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All Quiet in Queen City
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Tristan and Miles talk about the impact of full-strength Julian Love, the many Seahawks forcing their way into NFL record books, and Seattle sports fans who really know how to jump into the narrative.
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Transcript
Introduction to Charlotte
00:00:00
Tristan Amundson
Miles, Charlotte, I don't know if you know this, is also considered or named the Queen City, named after Charlotte McEnberg Starlets.
00:00:14
Tristan Amundson
Don't know if I pronounced that last name or a couple last names correctly, so forgive me, historians, if i if I screw that up a little bit. But let me tell you a little bit about Chuck. She was married to King George III,
00:00:28
Tristan Amundson
This lady had 15 kids, Miles.
00:00:32
M dub
Thank
00:00:32
Tristan Amundson
Here is the most prescient, great piece of information I can give you during the holiday season. We record today. It is Monday, December 29th, four days after Christmas. Well, let me tell you something about Charlotte. She introduced the first Christmas tree to Great Britain.
00:00:51
Tristan Amundson
Can you believe that? um She is the lovely woman that the city of Charlotte, the Queen City, is named after, as you might have guessed.
Charlotte's Cultural and Economic Blend
00:01:02
Tristan Amundson
um Charlotte is considered now i'm talking about the city. It's considered kind of the new South, apparently. So ah the city really blends kind of classic Southern hospitality with Northern ideals, meaning,
00:01:19
Tristan Amundson
The city is really kind of driving innovation, home of Bank of America, a huge banking hub. Apparently, Charlotte is um while still having some of that classic Southern charm. And man, we really experienced it. It seems like a great city. Have you ever been to Charlotte, Miles? Would you like to go to Charlotte someday?
00:01:38
M dub
Tristan, great to be with you.
Sports Heartbreak and Engagement News
00:01:40
M dub
No, I have not been to Charlotte, and it does seem like the city got off to, it had its best moments at the beginning with with kind of naming itself and that Christmas tree tradition.
00:01:51
M dub
Tristan, this broadcast on Sunday, I felt like the producers were really finding the most earnest moment Panther fans in the world in the stands over and over again. It felt like way more than your average broadcast.
00:02:03
M dub
And I felt really bad for them because, boy, those fans got their hearts broken over and over. And they have not seen a winning team on the football field since 2017. And it's probably been at least as long as that with the Charlotte Hornets across town.
00:02:18
M dub
Sorry, everybody. hope Hope Bank of America is running well these days. But it'd be tough to be a Charlotte sports fan, let me tell you. Thank you.
00:02:27
Tristan Amundson
Well, I was thinking they have you Bank of America, right? I mean, you could call it America's Bank, couldn't you? So they kind of have the Dallas Cowboys of banking, which has to feel like something. i don't know what that feels like because I wouldn't want to be a Cowboys fan.
00:02:42
Tristan Amundson
um But ah Bank of America, pretty big deal. um It looks like a lovely town. I i can't i couldn't figure out who exactly they were talking about during the broadcast. i I caught this my second time through watching the condensed version. But they were talking about someone who just got engaged um on the broadcast. I think they were kind of looking for some material to your point, Miles, at a certain point. But they were talking about how this guy just absolutely swore by Charlotte, loved it.
00:03:08
Tristan Amundson
And after doing my little bit of research, i I mean, listen, I could
Charlotte's Historical Gold Rush
00:03:13
Tristan Amundson
go on forever. I got a lot more information I could give you. I'm not going to, Miles. I'm going to hold myself back. I'm not going to tell you about how they had a quiet gold rush before California and how the first mint outside of Philadelphia was located in Charlotte. I'm not even going to go into that side of the story. Let's just keep this football focused.
Seahawks vs. Panthers Game Overview
00:03:35
M dub
Yeah, well, they were saying that Sam Darnold met his fiance while while playing in in Charlotte for the Panthers, right?
00:03:40
Tristan Amundson
Oh, that's what they're talking about. Okay, fair enough.
00:03:42
M dub
I think so.
00:03:43
Tristan Amundson
Well, I mean, I really should have caught that then. that would have been like That would have been a nice nugget for this broadcast if I would have realized it.
00:03:51
M dub
um that that does suit Yeah, congratulations Sam.
00:03:55
Tristan Amundson
Congratulations. Did you see the Sam Darnold lookalike during the broadcast? the yeah The beautiful redheaded man wearing the number 14 jersey in the stands.
00:04:04
M dub
You know, this right on the heels of the man with the double Cal Rally big dumper hit the home run here t-shirts. It it does. And then the Etsy witch moment of the Mariners season. it It does feel like Seattle sports fans know how to insert themselves into the narrative in truly hilarious ways.
00:04:24
Tristan Amundson
That's a good point. That's a really good point. I didn't think of it that way, but um that's a.
00:04:28
M dub
I don't know if that happens in every city, but it it feels like Seattle
Seattle Fans and Game Narrative
00:04:32
M dub
knows what to do. you go back to history, you know, the Mariners playing who let the dogs out by the Baja men and kind of unleashing that song on on the American airwaves.
00:04:42
M dub
It all started with the Mariners. I mean, there's really a lot going on in the stands, you know, throwing skills at Marshawn.
00:04:48
Tristan Amundson
I mean, I wouldn't.
00:04:50
M dub
Sorry, I'm interrupting again. Throwing skills at Marshawn. I mean, the list doesn't stop.
00:04:53
Tristan Amundson
No, I mean, listen, I wouldn't know anything about Seattle sports fans being overly invested in their teams. I have no idea what you're talking about, Miles. So, yeah, I i don't relate. i can't relate to it.
00:05:04
Tristan Amundson
No examples of that in my life whatsoever.
00:05:09
M dub
Oh, good. Yeah, me neither. Tristan, can I summarize this football game where the Seattle Seahawks went into Carolina and continued that's the the Queen City's recent tradition of losing sporting events?
00:05:23
Tristan Amundson
Please do.
00:05:25
M dub
ah Tristan, the Seahawks win this game 27-10, gets them to 13 wins on the year. Tristan, the first half of this game did follow a pattern that we have seen in recent times. It was a defensive slugfest, a lot of really bizarre plays that kind of relied on replay and like bang-bang, odd... Just a lot of odd plays. The game was at 3-3 at halftime.
00:05:48
M dub
Then the Seattle defense turns it on in the second half, forces three turnovers. The Seahawks offense cashes in on all of them, and the Seahawks are up 27-10. And then this thing's a blowout, and it ends with, as you noted, the Carolina Panthers kneeling.
00:06:07
M dub
The Panthers losing the game, kneeling out the game. um I have a stat on this, but how did that moment impact you emotionally to go backwards first?
00:06:18
Tristan Amundson
um I love the idea of starting there, Miles, because I just I thought it was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen watching a football game. i I'm trying to think of the last football game that I watched. And if you want to really, you know, narrow this in the last NFL game specifically that I watched.
00:06:37
Tristan Amundson
where there was two minutes left on the clock. it we were We had just hit the two-minute warning, and the Panthers began to kneel the football. And, I mean, i at this point, I guess mathematically it's twenty seven ten you know They're not going to win the game. I get it.
00:06:56
Tristan Amundson
But to to to just wave the white flag with that much time left, I mean, the fact that they couldn't kneel it out the entire way, that they kneeled the football and then turned the ball over on downs, and then the Seahawks kind of took over.
00:07:10
M dub
Thank
00:07:13
Tristan Amundson
It's almost like it was a baton. They they handed the... They handed the victory formation baton. They took it three times and then, or I guess four times, then they gave it to us.
00:07:25
Tristan Amundson
I've never seen that. Well, I don't know if I, can I say I've never seen that? I think so.
00:07:29
M dub
i think you I think you can because John Boyes, the fantastic internet sports personality, he made the Scorigami documentary on YouTube earlier this fall. It's one of the most compelling things I've ever seen. John Boyes crunched the numbers, so the Panthers kneeled in the fourth quarter on fourth down while trailing.
00:07:51
M dub
The numbers go back to 1978. That's how long we can track that. It has happened exactly two other times since then, once in 2023 and once in 2002.
00:08:02
M dub
So yes, this happens about once every year, 15, 20 years in the entirety of the NFL to get a moment like this.
00:08:10
Tristan Amundson
Okay, yeah. So, I mean, that that's great info to have. I'm not crazy. You're not crazy. That's a wild thing to
Seahawks Defensive Strategy
00:08:17
Tristan Amundson
see. And I think that's when you know you've, I mean, mollywhopped seems like the only the only word to describe what the Seahawks did when when you have a team kneeling with two minutes to go.
00:08:28
Tristan Amundson
That truly is ah a massive, massive white flag moment. And if I'm being honest, this game felt out of hand.
00:08:33
M dub
Thank you.
00:08:37
Tristan Amundson
um even when it was 1710, you know, it just I think it's a pattern we're seeing and we should get into this a bit, Miles. It's a pattern we're seeing over the last like call it, I don't know, six weeks, five weeks where teams play the Seahawks. And it seems like a game for let's call it.
00:08:57
Tristan Amundson
Well, let's see, a quarter and a half, maybe maybe two quarters, maybe. And then things just kind of shift. It's almost as though the field starts tilting in the Seahawks direction the longer the game goes on. And it seems like that that tilt starts happening i'm gonna I'm just going to throw out a number. It seems like about halfway through the second quarter, it just it starts going badly for the other team really quickly, and and it just gets worse and worse from there. does that Is that how it feels? you know i'm I'm a big fan of of talking about what we think about things, but sometimes when you're watching subjective things like sports, the word feel is appropriate. Is that how it it feels to you, Miles, that like just the momentum –
00:09:45
Tristan Amundson
around, i don't know, like halfway through the second just goes the Seahawks way over the last five weeks or so.
00:09:52
M dub
I think it happens a little later than that, but I think you are right to describe it as as a sort of tilt because Yeah, you kind of want I was kind of wondering the first half of this game, like, ah is there a bit of a hangover from this unbelievable game against the Rams?
00:10:07
M dub
I know my eye was off the ball a little bit as ah Christmas happened, you know, and then, ah okay, it's just a trap game between, you know, to to two games against incredible division rivals, but...
00:10:19
M dub
Yes. then Then at some point the tilt does come in and, and then it's just, it's overwhelming. they They just, it's a slow overwhelming. And it is crazy that a game that was tied three, three at halftime feels like a blowout. That's out of hand. Just 20 game minutes later.
00:10:36
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. And it it's a pattern that we're seeing, I think, with this team. And it's it's a good thing to see. And I think... I think that's what happens when you have a smothering defense.
00:10:48
Tristan Amundson
I think when you have a defense that's playing at the level of the Seahawks, um that's what ends up happening because you're yeah the the offense is good enough. it It picks itself up eventually.
00:11:00
Tristan Amundson
Really, that's all we're talking about, I guess, is when does the offense click into gear? Obviously, the defense from minute one to minute 60 is kind of playing the same game and they're they're smothering.
00:11:07
M dub
Thank
00:11:12
Tristan Amundson
They are all-encompassing. all demoralizing. i think you're going to give us some Bryce Young numbers here in a second to maybe make that point incredibly clear.
00:11:23
Tristan Amundson
um And then, you know, once the ah offense is able to get itself into gear, it's just, it's kind of lights out. and and And that's what I think is the most, obviously the most intriguing and interesting thing about this team you is when you have an offense or, um excuse me, a defense that's just this dominant. Can you put some numbers to that, Miles? Can you give us some Bryce Young statistics? Because i just we'd be crazy if we didn't talk about it. It's just it's wild to see.
00:11:51
M dub
It is wild. And I think you have described the 60 minutes mother very well because ah yeah, this game kind of followed the pattern of of the Falcons game, which I think was also tied exactly at three, three at halftime, just like this one. And yes, in in this game against the Panthers and that one against the Falcons.
00:12:08
M dub
Yeah. the The defense is 100% there from the first snap. And it it is just a matter of, yeah, like you said, when the offense clicks into it. So for the entirety of the game, And by the way, the Carolina Panthers, if they won this game, they would have secured their first winning season since 2017.
00:12:28
M dub
And I'm pretty sure with the Buccaneers also losing elsewhere yesterday, I think they would have secured the play ah a playoff spot as well. So they the Panthers had way more. I know the Seahawks have seeding stuff on the line, which which really does matter. But the Panthers were either in or out and kind of winning season or losing season with this game.
00:12:48
M dub
And here's what happened. So for the game, Bryce Young goes 14 of 24 for a total of 54 yards. So they really, i mean, we saw Phillip Rivers and the Colts try more stuff down the field than Bryce Young and the Panthers did in this game. And I know Ted Aroa McMillan is a great player who had had to have some significant sickness for them to mention it.
00:13:12
M dub
But, I mean, come on. it's just That's one guy.
00:13:15
Tristan Amundson
and you
00:13:16
M dub
all So, with the interception, which was returned a good distance by Julian Love, and then two sacks, which the Seahawks got in the fourth quarter, that is 40 yards for the Hawks.
00:13:16
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:13:28
M dub
So you take that away and the Panthers get a total of 14 forward yards from their passing game in an entire 60 minutes of NFL football.
00:13:39
Tristan Amundson
It's...
00:13:43
M dub
It doesn't seem possible. i Even as great as a defense as the Seahawks, it it really doesn't seem like that can happen.
00:13:49
Tristan Amundson
It's staggering. It's staggering. It's staggering. um 54 yards doesn't make any sense. I'm looking right now. His longest attempt passing was eight yards.
00:14:00
Tristan Amundson
Eight yards. That was the long. I mean, that's just it's a wild thing to think about um that that. That's that's what they were able to put together. He had that one nifty 11 yard run. Um, he rushed it a couple of times and, you know, for a total of 27 yards. And I guess you could give him the touchdown run as well. That was a nifty little run. Um, besides that, man, it was just kind of incredible to watch, um, this defense completely smother, um, the Carolina offense. They didn't really run it for much either. I'm i'm looking at it. It looks like what about 70 yards um of total rushing, maybe 73 yards to be exact, something like that um from the, yeah from the running backs. I mean, so yeah, just an unbelievable start to finish um smothering. Is there another word? Can you think of a a better word than smothering miles? I just, it's just, there is no room to breathe in this game. If you were a Carolina Panther.
00:15:01
M dub
i think it is I think smothering is the right word because the Seahawks did get some turnovers in the second half, which which were significant. But what's what's kind of crazy, what's interesting about this team is it really doesn't generate that many turnovers compared to other great defenses. And there's also not that many, like, explosive defensive plays. There's just a lot of, like, two-yard, three-yard, like, nothing happening. And it's... head it's so it's it's It's one of the greatest defensive performances that's ah that has very few highlights to it.
00:15:33
Tristan Amundson
It's a really good point. Yeah, it's it's ah it's a great point. And this was not a big sack game for us, right? Like we've seen in the past. um This was definitely a control the line of scrimmage kind of game is what it felt like.
00:15:47
Tristan Amundson
ah And I mean, to your point with it, you know, you had the beautiful Julian Love interception. one of my takeaways, I was thinking about standout players for this podcast and and who really kind of jumped out. um Julian Love, to me, really, you know, interception aside, I know that's a very obvious one, and it was a beautiful interception, by the way. But interception aside, this is the first game, and obviously Julian's been hurt for much of the season, but this is the first game watching the Seahawks since he's been back where I really, I'll use a Pete Carroll word here, I really felt him on the defense. It just seemed like he was omnipresent. It seemed like one of those games where Julian Love was just...
00:16:29
Tristan Amundson
In fact, I remarked a couple of times, I think to myself while I was watching this game, that Julian Love just seemed really fast. he just seemed like he was everywhere. did did it Was that just me or or did he kind of jump off the page to you as well?
00:16:44
M dub
I mean, there's no player on this defense that had a bad game. um I will say personally, i noticed him a little less than I was noticing Ty Okada.
00:16:55
Tristan Amundson
Okay.
00:16:55
M dub
And i with Kobe Bryant out for this game, I'm pretty sure this is kind of the first time we've seen Love and Okada on the field together. It's it's usually been Okada feeling in for Love. i don't think they have shared very many snaps on the field together.
00:17:10
M dub
And Kobe Bryant's had an excellent season with four interceptions, which is close to the league lead of six. But the problem with Kobe Bryant over the year has been tackling, especially in the open field. And you saw Okada, his tackles were some very high degree of difficulty open field tackles.
00:17:32
M dub
And I kind of wondered if the combination of Love and Okada was is kind of what brings us to these incredible passing numbers from the Panthers.
00:17:41
Tristan Amundson
Well, that's a really good point. And Okada definitely had, i think what I would kind of term as a couple of vicious or at least like very direct stop you in your tracks kind of hits. You know, like it's you're not going to get any extra yardage. You are going to go down on contact, which, as we know, I mean, that's a massive being able to eliminate yak yardage is such a massive thing.
00:18:06
Tristan Amundson
um in the NFL because players are just so athletic and so good at accumulating yak. So I, I wouldn't have brought him up on this podcast, but you're totally right in doing so.
Seahawks Team Dynamics
00:18:17
Tristan Amundson
I'm glad you did because as, as you say it, I'm replaying a few of those plays in my mind right now. And he really was um really, really present. So this really does feel, and again, you you bring up the ultimate point, man, the, the,
00:18:31
Tristan Amundson
everyone on this defense had a good game i think you know period um but the safeties did seem very very active which is ah a great thing and it's just great seeing two good stories from the seahawks right um julian love coming back getting healthy at the right time for this defense is really good for us and then having the depth and having the impact of ah of a tayo kata and knowing that Kobe's going to be coming back as well, um that's, I mean, it's a really good problem to have.
00:18:49
M dub
Thank
00:19:04
M dub
It is really good problem. And just to show that the defense won this game. um So the Seahawks offense, we can talk a little bit. they They ran the ball really well.
00:19:15
M dub
So we we had our combination of fellas, 36 carries for 163 yards and two touchdowns. So you would look at that and feel like, wow, the Seahawks really controlled this game.
00:19:26
M dub
But the offense really only succeeded when they were set up by the defense. So There were five scoring possessions by the Seahawks. They got two field goals. Those were on pretty conventional drives.
00:19:38
M dub
Each of the three touchdowns, though, was set up on an extremely short field by the defense. Number one, we have the DeMarcus Lawrence forced fumble. That gave the offense a 21-yard drive into the end zone.
00:19:51
M dub
Number two, we got the Julian Love interception that we're just talking about. That set the offense up 29 yards from the end zone. The third turnover was technically a turnover on downs, but I'm going to count it because it came in the fourth quarter when it was seventeen to ten and it it gets set up by – the Seahawks' only two sacks of the game came on second and third down on this drive. It was Boye, Mafé, and then DeMarcus Lawrence, and that gave the Panthers their fourth and forever from way back in the field. They can't convert it, and it gives the Seahawks the ball on the 25-yard line.
00:20:28
M dub
to punch in the third touchdown. So I was kind of amazed that the running game working that well didn't produce like just a straight up 70 yard touchdown drive 65 yard touchdown drive and something like that. it It was the short field every time, but just to show how dominant the defense was.
00:20:46
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely. Yeah. And and to me, you know, those short field um touchdowns that the offense was able to do, i i tend to put myself in.
00:20:57
Tristan Amundson
ah in In kind of two different shoes, I guess I put myself in the shoes of the of the defense that just gave my offense a gift. And then I put myself in the shoes of the offensive player.
00:21:08
Tristan Amundson
And the reason I mentioned this is I just think about in those moments, just emotionally when you're on a team, the most important thing if you're on that offense is like pay it back to the defense. The defense just gave you a gift.
00:21:20
M dub
you
00:21:21
Tristan Amundson
don't Don't make them continue to work while you do nothing. And and i just think about the emotional impact that it must have on a defense when you get the interception, you get the forced fumble, whatever it happens to be, and you give it back to your offense in the short field, and they take advantage of it, and they get you a touchdown. that the The goodwill that that must create within the locker room and within the the dichotomy of hey, this is a ah very dominant defensive team with an explosive offense, with an offense that has a lot of explosive players, right?
Running Game and Player Roles
00:21:59
Tristan Amundson
So let's not take away from them.
00:22:01
Tristan Amundson
But it must just build such a great level of goodwill. Whenever we get one of those short field touchdowns off of a defensive turnover, I just, I kind of have, it gives me an extra charge of excitement because I'm like, okay,
00:22:16
Tristan Amundson
That must have really made the defense happy. That keeps those guys engaged. Like, hey, if if we do our job, our guys on the other side of the football, they'll be able to do their job. And and that's, to me, what those short field touchdowns really represent.
00:22:33
M dub
I like that. And this team does seem to have an exceptional amount of goodwill between the offense and defense, just how they talk about each other in press conferences. It is well above average in the NFL because yeah, they, they've they, they big up each other in ah in a game like this.
00:22:50
M dub
And also when things went wrong, we had Ernest Jones really going to bat for Sam Darnold at probably the press conference of the year so far, if you want to rank them and, uh,
00:22:58
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely.
00:23:00
M dub
Yeah. So Tristan, I think you we were going to talk about the running game a little bit. It was an absolute, it was, it felt so good to see the 50 50 split and just the time times share. You could really feel it made things easier for both running backs and hard for the defense to handle.
00:23:17
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, what's what's interesting about our running attack after last week, right? I mean, K9 looked so good last week and he looked good this week, too, by the way. I'm not I let's not take anything away from his performance, but it very much felt as though, OK, here we go. Like Kenneth Walker, it's his show. And then, of course, this week.
00:23:40
M dub
you
00:23:40
Tristan Amundson
um Zach Charbonnet just comes out and does what he did. You know, what was 100. I should just look it up right now. 111 yards, two touchdowns. He had such a dominant, great game. And you look at this and you think, OK, is this what we're going to do? Are we going to ping pong between these two guys? Is it different guys attack different defenses different ways? And so the reason why this was a Charbonnet game is because...
00:24:09
Tristan Amundson
the way that his playing style interacts with the Panthers or can you, do you have any thought on that miles or, or, or does that make any sense at all? Like why would it be the canine goes off last week?
00:24:22
Tristan Amundson
And then this week it's Charbonnet. I mean, it's just, is there a rhyme or reason to it from your perspective or is it maybe just, could it just be random chance and kind of luck and yay, these were the carries this guy got and he did this with it and don't overthink it.
00:24:38
M dub
I think it's ah it's a little bit more ah of random, but but because the Seahawks... but it's It's one of the closest situations to having a true 50-50 backfield that that you'll see in the NFL.
00:24:51
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely.
00:24:54
M dub
So I really do think... It's the same defenders that have to to field 36. This was the first game where the Seahawks really did lean on the run because, you know, we we've we've talked about their their run percentage is so high, but that's because they've been just been running out the clock in so many blowouts and not passing in the second half of these blowouts.
00:25:13
M dub
This is the first game where the Seahawks really lead went run first, genuinely, and... The Panthers defense had had to handle 36 runs coming at them, but each of the running backs, it's a reasonable workload. It was 18 carries for Charbonnet and 15 for K-9. That's manageable. 36 for one back is too much. you know That's some 1990s style.
00:25:37
M dub
But when when you have two reasonably fresh running backs and one weary defense, I think some of them are just going to break, and today they happen to be for Charbonnet is my take on it.
00:25:47
Tristan Amundson
I think you're right. I think you're right. And I mean, i'm I'm looking at right now, the receptions, the exact same. They had the same number of receptions and targets to a piece in both categories. ah To your point, 18 versus 15, very close um from a running perspective. So, I mean, this really is truly a fifty fifty split.
00:26:06
Tristan Amundson
it it churns it It kind of creates this very interesting, intriguing part of watching the Seahawks game. We hope that one of them will go off, right? Like as long as one goes off, then we're all good. But which one is it going to be? And it seems that they kind of just swap back and forth. um And yet the more I watch them, the more...
00:26:29
Tristan Amundson
the more I think that their running styles even are are kind of similar. i i went into the season thinking very binary about the difference between Charbonnet and K9. I thought, okay, K9 is our Twitch guy. He's our get him outside. He's our shake and bake kind of juke sort of guy. And Charbonnet is... um You know, the hammer, right? In fact, his his nickname in college, the Terminator. And it's OK, good. I understand we have we have um one guy who has all the sizzle and one guy who's going to be the hammer. Easy.
00:27:05
Tristan Amundson
And I feel as though the longer the season has gone on and I'm i'm going to use the word feel there again because it's nothing more than that. it seems as though the lines have been ball blurred between those two styles. I i feel like I Charbonnet with a nice little twitch and a nice little, you know, juke move. And and suddenly he's out in the open field and he gets a 26, 30-yard, you know, run
00:27:28
M dub
Thank you.
00:27:28
Tristan Amundson
And then I'll see K-9 really put his nose down and and have a hard run. And so I feel as though they're almost becoming more alike each other and and and kind of interchangeable parts instead of two completely different styles of runners.
00:27:44
Tristan Amundson
Have you noticed that or or do you or do you still kind of see a dichotomy of of the difference in their running styles?
00:27:53
M dub
I think it's fair to say that that they're pretty similar, but we are seeing that in the goal line situation, it's Charbonnet's time. He's he's got 11 touchdowns versus five for K-9.
00:28:01
Tristan Amundson
Yes.
00:28:03
M dub
So I think that's the one area where they are very clearly and obviously different.
00:28:03
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:28:07
M dub
But yeah, in in a in a normal field position situation, I can
Player Highlights and Injuries
00:28:12
M dub
see it.
00:28:12
Tristan Amundson
Learn yeah lean to the Terminator when you when you get close. It's been fun to watch, man. i've I've really enjoyed watching both of them. um You know, another guy on the flip side that really stood out in this game and it just he jumped out.
00:28:25
Tristan Amundson
And it's funny. We have such good cornerback play on on the Seahawks that it's not. I don't think this is a statement of I wish we had him on our team because we really don't. i i don't know if we have room for him on the team.
00:28:37
Tristan Amundson
But man, ah Mike Jackson looked great during this game and was was it seemed I mean, talk about a guy that seemed like he was just all over the place the entire time. um You know, watching him over the last few years as a Seahawk. I always liked him as a Seahawk. He was one of those guys you're kind of bummed that that we had to let him go. And again, this isn't a statement of I wish he was on the team because.
00:29:00
Tristan Amundson
I really do think that the the cornerback room is pretty doggone full, but man, that guy really jumped off the page watching this game.
00:29:09
M dub
Yeah, I was surprised to find that he is the current league leader in passes defended on the entire season. He was everywhere in this game. I was very disappointed about the play that knocked out Rashid Shahid with a concussion.
00:29:24
M dub
i thought that play was quite obviously deserved a flag. He, Jackson kind of, everybody is well out of bounds when Jackson kind of gives an extra like hip grab and and circle fling around. And I'm going to guess that's when Shahid got injured.
00:29:41
M dub
Really disappointed to see that. Can't believe it it wasn't ah a penalty in the moment. I would imagine, honestly, it's a fine. We saw Derek Hall suspended for this game for a moment from the Rams game that was not penalized. And i would imagine this is the same thing. that This just caused an injury.
00:29:57
M dub
And yeah, that last week, that's what I was hoping to see. ah Most of all was was downfield connections with Shahid and and really stretching the past game vertically. Did not get a chance to see that because that happened after only...
00:30:11
M dub
15 snaps from Shahid in the game.
00:30:14
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, it was a bummer to see him have to leave. I was obviously really happy to see him get up, own power, you know walk. I will say, if I can just ah PSA to every football player in the National Football League that's listening to the podcast right now, ah and listen, I get it. I played football. it's there It's just instinctual. You just want to slap that helmet. We get it. it And it feels good. And I know it's all well-meaning. i just, when when we see a guy...
00:30:43
Tristan Amundson
have an injury that looks like it might be a concussion, let's slap the butt instead. Can we all agree? it's it also has good camaraderie. It's also a good vibe to, you know, a slap on the butt, a slap on the back, a high five, a dap. There's so many different things we could do. And I've noticed that She, he, one of his teammates kind of gave him the slap on the helmet as he's walking. And then shortly after that slap on the helmet, he kind of just casually took his helmet off.
00:31:13
Tristan Amundson
And I, I had a moment. I was like, I wonder if that was a coincidence or wonder he's like, yeah, man, like let's, let's just prevent any future helmet slaps but between here and my sideline.
00:31:15
M dub
Ha ha.
00:31:19
M dub
Ha ha ha.
00:31:24
Tristan Amundson
um hopefully he's okay because you're totally right that's a part of the offense that is so interesting and emerging we really want that to continue to grow and and make progress so um hopefully um you know this is a concussion that he's able to recover from rapidly this week we have one lap know less day this week to recover um as i'm sure we'll talk about later so um i totally agree with you though this was a a game where I wanted to continue to see us work on and grow that part of our offense. And it's a shame to, to, to, you know, miss out on that.
00:32:02
M dub
Tristan, and and the midway somewhere in the middle of this game, the Seahawks got a commanding tackle for loss on a run play, and I noticed that it occurred when the second string defensive line was in the mix. No let up when the starters had their traditional series of rests in the middle of things. What did you see about this backup defensive line?
00:32:24
Tristan Amundson
um You know, it's funny. I know exactly the player talking about. Mike Morris comes flying out of I was going to say the backfield. That would be wrong because he was clearly on the defensive line comes flying off the defensive line. There we go. Gets that beautiful tackle for loss. Here's what stood out to me, man. And and here's what I what I thought was interesting in this game. So Riley Mills was on the field. He was.
00:32:48
Tristan Amundson
on the field defensively 23% of the time, 23% of the defensive snaps, Mike Morris, 17%. That's, that's a really substantial amount for the backups to be on, especially when you consider that, you know, you got big cat, you got Murph and you have, um, read all in front.
00:33:01
M dub
Thank you.
00:33:08
Tristan Amundson
Right. And so really we're talking about five guys that are, um, working that defensive line together. um and And to see their numbers increase the way they have has been really impressive. To your point, Mike had a really impact play there. um No let up. I was just I'm finding this year for whatever reason, my eyes are locked into our defensive line. It's it's kind of who I'm watching the most.
00:33:36
Tristan Amundson
And as I'm watching our defensive line play, um I'm looking for push, right? I'm looking for, especially on those running plays, what's the push like? what What kind of push is the offensive line getting on our guys? What kind of push are we getting on their guys when it's a pass pro situation?
00:33:56
Tristan Amundson
And my biggest takeaway, and it's something that Mike mentioned a couple of weeks ago um when he was talking about Riley Mills, and I'm going to mess this up probably, but this is going to be about right.
00:34:06
Tristan Amundson
He basically said he's like, yeah, he's a really big dude. He's like 340 pounds, so he should be able to hold the point of attack really well for us. And man, that's what I noticed in this game. Consistently, Riley Mills really holding the point of attack. Mike Morris continues to be a good rotational piece.
00:34:26
Tristan Amundson
I don't know if I'm alone in this and if, if other folks are as kind of um fascinated as I am about it. If I was, if I was allowed in the press room, if I was asking coach questions,
00:34:40
Tristan Amundson
I would have to ask him about the Miley, I'm sorry, the Miley Reels, the Riley Mills story, um because i think it's so fascinating, man. If you think about a guy that you take in a mid-round you know pick, a fairly valuable pick in the draft, and you take him knowing that he has an ACL injury because you think he has that much upside.
00:35:02
Tristan Amundson
You think this guy should be a second or a third rounder.
00:35:02
M dub
Thank
00:35:05
Tristan Amundson
We're going to get him... at a discount because of the injury. We're going to be patient, which is not what the NFL is known for whatsoever. We're going to let him recover the right way.
00:35:20
Tristan Amundson
And three weeks left in the season, he's going to start playing. I believe... If I'm right, tell me if I'm wrong on that, Miles. This is either his second, maybe his third game playing, but I think it's just his second. I think his first game back was against the Rams um last week. And so you're you're talking about a guy, for for whatever reason, you believe in him enough that instead of saying, hey, you know what, Riley, we still believe in you, but...
00:35:47
Tristan Amundson
The defense is really good. We have a good thing going in the defensive line rotation already. we We know kind of what we're doing. We're just going to shut you down. We'll see you in July for training camp. You know, enjoy Christmas.
00:36:00
Tristan Amundson
Instead, they keep him around and they want him to be a part of this team for whatever reason. um i think of the fortitude on his side to be able to recover from the ACL, be in the team meetings this entire time. I'm sure his maturation over this season has been slower than, than his peers, his other rookie classes. They've been able to play and and get more reps. And I just feel as though every rep for him now is massively valuable. I would love to ask coach about it. Cause I think it it speaks a lot to how the team feels about him.
00:36:36
Tristan Amundson
I think it speaks a lot to the work ethic the work ethic that he has and how hard he's been working. um i just i think he is a fascinating story this year for the team.
00:36:48
M dub
It is a really great story. And it's also a necessary spot because um podcast favorite Brandon Peely has been injured the last couple weeks. So it'd be interesting to see what will happen if both guys are healthy at the same time. I'm not sure how serious that injury is for Peely, but it it suddenly is feeling and a very necessary spot in the rotation as well.
00:37:08
Tristan Amundson
It's pretty cool. No, it's pretty cool. So that was a fun part of the game.
Record-Breaking Performances
00:37:12
Tristan Amundson
And I think these are the teams and the games, right, that we need to have those backup guys get a lot of reps because obviously next week is going to be a really tough game versus the Niners. And, um you know, maybe there's not as many snaps for a Riley Mills or for a Mike Morris. So these are the games for them to to get um to to get those those reps in.
00:37:36
M dub
um Tristan, as this game was going on, I was really shocked. ah though The number of ways the Seahawks are making inroads into the all-time NFL record books. There's there's a lot happening where the 2025 Seahawks are making so making some NFL history.
00:37:56
M dub
Can I get started with Mr. Jason Myers, a little update on our quest for the for the record?
00:38:02
Tristan Amundson
JMI, here we go.
00:38:03
M dub
Jason Myers, two for two in field goals on this game. He is now 39 for 44 on the season. That is already tied for the sixth most made field goals in NFL history.
00:38:15
M dub
He would have to make five field goals next week to tie the record and six to break it. It's probably not going to happen. But two field goals next week gets him to 44, which is a tie for second place all time. That's pretty good.
00:38:28
Tristan Amundson
Pretty good.
00:38:29
M dub
Sam Darnold. He wins 13 games in consecutive seasons. ah Here is a list of quarterbacks who have ever done that.
00:38:40
M dub
It's a little shorter than you think. We've got Brett Favre. We've got Peyton Manning. We've got Aaron Rodgers, who did it three years in a row. And we've got Tom Brady, who had it who did it in two two different time periods.
00:38:51
M dub
And that's the end of the list. Darnold is the fifth guy to ever do that. i was looking. They told me Matt Stafford, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes never did this. And it's true. Even Mahomes and the Chiefs have not won 13 games in consecutive seasons. Isn't that wild?
00:39:09
Tristan Amundson
And even probably crazier that he's done on two different teams, right? I mean, that that he is the a huge part of that equation happening. The fact that he's the quarterback on two different teams and he's able to put that together. Pretty, pretty cool.
00:39:24
M dub
Yeah, it's so crazy that it's still like, oh, can he win the big game? You know this just does not happen. Quarterbacks winning 13 games consecutive years. I mean, I was looking at even the, and like Montana and Steve Young, like the Niners did did that, but it was only when they were passing the baton between the two quarterbacks. It's just super rare to win that many games in consecutive seasons.
00:39:45
Tristan Amundson
Well, and before you go on to the next player, I just want to mention this because I think it's it's worthy of saying. um And it's something I heard Brock Huard say during his quick recap after the game yesterday. It's it's something worthy of saying.
00:39:59
Tristan Amundson
Don't get complacent. with 13 wins. Don't take this for granted. This is not easy to do. This is really hard to do in in the National Football League. um We see lots of really good teams around the league that are currently at 10 wins, 11 wins.
00:40:17
Tristan Amundson
12, 13, 14 wins. These are great. I mean, these are really, it's it's quite an accomplishment. And I always think, and i've I've mentioned on this podcast before, I think of the San Diego teams with Norv Turner and that franchise getting tired of 14 and 13 wins over and over again.
00:40:30
M dub
Thank you.
00:40:35
Tristan Amundson
and let's let's not fall into that trap. This is pretty special. This has been a pretty... This has been a pretty easy year for a Seahawks fan, has it not? This has been a pretty relaxing Sunday over and over again as we watch them um play really, really good football. So I think it's just worth noting, let's not take 13 wins for granted. Pretty crazy that Sam's done it two years in a row. That's that's wild.
00:41:01
M dub
Yeah, to me, what hit home was it was the Chiefs not doing it because it's been seven consecutive trips to the AFC. You know, however, six or seven consecutive trips to the conference championship game for them, which is completely nuts. And I understand they've been resting a lot of guys in a lot of week 18s over the years, but still, for the for the Chiefs to not do this, it shows how difficult it is.
00:41:23
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely. Yeah, no, absolutely.
00:41:25
M dub
The Seahawks have a wide receiver named Jackson Smith and Jigba. In this game, he caught nine passes for 72 yards, which by any standard is an excellent game that gets you over a thousand yards on the season. That is his second lowest yardage in the entire season so far. That's how good his year has been.
00:41:44
M dub
He currently has 1,709 yards receiving on the year. That is the 14th best season of all time. The all-time record does look out of reach at this point. He would need 256 yards next week to pass Megatron.
00:42:00
M dub
I'm going guess that won't happen, ah although you can't rule it out. You can't rule it out completely.
00:42:02
Tristan Amundson
It is possible. Yeah, it is possible.
00:42:05
M dub
However, he does only need 38 yards to bust into the top 10 all-time, which I think will happen.
00:42:12
Tristan Amundson
That's unbelievable. And I'm sure and that'll be a fun one for next week, wherever he lands on that list. And, you know, I'm sure it's going to be I'm sure you know, that's off the top of your head. Five yards here, six yards there, you know, between ninth and eighth place and all that kind of stuff. So that'll be fascinating. But what did you say that the magic number top 10 is 38 yards?
00:42:33
M dub
That's correct.
00:42:35
Tristan Amundson
38. OK, so every yard after that, I'll be watching very closely.
00:42:38
M dub
And the real magic number is 256.
00:42:41
Tristan Amundson
$28,256. Yeah. Okay. Roger that. Got it. $38,256. I'm assuming we'll meet in the middle somewhere.
00:42:48
M dub
Yeah, maybe or something like that.
00:42:50
Tristan Amundson
Sure. Yeah. Something really attainable.
00:42:53
M dub
ah the The CBS broadcast showed this one about Coach Mack and his record on the road. I felt like that broadcast was really pulling up a lot of great nuggets. I was shocked by this one. So first two years in the NFL, Mike McDonald is 14-2 on the road.
00:43:10
M dub
Funny enough, that means he's only 9-8 at home, which just is ah that's wild. But he's 14-2 on the road. That includes the team going 5-0 in the East Coast time zone this year, which...
00:43:22
M dub
i would be I don't know how to research that one, but that that has to be close to a record to go 5-0 going coast to coast. And CBS showed there have only been two coaches in NFL history with better road records in their first two years.
00:43:35
M dub
And both of them were pretty bizarre situations before Coach Mack. So one of them is George Seifert. That's when he he took over for Bill Walsh and the 49ers in the middle of their dynasty in 1989.
00:43:47
M dub
And he goes straight undefeated sixteen and no on the road in his first two years. But okay, he he's taken over in the middle of a dynasty. And the the other time this happened was Paul Brown,
00:43:59
M dub
The Cleveland Browns are named after him. And i don't know if you remember me talking about the Miami Seahawks last year and how they played in a different professional football league.
00:44:08
M dub
they Yeah, the AAFC, which existed for like four years. The Browns started their life in this other league, the AAFC. They come to the NFL in 1950.
00:44:08
Tristan Amundson
I do.
00:44:20
M dub
And that's when Paul Brown, he goes, they they're not playing very many games. And he goes 10-3 on the road in his first two years. that That includes a playoff loss. They didn't include the playoff loss ah in the...
00:44:32
M dub
in in the thing on the broadcast. So he goes 10-2 in the regular season, 0-1 in the playoffs on the road. That is so long ago, by the way, 1950. We are still nine years behind when Vince Lombardi gets hired by the Packers.
00:44:47
Tristan Amundson
It's crazy.
00:44:47
M dub
That's how far back we got to go to catch this. So it has been an unbelievable start. And speaks to the mental fortitude of the team go fourteen to go on the road over two years.
00:44:59
M dub
I couldn't believe it.
00:45:00
Tristan Amundson
We're lucky. i I was just talking to my brother-in-law about this yesterday. He's a big Rams fan. And were talking about how lucky both of us are to have really, really good young coaches that we can basically say, like, we're locked in for a long time, right? The Rams are going to have Sean McVay for a long time. We are going to have Mike for a long time.
00:45:21
Tristan Amundson
And if you just look at teams around the league, you look at the carousel, which is – You know, we we could probably guess that what they'll be in between five and and seven or eight head coach changes this year. It seems like there's usually always, you know, between seven, 10, you know seven or 10 of them.
00:45:41
Tristan Amundson
we're We're really lucky to have one of the good ones and not only one of the good ones, one of the good, extremely young ones. um and And what that's going to look like for us going going into the future. So um pretty cool. pretty Pretty cool to think about.
00:45:57
Tristan Amundson
um You know, at the beginning of last season, we were still wondering, OK, will he be
Seahawks Playoff Implications
00:46:02
Tristan Amundson
the guy? He was a complete unknown. All right. Hopefully he can he can figure this out. And his humility and his figuring out how to be a head coach and the learning. And, you know, that's another thing they mentioned on the broadcast, how open he was about things he's still learning, figuring out.
00:46:19
Tristan Amundson
It's great to have a coach like this. you know, for the foreseeable future. um We are, we are lucky as Seahawks fans and and coaches showing that over the last couple of years.
00:46:33
M dub
it's It's been great. I feel really good about ah you know those there first few episodes after Pete Carroll got fired. I think we were pretty locked in on on Coach Mack as he was still the defensive coordinator for the Ravens. And I'm so glad that John Schneider saw the same way.
00:46:48
Tristan Amundson
Well, we've been doing this podcast for 50 years, Miles. And so, you know, when you're when you're podcasting for 50 plus years, you just you've seen us ah a thing or two and you know, you know what's going on.
00:46:58
M dub
Absolutely. Hey, that's that's true.
00:47:01
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, absolutely. um Should we get on to next week or what do we do next? that Next week.
00:47:06
M dub
Yeah, yeah, it's it's time for next week.
00:47:08
Tristan Amundson
um Remind me, I'm suddenly blanking next week or or are you going to give us your 50 seconds first? what What would you prefer?
00:47:16
M dub
we normally do We normally go next week, then then we conclude with a trip down memory lane.
00:47:22
Tristan Amundson
Okay, good. Well, dude, next week, it all comes down to this. Does it not? I mean, this is this is the game. It's incredible that we get this, this rematch. We've already gotten the Rams rematch and now we get the San Francisco rematch.
00:47:38
Tristan Amundson
This is what I thought. I watched most of the game last night. I don't know if you got a chance to watch it. Niners bears was really unbelievable television. It was such a fun game back and forth. It was offensive highlight.
00:47:51
Tristan Amundson
Um, in some ways it kind of reminded me of that bills Rams game a couple of years ago where it was just star Wars.
00:47:52
M dub
Thank you.
00:47:57
Tristan Amundson
It was just, you know, touchdown after touchdown. I believe Brock had five touchdowns last night, three passing two running. um, My takeaway, or I guess my question, and I think we're going to we're going to get the answer to the question.
00:48:14
Tristan Amundson
What's more important, having a great defense or having a great offense? who which Which version trumps the other? um I think the 49ers have an okay defense. They have a good defense that they are...
00:48:30
Tristan Amundson
um but But they are reliant on a good offense to carry the defense. How about that? The Seahawks are the opposite. They have a good defense and their offense is a bit reliant on the defense to carry them.
00:48:43
Tristan Amundson
And I feel like this is one of those um eternal questions in football. What's more important? What would you rather have a good defense or a good offense? Can I just ask you that question right now, Miles, in a vacuum, throw both teams out. If you're just watching football,
00:49:01
Tristan Amundson
as as a fan nationally, what would you rather have? Or if you were building a team, what would you rather have? A great defense or a great offense?
00:49:11
M dub
Now, trust me, I'd rather be the Seahawks coming into this game. I think it's a more fun team than the Niners, almost objectively. I think the answer is offense. And I thought about this. There's been a couple times where the Seahawks defense is playing so well.
00:49:26
M dub
But some sometimes when your defense is playing really amazing, sometimes the score is just like 7-3. you know But if your offense is playing really well, then the score can be twenty eight to three you know And it can just create a bigger margin.
00:49:32
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:49:39
M dub
So I think that's why. i think that's why offensive players are ultimately paid more than defensive players. Maybe that's the most basic thought ever, but um it occurred to me this year.
00:49:51
M dub
That being said, it is really fun to root for a great defense. there's There has not been a cooler team in the NFL since the 2013 Super Bowl-winning Seahawks, and and i i I like being on the Seahawks side of this game.
00:50:05
M dub
I'm scared of the Niners. Healthy fear, but I like being the Seahawks in this game.
00:50:10
Tristan Amundson
I think it's it's just like the Rams game. Very similar. i ah Now, I have to be intellectually consistent and honest. I do think the Rams are a notch above the Niners. I still believe that. I do believe that.
00:50:23
Tristan Amundson
That said, I think the Niners are right behind the Rams as far as talent, and I think they're really, really good. And I think this is going to be an absolute slugfest. I think it's going to be a very difficult game. um Very, very low margin for error. So i I really think from a national audience perspective, this is just going to be another great one for everyone to watch. I'm i'm certainly not counting my chickens. we We will see what happens. These are two great teams going at it.
00:50:51
Tristan Amundson
Saturday, 5 p.m. How do you feel about the Saturday kickoff, Miles?
00:50:57
M dub
It'll be weird. It'll be weird. it it it Now, both teams are working with the same week here, and it it does give um ah potential extra day of rest going into the playoff week, which is interesting.
00:51:09
Tristan Amundson
Which is something. Yeah, which which, yeah, I mean, it's funny. Both teams are missing their left tackles, right? So, in fact, both left tackles have the exact same injury. um Charles has been working on his for longer um than Trent.
00:51:23
Tristan Amundson
So Trent went down in this game. with a hamstring. um you the You saw it on the replay as he was running down the sideline after an interception, and he you know he grabs onto that hamstring, and that's ah a bad sign.
00:51:33
M dub
Thank
00:51:37
Tristan Amundson
As Pete Carroll would say, can you imagine how big that hamstring is? I remember him specifically saying that about, I think, one of the defensive tackles. In fact, it might have been Jaron Reed. He said that about at one point.
00:51:48
Tristan Amundson
Can you imagine how big that hamstring is? Well, Charles and Trent both have very large hamstrings um and we'll see which, you know, if either of them can play, um i think Charles probably has a little bit of an advantage um than Trent. um He's been coming back from it longer and as well, he is younger. Right. So so we'll see what happens there. So on on one side, less time to recover. On the other side, more time to recover before the playoffs start. And both of these teams are in the playoffs. So it's going to be absolutely intriguing and interesting to watch this game. And and i I think if we were to look into the future,
00:52:32
Tristan Amundson
Even what I was talking about with Julian Love, Julian Love coming into his full powers. This is the time, right? Against a really smart quarterback like Brock Purdy, having a guy like Julian Love um rocking and rolling. We've been talking about all year, man, like Nicky Monrory and how he continues to evolve and get better week after week.
00:52:54
Tristan Amundson
A smart, experienced Nick really helps this defense against a guy like Brock Purdy and the kind of running attack that that these guys have. I think Nick is is picture perfect for helping to um mitigate the risk of a guy like Christian McCaffrey. this is There are so many storylines going into this 49ers game. We can't get into all of them right now, but holy smokes. this is go to Holy catfish. This is going to be fun.
00:53:23
M dub
It is going to be fun. The one I'm relieved about, and it's not fair for the Niners, but Fred Warner is out. He's only played six games in the year. if you Going back to week one. he pretty much won that game on his own for the Niners. He is a hall of fame level player. And it's, it's yeah, it's not fair, but he he's out for this game and that could be the difference right there. I mean, he, he's just so good. He's so difficult and ah he won't be there this time, which could be the difference again.
00:53:53
Tristan Amundson
it's it is the nature of the NFL right it it is an absolutely vicious league and injuries take it take their toll right so we'll we'll see how this goes I'm I couldn't be more excited can be more excited to jump on with you next week as as we get into it yes
00:54:09
M dub
just to lay out the playoff seeds as as this will work. So very simple. The winner of this game will be the number one seed in the NFC and get that first round by.
00:54:22
M dub
And that's really valuable because the loser of this game will go down to either the fifth seed or the sixth seed. Now, if you're the fifth seed or the sixth seed, that depends on how the Rams do in their next two games.
00:54:39
M dub
And we're we're talking before Monday Night Football. The Rams have not yet played their Week 17 Monday Night Football
Seahawks Road Success and NFL Drama
00:54:45
M dub
game. So the listener may know how that one ends. But just to show how much is on the line for this game.
00:54:52
M dub
the the And by the way, the Rams play the Falcons on Monday Night Football Week 17, and then they're hosting the Arizona Cardinals Week 18. So I feel comfortable putting two wins on the board for the Rams.
00:55:04
M dub
Just to show how important this game is against the 49ers, you're either the one seed and you get the first round by, Or you could end up as the sixth seed and have to open the playoffs on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. it's of It's a very realistic scenario that could happen. So that's a pretty big difference. there is it's i know it's There's a lot on the line with this game.
00:55:29
Tristan Amundson
I mean, I guess the flip side is we're a pretty good road team. So that's what's kind of funny.
00:55:33
M dub
so Yes, but I mean, of all the things that could be happening, ah you know, two Sundays from now, one is on your couch and the other is is facing the defending Super Bowl champions on the road.
00:55:36
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:55:44
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, it it is wild to think about it. And to your point, when you think about recovering from some of these injuries, whether it's Rashid, whether it's Charles, whether um it's Kobe Bryant, just name a couple.
00:55:58
Tristan Amundson
um or Or just guys that are just, you know, generally dealing with getting banged up because they play in the NFL and it's a really tough car accident that they're in once a week. um man, yeah, having that extra week of rest is is pretty incredible.
00:56:12
Tristan Amundson
And I think the numbers, I shouldn't say I think, the numbers bear that out, right?
00:56:15
M dub
Thank you.
00:56:16
Tristan Amundson
that I think 51% of the time, the number one seed ends up going to the Super Bowl. I could be wrong on that, but it's ah it's a staggering number no matter what. um So yeah, a lot on the line.
00:56:28
Tristan Amundson
I mean, this is what the NFL... does better than any other league. I don't even think it's close. The NFL creates drama just by its very nature. And we're get we get plenty of that on Saturday.
Seahawks Playoff Lore and 'Beast Quake'
00:56:43
M dub
All right. Are we ready to spend 50 seconds in Seahawks history?
00:56:47
Tristan Amundson
been waiting.
00:56:48
M dub
since Since this is the 50th year, and Tristan, we're at the business end of the season, so we are we are in the the the glorious parts of these Seahawks record books. All right. My time starts now.
00:57:02
M dub
Tristan, I did some back-of-the-napkin math. In Seahawks history, if you add up all the individual player snaps... There are about 1 million player snaps in the history of the Seahawks.
00:57:16
M dub
And if you were to rank them all, there is one player snap that is way ahead of all the rest. And in fact, it just might be the best single snap performance in NFL history.
00:57:28
M dub
It is the 2010 wildcard round. The Seahawks are playing the New Orleans Saints. Marshawn Lentz gets the ball and runs for 67 yards. It is called the Beast Quake. Broken tackles, as a statistic, have only been kept since 2018.
00:57:43
M dub
Since then, the league leader for the entire season usually has between 30 and 35 broken tackles. On this play, Lynch legitimately breaks eight tackles at once.
00:57:55
M dub
In this game, the Saints, as the defending Super Bowl champions, they are losing in the fourth quarter thirty four to twenty They bring it back to 34-30, which sets up the Beast Quake with three minutes and 30 seconds left.
00:58:08
M dub
And Lynch's touchdown pretty much ices the game for the Seahawks. Some fun facts about what else was going on in this game. On the previous snap, Lynch was stuffed for no gain. This was his 13th game as a Seahawk, but just his first 100-yard game in Seattle.
00:58:23
M dub
It's the first playoff career touchdown for Lynch, and he ended up with the eighth most playoff touchdowns of all time. And in his very last home game as a Seahawk, Matt Hasselbeck throws four touchdowns, but you don't normally hear about that.
00:58:39
M dub
The Beast Quake, it's one of the greatest plays in NFL history.
00:58:43
Tristan Amundson
the week leading up to the game, the seven and nine Seahawks, every sports center, every talking head on ESPN, this team should not be in the playoffs.
00:58:54
M dub
you
00:58:54
Tristan Amundson
There's better teams. Why do we have to watch a seven and nine team in the playoffs? That's all we heard the entire week. It was asinine. I kept saying to my TV because that's how the rules are. And that's the game that we're all playing that we all agreed to play at the beginning of the season. ESPN that that's why they're in the playoffs. I know it's a bit odd. They're seven to nine, but it is what it is.
00:59:17
Tristan Amundson
And the entire week, miles, the entire week, the talking heads. I'm sure Stephen A. Smith said if if he was even I don't even remember Stephen A. was around during that time, to be honest.
00:59:28
M dub
Oh, he was around.
00:59:29
Tristan Amundson
But the entire time Stephen A. Smith is saying things like this team shouldn't be in the playoffs and hey, this is going to be an absolute blowout.
00:59:39
Tristan Amundson
The Seahawks aren't in the same league as the as the Saints, the the lowly Seahawks. This is going to be a laugher. And thank you for bringing the memory. One of the great Seahawks memories of all time. This is one of the first times miles you started kind of giving me the history and I instantly knew the play that you had to be talking about because it's the greatest play as a Seahawks fan ever.
01:00:05
Tristan Amundson
um Watching Hassel back down the field, blocking for Marshawn, watching Marshawn throw grown men like like toys, watching the offensive lineman, Tyler Palumbus, everyone getting downfield for key blocks, and then the famous jump, the crotch grab, the the land in the end zone.
01:00:28
Tristan Amundson
The city shakes to its very foundations. You just brought back the whole thing for me, man. I i was reliving the beast quake. Thank you. Thank you for bringing that memory back. what Is that your Christmas gift? I've been waiting for it. I think you just gave me the Christmas gift I've been waiting for. Thank you, Miles.
01:00:50
M dub
Yeah, it um it was just it so so... I mean, I was looking to the seismometer that measured it. And um this thing was actually put in place to kind of monitor the health and safety of the 99, the Alaskan Viaduct, and then the bridge and the road. And that's what um that's what shook. it's It's well outside the stadium, and and it registered a 2.0 earthquake on the Richter scale.
01:01:17
Tristan Amundson
I mean, that's well outside the stadium. That's not as though that's on the sidewalk next door. That is well outside the stadium. And listen, is that the reason they had to take the viaduct down and and change it to the tunnel underneath? I don't know, but maybe it had something to do with it where they're saying, hey, if if the Seahawks keep winning, can this structure continue to withstand two and three point earthquakes or earthquakes?
01:01:42
Tristan Amundson
earthquakes, you know, maybe not. So ah pretty, pretty incredible, man. i hope everyone listening just was able to close their eyes and just picture that play in in every second of it, because it's such a great play. And one of the many reasons why Marshawn is my favorite running back of all time. Just incredible.
01:02:03
M dub
Yeah, I was really surprised that was his first 100-yard game. He goes 12 games. I mean, you you think of Marshawn just hitting the ground running right from the start of that midseason trade. 12 games in a row without registering 100 yards, and the rest is history.
01:02:17
Tristan Amundson
He made a count when he made a count. um Dude, that was great. We got a great game coming up. You and I will talk next week. Ah, man, what what do we say? I mean, I guess maybe we just say the thing that everyone said as they went to bed that night after the beesquake.
01:02:36
M dub
Go Hawks.
01:02:37
Tristan Amundson
Go Hawks.