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Sunny With a Chance of Sacks
19 Plays24 days ago
Tristan and Miles talk about another stunning D-line performance, Cooper Kupp’s place in Washington state history, and dive into the natural world with Ecology Hour.
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Transcript
Jaguars' Historical Habitat
00:00:00
Tristan Amundson
Miles, i don't know if you're like me, but I instantly had this thought. Are there Jaguars living wildly anywhere in Florida?
00:00:11
Tristan Amundson
I did some research. It turns out there hasn't been a Jaguar in Florida in a couple of thousand years, which I was really incredibly disappointed to find out. um I thought you might want to know a little bit about the home range of the Jaguar and and kind of how they interact with on the landscape in North America.
Jaguars in the U.S. Today
00:00:31
Tristan Amundson
Well, there's only a couple. And when i say a couple, I literally mean that there's a handful of Jaguars that seem to migrate from Mexico into parts of Arizona and parks parts of New Mexico.
00:00:45
Tristan Amundson
But as as of today, there are no really wild per se Jaguars permanently living, or should we say a breeding population, in the United States of America.
00:00:58
Tristan Amundson
um Instead, there's just a handful, let's call it less than 10 Jaguars that live some somewhat of a nomadic life. They go back and forth. Apparently ice doesn't bother them as they're crossing the border, which, which is great.
00:01:12
Tristan Amundson
um And ah that's, that's what I found about out about the Jaguars this week. um How are you doing, my friend? What'd you find out about the Jaguars?
00:01:21
M dub
Tristan, great to be with you. Great to talk Seahawks football with you. It does make me wonder about the population of Seahawks in Seattle.
Seahawks and Fictional Creatures
00:01:30
M dub
Were these two fictional creatures battling against one another this week?
00:01:35
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I mean, I've I don't know if if there is a specific, I mean, I guess maybe that's research for next week. There's certainly a lot of hawks, as we know, in the greater Seattle area. There's certainly a lot of eagles, other birds of prey. There's certainly a lot of hawks that fly over the sea and fly around the sea.
00:01:57
Tristan Amundson
um Are they specifically seahawks? Well, that might just be um the boys in blue. i'm I'm not sure, but we will get our research department on that.
00:02:07
M dub
Excellent. Yeah, that sounds good. You know, I was thinking watching this game. We had the Jacksonville Jaguars join the NFL in
NFL Global Expansion and Jacksonville's Role
00:02:14
M dub
1996. And our sports leagues that we know and love here in the 21st century, very focused on global expansion. You know, we we got an NFL game in Europe pretty much every week now. That wasn't happening even seven, eight years ago.
00:02:27
M dub
Jaguars definitely a big part of that. just made me realize what a funny choice it was just as recently as 1996 to be like, yes, we are expanding and we are going to Jacksonville of all the cities to choose. i I guess I was thinking that as I was seeing some empty seats in this stadium, ah not fully supporting the team that was four and one going into this game, as the broadcast also mentioned that a new stadium was going to be built for the Jaguars as well. i don't know.
00:02:56
M dub
did this Does this ring true with you at all?
00:02:59
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I mean, it is a funny thing when you think about, um The current state of NFL ownership and just how how precious these teams are and how valuable they are. um And yeah, of all the cities of all the world, the idea that we have a professional football team.
00:03:16
Tristan Amundson
You know, one of the most powerful leagues in the world, and and they've set up shop in Jacksonville kind of reminds you. i mean, you know, I'll just be an outabashed Seattle fan.
Jacksonville as an NFL City
00:03:26
Tristan Amundson
It kind of makes me think about Oklahoma City. Right. That's another um really just, you know, historic town known for a lot of big sports moments.
00:03:36
Tristan Amundson
that has a basketball team ah that it doesn't doesn't seem to to warrant. And so, yeah, i mean, it's just kind of it's interesting how you have these um these random cities that that have sports teams.
00:03:41
M dub
Thank you.
00:03:47
Tristan Amundson
And yeah, Jacksonville's definitely, um i guess, probably the the number one oddball. team in the United States. Buffalo? I mean, Buffalo, New York, I don't know. I guess we'd have to look at some demographics and population density of of Jacksonville versus Buffalo.
00:04:06
Tristan Amundson
I guess I assume Buffalo's larger, but but maybe not. im I don't know.
00:04:10
M dub
And are there any Bills in Buffalo or or Bears in Chicago? like This is not going to end, but you did mention that the Jaguars do roam into New Mexico nomadically. If they move and become the Santa Fe Jaguars, it will feel like it comes out of nowhere, but we know what the NFL was thinking if that comes to pass.
00:04:28
Tristan Amundson
will We will know that there's some some folks that are are really looking into the the natural home ranges, the the breeding ranges of the of the Jaguar, and understanding you know the impact that they have on the landscape. So yeah, that would be a real win um for the the natural history um folks you know amongst us and ah you know the wildlife lovers um in the in in the NFL community.
00:04:57
M dub
ah Tristan, we have gotten our ecology segment out of the way.
Seahawks vs. Jaguars Recap
00:05:01
M dub
it is Is it all right if I move our subject to this NFL football game week six between the Seattle Seahawks and the Jacksonville Jaguars?
00:05:10
M dub
Seahawks travel across the country into doggone Jacksonville to face 4-1 team. They come out 20 to 12 victors to also have a 4-2 record, rocketing up the power rankings. This was a team that was in the The mid-20s in power rankings across the NFL landscape a few weeks ago, now you'll find them regularly in the top five.
00:05:32
M dub
The Seahawks ah start slow, just like they did in the previous week against the Buccaneers, get in a great offensive rhythm in the second and third quarters. In the meantime, the Jacksonville Jaguars make an incredible amount of mistakes, probably an all-time amount of like football coach mistakes for a four one team.
00:05:51
M dub
And after a ah very ah fourth quarter, it was a one possession game for the fourth quarter, most of it. And it's still kind of drug to the end. And the Seahawks come out 20 to 12. Tristan, what do you think about this football game?
00:06:06
Tristan Amundson
You know, um can I just tell you the first thing I noticed? My my my first note on the game, Miles.
00:06:13
M dub
ah Does it have to do with the nomadic, ah the actual football game? I'd love to hear it.
00:06:19
Tristan Amundson
I this is a really weird thing to bring up, but but honest to God, it's the first thing that jumped out to me. um i don't know if you noticed it. It was a tough day for number 77.
00:06:31
Tristan Amundson
um the right guard, I'm sorry, excuse me, the right tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars was called for a legal formation um and was called for it twice. But what I love, and and i I don't think I've ever actually heard um a referee or an umpire specifically say this, the line judge say say this, but he said illegal formation number 77 lined up in the backfield.
00:06:55
Tristan Amundson
um And he was called on that twice. And I, you know, i don't know if there's a better way for me to tell you how the Seahawks won this game without telling you how the Seahawks won this game, except to tell you that the Jaguars right tackle two times decided this pass rush is just too much for me. I'm just going to go ahead and start in the backfield and try to in some way defend against this defense and, and, and how much pressure is coming off the edge.
00:07:28
Tristan Amundson
Um, honest to God, that was my first takeaway. Um, illegal formation lined up in the backfield. It's a, it's a rare call. Um, and it happened to one guy twice because the rush was just that crazy.
00:07:42
M dub
I do think that that's a very helpful illustration, and I think that does sum up, ah unfortunately, maybe more than the actual play itself. it It does sum up, I think, both how the Seahawks won this game and how the Jaguars lost this game.
00:07:56
M dub
Wasn't quite sure what we were going to face in Jacksonville. You got the new coach, 4-1 record, some explosive offensive numbers, lot of young, talented offensive players. um I compiled what what I call the slop report.
00:08:11
M dub
um And there's a long list ah for both of these teams. The Jaguars started it. I think we can say that. But I think the see they unfortunately dragged the Seahawks down into their slop game. And there was some, there were just crazy moments all around. Much much like number 77 called for the same penalty twice. are Are you ready for the slop report? We'll start with the Jaguars.
00:08:35
Tristan Amundson
I'd love it.
00:08:36
M dub
Jaguars on the day. Six procedural penalties. So that I hadn't kept track of all of them. I didn't realize number 77 had it twice because there were six total procedural penalties in in addition to other penalties.
00:08:49
M dub
I couldn't find the pass drop numbers for this game specifically, but I could find the season total. Jacksonville leading the league with 17 dropped passes on the year. It seemed like a good chunk of them came in this game.
00:09:00
M dub
Seahawks leading the league with just one drop pass on the entire year. And then...
Jaguars' Game Mistakes
00:09:05
M dub
The Jaguars have ah three potential scoring special teams plays.
00:09:12
M dub
They have an extra point, a field goal, and a two-point conversion. They could have potentially gotten six points combined out of those three plays, and they end up with zero of them. So that would have... And a game with an eight-point margin, that would have made a pretty big difference, but they go 0-4 across three special teams plays,
00:09:32
M dub
Seahawks, unfortunately, not innocent here either. Seahawks have four procedural penalties, including um the two point attempt that they eventually stop. They get the ah the truly unbelievable 13 men on the field.
00:09:47
M dub
And the referee called that one as well. i think you could sense he enjoyed making that call. yeah He could have let the Seahawks off easy with the too many men on the field. he He did twist the knife in there a little bit with the 13 men on the field.
00:10:00
M dub
um The Seahawks also get two additional after-whistle penalties. ah We got DeMarcus Lawrence with a roughing the passer and then JSN with a taunting penalty, which was both ah frustrating that he did it and frustrating that they called it.
00:10:15
M dub
And then I think this is getting more and but talk We'll probably get into this little more later, but four plays in the secondary that were very clear communications breakdowns.
00:10:27
M dub
The Jaguars took advantage of all of them, and the ground suddenly felt very unstable because a communication error in the secondary is definitely not something you see very often with a Mike McDonald team.
00:10:42
M dub
This is the end of the slot report.
00:10:44
Tristan Amundson
So with all that said, with all that slop, and I thought that was really well done, did you ever feel like this game was out of hand? Did you ever feel like there was a moment when, oh man, we might lose this one?
00:10:57
M dub
It's a great question. And the answer is no. This did feel... I didn't feel like we were going to lose it, but the it could have been put away in the fourth quarter, and it wasn't. How about how about that?
00:11:09
Tristan Amundson
They certainly...
00:11:09
M dub
Definitely felt like the better team the whole time, and and this could have been over a lot earlier.
00:11:14
Tristan Amundson
They played with their food. There's no doubt. They definitely, they didn't finish dinner as fast as they could have. um For me, Miles, the the thing that like really stood out but besides, so ah I mean, you're right. There were a lot of procedural um penalties.
00:11:30
Tristan Amundson
I did, by the way, just to mention, I loved that 13 men on the field. I, I had to pause it and I was counting each one before they got a chance to do it for me on the broadcast. I was like, this is really, this is a rare one. You usually don't try to get away with 13.
00:11:44
Tristan Amundson
um That was great. I think they didn't, they get called for a 12 man on the field earlier in the game. Also, I thought, I thought that happened twice.
00:11:50
M dub
Yes.
00:11:51
Tristan Amundson
Yeah. Yeah. So it's pretty.
00:11:52
M dub
Well, 12 once, 13 once, and they they didn't go for 14, but that formation, I think, really would have stopped the Jaguars offense to get a 14th man out there.
00:11:54
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, exactly.
00:12:00
Tristan Amundson
Yeah. i mean, If you're going to, if you're going to do it, do it. um To me, though, my my biggest takeaway, and i I've watched a few Jaguar games this year, and so I feel i feel semi-familiar with this team, more than more than most you know random teams in the NFL. that you you know So many times right when a team...
00:12:21
Tristan Amundson
When your team's playing another team, you've never seen them before. Hey, the first time I'm seeing the Bills this year. Well, that wouldn't be true.
00:12:26
M dub
Thank you.
00:12:27
Tristan Amundson
the The Bills are always on TV. um But hey, first time I'm seeing Arizona, maybe. Right. Or, or you know, first time I'm seeing one of the smaller market teams. First time I'm seeing Carolina. This I had seen the Jaguars a lot. And and to me.
00:12:42
Tristan Amundson
the the Achilles heel with this team is Trevor Lawrence. And, and this is kind of after watching three or four of their games this year, it's interesting, the mistakes that he makes and um watching the game speed up on him kind of in the wrong moments.
00:12:59
Tristan Amundson
um He has been victim of a lot of drop passes. There's no doubt about that. But as I watched this game, I found myself really grateful for Sam Darnold and how steady he was throughout the game.
00:13:13
M dub
Thank you.
00:13:13
Tristan Amundson
um And I found myself looking at Trevor Lawrence over and over again and just thinking this, you don't want this guy to be your, your franchise quarterback. Now, listen,
00:13:25
Tristan Amundson
I'm not saying that he can never be that, right? I mean, I think Sam and Baker, you know, all these guys are good examples that we are crazy. Geno Smith as well. Like you're crazy to, to say someone is cooked um their first go around. Maybe he needs a change of scenery.
00:13:41
Tristan Amundson
um But as I watch this team and as I even watch, you know, the the talent that they have, um Travis Hunter, when you look at Brian Thomas, you look at some of these really talented pieces and you kind of think, I think Trevor Lawrence might be the thing that's kind of holding them back.
00:14:02
Tristan Amundson
Um, just from a mistake perspective, did did did he kind of jump out to you the way that he jumped out to me? Because it's just, as you're watching it, even beyond the sacks, it just, things just looked off, out and bad timing, not on time. that That was kind of my first, um, takeaway, just kind of from a sloppiness perspective.
00:14:23
M dub
Those are really interesting thoughts. I did have the appreciation for Sam Darnold because with the compare and contrast, the two different offenses on the field, you're realizing Sam Darnold is incredibly accurate with the ball.
00:14:38
M dub
And especially compared to Trevor Lawrence in this game. And and you're realizing that Darnold is giving... he he's yeah Yeah, he's just incredibly accurate with the ball, and it's going where it needs to, and that's not always the case with Lawrence and the Jaguars' ah offense.
00:14:52
M dub
I was also feeling, though, ah the similar feeling I felt when we watched Daniel Jones struggle with the Giants in the matchups the last couple years, where I was thinking...
00:15:05
M dub
I don't think Trevor Lawrence has just had a good 28, 29-year-old veteran wide receiver to just keep it calm, move things along, get 80 good catches a year.
00:15:16
M dub
It just seems like it's always a very young team around him. And with all these mistakes, I i just kind of wonder um how how it would change if it things were just a little more stable.
00:15:26
M dub
what it was It was a very emotional and up-and-down group in that Jaguars offense, but definitely made me appreciate Sam Darnold. but hundred percent
00:15:36
Tristan Amundson
So one of the things I appreciate the most, and this is going to sound like one of those really silly contrarian takes. My favorite thing about the game was and, you know, just something really stupid, which what I'm about to say admittedly is kind of one of those. But I don't mean it to be that. I really actually mean this fairly sincerely.
00:15:56
Tristan Amundson
um Towards the end of the game in the fourth quarter, and I don't know if you'll remember this play or not, the Jaguars brought a house blitz. I mean, they brought everybody. and for whatever reason, Sam didn't pick it up the right way.
00:16:11
Tristan Amundson
And he got he got sacked real quick. And I felt myself having this, oh, no, this could be a really bad moment kind of play. And I was so proud of him. I was so happy that he just churned his body, put the ball into his chest and took the sack and survived it.
00:16:29
Tristan Amundson
And he didn't make a massive mistake. He didn't try to throw the ball somewhere. He didn't he didn't try to get cute.
00:16:35
M dub
Thank you.
00:16:35
Tristan Amundson
he He didn't try to escape and run and and have the ball, you know, out there for it to be swatted away. He just he did the very unsexy, very kind of classic quarterback thing, which is this play is falling apart.
00:16:50
Tristan Amundson
It's not going to be the thing that loses us the game. The next play, we punted it. We punted it, I believe, to the 11 yard line. um They went three and out and we got the ball right back. And I just, I looked at that play, man, and I was like, as unsexy as that is. And and listen, Sam had a a few beautiful throws. He had the beautiful throw to Jackson for that huge touchdown.
00:17:13
Tristan Amundson
I mean, Jackson Smith and Jigba continues to be just... I what are the words, man? I mean, a revelation. it's It's been incredible to watch him play. He had that great pass to A.J. Barner down the field.
00:17:26
Tristan Amundson
It's not to say that Sam didn't have some really good passes, but I feel like a sloppy game. Maybe this is what I mean by this, man. A sloppy game like this, like if you have a sloppy play in your Sam Darnold in that moment.
00:17:41
Tristan Amundson
If you suddenly fumble the ball and Jacksonville gets a short field, those seem to be the moments when a game can change. And the fact that he just got on the ball and protected it, I thought was awesome.
00:17:55
M dub
I think that's a really great call. I didn't read that significance
Sam Darnold's Game Management
00:17:58
M dub
into the play as it was happening, but I think you're absolutely right. And I think it's a really great compare and contrast with the fourth down attempt in the first half of the Steelers game in week two.
00:18:09
M dub
we could We could see some growth from that moment because that was a play in the Steelers game where Where Darnold did panic and it it gets tipped for the interception and run back into the opposing red zone.
00:18:22
M dub
And you're absolutely right. you You can't win the game on that play if you're Sam Darnold. Because I did think it was a great call by the Jaguars defensive coordinator. And sometimes that just happens. It was was an overwhelming blitz that they had not been doing all day, and it came at just the right moment.
00:18:39
M dub
So it's a great call by the Jaguars defensive coordinator. You can't win the game on that play, but you definitely can lose it. ah Except unless you do what Sam Darnold actually did, which is, yeah, just just taking that sack and It's a great point to mention the defense and special teams getting the ball right back just a couple minutes later.
00:18:59
M dub
And that makes it a play that's easy to forget. So that that's a great call that that that's a significant moment.
00:19:04
Tristan Amundson
Um, so, so this one for me, like just in general, watching this game, obviously, and I don't know if you have, I don't have any major takeaways from the run game, except they just could not get it going.
00:19:16
Tristan Amundson
Um, you know, the total for the game, 26 carries 60 yards. Um, that's averaging 2.3. The long was 10. I mean, that's, that's pretty rough.
Seahawks' Offensive and Defensive Highlights
00:19:27
Tristan Amundson
That's a pretty rough day at the office from a rushing perspective.
00:19:30
Tristan Amundson
Um, and yet, and we mentioned it already, Another game where the Seahawks passing attack kind of looks exactly like what you're you're looking for. you know, maybe a little more bounce be nice.
00:19:43
Tristan Amundson
But um Jackson Smith and Jigba continues to be the crown jewel, continues to be what's making this whole engine and this whole thing work. um AJ Barner obviously just you know didn't have a big game um from a standpoint of you know a lot of catches he had three catches for 71 yards with a long of 61 which kind of tells you everything you need to know but he had one really key catch that completely flipped the game and and basically put the dagger um into the other team and then can we talk man can
00:20:14
M dub
Thank you.
00:20:17
Tristan Amundson
Cooper Cup with, I mean, yet another just how did you get those extra yards after the catch, that 29-yard catch that Cooper Cup makes, and then just out of nowhere at the end gets another eight yards after the play was over, and he just gets up and figures out a way.
00:20:35
Tristan Amundson
It's so fun. he He is such a fun player to watch. him I get why Rams fans have loved watching Cooper Cup over the years. ah And I feel like now I'm just really fully appreciating now that he's on my team, how fun it is to watch this guy. um you really Really kind of interesting. that How did you feel about kind of the run game and and and how that worked in with the passing attack?
00:20:58
M dub
Yeah, you know, my mind is so anchored to an episode of the podcast. I'm i'm sure everybody listened to and loved when we covered the second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
00:21:09
M dub
They had a drive in the first quarter where they pretty much ran it all the way at like six and seven yards. a snap. And i just kind of figured this was the team we're running team. Now we got Clint Kubiak and this is a running team.
00:21:22
M dub
And I know we've seen six games where the Seahawks are mostly winning with the past, but I'm still remembering that, that first possession so much. i'm I'm not sure why, but yeah, not especially the fourth quarter, the Seahawks, it it seemed like both teams were trading a lot of three and out punts in the fourth quarter when,
00:21:41
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:21:41
M dub
Both teams could have really used a score. And that was where I was like, man, it would be nice if the Hawks could just dial up some rushing plays that were just, you know, this is four yards. Doesn't need to be more than that.
00:21:53
M dub
You just know this is four yards and you just keep on going, take the air out of the ball. And yeah, so pro football reference has their rushing success percentage, which it doesn't account just the total yards, but the down and distance.
00:22:07
M dub
44 qualified running backs in the NFL. We have Ken Walker at number 33 and Zach Charbonnet at number 41, which isn't great. Uh, Saquon Barkley down at number 42 though. i thought that was interesting.
00:22:21
M dub
Um, ah watching Cooper cup though, you did mention a couple weeks ago, how how does Cooper cup get this yardage after the catch?
00:22:21
Tristan Amundson
You know it
00:22:27
M dub
And I was really trying to focus my football mind on it until it, uh, came up in our show again, and here's what I've got. And ah this could be our one of wide receiver 101 for anybody who actually played the position. was like, yeah, it's obvious, but I don't think most receivers do this. what What I've got for you is I think he's normally catching the ball at a 45 degree angle to the line of scrimmage.
00:22:54
M dub
So he's not completely turned towards the line of scrimmage and the ball.
00:22:57
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:22:57
M dub
He's he's he's at this kind of 45 degree angle. So he's kind of already pointed up field. I mean, I don't think everybody does that. What do you think?
00:23:06
Tristan Amundson
You know, he does do kind of a lot of slants, I guess, ah to your point. um and And he seems to be able to find extra space when he's doing those slants. So I think maybe there is something to it. um He just has a knack for it. and And I know it's something that he takes pride in.
00:23:23
Tristan Amundson
And it's the thing I'll be watching the most this year is just those extra yards um that that you don't necessarily expect. um And yeah, just an incredibly efficient, fun guy to watch. And I mean, so far been been very healthy, like like most of this team from an offensive perspective, um is playing a lot of snaps, played 71% of the snaps again um on Sunday, and is just being, i think, that consistent safety blanket behind Jackson Smith and Jigba.
00:23:55
M dub
you
00:23:55
Tristan Amundson
um I say that, though, as if Jackson is you know just hitting home run balls. He's not. I mean, Jackson's doing it all, man. He's hitting singles, doubles, home runs. you You need it. Jackson Smith and Jacob can get it for you.
00:24:07
Tristan Amundson
um So it's been really fun to see the balance between the two of them. But ah you might be on to something. i think he does um really use body control. And I think maybe that's the answer to him being maybe at that 45 degree angle and and just creating...
00:24:24
Tristan Amundson
um that space um around defenders. and And maybe it is just having that natural knack for, you know, kind of Travis Kelsey-esque, right? Just having a a knack for the spacing around him and finding those soft spots.
00:24:40
M dub
I do want to point out the Jackson Smith and Jigman numbers because i' I'm noticing I'm kind of taking him for granted because didn't come up hook i just like first or second in my thoughts about this game. But just looking at the numbers here, eight catches for 162 yards, including the one big touchdown.
00:24:56
M dub
He is leading the league with 696 yards for the season. That's an average of 116 game. And people people on the internet have recognized that 116 yards a game, 17 games, that would be the all-time record in the n NFL history. So we'll put a knock on wood on that. I don't know.
00:25:18
M dub
i mean, he's only getting better as the season's going on. That does seem like the kind of thing where it's hard really hard to sustain over the course of a whole year. But, I mean, how crazy is that, that we're this late into the season and...
00:25:32
M dub
This is actually what's on pace to happen.
00:25:35
Tristan Amundson
It's not an aberration. Yeah, no, 100 percent. it's It's really happening. um And it's it's something that seems fairly sustainable, especially when you look at what this offense can throw at you.
00:25:47
Tristan Amundson
Jackson is by far the big the biggest playmaker, there's no doubt. um But i I think that this team would be pretty happy if it had to keep throwing to Cooper Cup. I you know i don't think it would um flinch at the at that aspect or or at that opportunity.
00:26:03
Tristan Amundson
Torrey Horton is is certainly proving himself as a very capable wide receiver, say three or or you know however however we want to identify wide receivers in this offense.
00:26:14
Tristan Amundson
And then those um ah those tight ends, man. So yeah, i it's crazy to think that it's sustainable, but I think it just might be.
00:26:21
M dub
Thank
00:26:23
Tristan Amundson
um And he's he's making it look easy. I mean, he really is looking like one of those elite wide receivers. um in the league. And I mean, I got to say on Seattle Sports Talk Radio, a guy named G. Scott um called this last year. um He knows Jackson really well personally, knows the family, um was ah was a part of the Ohio State um ah kind of family over there with his son playing at Ohio State as well.
00:26:53
Tristan Amundson
Um, and he said last year, Jackson Smith and jig was the best wide receiver in the NFL. And when when I heard him say that, I kind of chuckled and I was like, well, that's, that's a little over the top. He's very, very good. I don't know if he's the best.
00:27:07
Tristan Amundson
And, um, So far this year, it looks like he is. And so it is pretty incredible. And I don't have it in front of me, but I'm assuming if we transposed and and looked at Jackson's numbers, you know, let's say for starting at week 12 of last year, and we kind of looked at, you know, that as our starting point to now, um I think his numbers would be pretty wild.
00:27:29
Tristan Amundson
So, yeah, it's pretty, pretty fun to see.
00:27:32
M dub
Can I add a quick 10 seconds in Seahawk history about Mr. Cooper Cup here with his touchdown catch and credit to Cole Musgrove of Seahawks wire for digging this up. This is a factoid after my own heart.
00:27:45
M dub
Cooper Cup catches the touchdown. Also, kind of an angle away from the line of scrimmage on that, looked like a really difficult window. With that touchdown, Cooper Cup is the seventh player to score a touchdown at a Washington high school, a Washington college, and at a Washington professional football team. There's only one. It's the Seattle Seahawks.
00:28:04
M dub
But he joins a group that includes Jermaine Kearse, John Kitna, and Brock Huard, among others, and Jeremy Stephens.
00:28:11
Tristan Amundson
Look at that. That's pretty cool. That's a neat little stat. I i did not expect to hear that today. That's really cool.
00:28:18
M dub
There we go. And also Cooper Cup is result is the one of seven families to have three straight generations of NFL players. i
00:28:26
Tristan Amundson
That's crazy.
00:28:27
M dub
we We got stats all over the place here. Thank you. Thank you, Cooper. Thanks for the stats.
00:28:32
Tristan Amundson
Cooper, thanks for the memory so far. No, what a great offseason acquisition he's turned out to be. And um I'm just thrilled that he's continued to be healthy. Right. And and I hope that continues.
00:28:44
Tristan Amundson
um Can we talk about this D-line a little bit more, Miles? We'd be crazy, i feel like, to go much farther into this game without digging into the D-line. Let me just start us off.
00:28:55
Tristan Amundson
Can I start us off with the most obvious? It's kind of my role, I think, in in the podcast to to to spout the obvious.
00:29:03
M dub
Thank
00:29:03
Tristan Amundson
um Have you heard of this guy on the team?
00:29:10
Tristan Amundson
he he seems to be playing really well in the middle. I think they call him Byron Murphy. And holy smokes, Miles. Murph is just, 91 is all over the place.
00:29:22
Tristan Amundson
You mentioned it when we were chatting before. First play of the game, Byron Murphy just... out like a cannon and gets that initial sack. um How fun has it been to see him play? How fun was it watching him? And and just give me a few more thoughts on the D-line in general. I have a couple as well.
00:29:40
Tristan Amundson
it It was obviously the most entertaining part of this game was just the dominance of the defensive line.
00:29:47
M dub
Tristan, I agree. As I was watching it, I mean, the numbers with Jackson Smith and Jigba are insane. But as I was watching it, I really felt like the four guys on the defensive line were winning this game because all those stats combined for the Seahawks get to 20 points, which is pretty good.
00:30:02
M dub
But limiting the Jaguars, a very explosive offense to just 12 points with that many injuries in the secondary and and some very... kind of the most bloop-tastic moments of Mike McDonald's whole tenure in the secondary happening.
00:30:17
M dub
The defensive line was just so good. It really felt like they won they felt they won the game on their own to me. So Byron Murphy gets a sack. Not a snack, but a sack.
00:30:26
Tristan Amundson
Well, I probably got a snack or two as well.
00:30:29
M dub
Sack first, snack next. He gets a sack on the first snap of the play.
00:30:31
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:30:34
M dub
That just opens this barrage that lasts the entire day long. The broadcast noted the Jaguars entered this game, allowing six total sacks on the year. Seahawks passed that, getting seven on the day.
00:30:48
M dub
Also, defensive line working in the run game. They hold the opponent to under 60 yards rushing for the second consecutive week. I mean, we didn't have the run game going, but... they didn't either just absolutely turn the faucet off for the second consecutive game and all these sacks all this all these pressures are coming with what is the league's lowest blitz rate by far the league average is about 20 on blitzes so half the teams are way over that 20 seahawks league low with 11 percent
00:31:20
M dub
percent blitzs and yet they are tied for second in total sacks. They are sixth in pressure percentage. Tristan, in the top 32 people on the sack leaderboard, you would expect to have one per team. 32 teams, you'd expect one pur one guy per team in the top 32.
00:31:38
M dub
Seahawks have three guys. We have Leo Williams tied for 29th. Uchenin Uwosu, he is healthy. He's all the way back. We definitely missed this guy last year. He's tied for 16th.
00:31:50
M dub
And it's Byron Murphy up at the top, tied for eighth in the whole league, best on the team. What a group. What a group.
00:31:58
Tristan Amundson
What a group, man. No, it's it's incredible. I'm looking i'm looking at some numbers right now. um i It's just so fun to to say these numbers. Seven sacks, seven tackle for loss, 17 QB hits. I mean, it the game wasn't going to work.
00:32:16
Tristan Amundson
and And it's one of those games, if when you're on the other side of it and you cannot win, your five cannot beat, therefore, it is such a demoralizing thing. Because suddenly, it you can have the most fancy plays in the world. You can have the most brilliant um offensive coordinator on planet earth.
00:32:38
Tristan Amundson
And it means nothing if you can't block. And if you can't do the basics of of football, which is your five have to win. and And in the case of this game, um i mean, 17 QB hits. I don't know if I've actually ever seen a number higher than that for QB hits. I mean, that's a ah shocking number that we were able to um put together. Byron Murphy continues just to blossom right now on on this defensive line. That's been really incredible to see.
00:33:10
Tristan Amundson
You're totally right, man. to see Achenna just out there doing his thing again has been incredible. To see Demarcus Lawrence, right? I mean, talk about another great off-season acquisition.
00:33:23
Tristan Amundson
Demarcus Lawrence was everywhere. Boye, obviously. i mean, Big Cat, it goes without saying. It's getting kind of silly now. It's a good feeling, Miles, to be at this point in the season.
00:33:35
Tristan Amundson
and I feel like this is getting to be a broken record. Byron Murphy. and and and Big Cat are destroying offensive lines. I mean, we you couldn't ask for a better ah outcome and a better thing to be true of a team than than being able to say that over and over again.
00:33:53
Tristan Amundson
um It makes it so fun to watch. One thing I just noticed watching this D-line, it seemed, especially compared to last week, and you know a lot of this has to do with the opponent and and play calling, I'm sure,
00:34:06
Tristan Amundson
But it just seemed as though they were flowing left and right, east and west with the ball so much better. You noticed penetration and then we're making the tackle behind the line, you know, towards the boundary on both sides.
00:34:20
Tristan Amundson
um there There wasn't a lot of room for trickeration. I don't know if you noticed this play, man. One of my favorite plays, I had to watch it three times. It was towards the beginning of the game.
00:34:32
Tristan Amundson
I believe Jacksonville was about on their 10 or 11 yard line, which seemed to happen a lot in this game. um And Trevor Lawrence threw pass in the backfield.
00:34:44
Tristan Amundson
ah You know, I think it must have been a screen they were trying to set up to Travis Hunter.
00:34:49
M dub
Thank you.
00:34:49
Tristan Amundson
Potentially a really scary, important play, right? Because Travis Hunter ah a dynamic athlete. Get the ball in his hands, you know, let him do some work. And I had to watch it twice because Kobe Bryant was in the backfield to make the tackle with Nick Eamon Rory so fast that i I twice I couldn't figure out how does Kobe suddenly just appear? It's like he teleported.
00:35:16
Tristan Amundson
To Travis Hunter, and then suddenly he was sacked or ah tackled for loss, and Nick was right there with him. Nick holds the edge perfectly. he's He's giving basically Travis Hunter nowhere to go, and then like lightning, Kobe Bryant comes out of nowhere and and makes that ah that tackle with Nick.
00:35:38
Tristan Amundson
I don't know if you can remember the play, man. It was such a cool thing. And it to me, it just kind of, it was one of those harbingers of good things to come where you could just see this team.
00:35:49
Tristan Amundson
We were going to be flowing to the ball very quickly and attacking very violently. um i've I've heard that Kobe, um ah specifically that that that Coach was a little hard on Kobe this last week um with his tackling and and needing to clean ah clean some things up.
00:36:07
Tristan Amundson
I also heard after this game that Kobe Bryant very publicly said, thank you to coach for calling him out and and for being kind of hard on him and and for pointing out, this is how we need to improve, which man speaks unbelievably to Kobe Bryant's character to be able to take um constructive criticism, I think, and, and, you know, become better because of it.
00:36:29
Tristan Amundson
And, and I just felt like that play was a microcosm of the, the flowing to the ball and the aggressive nature and really the fundamental nature of what this, um this team was doing.
00:36:42
Tristan Amundson
at least around the line of scrimmage, right? I mean, you're i think you're totally right. A bit of a different story in the secondary and coverage. But if we're talking about line of scrimmage and behind the line of scrimmage, they were just terrors out there.
00:36:57
M dub
Absolutely. Not just Kobe Bryant, but Nick Emanwari as well. I feel like it is constantly in the backfield. Was a really fun game to watch. I mean this is second full game, right? Like third total appearance, second full game.
00:37:08
Tristan Amundson
We're just getting to know them.
00:37:09
M dub
And tied for the team lead in tackles on this one and also has a tackle for loss.
00:37:10
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, it's incredible.
00:37:16
M dub
That's pretty awesome coming from your safety.
00:37:18
Tristan Amundson
it's It looks like he's going to be one of those really dynamic um playmakers. And to your point, he's barely played in the NFL. I mean, um it looks like he's totally healthy.
00:37:29
M dub
you
00:37:31
Tristan Amundson
i'm I'm looking at his numbers right now, played 95% of the snaps. So um that's a great sign, right? It looks like he's fully healthy, kind of turned the corner. um Those high ankle sprains can be difficult. So the fact that he's turned the corner, he's playing with this kind of abandonment,
00:37:47
Tristan Amundson
um Now we just start stacking weeks, right? Now now a young player can can start stacking experiences. Really, really fun to see.
00:37:56
M dub
We did mention this a week or two ago, but I am still waiting for, what what I'm looking forward to is actually getting the starting 11 defensive players on the field. And knock on wood, hopefully it actually is able to happen just with unpredictable health in the NFL. But six games played, there's been three from Julian Love and two from Devin Witherspoon. That's not very many.
00:38:17
Tristan Amundson
Bye.
00:38:17
M dub
And that you know that this jigsaw is is missing is missing such huge portions of it.
00:38:25
Tristan Amundson
Yeah. And that, that makes it easier for me to give them a little bit of grace and the sloppiness of the secondary play. I, I think you brought this up last week as well.
00:38:33
M dub
Thank you.
00:38:35
Tristan Amundson
You know, there, there's a few weeks here where, um they're having to just kind of piece things together on the backend. and And certainly we do have, um, some good players are able to come up and, and, and fill those roles.
00:38:47
Tristan Amundson
And Josh Jobe is, you know, been back there and, and all of those things. But, um, It's not quite the same as having, you know, there's a reason why guys are starters and there's a reason um why you picked Devin Witherspoon where you did.
00:39:01
Tristan Amundson
We know the impact he has on games. We know the impact Julian has on games. So, yeah, it's ah it's a really it's an important point. And I feel the same as you. I'm I'm really eager to see.
00:39:14
Tristan Amundson
the the full experience of this defense. We keep seeing really good pieces of it to see all everyone hitting it on all cylinders will be incredible.
00:39:26
M dub
Trista, can we look ahead to next week? Week seven, Seahawks playing a Monday night game.
00:39:29
Tristan Amundson
Let's do it. Yeah.
00:39:32
M dub
I was not very confident about the Seahawks' ah chances in this previous context. You know, traveling a across the country, four and one team.
Seahawks vs. Texans Preview
00:39:42
M dub
I have to say, i do feel really confident about the Seahawks hosting the Houston Texans on Monday night football because I really feel like this is strength on weakness.
00:39:52
M dub
The defensive line versus the Texans' offensive line. It's been an issue. The Texans had a a couple of of good, strong games against weaker opponents. But they really struggled with their offensive line earlier in the year.
00:40:04
M dub
And I did want to mention this offseason, they did sign our old friend Lakin Tomlinson from last year. And actually last week, they benched Lakin Tomlinson, and that broke his streak of 135 straight starts that he had going back to 2017 for four different teams.
00:40:18
Tristan Amundson
Well,
00:40:22
M dub
So it's a team that's looking for answers on the offensive line. I expect, and I expect a low scoring, just defensive slugfest in this one because Texas defense is very good too.
00:40:32
Tristan Amundson
you got to tip your hat to Tomlinson. I mean, that is an an unbelievable feat. it That's unbelievable to think that he has been that um I want to say this in a very respectful way, and I mean this sincerely.
00:40:47
Tristan Amundson
i There's a better word than competent that that I want to use, but he's been that good of an offensive lineman to be able to put that streak together.
00:40:55
M dub
Thank
00:40:58
Tristan Amundson
that doesn't That doesn't happen because of some slappy that's out there just trying to you know play NFL football. You put a streak like that together because people trust you, because you do your job.
00:41:09
Tristan Amundson
um Obviously, a much older player at this point. I think that's really that's just worth kind of a tip of the hat to that. That's actually a pretty neat um thing for you to bring up um that at this point in his career, he has had an unbelievable NFL. Well, can you give me that number again? How many consecutive starts?
00:41:27
M dub
hundred thirty five
00:41:28
Tristan Amundson
ah hundred and thirty I mean, that's unheard of. yeah yeah That's unbelievable. That really is an incredible thing. um I agree with you that that strength on weakness, you would imagine this will be a you know a really fun high sacking affair.
00:41:43
Tristan Amundson
But if I know anything about the NFL, that means the Seahawks will get no sacks. They'll get one quarterback hit, um no tackles for loss, and somehow... you know somehow they're just Houston's going to run all over us, right? That's just the, if I've learned anything about the NFL, the second you have a thought of how something's going to go, it all just goes right out the window.
00:42:08
M dub
yeah Yeah, good hedging, good hedging. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It probably won't be any s sacks or or anything at all.
00:42:13
Tristan Amundson
Zero sacks.
00:42:14
Tristan Amundson
and And you're sure this is the Houston Texans. I was pretty sure this was the Houston Oilers. And I have a song prepared if you want it, because I, that's, that's their name, isn't it?
00:42:14
M dub
Yeah.
00:42:25
M dub
um Well, there are actually Texans in Houston, unlike some of these other teams we talked about at start.
00:42:30
Tristan Amundson
Oh, that's true.
00:42:30
M dub
But there are the Houston Oilers as well. There's Oilers in Houston. And yeah, i think it's ready for our song segment of the week.
00:42:37
Tristan Amundson
Houston Oilers, Houston Oilers, Houston Oilers, number one, number one, boom, boom, boom, Houston Oilers, Houston Oilers, Houston Oilers, number one.
00:42:56
Tristan Amundson
Thank you. Thank you. um
00:42:58
M dub
how they ever How did they ever leave?
00:43:00
Tristan Amundson
I don't know. i's I think it's a, I, I think it's a great song.
00:43:01
M dub
You try to sing that song with Tennessee Titans. It just doesn't work.
00:43:06
Tristan Amundson
I think it's a great name. um but you're right compared to the Jaguars. If you want to talk about a home range and a natural, um, breeding population, there's way more Texans in Texas than, than Jaguars in Jacksonville. So from that perspective, you're right. It's an apt name. It's a great name. ah Um,
00:43:25
Tristan Amundson
I it's, it's looking forward to it, man. Monday night football, right? It's always fun. Monday night football. Um, they're hosting Houston, right? So this is playing, this will be in, um, this is incredible. It's the most old man thing that I do.
00:43:40
Tristan Amundson
ah miles, uh, in my head just now hosting, it's going to be a great night in. And then my brain has to go through every name that I've been told is,
00:43:51
Tristan Amundson
Quest Field, Century Link, and I finally get to Lumen.
00:43:52
M dub
Yeah. The kingdom. Yeah.
00:43:55
Tristan Amundson
It's wild. And i I don't, I'm not even trying to do it. I'm realizing that when old men do this, they're not necessarily trying to be funny or cute. Like sometimes it's just, you're you've just been told the name of so many, it's it's had so many names, um but it's gonna be rocking um in Seattle Monday night. That's gonna be really exciting. I wonder, and I don't know this, I'm just, I'm kind of thinking i' top my head,
00:44:20
Tristan Amundson
Let's see here. No, it won't interfere. The Mariners will be playing their playoff games this week, ah Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. So there won't be any overlap for potential mayhem in Soto ah this week um as we had last week. But um yeah, it's going to be a really fun, always a fun crowd, right? I mean, Monday Night Football is a special thing. So that's something to look forward to.
00:44:45
M dub
um Absolutely. And it will be an opportunity for, i think, the the rest of the NFL world to meet and greet this team. Tristan, this team is the 50th team to play Seahawks football in the 50th year.
00:44:54
Tristan Amundson
I'm
00:44:59
M dub
And this year, we have been honoring that by spending 50 seconds in Seahawks history at the end of that end of our show here. Are you ready?
00:45:08
Tristan Amundson
um ready
00:45:09
M dub
My time starts Now, Tristan, it's an age-old question. How would NFL players do against a college team? And the Seahawks have given us the best potential answer ever.
00:45:20
M dub
It is week six, just like it was now. Back in 1987, the players have gone on strike. And the replacement players, a totally new group of rosters, are brought in for several weeks of games.
Steve Largent's 1987 Performance
00:45:33
M dub
Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent, very controversially, crosses the picket line one week early and returns one game before the end of the strike against the Detroit Lions.
00:45:45
M dub
So Steve Largent, he's 33 years old, and he's on the field with basically nobody he's played in the NFL before. He ends up leaving this game with nine minutes left in the third quarter, just after halftime.
00:45:55
M dub
And the reason he leaves is basically the mercy rule that he decided on his own. At that point, the Seahawks are up 37-7. Steve Largent, at that point, has 15 catches for three touchdowns and 261 yards. Again, nine minutes left in the third quarter.
00:46:13
M dub
The all-time record is 336 receiving yards in a game, and Largent's game is still tied for the 20th best game ever. There it is.
00:46:24
Tristan Amundson
That's incredible. That's unbelievable. um Can you give me what year was that? i I want to look this game up. I want to watch this game.
00:46:33
M dub
It is 1987.
00:46:36
Tristan Amundson
1987, week six. That's unbelievable. I would love, I would love, absolutely love to watch that game. That's what a fun, what a fun bit of of Seahawks history.
00:46:48
Tristan Amundson
One of the greats. i you can't write that. I mean, he crosses the picket line. That's hilarious, man. that That's incredible. I kind of wish he went for the record. i I respect that he didn't, but I kind of wish he just went for it.
00:47:01
Tristan Amundson
um that That's, ah I wonder what happened in his mind if he just couldn't, he could not stand the thought of not playing another, like, I can't wait another week. I need to play right now.
00:47:13
M dub
I'd be interested to know. It it wasn't very looked very well upon by his teammates at that time. is It was definitely ah ah a conversation, I think, in the locker room. I do think his level of performance was just about perfect because 20th best game is great.
00:47:28
M dub
Best in Seahawks history. That's nice. I think if this was the all-time record, which he very easily could have done, I think there'd be a major asterisk on that. And a lot of like attention would be pointed to it. You know, like I do this against replacement players. So I think, I think this was handled beautifully.
00:47:46
Tristan Amundson
So, yeah, he he knew something. um You know, I know that that maybe some of his teammates weren't totally happy with them miles after that game, but they did.
00:47:56
Tristan Amundson
There was a phrase. There's something that they said to him at the end of that game, even though they they were a little disappointed with him, maybe.
00:48:01
M dub
Oh,
00:48:04
Tristan Amundson
Right. Hey, you shouldn't cross the picket line. But at the end of the day, they still had something that they wanted to say to him.
00:48:10
M dub
They were on speaking terms. but What was it?
00:48:14
Tristan Amundson
It was a really simple phrase. Go Hawks.
00:48:18
M dub
Go Hawks.