it looks so well orchestrated. But yeah, I think that's that's gonna be the big one. I mean, look, they're they're number nineteen running the ball, so it's not like they're just killing it. 01:16:21 Speaker 4: But I don't know. 01:16:22 Speaker 3: It seems like when when they want to, So I think I think it's run defense. 01:16:26 Speaker 2: All right. Whyman, you're gonna hate me for this. I hate myself for this, but I've been convinced all week, after analysis and studying and talking to Stacey and interviews or whatnot. The dang kickers. Man, I think if a close game comes down to that, they just sign the thicker kicker. I forgot his name, you know, I got rid of there. That's his name. Yeah, because the last guy was hitting sixty one percent of his kids I think right now or sixty seven Myers? Is that eighty one percent? So if it is a close game like we think, might come down to the legs and they get it done. 01:16:58 Speaker 4: All right? 01:16:59 Speaker 2: This has been a how to boil. Appreciate you coming now, boil. I'm controlling this things. 01:17:03 Speaker 4: Yeah, I got it. Maybe I should have done that