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Third Ram is the Charm
22 Plays3 days ago
Tristan and Miles talk about this weekend’s NFC Championship against the Rams, check in on playoff body language, and the emotional decision of whether to break bread with the enemy.
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Transcript
Significance of Seahawks vs Rams Game
00:00:00
Tristan Amundson
Miles, it is time, is it not, my friend? I mean, can can you feel it in the air in the greater Portland area? I feel it in the air down here. What's what's going on, Miles?
00:00:11
M dub
Tristan, great to be with you. Great to be on a very rare sunrise session of the World's Only Seahawks podcast. Looking at the Seahawks. hosting the Rams. You called it very early on in the season.
00:00:24
M dub
This was going to be a really important matchup. Seahawks, Rams, we we we can't seem to get out of the NFC West in these playoffs. If the Seahawks win, I'll be relieved just to see a team outside of the division ah coming up on the schedule. Almost doesn't matter that it would be for the Super Bowl.
00:00:42
M dub
And yeah, you you called it very early on. I think in November, this Seahawks-Rams matchup is is pretty much for all the marbles here.
00:00:51
Tristan Amundson
It seemed really, and I was trying to think of when, when I really kind of had that moment of clarity and I want to say you're right, November, maybe around week 13 or 14, if, if you really pressed me on it, where it just seemed as though these are the two best teams in the NFL. And that's, it it's a fun thing to, to watch come to fruition week after week. And and it just seems really, really clear that said,
00:01:20
Tristan Amundson
The Rams have definitely been, you know, what what do you call them The cardiac kids, right? I mean, they have definitely the last two weeks danced on the edge of the knife and miraculously have won two weeks in a row where theyre where I sat on my couch.
00:01:35
Tristan Amundson
Let's talk about last weekend a little bit, Miles. I sat on my couch and I thought... This is over. I mean, like the the Rams are going to lose to Charlotte. Here we go. And then again, the Rams are going to lose to the Bears. Here we go.
00:01:49
Tristan Amundson
And yet they keep just wiggling off the hook. What was your thoughts? Just kind of watching the saga. First of all, a wonderful game, right? Against the Bears last week.
00:02:00
M dub
Yeah, you know, Tristan, I thought just the limits of the human body, the Rams living in Los Angeles every day and getting into that 15-degree freezer in Chicago, i kind of thought that no matter how skilled the Rams were, how much they wanted it, I kind of thought you were looking at the literal limits of the human body there.
Caleb Williams' Confidence and Rams' Strategy
00:02:18
M dub
Turned out you weren't. During last week's preview of the 49ers game, i I talked about kind of what I felt was some casual body language from Jordan Love getting into the fourth quarter of that the Packers-Bears game and wildcard weekend.
00:02:33
M dub
I felt that same little moment. There was an overhead shot of Caleb Williams getting into the Bears' huddle in overtime after the Rams had to punt the ball to start overtime.
00:02:38
Tristan Amundson
you
00:02:44
M dub
And I think Caleb Williams already thought he won the game. Just by getting the ball back in that drive started, That's the danger of the playoffs. Caleb, you had not won the game at that point. You had probably 55% chance, maybe even a little higher of winning that, but it wasn't 100. Had to be on it more, I think, than he was. And I really do think that's what led to the Rams gutting it out in overtime.
00:03:08
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I mean, you're totally right. You could see, i mean, the body language from everyone. it it felt so obvious. I mean, what a beautiful, miraculous catch. i The second he started running backwards um for that touchdown throw,
00:03:24
Tristan Amundson
I instantly thought, oh, I mean, I like everyone, right? It's like, well, we know how this ends. Like, it's bad when the quarterback is basically running the opposite direction and he has two elite athletes closing in on him to make that throw off his back foot.
00:03:41
Tristan Amundson
The fact that the cornerback had somehow just misaligned himself at last track. i don't I don't really understand how that works um for that touchdown. You're right. The body language was we have this in the bag. They're driving down the field.
00:03:55
Tristan Amundson
And then to me, and I hope Ben Johnson's listening, um because every offensive coordinator, every offensive mind needs to listen to Tristan Amundsen when he says over and over again,
00:04:06
Tristan Amundson
Listen, we we understand you hate running the football. you You hate it with all your heart. You want to just, you every time you want to throw it down the field. I want to tell Caleb, we get it.
00:04:17
Tristan Amundson
Like you've been told you have to throw the football all the time. Folks, you were so close. All you needed to do was get conservative, run a few plays, get 10 or 15 more yards, kick a field goal, and then book a first-class ticket to Seattle. It's incredible, man, isn't it? I mean, and tell me how you felt as you watched Caleb throw that that final interception.
00:04:44
Tristan Amundson
Didn't he look so confident on that throw, that wind-up? Didn't it just look like, oh, there has to be a guy wide open? He had no one rushing at him. he He had such a cocky windup, like, here we go. INT.
00:04:55
Tristan Amundson
i n t
Seahawks' Rest Advantage vs Rams' Tough Schedule
00:04:58
M dub
Yeah, it was tough. And you know what? The Bears really treated first and second down very casually. I felt pretty optimistic if they were going to play the Seahawks. And I think it all came back. I think I think there you can't treat any down casually in the playoffs. You just can't. And it all came back in one moment.
00:05:16
Tristan Amundson
So I just looked this up because I wanted to to reference it and we can get off of last week. But just speaking of the cold, um I just wanted to say this. So the Vikings ah and the Seahawks played, you know, the playoff game, the insanely cold playoff game.
00:05:32
Tristan Amundson
I couldn't even say exactly how many years ago, six, seven years ago. And I looked it up because that's the coldest game I've ever watched. And I was kind of liking in it this game thinking, hey, this will have the same impact on the Rams. And and I agree with you, by the way. I think the the the toll on their body, even coming out of the game, I think is an interesting storyline.
00:05:54
Tristan Amundson
It was, as you said, 15, 17 degrees during this game in Chicago. Do you want to give a wild guess? And it was much colder, by the way, when the Seahawks played the Vikings.
00:06:04
Tristan Amundson
Do you want to give a wild guess what the temperature was at kickoff when the Seahawks faced the Vikings before the Vikings moved into their brand new spanking stadium?
00:06:10
M dub
I
00:06:13
Tristan Amundson
Can you give me a guess, Miles? I can tell you this. It was way lower than 15 degrees.
00:06:20
M dub
i thought it was about eight or nine.
00:06:22
Tristan Amundson
Lower.
00:06:23
M dub
it Was it the negatives?
00:06:25
Tristan Amundson
Negative six degrees at kickoff. Can you imagine? I mean, that's like, that's like legitimately cruel and unusual. So I guess it is a different league of cold that they were playing in that day than um the bears and and Rams were playing. And yet I do think that it's an advantage to the Seahawks. I do think if you spend, you know, a couple hours outside in 15 degree weather the next morning, you're going to be a lot more tired. Like it's going to be a tougher week for you to recover.
00:06:55
M dub
You know, I was looking at it. The Rams in this game against the Bears, as cold as it was, they had to have 78 offensive snaps and 81 defensive snaps with the game going into overtime. That's a huge workload.
00:07:08
M dub
Then, Tristan, I was looking back. The Seahawks getting the number one seed has been so huge for rest. ah The Rams could have had it. The Rams were in pole position for the one seed, I would say, the start of December.
00:07:20
M dub
Since they don't get it, they are on a streak of having...
Impact of Special Teams on Game Outcome
00:07:24
M dub
This will be their fifth of their last six games on the road in Seattle this weekend. Going back to Thanksgiving, they have played seven of nine games.
00:07:35
M dub
On the road. I don't think that's happened very many times in NFL history. And just as we saw the Niners hit their limit with with their injuries in in the game last week. this I'm wondering if there there could be a limit hit with that much travel for the Rams. Seven road games in nine weeks is really nuts.
00:07:55
Tristan Amundson
All stressful games, right? All games down to the wire, which is a double-edged sword, obviously. The excitement, but also the emotional toll. And then, yeah, to your point, I mean, this this last game in incredibly cold weather. So i I am very curious about that. You bring it up that, um you know, on the flip side, right? What were the Seahawks doing? What did they do Sunday morning, Miles? They woke up.
00:08:21
Tristan Amundson
I imagine they were all wearing fluffy slippers. They slept in. Maybe they had some French toast that morning. um Maybe a little rehab. Maybe just play with the kids.
00:08:31
Tristan Amundson
um I imagine they were all in sweaters and robes. They were nice and cozy and warm at their houses watching the Rams suffer. It is a big... And then the Rams had to get on a plane and go home, which that takes it out of me as well. So, yeah, I think it's really an interesting... I think the rest story might be as interesting as any story in this matchup.
00:08:55
M dub
Absolutely. Tristan, can I move on to a part of football that we don't normally talk about, but I think will be really big in this game with the advantage to the Seahawks, and that is special teams.
00:09:06
M dub
it It was a huge factor in the Thursday night game in the middle of December. We never talked about it, Tristan, but the Rams fired their special teams coordinator after the game. That's how devastating that was.
00:09:19
M dub
And one thing I noted, Tristan, it's pretty unexciting when you see a kickoff go back for a touchback. And it used to happen all the time. It it doesn't happen all the time anymore.
00:09:30
M dub
And as boring as that is, you're kind of coming in and out of commercial. It's it's a play that you it just kind of glosses over you. That is a huge advantage for the Seahawks if that happens.
00:09:42
M dub
the The Rams have the fewest returned kickoffs of any team in the league this year. So their strategy is to kick it into the end zone and to say, we don't want our return guys to be challenged at at all. we don't want We don't want them to have to play this play through.
00:09:57
M dub
And it gives the Seahawks extra yards. The very best field position team in the NFL this year was the Jacksonville Jaguars. Their average starting field position was at the 32.8 yard line.
00:10:10
M dub
So if the Seahawks get a kickoff for a touchback and they avoid Shahid, that means you're doing a few yards better than the very best team in the NFL in field position.
00:10:20
Tristan Amundson
So interesting, man. Yeah. I listen, I totally agree with you. I think this is a key matchup. um I heard something from Mark Schlereth last night that I thought was really insightful. um I felt like this was a ah nugget from a guy who's been around the league for a long time. And he he said that he had a coach and his coach would, when he's talking about comparing two teams, right. And and that's the That's ultimately the conversation. How do you compare the Rams to the Seahawks?
00:10:49
Tristan Amundson
One team that is unbelievable on ah offense, one team that's unbelievable on defense, and both teams that have, you know, Rams, good defense, Seahawks, good offense, right? I mean, there's the comparables are interesting.
00:11:01
Tristan Amundson
He pointed to special teams and he said this old coach told him, look at special teams, look at how special teams performs. That that's the better team. That's the team that's going to perform better in the long run. And the reason why he said that is special teams points to depth.
00:11:18
Tristan Amundson
So if you have a really good special teams unit, that equates to having a very deep team. If you have been struggling on special teams, it means that depth is something that you struggle with.
00:11:30
Tristan Amundson
As I say that, how does that idea, um ah how do you how do you think through that as you watch the Rams and the Seahawks? To me, that's that's pretty pretty interesting information. It's an interesting way to look at it when you when you just compare the matchup and if you're trying to figure out which team's better.
Rams' Threats and Seahawks' Game Management
00:11:51
Tristan Amundson
And obviously, you know you just mentioned the struggles that the Rams have had and and the success the Seahawks have had.
00:11:58
M dub
Yeah, I think it's a nice idea. I'm i'm actually going to, I think it's probably true in the long run. I'm going to throw it out the window for this week's game, though, because the Rams have a player named Puka Nakua, who I am more afraid of than any other player in the NFL. And I think he's good enough to overcome potentially all the woes that the Rams do have on this side.
00:12:20
M dub
Tristan, into the December game. ah that The thirty eight thirty seven thrilling victory. The Rams had the second most passing yards of any team in any game in the NFL on the year, 457. Nakua had 225 of those yards.
00:12:32
M dub
and nik cua had two hundred twenty five of those yards It was the performance over two hundred yards in the nfl this year I mean, this is against the Seahawks defense. This against a really crazy Seahawks defense.
00:12:47
M dub
i'm not The Seahawks really need to go back to the drawing board this week with how you cover Nakua. I'm sure they did. But um the last time out, the the Seahawks, this defense that's so good, that's so elite, was just totally...
00:13:02
M dub
Out of answers, Nikua plays the game so violently, so aggressively at wide receiver. And I'm not really sure i' not really sure what you do. Maybe a little more Eman Worry.
00:13:14
M dub
um Answering this question is why Mike McDonald is paid the big bucks, though.
00:13:20
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I mean, you're right. he's He's one of the greats in the league, and he's definitely going to give us trouble. I was watching um that last matchup against the Rams last night, and I mean, it's just you watch some of those um those slant routes, some of some of the things he's doing on the field, some of the contested catches he made where you watch it and you say, the the the Seahawks cornerback was doing it perfectly. I mean, we we were in coverage. We did it perfectly, and yet he still was able to be Puka Nakua.
00:13:51
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I all I can say, you're totally right. All we can do is trust that Mike's going to have a great plan for it. um And he's given us no reason not to believe he would. But yeah, I mean, Puka, listen, man, this is a great matchup. It's a it's an absolutely killer matchup. It's going to be absolute murder for Rams and Seahawks fans to watch this game. And I think it's going to be a pleasure for the rest of the NFL to watch this game.
00:14:15
M dub
Absolutely, Tristan. There's going to be two heavyweights. I just don't see any way this game is a blowout. I have a really healthy amount of fear for the Rams. If the Seahawks get past this, I mean, the Seahawks get past this, does feel pretty optimistic, whether it's the Patriots or the Broncos coming out of the AFC. I'm going to feel a lot more confident if the Seahawks get to that game. And yeah, this is just this is this is a beast of a game.
00:14:44
Tristan Amundson
So cool. No, it's going to be it's going to be great, man. um i How give give me kind of a scale of one to ten. How nervous are you right now? How do you just feel going into the game? I I'm all over the place from very confident to not very like how do you feel?
00:15:03
M dub
Oh, I mean, put me at a 10 of 10. I mean, there's, there's, uh, for, for every advantage of the Seahawks have you, you see the Rams have the Rams have really dominated the Seahawks in the regular season. Like few teams have Sam Darnold had 14 interceptions on the season. Six of them were against the Rams.
00:15:21
M dub
The Seahawks never sacked Matt Matthew Stafford. They never picked off Matthew Stafford. I mean, this is a Seahawks team that was absolutely shredding the rest of the league.
00:15:33
M dub
That said, as big as of of a lead as the Rams did build on the Seahawks in both games, Seattle found found a way to claw back into both of them in in absolutely crazy fashion. So nobody's going anywhere until the fourth quarter of this game.
00:15:47
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, I agree. I think it's like all the others. I do think it's just going to come down to um to a very small margin of of victory for either team. And also, um it's it's it's going to come down to a couple of key plays.
00:16:03
Tristan Amundson
um I am going to... um'm ah Okay, I'm going to say something. I'll just say it. I'll say exactly what I think. I think Sam Darnold's going to be just fine in this game.
00:16:16
Tristan Amundson
I think that Sam is going to be just fine. I think that um we have now a more stable um method to our madness on offense than we did when he was kind of in his interception woes.
00:16:30
Tristan Amundson
I think Sam's going to be just fine. And I think that's the deciding factor in this game. I think that Sam is going to just like coach told us last week, he's going to manage this game extremely well.
00:16:41
Tristan Amundson
And as a result of that, um I think the Seahawks are going to win.
Seahawks' Defensive Strengths and Player Roles
00:16:45
Tristan Amundson
It's not going to be a blowout by any means. I think we're going to control the football by running it. I think we've we've we've done that.
00:16:51
Tristan Amundson
um We did that certainly last time we played them. I think that Mike will make the adjustments on Puka. I think we're going be just fine here, man. I really do. I have high hopes for this game. um We are one game away from you know,
00:17:05
Tristan Amundson
I'm not even going to say it. We're one game away. That's all I'm going to say. And I think we're on our way. I really, this is going to be a fun game to watch, but I really do think the Hawks are going to be victorious.
00:17:16
M dub
It definitely could Definitely could be. definitely could be um Incompletions and even sacks in the face of pressure are not a bad thing, is all i'll say about about Sam Darnold.
00:17:28
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, absolutely. Sorry, a little far away from the mic there. um Yeah, absolutely. It's going to be great. It's going to be great. Any any other takeaways or or concluders for you as you think through this game and as we we move on?
00:17:44
M dub
Yeah, the Rams have made 100, 1,000 smart decisions to build this team. But Rams, thank you for trading away Ernest Jones along with 2026 sixth-round pick to the Titans in exchange for 2026 fifth-round pick.
00:18:00
M dub
that that is a but it That could be a trade that swings the Lombardi trophy. So thank you, Rams.
00:18:08
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, I mean, what an incredible player he's been. an incredible game. We talked about it, right, that he had last week. Just a um a calming, um reinforcing. what I mean, Ernest Jones, a commanding presence um on this defense. And it's been so obvious to see. And so obvious really quickly, Miles, on Ernest and some of these different players on defense.
00:18:34
Tristan Amundson
so obvious the different roles that they have played to a T. I think that's kind of my takeaway of this defense when I watch it. And when I think about even this matchup, everyone doing their job, but also playing their role, even kind of from a leadership perspective, earnest, it seems like controlling the defense in general, Jordan.
00:18:53
Tristan Amundson
Um, it seems like controlling the defensive backfield and make sure everybody's in the right spot. Um, Big Cat in the front, kind of keeping everything stabilized. DeMarcus bringing along younger players and, you know, specifically Derek Hall. Isn't it, to to me, I mean, obviously Nicky Manrory, what he's done, his very unique kind of Joker presence.
00:19:17
Tristan Amundson
is ah Isn't it noteworthy, man? Like just, it seems like everyone has a very specific role and they're just playing it the right way on defense. yeah i I don't know.
00:19:29
Tristan Amundson
I mean, the 2013 team was similar to this, right? where Where there was everyone kind of playing their role in having their different piece of the pie. But you watch a lot of defenses. And actually, I think the Rams defense in some ways is is kind of similar because I feel like defensively they're pretty deep.
00:19:47
Tristan Amundson
That you just have guys taking on... I don't I leadership role seems so overblown, but that's kind of what you see over and over again with these matchups. It just really to me stands out when you when you look at the Seahawks team, the role that love is playing the role that Ernest is playing the role that big cat is playing and that's only to name a few from a from a leadership perspective and and also from a game wrecking perspective.
Cultural Rivalry and Viewing Choices
00:20:15
M dub
Absolutely. One of the very best defenses in the league. And you're really looking only at at one or two players for all pro consideration. This is a defense that it's it's less about the stars and more about having absolutely no weaknesses.
00:20:32
Tristan Amundson
Well, we're going to be relying on those no weaknesses here on Sunday. Kind as we wrap this, get get paint us a picture, Miles. Where are you watching this game? What's the what's the vibe that you're you're setting up for on Sunday?
00:20:49
M dub
um'll but I'll be watching at a pal's house and where where I've watched most most of the premier games this year and it's a good place to be. it's it's It's a place where I've seen some Seahawks victories so far this year. So I'm looking forward to that. What about yourself?
00:21:06
Tristan Amundson
I could use some advice. I could use i could use your counsel here, Miles. i I have a choice to make. I could watch in relative solitude, which is a way that I enjoy watching games. I kind of like watching them by myself sometimes, or or I should say with my family, you know not not a ruckus crowd.
00:21:26
Tristan Amundson
um or I could go to one of my dear friend's homes, um know know this guy very, very well, one of my best friends. and i I hate to break it to He is a Rams fan.
00:21:38
Tristan Amundson
And i could watch I could watch it with the enemy.
00:21:39
M dub
Whoa ho ho ho ho!
00:21:43
Tristan Amundson
and And there would be other Seahawks fans. There would be a mixed group. What do you, how do you feel about watching an NFC championship game with a mixed group? And, and, and frankly, it'd be fairly well represented Seahawks Rams. I mean, it'd be, it wouldn't be as though I would be one amongst many. It really would be kind of an, an, an even if we all got in a fist fight, I don't know, you know, what would happen, right? I mean, the, the even numbers, how do you feel about me watching the game with the enemy?
00:22:15
M dub
Well, I was about to say the regular season can be by yourself. The playoffs are with are the playoffs are for community. They're for communal experiences. um
00:22:24
Tristan Amundson
I agree.
00:22:24
M dub
But then you threw that that Rams wrench in there. I do say the Rams have to. check themselves because just Tristan you're, you're in, you're in, you're in the heart of Rams territory and and there should, there should not be these situations where it's so equal.
00:22:40
M dub
I think since there's strength in numbers, I think you go communal, but um it's a tough one and i respect your decision either way.
00:22:47
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, i'm ah I'm a light on a hill out here in the darkness of ah ah of the of the hillside of Rams. these These mountain goats all around me. ill i'll ah i'll let the I'll let the people know on our next episode kind of where where we end up watching it. But, Miles, um one thing I will be saying to my fellow Seahawks fans that are at this watch party that I'll be at, because I do think that's that's where I'm leaning.
00:23:14
Tristan Amundson
And there's going to be... As we talked about, ups and downs in this game. But there's one thing that I will be repeating over and over again to my good friend Uncle Joe, to my good friend Jacob that will be with me.
00:23:31
Tristan Amundson
Hawks.
00:23:32
M dub
Go Hawks.