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00:00:00
00:00:01
Emman-Warrior
29 Plays22 days ago
Tristan and Miles talk about a historic day for Nick Emmanwori, Jason Myers’ run up the NFL record books, and how Christmas shopping has gotten totally disrupted in one Alabama household.
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Transcript
First Impressions of Atlanta and Southern Hospitality
00:00:00
Tristan Amundson
Miles, I think I've talked about this before. My first time in Atlanta. And it's the first time I ever experienced what I had heard about my entire life. This this thing called Southern hospitality. I landed in Atlanta, got to my hotel and ah my friend was waiting for me. um She was running the event for us and it was late. It was about 830.
00:00:29
Tristan Amundson
I hadn't eaten dinner. She said, hey, there's a there's a restaurant. It's kind of like a jazz club across the street from the hotel. we can get you some dinner. We go in there. We order some drinks at the bar.
00:00:40
Tristan Amundson
I order some of the best fried chicken of my life. We each have a couple of drinks. I have my fried chicken. I'm listening some great live music. It was an awesome evening.
00:00:52
Tristan Amundson
I start talking to the bartender. He finds out. that it's my first time in Atlanta. He welcomes me. He gives me another drink. he's He's so happy that I'm enjoying myself. This is my first experience. He is owning my first experience in Atlanta.
00:01:10
Tristan Amundson
I go to pay the bill. I kid you not, Miles. he I mean, the man looks at me and he says, no, get your meal's free tonight, man. Welcome, welcome to Atlanta Southern Hospitality.
00:01:23
Tristan Amundson
And he left it at that. And I was floored. I've never experienced that in my entire life. since or before it was true Southern hospitality. it It put obviously a great taste in my mouth for the city. I've always enjoyed going back to Atlanta.
Seahawks vs. Falcons Game Analysis
00:01:41
Tristan Amundson
It's always been a highlight for me.
00:01:43
Tristan Amundson
um And ah that's what I got to say about Atlanta. And man, they, they served us up, I guess, maybe by way um of transition here,
00:01:55
Tristan Amundson
some really great Southern hospitality, my friend. I mean, what a great game. What a fun game to watch the Seahawks.
00:02:02
M dub
Tristan, great to be with you. Yes, the Falcons were definitely hospitable to our dear Seahawks on Sunday. ah do have to ask, as you have revisited Atlanta, how has that line gone?
00:02:14
M dub
ah You know, it's my first time in Atlanta, e etc., etc. um Each new time you're there.
00:02:19
Tristan Amundson
Oh, I would never, ever, ever take advantage of that. Um, you know what? They gave me good vibes. I got to give them goods vibes back. yeah All we asked for is honesty. So, so no, I have not.
00:02:31
Tristan Amundson
Um, that was a one timer. That was a one time moment. First time is your first time. Um, and every other time has just been, you know, just as fun. But, uh, yeah, I mean, it's a true story. Really nice guy.
00:02:43
Tristan Amundson
Wish I could tell you the name of the bar so that, you know, our millions of listeners could visit it. Um, And, you know, just just enjoy just enjoy the good vibes
00:02:54
M dub
Tristan, it was a very hospitable welcome for the Seahawks in Atlanta last weekend. The Seahawks keep on having to travel to the East Coast, and they're doing extremely well in the in these games. Can you give us ah a quick recap just to set the historical record and what we're talking about? I do have to say... This is the very first podcast we've done where I am less interested in the game that's just occurred and more interested in the game to come. We will get into the historical wackiness that has unfolded in the last 48 hours. But can I set the record straight for this game against the Falcons?
00:03:30
Tristan Amundson
Please do. Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
00:03:34
M dub
Mercedes-Benz Stadium looks like it's from the future still all these years later. Tristan, this game gets off to another defensive battle in the first half. The defensive coordinators on both sides, Jeff Ulbrich, Aiden Dirty, are dominating the the play calls.
00:03:50
M dub
Lots of great defense happening. The Seahawks are limited to just 111 halftime. They come out of the locker room. A team renewed. i'm not sure what McDonald said in there or if everybody just said and enough.
00:04:05
M dub
Time to stop screwing around. We're going to lay the hammer down on this team. It happens at the very first snap. Rashid Shahid returns it to kickoff 100 yards just to start the half. 22 minutes later, the Seahawks have gone on a thirty one to three run fueled by three turnovers forced by the defense. And the game wraps up as laugher, 37-9.
00:04:28
M dub
It's just a fourth 37 to nine game in NFL history. And in total, the defense ah defends 10 passes and picks off two more in just 30 pass attempts by Kirk Cousins.
00:04:42
M dub
The first half was probably the Seahawks' worst half of football the entire year. And you still walk away with an absolutely monster 37 victory.
00:04:52
Tristan Amundson
You know, when I watched the game the first time, when I just watched it live, I was as frustrated as anybody. Right. You watch that first half and you think, what are we doing here? This is just ridiculous. i'm You know, i' I'm a classic frustrated Seahawks fan in that moment.
00:05:09
Tristan Amundson
We're underachieving. We're playing with our food, whatever you want to call it. And that's all true. But, you know, it's funny how giving yourself a day and watching a game again kind of changes your perspective. I rewatched this game last night.
00:05:26
Tristan Amundson
And, you know, the second time you watch it, you're really just watching the plays. Right. and you're you're not on the edge of your seat whatsoever. And as I watched it the second time, Miles, and I'm i'm curious if if you kind of agree with this,
00:05:39
M dub
you
00:05:40
Tristan Amundson
You know, I watched that first drive the Seahawks had. We drove it right down to, I want to say, about the three-yard line. We weren't able to get it in, so we have to, you know, kick the field goal. But it was ah actually ah a pretty good drive. There were a few clunkers in there for sure.
00:05:57
Tristan Amundson
But, you know, we're talking about um JSN barely stepping out a bounds, um and that negates a touchdown. We're talking about, you know, a block here, a block there. I found myself...
00:06:09
Tristan Amundson
After watching it the second time, thinking, you know what? We were actually pretty close to scoring a couple of times in the first half. Now, you know, the proof's in the pudding. We didn't do it. And frankly, um Atlanta could say the same thing because they caught a touchdown that turned out that the guy stepped out of bounds. And, you know that one went back, too. So it cuts both ways. But I got to say, as frustrating as the first half was to watch live,
00:06:36
Tristan Amundson
it It was pretty understandable, maybe is the word, ah watching it ah the second time. And then to see them write those mistakes in the second half and really start getting this engine running and really seeing this this offense kind of take shape. And really what felt like come back to the roots of what we've seen in the beginning of the season was really cool to watch.
00:07:04
M dub
Speaking about the first half, we had talked last week about if the Vikings had kind of presented this game plan for how to defeat the Seahawks by blitzing all the time. Yourself and Coach Mack preached a word of caution saying, hey, NFL teams can't just completely change their identity and become this completely insane blitzing team just on a week's notice. cause The Vikings blitz 60% of the time, and and it worked pretty well.
00:07:31
M dub
I think that this game is a great case for that being true because the Falcons coming into this game had the second highest blitz rate of any team in the NFL. So that so they're not at the Vikings level. The Vikings are in their own tier.
00:07:45
M dub
But there's 30 teams who on the year are blitzing less than the Falcons. And I think we saw that be effective in the first half. This this defense really was everywhere. A lot of the plays to the outside, either the runs or the short passes, they they were really there in space and really covered it well.
00:08:02
M dub
And um i I feel like this game was less of a statistical thing. And I really felt like it was the the two cultures, the two very different cultures of these two different teams kind of coming to the surface over the the course of the game.
00:08:20
M dub
I personally felt like that it was to Darnell Mooney, that touchdown that that they wiped off for the Falcons. I thought that was a valid touchdown. And and I don't like that when when you know you get a a touchdown-sized gift from the referees. i was really glad to see that didn't matter over the course of the game.
00:08:36
M dub
But thinking for the Falcons, they they have that bounce the wrong way. They go into the locker room, they come out, they have the Shahid touchdown bounce the wrong way.
Nick Emanwari's Historic Performance
00:08:46
M dub
And then a few minutes later, we have Jaron Reed forcing a fantastic clubbing fumble on Bijan Robinson.
00:08:54
M dub
so That's a lot of bad things happening in a row. It's still only a one possession game at that point, but it it felt to me like the Falcons had kind of already folded as the second half went on.
00:09:05
M dub
It felt like there was a a lot of kind of weak stuff happening in their secondary and the Seahawks were able to to to just get extra yards out out of kind of each big passing play. And the broadcast noted it at the top.
00:09:18
M dub
One more loss for the Falcons, and this ended up being that loss. That ensured their eighth consecutive losing season. a lot of different coaches and in those eight years. And yeah, to me, it just felt like the two different cultures of the two teams.
00:09:33
M dub
Who's going to kind of grit through the mud of the game? And it was the Seahawks.
00:09:38
Tristan Amundson
You know, it's such a good point. And can I give you a quote to back up your point? I think really perfectly. I was reading the articles after this game and Raheem Morris, who I really like, I think he's a really smart, good coach um coming from or most most recently was coaching with Sean McVay.
00:09:59
Tristan Amundson
um But Raheem, or as he's known by his friends, he has been all over the league for quite a while and in super well respected guy. So this isn't a shot on him at all, but it does speak to the culture.
00:10:13
Tristan Amundson
After the game, he was asked about that, um that kickoff return. And his words were that was a backbreaker. And if you think about that, right, if you think about your head coach is saying that the first play of scrimmage to start the second half was, quote, a backbreaker.
00:10:26
M dub
Thank
00:10:33
Tristan Amundson
That's, I mean, it it that speaks to culture, does it not? That speaks to how the players, how the entire coaching staff is going to compartmentalize a bad moment and how they're going to move on from it.
00:10:48
Tristan Amundson
Um, it goes back in my mind almost to and what made Pete Carroll a really good coach. Can you win a game of the first quarter? No. Can you won win a game in the second quarter? No.
00:10:58
Tristan Amundson
Third quarter? No. Fourth quarter? Yeah, that's when you win games.
00:11:02
M dub
Thank you.
00:11:02
Tristan Amundson
And, you know, that's not necessarily Mike McDonaldism and and Mike is very different. In fact, Mike seems to be way more willing to win games in the first quarter than than Pete was.
00:11:13
Tristan Amundson
Um, but, um, The mentality is, I'm sure, the same, which is, no, man, we still got a lot of football to play. And the idea that the first play of the second half was a, quote, backbreaker, like that, that doesn't pretend well to how you're going to perform for the rest of the game.
00:11:31
M dub
Yeah, that that touchdown by Saheed only made it 13-6 for the Seahawks, and you've got 29 minutes and 45 seconds left of the game. that's more you know we're We're just getting started in a lot of ways, and yeah, it shouldn't be a backbreaker at all. Can i tell you another play that stuck out to me in on a rewatch as as as a a kind of Falcons culture play? It was... um we're it' we're kind of going over the bridge from the third quarter to the fourth quarter.
00:12:00
M dub
And the Falcons are facing a fourth and two on the nine yard line. They're so close to scoring and the scoreboard reads 23 to six at this point.
00:12:10
M dub
So i understand that's in a way that's, you know, it's three possessions.
00:12:13
Tristan Amundson
Thank you.
00:12:14
M dub
It's, it's 17 points. It's two touchdowns and a field goal. So you got to get the the, you know, you got to score three times one way or the other, but, Man, they decided to take a field goal there. And on on the rewatch, it it kind of it just it felt like a real field goal of defeat. 23, I don't know. What did what did you think about that?
00:12:35
Tristan Amundson
I think they mentioned on the broadcast, right? They were talking about, i feel like on the broadcast, I remember Moose Johnson saying that he felt like that was the right call mathematically in the moment. um You could hear the fans booing when they, when they went to kick that field goal, certainly. So I don't off the top my head, I don't,
00:12:52
Tristan Amundson
you know time in the game all the different machinations that go into that that decision i guess what i'm saying is i don't know the math behind it i don't know statistically what the right call was in that moment um but it certainly did feel like a white flag and you could hear that from the fans the fans were booing which is a bad sign um but the fans aren't always right either we you know fans boo at at dumb stuff all the time we um I don't know if you watched that Phillies game a couple of weeks ago. um Those fans were booing at every opportunity and then screaming with joy at every opportunity, like like petulant children. So, um yeah, you have to take, I guess, what they say and do with a grain of salt. But, yeah, it certainly was a tough look for Atlanta in that moment.
00:13:41
M dub
You're right. I don't know the numbers either, but something about it, did yeah did there felt like a there was ah there was a shade of defeat over it. Basically, no matter, maybe maybe the numbers say, hey, this is absolutely the right call, but something about it still felt like a ah defeated moment as you as you're getting your last points on the board.
00:13:58
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, yeah, it's it's an interesting um it's an interesting observation. i do feel as though, and you can understand kind of the the defeated, the the the um the cumulative effect, I guess, of playing against the Seahawks team, right? And maybe maybe it's the best way to describe this game is in terms of a boxing match and body blow after body blow after body blow. And eventually,
00:14:25
Tristan Amundson
You know, if you watch boxing, which I admittedly, I don't watch a ton of, but every every time you watch a good boxing
Seahawks' Defensive Future
00:14:32
Tristan Amundson
match, every time you you watch your MMA is the same thing. You know, the the first couple of rounds, both fighters look about the same and everything like, oh, that you know, anyone could win this. And this this was, you know, just a good fight. And then a couple of blows happen.
00:14:47
Tristan Amundson
And you see the one fighter start start faltering. Right. And you see that. Oh, that's another hit to the ribs. ah That's another hit. That's another hit. um In MMA, you see it all the time where it's you know, it's it's a leg kick. Right. and you're you're really just um messing with that that other fighters foundation until you know they can't stand or they're they're stumbling around.
00:15:10
Tristan Amundson
And does that describe this game to you, Miles, the way it does to me? I mean, really, the first round, right, if we want to go round by round, the first round, hey, you know, we'rere we're playing with them. it we're It looks like an even playing field. Second round,
00:15:25
Tristan Amundson
kind of looks like an even playing field. And then suddenly in that third quarter, that third round, those body blows, you know, they they start taking effect. When I rewatched this game, I realized like that I had multiple interceptions and fumbles in front of me because I was like, oh, that like these three haven't happened yet. And then it occurred to me, I was like, they can only possess the ball so many more times in this game. And sure enough, it's like every time Atlanta got the ball, we figured out a way to to get it from them. um And you can imagine how those blows do have a demoralizing effect. And, you know, by the time you get halfway through the third or fourth quarter, yeah no moss.
00:16:06
M dub
and there's a but yeah There is a boxing reference. You do you do watch boxing.
00:16:10
Tristan Amundson
No moss. Yeah.
00:16:12
M dub
ah Tristan, the man delivering the most blows for the Seahawks was a player. He is in his first year playing professional football. His name is Nick Emanwari, and he had a historic day for the ages. Tristan, together we have a blocked kick.
00:16:27
M dub
We have a tackle for loss. We have an interception, and we have a sack kick. Corbin Smith, the intrepid Seahawks reporter, as I was watching the the things accumulate, I was starting to get really juiced up about it.
00:16:39
M dub
And I knew somebody was going to get into the research and the brave Corbin Smith did it, dove into the archives. And he found that in the 105 year history of the National Football League, this is the second time ever that a player has hit, a defensive player has hit those four accomplishments in the same game.
00:17:01
M dub
Second time ever. Now, we could leave it there, and that's already probably the most astonishing stat of the Seahawks season. ah But there's more.
00:17:13
M dub
Tristan, the first player to ever do this, and the only other player, I mean, i mean think think of you know anybody in in the whole history of football, the only other player to ever do those four things in the same game His name is Leonard Williams, and he did it about exactly 12 months ago against the New York Jets.
00:17:33
M dub
i watched I went back and watched every snack snap every snack every snap of Nick Emanwari and went back and watched the highlights of the Leo Williams game. It's crazy because they're done in completely different ways and obviously by guys from two completely different positions, but what an absolute joy it was to watch this a little slice of NFL history being made.
00:17:57
Tristan Amundson
How incredible that both guys are Seahawks right now. I mean, that that is just shocking. It doesn't make any sense that that would be the case. um Nick had such a great game. We were talking before we started recording today that in my mind, and I think you agree, really what we're seeing is just...
00:18:17
Tristan Amundson
the The maturation, right, from from week to week has been such a pleasure. In some ways, it's it's one of the reasons why I love watching football.
00:18:26
M dub
Thank you.
00:18:26
Tristan Amundson
I know it's why coaches love coaching football is to see the improvement of a player and to see them come into their own. That's that's why watching Byron Murphy this year is just so fun because we got to see him – figure out the league last year and, you know, not to great success.
00:18:42
Tristan Amundson
And now he's able to stand on the, on his own shoulders, right? Stand on the shoulders of last year and propel himself. And then every now and again, and I think that's a pretty normal um storyline, right?
00:18:56
Tristan Amundson
We see that a lot. We saw that with Boye Mafé. We've seen that with Derek Hall. Hey, sometimes it takes a year or two, which is 100% understandable.
00:19:00
M dub
Thank you.
00:19:06
Tristan Amundson
Every now and again.
Jason Myers' Field Goal Record Pursuit
00:19:08
Tristan Amundson
You see a player who does that, but all in one year. And it doesn't make, you shouldn't be able to do it. It's so incredibly rare to see a player be able to learn the lessons and mature at this rate.
00:19:24
Tristan Amundson
And I think it only happens when you have the elite athleticism combined with the mentality, combined with the mental ability.
00:19:30
M dub
you
00:19:34
Tristan Amundson
And you you put all of that together and and good coaching and good teammates. and And now we have a really special moment. And it's not surprising that those things don't come together very often all the same time.
00:19:47
Tristan Amundson
But that's what we're seeing, right, man? We're just seeing incredible maturation at incredible speed.
00:19:54
M dub
I think that's exactly right. I do think in time that Nick Emanwari will be compared very often to Troy Palomalu in the fact that you kind of feel everybody in the NFL has a position and Troy Palomalu was kind of the last guy where it's like this guy's position is just the defensive half. And it kind of seems like he's anywhere and everywhere at once.
00:20:18
M dub
Watching him even in this game, i'm And I'm watching the condensed game snap by snap. And I'm i'm just trying to watch Eman Worry because I knew this incredible achievement has happened.
00:20:29
M dub
It was very hard to find him from the comfort of my home snap by snap because he's literally anywhere and everywhere in the entire defensive formation. And I would imagine it's just incredibly stressful as an offense to Nicky Manwar is not the only player you're looking for as the quarterback or or the offensive line, snap by snap. There's a lot of other guys you have to worry about.
00:20:52
M dub
And as this extra factor, you got this safety who, I mean, he's standing next to Chenin Nwosu, an outside linebacker. He's standing next to Ernest Jones. he's He's lined up across from a tight end in like a cornerback type position. I mean, he's he's literally everywhere on the defense. And shall we go through how he got his four achievements here?
00:21:13
Tristan Amundson
Oh, yes, please.
00:21:14
M dub
So i i was I was glad that Coach Mack noticed that um the Falcons' first field goal, which they converted, he actually almost gets that first one. But second field second attempt for the Falcons, E-Man gets started by blocking that field goal. It really felt like Jay Harbaugh dialed this up. He's got this odd formation where there's seven Seahawks on one side, four on the other, and he just comes from that seven-man side and just gets a clean block.
00:21:41
M dub
A little later in the second quarter, it's a play where he is lined up next to Ernest Jones as if he were a linebacker, and it's just an untouched run into the backfield for a tackle for loss.
00:21:53
M dub
Late in the third quarter, Spoon ah tips a pass, and Eman Warrick catches the interception. Bit of an assist there. And then the fourth quarter sack, that this game is already done pretty much, but it was one of these diabolical Coach Mack play calls where we have a situation where Cheninwosu is lined up as if he's about to rush the passer.
00:22:15
M dub
He's actually, his responsibility is actually to drop back in pass coverage. i mean it's I mean, the game is 37-9 at this point. He has Nubosu dropping back into pass coverage.
00:22:26
M dub
And on the other side of the play, they don't see Eman Worry coming straight line to the quarterback. Not sure why they had Kirk Cousins in this game, by the way, at that late moment with that type of score as well. And gets his sack to collect all four um achievements.
00:22:43
Tristan Amundson
it It was so fun to watch. He really was. You describe it perfectly. He was everywhere. And I did the same thing watching the condensed version. I was just trying to track him.
00:22:54
Tristan Amundson
And he's so incredibly hard to track because to your point, he'll be on the far side of your screen. He'll be close. He'll be in the middle. He'll be lined up on the line of scrimmage. He's going to be at all different depths.
00:23:04
Tristan Amundson
That was so fun. And to me, What I found myself um looking at more than anything was just this idea that like, okay I'm watching the game.
00:23:18
Tristan Amundson
I'm watching Nick and I'm watching Devin Witherspoon. And I can't help but think. Wait, we get to watch both of these guys together for a long time like this. Miles, this could be really cool. Like this could be like one of those. You know, we we were talking before the broadcast about the Legion of Boom and about those um those days of yore.
00:23:38
Tristan Amundson
And if you think about what is to come for this team and the young core,
00:23:38
M dub
Thank you.
00:23:44
Tristan Amundson
We could absolutely include a guy like Byron Murphy right into this conversation. But if we just want to talk about the dynamic duo on the back end and having a guy like Nick and Witherspoon and the the level of energy that these guys play with, it's dude we got a lot of fun coming up watching these two guys play for a long, long time.
00:24:06
M dub
Absolutely. it's already It's already really incredible. I mean, 10 passes defensed on 30 total attempts, that that had to be a pretty demoralizing effect as well on the Falcons.
00:24:17
Tristan Amundson
I mean, you can't get started, right? I mean, you can't get started. 10 passes defensed, you're creating multiple fumbles, you're creating interceptions. At a certain point, you just can't get you can't get your engine turned over, right? If you're the the um the offense for the Falcons, you're just kind of sitting there in neutral. you You can't get it going. And obviously the game gets away from you because this defense is just stifling and it it does give the chance or I'm sorry, it does give the offense a chance. There we go to catch up and to kind of catch their breath and to attack. And then once this offense got started, um you know, it was pretty hard to stop, too. Right. And, you know, you talk about some of their key players.
00:25:03
Tristan Amundson
B. John Robinson gives up a fumble and then, you know, A.J. Terrell, their top corner, that beautiful um ah route that JSN runs to the inside and beats A.J., beats the safety, gets in for, you know, what was that, about a 40, 30 yard touchdown. um You know, again, the body blows, the cumulative effect just starts increasing.
00:25:03
M dub
Thank
00:25:27
Tristan Amundson
And before you know it, this team is just just off to the races. Another yeah i mean, ah all around another fun game. I tell a tale of two halves. I remember Mike Holmgren saying that many years ago um and it's always stuck with me. um just kind of the the the funny turn of phrase, but I really do think, you know, that kind of, this game is described pretty well in that way. i suppose the defense was ever present, but from an offensive perspective, at a tale of two halves, and they were able to, you know, put it all together. But yeah, what what a fun overall performance.
00:26:03
M dub
Tristan, I was paying attention to another Seahawk who was contributing to to this onslaught. It's a Seahawk we might not be thinking about, but Tristan, I've had my eye on it for a few weeks now.
00:26:14
M dub
And Jason Myers is making a little bit of a push in into another corner of the NFL record books. um So Tristan, the record for field goals in an NFL season is 44.
00:26:28
M dub
That was done by David Akers when he was playing for the 49ers in 2011. That was one of the Harbaugh Conference Championship teams. So 44, there was a 16-game season then. This is the all-time record ever.
00:26:41
M dub
That's 2.75 field goals per game. And I don't know about you, but that feels extremely, extremely low to me. You would think that it's, I mean, you think of these guys playing around, you know, with with leather helmets back in the day. would have guessed it was all field goals and that the record would be like four or five per game. What do you think about that?
00:27:02
Tristan Amundson
You know, that's funny. Yeah, it seems like, well, I mean, I guess it kind of seems like three to four field goals a game seems pretty normal. And and I suppose you do have the outliers where you have games that just it doesn't happen that much. But yeah, 2.75 is much lower than I would have expected for sure.
00:27:19
M dub
so So that's the all-time record. So Myers right now, he is leading the league in field goals with 31, which is 2.4 per game, which means he is on pace for just the sixth ever season in the whole history of the NFL with at least 40 field goals made And if he if he does that, if he just makes a few more, it will be his fourth total season in the top 100 of total field goals made. So I know it's not like it's not a place in the record books.
00:27:49
M dub
It's not Hank Aaron's home run chase. you know It's not that type of record, but gosh darn it. It's it's a record for a few goal kickers, and he's going to get pretty close to it.
00:27:59
Tristan Amundson
You know, and and I think the coach speak on that, and I think it would be well taken, is that what we're asking each one of these guys to do is to chase their records, right. To chase greatness in their own way.
Phillip Rivers' Potential NFL Comeback
00:28:14
Tristan Amundson
And, and so for a field goal kicker, that's what it is, right. It's, it's be the best version of that that you possibly can. We don't need J my racking up tackles or touchdowns or, you know, past defense or, or any of that stuff. He's, he's chasing that. Um, and I really think it it just goes into focus and,
00:28:34
Tristan Amundson
um And another thought that I had in this game in general, which is, um and we were talking about this before the broadcast as well, is is shocking effort, right? um
00:28:45
M dub
Thank
00:28:45
Tristan Amundson
Ball finds energy is another way that coach talks about it. And, you know, the guys, Miles, that I was watching in this game, um and I suppose Jason Myers is no different in his own way, right? Because he he has to do his job at the highest level he possibly can. It's easier to see when you're watching defenders because,
00:29:04
Tristan Amundson
um the movement, the violence, the energy really plays into it. And I might, you know, maybe this is something i do for the rest of the season. We don't have a lot of regular seasons, regular season games left. I might just have my list every week um of guys that just jumped off the page, just jumped off.
00:29:23
Tristan Amundson
um the TV screen from an effort perspective. And to me, tell me what you think of of these guys and and tell me if I'm missing anyone. The names that that really stuck out to me, we've already talked about two of them, Nikki Monrory, Devin Witherspoon,
00:29:38
Tristan Amundson
um To me, ah Ernest Jones has to be on that. Reek Wollin has to be on that. From my eyes, just watching the the overall effort, those are the guys, if I was handing out my awards of ball finds energy, of play with shocking effort, those are the guys that jumped out to me. What do you think of those guys? And and am I missing anyone, Miles? Is there anyone that that played in that way that that I'm not thinking of?
00:30:07
M dub
Yet you did mention that the team doesn't need Jason Myers to make tackles. But in fact, they did.
00:30:13
Tristan Amundson
In fact, he did. You're right.
00:30:15
M dub
In the fourth quarter, the the Falcons were about to take it to the house.
00:30:16
Tristan Amundson
and effort play.
00:30:19
M dub
It was a really good return. There's one man to beat, just the kicker. Not a big deal. Hold on Wait a minute. Myers gets him out of bounds. And I looked it up, believe it or not, that is the 15th solo tackle of Jason Myers' career.
00:30:35
M dub
That's a lot of tackles. I mean, maybe they all get that, but that seemed like a lot to me. And that one was absolutely, i mean, the game was over at that point, but that was absolutely a touchdown saver. So so I'm adding Jason Myers again, kicking and tackling. Did them both.
00:30:51
Tristan Amundson
Shocking effort. Well done, Miles. that was That's absolutely perfect. Shocking effort. And that's exactly what that play was. He was the last man standing and he he made it happen. Yeah, that's well done. I love that.
00:31:04
M dub
All right, Tristan, we've talked about this game against the Falcons. We've got... said That was just the intro, because we've got something much more important and and wild and historically significant, potentially, to talk about here, which is the upcoming game against the Indianapolis Colts. This is the game that has captured America's imagination five and six days out.
00:31:27
M dub
um Shall we... so Do we need to go through the... I mean, how do we even talk about that? Basically, The Colts have their top two options at quarterback injured, and they will be starting one of three men on Sunday.
00:31:36
Tristan Amundson
I think, yeah.
00:31:44
M dub
And we're not 100% sure who it is. Whoever it is gives the Seahawks ah a shocking chance at victory. And one in particular would be especially shocking.
00:31:59
M dub
How do we go about this? Yeah.
00:32:01
Tristan Amundson
Well, I think we have to start by saying I mean, Daniel Jones, right? I mean, let's let's give the man his his moment because he really has had a great season. Right, Miles? I mean, he's he is one of these guys that is changing the narrative around him. He's another example with all due respect to the greatest city in the world. um He's another example of a guy that gets out of New York and suddenly looks a lot better than he did when he played for one of the New York teams. And we were about to have a battle of the former New York quarterbacks. um To me, I think this story starts, Miles, with the fact that Daniel Jones, in this game this last week, was playing with ah with a break, a legit break in one of his legs, um which is crazy. i'm I'm not saying he had like a full-on crazy broken leg, but um he he was already playing massively injured.
00:33:00
Tristan Amundson
with one of his legs. And my understanding is, you know, I actually, I don't know exactly if it was a tear or an Achilles rupture, but either way, um, injured his Achilles to the point where he will be out for the remainder of the season, which is, it's honestly a massive bummer.
00:33:19
Tristan Amundson
I was really looking forward to this matchup. I think it was going to be a fun test for the Seahawks to play against Daniel and and just to kind of see that matchup between him and Sam. So it is it is kind of a bummer.
00:33:29
M dub
Thank you.
00:33:31
Tristan Amundson
Not kind of. It is an absolute bummer. I feel bad for him that he's not going to be able to play. But to your point, that injury makes way for something pretty crazy and historic.
00:33:43
M dub
It does. And I can just quickly, i can feel ah the Colts have been in a bit in ah of a slide and I can feel things returning on Daniel Jones a little bit. But before anybody turns too hard on Daniel Jones, the Seahawks are 13 and a half point favorites in this game.
00:34:00
M dub
because of one of the men starting at quarterback that we're going to talk about. I mean, Daniel Jones, that's probably three or four points if Daniel Jones is healthy and playing, right? I mean, Daniel Jones is probably worth 10 points on the Vegas spread, I would say. That's that's a lot of points.
00:34:19
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, I mean, I think that's that's probably true. Yeah. So i mean, it's a massive, if you look at it from a point spread perspective, this was a massive swing, obviously.
00:34:29
M dub
All right, so here here who's who will be starting in in Daniel Jones' stead with Anthony Richardson also injured? Our potential option, number one. His name is Riley Leonard, sixth-round rookie.
00:34:42
M dub
He got in his first career game last week against the Jaguars and is questionable with a knee injury. I think it's fair to say this is Colts' option number one. And it seems like Colts option number three is Brett Ripien, who has been on their practice squad since October.
00:34:52
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:34:59
M dub
He started four previous games in his career, and he has thrown four touchdowns and nine interceptions in those games. Now, if I were Brett Ripien, I would be pretty offended about the news of the last 48 hours because when Riley Leonard got injured, just looking at the timeline of this,
00:35:16
M dub
It seems like Riley Leonard got injured on Sunday and a few minutes after the game ended, the Colts were on the phone to Phillip Rivers, the former NFL quarterback who is currently 44 years old.
00:35:31
M dub
He is currently a high school football coach in Alabama who is enjoying life as a grandfather. His oldest child has a child. He is a grandfather.
00:35:42
M dub
he has not played in the NFL since 2020. And he is, he's moved from Alabama to Indianapolis to be a legitimate member of the Indianapolis c Colts, and he could start this football game on Sunday in one of the unlikeliest chapters in NFL history.
00:36:03
Tristan Amundson
Move over Aaron Rodgers. Move over Joe Flacco. There is a new old guy in town and his name's Phillip Rivers, right? I mean, they I believe those were the two oldest guys to start this season. And of course, what does the NFL do? It it always wants to give us more. It always has more to give us miles. And this is the latest.
00:36:25
Tristan Amundson
um That it gives us. I was not aware, by the way, until you mentioned that, that that he is a grandfather. So congratulations to Philip. My understanding is it's one of the greatest things. It's really cool. So I'm I'm thrilled for him ah that that that, you know, he's able to enjoy that that moment. My first thought now, I know and you said perfectly. This is like this should be number 10 on the things that we say. But, you know, I think my job is create a little chaos on the podcast. My first thought is it's December 9th, right? what We only got how many shopping days before Christmas, Miles? We got 16 shopping days. Am I doing my math right?
00:37:05
Tristan Amundson
um Christmas is.
00:37:06
M dub
Well, you got to get it done in 15 because it's day 16.
00:37:08
Tristan Amundson
You're right.
00:37:10
M dub
We're delivering. Yeah.
00:37:11
Tristan Amundson
You're right. Okay. So we got 15 shopping days left. um And I suppose when he tells his wife this, which um I guess yesterday or day before, so maybe maybe it was 16 or 17 at the time shopping days left. and you know they're probably figuring out, hey, you know,
00:37:29
Tristan Amundson
Where are we going? Are we, you know, okay, we'll go to your parents' place first and then mine after. i still got to make the gingerbread cookies. Have you made the gingerbread house yet?
00:37:39
Tristan Amundson
um You know, hey, did we get that last present for Molly? um we're We're going through the list. It's a busy time of year, Miles. This is a busy time of year for families, for all of us.
00:37:52
Tristan Amundson
And this is the time of year that Philip walks up to his wife and says, hey, sweetie, I know I've been retired for five years. im I'm thinking about going back to work.
00:38:03
Tristan Amundson
And she's thinking, great, cool. Well, it's ah I mean, January is a great time to start, right? start Start new chapters, new adventures in your life.
00:38:09
M dub
you
00:38:11
Tristan Amundson
And he says, I'm actually thinking about going back to work. today. that That is wild to me. I think that's hilarious. Like just from a family perspective that you start a new job 15 days before Christmas.
00:38:25
M dub
Yeah, just thinking – so we're talking on Tuesday afternoon. It's about 48 hours since the Colts lost. And in that time, Phillip Rivers, you know, working backwards, he has signed the contract.
Veteran NFL Comebacks: Historical Context
00:38:37
M dub
He worked out with the team before that, and he somehow had to travel from his home in rural Alabama – to Indianapolis. I know it's not that far apart, but you got to, it's at least a five hour drive, I'm guessing, or or a flight. You got to figure that out somehow, ah probably on Sunday night.
00:38:53
M dub
And so he wasn't like, he's like, if he was saying, I'm thinking about doing it, he's like, yeah, I'm thinking about doing it. And by the way, I have to leave, i have to be out this door in about 30 minutes to get there. I mean, I mean, it's, it's absolutely crazy. Can I read you a tweet?
00:39:10
M dub
Uh, it's by the NFL reporter, Diana Rossini. This, uh, uh, quote, a source close to Philip Rivers describes a player who looks in better shape now than when he played end quote.
00:39:26
M dub
Um, Look, I mean, just...
00:39:30
Tristan Amundson
Best shape of his life, Miles.
00:39:31
M dub
I think i think we gotta...
00:39:32
Tristan Amundson
I mean, come on. What's wrong?
00:39:33
M dub
I mean, that's impossible. I mean... What was he doing in the NFL then?
00:39:37
Tristan Amundson
Best shape of his life. What are you talking about?
00:39:40
M dub
but When he had, you know... When he was in the facility every day. I mean, that's... Just because somebody... I mean, we gotta do some fact-checking on that.
00:39:47
Tristan Amundson
I mean, listen, listen, he looks way better at 44 than he did as an elite athlete at 25. It's just the reality of the situation. Don't think too much into it.
00:39:59
Tristan Amundson
He's in a much better physical position today than he was at 23 years old. I mean, it just is what it is. His 27 year old version of himself has nothing on his 44 year old version. His back feels great.
00:40:12
Tristan Amundson
Um, yeah He has not been eating those cookies that I've been talking about so much. He's been, you know, just it's been greens every day, greens and meat.
00:40:21
M dub
yeah Yeah, way more so than when he was in the actual NFL for forever. um My concern about this, trip i mean i ah i mean, against any NFL defense, but we we are talking about one of the great we're talking about one of the greatest defenses of the last 10 years in the Seahawks. Last last five years. well we're We're working up to the last 10 years, but we're...
00:40:46
M dub
We're talking about one of the best three defenses in the NFL in 2025. Nobody can argue with that.
00:40:50
Tristan Amundson
Yes, that's true.
00:40:51
M dub
oh with I found it. I found it.
00:40:53
Tristan Amundson
Yes, that's true.
00:40:57
Tristan Amundson
100%.
00:40:57
Tristan Amundson
is a top this is the top five, top three defense in the NFL this year. There's no doubt about that.
00:41:03
Tristan Amundson
And is this the week?
00:41:03
M dub
Nobody can argue with that.
00:41:06
M dub
i
00:41:06
Tristan Amundson
Is this the week to come back to the NFL? I don't know.
00:41:09
M dub
well it
00:41:09
Tristan Amundson
Maybe not.
00:41:11
M dub
Well, okay. There's there's a there's a couple more thoughts that come to mind. One is that the but the potential for the Disney movie here and the Seahawks to to have egg on their face after this. I mean, ah the chances are so small, but but they're not zero. you know i'm you know the dent the I'm thinking Dennis Quaid, the rookie. you know I'm thinking all these things. It could be happening five years from now. That movie's getting made.
00:41:35
M dub
I'm aware of that. The more realistic thought is... Is there any way for Philip Rivers to physically survive to the end of the fourth quarter of this game?
00:41:47
M dub
it feels ah It feels unlikely to me.
00:41:51
Tristan Amundson
Miles, I told you that one of my favorite plays of this last week was watching full grown man in his 20s. I believe it was a tight end um for ah the Falcons run full speed into Leonard Williams. And he his body flew backwards when he hit Leonard's body. It was he It was the closest thing to running into a brick wall without a brick wall being present. And the brick wall obviously was big cat Leonard Williams.
00:42:25
Tristan Amundson
So that's the guy that now I'm telling Philip Rivers, hey, just don't get hit by him. But here's the thing. You also probably don't want to get hit by Byron Murphy. But, okay, sorry. Here's just just a couple of more. yeah So this DeMarcus Lawrence guy, he hits pretty hard, too. Talk to Aaron Jones. You probably don't want to get him up.
00:42:48
Tristan Amundson
Okay, I'm sorry. There's just there's ah one more. um There's this guy a guy named Uchenna Nwosu. He's pretty good, too. He actually also played um for the Chargers. He played, like, you know – 15 years after you played, but you know, he, he's there too. And you, we want to be careful of him. um They got a couple of other guys, Derek Hall. Yeah. That, that would suck. You don't want to get hit by him by you know, we're just going to keep adding to the list.
00:43:15
Tristan Amundson
And then, you know, you talk about chaos himself, Nicky and Rory. Yeah, it's dude. Honestly, it could be a really rough day. Now, what do you think the odds are that Philip plays in this game? Is it is it possible for him to be the absolute the absolute or I should say the actual number one option for this team after being back in the NFL for all of what, five, six days before the game?
00:43:43
M dub
I don't know why they'd bring him in if they weren't thinking about that, i guess.
00:43:49
Tristan Amundson
i I do understand that he does know Riley Leonard. I guess he does some training with him in the off season. So is it possible that it could just be, and I'm really asking this, like, is it possible it could just be a mentorship thing?
00:44:02
Tristan Amundson
And Hey, we kind of need another it's, it's wild. He's 44 years old
00:44:06
M dub
Well, there's a yes there's a position that some football teams have called coach where you can provide that mentorship without being in the line of fire for all these defensive linemen. mean, that's crazy.
00:44:19
Tristan Amundson
And there's no one else. I mean, that's what's kind of weird about it. You're telling me there's nobody else that we could possibly get on the team at this point. Like this is this is the option.
00:44:29
M dub
Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure you're able to sign anybody off anybody else's practice squad at any point. So, I mean, that that that means there has to be a few dozen quarterbacks. If if I was them, i I would be offended. This is a long this is a long gap.
00:44:46
M dub
Tristan, there is historical precedent for this, though. Can I tell you the... ah ah Credit to to somebody on Reddit who led me down um this pathway. Tristan, does the name Steve DeBerg mean anything to
Legacy of the Seahawks' Defensive Line
00:44:59
M dub
you?
00:44:59
Tristan Amundson
You know, I know the name, but I'd be lying if I told you i i had any context.
00:45:04
M dub
All right, from the late 70s to the late 90s, Steve DeBerg played 16 years as a starting quarterback in the NFL, mostly for the Buccaneers and the Chiefs. He also retires for four years, and in that time, he was also a coach.
00:45:18
M dub
Slight difference here, and I think there's actually a major difference. He was a quarterback coach in the NFL during that time. Not for the entire four years, but some of it. He unretires at age 44 to join the Atlanta Falcons at the start of the 1998 season. They actually use him frequently at the end of games. He gets into eight games on the year and compiles three touchdowns and one interception on the season. Not bad. However, he is called on as the starter for exactly one game.
00:45:52
M dub
And the Falcons lose that game twenty eight to three Now that happens, but the twist here is that the Falcons finished 14-2 on the season. So this team that was fourteen and one otherwise got squished twenty eight to three when they had to rely on Steve DeBerg as a one-week starter.
00:46:14
M dub
and but I can't believe there's the precedent for this, but but I think that's a good clue about what we're looking at for this game.
00:46:20
Tristan Amundson
Here we are. i'm I'm really hoping that we see Eli Manning. um it'd be really great to see him you know get back in the league. They're about the same age. So let's let's start kind of ah a chant. Let's start a ah movement. We want Eli back in this league, Miles. Let's let's get him suited up.
00:46:38
Tristan Amundson
Let's get him on the closest team. you know Maybe the Jets could could use little Eli. He could do both New York teams. I think it's a great idea.
00:46:46
M dub
Tristan, I heard Jake Plummer is in better shape now than he ever was in the NFL.
00:46:49
Tristan Amundson
Oh, best shape of his life.
00:46:52
M dub
Yeah.
00:46:52
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, unbelievable. Best shape of his life. It's not going to be a problem. Yeah, I mean, it's going to be great.
00:46:59
M dub
So anyway, folks, it's only Tuesday afternoon. it's been an absolute thrill ride. I mean, it's only been like 36 hours this thing has been developing. when i When I first saw it, I i thought it was a joke.
00:47:11
M dub
I thought it was a bad i thought was a bad joke actually. And Went to verify when I texted you. I had to say this. This is not a joke. This is actually happening. And um i I don't know what I want to say. I guess I do want to see it. But who knows what we're going to see on Sunday. It's going to be a wild one.
00:47:31
Tristan Amundson
It's going to be great, man. No, and listen, I love it. This is the longest we've ever spent talking about not the game that we just watched and well worth it. It's a great story and hopefully a speedy recovery for Daniel Jones.
00:47:46
M dub
Yeah, third straight week, the Seahawks are facing a and a backup quarterback, by the way, which doesn't... ah Yeah, I don't know what to make of that, but that's ah just that's just what's happening.
00:47:58
Tristan Amundson
Take it when you can get it.
00:48:01
M dub
Tristan, this is the 50th season in Seahawks history, and we honor that history by swimming in those pools of history for 15 seconds. And my time starts now. Tristan, the NFL normally stands for not for long, but not when it comes to the diehards.
00:48:20
M dub
That was the nickname for the Seahawks three-man defensive line that started virtually every game together for eight straight seasons. That's the same entire position group together.
00:48:31
M dub
Starters healthy for eight straight seasons from 1983 to 1990. On the right side, we have first-round pick Jeff Bryant. He has the six most games ever as a Seahawk.
00:48:42
M dub
And he's top 150 in NFL history in sacks. On the nose tackle, we have Joe Nash, an undrafted player who becomes and is still the all-time Seahawks leader in games played with 218 players.
00:48:57
M dub
And on the left side, we have Jacob Green. You'll find him in the Seahawks Ring of Honor and in the top 50 all-time in both sacks and forced fumbles. Their streak as starters only breaks in 1991, not because any of them leave the team at that point or decline as players, but because they become a four-man defensive line when a young man named Cortez Kennedy is added into the starting lineup.
00:49:22
Tristan Amundson
Hmm, man. I mean, what what do I even say? First of all, can you give me that number again? The nose tackled, you say 218 consecutive starts.
00:49:32
M dub
They weren't all starts, but he the he has the record for the most Seahawks games played as a Seahawk with 218. Even Mack Strong is out there at about 200. And Michael Dixon is the current leader with with about 100. I mean, nobody is close to touching this record right now.
00:49:49
Tristan Amundson
it's That's unbelievable. I mean, to think about the wear and tear on that body is unreal. So that's that's incredible, first thought. Second thought, you bring up Jacob Green. You know you know exactly who I'm going to bring up. when you bring It's not even fair, Miles, for you to bring up that name because you know I'm going to bring up Red Bryant, his son-in-law, and just you know the the raucous occasion that it would be to hang out with those two. um Big red.
00:50:17
Tristan Amundson
I mean, Jacob Green is just an absolute legend. um And then, yeah you know, dare I say, but he is my favorite Seahawk of all time. He's the guy that that made me first kind of look at at football and be like, hey, this is pretty cool.
00:50:28
M dub
you
00:50:32
Tristan Amundson
Cortez Kennedy. I mean, really a godfather of the Seahawks, one of the greatest of all times. um I just love hearing that name. yeah You say Cortez Kennedy is just a smile on my face, Miles.
00:50:46
M dub
Love to provide that for you. I still can't believe the longevity of of this. I'm trying to think of like similar, you know, eight years ago for the Seahawks is 2017. I mean, we got we got nothing is is is the same from that time. we're We're in the middle of, you know, Pete and Russ and DK Metcalf isn't even drafted yet. I mean, eight years is forever in the NFL. Could you imagine having the same position group that entire time?
00:51:12
Tristan Amundson
It's unreal. I mean, it and think about um Aaron Donald as an example on the other end, right? I believe Aaron retired at 29 years old and had, and and maybe for good reason, it felt like he had done everything that he could have done. He was an all pro every single year. He was defensive player of the year, multiple years. He won his Superbowl. The idea of that longevity, you must, you I mean, there you must love everything about it. You must love the time with your with your teammates. You must love the game. um
00:51:45
Tristan Amundson
Economics, a little different back then than they are now. So I'm sure that that plays into it as well. um But yeah, that's ah that's a fun walk down memory lane there.
00:51:55
M dub
I just love how many undrafted guys and guys from out of nowhere are just so big in Seahawks history. We're talking, you know, Dave Craig, you're, I mean, Russell Wilson, a very low draft pick. We we talked at the very beginning of the year how there's almost no first round quarterbacks in Seahawks history, whether was Seahawks drafting him or somebody else. And then you got Joe Nash, the all-time team leader in games played, comes into league undrafted.
00:52:21
Tristan Amundson
Undrafted. Hey, like like Pete would always tell us, right? It's not how you start. It's how you finish. And yeah, it's just a lot of good stories of gritty guys that put in the work and just stuck with it.
00:52:33
M dub
ah Tristan, now that it is time for us to finish, I think, though.
00:52:37
Tristan Amundson
I think it is. I think it is. um I mean, i listen, let's just finish with a phrase that I'm sure all four of those guys said many a time, Miles.
00:52:49
M dub
Go Hawks.
00:52:50
Tristan Amundson
Go Hawks.