EVO.
Samuel Front of San Francisco forty nine is in.
This is the NFL.
Report, EVO.
Looks real relaxed you just sitting there. We entered the divisional round. James Palmer, Steve White with you on the NFL Report. A slammed show Today. All pro quarterback from the Chiefs Trent McDuffie.
Joins the show.
Former Falcons general manager and former Patriots scout Thomas de Mitchroff also joins the show. Baldy's Favorite films breaking down everything you need to know Steven the postseason, as well as Judy Batista telling us everything we need to know about Bill Belichick to the Falcons. This is weird, though, Steve. This isn't where I normally see you.
What's going on here?
No?
I mean I'm in my hotel room over in Honolulu, JP. You know there's no NFL team. Oh here, I'm as you see right here, the Polynesian Bowl. It's be broadcast Friday evening on NFL Network. It is the greatest collection of high school football stars All Star Game. Dylan Rayola, the number one quarterback in the country, the son of Dominic Raiola, who decommitted from Georgia right to go to Nebraska where his father played.
He's gonna be the big highlight of the game.
But some of the best players in high school football who are going to matriculate to the NFL. We've seen guys like Talano, Hufanga, Hohoka Nakua, so many guys who've played in this game. For Jean Robinson go to the NFL from fired up, I'll be on the call with Cadoa Lahea. But JB, let's get to this wildcard weekend because the one thing you see with the remaining teams is kind of you have a healthy quarterback, you played most of the season, You had a good shot to get to this point.
What quarterback matchup?
Because they're so good this weekend really intrigued you the most.
Steve, there is one quarterback matchup that we all should be focused on. It is the new Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning. It is Josh Allen versus Patrick Mahomes. So the first time in the postseason on the road for Mahomes, I've covered this game. I think I've covered almost every single matchup that they've had outside.
Of the one.
God the Mahomes played up there in Orchard Park. It was during COVID, no fans there, so he is getting his first experience playing on the road in Buffalo in this game. Now, what I find fascinating about this is they are both just dynamite quarterbacks, but what they're doing right now with both teams are I feel like it's the word resiliency Steve, And that's not usually what you would think of when you think of the Bills and the Chiefs over the last couple of years, but that's
where they're both at right now. With the Bills have overcome and how they've gotten to the spot they're at as red hot as they are, with Josh Allen putting this team on his back at times and really going out there and carrying the Bills and willing them to wins. Patrick Mahomes, on the other hand, has been utilizing his.
Defense, his run game.
When I talked to coaches in Kansas City, they say his adaptability this year is the number one trait that has stood out to them in the eyes of Patrick Mahomes and what he's done differently. He has learned a lot to where it's okay Steve to take the check down, to flip the field to hunt the football in the postseason and protect it a different mentality. But we talked about it on a previous show, Steve. Could this be the formula for the Chiefs. That's why I find this fascinating.
They're not playing like we've seen them both play in the past.
And that's okay, and JP the one thing that's I've talked about enough.
We talk about it so much with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, but Patrick Mahomes running the ball to move the sticks seems to be a constant trait in the postseason with this team. I love that matchup and we're gonna have Judy Batista. She'll be at the game in Baltimore this weekend between the Texans and Ravens. Talk about that dynamic matchup with c. J. Straud and Lamar Jackson. Later with JP. How could I not go with my guy Rock Hurry against Jordan Love a big Saturday Saturday evening game.
Okay, I see the face, But here's why.
Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers is playing better than any quarterback in the NFL right now. In the past five games, Jordan Love twelve touchdowns, zero interceptions.
He's taking care of the ball.
He's making plays as you're seeing right here against Dallas when he carved up throwing the ball, there's twenty one times in all kinds of different ways from the pocket rolling out. Now he has not played the defense like the rested Niners are going to be throwing in his face. But if Green Bay can run the balls, there's somewhat of a degree like they've been running it. This could set up things very interesting. Now, now I gotta go
to my guy Brock. Perty Look after that four interception game against Baltimore, he has played much more like the Brock party that we know that is controlled, that is from the pocket, and that is operating on time. He's not operating on time in this highlight right here against Washington. This is also a part of his game nobody talks about. We had deep Deebo. Samuel introduced us and when we interviewed him last week, he talked about how much Hurry
has got that killer in him. Right, He's got the thing that pushed things over the top and how they pushed the ball down field.
JP.
This isn't just a dink and donk quarterback. This is somebody who can win games all right. JP.
Coming up next the Detroit Lions, I mean a team we've been on since the very beginning.
They're playing a sleeper team, excuse me, a sleeper team.
And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked really good and destroying the Eagles in the wildcard round. What is something they could do or what is something the Lions can do for Detroit to get to the conference championship game.
I'll let you handle Detroit because I want to go down to Florida. I want to go to Tampa Bay, where maybe there's not enough credit.
Steve, we talked about the tones of the Detroit Lions.
I think we could say also, this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team is extremely tough and extremely resist You look at everything that they've been through with their quarterback and battle as we call it, with Baker Mayfield winning it this past offseason. We have to remember their offensive quarter Dave Canalis, who was on this show last week. He's been to
the postseason regularly when he was in Seattle. This team with the Buccaneers, we're in the postseason over the last several years with Tom Brady as their quarterback.
They have been there.
And you mentioned what they did against the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the best offensive lines in football. They manhandled them at the line of scrimmage. Line played brilliantly. This is another very good offensive line, one of the best in football that the Detroit Lions have.
And if this team can get physical upfront and.
They can cause some issues in the timing and the way that Jared Golf operates this offense, this could be a sneaky interesting matchup and a sneaky potential upset.
Possibly Steve or it really good Buccaneers.
It really couldn't.
And we're gonna have Brian Baldinger on later to talk about this game because this is something he really wants to sink his teeth and two after watching film. But I'm gonna go back to this and I talked about this or Detroit when they played the Rams in a wildcat round, and I think it showed up. And that
is the center of their defense. Chauncey Gardner Johnson, who's been a little Twitter beef with Baker Mayfield this week in kind of that interior slot corner position, Herbie Joseph at safety, some of the things that they do, and Brian Branch, my gosh, how good has this rookie bent Oh yeah, where does Tampa and Baker like to drive the ball? We saw it last week. It is kind
of the middle of the field. A lot of the crossing routes set up some of the over the top stuff to Mike Evans, which they really couldn't get going. And I think this is going to be something that Detroit is gonna have to use. I know their offense is gonna have some tough sledding against this defense. We're watching Aiden Hutchinson here on the highlight put pressure. They're gonna have to generate some of that pressure to flush Baker Mayfield to maybe get the ball out of his
hands a little quicker. And again that's are some of those guys in that secondary, particularly at the safeties. Brian Branch caused some problems in that passing game for Tampa Bay.
JP.
This is gonna be a fun game, and I'm with you. I think the Buccaneers not be underestimated. Really, JP. We know there's some great coaches coming down in this round here, this divisional round. Is there any that has any greater pressure than the other coming into this level?
I would say, Steve, it's kind of the two guys that had the number one seed in the bye. I look at Harball and what John Harball is up against in Baltimore, because the last time they were in this situation was twenty nineteen and Lamar won the NB good they had to buy and then they went and they lost to the Titans in the Divisional round and their
postseason was over. I think this is for John Harbaugh and for Lamar Jackson as well, to get over a parobial hump because a lot of people have them as a super Bowl.
Favorite, and I'm one hundred scent way you with the number one team.
Kyle Shanahan, no one's going to doubt how great of a coach he is, but he's gonna go down as a great regular season coach or a great postseason coach. And this is where to me, the NFC is a very clear path for the forty nine ers.
Guys.
It's gonna be tough for the but this is gonna be a game they need to win and keep on rolling. So this weekend, I think the forty nine ers, who are well rested, we know they were nicked up when the end of the season. They need to finish strong. This again, they're playing a red hot Packers team. It's gonna be a heck of a challenge. They have it at Levi's Well, JP, you know what coming up next? We just talked about slot corners, right, I talked about
Brian Branch. We've got the first team all post slot corner. That's the Chiefs trying to be joining us. Oh, JP, this is gonna be good. Don't be anywhere.
Love back after the break for the nflbum.
They just like the Bahamas.
Huh Hey, great job, probaty guys.
Make sure you have your cell phones.
We'll let you know. You know when we're playing. Make sure you take care of yourself. If you're nicked up, let's get taken care of. We get ourselves back in there and get ready to go. Oh how beautiful is this man? How about those gotta love it? Gotta love it?
Hey, for real, take care of your body this weekend.
Make sure you're ready to go next week.
We ain't done so chase something.
Welcome back into the NFL report, James Palmer, Steve Whites with you and we have.
All pro Steve Yeah. Back of the Kansas City Chiefs. Trent McDuffie, Trent I gotta ask you to start off with this right here.
What do you feel like the slot corner spot actually getting this recognition in the all pro situation because on this show we talked about slot corners being one of the most valuable positions in all football.
Yeah, kind of like you said, I feel like this slot cornerback position though, is definitely one that I feel like it's starting to get more recognition because, I mean, you look at it. We do so much. I mean, we got a blitz. They want us to play the line game, we gotta go cover the wide receivers, tight ends.
I mean, they expect a lot out of us. So just that recognition, I always say, is a big blessing and I think just goes to show just how much I've been able to help out this team and this defense.
Well, Frank, congrats on that and this week.
I mean, your role, as we saw the first time you played them, is highly valuable because we know how they like to work the middle of the field with their tight ends to kind of slip cook out there and coverage, but to also keep an eye on Josh Allen in the run game, and you guys bottle them up.
The first time you played.
I mean how much I'll put it this way, what is it like preparing knowing that he can slip out in the run game. You always have to have eyes on him while also protecting your duties in the passing game.
Right yeah. I mean whenever you play a quarterback that can throw it, run it. I mean, Josh Allens are those guys that can just do it all. It always adds just a little more dynamic challenge for the defense because, like you said, we can't just as a defender. I can't just play my man and not worry about what
the quarterback is going to do. And he's also just extending plays, which on the back game he was to talk about this plaster and just out working theis and I mean, he's one of those guys that can just pose a problem on all downs, all field distances, and one of those guys that at all times you got nowhere he's at. So I feel like he does a really good job at gating the ballots and receivers and
like you said, using his tight ends really well. And they've been fishing, especially after playing us, they've gone a little run so we know the advantages and disadvantages that they're going to bring to the game and for preparing for those.
Truent With that said, you guys are so versatile specifically in the secondary too, that you can move guys playing different spots and you can give so many different looks.
With what you're saying about what Josh does in the run game.
I don't give anything away, but like you have the ability to have somebody spy in probably and then that person can change spots. What is the advantage when you have to go against a guy that is dynamic in multiple ways like Josh Allen is, But you guys have the ability to have so many guys play different spots that you can kind of try to confuse him at the same time.
Yeah, I think that's huge what you said. I feel like we have a group of players on this team that can really do it all. I mean, you got guys like me LJ. Shamar Connor who all played three different positions. Jay Reed comes down at dime at safety, you got Willy Gaye playing multiple positions like this defense is very unique in a way that everybody can do
a little bit of everything. And when you play a quarterback like this, being able to throw off his timing with the receivers being able to confuse and pre snap is huge because when you just give him one look, a lot of these quarterbacks they know where the ball wants to go. And a guy like Josh Allen, I mean, if you just sit everybody out wide and play man, I mean, he's ready to take off at any point.
So Spag's definitely does a great job at giving different disguises, different looks and making a lot of the same defenses look the same but do different things out of them.
So definitely, just the.
Movement wise in the back end on the front end, and just making sure he doesn't know just exactly where to go and give him just such an easy play each and every down is going to be huge.
I'm kind of glad you ran on that roster for your teammates, and you mentioned LJ luxurious need. We've talked on the show all season long how there might not be an out tight corner who's had a better season than him. I mean, what has been so effective and impactful for him? Why can't he lock up a Stefan Diggs or another team's best receiver? What has worked so well as where he's really really climbed the ladder this season.
Yeah.
I mean I think that dude is probably top two, if two, best cornerbacks in the league.
I mean when you look at.
Somebody who every week literally goes out there guards the number one receiver, all plays, all downs, doesn't complain, doesn't be like oh I need help over the top, is just a dog out there. And I feel like it all goes back to what he does off the field. I mean, he comes in each and every day practice is hard, watches film constantly asking questions. I mean we talk all the time about what receivers are going to do,
splits and stuff like that. So just the knowledge of the game that he has, and also just the confidence. I mean, when you're a guy like that who's to go out on the island and cover the best receivers day in and day out, the confidences got to be at a high. And he's one of those guys that is able to have that compon confidence and also just making sure he does his job well and he's able to use his help and understands the defense. And I know for us on the back end, we love when
we can just look out No. Lj's out there and be like, Okay, that's going to count a lot of guy. Let's focus on these guys over here.
Yeah, I tryed, I got to bring this up.
We gotta look, we're looking forward in the division round, but I gotta look back real quick.
When you guys were in the film room.
And you watch him jam Tyreek Hill with the line of scrimmage on that one play. What was the reaction in the film room when everybody got a chance to see that play together.
I mean, you already know, guys were who in the holler and the energy was high. And I gotta say, this is the first time. You know, this isn't the first time we seen LJ do this. I mean you go back game in and game out. I think he literally has done this every single game against these big time receivers. So I think it just goes back to the skills that he has and just the ability to, like I said, play the dB position so well locked in and it just technique wise, is just one of
the best out there. I think right now.
Even had to get praised because he was just like, yeah, he jam My, you know what all the way to Cancun.
Hey.
But you know, defensively, we're talking so much about your defense. What about the change and identity of this team, because we've always known the Chiefs to be this great offensive team, but now we're like, this is a lock down defense.
What about that identity change?
And how much you guys kind of walk around like, yeah, you know we're him so to speak.
Yeah, I think it just goes back to our off season and Coach Back's coming in and being like, we know we won the super Bowl, but uh o, we're playing the Super Bowl and how many points we gave up?
Everybody was like that wasn't our best showing. So all off season training camp, I mean throughout this whole year, Coach Back has been honest about being consistent, about being relentless about trusting each other, and I felt like just the communication, just the overall chemistry out there on the field, it's just huge. I mean, guys trust each other, Guys know who we're going to be. That noncommunication that we can just look out and know what each other are doing.
I feel like has been so huge for us this year. And I keep saying, where a defense that knows what our offense can do. I mean, we got Patrick ma Hohomes on the other.
Side, travel.
I mean, our offense is explosive, and so being able to go out there, get down on third down, stop them all fourth downs, give the offense the ball on good field positions. I mean, everything we can do to help this offense go put once on the board has been a big thing for us. And I'm just happy that everybody around here continues to just keep working. You know, there's never a game where we're like, oh, we can
be relaxed. You know, we going each and every week knowing that it's going to be a game, and everybody around here trust each other and goes out and does their job very well.
Trent, I'm curious to take us back to training camp when you're seeing Rashi Rice for the very first time and you're going against him in camp where Andy runs just such a grueling camp up there, and say Joe like, did you see what's happening now back in camp going? He has the ability, if he developed something with Patrick, to be something. What did you see from Rashid in the very beginning?
Yeah, no doubt. I mean you look back at training camp. I know we battled for sure multiple times our in training camp, and he definitely got a few passes that I was like, whoa. You know, those aren't easy catches to make, and he was doing it right out the gate. And he's one of those dudes that, like I said, this team has a lot of guys that's going out here and just working. You know, they ain't got to say much, they ain't got to come up with excuses.
They just put their head down and work. And he's one of those guys. And I'm really proud to see just the progress cities he's made because rookie year, I mean, I know last year it can be tough, especially Andy Reed's offense. You got to learn a lot of things, play different positions, and man, he comes in weekend, week out and it's consistent and I feel like that's my
favorite thing about this dude. It's just his consistency on the field has been huge and I was making big plays for us, which you've gotta love.
Well till we got we got to wrap up.
I'd love to have this conversation all day, but look, we know you're going from one ice box last week in Kansas City to another in Buffalo. Want to wish you the best of luck and thank you so much for joining us. Here on the NFL Report.
I appreciate it. Thank you so much for having me.
All right, thanks so much for coming up next team in the Hottest Quarterback for Houston sections against the Ravens' playoff history not so great.
Ludy Batista joined hims next on the NFL Report.
You're listening to the NFL Report podcast, but you can watch me, Steve Weich and my co host James Palmer on The NFL Report at seven fifteen Eastern time on Mondays and Thursdays on the NFL App and free streaming platforms on the NFL Channel on Roku, twov Peacock, Pluto TV, and other.
Free streaming apps.
We are back at the NFL Report and James one of our favorite people, NFL media insider Judy Bautista.
And Judy, let's get right to it.
Bill Belichick is going into his second interview with the Atlanta Falcons. We've heard for weeks that this was a likely union. It seems like it's getting likelier, doesn't it.
It does certainly. The fact that he's having a second interview and that there are going to be more members of of the Falcons brain trust in the room for this second go around suggests, you know, everything is pointing towards this. I wish we could be flies on the wall for an interview. What is an interview a job interview? With Bill Belichick, I feel like he.
Is probably interviewing them as much as they are interviewing him. But I think, you know, getting more of the members of the senior management in the room is important because so much of this with Belichick is going to be about fit and structure and who's going to be responsible.
For what, and what is his role going to be, how big is his role?
And so I think having you know, Rich McKay in there and others in the room with Arthur and Bill is really important to make sure everybody's comfortable with how it's going to be, because clearly at the Patriots it ran its course with Bill having as much power as he did.
Yeah, I'm upset that I won't give the proper credit to who tweeted this, but it was a great tweet out to the first interview that somebody put out, Like a scenario in the interview with Bill Belichick would have been Arthur Blank asking him was there a time where you overcame an unsurmountable sense.
Of adversity before in the past, Bill, can.
You Bill can say yes, I can remember a certain time where I was with what's happening in Atlanta right now, Judy, I'm curious if your thought is we waited to hear what was happening with Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys. Does Bill being potentially unavailable maybe push Jerry Jones in the decision that he made to keep Mike McCarthy.
You know, I hope we somehow we someday get the timeline of events because our great friend and colleague Jane Slater, I think, reported earlier today on The Insiders that it sounded to her like Jerry had not even looked around in these last few days, that it was all about Mike McCarthy, and considering that, you know that he hadn't put a line in the water to see who might be interested in the job.
I'll just tell you this.
I mean, I was in Foxborough yesterday for girod Mayo's introduction, and the conversation there was, you know, how soon is Bill going to Dallas? I mean, that was just everybody's default assumption that you know that Dallas would be open, and that that would be where Bill was going to go because Jerry and Bill have have had a good relationship over the year, so you sort of put those things together, and maybe maybe it was never going to be put together. I hope we will someday get the
answer to that timeline. But but I agree with you, Steve, what you said earlier. We've been hearing for weeks that Arthur Blank would make a run at Bill Belichick. It was just a question to me of would Bill want Atlanta?
Yeah, you know, look, I'll tell you this, Arthur Blank doesn't do postgame interviews in locker rooms, so that might be the thing that waits to scale down. Do you talked about you were you were at the press conference for Droid Mayo in New England, and this, look, this is somebody he somebody came up under Belichick.
They're not straying far from the family.
What was that like?
Because he is also walking into one of the most difficult scenarios in terms of living up to that standard of the greatest who's ever done it.
I thought he did a really good job of walking the line between being very respectful of Belichick. He was there as a player for him, and he coached under him, and also making it clear he was going to do things his way. He is his own man. I mean, he talked about the things he learned from Bill about, you know, the attention to detail and being game specific, and you know, you have to teach players, right, You're basically you have to develop players.
You're a teacher.
But he also said things like I don't want to be in an echo chamber and I plan to knock down silos, which is clearly a reference to you know, when Bill had a tremendous amount of power there, had accrued a tremendous amount of power there and all information went to Bill and came from Though, right, So Jared Mayo seems to want to have a more collaborative atmosphere there. He said multiple times, you know, he's a rookie head coach. He hasn't even been a coach that long. He's not
that far removed from his playing case. So he kept saying, I'm going to lead. You know, there's a lot of people who are experts and things that I'm going to lean on them for their help. So certainly, look, you could just see by the personality, right, I mean, he said he's going to smile more like he's a much bubblier personality. But I think even on the day to day operations side, it's going to be a much more
collaborative place, and I think they need that. He's going to need the support again, you know, he's a rookie head coach and they got a lot to fix in New England. He's going to need a lot of support.
I'm fascinated to see what Drod Mayo wants to keep in place and what he wants to do entirely different. Those decisions are going to be just picked apart by everybody in New England with each one that he makes, which is a very fascinating situation for him to be in. Another one that we're keeping an eye on this head coach is go ahead.
Yeah, if I could just add this.
Yesterday they did not offer a whole lot of details about what the structure of the organization was going to be and who the offensive coordinators can be. So there are still a lot of big decisions to come about how they are going to function now that Mayo is there.
Yeah, it's gonna we're gonna look at every single angle.
How about Mike Rabel, Judy, We were hearing nothing about one of the best head coaches that's available. Maybe in some people's eyes, the best head coach is potentially available if you look at what he's accomplished and his age and what he's done. We weren't hearing anything. Now we're finally hearing that Mike Rabel is taking an interview with the Chargers. We know that prior head coaching experience is
high on their list. They've been clear about that. What's your thought on Mike Rabel and his future in this head coaching cycle, because it is very interesting where he could potentially land or maybe not land.
It's been curiously quiet, and I sort of wonder if now that the Dallas situation is settled, if now Domino's will start to fall. I you know, I sort of wonder if everybody was waiting to see what was going to happen in Dallas and what Jerry was going to do. And so now that that's out of the way, to other people make moves because you word, Rabel's name linked to a potential opening in Dallas too, So now that that's off the table, you know, does does Rabel start
taking interviews? But I agree with you, it's it's been strangely quiet around Rabel. I assume that there will be interest in him. There's there's still a lot of openings and a lot to go through. And of course, because the timeline is extended, because the league wants to slow things down, you know, teams don't have to move quite so fast. But you know, I would expect that Rabel is going to be in the mix for some of these jobs. I'd be surprised if he's not.
Judy.
This weekend, you are going to be at that awesome Texant and Ravens game. Let's hear a quarterback Lamar jack had to say about the team's slow starts and shortcomings in the postseason.
Your four previous playoff game defense didn't score more than twenty points. How much more confident do you feel that.
This year's offense has the ability to put up a point you need to win in the playoffs.
Very confident, very very confident, extremely confident, Judy.
You heard Lamar Jackson's response, but the look on his face was like, oh, we got something for him, We got it.
But do they I mean, why should he feel so.
Confident because this is a different offense and he's a different quarterback than he has been with Todd Monkins offense. They do start slow. I mean, look, they're only one in three in the playoffs with Lamars the starting quarterback, and incredibly, in those four games, they haven't scored a point in the first quarter. So obviously they got to get up to a faster start. But I sort of set those aside because this offense is different. He is different this year. I was at the game against the
Miami Dolphins. He played that game almost exclusively from the pocket. They were happy to leave him in the pocket. They didn't want him to get out and run, so he just tore them up from the pocket, which is not something in years past that Lamar has been doing. Right, he would go out and run. He is so comfortable now, he's so comfortable in the pocket, He's so precise. It's a different offense, so I think there will be different results, and he should be extremely confident. He played so well
this year, especially down the stretch. He's going to be the league MVP. He should have a great deal of confidence in this offense.
Judy, if I could run like Lamar Jackson, I would not opt to just sit in the pocket and play quarterback. Like I would be running everywhere just because you're more elusive and faster than everybody else in the field. But he has that ability to beat you in a variety of ways.
I think it just must be so cool to be Lamar Jackson and to have his skills, like he's just awesome.
I love to watch him.
I'm so thrilled to be covering this game because I love to watch him play.
I'm jealous.
Yeah, well, you're gonna get the ce CJ shroud as defense that no one's talking enough about.
That defense is playing well, Judy.
We got to get gone, but we appreciate you joining us as always. Have fun this weekend in Baltimore and coming up next the pack and running back Aaron Jones in that running game it's called the Attention to Ryan Baldinger, he's playing by Green Bay.
One of his favorite films to watch on the NFL.
Welcome back into the NFL Report, James Palmer, Steve Whitch with you? And there was some piece of my soul, Steve that was missing last week when we didn't have Baldy and Baldi's favorite films, my favorite segment every week, we didn't have it, and there was a big part, Baldi that was just missing in the show, that just was not replicated or replaced by anything.
Let's make up for it. Just gotta get that break up for it this week.
Let's do it get all right, Yeah, let's have a double dose. Let's do it Baldi.
And listen, there was we watched everybody watch that game him down in Dallas, and everybody's eyes are focused on Jordan Love and what he's doing and what he's doing at the quarterback position. But the run game that the Packers have going right now for the last several weeks is something that you've seen and you've watched closely in the film room that I hear you just.
Left, well, you know showtime Jones Aaron Jones is one of my favorite players in this league. I remember covering the kid when he was at El Paso. You know, the nine, one five. He always puts those numbers up. He's proud of his area code. But you know he missed a chunk of the season and his legs are fresh right now. And a couple of things is one, this guy doesn't miss a hole, all right, so his vision is unbelievable. And then the way that they run
the ball. I mean, they're diverse. They use their tight ends, they use a lot of motions to get him singled up and to get him into space in a variety of ways. They can always throw it to him. He's an excellent receiver out of the backfield. But you know, it doesn't matter if it's down the goal line like it was last week against Dallas where he scored from the one, he scored from the three, he scored from
the nine, you know. And then short yardage like you name it, and when you watch it, it's it's wine backs, it's tossed, it's it's inside slant, it's outside zone. It's really every kind of run. And then what my floor is doing and what Aeron is doing is all right, which ones will working like that's a wind back play,
all right? And you know it's And then if you look up front, the guys are not allowing penetration, uh the rotating some offensive linemen up there, but they're they're in sync right now between the line and what Aaron Jones is doing. And over the last month he's been the most productive running back in the NFL.
Yeah, Baldy that that run game has set up the run action, which is why Jordan Love might be playing better than any quarterback right now when it just comes to efficiency, the plays downfield, the aggression. Speaking of aggression, Baldi, you just came out of the film room and with the Tampa Bay defense try to do against the Lions when they met earlier this year was pretty much medieval, except they came out on the back end of the win.
Well, it's interesting, Steve, because we all watched what Tampa did the Philadelphia Monday night and it was a blitz creak. I mean, they blitzed Jalen Hurts Eavy which way you can, and it was effective. But I was thinking, Okay, let's go back and watch rewatch week six. Let's see what the they blitzed the very first play of the game, Steve. They came after Jared Goff on third downs. They had great success. I mean it was a ten to three game at halftime now, and the blitzing was a big
part of getting off the field on third downs. They blitzed the run, Steve. It wasn't just a pass, but they blitzed the run. They blitzed him on third and one, and you know, I don't know where Todd Bowles comes with all these combinations, but when they come like there's no hesitancy, they hit that thing, you know, like a
bat out of hell, and they're good at it. And so I'm sure Detroit spending a good chunk of time in preparation for this game on the Blitz and their Blitz pickups and their packages and how they're going to try and keep these guys from affecting Jared Goff in the past game.
Well, let's go to another team that blitz is just maybe in a more creative fun way than anybody else in football, and that's Steve Spagnola's group with the Kansas City Chiefs. We just had Trent mcduffee on the show, and Trent was talking to us about his responsibilities in the slot, not only worrying about two really good tight ends, worrying about a really good slot receiver of the pass game, how his eyes have to be focused on Josh Allen and in the run game and Josh specifically running the
football as well in the middle of the field. What does this defense need to do with the Kansas City Chiefs to limit what Josh Allen has been able to do over the last several weeks, which is essentially be their run game.
Well, so it's interesting because when you go back and you rewatch week fourteen's game, they had a real package designed to contain Josh Allen, and so it was a variety of ways. I mean, you know, if you put Chris Jones one on one with any in this business right now, he's gonna win. But in certain rushes, he wasn't trying to win. He was just trying to push the pocket and keep Josh Allen on that postion stamp behind his center MIT's morse. So they did some of that.
They did a lot of three man rush, and then they spied Josh Allen with Willy Gay in that game, and so Josh Allen would, you know, see the three man rush, feel it, exit, go, try to break it. And then here comes Willy Gay and he pressured him so much one time that he threw an interception or as a result of it. Now he had eight runs in that game, thirty two yards. Did have the one touchdown run which was kind of like a massive rugby play where they just pushed him across the goal line.
But I thought they did a good job of keeping Josh Allen from breaking the pocket and doing what he did against Pittsburgh last week when he went fifteen to two yards to pay dirt. And so I'm sure Buffalo is anticipating something like this to happen again and how they're going to counter that if there is the three men rush and the or some other combination that Spaggage comes up with. They they've always liked this though. You know, you had Trent McDuffie on Lugarious need Watson their corners.
They blitzed their corners more than any other team in the league. And one of the reasons why they do is it gets speed to the quarterback faster than somebody that's actually pass rushing, and so he gets quick, quick color, quick athletes onto Josh Allen, forcing him into making a decision stay throw, try to shake him off. They've had success in the playoffs against Josh Allen with some of those corner blitzes that you're talking to Trent McDuffie about.
Hey, jab, you could tell Baldy was just coaching down at the Hula Bowl because he's using major football for naclar get quick color on that quarterback.
And I freaking love it.
Baldy.
Hey Baldy.
A team that doesn't blitz a ton that we've seen lately, but is probably more effective than any team in the NFL is the Ravens, right. I mean they get the rush with their guys up front and their zone defense in the back.
Now they're playing the Texans and the Red Hot Sea drowd.
How do you see the combination of what the Ravens do impacting of how well the Texans are functioning well?
I mean they play a matchup zone Steve. Now, other teams play it. I don't know anybody plays it better than Baltimore right now. Kyle Hamilton is a huge part of it because of his length and all the different places they put them. In the addition of Genevian Clowney, Kyle van Noy, you go with mattabk They've got ways that they overload and get after you, but they zone
up behind it. And if you look at Brock Purty in this game, if you look at Jared Goff mid season, if you look at Geno Smith, all these quarterbacks they came in playing pretty good football, all left struggling, to a tongue of Belowa struggled against his defense because part of it is you don't know where the matchup is coming from, depending on the route combinations. So the quarterback doesn't get a good pre snap read of where guys
are going to be. They don't discover where they're going until the ball is snapped, and sometimes that's a little bit too late, and it makes that quarterback hold the ball like you see right there, a brock party in that blowout win that Baltimore had.
All Right, Baldy, we gotta let you go. Aloha, my brother, you just finished a hula bull. I'm here at the Polynesian Bowl.
I feel really like that here.
Yeah, Kap, but that's all right. Everybody says hello to you, Baldi. All right, man, appreciate you coming back.
Next, Yeah, Bill Belichick taking a second interview with the Falcons. Oh, we're gonna be joined by somebody who works for that organization and for Bill Belichick, Jim Thumas de Mitchew.
Next on the NFL.
Hey, it's James Palmer, and you're listening to the NFL Report podcast along with myself and Steve Weisch.
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Right back at the NFL Report and James, I've been looking forward to this. We are bringing in former Falcons general manager Thomas de mitchrov TD. How you doing, man?
I can't wait to talk to you guys. It is cold and hot down here in Atlanta, for sure. Is a lot going on.
Well on that note, because we were going to slow play into that. But on that note, let's get right to it.
You talk about it hot being in Atlanta, TD, and that's because Bill Belichick, who you used to work for with the Patriots, is having his second interview with the Atlanta Falcons, where you served as general manager. Just knowing that building, what do you think these tea leaves are telling us about what could possibly happen or what's likely to happen.
Of course, I have not been in conversation with anything about anyone about this. You know, this is me stepping back. Knowing both gentlemen very well, right, you have Arthur Blank, one of the best owners in the league. As you know, he's going to do all he can to make and help that organization be the best that it can possibly be at so many levels as you know that. And then you have Bill Belichick, who I maintain and as does your buddy Scott Pioell and all of us who
have been around him. He is the very best in modern times. And just like Micha Lombardi said, he is probably third only behind Vince Lombardi and Paul Brown. Like, what he can do for an organization is on my
mind unparalleled. And so wherever he ends up going and whatever he ends up doing, you and I both know he brings the organization that he does go to closer to a super Bowl in the next three to four years than anyone out there in my mind, and that's not taking away from anyone out there that we know. This is an amazing in my mind group of coaches. With Dan Quinn out there, you know how I feel about him, With Mike Gravel out there, with Harbaugh, there's a lot of great opportunities.
It's going to be really interesting.
Gedie I'm curious with Bill Belichick and you knowing him so well, and there's seven openings right now, does.
He fit in all seven? Though?
I feel like when you look at him and what he's accomplished and what he's done, is there a certain group of teams that probably fit him better than saying maybe just because he's at the top of your list, he would fit all seven of these.
Look, my feeling on this is anyone who has the stature that Bill Belichick has, and of course there are very few, but any of those really experienced coaches that have a really strong stance on everything and they should right they deserve it. They deserve it through an incredible amount of time in this league in an understanding of football.
The only thing I would say is those organizations that have that first time general manager or first or second year general manager, it becomes a little more complicated.
Tom.
I want you to kind of take us through the process, not specifically speaking to anyone, but using your experiences. Right when I worked for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, I covered the team when you were hired as general manager, and it's a two parter, but just your.
Experiences going through the.
Interview process to get this job that so many people are doing right now interviewing for jobs. And then the second part is when you were part of the coaching search in Atlanta when you ended up hiring Dan Quinn.
So where do you want me to lead on that? Then?
Sorry, so let's start.
Let's let's start with you going through the process with so many of these GM candidates are going through right now, Like, Okay, how do I interview for this position? What do I tell teams? How I want to build this team? Because you came in not knowing who your head coach was going to be.
Yeah, I mean, look, I mean when I first started way back in two thousand and eight, when we run on Mike Smith through that whole process, and then moving on to Dan Quinn obviously in two thousand and six fifteen, excuse me, very different search situations, right, I mean, Arthur Blank was really good to allow me as a general manager, a first time general manager, to go through myriad lists
as far as what we needed at that point. That is, so there are so many layers to it, Steve, But to me, it's contingent on on where your organization is at that time.
Right.
Our interview process from Mike Smith back in early two thousand and eight was very different than it was with Dan Quinn in twenty fifteen because of where we were roster wise, where we were with a quarterback, what we needed to do. Mike Smith, as you know, great head coach, three time Coach of the Year, and there were changes that need to be made.
Right.
You look at that as a GM and as an owner of course, and you say, Okay, here are all the great things about the former head coach that was here and now, and here are the things that were challenges.
We want to make sure that the next head coach that comes in doesn't bring to the table some of the same challenges or that person and a new head coach potentially to come in, we know that that coach is not going to be running the same line of trying to deal with some of the stuff that maybe slow played the coach that came in or was there before. I guess what I'm saying is very very different and a lot of layers and a lot of a lot
of conversations about leadership, about about abilities of the coaches. Right, we would go through myriad conversations again to use that word about how you know what what is the best way to approach that coach. You're talking about ability to coach, talking about ability in the in the meeting room, you're talking about ability to develop players there. Again, those are things that we really have to drill down on as general managers and former general managers, and.
For everybody listening, that's kind of what's happening in Washington, right Thomas. They get Adam Peters and now they're kind of going into their head coaching kind of search after they've established it. So so to piggyback off of what you just said, I'm fast by. We're so entrenched in where coaches come from their coaching tree, as we always say,
what tree did they come from? Did that ever play a factor or does it play a factor when you're looking at a coach knowing where he came from, in which tree he came.
From, Yeah, there's no question about that, James. I mean you're looking about how they were raised there honestly, their approaches to building a team, their approaches and their former whoever they came up through, their former head coach, their mentors so to speak, how they quite honestly, and a
lot of gms do this. How was this this guy that we're going to be interviewing now, how was he raised as far as personnel goes, right, Make no mistake about it, James, every one of these gms that have personnel background want to make sure that they are pairing with a with a coach that AA understands personnel, understands the ability to evaluate understands. Again, there are so many levels to evaluating. That is a big, big deal. No, and I go back into my first time with you know,
someone like Mike Smith. I wanted to make sure that Mike knew about evaluation, believed in evaluation, believed in the scouting system, and understood that the scout scout and the coach's coach and then within that that we are able to come together as GM and head coach and be able to discuss at so many levels the nuances of the system. That is vital. You're most of these general managers out there, most not all, of course, you guys know this. Howie Roseman and Mickey Loomis two of the
best out there. Those guys came from a different you know, a different road, just like Brandon Bean did, right, But yeah, yeah, and there's some really good ones out there that don't have personnel background. Everyone in this spot wants to make sure they have a workable relationship with their head coach. No one wants to come in this where they're batting their head against the wall every day that they're trying
to help build the team. James, So again, very very very very important to make sure you know how these guys are raised in some last quot last point, Some that were raised in certain paradigms that don't have a real respect for the personnel staff. That that can be very treacherous and it can be a it can be a short lived relationship, of course.
Thomas, I'm so glad you said that because I remember the union with you and Mike Smith, and you stressed the importance of the separate but collaborative dynamics that you were just talking about. Lastly, we have about a minute here, Thomas. You got to find a quarterback. You were fortunate to come into a situation your first time, you had a number three overall pick.
And you got Matt Ryan.
How vital is it, you know, when you look at some of these circumstances to know who is going to be the proper guy to fit into your locker room and real quick with the caveat. Remember, Thomas, everyone was telling you to draft defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey instead of Matt Ryan.
At that time.
There was a lot of that, as you know in town, and we won't mentioned some of the names, but yeah, oh, look, I mean anyone, even a head coach or GM that potentially could be coming into a team. One of the main things we're looking at. Of course, we're looking at who the ownership is. Making no mistake about that as well. Gentlemen, if you don't know the owner, at least have a grasp of what the owner is and their approach. That's a big deal. Now, when you're a first timer, you're open.
We always used to joke about this. You're open to say, lo, I'll work anywhere. I could do anything with anyone, just give me the opportunity. And as you get experience, you're a lot more particular about that.
That's one thing. Of course.
The quarterback is massively important, not only that the quarterback might be there, but that the quarterback is within reach, that there's a potential to get a free agent, or equally important that you are in a draft spot, that you know that you might get one of these top
five this year. If you're twenty two coming in or eighteen and you're going to have to move up and sell the farm to get up there, that's a little bit different when you're talking about making sure that you get the right quarterback to build around.
All right, So I got to squeeze this one in Thomas because this is what I'm fascinating about. Look at the Bears, right, they have what some people believe is their quarterback, but they also have the number one overall pick.
How would you kind of looking.
At that from an outsider's perspective, kind of look at that spot that Ryan Poles is in right now? And is that a very difficult spot? Would it be a fun spot from a GM perspective?
What? What?
What is he dealing with right now?
It's a lot of sleepless nights, I'm sure. I mean, there's a there's an element of excitement about it, right to know that you are in such control and have the opportunity to continue to build. Yes, it's a it's a I think it's a great spot to be in. You know, remember that that pick was not on Ryan Poles, right, We know that not not that it's whether it worked or not. But as again general managers, normally you want to stay with the quarterback that you that you picked
and you brought in. Of course, Ryan Pace, I have a great deal of respect. You know, he was the one who actually drafted him, so you know, who knows where where he ends his quarter his former quarterback ends up. But great spot to be in if you're Ryan Poles, I believe.
TD absolutely great stuff. I mean this.
You know, we try to enlighten and you just really really open the bandwidth of some minds here with some of these topics. Brother, we appreciate you taking the time for us. Hopefully we'll get you back on here again. Love to be back anytime.
Jents, don't forget.
Every Monday every Thursday, seven fifteen East on the NFL channel, also on two b Roku Peacock The NFL Report also a podcast also on the NFL's YouTube account as well.
We're going to be back.
On Monday and Thursday of next week recapping Steve everything that went down in the divisional round.
I'll be doing it from Buffalo. How about that?
That's sweet. I'll be watching from Honolulu
To Jay