On today's episode of Command Center, we're going to talk about how to start fast. He's starting fast? Who's gonna break out? Fred like a rat? I know you got something good for that and his golly one or two words. That's welcome on into the Command Center podcast. I'm Logan Paulson here with Santana Moss and the Mouth of the South.
Yeah, what's your name? Yeah? You got a new name right now, Pappy van Biggels. Is that the name? All right?
Tanner?
You go with Santana mostoll right? Look at that chain though, Look at that can. We got that our camera.
That's what he does. He probably showered with.
A chain light.
That's light working. Did anyone see bus rhymes chain? Do you see that video going around on the internet on to damn be?
That thing was enormously Sometime we take it too far?
Who's weak? Bitch wood? Last step? I'm just saying, man, it happens sometimes.
That's fair enough.
Only you know that though that's air.
Like you said, it's a habitual. They mean they do it over and over.
Yeah, all right on todays show, because you don't have a game to preview yet. Usually it's the previous show we're gonna talk about just the first quarter of the season. Keep it kind of high level, because we want you to turn into the into the the actual preview shows and talk about what is the our expectation for the first quarter of the season. We got the Arizona Cardinals week one, who have a very interesting approach this season.
No, no, they have said, we don't care. We are prepared for twenty twenty four.
Listen. I love it when the team say we know who we are.
They just traded Isaiah seeing me, we're gonna have to see him like they just literally pushing everybody out of the building.
He said, we're gonna we're gonna build this thing from scratch.
And that's that's very How could I say brave, because usually quarterbacks don't get traded in this league in the midst of their like in the meat of their career. And we're about to see.
Kyler Murray get trade. Gonna spend too much time on this.
Week Williams Cadder Murray fresh star. Yea, all right?
So then we got and that's that games at home. Then we're Week two at Denver with the Broncos. I think that's gonna be a tough game. We got the Bills week three, we got the Legles, We're at the Eagles week four, and we got the Bears, Weagles, we got the Bears.
Leave them like the Wagles, all right, So I think.
I don't know that when I look at this schedule. Obviously Fred just gave a great preview of the Cardinals. I think you probably agree. Yeah, not not super stoked about what the Cardinals are bringing to the table. That should be a win at home, and it should be a nice way to start because that defensive coordinator, super conservative.
Should be a win.
I'm just not big for though, you know what I mean, Hey, this be doing play football.
And and then you said something off air that is really important. It's like this schedule we could look at, Oh, the Cardinals, probably a win, maybe the Broncos, Bill's tough, Eagles stuff, probably win the beat the Bears. But every week I don't remember pressing my whole career and being like this is.
We're gonna win it.
I'll never ever in college you feel that way. Yeah, all the time, Like we're playing Arizona like this will be when we.
Were playing u c l A, we like win, I'm saying, yeah, But in the league. It ain't no one week you can look and say guarantee you win. Now, the Cardinals they're on a different mission than everybody else's league. They're on a different mission, but everybody else the Bands are trying to win. The Bills are trying to win, like these teams are trying to win. And that's why I say when people go and gamble, lie like it's not a pickle.
Look, you know one of the things you know, I learned and I love the whole sound bite when I hear it.
Now.
When I was, you know, with the with the Jets, New York Jets, her Matt was got there and say, you play to win the game. Yeah, so I mean everybody is who we facing. You got to go out there with that mentality to play win the game. Yeah.
How did the people take that?
Where he was laughing?
We know her.
Was a motivator.
He was a great coach, you know what I mean. But like the media took that and just spun it, you know what I mean, Like, played to win the game.
We did it. I don't know why they did win.
Dennis Green was a little bit funny.
We still got beat.
All right, So so okay, this is the question that I think is really interesting. What what is the record coming out of those first five games? To letay, I'm gonna.
Ump out there and just say, you know, you know me, you're probably gonna get this vanilla respond.
But that's but I think that's good though, because it tempers expectation's longest.
I'm five hundred. I'm always trying to beat above five hundred and above.
I can't tell.
You how many wins, how many, but I just want this team. I feel like we have the caliber a play on all levels of our game special teams, defense, offense, that we should be within five games, we should be at five hundred above.
That's why to be five hundred, because it's five it's.
Five games, it's five games longest, three of them in the winning column.
It don't matter which three.
The thing about it is the Broncos.
It's a tough game, a hell of a roster. I just don't know who Russy is anymore.
I'm just more worried about a young team on a tough road trip. That environment's tough to play.
Oh, it's hard to play up the way.
What I would say, have a defense that flies around like there is I.
Don't really care about the record.
What I do care about is seeing like good football, seeing competitive football. Right, So, like I think back to twenty twelve, right, I think we were like, what were we three and six or something like that.
Yeah, yeah, we jumped out. We jumped out with what one and one on two?
Yeah, and then and then we kind of went on a little bit of skid. And I say to myself, I never felt like that was a bad team because every week we.
Were playing again, we're playing good in the game, yeah.
And we were just waiting for it to flip.
And that's what you want. You just want a team that's going to be in the game because eventually that team says, we've been giving these other games a way, that's going ahead and do what we had to do, take care of responsible billies, and boom, you know, that's what happened to you.
I want to see a chrisp offense, a competitive defense, and those teams they win more games than they lose. Like it's just it's just the fact of the NFL. Look at the Giants last year, right.
Almost definitely they won because they stuck into game.
They was a fourth quarter team, and that's what we want to be like, let's let's be honest. We've been one of them teams where we go through these these evid flows, these ups and downs. We want to play right here all year lord, and then start to get better as the year goes on. But I think that's all you can ask for for a team. And think about these first five games. He go to quarterbacks. Oh, Joshua,
he ain't cute either. Russell Wilson, you got josh Allen, you got Jalen Hurts, you got justin Fields.
There were some good quarterbacks.
So your d line, your defense will be tested by time you make it the week five. Now let's turn the page and look at these defenses. Cardinal still got Bode Baker, got some guys on their defense. Broncos could have had one of the better defense in the NA League. The Bills they're gonna play good defense.
They're gonna put you in a good the offense puts their defense in a good spot.
And you got the Eagles, they're gonna be a tough defense. And the Bears they rebuilding. But I'm telling you that Bears team will be a.
Fighter, be better.
So yeah, the thing is I want, I hope the listeners take away is that there's no there's no laps in the NFL. Yeah, there's no labs in the NFL. I just want competitive hard nos. You mentioned this about the preseason friend penalty free football, de penalty free, don't hurt yourself and then it'll it'll come. Even if even let's say they're two and three or one in four,
it'll come if it's competitive brand of football. And I know fans will like to hear that, but especially with a young quarterback and a new OC, as long as it's close, it'll tip.
At some point.
You gotta ask yourself, these fans, when would you will for us to be paying our best football at the beginning of the year out of the end of the year. I want to finish strong, I want to get better. Is the year go on and come on? We gotta basically a rookie quarterback, he won't I guarantee you this, he won't be playing his bitch ball.
Yeah, and I don't want to put it out there into the world that he won't. But at the same time, like what Logan said, that's key. I think if you playing competitive ball, then it doesn't matter how long you know what I mean, you're not you know, the best, or you just you just outle, you know, and just at one spot. Eventually somebody gonna catch on. One of the group's gonna catch on, and then you're gonna be like, Okay, this is where we're at.
You cause I think about that.
I think back to twelve all the time, like the defense was playing pretty good and offensively, were trying to find how to figure it out, and then all of a sudden it just clicked and this it was like, this is who we are and it probably clicking.
And I'm you know, I hate, I hate when I get in front of you like that. Oh no, honestly, I want you to finish. But I had to say this because I know I forget it. I'm not sure, but I just remember having to talk with Kyle one time, and you know, you guys know I wasn't happy about coming in as a slot guy at the time. That
was my first experience. I played the slot all my life, like in college, and kind of didn't play it again until I was, you know, ten years later, which I don't understand that about the NFL, but Kyle told me something, and I don't know if the team kind of or it was just me on third down coming in and
being shock. But I came in one third down and missed the pass that was thrown to me because probably because I'm thinking about I'm coming in on third down, Kyle said something to me, and I think, to me, it changed my whole thought process and I saw offense do like this because now on third down, I was I was coming in determined, you know what I mean, And Kyl said, you got to make the play. It don't matter what down you get in, make the play.
And I kind of walked out of bound like pissed off a little bit, like yeah, Tellner, because at end of the day, you're notin't gonna get called regardless make it or not. You rather be called for you you looking good making a play, then somebody saying you missed that pass and that ain't you. So don't put that stuff on tape. And I'm not, like I said, I'm not sure I'm not going to get myself credit for that.
But I believe my offense started improving on third down when I was getting that ball a lot, and I was determined to go out there and make that first down. Rather it was one player or not.
And that team I think was just to go back because again I think there's a lot of similarities. Like it's not the most talent the team, rookie quarterback, all this kind of stuff.
Dude just found roles as the season went on.
Ten of the third down guy like me is the blocking? Why like just blocking all the time? Like it fit our scheme and our offense. We found plays that fit Robert really well.
And like that took. That took probably nine weeks.
I tell guys stories all the time. I won't be long. I know Jay probably over there. Man, come on to know, I tell folks stories all the time.
I had to.
I had to find myself again. I remember when when when Mike told me the whole thing, like, hey, bro, you can still you can still separate And I want to say, I want to preserve your legs. Why have you out there as a starter and he just come off a knee surgery in twenty ten? Why have your you know, have you out there as the start and you're not getting the ball curtain down? So I'm gonna bring in on third down. It's gonna help you. So I remember watching the basketball game and I still was
pissed off about it. But I'm like, I didn't think that I want. I like this game. So I'm not trying to, you know, find myself at home being mad because I didn't want to, you know, because I'm not a starter no more. And I'm watching the basketball game and it was the Spurs playing and I saw Genoby come off the bench and the way he played, I say, ten that you got because you know he's a starter, you know, off except your role and go out there
and play some good football. And I swear, I swear to god, Genobi was the reason why that switch turned, you know, it cut on it, and my whole thought process has changed, and I want to I dominated there. Remember I let the lead, I let let the team that year with eight tugs, you know what I mean.
So I remember I was on the ball that year and it was a like limited role. Let's talk real quick about you know, like obviously like starting fastest important, but there's like this national perception that the Commanders are gonna win like five games them to wear hates us. Yeah, so let's talk about like why that is. You know, if you were sitting back and look at it objective, like we're starting a rookie quarterback. I think we got
a new offensive coordinator. All those things are important, and I think it's important to note that like national media, isn't it practice every day? They don't see Sam Growth yea, yeah, you know, they see him the preseason game. I think now people are coming around to the idea of him starting. I think that's a big deal.
They read the paper though, they look at the paper and say, okay, we got our first year coordinator. We don't really think highly of him because he was behind. And then the quarterback, he North Carolina third round quarterback. There's no way he's gonna come in here and play on the calible of NFL prototype the quarterback. And then they say the linebacker's positions haven't been addressed, and how long the front? You know, our front five is all
we have on defense. So they look at all that stuff and say and try to dictate what's going to happen?
That you got against.
National love affair with the stinking Cowboys, like so everybody all they picked the Cowboy to win the Super Bowl to last thirty three years and they ain't one, not a naw like. Then you got the Eagles, the guys that went to the Super Bowl last year. You got the Giants who beat us twice last year, so they automatically put us at the bottom of.
The NFC East.
So if you put us at bottom in the nfcas you know not, we ain't gonna be ranked highly with the rest of the team. So at the end of the day, I think we can most definitely beat the Giants. I think we can beat the Eagles, and I know we can beat the Cowboys. So I don't feel like the national people feel. I just know gonna get better week in and week out, and I think this the whole.
Key, And I think that's the thing, like look at like look at every single year man people come out and be like, this is gonna be the best team in football. Obviously it's easy when it's like Kansas City because Master Mahomes or like the Bills. You got a good quarterback, right, But like what Dak presscartter are we gonna get like he might be terrible? Like what if Jalen hurts? It's a regression because it's OC's gone right, Yeah, Like we don't know. And as long as we are playing,
the team is playing competitive sound football. I think it'll kind of work.
Yeah.
I wanna tell what the national media does. They go and pick from whatever happened last year. We know from playing in the NFL it ain't never the same by year by year, and that's what they do. And they make it easy by just picking up the teams with the better quarterbacks, Like, well, you don't know how that quarterback gonna play.
This year because he was great last year, don't make him great this year. We see it a year in and year out.
Yeah, absolutely, all right, So now that that's settle, I think that's really good analysis on that. Guys, let's talk about like the keys to starting fast. And I've never really been able to pin down what this is, you know what I mean, Like how to start fast? Everyone says how do you start fast? But like, what is the key to starting fast winning games earlier in the season?
I think, effiicihing play from from offensive defense? How did you get that efficient play? To me, is what we saw this preseason. These guys moved the ball, they moved the chains, they made plays when it wasn't there with their feet at the quarterback position, and they scored the ball rather you scoring touchdowns kicking field goals. They found
the way to put up points. Now, when you're doing that and you have the defense that we have, it's you don't think our defense going to go out there and get a turnover to You don't think our defense is going to go out there and get a few sacks. That's going to put you know, put their opponents behind. So that's that's what we was talking about. Last year. Our offense wasn't playing on the same level as our defense and vice versa. One was playing high the first game,
the other one was it. Then the second game when the third game is switched, you know, Cam Carroll comes in a defense flying around. Offense can't get a first down to save their life, you know, or they can't score the ball to save the life little in each other. Complimentary football, yeah, you go. Complimentary football is going to
get us to have a fast start. Because when you compliment a defense that can pin their ears back in after the quartback like ours can give us fourteen points and I'm on the.
Defense, watch them dogs hunt.
Yeah, trust me, you know you go to key too to think about it is the reason we always started off slow. Nobody, you know, want to talk about the elephant in the room. Quarterback play. It's always quarterback play. Talent said it.
Get a defense and let them let's see them play with the lead.
Because playing with the lead and playing with the score three to three, I played different game as a defensive back. Different game, Like totally play different as a defensive back.
No. Absolutely, And I think that one of the things that I always thought about is teams that didn't play a lot in the preseason. Yeah, usually start our show like Tom Brady. Like I remember when Tom Brady wasn't playing a lot like in the preseason. At the end of his career, his first three or four games are always kind of like kind of oh he's cooked, he's done.
Then it's like all fifth game, bam, yeah, yeah, say touchdown.
And I really think that this staff has done a good job of being like, hey, we're gonna play, We're gonna get reps, like our first our first experience isn't going to be on.
You know, against the car.
You remember the Mike Shanahan teams we played in the preseason out there going around. Our quarterback didn't play a lot, but we played you know.
Yeah, absolutely, So I think that that, to me is a huge factor, and that's something I'm excited to see, quite honestly, anything else you got. So in terms of early games, who's gonna break out?
You think, well, I know what he finna say, Johanna Dotson, So you go for Igo dots check it's out.
I think Dowson is finished show the league that I ain't no. One b he's bald. And I think what he.
Finna do is he's gonna use every cornerback's talent against him. He knows how to outslow you, he knows how to outpace you. He knows how to use your leverage against you. He knows how to get in your blind spot. He understands where the quarterback wants to put the ball at. And I think that's elital com a nation when, especially as a cornerback, with me having to study you, I can't zero in on what makes you strong, and that's gonna be like everybody's Achilles heel against him.
I'm glad he gave me Forbes to talk about because you know, not honestly, because one of the things that I've seen and I don't have to turn the feelm and watch I watch him in practice, and I watch him in the preseason games. He has no choice but to have a fast start because they gonna come at them. They gonna test you out the gate. Oh you this dude,
they say you're a magnetude of football. Let's see. But not only that, the man does things that I haven't seen a lot of cornerbacks that play here with me or you know, opposite of me, can do. He's shifted. He can really turn his hips and run with anybody. That's that's the talent that you know, most cornerbacks don't have. Some cornerbacks are stiff but can catch the ball, or some cornerbacks can you know, be fluent, but can't cover
with the diamond digs, you know what I mean. So I think he has all the intangibles and the tools that he can run with the best of them. And he's physical, more physical than they believe.
Looking at the structure, they.
Looking at his body, he's like, oh this little dude, a little small frame. Then he hits you in your mouth and he's like, oh okay, he gonna bring it, and he feisty.
He's a humble fight.
So I like what I see. You know what I mean. They gonna test him, and I think he's ready for the test, absolutely.
And I think both those guys are great, and you know, they've they've had really good off seasons and they look like they're poors or something big a guy that I'm two guys I'm looking forward to are young, Like if he gets healthy, man, like that one rush he had against Cleveland.
Man, look this show did the way he's been rushing this one on once.
He looks great. I hope he's healthy.
I hope he's back out there because golly, that those four dudes together are like, especially if you Chase is rushing like that, it's gonna be huge. And then for me, the other one is Jamie Davis. I think he's you know, I think he's progressed every single year. And if you can take that next step and be that freak athlete who's super physical, I think it's gonna set the table for an awesome and awesome So.
Let's just go ahead, pretty football, go now, come on, fall we talking to you now.
I ain't heard the word.
You je it like Coach is probably like the last person I've heard say godly.
Godly, Golly, what you say it?
Golly?
You can't make it one word. I thought it was.
Godly golly, you're saying it to no golly? All right, well on that gosh garn dolly. We are to be done with the show today. Thanks for tuning in, guys, appreciate it.
All right.
We got so much commander's content, Game Day Lives Santana Moss and Brian Mitchell now and guess what. I'm on the post game man. I'm excited to be doing some stuff with me, Mitch. And then we got get Loud with Fred and Jenks.
How's that going for?
He is going great? And I'm loud.
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