Big Red Rage - Hernandez Talks O-Line, Run Game

State Farm? Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit acy Cardinals dot Com, Slash Podcasts, The Red Scene, Rising ar temperaturizing vision, blurring, rage taking over. Here's Paul Calvci. I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready. I'm telling you I'm ready. And Ron Wolflee, it doesn't get any better than that boy, unleash the

far So. I found something out on our flight home from Atlanta that you will not find in the player bio or the scoutter report of our very special guest tonight on the Big Red Rage, Wolf that when he stops in the aisle of the team plane, like when you are chopping it up with him right, you know, up there, Wolf, and there is no getting around our guest. When he is in the aisle, all three hundred and thirty plus pounds of him, he is a barrier to

entry or exit when he is in. Now you have to wait till he moves if you want to get back to the lavatory or anywhere else on that plane. I found that out firsthand right there on the flight home. You do that with everybody though, Bo although the Pauly pencil neck, you're right, and pretty pretty much everything's a barrier to entry. It's the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford and our special guest is starting right guard, Will Hernandez here on

the Big Red Rage. Will welcome in and I know this is We're going to start right off the top and we're gonna talk a lot of football. But sometimes some things go way beyond the game itself. And we saw the Monday night football game, and we saw how Damar Hamlin, the twenty four year old Bill safety, went from the game to critical condition after going into cardiac arrest on the field. And you can see the Cardinals

social media. We've all seen it. All the NFL teams have changed the avatars to Hamlet's number three jersey with the words pray for Damar. I'm just curious. I think everyone's curious our NFL players processing what everyone saw on Monday night. Yeah, well, I mean you said it best. You know, this goes way beyond the game. You know, you're talking about a human life, a player, and I think that's the most important thing before anything, before you know,

any competition or anything. It's it's, you know, human life. That's the most important thing here in our health. So completely heartbreaking to see that. And all I can do now is praying and support that he'll be all right. And uh, you know that's there's a toll, isn't there. I mean there's a physical toll football takes on you, but there is the emotional toll, even JJ watt and we'll get a lot into JJ wile later he mentioned just the how mentally taxing the game can be. Correct. Yeah,

of course. Um you know, you see some of the most competitive players in this league, even you know, um have it take a toll on them, but even they realize that. You know this, you know, tragedy is more important than the competition of the game. And you know, just the way the game is played, and so I think, um, I think even the most competitive guys in these in this league realize that and see the importance will knowing that. Um, you're getting ready to play of course this weekend. Do

you think you'll give it? And he thought, whatsoever? Or will you be able to block it out as you play? Um? No, there The first thing I've done at any time I stepped on a football field for for a game is is I've blocked every everything out. You know, I will give one hundred percent my support any way I can help,

any way I can, you know, help with the situation. Um. You know once once it's time to play, you know I that you have no choice but to block everything else out, you know, any problems that you might have personally, anything, Um, And that's and that's the only way you can you can play this game. You know, you can't go out there with with second thoughts or doubts or anything because you know, UM, so I got to block it out. And it is amazing not only the NFL rallying to

support tomar Hamlin and his family, the entire country. I mean literally he has a foundation. They had a modest goal at twenty five hundred dollars or so. That was the goal of the objective. It's approaching seven million dollars right now. It is remarkable to support that that he has received. And Week eighteen is scheduled to be played, and that means you're going to the forty nine ers, and that means you're gonna have to get ready for a four quarter game. And you know, you tell us,

when did you start playing football? And you know, at what point did you figure, Okay, you know what, I have a future in this game. Yeah. So the very first time I ever stopped on football field was my freshman year of high school. I had no idea how to play the game. I didn't know the rules. I never even touched a football before. I simply just went tried off for the team after seeing a short practice from outside the fence, and I saw, you know, I

saw everybody getting after it, hitting each other. Because I was a songer player before, so seeing the physicality in the nature of the game, it's just it excited me and I wanted to be a part of it. And uh, you know, it took one time for me to watch one of the practices at my high school for me to go and try out myself. So will I want to get this right? You were born within the Las Vegas city limits? Yes, yes, Um, you know the thing about Vegas is where a small valley surrounded by mountains.

So you know, um, there's no really like out of Vegas area that you live in. Like everybody lives right there in Vegas. It's all pretty much, you know, just packed in there. What was it like growing up as as a kid man in Las Vegas, Nevada? Uh, you know, it was very fun, but you know, very different also. Uh, you know, I grew up with you know guys people asking me questions like, you know, do you have slot

machines in your garage? Or I didn't know people lived in Vegas, you know, I thought it was just a party town then. So uh, but no, there's actually a lot to Vegas that a lot of people don't know. It's a great city to live in. You know, it's a tourist city, so you know, it's very well invested in. They take care of the roads, take care of the streets clean and uh, you know, it's easy to get around. It's grid like roads and you you can have your

your water sport guy, you know, outdoors men. You know, there's it's it's surrounded by mountains, so there's there's a lot to do. We also have like meat about thirty minutes out. You want snow forty five minutes out. Mount Charleston gets no every year. So there's actually a lot to do, and it's a great city to live in. And uh, you know, as long as you don't uh,

you know, head over to those poby tables too much. Yeah, I just hated to ask you this as well, Will because you're you're saying that you were a soccer player until you were a freshman in high school? Yes, yes, when did you When did you know you were an offensive lineman? How old were you when you realize, Hey, you know what, man, I'm gonna be an offensive lineman. Well, I started playing soccer when I was five years old, and uh, you know, my pop's got me into it.

He was my coach. Actually for a while. I stopped playing soccer about twelve thirteen years old, and that was because I was twice as wide as almost every kid on that field. So that's when I really knew, you know, soccer wasn't for me and I needed a p see other options and Like I said, football was very, very attractive, and by the time you were done with high school, you had yourself a scholarship. So there by the way, speaking of your high school, Will her Nandez, this is

your life. Are you aware Chaparral High School in Vegas? There is one in Scottsdale that notable alums include Mark Slaughter, frontman of the glam metal group Slaughter, I think one of Wolf's favorites. I think he added on his mixed cassette before he used to play games back in the day. Stop it. Did you know that that that the frontman for Slaughter, the glam metal group, actually went to your high school. I did not, but I'm pumped to hear that makes me just a little bit prouder to be

a Chaparral alumni. You're not a battle guy, are you idea? Do you like that? I mean I listen to everything, but uh, you know, uh, just a little bit of everything for sure. I mean back in the day, I mean more spandex, more makeup, the better for Wolf. You know, he loved all those back spy colling and everything. Stop it, it's good. How has your season gone? Personally? Will? How's

it gone? Evaluate yourself for us. Um, you know, it's kind of hard for me to do that because you know, I'm I've always been I've always been very tough on myself, very tough on you know what I do, and I've could have done better and I should have done better.

So you know, it's it's it's hard for me to sit here and tell you, oh, yeah, I did good here, and like I've always said to myself, you could have done better here, you could have done better there, And that's just that's just been the story of my life. And so you know, especially after missing some games. Um, you know, that's just something that's never happened to me before.

So uh, you know, I got back trying to make it up for it, and uh but yeah, that that's the that's the facts there that I did miss some time. So just by that, you know, could have done better there. I vividly remember you saying when we had you in the off season after you signed with the Cardinals that some of your rookie year film with some of your

best work with the Giants. When you watch your film now, have you recaptured some of that because that was sort of your objective going into this year if I remember right, Yeah, yeah, of course, you know, I got back to a lot of what I did I started. You know, I had

like a whole sit down with myself. I did watch actually a lot of the film for my first couple of years, you know, just kind of remember those details of what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong then, and you know, people saying I was having a good season, But okay, let gonna go back and check to see why exactly it is that I was doing and why people were saying I was having

a good season. And so you know, I took a lot of those things, refreshed my memory, applied him this year and then also along with things that I've learned this year, because you know, every year you learn and learn and learn, so you know, it was kind of a combo of both, and definitely would say I, you know, I went back and incorporated some of those things back again to my play this year. So Steve Hayden, of course has taken over the offensive line room for the

most part. Um anything changed schematically with Steve Hyden in the room, not too much, you know, he you know, he did such a great job of going in there and you know, working with us making it a team. You know, we do. We do have a lot of vets in the room, even though some of them aren't necessarily playing, but they still chime in, they still are there and uh, you know, putting in their two cents.

So I think, you know, he did such a great job working as a team with us and not just making it about what he thinks or what he wants to do. So a lot of the things remain the same, and there are small details in there that you know did change before the better. And this was a collective, collective group. So the Arizona Cardinals zole line has started ten different offensive line combinations this year, but at least the last three games since your return, it's been the

same starting five the last three games. Kelvin Beacham earlier today was asked just about old line chemistry. It is a chemistry deal. And at the end of the day, you have to have time on task and we hadn't always had that at different points in the year, But at the end of the day, that's what you call

to do. You call it to play the game, you call to plug and play and the next man up is a mentality that you have to have in a national football league, and when there's an opportunity to be successful, in an opportunity to leave a good impression, you got to find a way to get it down. So will Hernandez. You would not be surprised to learn that Paul pencil Neck has never played offensive line. Okay, So with that

in mind, how ill portant is that chemistry? Just having the same five guys when you're trying to execute the game plan? Yeah? I mean ideally that's exactly what you want. You want five guys that know each other and know each other well played before you know, I've had a lot of snaps. You know, That's that's great, That's like the perfect scenario. It doesn't always happen like that. Cardinals

have been a perfect example of that. But I think more than that, I think the second most important thing to having an offensive linemen is, yeah, being able to have that chemistry, but also being able to adapt quickly and in a way force that chemistry when things out of your control happened, like you lose a guy or

a new guy comes in. And if you're able to do that as an offensive lineman, I think that's what really separates you because you know, everybody can play well when you're working with a guy that you know, when you're working with a guy that you've worked with for a long time. But how good can you be when a new guys steps into that you've never seen before, you never played before, and how quickly can you guys

adapt to each other and make it work? So I think, you know, as good as as having chemistry is, I think it's just as important to be able to adapt quickly. Will I was so impressed schematically with the offense against the Falcons and how balanced it was from a play call, personnel grouping, and quarterback placement perspective. When you watch the tape, But what did you think of your quarterback? I think,

you know, David a great job. You know, just exactly what we were just talking about, being able to adapt quickly. And you know, he didn't have much time to get in there and you know, really have a comfortable amount of time to study and and and get the reps he wants and be able to see all the looks he wants to see. He just kind of got thrown in there with limited reps, and you know, I think he did a good job adjusting to a lot of

the things. And he was in there commanding the huddle, you know, putting ease out of in our heads, talking to us, motivating, you know, everything the quarterback should do. And I think he did a great job. I saw him interact with you guys quite a bit on the bench right in between series. Yeah, you know, he had enough to worry about it in his head, just schematically, and you know what he has to do out there.

So for him to come out and you know, have that part of like talking to us and motivating and you know, being able to have that leadership, I think says a lot about him. And I really like that about him. It's pretty remarkable. I mean, Dave a blow. It was the fourth difference starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in four weeks. That's the second time that has happened to a team since nineteen fifty flow. Even Cliff Kingsbury sort of shook his head when we relayed that

statue him on his TV show this week. And think about a blow had basically Friday practice. Yeah, he had reps in a Friday practice. Then go letter rip. He threw at forty times in that game. Of course, you guys ran it in that game as well. James Connor four point nine yards of carry. That's coming off the Tampa game where James Conner had five point three yards

of carry. Remember we asked Billy Price recently wolf about what's one of the first stats he'll look at when he grabs the old stat sheet for an old lineman after the game. That's it yards per carry. We'll talk about some of that in the Cardinals ground game, especially going against the Niners team because they are known for the rushing attack and they're known for a number one ranked defense. We continue with Will Hernandez on the big

Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. It's a run play up the middle, Connor down to the five, pushing his way to the two, diving to the one and close to the end zone. When they call it somesdown, they do water run by James Connor. That is a statement run by James Connor. Takes the peg and bust it into pay dirt gift to Connor. Looking Laft runs off the left side twenty ten, races inside the five and into the end zone. James Connor houses it from

twenty two yards out. That's the Cardinals run game, wearing down the defense in the fourth quarter. Twelve personnel, one back, two tight ends run the ball, and James Connor houses in. He has seventy five yards rushing at four the last five games. Over the last seven games, he's averaging four point four yards to carry and has six touchdowns. The Pro Bowl running back from a year ago back into that Pro Bowl form, Let's see if he's going to

be available for the season finale. After he left the game in Atlanta, Will Hernandez starting right guard as our special guest in the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. So we'll pick up where we left off. You know, to what degree do you look at that stat when you get done with the game? Yards per carry? How important is that to an offensive lineman? Oh? Very important,

you know. We we pride ourselves on that. You know, if we can have all the passing yards and score can be whatever it is, and if that yards per carry is is low, where we're disappointed we had a bad game. So you know, that's what sets everything up in our minds, So very important to us. So Will has this season taught you anything? And if so, what

is it? Yeah, I think more than anything. You know, we hear a lot of control you can control, and you know, let whatever else happens around you just happen. But you can always, you know, do things the way you want to do them, and you know you can fight through anything even though there's chaosk going on around you. Well, look, the Cardinals up front of played twelve different offensive linemen this year, So that's part of what you're talking about.

Just you got you know, and we've nicknamed it, you know, beach and the backups. You know, before your return, that was it because the other four guys were bad. It was like so like a fifties band, you know. And Cliff Kingsbury was asked, i think by our Jim Almahandro just about the recent continuity up front. The more you can play together as a unit, the greater rapport you have, and the more comfortab you get with each other, and then we know exactly what we're good at and what

to major in. And so hopefully that can continue to be a tough test this week against that defensive line. But they've made big strikes last few weeks. All right there you there, you heard it right, Nick Bosa and the forty nine Ers defensive front. So what do you think of when you think of that challenge? They're only ranked the number one defense in the NFL. Will, Yeah,

I mean for a good reason. You know, they got great players up front, a good front seven pretty much linebackers, so you know, they got good players, they got you know, captains there. But you know the thing is that they got to bring it every week. You know, you don't. You don't play your next game really well because of what you've done in the past or because of you know, you have to bring it every single week. And that's exactly you know why what we're going to go do

out there, just bring it. Will Do you think this forty nine Ers front seven is the best in the National Football League? I have to tell you. I I watch it and looking at it, I think they're the best rush defense and the National Football League, and I think they do a great job of actually getting pressure as well on an opposing quarterback. I think it's the

best front seven about you. Yeah, yeah, I agree. Um, you know I've played these guys too also when I was back with the Giants, so you know, I know them pretty well and I've seen them a lot in my years, and so you know, I know what they bring. And also, you know we talked about before. You know, these guys learn and get better every year, so yeah, we got to expect that and we got to bring it and just just as much. And they have the NFL sack leader in Nick Bosa's seventeen and a half sacks.

Cliff Kingsbury told us on his TV show that Nick Bosa still holds it against him, sort of half seriously joking around a little bit, a little bit that the Cardinals didn't take him number one overall. Of course they took Kyler Murray instead. Okay, So so Cliffs said, well, in response, if you're gonna hold it against us, I'm just gonna chip you all game. So that's the back and forth that the two of them have right there. But you tell us about Bosa and where are your ranks?

What makes them a great pass rusher and what's the challenge for the Cardinals old line there? Yeah, I mean, Boza is a great player, and I think if you look at every player that you know is even in the running for having the most sacks in the NFL every season because they're not one dimensional, you know, they're not just gonna you know, put the moves on you and get around you, or they're not just gonna blow rush you the entire time and get to the quarterback.

You know, these guys normally do it all. You never know when it's coming. They could switch it up, you know, blah blah blah. So you know he could do it all. You gotta be ready for every and uh yeah, you got to be able to uh you know, to not only expect it from them, but shut it down. And um, you know, game plan for him, and you know there's there's ways to to stop it and uh who you got to get it done? Who is the who is

the forty nine ers best defensive tackle? He might not want to give credit there, You're like, you know he's got a game, he's got the game face on. I'm not so sure. Let me say this, let me let me rephrase the question. If you don't mind, Um, who's the best forty nine ers run stopper? Do you think? Um? I would say, uh, probably green Law. You know he's been he's been uh you know, very stout in there, and he has a good push pull. You know, he's

able to get off blocks. Uh and be able to hold his ground early and get off shed off blocks and be able to be in the hole almost from the two to the sixth hole pretty much. You know he he gets in there, and so I would probably say you know him Cardinals starting guard Will Hernandez our guest in the Big Red Rage. Look, JJ Watt has been that guy most of his career. When you think of JJ and his final game on Sunday, what do you think, what are you gonna tell your grandkids about

playing with number ninety nine? Um? Yeah, I mean the first thing you can expect from what is he's gonna just emptied the tank completely. So I'm excited to see that. Um. And you know, I'm gonna tell my kids, you know, I you know, we I get, I get along with what but you know, hey, you guys, see that guy. I fought that guy one day. I was gonna say that wasn't the case in camp this year, there was a little Okay, now that the season pretty much over, tell us about the dust up with JJ Watt in

the dog days of camp. Oh no, man, Um, there's there's no bad blood there. He's complete professional and you know, if you could even call that a fight. You know, I would say it was a pillow fight on my endum, but no, he I've been learning from j j Y ever since I got here. You know, we talk a lot, you know, we we we're all in the hot tub together before practice every day, so we get to we

get to talk in a lot. And he's taught me so much just about his experiences and what he's gone through throughout his years, and I just apply it to my own career and to my own life. You know, there's a little nuggets here there you could take, even though he's a completely different position. Um, but no, Jesu Wat's a you know, a great leader, a great teammate, and he's definitely taught me a lot. So from your perspective, how difficult has it been to be a player on

a four and twelve team? And what do you focus on to get motivated for this last game off of the season. Yeah, you know, so when you're talking about four and twelve, you know, you every everything's out of

the picture for you. You know at this point, the way I see as you're playing for your for your character, for your pride, You're you're playing just to basically show everybody, you know, what kind of mentality you have and what kind of person you are, and it shows through a football game, you know, and it shows how you go out there and you're still playing, like if you're you know, trying to make the playoffs or if you're already eating the playoffs but you're trying to get the first year

or whatever. And so it's it's all about, you know, the mindset, the pride and just having respect for yourself to go out there and you know, not just laid down for anybody, especially when you have a guy across from you that's going to try to take your head off either way, like he doesn't feel sorry for you. So um, yeah, going out there playing just as hard as out I would if it was any other game, and uh, you know, ended with on a good note for whatever, for whatever that means. Well, if I know

you love Will's mentality. It's similar to James Connor. James Connors ask a couple of weeks ago, what are you playing for? What are you hoping to gain at this point between now and the end of the season out of the playoffs, and his answer was some respect. So you know, I like that answer, and I know it's a it's a four win season. But someday you're gonna look back at this season, and I'm guessing you're gonna remember really fondly your trip to Mexico City. Your grandparents

hailed from Mexico City. Before we get into it a little bit, um the grasshoppers that you had hard Knocks documented at dinner that one night. Um, you know, tell us what is for those of us who have not experienced grasshoppers is part of a meal? What does it taste like? Can you compare it to anything? Yes? First of all, for all my health health heads out there, Uh, they're very rich in protein, so you know you don't even have to eat many of them to get a

good protein source. But you know, it's just the thing out there, especially in Mexico City. They're big, they've been around forever, and you know it's just uh, you know, part of you know, who I am, my parents, where we came from. So um, you know that was actually my second time ever ever eating them, and uh, you know, they they do it right. They put the you know, the chili the line on them. They don't just give

him to your rout. So they're they're pretty good. So will I want to make up for asking you the tough question of who the past forty nine ers defensive tackle is. Okay, so now I want to lob you a big softball. It's Fred Warner. Good. Yes, yes, for sure. You know. Actually Fred, Fred and Knight train together before the combine and uh, you know we were we signed with the same agency, and uh, you know, we trained together all throughout the process before the draft, and so

I got to know him very well. And it doesn't honestly doesn't surprise me to see him where he's at because I've seen his mindset, you know since uh since before he was even ever in the NFL, and uh, you know, to be able to see it, you know, personally and be able to train with that guy every day, Um, you know, I it's no surprise. Is he a talker? Does Does he yell out your name at the line of scrimmage? You guys trade a little back and forth?

Oh yeah, there's a little bit of that everywhere. But uh, you know, no, man, we we uh friends. Not not much of a talker, or at least since since I remember him. But you know, he will, you know, if he feels like he needs to or or whatever, but um, you know we we we get along pretty good, but we won't we won't be getting along during those three hours on Sunday. Well, well, once upon a time, you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna tell this story. Once upon a time I saw Will Hernandez and J. J. Watt square

off there camp practice. No, I get it. Here was great. But it's good to hear you guys, are you know, sitting in the hotel before practice and so forth. That's good. We uh, we enjoyed it. We've enjoyed you. And I know you're one of the what the thirty plus pending free agents. So man, I know, Wolf and I both hope in your back next season. All the best on Sunday in this offseason. We hope to talk to you soon. Okay,

I appreciate that, guys, Thanks for having me. There you go, Will Hernandez on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert back right after this. Alright, goals are now four and twelve. It's another loss, but they played well today, in particular the quarterback David Blow. But another defeat twenty to nineteenth. Just heartbreaking right now for the Arizona Cardinals. They play well. David Blow plays extremely well. David will start last week. He didn't get the full process,

you know, he just really practice Friday. So I want to see what he can do the full process and see kind of how he plays against really good defense. That was Cliff Kingsbury earlier today naming David Blow the starter here for the season finale, Week eighteen Cardinals at the forty nine Ers. It is the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley's special thanks again to Will Hernandez, a starting right guard blocking for David Blow, who threw

it forty times in the game. He had a Friday practice Wolf He came out slinging it from the get go. There was that third and four team on the opening possession. Boom, he it's Hollywood Brown for sixteen. Everyone in the sidelines sort of like, whoa, Okay, wait a minute, maybe we

have something here. And there were enough instances where he was going to the right place at the right time, and what he told the media after the game, that was exactly his main objective, that he could make the right decisions and prove he knew what he was looking at, and at times it looked like he was even going through his progressions a second, third, even fourth read when he had time in that pocket. Now, you're right, Pauline, no doubt he ran the offense like it wasn't his

first rodeo, and guess what it wasn't. He protected the ball above all else. He made some great throws, some great reads as well, for a guy that didn't get serious practice raps on Friday, you know, or until Friday, I should say, I don't know what more you could have asked of David Blow he went out there. Paul I think I could count how many bad players I thought he had on one hand. Yeah, I really do. And I'm talking about bad reads, I'm talking about bad throws.

I'm talking about physically mentally bad plays, bad decisions. You know what, you could count him on one hand. I mean there was one on a key third down late in the game where Greg Dortch tripped right out of the turf Monster got him. I'm not exactly sure to have maybe his feet got caught up with the dB, but that ball was right on the money for a first down. There was another one down the seam to

Tray McBride. He didn't get turned around in time. Maybe the ball could have been in a better place, but they were Yeah, when he missed, he didn't miss by much. And again for a guy who'd been in the building for less than three weeks, just the operation, that's what Cliff Kingsbury said at halftime, not only ball security. To your point, that was a number one. Number two was just the operation of the offense. Will Hernandez talked about how I will he was able to communicate and calm

everyone in the huddle. How many times have you said that, Well, if that's the first challenge, right, if a backup quarter back you can get the rest of the team to trust him and believe in him. And it looked like David Blau did just that. Yeah, No, there's there's no doubt, Paul, that's what he did. And especially talking to Will Hernandez, who backed that up right there. You know what I loved.

I loved the impact that it had on Cliff Kingsbury because Cliff Kingsbury as the play caller of course, and as the guy that was coming up with the game plan, Cliff Kingsbury really had one of the more balanced attacks of the season. And I'm I'm talking about schematically, I'm talking about from a quarterback placement perspective. We saw David Blow take snaps from under center. We saw it. It It was into the teens, fifteen sixteen snaps from under center. We saw him in the gun, of course, we saw

him in the pistol. We saw twelve personnel. We saw a mix of personnel groups out on the field as well. Paul I absolutely love that. We aw James Connor putting his toes at six and a half seven yards and running the tackle zone. We saw David Blow running the boot and the waggle and play action off of that seven step drop and being able to throw the ball down the field because of it. PAULI. I was so impressed with the offense. And it just goes to show

you that Cliff Kingsbury is not dogmatic. It's not about saying this is going to be my offense and it's going to be this way or it's no way, it's the highway. No, that's not what Cliff is all about. And he tailored a game plan that I thought was built for David Blow. And I loved what I saw schematically and You're right, the balance was there. They ran at twenty seven times for a buck twenty six nearly five yards of carry, James Connor five yards of carry.

So and now now they get a nine ers defense that is ranked number one in most metrics. Now the Falcons were had the second few of sacks coming into the game, nineteen as a team. Nick Bosa himself has seventeen and a half. So it's gonna be a different challenge. Okay, here's Cliff Kingsbury and the opportunity at the Niners for

David Blow. Anytime you're in his position and you know you get a chance to go in real games and show what you can do, it's it's huge, and particularly against you know, the best team in the NFC, in the best defense in the league. It's gonna be a great challenge. But yeah, I'm excited for him to see, you know, how he handles that. But it's it's a tall task ess for sure, and we talked about it going into the game. They know what they have in Cole McCoy, they know what they have in Trace McSorley.

David Blow definitely has a chance to earn himself a spot at least a chance to compete next season, don't you think I would think so, I mean, PAULI, especially based on how he played last week, I would think so. If he goes out there and he he repeats that performance the consistency thereof, and goes out and makes good decisions, makes good reads and good throws, I have no idea why in the world you would not be bringing him

back going into training camp next year. That is, if, in fact, he goes out and he plays well again in this game coming up here, Hey, Paul, there there might be another team that is looking at David Blaw saying, you know what, there might be a little something something right there with this Blow guy. So listen, this is going to be a tough challenge. We know at the forty nine ers Paul lights out, especially inside that front seven,

and especially when they're playing for something. They have a shot. With a win, they wrap up the number two seed, and if some things work out in their favor, namely Philly losing, then guess what, they can end up the number one seed with a buy. So there's plenty on the line for the forty nine ers, So we'll see how that goes. We know last season Colt McCoy and company went up there, gotta win at Levi Stadium. The

Cardinals are six and two all time in Santa Clara. Okay, much different Niners team, much different Cardinals team at this point, and we know that Kyler Murray once again will not be there at the Niners. He had acl reconstruction to start this week. In fact, if you saw the picture he tweeted out from his hospital bed with the words successful. So there you go. And Cliff Kingsbury was asked about

whether he had contacted and communicated with Kyler Murray. Yeah, it takes from yesterday went well and so now starts three. Having though, he was excited to get it done and get moving forward. And by the way, the NFL network said they also quote stitched up the meniscus in his knees, so that might push his return back a little bit more based on some of the medical opinions out there. In any case, it's uncertain as to exactly what the timetable is. That's right, Paula. You know, once again I

said this before, it's pure speculation. There is no guaranteed timetable right now, there is none, But as a ballpark, I think you can use nine months. You can look at that and say nine months is a ballpark picture right now, and that means typically you're going to be in September before you're reaping it a start evaluating as to whether or not Kyler Murray's gonna go or not. I just don't see him playing before that, Paul, That's

just me. He could, but we'll see. And it's one of the reasons Cliff Kingsbury today talked about holding Colt McCoy out not only just coming off a concussion. Want to air on the side of being cautious with anyone's health and well being, but you're talking about a Colt McCoy who could be your starting quarterback for a good month or two next year. Speaking of joined the season ticket priority list and select your seats before the general

public twenty twenty three. Opponents include Yes, the Seahawks, Niners, and Rams, plus the Giants, the Cowboys, the Ravens, and the Bengals all going to visit State Farm Stadium. But Asy Cardinals dot com slash priority list for more info. That's Azy Cardinals dot com slash Priority list all right. More on the Niners. More thoughts from Wolf on what the challenge is gonna be. We'll talk about that next

than the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford. In Gilbert Garoppolo waiting for the shotgun snap, he's got it back to pass and in trouble steps up lobs a deep right side cut by Kindle, the fifteen things left to the ten to the buckown. Great play by Garoppolo steps up and then he stepped up. They lost Kittle on the back end. It's a thirty nine yard touchdown. Here's a pitch the Samuel on an end around far side of the forty thirty five cuts right thirty twenty

five twenty far side, fifteen ten five touchdown. Great execution, Baba, forty nine ers. They ran it, They ran it, They ran it. There comes this direction up play action and deebo Samuel on the end of rum. Here's play action. Garoppolo throws to Kittle up side cut at the thirty twenty fifteen ten five touchdown sorts. Kittle puts it away thirty seven to ten with ten minutes to go. Yeah, that last play right there was as easy as it sounded from the voice of the Cardinals, Dave Pass. Not

a lot of tackling. Not a lot of want to on that one. That's where it starts with the forty nine ers. They're gonna make a tackle. And look, I can bust out all the stats we want from that first meeting in Mexico City, Wolf, but we know everything changed at halftime when the Niners came out to start that second half. And what exactly did they do? They basically put the plow down, did they done. No, that's

what they did, Polly, no doubt. They came out and they said, we're going to run the ball and you're going to have to stop us right now. And that's what they did. They lined up and they ran the ball. You know what this is the San Francisco forty nine Ers, though it really is in particular under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. These guys believe in the line of scrimmage and building your strength on the line of scrimmage. You

got to think about it right now, Pally. This is a team that isn't the top ten in rushing defense in terms of rushing yards per game allowed and rushing yards per play allowed. They're in the top ten in rush offense in terms of rushing yards per game and rushing yards per play, Polly, there's very few teams. I think there's one other team that actually can claim that they have that, that their defense and their offense is in the top ten in the National Football League and

rushing stats. Yeah, they have a seventh round rookie brock Purty, last pick in the draft, and their offense hasn't missed a beat. I mean, whether it's the run game, whether it's the scheme, whether it's brock Purty himself. He just joined Kurt Warner as the only QB since nineteen fifty to win their first three starts while they're owing multiple touchdown passes in every game. He's been sharp. There's no doubt.

He was the twenty seventeen Arizona Cardinals High School Player of the Year from Perry High School in Gilbert and then Wolf. They have the number one ranked defense in the NFL. So, and you made the point with Cliff Kingsbury. They're not exactly going to dial it up, Damiko. Ryan's their defensive coordinator. He's more app to rush three or four, isn't he. No No dial Paulie, That's what they do right there. They don't have to bring five to get pressure.

Five is a pressure package, and that really is in the National Football League, that is the scheme a lot of the time on third down, they're gonna bring five. You just don't know which five are actually gonna come. A lot of people like to play blitz bail. The defensive coordinators, they'll play that blitz bail. They'll line six guys up on the line and all of a sudden bail one on the snap or vice or whatever it may be. They're going to try to do things to

confuse your protection schemes. The forty nine ers don't have to do any of that. They have to line their four guys up. I talk about this all the time, but there are basically three ways you can generate pressure on a quarterback, and the forty nine ers do that via the better than and that is just we got four guys that are better than your five guys that are trying to block us. Are four are better than

and that's what they have. They rush for and they drop seven and that is who the forty nine ers are. But it all starts with stuffing you in a pine box metaphorically speaking, and rundown situation. Yeah, they've won nine in a row. The first eight wins in that streak, they allowed twenty or fewer points in every game. Now the Raiders somehow and Jared stood him, hit him for thirty four and he had three touchdown passes. The only other quarterback to do that against the Niners defense all

year was Patrick Mahomes. So you have that Niners of the division champ Cardinals. That's huelor chasing in the off season. And Cliff Kingsbury was asked about this four win campaign so far, it's a year you learn from. You know, it's one of those deals where perspective wise, it's like things either happen four year or two you and I choose to see him as happening for us and lessons that we got to learn and be better moving forward.

And sometimes you have to face adversity and you have to have a season like this to find the things you really got to get face and get corrected. And so I think organizationally we have a chance to get it right and move forward and try to be better. Look Ever, since the Cardinals were ten and two last year, Wolf,

they've lost seventeen to twenty two. So whether that was losing their eye on the fastball at the end of last season and not, you know, concerned as much about the details, whether it's been all the injuries this season. They need to assess the situation and implement some solutions, right,

They need to put solution into New Year's resolution. And for a league where once again, every year since nineteen ninety there have been at least four different playoff teams, you can ascend or you can descend every single year. It can happen quickly, but it can go either direction. Yeah, Poly, you know again, I agree with what Cliff is saying right now. It is you can learn from it. This is where you find out who's really tough. This is where you find that out. And I'm not just talking

about players. I'm talking about people when you go through a season like this. I've been through a lot of four and twelve seasons, Paul. Okay, maybe not a lot more than one. Let's put it that way. Four and twelve season, five and eleven season. I've been there. I've been through that, and you've got to walk through it, Polly. This is something I've been talking about a lot this week, but it's the truth. There's an old saying in football just walk through it. That's what you do. It doesn't

matter what comes your way. Walk through it. Don't lose your mind. You don't have to run through it. You don't have to swing your way through it. You have to walk through it. You have to be consistent. You have to have the eyes down and the chin squared and the shoulders back, and you have to walk through it, whatever it is. And if you'll look, if you'll look around, you you can learn more when you're walking through a dark period then you'll ever learn when you're walking in

the sunlight metaphorically speeding. There will be change. Look, we know that much. It might start Monday for all we know. Nobody truly knows. But there's thirty two plus pending free agents on this roster. We don't exactly know where the quarterback situation stands going into next year. Look, you know there's going to be a top five draft pick. You would think Cardinals can still pick US two. They can fall as low as six. Right now, they're currently slotted forth.

So there's a lot and who exactly is making some of those personnel decisions in the off season. So this is going to be a very proactive offseason. If There's one thing we've learned about this team is that they go about trying to correct whatever issues they just went through. We saw it after twenty eighteen. They were ultra aggressive.

I fully expect that sort of offseason again this year. Yeah, Paula, you talked about the over thirty free agents that are actually going to be free agents in the free agent period coming up. Man, that is a mass exodus, so to spaying now. Of course they're going to bring a lot of them back, and let's hope they too. But a lot of change is coming towards the Arizona Cardinals, and I think they need to rebuild from a personnel

perspective on the line of scrimmage offensively and defensively. Totally agree. Episode fifty four The Daypash Podcast, by the way, is out. It's U of A men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd Special thanks to Will Hernandez. Our special guest here tonight Jim l mondro Zach Larson for Ron Wolfley on Paul KELBC. This has been the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert Number one. Kil You've been listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Gilbert. Are

you Santanford State Farm? Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm. And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit Acy Cardinals dot com Slash podcasts. This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals Football Club.