Previewing Matchup Against The Lions, Changes To The Rams Roster & More | Between The Horns

[Music] [Music] from the heat of Woodland Hills a new season hits and we are already here on between the horns presented by your Southern California Toyota dealers I'm JB long and you know my friends and colleagues Super Bowl champion DeMarco far and Maurice Jones Drew but let me reintroduce them any anyways uh Demarco is in year 16 as a broadcaster and year 30 representing the Rams he loves saying that he loves saying the than you much you know what I don't shout out often enough but I want to hear you're the host of rams iconic which has become one of my favorite listens you're kidding me some really good episodes fun show yeah get to meet all those guys absolutely someday I'll interview you let's hope my friend let's hope and uh Maurice Jones Drew who once led the NFL in rushing and get this has also returned punts in the NFL am I right yeah I did a little bit of both we'll get to that we'll get to that in the context of the 2024 Los Angeles R how are you guys good man this is the good stuff huh you mentioned heat where it's cold out here could be warmer come on listen I I like I said I I was in Florida this is beautiful it's a beautiful day in Florida this is probably like 6:30 in the morning Florida time this is beautiful yes uh we do expect to be indoors next week our new facility here in Woodland Hills the studio is almost ready can't wait to Showcase that and show it to you perhaps as soon as say Monday of next week but for now we're previewing the Detroit Lions in week one the 2024 season picks up right where the last one ended and let's talk about the work the Rams have done since I was driving up this morning thinking okay what's a unique way I can frame the work the Rams have put in to fortify the roster and here's what I'm going to come up with mjd I'll start with you could this team right now beat the 2023 Los Angeles Rams the Rams of right now going up against the Rams that lost to the liines in January you're nodding I I I think so if they're all healthy I I think that's the biggest thing health is the biggest situation with the offensive line uh but you have to think you've added young pieces that can play you lost a huge piece on defense but the defense was kind of coming around as of late uh but offensively I think you're better healthy Cooper Cup bigger offensive line um another year with Matthew Stafford and sha McVey you add Blake Quorum all of a sudden it looks a little bit different the tight end room is completely different than what it was uh in revamped so to me offensively you're you're better defensively you've added some really good pieces you added Trey white who uh who was obviously coming off that Achilles he's back darus Williams who's come back so that more fortified um and the biggest hole is obviously the defensive line but I can't wait to see what these two young guys do and you know we're in the lunch room and I didn't want to bring up Florida State Jared bur was there but the fact that they look like that and we have two of them is like okay now I get it and you brought that up you said it like oh vers and fisar is that good in Boston College now yeah I see H okay so to me I think there's a lot there in my mind there's more promise that you could like if they don't do well it's like wow like really you there's so many there so much more Talent on this roster I I see where you potentially yes they could be better but I got to say I mean Aaron's not here that's right and last year's team would beat this year's team because of him he is that good I I don't want to back off that statement but I think they have potential to be better uh the offense should be better remarkably better or as good as it was last year if you keep everybody healthy the offensive line is better from guard to guard uh tackle to tackle we'll worry about and I think that will play itself out but defensively speaking that's the biggest question marks can these young guys replicate what we saw out of Aaron I think you can you can't trade one for one you'll never get a guy to replace Aron Donald won't happen he is going to Canton he will be immortal but what you can get is a by committee approach you can have a run stuffer you can have a pass rusher you can have quick guys you can have Chris hula scheme it up to to beat certain offenses so you're young you're fast you're aggressive you don't know what you don't know but you have a chance to ascend to be a really good defense this year I think every position group save for defensive tackle off ball linebacker I can make the case the 24 Rams are as good or better than they were at the end of last season in January so let's go there with some latest news DeMarco and I have talked a little bit about these things but mjd I want to get your fresh take as well the trade of Ernest Jones and what the Rams are rolling with in the middle of their defense what was your reaction when you heard that news my reaction was we got off the plane from Houston I'm waiting on my Uber and I see Ernest Jones out there waiting he had his card then I saw him walking back and forth it was interesting everybody had left so I was kind of like man what's going on when the news broke I go it makes sense right he was he was kind of dealing with his agent um if I I respect the Rams if you're not going to pay allow him to go somewhere else and possibly get paid right that that that is a that's a kudos to the Rams obviously you get something back as well um for Ernest though that's a big loss right that emotional leader that guy that had everybody going that energy that he brought is going to be tough to kind of uh duplicate right like think about some of the plays that he made right in the Super Bowl rushing on Joe Mixon oh yeah how many sacks he had when he Blitz right the guy that brought the energy was able to call and do all that is tough to duplicate especially when you're missing a Donald as well on the inside and so to me um it it it's tough but at the end of the day we've seen the Rams lose guys lose coaches lose a lot of things and still find a way to make it work I think uh Omar Spates is going to be a guy that's going to kind of work his way in as he goes um just because of his athletic ability his physicality um but right now I'm excited with uh Troy reer and and Rose boom as well those guys have flown around and done a great job Troy reader's been a great uh I would say catalyst to to being able to call the defense get guys set right that's always important getting guys set in their eyes right and so as as the other guys pick up and go I think they'll kind of replace him but you know it's a move that needed to be made um they made it and I'm I'm I'm still expect the defense to go out and do well so you're willing to judge by the results they give this coaching staff the benefit of the doubt and we're going to know those results really soon because I'm not sure there's an offensive roster in the league that's going to vet you more than the Detroit Lions um DeMarco the other one that has happened recently is the flip guard and Center yeah to Rams Fans who are like oh no that can't be a good sign no is there another spin on this no well I mean it just depends on how you look and how they play and just like you as a running back when you get in the dot and you look and see who that middle linebacker is depending on who that guy is changes your demeanor right question same thing with Center guard uh if there's a switch coming up you're getting ready to play me and then I find out you're going to switch your guard in Center well that makes me smile that must be an issue one of those guys must be hurt or one of those guys must not be practicing well so there's got to be some sort of issue but if you're looking it from this side Jonah Jackson you know he knows every call he's a smart guy Steve Aila played left guard he's going right back to the spot that he was really good in last season and he played center in training camp this year so you're getting really two centers out there so if you have one guy that's on the men so to speak with a scapula the one thing a benefit the center has as a benefit is he always has help the guards are on island so if the guy is more healthy then put the healthy guy out there against Detroit's defensive tackles with all that crowd noise they're going to get a jump on you and then have the guy that's on the menend have the benefit of help on both sides so it is a shock but I don't think it's going to be as much of an issue come Sunday as most people think it is yeah when I saw that I was I was um kind of like raised my eyebrows a little bit but I understand exactly what you're saying like listen you got to protect him right he's been banged up all through training camp we have to protect uh Jonah Jackson to make sure that we can get him through the season we paid him a lot of money we need them on the field getting it going so if that means we got to move you to Center to protect you for a little bit so be it this is what happens go back to guard yeah you go back to guard and then we'll flip vice versa as the season goes on can I pitch you on an alternative interpretation or explanation and I'm not in that room I don't know this is me reading tea leaves but because Joe Noom is now playing tackle who's your next best interior offensive lineman you got the starting three who do you think your next best one is I think it might be bo Limer Bo Li I think I think maybe they took a look at what they've seen so far and said limmer is our fourth where does he plug in most easily at so how do we arrange the front line such that if were to happen guard to guard Limer can come in and play center I don't know if that's the cas or not I I like that I think there's a lot of those that are going to go into that just because again you have to make sure when you're carrying six seven linemen that you can have swing guys that can do different things right I I remember a couple years ago the Rams were cross training everybody but uh uh Andrew uh left tackle we Whitworth yes I did I want to make sure right yeah every else played every position but but except for him so just cross training those guys and make sure you're prepared has always been something the Rams have done this is just something that came up remember thing I said about the heat forget that it's getting hot yeah changing your tune on before I forget Whitworth okay there's an opportunity here for Joe notom who I also just mentioned remember after the Super Bowl Whitworth hangs it up as Walter pton Man of the Year and they say boom we're going to sign you to give you the chance to be that guy for a variety of reasons that's not how it played out but now with this two- game suspension for allic Jackson what if Joon no per so well he never gives that thing back want absolutely hey look you don't have to give the job back that's not how this works especially if it's self-inflicted and you're suspended and I play well and we we got a flow going so there's no guarant how do you think A L Jackson got the job in the first place there was an opening and didn't give it back it's funny because the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions was with me in Jacksonville Aaron Glenn he always tell us opportunities aren earned they're given yeah you dang right then you take advantage of them and then that's how you go yes all right m running back punt returner fantasy football legends yes yes ease our conscience here make us feel better to me it's it's it's so funny how like I was getting texts from all different type of Rams Fans when this came out oh it was crazy like putt return are you kidding me I was like dude problem I returned kicks punts and played every snap at running back in multiple games that's how it used to be wait hold on every snap at running back yes every snap at running back in 2009 or two yeah 2009 I played the first game against the Indianapolis Colts didn't come off the field like an offensive line num you got numbers there right I'm just telling you I was prepared for this I'm telling you I'm just telling you that that game when we played on the Thursday night game against the Colts that's when I had to go back and return kicks and punts and play offense it it it look we're just trying to find ways especially when you have another back like BL corm who can come in and spell you who's going to do kickoff returns right there's no difference in this situation because it's set up the same it gives you a chance to have an explosive player out there that can make things happen remember a couple years ago when Cooper cup was doing it we like are you kid put him there cuz a big play can happen it's offensive play and he can fair catch yeah yeah you don't have to get hit yeah I'm I'm going to play devil's advocate here let me say this in all humility one I appreciate that perspective because I think that's what everyone needs to hear you're authoritative in that manner secondly I'm never going to be a football coach never have been never will be and I'm certainly not a Super Bowl winning coach so I will defer to their judgment they're only doing things that are good for Kiren and the Los Angeles Rams I believe that in my heart of hearts but but are you not more Blake Korum in in this comparison than you are Kiren Williams Because Fred was still there right when you were a punt returner no no I wasn't I wasn't Fred was there in 2007 Fred's last year was 08 yeah 2007 200 from that day from that day forward you returned four punts you know you're were in trouble when he they pull me out of that you're right right you're in trouble when your first 10,00 yard rushing season was 2009 correct from that day forward you returned two punts yeah they they they didn't put me back there after that I'm not going to lie to you we we didn't have Blake Corum back there I'm just being honest we didn't have Blake Corum back there um but but if an emergency I had to go back there right so I practiced it all the time just in case um and to me this is the thing when you feel like you have two to three guys that can go Ronnie Rivers is another guy they feel Comfort comfortable with that can put in there uh when you have those guys you want to try to be as explosive as as possible I I tell kids this I also you were that dude you had that track speed so it made sense in that way I don't I don't want to say it's funny because I I tell people this all the time like in high school I I coach punt returns I always have just catch the ball because normally in high school they don't put the best guys out there right and so when you could have your best player or one of your better players returning punts in space yes you get you got a chance of a big play and again it's all way about field position and I can give you a break because I have a guy so when Fred was there I was able to do more when Fred left they didn't bring a guy in behind me because to be quite frankly I didn't want them you want that guy see you got it but that's how they chewing up too much of the salary cap your your shiftiest guy was your returner and sometimes that is your running back I think in league history some of the best punt returners have been running backs and it's just a way to start your possession okay and the last thing Tyreek Hill when he was with the Chiefs when he first started turn punts he played running back yeah he was a running back his first year first year or two and then they moved him wide receiver so you just want to put a guy back there that's great in space we are going to get to the breakdown with the lions in week one in just a second but some big picture 2024 thoughts first okay let's play a game of fill in the blank I'll start with this I think the 2024 Los Angeles Rams are fill in that blank for me Super Bowl contenders oh I was about to say that ah gotcha see Super Bowl contend absolutely and look it's nice waking up in the morning knowing you have an elite quarterback under center right I could care I could care less what age he is is when you have one of those guys Sundays are a lot easier and then when you think of what they've done on the offensive line and the running backs we just talked about oh and puka AA setting records and Cooper cup is back and your tight end room is different so you have a chance to be one of the more explosive offenses in the league and on defense I would rather be young and fast than old and slow wouldn't you oh no question absolutely so you have a chance to ascend there so and I think you might have fixed your kicking game at some point so why wouldn't I consider the Rams as Super Bowl contenders I I would say this it it's it's easy in the morning to wake up when you have expectation this morning I I woke up I went to bed at 2 o'clock I drove in from the Bay Area last night got in at 2 a.m. it's a lot of expectation hey it's 6 o00 my alarm went off at 6:30 I'm excited let's get here right and and that type of mindset energy like you said you have a quarterback you have running backs you have offensive lineman you've made all these these uh moves you drafted well you've done all these things and it's like we're excited to finally get it to put it together and that's why the Super Bowl continuers because every day you can wake up knowing that you have a chance there's certain teams in the NFL right now I'm not going to say any names that don't really have a chance right Donuts yeah you're like ah I just don't like we're we're rebuilding and those are the hard days those are the dog days of your career when those things happen so when you have a quarterback when you have pieces around receivers and running backs you have Edge rushers and you have DBS that can catch the ball and a great coach you have a great coach and scheme and all this you get excited to come in here and figure out what the scheme is we can how are we going to attack these guys how are we going to stop this guy if I'm if I'm a defensive player right now I'm ecstatic if I'm Jared vers I'm ecstatic you know why CU I know Detroit wants to run the football and that's what I do well so bring it on and then those are the things that I think that that's why I would say the Rams are Super Bowl contenders because again they're they have a there's expectation to be that if they are I think it's because of my answer to this question and that's toughness I think aspirationally the thing they set out to do is to be the toughest version of the Rams of the Sham McVey era which is saying a lot especially when you're losing the ultimate enforcer in ad99 but I think both lines of scrimmage a lot of the position groups you can say the Rams are bigger stronger nastier and that travels line that gets them to where they want to go guard to guard you're about as nasty as you can get and I I still think both of those tackles when they're healthy and they're available they're they're big than Rob is meer than you think yeah okay besides staying healthy the key to the Rams season this year could be what stopping the Run simple as that did he jump you I know that's too no no you got to stop the run I I think last year if you go back to Detroit and how they started that game and it took the Rams till the second half to kind of figure out their running game stopping the run is going to be the most important thing something they struggled with last year if they could stop the run defensively you force teams into being one diens sprech that we talked about with some young quarterbacks that you're playing early uh some inexperienced quarterbacks that you're playing early if you can find a way to possibly get that defense going stop the run let those guys pin their ears back that'll help you out a tou so Bobby Brown come on down Jared ver come on down Michael H everybody FK all of Kobe Turner your answer to that question uh is sleep wide or just this weekend just uh season long the key to the Rams season other than staying healthy is what for you uh keeping Matthew Stafford healthy that's it that that's that's your thing If he if you lose him All Is Lost yeah uh for this season to be considered a success the Rams must do what score yeah um score a lot um because your defense is going to have to learn a little bit as it goes they don't they don't know what they don't know and they're coming together Chris is a first-time coordinator so there's going to be a lot of growing pains there but I think I said this way back in April and March I think this offense right now can score on anybody yeah I really do the could they be the most complete offense of the McVey era they took the league by stormm in 17 18 they were Top Notch 21 they brought Stafford in he threw for 41 touchdowns and cup won the Triple Crown can I say that I mean that's tough 2018 I mean that's the you know we go back that's the golden year I think they're as complete though Tyler Higg yes I think they might think they can beat you in as many or more ways and I think they switched their scheme up you talked about toughness and that that changes a lot of what they want to be uh for them to be S successful this year I think you have to go further than what you did last year that's me too win a playoff game win a playoff game because again once you get that first one under was very similar to what happened when they won the Super Bowl in 2021 you just got out of the first round that's all you got to do is get out of the first round right you got that one out the way you beat the Cardinals and then it was like all right here we go we're on the road to Tampa we'll figure we we played well against Tampa we know how to beat them we know how to play them good then we got the ners at home and it was like oh we got a little momentum right we got little things going on and so it's just getting out of that first round or or that first playoff game can you see this no looking can you see this right here no that mean me pulling your jersey yeah if they would have saw that in Detroit you would have won that game last year no question in January I thought you talking about the thought was calling out the sweat thiso yeah I was like I got you coming back to dri last fill in the blank last fill in the blank then we'll get to the Lions the Rams most important rookie or newcomer if you don't want to limit it to the rookie class will be who the most important newcomer for this year's team on the count of three one two three braen Fisk kicker the kicker all Joshua cardi for mjd how about you uh Braden Fisk I think he's going to be that guy I mean you putting so much pressure on though he has to fill in that ad row I don't want to do that I he don't feel pressure no he don't he's special he's he's different I told you this before you lost a Jedi but there is another coming can can I reframe something for you because you remember going back to the draft and everyone was like oh they overpaid for Braden F like that was a Hu they basically gave up a a future second round pick to get a second round pick right that's going to be a steal yeah that's kind of how I feel too is if you know how the Rams think about Braden Fisk and if you've seen the impact he's had in this offseason program I think they're conceptualizing it as hey a second round pick next year is is a small small price to pay to get another first round Talent right now and we need and he's going to play 50 60% of the snaps he's going to be resting and when he gets on the field he's going to be the Energizer Bunny I'm with you the only one that I would put in that same category is Jonah yes in terms of like the multiplying factor I mean I want to see how he plays at Center but when he goes back to guard and the offensive line goes to what we think it should be either boom or lar Jackson and Rob havenstein when they're all together I think this line has a chance to be what Detroit is right now very multiple Mash you on First and 10 and on Third and long protect the quarterback yeah I I would say this last year so many games came down to a field goal missed extra point that put us into a a situation that just the kicking game being smooth again right that's going to be the most important thing you talk about putting up points seven that one puts more pressure on teams than you think sure Rams left more points on the field in the kicking game than any team in the National Football League last year and by the way they lost that game in Detroit by one that was a Red Zone issue but we can get to that all right pull the Jersey see flag uh two week one ready for the Lions let's resist the urge to just go right to the quarterback match up let's save that for the end okay um speaking of Super Bowl or bust expectations how about what Aman rosain Brown and Brad Holmes and everyone in Detroit they're saying that's where their sights are set and no lower as they should be you went to the NFC champion game you had it won had it won if you if you would have just went back to who you were who uh Dan Campbell is running the football biting a kneecap you all of a sudden you come out in seven on seven where you're throwing the ball every other play you're up by 21 just just run the clock go into 4minute mode right you win that game you go to the Super Bowl you never know you already beat the Chiefs week one you had a chance probably to win a Super Bowl there uh to me again expectation it's just certain things happen with expectation I think the Detroit Lions are set up to be successful but they got to get back to who they are and who they want to be who they wanted to be when they first got there when they wanted to change the culture a ground and pound team when you can do ground and pound and you can play action pass they become one of the more more most dangerous you for Jared to the front yeah yeah you you all of a sudden it's like how do we stop this right and so to me again going to the Rams this is this is going to be a tough test early on how physical do you want to be right is this it comes down to stopping the run is a want to and physicality that's all it is we already know where they want to run they want to run the a gaps and the B- gaps they rarely run outside they do a little toss here they may do a reverse uh to Jameson Williams but at the end of the day they want to run between the a gaps and B gaps if you're in those a gaps and B gaps how physical are you willing to be to make sure they don't do that they're putting a lot on Williams they need him to be a legit wide receiver too for them to get to where they're trying to go because when you're talking about we still don't know who Josh Reynolds replacement is that's probably the only deficiency if there is one on their offense on defense where they lacked last year was in coverage I mean they had guys running past them in December and January and what they do brought in two vets drafted two top picks they feel like they fixed the back end of that secondary did you see the the Giants Detroit highlight when they were practicing against each other no yeah neighbors was running past everybody I don't know if it's fixed per se I I think I think they thrown pieces at it to try to fix it it may be better than what it was I just don't know how if they're going to be able to lock up and play man like they did in the second half of that game and just try to and second half of that season they got back to Glenn's identity I think which is like Hey we're coming after you and we're playing man behind it so they at least have in Arnold and rraw and Carlton Davis and am Robinson they have more options to play that question you got to think those are those guys are all man guys yeah right Carlton Davis is is is coming from Todd BS Tampa Bay Buccaneers where strictly manto man we've played him right we we've G against him and then Arnold yeah he is and Arnold coming out of Alabama uh basketball player has that ability to slide and move uh but he's a man-to-man guy he's not a Zone guy he wants to be manned up pressed and he wants to run run with you so I think that BS well though for what the Rams want to do offensively if you're going to try to play man and stop the run that that's going to give Cooper cup those OP pukan on the move things like that so we'll see how it goes take me somewhere else in this matchup what else is on your mind well he you mentioned the a gap and the first guy that came to mind was Bobby Brown I third yeah and I love it I I love his new personality he's been more personable he's talking to the media a little bit more but now I need you to be nasty and you're exactly right man when you're trying to run the football it's not about X's and O's it's about want to sometimes it's a fight man and watching Detroit's offensive line on video I get that same queasy feeling I used to get as a player when I watched Dallas getting ready for that game or getting ready for Minnesota back in the when they had Hall of Famers and all Pros or Denver's offensive line when they were just cutting guys down like like trees so sometimes it's not about X's and O's it's about let me just refuse to move so Bobby Brown's got to plant that foot in the a gap and say I'm not going anywhere Dexter Lawrence St where where your stance is wider than your shoulders and you be you look like you're almost 400 PBS you've got to be that guy especially this week when you don't have Ernest Jones to run through blocks to get to ball carriers you're going to have to keep those linebackers clean so they can make play so if the Rams are going to win on Sunday then Bobby Brown might be the player of the game he has to be quick question who's going to be the five technique which one who's playing the five uh they can slide Kobe out there they can slide uh Braden Fisk to a five yes that inside that that inside four outside five that to me going back and watching the uh the the the Wild Card round against Detroit that five technique was Jonah Williams was getting beat right and that that is going to be very important remember when Michael Brockers used to be the five yeah yeah they were stopping the run because the nose was doing its job and then it was the five that has to do the other part you got to be able to collapse all that down and make them bounce five is head up on on the tackle right well outside edge of the tackle I got a defensive coordinator say I want you to play in a five and I'm looking at that five and it's Pine Su so you want me to do what coach that's what I'm you want me to stand head up with this dude okay yeah but that's what it's going to take again you talked about someone someone has to be you know you got to you got to grow up fast get baptized by fire in this in this league and that is going to be the most important position the one yes for sure but that five if that five can hold up I'm telling you they'll be able to stop the run I I've run against three four defenses we always attack the five CU normally that guy unless you're playing the Pittsburgh sealers is like 280 pounds so you can get after him but against the Pittsburgh SE they were like all 300 so it's it's tougher for a tackle to do it for all we've talked about the Rams off ball linebackers and they're putting a lot of faith in Rose boomman reader I get it and a lot of people see them as coverage deficient when I look at the lines I think they've got two great middle linebackers in anzalone and Campbell right like yeah I respect what they have there if there's a graded deficiency in their game though I think it's coverage no question and if I know the Rams head coach and Rams quarterback if they've got a superpower I think it's exploiting linebackers definitely finding ways to get guys and if get Cooper cup or puka open sha McVey has made a living off that and I think Detroit's deficiency in the secondary covering people up is overshadowed by their their their pass rush with Aiden Hutchinson coming the other way and they got Marcus Davenport now a guy like I've always said this hell when he's well but he's been sick a lot well he's healthy now and when he's out there all he does is make plays so if you're getting great pressure on the quarterback you could have us back there and you can still pick off passes and have a great pass defense so and you're going to be up there with crowd noise yeah yeah so the Rams did a great job last season at in January handling that crowd noise not a single false start and Hutchinson had two sacks but remember those sacks one Stafford fell and the other one was like a kind of a scramble so they did a great job handling him bring that same sort of mentality stop that pass rush you'll make plays against that secondary great pre- snap discipline by you guys too we're in mid-season form here no one fall started on the quarterback conversation go to the trade now and I I think I think they'll match up again I think Stafford and go will play again maybe as soon as this postseason but I think this is the last time we truly have to sell it as the trade right yeah Rams got what they want they got Stafford in some prime years a Super Bowl and many more after that the lions got Goff and he's proven to be a franchise quarterback and they got the draft Capital to build one of the best rosters in the National Football League win-win fine as they rematch here at the outset of 2024 what's your new context on Stafford V golf still thinking about it no to me to me I I think the win-win like the trade is over to me it's been over right uh it was over because the Rams won it was over because the Lions went to the the NFC championship game that that that was the end of it at that point now it's this is more of a Revenge game right it's more of a rivalry game now in the fact of we went to Detroit last year Eminem was like Hey Stafford all the all the stuff that went right so now it's my to be the villain right now now it's our turn as the Rams to go into Detroit and hand them a l week one and make them feel how we felt right like like I had a coach once tell us you know pain is free right you you could give that to other people that people can take that pain with them right so if you go to week one and you go out there and you out duel him at home and then then they get to boo on him and all that stuff then then we've done our job right but a win-win situation to me is it's neither there nor there and then to be quite honest with you it's never golf versus Stafford it's really Stafford versus that defense and how can Chris schula and this defense rattle Jared G right getting to Jared we know we know Jared pressure up the middle rattles him he has to slide outside he doesn't like to move his feet he likes to be planted in the pocket like a statue and throw the football how did you get him off of his spot if you can do that that's why no passing situation stopping the Run making him uncomfortable is the key to it all like you said I think it is Stafford versus Goff who's more accurate who who can keep keep his team in the game who can will his team the victory that sort of stuff and I say you're done with the tennis etiquette we're not jumping the net we're not shaking hands we're not friends right now I'm out here to beat you because remember how they treated Stafford yeah going into that game and how they treated Jared Jared Jared it was all that stuff so this has now turned personal in my eyes but I think it does come down to which quarterback is going to be more accurate than the other and the thing is if it gets into a game to where it is a quarterback duel then I'm taking our guy I think that's it that's the Crux of the matter is seldom do both sides feel like we wouldn't unwind that trade the Rams feel very much like our better than your guy and the Lions do too and that's what's awesome about let me say this the last thing before we go Dan Campbell you give me key to the gate too don't rush out here yeah Dan Campbell said something at the very end of that game like this is our guy right this is who we wanted yeah now you've made it personal right it didn't have to be that you didn't have to say all that you didn't have to do all that after the game you won enjoy it yeah but when you start to make things personal I think that now that's when you start to get that it doesn't mean like it's an extra energy or anything but it's just you're like okay I'm a competitor is that how you feel let me show you let me prove to you and my guys that know like I'm the right guy I love my wife but her ex-husband's in the room exactly yeah right right that's not good yeah yeah our cameras are overheating our crew is falling down from dehydration but DeMarco I know you got one last key to the game before we go uh okay so handling that offensive line that Detroit offensive line is is one we talked about stuff in the run but somebody else is going to have to step up and be the closer that's the one thing you're going to miss with Aaron Donald that is why going to Canon that's what make that's what makes him special not just doing the defensive tackle stuff uh making plays versus The Run getting in on the quarterback getting sacks he closed out games he closed out the Super Bowl yeah that is what you need to develop Jared verse is going to be a good player Braden FIS is going to be a good player Byron young is going coming into his own Kobe Turner too what you need to develop is that closer mentality so we'll see which one of those guys on defense is going to step up and become that closer for this football team for me the key to the game is going to be Red Zone it it's just it's that simple defensively can you hold them to field goals in the Red Zone offensively can you score touchdowns last year the Lions scored three straight touchdown drives on eventually short Fields like tight red area touchdowns to grab the lead they never gave it back the Rams up I'm not mistaken settled for three Red Zone field goals lose by one that's the difference right there I'm with you all right to the ice bath you there I'll meet you there mjd DeMarco far JB long going back to Detroit uh we will not hopefully end up on the pulling an all nighter oh dude I don't did we do that winner did we do that yeah we did that okay I don't remember do you remember that time where he slept for 12 hours straight woke up in broad daylight and Sun I was like what is going on why is it that will never happen again that will never wake up Mar this is not true but I keep repeating the story DeMarcos heard it already Aaron Donald was coming back in 24 he was he was I'm good let's let's do it one more time and then you spend 5 hours overnight on the tarmac in Detroit Frozen can't refuel he's like you know what private jets from the rest of uh it's so great to be back with you what 20 plus weeks of uninterrupted football now this is where we all want to be and next week in an air conditioned studio for mjd DeMarco far I'm JB long this is between the horns presented by Southern California Toyota de [Music]