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Interview: Voice of the Colts Matt Taylor · The Jacksonville Jaguars Official Podcast Network

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Big divisional game coming up the Jags and the Indianapolis
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Cults for the first of two meetings this year and
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: the a f C South between these division rivals. The
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  Speaker 1: voice of the Colts, Matt Taylor with us and here
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: we are another Colts Jaguar's matchup. Matt. What's up? Um
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: doing well? JP? How are you guys? Yeah, I mean
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  Speaker 1: these are these are huge games for both teams and uh,
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  Speaker 1: you know, Jacksonville needs it, the Cults needed coming after
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: coming off of two losses. So this is a huge game.
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  Speaker 1: Lucas Oil. Yeah, this is where the division turns, certainly
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  Speaker 1: for the Jaguars. They lost in London to the Texans
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  Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago. A road game this week
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  Speaker 1: against India and then a road game next week against Tennessee.
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  Speaker 1: If they can't make it through this November stretch, then
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  Speaker 1: December might not matter much. It's gotta be a similar
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  Speaker 1: feel in Indianapolis. If they don't get things right here
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  Speaker 1: in November, then um, all heck breaks loose down the stretch. Yeah,
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  Speaker 1: no question about. I mean the Colts went from you know,
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: the catbird seat to the outhouse in two weeks. I
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  Speaker 1: mean two weeks ago. Colts were sitting pretty they had
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  Speaker 1: the second best record in the a f C. They
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  Speaker 1: were number who see had the playoffs started then, and
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: then after two bad losses against teams under five hundred,
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  Speaker 1: uh teams they probably should have beaten and uh, you
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  Speaker 1: know you could you could play the could have would
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  Speaker 1: have shoot a game all day. Bottom line is on
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  Speaker 1: those given Sundays, the Colts came up on the losing
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  Speaker 1: end and they didn't do uh near enough to win
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  Speaker 1: those football games. And now they're sitting outside the playoff picture.
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  Speaker 1: But the good news is, as you said, similar to Jacksonville,
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  Speaker 1: the Colts have three straight games coming up against AFC
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  Speaker 1: South teams, and if they can win those games, you know,
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  Speaker 1: they're right back in the in the playoff picture. And
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  Speaker 1: if they win those three games, you know they'll have
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  Speaker 1: you know, win against Jacksonville, two wins against Tennessee, and
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  Speaker 1: two wins against Houston, which will serve them well down
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  Speaker 1: the stretch of the regular season in terms of playoffs
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: seating and and division and winning that division. Matt Taylor
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: with this Voice of the Indianapolis Colts last week to
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: Kobe Brossett's knee injury was a question mark he was
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  Speaker 1: on the practice field sum and then at the last
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  Speaker 1: second they shut him down. He did not play against
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: the offense this week. Not as much question. They decided
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: this thing on Wednesday with Brissette. What does that do
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  Speaker 1: for the offense to just go ahead and make a decision. Yeah,
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  Speaker 1: I mean I think it just it provides stability, It
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: brings back confidence. You know, last week, I thought the
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: Colts were just the kind of and they were putting
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: in a no win situation because of Jacoby going down
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: in two weeks ago against Pittsburgh. You know what was
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: gonna look like health wise? Last week? He practiced on
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  Speaker 1: a limited basis all three days Wednesday through Friday, so
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: they thought they were going to have him um and
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: you know, they they kind of game playing around him
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  Speaker 1: being there. But then at the last minute, he just
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  Speaker 1: didn't progress enough that they said he couldn't cross that
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: you know, ecent threshold in terms of health. So they
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: did what was you know, best for Jacoby and the player. Uh,
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: they pivoted to Brian Hoyer at the last minute. And Brian,
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  Speaker 1: you know, he's a different quarterback, He's got a different um,
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  Speaker 1: favorite set of plays within this offense. He's a more
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  Speaker 1: aggressive style quarterback and that kind of burned the cults.
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: He through, you know, three interceptions against the Dolphins. He's
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: got four picks in the last two games, you know,
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  Speaker 1: because he came in a relief against Pittsburgh and they
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: were very costly. You know, the Colts have six turnovers
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  Speaker 1: in the last two games, and they were so good
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  Speaker 1: in terms of taking care of the ball at the
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  Speaker 1: first seven games with Jacoby. They only had seven turnovers
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  Speaker 1: in the first seven games. Uh, So that's I mean,
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  Speaker 1: it's it's pretty simple. When you turn the ball over
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  Speaker 1: that much. I don't care who you're playing, whether it's
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  Speaker 1: the Steelers or the Dolphins, two teams you should have beat.
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  Speaker 1: You're not gonna win those games because you're just giving
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  Speaker 1: away points and opportunities for the opposition. So Jacoby's uh,
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  Speaker 1: insertion back in the lineup I think provides more stability
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  Speaker 1: and more confidence and more um just in terms of
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  Speaker 1: you know, what what they can expect with Jacobe. They
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  Speaker 1: know him very very well. Uh they know the type
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  Speaker 1: of quarterback he is, and Frank Reich and Nick Sirianni
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  Speaker 1: are very you know, they're they're much more familiar with
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  Speaker 1: Jacobe at this stage of the game than they are
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  Speaker 1: with Brian in terms of call in place for him.
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  Speaker 1: So I just think it's a return to normal. See
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: for this offense, it helps when you have a running
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  Speaker 1: game rolling and Marlon Max certainly is doing that in
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  Speaker 1: the backfield. That the run game as a whole in
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: India is looking pretty good this year. Why is that.
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  Speaker 1: Where does it start with that running game? Well, it
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  Speaker 1: starts with Marlin and I think he's really matured as
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: a running back. And we saw that in the back
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  Speaker 1: half of last season. You know, in his rookie season,
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  Speaker 1: which is only two years ago. We forget how young
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: he is, but as a rookie, everything was kind of
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: boom or bust. He was trying to break everything outside.
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  Speaker 1: You know, he'd get either a twenty yard gain or
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  Speaker 1: a negative five loss um on a tackle for loss.
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  Speaker 1: And this year and again going back to the back
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  Speaker 1: half of last season, he's much more patient. Uh, he's
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  Speaker 1: much more physical between the tackles. So you have to
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  Speaker 1: credit Marlin there. But this offensive line still is is
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  Speaker 1: a really good run blocking team. You know, they average
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  Speaker 1: about a hundred and twenty five yards rushing per game um.
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  Speaker 1: The numbers have kind of been boom or bust as
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  Speaker 1: of late. Um, but there's still a run oriented for
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: his team. That's their identity. And then they want to
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  Speaker 1: let Jacoby Brissette, you know, work in the play action game.
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  Speaker 1: But without t Y Hilton, without Devin Funches, without Paris Campbell,
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  Speaker 1: you know, the Colts are down, you know, to some
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  Speaker 1: some backup reserve wide receivers and and Chester Rogers and
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: Zach Pascal and and Ashton doing here. So it'll be
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  Speaker 1: interesting to see if the Colts can run the ball
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  Speaker 1: effectively against this Jacksonville team and what that Jaguar defense
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  Speaker 1: decides to take away. You know, early on in the season,
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  Speaker 1: when teams took away the Colts rush Jacoby Brissette through
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  Speaker 1: for three yards on average in those games. Um. But
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  Speaker 1: it will be really really fun to see what Jacksonville
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: decides to do defensively in this game, because I think
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: they're they're equally you know, capable of taking away the
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  Speaker 1: rush and the past. I mean we saw that. I
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: think the number under under Doug Moron, it's like they're
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: they're giving up only nine points per game against the
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: Colts since he's taken over as the head coach. So defensively.
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  Speaker 1: For whatever reason, he's got those guys very much dialed
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: in whenever they played this Indianapolis football team. Matt Taylor
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: with this Voice of the Indianapolis Colts was flipping around
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  Speaker 1: now and discussed this Colts defense it's led by Darius Leonard.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, this guy in a second year, is is
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: off to a good start again, obviously after a fantastic
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  Speaker 1: rookie campaign a year ago. Where have you seen the
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: most strides from them? I know it's tough to say
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  Speaker 1: he was great last year, but has he taken another
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  Speaker 1: step this year? What's Darius Leonard looked like to? Well,
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  Speaker 1: the numbers aren't as Uh, they just don't stand out
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  Speaker 1: to you as much this year as they did last year.
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  Speaker 1: And I think the big reason for that is teams
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  Speaker 1: are game planning now for Darius. They have to know
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  Speaker 1: where he is and where he's not. Uh, they're they're
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: running away from him, and they're trying to scheme some
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  Speaker 1: things up where he's not getting you know, a sack
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  Speaker 1: every game and two tackles for loss and thirteen tackles
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  Speaker 1: like like he did last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
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  Speaker 1: Um So, I think that's a factor. He's also missed
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  Speaker 1: three games this season earlier on with a concussion. That's
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: kind of hurt his overall numbers, but he's still very
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  Speaker 1: much he's still very much an impactful player and he's
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  Speaker 1: the biggest thing the Colts have to a star on
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  Speaker 1: that side of the football. So um, you know he is,
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: with without question, their their biggest playmaker. But I think overall,
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: when you look at his defense, it is getting better
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  Speaker 1: and they're starting to understand the scheme better under Matt Eberflus.
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  Speaker 1: Justin Houston has seven sacks and he's got a sack
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  Speaker 1: in five straight games. So he's really coming on and
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  Speaker 1: becoming the player they thought they were getting in in
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  Speaker 1: free agency when they signed him in March. You know,
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: the back end is playing better, it's getting healthier. I'll
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: tell you what. This this rookie they have and Cary
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: Willis had a Michigan State. Uh, He's proven to be
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: a very valuable pick in the fourth round. He loves
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: to hit UM. Their play him in a lot. Actually
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  Speaker 1: he played about of snaps last week UM on defense
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  Speaker 1: over Clayton Gathers, which says a lot. Malie Cooker's back
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  Speaker 1: to health now Um. So they're really really good inside
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  Speaker 1: the red zone. They don't give up a lot of
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  Speaker 1: big plays and the very good in the red zone
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  Speaker 1: as of late red zone percentage in the last three games.
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  Speaker 1: Um And, like I said, I mean, the Colts have
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  Speaker 1: dropped two games in a row. But the defense, it's
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: not their fault. They've been put in some really bad situations. Uh.
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  Speaker 1: Teams have had easy opportunities for points off of Colts turnovers. Um.
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  Speaker 1: So the defense is holding up there into the bargain
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: which was kind of flip flopped at the beginning of
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: the season. The Colts offense was ahead of the defense.
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: Now the defense is ahead of the offense. And you
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: just want to see the Colts playing, you know, more
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: complimentary football down the stretch here. It's rare on these
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: interviews that we discuss kickers, but you have a Hall
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: of Fame kicker in Indianapolis and Adam Vinitary, and it
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: hasn't gone especially well as of late for him. Are
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: we nearing the end of the line for him? What's
• 8:47
  Speaker 1: the field for Vinitary now midway through this season? Yeah,
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: it's hard to say, and it's it's really hard to
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: describe because this just doesn't happen with Adam Vinitary, I
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: mean his his field goal or I should say yeah,
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: I mean it's weird. His field goal percentage is better
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: than his p A T percentage right now. I mean
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: he's missed six p E T s. He's missed a
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: point after on on on. You know, every time the
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: Colts lose, he misses a kick on a on a
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: p A t um. It's just really indescribable right now,
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: what's going on with aud A Minitary and the culture
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: still showing face? Uh. They they think it's still just
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: a phase, kind of a blip in the radar, although
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: we're working on more than half of the season here. Um,
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: you just wonder what the record, you know, what it
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: could be had Adam missed a couple more are made
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: a couple more kicks here in this in the in
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: this season so far. Um, but it is it is.
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: You know, they are doing their due diligence on this.
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: You know, there's been two different instances this season where
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: they've worked out some kickers, trying to see what what
• 9:50
  Speaker 1: else is out there on the market, but at the
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: same time just kind of having faith that this will
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: just all of a sudden disappear in that consistency that
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: we've seen with Adam in a area over the years.
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: Come back, Um, But there's no question they can't afford
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: any more games, UM, where you're where you're playing on offense,
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: when you're thinking about going for two and you're thinking about, well,
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: in this situation, we we should only need a fuel
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: goal instead, now we need a touchdown. I mean, the
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: Colts have played all nine of their games decided by
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: one score or less. I think that's the the second
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: longest streak in NFL history, and a large part of
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: that is due to the special teams and having to
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: kind of chase points here. So they need to get
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: it figured out, and hopefully it does get you know,
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: figured out starting this weekend. You know, they have some
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: really big games coming up against a FC South competition,
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: but two of you know, two of those stuff, Two
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: out of those three games are at home, where any
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: has historically been better, you know, in an indoor climate,
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: indoor facility at Lucas Oil Stadium. But it has certainly
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: been a weird, you know season with those kicking conundrums
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: and UM is hopefully out of minitary for his sake,
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: and the cold sake. He doesn't go out like this
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: because it is. It is a Hall of Fame resume,
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: It is a Hall of Fame career. You just don't
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: want it to be blemished at the very end with
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: a bad season. Matt great stuff is always a big
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: swing game the Colts and the Jaguars coming up, and
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: we'll talk to you soon down the line here, I'm
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: sure you gotta j P. Thanks for having me.