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00:00 (inaudible)
00:10 I'll catch it if it goes down.
00:12 (inaudible)
00:20 I might have been, but I'm feeling actually better than I have in a while.
00:25 I had some time off, you know, I'm able to work on a few things that have been bothering me.
00:30 It's still middle of the season, but no, I'm feeling better.
00:33 I think, you know, hopefully going into this game I'll feel as good as I felt in quite a while.
00:37 (inaudible)
00:47 Yeah, it was cool.
00:49 You got to hear a lot of respected guys in the locker room, coaches, players,
00:53 discuss their experiences in the playoffs before and what it took their past teams to win a championship.
00:59 And I think just the crowning thing was like we've talked about all year is going 1-0,
01:05 focus on the fundamentals, understanding that there's going to be big plays in the games,
01:10 but you prepare for these moments.
01:13 You know, there's time to take it in, but once you get between those, you know, lines,
01:17 it's 11 guys on the field at a time.
01:19 You got to do your best every play to support the team.
01:22 But it was really cool to hear from those guys.
01:24 I think it brought a great energy to the room.
01:26 And then, you know, coach kind of finished it off with, all right, we've talked about it,
01:30 and now we have to focus everything on the Houston Texans.
01:33 And I think Joe made a great point about we have nothing else.
01:36 It's the only thing on our schedule is the Houston Texans.
01:38 We can't think about, you know, the next 18 weeks or anything like that.
01:41 We have to go 1-0 this weekend against Houston, and then we can see what's happening after.
01:45 (inaudible)
01:51 No, he's done some things like that in the past.
01:53 I think he's been very consistent this year and his whole career here.
02:01 But, no, I don't think it was out of character.
02:03 (inaudible)
02:13 I think that's the first goal every year is, hey, I mean, the ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl.
02:18 I think every team thinks that they want to win a Super Bowl.
02:20 But the first way to get there is to make the tournament, make the playoffs.
02:24 And now, you know, our goal this week is to win an O, but the ultimate goal is always to hold up the trophy.
02:30 So I think that's just part of the bigger plan and something we've been focused on since day one, since he's been here.
02:37 (inaudible)
02:41 You know, he's been here for four years, and I think this is really the first year where you guys talk like he does.
02:48 And why do you think his messaging has resonated and really been, I guess, absorbed by his locker room?
02:57 I think because, you know, you come in as a coach and you have your message, your culture that you want to try and instill in the guys.
03:04 And it takes time for that to get in.
03:08 But once you start seeing results of what you're saying, you talk about being resilient, you talk about being 1-0,
03:13 you talk about focusing on the task at hand and playing with the guys that we have, but then you start winning games and results are still positive.
03:21 I think that culture starts to build. They're like, "Hey, we lost Nick Chubb already.
03:25 Like, if someone else goes down, we know we can pick up that energy. We lost to Sean.
03:30 You know, DTR came in and won us the game. Like, if he goes down, we know Joe can come in and win this game.
03:34 Like, we have experience with it now." And so the words behind it have shown results.
03:39 And I think if you keep a core guys together long enough, you know, that culture is going to build.
03:44 Joe, you guys struggled to run the ball last time at Houston.
03:48 When you go back and watch on film, why do you think that was the case?
03:51 What gives you confidence it'll be different this time?
03:53 Yeah, there was, you know, I think any time the run game is struggling, there's usually a bust, you know, on the block or one or two plays here and there.
04:04 I know we were taking some shots and we were trying to throw the ball downfield, but they have a good defense.
04:09 They're pretty elite against the run. You know, all year last week was a little tough for them with Jonathan Taylor, but they've done a good job.
04:15 But honestly, I think it comes down to execution for us and guys getting on blocks and staying on blocks and sustaining those blocks.
04:21 Jonathan, all these years, who's been your favorite one-on-one championship? Was there some choices?
04:27 Yeah, I think it's everybody's goal to play this game.
04:31 It'd be spectacular, but truthfully, like we talked about it and now it's like it's so far out there.
04:37 Like we got to beat Houston. We got to focus on that. We got to try to go one-nil this week and see what happens over there.
04:42 But that's the ultimate goal for, I think, all the competitors that, you know, play in the NFL.
04:46 In 2020, you guys scored a shot in the first game. There's a lot of people who were calling how bad, but you got a chance to win the Chiefs, obviously.
04:53 But do you know how long it took to even get to a point where you guys were in the playoffs and everyone was talking about, is he going to get to experience?
05:00 Just how are you sort of personally, you know, realizing now this sort of second stint where you don't have to worry about any of that?
05:09 Yeah, I definitely don't take it for granted because it's been long enough where you don't have a chance every year.
05:15 You can think you're, you know, built for the future and, you know, you have an injury or something and that kind of derails your season.
05:22 So I'm so happy that we're back and I'm not taking it for granted to have another opportunity.
05:27 2020 was awesome. It was great to watch the guys win, but obviously you want to be a part of it, too.
05:34 And you want to be out there in these wins. And now we're going to have full stadiums where it was a little bit less back in 2020.
05:40 [inaudible]
05:50 He's just calm and cool, man. Like no matter what. Honestly, his personality is very, I feel like, similar to Coach Stefanski's.
05:58 You know, they kind of kind of roll the same way and stuff. So I feel like it's been a big part, but he's just been in the locker room, like personality wise.
06:06 And him and Dave, him and Amari, just the whole line and him. It's been pretty, pretty seamless transition.
06:13 And I think that's just who he is. You know, he isn't trying to do anything different.
06:16 It's just like, hey, you know, I played football for a while. Like, I just want to go out there and have some fun and play. And it's worked out well.
06:22 You've played in some loud environments. Saturday's going to be another one of those.
06:27 What's most important for you guys up front to deal with that crowd noise and make sure that you don't have those false starts and pre-snap penalties?
06:39 Yeah, we know it's going to be loud. They got a good fan base down there, home game. Young quarterbacks playing very good.
06:45 So we know they're going to be excited. We have to be a lead on our operation, you know, and it's communicating out of the huddle, preparing to sweep with crowd noise inside, making sure we're all on the same snap count.
06:56 But it just comes back to the reps and practice, communicating, making sure we're, no matter what, you got the snap count and we're good to go from there.
07:04 How's their defense changed with Anderson and Bernard?
07:08 Yeah, they're pretty good. I think their front four is, I mean, they got talent everywhere. Their front four is their strength.
07:13 And Bernard and Hughes have stepped up and played pretty good football for them as well.
07:18 But those guys are two pretty elite athletes. I think they lead the team in sacks with like 12 and 7 or something like that, you know.
07:24 And we didn't see Will last time and he's been kind of slowly building back up.
07:29 But we know he has elite traits and he's powerful and condenses the pocket.
07:33 And then, you know, they've made plays for each other. I think their interior guys are very disruptive too.
07:39 And so it kind of just feeds off each other. But they play, it's more weapons that we have to, you know, account for in their talented guys.
07:45 You talked about Joe being a ton of fun, collecting the media out on the field.
07:50 Has he ever, to this point, stepped into the huddle and like said something that's completely free for a loop that you knew like he meant business, like dropped an F-bomb or something?
07:59 Only at Wyatt.
08:04 Talk a little bit. So every once in a while we have to make sure he's back in the huddle and Joe's not afraid to let him know in a colorful way.
08:13 So, NFLPA All-Pro, which is a new one, but does that mean something to you because it's your guys?
08:22 Yeah, it's a cool honor. You know, those guys who compete against the guys, you know, I think it's like left guards vote for left guards and D tackles.
08:31 So the guys you truly compete against on a week-to-week basis, guys that watch the film, you know, I think they started last year.
08:38 And so it's a cool new one. I think it's a great way to get the players input because with the pro, you get fans, players, coaches, you know, APL pros, you know, the writers and the media.
08:48 And I think it's just a different, different way to get guys opinions on who's playing good football.
08:53 So it's always cool to be recognized by the guys you go against.
08:56 Any chance JC will be good for you?
08:58 I don't think so. He's pretty straight and narrow on those type of things.
09:04 Thanks, Joe.