Can Sam Darnold change the narrative and take the Seahawks to a Super Bowl?

Summary

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Scoop City: Inside The NFL

Episode: Can Sam Darnold change the narrative and take the Seahawks to a Super Bowl?
Released: December 17, 2025
Hosts: Dianna Russini, James Palmer
Guest: Michael-Shawn Dugar

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Episode Overview

This edition of Scoop City probes one of the sharpest storylines in the NFL: Can Sam Darnold rewrite his career narrative and propel the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl? Hosts Dianna Russini and James Palmer—joined by Seahawks insider Michael-Shawn Dugar—break down Thursday’s titanic clash between the Seahawks and Rams, analyze quarterback upheavals across the league (including Tua Tagovailoa’s benching), and play “Clear As Ice or Holiday Hype” with burning NFL questions. The episode also delivers deep dives into Seattle’s culture, Sam Darnold’s evolution, and the overlooked surge of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking NFL Quarterback News: Tua Tagovailoa Benched

• Miami Drama: The episode opens on the stunning benching of Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa.
  • Dianna notes “it’s code” when coaches say “everything’s on the table” regarding a quarterback’s future—usually meaning a change is imminent. (03:06)
  • With Miami lacking a GM and Mike McDaniel’s future uncertain, the move leaves major offseason questions, especially considering Tua’s $54M guarantee in 2026 and a possible $99M dead cap if he’s let go.
  • Dianna: “How do you move forward with going, okay, you know what? We actually made a mistake? … Usually once a player who's been in the league for six years gets benched, that organization is looking to move in a new direction.” (04:03)
  • Both hosts discuss how Miami’s lack of a clear plan for 2026 quarterback options—especially given a shallow draft class—may force Tua and McDaniel to co-exist, unless the owner steps in.
• Quinn Ewers Opportunity: With Ewers starting, the Dolphins may use the final stretch as an audition for 2026. James relays that Ewers’ improvement post-injury is noted, but the future remains murky. (09:22)

2. Head Coach Hot Seat & the State of the League

• Clear as Ice or Holiday Hype (11:22):
  • Speculation on in-season firings: Dianna is surprised some embattled coaches are still hanging on (“most owners don’t want to do it in-season”), but expects familiar teams—Titans, Giants, Arizona, Atlanta, Vegas, Cleveland—to be under scrutiny. (12:56)
  • James: “I don't think any decisions have been made in a lot of the buildings you mentioned...what happens down the stretch is more valuable than what people think at home.” (13:05)
  • They discuss teams’ processes and “moving on from quarterbacks,” comparing current QB situations to the Broncos’ recent pivot from Russell Wilson.

3. Bears vs Patriots: The Rebuild Race

• Which Fanbase Should Feel Better? (14:47):
  • Dianna proclaims Bears fans have much more reason to be excited than Patriots fans, given Caleb Williams’ impressive growth and Ben Johnson’s effective coaching: “He’s been able to tap into Caleb’s skill set while also having him do the things that Johnson requires for his offense.” (15:11)
  • James counters with appreciation for the Patriots' Drake May, but admits “Bears fans have been waiting forever” and deserve optimism. (17:35)

4. Jaguars’ Underrated Run & League Playoff Picture

• Jaguars: The Quiet Juggernaut (18:19):
  • Both hosts agree Jacksonville (beating opponents by 20 ppm over the last month) is “the least talked about 10-win team ever.” (18:19)
  • James: “They’re trouncing people...I put a tweet out that said, ‘I don’t know if anybody cares, but the Jaguars since their week eight bye, have been averaging 32 points a game...’ The first four comments were, ‘nobody cares about the Jags.’ ” (19:19)
  • They credit Trevor Lawrence’s improvement and OC Liam Cohen’s positive influence.
• Playoff Locks: Both expect the Ravens and Lions to make the postseason, but debate the NFC’s strength compared to the AFC. (19:53–22:30)
  • Dianna, on NFC Super Bowl hopes: “Selling, selling, selling… There still isn’t a team in the NFC…that scares me.” (21:56)
  • James stands up for the NFC, especially trusting Matthew Stafford if the Rams can play indoors. (23:11)

5. Houston Texans on the Rise

• Discussion about the Texans’ defense as “the one nobody wants to play right now.” James highlights C.J. Stroud’s growth and the defense’s playmaking potential. (23:53–24:44)

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Featured Segment: Seahawks-Rams MEGA Preview

Setting the Scene at Lumen Field

(with Michael-Shawn Dugar, 28:42–31:08)

• Michael paints the atmosphere at Lumen: anticipation is off the charts, reminiscent of epic games in 2019 and the Marshawn Lynch comeback.
  • “You just feel anticipation, really...that night was buzzing, particularly with Marshawn’s return. I feel like Thursday is going to be very similar.” (29:39)

The “Philip Rivers Experience” & Seahawks’ Defensive Swagger

• Michael describes Seattle fans’ “earned arrogance” after a string of dominant home performances against replacement-level quarterbacks. (31:08)
• Rivers’ return, he notes, “looked like the QB coach out there, not the actual QB.” (32:13)

Sam Darnold: The Reality Behind the Narrative

(32:58–38:14)

• Michael insightfully details the locker room’s genuine support for Darnold, but acknowledges the disconnect between practices and real games:

  • “As much as they want to tell us...‘We don’t listen to the outside noise, we’re focused on what’s in the building’—that’s BS...all we have are these Sunday games, and it’s uneven.” (32:59)
  • Coaches and teammates continue to publicly champion Darnold, even calling him an MVP candidate, but, says Michael: “None of these things are true, but they want it to be true.” (34:43)

• Dianna probes Darnold’s personal growth:

  • Michael: “He has learned a lot from his experience in New York...when you have turnovers and interceptions...you associate turnovers with unemployment. If I turn the ball over, I lose my job. That’s generally how the NFL works...I think Sam is doing the same thing, he’s like, ‘I just need to play clean, play clean’—and sometimes that’s to a fault.” (35:50, 36:57)
  • Darnold’s newfound conservatism, Michael says, may lead to overcorrection and “giving up on the play pretty early”—a reaction to past struggles as a turnover-prone young QB. (37:43)

• Memorable Moment:

  • James Palmer: “68 (sacks on Caleb Williams last year) is burned into my brain, by the way.”
  • Michael-Shawn Dugar: “That’s coming from someone who covered Russ, by the way, who’s like, ‘Damn, that’s a lot of sacks.’” (38:14)

Rasheed Shaheed’s Emergence in the Offense

• Examining the recent growth in Shaheed’s production since being traded to Seattle, Michael credits increased reps and developing chemistry with Darnold:
  • “It’s really just time on task… Quarterback familiarity is more important…Sam likes to do things a certain way. Shaheed’s much faster than all of the other receivers. But it’s coming together now.” (39:06)

Seattle’s Road Warrior Mentality

• Michael explains why Pete Carroll’s (and now Mike Macdonald’s) policy of departing early for road games builds unity and a “mob ties” mentality:
  • “It just builds this us-against-the-world kind of attitude...that togetherness that these guys have identified as the secret sauce.” (41:14)

The Rams: A Formidable Test

• The key to stopping LA, per Michael: get to Matthew Stafford, or “it could be a long day.” Seattle’s run defense is strong, but Stafford—never beaten the Seahawks as a Ram—can beat teams with any receiver group.
  • “If you don’t get to Stafford, it can be a long day, whether he has Devante Adams or not.” (44:34)
• James notes Seattle clinches a playoff spot with a win; for LA, a victory keeps division hopes alive (but doesn't seal it). (46:11)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dianna Russini on Coach Speak:
  “Once you hear a coach say everything’s on the table when he’s asked about his quarterback’s future, what usually happens—it’s code for, ‘I can’t tell you right now, but I can’t deal with this anymore.’” (03:06–03:23)

• James Palmer on Bears Fans Deserving Joy:
  “Bears fans have been waiting forever. They have to be ecstatic right now about what’s going on with Ben Johnson.” (17:35)

• Michael-Shawn Dugar on Darnold’s Locker Room Support:
  “You’re seeing guys rallying around him each week...telling us, almost going the extra mile, saying Sam’s the best in the world...None of these things are true, but they want it to be true.” (34:43)

• Dianna on Tua’s Situation:
  “How do you move forward with going, okay, you know what? We actually made a mistake? ...Usually once a player who's been in the league for six years gets benched, that organization is looking to move in a new direction.” (04:03)

• Michael-Shawn Dugar on Seattle’s Secret Sauce:
  “That time together, it just builds this us-against-the-world kind of attitude...they’ve adopted ‘mob ties’ as their mantra. That’s their secret sauce.” (41:14)

• Blast of Humor:

  • James Palmer, on workout music: “Why do you even have music? Might as well put on a podcast if the music isn’t making me go.” (01:43, recapped at 56:14)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tua Tagovailoa/Miami Quarterback Turmoil: 03:06–09:22
• Head Coach Hot Seat & League Rumor Talk: 11:22–13:54
• Bears vs Patriots, Drake May & Caleb Williams: 14:47–17:53
• Jacksonville Jaguars’ Hot Run: 18:09–19:53
• Ravens/Lions Playoff Chances, NFC v. AFC Debate: 19:53–24:44
• Seahawks-Rams Big Game Preview: 28:42–46:32
• Sam Darnold Locker Room Perspective: 32:58–35:50
• Shaheed’s Growth & Seahawks Offense: 39:06–40:47
• Seattle’s Road Culture: 41:14–43:30
• Stopping Stafford & Rams Offense: 44:12–46:11

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Closing: Holiday Movies & Vibes

The hosts wind down with a spirited, holiday-tinged swap of favorite Christmas movies—Home Alone, Elf, and streaming “cheesy romcoms” get love—as well as polls on the appropriateness of Christmas music during workouts. (53:09–57:17)

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Takeaways

• The NFL Quarterback Carousel is More Tumultuous Than Ever: Big names on the way out, replacement uncertainty, and the specter of dead cap chaos loom over multiple playoff contenders.
• Seattle’s Culture & Locker Room Unity Remain Strengths: But whether Sam Darnold can transcend national skepticism in prime time is the defining question.
• The Jaguars Are Dominating Quietly: Don’t sleep on their potential playoff impact.
• Thursday’s Seahawks-Rams Clash is Epic: NFL history in the making, with major playoff seeding and personal legacies on the line.

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Final Word: This episode delivers equal parts insider analysis, fun personality, and on-the-ground Seahawks expertise, making it must-listen content for anyone invested in the NFL’s late-season drama.

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Transcript

[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[Michael Shawn Dugard]

I know.

[James Palmer]

I'm putting them back.

[Diana Rossini]

Hey, Dave, here's a tip. Put scratchers on your list.

[James Palmer]

Oh, scratchers.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Good idea.

[Diana Rossini]

It's an easy shopping trip. We're glad we could assist.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Thanks, random singing people.

[Diana Rossini]

So be like Dave this holiday and give the gift of play.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

So scratchers from the California lottery.

[James Palmer]

A little play can make your day. Please play responsibly. Must be 18 years or older to purchase player claim.

[Diana Rossini]

Do you think it's okay if you go to a workout class and the music choice they make is Christmas music right now?

[James Palmer]

No, I'm pretty particular on my workout music. Like, if it doesn't get me moving, like, what am I doing here? Like, why am I in the class? Why do you even have music? Might as well put on a podcast. If the music isn't making me go like I need.

[Diana Rossini]

I didn't want to say anything, but I was sitting there doing my weightlifting. Michael Buble while you're in there, it was Michael Buleigh. I'm like, Michael Boobs was playing.

[James Palmer]

Welcome to Scoop City on a Wednesday. I'm James Palmer. Don't forget to like and subscribe. Please do it. We love you for it. We have a lot to get to. Diana Rossini and I, the athletic senior NFL insider. We're breaking it all down for you with a special guest. We're Michael Shawn Dugard covering those Seattle Seahawks. The biggest game on a Thursday night we've ever seen. We're going to get to Sam Darnold and what he means to that game and what he means to Seattle's future moving forward in the postseason. We also have Tua Tungavailoa has been benched. What does that mean for him? Mike McDaniel and the dolphins as well as are the Jaguars being disrespected. We know they like it, but maybe it shouldn't be appropriate to disrespect them. Diana, we have a lot going on, so specifically the news this morning. I bet you already kind of knew Di, that the things were in the works. Once you hear a coach say everything's on the table when he's asked about his quarterback's future, what usually happens, it's code.

[Diana Rossini]

It's code for, I can't tell you right now, but I can't deal with this anymore. That's what that's code for. The other is, well, the way they get out of it sometimes is, well, I got to go watch the tape. You don't need to watch the tape. You saw it with your own eyes. These coaches are incredible at seeing things.

[James Palmer]

On the plane back like, oh, yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

You got that, too. Doesn't take.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

So I know coaches that don't do that at all. So you're giving a little too much credit out there. Well, yeah, well, that's, that's like a, that's a great story to dive into what, what coaches do on those flights, because they all do. They all have, like, a different style of how they do it. But the news obviously today being to getting benched. Okay, so what does this mean, right, when, when you hear that the Miami Dolphins have made this decision and obviously this came from the head coach to sit him. My first thought was, well, this is probably it for two in Miami, because how do you come back from this?

[James Palmer]

I don't know.

[Diana Rossini]

How do you move forward with going, okay, you know what? We actually made a mistake. Usually. Usually once a player who's been in the league for six years gets benched, that organization is looking to move in a new direction. But there's so many tentacles to this one, right, James? Because they don't have a general manager. We don't know the future of Mike McDaniels. We're not sure if they're going to keep him or not. I can tell you from just having conversations around the League. Most believe he'll return next year. Right. Which was not the case two months ago, by the way.

[James Palmer]

You know, two months ago he's been on a little run here.

[Diana Rossini]

He's done a really good job of improving this team, almost kind of quietly. Mm. So I do have. I have some questions that I have some answers. But I want to ask you first in terms of how do you think this can go, knowing that. All right, the guy that they invested this much money and is now not going to be their starting quarterback here moving forward this season.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, a few layers to that. One, we'll get to the financials, but two in the more kind of what has gone on recently. I got a text from an offensive coordinator while that game was going on Monday night was like, this is a really tough watch. Like, this is a really tough watch. And that's kind of what my understanding of Mike and everybody kind of saw is where this has gone. It's been a wild year, Diane, if you think about it, remember, like the revealing of secrets in a sense that happened during the. During the season with the players only meeting. And what has gone on kind of at the podium, what's going on behind the scenes? He's turned the football over, I think more interceptions than anybody else in the league. But what everybody was kind of thinking mid season was, well, maybe Mike stays because he gets a lot out of tua. I've always heard that he gets more out of TUA than maybe most people assume anybody can. This offense is designed specifically for him. It literally goes in reverse because he's left handed. A lot of the progressions go for a left handed quarterback because of tua. It's all designed for him. And Mike gets a lot out of him. And the financial aspect is such a huge part of it. He's guaranteed $54 million in 2026. So the assumption a few months ago was, well, he's on the team no matter what. If Mike's gone, he's going to be on the team. What does that new head coach do now that he's been benched? I think that whole perception has changed. But I know you were talking to people and texting people this morning. Tell me if this is similar. I had two different people hit me up going, there's no way they can coexist next season. There's no way you bring Mike back, which we're hearing is more likely than not, and Tua back. But how do you operate with $99 million in dead cap with which would be an NFL record compared to what Denver used to have as the record with 85 million for Russell Wilson.

[Diana Rossini]

The difference there, though? Well, there's a lot of differences, but.

[James Palmer]

Let'S talk about it.

[Diana Rossini]

Let's. I do like that example because I don't think the Denver Broncos get enough credit for figuring out a way around all of that. They've essentially been operating with a hand tied behind their back, and yet they're at the top of the afc. Right. And I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that they nailed the quarterback position. Right. They moved on from Russ because they had the replacement ready to go here in, in. In a very quick amount of time. Miami is now going to be in a position where, if they move on from tua, they're also in a finance, a very poor financial situation. They don't have a GM in place yet. And when you look at this upcoming draft class, having a conversation with the general manager, just getting an idea of what it's. What it looks like in terms of what they're seeing as they're all studying these players now, this isn't a very deep quarterback class. This isn't a quarterback class that we saw that Bo Nix was part of where Denver was able to get him. So I think this is going to be an off season where we're going to see a lot of teams signing, trading veteran quarterbacks rather than digging into the draft, believing that, you know, that their guy is there. There's no reason to fake it just to go get a quarterback because you need one.

[James Palmer]

So in Miami, though, you bring up.

[Diana Rossini]

The Broncos situation and it makes me just wonder, will they actually just be stuck? Because what's the better option? It's almost like he may be there by default because what are they going to do? Where are they going to go find someone? Now, look, I know there's tons of confidence and even around the league that they have a head coach who could probably work with a lot of different quarterbacks. Right. So they have that there, there's like a good check for, for the Miami Dolphins. That's, of course, if Mike keeps his job. There's a lot of uncertainty there. I'd be curious, and it's something worth digging on how the owner feels about tua. Right. That's always a gigantic factor in all of these. And I've never gotten the impression that that Steven Ross is a type of owner that is just going to sit back and let everybody make these calls. He. He's. He's got to have a strong opinion about what he's doing because it's his money. So look, I do think the way this Miami Dolphins team finishes out the season is it's, it's going to be huge for, for the future of both these guys.

[James Palmer]

Uh huh. And I throw a third person in there. It's important for the future of Quinn Ewers who is going to be the starter. You mentioned a young quarterback in Bo Nix coming in and being a big part of that equation in Denver. I would also say, I think George Payton did a very good job of putting that roster in place. A good roster without bad contracts. They didn't overpay their left tackle, their top receiver or really their pass rushers or anybody in that sense. So they were in a very good spot financially to deal with the dead money and the drafting well plays a part in that. I'm not sure if Miami's exactly there in this soft rebuild they're having, but maybe Quinn Ewers is the answer. Maybe he tears it up down the stretch here and he is their guy next year at the quarterback position. When you say, and I think you're exactly right with limited answers. I talked to somebody this morning that worked with Quinn in the draft process and they just reminded me saying, hey, let's just, let's just remember the ab injury, abductoral injury, whatever it was he was dealing with last year in the high ankle sprain really, really impacted his arm strength, his accuracy and his mechanics. He, he has been much different as he's been at practice in Miami and my understanding is that's a little bit of a different story than what Miami scene. So he is their starter and we'll see what happens with Quinurs. But this is something we are not done talking about by any stretch. There is a lot.

[Diana Rossini]

How about Zach Wilson getting paid all that money and he's not even getting a shot like what happened.

[James Palmer]

Everybody was excited. Yeah, everybody Endeavor was stoked. He got a year like a Sean Payton like correctional quarterback school and it didn't happen. Okay, we have a little game to play here, Diana, as we move on. Love this. I'm going to bring up different. We play great games on Wednesdays, by the way. This is called Clear as ice or just a holiday hype. Okay. These are going to be cat topics that have been given to us and I will give each one of them and we will go through these right down the line about where we feel on each one of these and I'm not going to lie, they are toughies, real tuffies. Okay? All right, first one, at least one more head coach will be fired before the end of the season.

[Diana Rossini]

So I do think this head coaching cycle is, has been a little weird because I feel like we've had a few coaches names that we thought were going to get fired in season, then all of a sudden they're still there. Most owners don't want to do it in season. Most we've seen it happen. Obviously. The jets had no problem doing it to Robert Sala. Five weeks in the Tennessee Titans did it.

[James Palmer]

Always thought Stephen Ross was part of that group that didn't want to do it.

[Diana Rossini]

What do you think you're getting out of that, though? Like that, that is. And I've asked people that are part of the hiring processes and they always give you the same, like, theories like, well, you can get organized and figure out where you want to go, who you want to meet with. And, and look, teams are doing that. Like I can tell you, the Titans are, they have a list. The Giants, they have a list. But unless you're going after a college coach, you know who you're allowed to go talk to. And they could technically hire if they were. If they were able to check all the boxes. I don't know. It just doesn't make sense. So for me, look, there's a lot of jobs here that I think have a lot of, we'll call it like question marks that people around the league are talking about. I get asked about Arizona all the time. Atlanta, Las Vegas, Cleveland. These are names that people around the league are all watching, thinking, I don't know, not sure they're safe, you know, and we'll see how it pans out. But I would say those are the big ones. It's funny because I know you and I report that Miami has felt good about their head coach. There are more people in the league who think that that's not going to go that way. Which is interesting. Right? Like, I think a lot of report were reporting that he's going to be safe. But there's people that don't. That don't necessarily buy that.

[James Palmer]

I think that's a really good point. And that's also ties into this where I don't think another coach is going to be. And this just opinion, anything can happen. And that's why these last several weeks are so vital. I don't think any decisions have been made in a lot of the buildings you mentioned, and I'm hearing the same buildings. And I think what happens down the stretch is more valuable than what people.

[Diana Rossini]

At home Think and how you anything could happen.

[James Palmer]

Last Thursday in Atlanta, Diana with. With Raheem Morris and the Falcons, like, that was a big deal. They came out ready to play in that game. That was a big, big deal. And the other part I would say, to answer your question is I've. I've sometimes heard there's somebody on the staff we want to take a look at. If you have a candidate that's on your staff and in season, firing sometimes makes sense because you get a chance to look at said person, I. E. Mike Kafka. Not sure it's going great, but sometimes you get a chance to look.

[Diana Rossini]

James I feel like we could use the Giants as the best example of why sometimes when the answer's right in front of you, you should probably just do it. Ownership was going back and forth on what they wanted to do last year with Brian Gable, and they made that decision painfully. It seemed to keep them, and then it just didn't work out. Everyone was, you know, they were a little too late on it. The jets did it with Salah. They considered it. Then they waited. They brought him back. They wound up fighting. And it puts the head coach in such a bad position because you're your butts under fire every game. Every single game.

[James Palmer]

You know, it's very similar to what you. What we said about the quarterback spot in the beginning when the coach waivers at the starting quarterback usually should meet a change. Maybe owners should do the same thing. Once they start wavering, maybe they should just make the change. Okay. Bears fans should be happier about their season so far compared to Patriots fans.

[Diana Rossini]

I'm buying that and I'm seeing it.

[James Palmer]

Okay.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I'm buying this because, look, both Caleb and Drake have taken pretty tremendous leaps here, but I do think the Patriots schedule knocks a couple points off for me because they haven't been as challenged by the opponent. I don't actually believe the roster. New England is that great. I think they've done a really nice job. Rabel's done a good job of kind of building this identity of this team and kind of piecemealing some of this to make it work. But I think the fact that Ben Johnson came in here, established it and did the most important thing was ex. And that's established the run game. It is so clear. Like the Patriots like the run game I saw the Patriots have against the Bills was like the first time I felt like all year I was like, oh, there we go, there we go. Obviously they've done it before, but where Chicago. That's who they are right. Like instead of thinking that Brian, that. Excuse me, that Ben Johnson was coming in here to improve the passing game, which he has, he was like, no, no, I'm going to make sure we've got a good offensive line, a good run game and. And also work with Caleb and the fact that he's been able to tap into Caleb's skill set while also having him do the things that Johnson requires for his offense. To me and Ops, look who they're playing, right? They're facing the Green Bay packers twice this season. That's not easy. So I'm more excited for the Chicago Bears fan base in terms of the optimism and the excitement that they should have, especially when they're talking about it on Christmas Day. I don't think the Patriots are far behind in that enthusiasm, but I would rather be a Bears fan right now.

[James Palmer]

Okay. I love it. You also got that tremendous accent if you're a Bears fan. At first I was going to say Patriots do that one. And I was going to say like, well, look at Drake May. It's just the writings on the wall. This guy's a legitimate MVP candidate. This is the through the roof. You're right. Mike Vrabel's dealing with far less as a roster. You look at the skill group that Drake May worked with this year compared to all these veterans and DJ Moore and Cole Comet and DeAndre Swift and you have Roma Dunze and the list goes on Luther Burden and Kylston Loveland. Like, I'm like, oh man. Well, like Drake's working with less and he's playing outstanding. That offensive line got revamped. It's a litmy a better roster in Chicago that Caleb's working with with Ben Johnson and the Bears could go, am I happy? Like, you could clinch a playoff spot against the packers this weekend or you could find yourself out of the post season. Very realistically by the way things go down the stretch. But then I just said it's gotta be the Bears because like New England and Jeremy. I hope you're listening to this. They've had so much for so long. Oh, no. We had four years where we were down. Like Bears fans have been waiting forever. They have to be ecstatic right now about what's going on with Ben Johnson.

[Diana Rossini]

I love that you're punishing the Patriots fans for having some glory.

[James Palmer]

No, I'm just thinking about like, what makes you happiest when you haven't experienced anything for like, I don't know, your lifetime, which is the mass majority of younger Bears fans. I would assume you would be through the roof with what's going on right now.

[Diana Rossini]

You know how it goes, though, with football fans, especially you being from Philadelphia. It's almost like Men in Black with the wand when you forget everything. It's like after super bowl and every fan from cities like Philly and Boston get whacked in the head with that wand, and it's like it never happened.

[James Palmer]

That's a really good point. These Rabbits are getting hung all over Philadelphia right now. The Jaguars are the least talked about 10 win team that we've ever had.

[Diana Rossini]

I'm buying that.

[James Palmer]

I am.

[Diana Rossini]

They're beating opponents by an average of 20 points per game over the last month. Nobody cares.

[James Palmer]

Nobody.

[Diana Rossini]

Nobody's.

[James Palmer]

Nobody.

[Diana Rossini]

Big attention to it. Trevor Lawrence is playing better. He's being more consistent. All we've talked about is he's the number one overall pick. He's not even good. Guess who's good now? Trevor Lawrence. And we're not. Now, look, you and I've had many conversations about this online and offline about, is he actually great? Yeah, I think we're still trying to find that out. But the fact that Liam Cohen has been able to almost smudge some of this in making us believe that because they're winning games, that's all that matters.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, that's all that matters. They're winning a lot of games and they're, they're, they're. They're trouncing people. You're right. I put a tweet out that said, I don't know if anybody cares, but the Jaguars since their week eight by, have been averaging 32 points a game and they have a franchise record seven straight of 25 or more. The first four comments were, nobody cares about the Jags.

[Diana Rossini]

I just love that you tweeted it from that vein of like.

[James Palmer]

I was like, I don't know if anybody knows.

[Diana Rossini]

Not sure what the vibes are out there, but everyone's like, shut up.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, everyone's like, relax, bro. And I'm like, okay, but listen, you're right. I think what, what Liam Cohen also is doing with Trevor Lawrence, the confidence that he's instilled in him, what they're doing, you know, offensively now, they've run the ball really, really well. Jacoby Myers has changed that offense. Brian Thomas Jr. Not dropping the ball as much as they were. They lead the NFL in drops. And a lot of that, you know, people think is probably Trevor Lawrence's fault. I think we are both spot on on that one. The Ravens and the Lions Both make the. The postseason.

[Diana Rossini]

Oh, I'm buying that.

[James Palmer]

Okay. I like it.

[Diana Rossini]

Look, I think both teams know. I know they haven't had the most success over the last few weeks. Specifically Detroit. Baltimore scares me. Like, you don't think New England is afraid of Baltimore right now? And that run game, they.

[James Palmer]

What if Lamar just gets back to being Lamar?

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. And I do think statistically, Baltimore's offense against a Mike V defense favors to Baltimore almost every time.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. And they could play each other in the postseason, by the way. That could very realistically happen.

[Diana Rossini]

Oh, for sure. Yeah. We could see this again. Yeah. It's at Gillette, so that. That'll. No, no, I'm sorry. It's in Baltimore. It's in Baltimore.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

And then for the Lions, like, I still think the Lions are really good.

[James Palmer]

It's the best offense in football. Points per game.

[Diana Rossini]

Yes.

[James Palmer]

I mean.

[Diana Rossini]

Look, the problem with the lines. That worries me. If you were to say, okay, you're scared. I'm scared a little bit about the injuries. Right. They've had a slew of them. Yeah. And they. They still need to figure out. It's almost like they're missing one more piece. And I hate to say that when it's end of December, because how the heck are they going to figure that out?

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

But with that. With that being said, I don't know. I think. I think this could be the year that we see Jared Goff carry this team.

[James Palmer]

I think he might have to with the way things.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, he does. You're right. He has no choice.

[James Palmer]

If they win out, they have a 53% chance due to our simulator of making the postseason.

[Diana Rossini]

I feel like you were selling on that, though. Were you selling?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

No.

[James Palmer]

I think the Lions have a greater chance of making it than the Ravens.

[Diana Rossini]

Actually.

[James Palmer]

Just because I'm just seeing the stretch from Lamar going like, is it going to happen? I mean, I expect it to, but is it going to happen?

[Diana Rossini]

And we'll.

[James Palmer]

We'll see, but I don't know. Okay, last one. The super bowl winner will come out of the nfc. Diana Rossini.

[Diana Rossini]

Selling, selling, selling. I'm just having a hard time with it. Look, the afc, especially if you're the Bills, it's. I mean, this thing is wide open, right?

[James Palmer]

Wide open.

[Diana Rossini]

There still isn't a team in the nfc. Sorry, Philly, that scares me. None of them have it. None of it have it to. Okay, maybe the Rams. Shoot. You just poked a hole in my argument.

[James Palmer]

No, that's right. Listen, we talk this out before we make our final Call.

[Diana Rossini]

So you buying or selling?

[James Palmer]

I think, I think it is the nfc because what quarterbacks do I trust the most?

[Diana Rossini]

Yep.

[James Palmer]

I probably trust Matthew Stafford the most. Even though Philly has had a ton of issues. That's a Super bowl winning quarterback that has played great in a lot of big games. I'm just thinking of like if the holes with Josh Allen and the Bills are too much to overcome. Which quarterback out of the AFC are you going? He's winning the Super Bowl. No, you just don't, you don't have enough of a sample size to know.

[Diana Rossini]

If it was indoors, I'd be like, oh yeah, it's going to be the Rams.

[James Palmer]

It's outdoors this game. I completely forgot, huh.

[Diana Rossini]

That that's a big storyline here for the Rams. They want to be indoors. They want that perfect environment. I heard Tom Brady on the broadcast discussing it and he, and he explained it so well. Like everything is so controlled indoors. You don't worry about anything perfect. It's, it's completely in your own hands. And then you see someone like Josh Allen, the Bills that, I mean, look at they play and look what they did, they would love it Sunday and how they, how they're able to rally and the momentum that they probably took from that. I just. Outside of the Rams, it's, I just don't trust anyone in the nfc.

[James Palmer]

That's a really good point.

[Diana Rossini]

How about this? What about the Texans in the afc? Where do you think they are going to go here?

[James Palmer]

I don't think that's the defense nobody wants to play right now. And if C.J. stroud plays the way he played this last week, which, when I talk to people there, it feels like they're like, we feel like we're growing as an offense. We feel like we're getting there. CJ's making really good decisions with the football. If he doesn't turn it over and if he, you can, you know, he, he's a playmaker on a lot of these third and longs. Like if the offensive line, it's a big what if can come together and Nick Kelly can find a way to really kind of find a rhythm with this, with this offense. Like they can go on a run. They, they certainly could go on a run because I don't know a better secondary. And I think they're in the argument as the best front with say, the Rams in Denver. But I, who's scoring on them? Like, that's.

[Diana Rossini]

Look, if what you're hearing out of that is that it's, it's stock is up there. Right. And it's coming together. So much of this is timing and if they're gelling right now, watch out.

[James Palmer]

Watch out, watch out.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Okay.

[James Palmer]

Love it. All right, coming up on Scoop City on a Wednesday, we have Michael Shawn Dugard joining us to break down that massive Thursday night game between the Seahawks and the Rams. Stay tuned. Have you ever heard of Gold Belly? It's this amazing site that honestly, I do order from all the time. It's where you can get the most iconic famous foods from restaurants all across the US and they will ship it anywhere across the country. It's perfect for hosting loved ones. It's a truly magical. I'm not just exaggerating with these adjectives, by the way. Unforgettable gift making this holiday season. One that you'll talk about for years. Gold Belly can ship. Really show stopping meals from the country's best steakhouses to iconic Joe's stone Crab in Miami. Oh, my gosh, I love that place. And I can't get enough. The famous desserts like the Christmas pie cake and Martha Stewart's incredible cakes, you can get them sent right to your door again anywhere in this country. And why am I saying this? Because the holidays really are the perfect time for this legendary gift of legendary flavors with something like, you know, Junior's cheesecake from New York City. Listen, I cover the NFL, so I am away from my family during the holidays. It's either Thanksgiving and I'm on my own and it's Christmas and oftentimes maybe I have my family, but I don't have my parents. And my mom loves to make me feel close to her around her favorite holiday of Christmas. Why not send a Dubai chocolate cake to me, which she has done in the past and has changed my Christmas day with my family easily. And it's, I'm getting just unbelievable quality sent to my house. Just, it just arrives and I'm having cake. It's as simple as as that. And she knocks it out of the park. So if you're looking for the perfect gift for anyone on your list or you want to impress your friends and family with an unforgettable meal, make hosting a breeze maybe this holiday season. Go to goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with the promo code Scoop. That's goldbelly.com code Scoop for 20% off your first order. This episode is brought to you by.

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

Or Google Play today. Welcome back to Scoop City on a Wednesday. James Palmer, Diana Rossini with you and we have one of the best in the business, Michael. Sean Dugard joins us, covers these Seahawks better than anybody and this is a massive one. Everybody. We have not had a Thursday night game with Both teams with 11 wins or more ever. This might be the biggest Thursday night game of all time. I just take me to that stadium real quick, Michael, like what's your favorite thing about Lumen? Lumen Field? Like what, what, what do you expect on Thursday?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, I mean one of the things I like to do when I have, I'm from here so I have sometimes friends who go to the night games and tailgate like hey, come through. And when you, when I do that I have to walk through like the crowd to get to the stadium instead of like just going up to the parking garage and just kind of have like a VIP entrance. I did that for the Texans game in Week 7, which was also the same day the Mariners were playing in game seven of the ALCS at the same time. Right. So the. Yeah, so the city. I was actually in a bar watching like to like the sixth inning or something like that before waiting through the crowd to go and like when, when the Seahawks have a big game like that and I do choose to go through like with the blue thunderban plays and where you see the big portraits of the, the star players on the side of the event center, which is adjacent to the to Luma Phil. You just feel anticipation, really. You know, it was very. I feel like this game is going to be very similar in that regard to 2019, week 17 when they played the 49ers. Marshawn lynch was coming back because all their running backs knees basically were blown out in the last few weeks. And the one seed was on the line. Loser get to five seed Richard Sherman was on the Niners, which was a big deal. You know, you could just feel that build all week. That day, that night. It was the last game of the regular season, the Sunday night football finale. I feel like Thursday is going to be that. It kicks off the week and it's not the last game of the year, but the stakes are the same. The two teams don't like each other. It's a rematch just like that 2019 game was with the Niners. In 2019, the Seahawks won in Santa Clara on a game winning field going overtime. I think the Niners are undefeated at the time. The Rams won the first one down that came down to a missed field goal. You know, it's just I see a lot of parallels and that that night was. Was buzzing, particularly with Marshawn's return. So I feel like Thursday is going to be very similar.

[James Palmer]

I'm jacked, Mike.

[Diana Rossini]

I, I admit this and I probably should be a little embarrassed. I've spent many of times at sluggers hanging out with the fans, watching games. James. So sluggers is like, it's kind of cross. It's kind of spot. It's the to watch. It's just fans and you're just drinking.

[James Palmer]

All hours of walk to that stadium as opposed to so many others.

[Diana Rossini]

Exactly.

[James Palmer]

Such a great setup.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, exactly. Before we, before we keep digging on Thursday because I want to get there real quick. The Philip Rivers experience, from what you saw and just kind of what that reaction was, the signage was incredible of what the fans were holding up. Give me kind of vibes there from, from that game.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, there's like an earned arrogance from Seahawks fans now when it comes to certain quarterbacks because of these beat downs they've been laying on people. You know, the last time the Seahawks had watched an opponent at home prior to the Philip Rivers experience was Max Brosmer scoring nothing.

[Diana Rossini]

Right.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

And throwing what may be the worst pass of the NFL season over his head. They got picked six. So they came here with the expectations like, okay, we don't care if it's a young buck like Max making his first start or a Grandpa like Philip making 887th start or whatever. It probably was like the expectation was beat him down. And the signage reflected that. The energy reflected that. They expected a beat down. I think the players took it a little bit more seriously. They're like, hey, let's see how far he can throw first before we decide whether we treat him like a grandpa. After like a few series, they realize, oh, not that far. Now we can go, you know, bring. Bring the heat to him. But it was weird watching Philip be so old. It looks so old out there that CBS had a photo of him like going through the pregame warm up and I was like, that looks like the QB coach that doesn't look like actual qb.

[James Palmer]

And then the other guy that stands back there and they throw, they alternate passes. Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Then he, he had his moment where, where he slipped at midfield. You know, that was the only sack of the game where he just lost his footing. And I was like, yeah, it's very relatable content from the 44 year old right there. Just, just lost his balance and under pressure. I could relate there.

[James Palmer]

Oh, that's so good. Speaking of this quarterback position, there's so many eyeballs on, on Seattle's quarterback in Sam Darnold, specifically in nationally televised big moments. We all know, Mike, what the perception is nationally. Could you kind of tell us what it's like there, what you've kind of taken from in the locker room with Sam and is that accurate or is that inaccurate in terms of how he performs in these situations in your mind, in the way he's wired?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, I think there's a lot of wishful thinking and optimism on the part of the players and coaches. Right. They're like, we know we're going to get the best of Sam because we see it every day. And that makes sense. It skews their perception. Whereas the rest of us, even someone like me who's here every day was like, well, all we have is Sundays. All we have are these Thursday games. All we have are these Monday games. And it's uneven. You know, it's not the guy that they see who's probably lighting them up in practice and probably killing it and, and hitting Rasheed Shahid on deep bombs in practice and hitting Cooper cup on, on option routes. We're not seeing that on Sundays. We're seeing the ball go to number 11 or it doesn't go anywhere at all for the most part and they sputter. But what you see is guys who, I think as much as they want to tell us we don't listen to the outside noise. We're focused on what's in the building. That's bs. You know, listen to Ernest Jones after they lost to the Rams, who, unprompted, just gave us this profanity laced endorsement of his quarterback. Earnest is smart. He knows it's not that. We were in there just cooking Sam to him and he needed to come to his defense. Earnest knew what was coming. Ernest is smart. He knew, hey, they're about to smoke our guy because he threw four picks in a, in a quote unquote big game. So let me get in front of that and let you guys know what, have his back. And that's kind of the theme of the, the season right now. Everyone watched those, those games last year, the Week 18 game with the, the Vikings and Lions, and they watched the wild card round where Sam didn't play well. They're aware of perception, even if they're not listening to it directly. And what you're seeing is guys rallying around him each week, telling us, like, almost going the extra mile, telling us Sam's the best in the world. You know, I have multiple on the record quotes saying he should win mvp. You know, none of these things are true, but they want it to be true. You know, they're trying to have Sam's back. And I can respect even if I, I disagree because they're his teammates. They're supposed to believe that he can take them to the promised land.

[Diana Rossini]

Mike, I was one of those people that was calling for Sam Donald. Just so you know, I was on an island. James is like, do you want to re record that? Because that's probably gonna go like, sure. Did you confuse yourself with Drake May or someone or Matthew Stafford? I'm like, nope, nope. I'm sticking with Sammy.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

He was killing it for a little bit there.

[Diana Rossini]

He was, it was. I got, I, I fell a little too hard there. And look, we saw some of those clips of when he was with Minnesota, the way the team rallied around him. And I covered Sam a lot closer to where I am in New York when he was at the jets and he was young there, though, I physically could see a change in him, but also just the way he, his just overall presence on a team just has really matured. And even talking to people in Minnesota about the way he can command a room, despite the fact he's not like the loudest guy, he's not this outrageously energetic human. And I know you just wrote about the Seahawks offense being in a little bit of this funk But Sam Donald, from your observations, being around things that he hasn't even said to you, things that you've seen, how would you describe Sam?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, I think Sam is. He has learned a lot from his experience in New York and being a young quarterback. I think he was drafted like 20 or something like that, you know, and it's interesting hearing from, you know, he's. He's here with the Chenanuosu USC guy, Leonard Williams, who's. Who played with Sam as a rookie. So. And Chenna and him were the teammates at usc, Jenna and Sam. So, like, you got these perspectives that go all the way back to when Sam Chenna told me one time, he was like, I've known Sam since we were teenagers, you know, So I believe in him. And I was like, wow, he's right. They're both, I think, 18 in USC, both Cali guys as well, Chandlers from LA. So, I mean, Sam, he hit was bad in New York. And I think what a lot of backups learn, and I learned this from covering Geno, is like, when you have turnovers and interceptions, which Gino, I think threw a bunch, you know, in New York as well, what you do is try to correct. Like, all right, how can. Because you associate turnovers with unemployment. If I turn the ball over, I lose my job. It's generally how the NFL works. And these guys learn that firsthand. So how do you correct that? All right, you find ways. You talk to yourself. Listen to my feet. You know, all the quarterbacks wear shirts that say, listen to your feet.

[Diana Rossini]

Right?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

They say your feet will lead you the way. Geno's thing was just like, protect the ball, protect the ball, protect the ball. That's why he beat Drew Lockout. Gino did for the starting quarterback job in 2022 without throwing a touchdown pass in any of his preseason games. But you know what? Drew did turn it over multiple times. So Pete went with Geno. So I think Sam is doing the same thing. He's like, I just need to just play clean. Play clean, play clean, play clean. And sometimes that's to a fault. Look at the Rams game. He was trying so hard not to take a sack against the team that sacked him nine times last time. Well, then he threw four picks. It's like he tried to fix one problem by creating another. And I think that that's what he's doing now after throwing those four picks, it's like, okay, get the ball to Jax, go one to two in my reads, or that's it. Throw it in the dirt. Watch how many times he throws it at someone's feet.

[Diana Rossini]

Right?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

He gives up on the play pretty early, you know, because he's trying to live to fight another down. And you see some quarterbacks don't do that. You see young ones in particular who have all this athleticism and these strong arms. Think of last year's Caleb Williams. We're like, I can extend that play. Well, no, Caleb, you took 60 something sacks last year. You can't. You know, Sam's not trying to be that because he was that. He's already been Caleb. And sometimes that works. You know, it got Diana believing he could be mvp, but sometimes you see what has happened. Like the last game where they. They couldn't score a touchdown on a defense that didn't have Buckner saucer Traverius Ward.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, 68 is burned into my brain, by the way. It's just. It really.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

That's coming from someone who covered Russ, by the way, who's like, damn, that's a lot of sacks.

[James Palmer]

A lot of sacks. I mean, Russ can take them and.

[Diana Rossini]

So 68 is in your head, but not 6, 7.

[James Palmer]

Come on, Diana.

[Diana Rossini]

Sorry, I haven't done it a while.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

That was a layup.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, that was a layup. I appreciate it. With your focus this week looking at the offense, I want to get to this first before I have some other stuff on the Rams, Mike. But like Shahid, all we heard at the deadline was he played in the offense before. He knows Clint. He knows. What have you seen since he's gotten there, though? Because everything is always different. It's never the same. And what have you seen from his development or his growth or his fit in terms of. It's also a different quarterback. That's a big part of it. So what have you seen his role in the offense? Are we seeing it the last couple weeks start to find its way?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, it's really just time on task. You know, I never really bought that the being in the scheme would help him hit the ground running. I think quarterback familiarity is more important for comparison. I thought Tyler Lockett would hit the ground running with Gino much faster than Shahid would with Kubiak. Right. It's the guy who throws the ball that you need to be on time with. You can know that you have a dig route on any given play because, hey, we call dig routes this in New Orleans. Okay, but when does Sam like you to take the cut on the dig? Is it 12? Is it 12 yards? Is it 15 yards? Does he like you to. To tempo that Route you want you to go full speed. Shaheed's fast as hell. Right. So all that stuff, you have to work out those kinks more than just knowing that when they say banana it means this, you know, that learning the language is just part of it. And I think that's what we're seeing now from Shahid. You know, his first four games with the Seahawks, he only had 34 catches for 37 yards. That was it. He actually had more rushing attempts than receptions in that first month. These last two games he has nine catches for 141 yards. And Sam went to him twice on the game winning drive against the Colts. Like that's the growth, that's the time on task. That's how it shows up. I think it took some time, you know, and it was very fascinating because relative to some other guys who got traded, he was behind eight ball. Look what Jacoby Myers, Trevor did right. Right out the gate. Even Adonai Mitchell and John Mechi were putting up better numbers with their new teams than Shaheed was for those first four weeks. Without having a rapport with the scheme with other quarterbacks in those instances. But I think it just takes time. You know, Sam likes to do things a certain way. Shaheed's much faster than all of the other receivers. So the timing is different. But it's coming together now. And I think that's massive because teams have really sold out to stop Jackson, Smith and Jigba. They don't want to be the team that gets beat for 150. The Seahawks counterpunch to that has to be throwing it to Rasheed Shahid.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, I feel like we spent so much time talking about just this vibe out there in Seattle anyways and just kind of what the culture is when they're at home. But the reality is they're so good on the road. What do they say? Like they're. They're literally 13 and 2 since Mike McDonald's been head coach with career road with a career road record. What is it? What do they say about this?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, it's fascinating. It's one of the few things that Mike McDonald carried over from the Pete Carroll regime. Pete used to start when they, when they left the time zone. That was generally the rule. They would leave a day early, so leave on Friday afternoon. Ish. When they were going east or even like somewhere like central time like Dallas or something. And what Pete found was a. It helped with the body clock, which is important because those. It feels like a 10am start for the, for Seattle. If they Only left on Saturday. So A, was help with the body clock, and B, there was just more time. It was only them. Like, yeah, some guys got, like, family if they're nearby. You know, they play in Atlanta. Everybody's from the south, so they got, you know, cousins and high school teammates pulling up to the. To the hotel and stuff. But outside of maybe the Atlanta trip or going to Florida, it's just the Seahawks. It's just them in the hotel. They're all watching their college teams. They're. They're playing video games in their hotel. They're eating breakfast together, they're watching film, they're playing whatever. And that time together, it just builds this us against the world kind of attitude. You know, players love that manufactured chip on the shoulder thing, and it just builds. If you just spend, I don't know, 48 hours together in Green Bay or, you know, 48 hours together in Pittsburgh for a little. Or New York, they played New York the last few years. You know, they just build up this all we got. You know, they. You can see they've adopted, like, mob ties as their mantra. You know, they got almost the new Jack City Nino Brown, like, cmb. We all. We got attitude going. And they build that on the road, though. You know, they build that on the road when they really feel like it's just us. We're the only ones wearing blue. All these other stadiums are decked out with fans in these other colors, yellow or, you know, whatever. And that builds this togetherness that these guys have identified as the secret sauce. Like, it's just us, you know, the guys on the team have talked about Seattle feeling like it's on the other side of the world. Ernest Jones was like, yeah, there's nothing to do here, you know, so all we can do is focus on football. Mind you, Earnest is from a small town in Georgia. I'm like, what are you.

[Diana Rossini]

Sam, he's wrong. There is actually so much to do. And you know, this. Like, you are from there. Like, you and I. And I know you have pride about it. So. But. But I think I. I get some. Some of that. But at the same time, like, most of these guys don't want to be doing much. Doing much anyway. I think Joe Burrow was asked last week about his birthday. He's like, I just want to eat and go to bed early. Like, that's how most guys are operating anyway, that are. That are locked in, in general, you know?

[James Palmer]

Yeah. Sound reminds me also, though, in the team that Seattle's playing, Mike, and that's The Rams, when they were in Baltimore and they had all that time where they stayed there, I think before London, they just went over all these different things they wanted to do with this offense. That's kind of where Sean McVeigh kind of came up with this. Puka was hurt. How do we go multiple tight ends, go 13 and kind of change what they do as an offense? They can beat you so many different ways in how they play this game. What are you looking at from a Seattle perspective that would concern you the most about the way that this offense plays? Both running backs have been utilized lately. You know, all these different things that they do. What would you look to put your finger on with this Rams offense? That would be the thing that you're focused with.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, I really. The main focus for me is can you get to Matthew Stafford? I'm not even sure they sacked him in the first meeting. He's generally good at getting the ball out. And if you need. I don't know where the official scoop city opinion on this is, but to me, sacks are quarterback stats. And look no further than Philip Rivers coming off of his couch and not getting sacked.

[James Palmer]

So I would say, yeah, we think the same thing.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, here we go.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

I mean, look at that. Philip Rivers, 44 years old, coming off his couch, didn't get sacked against the team that's fourth and sac rate and fourth in sacks. How did he do that? Right. Because he was able to get the ball out, know the scheme, know the routes, know the checks, know the ins and outs of the system, and that's what Matthew Stafford is good at. And if you can't get to him, you guys have seen it like Stafford's balling right now, whether he's throwing to Kobe, Parkinson, who looks like Gronk all of a sudden, or Puka or Devonte, whoever. Two, two like Stafford is on it. And if you don't get to him, it's over. The Seahawks have one of the best run defenses in the league. I think they're like second and points per drive on defense. Like, they're as good as it gets. But if you don't get to Stafford, it can be a long day, whether he has. Whether he has devonte Adams on Thursday or not. I'm old enough to remember just last year he came in here with Puka and Cooper. Puka got ejected for throwing a punch in the first half of that game. I was at that game. Yeah. And Stafford still threw for 300 yards because all of a sudden, DeMarcus Robinson morphed into Jerry Rice and then caught the game winner in overtime. Had two touchdowns on Reek Woollen in that game. So I'm very confident in just the quarterback and the system and McVay, whether they have Devontae or not, because they're just so good. I mean, fun fact, Stafford has never lost to the Seahawks as a Ram. You know, him and McVay, they don't lose. Whether it's home wrote, doesn't matter. When they come up here, when it's down there, they don't. So I think that if the Seahawks want to win this game, I know they do, because it's massive. They got to get to nine in the pocket or it could be a long day.

[James Palmer]

That throw, I was just thinking about it. The overtime throw to DeMarcus Robinson from Stafford was just rolling left, throwing back. Right throwing back.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Come on, now.

[James Palmer]

That throw was unbelievable. Yeah. Because Seattle gets a playoff spot if they do win this game. The Rams, if they win this game, cannot clinch the division that still would be up for grabs. They'd have to lose their last two, and Seattle wins their final two for that to change hands. Michael, before we go, because Diane are going to talk about Christmas movies after this. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Oh, now I'm going to get embarrassed on the show.

[Diana Rossini]

You've never seen.

[James Palmer]

You've never seen that?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

I've never seen Die Hard.

[Diana Rossini]

We played a game last show where name a movie that we did that most people assume you haven't and you're kind of embarrassed.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Well, I don't know if I'm embarrassed. I don't know if it's good, I guess. But, yeah, it is one of those ones that people. I think Scarface is probably the other one. Or people. Because I'm a movie guy. I don't know. Yeah, I watch. I'll sit there and binge movies all the time. So when I tell people I haven't seen, like, Scarface or haven't seen Die Hard or I haven't seen any of the, like, stuff like Terminator, you know, I watched, like, Pulp Fiction and didn't like it, you know, for the first time, like, a few years ago. So, yeah, Die Hard I have not seen.

[James Palmer]

That's okay. My college roommate put up a Scarface.

[Diana Rossini]

Poster up, yeah, you gotta be on a plane.

[James Palmer]

I said, did you, like, starts, dude. My roommate put up a Scarface poster in his bedroom when we were in college. I go, man, I'm not a huge fan of Scarface. And he was like, I've never Seen it. I just think this is the type of poster you put in your college room.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

I was like, can I ask something? Why is there a debate about whether Die Hard? Is it take place on Christmas Day?

[James Palmer]

It takes place on Christmas Eve. The whole Christmas Eve.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah.

[James Palmer]

On Christmas Eve night.

[Diana Rossini]

But like in the shot, you can see Christmas trees. You can see it's a Christmas party.

[James Palmer]

That gets crashed in a office Christmas party, essentially.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. It's got Christmas energy.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Christmas movie then is what.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Mike, this is also going to sound weird as I like really bad Christmas movies. Like not even, not that I can name one per se, though. I just watched a really bad one like Christina Milian, I think, the other day on Netflix.

[Diana Rossini]

Oh, you Lifetime Bad.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Yeah, yeah, it was, it was, it was. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was called Make Me Next Christmas. I mean, yeah, I mean, I just like, I'm, I really like cheesy rom com Christmas movies like, like that. And this movie was not good, this Christina Million one. But I watched it. I fell asleep on it and then watched it, made sure I finished it, you know, at like 2 in the morning after my wife fell asleep on the couch. Like, I, I, that's, that's my thing for holiday movies. I'm not looking for like the best story of the. Just the cheesy. Give me the cheesy.

[James Palmer]

The bad Christmas holidays, though. And they, it works during the holidays.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Well, there's so many of them. You go to Netflix right now.

[Diana Rossini]

Kelly one. The champagne one on Netflix, champ.

[James Palmer]

I watched that one.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Is it good? Is it good?

[James Palmer]

It's real bad. Takes place in Paris. Bad. Good. Love it. Ike, you're the best. Enjoy Thursday night. We're all envious that you get to be there and we aren't.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Appreciate it. Thanks for having me.

[James Palmer]

Take easy. I could talk to Michael all day long about football. All right. Diane and I are sticking around though. He's gone. He already told you about his movies. We're going to talk deeper, go more in depth about our favorite Christmas movies and when we watch them. Coming up next on Scoop City on a Wednesday. Hey, it's Marc Maron from WTF here to let you know that this podcast is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. And I'm sure the reason you're listening to this podcast right now is because you chose it well. Choose progressives. Name your price tool and you could find insurance options that fit your budget so you can pick the best one for your situation. Who doesn't like choice? Try [e-mail] and now some legal info progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. The other night I was hosting a little holiday get together and honestly, Omaha Steaks saved me. I pulled out these USDA certified tender steaks. I'd been gifted, perfectly aged and hand cut and everyone thought I'd suddenly become a pro chef. The convenience and the quality are unreal. And now I'm gifting Omaha Steaks myself because you know exactly what you're giving Premium proteins, elegant sides and decadent desserts. Save big on gourmet gifts and more holiday favorites with omaha Steaks. Visit OmahaSteaks.com and for an extra $35 off, use code HOLIDAY at checkout. Terms apply. See site for details. That's omahasteaks.com promo code holiday. You shouldn't have to rearrange your life.

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[Diana Rossini]

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[James Palmer]

Let's close things out here on Scoop City on a Wednesday. James Palmer, Diana Orsini with you. And it's the holiday season, Diana. It's, you know, it's December. We've always talked about Christmas lights. We've talked about what you're doing, decorating, what we're doing with holiday cards. My house always has Christmas movies on just in the background, like pretty regularly. Michael was just talking about it. He likes a good cheesy rom com. To me that Before Christmases, which is high on my list with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. Adore that, that, that, that movie. What are we watching in the Rossini household outside of Home Alone? I'll just say because that's a prereq for both of us.

[Diana Rossini]

We just, we just love it so much. I tiptoe into the holiday season. I'm not one of those, like, the day after Thanksgiving running around singing Jingle Bells and, you know, putting Christmas tree scented candles all over the house. Like, I wait. I kind of just slowly attack it.

[James Palmer]

Okay.

[Diana Rossini]

So I will say, to be fair, and I know you just told me I'm not allowed to do it. Home Alone is the first one I will watch.

[James Palmer]

I say we're allowed to do it, but.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah, because it gets me in the ex. You know, obviously the church scene. I'm like, oh, like all of it. And then I'm like, oh, I think I like Christmas music now. Oh, I think I want to do it. We will put Elf on. Because it, it's just. You're gonna laugh. You're. It's just so stupid.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

So I would say Elf is on a lot. We put on Rudolph, the old one, like the one you and I grew up watching on NBC.

[James Palmer]

He sounds like he has a stuffy nose all the time. Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

I cannot believe how much my kids like it. Because you know how kids today, they can tell if something's old fashioned or made with horrible animation.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. With Cornelius. Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. My kids loved it. And we have Polar Express on a lot as well.

[James Palmer]

Oh, that's the music.

[Diana Rossini]

I don't like Polar Express at all.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Whoa.

[Diana Rossini]

I don't like the storyline. I don't like the animations. I only like the train.

[James Palmer]

Okay, okay. The animation's a bit odd. Who is this? Robert Zemeckis, I believe, doing Polar Express. I just love the music and the vibe of Polar Express.

[Diana Rossini]

And Tom Hanks is amazing. He's hearing his voice 100%.

[James Palmer]

You know what's a big one in the Palmer household lately? Have you seen Spirited on Apple tv?

[Diana Rossini]

No.

[James Palmer]

It's a musical. It's a musical based off of A Christmas Carol with Ebenezer Scrooge with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, and they both sing and dance throughout the entire movie, and it's tremendous.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay, I am going to watch it. Have you seen the Star on Netflix?

[James Palmer]

No, I have not.

[Diana Rossini]

Fantastic cartoons. Basically, they. The center purpose of it is the actual day of, you know, the birth of Jesus. Right. But it's not even about that. It's this donkey that wants to basically be a brave donkey and be part of that whole. That whole thing, but it's. It's not religious at all. It's, like, funny and cute and Mariah Carey has a song in there that isn't all I want for Christmas. It's a different Christmas song that she has, and it's good.

[James Palmer]

God, she gets three to five million dollars a year due to that song. I have to watch It's a Wonderful Life while I'm wrapping presents on Christmas Eve evening. That's my mom's favorite movie that's on in the background.

[Diana Rossini]

I'm gonna take that tradition, I think.

[James Palmer]

I love that I cry. It's wonderful. I feel close to my parents even though they're not there. It's a good feel for me before we go.

[Diana Rossini]

And I will be watching these movies now, so thank you for the suggestion.

[James Palmer]

Yeah.

[Diana Rossini]

Quick thought for you on what your reaction is. Do you think it's okay if you go to a workout class and the music choice they make is Christmas music right now?

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

No.

[James Palmer]

I'm pretty particular on my workout music. Like, if it doesn't get me moving, like, I. What am I doing here? Like, why am I in the class? Why do you even have music? Might as well put on a podcast if the music isn't making me go like, I need.

[Diana Rossini]

I didn't want to say anything, but I was sitting there doing my weightlifting.

[James Palmer]

Michael Buble while you're in there.

[Diana Rossini]

It was Michael. Boulevard Boobs was playing. I don't really feel like grinding and burning right now like this. I kind of want to cuddle with a blanket and.

[James Palmer]

Yeah. Give me some hot cocoa. Yeah. With it. With a chocolate straw.

[Diana Rossini]

Yeah. I'm not really focused on the abs here, guys. No.

[James Palmer]

Yeah, that's weak. I know. I wouldn't. I don't. I don't support that. I will say my last tradition that I do is when I'm putting the lights up on the house. I have a Christmas. I have national openings. Christmas vacation playing in my, on my phone in my pocket. And I'm just listening to it.

[Diana Rossini]

I love it.

[James Palmer]

While I'm putting the lights up.

[Diana Rossini]

Okay, Monday show, right? Cause it'll be a few days before Christmas. Let's make our last block about the Christmas music. Songs that you don't want to hear because I've got a long list. Whoa.

[James Palmer]

We'll save some time. We'll save some time. I love it. I love it. You're the best. I'll see you on Monday and enjoy your massive slate of games. Diane.

[Diana Rossini]

Mic check one, two. Are we recording? Hi, I'm Michelle Bernstein, an award winning.

[James Palmer]

Chef, restaurateur, and mom.

[Diana Rossini]

I have a lot on my plate.

[James Palmer]

Including my psoriatic arthritis symptoms.

[Diana Rossini]

That's why I was prescribed Cosentyx. It helps me move better.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Cosentyx Secukenumab is prescribed for people 2 years of age and older with active psoriatic arthritis. Don't use if you're allergic to Cosentyx. Before starting, get checked for tuberculosis.

[James Palmer]

An increased risk of infections and lowered.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

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[James Palmer]

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[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Some were fatal. Tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms like fevers, sweats, chills, muscle aches or cough had a vaccine or planned to.

[James Palmer]

Or if inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Or worsen serious allergic reactions and severe eczema like skin reactions may occur. Learn more at 1-844-cosentyx or cosentyx.com Ask.

[Diana Rossini]

Your rheumatologist about Cosentyx. Dashing through the store, Dave's looking for a gift. One you can't ignore. But not the socks he picked.

[James Palmer]

I know. I'm putting them back.

[Diana Rossini]

Hey, Dave, here's a tip. Put scratchers on your list.

[James Palmer]

Oh, scratchers.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Good idea.

[Diana Rossini]

It's an easy shopping trip. We're glad we could assist.

[Michael Shawn Dugard]

Thanks, random singing people.

[Diana Rossini]

So be like David's holiday and give the gift of play Scratchers from the California Lottery.

[James Palmer]

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