John Middelkoff (21:23)
Well, I, I actually thought that game against the Rams, some of his best plays like we had seen in the playoffs. C.J. stroud, for example, who they don't Run. It's not apples to apples, the same offense, but they do run a lot of boot. Get him on the move, you can be a hero. You know, the Kyle Shanahan boot action. If that guy, the end or the linebacker on the outside doesn't bite and just goes at the quarterback, that play is doa, right? And that you can get in trouble. It's. You turn around and the guy's right in your face. And sometimes quarterbacks freak and they, like, jump and they throw. I mean, C.J. stroud was doing that, and Darnold, like, hit the ground a couple of times and just took the sack. He had three sacks, I think, for 25 yard loss. So he's averaging like eight yards of sack. That was smart because he didn't turn the ball over. And at one point in time this year, right. I don't know if he turned the ball over. He definitely did in that last game against the 49ers. So, like, through 16 games, he had what led the league in turnovers and 14 picks and a bunch of fumbles. I think six. So it's like if he plays in this Kubiak Shanahan offense just under control with how their defense is playing. And he has the capability, right? He's got a big arm and he's mobile, and not mobile like Lamar Jackson, but can scramble to throw, which is, to me, the most valuable thing you can do in the NFL right now. Because if the play isn't there, can you scramble to keep a play alive and then make a play? It's. I mean, Caleb hung his hat on that this year, so he's doing that. And if he doesn't turn the ball over, like, they will not lose. Like, to me, the only way the Patriots win this game is like, you'd probably need maybe a pick six or maybe a pick and a fumble. Like some weird things that happened from him. If he plays an efficient game like he did against the Rams, it wasn't just out dueling, you know, outdoor. They basically play the same game. They're both awesome, right? Throwing for 346 yards. I think Sam was. I forget the number was Stafford. He didn't turn the ball over. Like, and in these games, and who knows, maybe the Rams game turns out to be closer and more decisive. Like in the second half, a little more until both sides than this game plays out. But if it does, a lot of Super Bowls, all of a sudden you get a little tight. It's a little tighter and closer than you think. You know, a major turnover We've seen in the playoffs, they flip a game. You know, when I was in radio, we used to be around. We had the A's when I was in the Bay Area. And you know, the, the numbers guy is always like, momentum doesn't matter. And at bat in October for Joanna Cesspodis is no different than an at bat in the middle of June. It's like, I don't know, I'm at. You feel it, you know, the momentum in football, the sideline, like you turn them over. Like the Patriots, they've kind of lived off that this year of just their team that like the one thing with Seattle, like they do got a bunch of sweet players. And this is why I actually hammered them this year because they were like plus 500 to win the division. It's like, guys, The Rams went 10, 7 as well last year. And while the 49ers aren't going to be as disastrous as they were the previous year, The Seattle went 10 and 7 2. And if Darnold is just solid, their defense is going to be better. Seems going to be pretty good. And they've had like down the stretch of the year, right. Their offense wasn't as explosive and he had two weird games against the Rams. But for the most part, I do wonder if we just talk about the evolution like the Jets. Things are relevant now, of course, but his, his evolution and building off the couple games to end the season last year and then the Rams experience this year, how could he not just have a little more confidence of like, I don't need to force it. I got these guys. He's got a defensive head coach. His, the Kubiax and Shanahans, they aren't blood related. They might as well be cousins, right? I mean, they are in relation to the offense. They all know it like the back of their hand. And this offense is essentially, if it's going well and their defenses are built, which Seattle's is, we're going to have less than 30 attempts. So. And in those 30 attempts, half of them are going to be layup throws. I mean, throws that you and me could, could make if we weren't getting pressured or whatever. They're going to be NFL as easy as it gets. And then there's going to be 10 to 20% where you're going to need to make a play. And that's where it can be. You know, probably throw some picks, Sam can throw some picks. If you make the right play and explosive plays, which he did against the Rams, we'll beat anybody that's why Shanahan's won all these games. The, the packers have won a bunch of games. It is tailor made for the quarterback. Then if you get a talented guy, which Sam is extremely physically gifted, so if you do have explosive plays down the field, he's not going to have problems hitting those which he's hitting. So it's like that game he played against the Rams was really, really high level, you know, and coming off the game where he kind of Jimmy Garoppoloed it against the 49ers, what he had 12 completions for a buck 20. Look that they had no problem playing that way either. And that's what's scary about a team like Seattle. They could beat you by 20 points. With him completing 15 balls more with.
