Big Red Rage - Young Defenders Making Mark

State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Hacy Cardinals dot com, Slash Podcasts, The rod Scene, Rising ar Temperaturizing Vision, Flurry, Rage taking over. Here's Paul KELVC. Get the popcorn ready, It's gonna be a show and Ron will flip. It doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far well. It's was the night before the night before Christmas, and I'd say that not a creature was stirring, not even

a mouse. But I have two kids, acassa GLVC wolf at last count, you have two kids and two pets over at your compound, and so you know there is a lot of activity. Let's just face it. But I'm gonna just go ahead and full past all that because Ron Wolfley if I'm not violating hippo laws here? How

you doing? Because we saw the headline yesterday you are officially quarantining along with Dave Pash and so I just want to make sure officially, I think this is the first we've heard from you, although you know, we know you're on every social media platform, but you know, how exactly are things and how are things progressive? Well, Paully, let me start here by saying, Merry Christmas Eve, Eve, Paul, Okay, Merry Christmas Eve. I can see what I did right there.

That's number one. Number two, Paul, I feel fantastic. I really do. I feel fantastic. Everyone in the family is fantastic. The problem is exposure, Paul. You know you come in contact with some people from time to time, and these people come down with it. And you know the protocols of the National Football League and how stringent they are. You better believe we're being very, very careful. Ball. I'm walking around here right now. I got hand sanitizern't throwing

it up against the walls, Paul. I mean everything literally that you could touch here at the Wolfley compound. We got hand sanitizer, Paul. We got mass I don't know, Paul. I know you're not very clean. I know that you kind of get a little rough around the edges at home when you're there. But I can tell you right now, Polly Pristine here at the Wolfley Compound, well, if you need disinfecting wipes, I'll be over in about twenty minutes. I brought I'll just right there. I'll leave him under

your tree. I'll send them right down the chimney if you need disinfecting wife. So, but Paully, I appreciate you asking everybody here is doing well at the Wolfley cop Well, we're concerned about you. We also want to make sure it's not some well thought out ploy to take a game off and give yourself a long Christmas weekend. So okay, there we go. We confirm that. All around they keep up to Polly. Have you soiled the silks here? Thinking

about to actually calling a regular season game? Polly coming up? I mean, this is a huge game. Do you understand this? Pole, You're gonna call this game and this is going to be a massive game for the Arizona Cardinals against the forty nine ers. Thanks for ratcheting up the pressure. I appreciate that you know, thanks for driving up the expectations. I you know, as if there isn't enough pressure, as

if day Pass isn't flawless at what he does. You know, as I try and tell people, he passed, right, I mean at least beat rains following me up. All, okay, you're following pass up. You said that I didn't see. What I'm saying is stinking passes over there doing a Cardinals game on a Sunday, at college basketball game on

a Tuesday. He does an NBA game by Wednesday, at college football game on a Saturday, another Cardinals game on a Sunday, and he doesn't mess up one thing, not one thing goes wrong, not one name, nothing, So as if there lying up already exactly. By the way, speaking of accolades, and I think Dave's won Arizona broadcast a year or something like ten years in a row or something. Speaking of active how about Kyler Murray your NFC Offensive

Player of the Week his third time this season. No Arizona Cardinal has ever won that award Player of the Week three times in a single season. And you know what, bottom line, the gift that keeps on giving here this holiday season is a second year Pro Bowl quarterback. When you read the names from the NFC, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Kyler Murray, let that wash over you. And I know what I've site myself. You can't take that for granted.

We're starting to watch Kyler and everything he does in this skill set and the passing yards, and we keep asking for more. We'll wait a minute, and this season of giving an appreciation, let's appreciate that. You know what year a half instead of a have not, you have a Pro Bowl quarterback to lead you for the next decade. So Polly, let's get this right. He was Rookie of the Year of course his first year, and now he's

a Pro bowler. Well's on Kyler Murray Zach Allen on this episode of The Big Red Rage presented by Satan Ford in Gilbert snap it to Murray's gonna keep me running right, cuts left, breaks a tackle at the five and end of the end zone for the touchdown. That's Kyler Murray. Right down, Candy Cane Lade, baby hurry and trouble in the pocket, rolls to the left, now throws left side of the end zone and oh my goodness, Larry Fitzcarrol caught it for a touchdown, his first touchdown

of the year, and it's vintage fits. Shot gun snapped to Murray drops back the throne buyers left side Hopkins. DeAndre Hopkins puts his hands up and he catches it heads a touchdown. I have no idea how he caught that fall. The sickle is how he caught that football. When you need a play, you go to the best, DeAndre Hopkins with a phenomenal catch against good coverage. I don't know if there's anybody else in the NFL who

makes that catch. You know, since the onside kick really isn't a thing anymore in the NFL, maybe we'll take the moniker the hands team off that aspect of the game and put it on d hop and Larry because Wolf, can I get a comment on the degree of difficulty on those two touchdown catches part of a thirty three twenty six win against the Eagles in week fifteen, Oh, Polly, just incredible the difficulty level of DeAndre Hopkins and his catch.

And then Larry Fitzgerald is well scourge at the red zone, Polly. I look at those two right there, and the most encouraging thing about that is, Listen, we all know about DeAndre Hopkins, we all know about his hands and how incredible they are, and we all know about Larry Fitzgerald and how incredible his hands are. The best thing that happened to me was the fact that Kyler Murray threw it up twice to a contested receiver, throw it up to DeAndre Hopkins, throw it up to Larry Fitzgerald, and

guess what happened touchdown. Now they were really really good throws, okay, but man, they were even better catches for the most part. So hopefully, as you've got Kyler Murray, this young developing quarterback, looking at these two wide receivers making incredible catches, contested catches, hopefully he's going to do this a little bit more often.

And then you had in the first half the forty five yard grab in traffic between two defenders by DeAndre Hopkins, where Kyler said, you know what, that free safety, the deep safety went to the sideline with the receiver, I'm throwing it up right down the middle. And so yeah, to your point, we did see that on multiple occasions, and hopefully that continues because that's exactly what DeAndre Hopkins wants,

doesn't he nine for one sixty nine. He had the game winning touchdown, essentially the making for those points after he got some new gloves because on his first touches the game, he fumbled the ball inside the ten yard line and then he flicked his gloves away and later said, yeah, those were four X, I need five X. And so he got himself some new gloves. But but when you see DeAndre Hopkins talking to Kyler on the sideline, I presume part of that is, hey, even when I'm covered,

I'm open. Yes, no, there's no doubt about that, PAULI. And remember we were talking to Cliff Cliff Kingsbury about this very play right here. Just the fact that when you had DeAndre Hopkins to the left of Kyler Murray and all of a sudden you had press cover out there at a safety in the middle of the field, they played robber coverage. This is something that the Arizona Cardinals see an awful lot of because you want that spy, that robber who's a lurker down low, he's a free hitter.

You go man across the board with a free safety high in the middle of the field and now, all of a sudden, you've got that lurker spying Kyler Murray and looking for any crossing routes. It's a common coverage at the Cardinals. See and we asked Cliff Kinsbury if DeAndre Hopkins converted that route. In other words, he was going to run a different route, and then suddenly when he saw the coverage, he just ran fade. That's called

the conversion, Paul. It happens on a lot of red routes, and Kyler Murray read it and knew what was coming, and so did Deandrey Hopkins. And that's the most encouraging thing about it. He threw it up even though d hop was covered, and look what happened. Touchdown, baby well, Kyler Murray a career high four hundred and six yards passing. So Kyler and de hop two of the four game balls given out by Cliff Kingsbury. In fact, we're gonna take a listen wolf, We'll go all access inside the

Cardinals victorious locker room against the Eagles. Here's coach Cliff game ball send the tone had a blog punt and a big cat did it again. He's elbing on every play. DeAndre Hopkins the sack machine Dennis Gardak two more says and then kay one, yeah, okay, what hear me? On this short week? You play on Saturday. We'll play on Saturday. All right, Division game, Sam Frank coming here. Let's get back on all right early, getting ready to go. Sorry, let's focus up this week. We got about it. Kyler

Murray breaking them down at the very end. That was good stuff. So once again, Ezekiel Turner, Uh, no big deal, just a block punt and a twenty six yard reception on fourth and two. Premiere on thirty three Queeteans Assassin de Hop Guardak, Kyler Murray. By the way, a little bit later, you and Zach Allen are gonna have to break it down. How exactly is GUARDK doing what he is doing? I need an explanation at this point on that. But that's a team that's coming together, Walf That's what

I heard in that locker room after their second straight win. Paulie, there's no doubt about that. You can feel this right, the chemistry that they're maybe peaking at the right time, all three phases starting to find a little something something to hold on to. An identity, you know how important an identity is to me offensively, DeAndre Hopkins and the Kyler Murray's starting to get that chemistry defensively, of course,

getting to the quarterback special team's ball it out. It's one name that was called by passionbul during the game more than those four game ball recipients. And he is next on the big red ray presented by satan Ford in Gilbert. Zach Allen is there for the Cardinals to make the play. Zach Allen's stuff that play. Jones backs up throwing from his two and the ball is tipped to the line and incomplete. I think Zach Allen got

a hand on a shotgun formation here for her. It's takes the snap, drops back the pass facing pressure in trouble, and zack back at the thirty two yard line by Zach Allen. An enormous play made by Allen and a loss of fourteen. Well, that is a huge full men of play right there by Zach Allen. The Eagles got it going. They're trying to set up a screen to the left of Jalen Hurts and Zach Allen got told before he could throw a screen. That is an awesome job.

I've lost count during the course of that game? How many times said you and Dave Pashwolf called out the name Zach Allen? You realize according to Pro Football Reference, since twenty sixteen, only three defensive lineman in the NFL have had eleven or more tackles in a game. And we're now talking to one because it's all about you. Presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert A pleasure to welcome Zach Allen, second year defensive lineman of the Arizona Cardinals,

here on the show. Zach, how are we doing this evening? I'm doing well. Thanks for having me, Zach. Was that the best game you've ever played at the NFL level? Ah? Yeah, I definitely have to think. So. Yeah, it's nice to have the kind of all kind of coming together right now. And you know you wanted to come together during December, so hopefully, um, you know it stays that way. What went well in that game? Like, how how would you

explain that football one on one? What enabled you to end up with eleven tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, a pass defense and your defensive coordinator? Advanced Joseph today confirming yes, Zach had his best game. Quote and quote what was it? Tell us about it? Um, I mean it's just been you know what I think just coming into this defense, you know, the defense I played in college, there's a lot of you know, staying at the live stream as reading, you know, and we

played on tax and style defense. So I think, you know, the sky of started to click a little bit in my head, you know, how how to play it, and right now I'm loving it because it just lets you get off the ball and go so um yeah, I just want to keep it going forward. And you know, like Sunday, you know, it wasn't just you know me, there was a bunch of great performance. So I think, you know, we're peaking at the right time and hopefully we can keep it going. So, Zach, how's the ankle

going right now? How's the ankle feeling? How's your body overall? And how's the ankle specifically? It's so well? Yeah. I mean those uh you know, high ankles were paying paying

the buck to deal with. But um, you know, we got a great medical staff that definitely you know, when I got injured, I definitely you know, I wanted to come back as quick as possible, and we beat the recovery time by about a week or two, so I was able to come back to that New England game and then we've just been staying on top of it and it's been feeling really good. And yeah, I mean short weeks like this week, you gotta just do a

little bit of extra stuff. But I think we got a great you know plan with you know, redcounts and stuff like that. So um, I think we'll be fresh for Saturday. Hey, Zach Allen, join us on the big red race to what do great advanced Joseph use? You up and down the line either side different bots along that defensive front. How varied is your usage up there? Yeah? I mean I think, you know, just in this defense, you know, you have to be able to do a

lot of things, and especially on the D line. You know, I line up anywhere from a zero to nine, so which I'm pretty comfortable with because that's what I did in college. So yeah, I've just been having fun playing the different positions and you know, trying to find good matchups. So Zach, come on. In order to have a Zach attack, you've got to have a technique that you liked the most,

a technique you prefer the most. So if you're talking zero to nine, that is a wide range of abilities on your end, where if you had your preference, would you line up and play where's your favorite technique? I probably say the five and I'm you know, I'm lucky. That's usually where I'm at most of the time. So over the tackle, yeah, just like right over tack, go

between the tack and the tight end right in there. Um. So yeah, that's that's what's been working for me, and luckily that's what I get to do once wee time. Why do you like that, Zach? I mean I think there's just a familiarity. Um, do a little bit of it in college. Um. And then just also like the blocks you see there, Um, you know, it's it's pretty you know, you know what you're getting based off the tilts and stuff you can see, you know, for example, like in like a tight end um pair, you know,

like a wing tight end wing. You know you could see that where if you're inside more it might be tougher to see the total picture. Um, So you could just use that information and um, you know, since you didn't see some tendencies, so you mentioned college at Boston College and then you're a high third round pick of the Cardinals last season, and then you have the four games and the neck injury that ended your season. And I remember I didn't see you for a while in

the off season. When I saw you you came back, I'm like, wow, looks like you put some weight in some size. What was your off season all all about? In what was the before and after? Once you were done and got ready to start this season. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. So, um, you know, going through the whole combine process, you know, everybody was like, oh, you gotta

cut weight to run fast, cut weight, cut weight, cut weight. Um. So I was, you know, really about like two seventy ish um to send me five going into last season, which I haven't been that light since like my sophomore year of college. UM. And then you know, playing you know more inside than I did in the past, and you know, obviously the NFL game is different. Um. You

know it was a little rough at first. UM. And then you know, the neck injury, UM was a bummer because I lost a lot of reps I could get to get that experience, and then I just realized, you know that I got to you know, get bigger, faster, stronger everything, and you know, I think Buddy Morris, our

strength coach, is the best in the business. So um, you know, right after, I mean really right after I got injured, you know, it was obviously a lot of rehab, but whatever I could do I was doing with Buddy. And then even when the season ended, I didn't take a vacation or anything. I just was still in the

building working out. And then you know, obviously COVID hit, and you know, I still stayed out here because it was a lot more open than it would be anywhere else, and I was still able to get my list in, really focused on the nutrition everything. It really got up to about two eighty five two ninety, which I'm at

now and I think that's my perfect weight. I'm moving better than I was before it was all clean weight, So yeah, definitely, you know, I'm feeling good and I'm glad to see paying off now and Wolf just in incredible. Listen to Cliff Kingsbury on the recent play what he thinks of Zach Allen here recently. He's always tried to do everything like we we've told him to do it, which as a coach you appreciate. I mean, we told him to get stronger. He's been all off season here

working out and getting bigger. You know, he just had a couple of injuries that had slowed him down. But to get him back out there and watch the success he's having is cool to see. He's a guy who you know, is uber productive in college. He tends to always be around the quarterback when he's in there, and it's been nice to see him have some of that production show up here the last couple of weeks. Zach, you gotta feel like you got it going right now? Right?

Is your career unfolding the way you thought it might? Yeah? I mean, I mean this is kind of like what you know, you do you want, you know, when you think of come into the NFL, you wanted just to be a continuation of college and do what you do. And you know, I think I think for a lot of like interior defensive lineman, it probably doesn't happen right away.

I mean, obviously, you know, you have freaks of nature and stuff like that, but there's definitely a learning curve and I think I'm starting to figure that out m a little bit, and hopefully this is kind of, you know, just the turning point and that can you know, have a really consistent productive career now from here on out. Um. But I know, I mean the big things just taken a week by week, especially in this week, you know, and the teams we face this year, you know, you

see a lot of different stuff. So what happened went well the week before might not so well you know for this next week. So yeah, I'm just taking a day by day, week by week and just trying to you know, stacked all together to make it work. Is there something an offensive lineman got away with in your rookie year that you're like, no, no, no no, no, no, You're not getting away with that this year. I'm wise to that. I know what's coming now. Is there anything

maybe that you've learned, especially in the last year. I think a lot of it, you know that helped me out was coach Buck. There's definitely you know, going through the our new Delone coach going through our through the off season. You know, I watched all the plays from the season and you know, around the league and there are definitely some blocks whereas like, you know, I just don't know how to play that. I've never seen that before.

And then you know, right when he came in. I was like, well, these are the blocks that I really want to work on, and he's like, oh, these are easy. And now it's you know, I want to see those blocks. Those are the ones that I want to work you know, I want to see because it's he just he makes a game really easy to simplify. So I'm very fortunate to have him as a coach. Yeah, Coach Buck one of our favorites Wolf, I mean for a variety igot about it. Yeah, a great teacher. He brings that intensity.

You know, the guys respect him based on his career, and if guys don't respect him, he's been known to bust out his own game film and play his own game film in the d line room at time and his own highlights, just to make sure guys remember what kind of player he was. Not only that Bally, but Buck. Of course, we'll get in your face from time to time. Don't don't forget about that ball. He will get in

your face from time to time. And he does believe in some hard coaching, some hard truth being administrated from time to time to a young guy in particular that is growing. I think he's one of the best defensive line coaches in the league and empty stadiums. When you hear a voice yelling when in doubt, it's coach buck More. Was Zach Allen back on the Big Red Rage. Garoppolo cost for it has it fakes the hand off stands tall in the pocket now hidden sacked. Zach Allen was

back there along with Hassan Reddick. Garoppolo play action passed screen to the left, pass into traffic isn't complete and had Zach Allen not gotten to Jimmy gen right there, that could have been a big game for the San Francisco forty nine ers. Zach Allen here has gotten some real good, greasy action. He's done a nice job in this game. That was Week one and that was career

sack number one for Zach Allen. Earlier this year at Santa Clara, Cardinals got the win, obviously and now going for their fifth season sweep in the Niners in the last six years. That wasn't all. He had a tackle for loss. He had a quarterback hit. Zach Allen is our guest Cardinals defensive lineman on the Big Red Rage, presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert we Are santan Ford Wolf would you care to define greasy action? What exactly

does that mean in the context of a D lineman. Well, for the most part, Paula, you're getting a tackle, you're getting a tackle, you're getting a sack, You're you're getting involved, You're you're hitting another human being. You're hitting them hard. And a lot of times, Paul, when you hit another human being hard, stuff flies out of them. It's it's incredible the way that happens. But stuff will fly out of them and fly off of them, and sometimes it

gets you a little greasy. I'm just saying, Okay, all right, thank goodness for the ppe here in twenty twenty one of the few things were thankful for you in twenty twenty, Zach, when you get your first career sack, Like, if you're a receiver, you know your first career touchdown, you keep the ball. If you're on offense, what do you do on defense? Did you keep them a memento or a souvenir of any sort to mark your first career sack? Uh? No,

I didn't really keep anything. I don't know. It was just, you know, I'm more of the guy like reminiscens when it's done, and I don't want to be done yet, so hopefully I get a lot more and than when the career is over. We can reminisce. But I don't know there's some cool pictures. I'm sure my mom she collects everything, so I'm sure she's got, you know, some cool stuff on course. Now, I know the game balls, you know, or the footballs would be nice to keep, but I think you can only do that if you

pop it out. So it's true, Zach As you watch the San Francisco forty nine ers and you watch them on tape. Offensively, my goodness, they have been decimated with injuries on not only the offense but the defense as well. But when you look at him offensively, how different is this offense from week one? I wouldn't say it's all that different. I think you know a lot of the

key people. I mean, obviously you know you're missing you know the quarterback, and you know Jimmy Gum and also you know Kittle for all that time is you know that's obviously gonna hurt you. Um. But I think you know, like the fullback, Juice check the offensive line. I think when you have pieces like that, um, you know they kind of run the same stuff, and you know, they're really good at running what they what they do, so, um,

you know, I don't think it's all that much different. Um. Obviously, you know, they're very creative and there's always going to be plays that we've never seen before. Um, but I think, uh, you know, for us, if we just play our game, UM, you know, I think we should be good. Yeah. That's why I hear guys in the locker room on the defensive side of the locker room always say about when they play Kyle Shanahan that he keeps the defense honest.

What do guys mean by that? What is the challenge of Kyle Shanahan, the guy who's responsible for the offense and the play caller. Yeah, it's it's interesting because it's like you know, other teams that's like you go through oh, like you know when this is when say like this motion or this formation this plays you know one hundred percent or eighty five percent, like that's what it's going to be. And then um, when you watch forty miners,

you know it's a lot of fifty fifty stuff. Um, they really keep you honest, So guys can't really you know, like cheated or anything. Like that. So, UM, you know, I think it's gonna be big for us to just you know, trust our keys and just and play everything true. And if we do that, we should be good. Zach. Have the forty nine ers really used six different centers? I mean? Is that? I mean I heard that. I heard some guy actually saying that today. Has that actually happened? Uh?

I don't know. If it does, then you know that's impressive. I think that's gonna be a record. Um. You know, I know they their opening day starters different, but um, you know, we're just looking at it just this week with who they have and UM, you know who they they're up front, they've been basically the same the past you know, four weeks or so five weeks, so, um, and all the guys they have obviously have experience, um

and are great players. So it's gonna be up to us to you know, really, you know, really control it. Here's maybe the flip side of that, Wolf. The Arizona Cardinals have seventeen different players with a sack this year. Think about that. That's number one in the NFL just in terms of number of players. And then the last two games there's been fourteen sacks total by this Cardinals defense. In fact, team captain Jordan Hicks, middle linebacker, was asked

about that. It's huge. You know, anytime you can get pressure on a quarterback, it makes everybody's job easier to have guys go out there and to be able to put it together. The pass rush of the way we have the past few games is exceptional. That's a big key to our success. You know, we've got to get pressure on the quarterback and you know we've been able to do that. I know some of the Eagles analysts and some of the Eagles media was talking about how

often advanced Joseph dialed things up. You tell us how key has that been? And you know, what's the reaction from an offense? So do you have them are they always sort of looking for the next creative Zach Blitz package that's coming. What do you attribute this sack surge too so far? Zach? Honestly, I think a lot of it has come from us doing well in the run

the past two weeks. I think, um, you know, the Giants game, in the Eagle game, we did a good job of you know, getting them into some third and long opportunities, which you know give us that opportunity to kind of just go after it. So, um, you know, there's kind of the saying, you know, you have to earn the right to rush, and you do that by winning first and second down and stuff is stopping to run. So if we keep that up, then you know, I don't see why the SAX numbers should have changed, Zach.

How physical is this offense? When I think the San Francisco forty nine Ers, I think of Kyle Shanahan, of course, loving twenty one personnel, two backs including a fullback, and Kyle youth Check. I'm not going to say that he's in iso power fullback, but he is a fullback nonetheless, and they like to run the ball in between the tackles. How physical is this forty nine Ers team when you watch him on film? Yeah, they do a little bit of everything. I mean, obviously, I think their go to is,

you know, they're the tosses in the stretch side to side. Um, but they've definitely, you know, been running a lot of you know, kick and power and stuff like that to change it up. So and like I said, I mean, you know, look at the guys they have. I mean, they're all really good offensive Linemen. You know, you guys a guy probably a future Hall of Famer, and Trent Williams, and then it's a really high pick in like McGlinchey

and the three interior guys, especially Thomason. You know, they're that they can move really well, but also they really you know, can get off the ball and um go downhill. So um, you know, they got a really good group. But I think we got a good game plan, so hopefully, um, you know, it works in our favor. And they've been here all month, so there there's another part of home

field advantage that does not exist in twenty twenty. What's it been like playing in these empty stat especially on the road, like in New York MetLife Stadium eighty thousand seats and completely empty and you can hear sound just reverberate off these empty seats. What's that been like as a player in these empty stadiums. It's definitely been weird. I mean when the first game was obviously the weirdest

because you could hear so much. But honestly, I think it gives an advantage to the offenses because they can do so much, you know, hardcount stuff like that, and they can communicate because you know, there's nothing really blocking it out. So for us of the defense, you know the fact that I don't even know how many outside cone of these you know, I don't think we have

that many. Though that we've done. You know, we've been able to kind of hold their water and you know, not jump and give away three yards has been big for us. But yeah, there's definitely some moments, you know, when they cut the sound off on you know, an injury or if there's like a commercial break or something that it's it's pretty pretty eerie and pretty weird, especially in New York, you know, for how busy it is. But yeah, it was, Yeah, you kind of get used

to it now. So hopefully next year we can have people in the stands. It's probably going to be you know, say there's you know, only like sixty thousand compared to you know, like one hundred thousand person stadium, we're gonna be like we can't hear anything, you know, I mean, think about it, Well, the old line hasn't had to prepare for silent count all season, right, and defensive lines

thrive on that. From my understanding, right, a defensive lineman can live off that in a home game, and they feed off those fans, and just that little bit of a jump because of a silent count can be the difference, can it? Oh? No, Dotto Pauli, And you stop and think about it till a great pass rusher third and eight, third and obvious pass situation right now, all of a sudden, it's a big point in the fourth quarter. Maybe you're

down three points or maybe you're up three points. You gotta get off the field and now you have a chance to go at make a play in sack at quarterback. Can you imagine the rush when that crowd is out of its mind. It's huge ball. Another guy who's been huge Dennis Gardek. We need answers next on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert, Shotgun Snap hurts a short set, steps up, being chased bar side by Guardek sacks up at the forty one yard line.

Dennis Gardeck has become the sack machine. Shotgun Snap hurts with a short set in trouble, steps up, gets hit and sacked. Dennis Gardek was there first. Somebody hit the stroll baby Guard Deckie Dodd, Deckie gard Deckie is Kyler, Murray Wired up, don't miss Season in Focus this weekend on twelve News six thirty Saturday night, and you're going to get a great insight all access look at Kyler Murray,

including that moment right there. Because as we say, welcome back to the Big Red Race, presented by Satan Ford and Gilbert Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley, and special guests Zach Allen. I mean, guys, there really are only two kinds of Arizona Cardinals players right now, those who have hit the strobe and those who have not. And Zach, uh, you know, let's just straight out sources tell us there was a moment in that game where you did hit the strobe? True or false? Yeah, I definitely have to cele with

my guy, Zat. Do you have your own I mean honestly, yeah, do you have your own sack dance? Something you're developing. I don't know. I always afraid that I'm going to get a penalty or something, but I'm definitely gonna get something worsen. I'll work with the guys on it, because you know, so far, I haven't hasn't been too hot so far what I've done, But yeah, I'll work with Shannon and Dennis on it. You know, the offensive line.

I guess recently has had freestyle Friday, where you know, guys are beat boxing and rapping in the whole thing now, um, one of us okay, it's Wolf. Wolf has been known to freestyle on the air at times regrettably, and in fact, I think I think he was threatened with termination because we haven't heard it in a while. Zach, You're not one of those guys who goes over there and joins

the old line with a freestyle Friday, are you. No. I can barely speak the English language, so I'm not going to be going off like that, all right, Zach. You're you're a young guy, and you're developing, and that defense has got a lot of young guys that are developing right now. How do you get better personally? Zach? Where do you think you need to improve? I think, you know, obviously, consistency is a big thing, um. And then obviously I mean, like you could just go get

down the line. I mean, I really just want to get better at everything. I want to become, you know, more transistent in the past rush. I want to have, you know, a real signature move that you know, even if they know it's coming that they can't stop in the run game, you know, I think definitely, you know, double teams, I gotta, you know, just keep working on. I think I've been making improvements, but you can always be better. And then just you know, learning the game more.

Why you know, offensives do certain things and how to anticipate it. Um, you know, I think that's why it's so important to just get those reps in game and then also in practice. So um, you know, I knocking on what I stay healthy, I can get those reps and just keep on working at it. Well, you mentioned the word improved. That's the operative word for vance. Joseph, We've seen it especial the last couple of weeks. We cited the stat fourteen sacks the last couple of weeks.

And he was asked about the defense today in general, and he cited guys like Zach who was in his second year. Here's your defensive coordinator. I told our staff and our defense a couple of months ago, I say, when when Zach Allen and Lucky and Rashod Lawrence and Dennis Gardeck and those young players start playing well for us, this defense will go to the next level. You know, and it's it's happening because those young guys are taking

bigger roles and they're playing very well. For us. Those guys are really really, really getting better as players, each becoming. Zach had its best game, you know, with eleven tackles in one sack, and there were times where you were out there were the two rookies, right, Lucky Foe two and Richard Lawrence and it was a three you guys in the trenches. Yeah, I know, we definitely, I think

we take pride in being young guys. Um. You know, definitely, you know a lot of people probably doubt us or you know how questions about us, and you know, being a young guy, you definitely, you know you want to keep make sure that excuse that oh he's young, you know he can't do it. Yet you want to get rid of that excuse. So I think, you know, for us, we take great pride in doing it the right way.

And you know, I think all three of us are really excited to see kind of paying off a little bit right now, Zach, what do you think you guys need to do in order to beat the four nine ers and their offense? What do you think defensively you guys need to focus on whether you're a young guy, old guy, whatever it may be, keys to beating the forty nine ers offense. What do you think I think for us, you know, we have a saying, uh, know your job and do your job, and that's really just

in our key to victory the past few weeks. And that's exactly what I think we need to do because you know, if everyone is just on point, does their job right, you know, is in the right gap, in the right coverage, doing it all right. I think you know, then it just becomes you know, one on one matchups and you know that's just that that's why you get paid to play football as the windows. So h we're

really excited for it. And I think you know when you keep it simple like that and uh like, lets guys play fast, and you know, our coaches do a great job of getting us ready for the game, so um, you know, all the credit goes to them. And yeah, and we come full sole here. And I got to go back to Dennis Gardeck. I need an explanation here, Zach.

I mean, this is a phenomenal ninety three snaps on defense all year, ninety three snaps he has seven sacks, seven tackles for loss, ten quarterback hits, eleven tackles, a fumble recovery. I mean, what in the sam name of extreme production is going on here? Please tell me how Dennis Gardeck is getting this done with such phenomenal efficiency. I think he's just you know, he's one of the hardest working guys I've ever met in my life, and it's just really good to see a payoff because you know,

just from the offseason also in practice. I mean, he really won't see a guy push himself harder. And you know he's he really is. I mean, it's just the one word to describe. He's an absolute stud and you know everything he does, so you know, I'm just really glad to call him a friend and you know, to be able to work with him and see see how he approaches every single day and I know it definitely doesn't just rub off on me, but a lot of other guys. And there's a reason why he's one of

our captains. When you look at guys like Lucky Foe two and Richard Lawrence PAULI mentioned them already right now, I mean, where do you think they have improved in their game? As you watch them on tape, where do you think they've improved? I think definitely, um, you know, just technique and stuff, because you know, they've all most guys are blessed with size. Um I think you know, you see them playing really fast now, they definitely have

that confidence using their hands really well. So um, you know, it's it's gonna be really scary to see them when they you know, they really start getting me, and it's gonna be a lot of fun, um, you know, to play with them. Zach, you're enjoying this Arizona weather here in December, you know, hailing from Connecticut and then going to BC. You enjoying the Arizona weather these days? Okay, yeah, I don't have to warm up my car white box

snow or scrape bop bites. Um. You know, I could just wake up and go in and you know, we still get the practice outside. And now it's been it's been awesome. I've been loving it out year. Um. You know, it's definitely a change of pace. And I always thought, you know, oh, I'm a Northeast guy. You know, I

need my cold, I need my seasons. But you know, Arizona is definitely turning me and you know when we played in New England and New York, you know, we were pretty blessed with you know, being fifty fifty degree weather and that was over there, you know, and what the heck has happened and the usually being shorts and this stuff. So well, Hey, we've enjoyed having you here tonight. Thank you so much for the time. Thank you, Zach And yeah, thank you guys. How going yep, good luck

against the Niners. Back to wrap up the Big Red Ray presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert. DeAndre Hopkins is a game changer physically. You bring so many tools to the table. It's going to be a massive help to Kyler Murray. Wide receiver screen to the laft caught by Hopkins at the twenty five hoof the chains. Baby, you're gonna catch a lot of passes this year. Throw as far aside of the sideline caught by Hopkins. A first down I even catch made by Hopkins. Grows a deep

all far sideline and on target. DeAndre Hopkins with a first down catch swite open Hopkins caught at the twenty fart sight ten five and he's hit at the one. Welcome to the Valley. Now about fourteen catches in his Cardinals debut that was Week one at San Francisco, a career high fourteen catches, one hundred fifty one yards receiving.

That's how you make a first impression. Now the Cardinals come back and play the Niners at State Farm Stadium Saturday at two thirty or wrapping up this edition to the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert We are, santan Ford a pleasure to have Zach Allen. He was outstanding. He was as good on the air

as he has been on the field. And we brought up the weather at the end there Wolf, just because when the Cardinals left New England three days later, there was snow within the Boston area, and then as soon as the Cardinals left the New York Giants game, where temperatures were also in the fifties, there was this massive northeastern that blew through New York and left like forty inches of snow on parts of New York State that

you know all too well being from Buffalo. So I was curious how Zach is adapted to the A Z and this time of year, He's gotta love it. I presume. Oh, Paula, there's no doubt about it. I mean, for a kid that comes from the Northeast and that's where I was from, I can tell you when I came out here, it's like what planet are way on right now? Because this is something I do not understand. You know how it

gets here? The beautiful weather, when you've got that cool sunshine in December on your skin, there's not a sensation like it. And so d Hop has been singular in so many ways right now. He's leading the NFL and receiving yards over thirteen hundred, he has one hundred and three catches, he's number two in that department, and he's seemingly you tell me, listen to what Kyler Murray as I say, he's seemingly getting better when all of a sudden, him and Kyler are connected. Even though d Hop would

be technically covered, he's still open. And Kyler was asked about his trust level these days. I like him versus anybody, and uh, I like me to put the ball where it needs to be. So I guess ninety nine point nine are what have you said? It is beautiful evolved between these two guys. Yeah, paul that is beautiful. That's

exactly what you want to see right here. Is one of the things I was talking to you about in the earlier part of the Beautiful program was just the fact that Kyler Murray was making the decision to throw the ball up to DeAndre Hopkins even though he was covered, even though he looked like he was covered, Throw it up to him, Larry Fitzgerald that touchdown in the back of the end zone. Throw it up to Larry Fitzgerald.

When you've got receivers that are playmakers, and that's exactly what DeAndre Hopkins is, and that's what Larry Fitzgerald is. When you've got receivers that have some of the best hands in the history of the National Football League, that are playmakers, throw the ball at them, even when they're covered, they're not covered, even when they're covered, they're open, Throw the ball to them. And that's a hard thing to teach a quarterback. Paul stop and think about it. They're

always looking, well, who's open, where's the open guy? And then you look out there and you see a guy running stride for stride with DeAndre Hopkins or Larry Fitzgerald. It's a hard thing to say throw the ball to him because you're always looking for the guy that is open. But I think Kyler Murray is starting to learn it. Paul starting to learn to throw the ball to these guys even when it's going to be a contested catch, and that might be the best development of this offense

going forward. Right, you know what, You're safe because DeAndre hopkins grandfather listens. He said that today is his grandfather listens to everything and reads everything in this market. So you know, if there's any haters or any critics or negativity, then boom, he lets de hop know. But that was that was on par wolf You're safe from from any sort of blowback from from de Hop's grandfather. Just some outstanding comments from DeAndre Hopkins today. You know markets Back

to the Keeping Real Ball Special. Thanks Tody Fincher and producer and manager Jim Almandro for Ron Wolfley on Paul calvcs special thing next to Zach Allen. This has been the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. Number one. Til 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 Arizona Cardinals Football Club