Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (3:34)

Yeah, well, we'll talk about the defense because there's a couple of guys, young guys that I want to ask you about, but let's stay with the offense. And you mentioned Stafford in the two with Nukua and Cup. It feels like as great as Cooper cup has been because he's had a tough time obviously staying on the field. Puka has become like the number one guy. I'm looking at his number seven games, 61 targets, 42 catches. It's already 563 yards. I mean that wouldn't even be half a season. So you're talking about a guy on pace. If he played the whole year to go over a thousand, is he his number one target? I mean, I know how good cup has been, but is Puka become that guy?

Kurt Sandoval (4:13)

It sure seems like it. Now Matthew will tell you he throws to who's open and depending on what the coverage dictates, but Puka seems to be open a lot, a lot more. Cooper is still very dangerous and it, and it, it's a give and take relationship, Mike. It's a really unique relationship because Cooper cup truly is, is one of one. He's one of the smartest players I've ever met and I've been like you doing this business a little bit, right? He's truly one of the Smartest guys. And Puka has become his younger brother. Really. It's that type of relationship that they worked out together in the off season. You know, the day after the super bowl, literally. Cooper, text Puka, we're working out at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Puka caught an early flight from the super bowl back so he could work out with Cooper cup. And it's, it really is a younger brother relationship. And I think that's why Puka is excelling, because he's younger, he's faster, he's healthier, he's stronger.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (5:20)

Yeah, he's definitely a talent and he is definitely an ascending player. When you look at it, those two, obviously, like you said, even when you look at the numbers, I looked at Cup, 83 targets in eight games, 58 catches. Like, I mean, he's still putting up numbers. I want to ask you about the other two. The guys we see, DeMarcus Robinson and Atwell to Otwell, right? Speed, I know they got speed. I know they've had opportunity. When the other guys have been out. Where are those 2 right now?

Kurt Sandoval (5:53)

Demarcus Robinson, if K had a DUI arrest last week and it was honestly a scary situation, a grateful situation that no one got hurt. He apologized to the team, but I'll tell you, then he comes back and catches a touchdown pass. He. He is really, when you double cup and Puka, those two guys are open, DeMarcus is a little bit bigger and stronger. You went to the University of Florida. Any wide receiver I've seen that's been recruited to the University of Florida is pretty good wide receiver. So he kind of made a joke about a month ago. He goes, yeah, I'm pretty good too. Yeah, he is. He's not Puka, he's not Cooper. But if you're going to double those two, those other two are going to get open. Two, two. Atwell. I'm literally, I. I say this, I'm five foot ten and a half, a buck ninety. I'm bigger than Tutu. Really. I tower over Tutu. I mean, really, he's five foot eight. But what Tutu has that you and me and anyone else who ever thought we could play, he is a burner. He is a flyer. So when Tutu's in the game, what you'll see Sunday, a lot of times it's deeper routes in the zone or send him deep, which opens up the running game. So, yeah, two very different wide receivers. And that's kind of going back. If the offensive line is healthy and they can run the ball, that's why offensively, can they outscore Buffalo? Who? That's why I think it's going to come down to the Rams defense Sunday.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (7:30)

Yeah. If I'm looking at it right, I think I've only scored in the 30s one time, most of the time in the 20s. And the Bills have been scoring 30 in just about every game. I think it's nine out of their 10 wins they've been scoring. But if there is a way to get to this Bill's defense, it's running the football. That has been. If they have a weakness on defense, it's certainly been run defense. Kyron Williams is putting up pretty good numbers. I know he's had an issue putting the ball on the turf in his time in la, but he basically is the run game, isn't he? He's got 80% of the carries, at least.

Kurt Sandoval (8:05)

Yeah. And they drafted that young man, Blake Corum out of Michigan who was on that national championship team, and he had a couple of really good runs. That's in the Saints win. That's the most they've used him. It is. It's Kyron Williams and he went this first seven games and I apologize for my ding there. He went his first seven games with one fumble, but then he fumbled four times over his next four games. Seems to have that rectified. But that's going to be the key. And. And I'll tell you one other thing. In terms of scoring, the Rams are. I haven't checked this week. I haven't checked in two weeks, but I know three weeks ago they were 29th in the red zone. They'll go up and down the field. They'll go up and down the field as good as anybody. They have a hard time in the red zone. And that's uncharacteristic of a Sean McVeigh coach team this year. It's an issue and I don't know why. So that's one of the things, if you're going to try to beat the Buffalo Bills. You cannot settle for field goals. You can't. And when they've lost, they were toe to toe with the Lions in the opener. When they lost that game, they didn't score in the red zone. They lost to the Chicago Bears in Chicago. They went up and down the field, settled for field goals. They lost to the Miami Dolphins up and down the field. They didn't have one touchdown. So settle for field goals. So they seem to rectify that last week. It's a hot and cold thing. That's going to be a Key thing Mike, to watch this week.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (9:39)

I want to ask you about Sean McVay. Obviously, brilliant play caller. I think if you asked around the league, if he's not number one, he'd be in the top three, depending on how people look at it. Gotten a couple of teams to a Super bowl, got a title, but in terms of the way he calls a game and the evolution of the NFL where everybody's gone for it on fourth down, it is a lot of what used to seem risky is now regular. You mentioned in the red zone, kicking field goals. Has he adapted at all to that? He does seem like while he is, you know, brilliant in putting players in motion and getting guys open, he's a little conservative offensively. Would you agree with that? And has he adapted at all?

Kurt Sandoval (10:26)

Wholeheartedly. I'll take it a step farther, and I have. Beyond so much, I think he's one of the smartest guys. I think I probably mentioned this on the podcast when we played a couple of years ago. I really think who he is as a man, as a leader is incredible. But I think he, and he'll tell you this. When they lost that first super bowl to the New England Patriots, he, he outthought himself. He start. He's so brilliant. You know, he, he overthinks it. He's a classic overthinker. And listen, he. There was a game earlier this year where he had a chance with a. I think we were in New England where it was like a 48 yarder ends the game and he punted. And I'm like. And I asked him about it earlier. Well, earlier the guy missed a kick. Earlier, he's like, New England's a tough place to play, you know, swirling. And I'm thinking it's 48 yarder. Your guy should make that kick eight times out of eight times. But he punted. And now he was fortunate that they, New England didn't come down and score and they won the game. But that's the classic overthinker. Easy for me to say on the sidelines. I'm not calling switch, but from where I sit, and I think that's why they're struggling in the red zone, because they just go up and down the field. They're a very, very potent offense. And he'll call it, he'll say, like, did we, did we. They struggle in the first quarter. He goes, well, were we struggling or did we just not execute because they didn't complete that pat, you know, yeah, NATO tomato. But I think you're. I Think you see that very accurately, Mike. I think that's a, honestly, that's a good observation.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (12:16)

Yeah. And, and you know, he is, like I said, great play caller. And he has a smart and a great thrower of the football as there is in the game. And he's got wide receivers that you would trust. You would, you would think at this point he might be doing that. And now you come into a game against a Bills team that's putting up 30, and it's funny, the difference is, you know, you've got Sean McDermott, defensive guy.

Kurt Sandoval (12:41)

Yeah.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (12:42)

Yet he's got Josh Allen, who also obviously can use his legs on those fourth downs or the other tight plays, but he's considerably more aggressive. I wonder if it'll be different Sunday. I wonder in a game like this, will he. I don't say, you know, sometimes people say go for broke and pull out all stops. I don't mean reckless. I mean like 4th and 2 from the 22 yard line in the second quarter. Go for it. Don't be kicking a field goal. Do you think anything like that would change Sunday?

Kurt Sandoval (13:10)

I think the, the game will dictate it. It's, it's, I mean, literally from the coin toss. I know they, I'll tell you right now, Matthew Stafford will call heads. He calls heads every time. And if they win the toss, they're going to defer and they like that situation. But it's, to me, what I see in the Bills offense is at times unstoppable against some very good defenses. And I think Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator for the Rams, is going to take a lot of risks. He's going to, you know, live by the blitz, die by the blitz. We saw in the Philadelphia game and we even saw last week with Alvin Camara, that sometimes if, if you get past that first wall because they play so many guys up front, look out. I really think it's, to answer your question, it's going to be if they're behind by more than one possession, he's going to get really aggressive and that's what he. But if it's a close game and it's a one possession, I don't know that he's going to change. And, and the reality is, I mean, you mentioned it off the top, Seattle leads the division. Well, the Rams already beat Seattle and it's the final game of the season. So in many respects, the Rams going into this game control their own destiny. They lose to the Bills. They don't. So will that make him more aggressive? Maybe. I Think it's a. It's a great thing to watch.

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Kurt Sandoval (15:41)

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Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (15:56)

Yeah, I want to ask you about the defense and I was looking at something with Jared Verse out of Florida State. You got a couple of guys there, right? Because Brandon Fisk too. They traded up to get him. Yeah, Verse has four and a half sacks. But I looked at this. It was a pressure win rate. And I will have to give credit to my nephew Garrett, who is a huge Rams fan along with my brother. Big Rams fans. Follow the team. He did some research for me. The top guys in pressure win rate. Miles, Garrett Hendrickson from the Bengals, Nick Bosa, Jared Verse. Yeah, he's been really impressive, hasn't he? Oh, yeah.

Kurt Sandoval (16:35)

He's honestly. Mike. Tip of the cap. Tip of the ABC cap to your nephew Garrett. That's a great stat and it's very accurate. And I really mean this. Jared Verse is a. A freak of nature. And you're going to be hearing about him for a long time. He's that good. And then they trade up to get Fisk. I mean, these two are the odd couple. And I mean, Jared versus talking all the time. And Fisk, it drives them crazy. They were Roommates, but they push each other. And I'm telling. I don't see everything at practice. It's not meant to be that way. I'm out there every day and not Tuesdays, clearly. Players day off. But I'm telling you, Fisk is first one in, last one out. Does more weights than anybody. And those two really play off each other. They're good. They're still young, but you'll. The Rams defense in three years might be one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (17:40)

I was listening. Yeah, I was listening to Chris Long, former Rams player, talk about their D line and he's like, that young group is coming, saying almost exactly what you're saying. Like maybe not all the way there yet because they're so young. I mean, you had Aaron Donald there for all these years and you just.

Kurt Sandoval (17:59)

Right.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (17:59)

It's hard to expect, you know, not a step back. But to have those young guys is big for the future. But they're making plays in the present, too.

Kurt Sandoval (18:09)

No question. No question. And they're young at the secondary and maybe a little inexperienced, but you know, what's the old cliche that's so true. You can't win if you can't stop the run. And that's knew they were losing Aaron Donald going into the draft, so that's what they did. They went out after those two guys. They got him and they. They really do complement a lot of other guys. But verse he, when you see him on the field, he's a man child. He really 22 years old. He's a man child. He's incredible.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (18:40)

Yeah. You can never have enough pass rushers, and that's why it's smart. Go get him in the draft. And they've done a really good job. I was thinking back, you mentioned the game. We were there and you know, that was opening day. It was after the Rams had won the super bowl and there was that team. And the Bills came into that as the trendy pick to go to the Super Bowl. They were very, very talented. Very different team. We know how the Bills have transformed as a team. You know, it's Josh Allen. There are some core guys still there, but a lot of those veterans are gone. A lot's happened for the Rams since they got there and won that Super Bowl.

Kurt Sandoval (19:20)

Yeah.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (19:20)

Where do you think they are as a franchise now? We're talking about this transition, you know, defensively, where they're getting the younger guys in there. You talk about even a guy like Puka and them transitioning, but you still got Matthew Stafford there You still got Sean McVeigh. Where are they, do you think, as a franchise in terms of their. Where they were as a champ and where they hope to be going?

Kurt Sandoval (19:40)

I think the biggest thing is on defense again. I mean, offensively, this team is good enough to compete for a Super Bowl. When healthy, they lost. You know, they drafted a young man last year out of Texas A and M who was on that team that lost in the national championship to Georgia's Steve. It looks like Avila, but it's pronounced Avila. And when he got hurt in that Detroit game. No, I take that back. He got hurt in the second game. When he got hurt, they struggled. And then Rob Havenstein, their offensive lineman, struggled. They need to, in the next coming years, stay strong on the offensive line. And I think they, you'll see them draft a few more guys because they just don't have the depth, Mike. When they're healthy, it's a, it's a spectacular offense.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (20:28)

Yeah.

Kurt Sandoval (20:29)

Red zone. Red zone aside. Yeah, but from where they were in this Super Bowl, I mean, they had Jalen Ramsey in their secondary. They don't have a Jalen Ramsey right now. They need a Jalen Ramsey in their secondary. That will be the next. I think if they have a first round pick next year, they'll get a Jaylen Ramsey type of guy. That's what they need in their secondary. They'll continue to strengthen the linebacker core. But I'm telling you, if you're just reading stats, you might go, can Matthew Stafford, if you watch the game, Matthew Stafford, I, I said it earlier. He's Albert Einstein. He is the smartest quarterback I've ever seen. Doesn't have Josh Allen's athleticism. No, not even close. But with his experience and his football iq, I can't tell you how many times I asked Steve Avila a question this year in New England about what it's like when they, when he's blocking and you hear the touchdown and he goes, well, it was a little different today because he called a running play in the huddle, but audible ized and threw a touchdown. Yeah, I can't tell you how many times that's happened. So to answer your question, I think they're offensive line a little short in depth. Defensive secondary and linebackers, they'll get stronger. You got Sean McVeigh, Puka, Nakua, Cooper cup, two good running backs. They're. They're not far on offense, so. All right, but I will say I, I will say I don't mean to be trendy, but at the beginning of the year in our sports office. I said, everybody said, who's your super bowl pick? You can find it on social media. I said, the Buffalo Bills will play the Detroit Lions.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (22:12)

Just saying, yeah, that's that. Well, people here were like that, especially with the Bills, because a lot of people were down on them coming in. But. But they have really developed a great. I mean, they've always had a good culture. But even this transition to younger players, different players, they lost a bunch of. You know, everybody talks about Diggs and losing him, but Micah Hyde's gone, Jordan Poyer's gone. All those guys, they. They've. It's a transition in leadership, and they've. They've really done a nice job with it. And it happened pretty quickly this offseason. I mean, I think five of the team captains are gone, or maybe it was six. I mean, they had a lot of captains last year. It's just Terrell Bernard and Josh Allen for this year. You've already sort of answered it, but I wanted to ask. I always ask, like, the Bills are favored in this game. They're coming out there on a winning streak of seven games.

Kurt Sandoval (23:05)

Yep.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (23:05)

If Sean McVeigh calls you up and says, hey, Kurt, give me the game plan.

Kurt Sandoval (23:09)

What.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (23:09)

What do you think? What do you think I should do? What do you think the game plan for the Rams would be to knock off the bill Sunday.

Kurt Sandoval (23:17)

Run the football. Control the ball. Control the ball. Convert on third down, Set yourself up on first and second down to have short, manageable. Be good on early downs so you can convert on third down. I think that's. That's a key for them.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (23:33)

Yeah.

Kurt Sandoval (23:33)

And then you're going to have to, for lack of a better word, bend. But don't break with that Buffalo Bills offense. I will say this kind of going back to that last point. As long as I've covered sports, I always find what doesn't show up in the box score is the mental, emotional. And the way the Chiefs won that game last year. Too soon, Bills fans. I know, but I just think that for the players that still are there for the organization, that's a bite your lower lip. Get her done. And I just think we all know these windows are short. Josh Allen is one bad hurdle away from, you know, not being the leader. And you're talking about a guy who's a favorite to win the mvp. So I think bend, but don't break on defense Sunday and run, run, convert long drives. You had asked about two, two out. Well, I'm not sure you're even. See Too many deep balls. Unless they're behind by two scores, the Rams have to play ball control.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (24:49)

Yeah. And keep it away from them. So you mentioned the weather, which is great. The last time we were there, you were having this crazy heat wave. It was 90 some odd degrees the day we were there. Because that was early in the year too. You said, you know, it's, it's not the typical home home field advantage in la. Right. And I know Bills fans, not only from Western New York are planning on traveling, but any Bills fans, they got them all over the country to come to the game.

Kurt Sandoval (25:17)

Right.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (25:18)

Tell people the stadium's an experience. Tell people what it's like at the stadium. It's a unique setup the way it is right there near the airport and what the atmosphere is like there.

Kurt Sandoval (25:28)

Well, I will tell your audience if, whether you come to this game or any game out at SoFi, it really is just that it's an experience. It's a 5 billion with a B dollar facility. So what's unique about it is when you walk in at ground level, as soon as you walk in, you're six stories high. And because it's in the flight path of the airport, they had to dig it down into the ground. The stadium itself is a stadium. Now imagine they then built a, I don't know, 200 yard, what's called American Airlines Plaza on that same level. And then they built YouTube theater that holds small concerts. And then because of the earthquakes out here, they didn't attach the roof. They built it like a canopy separate. And then you have a lake in front of it that is, will be your Christmas card. Buffalo Bills fans, if you have that lake behind you in the stadium, it's the most spectacular shot. And this year I would tell anyone who's coming out in Bill's fans across the country is down the street, literally a quarter of a mile. You can see it is what's called the Intuit Dome, which is the Clippers brand new state of the art basketball arena. And the Clippers are owned by Steve Ballmer who was second to Bill Gates at Microsoft. He's the wealthiest owner in North American sports. And what he did with that arena in all the AI, it's if you come to a Bills game, stay, come early or stay late and go to that facility. Yeah, honestly Mike, if you, when you guys come out, if I haven't looked at the Clipper schedule, just go buy it. It's the most mind numbing high tech thing you've ever seen. It's unbelievable. So it is it is truly that. It's. If it's a one o' clock game, get there at ten o' clock in the morning. And just what you said, experience it. NFL Network is right outside. They have their, their turf there. They're running plays. It's an experience.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (27:39)

Yeah, it was a lot of fun the last time we were there. And, and you are right. When you look at it, it does not look like any other stadium I've ever been to because it looks low. Right. It's like, you look at it, it's almost like a amphitheater kind of feel to it. And then you go in and it's just a, it's a spectacular place. So we are looking forward to it. Hey, we really appreciate this. We're looking forward to coming out there and to seeing you let people know where they can follow you on social media as they get set to come out and see some more about the Rams and the Bills.

Kurt Sandoval (28:12)

Thank you, Micah. Yeah, anything on Instagram, Facebook, at Twitter, ABC7 Kurt and Kurt is with a C. ABC7 Kurt and safe travels, buddy. I look forward to seeing you. You just always bring great insight to this and I appreciated talking with you today. Mike.

Mike (Host of Buffalo Plus) (28:28)

Well, this is great and we, we do appreciate it. We will see you out there and we look forward to the Bills and the Rams coming up on Sunday. So thank you very much to Kurt Sandoval from ABC7 Eyewitness News in LA. Knows the Rams as well or better than anybody and he's always a great guest here on Buffalo plus. And thank all of you for being with us. Please again, make sure to like, comment and subscribe and we will see you the next time on the Buffalo plus YouTube channel and podcast presented by Connors and Ferris.