บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ Kirk Cousins BACK to the Vikings! NFL Trade Deadline Winners, Bears Rising & Jaguars All-In

Yeah, look look look d don't look it up because it ain't it's not pretty. I didn't think quarterbacks could have the yips. But that's the closest I could do to give Carson Wentz a little bit of salvage. Lincoln: Mm. Donald "Doc" Glass: I mean, he couldn't throw a screen pass to Justin Jefferson. Way up high in the air turnover. Lincoln: No. Mm. Donald "Doc" Glass: He he could I mean throwing two defenders, it was like you You it made you wonder if he was if he had some someone had his daughter tied up in the basement or something and I was thinking of like the replacements with Keanu Reeves and the kicker like, man, I screwed all the money away. The do it's in the do it's in the stands. You know, like you're gonna have to re It Lincoln: That was bad. Donald "Doc" Glass: for for the defense to hold Buffalo twenty three points despite being on the field for forty two minutes. Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Like the it's not built the same way as that Baltimore defense with Trent Dilfer coming in and saving the day, but it is that dominant a defense. Like what what they're doing is is a Super Bowl winning caliber defense. And we just need an average offense to get us still. And we don't have that. Our offense is like twenty eighth, thirtieth in the league. Right? Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: And yet we still six and two despite that. So but yeah, it was and then seeing the quarterback struggle, the head coach keeps on calling more passing plays instead of trying to run the ball more. Which then doesn't milk clock, which keeps the defense on the field more. So I I question play calling. I question the running backs. I definitely qu question the quarterbacks because between Carson Wentz, Callum Murray, and Max Brosmer, we don't we don't have a at times, it looks like we don't have a starting quarterback amongst the three quarterbacks. And I won't get into what's what happened today, but yesterday it was Trying to think of the right word. I I was shocked to see the quarterback play as poor as it was. He either either he either he he owes someone a favor, he owes someone money, or Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: he was having the yips, because I've never seen a quarterback like the whole Lincoln: That was horrible. Donald "Doc" Glass: thing in the replacements about Quicksand, where everything the more you try to fight it, the worse it gets. Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: That was last night for the offense. Lincoln: Yeah. I was surprised you wasn't out there warming it warming your arm up, man, 'cause that that was that was bad. That was bad. Donald "Doc" Glass: Right. No no no. I I a couple of times I checked to make sure that I didn't have it on, work the work the silence mode or anything just just in case. So I was a little disappointed at about three o'clock was Eastern time where I still had no phone call. Lincoln: Yeah. No calls, man. They could at least call you back. my goodness. Hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: But a brother could dream. Yeah. So yeah. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: My take. Lincoln: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lee Glass: Look, I I think Dog, I mean you you hit the nail on the head. Time of possession, man. it that that was ridiculous. for the Bills to be able to eat up forty-two minutes of game time, due to the ineptitude, of course, of the Vikings offense not being able to stay on the ball, stay on stay on the field. the Vikings offense was also zero for seven for third down conversions. given up, three turnovers. Carson Wentz looked like he was out of sorts. You have Justin Jefferson at the end of the game during his, interviews in the locker room. In no uncertain terms, I know he didn't mean this, but it the way I interpreted it was basically the quarterbacks are not smart. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: He basically said that we need to dumb down the offense a little bit so people can understand what we're doing and start playing and not having to think while they're on the field. That's a wide receiver saying that basically a shot across the bow to the to the quarterbacks. They they they can't un they don't understand what what we're doing. They don't understand the offense. Donald "Doc" Glass: And the head coach slash offensive coordinator. Lee Glass: That too. I forgot y'all even had one of those. Lincoln: Wow. Lee Glass: But no, I mean, but but but the Kevin O'Connell's you know, if we we want to kind of divert this to him, Lincoln: Mm. Lee Glass: we need to stop calling him the the the quarterback whisperer. I now that I think about it, I don't even know how he got that title. Because I don't see or know of a quarterback that he has whispered to that has had longevity and sustainable success. As a matter of fact, he needs to speak a little bit louder. Stop whispering. Right? Lincoln: Okay. Lee Glass: Because obviously the quarterbacks can't hear him. So, you know, and and like we said before, before we started recording, Doc, I mean, this is one of the most fortuitous losses I think a team can have because based off of on on the backs of this, you guys have now brought in a quarterback that knows the system, that's I think has if I if the numbers are right, So Kevin O'Connell has been with you guys since what twenty twenty two? Donald "Doc" Glass: If not earlier, yeah. Sounds about right. Lee Glass: Right. I think twenty twenty-two. Right. And of all the quarterbacks that he's had, Kirk Cousins has started the most games for him. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Right? At twenty-five. Sam Donald is a s at second with seventeen. So right. So Donald "Doc" Glass: Seventeen. Yep. Lee Glass: he knows he he he has some, you know, some longevity there. He understands the system. He was pretty successful there when when he when he was there. You all thought you you guys were at the time a quarterback away from being great. Right. Had a down year, went, Jaron Hall, the Joshua Dobbs, the Nick Mullins, and then you got Sam Donald. Got to the Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: MC

Championship game and then thought again, you were squee your quarterback away, only to find out, no, we need to go back to that first guy. Donald "Doc" Glass: Get a first guy. Lee Glass: We need to go back to the first guy and just let Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: the defense do their thing. We just need a quarterback that's competent enough to run the play, get the ball to Justin Jefferson, get the ball to Addison. Get the ball to Hawkinson and let the defense win these games for us. That's all we Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: need. I think this is also an indictment on Kyler Mill on Kyler Murray Kyler Murray as well, because he obviously wasn't able to pick up on whatever the heck is going on over there. He looked like he was r like he he was a shell of himself, doesn't seem to be as dynamic as he used to be, not able to get the ball to the, you know, to the right spots at the right time. on a consistent basis. Cross your fingers, maybe Cousins got that magic and can come back and recapture that, twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three season that he had with the Vikings. Lincoln: Look, th th this the thing. and we we're gonna jump in this right in into this right away, with this trade with Kirk Cousins because Kirk Cousins never wanted to leave, right? Lee Glass: No. Lincoln: he never wanted to leave. His family was entrenched, everybody was entrenched there. you know, and it was it was difficult for him to leave and and go to Atlanta, right? But but here's here's the here's the thing, and and doc, maybe you got some more insight on this. And you've talked about this before. with with with with KOC. You had JJ McCarthy, top first round pick, goes to the New York Giants, and he looked like he ballin' out. So They've they've gave given him an offense with the skill set that he has to be comfortable and look like an NFL quarterback. When he when he was in in in Minnesota, he was a Darren headlights. So so and you've said this before. KOC offense, his offense, you you cannot look, the only person who could pick this up, and Lee, you just said it, is is is is Kirk Cousins because he's been there the longest. And and and and he's a been able to pick it up. Everybody, every quarterback that's come in now has not been able to pick this offense up and and and really run with it. So Kevin O'Connell has to make some adjustments to this. I hopefully Kirk Cousins is is the answer and continues to move forward. and I and I think he will be. He he will, you know, he could get you guys far down the road because I think he's he's back from his injury a couple of years ago. But All the quarterbacks. I don't think Kyler Murray is washed up. I just think the the the the the the the offense it's people just can't get it. And I know I understand what Justin Jefferson is saying, right? But he's been in the offense his entire career. I mean, you know, he as long as Kevin O'Connell has been there. So yeah, of course it's easy for him. You want quarterbacks to pick it up. You gotta work to their strengths or whatever that is, adjust your offense. to the strengths of the quarterback. Kirk Cousins is the only one that we see right now before he's there. Let's see what happens the rest of the season in these remaining eight or nine games. But man, what can you do when the offense is set up the way it is? That's on Kevin O'Connell all day long, man. Donald "Doc" Glass: H here's the thing. I remember when the the NASA scientist Joshua Dobbs came in real quick and that first game was looking good. B barely knew the offense be winning games. And the longer he was playing quarterback, the worse he got. You take a Lincoln: Yep. Donald "Doc" Glass: look at Carson Wentz last year was doing decent, got got hurt. This year, doing decent, and now like his play has gotten worse. And I'm not sure what layering O'Connell's been doing, but it's not the first time that a quarterback in the system gets worse. Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: the longer he's in the system. it's complex and then you're adding complexity before the person really understands the first part of the offense. And now they like they're just indecisive, don't know what to do because you added too much too soon. Or you're adding too much vermage Lincoln: Too much, too much. Donald "Doc" Glass: or you're given too many options and now all of a sudden it's like it's just off the railroad tracks. Right. Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: I would have loved to have had a more dynamic running back than the the the veteran Aaron Jones. So we can't lean on the run. But we ain't trying to lean on the run because of the weapons on the outside. But we Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: can't get a quarterback to get them the weapons. So we just stuck in this neutral with the offense. but there's been tons of quarterbacks that have come through through the years. The fact that in the last what, four or five years We've had more starts by Kirk Cousins than any of the quarterbacks since, with limited success. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: And even now with this really great defense, we can't even get the offense to be respectable is is is troubling to say the least. Lee Glass: Yeah, he not not every quarterback and I and I think we've had enough we we we've had enough quarterbacks in the system to be able to justify the fact that it's it's not for every quarterback. Not not every quarterback can fit into O'Connell's scheme. I believe why Cousins and and Donald were able to be successful, they have a couple of things going for them. they understand protection. They they can throw at anticipation. They big arms that they can get it over the top, right? And I think being able to be an extension of the coach on the field and take what the coach is giving them and then be able to kind of, you know, take it a step further from a strategy perspective, understanding where to go before the snap, pre-snap recognition, stuff like that, they were able to do that. If you

can't make those adjustments as a quarterback in this system. you're not gonna be successful. It's very similar to what's his name? the the 49ers head coach. Donald "Doc" Glass: Share that. Lee Glass: Shanahan, right? Because, you know, you had a couple of couple of quarterbacks there, what not successful, then in comes Brock Purdy. What was so unique about that situation, Brock Purdy was, you know, Mr. Relevant, rookie coming in, but played four years in college and had a knack. For all of those particular qualities and was able to seamlessly transition into that offense and be uber successful. I don't understand how a coach like O'Connell cannot identify quarterbacks that have those tendencies, that have those traits, and s and be more selective about bringing those type of quarterbacks in. Kyler Murray is Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: not that type of quarterback. Carson Wentz is not that type of quarterback, Lincoln: No. Lee Glass: right? JJ McCarthy was not that type of quarterback. Right, but these were quarterbacks hand picked by him. Lincoln: Yep. That's right. Lee Glass: So I I think for me, my recognition of him as being like this top tier offensive minded coach has definitely taken a big hit. Yeah, you can you could draw some plays and put some plays together, but on top of that, you gotta be able to identify the people that can execute those plays on Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: all positions of that of of that offense. From the offensive line to the tight ends to the receivers to the to the running backs and of course most important position the quarterback. And if you can't get that right, then I mean Do you understand what you're asking people to do yourself? So that being said, this this right here is, I would say is the last straw. If Cousins doesn't turn the help, if he doesn't get them right and get them into the playoffs and make a deep run into the playoffs, for me, you gotta start looking at O'Connell sideways and figure, does is he should he be the coach next season? Because Cousins was seen just last year as a transition piece. Right? The Raiders were Lincoln: Right, right. Lee Glass: using him as basically just a an off-ramp for you know for their rookie quarterback. He Lincoln: Yep. Lee Glass: was not a long-term, he's not a long-term solution by any stretch of the imagination. Donald "Doc" Glass: Just keeping the seat warm. Just keeping that seat warm. Lincoln: Right. Lee Glass: He was just keeping the seed warm. And so you're bringing him in and now he's your savior. Yeah, that Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: that's and I think he's gonna do a good job. Let me get that straight, because of the way everything is set up. But this this is a one and done type of situation because we don't know how long they're gonna Brian Flores. We don't know how long that defense is gonna be as dominant as as it is this season. You need to ride this ship for as as as far as it could take you in it it is a Super Bowl caliber defense. Don't get me don't don't even get that twisted. So we'll see. Lincoln: Okay. Okay. Donald "Doc" Glass: L let me ask the question. No. Lincoln: Doc, I know you go ahead go go ahead. Go ahead, Doc. Donald "Doc" Glass: Well first first a comment. Remember that Sam Darnold spent a year in San Francisco learning from Brock Purdy? Right. So he can understand the offensive part 'cause he's figured out, even as a veteran quarterback, what Brock Purdy does to do the pr the processing, pre snap reads, all that stuff, right? But a bunch of other quarterbacks haven't had that tutelage. And I wanna say, Clint Kubiak again, when when Remi when when Kirk Cousins was in Minnesota, Clint Kubiak was the was his I think quarterback. quarterbacks coach or slash OC and kinda helping him with that stuff there too. Here's the question. Seeing how good this defense has become over the last few years. I I don't think it's gonna be that good next year, but it's still gonna probably be a top ten defense if we don't make the playoffs. Me being we we being the Vikings or first round exit. Do you do you do you fire KOC and then do you consider the guy who has a lawsuit against the NFL? for discriminatory practices elevating him from DC to head coach. That's the question. Lee Glass: You would have you would have to because if you do end up firing KOC, you run the risk of also losing Brian Flores. Because any Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: other head coach coming in, as great as Brian Flores is, of course, we we all know it this is this is relationship-based business with coaching, Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: unfortunately. Right? It's based on how does this person make me feel, how does he gel with me? Do I like him? Does he like me? Like that, that's how they operate for the most part. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yep. Yep. Lee Glass: And If that next coach comes in and he doesn't like Brian Flores, irregardless of his his resume, you run a high risk of losing him. And the only thing the Vikings really got going for them is their defense. It's Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: the best def it's the best defense in the league. So Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: you would really have to heavily consider making him the head coach if that's the case. And he deserves that chance. Lincoln: Yeah. So last thing on this, and question for both of you guys. With the move, Kirk Cousins coming over, six and two. Lee, you mentioned it, Super Bowl caliber defense. Is the Minnesota Vikings a Super Bowl contender? Lee Glass: Me. Donald "Doc" Glass: Well. Lee Glass: yeah, I think they are. I think I mean, look. If Kirk Cousins can just distribute the ball. Right. He doesn't have Lincoln: That's it. Lee Glass: to be spectacular. We're not asking him to be Patrick Mahomes. We that for sure we're not trying to we're not asking him to do anything anything nowhere near what Josh Josh Allen is doing. He just needs to be able to distribute the ball and eat up some help eat up some clock. If they can do that, and

here's the cave and and here's an an an an added contingency. They need to have some semblance of a running game. But you can if you if you're a good offensive coordinator, you can set up the running game with a pass if you know what you're doing. But yeah, if if Kirk Cousins can handle that, then yeah, they they are Super Bowl contenders. I'm not saying they're gonna win the Super Bowl, but they will definitely be threatening to go to the Super Bowl if that's the case. Donald "Doc" Glass: Kirk Kirk Cousins with the Las Vegas Raiders was 202 completions, 305 attempts, 64% completion rate, 2340 yards, 20 touchdowns, eight interceptions. I I'd love to get that down to six or five. Lee Glass: You're being greedy now. Now you're being gritty. Now you're being greedy. Donald "Doc" Glass: But A you you could take the touchdowns down too. I don't want the defense in bad situations. Right? But if you could get me honestly a a Let me stop being greedy, that's two and a half, two and a half touchdowns to one interception. That should be good enough with that defense to compete Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yes. Donald "Doc" Glass: for a Super Bowl. If if we can get Raiders production Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, we're a Super Bowl contender. I ain't saying we go in. I ain't saying we winning it, Lincoln: Right. Donald "Doc" Glass: but we in the mix. Legitimately in the mix. Lincoln: Yeah. Next. Lee Glass: Yep. Hey, and and and and we were talking about the time of possessions, right? But if we just break it down to let's see, where is it? I just had the stat. If we break it down to just the amount of plays that was run, the discrepancy is just embarrassing. Right? When you look at how many plays was run by the Bills compared to the To the to the Vikings. I think the Vikings only Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: ran like seventeen offensive plays. Lincoln: Wow, that's crazy. That's crazy. Donald "Doc" Glass: It it was it was it was bad. Mr. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Right. Donald "Doc" Glass: Find it. Lincoln: It's best to keep keep it was best to keep Lee Glass: sorry. No, no, no, no. My bad. I'm way off. I'm way off. The Vikings ran 46 offensive plays, right? Lincoln: Okay. Lee Glass: But the Bills ran 79 offensive plays. You can't have that. That that Lincoln: Right. Right. Yeah. You you you can't have that. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. You know what? Lee Glass: that that that that right there, it it it's that that rate, that, that, that disparance is is is just it's too vast. there's no defense. I don't I don't care how great you are, you can't overcome that having to defend that many plays. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But but but Lee Glass: And not getting any rest, so yeah. Lincoln: are we overlooking with with this game in total totality? Are we overlooking the Buffalo Bills? Are the Buffalo Bills just that good? Donald "Doc" Glass: What do you mean? Ask the question a different way. Lincoln: So with the Buffalo Bills go go go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. Yeah. Okay. Josh Adams, yeah, yeah. Lee Glass: I'll answer it. I'll answer it. I'll answer it just how you ask it. No. No, they're not that good. Right? Josh Allen is that good. Josh Allen, Josh Allen in a vacuum by himself. Yes, he's that good. The Buffalo Bills as a team, no, they're not that good. I've Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Gotcha. Gotcha. Lee Glass: never they are the one team tot the dependency on one player Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: is is ridiculous compared to all of the other teams. Lincoln: I agree. Yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: Right? So Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. He he he he won he may not he's not gonna win MVP this year, but he is the most valuable player in the National Football Lee Glass: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: League, 'cause if he goes down, Buffalo don't have a snowball's chance in hell competing for a championship. Lincoln: Yeah, Buffalo, yeah. Yeah, they might as well forget about it. They might as well forget about it. Donald "Doc" Glass: they only put up twenty three. Despite yeah. So Lincoln: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: Right. Donald "Doc" Glass: I against a putrid offense, Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: they only put up twenty three points. Lee Glass: Right. And and Donald "Doc" Glass: So Lee Glass: for as productive as James Cook has been, I've never seen a running back with that many with that type of production see so many light boxes. that there's the box is light Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: because everyone is just that deathly afraid of what Josh Allen's gonna do if he breaks container and takes it over the top. Lincoln: True. Lee Glass: And for a team with no elite weapons on the outside. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Well. Lee Glass: None, not one. DJ Moore's on the tail's he's on the downturn of his career. Donald "Doc" Glass: John Colby. Lee Glass: Right? Keon Coleman is not elite. He's not elite. So Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Lee Glass: yeah, I it it Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: it's all about Allen. Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. all right, so let's transition there. I want to talk about a a couple games real quick. just some storylines, you know, on on a couple of these games. We had Chicago Bears and the and the and and the Buccaneers. Let's let's I I I'm not even getting into the game. You know, I I g I gotta ask I gotta ask you guys this question. Four interceptions and Chicago still wins the game. Is that a sign of a great team or a dangerous habit? Lee Glass: No, it's not a habit, because he doesn't throw a lot of interceptions. Talking with Caleb Williams, right? Yeah, Lincoln: Talk millions, yeah. Lee Glass: yeah, Caleb Williams. That is an aberration. Like you don't you're not gonna get a lot of games like that from him. for you know, we talked about his, you know, him being inaccurate before the season. He's cleaned that up, stuff like that, but he's always been very careful with the ball. So every quarterback that has ever played this game, no matter how great they are, they get a game like this.

Right? Every quarterback has had a game like this. Okay, at least once. But the great teams are able to still pull it out. You can call it, you know, luck, you know, but gotta still take advantage of whatever luck comes your way in order to c have a positive outcome. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: And so I think this is just indication of them being a great team, a g and a well coached team. Well, a greatly coached team, right? So Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Get all the credit to them because inasmuch as the Bucks are having a a pretty, challenging season this season, they're still a well coached team. Baker Mayfield's Lincoln: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: still a pretty good quarterback. but the Bears are just you know, close to being very dominant at this point in time. Donald "Doc" Glass: I I I I agree. I I think I think it's that they're a great team that against a decent team, they could have that many turnovers and still plow a victory. and it is a which I don't like to say, it shows some resiliency in the part of the team that they're not pointing fingers and getting frustrated and criticizing each other. Okay, A we'll get it back. A don't worry about it, supporting each other. And now that it's happened, when they have more adversity come playoff time, they're gonna be tightly knit even more rather than with the pressure on starting to point fingers and and coming coming apart at the seams. So yeah, it it it it's annoying Yeah, every so often even really good quarterbacks have just god awful games. And the fact that they won the game is like even even more frustrating as a NFC North competitor. So yeah. Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. All right. all right. We we're gonna we're gonna stay in this in this NFC North for a second here. Green Bay Packers, and the New England Patriots. Green Bay boy, they starting to look good. For a last place team in that division, they starting to look good. I mean the the the the It's is like they was just the Patriots for one couldn't do nothing, absolutely nothing whatsoever. and Green Bay, it just just looked like it they was just having a time, man. Like the offense is flowing, everything's flowing. Jordan Love. I you know me and Jordan Love. You know you get look, hey, hey, I'm just I'm just saying you this is hard for me to say. This is hard for me to say. But this is that time but this is that time Lee Glass: What? What? Okay. All right. Take your time. Take your time. Donald "Doc" Glass: yeah. Yep. Lincoln: of year. This is that time of year for Jordan Love. Jordan Love right now looks like he is on an upward trend. He's on an upward trajectory. But I'm still waiting for that other shoe to fall. And it eventually will. Because him and Doc got to be cousins or something. But he he he he looks good. And he looks like he's really doing his thing. The Green Bay Packers are looking like they're coming on. This NFC North Division. Boy, this is going down to the wire, and it's going to be really hurtful for one of these teams, one or two of these teams, Donald "Doc" Glass: At least one, yep. Lincoln: in this division, because you're gonna have a winning record and you're not gonna get into the playoffs. So, you know, as the Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Lincoln: as you know, with the Packers and them being this explosive, this Minnesota, you guys got the defense, you got Kirk Cousins. Then you got Chicago with the combo, the QB and the coach. And don't forget about the Lions. So this is gonna be a a race to the finish. These last nine games is gonna be some slugging in that division. And I'm looking forward to it, man. I'm looking forward to it. Because I don't have anything else to look forward to. So I'm I'm I I I want you guys, you know, who do you think this is and and Doc, I know you're biased. So I'm gonna ask Lee, who you got winning this division, man? NFC North. Lee Glass: Oof. boy. I gotta go to the Bears. I just I trust their coach right now over the other coaches. Dan Campbell to me, he he still the gambling that he that that he does on with with, you know, these fourth down calls and and going for it and it it it's it always comes back to bite him when it matters. So and he doesn't look like he can it doesn't seem like he can get a he can get a out of his own way when it comes to that. So I don't think he's disciplined enough to be able to make the right calls at the right time when we get into the playoffs. But Ben Johnson, the focus that he has, the way he has the team operating, they're down or they're a running back. They're they're normally Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: a a two, a two man team. And Manunga, he's been up for a couple of games and and they're still you know dominating the line of scrimmage. with run first and and setting up the pass with with with Caleb Williams. And now that defense with Simmons and those guys, they yeah, it it I just see them right now as as the as the front runners, especially with this game with this win this past week. So it'll be interesting to see what happens when they play the Vikings. I'm looking forward to that. I know they lost the first game. I wanna see that match up. Lincoln: Yeah, yeah. Lee Glass: But all things considered, I think the Vikings still ha will probably still have their number. But looking at the spectrum of the of of the of the schedule and how that's gonna play out, I think they're gonna end up with a better record. Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Right. Lincoln: Doc before you before you before you say anything, Doc, I Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah, okay. Lincoln: I before you say anything about this division, I just I just wanna say I'm not going with the Bears. I know the Bears have made a move with Jeffrey Simmons and you know they look really dominant and they look like right now the path forward for the Bears looks like they they they they really got it. But for the sake of this NFC North Division 'cause I know who you picking. Donald "Doc" Glass: But you don't. Lee Glass: Go we go go

ahead. Lincoln: Okay, okay, okay, okay. Throw a wrench in there. But what what what I I think right now I'm gonna have to go Let me let me let me let me think about this. Let me think about this. Let me think about this. Let me think about this. Lee Glass: Yeah, l l think about it. Hmm. Lincoln: With Kirk Cousins coming back to Minnesota and him knowing the offense, and I know the defense that you guys got. You just talked about this Buffalo only scoring twenty-three points, regardless. it should have been it should have been 43 points. I'm going with your Minnesota Vikings because I know your defense and that caliber of defense. These games are gonna be so tight, it's gonna be a really tight margin. And I think with Kirk Cousins coming in and him knowing the offense and getting re-acclimated, it was the right move at the right time for you guys. And it was a move out of desperation because now it's like, okay, it's now or never. And Lee, you did mention this before. You said, look, Flores could be gone, you know, this team could be dismantled, you know, things aren't gonna look like how they And you gotta win right now and your best opportunity to win is with Kirk Cousins at the helm. He's gonna be the best person right now. Great move. Lee, you called it on the last podcast with Kirk Kirk Cousins. them calling the Raiders for Kirk Cousins. So yeah, I'm I I I gotta go with your Vikings doc because I think, this is your time and y'all gotta seize it. regardless of the upward trend that that Chicago is on right now, y'all beat him once and I think you'll do it again. Donald "Doc" Glass: I hope you're right. I would love it for you to be right. I honestly think right now, 'cause I just I don't know what we're gonna get from Kurt Cousins. And I don't know if it's gonna be enough for the offense to be decent enough to support the defense enough for the defense to win us games. Right? Like a lot of the Baltimore Ravens. Hmm. Lincoln: Justin Jefferson ready. Justin Jefferson ready. Donald "Doc" Glass: Justin Jefferson's ready. People ready whole season. You say ain't getting the ball. It is a different Caleb Williams than we saw week two. And that Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: defense has gotten better as well with Chicago. that entire defensive line is better because they brought in a number one. So now the number two defensive linemen going again. everyone is just it it's it's stacked. The defensive line looks amazing now. so I I think it's Chicago and I worry about Detroit against Minnesota because Detroit will run the ball again. And that is one of the weaknesses in trying to neutralize the the Flores defense is second and short, third and short, so you don't have to worry about all the exotic blitzes. I think we're third in that division. Unless Kurt really lights it, lights it up. We all things have to change. But I think we're third in that division. I hope we make the playoffs, but it's gonna be five teams that don't win their division

in the north and the west competing for three spots. And trying to make it all play out. Right. But I I think all four teams Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. That's tight. Yeah. Yeah. I I agree. And and Donald "Doc" Glass: in the north are gonna have a winning record. It's three teams in the West are gonna have a winning record. How that all plays out. So Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And and so that's a good segue. Because speaking of the NFC West, you had Miles Garrett coming back. And you know, this is this is helping out Aaron Donald now. Aaron Donald was smiling. After the game, Aaron Donald was like, This this is why I came back, man. This this is the reason why I came back. I came back for my boy Miles Garrett. My ge Miles Garrett comes in. Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: This this this is what a single this is what this is what a single single guy blocking feels like. Lincoln: Did this what this feel like? So Lee, I I want some insight on this, man. I know, I know, you know, Washington, you know, came in there and it was sort of a little close for a little bit, but but whatever. You know, I never expected them to win the game. Mars Garrett comes in, he's feeling good, and gets three sacks right off the bat. You know, obviously Aaron Donald's helping him out, you know, moving some people out the way so he can he can he can get there, taking some of that stuff on. dominant defensive line. You guys are now above five hundred. You're five and four. you still got your division foes in there with Seattle and and San Fran. Donald "Doc" Glass: Speechless. Lincoln: what do you feel right now in in Lee Glass: Yeah, I'm speechless too. Let's let's see if he catches up. Lincoln: yeah what do you feel right now in in your division in the NFC West that you guys can Are you about to turn it on? You think you guys are gonna turn this thing on and you could win this division or you gonna keep it close? Talk to me about the about about your division man and your ramps. Lee Glass: Yeah, li but but I'm gonna I'm gonna talk about that, but real quick, I just want to talk about that that comparison we just had with the NFC North and the West, right? So the NFC North, Lincoln: Yeah, yeah. Lee Glass: you got the Bears at seven and two, right? Everybody else has six wins, right? Green Bay is last because they have more losses. They they're six and three. Vikings and the lines are six and two. All right. NFC West, the Niners are seven and one. Seattle is five and four, Rams are five and four. So even the Packers at the bottom of their division is still higher than, better than the Seattle and the Rams at this point. If this keeps up, you could see a situation where every team in the North makes it to the playoffs. Lincoln: That's crazy. Wow. Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yep. Lee Glass: If you see if if this keeps up. And I wouldn't be surprised if that happened. Now, going back to your question about the Rams about turning it on and all that stuff, no. No, I don't,

I don't, no, no, no. So funny, funny, funny thing, right? So with the with the with the Donald Garrett combination now, it was a beautiful thing to see. It was beautiful. Like I'm like, this was Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: what we were waiting for, and yeah it it lived up to all the hype. they were still double teaming teaming Aaron Donald. Garrett was getting the single the the single blocks and of course he made them pay for it. So it'll be Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Lee Glass: interesting to see what teams do, you know, after that if they're gonna make the make the adjustment, but I don't think you're gonna win either way. Our problem is on on offense. Donald "Doc" Glass: Perfect. Lee Glass: Stafford doesn't seem to be right. Lincoln: Mm. Lee Glass: there's an I think he's dealing with an injury that they're not talking about, that then they're not that they're not discussing, with his throwing elbow. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: And of course he's gonna downplay it and McVeigh's gonna downplay it, but I think it's hampering him and and hindering him more than they're letting on. Because his his his throws are too inaccurate. He's getting he he's off with the with the easy layup throws. It's just not it's not there. And then those elite throws that we were seeing him execute last season, nowhere to be found. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: And on top of all of that, Puka Nakura just hit an IR. He's on injury reserve now. Right? So he's gonna Lincoln: He's a yeah, he is an IR, yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: be out. And we find ourselves in a situation where we are dependent on one elite weapon on offense. When McVeigh first came into the league, that was never the case. We we had guys across the board. And Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: now, for some reason, we're just kind of centrally focused on one. Person and who was known to have injury issues and get dinged up throughout the course of his short career. And I just didn't see, I don't see the intelligence behind that. It's coming back to bite us. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: I have yet to see us play a clean game from start to finish, talking with the Rams. I haven't seen anything for an extended period of time that has shown me that they are playing at a Super Bowl caliber level. And so until I say that, until I s until I see that, I can't I can't feasibly think that we're anywhere near where we should be, or what people were talking about us being in terms of being, going to the Super Bowl or even making it to the playoffs at this point in time. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: I still think the Niners are better than us. They made a trade today, by the way. Seattle Lincoln: Played. Lee Glass: is better than us, and you know. We're just better than the lowly, Arizona Cardinals who they beat us a couple of weeks ago. Right? Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: So, yeah, I I I just don't see it. I don't see anything on the offensive side that that that shows me that they're that they're serious this season. Lincoln: Mm. Donald "Doc" Glass: Devonta's out for the rest of the regular season or? Lee Glass: No, he's gonna he's probably gonna come back at the tail end of the season. Donald "Doc" Glass: But your your your your your two star wide receivers are out for at least the next four weeks. Lee Glass: Yes. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. And that makes that that that that complicates that complicates that offense. Lincoln: Yeah, that's that's tough. Lee Glass: Yeah, yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Lincoln: That's tough. Yeah. Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: So yeah. Lincoln: you know, yeah, it's i it's it's tough. I I now you're yeah. Lee Glass: could have drafted a weapon in the first round and as a as a contingency for something like this, a Kenyon Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Sadiq would've looked good right about now, you know. But yeah. Lincoln: Deep Yeah, yeah, yeah. Why? Yeah, i yeah, it's it's it's that's that's tough sledding. But I I st I still got the Cardinals this week too, who who did I think like you said, they beat y'all before a couple of weeks ago. So Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Yep. Lincoln: mm. Let's let's let's let's jump in a little bit on these trades, man. So Jacksonville is loading up on defense. so Jacksonville, you know, they add Jas Jesse Bates to third. they they they traded a first round pick. And for this next year and a twenty twenty-nine, I think, second round pick for Jordan Davis from the Philadelphia Eagles. they also picked up David Gotchin, Gotchax, I think that's how you spell you pronounce his name. I can't remember. but is Jacksonville Lee Glass: Mm mm mm. Lincoln: with what you see from them right now. And and and and these and these trades that they they that they just made, they're loading up on defense. Are they gonna be one of the teams that can make the AFC championship game? Because, you know, with them loading up on defense like this, and I know a lot of people are sleeping on Jordan Davis, because a lot of people said that you know, that was the dumbest move ever by Jacksonville. But and I know Jordan Davis is having a down year. But he's a run stopper. and I think he's gonna make a big impact there, in in Jacksonville. and you know, Jesse Bates the third, speak for himself. Are these moves that the Jacksonville Jaguars just made make them more of a contender in the AFC? Donald "Doc" Glass: I think so. I I have had my doubts on Jacksonville for the last year and a half, but they keep on winning a whole bunch of games and winning games against other good teams. So at some point you either see for what they are and don't look at the logo on the side of the helmet. I think bringing in two defensive tackles and a safety to bolster a defense where I think the offense is The offense is good, the defense is decent, defense is now even better. you have to take you have to take seriously. you know, where they are w in relation to Buffalo, where they are in relation to Denver. Hard to say, but if either of those teams doesn't come with their A game,

yeah, Jacksonville will not come out quick quick. So so yeah, I I think I think there were shrewd shrewd moves by Jacksonville with an offensive banded head coach to bolster up the defense, and and make that team overall better. So Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Doc, in our fantasy football chat, you made a reference about the the ur the the sense of urgency behind these moves with Jacksonville. Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Lee Glass: Right? You wanna talk about that? Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah, yeah. So what what I see what I see and this gets back to you know, Chicago making some moves because they're trying to get the new s new stadium, right? And so you want to make the product to be as good as possible to entice the fans or entice the the local legislators to, you know, pony up some stuff. So the Jags are in the midst of repairs for their stadium. So they're doing some repairs this year. The major repairs are gonna be next year. So next year they won't be playing in Jacksonville. They're gonna be at a stadium in Orlando. Right? So it's almost like, hey, let's go all in to try to win a championship this year. Because even if we compete for a championship next year, our fans are gonna have to go to Orlando to watch us play. So there's an element to it where it's like not that next year is a wash, but like they ain't gonna be able to watch Right? Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: And so they're like, hey, let's like we got a good team. Let's pony up and try to do whatever we can this year, 'cause next year it's gonna be a smallest stadium in Orlando. How many folks are gonna be there? We'll get our games in our in London and see how things go. And then twenty twenty eight We could try to focus on trying to win again in front of the fans. So Lee Glass: Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: if they gave them four games in London next season. Might as well call the London Jaguars. Yeah, yeah. But no, I Lincoln: They g they gonna load them up London, yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: London Jaguars. Lee Glass: yeah, I I think this definitely puts them in in contention up there with the Bills for that AFC championship matchup. they're they're they're a well rounded team, man. they run the ball. Trevor Lawrence has been playing a lot better this season. they have decent weapons, defense is good. Now it's gonna it's gonna be even that much better. And they're well coached. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Lee Glass: Yeah, they're definitely I I would be surprised if they don't make it to the AFC championship game. Lincoln: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that d definitely was some win now moves. like like you said, they they they trying to win this thing now. So but don't sleep on the Chiefs. the Chiefs just made a trade. they we we just talked about this. They needed a receiver. Right. They didn't Lee Glass: Yeah. Lincoln: have a receiver. They need some more weapons on the outside. They picked up Josh Downs. and Kansas City gets a twenty twenty-seven seventh round pick, and Indianapolis gets a fourth and a fifth round pick next year. So Kansas City does this, in your guys' opinion, give Patrick Mahomes the little boost that Kansas City needs to to to remain relevant, in the AFC. I d I don't know. Lee Glass: A boost. A little boost. It's a boost. I I I don't Lincoln: Boost, yeah. Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Books. Lee Glass: to be fair, to be fair, what college did he go to? Was it UNC? But I I did I did watch a little bit of I saw his game when he was in college talking with Josh Downs. Lincoln: That sounds, yeah. Lee Glass: reminded me a little bit of Desmond Howard, to be honest with you. but his game the game hasn't translated for him since he's been in the league. And I don't know if that's him or if it if or if it's the Colts. I'm leaning more towards the Colts just not knowing how to utilize him. Which Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: is why when this whole thing sprung up about the trades, he was vocal about saying he wanted to be traded. He wanted out Lincoln: Right. Lee Glass: of there. So it it is quite possible that we may see what he can really do. And It could be a big surprise in terms of how much of an effect he could have to that offense. But until I see it, I I won't be able to really speak on it too much. But it's sad, sad to say, but anything is better than what they have right now. Almost. Yeah, just just about anything is better. And if Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: they've identified him, identified him as a guy that can come in and contribute in a way where he can be a short-handed go-to presence in the middle of the field, because I think he's gonna have to play slot. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Lee Glass: to be able to, you know, so, you know, Patrick Mahomes could, you know, get the ball out in time and rhythm and maybe even, you know, stretch the defense a little bit when needed, then he should be able to do some damage and and get them a little bit of a boost. But I just don't know how much of a boost it'll be. Lincoln: Yeah, yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: I I I I I think it'll be it'll be a boost. It'll make it'll make the offense better. I don't know how much better he's going to make that offense. And you know, I think last year or two years ago, because their defense was really good, you'd be like, this is this is a move to make. I'm not sure it's gonna be enough. Even if he pla even if he contributes and makes the offense. better 'cause right now they have nothing on the outside. So you now give mo Mahomes a decent target, but is that gonna be enough coupled with the defense that isn't quite what it's been in other years, is that enough to make them hold up against Jacksonville, Denver, and Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: Buffalo? And I I don't I don't think it will be. We'll we'll see how it plays out. But I think that's the that's the more important question. It'll make the offense Lincoln: Yeah. Donald "Doc" Glass: better. Is that gonna be good enough? So Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

so is the Indianapolis Colts kind of I guess they in fire sale mode, I I would wanna say. So, you know, they move Quentin Nelson to Seattle in the NFC West. DeForest Buckner and Keen Keenan Allen go to San Francisco in the NFC West. And then we talked about the aforementioned Josh Downs to to to Kansas City. I I guess at this point, I and I guess I don't know if people was calling about Daniel Jones. I thought I saw something about some people calling about Daniel Jones, but he didn't get moved and and also the running back but he didn't get moved, Doc. I know you guys wanted him. But Donald "Doc" Glass: Yeah. Lincoln: and Lee, I think you might have touched on this last week, but the what are what are the Colts doing? Is is this like a I guess they tanking, or or what is going on? I don't know what what they're doing. What what's what's Lee Glass: I think to me, Donald "Doc" Glass: You need to put the quotation marks on it. Lee Glass: to to be honest with you, man, to me, it this this is worse than tanking. This is this is like quitting. it is, right? Because Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Lee Glass: they they started offloading guys like they got rid of the GM what two, three weeks ago. Okay. I mean, we weren't even at like close at the middle of the season yet. And then they saw they got rid of Quentin Nelson, you know, got rid of Who was the other one? Lincoln: Walk no. Lee Glass: yeah, Buckner. And it's like, you you you're quitting. And Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: I if you were tanking, typically, right, you tank when you see that there's a a premium college prospect that you're targeting that everyone is gonna be pining for, and you wanna get all the way down to the bottom of the barrel so that you can get that first round pick to get him. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: There's no such player right now. coming out of college that identifies as that. Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: Okay. So I don't know what this is. I don't know what they're doing. you don't need that like this draft coming up is gonna it's gonna be pretty spread out with talent. And you just have to do your due diligence in be in terms of prospecting and and and getting your scouts out there and figuring out who fits you. There's no one that's gonna come Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Lee Glass: in and and is going to be you know scheme independent, right? th everyone's gonna have to Lincoln: Right, right. Lee Glass: come and they're gonna be able to fit your scheme. So Lincoln: Yeah. Lee Glass: what they're doing right now, I I just see it as quitting. They're just quitting on the season and offloading guys and turning the roster over and to what end? I I have no no earthly idea. None. Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's crazy. Donald "Doc" Glass: And and to your to your point, Lee, usually when folks tank, it's to get a quarterback, generational quarterback, right? Lee Glass: Right. Donald "Doc" Glass: one there doesn't seem to be a generational quarterback. At least coming coming into the into you know. You you get the you know, the Tom Brady's and the the the the the Brock Purdies but no one saw it come draft time, right? Hence it would have been first round picks. But secondly you're you're keeping Daniel Jones. So it's like, do you have your quarterback for the future? is Steichen gonna be the head coach next year? Like, don't don't tank slash quit. Draft a quarterback with a new GM where he's not kosher with the head coach that you retained and then a year later You decide to fire the head coach at the end of 2027, and now Lee Glass: Mm-hmm. Donald "Doc" Glass: a new head coach comes in, but he's not cool with the quarterback, and then you have and that's how all this stuff typically goes with these teams where like they flounder and you wonder why, because everything is just off. Right? So you fired a GM midseason. I'm not saying you need to fire Steichen, but it's like, hey, either you bring in a GM that Steichen is really cool with and they're going into battle together, or get rid of Steichen so the GM can hire a head coach he wants and they can draft a quarterback that they want and then things can progress forward together. Lee Glass: Yeah. Yeah. I I I Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Lee Glass: think the bet the best prospect coming out in this draft is is a wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith. Lincoln: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Lee Glass: Okay. And just to give you some insight, like he's with you know, Ohio State and he's having a hard time because the pieces around him are just it's not clicking, the coach is not clicking. So again, you're not gonna find a guy that's gonna come in and save you. Not in this draft. And what they're doing right now is just to me is yeah, I I I'm glad I'm not a fan of that team. Lincoln: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Alright, fellas. so we're gonna put a we're gonna put a pin in this conversation right now. because I know we got another, you know, segment to go with our pick show. But before we get there, we get to our next segment. I just wanted to talk about our new sponsor, man. We got a sponsor here. it's called Gracie's Go Juice. Gracie's Go Juice. Is a coffee brand and also a tea brand. I got some tea from Gracie's Go Juice. Hey, if you guys love coffee, you love tea, definitely check out gracie's gojuice.com and make sure you use our promo code dime coverage. So use the Dime Coverage Podcast promo code check out Gracie's Go Juice dot com. and get you some tea, man. I had the I had the peach tea, it's loose leaf. and you just pour it in the little ball, throw it in there, and you know, you put that, I go in front of the Bahamas, you drink tea all the time and look, it it it it calms you down, gets you where you need to be, you know, during the day or the night or whatever it is. But Gracie's Gold Juice, man. Check it out. definitely use the promo code DIMECOVERAGE when you when you make your order. All right. Donald "Doc" Glass: What what what's awesome is I think they ship around across the country. So you may see some Gracie Skull Juice here in the Dallas area next time we're on on the air. So looking forward. Thank you, Gracie's Lincoln: There you go, there go. Donald "Doc" Glass: Go Juice, for sponsoring us.