Stramp on the boots and scrape up the knuckles. Hold ahead, he got jacked.
This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert Smurry's.
Gonna score touchdown Slim to the ground by Buddha Baker. Like a torpedo, he keeps flying into the back deal.
The Rage is brought to you by santan Ford and Gilbert right on the Price right on the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway in val Vista Seek your Ticket to Great Seats, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast Visit Azycardinals dot Com Slash Podcast.
All Red Sea is rising up, Dude, You're rising Vision Flurry Rage, take it Ober.
Here's Paul CALVICI I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready.
I'm telling you I'm ready.
And Ron Woolfley. It doesn't get any better than that.
The NFL regular season might stop. The Big Red Rage does not the original Thursday Night Football No Winter Advisories here in the az to postpone. This edition all presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santane Ford, Paul Calvec, Ron Wolfley, soon to be joined by Cardinals tight End coach Ben Steele, all, we have quite a bit to talk about with a position coach of Trey McBride and company.
That is straight ahead, Ron Wolfe, did you know, speaking winter advisories, that this whole buffalo thing and now they're expecting yet another winter storm to hit over the weekend and they already had the game postpone last week. Do you know the name of the guy who's the key to the Bills playoff run?
Uh?
No, it goes he goes by the name Squirrel.
Squirrel.
I read this earlier today. Hands well, sort of. He's Josh Allen's name, and he's a retired farmer who win needed is called upon to dig the Bills quarterback out of his own driveway and get him out of his own place and to the stadium, either for practice and for games.
WELLI there are guys I know that live in Orchard Park or East Aroar somewhere out there. They've got some acreage and suddenly they've got I don't know, one hundred yards of driveway. And suddenly, if it starts to snow and you get six to eight inches, or maybe you get six feet, you're in trouble. And you got to call your neighbor to come and bail you out.
In fact, it was so bad earlier this week that they had a travel ban in Orchard Park and all the surrounding towns ron Willfleet, and yet somehow all the Buffalo Bills made it to practice. So apparently they allowed the Bills to hit the road obviously because they've got a big playoff game come up against Kansas City. And so there you go. There's your winter update. And of
course Cardinals do go to Buffalo next year. So all the sideline reporters, we hope, you know, on behalf of all of us that that game is a mid season instead of late season.
Here comes hooping.
Yeah, all right, so here we go Cardinals. They're under the off season, and the question becomes, all right, what's next? We know last off season there was a lot of change.
We had our.
Hashtag no allegiances. As of right now, only eight draft picks remain from the last four years. That's a thirty two draft picks. Only eight remain. It's sure to be fewer than that by the time next season starts. And guess what this roster coming up this year? If nothing else, Now that they has a year under his belt as head coach. They know what to expect. Year's your head coach, Jonathan Gannon.
Who's ever back here in twenty twenty four? They understand what's expected and how we operate. And if they're back here, I feel really comfortable myself and mine and the coaching staff feels really comfortable about their roles. But I always say, like, the price of admission is team and then you. And if they're back here in twenty four, they have that.
See, that is the beautiful thing, Paul. Right now, that is the beautiful thing about this The foundation of this culture has been laid. It has so the foundation it was all about, okay, what kind of football are we going to play here? And if we're going to play this kind of football here, what kind of football player do we need to go get? That is the foundation right now. Now, what's the next step, Paul, What is the next thing to do? I think Manti asen Fort
and Jonathan Gannon and the coaching staff. Of course, the entire organization has got to start building vertically. Somebody's got to bring the two by fours in right now. The foundation is there. Now you have to build, and you have to build a house vertically.
By the end of the season, the Cardinals were the third youngest team in the NFL. You know, the youngest team in the NFL right now, Green Bay Wow. Second youngest team the La Rams, who who started in three and six and then won seven out of eight and went into the playoffs and had that narrow loss of Detroit. We'll get into that a little bit later. But now, at least do you have the answer to a couple of questions, what do you want to be as a team?
Yes?
Who is going to be part of this team? And or who is needed? At least now you have some questions. Where is a year ago? At this time all you had were questions, Okay, what is this head coach all about? Are these players going to be? And you don't really know. And I said this earlier this week and Cardinals underground. You can agree or disagree, and I know you will, but you don't truly know what you have as a head coach and a general manager until the regular season starts.
Until you get regular season snaps.
Right.
Craig Dorsch barely made the fifty three by the end of the year, He's one of your key contributors. So you never would have expected that when the season started. You need regular season snaps.
Yes you do, Pauli, there's no doubt about that. But the foundation has been late. And when I say that, once again, I'm talking about football players. They already know they have a really good idea when they look at the roster, and I'm talking about JG and Monty assin Fort and the coaching staff. When they look at the roster, they already know do you want that guy back? Do we want this guy back? And this guy proved he belongs here. Whatever it is, it's football and football players ball.
When I talk about building vertical pull now, it's time to go and identify the guys who are going to be a good fit for the foundation that is that has been laid. They're going to be a good fit, but they're more talented. That's what you've got to do now. Building vertical means going out and bringing more talented players in to build on the foundation that you have.
All Right, So there's Kramitt vertical, which is the run game. Then there's build it, build it vertical. Okay, here's the quarterback Kyler Murray. Just on the leadership from the top down, a new head coach and a new GM.
It's like refreshing, just you know, to have you know, guys up stairs that you know believe in it and really to it and hold everybody accountable. You know, it trickles down, you know, starts at the top. You know. I think every great organization business understand you know, it starts at the top and the guys really believe in what they appreciate. You know. I'm very confident in what we got going.
There's that word again, accountability. People ask about, Okay, well, what is the difference with Jonathan Gann and maniasin for That's the first word I start with. That's the word that Michael Bidwell, the team owner, cited in making the coaching change last off season that needed to be addressed,
that needed to be instituted do a greater degree. And I think what you saw over the course of the year was finding those guys willing to buy in to that accountability and those who are not were no longer with the team.
Listen, I call it pads. Okay, I've heard you.
Know an acronym pads physical.
P It starts with people physical.
You're looking at me like I should write this down.
I'm just saying exactly, Okay, for accountability, d for discipline, S for smart. That's what you want on your football player. You want them to be physical, accountable, discipline, and smart. That's what you need. Pads is what they Now, you know what, You've got guys who are checking those boxes. Now you've got to go out and you gotta find more guys to do that. And that's what manti ascid for.
That's why the draft, that's why having eleven picks in this draft coming up is so critical because I guarantee you, whether the guy is a cornerback, whether he's he's a safety, whether he's a center, a guard, he a full back, Paul, whomever it may be that you're going to bring in these doors, he's gonna check all of those boxes right there, or they're not gonna bring him in. That's my hot tag, Paul. They're not going to bring him in if he doesn't
check every one of those boxes. Whether it's a free agent that you sign in the offseason, or whether it's a kid you're going to draft out of Kansas.
Pads, physical, accountable, discipline, smart. Why do I have this feeling that you have that on a white grease board and they are woefully garage for your eighth grader vetter.
All right, it's actually on the computer. I see.
Well, look you I mean the Cardinals rookie class. To your point, the Cardinals know what they want. They led the NFL with eleven rookies that started at least one game that combined for an NFL high sixty four starts by rookies. And we all know that you can draft measurables. But it's the person, it's the mentality. It's when Ammania Sapport says, you know what, we met with Garrett Williams and we knew after fifteen minutes he was our sort of player. We met with a Michael Wilson and we
knew he had our sort of mentality. So up and down the draft class, look at all the contributions and if you can stack another draft class this year like you did last year. To your point, that is how you build it vertical, correct, that's.
What you do. You build it vertical. You build on the foundation. Now it's time to bring in more talent.
Hey join the Airs on a cardinal season ticket priority list today twenty twenty four. Opponents include the Bears, Chargers, Patriots, Jets, Lions Commanders, and of course the NFC West. Just go to Azycardinals dot com slash priority list. All right, Ben Steel tight ends coach. We'll talk about Trey McBride and more when we come back on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert.
Trey McBride has been one of the best receiving tight ends in football.
Tray McBride grows strong grasshopper near sight.
It is undercron comin.
It's at the ten yard.
Line by mccride.
First Cardinal tight end in thirty four years with a one hundred yard receiving game.
Oh my goodness, Trey McBride, have a day, baby.
McBride fighting for the first down at the two. He's still pushing the pile. Kenny pushes it into the end zone. Put it dutch down. Trey McBride all muscle buyer's lap in the end zone.
It is caught by McBride.
Hey, it's a touchdown.
Big time play by Trey McBride.
Caught inside the five yard line by mccride for a first down.
We want to talk about a vertical game, and Trey McBride went up and grabbed that ball. That was an elite catch.
That was spectacular.
What a beautiful grab by mccride.
Nice catch by Trey McBride. McBride with that catch sets the Cardinals single season record for most receptions by a tight end. His second NFL season has been phenomenal.
And it continues no doubt. NFL is all about what opportunity and when you get one, and sometimes you only get one, you better seize thy opportunity. And Trey McClay, as we call him, led the Cardinals not only in catches, he was second in receiving yards. He was top ten
in both categories in the NFL. And we have his position coach here on this edition of The Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert we are santan Ford, Ben Steele joins us over a decade in the NFL, and you're nodding, it's good to hear Trey mcbriden highlights it is.
I hope he doesn't hear that montage that you guys just played with. I keep telling him he's only as good as his last play. So yeah, tremendous year for the guy.
I'm super proud of him, you know, It's funny because it seems like the guys in that room keep him in line and keep him humble, because every time I'm over in that area of the locker room, they're giving him the business.
Yeah, they definitely do. They definitely do.
We've got a great room, you know. And Trey's a humble enough guy himself. He's not gonna get away from him. But you know, there's times that I remind him every single day. And it was after his first one hundred yard game. I told him, I was like, yeah, great game, he had one great game.
Like who cares?
The NFL is about consistency, like you said, So I'm like, you got to do it again, you know. You know that's something in the stretch line. I'll come by and tell him, Hey, great ones show up every day. It's not just like on Sundays. So today we got to work right there. He just and he he puts it. He put it, He puts the work in, and you know, tribute to him. I'm just super proud of the guy.
So talk a little bit about the season that he had, how he started the season and and where did he grow the most.
Coach, Well, you know, coming into the season, obviously was a little bit of a of a difficult spot for him to be in, you know, being in the shadows of Zach Ertz coming back off of his injury, and then when Zach got hurt again and eventually went on ir you know, Trey got his shot and he took advantage of it, and I knew he would, and he didn't say anything. He just kept working and kept his head down. So I'm super proud of him for that.
And I told him that at the time, like, hey, your time is gonna come, and when it does, like it's gonna be huge, and and it was, and he wasn't too big for it. And he, you know, like I said, he does the little things that it takes to be great. And hopefully that continues. I think it will.
How did he.
Great out, you know, week in and week out, I mean, because what we saw were some spectacular plays at times, but we also saw a guy who was hard on himself as a sideline reporter. It's amazing how hard he was on himself at times on the sideline. So I'm just curious, you know, what did you make and how much.
More is there?
How much more potential is there going forward? In his game that was only year two.
Yeah, there's a ton of potential still there, you know, and even the games that he you know, has the stat lines that are super high like his his Really his last two games I thought were his two best games of the year because he didn't just do the pass catching part of playing a tight end. And to me, that's what a tight end is. It's not a one dimensional I'm just a slow wide receiver. I don't block anybody.
I'm a dual threat. And everyone at the combine when I ask him who's like the most impressive tight end the league, they all say George Kiddle. Why because he blocks and he catches the ball obviously, and he's not always the go to guy in San Francisco, so you know, and Trey really works to do both, and he can do both, and he does both, and he's gonna stick his head in there. And I mean, he had some really good blocks in those last two games. I don't
know if they were the best stat line. I know they weren't the best that he had this year, but by far he grated wise as far as blocking and just being a complete tight end, it was.
It was unbelievable.
Well, guess what. Wolf cited it during the broadcast, especially as the season war on, and then the head coach had as much to say about Trey McBride's blocking.
He's a complete player in his mind.
He would tell you this.
To take the next step of being a completely dominant player at that spot. I think he wants that to be a little more consistent. But he does an excellent job in there with that improves every week.
And there you go. Jonathan Gann, Yeah, you know what, coach. I tell him all the time. Do not just be a pass receiving tight end.
I told him, I have heard that. I've heard you say that on the radio before. Yes, I promise you, if I have anything to do with it, he will not.
And I can tell that, and I can see why he's gotten better because he's got a coach that is demanding that wide Coach, would you ever lower the bar for him? It's always raised the bar right. He's capable of doing.
It, no question.
And it helps our team. Y is on a first and second down, If we know that you're only going to be in there to catch the ball, like, it doesn't help us in the run, game winner, play action and all that compliments itself. So you know that's the biggest part as for me as a tight end coach that I want out of a guy is to be able to and willing to work at both.
Yeah, you know, for me, eleven personnel is such a huge part of a lot of NFL teams today, even in rundown situation first and ten second and one to six eleven personnel one back, one tight end, three wide receivers. That to me, you've got to be capable of doing both out of eleven personnel running the ball or throwing the ball, and that tight end is so critical, as you know, coach, in that eleven personnel, if you're going to run the ball, you better have a true stud
tight end who can do both. Tray is that guy.
He is that guy.
And it's the same thing on third down when you know you want to be in a seven man protection and you got to bring in your jumbo tight end or whoever that is. You know that the teams are gonna a lot of times pressure more so, like we actually had an audible against the Eagles and we were in a seven man protection. Tray came down, sealed the end and we scored a touchdown. So yeah, you got to be multi multi as a tight end for the sake of the offense.
And hey, how about his tight end coach? Right, I mean, if you're looking at his blocking, I would think you're the guy to be mentoring and tutoring im. Considering your background. You look at your resume, tell us about just some of your experience because you've been an on line coach along the way as well, right.
M h yeah, I h.
The last two years I was working with the offensive line as the assistant on line coach in Denver and in Minnesota coach tight ends before that in Atlanta and Tampa Bay, but former player, former tight end as well. And you know that was also something for me as a player, is you know, I was mainly a special team's role playing guy. But you know, for a tight end in this league, to be able to be in there every single down, that's what I want and that's what you know.
I'm here to do special teams? Are you kidding me? Right down? Don't get me started on that, coach?
All right?
I tell you can we bring the kickoff back coach, no question, Oh my goodness, we gotta do something about.
It, no question. That bothers me as well.
And I talk a lot of special teams in the tight end room, like you know, especially the guys in the roster. I'm like, listen, special teams is about effort and just willing to go hit somebody in the mouse And if you're not the starting tight end, you better be contributing on special teams.
And on that note right there, tell us a little bit about Elijah Higgins and where do you see the upside for this guy? How much better can he get? I'd like to see him put some weight on as well.
No question, Yeah, I'd like to see him put some weight on for sure.
Right how much? Coach? Like, what do you think?
I mean eight to ten? I think he could hold that.
I think you know, you don't want him to lose his speed because he is a threat in the pass game and he can run and he's got great ball skills. The best part about him as a former receiver, he doesn't have any bad habits as far as footwork and inline blocking as a tight end. And so he takes on the coaching and does exactly what I tell him to do, and it's it's awesome because he you know, really works at it. And he's willing and able to
stick his nose in there. And he had some great blocks the last few games when he was you know, had his opportunity when we were in multiple tight end plays. And I have no hesitation throwing him in the game if Trey needs arrest or whatever that may be. But his ceiling is is huge, and I'm so excited for him coming into his his you know, second year in the league, next year, getting a full offseason working at the tight end position with me, and yeah, I'm excited about him for sure.
Cardinals tight end coach Ben Steels our guest here on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert how much did both of those young guys learn from Jeff Swain. I mean, dude, who has a lot of years this league has a really good blocking coach.
Swain is what I call him.
He was invaluable in the room as a veteran voice in the room. And you know, at one point, you know, at the end of the year when he went on IR I'm looking around the room and I got Trey in his second year and then three rookies and I'm like, man, this is I'm like and I'm and the guys they were accountable, they did what they needed to do. But to have a guy like Jeff in the room and he still came to meetings even though he didn't have to,
which was awesome. And he's always getting better, getting those guys better as far as coaching points with footwork and hand placement, you know, and at times when I'm not able to talk to him, you know right away he is right there doing it. So he was huge because he showed those guys what it truly means to be a pro. It's not just showing up to practice and
then first one out the door. All the little things it takes to get your body right, eating the right food, mentally, making yourself aware and and on point with assignments and and everything outside of football as well.
He's he's such a mentor for those guys. Coach. You ever talked to him in German?
No, but I I know he was. He was hit yees.
Psycho was obviously teaching him as Germany. So every once in a while I'd ask him a question and they throw out like some German and I'm like, what, listen, I don't speak German.
Yet, but you played for Frankfurt, did.
You I did, and I didn't learn that much German Frankfort. But didn't you like the food over there? I love the food. I learned ein beer bita. That was the one thing.
One beer please, one beer.
Well, hey, there's a lot of speculation Cardinals might be going to Munich to take on Carolina.
Yeah, that'd be cool, that'd be cool.
Bernard would be a big team leader on that broad trip.
There's no doubt he would be. He'd have to be our chauffeur and getting this around.
So, coach, I have to ask you this because once again you're coaching tight ends and you coach and have coached the offensive line as well. Now, that's that seems like a symbiotic relationship. Getting a true stud tight end a block like an offensive lineman would be fantastic, and yet you still have the receiving component, as we all know with Trey McBride, a guy like that, and other
tight ends across the NFL. Right now, do you have a preference as to what you like to coach, like, would you like to just focus on offensive line or do you like the fact that you get a little duality at the tight end position?
I love the fact that I get that both sides of the of the of the offense. Being involved in the past game is obviously a little more natural than getting thrown into the O line room because of all the details that they have and everything that they do now at the tight ends doing everything pass protection, run blocking, and obviously running routes and receiving. You are more involved than any other position on the field other than quarterback.
So you have to know everything. So you know, for me that the biggest part, hardest thing for me is fine enough time during the meeting to cover everything and getting them ready for acte. So you've got to be creative doing that. But uh, you know, I enjoy doing all facets of it for that reason. There were times when I was working on the offensive line that'll be looking down at seven on seven.
Like, hey, what are those guys doing?
But yeah, so I would say when I was with the offensive line, I probably missed the past game a lot more than than I probably should have.
But but yeah.
It's kind of like back when I played nineteen eighty five. Of course, the full back, of course, we used to tell the center what to do, okay, just so you go.
Okay, I'm telling you, speaking of telling everyone what to do, let me ask you about Jonathan Gannon, your head coach, because look at the Lions and Dan Campbell, look at the Texans, Damiko Ryans. These are high energy guys. And the more you read about how they brought in their culture in those two programs to turn things around, I see a lot of similarities to what Jonathan Gannon is doing here with the Cardinals.
Would you agree with that?
And can you elaborate a little bit?
Yeah, And you know I've thought about this, you know, since the end of the season too. Like you know, I was with with Nathaniel Hackett and with the Broncos last year for the you know, his first year as the head coach for them, and the difference you know, going into the end of the season and this year, like every team in the NFL is good.
Everyone knows that.
And to me, it's that one percent factor of your culture that puts you over the top. And the feeling at the end of this season was not like, man, we just had a terrible season. It was okay, we have room for improvement, for sure, and four wins is definitely not the standard. But our head coach has set set the culture and the players have bought into it. So when you have that and you know that you're getting the culture right, the football pieces are going to
fall online. So I'm I'm so excited for next year. Like coming back to the office after a short break the end of our last game, I was, you know, running to my car to get to work on Tuesday, So it was we're excited as a staff.
And we've been already getting things rolling and you know for offseason program whenever that starts.
Up, Coach, where do you think the offense can evolve the most?
Well, you know, I think that we obviously need to be able to play complimentary football on I'm just talking just on offense as far as you know, being able to work early in the downs, as far as first and second downs, so we don't we're not in these third and long situations. And you know, as an offensive hole, like, we got to just get better at all the.
Details of everything that we do.
And we're we're close for sure, and going into an
off season program where it wasn't the first year. Is our staff just our staff getting to know each other and getting to know how we work together and the scheme and our players going into the offseason the second year in the scheme, that's going to be huge, huge, And then going into training camp is our second year to where we're not just day one install anymore, like we can speed it along and work on technique, fundamentals, the things that actually matter on the field, so that
all of that combined and really is a staff like everyone looks at themselves first and how we can make each.
Other better and then the players better, because that's the ultimate goal.
Accountable mm hmm.
I'll tell you what you know. Jonathan Gann had a saying early in his tenure kram at vertical, and we use that to describe the run game that ended up fourth overall in the NFL. Tight Ends were a big part of that. And it was amazing how many teams after they're done playing the Cardinals said that was a physical game, even like the Steelers have the game. We got out physical, we got our butts kicked. The Eagles
said the same thing. So we're definitely looking forward to having a full season of Kyler and everyone has the season under their belt right and that offense evolving, and if we end up going to Munich, then you know what, you're gonna be as a guy who played Germany, you know you're gonna be leading the way as well, So that'd be fun.
That would be a cool experience.
We enjoyed it.
Coach, Thank you, coach.
All right, thank you guys.
There you go. That is Ben Steel, Cardinals tight end coach. We continue with a big red rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford.
This could be the game.
Fourth down and one hand off high tower, running right, get to the outside and he's got the first down of the forty five and pushed out a bounds throws a slant of fits caught at the thirty, inside them twenty five and down at the twenty three. It's a game of about eighteen in the first down for the Cardinals.
Larry Fitzgerald is literally trying to will this team to victory. Right now.
Pumps right, throws back to the left, high Tower, caught it to ten, cuts left to the five high tower to the goal.
Line, headed put down the Cardinals.
Great take the land with two fifty three to go, picked up by docket.
Don't get inside the ten.
Sets in the Cardinals half shot the world right for true the Cards have done it there showing the Super Bowl forty.
Ten still get chills literal thole. I mean, on this day in two thousand and nine, Cardinals beat the Eagles thirty two to twenty five to advance to Super Bowl forty three. Standing job on the mic, Dave pash Ron Wolfley was in the booth. Unforgettable game in Cardinals history. In fact, the Lions win this past weekend reminded me a lot of the Cardinals win in that game and that NFC championship. In that Lions fans did not want to leave that stadium. They were still in their seats,
soaking it all in, not wanting it to end. As Jared Goff, the last guy off the field, did every interview out there, and as he came running off, he got a standing ovation and the stadium was still packed thirty minutes, almost after the game had ended.
Paully, just imagine the last time they won a playoff game nineteen ninety two.
Paul I covered the team right after that. I covered those Lions teams in like ninety three and ninety four eight in the league. Yeah, and I'm still in disbelief, I really am. I mean, you're you're talking about. You know, one of the great cutaways was forget Taylor Swift over the weekend was the eighty nine year old season ticket holder of the Lions who had out season tickets first sixty six seasons. He was at the nineteen fifty seven NFL title game and the next year he bought season
tickets because he was on the bandwagon. He's been a season ticket older ever since.
Oh my goodness.
So it is just amazing to watch that Lions turnaround. And Wolf I made a comparison. I said, you know what an ideal best case scenario for the Cardinals and Cardinals fans would be that Detroit and Dan Campbell is a case study for the Arizona Cardinals. They won three games their first year. They started the second season one and six. Do you know ever since they've won twenty one out of twenty eight games.
It's incredible.
They they got the O line fixed, the quarterback is intact. They got that premiere pass rusher in Aiden Hutchinson, right, I mean, they finally have a dialed in and they have that same sort of energy and physical mentality that Jonathan Gannon has instilled in this team.
You know that it's interesting, BALI because the Tampa Bay Detroit game, I think that is gonna be a good game. I think that's gonna be There's a lot of people that think Detroit playing home, of course, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kind of being a little bit of a Cinderella team. I think for the most part here, I think they think that Detroit is gonna roll. And maybe they do. I don't know, Paully, but I think this is going to be a really physical, physical game between
the Lions and the Buccaneers. And you know Todd Bowles, Yes, Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers they throw the ball. They're not a really good running team by any stretch of the imagination. They love to throw the ball. Mike Evans is going off, of course, as we all know, Baker Mayfield has played exceptionally well. And I will tell you the Lions defense number twenty seven in passing yards per game allowed and number thirty in passing yards per
play allowed. They will give up some yardage out in the field. And that's why I think this is gonna come down to just how much they can the Lions control Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield throwing the ball. That to me is what this game is going to boil down to. That in the physicality of the Detroit Lions attacking that front seven of the Bucks.
You know what, I bet on Baker Mayfield when no one else is betting on Baker Mayfield, when everyone else counts him out. He's at his best. He's that guy who just he channels the haters and he turns it into things like this when you don't think he's capable, that's when he pulls it out. I mean, you know, he's the first Tampa quarterback in franchise history with three hundred plus yards and three touchdowns in a playoff game.
And how many drops do the Buccaneers have. Mike Evans himself could have had two deep shots that he dropped in that game. So I'm with you, I think that's going to be more of a game than most expect. And then you take this Niners game, and we obviously know the forty nine ers real well, and they go in with brock Party who led the NFL on passer rating.
They got Christian McCaffrey back four different weapons. We had more than a thousand yards based on what you saw in Green Bay because they went into Dallas and the D and Big D stood for detonate. I mean, they destroyed the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, and Jordan Love was like shit in that game.
You know, since the twelfth week of the season, Jordan Love has been one of the highest rated quarterbacks in the National Football League in terms of quarterback rating. How well he has truly played from that point on. Now, the first half of the season was really up and down for Jordan Love. But can you imagine can you imagine if in fact Jordan Love is going to be the guy for the Green Bay Packers going forward for the next decade plus? Once again, is it possible, Paul Oh?
The Green Bay Packers go from Brettfarv to Aaron Rodgers to now this new kid, Jordan Love, And is it possible they'd have almost forty years a franchise quarter.
A staggering that is staggering, But based on what we say on that playoff win, it's definitely a possibility. In fact, you know what, I have it right here. Well to your point about him leading the league almost in so many different categories. Over his last nine games, he had twenty one touchdown passes and one interception. Yes, they won the coin toss and took the ball and then they crammed it down the Cowboys throat. They went twelve plays
seventy five yards in a touchdown drive. The lasted more than seven minutes. They led forty eight to sixteen against the Cowboys team that had won sixteen in a row at home.
But now playing the San Francisco forty nine Ers in San Francisco. Of course you have to wonder, is this where Cinderella Slipper shatters into a million pieces? Right now? I do believe there is a way for the green Bay Packers to somehow, some way beat the forty nine ers, but it involves a lot of turnovers and a lot of takeaways and playing very very well. But to me, the matchup of this game is going to be the Green Bay Packers and their offensive line. Number four in
sacks per attempt allow. That's really really good, PAULI, that's elite in the NFL. Number four in sacks per attempt allowed. The green Bay Packers offensive line. And here it comes Chase Young, Here it comes Nick Bosa. Here comes the front seven, maybe the best front seven. To me, it is the best front seven in the football universe against that offensive line. Can they run the ball? Can they just to keep Jordan Love in a balanced offense? That
is a path to an upset. But I think of all the games that could be a blowout, this is the one the forty nine Ers could blow them out.
If you walk into the forty nine Ers locker room right now. I wonder if there's a certain quote that's up on the old whiteboard. Because the defensive tackle for the Packers, DeVante Wyatt, said they have been studying the Baltimore game film where brock Perty threw four picks in that Christmas Night more okay, okay, he said, and I'm quoting now, we just got to get pressure on him. You know what I'm saying. When he's throwing the ball against pressure, it's off rhythm. I watched it a lot
on film. When d Lyman, just get pressure into him, he's always throwing off or it's behind, or it's overthrown, or it's short. There'll be a lot of picks or stuff like that. So when you get pressure on him, it's a guarantee we'll get a turnover.
End quote. Woh, Okay, Can I talk to you please, it's time for you to stop talking.
So now we'll see if Green Bay indeed can get pressure on brock Purdy. Because you're right, the Niners have one of the best offensive lines in the business and that will be intriguing to watch, no doubt about that. Hey, the Cardinal season ticket priority list you can join it today twenty twenty four. Opponents include the Bears, the Chargers, the Patriots, the Jets, the Lions, the Commanders, in a course, the forty nine Ers, Seahawks, and Rams. For all the
Infogatasycardinals dot com slash priority lists. We'll get Wolf's thoughts on the AFC when we come back. This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. Now that should do it.
Five seconds left, Snowball's complying. Have a Buffalo bells. Thanks to a thirty one to seventeen victory over the Steelers will return to the AFC Divisional Round, where next week they'll take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Here at home, mahomes Allen again, right here in Buffalo.
That's what you want.
Two of the best quarterbacks battling it out in the division round.
In this atmosphere.
Oh We're gonna be rock, no doubt. Tony Basselli, Tom McCarthy, Westwood one third straight year, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes meet in the postseason, bought that Bills have him at home after you had a Chiefs team that had hosted the AFC Championship five straight years and the Bills here it is Ron Wolfley, Buffalo Nate up here on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. The Bills in home playoff games since nineteen seventy are fourteen and two.
I still don't know how the fans got in their seats. There was so much snow an hour before kickoff. Incredible is the stories of Bills fans going and grabbing shovels from the stadium crew and just shoveling out their own aisles. Yes, and then having to stand, mainly because you couldn't even sit in a seat.
But here's the here's the thing I didn't understand, Paul. If you're shoveling out the isle, where are you throwing the snow? You're you were throwing it in the island in front of you or behind you, And they're doing the same thing. I don't know. It was crazy.
There were enough people who made a little like cooler in front of them. They're storing their beers in there. It was outstanding. You know, they're keeping the ice cold literally.
I honestly think of all the games this weekend coming up, the four games coming up this weekend, the Sunday night game, No, not about it with the Kansas City Chiefs going to the park as I like to call it, Orchard Park to play the Buffalo Bills. There it is, right, Paully, I mean, that's the marquee game is not. No, it is.
I mean, you know it's there's enough bad blood in that series. There's enough star power two teams, right, I mean you got the pedigree and the defending Super Bowl champions. The Bills right now are red hot, the way they ended the season, the way they're playing right now, the home fans who have wanted a piece of the Chiefs for all this time. So I mean, you tell me, and the way, just the way Josh Allen is playing right now, and the way he's running the ball as well.
Yeah, you know the storyline And I'm not big on the storylines. I'm big on the process. I just want to see the competition. I want to see the offense, the defense. The Buffalo Bills are running the ball so much better than what they have. I think that's more than anything else. Is one of the reasons why they have a chance of actually winning this game. The Kansas
City Chiefs defense is so much better, Paul. It is so much better number eighteen and number twenty four as a matter of fact, and rushing yards per game and rushing yards per play allowed. That is the only area the Kansas City Chiefs defense has struggled. Everywhere else they have been nails. Can the Buffalo Bills turn it back and run the ball like they did a few years ago. If they can be that team, I think they win this game. But it's gonna be I think this is one for the ages.
What's interesting is, and Josh Allen said this quote, we're a step behind already, and he was noting and citing how the Chiefs are going to have two more days of rest after they beat Miami in those sub zero temperatures and because they had to delay the game one more day. So we'll see how much that.
I'm not that crazy about that. To PAULI I'm not crazy about the fact they're playing games on Monday night. I'm not. I don't think they ought to do that. I think it does create a disadvantage for the team that does play on that Monday night. But this is my favorite weekend right here, PAULI not only that when you think of the other game in the AFC, think of the quarterbacks that are playing in this game.
C J.
Stroud of course, and then Lamar Jackson Houston and the Ravens ball. This is this is gonna be a good game as well.
C J. Stroud, I mean it is. I mean you have c J. Stroud and Damiko Ryans just combined to become the fourth team ever to win a playoff game with a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach. And first thing I think of is going into Baltimore, and I think of what the Ravens did to the forty nine ers, and I think of what rokwand Smith and Patrick Queen said after the game that you know what, teams don't want to play our brand of physical ball.
And so we can talk about Lamar, and we can talk about c J.
Stroud.
I'm wondering about that Baltimore defense and if they're going to be too physical for Houston to handle because their all line at best is average.
Yeah, no, you're right about that. There's no doubt. There's Baltimore Ravens defense, the best scoring defense in the National Football League. Not only that too, Paul, this is a team that is physical John Harbaugh. Of course, this is a guy that demands physicality. The Ravens pass defense number six and passing yards per game allowed, number one, in passing yards per play allowed, number one, the Baltimore Ravens. And I think right now, you think of Nico Collins
of course, and CJ. Stroud and the combination that they've been Remember the name Kyle Hamilton, Paul, Okay, the strong safety for the Baltimore Ravens. Kyle Hamilton what Isaiah Simmons should have been. He's six ' for pounds. The guy can run. The guy's an excellent tackler in the open field. And not only that, four interceptions on the season. Four interceptions. That's a nice season right there for safety. A guy
that was a Pro Bowl player. Kyle Hamilton, to me, is the guy that could really play a key role in the Baltimore Ravens beating the Houston Texas.
So in yards per pass allowed, Baltimore's d is No. Number one, and I did not know that. Well, what's intriguing there is c J. Stroud has to be a top three quarterback this year in the downfield passing game. His ability to hit receivers in the second and third level is elite as a rookie. We saw it in person mid season when the Cardinals went to Houston. It is remarkable. He does not hesitate to pull the trigger and go downfield.
Yes, and Paul, think about this. Last week the Houston Texans ran forty four plays. That's it, forty four plays. Wow, they scored forty five points in forty four plays. Now you know they got a little help of course right there, yes, with the pick six, but still Yeah.
Here's what's interesting is the numbers for CJ. Stroud and Jordan Love were almost identical. Sixteen to twenty one, both of them three touchdowns, both of them zero interceptions, both of them same passer rating one fifty seven point two, and they are separated by two passing yards. Do you see the tweet by JJ Watt? They got like ten million likes. Their Pro Football Focus grade wasn't even close. Jordan Love got ninety two point five.
C J.
Stroud got seventy seven point eight.
Like what?
And JJ Watt tweeted out, quote, this is what happens when you grade football players with an algorithm and people just because their numbers were identical and they are completely opposite Pro Football Focus grades.
Yeah you know this. I'm with JJ Watt. And now, by the way, okay, but I wouldn't even say the algorithm. I'd say who's actually grading? Right, That's what I would like to know right here. But again, I think the Baltimore Ravens had a bonafide shot of winning the whole thing. I think they do, Paul It.
Okay, here's my question though, Lamar Jackson most likely your NFL MVP for a second time.
This all time.
Playoff record is one in three as a starting QUARTERBACKSS and the Baltimore offense has never scored more than twenty points in a post season game during Lamar's career. Is he playoff equipped? Is the pressure? Because there's zero pressure on Houston right now. They're so far ahead in the curve. Stinking Cardinals. Oh my gosh, we paid for it right with that draft pick that was never supposed to happen.
Houston had the worst winning percentage the last three years combined of any team, and out of nowhere they won a playoff game.
Yes, here's my bloodiest game of the week as well, Paul. Just so you know, you said a lot of good stuff right there, Poly, but this is the bloodiest game of the week. You got the Ravens, the number one rushing offense in the National Football League against a team that is number two and yards per attempt allowed, the Texans number six and yards per game, rushing yards per game and number two and rushing yards per play. This is going to be a bloodbath on the line of scrimmage.
By the way, everything Demiko Ryans has done in Houston is exactly what Jonathan Gannon is instituting with the Cardinals. That energy, that physicality special Thanks the Cardinals tight ends coach Ben Steel once again for Jim al Mahondro, Cody Fincher, Ali Narini, Bron Wolfley on Paul Calvic. This has been the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. We are Sandtan for chall.
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of the Santan two to two Freeway in Valvesta.
The Rage is brought to you by.
Seat Geek your ticket to great seats, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Azycardinals dot com slash podcast. This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals football Club.