All Gas NO BRAKES + Saints Preview | Command Center Podcast | Washington Commanders | NFL

On today's episode of The Command Center Podcast, try not to Lose my voice. We also talk about the bye week, how does this team stay focused?

Fred Survival.

We also previewed the Saints game quarter by quarterback exactly right. We risk it for the biscuit and we play hell.

Yeah and hey no and have be a hook of beer.

It all starts right now. Welcome into the Command Center Podcast. I'm Logan Paulsoneer with Fred Smoot and Santana Mos.

Same guys. We have a sponsor. Oh love it love a good sponsor. Right.

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Your de symbol voice is good. It's good.

It's good. I've been smoking twelve packs of cigarettes.

Say it's rest.

So we all got to play hurt friend's late season. We got to play hurting.

I'm playing hurt?

Is it dif between being injured?

Yeah and hurt? I got to get out there what happened? So yeah, So thank you. Thank you to Cognire.

Appreciate that because we love doing this show. We love bringing you guys this content. And yeah, man got to fight through. Hopefully they got some good throw longes or whatever.

I know what to do. It sounds like a technology company.

Yeah, most definitely. It is a tech company.

And if you're not going to be in this future with that technology, they're just especially in this area.

No doubt. All right, now we got bye week recap.

You want to recap o?

No, no, no, that's I want to know what you guys did for your bye week to kind of stay locked in, rest.

Relax, but also stay focused because as we all know, it's tough. Yeah, being in a bye because you're.

Like, oh I get to relax, but you really don't.

Still got four games left? Yeah, yeah, so I don't know. And we had that late bye in.

Thirteen leave thirteen. Yeah, so you want to know what we did on a bye? Yeah, what'd you do this time around? No backing them.

I don't playing. I don't need to know.

I'm an older guy these days, I trust me, I'm not partaking in no foolishness. But no, honestly, back in them days, it depends you know, I remember, I believe I'm not mistaken. Thirteen it was like when we needed that reset. Was it was a little bit late, was a we was beat up a lot. It wasn't a little beat up. We was beat up a lot and we just needed to kind of get away. I remember twelve.

It was perfect time.

And I believe because I think when we came out of that by that was we gave that you know, that run to the playoffs and we all fell.

You can you can.

See everybody just recharged.

I mean, I remember, I remember that game at the gate against you know, Philly at home. That was the game that a lot of people show the highlight with me going over the guys back and I remember, he just.

Know it wasn't one because I only catch that game.

I believe.

If you haven't seen that catch though, makes you go check it out on YouTube. It's one of the sickest catches you'll ever see.

Because you're not a you're not a big guy, but you literally like lost his last name happened to be just coincidentally, two dudes, And it was literally Robert arm punting this thing.

This is a gett nerdy you guys here, it's a dig concept. So there's an outside guy's got a twenty yard in and Tanner's the slot guy's got her through.

And the read on that.

Is you never throw through, you throw lessons.

Two men. Yeah it was not two man and Robert just watched that thing, so good job Tanner.

But honestly, remembering that play, remembering that play, cow had just like, I don't know what was earlier that week. He was like, you guys gotta come out here and make a play, you know what I mean, if someone needs to make a play, And that's all. It always popped back up in my head remembering that was the reason why I did what I did on my bye week. Yeah, I went away and chat and got you know, first time in a loan time, went out of town and

So that's what I would have done back then.

Now what I would add to if I had to put myself in the shoes of the players today, on our team today, I don't think I would have left.

I don't think I would left.

Knowing where we're at right now with our season, we're we're trending, you know far as you know, playoff, you know, birth and everything like that. I would like to have a chance to just kind of dive into just whatever is telling me, whatever's bothering me, whether it's something that I haven't you know, did did right this season throughout my game, or whether it's an injury, get on that, you know what I mean.

But at the same time, relax and enjoy the family.

Well I usually go back to I used to go back to my mom how just for some not real food, but just soul food. Just like to be back in Mississippi where everything, Lord, it's a lot warmer, and just to be around my family. That helped me just unplugged because it felt normal, It felt like my old normal to be around them and listen to them talk trash

Like it's not like I'm going back.

To Did you train weekend?

Listen?

I did.

I used to jog, but my feet hurt, all right, even hurt. Listen them clicks.

I worsed in high hills, all right, clicks, clicks, they worse a little.

So I used to go back and just chill.

And I go back to Mississippi. I chill with my family. A couple of days. I drive to the coast of Mississippi. Put these feet in some hot sand, just like really nothing.

Other beaches in Mississippi.

They're great, by the way, go to Biloxi, tell the fred Smooth Centure. The casinos are great. The boulevard is there. There's tons of stuff to do. The Mississippi beaches. We never get it's a golf beach, right.

Yeah. Mexico, yes, it's pretty, so aren't.

This is where fresh water met South water, so it's a little bit more murkier. Didn't in Miami pretty lake year, Yeah, like l.

Did.

She said we were just.

Surf Yeah, I mean I was found going going home for the bye was so nice, but I also found it was a little bit hard to kind of bounce back.

Minton.

Yeah, man, I was thinking about twelve because that's what you talked about. I went back to see my wife's said, we live in California. Yeah, Monterey, California beautiful.

Yeah, like, oh my gosh, it was amazing, but.

Like Tennessippy beaches compared to Mississippi.

Yeah, period hit the Pacific Ocean out there.

Man.

But yeah, then coming back here, I was like, dude, I don't know what just happened. I don't want to be here.

Yeah.

Yeah, it made it harder to kind of reset. So after twenty twelve, I remember, I was like, I'm never going back. Let's stay around, you know what I mean. It's just hard to like refocus.

I think too. You know, you got to you know, you was much.

I mean, I think twenty twelve is only what two or three years, third year, you know, for you myself, I'm talking about year twelve, year thirteen, So I have to do something different.

I've been doing the whole sit down, stay locked in and it worked.

But then at times when you're in those seasons where you have that I need to get away, you know what I mean. So that's why I say, if I had to put myself in a player shoes today, you know, with what's trending for them, I wouldn't try to get I just stay, you know what I mean. I just want to go in the house and you can go down the street somewhere to a different location, local, you know what I mean. And I wouldn't have got on no planes though. I would have just stayed somewhere where

I'm watching games regardless.

I'm just one of those football heads, like I'm going to watch all regardless of whether I'm playing or not. And I think for these guys, man, that would have been good for them just to you know, kind of you know, not so reset, because I think that momentum they went into the bye with, you want to come out of that bye with that same moment.

Yeah, And I think I would have been just on mechanic alerk. I'd have been trying to fix whatever the shoulders. You know, if it's the need at the time, did.

You have someone that you want to because ibody I.

Had a couple of got couple of former trainers that God had here, and then like Larry has a lot of guys that I'd be like, I just called them up and be like, man, my body hurt.

Can you work on me?

And so I'll go into mechanic mode at that time, trying to make sure I'm good so when we do come back. The one thing you know from playing in the league, you want to finish good because you never know your coaching situation. You never know your situation. So I would have been like, let me let let's finish what we started. So I just went into repair mode.

And I will say one of the worst things about the buyers when you're hurt, Yeah, you can't leave the building.

You can't leave. You gotta stay here. I've been him, Yeah, I know you've been there.

I've been there a couple of times.

Yeah.

It's like, I hope I'm healthy before the buy. Then you're never It's crazy.

I got a concussion in twenty twelve right before the BUYE ain't. Boy, that's the worst. And there was a game. I literally got an cussion. We played the.

The Panthers at Haunts right and I ran an out route smash right on our side.

That's crazy.

I remembered it, and it's crazy.

I got a cushion a gain, but I remember the concussion, and I remember.

Them talking about, Yeah, we're gonna have to keep you here. Everything fine. I ain't seeing him, man, you got me all missed up.

I had to stay the year. I fractured my stern them, which I can't practice. All I can do is watch them and I play in the game every sthing. So when we got to the bye week, I was like, it ain't like y'all rehab, you know what I'm saying, because.

They couldn't start politicing right.

You're like, I feel I'm like, I'm not missing games, So I'm like, I'm doing my point.

Like you can't heal me.

I don't go into the training room, all right, so everything that's happening to me, it won't change if I get to go home.

They're like, nah, you gotta stay here.

Speaking speaking of being injured on the body, wanted to shut the story with you guys, to tell you my how bumpy my road was when I first got in the league. So remind you my first year, tore my knee before I even played the game. Had I had a lateral meniscus tear. So it was not like something like ACL But you know most Munisicus terars, they.

Just carved you out.

Four weeks you're back, which I ought to get my repaired. Yeah, tot to the advice of my agent. Shout out to Drew Rosenhouse and his brother Jason. Those guys say, Tanna, with what you do, how young you are, I would rather you get a second opinion.

I went down to Miami.

U Reeby was my doctor University in Miami told me, hey, I'm not letting you go back without surgery right now. We're repairing it. We're not gonna have you carved out. So we saved my cartlage. So with all that being said, the just was pissed off. I missed like the missed all the preseason. Then I missed twelve weeks, came back with like at least four weeks left.

I played to my squad. I mean it was just a small thing.

The next week, as soon as I get off on my knee, I tell my car out the gate. I still have the defect in my card to the day I tour it like nasty. So anyway, long story short, that you might were scrapped that year. Right The next year is my second year. I start off in training camp with a hamstring tweet. You know, it's just tweaked. Now it goes to a tear. So I remember playing on a week hamstring for like the first three four weeks,

Just reflect with Dale Carter out there at the time Warfield, So that's why I scored on them.

Forty two Warfield Field. Yeah, that's the one I scored on. But del Carter was still playing. Yeah, but he was in the Ravens at the time. All right, all right, yeah, So just to you know, some of the things that we grow through as players and how we have to spend these buys. Man, I just I remember being young and like almost in tears, like every year, like, man, I'm hurt on it.

I'm never getting home on the back. Oh my god.

Man.

But that's one of these stories when you think about it.

And when I got to that year twelve, you're thirteen, Like, I deserve something because I remember the bumpy start, you know what I mean.

I deserve to get away.

Now I'm able to you know, have a clean bill of health and be able to play on the level that I want to play on.

No.

Absolutely, So this is the other question I want to ask you guys. So everyone goes away for the buy, Yeah, who's in charge of like kind of saying, hey.

Stay in line, stay in line, and then stay street.

Tanna said this too, like when we come back, this is the level of folks we gotta have. So there's two parts like, hey, this.

Is we're not gonna mess up on the by yeah, and then how do we get refocused for the boy who's responsible for.

I want to mention it because I remember our tone setter, London Fletcher would always be a guy that get up and speak in front of the whole staff and the players and like, hey, listen, man, we got to have this kind of focus. You know what I mean, You guys, get away and enjoy yourself, but at the same time, don't be out here doing these things stupid.

When we get back, man, it's go time.

I remember London having chance some sentiments as a player, but when you got a guy like him on.

Your team that that do this. Now, we had a bunch of guys like him on our team. You name it, and I'm gonna call some names. I'm gonna be I'm gonna be him today. We had Fred Davis', we had Fred Smooth's, we had you name it.

I mean, it was some guys that you know, you might say that to these guys, but they gonna do them. But longest when they got between the white line. And that's one of the things I loved about Coach Gibbs. And this is something that a lot of people take for granted, but coach Gibbs said something earlier, you know, when he came back in his second stint of coaching

They could say less.

So I do remember having guys stand up like that, like in London, and then I do remember looking at something the guys, some of the knuckle heads, like let me see what he did this bridge? He better come with it because we don't gonna win it. Then you know you're gonna get you with out.

I think the head coach also gives that warning, you know, right when we play the game and we had a meeting the next day, Guys, before y'all scattered to do what you gotta do, remember this, protecting this the PARTICI team. Protect yourself and understand the season not over just because you get a break. Look at it as a weekend. A right other than that, come back, be sharp, be ready. So yeah, you got your players that stand up and say,

Almost Mike was good at that, shut up, at getting up and telling us stuff like that. But I think too, man, it gets to a point where you as an individual, Man, I didn't need nothing.

I didn't need Mike, I didn't need London. Yep.

It was good to hear that because I knew it was a lot of guys that wasn't you know. I guess you can say had the foundation or mentally focused like myself, But man, I was always glued into what we had to do, you know, want the task.

And even on seasons where it wasn't going well. For that's the hardest one. I cared.

Les's about getting away because I'm like, man, I gotta finish. Like what you just said, mentioned earlier folks fail and realized you got to think about it. I spent ten years here, and through those ten years, I had three different coaches I had, I had Gibbs, I had Zon my bad four different coaches. I had Gibbs, I had Zon, I had Mike shanahand and I had your boy, Jay Gruden.

So a lot of those years we didn't do well.

So if you just say we ain't doing well, well, let me let me go to California, then you don't come.

Back next year. You know what I'm saying. You don't have that right to come back. You don't hit that opportunity.

So I was always focused on, regardless of what we did as a team, eighty nine can't put bad stuff on tape, you know what I mean?

And you know some seasons don't always work out your way when it comes to numbers.

But when they turn that tape on and they see you flying around and see who's playing, I wanted them to always look Okay, we ain't got to look at this kid. We're gonna look at the next guy, you know what I'm saying. So that's how I've always paid attention to what I was doing because I feel like, yeah, we're playing football, and it's been our childhood game, you know, from day one. But it was my job and it was something I took serious well. I think also, people

Just to this.

I always say this. People always wonder why Green Bay is good all the time. Pittsburgh is good all the time, and Buffalo is good most of the time. These city has these up. I said, these are dead cities like these are cities that are very small, and these guys are all football. If you live in Green Bay for during the season, you have no off the field things grabbing at you in the city is not pulling at you any of this. They never leave on their breaks.

Sunday is the only thing they got Monday through Saturday. They have nothing.

They don't have the nation's capitol, they don't have Miami, they don't have Houston. They are singlear focused on only football. And that's a that's a plus when it comes to sports.

You can't bring that fun to you.

We know that.

You know, of course you can when you bring that fun to you. Think about it. If you fly somebody in to Green Bay, y'all.

Can't where y'all going, They go, right, you better have a nice house.

So the activity of the players and the lifestyles of the players are totally different.

They look forward to the off season.

I get what you're saying, and I think that helps them for eighteen eighteen weeks lock in.

So I think that's one hundred percent right. And I think Fred brought up a good point.

Like for me going to the bye, it was always the coach, hey man, protect the team, protect yourself. Remember, don't get in the car if you've been drinking, like kind of hitting that checklist of things like don't do that.

And then I really felt like coming back it was the player. The players.

Yeah, and I think you have team leaders like obviously London Fletcher was a big leader for us, but also I think Tanner brought up. May be the most important point of all those things is it's about the guys on the team. Are they self starters? Are they self motivated? Because that's the Those are the guys that you don't worry about coming back from the back because they knew how to handle their business in the bye. They're going to be focused, they want to win these last four games.

Back, like didn't wait to come back off the back. Yeah, then you're gonna be all right, I guess is what I'm saying.

I think that's that's I think I'm glad you brought that up, tenn because to me, that's the most important thing. And coming off this buy, we're getting ready for the New Orleans Saints. Yeah, and this team is interesting to say the least.

The feist.

They don't give up, but they beat up.

They are beat up. And let's talk about that for one second because who that a quarterback from the right? Who who's gonna play? Quite literally, who are you right?

So there's two guys Jake Haynter and Spencer Raler, and he just watched all of Hatter stuff because he's number one on the jump Shruck and he's only got like a couple like thirty attempts this year. Yeah, he got He does have a little bit of moxy to him, a little bit of competitive advantage. And the thing that I keep thinking about, Tanna, and I know you probably think about this too, is just because you don't know who he is doesn't mean he can't play.

No, it's dangerous for a defensive player. Let me tell you something.

When I see a guy, did I always tell people is they be like, are you scared of Randy Moss more than you're scared of the other? I said, I'm scared of the other dude because I've been studying Randy all week. This other dude, I don't got no notes on him. I got no notes on him. I don't know his strengths and weaknesses.

I don't know.

And he also shouldn't be afraid of me because he playing on house money almost And when you get a guy that ruins should not go what's my game playing against him? I have no game playing against him? And that becomes the problem in itself, and it.

Is one start a couple of big time throws, light windows like stuff that you want to see from a veteran backup quarterback. Again, not the most talent to arm, but confident, trying to get the reason why. Yes, And I think again, like it's it's tough because I think about the Dallas Cowboy game, you know, and Cooper Rush. We can get Cooper Rush, but if if we don't handle what we're supposed to handle, we don't score points offensively, we let them stay in a conservative game.

PLO.

They've Nott Alvin Kamara. Their offensive line's playing well. The Titans are playing where they can run the football. We can check down Charlie down the field.

Their defense plays some ball too. Now they might give up points, but they play some ball. They got the honey Badger they got over there.

Yeah you got linebacker Davis.

Yeah, yeah to Mario Davis. Player.

But I think, like that's something you always talking about, is it doesn't matter who's out there. They're professional players and if the game hits right, you could lose the game.

And that's why I'm always big on just handling your business. You see what I'm saying, Like if you handling your business. We care less about the opponent. That was one of my logics to why I didn't watch film on the individual cornerbacks that I was up against, like I care. I used to watch the tape and did won't even look at the cone. I'm looking at the safeties. I'm looking at the whole defense. I care less of how

Get that one.

They will call me out here, like where are they going? I'm thinking he was at the bar and I had a little drink in my hand. Don't come out that hairsteff, let me put that. Let me come out there wanting better at the context.

Don't come out that half step and think just because of this guy that you didn't have that much film on here.

He's gonna come on and lay down it said, he'll pro to.

I always tell people that if they own this roster, they are parted at one percent. And I call it the Brian the Byron left Wich. All right, because we heard that story. Listen you wanna talk about learning and listen that day Listen, I started break dass little beers because they were carrying being Roethlisberg off thee, you know, being.

Throwing that thing. And they got Wallace at this time, ab they got some guy. So I look at London and I'm like, thumbs up, I get.

That we got this coach.

We about the Dama Nate coaching everybody, So up tenty grade, we're seeing everybody.

Left, which led us up for three hundred. He let us up for three hundred and ran us off the field.

Blame you.

Get up in the deepens of mean to.

Say this was don't mean right here, my fault failas Yeah, and so again we don't take anybody for granted, nobody, but they are a little banged to bet receiver ye chrys olive may or may not play right. Their other kind of explosive weapon number twenty two. Every s he out right, he's been out And so one of the things about this offense is here when you watch them over the course of the season, they do find ways to get explosives.

Yeah.

And so the guy for them is a guy that was on their practice squad to start there, Marquez Valdez Scanaling is in there kind of making explosive plays.

But again, like when that's your main piece, it's probably not the best.

He's more of a scratch the field guy and what he does, what he's doing, Yeah, And.

They find ways to be explosive that way, So they're still dangerous.

Ama Kamarra makes them dangerous. He is a one man, Rick and crew. We know what this guy could do. Come on, we to see this guy's go five six toeschdowns in the game, like he can break a gag wide opening.

Going into that. Don't nobody, it's a great point. This is a a hard place to play.

It's a far trip in New Orleans, and that's.

A city that can eat up players. I keep telling people the city has something to speaking experience. You know, I'm just come on, you got your job because Richmond ate me up.

New Orleans.

But you know what I'm saying, So the city is a weapon. Also the twelfth Man. That what we call it, the twelfth Man. Think about this a.

City like Las Vegas just got a hockey team three years ago. They've been in the championship two of the three years. You don't think Vegas is chewing some players up and spinning them out like Miami has always chewed players up and spit them out. And now you also moved two teams to l A. It's some places that will devour you the twelfth Man.

Yeah, and I'm really glad you brought up Alvin Kamorrow Fred because their offensive line is young, but they're big and they're pretty physical, like they kind of mashed on people a little bit. And one of the things that the commanders have had a hard time with is stop stopping the run consistently, right, And so obviously you can allocate more reces that resources there. Hopefully Marshawn Lattimore is playing, you play a little more manus put people down in there.

Yeah, now you take the basically are out of the game. But they still throwing it to him like, they still throwing it out.

But I would rather them.

I would rather that version of this offense where and again, this to me is the sign of like not a very healthy offense. Your number one ball carrier is Alvin Kamara, which makes sense because he's just starting running back.

Yeah.

Your number one receiver in terms of targets is who and yards. So again those are not really good indications of a healthy offense. I want to take him out of this game. Right, Let's get what's an Jake Hayner.

Yeah, throwing the ball a time. Let's have him have fifty attempts.

I feel like that's a winning formula for the Commanders because even though I think he's in the one he's had this year, he played.

Well, Yeah, like he's still here's a backup for a reason.

I mean, no go ahead, And so I'm gonna say maybe the most important element for us defensively is offensively scoring points.

Yeah, and just getting the game floor one together.

Yeah, I think we have to get into a rhythm offensively out the gate. I think that's going to be, to me, the biggest challenge, but at the same time something that we can do because if we get to doing what we do best running the ball, you know, behind b Rob hitting some of our layups that we

To you know, there's two reasons I feel good about Kamar with this with this group. I want to introduce him to Bobby Wagner and Frankie.

I think formally formal introduction, just just.

You know, hello.

I want to induce myself right Dale to right Dale. You know what I'm saying, those two guys give me. I feel good if you say he go the matchup. These linebackers get this guy.

Now.

The one thing we know about the ount, he can run one of the fastest.

Take over a game powerful this on Gosh, what's your Get loud podcasts about how he's got a reputation of having these games where he scores four times too.

And he does it all differ away, like he's the first back I ever seen that's a slasher with.

True power, Like this dude could could pull a car, like he is powerful. Half of the time he's not even running, he's just a gall skipping.

He's setting up people and like, you know how the Burst set it down, Like yeah, you know how they have the little thing with the cats in Detroit Sonic and the other dude, so what, so what is Kamar?

He's every bit of all, you know what I mean. He brings the power and he got the slash.

You know, it's funny. He's kind of in the same category. And people don't talking about.

Yes and again and even Christian McCaffrey like those kind of true yeah facts.

I mean he's still no one talks about him that way, but he is that guy.

No.

I think the other three, even though King Henry is that dude.

I just think Saquan McCaffrey and Camara has the true receiving point that Henry doesn't have, making them the most complete out of the three.

And nobody talks about this.

All three of them, guys pass block all three so they don't have to come out and if you'll see a lot of the Ravens taking King Henry out of certain situations with these guys still on the field.

And I think the other thing too is when you watch the Giants game, the Giants knew that they want to run the football, they want Kamara to be involved, and they're getting, you know, to their jam front, so you know, three defensive taxles covering guard center.

And so what does Joe what Junior do?

Does he say, Hey, We're going to play our normal defense versus you guys say keep everything in front, limit the explosive play and let our offense kind of win this game for us. Or does he get in the heavier box structures which they've done at times this year versus Pittsburgh is when that comes to mind.

But like what is the what is the solution to stopping the run? And like how do you walk that line?

Because they have had a lot of success to show and these teams are kind of muddled together, Like think about it, we have a brain child here that we could pick with Marshaun Latama.

He knows everybody on the roster.

That's a great point all right, and.

Guess what they have some of the similar things over there with chasing another some people over there that can leak information.

Uh, this guy does this, well, they really like to do this. Tomoraw don't like this.

So so we have some some some battling internal that you know, guys are going to give more information than you usually have on a person that's not a Division four.

Yeah.

But I think also what it's all gonna ball down to is just man like I say, we can we can put all that into context and say this is what we have, that's what they have.

Oh, I didn't do what you gotta do.

You know what I mean?

This is a team.

This is one of those games where it can be on any out any other sports outlet.

Saying this can be a trap. You know what I mean, because you're supposed to beat these guys.

You see what I'm saying. You can't look at none of these trap All these are playoffs. Every game that you in after this by it's a playoff caliber game, whether the team is good or not. And think about it, everybody's gonna give you that best shot anyway regardless, You know what I mean. Your new kid on the brother there, four and nine, two and ten. You know what I mean, They're going to give you their best, So you got to go out there with that mentality.

Yeah.

And uh so, you know, we talked about the defense quite a bit there and what they have to do versus this Saints offense offensively. I think, again, this defense is good, they're not great. They're a little soft in the middle. I think we'll be able to run the football. And when this team, the Commanders can run the football to be, it's it's who it's who they want to be. Yeah, yeah, you know so I think like that's something I'd keep an eye on. Is is b Rob effective early and often?

Right? Yeah? How is the interior of this offensive line playing?

Because quite frankly, their interior defensive line over the course of the season, they've got some good athletes have not played well in terms of stopping.

The know, we got over there, I got there. Well, now we traded him, we got we gotta pick for.

Big John John Ridgeway, we got which way. Just to give you some context, is so let me just say this PFF is not the end all, be all for grades. Yeah, they do not have a player on the interior defensive line who's grading above forty eight percent.

And I'm not saying pff.

They're not always great, but that's a that's a Usually.

It's like, you know, you're aiming with a broken sight. It gives you a pretty good MS. Tilson was going up and so Brazi.

I watched his stuff.

He he won that game.

He's an athlete, but you his path level is terrible. And you can lean on that man and you can put him in the fetchers right well.

Be honest is known to wind battles like that, to watch them doors are loose. Let them loose in New Orleans, and let's see, can we make them go to the grocery store.

We acquire those bags and put them right back over their head. People don't remember the ants when people in the Saints used to wear the bag over their head. I remember, you grew up now. I grew up that most definitely.

Plus I got uncles, this Saints fan, and he was like text me the other day, do I need to pull my bag out?

I'm like, yes, sir, that big cop, yeah, mercy man.

And I forgot to say this at the top. So this is a bad job by me and master job bad job. We have a bake off coming up. Fred we do for Christmas and Zach Selby. It wasn't even really like a bake off. It was just like Fred one. Yeah, most definitely. And so now we've got in Turn not in Turn producer and her forget Loud. She's doing the show and she ding she beat you last time.

We set it up for that to happen because we wanted somebody to get a victory.

What did you guys make? I don't even remember. Maybe y'all made the was it lemon cake?

Y'all made the other kind of cake?

The cake that at and we talked about it other there as some particular steakhouse that.

You like to go, Oh, buttercake? Did we do buttercake? Yeahdy and butter cake.

But I'm saying she kind of she kind of took a beat you.

I like to her, Oh that's fine.

They ain't the first time somebody that took it to but what So we're doing a Christmas bakeoff.

Yeah, we're doing a spree at this time.

So we're doing like you could do a cookie, you can do a cake, you can do an extra dessert.

So it's really like a platter.

So it's like making multiple things.

I'm making multiple things. You understand. The elf on the shelf is what I'm going by. The elf in the sheelf in the kitchen, that's where I be at.

And you you were teasing. You were kind of like saying, hell, I'm going to bring out my my hey game, I'm going to bring out.

What is that devil strawberry?

Yeah, I'm bringing out these devil strawberries. Really, it's like it's it's like strawberries with like cheesecake feeling. So when I bring these things out to play, all right, these secret weapons I got and you know in my arsenal, I cannot wait for this bake off. I live for competition. I live for this, like my kids not live. They know when Christmas come, dadd is just extra extra. I like to make the I like to make the dessert taste.

They don't. I like them to look at it and say, Dad, I don't know what I'm finna eat. So I like to do that.

When this happens, this is just a little peel behind the veil. You say something.

Yeah, Jason has a comment, the microphone comes to his face.

It's always happy. No, I'm not hating.

I just wanted to say, Anna's snow push over.

Now.

Yeah, so you're I mean, I'm not going to lose to a Colorado again.

He lost the first time, So I'm just saying, this isn't a Zach Soelny situation.

Hey, first of all, that ain't the first time I have lost. So you lose to come back and win my loss if you don't learn from it, That's what I'm telling you.

What I learned is I took up for granted the first time because I was like, she's a millennial, she can't cook.

I took her lightly, all right.

So now that I know that her family has taught her some bacon skills, now I would dust off the Book of Smooth and I would go on the tech.

This is what I'm going to do for this holiday.

Well, I'm really look forward to it because I'm the real winner here. So I'm I'm rooting for a good matchup. It's gonna be a heavyweight matchup. This is gonna be on our Christmas Day episode Christmas. Everybody is gonna be celebrating Christmas. But we're doing a podcast now. Listen, so when you're traveling or whatever, tune in here the Bakeoff.

It's gonna be great.

It's gonna be ash and peck and I got some stuff that you probably ain't never seen that I'm gonna.

Show people, Like what, don't you worry about it.

I'm not gonna give your heads up, but you can go tell you Anna, he's gonna go do it what I would say, like, you're going to tell her certain things.

I'm gonna doing this.

Fine, just because you try to mock it, you can't do it at the level, then I'm gonna do it all right.

So we're gonna do a little bit audible here. He just talked about food. Now we're gonna talk about a segment. We got risk It for the Biscuit and that's food Risk Marshall mclite. That was pretty close, I think, especially with I say your voice is not yes, you know agency, your partner in risk and People's strategies. What does that mean? I don't know, but we are thankful that they're sponsoring this segment. And so let's talk playoff push from we got.

I think this is the thing.

Risk it a biscuit. They give me a biscuit, Now give me a biscuit. It's nothing for me to risk right there. I think we're rolling into the play need to win. I want to win all of them. I'm not wondering people that I like to do subtractions, taking one game at a time and try to win all of them.

Control your own destiny.

Like, the worst thing you can do is be a team at the customer of the playoffs and you need another team to lose. You don't want to put yourself right there. If we can't get no higher than the six seeds.

So be it. But control what you can control.

Yeah, I look at, you know, some of the opportunities that we have right now going forward and kind of put me back into the college football things that's been transpiring with all these teams that can control their own destiny and then they sitting there waiting till about what you know, I should be in the playoffs? Yeah, but no, all you have to do is win. Yeah, and if you're good enough to beat those teams and do that. So when it comes to what we have going for ourselves,

Yeah, you know, And I think that's something that you guys, and I appreciate doing the show with you, is as former players, like, it's so important.

Now it's a couple of things. One win the next one. Yeah, and it's.

Playoff football right now, right now, now, right now, there's no compromise in so I.

Know everyone wants to talk about, Oh what about Philly? What about We don't care what about Dallas.

You gotta win this one, yeah, right, And I think it probably takes two games to win this thing out, you know what I'm saying. But imagine how hot and how exciting this team would be if you hit this thing undefeated or on a three game winning street or whatever.

And they just showed us they can do this.

They showed us, they can screen together wins and you're talking about a team that, let's be honest, they have been looking to live tired. So that Bye week, get your reinvigorated, and you get to do what I think people don't really hold into account. You get to sit home and watch your peers for the first time this year and say, mmm, because we all have internal things going on with Tannel, I want more yours, diner receivil,

And I also think, like thinking back to when I was playing and when we were playing, one of the worst things was when you watch the team and the playoffs that you know, you knew you were better than.

Yeah, it's the way incredibly frustrating.

And so I think the awesome thing about this right now is you said this, right we control our own destiny and it's all there for us. We just got to handle what we got to handle and get this thing done.

Okay.

So this is another question that I think is really interesting is should the team, should the coaches? Should we be more aggressive knowing that we're pushing for the playoff.

You know what I'm saying, I don't think you need to go out and do something that you didn't do going into the you know world throughout the throughout our season. I think we haven't shown that we're gonna go out here and do something that's not us play the game that you know how to play, you know what I mean?

Like, I think what we have going, what we have.

Going offensively, defensively, and special teams wise, is you know, these guys playing unises. These guys go out there and we talk about complementar in football, Like, I don't need one side to go do something that's not that's going to be living up to the identity of how we played this game, you know up to this point.

Don't get me wrong. If you have a.

Situation where you say fourth and one, this is on the line, we either going to kick this field go or take it, then that's up to them to decide. But I feel like you don't have to go out there and show something or be somebody that you're not.

I think it's like when I'm on the highway and I see a dodge, I see a Tesla, because they always try to show you how fast they Kaye is right, I'm all gased. No break to all gas, no breaks right now, pedal to the middle, ain't no saving nothing. I want full speed ahead. I want you to be I want to play callers to be at the top of their game. I want my quarterback like you have grown through this season, my receivers. I want everybody crossing the t's dot in their eyes. Everything is up for

With that being said, dude, my question, I'm not saying you can be all I'm not saying we're not all gassed with playing how we've been playing. I'm just saying you don't want to put yourself in a situation where I'm doing something too much that's going to cost me to win instead of me just totally understand what the game.

You know.

And I was gonna say, like I went back and for a project we're going to do for the Command Center show, like Jaden's progression is.

Going to be on the show.

That's for a video breakdown and one of the things is you go through all the plays and you see how aggressive they were versus Cincinnati and all these fourth down decisions earlier in the year. And one of the things is like, I'm not saying we need to get back to that, but use the bye week as an opportunity to say scout self, chock so self, Scott, and be like, hey, we could we can take advantage of this because of Jade and Daniels. Yea there, And again, like,

Yeah, it's like, oh, we're going for it.

And I'm not saying that, but let's like look at our list, look at our sheet, and be like, hey, let's be all gas in terms of our preparation. Yeah, and when that moment comes up, no breaks, let's hit it. Let's go hit that thing out of the park. So I think that's one that's really easy. And then also I love what Fred said too, because it's that their

Here, ritting some things up. Yeah, I'm showing you this because I'm gonna give you this.

I think too, you know, defensively, just from the stake of having a different cone out there that probably can do something different than what we had. We might see something different a little bit that's going to make us scratch ahead and say whether if this being is this being aggressive or not? Because I think when you have that, I can call a different game, a different game, different game, And so I.

Think that's gonna Again. We're excited for the playoffs, can't wait to watch this team. But in the meantime, we got to take care of us and that's going to lead us.

To hell yeah and hell hell no exactly.

Okay, So in this game, the first one of our playoff push, Yeah, the defense does not allow more than twenty points.

I guess yes, hell yeah, they don't. They don't allow them to score over twenty. I should I be saying, hell now, No, you're.

Saying defenses does not allow more than twenty points.

That would be a hell yes, hell yes they will.

I just think with the quarterback situation and with the wide receiver a situation, let's just simplify who to stop winn and where. With our offense being very defensive, I will say, hell, yes, we can hold the Saints under twenty points.

Heh yeah, hell yeah, he yeah, hell yeah, hell yeah yeah yeah. So I totally agree.

And the reason I say that is because I think we're going to be able to run the football offensively, We're gonna be able to score a lot of points.

We're going to put them in a bad spot.

And like Fred said, they got a quarterback who I think has some ability, but they're banged abit receiver and they really want to be offensively what Kyle Shannon is. They want to run the ball early and open up plays, open up play action. But if you can kind of slow them down and force them to do a lot of drop back stuff, that ain't who they are. That ain't who they want to be. And so I think I think if if if the game flow goes according to play, they get support from the offense, I think

Hell yell, yes, cause we got your best ConA on our team.

Listen to me.

The guy that was gonna stop him, he's over the Ohio State mate. All right, people forget that these guys play the college. Yeah, so if anybody can, it's a guy that used to practice with you every day.

But oh you gave him to us.

So now your best chance to slow down Our best weapon is got on Berkeley and Gog Hell yeah, he.

Gets you know when you know you know how this game is.

I mean, you can put a cloud on a guy like Terry, but I think going forward much have done which is a teams have done that plenty of times. But going forward, if we want our best effort on offense, you have to go through seventeen.

He's shown you time and time again.

When our offense is hitting on that high note, like that that Whitney Houston high note.

You know what I'm talking about.

We're there's some kind of way seventeam is involved in our offense. I can stop the cloud by simply moving him into the slope.

Yeah, but we know we haven't done a job of moving that time.

They did last week.

And Tanner brings him a great point versus Malik Neighbors last week.

That's what they did.

They clouded him run out corner and safe you have over top and that makes it tough to throw the ball over there.

But if that does happen, that's Terry helping you out.

Yeah. Different, then it's too.

Like I told, there's two ways to beat that cloud, and just move him inside and motion him across the formation and it really makes him have to.

Talk or change his position taking you know what I mean.

We've done that and I'm not a smart man, but it's just a simple man. Yeah, and you know what happens when you play cloud coverage?

Got less guys in the box.

Yeah, I'm running it.

Let's saying, b rob Man, you got these defensive are good athletes, but they can't sit the run. Let's get you out of that cloud. Let's help Terry out. And when they do get out of the cloud, which they do. Yeah, it's an explosive I.

Honestly believe too, you know, and I know this is getting you know, off topic a little bit with fast with the fast surface and just knowing how their run stop is run defense is.

I think it's gonna be a nice day for be Robb. I'm just gonna put that out there.

Well, I can see be robbing honey Badger having some collisions and yeah, but I got my money on be rob to finish.

That honey bag ninety pounds. That what I'm telling you. But in the box, Yeah, but you don't want you don't want that.

And I'm not saying they're gonna be able to cut through him like butter because they do have people. Warner, the guy from Ohio State linebacker good playing well in Damaro Davis and those.

Guys have been doing it for decades. They've been bing. But I do I just feel, man, and if you can run the ball, it's gonna open up the whole offense. And I do think even if.

Terry doesn't score, we saw last week how getting him involved in critical situations, thrown down, red zone, backed up situations, he's gonna be super productive and super.

I'm gonna throw a loop. I'm gonna throw something at you right quick. I think it's time for McCaffrey to get his first touchdown. I think it happens in New Orleans.

Wow, this is this is a friend, Fred Audible, this all I'm route.

Run to your local casinos and put it all on the line. Risk Yeah, don't put the house on risk it out.

I mean he was close. What was that against Allison?

Stay getting closed? But see, I just think you know, we don't take but one play to get you really over it? That humph. And if they're going to pay as much attention.

To Terry as they paid to elite neighbors, somebody's gonna sneak out there. It won't be know a Brown because everybody knows who know what Brown is Like, he's a part of their offense. But a guy like McCaffrey I can slip through there and make some plays.

Yeah, I totally agree.

I don't know if he's gonna get his first touchdown, but I'm excited him. Ben soning the same thing. Kind of that, that that fourth element of the offense. It could be effective and productive. But don't forget about it. I got now ur he'd been killing it.

Dude, I said the fourth elements, so we got terror.

Said fourth film. In my bad, I didn't hear a fourth I'm not about the Yeah, I didn't hit a fourth.

It's awesome.

Yeah, it sounds like you got a cricket and they forget about it.

This is it sounds like a cricket to you.

Yeah kind of talking. You know, I go fishing a lot with creeks. I you ever, God damn move on.

You want to do the want?

I was not fishing on the bank that talking to him, Chris something that he does. So you about to sacrifice, so like you can't fish?

He wanted, he wanted to go on a side question. You're done, is done?

Let's get He's gonna be saying I need you when I go fishing, because you know when you talk horse the fish coming to the water.

I'm gonna tell you now, I'm such a good fisherman.

When I walked past the water and the fish no one present, they just jump out the water commit suicide.

I don't even bring a poem when I fish, I just bring them bucket. Oh god, this dude.

There are things that for peeling the curtain back that Fred does rehearse ahead of time, like little bits sound. He's never rehearsed that. I've been around him, heard that before. It just comes out, and it's so surprising when it's original and new. It's just like you might who you heard someone told you that before.

No, listen, my uncle said, you are blessed fish. I gotta go meet that uncle because I think a lot of the material.

From that to the whole thing.

My uncle was like meeting the gold fishing like, where's your pole?

No, he's still here, and get what I don't need no pole, that's your uncle said, No, did what I say?

My uncle got his pole? Came pole and is real?

I bet you, I bet you uncle.

No, I meet that uncle when I walk out there.

It's like, listen, they understand that Todd Tom Sawyer, third cousin of Hunkerberry find here.

Your materials is so old.

I can bet it's somebody in your family that you just sat there and soaked up everything.

He said. It came the character somebody gave you, gave you that that material. Man, you got too much juice.

When they seem she in coming, they see hooking beer coming for fishing hooking beer.

That's how young you are. You know you know who Tom saw you hooking? Beery fishing out?

Man, Come on, dude, you chill out do you not know who these people are. Yes, there are literary people written in a novel by Mark Twain. Come on, chill out, all right, all right, but is he known for fishing? You need everything, baby, all right, before we get too far off.

That I am Daniel Boone Award in the twenty three years in a wol Daniel Boone. Yeah, I'm wanted a Daniel Boone Award like I've won it consecutively thirty three years.

Look, yeah, letting me know we will finish.

Okay, all right, thank you so much, friend, Tanna, than keep us on bringing it. Did do that? Did I do that?

You brought up fishing.

That's gonna do it for today's show. Thanks so much for listening and the support.

Please like to subscribe where you get your podcasts, and if you want to see us our ugly face and check us out on YouTube.

That's gonna do it for today's show. Oh wow, I'll be a hook bear.

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