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Coastal Launch Sports Talk Episode 1
33 Plays3 months ago
A breakdown of Super Bowl LX. Was the game ever as close as the final score? Who is best positioned to find themselves back in this spot next year and are there any dark horses to watch out for?
Also, pitchers and catchers report this week! The latest in US Olympics and what is happening in college basketball.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sports Overview
00:00:01
Cody Atkinson
Welcome to the Coastal Launch Sports Talk, official episode one, where we come at you with all there is to talk about for sports on the third coast and the east coast. But right now, it's mostly national. There's not a lot to talk about on the coast with the the Super Bowl not involving anybody from our regions and the Olympics taking
Olympics Focus: U.S. Athletes and Hockey
00:00:22
Cody Atkinson
hockey for a break. So my name is Cody. This is Justin. We're brought to you from Houston in Florida, and we're going to kick it off. Like I said, the Olympics are taking hockey away from us, but we do have a lot of action happening in the Olympics. What's going on over there, Justin?
00:00:38
justin_daulton
Yeah, very obviously very early. Olympics started a couple of days ago over the weekend with a pretty awesome the kickoff over there in in Milan. Early, early, early count, obviously. But U.S. got off to a um a quick start with two golds.
00:00:54
justin_daulton
um And then i think you you alluded to it pretty quickly there, right? They took a hockey away from us on the international break. Very excited for U.S. hockey to get going. Women's hockey up 3-0 already in their group stage.
00:01:07
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:01:07
justin_daulton
um as they get started in towards the quarterfinals and to hopefully make a run for gold. But obviously I think our full attention will go over to men's hockey as we prepare for group stage, which kick kicks off for us on Wednesday versus Latvia. And then we go to Denmark and Germany shortly after to that. And I think, and you can speak on it too, um I think there's no reason why we don't go 3-0 in this group stage with the team that we have.
00:01:34
justin_daulton
Very heavy on the defense. One of the best goaltenders in the league going out there. So I think it's very evident that we should go up pretty quickly. um Odds on favorite, I think, while we're third in odds for men's hockey.
00:01:47
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:01:47
Cody Atkinson
I it's second.
00:01:48
justin_daulton
Yeah, second or third, depending on which sportsbook you look at.
00:01:49
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, behind Canada.
00:01:51
justin_daulton
Yeah. So, I mean, obviously, I think we're on a colluding course with Canada, especially after four nations last year. um So, I mean, I'm i'm stoked for for hockey to get started here in a couple of days, um get
00:01:57
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
Lindsey Vonn's Injury and Impact
00:02:02
justin_daulton
these guys going again and and, you know, see if Canada decides to boo the the national anthem again as we get started.
00:02:02
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:02:09
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, get the drama going. Yeah, again I think we're all focused in on that men's men's ice hockey for the the revenge tour for Four Nations. Four Nations at the time, the most important thing going on. And then as soon as we lost, it was just a scrimmage for the Olympics. Don't worry about it. We're dialed in on the revenge tour now.
00:02:26
Cody Atkinson
So going to be blocked in on that. I was looking as we were prepping for the show, women's ice hockey, big matchup against Canada tomorrow. So, why yeah, why that's where I'm not 100% sure because they're 3-0, so they might be they might be out of group now.
00:02:35
justin_daulton
Oh, early.
00:02:42
justin_daulton
Quarterfinals already.
00:02:43
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, this might be quarterfinals. i didn't I didn't check that. I was just looking at the schedule, but big matchup against Canada tomorrow, so that's going to be... That's going to be a lot of fun. I definitely want to highlight that. We're going learn a lot about the team when when when when that plays tomorrow. So, yeah, dude, hockey taking over. But the biggest story coming out of the Olympics right now, it's it has to be Lindsey Vonn, doesn't it?
00:03:11
justin_daulton
I mean, it has to be, right? I mean, you're talking about a national icon, right? When it comes to to U.S. Olympics for the winter side of things. um So you're talking about someone who tore their ACL in the warm-up to the Olympics, right?
00:03:23
justin_daulton
Through all the prelims. And then unfortunately in her first trial run, even a, not even a metal run, just a trial run to get used to the course over there in Milan. um And just a freak accident where she gets caught on the gate, um goes down and takes, it's a gnarly, gnarly injury that I don't think we have the full report yet on like what all she sustained during it.
00:03:43
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:03:43
justin_daulton
um But like obviously being medevaced out of, of Milan to go get taken care of. So unfortunate to see someone that's probably on their, probably on their last Olympic run, maybe has one more in four years if that,
00:03:55
justin_daulton
um So tough to see someone go down that easily probably could have brought home at the bare minimum with silver, if not a gold um and and downhill skiing.
00:04:03
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:04:06
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. So it's still excited to see Breezy Johnson bring the gold home for the U.S. and in what I believe was the same the same sport or same event. So excited to see that. But yeah, and you hate to see it because the the Lindsey Vonn crash brings out all the.
00:04:22
Cody Atkinson
All the questions. I was i was looking at yeah ESPN this morning and everyone's questioning, you know, should she have even been allowed out there with the condition of her knee?
00:04:29
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:04:31
Cody Atkinson
And, you know, you hate to see it. I think it's a little unfair to her. She knows what she's capable of. the The team knows what they're capable of. I think everyone who is questioning it has never done the sport and everyone who is supportive of it is is within the sport. So, you know, I have to side on, on her right there, man, she's prepping for this for four years and for that to happen at the last second and to give it a go is, is, and is incredible.
00:04:58
Cody Atkinson
Um, you just, yeah you hate to see the way that it ends.
Olympic Medal Standings and Highlights
00:05:01
Cody Atkinson
you You hope she can recover and you hope that's not, not fully the end for her, but even if it is, like you said, an Olympic icon, um, and, and someone who, who, uh, represented the country proud.
00:05:13
Cody Atkinson
So, um,
00:05:13
justin_daulton
I mean, yeah, you're talking about someone who's mentioned in the same conversation as Michael Phelps, right? One of the best ever do it, one of the best ever play for Team USA.
00:05:18
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:05:21
justin_daulton
So, I mean, yeah, I'm with you. I hope this isn't the end. I mean, I think Lindsey Vonn is an incredible athlete, so hopefully we do get her in four years. It's in the it's in the the Alps up there in in France and in four years, so...
00:05:33
Cody Atkinson
Oh, nice.
00:05:33
justin_daulton
ah So, I mean, you got to hope that, you know, an incredible area to go and do winter sports here four years. You get a Lindsey Vaughn out there. It's only better for the sport to have someone on like a Lindsey Vaughn out there. So hopefully we see here in four years.
00:05:46
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, absolutely. i think I think we're all hoping for that. and did we Did we recap some of the other events yet? I know you had the medal count pulled up just to quick how the US is doing.
00:05:56
justin_daulton
Yeah, I mean, we're...
00:05:57
Cody Atkinson
I think it's two golds.
00:05:57
justin_daulton
we're Two golds, and that's going to be in, i don't want to misquote it, Alpine skiing for a Breezy, as you referred to there. And then United, ah the team winning the figure skating gold already.
00:06:11
justin_daulton
So obviously very early on, Norway has three. They're the medal counts.
00:06:14
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:06:15
justin_daulton
um And that's in cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and speed skating. um so i mean it's it's too early to tell um obviously over a three-week event on where we're going to be at here soon obviously hockey takes two the whole of the whole run to go through so you're not even going to see a medal for that for a while um same thing as you know you're snowboarding your freestyle all that stuff is still so much too there's still a lot to come from it um obviously you still have all the indoor sports as well so i mean still really really early on but
00:06:27
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:06:46
justin_daulton
And you got to love when the Olympics comes around. I mean, it's, it's always talked about. It's always the buzz right in the sports world. So, I mean, I'm excited to see where we're going to go over the next couple of weeks, but, um,
00:06:55
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:06:56
justin_daulton
Happy to have it. It's always fun to talk about the Olympics, you know, about Team USA, get by on Team USA. And coincidentally enough, it lines up with World Baseball Classic, which isn't on the docket for us to talk about this week.
00:07:07
justin_daulton
But I'm sure in the coming weeks, we are we are going to be talking very heavily about the World Baseball Classic and more Team USA stuff, especially with the all the news around the rosters.
00:07:08
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, not yet. Not yet.
00:07:13
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:07:17
justin_daulton
So I'm very interested to see your take on all this stuff here in a couple of weeks when we talk about it.
00:07:18
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:07:23
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, yeah, we'll we'll we'll cover that a little a little bit closer to it. But yeah, definitely excited. We've got Olympics this year, World Baseball Classic and World Cup when that comes around. So lots of, lots of yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:07:34
justin_daulton
I forgot about World Cup. Yeah, what a great year.
00:07:36
Cody Atkinson
Lots of U.S. pride. And, you know, being in Houston, we get we get two of those locals. So pretty excited for that.
00:07:41
justin_daulton
We yeah have four hours on the road for us down to Miami.
00:07:42
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:07:43
justin_daulton
We get World Baseball Classic. i don't I don't think we get World Cup.
00:07:45
Cody Atkinson
Okay.
00:07:46
justin_daulton
i think the nearest World Cup is Atlanta, which is six hours from us. um So it's still doable, but World Baseball Classic is more achievable with just a quick little three and a half, four hour drive down south.
00:07:57
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, more affordable too. but Trust me, haven't looked.
00:08:00
justin_daulton
Ain't that the truth.
00:08:02
Cody Atkinson
But no, absolutely. And and ah really, with with the Olympics taking up, most of most of the air, like said, NHL is is on pause. Obviously, we'll get to the Super Bowl
College Basketball Drama
00:08:12
Cody Atkinson
here in a bit with with only you know that left to go.
00:08:16
Cody Atkinson
The the main thing taking over, keeping us going in the sports world right now is college basketball and And so we're going to come at you with a little bit of a college basketball update.
00:08:21
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:08:26
Cody Atkinson
A&M had a huge, huge clash against Florida this weekend. it was battle for first in the SEC. It did not go well. I don't know if you've looked. I don't know if you've checked the box score or if you watched any of the highlights, Justin.
00:08:40
Cody Atkinson
It it did not did not go well. um Reed Arena was packed, which was incredible. You just love to see how fast Bucky is gaining the support of this university and this fan base, how quickly they're rallying around the style of basketball.
00:08:56
Cody Atkinson
um But they they just they ran into a butt saw. I don't have the exact heights in front of me, but at pretty much at all times, Florida had the three tallest players on the court at all times. like It's just we have a small team that was put together late in the cycle.
00:09:13
Cody Atkinson
Ultimately, I only lost the rebound margin by 9%. which hugely impressive. If you told me that going into it, I i thought we would have had a pedti good chance, but they did have one player with 16 rebounds.
00:09:25
Cody Atkinson
So you can see it depend depending on the rotation.
00:09:27
justin_daulton
Jesus.
00:09:29
Cody Atkinson
I mean, they, they were able to dominate the boards and and we had one of the worst shooting nights of the season, 31% from the field, 26% from three points, just not what you expect from this team.
00:09:40
Cody Atkinson
But again, that's, that's the length of Florida coming out to to to rush the shot to get the these shooters in their head, rush it just a little bit you miss. And so, um you know, kudos to Florida. A&M battled, 19-point loss, but it could have been way worse.
00:09:59
Cody Atkinson
um and And the season's still on track. this This game was always trending as a loss. It was it was go to bad matchup against a better team. You were going to need to play your best game to get the They didn't.
00:10:11
Cody Atkinson
That's all right. Missouri comes to town on Wednesday, beat Missouri and the season's back on track. So nothing lost there, but you know you still you still hate to see it.
00:10:22
Cody Atkinson
but But more importantly, on the national radar and college basketball, Duke, North Carolina. we were we were talking about yeah We were talking about this a little bit before.
00:10:27
justin_daulton
Yeah, what a crazy scene.
00:10:31
Cody Atkinson
It was what I didn't tell you. It was a double court storming. I didn't get to see the game, so I don't remember the exact context, but there was a premature court storming. Then there was a buzzer beater.
00:10:39
justin_daulton
Oh.
00:10:41
Cody Atkinson
And then there was the official court storming, ah which is yeah how was security not ready for it? But the main story here is Duke's coach, John Shire, coming out saying that staff got punched in the face on the court storming.
00:10:57
justin_daulton
Yeesh.
00:10:58
Cody Atkinson
awful if it happened that I've seen nothing has come out to to verify it despite the amount of cameras recording at all times and sporting events.
00:11:00
justin_daulton
yeah
00:11:07
Cody Atkinson
Like nothing has come out to to support it.
00:11:08
justin_daulton
Especially when you talk when you're talking about when you're talking about storming too. like Everyone's got their phones out so something's going to get caught.
00:11:11
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Everything's going to get caught. And this isn't the first time Duke's found himself here. It was Kyle Filipowski a year or two ago.
00:11:22
Cody Atkinson
It was more than a year ago, like two or three years ago, claimed to claim to get like basically run over in a court storming video came out.
00:11:30
justin_daulton
Hmm.
00:11:32
Cody Atkinson
And it was a flop, dude. It was like watching it was like launch soccer. Fan gets generally near and then he just throws them himself.
00:11:37
justin_daulton
just Just LeBron out there.
00:11:38
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah. And so Duke's not a, they're not new to the game, but Duke continues to hate court storming. If you do storm the court, storming the court's a blast. I support it in every single way, but just keep it to yourself, man. Go support your team. Leave the other team alone.
00:11:53
Cody Atkinson
they They just lost. They're not feeling it. Let them off the court. Celebrate with yourself. And let's not get this band from the sport by but by not knowing how to handle ourselves.
00:12:01
justin_daulton
Yeah. I mean, especially when we talk about, especially when you're talking about these conferences, handing out heavy, heavy, heavy fines for storming.
00:12:07
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
Baseball Season Anticipation
00:12:08
justin_daulton
Right. I mean, I think the, you know, we were going i think we're going to talk about college football a lot on this podcast as, as we, as we keep going.
00:12:08
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:12:15
justin_daulton
But I mean, the, the Virginia tech game earlier this year or early last season, yeah, Virginia, sorry, not Virginia tech.
00:12:16
Cody Atkinson
More than we should.
00:12:20
Cody Atkinson
Or Virginia, right? is just Just Virginia? Yeah.
00:12:23
justin_daulton
Yeah. um The ah cinema, type just pure cinema type of field stormy, right. The,
00:12:29
Cody Atkinson
Hang it in the Louvre.
00:12:30
justin_daulton
Like, I mean, you're talking about keeping players safe. There is, there was Virginia fans pulling players up off the field to make sure they didn't get ran over. Like that's what you want, right? I mean, you and I have seen many, many, many of storming the fields at Kyle Field.
00:12:43
justin_daulton
I was never there for a read, a read arena court, ah court storming, but You and I stormed the field for a Bombers game back in the day when we won the three-peat.
00:12:51
Cody Atkinson
No, true.
00:12:53
justin_daulton
But yeah, man, you don't you don't want to see anyone get hurt.
00:12:54
Cody Atkinson
Forgot about that.
00:12:56
justin_daulton
it's it's I think last week we talked about the emotion, and that's what makes sports special. Got to make sure you keep everyone safe by doing it.
00:13:05
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, you just got to do it the right way, man. we've We've had these things for a long time. I fully support court storming. Never got to do it while we were at A&M to this day, which I had the chance to do it.
00:13:16
Cody Atkinson
ah Truly, we had the Bombers the semi counts.
00:13:16
justin_daulton
yeah
00:13:19
Cody Atkinson
so I think I was working that day. or you so I was working for the team at the time, so and I don't think that fully counts. Yeah. um Yeah, I would love to experience it. I hope it's here to stay, but we really do.
00:13:33
Cody Atkinson
ah Just keep it keep it to yourself. Keep it within yourself. Celebrate with the boys and and and let the other team hit the hit hit the showers.
00:13:38
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:13:41
Cody Atkinson
it's It's a rivalry. You hate them. You truly hate them, and that's what that's what makes it so great, but just not in that moment.
00:13:44
justin_daulton
Oh, yeah.
00:13:47
Cody Atkinson
Let them go. Let them go.
00:13:48
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:13:49
Cody Atkinson
Let them do their thing and make sure we can keep this this just privilege in the sport. Yeah.
00:13:55
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:13:55
Cody Atkinson
That's, that's what's going on.
00:13:55
justin_daulton
And, uh, you know,
00:13:56
Cody Atkinson
Oh yeah.
00:13:57
justin_daulton
No, yeah you're good. I mean, I think we, we, a good segue there, right? We touched on baseball, right?
00:14:01
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:14:01
justin_daulton
I mean, we're going right into it. um Last week we talked about it's our favorite time of the year coming up. It's the, the one thing we love to hear at this time of the year is who rolls ending pitcher and catchers report to spring training this week.
00:14:10
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:14:14
justin_daulton
Man, it is it's a beautiful time. I pulled up the schedule just because I just want to live through all of this. Unfortunately, the Astros decided to leave the Grapefruit League a couple years back.
00:14:25
justin_daulton
So no Rays versus Astros this year in the Grapefruit League.
00:14:28
Cody Atkinson
nope
00:14:29
justin_daulton
But the Astros report on... are they at? Arizona Athletics. Where are you? Oh, no, you came back to the Grapefruit League.
00:14:40
justin_daulton
Houston's back in the Grapefruit League.
00:14:42
Cody Atkinson
okay okay i know we built the i know we built the new i think the big change is we built a complex in florida with
00:14:43
justin_daulton
so disregard. Disregard.
00:14:50
Cody Atkinson
We co-owned with the Nationals, I think.
00:14:52
justin_daulton
Okay.
00:14:52
Cody Atkinson
And so I think we're still in the Grapefruit League, but I think we play maybe in a slightly separate city, so we never play the Rays. We play like the Marlins, the Mets, the Nationals, maybe the Braves.
00:15:03
Cody Atkinson
Like we play kind of like those NL East teams like on repeat.
00:15:06
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:15:08
Cody Atkinson
And like maybe the Cardinals randomly.
00:15:08
justin_daulton
So, so Houston pitchers and catchers report February 11th, first full squad workout, February 16th.
00:15:09
Cody Atkinson
don't know.
00:15:16
justin_daulton
So we're two days away from that.
00:15:16
Cody Atkinson
It's beautiful.
00:15:18
justin_daulton
And then the Rays report on the 12th. So this Thursday, so three days away and the full squad reports and works out on February 17th, obviously with the major asterisk on it, of course, of players playing in the world baseball classic will not be involved in um spring training until probably
00:15:22
Cody Atkinson
OK.
00:15:33
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
Super Bowl Recap: Seattle vs. New England
00:15:34
justin_daulton
the second half of spring training.
00:15:36
justin_daulton
um So, I mean, we're, We're in the thick of it, man. I'm very excited to have baseball back.
00:15:39
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:15:40
justin_daulton
um You and i before we even hopped on today, the Rays dropping their promos for the year, trying to map out what games I want to go to to to catch it on some promos.
00:15:46
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:15:48
justin_daulton
um But excited to have baseball back. You know, I'm not super thrilled with the product that the Rays have. I'm sure we'll talk more about that as as we go on. and you know, we can I think we're probably going to primarily talk more Houston Astros on here than we are Rays, unfortunately.
00:16:02
justin_daulton
um But, I mean, still excited to – hey, we'll see –
00:16:03
Cody Atkinson
I mean, that's up to you, man. I'm going to bring the Astros. If you bring the Rays, we can talk both. Like, I'm not going to bring the Rays.
00:16:09
justin_daulton
Yeah, we'll see how the season goes. I'm not i not excited for the products that we're putting on the field this year, but it's a transitional period with new owners coming in. um Something that we'll talk about next week to talk more, especially as negotiations start this week, um but the new stadium renderings um to put the Rays in Tampa um right across the street from Raymond James at Hillsborough College campus.
00:16:22
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:16:31
justin_daulton
um An exciting time in Tampa, at least for that product to look forward to, but definitely a transitional period this year as the new ownership kind of s sinks their teeth into Tampa sports.
00:16:35
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:16:42
justin_daulton
But yeah, we'll talk more. We'll talk more baseball later. I think there's something more pressing that we need to talk about for sure when it comes to the overarching where we're at and in the sports world this week.
00:16:47
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:16:51
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, we 100% need to get an MLB primer on the docket, though. ah we're Astros fan, Rays fan. The primer is going to be, how what do the Astros look like?
00:17:00
justin_daulton
course.
00:17:01
Cody Atkinson
What are the Rays look like? It's not going to be all 30 teams. we got we We got other stuff to do with our lives, but we we got we got to prime the season for for Astros and Rays fans for sure.
00:17:10
justin_daulton
i think I think at the minimum we can talk division at the very least, what what the division outlook looks like for in the AL East and then, course, over there in the AL West, sorry but with both teams in the AL.
00:17:13
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:19
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:17:20
justin_daulton
But yeah, for sure. I mean, I think in the coming weeks as we wrap up World Baseball Classic here soon, we're going to definitely talk about what are we looking for this year? what you know What's the ceiling? what's the What's the floor for these teams as we go into the 2026 season?
00:17:33
Cody Atkinson
Absolutely. But we'll we'll get we'll get to that when we get a little bit closer. Spring training games for the Astros start February 21st, so 12 days away from that. Stoked. But in the meantime, with the biggest event in the in the sports calendar this weekend, um the Super Bowl, Seattle versus New England. Seattle 29-13.
00:17:56
justin_daulton
yeah Yeah.
00:17:57
Cody Atkinson
um what it what we'll just start overall thoughts what whether it's the product on the field the the vibes the halftime whatever you want to talk about man like what what is what was your takeaway from from the game are you feeling about it
00:18:12
justin_daulton
Final score is not indicative of the of the product on the field.
00:18:15
Cody Atkinson
agreed agreed dominant when when did you know when when were you when did you call game
00:18:17
justin_daulton
That game is a blowout. basic Yeah, it was a blowout. um the
00:18:25
justin_daulton
Um, I called game. What was it? Three minutes left in the third when, when Sam Donald finally hit the touchdown, um, to the tight end.
00:18:34
Cody Atkinson
Okay, you call game on the touchdown?
00:18:35
justin_daulton
Yeah. I call a game on the touchdown. Cause at that point, it felt like Drake may in the, in the Patriots could drive the ball. Um,
00:18:43
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:18:43
justin_daulton
And that's when I call game. And then course, Drake may gets one drive down the field, hitting Molly Collins down there. But it just, it never felt like the Patriots were in this game.
00:18:54
justin_daulton
So the final score could have very easily been what 40 to 13 or whatever it could have been by that point.
00:19:00
Cody Atkinson
Probably should have been.
00:19:01
justin_daulton
Like, Yeah, um but I mean, I think it was Collinsworth on the broadcast, and I i do not like Collinsworth. I think that's something you and I definitely agree on when it comes to broadcasting, but Collinsworth said something ah to the to the effect of, this is how the Seahawks have played football all year.
00:19:17
justin_daulton
It is get up and just put the defense on the field.
00:19:18
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:19:21
justin_daulton
um a Very similar, we're going to keep –
00:19:22
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. It works.
00:19:24
justin_daulton
It works. The Texans did and that's how the Texans rode their long win streak and then you know ran into a buzzsaw in the playoffs.
00:19:28
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:19:30
justin_daulton
But like it works when you have a Super Bowl-winning defense. right Sam Darnold doesn't have to be Cinderella.
00:19:34
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:19:37
justin_daulton
right He doesn't have to go out there and putt the team on his back and play hero ball and do all these things. right It is literally go get ah go get a couple scores up and let your defense do what your defense does well.
00:19:48
justin_daulton
And that's what you saw. So, I mean, the final score is not indicative of what that, of how close that game actually was. it was a blowout for all intents and purposes.
00:19:56
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, not even slightly indicative of what happened. i So I called game. um The second half starts and but because I thought Seattle going into it.
00:20:09
Cody Atkinson
When it was 9-0, I was like, i'm I'm prepped to call game. Like, 9-0 halftime. This is exactly what I thought would happen. So I'm prepped to call game. But you never know how that second half is going to kick off. So when the Patriots went 3-0 in the first possession of second half, Seattle came back, kicked field goal twelve to zero That's when i was it was I was like, it's over.
00:20:30
Cody Atkinson
cause Because at that point, like if if they were going to turn it around, they were going to...
00:20:30
justin_daulton
Yeah, and that's fair.
00:20:36
Cody Atkinson
Oh, snap. Sorry. I saw an article that... Might be worth talking about later. But like at at that point, 12 to zero, if if New England was going to turn it on legitimately, I thought it had to be coming out of the out of halftime. So that's when I was ready to call it.
00:20:55
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, to just everything you said to a T, it it could have probably should have been 40-something to 13, but Seattle's going to play their style of game. um And they're just going to wear you down, and they're just they're perfectly fine with 12-0. I think it was the last game of the season, Seattle versus San Francisco. i ah don't have a score in front of me.
00:21:16
Cody Atkinson
I think Seattle won something like 13-3. And everyone, it was the exact same situation. Everyone came out of it being like, that's the most dominant 13 to three I've ever seen in my life. why How was the score only 13 to three?
00:21:26
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:21:28
Cody Atkinson
And they they just, they did it again. And they did it, they did it, you know, in the biggest moment. But what was your takeaway the game? Like like get stylistically, did you enjoy the game? So I've heard a lot today already of people just being like, that wasn't a good game.
00:21:47
Cody Atkinson
And I was like, did did you feel that way? did where you did you like what What were your thoughts on the game itself?
00:21:52
justin_daulton
I think the first half, I was like, man, this is this is bad. This is a bad product. This is not what the NFL wants on the field for their Super Bowl. um The second half turned on a little bit, right? Obviously, Sam Darnold getting points on the board. Drake May getting a touchdown on the board, right? Driving the ball down at least twice to get two scores. um So, I mean...
00:22:13
justin_daulton
Yeah, I can see where people are saying they're not happy with it, right? it's You never won a defensive battle in the Super Bowl. um But, I mean, it's the age-old adage, man.
00:22:20
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:22:22
justin_daulton
Defense wins championships.
00:22:23
Cody Atkinson
Different relationship, of course.
00:22:23
justin_daulton
So, i mean, so it's it is what it is. But, yeah, I agree, man. it's not I didn't have a good time watching the Super Bowl, um which sucks. Like, you always want to have a good time watching the Super Bowl. But, yeah, I just i wanted more.
00:22:34
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:22:36
justin_daulton
i really I went in expecting it to be a dogfight with the Seahawks pulling away in the second half. um was kind of my my expectations going into the game. um Obviously, it sucks to hear that like what was a week and a half out from the game, Drake may come out with ah a shoulder injury.
00:22:52
justin_daulton
um And you can see it. um You can see it throughout the game with him throwing floaters the entire time. He wasn't throwing the ball with accuracy. um Obviously, not an excuse. If you're going to go out there and you're going to play, yeah I expect you to play at 100% or at least close that's close to
00:23:05
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:23:07
justin_daulton
um If not, then you need to put your backup out there and and because your backup at 100% going to be better than you under 50%. And it definitely felt like Drake May was at that 50% or less, right? I'm not Drake May, so I can't speak on how he's feeling in his body.
00:23:18
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:19
justin_daulton
But you can see it in some of those passes. Even the touchdown pass looked awful. um It was just a floater the entire time. And I'm just surprised that the Seahawks defense didn't pick them off. um Both or I think I can.
00:23:30
Cody Atkinson
That was the play where the the cornerback was late getting over because they hu day hustled.
00:23:30
justin_daulton
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:34
Cody Atkinson
and And so he just was he was, he was all sorts of turned around the whole play.
00:23:37
justin_daulton
Out of place. Yeah. So, I mean, it sucks that, like I said, it sucks that that's the product that they put on the field. um But I mean, good for, good for the Seahawks, man.
00:23:47
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:23:48
justin_daulton
I, I, I got nothing but respect for a team that puts an outlet and puts the, their brand of football out there.
00:23:49
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:23:53
justin_daulton
Right. I mean, it's what the Texans hope to aspire to be, right. To be a defensive led team.
00:23:57
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:23:58
justin_daulton
Right. So, I mean, I can't,
00:23:58
Cody Atkinson
that's That's the formula they were trying to they were trying to calculate that formula all season. They just couldn't keep the ball in their own hands.
00:24:05
justin_daulton
Yeah, you got have you got to have the off offensive of it to to
Seattle's Victory and Future Prospects
00:24:08
justin_daulton
it all, right? And Sam Darnold all season long did just enough to win football games, right?
00:24:12
Cody Atkinson
Hmm.
00:24:12
justin_daulton
And i remember talking to people.
00:24:13
Cody Atkinson
he had He took over some games that's as necessary.
00:24:15
justin_daulton
Yeah, a couple, a couple.
00:24:16
Cody Atkinson
smaller Smaller amount, but that ah week before it against l LA it was a was a a master class. So I want to give him a little credit on that.
00:24:24
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:24:26
Cody Atkinson
But you're you're right as the the aggregate, the overall product.
00:24:30
justin_daulton
I mean, and I remember talking to people at work all the time, right? was When does Sam Darnold turn into a pumpkin?
00:24:34
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:24:35
justin_daulton
Right. When does it happen? Right. And it never did. i Sam Donald became who he was supposed to be when he was drafted. Uh, what was it? The 2019 class, 2018 class, whatever it was.
00:24:41
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:24:45
justin_daulton
Um, so I mean the fact that he's the first one to win a super bowl out of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen is insane. Um,
00:24:52
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, wild.
00:24:53
justin_daulton
But, I mean, the dude played great football. I can't be mad at the Seahawks. like that's That's a great team that they that they assembled up there. um Going to be very difficult to run it back with losing a Clint Kubiak on that offensive side official today. So, I mean, what ah you know what does that look like for Sam Darnold going into next year?
00:25:11
justin_daulton
um But we can touch on looking into the future here in a little bit.
00:25:15
Cody Atkinson
yeah Yeah, I think there's a few topics we touched on there that I want to save for later a little bit, but I'll come at it from a slightly different perspective. I just, I love watching teams that play with an identity.
00:25:28
Cody Atkinson
um Like i I know that the game wasn't an offensive game, but coming into the game, I had circled this like Seattle pass rush game against a Patriots offensive line that had given up five sacks in every playoff game they played in.
00:25:49
Cody Atkinson
So Chargers, five s sacks, Texans, five s sacks, Broncos, five sacks.
00:25:49
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:25:53
Cody Atkinson
No wonder his shoulder needed an injection. like but But I had that circled. And so I was like, I want to watch the pass rush. That's all. i was like, I don't really care about watching the receivers Like, I want to watch this pass rush. And it delivered, dude. ja Drake May was in a be blender.
00:26:13
Cody Atkinson
Like, he he... I think of was six sacks um by the end of the game.
00:26:17
justin_daulton
think the total ended being seven.
00:26:18
Cody Atkinson
Was it seven?
00:26:18
justin_daulton
i think it ended up being seven, one away from being a record.
00:26:20
Cody Atkinson
Well...
00:26:21
justin_daulton
They tied they tied the record.
00:26:21
Cody Atkinson
Okay. I going say, I think I saw six because the... That last play that looks like a sack forced fumble went down as an interception. that was technically...
00:26:32
justin_daulton
Oh, did it? do they Did they retroactively go back on it?
00:26:34
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, that was technically a pick six. So I think that took a sack away because they couldn't call it a sack since it pick six. So I think the box score, unless it changed this today, I think the box score that i was looking at, that's six.
00:26:49
Cody Atkinson
Regardless, that is if we're if we're just being honest with ourselves, that's a seventh right there. So, yeah.
00:26:54
justin_daulton
Sacks six times, 11 total hits on the game.
00:26:58
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, so it was it was done and and and they were they were every bit as impactful as that they had him running for his life. and And honestly, the Patriots D line was doing the same thing. They had Sam Darnell running for his life, but he was just so squiggly, man.
00:27:10
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:27:11
Cody Atkinson
He is he make wiggle out the first one by just enough time to get. a pass across the middle before he takes a big hit. Every time the ball left his hand, I was nervous because it looked like it was ready to get picked.
00:27:23
Cody Atkinson
But but because, you know, like they they always release the ball and you can't see who the target is yet.
00:27:23
justin_daulton
but
00:27:28
Cody Atkinson
You're like, I can only see five yards, and but but this ball is not looking that strong down the middle.
00:27:28
justin_daulton
yeah
00:27:34
Cody Atkinson
and and But but he was on he was on target. He was on time. He was on target. And he did just enough to keep to keep the offense moving and to and to give him, yeah,
00:27:43
justin_daulton
So now turn the ball over, right? that that was the big that That was the difference. Turnovers became the difference, right?
00:27:47
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:27:48
justin_daulton
The Patriots turned the ball over. but Seahawks didn't.
00:27:51
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, did you see the the screen pass? um I think he was Darnold rolled out to his right a little bit. Screen pass, Patriots sent a blitz and he pump fakes, spikes it into the ground.
00:28:03
justin_daulton
Yes.
00:28:03
Cody Atkinson
um I watched that and I said, someone clicked that, send it to CJ.
00:28:07
justin_daulton
yeah
00:28:07
Cody Atkinson
so Let him let them know this is what you're supposed to do when the screen blows up.
00:28:12
justin_daulton
Oof.
00:28:12
Cody Atkinson
Just throw it into the ground, my guy. And that's the that's the difference. And I guess that'll I'll transition there a little bit. that That's the difference in a way. But like one of my takeaways is like, or and what am i one of my talking points is like, what what decided the game in your mind?
00:28:27
Cody Atkinson
what like What's the thing that Seattle did that New England couldn't do? What's the thing that New England couldn't stop or that they weren't prepped for? like what What decided that game in your mind?
00:28:39
justin_daulton
I think the answer is really, really simple. It's Kenneth Walker III. um I mean, at the half, he was 90-something-plus on all-purpose yards at the half, right?
00:28:44
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, yeah.
00:28:48
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:28:52
justin_daulton
um I think over 100 when they came to all-purpose yards at the half, right? um That was a difference maker. He himself put the team on his back, got them in the field goal range. um Obviously couldn't finish it right in in the first half, but he is the reason why if you take away his production in the first half, the Seahawks don't get the three field goals going into halftime.
00:29:12
justin_daulton
um You're probably looking at maybe a 3-0, maybe...
00:29:16
Cody Atkinson
The Seahawks offense has stalled out without him.
00:29:17
justin_daulton
Yeah, maybe a 0-0 at the half, and you're talking about completely complete a completely different game in the second half, right? um So, I mean, he put the team on his back and ran that ball like it was his last game of his career.
00:29:31
justin_daulton
um
00:29:31
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:29:32
justin_daulton
So, I mean, that's where that's where it was.
00:29:32
Cody Atkinson
I mean, hey, it's last game before a contract.
00:29:35
justin_daulton
Yeah, correct.
00:29:35
Cody Atkinson
He's a free agent.
00:29:36
justin_daulton
I mean, free agent, con Texans. Yeah.
00:29:39
Cody Atkinson
yeah Yeah, just pop the hoodie in there for him there.
00:29:43
justin_daulton
um But yeah, i mean, that's the difference maker. I think there's going to be a lot of attention on the Seahawks defense and what they were able to do against Drake May and and sack him and get the interceptions that they got. And the four symbols, of course, like the defense deserve their flowers for sure.
00:29:58
justin_daulton
um But without Kenneth Walker, i don't think that game gets to 29 to 13. You're probably talking about maybe a 13, maybe 13, seven, maybe thirteen seven maybe a 16, 13, it's actually a lot closer of a football game in the second half.
00:30:14
justin_daulton
um But like it's it's Kenneth Walker. That's the easy answer.
00:30:18
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, yeah, no, because I think we've touched on it a couple of times, but like the Seahawks play a very Texans brand of football. Like when I'm watching that Seattle defense, I see a lot of similarities to the Houston defense.
00:30:30
Cody Atkinson
I see these ah these these New England receivers or backs out of the backfield catching the ball.
00:30:30
justin_daulton
Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:30:36
Cody Atkinson
looking to get upfield and getting hit immediately. Like the, just swarm into the ball right when it's caught, giving the, like, like putting
00:30:39
justin_daulton
Yeah.
Patriots' Young Core and Strategies
00:30:44
Cody Atkinson
the quarterback in a blender, holding the run, giving up the occasion, like giving up some explosive passes because they're going to be an aggressive defense, but, but not letting you sustain anything.
00:30:55
Cody Atkinson
that you can sustain. and And the difference, I think there's two differences. And ultimately my answer is the same as yours. I think Kenneth Walker was the deciding factor.
00:31:06
Cody Atkinson
my my My next question on the the rundown for us is, ah you know did the right player get the MVP? It sounds like we're both on the answer of yes here. um
00:31:16
justin_daulton
Yeah, I mean, i have i have one caveat to that, and it's it's special teams.
00:31:17
Cody Atkinson
But...
00:31:21
Cody Atkinson
Are you give to kicker? Get out of here.
00:31:23
justin_daulton
It's special teams. It's – what is it?
00:31:25
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, you can't do it, though.
00:31:27
justin_daulton
I know you can't – it's what Myers, the place kicker, right?
00:31:27
Cody Atkinson
You just can't do it.
00:31:31
justin_daulton
And then Dickinson, the punter.
00:31:31
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Don't forget the punter.
00:31:33
justin_daulton
Yeah, I mean –
00:31:33
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. If you could give the MVP to a unit, I would understand, but I don't think you're allowed to.
00:31:38
justin_daulton
Yeah, I mean, what there to my knowledge, three, maybe four punts inside the five.
00:31:40
Cody Atkinson
That
00:31:45
justin_daulton
um
00:31:45
Cody Atkinson
was incredible.
00:31:46
justin_daulton
Incredible, incredible, right? And then Myers setting the record for most field goals in a Super Bowl ever. So, I mean, I don't want to sleep on the, you know, i i kickers are people too.
00:31:51
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:31:55
justin_daulton
I went to Texas A&M.
00:31:56
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:31:57
justin_daulton
I truly believe in that. ah that What was that?
00:31:59
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:32:01
justin_daulton
Trapeca for Heisman, that campaigned out.
00:32:03
Cody Atkinson
it ah Was it Tropeka or was it the one before him?
00:32:07
justin_daulton
Well, there was Braden Mann, too. So there was quite a few that that went that went for the kicker for Heisman.
00:32:09
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:32:11
justin_daulton
But anyway, um correct.
00:32:11
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, we had a couple of Ray guy candidates for a while there.
00:32:14
justin_daulton
um But yeah, I mean, the right answer is it is Kenneth Walker. As much as we we're going to joke around and say that, yes, special teams special teams played a big a big role in the Seahawks win.
00:32:23
Cody Atkinson
It's a huge factor.
00:32:24
justin_daulton
But it it it is Kenneth Walker.
00:32:24
Cody Atkinson
Huge factor.
00:32:26
justin_daulton
You take away Kenneth Walker from the game, or at least his performance in that game, and it's a completely different football game.
00:32:27
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah, I think it was a hunt somewhere but around 150, 160 all-purpose yards for Kenneth Walker.
00:32:36
justin_daulton
Insane. Insane number.
00:32:38
Cody Atkinson
i do gay man So I think that that's one of that that's the primary difference maker because the the Patriots couldn't run the ball. I do like the Patriots running backs, which is, you know, so it's it's weird saying this.
00:32:47
justin_daulton
Oh, yeah. yeah
00:32:49
Cody Atkinson
like The Patriots invested in the running back position. And they have talent. So it's not, I don't think it's that necessarily, but, you know, seat Seattle ran the ball and Kenneth Walker ran like a man with his hair on fire, like a man who knew that he had a chance to win Superbowl today. And then the the other one is a quarterback that doesn't turn the ball over.
00:33:08
Cody Atkinson
did New England beat Houston because CJ Stroud couldn't hold onto the ball. And the big play that they beat Denver with was the was it not was was it was it not a backwards pass by Stidham.
00:33:21
Cody Atkinson
And that's how they that's how they made this playoff run. And Seattle didn't do it. Sam Darnold held on to the ball. he He made good decisions. He did enough to move the ball, and he let his he let his run game and his defense do the work.
00:33:34
Cody Atkinson
And I do think that was a big factor. I think Drake may have ended up with three turnovers probably. There was a strip sack fumble, deep interception, and then the what looked like a fumble but was called a pick six.
00:33:41
justin_daulton
And two interceptions.
00:33:46
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:33:47
Cody Atkinson
I think those are the only three I can think of. So, you know, that's that
00:33:51
justin_daulton
That's a difference maker, right?
00:33:52
Cody Atkinson
that's that's that's a difference maker. And Drake may have been doing that a lot this postseason. just
00:33:56
justin_daulton
And that's the thing. We touched on it right? if you even if you Even if you leave one, the the really bad interception where his receiver just wasn't there, he was thrown to a ghost, right? um You take away the pick six, fumble, scoop and score whatever the scorekeepers end up calling it, um and then the strip sack, right?
00:34:05
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:34:13
justin_daulton
If you take away those those two turnovers, that puts you in a position to at least tie the game, if not win the game. So, I mean, it's, it's there.
00:34:22
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:34:23
justin_daulton
It's a, and I know Mike Rabel is going to lose sleep over that because he is a defensive minded coach. um So he's going to think about how he could have done a little bit more on that. And, you know, Josh McDaniels is a hell of an offensive coordinator. would love to see him, you know, try to go make a run at at being a head coach again. But I mean, it's, you know, it's, it's tough to watch, especially young quarterback that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I love Drake. I think Drake may is going to be an all pro in this league in the future. I, I,
00:34:50
justin_daulton
I called that last season that I, that watch out for Drake may. um So, I mean, yeah.
00:34:55
Cody Atkinson
let's so let's use this Let's use this to kick off the next topic because you're kind ofre you're going over to the next the next topic I have written down is is the Patriots' young core overrated. um and And I think for me, the the the main I guess the main three players for that is going to be May, Trevion Henderson, and Will Campbell, the left tackle.
00:35:18
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:35:18
Cody Atkinson
Um, cause he, he was the, you know, I think like the number four pick or something this year, Travion Henderson was, was an early pick.
00:35:22
justin_daulton
Yeah, top 10 pick for sure. Yeah.
00:35:25
Cody Atkinson
I don't remember for his first or second round and obviously Drake Mace, the cornerstone.
00:35:27
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:35:28
Cody Atkinson
You believe in Drake Mace, you can keep going down that trail if you want to, but what is this? The young, the young core. I mean, I call it the young core. I've. and talk I know a few Patriots fans and you know the the sentiment this season was like, I'm not too worried about how far we go because we're so young, but like we've got our cornerstones. And they would say those three guys are their cornerstones. you Do you believe in the cornerstones? or you Are you Drake May and not the other two? Are you two and not one? but do do we think they come like Do we think they have what they need to build around?
00:36:02
justin_daulton
I think short answer is yes. i think I think you are building the team the right way over there. um the last question you asked here, right, can you build around them? And but the answer is yes.
00:36:15
justin_daulton
um Whether that is Stephon Diggs, you know, Collins at wide receiver, what is it, Hunter Henry, tight end, and Hooper there, right?
00:36:26
justin_daulton
So, I mean, you have everything you need, right? You have a second-year quarterback on a rookie contract. um You have a great defense, right? Gonzo being a top five DB in this league. um Obviously just a bad time for him to be a DB in this league because you're never going to be one or two with PS2 and Derek Singley in Houston.
00:36:45
justin_daulton
um But, I mean, yeah coming in, it I would probably say, you know, third, fourth, or fifth, depending on what day of the week you want to you want to ask me where Gonzo falls on that list. So, I mean, you have you have the fundamentals there in New England.
00:36:55
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, he's a beast.
00:36:58
justin_daulton
I've i've always loved Mike Rabel. It was always rough to see him in in Tennessee as a Texans fan, to watch him um coach that team because you knew you were going to get the best out of that team. um So, um yeah, correct.
00:37:08
Cody Atkinson
Oh, yeah. I can't believe they let go.
00:37:12
justin_daulton
um But, I mean, –
00:37:13
Cody Atkinson
he He didn't trade AJ Brown, people.
00:37:16
justin_daulton
Yeah, he didn't do it.
00:37:16
Cody Atkinson
He's not the one that did it.
00:37:16
justin_daulton
That was the GM. That was the GM.
00:37:17
Cody Atkinson
it wasn't his fault
00:37:20
justin_daulton
um But yeah, I think ultimately, yes, I remember watching the Texans game um in the 2024 season when they went to New England and they dog walked New England. It was bad, but that was more on the coaching than it was the players on the field. And I think I texted you that day where I was like – people need to be on, on the radar of Drake may. I think Drake may is the real deal. Um, and I'm glad that I'm a little bit right, that he does look like he's going to be the real deal in the future. Um, it sucks to be in the, the AFC East. Um, cause you really thought that Josh Allen was about to run this division and it doesn't seem like that's the truth anymore.
00:37:56
justin_daulton
Um, yeah, yeah correct.
00:37:56
Cody Atkinson
He's got some competition now.
00:37:59
justin_daulton
Um, jet's still going to jet and the dolphins still going dolphins, uh, down there.
00:38:04
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. No one's worried about them.
00:38:04
justin_daulton
Uh, yeah. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I think ultimately you can build around it. You're an offensive line away from winning the Superbowl. And I think that's the conversation in New England now, right? Will Campbell being beaten up there in the playoff run and not being the guy that he wanted to be when he got drafted.
00:38:19
justin_daulton
Um, Drake may obviously getting hurt from all the, all the hits, right. Um, I think anyone would be hurt after or getting hit five times by the, by Will Anderson Jr. And Daniel Hunter, um, and on top of the, the, the Broncos defense. So, mean, yeah, I think ultimately they're going to be just fine.
00:38:36
justin_daulton
Um, I, unfortunately i'm i'm not a patriots fan so i don't know where they're at salary cap wise free agency moves i don't know where they're at i know stepped on digs on a two-year deal um so you do at least have stephan digs for one more year um as a veteran leadership on the on the team um but yeah i'm with you i love that running back room henderson and um uh blanking on the other guy's name right now um
00:39:00
Cody Atkinson
uh, Ramondre Stevenson.
00:39:02
justin_daulton
Stevenson's, there it is, yeah. You've got a great running back room. You've got good receivers around Drake May. I think invest in that defensive line, retain your defense, and there's no reason why that this team can't be dominant in and the AFC East. It's pretty much, for all intents purposes, a very weak division.
00:39:20
Cody Atkinson
So I think one of the, so I'm i'm with you on Henderson. I was one of the biggest Henderson fans coming out of college. I thought the fact that people were viewing him and Quinchot Judkins as the same player amazing.
00:39:35
Cody Atkinson
insane I think Henderson just has a level of explosiveness that that Judkins is is lacking. I think you you saw it in the um in the college football playoff run that Ohio State had last year.
00:39:48
Cody Atkinson
It's not not not this last year, but the the one before, the one that they won. um I think you saw it in that. I think that was an incredible pick. ah Christian Gonzalez is a stud. I think a lot of the reason we look at this game and say it should have been 40 to 13 is because Christian Gonzalez is out there locking dudes up.
00:40:05
justin_daulton
And making it same place, making diving, diving it to attempts.
00:40:06
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. you Yeah.
00:40:07
justin_daulton
Like dude was a beast out there.
00:40:10
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. So I think that's a big factor. um i think Will Campbell is, It's only been one year, so I don't want to throw him away after one year, but that was one of the worst playoff runs I've ever seen from from from a left tackle.
00:40:23
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:40:27
Cody Atkinson
So I haveve only locked in on two Patriots games in the playoffs. That was Patriots-Texans, Patriots-Seahawks. I locked in on watching Will Campbell in those games because he was kind of... The way he was acting in the media, he was kind of annoying. So i was like rooting on his, praying on his downfall. Will and willie Anderson just ate him for a breakfast the entire game. um And then, what was it? I'm going to get his name wrong. Is it DeMarcus Lawrence or is it Dexter Lawrence?
00:40:54
Cody Atkinson
What is the, so I'm going have to look this up now.
00:40:54
justin_daulton
I think it's Dexter Lawrence.
00:40:58
Cody Atkinson
Cause I don't, I think they are both real people and I don't, it's Demarcus Lawrence. Okay. Cause I think Dexter Lawrence is somebody, but it was Demarcus. So Demarcus Lawrence, there's a, there's a couple, at least a couple of plays where he, Will Campbell was, was turned fully around by the time he even knew what was happening.
00:41:15
Cody Atkinson
I think there was one where like Demarcus like kind of like slapped him on the head going by him.
00:41:15
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:41:19
Cody Atkinson
Cause his head was already turned the wrong way.
00:41:21
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:41:21
Cody Atkinson
And he was just like, to get out of here. Like my arm, the only thing you're doing to stop me is that my arm is kind stuck on your helmet right now. And so I, question I don't know that he's a dude.
00:41:34
Cody Atkinson
And you're obviously invested in select left tackle. You got it. You kind of got to go down that road and see if he's there. I don't know that he's a dude. And because I don't know that he's a dude, I think you really have to pour resources into that offensive line.
00:41:46
Cody Atkinson
I am a big believer that the Texans broke CJ Stroud um because they didn't fix his offensive line because he had a terrible offensive line that he overcame as a rookie. And then they ran the same line out there the next year.
00:42:02
Cody Atkinson
And he couldn't overcome it. And, you know, I think he's he's responsible for his own, the only way he handled it as well. It's not fully on them. Like you gotta, you gotta be more locked in than he was in that first off season and you've gotta overcome, you're getting paid enough money to do it. But I do think that the,
00:42:22
Cody Atkinson
Just snails pace and which the Texans have approached giving CJ Stroud a decent offensive line has has stunted his growth. And I think if the Patriots aren't careful, I think you could see something similar with May because Drake may quietly had a very mediocre postseason the Patriots one.
00:42:40
justin_daulton
Sure.
00:42:41
Cody Atkinson
They moved on because of the defense, because of the run game, because of all these things. And honestly, the mistakes of their opponents. And a little bit of luck with Bo Nix getting hurt before they played the Broncos.
00:42:53
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:42:53
Cody Atkinson
They made a run, but Drake May did not make a run. He did not look good.
00:42:57
justin_daulton
Sure.
00:42:58
Cody Atkinson
And and if this is the level of competition that you have to overcome, you have to give him a better offensive line so that he doesn't become a quarterback who rushes himself so that he doesn't become a quarterback that's always injured before the big games, that he doesn't become a quarterback that panics when there's no pressure. like Things I'm not saying he's doing yet, but things I think could happen if he loses confidence because he – He lacked confidence in the Super Bowl game yesterday, I think.
00:43:29
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:43:30
Cody Atkinson
I think there was a couple shots on the sidelines where he was not looking he was not looking sure of himself. He he had a he had a very much a Sam Darnold seeing ghosts vibe to him.
00:43:41
Cody Atkinson
Now, he he locked in on um he had the one drive he locked in. there is a that The first pass to Matt Collins was... beautifully laid in between five defenders. The touchdown pass, like you said, not necessarily the most impressive thing in the world, but a throw he made back-to-back throws to get the touchdown, but nothing that he could do consistently.
00:44:00
justin_daulton
Mm-hmm.
00:44:03
Cody Atkinson
So so to to his credit, the resilience, he locked in, he made some plays, not nearly enough to matter, um but I have an earmark on Drake May for...
00:44:17
Cody Atkinson
What does the next step look like for him? The schedule is going to get tougher. They had one of the easiest schedules of all time this year. The schedule is going to get tougher and he's going to take more
Future Super Bowl Contenders: A Debate
00:44:27
Cody Atkinson
hits. And will he stay out of his own head or will he have a young quarterback fall off like we've seen with the CJ Stroud?
00:44:38
justin_daulton
Yeah, I mean, I think so.
00:44:39
Cody Atkinson
I think the Patriots got to lock in on that offensive line.
00:44:42
justin_daulton
I mean, you're talking about, I mean, a very weak in terms of draft class when it comes to like explosive weapons, right? So, i mean, you're talking about a draft class that's going to be heavy on the trenches in the first and second round, which definitely benefits teams like New England, like he like Houston, right?
00:44:55
Cody Atkinson
Yeah,
00:44:58
justin_daulton
That need to get the trenches shirt up. um I don't, so to me, I don't have as much concern around Drake May as you do. um And I put more of that on Mike Rabel and Josh McDaniels, um as opposed to, as opposed to D'Amico Ryans.
00:45:12
Cody Atkinson
yeah for sure.
00:45:15
justin_daulton
And at the time, um
00:45:17
Cody Atkinson
Slowick.
00:45:17
justin_daulton
aye Sloak, Bobby Sloak, thank you. So, mean, you're talking about, yeah, QB coach.
00:45:21
Cody Atkinson
And Gerard Johnson, yippee-koshe.
00:45:24
justin_daulton
I mean, that's obviously your biggest offender right there with, with QB coach and offensive coordinator. um But I mean, I think seeing what Mike Rabelow is what able to do in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill right out of A&M, a m receiver into a ah quarterback, and taking them to an AFC Championship game with a quarterback that, all intents and purposes, is um is a mid, right?
00:45:44
justin_daulton
I love Ryan Tannehill, but he was...
00:45:44
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, probably the definition of it.
00:45:47
justin_daulton
Yeah. So, I mean, the fact that they were able to do that with limited talent in Ryan Tannehill, I think that seeing the transition for Drake May will be there. could be wrong. I could be 100% wrong in this and he takes a sophomore slump and um it's just bad all or all way around.
00:46:03
justin_daulton
Um, but it's, you know, we'll see. I, but I, I trust in Frable and, ah Josh McDaniels to do the right thing for, for Drake may, as opposed to what you saw was CJ Stroud.
00:46:15
justin_daulton
And even for all intents purposes, um, um, uh, Cliff Kingsbury over and in DC this year, right. With Jane, mc Jane Daniels falling off, um, in his sophomore season. So, yeah,
00:46:26
Cody Atkinson
I
00:46:27
justin_daulton
we'll see what Drake may is able to do, but I, I still think Drake may is going to be a dog, um, in this league. I think he's going be all pro probably a Super Bowl winner at some point, which sucks because man, I hate to see the new my Patriots win.
00:46:39
justin_daulton
Um, but yeah, yeah.
00:46:40
Cody Atkinson
see it bounce back so quickly.
00:46:43
justin_daulton
Um, but I, I can see, you know, we talked last week about the Browns being the Browns and I I'm writing them off for the next decade. Um, you aren't necessarily a hundred percent ready to write them off, but I am, um,
00:46:53
Cody Atkinson
I probably should have been. I got the coach's name first name confused.
00:46:56
justin_daulton
ah
00:46:57
Cody Atkinson
i was looking at Jeff Munkin's history of head coaching and attributing it to the Browns.
00:46:58
justin_daulton
But ah yeah, yeah.
00:47:04
Cody Atkinson
And we were talking about ah the D.C., I think Schwartz um resigned over getting passed up.
00:47:09
justin_daulton
Oh, good for him. Good for him.
00:47:10
Cody Atkinson
I think he officially gave notice. So i'm i'm um on you I'm back on your side. Don't worry.
00:47:15
justin_daulton
Yeah. So, I mean, on the flip side of that, I think you're going to see the new NBA Patriots win a Super Bowl in the next decade. um I think it's it's it's there.
00:47:21
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:47:23
justin_daulton
And a really the only thing that it comes down to is can the general manager putt the pieces around Drake May. That's what it's going to come down to.
00:47:29
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:47:30
justin_daulton
um But, yeah, I'm i'm all on board. umm ah I support Drake May. I think he's going to be a dog in this league, man. I really do.
00:47:38
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. I think it's more likely than not. um I like your points, Josh McDaniel's track record, Mike Vrabel track record. um I think there's it's probably a better situation than CJ Stroud. And I think CJ Stroud's was...
00:47:55
Cody Atkinson
compounded by him taking that first off season and saying, i'm going to take a break. It's time for me to have fun. And then he realized that this is not a league where you can do that.
00:48:03
justin_daulton
yeah
00:48:05
Cody Atkinson
You got to, you got to stay locked in. And, and so I, if Drake may has the right, the right head space, I think there's every bit of chance that he just comes back and continues to, to run it.
00:48:16
Cody Atkinson
And I, the segues are right in themselves, man. Who's, who's more likely to be back here next year?
00:48:23
justin_daulton
The Seahawks.
00:48:25
Cody Atkinson
You think so? but Without Kubiak?
00:48:26
justin_daulton
Yeah, I...
00:48:27
Cody Atkinson
Maybe without Kenneth Walker?
00:48:29
justin_daulton
Yeah, I think you retain Kenneth Walker. I think Charbonnet's gone. So you lose your two-headed beast there in the running back room.
00:48:35
Cody Atkinson
Is Charbonnet his contract up?
00:48:37
justin_daulton
Yeah, I think both contracts are up. i saw I saw a lot of chatter around Charbonnet to Houston, um which I wouldn't be – I would love to see Kenneth Walker.
00:48:42
Cody Atkinson
Okay. I haven't seen Kenneth Walker to keep still prior prior to him winning the MVP and probably closing the door on that, but god I was stoked for that idea.
00:48:47
justin_daulton
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. i think i think i think you retain I think you retain Kenneth Walker. um I think you know you and I touched on Clint Kubiak last week that um obviously Clint Kubiak should never have even gone to Seattle. He should have been a head coach last year.
00:49:06
justin_daulton
um obviously he took a gamble on himself to go win super bowl and end up in a better situation. Now granted, I'm not going sit here and say that Vegas is a golden situation to step into. but you have a much better situation than where you probably up last year. Um, in terms of it with the exception of maybe the new England job, um, with Rabel.
00:49:24
justin_daulton
Um, but it was always variable in new England.
00:49:25
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, that's fair.
00:49:27
justin_daulton
Um, But I think the way that they're built, um and we're going to keep talking about the Texans just by nature, right? But they're built the same way the Texans are, right? They put their money in the defense.
00:49:38
justin_daulton
they They bought in on cheap pieces for the offense. You know, Cooper Cup getting a ah veteran deal there, are right? Not a big mega deal that he probably would have gotten six years ago, right?
00:49:51
justin_daulton
So, I mean, you're you're built the right way. Sam Darnold's on a long-term contract. You've got an offensive line. You've got a defense. It really just comes down to can you replace Clint Kubiak? And maybe that's a hire from within, and you bring up a quarterbacks coach or a passing game coordinator whoever it may be.
00:50:07
Cody Atkinson
Thank you.
00:50:07
justin_daulton
um And you obviously someone that's bought in on Sam Darnold there. um i think you go from within and you you just keep going. um I think mike mcda Mike McDonald over there is a fantastic head coach.
00:50:19
justin_daulton
um Love seeing him at the end. They're just soaking it all up. Like the dude never felt like he was too big for the moment. um So, I mean, I do. I think without without hesitation, i can see the Seahawks starting a dynasty right here, right now.
00:50:34
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah, I can see it. I think I was prepped to say the Patriots because of I think the departure of Clint Kubiak is, is huge.
00:50:44
Cody Atkinson
It can be ah and under understated. Whereas the Patriots are retaining for Abel and Josh McDaniels. And I think the loss of, of a Kenneth Walker could be huge as well, but I think you might've talked to me into being the Seahawks. Yeah.
00:50:59
Cody Atkinson
The pieces are just there. Sam Darnold, I think Sam Darnold just is this is who he is now. We have two two years of it.
00:51:05
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:51:07
Cody Atkinson
This is who he is. The JSN, I think he's the best receiver in the game right now.
00:51:12
justin_daulton
yeah. We didn't even touch. i didn't even talk about Jason.
00:51:13
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, well, he didn't do much.
00:51:13
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:51:15
Cody Atkinson
he was he was He was hampered, and they were locking him down with Gonzalez as a result, but he's the I think he's the best receiver in the game. um i think if you look at more of a direct draft comparison, I mean, the Patriots first-round pick, Will Campbell, I think personally think is rough.
00:51:36
Cody Atkinson
Seattle first-round pick, guard, Gray Zabel. not rough he he was awesome um and then i think if you look at um just the defensive line they've put together i don't know contract situations but that defensive line was incredible the second day he will lie back early and and you can trust the defense is going to stay there because it's mike mcdonald defensive coach um so so if if you trust the defense is it' going to be there it's you know it all it all comes down to hire the right oc
00:51:41
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:52:03
Cody Atkinson
um and and make the right moves at running back. Sure up your weaknesses. and And yeah, I think you, and and just contract situation, you're not paying Sam Darnold like he's the GOAT. And that's going to help them put a team together. Like they've got a great quarterback contract situation. Obviously the Patriots have have May on the rookie contracts. They've got a great situation as well.
00:52:26
Cody Atkinson
um Two teams I think are, I i think, I think Sam Darnold will have a harder path because the NFC is tougher. I think the OC is a a wild card, um but can see them doing it. I think New England, the AFC is a much easier path to the Super Bowl, just as it stands right now. But I do think you see some bounce back from Mahomes, Allen.
00:52:53
Cody Atkinson
and Mahomes Allen and yeah, Burrow, Jackson and and and and the Patriots have the have the tougher schedule and i think they can be ah but I think they can be a better team and have a tougher path than they had this year.
00:52:55
justin_daulton
Burrow, Jackson.
00:53:06
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:53:07
Cody Atkinson
And even even if you about Knicks coming back healthy, I'm not a huge Knicks believer Bo Nix but I do think the Broncos were better than the Patriots if Bo Nix was there.
00:53:07
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:53:16
Cody Atkinson
So I think that's another hurdle.
00:53:17
justin_daulton
Yeah, I agree. I mean,
00:53:18
Cody Atkinson
I do think Seattle's probably more likely. Yeah.
00:53:21
justin_daulton
And I mean, you're touching on the Broncos there, right? They're built the same way the Seahawks are, right? It's...
00:53:26
Cody Atkinson
Seahawks, Broncos, Texans. We just got to get the QB right.
00:53:28
justin_daulton
Yeah, you're... i yeah All you gotta do is get up a touchdown. maybe it's Maybe a field goal addition to that, and now you're you're talking about winning a Super Bowl, right?
00:53:37
justin_daulton
I mean, that's what it really comes down to. So, yeah, I mean, I like Bo Nix just from an Oregon standpoint, just because i'm ah that's my that's my West Coast team that I like out there.
00:53:47
Cody Atkinson
Yeah,
00:53:48
justin_daulton
um
00:53:48
Cody Atkinson
I don't like him because of his time at Auburn.
00:53:49
justin_daulton
but yeah would No one likes him in Auburn. Are you getting a good bow or a bad bow? um
00:53:55
Cody Atkinson
i never I never forgave him for that.
00:53:55
justin_daulton
So... um But yeah, I mean... The balance of power is always going to be an interesting conversation, right? No Mahomes, no Allen, no Burrow in the conference championship. No Jackson in the playoffs, right?
00:54:08
justin_daulton
um Aaron Rodgers is a fraud in the end of his career. um And Tua looks like a shell of himself right out there and in the for the AFC East. um So, I mean...
00:54:18
Cody Atkinson
think he's probably getting cut, right?
00:54:18
justin_daulton
it you would, have you would imagine it just depends on how much cap space you're going to eat.
00:54:22
Cody Atkinson
He hasn't already. He's got him.
00:54:24
justin_daulton
Yeah. Yeah. It just comes down the cap space that you're going to eat for cutting them. Um, and are you going to be good with running Quinn Ewers for the next two to three years while you just eat cap space?
00:54:35
justin_daulton
Um, but yeah, I, I don't know, man, it's the AFC is a weird one, right? The Texans being, um, the Texans being a quarterback or a quarterback slash offensive line away from winning a super bowl.
00:54:47
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, that's what it feels like.
00:54:47
justin_daulton
Um, Right. So, i mean, it just, it comes down to what can these teams around them do, right? You don't expect Patrick Mahomes to play the same way he did this year. Right. Andy Reese, too good of a head coach. The Patrick Williams is too good of a quarterback to have another down year.
00:55:02
justin_daulton
um And then you're talking, mean, Josh Allen, we, we touched on the, ah the McDermott situation, obviously hiring Joe Brady last week. Right. You know, what can they do with that system?
00:55:13
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
00:55:13
justin_daulton
Right. And then Burrow being ah an offensive line away from ah actually being a good football team for the last five years since they went to the Super Bowl. um So it's going to be interesting, but I agree with it.
00:55:27
justin_daulton
if there is a team in the AFC that I can sit back and look at and be like, yes, they're going to make the Super Bowl. For all this purposes, the Patriots is a safe pick. um I think I'd probably lean more towards, you know, once we find out fully what this Bo Nix injury was in his ankle, what the recovery time is on that, can he come back and still be the same player he is? Obviously ah ah older already because of how long he spent in college. i think he's already pushing 30, like he's like 28, 29, somewhere around there. So I mean, you're already talking about a major injury in your career.
00:55:57
justin_daulton
So what does that look like?
00:55:57
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:55:58
justin_daulton
um So I fully expect to see the usual names in the playoffs next year, and it's going to be a lot more difficult of a scenario because you're going to have the division leader division winner schedule in New England, and they didn't have that this year.
00:56:11
justin_daulton
um So what does that look like going forward? And i i don't know if I can sit here and tell you that you told me to put $100 on the Patriots. I don't think I can do it. Now, you told me to put $100 down on the Seahawks to be there next year, I can do it.
00:56:24
Cody Atkinson
Do you think you could do it? Yeah.
00:56:25
justin_daulton
Yeah.
00:56:26
Cody Atkinson
I mean, the the odds would would agree with you. I forgot the Super Bowl. Odds for next year pulled up Seattle is number one at plus 750. New England is one, two, three. think around number 10 at plus 1700. So Super Bowl odds definitely agree with you on that.
00:56:46
Cody Atkinson
thought are you Are you ready to put out a way too early prediction of who's going to be there? Or maybe like a dark horse or or something along those lines?
00:56:56
justin_daulton
You know, this answer, I think we could have this conversation once a month for the next six months while we wait for the Hall of Fame game and everything.
00:57:03
Cody Atkinson
It's going
00:57:03
justin_daulton
that it It's going to change every month. um I think right now, gun to the head, if you ask me who's going to be in Super Bowl next year, think I would... ah Dark Horse, we'll go NFC first because I think NFC is going to be easiest. um It's Seahawks, and I think Dark Horse is the Rams.
00:57:22
justin_daulton
Bringing Matthew Sapper back is huge.
00:57:23
Cody Atkinson
to change every I wouldn't call them a dark horse, though. They were one away this year.
00:57:27
justin_daulton
they're one game away, but I mean, they thinking, thinking about the state of the NFC, right. You're talking about the the NFC East being a much better division next year with John Harbaugh in New York.
00:57:39
justin_daulton
Jaden Daniels come back healthy with a new OC. um Dak is always going Dak. You and I have big Dak haters, but he's still a pretty good quarterback and he's going to, he's still going to do what he does down there in Dallas.
00:57:51
Cody Atkinson
Now I'm a Cowboys hater, but I do like that these days.
00:57:51
justin_daulton
um Yeah. And, and then, um, And then Philly, I mean, the Phillies, they're just an offensive coordinator probably away from being the NFC championship game this year.
00:58:00
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
00:58:02
justin_daulton
um So I think the dark horse pick for me with the state of the NFC, right, not even touching on the nfc South, which I think is going to take a step forward next year with, you know, the Buccaneers is still a great team. Carolina took a step forward by winning the division this year.
00:58:18
justin_daulton
um The Saints –
00:58:18
Cody Atkinson
New Orleans took a step forward.
00:58:20
justin_daulton
New Orleans took a step forward. And then you're talking about the Falcons, which it mid, but could take a step forward again next year. um so yeah, I mean, all the question marks go to the NFC West in terms of the bottom two teams there with Arizona.
00:58:34
justin_daulton
um And then draw a blank, in Seattle. Oh, San Francisco. Yeah, San Francisco is going to be in the conversation.
00:58:40
Cody Atkinson
yeah
00:58:42
justin_daulton
I mean, the balance of power in the NFC is much higher. So I think that's why I say dark horse for the Rams because they are such an older team, right? You're probably talking, this is the retirement tour for Stafford. um So can you can you get the pieces around him?
00:58:52
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah.
00:58:54
justin_daulton
I love Kyron Williams. I think dude's dog and he's a baller out there probably running back for for them out there in LA. So can you put the receivers around them around Puka? Devontae Adams, obviously going to be back. So can you get them a good third option out there?
00:59:07
justin_daulton
Can you sure up the offensive line to keep Stafford healthy and keep playing defense? whether that McVay is continuously reloaded that, that, date that defense, even after McDonald retired a couple of years ago. So that's why i think that's why my dark horse pick is going to be the Rams at this point, because I think a lot of people are going to count the Rams out because of age.
00:59:29
Cody Atkinson
So also the Rams were going to be my pick, mainly because I don't
00:59:33
justin_daulton
Sure.
00:59:36
Cody Atkinson
Repeating is hard, so I'm not going to necessarily lean towards a repeat.
00:59:37
justin_daulton
sure
00:59:40
Cody Atkinson
And I'm not going to root for a repeat either because I like variety. um So if I had to pick today, i would say Rams-Broncos. I think the Broncos were a freak injury away from being the representative this year.
00:59:57
Cody Atkinson
And I think the Rams were about as close as you could get. If I look at the other teams at the top, the the Ravens' new coach, I... not sure I really believe that that's going to come together right away.
01:00:09
Cody Atkinson
The Bills, I just, I won't believe the Bills until I see it anymore because I believed in them every single year and they don't do it.
01:00:09
justin_daulton
Yeah.
01:00:15
Cody Atkinson
The Chiefs, I think, are going to need more than one year to bounce back from last year. And there's a chance that like, is Kelsey gone? If he's back, is he young enough to play football anymore?
01:00:27
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
01:00:28
justin_daulton
Yeah. Is he still Travis Kelsey? Basically it's the question.
01:00:29
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah. I think you look at the Patriots, like we've already talked about, that's going to be a tougher road for them. The Jaguars are one that I could lean towards, but like, I'm not going to take myself there. The Texans, I'm not gonna let my heart go there. So I think I lean Broncos.
01:00:46
justin_daulton
Yeah.
01:00:46
Cody Atkinson
The Dark Horse on the NFC side, probably the Bears.
01:00:52
justin_daulton
Okay.
01:00:52
Cody Atkinson
They were a good team this year. And I... Honestly, I might be drinking a little bit of the Kool-Aid, but like, was Ben Johnson the real magic with the Lions?
01:01:04
Cody Atkinson
Like, then what do he did with the Bears in year one, like, I i could see Ben Johnson just being the dude.
01:01:05
justin_daulton
I mean, it it feels like it, right? Yeah.
01:01:13
Cody Atkinson
And then he's got Caleb Williams at his disposal. at The receiving corps is still the receiving corps with the, you know, Roman Dunsay, big fan of Luther Burden. Yeah.
01:01:23
justin_daulton
Yeah.
01:01:25
Cody Atkinson
Colston Loveland to tight end i feel like that's a team that can come together and so that would that would definitely be one of one of my dark horses largely um just they've got the coach and because they have the coach who's an offensive coordinator I don't have to question what the offense is going to look like because because I because the other on the other side of it I would want to say the Lions again but they have to go find a new OC for the second offseason in a row and so like what's it going to look like
01:01:42
justin_daulton
Yeah, that's fair.
01:01:51
justin_daulton
ah I don't, I think my, I think my stock's real low on the lions, unfortunately. And I love Dan Campbell, another Aggie there up in the NFL. um But I, my stock's low on them.
01:02:00
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
01:02:02
justin_daulton
Golf is only getting older. um Same conversation that you have
NFL Team Performances and Hopes
01:02:05
justin_daulton
in l LA, right? But, the, the, the weapons didn't perform in it. A lot of that it has to be looked at with Ben Johnson. Right. So, you know, you didn't see the same thing from Sonic and Knuckles there in the running back room.
01:02:16
justin_daulton
You didn't see the same production from Amin Ra and, and the receiver core and the tight end record. Um, even with getting, and getting Aiden Hutchinson back right on the defense, right. It just, it never felt like it was enough in Detroit.
01:02:28
justin_daulton
um I think the Bears, you know, I like i like the Bears pick, but they can't beat Green Bay. So until they beat Green Bay, i don't think I can put my stock high on them until they prove to me that you can beat Green Bay um twice a year.
01:02:45
justin_daulton
um Now, I didn't touch on the AFC. I mean, we we we spoke a lot about AFC and the state of the AFC. um I think if you ask me in six months who my AFC pick is, it's going to be the Texans because my heart's going to get there just by by virtue.
01:02:58
justin_daulton
It's always going to happen.
01:02:59
Cody Atkinson
Don't do it to yourself.
01:03:01
justin_daulton
yeah Someone can clip this. You say that now. in Come August, you're going to be you're gonna be s sipping the the Battle Red Kool-Aid with me again.
01:03:07
Cody Atkinson
Oh, I will be too, but i don't I don't need the calories of the Kool-Aid for six months.
01:03:08
justin_daulton
no,
01:03:12
justin_daulton
no.
01:03:12
Cody Atkinson
I'll wait six months.
01:03:12
justin_daulton
I'm not going to sip it for six months. I want to say in six months. You asked me, and I'm probably going to be talking about Houston, Texas football going all the way.
01:03:16
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
01:03:20
justin_daulton
Just the same way that I'm going to be talking about A&M football all the way. I... i man, it's, it's tough. The AFC is in such disarray. i think I'm, I gotta be there with you. I think the Broncos has gotta be the, the odds on favorite at this point to, to make a run for it.
01:03:36
justin_daulton
Um, the fun pick that I think if you can have one would be the bills. If if Joe Brady ends up being the guy, um just because I am such a Josh Allen fan.
01:03:47
justin_daulton
um so I think that's the fun pick, the dark horse pick, if you will, um you know, we'll see, we know we're about to get in the draft season, in the combine coming up here in a few weeks, pro day shortly thereafter.
01:03:58
justin_daulton
um So we'll know more,
01:03:59
Cody Atkinson
Certainly be locked in on that.
01:04:00
justin_daulton
Oh, yeah, for sure. So like we're going to know a lot more of where the Texans are going and where these other teams are going, especially Patriots, you know Cincinnati, Houston, all looking for to to top-grade offensive line, free agency shortly after the draft.
01:04:14
justin_daulton
um So we're going to know the state of where we're at very soon. and We're going to know very quickly who is going to be a contender, who's going to be a pretender, basically, by May when OTAs come around in rookie minicamps.
01:04:27
justin_daulton
So, um yeah, I think I'm –
01:04:28
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. I mean, we'll we'll know how we feel for sure. We'll be wrong, but we'll know.
01:04:31
justin_daulton
Oh, for sure. Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, I think I'm with you.
01:04:33
Cody Atkinson
yeah
01:04:35
justin_daulton
I think it's the Broncos. um And then it's everyone else. It's probably a mixture of New England, Buffalo, and maybe a Baltimore. But once again, I think Baltimore is a couple years out. I think that offense needs help. That de defense for sure needs help.
01:04:51
justin_daulton
So youre you may be – and you've got Lamar on a contract that that that ain't cheap.
01:04:52
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, defense needs a lot of help.
01:04:57
justin_daulton
and So what are you doing around him to continue to build up teams around him? Zay Flowers is going to want money here soon. Mark Andrews is wanting money. um Isaiah likely is going to want money. So like what are you going to do in Baltimore?
01:05:08
justin_daulton
um So it it'll be interesting to see the AFC side of things over the next couple, next, what, two or three months.
Super Bowl Reflections and Entertainment
01:05:16
Cody Atkinson
yeah absolutely um i think that about covers i mean i think that's all we really had i think i think we've i think we've said everything that can be said about the super bowl um i liked it i liked it personally i he's his beats are a jam i don't understand what he's saying it's probably for the better because i think it's pretty crude but like
01:05:27
justin_daulton
But we didn't talk about the halftime show. did you think of the bad bunny? It was a vibe. Yeah. they
01:05:39
Cody Atkinson
It's a jam, and I i i liked the vibe. he He really leaned into his culture and his his people, and I thought that was pretty sick. I thought that was a really cool display.
01:05:53
Cody Atkinson
Unless you're talking about the other half time.
01:05:53
justin_daulton
The only thing I... No, no, no, no.
01:05:56
Cody Atkinson
Which one did you
01:05:56
justin_daulton
Uh... No, all I know is that the first song that he sang is like basically him telling his aunt how many girlfriends he has. And I just think it's a baller way to come out in the Super Bowl being like, look look how cool I am.
01:06:08
justin_daulton
I got all these girlfriends. um
01:06:10
Cody Atkinson
Oh, that's funny.
01:06:10
justin_daulton
But ah ah to to kind of piggyback off of ah conversation last week, Bad Bunny, a WWE w superstar um that i fought in a lot of matches a couple years back and ended up headlining a PLE, a premium live event, against Damian Priest, another Puerto Rican guy.
01:06:28
justin_daulton
And I'm going to send you a clip of it. One of the probably dopest entrances I've ever seen at a WWE wwe live event ever. When Bad Bunny came out, Bad Bunny wrestled.
01:06:35
Cody Atkinson
Wait, that Boney wrestled?
01:06:38
Cody Atkinson
that's sick.
01:06:38
justin_daulton
um
01:06:39
justin_daulton
But they fought in Puerto Rico. And the pop that he had when he came out in Puerto Rico, that must be an elite feeling to have... probably would have been probably 50, 60,000 people singing your song back to you at a WWE w live event. Um, but yeah, WWE, uh, superstar, bad bunny, um, performing it at the halftime show.
01:07:01
justin_daulton
Um, but yeah, man, it's,
01:07:02
Cody Atkinson
definitely the leader on his bio.
01:07:04
justin_daulton
Yeah, for sure.
01:07:04
Cody Atkinson
WWE superstar. Oh,
01:07:05
justin_daulton
And rumored to come back at some point this year. He doesn't have a tour. His tour ends at some point and rumored to make an appearance at WWE later this year. So we'll see if that comes true.
01:07:13
Cody Atkinson
that'd be sick.
01:07:14
justin_daulton
um But yeah, man, I vibe to it. I'm with you. i don't I'm not a fluent Spanish speaker, but I can vibe to good music when good music is on.
01:07:17
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. Yeah.
01:07:22
justin_daulton
um
01:07:22
Cody Atkinson
Yeah, it's a jam. That's all I need to know.
01:07:24
justin_daulton
Yeah, so it was fun. i Always interested to see what we're going to get every year. Next year being back in L.A. The last time i was in L.A., probably one of the best Super Bowl halftime show performances with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ketel Gamar, Eminem.
01:07:39
justin_daulton
um So how do you follow up that in L.A.?
01:07:42
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
01:07:42
justin_daulton
um Obviously going on the heels of the next year with... the the 2028 summer olympics being in la um after the 2027 super bowl so yeah what do you do with all the with all this talent in la um and obviously with kendrick being last year you can't double dip with kendrick uh so what do you so where do you go with with la rap maybe or do you go for something else in la so we'll see
01:07:49
Cody Atkinson
Oh, yeah.
01:08:05
Cody Atkinson
We'll see, you man but we'll be we'll be locked in on it for sure. Looking forward to covering the offseason.
Baseball Tournaments and Legal Cases
01:08:13
Cody Atkinson
Not covering it, we're not journalists, but discussing the offseason and getting ready for next year.
01:08:19
Cody Atkinson
from From Puerto Rico to Puerto Rico, the college baseball season kicks off in Puerto Rico, U of H versus Wake Forest, 9.30 a.m.
01:08:25
justin_daulton
Oh.
01:08:28
Cody Atkinson
Friday.
01:08:29
justin_daulton
Very cool.
01:08:29
Cody Atkinson
I think 9.30 Central, 10.30 Eastern, which is also the time zone the Puerto Rico.
01:08:30
justin_daulton
Okay. i didn't.
01:08:34
justin_daulton
Eastern.
01:08:35
Cody Atkinson
I'll move
01:08:37
justin_daulton
Very cool. I mean, it excited to get, to get world baseball classic started soon, you know, college baseball getting started soon, man. Like we're, we're about to be in the thick of it when it comes to baseball. So it's great time to be alive when it comes to baseball fan.
01:08:49
justin_daulton
Uh, but yeah, man, I, mean like i didn't we're about to go into a lull, unfortunately with sports because it's, you have the spring training, which is a lull.
01:08:56
Cody Atkinson
for you.
01:08:57
justin_daulton
Huh?
01:08:58
Cody Atkinson
It's not a lull for the junkies, my guy. College baseball's kicking off.
01:09:02
justin_daulton
Um,
01:09:03
Cody Atkinson
MLB spring training's kicking off. College basketball's in full swing. There's no lulls here.
01:09:09
justin_daulton
the the only lull for me, the only lull for me really is, is just getting to real games, like meaningful games.
01:09:09
Cody Atkinson
Ask Amanda. if There's no lulls in this household. Much to her dismay.
01:09:16
Cody Atkinson
Yeah.
01:09:16
justin_daulton
So obviously like I'm going to be locked in on world baseball classic, locked in on Olympic hockey, and then getting back into the playoff push, right. For the Stanley cup. I think that's where 90% of my attention is going to go to when I have free time is to get to watch lightning hockey down the stretch um and then get locked in on, on raised baseball shortly thereafter.
01:09:25
Cody Atkinson
Mm-hmm.
01:09:35
justin_daulton
And, whenever I want to concede the season and and switch over to being an Astros fan by proxy towards the second half of the season, which is almost a guarantee like it is every year.
01:09:36
Cody Atkinson
That's right.
01:09:42
Cody Atkinson
Yeah. That's
01:09:45
justin_daulton
um
01:09:46
Cody Atkinson
right.
01:09:47
justin_daulton
But yeah, man, it's we'll see how the next couple weeks go. but you know I'm excited to see the Olympics go through. But yeah, there's a there's a lot to be excited about and a lot to to keep tuning into the Coastal Launch sports talk here.
01:09:59
Cody Atkinson
That's right. Absolutely. And I'll go ahead and sign us off here in a second, but something for us to see what the fallout is. But um Charles Bediaco, the G League player that's been playing for Alabama, denied eligibility by the Alabama court system.
01:10:16
Cody Atkinson
So they said, so he he was the one who signed a G League contract, but had never actually played n b minutes.
01:10:17
justin_daulton
Oh.
01:10:24
Cody Atkinson
He came back, he's been playing for two three or four games, five games, somewhere in that range on a restraining order where the judge said you can't stop him from playing until like, like basically while the case is ongoing, you can't stop him from playing just in case we side with him.
01:10:42
Cody Atkinson
um So he's denied eligibility. He is done with college basketball. This is a win for college fans. I don't want pros coming back into the game. Well, when you're done, you're done.
01:10:53
Cody Atkinson
have fun with your life. If you want to come back to school and they want to give you a scholarship because of the goodness of their hearts, they should do that. Um, cause that's what everyone's been making me the fight about. He just wants to go to school, let him go to school, pay for his school.
01:11:06
Cody Atkinson
Don't want play basketball.
01:11:06
justin_daulton
Yeah.
01:11:07
Cody Atkinson
Um, Denied eligibility. We'll see what fallout is. Are the games going to count? Are they going to get forfeited? What does this do for other players? I think there's a Baylor player in a similar circumstance. There's a couple other guys that were trying to take the same path.
01:11:23
Cody Atkinson
So we'll see where this goes. um But I don't want to dive into that. It's a win for college college fans everywhere. and And hopefully we get some more news on that soon. But that's it for Coastal Launch Sports Talk official episode one. I've been Cody.
01:11:40
Cody Atkinson
He's been Justin. Let us know what you want to talk about. If you're listening to this, if you're the one person who found us somehow, let us know. Let us know what you want to talk about. And we'll ah we'll see all next week.
01:11:51
Cody Atkinson
Peace.
01:11:52
justin_daulton
Peace.