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Head Coach Mike Macdonald On The Dominant NFC Divisional Round Win vs. 49ers · Seahawks Press Pass

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: All right, a little more than usual. First, just what
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: an atmosphere.
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  Speaker 2: Holy smokes, the twelves, you know, just our organization putting
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  Speaker 2: on a great, a great setting. It was just you know,
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  Speaker 2: you do try to you do actually try to take
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  Speaker 2: some time and look around and just understand how incredibly
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  Speaker 2: blessed we are and with the best fans in the world,
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  Speaker 2: and and uh, it definitely made an impact.
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  Speaker 1: Definitely to start the game.
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  Speaker 2: And so just want to appreciate this.
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  Speaker 1: That was awesome. It's freaking awesome.
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  Speaker 2: And in terms of our team, I mean, it's probably
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  Speaker 2: the most complimentary game we've played up to this point.
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  Speaker 2: And obviously starting the game out with the kickoff return
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  Speaker 2: for a touchdown was tremendous. Again, excited to see the
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  Speaker 2: blocks on that play, but a great, great return by Rashid.
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  Speaker 1: And then just you know.
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  Speaker 2: Kept stacking plays, the takeaways on defense, kept playing. You know,
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  Speaker 2: quarterbacks a hard guy to contain and he makes plays
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  Speaker 2: and so you know, you can't get frustrated.
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  Speaker 1: You got to keep playing.
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  Speaker 2: And then offensively, being able to control the ball, ball number,
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  Speaker 2: being in jeopardy, being able to run it, scoring on
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  Speaker 2: the redsident, all those things we've been trying to do
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  Speaker 2: finally coming to life, and you just keep stacking those
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  Speaker 2: things and there's a heck of a win.
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  Speaker 1: Man. It's funny in the locker room.
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  Speaker 2: It's like, you know, we're really excited, we're very proud
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  Speaker 2: of the effort, and but the guys understand that there's
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  Speaker 2: still a mission at hand and we got another week
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  Speaker 2: coming up here that we need to take care of
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  Speaker 2: business every day.
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  Speaker 1: So that's the focus part of the group.
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  Speaker 2: We'll celebrate today, guys will be off tomorrow and back
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  Speaker 2: on Monday.
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  Speaker 1: You know, you're sure that Sam was going to play.
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  Speaker 1: Was kind of the process there with get Well. I mean,
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  Speaker 1: from what we told you is how it was going down.
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  Speaker 2: It was just, you know, there's a hey, he could
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  Speaker 2: come out here and throw it and feel terrible and
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  Speaker 2: then we would have to kind of pivot. But from
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  Speaker 2: what he was saying and what the guys were saying,
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  Speaker 2: you know, the medical medical team was saying, it seemed
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  Speaker 2: like he was gonna be able to give it a go.
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  Speaker 1: So that's basically what happened.
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  Speaker 2: And you know, it felt you felt like he was
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  Speaker 2: based on his communication with us, it felt like he
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  Speaker 2: was confident. So that's that's where we're at. What did
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  Speaker 2: you think about the way play tremendous. Tremendous A couple
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  Speaker 2: of couple of plays early that I think to get
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  Speaker 2: in the swing of things. But uh, I say, manage
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  Speaker 2: the game as like a very high powered compliment, you know,
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  Speaker 2: just throwing around time, taking care of the ball, making
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  Speaker 2: the plays when we need to. I think, I think
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  Speaker 2: there's gonna be some more. There's some explosives out there
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  Speaker 2: that maybe we could get to. But shoot, I thought
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  Speaker 2: there's a lot of operations stuff that he did that
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  Speaker 2: was that really helped us as well.
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  Speaker 1: Field position and the third downs in the black What
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  Speaker 1: was it tonight? Didn't had you guys?
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  Speaker 2: Our kickoff team was tremendous. I mean this this is
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  Speaker 2: probably one of the best kickoff return.
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  Speaker 1: Teams in the league.
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  Speaker 2: I mean, Mike Morris had some tremendous plays. Tyras Knight
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  Speaker 2: had some great plays that really helped us, you know,
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  Speaker 2: stop to start those drives.
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  Speaker 1: So that was awesome.
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  Speaker 2: And then you know, we gave up some third some
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  Speaker 2: more third downs this game than we did last game,
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  Speaker 2: but the guys were able to really kind of regroup,
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  Speaker 2: go to the next play, and then I think some
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  Speaker 2: of those we ended up in some takeaways, so that
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  Speaker 2: was awesome. The fourth down stops obviously flipfield position, so
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  Speaker 2: that was that was huge in the way to sleep
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  Speaker 2: those people want on the fourth down so much more
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  Speaker 2: for a defense, what kind of almost more than a
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  Speaker 2: turnover the ball with Lenost, did you get the field positions.
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  Speaker 1: Better for that, right?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean they don't count as takeaways, but that's
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  Speaker 2: that's really what they are. And uh, that's something you know,
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  Speaker 2: we started the year kind of slow on fourth downs
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  Speaker 2: on defense, and so our coach's credit and our players credit.
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  Speaker 2: It's like, hey, we identified that there's something we want
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  Speaker 2: to improve on, and you know, kind of worked the
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  Speaker 2: problem and the guys just they come to life on
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  Speaker 2: fourth down.
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  Speaker 1: It's pretty cool. Fourth down did you work on improved?
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  Speaker 2: Well?
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  Speaker 1: I think you just you know, you get what you
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  Speaker 1: get what you emphasize.
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  Speaker 2: You know, we talked about it, We prapped it more
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  Speaker 2: in practice, created more situations.
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  Speaker 1: That's simple.
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  Speaker 2: You know, obviously she heaps made a big difference, But
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  Speaker 2: you acquire in season, you're head.
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  Speaker 1: Coach, you get a million banks going on them.
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  Speaker 2: Sure you're in consultation with personnel, but what do you
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  Speaker 2: have and what do you think you were getting?
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  Speaker 1: How?
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  Speaker 2: How?
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  Speaker 1: What should you know? Well?
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  Speaker 2: He was someone that you know, I know that we
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  Speaker 2: were targeting throughout the process, and I mean that that's
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  Speaker 2: John and the personnel folks. That's just made it come
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  Speaker 2: to life, you know, So shout out to him. Man
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  Speaker 2: turns out, you know, you know what, it was a
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  Speaker 2: luxury initially, you know, because of our receiver situation, but
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  Speaker 2: then with Tori going down and ended up being a
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  Speaker 2: great move.
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  Speaker 1: It was a great move initially.
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  Speaker 2: Uh, but from from my perspective and the coaches perspective, he.
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  Speaker 1: Was a player that we really respect.
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  Speaker 2: You know, when he's catching the ball and kickoff return,
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  Speaker 2: you know you're holding here like, oh, you know, here
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  Speaker 2: we go.
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  Speaker 1: You know, you know, we got to we gotta contain
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  Speaker 1: this guy.
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  Speaker 2: And then when he's on the field on offense, you know,
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  Speaker 2: you can't let him get behind you as well. So
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  Speaker 2: and then like the receiver run game stuff is something
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  Speaker 2: you have to count for as well. So it really
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  Speaker 2: does help the team pig time.
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  Speaker 1: So that was that was awesome. So shout out to John.
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  Speaker 2: Year long. H Now that you've seen that process in
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  Speaker 2: the playoffs, what kind of confidence does that building? It's
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  Speaker 2: nice to get some confirmation, you know, and how you're
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  Speaker 2: how you do stuff.
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  Speaker 1: But we're gonna we're gonna do the same thing, you know.
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  Speaker 1: We're gonna.
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  Speaker 2: Do what we do after game after dame and try
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  Speaker 2: to nail the heck out a Monday, Tuesday.
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  Speaker 1: Wednesday and just keep stacking it.
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  Speaker 2: And I'll tell you what our our players demeanor and
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  Speaker 2: their attitude is really just made that whole philosophy come
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  Speaker 2: to life.
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  Speaker 1: And they've been tremendous.
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  Speaker 2: Uh. Going off the question on Rashid John's made trades,
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  Speaker 2: the trade deadline eased the past three years. Looking big
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  Speaker 2: picture that you guys are building seeing Ernest get the
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  Speaker 2: two turnover today, trade deadline, acquisition away, get the sack, and.
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  Speaker 1: Two all pros and trades is pretty good.
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  Speaker 2: What is that?
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  Speaker 1: What does that say?
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  Speaker 2: You just see that coming to life here in the
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  Speaker 2: game of this magnitude, those buttons being pushed, right. I
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  Speaker 2: just think, well, I mean, obviously trading for Leonard was
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  Speaker 2: like you know before that h that we were here,
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  Speaker 2: But I think it's the same attitude of like we're relentless,
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: you know, you're just I mean, what do you want
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  Speaker 2: to call it? You want to call it chasing edges.
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  Speaker 2: That's that's the language we use. But that's I feel
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  Speaker 2: like that's our philosophy. It's just we're just constantly just
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  Speaker 2: chasing it of how, you know, what are the things
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  Speaker 2: that we can do to make our team better all
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  Speaker 2: the time, whether it's to acquisition, or it's you know,
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  Speaker 2: a period in practice, or maybe it's something pregame scheme,
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  Speaker 2: a personnel, all those things. It's just it's a relentless
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  Speaker 2: attitude to try to always make the team better. I'm
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  Speaker 2: not gonna pull it del and my own presspect' just curious.
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  Speaker 2: You know, from from Thursday's practice till before pregame, how
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  Speaker 2: many times would Sam throw the ball at any to
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  Speaker 2: even try that's a question for him. But it wasn't many.
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  Speaker 2: That wasn't many.
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  Speaker 1: Indication on the sharpena cross.
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  Speaker 2: Orders optimistic with sharps, you know what, we got to
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  Speaker 2: get an image and stuff, but early indications are as
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  Speaker 2: hopefully it's okaytually you know, but you never know with
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  Speaker 2: these things. But he wasn't able to come back obviously,
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  Speaker 2: and then Charles was really out of a caution. We're
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  Speaker 2: in a position where we didn't need him to come back,
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  Speaker 2: but still we're gonna have to work through it with
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  Speaker 2: his foot.
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  Speaker 1: So I don't have it.
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  Speaker 2: I don't have an indication of what that's going to
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  Speaker 2: look like.
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  Speaker 1: Jones been a big leader a few guys since he
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  Speaker 1: got here.
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  Speaker 2: Just for gonna come their two takeaways, just everything he
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  Speaker 2: did in this game, Oh it was great. I mean
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  Speaker 2: he was like, look, this guy was not in a
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  Speaker 2: good spot on Thursday. I met or football Thursday Wednesday,
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  Speaker 2: So for him to kind of get up to speed,
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  Speaker 2: get ready to play, the guy's follow his lead, and uh,
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  Speaker 2: two tremendous plays to really change the course of the
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  Speaker 2: game with those, those takeaways change with Donald Mintrue. No, yeah,
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  Speaker 2: Cooper cups when a guy that's meant so much this
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  Speaker 2: team all season.
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  Speaker 1: But ball's not always.
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  Speaker 2: Finding in for him in a playoff game to lead
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  Speaker 2: you guys, and in receiving and interceptions.
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  Speaker 1: That I didn't know that, but that's awesome. Yeah, that's
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  Speaker 1: really great.
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  Speaker 2: And and every catching he makes seems like it's in
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  Speaker 2: some sort of high leverage situation. So, I mean, this
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  Speaker 2: guys made an absolute massive impact on our on our team,
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  Speaker 2: and add that to a Hall of Fame career is
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  Speaker 2: pretty cool.
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  Speaker 1: Glad he's a seahawk. You call time out.
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  Speaker 2: Before their first fourth down.
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  Speaker 1: Is there something you saw that or what was that? Yeah?
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  Speaker 2: Do you think you were getting that play was gone
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  Speaker 2: and they were off the front of the player.
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  Speaker 1: Did you think you.
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  Speaker 2: Were getting the time of No, Yeah, yeah, I think
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  Speaker 2: I called it.
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  Speaker 1: I mean I called it in time they called it.
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  Speaker 2: You got to see quite a bit of Marikut here
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  Speaker 2: the past few weeks.
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  Speaker 1: How have you seen him rest over the course of the season,
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  Speaker 1: and he had a big blot there.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think it's an example of a
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  Speaker 2: guy getting an opportunity, and you know, it's cool to
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  Speaker 2: hear it on the headset where you feel like we
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  Speaker 2: have a play called and are often you know jb
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  Speaker 2: are Line coach is like, yeah, I can't wait to
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  Speaker 2: see a mari.
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  Speaker 1: On this play. You know, So.
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  Speaker 2: What what else seems to be said? You know, you're
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  Speaker 2: just excited for him to show what he can do.
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  Speaker 2: And he's earned the opportunity and just done a great
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  Speaker 2: job and it's been working his tail off for for
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  Speaker 2: you know, an opportunity to show up and took advantage
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  Speaker 2: of it. Is only like the last couple of days
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  Speaker 2: days I offer you your quarterback has heard two days
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: before the playoff game? Was that kind of the truls,
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  Speaker 2: you know what I mean, it was just like, let's
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: work the problem, let's figure it out. Your guys were steady,
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  Speaker 2: I mean, we were confident. It's like, you know, I
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  Speaker 2: felt like that like everybody, but the players were the
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: ones that were worrying about it, you know. So it's
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  Speaker 2: kind of cool. You've had four straight games with him
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: one hundred and sixty yards rushing.
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: That's uff you guys have been working on all of years.
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: What do you see in front of the offensive line
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: and that party tremendous men, it's everybody. Uh, our coaches
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: deserve a ton of credit. Canine obviously had a great game.
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: A lot of it's coming on wide zone, you know,
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: and that's something that we've been having to work all year.
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  Speaker 2: And that's that's our that's what we're gonna hang our
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  Speaker 2: head on. So it's great to see it come to life.
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: So many young players, for you guys played in their
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: first playoff game today. How do you think they approached
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: it voice wise?
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: And yeah, that's been the message.
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  Speaker 2: Look, you're looking at the kind of guy that this
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  Speaker 2: is my first playoff g and we weren't going to
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: let that be an excuse that, hey we're a young team,
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: or hey we got a young coach, or it's our
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: first whatever. It's like, no, it's just like, this is
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: the next game. It's week nineteen. We've been We've treated
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: literally every game, every practice, every workout, every walk through
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  Speaker 2: the same about we're trying to we're trying to nail it.
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: Whatever whatever's put in front of us, we're trying to
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  Speaker 2: nail it. So we had a great opportunity here at home,
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  Speaker 2: but that's what it was, you know, and our guys
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  Speaker 2: did it, and that's that's what we're going to focus on.
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  Speaker 1: So we're gonna handle it from here on out.
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: Everything else. Thank you, Thank you,