Big Red Rage - Zaven Collins Making Mark

Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit Hacy Cardinals dot com, Slash Podcasts, The Reds, Rising Guard, Temperaturizing Vision, flurring, 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. Unleash the far well. If I don't know what sort of acceleration zero to sixty, what sort of pickup you have in your pickup? Your

f one fifty from Tim Holvic and santan Ford. Here on the Big Red Rage, brought to you by santan Ford. Of it, but are you're known for the heavy foot? But our guest Tonight per next gen stats on his thirty yard pick six went from zero to over nineteen miles per hour, and that qualifies as the fourth fastest in recent history by a ball carrier. Where Wayne two

hundred and sixty pounds or more. To think about that, that's a big man running right there, and he is our guest tonight on The Big Red Rage, presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert Ron Wolflee There, Paul kelbc here and Zaven Collins our feature guests. Did it feel like nineteen plus miles per hour when you were in the

open field? Yeah, it was pretty crazy. As soon as the ball him, I double clutched on the catch, got a piece of it, caught it, turned and his first thing run as fast as possible, so kind of just let loose and then once we were in the end zone, yeah, I just celebrated. But yeah, it was. It was awesome experience going going right after I got that ball. No, it's unbelievable, Zame, and it really is. So I gotta ask you right now here. It is, of course going

into week ten of the regular season. How's the body holding up, buddy? Yeah, so, you know, obviously last year not playing as much as I would like, but this year, getting the full dose. I think I'm playing like ninety nine percent of snaps or something over you know, the amount of games, and you know, you definitely feel it. Start to learn how to be a pro when you get into the facility or before practice, taking care of your body, stretching, you know, getting warmed up. You just

can't go out there cold anymore. So. But yeah, a little bit of soreness, but we're healthy for the most part. Quite the opposite. You said you hit the sauna at your key. Yeah, yeah, the sauna. The sauna after practice is definitely key a few times a week. It's funny because Wolf Wolf remembers last week we had Rondale Moore in here and he talked about everything he does. He has his own chief, he has these other like body mechanics. People will work on his body like it's a car,

you know. And I'm like, he's in year two. He's a young guy just like you, and you won't you guys already feel that sort of stuff as necessary. Yeah, for sure. Um just a little uh dings and ticks and stuff you get all over your body. Um. Me and Rondale and Colt McCoy and a few other teams. It's colts guy. But yeah, we use use a extra body therapist, you know, does the dry needling for us. And it's actually pretty good. You know, it helps, and they're kind of scary when you walk in the room.

There's some big needles. But you know he gets your right, Zaban, I gotta ask you this right now. Tell me you're not laying all over a pilates ball. Tell me you're not. No, no, no, no no. It's more like in those gray in those gray girdle shorts and I'm on the gray band. You know why I say that. You know why I say that is because you're from Hominy, Oklahoma. Man. Yeah, what is that place like? And how would pilates go over there? Yeah? No, so I don't think they've ever heard of pilates for

the most part. And then two, yeah, that does really happened there. We were just talking about that earlier. I was talking with my coach and he was like, when you go home for the off season, what's it like? And I was like, one of the worst things about going back home is if you know someone's not cooking food, you're eating sonic. You're eating sonic sonic. That's it. Because that's it, because that's the only thing you got in town. Seriously, so you're like, you know, there's a few other places

they're there. Yeah, no good, But like I mean, you're saying, like Sonics like one of the top tier. There's only three things. So that's the problem with going back home and staying a while is you get you can you don't have like the proper nutrition and stuff to get back. I have the weight room and all that stuff, the old school with those old weights and stuff. That'll get

me by for now running on the track. But yeah, the nutrition stuff is kind of you know, you gotta go fifteen minutes over to the next town to be able to go buy stuff to cook food. And because it's population thirty rights, is it pretty small farming community? That's that's that's including the prison that's outside of town, so it's it's pretty small. It's smaller than that. So it's like it's pretty small. I'm not lying that, I'm

not making it up. Nick Connor is the correctional facility out there saying okay, okay, listen, no, So let's say I'm gonna roll into town. I've got the misses with me. We're rolling in. Don't blink, they've already missed it. It's a Friday night, man, Where am I gonna? Where should I go on a Friday night? You know, get a get a decent meal, a nice mail, and maybe have a cocktail. What would you suggest? Go twenty minutes to

the next down. If you're gonna get in the car and roll around, you might as well make a road trip out of it. Go twenty minutes to the next town. That's the best. That's the best thing you got. I'm being serious, guys, Like, it's it's twenty minutes to the nearest town that has um all kinds of different places to eat, Like it's it's out there in the middle of nowhere. So in high school, you were literally the big man on campus. Not only six four whatever you

wait in high school, but you were the quarterback. You had some ridiculous stats, as you might imagine. But what was it You were the valedictorian, four point er GPA. What was life? Well, you must have been the big fish and a very small bowl. Yeah, so it was. It was small though. The thing about high school is like I didn't have enough money growing up to for my family to put me through college. So it was just like, let's do it either academically or athletically, no

matter what. Can't always count on athletes to get you. You know, that was just our thought going through because we're at a small school. So became four point zero, you know, automatically accepted into some start some colleges within the state of Oklahoma because you're a valedictorian. So that was a big one. We got scholarships for being a valedictorian at the Homony High School. You get a lot of scholarships from colleges and stuff, so that was a plus.

And then you know the football side, I played football, basketball, ran track, played baseball. It was never easing, never ending. There was no off season like you know, guys, oh there's off season football, we're gonna lit wit. There was none of that. It was you got one day off and you put on basketball shoes and then you start running basketball, just running in the gym because you're not in basketball ship and that's the same thing. You go

to baseball. You start hitting immediately as soon as you get in with basketball or and then you're also running track. And then you come into spring football and you got summer basketball and then you're into football again. See Wolf allegedly was all stayed in baseball. We don't. No one's

ever proven that in high school. And so do you find that that has helped you at the NFL level when you're required to go sideline to sideline and at one moment you gotta stuff the a gap against the three hundred pounder, but the next moment you gotta run with a receiver or running back out in space. I mean, Zaven Collins, how much better are you equipped for your

job just based on your multi sport background? Yeah, if you think about man and man coverage, whenever you're just giving a certain leverage, like it's like basketball, Like people that are playing basketball. I mean you're on the inside hip, you're on that outside hip. You're either low man in between him and the like. If you think about it, you're in between that guy and the goal, stopping between him and the goal. Same thing, man and man. You're

in between that guy and then the end zone. Sure in certain in certain situations, like I think basketball attributes to a lot of lateral movement and stuff like that. Baseball hand eye coordination, stuff like that, being able to catch the ball, see the ball, in field, you know, fumbles off the ground from the ground up, you know,

stuff like that really contributes. So I thought I thought being a multi sport athlete really helped me growing up obviously, and you know, always just running around, being outside constantly, always having some type of ball in my hand. And you know, the only sport that I've ever played that I was like, man, I can't do this was soccer. My feet are two b save but no. But tough game against the Seattle Seahawks, of course, I thought you guys played it well defensively for three quarters. What was

the difference in that fourth quarter? Bro? Yeah? So, And the thing is is, like you say three like three quarters in, it's really four like three and a half like it. They didn't score those last two touchdowns till you know, eight minutes through four. I think there's eight minutes left in four something like that. I might be wrong, but um, it's pretty crazy that you know that happens like that. But it's our job as a defense to

keep them, keep them out of the end zone. And you know, there was a couple of big plays where they got some stuff in there, and yeah, that's something that we can't allow. Happen, especially when we're in that close ballgame like that. You know, we scored, we went up on them, and then you know, offense goes back out, they score that, they go back out and score. It's like twenty one twenty four. We gotta you know, we

gotta hold them there. But that's just stuff. As a defense you can't allow happen, especially late in the fourth and you know that's unfortunate. Well, after the game, we got we got a glimpse of what Cliff Kingsbury said to the locker room. Typically this is behind closed doors, but with Hard Knocks making its debut last night, HBO NFL Films was in there, and let's roll part of what Cliff Kingsbury had to say to the Cardinals the team after a thirty one twenty one loss at home.

I know this playing hard, all right. The complimentary football just isn't there. All three phases together just hasn't been there all season. Don't understand what I'm saying. I mean, it's been one group goes up, one goes down, one goes up, Special teams goes up, defense goes down. We gotta stick together though, I know that, all right. This one thing standing here right now. I know we gotta stick together. Three and six got eight guaranteed opportunities. All right,

it's up to us what we do. But we gotta stick together, coaches, players, everybody and learn to play better together. All right. So whide' when you look at an FFC, it is what it is. But we got to come together and find a way. That's it. Yea. Of the seven NFC playoff teams a year ago, including the Cardinals, only two have a winning record right now. I mean it is upside down, there's no doubt about it. Yeah, that being the case, what's the frustration level? What's the

confidence level? You think with this team that you can turn it around and maybe go on a run. So now you know, the frustration level is obviously what he had said, you know, complimentary football. It's like, you know, offense gets on a role and then defense starts like, man, well we're just stopped from the whole entire game. And then this happens, or you know, defense stop and then offense back and forth or special teams and neither one of us. So it's like that's what he's talking about,

and that's where the frustration comes in. Like when they need it most, we can't deliver, and then when we need it most, you know, vice versa. And that's just all he's talking about right there, and you know, and that's what we just gotta fix. And I think if we just stick together and just it's like minor things. We VJ was saying something about it today. He said it, and I can't remember the word, but he was so

spot on with what he said. And it's literally being off of mark by you know, one to two yards. It happens to me, It's happened to me a couple of times to see in the season, and it's just like in certain coverages or certain something certain fits and it's just one or two guys being off by just one to two yards. It's literally that's small at the game of inches, and then that's what happens. Zavin. You're playing almost one hundred percent of the snaps at this

point in the season. What's this doing for your game? Man? Yeah, So playing one hundred percent of the snaps has been you know, it's fun. You get into the fourth quarter, it's close ball game, about to go into two minute and it's just like, you know, it's time to grind this is what you just kind of think back of the summer and you're like, this is what you train for, this is what you do, Like this is us. You know, it's time to go. It's kind to go do our thing.

It's time to go stop them, and you know, playing all those snaps, it's really you know, let me know a lot about the game, a lot about what offenses are trying to do, where they're trying to get us. When we put certain personnel into the game, where are they're going to attack us. You know what's going to happen, and you know, learning that you know, and listen to what VJA calls and listen to how VJA like speaks in the meeting and how he's doing these breakdowns. You

understand what his thought process is behind calling plays. So then it allows you to kind of have a jump on certain plays or certain situations. And it's really nice in that aspect. What has been the bigger learning curve for you going from small school high school ball to college or going from college and a smaller you know, it's tulsa super bowing middle linebacker and calling a defense

in the NFL. Going from college to the NFL, that was It was a rough transition at first, but you know, you learned so much in a little bit of time, and it's really nice. I've learned a lot about the game and it's it's been fun. Well, you know what, Well, if we call it every game day, we're calling Cardinals games, and right now Zaban is behind only Buddha Baker and tackles. He has sixty one. He has a couple of sacks, he has the pick six we just heard, five tackles

for lost, two quarterback hits. He has three passes, defense force fumble. He's been all over that field. And guess what. Their degree of difficulty continues because you have Sean mcvay's offense, which has been an issue for the Cardinals at times over the last few years. We'll talk about that and more.

Was Zaban Collins in the Big Red Rage presented by Santan four in Gilbert Geno Smith and the pistol behind him as Kenneth Walker snapped the Smith, He's gonna throw and find the tough pip of the thirty s running it back fund to the funding the test tuck that off Saban Collins right awareness, that was a checkdown of

the rights and Saban Collins read it. He picked it off and then he returned it to get the Cardinals to lead thirteen to ten, saving with a wood what I found pick and then shows off that speed that is a big man running taking it all the way back for a pick six. Pavy about a passion wolf on the call. It's a big red rage presented by satan Ford and Gilbert we are satan Ford was Savan Collins himself. By the way, the Cardinals defense leads the

NFL in return touchdowns. That's now five, four pick sixes and a fumble return. Obviously the big one in overtime at Vegas to be the Raiders by Byron Murphy. So the defense has been opportunistic, there's no doubt about it.

How about the process of calling the defense, Zaban? And when I say calling it, sometimes I'm talking about just the actual technical aspect of it, because how many times do we see on the sideline the equipment guys are like bumbling around with a helmet, your helmet, trying to fix something in the helmet the transmission because it's not full proof, isn't. No, it's not. It's not like how we're talking now where everything's clear, and everyone needs to

hear everyone. It's everyone can whisper. You got to realize when Vj's he's in a microphone that's picks up everything from all the fans, cheering, yelling, all the extra chatter. So it gets pretty hectic, and you know, in a breakdown and certain things like that situations third and short third and long third, medium, you know, two minute, you gotta know what he wants to call. If the mic goes out on the field, there's no time to stop. You gotta know what he wants to call. You gotta

know what he's thinking in a general aspect. You know, he may want to do something off the books that he thinks is right, but from like a guideline, like, hey, this is what was on the script for this week. I gotta know what calls are within that little you know, section of what it is. And that's what happens whenever the mic goes out and what has to you know,

be said. Also it's you know, sometimes like it'll cut off and the the things that he's trying to communicate to me doesn't get transcribed all the way doesn't get all the way through, and you got to just pick up where he left off off of you know, a certain whole list of words for the you know, for the call, and you got to pick up and know. And it can change from personnel, you know, especially in the bigger person I was like thirteen and then you know, twelve,

It'll change. So it's really it's really different, and you gotta know situational situationally, you gotta gotta be aware out there for sure, not kind of, you have to be aware. So it's stuff like that where you kind of get and that doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen, it's like a you know, you get thrown a bone. It's like whoa, yeah, it's out of nowhere. Do you feel like you are getting better week after week after week? Do you feel like you're getting better?

For sure? Yeah? I think overall yeah, But just like anything else, there's been ups and downs, ups and downs, ups and downs. But from you know, the beginning to now, I think there's been definitely a trend of increase for sure. And that's just something that I try and take day by day, just being more trying to be more professional, trying to talk to guys, understand talk with Kyler see what he sees. Talking with Colt, see what he sees. You know, what do they do on this you know

body language that talks a lot. Learning those small little details there's probably helped me a lot in my game throughout these you know, ten weeks. Well, that same question essentially, it was put to your defensive coordinator, Advanced Joseph, and he was just talking about time on the job and how it's helped your growth. Xavan's always been a very intentional, you know player. I mean, he wants to be good.

It took some time obviously, you know, to be a mic backer in this league and call this defense with you know, with the volume that we have on game day. It's uh, it's tough, you know, but he's a smart guy. He wants to be good. And I'm not sure what click, but I think it's just time, you know, time on a job, you know, I mean, you can need it. Young guys don't get time to grotis days. You know, you want him to walk in and be you know,

five year pros, but it doesn't work that way. Jayalen Thompson about two months ago told us all the extra time you have been putting in meeting with him in Buddha. Now you're gonna be without Buddha and he's been an absolute stalwart and an all pro for this defense. We heard Bill Davis on Hard Knocks talk about it, just challenge his own room, just say, you know what, if everybody could play as hard as Buddha, where would this defense be? So where is it going to be without

Buddha against this Rams offense? You think, what's the challenge? Yeah, the thing is is like Buddha's still going to be on a sideline yelling at us no matter what, get to the ball. So that's that aspect will be there. And you know Buddha's obviously you see him running the ball full speed and it's like it's infectious. You just try and do the same thing, and you know, manipulate your way of doing it every single time. Just run, get to the ball, Get to the ball, Get to

the ball. And you know, with our defense, I think you know what we've put on film and what we've done throughout the year of having a healthy defense, everyone running to the ball, no play is done, pushing the pile the other way, I think will be fine. You know, obviously we'd love to have booted there. He's one of the best players in the NFL obviously, you know what I've seen, you know what I mean, he's crazy, Yeah, but um, you know I think he um, he trusts

in us. You know we can do it when he's you know, not available, and we have to believe in ourselves we can too. He's a big part of this defense, and you know, we just got to go out there and, like you said, just try and match his energy whether you know he's there or not. Zavan. You got the Rams coming up of course this week. Um. Although I love what they do offensively, they're in eleven personnel like ninety nine percent of the time. Yeah, yeah, what seems

to be all the time? Um, why is that with fell You know, they have so many athletes and they kind of do an unorthodox way of using eleven personnel. They'll get into like twenty one personnel looks, they'll get into like twelve personnel looks. They'll do condensed condensed splints out of the wide receiver where it looks like a so almost but you know, one wide receiver off it's just all eye candy. It's smoking mirrors. Guys moving back and forth, back and forth, motioning guys left and right,

confuses them, makes you slow down. And then they run the same play, so you're like, oh my gosh, you guys, this is the same play. They're just doing it out of you know it all these different looks. That's all it is. They're running a lot of fast tempo hurry up on the ball. You see that on if you watch any of their you know, tape or film, that's what they're doing. And they're you know, they're and then

moving guys. They're confusing people, so you know, they're using that shadow smoky mirror effect on you know a lot of their plays. And I think they live in that out of twelve personnel. You know, they have higbiez are tied in and then you know the rest of their eleven personnel group. And I think it's worked for him and they've done that in the past too, and they've they're one of the teams that have, you know, for the majority compared to other teams. They live in a

lot eleven persons. That does that bring up any difficulties for you, Because they've got a guy Ben Scronic by way of example, who is a wide receiver. He can run all the wide receiver Roulson. You know he is a wide receiver at two hundred twenty four pounds. Zavin, they put him as you know, in the I format. Yeah, they put him in three point stance and they'll run ice so yeah, they'll run right lead, right right at

your face and they do that. And the thing is they have other players on it where you think he's about the blocking and you're un right passion. He's running down the field right, and that's all it is. And that's smoky mirror eye candy. You think he's doing one thing and it's not. You know, that's what it is. And it works out for them. You gotta think, you know, if you make someone think out on the football field too much, it slows them down. And that's exactly what

they've been doing. And with John Wolford, if he's in there from Matthew Stafford, here comes the quarterback run game as well. So it's gonna be another interesting wrinkle. Perhaps we'll see how that trend. Zaven Collins are guests in the Big Red Rage. So well, if anytime you're in the locker room, if you go over to Zaven's vicinity, there usually Tanner Vallejo's right next to him, and you can hear the classic rock. Okay, do you know that's Zaven? Yeah.

So what you've been listening to recently, We've heard skinnered over there. We've even heard Johnny Cash at times. What even listening to recently? Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, j R. Afferdy, I mean, you name it, will play it, any of those old schools, classic rock, mellowed out. It's it's fun. That's that's a good side. Junkyard told me the other day. Junkyard Dog, he told me the other day. He's like, Zavian, you got some good music. You're the first person that's

ever told me that. Marcus Gold, I was just gonna ask you that. I was gonna say, I'm flying with your teammates. Man. Yeah, it's not on the loudspeaker. I have to just play it on my phone. That's the only privilege that I have is my own personal phone, no speaker. I don't get to connect to any speaker. But it's just enough for me. A couple guys around me, they like it. They dig it um. But yeah, that's that's it. So you're you're more of a rock and

roll guy than a country music guy. Because they took you out shopping for boots in Nashville. I'm like, well, I'll wait a minute. Are they profiling you because you're from Oklahoma? What's going on? Yeah? Not just from Oklahoma, smalltown Oklahoma. But you know, I do love my fair shared country. I will play that in the locker room, but you know, it's usually not as us gets me in the mood for football, like classic rock. Does you know, do you get a good pair of boot by the

way when you're shopping? Yeah, we got some nice boots there. Um it was fun. Yeah, they all the all the people were that wear boots on a team. They're jealous. They're like, why didn't we get to go out? I was like, yeah, I don't know. You don't wear boots now Cold does. Every summer. Wolf wears boots up and rush for New York. But he's kind of a fake cowboy. He thinks he's like, you know, like Kevin Costner from Yellowstone.

He's up there wearing a cowboy hat. Yeah, I admit it, man, I do grab the cowboy had from time to time when I'm out there rush for New York. Population eleven hundred have to you have to when you out there. Yeah, hey, um, do you feel like this game is a must win? Coming up? By the way, every game's a must win. It's crazy when you think about it in the aspect of think of just last year, um, and not comparing the past to the present. But you learn from the past.

If you go from a team eight, no, last year seven and ten and two, right, yea, and you look at every If you think of every game as a must win, it may a change thing going into like that divisional buy and stuff like that, and also the playoff game, you know what I mean. It gets you know, it's crazy. We had a little losing streak there at the end, you know, and we had a great start to the season. So if you treat every game just says it must win and just focus on this game.

Obviously this year is important. We've lost six games or you know what I mean, three and six, Yeah, three and six. So it's like you just look at an aspect of Okay, we're at where're at. We can't change the past. Time to learn from it. Treat this game like you said one in Oh, you gotta win this

game no matter what, and just move on. Go from there, prepare the same, do everything, learn from your sneak and then change like as far as prepare, I mean like getting ready for practice stuff like that, and then changing the preparation as in, where are we getting beat at? What are we doing wrong that? Yeah? For example, third down and red zone the last couple of games, right Van shows have sighted bolt today? Yes? Is there a pattern? There? Is there a constant? What do you do about those

two areas right now? Yeah? So and you got to go and work on those you know what I mean, change like what we were doing wrong? Where was a communication breakdown? What is going on with this technique breakdown? So that's kind of what has to be fixed in the preparation when it comes to practice, and that is uh, you know, what you work on from week to week and learning what you've done wrong. So but yeah, at this point of the season, what is more difficult for you?

Pass carverage or run support? That's that's good. Pass coverage is really not that hard for me because usually I'm in a you know, not too hard of a pass position. They don't have me out there on Cooper Cup. They don't have me out there with DK Metcalf. You know, if we are. I'm looking at the sideline tapping the helmet. Hey, you're going to try to I'll be yelling at get over the top of me. Let's bracket this man. You know what I mean. Um. Yeah, But you know they're

always making up some some tough run schemes for us. Um. I think, especially because we've done early on we're good with the run, um and then and you know they've kind of schemed us up and dublin linement up to you always have a linement on me. So the run is probably considering like it's a passing the league now if you think about it. Besides a few teams like Baltimore. You know, Eagles like to run the ball too. They're

kind of the RPO living in the world. But going up against this offense, you know, you're thinking more pass out of a living personnel and stuff like that. It's a wrap it up here with saving Collins. You won't say it, but I will the unnecessary roughness call. I mean, that was a lot of I mean, come on, what was up with that week? So? How hard is it to play defense in the league? Just simply put real quick, It's difficult, isn't it. Yeah? It's very difficult. It's something

that you have to be cautious. It's like, how am I supposed to be cautious and the guy has the ball in his hands. You know, you don't mean anything negative on anyone whenever you're going to hit someone, but it's like, you know, it's like you don't want to go for any type of you know, fatal stuff like that where you know, head to head, you're out, you know, stuff like that. You just want to make a clean hit. And nowadays like that was a clean hit, Shoal with

the shoulder and it's you know, unnecessary roughness. And I was like, I didn't know I could get unnecessary reference with the do with the ball. So yeah, us either, Hey, we enjoyed it. Thank you, Zavan. Zavan grows strong, big guy. There you go. Zaven Collins our special guest on the Big Red Rage. We continue right after this. Do you buy Santan Pord and Gilbert We are Santan por first down of the Seattle fifteen play actiony boots to the right. The boot, that's the boot. The boot. Oh my god,

the boot just ignored any type of boot play. You can't do it in that situation was great called by the Cityhawks my signing for me, that was being pretty wild and you know, being in a nut job on game day. But you know it's an emotional game. You know, I'm not afraid of sami emotional game. I want to win. You know that weekly investment is heavy, you know, so if they score one point, man, my soul just leaves my every time you score. So I might embarrass to

say I'm emotional game day, I'm not. I mean, it's this plan. You heard the real time reaction and then you heard Advanced Joseph yesterday at his weekly press conference talking about the Noah Fan fifty one yard catch and run on the boot. You heard Wolf's instant analysis from

the radio booth. All angles covered courtesy of your Arizona Cardinals Radio network here on the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley Annie NFL Films in HBO with the debut episode of Hard Knocks in season featuring the Arizona Cardinals, where you could see and hear the anguish on the face and voice of Advanced Joseph when that play unfolded, and it really did seal the game for all intents and purposes, didn't it? Wolf?

Now you're right about that, Paully once again. And it just emphasizes the ability to attack the line of scrimmage and then use play action and the power of it. It's not a brilliant game. It's better round forever, of course, but the difficulty of it is it benefits from having

human beings playing defense inside that box. When you're playing, when you're a human being and you're playing defense inside the box, Man, Now all of a sudden, you're gonna make mistakes and it's predicated on is it a run or is it a play action pass? That bootleg was executed to perfection and it worked. Yeah. It's amazing how many different Cardinals players and coaches were miked up during that debut edition of Hard Knocks in season Wolf, I know you guys talked about it this week on air.

Give me some of your big your top takeaways. Can I just say this, Polly. First of all, you know me as a former player, I'm offended by cameras and microphones being inside the locker room twenty two Wolf, everything's done for video, Polly, I'm just telling you right now, I am. I want to be able to walk around and be me and not worry about everything I'm gonna say, or not worried about if if people are thinking I'm saying it because there are cameras and microphones around it.

That's just me having said that. Can I tell you right now that I so enjoyed this last time. You watched every second of it? I watched every second of it, Paul. Yea, I've never seen Hard Knocks. I've only read about it. I've seen clips of it from time to time. Paul. No, I've never sat down and watched a Hard Knocks episode. Okay. I saw back in training camp when they would cut guys and stuff, and that made me sick to my stomach. How in the world could you possibly be in there

while this guy's dream is being ruined? Okay, that's just me. Okay, But again, I watched it, Paul, and first of all, the appreciation for how well it's done. It's like art to a certain degree, Paul. The way that they're putting this stuff together, Yeah, I was. I was really really impressed and entertained. I have to admit. So there's a crew I understand of about eighty people staffing this from NFL Films, just to turn this around on a weekly basis.

I had a chance there was a debut and a local theater, and I a chance to talk with some of the directors. There's four of them. I interviewed two of them. I asked them what percentage of the film that shot is actually used it makes the final edit. They said less than ten percent. I honestly thought it'd be more like one or two percent, because they're shooting everything everywhere, virtually at all times. It is staggering the amount of resources that goes into this production. But you're right,

it is so well done. You think you know the team. You think you know the team, and then you watch that episode and you realize, Okay, even being on the sideline, I can see a lot of stuff, but I can hear it. So we actually hear what Kyler and die Hoop had to say to each other. It wasn't nearly as flagrant as perhaps it might have looked, and I saw it in real time, right in front of me. But you know, it was a little more tame than

I anticipated when I actually heard their exchange. Yeah, you know, I just actually learned some things not only about the team also, but about players individually and just being inside Bay. I talk about it all the time. Man, what I love to just go sit in one of the position rooms in the corner and just not say a word. Let me just sit there and listen to a coach and guess what, man Dara was what Billy Davis had

to say about Buddha Baker in particular. I know we're going to get to that, but what he had to say, Polly, that blew my mind. That just filled me with love and appreciation for Buddha Baker and the impact he has on all his teammates. No further Ado, We're going to take you inside that position room. This is the inside linebackers room. The position coach is Bill Davis. And here's what they caught on camera. Man, I want to challenge you guys, somebody play harder than Buddha. Get a game.

Watch when the something comes from here trying to play harder? What kind of defense what we had should be bolder? Again, hushle bas. I ran into Bill Davis earlier today and I asked him about that, and he said, first off, it's completely genuine. I have no idea when the cameras are on, he said. He sometimes we're all terrified what are they gonna capture? What are they gonna air? But he said, in my thirty years plus of coaching in the NFL, I've never ever seen someone just pop off

the film like Buddha Baker. That was his reaction. So that's why he holds him up as the standard to try and aspire to. If you're anybody else on the field, can you bring it like Buddha? Yeah? You know into Paul, the power that that has, you know, you hearing me talk about how a player can impact his teammates in a very intangible kind of way, make them better than they really are, just by his mere presence. That's Buddha.

That that's what Buddha does. You watch Buddha Baker and now all of a sudden the challenge, And I love the way Billy framed it up for his linebackers in that room. Somebody, I challenge you, I challenge you, as your coach. Somebody play harder than Buddhi. He didn't say, Paul, somebody play better than Buddha. He said, somebody play harder than Buddha. You know, I yep that because you can

control that. You control, Yes, you can't necessarily be better than an all pro, but you can control how hard you go. Imagine what kind of defense we'd have if guys played tried to play harder than Buddha Baker. And that's that's the charge to every guy that is on the defensive side of the ball and every guy that's

on the offensive side of the ball. And honestly, maybe the most captivating video in the entire fifty minute plus episode was Buddha's postgame speech after the Eagles loss at home, where he Darnier lost his mind in that locker room. Just the anguish, the emotion, and how he's trying to implore everyone to be better at their jobs to stop the home losing streak, which, by the way, they did

in the next home game. But I was actually down getting ready to do the postgame interviews Wolf and I'm down sort of adjacent to the locker room, and I could hear every word. I had no idea who it was. I could hear the whole thing. Somebody just going crazy in that locker room. So you see, and you literally witnessed how Buddha wears it. He wears it emotionally every single game, and that's the kind of plays. Why is the team captain put it that well, you know, it

reminded me so much of old school. I mean, that was Jim Haniffin right there. That was Jim Haniffin. Yeah, the profanity of course, and Jim Haniffan going off and how impassioned it was, how genuine it was, how real it was, and then he kneeled down and through the Lord's prog right now that contract. That was beautiful to actually see that because it was so real at that

point in time. You know what else we learned was that if Kyler Murray hadn't tweaked his hamstring, maybe he outraces Ryan Neil and there's no fumble at the end of the first half that you know what, that DV doesn't catch up to a healthy Kyler Murray. But he had tweaked his hamstring just earlier on a seventeen yard scramble and then all of a sudden the Seattle Seahawk was able to keep up with him and knock that

ball loose. And none of us knew at the time that he was dealing with a less than one hamstring. So that was interesting to learn yeah, No, I'm with you on that one. He's still got to cover the ball balling. Oh yeah, you still still got to cover up the ball. Kyler's got to get better at that. That's happened twice now, he's got to get better at talking the ball. That's a hard habit to break when you've gotten to this point and you really haven't had

to talk the ball. But you gotta train your mind. Man. You gotta get better, and it starts by doing the little things. It was entertaining to see the Cardinals practice in the rain and all the whining and complaining about the cool weather and the rain. That was That was hilarious. I visited the Cliff House we call it right, Oh yeah, Cliff Kingsbury's place and his view of Camelback. He said he never sees it because he leaves when it's dark

and he returns home when it's dark. So and then, by the way, the day Pash Podcast was CBS Sports Legend Jim Nance available now following on Twitter app Pashpod. We continue with a big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert approtation Cooper Cup on a jet sweet pass. It totally fools the Cardinals ten five walk in touchdown that totally fulled the Cardinals. He came in motion, took

it on a jet sweep to the far side. All the Cardinals were running to the left of the formation, Cooper was running to the other side, and he walks in basically from twenty yards out for the first touchdown of the game. It's always something with Sean mcvagh in that scheme. He always has some sort of eye candy that's apt to throw the front seven and then boom, all of a sudden, there's a running lane for a

Cooper Cup. There's always something they haven't seen before. Despite the fact that the Rams have scored more than twenty points only one time this season, think about that. You beat LA and guess what. Then you set up a meaningful game in Mexico City against the forty nine ers, who've you've yet to play in the NFC West. It's the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul kelvc Ron Wolfley and beat LA the Rams and guess what? It could look a

lot different this time around? Could or not? Ron Wolfley? If John Wolford goes against Colt McCoy then Game one we just heard there will have basically no bearing on this rematch. Yeah, Paula, you're right about that. It's going to be interesting to see what happens, of course, the

rest of this weekend coming up. So the health of both teams certainly has been an issue in a problem here this season, especially Paul when you look at the offenses, and in particular, I would say the offensive line, not the offensive line is we all know the Cardinals has really been banged up, just an absolute mass. Rodney Hut and of course Justin Pugh is done for the year. He's on IR now, Will Hernandez has been placed on IR. You've got your tackles, Calvin Beachum of course, and DJ

Humphreys all banged up right now. Well guess what The Rams offensive line is as just as much a mess for the most part as the Cardinals offensive line. And to me, Polly, it's so fascinating because you hear me say this all the time. You need an offensive line that is good enough to allow your talent to do what they do. And right now the offensive lines are both banged up for the Cardinals and the Rams, and

both offenses are struggling mightily. Look no QB, no chance, but one B is no offensive line, no chance for your weapons to operate. You're absolutely right. That is the quickest downfall for any talented team if you can't block it up front. That has been the case. Guess what Cardinals are gonna have to do with Aaron Donald. But that Ram offensive line is the only offensive line to

suffer more injuries in the Cardinals this season. And that and more is what Vance Joseph had to talk about this week than when he looks at that Rams game film. It's the same offense, but like most teams who have injuries, you know, it won't be the same, you know, and Cups still win the best in the league to them. The backs are all good, but the line has been beat up, you know, in his obvious on tape. If you can't block anybody, you should you can't run to

throw it, and that's been their problem. They'll get some guys back this week, you know, so it should be better for them, hopefully not, you know, but um, you know, you're not playing with your best guys. That's what it looks like. It's the NFL, you know, and your best players help you obviously win games, and when you're playing with young guys and backups, it won't be as good. That's just that's really simple, you know. That's where they

are the Rams. In this last game against the Bucks and the loss at the very end sixteen thirteen, the offense went three and out eight times. Wow, it's they had just over two hundred yards total offense, and Cooper Cup accounted for one hundred and twenty seven of it because he had a sixty nine yard touchdown catching another thirty four yard chunk reception. Otherwise they did a lot of nothing on offense. Yeah, Paully, think about this right now.

Matthew Stafford has been sacked twenty eight times, twenty times this year, and all of last year, Pauli, he was sacked thirty times. Okay, thirty times. Now think about it. They still have nine games to go this year, twenty eight sacks on the season right now, they are number twenty seven as a matter of fact in sacks per attempt allowed. And you've got Matthew Stafford who in eight games has only thrown eight touchdown passes in eight games,

and he's thrown eight interceptions in eight games. Man I'll tell you. It just goes to show you once again the impact that an offensive line can truly have on an offense and in particular on your skill positions. Maybe they need to go back and give Andrew Whitworth twenty twenty one Team MVP award based on the aftermath of losing their left tackle. Oh you were all over that, man, You were talking about that very thing right there. Well, they were a disaster before what work they really were.

I know they made a bunch of other moves obviously, but that was the key. Um. What's interesting is this quote is this is one of the head coaches, and I quote changes have to be made, Adjustments have to be made. We can't continue to go on like this. I'm a big part of this. I have to do better. We have to look inward figured out what are some of the solutions and changes and adjustments and different things we have to be able to do to get different results.

Couldn't that easily be either head coach at this point? Yes it could because it is Sean McVay. Just it's Sean McVay. But but this similar spots, aren't they? Yeah, Paul, I mean it is. You've got to look at everything at this point in time. It's one of the reasons why I you know me, I'm hopeful that this offense will continue to evolve, that they'll do some things that

will evolve this offense. And I think Sean mcvayh is faced with the same situation as well, and he's listen to his credit, he's being very, very accountable number one, and he's saying, we're gonna look at everything. We're gonna look at all of this and do something because we can't just continue to go down the same road. And look, you heard the Cooper Cup touchdown run, but he had only four catches for forty four yards, no touchdown receptions.

He was a non factor in the passing game. Cardinals did an excellent job taking him away in Week three. So if you're able to neutralize Cooper Cup, who's the other guy that can beat you? Sort of like the Cardinals. If Jalen Ramsey is on DeAndre Hopkins, then what who's the other guy who's gonna step up? Is it a zach Ertz, Is it a Rondel Mordes? James Connor put together another performance like he did in LA Week four the regular season a year ago when the Cardinals ran

at forty times or two hundred and sixteen yards. I mean he got up and he got up try and block Aaron Donald. So what is your approach if your Cliff kings baron offense? Yeah, exactly what is your approach? I don't know exactly what that approach is going to be, but you have to try to run the ball. If you get into a situation where you throw the ball fifty eight times like the Arizona Cardinals did last time they played the Rams, fall that is playing right into

Raheem Morris, the defensive coordinator, right into his hands. If that's the case, because Aaron Donald and that pass rush will feast on Kyler Murray, There's no doubt about it. He has a six and a half sacks in the last six games and about sixty quarterback pressures. And you're going against He's gonna be going against the Cardinals offensive line. This is gonna be their seventh different offensive line combination already this season. So to your point, we come full circle,

which offensive line holds up better? And that might right there give you the clear cut winner as to this matchup, a must win game for both teams who have both, by the way, lost four the last five think about that rams are three five Cardinals at three and six. Special thanks Zavin Collins, our special guest on this. Addition to the Big Red Rage for Jim Almahondro and Cody Fincher,

Ron Wolfley on Paul Calvci. 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