Latest / The Skol Hop / TSH Ep. 16 - A Guest, A Gift & A Guess

Transcript

TSH Ep. 16 - A Guest, A Gift & A Guess · The Skol Hop

0:31
welcome into another episode of The School Hop.
0:33
We're just a couple of dudes from Iowa.
0:35
We like drinking beer. We like talking about the
0:37
Vikings. I'm Evan.
0:38
And I'm Austin, and we've got a special guest over here joining
0:42
us for the second time. Forest the Bears fan.
0:46
So welcome. Thank you.
0:47
Thank you for the second time. You're you're always welcome on
0:50
the school hop. Forest.
0:52
We appreciate having you here. We don't like having you here.
0:56
When your team beats our team, but you're we like you better
1:00
than we like the Bears, so. I'd like to take credit for
1:02
that, but nothing to do with it besides my routing.
1:06
So, all right, did you have anything to do with the fact
1:09
that they didn't score a touchdown?
1:12
No, that that's basically the bears philosophy I think.
1:15
So that's fair, that's fair. Well, we got to talk about the
1:19
beer we're drinking. Yeah.
1:20
So hopefully you've already checked out our TikTok where we
1:24
did our first taste of the beer. But tonight we've got the big
1:29
Grove Arms race. That's what it is, right?
1:31
Yeah. They describe it as an American
1:34
Strong pale ale. And if I were to describe it to
1:39
listeners who haven't tried it, think like like.
1:45
If you think of like a citrusy IPA and how it's like a summer,
1:48
it kind of makes you feel like summer.
1:50
This is like an Ambery IPA that kind of fits really good in the
1:55
fall time. And because of that I thought it
1:58
fit really well with both of our palates.
2:01
Because you're you really like the ambers.
2:03
I do too. But you're you're big into the
2:04
amber, darker beers and I'm big into the Ipas.
2:08
So this kind of hits the best of both worlds.
2:10
It sure does. What are you thinking of it?
2:11
I'm I'm liking it a lot. It might find its way into kind
2:15
of my like top ten maybe. Forest, what do you think of it?
2:18
It's. It's a classic IP.
2:20
I'd say it's one of those that are is made.
2:24
I think you're around by big grow so I mean indulge all year
2:28
round but but you you do have a good point.
2:30
It's more of those that fall taste.
2:32
So, yeah, and just to remind everybody who obviously
2:36
everyone's listened to every single one of our episodes so
2:39
far. And thank you guys for doing
2:41
that by the way. That's really helpful, but.
2:43
In case you missed Forest first episode, we mentioned how Forest
2:47
is not only a Bears fan, he's also a Michigan Wolverines fan.
2:50
Probably a bigger Wolverines fan than a Bears.
2:52
Man much bigger. But he's also a bit of a beer
2:54
connoisseur. He's dabbled in the brewing
2:59
hobby. He's a pretty good beer Brewer.
3:02
But he has really good beer opinions and opinions that I
3:05
respect highly. So if Forest says a beer is
3:08
good, you can take that as concrete word.
3:11
Well, I I appreciate that. I mean, I I feel like put up to
3:15
a pedestal that I can't get get up to.
3:17
But no, I I've have had a lot of beers and a lot of beers with
3:21
Austin, a few with Evan and and enjoy having having the beers on
3:26
the Skull hop, so. Yeah, Skull.
3:29
How can we reach each other here Skull?
3:34
For us, we're just going to pretend, but we'll talk about
3:37
this beer a little bit more towards the end after we've had
3:41
a couple and so far I think we all enjoy it a lot.
3:45
Good job, Big Grove. You brought me something.
3:48
I did, listeners. It was Evan's birthday recently
3:54
within the last week since the last episode we recorded.
3:57
It was on Thanksgiving. And I found a really good deal
4:00
on something I thought Evan would enjoy quite a bit, and I
4:04
left it up to him whether it would be on the podcast or not.
4:07
And he said let's do it on the let's do it live, let's do it on
4:11
the podcast. So whenever you're ready, EV.
4:14
I hadn't opened up your birthday.
4:15
Let's do this. You did not have to get me
4:17
anything. I know, I know.
4:19
I'm a little worried now, 'cause you've set a precedent and your
4:22
birthday's around the Super Bowl, so.
4:25
Nobody. Nobody can.
4:26
Ever get better? I'm not gonna be a gift for me.
4:30
I would never. I don't think I would accept
4:32
that unless you said they were free.
4:36
Look at this. All right, he has pulled out.
4:39
I think I know what this is. He has pulled out the the
4:42
present. He's unwrapping the the actual
4:46
wrapping around it. Describe this as you as you pull
4:50
it out and open it up. Well, I think this comes from
4:53
our many conversations about how I don't have a jersey currently.
4:59
Yeah, an adult size jersey, so. I will say the one you're
5:04
holding is large adult size, so maybe a a shade big, but it will
5:10
fit nicely on over top like a sweatshirt and it's a feeling.
5:15
Jersey, yes. And I think, correct me if I'm
5:18
wrong, but I'm pretty sure we talked about what Jersey we
5:21
would have if we could pick one and I think I said Adam Thielen.
5:25
Yep, in one of our first episodes.
5:27
It may have been our first episode.
5:28
For all I know, it was our first.
5:30
Like, unreleased. It could have been the, yeah,
5:32
the one that we never published. But yeah, I did say if I had to
5:36
get one Vikings jersey, and it was before he was traded.
5:41
Mm hmm. I I think we've only ever
5:44
recorded after Thielen has been. Away from the team, Maybe not
5:50
already on the Panthers, but I think our first episode.
5:53
Anyways. Wow, this is this is pretty
5:55
awesome. Thanks man.
5:56
So just to let myself off the hook a little bit, it as you
6:00
know, fans may know jerseys are very expensive, but once a
6:05
player leaves A-Team, those jerseys get a lot less
6:07
expensive. So this definitely entered the
6:10
realm of budget of getting a friend a gift.
6:13
So, so don't feel bad about that.
6:15
This is great. It's a little big, but wear it
6:17
proudly when you wear it on a display.
6:19
I sure will. And that's a happy birthday.
6:21
Yeah. Thanks.
6:22
Appreciate that. Happy belated birthday.
6:24
That is super cool. It'd be awesome to get it
6:27
signed. Oh, that would be cool.
6:28
Adam Thielen, if you're listening, we we have something
6:32
for you to sign that we won't sell on eBay.
6:35
I say we It's Evan. We'll put it in the the skull
6:37
cave here. Yeah.
6:38
The Skull cave. You're adopting the name.
6:40
I love it. The school cave.
6:43
That's what this is known as. Now, so I'm a little shocked
6:46
that you had never had or you hadn't had a jersey, not as an
6:49
adult. Interesting.
6:51
As a child, I had and I still have a Dante Culpepper jersey
6:55
and I have that Robert Smith signed jersey that I've had
6:59
forever. Yep, Evan says that because he's
7:01
pointing behind us. If you're listening to US audio,
7:06
you won't see it, but we are releasing this video on YouTube
7:10
and I believe Spotify. Yeah, Spotify and YouTube you
7:13
can watch. So if you check us out there,
7:15
you can clearly see the skull cave in all its glory.
7:18
Are pretty faces. But also Evan's awesome display
7:21
case, which features a Robert Smith jersey.
7:25
Yeah. I am not a Vikings fan and it is
7:27
a very cool showcase of Vikings memorabilia.
7:32
So yeah, we're only hoping to add to it as we go.
7:36
Yeah, like Kirk Cousins, we. Could probably find a spot for a
7:40
Lombardi trophy. Oh, we sure could.
7:43
Ours would be replica, but who knows.
7:46
Is there a Lombardi for podcasts?
7:48
I don't know. We should make one.
7:50
We can declare ourselves the Lombardi podcast winners, I
7:54
think. That's a little premature, but.
7:56
Come on, man, we'll make one I. Think you got to win the
8:00
Lombardi Trophy to reference it, but?
8:03
Well, we're on our way. Let's.
8:05
Let's stop there. So, all right, well, Austin and
8:10
I don't really want to talk about what happened on Monday
8:13
night, but it's kind of our typical episode to talk about
8:19
the Vikings game in retrospect as well as look ahead to next
8:24
week. And seeing as there is no game
8:26
this coming week for either the Bears or the Vikings, they're
8:28
both on buys. Yep.
8:30
I guess we have to talk about it at least for a little bit.
8:34
I just want to start this off. On a On a good note, I want to
8:37
say I was right. You were right.
8:40
I did predict this game. Pre season we had, I think it
8:45
was Episode 3, and maybe you even mentioned it on episode
8:49
two. We picked every game of the
8:51
season and we talked about our locks to win and our locks to
8:56
lose. Just our personal opinion on the
8:58
games they're they're were for sure going to win and the ones
9:01
they'd for sure lose. I can't off the top of my head,
9:04
think about the lock to win that I chose.
9:06
But I know the lock to lose was this Bears game, so I take as
9:11
much pride as I can in correctly guessing the lock to win the
9:16
lock to lose. You've only picked one game
9:18
incorrectly. Right, that's true.
9:21
According to my preseason picks, the only game I have picked
9:24
incorrectly so far was week one against the Buccaneers.
9:28
I said the Vikings would win that one.
9:29
They've lost. They lost that game.
9:31
But other than that, I'm, I think I'm perfect.
9:34
Yeah, you're game for game other than the Bucks, so.
9:36
You're picking your team to be 6 and six at this point.
9:40
Yeah, I believe so. We have it right behind me,
9:41
Seven and five I think. Because the one.
9:44
The one. Yeah, you're right.
9:46
You're right. OK.
9:47
And I actually, I think I was a little more optimistic.
9:49
I was like 8 and three at this point going into the bye week.
9:52
So Yep. Yep, the coin was very
9:55
optimistic. It had us at like 9 and.
9:58
Or Coin had us on like a nine game win streak at one point.
10:01
That was that was fun. Go back and listen to that one.
10:03
I think it was episode 3. I was gonna say, Austin, I mean,
10:07
I think you had more faith that the Vikings were gonna lose than
10:12
most Bear fans, that the Bears were gonna win this game.
10:15
So, well, heading into the game a week ago today I was I was
10:21
convinced this was gonna be a Vikings win.
10:25
Evan on early on in the live stream, I think even before the
10:28
game officially started, said he predicted the Vikings to win
10:32
2814. And I didn't disagree with him,
10:36
but man, the Vikings took offense to you picking them to
10:39
win. They they did not win 2414.
10:43
They scored one touchdown, and the Bears didn't score any
10:46
touchdowns. And they won.
10:49
It's still hard to do. Which isn't.
10:50
I mean that I'm not even the first time.
10:52
Impressed. I mean, I don't know what the
10:54
stats are on that, even not just this season, but overall in
10:58
general, yeah, it's it's not an easy task.
11:01
Yeah, so. Considering weather was not a
11:04
factor, I mean so. It was just gravity.
11:09
The pasture not fell back to earth, and the Vikings were
11:14
terrible. I don't want to take too much
11:16
credit away from the Bears because.
11:18
They won. But man, from my view, it's just
11:21
the Vikings couldn't get out of their own way.
11:24
They couldn't make correct decisions.
11:26
I mean, yeah, the Bears had four interceptions, but Dobbs made
11:30
those. Not the hardest interceptions in
11:33
the. World It could have been 5.
11:35
It probably should have been way.
11:36
More than the one that Jaylen Johnson dropped.
11:39
Oh yeah, pick 6. Pretty it looked like.
11:41
Is that the one where Fields was in the background and looked
11:43
like he? Was it might have dunk.
11:45
Yeah, Yeah. It was almost the, I wouldn't
11:48
say the easiest, but he he read the route and it almost looked
11:52
like he he had eyes for then zone before he made the catch.
11:55
So yeah, which I mean, who wouldn't?
11:57
I I would If I was not in my physical shape and in the
12:02
ability to play in the NFL, I'd be super excited.
12:05
But yeah, I It was just a frustrating game.
12:09
As a Vikings fan, I'm sure it was frustrating a lot as a Bears
12:13
fan. So, so yes, I mean.
12:16
It's it's not what we don't expect as a Bears fan.
12:21
I mean to to go in you know you're expecting to lose first
12:27
of all I mean with the season we're having but you you had
12:30
this this idea that we're going to at least be competitive with
12:34
with the way we played it against Detroit you know the
12:37
week before we looked decent defense looks like it's it's
12:41
definitely coming together I mean but.
12:47
In typical Bears fashion, you know especially when you guys
12:49
scored that go ahead touchdown, it felt like another OK, the
12:55
Bears are doing this on purpose because they want draft
12:59
position. I mean that's I think that's the
13:02
only normal thing you can think of.
13:04
How do you play so dominant but only come up with, I mean in the
13:09
end 12 points but one alone nine points.
13:12
But when you guys took the lead, it just it felt like.
13:15
How? How is that possible?
13:17
So yeah, somebody in our live stream, was it Joey or JK was
13:22
saying, kept saying over and over, bears are gonna bear.
13:25
Yeah, it was. It was JK.
13:27
He's a a Browns fan. He's been in both of our live
13:29
streams so far. But yeah, he just kept saying
13:32
don't worry, like the Bears are gonna bears.
13:34
Like eventually they're gonna, they're gonna throw it away.
13:37
And Justin Fields, RB1HE fumble twice in critical moments.
13:41
And that last fumble you had? Should have been the sealer if
13:45
not for KO CS very blatant poor I I I describe it as his ability
13:53
to like play the game of football like the actual chess.
13:58
You know eye in the sky game of football.
14:00
He's he's not great at that. He can analyze every play.
14:04
He can read defenses. He can tell the quarterback
14:07
exactly what to do. But when it comes to clock
14:09
management and timeouts. And like strategy of what place
14:14
to call, where it's showing that in critical moments.
14:17
That's a weak, weak point of his game and he needs to get better
14:21
at that. Yeah, I would say too.
14:24
There were a lot of penalties down the stretch for the Bears.
14:27
Oh throughout the whole game that's I mean and and I know you
14:31
know I I didn't debate you know 11 call that the rest made
14:35
obviously or placing past interference holding calls on on
14:40
the bears. It just was funny that the
14:43
majority at least in the first half of your first downs came
14:46
from Bears penalties. I mean, yeah, I mean it just, it
14:49
just was that one of those type of games where we we had your
14:54
number but we couldn't, we we just couldn't, couldn't come up
14:59
with how to stop you completely. So our best option was take,
15:04
take the penalty yards and then live for another series.
15:07
So I think if I remember right, the Vikings had three total
15:10
first downs at the half. Two of them were on penalties
15:14
and one of them was earned. And it was a rushing first down.
15:17
And I think it was, which is crazy.
15:18
Was it Dobbs that rushed for like, oh?
15:20
I don't remember Madison or no. Madison had only.
15:22
One yard rush. At one point Madison had a big
15:25
breakout run, I remember. But anyways, yeah, I agree with
15:29
you too, Austin and KOC. Really struggled to call the
15:33
game and it wasn't just in the fourth quarter.
15:35
I think it was all game long. I don't think he knew how to
15:39
respond to Dobbs struggling. Yeah, like he did so.
15:44
And I think I said it on the live stream.
15:46
It almost seemed like because that that first game that Dobbs
15:49
played, he didn't start, but he played a lot of the most of the
15:53
Atlantic game. And after that week, they were
15:55
kind of saying that, you know, in the earpiece, KOC would tell
15:59
Dobbs what words to say to the rest of the huddle.
16:02
And then they would break and as they were going up to the up to
16:05
the line of scrimmage in his earpiece, still KOC would be
16:08
telling Dobbs like, OK, this is what that play means and this is
16:11
what you're going to see. I wonder if, I mean Dobbs has
16:14
been there what, a month now, something like that.
16:19
I wonder if that has kind of gone away a little bit because
16:23
you would assume Dobbs is at least a little bit more
16:26
comfortable with the playbook. Obviously not all the way good.
16:29
You know you wouldn't expect that a month in, but.
16:32
Maybe there's something he he's a smart guy.
16:35
Like maybe there's something he has learned and they've gotten
16:38
to some sort of a a rapport on like OK you you know this now so
16:42
we don't have to be as detailed in that pre snap earpiece.
16:47
Total speculation on my part. I'm just guessing, but maybe
16:51
they would have had to go back to that.
16:53
Like, all right, let me hold your hand on everything again.
16:55
Yeah, I I would say it could be part of that.
16:58
I also say that. There's now, you know 3, 1/2,
17:02
whatever, four games of film on on Dobbs with Vikings.
17:05
I think the Bears knew that they wanted to cover the edge and
17:09
they did that pretty much. I mean you didn't see these
17:12
breakout runs by Dobbs, you know, to extend plays or or or
17:16
get a first down type thing. So I think that has an
17:20
advantage. So I think teams are are
17:24
starting to not that you didn't have film on Dobbs before, but
17:27
with a new team you still have to re analyze how they're going
17:30
to use that quarterback so exactly I think I think it
17:33
worked to the the Bears advantage to have that much game
17:37
film on that so. Yeah, if you know you're going
17:40
up against Josh Dobbs and his way of being special is by, you
17:46
know, extending plays or. Getting out of danger by running
17:50
around a little bit when he has to.
17:52
You're going to make sure that that doesn't happen.
17:54
Just like you know if you're going up against a team that has
17:56
a really good running back, you're going to focus on taking
17:59
that running back away as much as you can.
18:01
To your point, Dobbs had two rushes for 11 yards, and that
18:05
doesn't even count the I don't know how many times he was
18:08
sacked, I don't know how many times he tried to run and there
18:11
just wasn't anything there. But officially he had two for 11
18:16
which. It seems like that was his
18:18
superpower and once you take that away, once you get in his
18:21
face a little bit, some of those interceptions were he just got
18:25
scared and threw it up. Yeah, it was definitely.
18:29
It was hard to watch at times because we just hadn't seen that
18:34
from Josh Dobbs as a Viking in those first two games.
18:37
I mean, we just saw this electric player who could run
18:40
and throw and he was, he was fine.
18:42
And Jordan Addison, he was fine. And TJ Hawkinson, he like just
18:47
developed this instant chemistry with those guys.
18:49
And on Monday night against the Bears, it's like all of that
18:53
magic just kind of faded away and he didn't have that same
18:57
chemistry. TJ dropped a couple.
18:59
I think in the first half he couldn't connect with Addison at
19:02
all. That first pass attempt that was
19:05
deflating that long attempt to Allison.
19:09
I I I truly respect the play call on that and the fact of the
19:14
matter is. It didn't work.
19:16
And then you guys really didn't take another big shot like that.
19:21
No. And I I couldn't believe I was
19:23
expecting at least a couple more like that.
19:26
Especially I like on a after you get a first down type play, take
19:30
a big shot down there. I think I was just amazed, first
19:34
of all, that you didn't. And then I think this was the
19:36
first game you really, I mean, you could say it during the
19:39
Denver game, but this is where you've missed Justin Jefferson.
19:42
I mean, to have another. Another outlet to for him to go
19:46
to. And to take those big shots,
19:49
those plays take a couple more seconds to develop.
19:53
And you said it earlier for us, the Bears and I think the
19:57
defense as a whole played really well.
19:58
But the defensive line just gave the Vikings offensive line and
20:02
in turn, Josh Dobbs fits. I think it was.
20:06
I don't know who was saying it in the chat, Jki Think was
20:09
saying. Maybe it was that other Bears
20:11
fan that showed up in our in our live stream.
20:14
Was saying they were saying like Montez Sweat has made a bunch of
20:19
difference for the Bears defensive.
20:21
Line that was obvious I. I I wrote that in in my my side
20:25
notes is the Bears defence looks strong the last couple weeks.
20:29
I mean, yeah, they're one in one but you can't deny they gave the
20:34
Lions some fits. They're all healthy, it looks
20:38
like pretty much now. And and adding sweat to to this
20:42
I think, I think right now I mean Ryan polls looks like he's
20:45
trying to to do something for for next year.
20:49
So you have to respect the move. So that sweat trade, initially I
20:54
was like what? Like I didn't quite understand
20:56
it. Obviously he's a good player,
20:57
but it didn't make a whole lot of sense.
20:59
Obviously that's a move for the Bears for the future.
21:02
Yeah, it'll help this season, but that's more of a building.
21:05
And then when they signed him to the long term contract
21:07
afterwards, it made a little bit more sense.
21:09
But yeah, you're right, the Lions game and then especially
21:11
against the Vikings, he's showcasing that.
21:14
He's a really good player and it it showed up on the field
21:19
against the Vikings and the Lions.
21:20
But I don't know Brian O'Neill, that may have been his worst
21:25
game all season, but that's because Montez Sweat was just
21:29
eating him alive. You don't have AJJ and Jordan
21:35
Addison, and really no other receiver stepped up.
21:37
Brandon Powell. The few good pass plays seemed
21:41
to be him catching the ball. He seemed to make not just
21:45
catching the ball he he seemed to be doing some good key blocks
21:48
though too for a few plays at least.
21:51
So I would say, I mean from a value perspective, I mean yeah
21:55
or laid on in the second-half Hawkinson was was vital but see
21:59
Pow Powell I think for you guys was.
22:03
Was a a good, great player to have on the field so.
22:05
I noticed too, CJ Hamm was in the game quite a bit, a little
22:10
bit more and I think that was for blocking purposes.
22:15
I think it was because Sweat and the rest of the Bears defensive
22:19
line were really getting after it.
22:20
And so that was kind of a like, well, this is a last ditch
22:23
effort to see if we can't figure something out and it never
22:28
really worked. Even throwing our our full back
22:30
in there just didn't. Didn't pan out.
22:33
But yeah I mean credit to the Bears they they figured
22:37
something out. They they game playing really
22:38
well. And the defense, the Bears it
22:40
was a defensive game all around because the Vikings best phase
22:44
of the ball was their defense. I.
22:45
Mean. When you end up with a 1210 game
22:48
and the winning team doesn't have a touchdown, I mean so.
22:53
And on top of that, the Bears kicker first kick was missed.
23:00
It was it was missed. And the other one I think the
23:03
only like what did they make the red zone twice maybe but that
23:09
one was obviously right within the 20 that's when fields fumble
23:12
you know and blew blew a chance to to get the two possession
23:17
leads. So, so yeah, credit to both
23:20
teams defenses. I mean they they came out and
23:23
played so. Let's shift gears and let's talk
23:27
a little bit about the quarterback situation.
23:29
Obviously, the Vikings are in a little bit more of a conundrum
23:32
than the Bears. The Bears have Justin Fields
23:35
back now. So I got words, but go ahead
23:37
with. The And we can definitely talk
23:38
about the Bears quarterback situation because I think there
23:42
are still some question marks there.
23:45
But the Vikings situation with Dobbs playing as poorly as he
23:50
did on Monday night? Really raises some big question
23:53
marks going into the bye week and you've got Jaron Hall
23:57
healthy now. I saw that they released Sean
24:00
Mannion off the practice squad. So it's really between Nick
24:04
Mullins, who's now back from IR, Jaron Hall, who's now healthy
24:08
from his concussion, and Josh Dobbs.
24:11
Those are your those are your options at quarterback moving
24:14
forward. Well I was a little surprised
24:18
that they didn't make an in game quarterback change for the
24:22
Vikings. I mean after you throw 4
24:25
interceptions, I don't know how how you can have any kind.
24:29
I don't care if Tom Brady is out there and he throws us 4th, like
24:32
obviously something is going on. He's not in it.
24:36
You need to pull him out. You need to try to change the
24:39
look somehow. So I I'm of the mindset you have
24:44
to make the change. I and I think it's understood,
24:48
obviously they haven't come out and said everything.
24:51
KFC, the most he said was a reporter asked him like, what
24:54
are you thinking about the quarterback position and he said
24:57
something to the tune of we're going to look at at all options.
25:01
So that tells you right there they're at least open to it.
25:03
He didn't say, oh immediately, right now it's still Dobbs team
25:06
or anybody. He didn't name a name, but I
25:10
think they got to make the change.
25:11
And I almost don't care who it is because it's either Mullins
25:15
or Hall. And I think Hall in his two
25:17
drives showed you something. But to that point, Job or Josh
25:22
Dobbs showed you something too, until he didn't.
25:25
And Nick Mullins, he's got some experience starting outside of
25:29
the Vikings and then some experience in the system with
25:32
the Vikings. So I think either could be a
25:34
good choice. They just got to make a change.
25:37
Dobbs doesn't have it. I did see something on Twitter.
25:39
I forget who said this and I should have written it down or
25:43
screenshotted it or something. But.
25:45
Somebody out there in the Twitterverse today said
25:46
something along the lines of, you know, we forget that Kirk
25:49
Cousins had, I think it was 7 picks and five fumbles in the
25:54
first two games of the season. Wow.
25:56
Or something like that. I may have my numbers crossed.
25:58
I don't. I don't know if you ever had
25:59
more. I guess you said picks and
26:02
fumbles. Yeah, never mind.
26:05
But if that stat is accurate, which I didn't take the time to
26:09
look it up, I just believe everything that I see on the
26:11
Internet, because it's the Internet and it's true.
26:13
But. If that's truly the case, I
26:18
mean, that averages out over a couple of games to be about what
26:22
Dobbs had in one game. So I don't know you, you kind of
26:27
have to take that with a grain of salt.
26:29
And obviously Josh Dobbs is not Kirk Cousins has way less
26:34
experience and is a much different quarterback than Kirk
26:37
is. But.
26:39
I don't know. I'm just playing devil's
26:41
advocate a little bit. I agree with you.
26:43
I think a change should be made. Or at least they should take a
26:48
good long look at that quarterback position over this
26:52
extended bye week. Yeah, and make the best
26:55
decision. Possible.
26:56
That's it's a great point. With the the stats, I mean, I
27:00
didn't realize that either. I mean, I guess as an outsider,
27:04
if you're a Vikings fan, I mean, besides.
27:09
The the destruction against Chicago.
27:12
I mean Dobbs has pretty much won you at least one game.
27:16
I mean the Atlanta game, I I'd say, you know he he he solely
27:20
won you that game. I mean the Denver game, I mean,
27:25
yeah, he he definitely could have played better.
27:28
But I don't think he played poor.
27:31
And then obviously he won the other game.
27:34
I forget who was the the Saints. The Saints.
27:37
Thank you. Yeah, that's a tough one.
27:40
That's a tough one. I, I and I don't say this like
27:44
just because we got 4 picks off of him, but I would, I would
27:50
challenge that you keep him, you know, at least let him play a
27:53
little bit, especially with Jefferson's coming back.
27:57
See see what kind of chemistry I mean you got.
28:00
I I think you got more experience with Dobbs than you
28:05
got obviously, with Hall. I mean, he's a rookie, so yeah.
28:09
If if you're really aiming for for that playoff spot, I think,
28:13
I think Dobbs is your best shot at it.
28:16
So that's just an outsider's perspective.
28:19
Well, we we take your ideas and we we crumpled them up.
28:26
That's how I thought to your point though, about Dobbs and
28:30
his play in these last few games.
28:32
If you really look at it, he came in in relief of Jaren Hall
28:36
because of concussion in the Atlantic game early on and he
28:40
looked rough. I mean, from the safety to he
28:45
had a fumble that looked like an interception, but either way it
28:49
was a turnover. And another fumble.
28:52
It looked really rough early on and then something clicked.
28:56
I think it was his mobility and he just played F it football and
28:59
had some really good blocks and locked into some stuff and got
29:02
really excited and the momentum was on the way.
29:05
So probably the second-half of the Atlanta game he looked
29:09
decent and it was really fun and they won.
29:12
And then the next game was the Saints and they came out and I
29:16
think in the first half he had something like 220 passing
29:19
yards, a touchdown or two rushing touch.
29:23
He looked amazing the first half and it was a lot of fun.
29:26
It was the passer knots back again.
29:28
It was exciting. And then the second-half, which
29:33
kind of gets overlooked because the Vikings ultimately won.
29:37
But the second-half Dobbs didn't look so great.
29:40
He only had like 40 yards passing in the second-half.
29:44
I don't know his rushing numbers, but it wasn't it wasn't
29:47
great. If he played both halves like he
29:50
played the second-half, he would have been benched long ago.
29:54
And then the Broncos game. After the Saints game, we're
29:57
still on the Josh Dobbs high because his overall Saints
30:00
numbers look pretty good because of that first half and the win.
30:03
And then he starts to show some cracks.
30:06
But it's OK because it's on the road and you know there's a
30:09
little bit more tape out there and the Broncos have butthole
30:14
eyes. Quarterback with some pedigree.
30:17
And you know the Broncos get paid to coach.
30:19
Yeah. Oh, not quarterback.
30:21
Yeah, And then he comes and lays this egg against the Bears and
30:29
now you're starting, you know the the high of the Atlanta game
30:32
in the first half of the Saints game are wearing off and we're
30:35
really seeing what what he is, I believe and I think.
30:39
That's weird. Not one of those people that I
30:41
mean they they projected it. I think they said Dobbs before
30:45
this game was owned for in the night games.
30:48
The Valentine games, well, as Vikings fans.
30:50
They projected this and and you know.
30:53
Darn well with with the Cousins, you know, Mojo.
30:56
Yep. That, that.
30:58
Maybe. Maybe it's maybe it's not a
30:59
quarterback thing, maybe it's a Vikings thing.
31:01
I don't know. We're no stranger to that
31:03
narrative. Yeah, for sure.
31:05
We know that narrative well, yeah, exactly.
31:07
But to your point, I know you're playing devil's advocate a
31:09
little bit. Dobbs was not the only player on
31:12
the field. He wasn't the only one out there
31:14
with a job to do. We mentioned Brian O'Neill.
31:16
The whole offensive line in general didn't look great.
31:19
Receivers weren't there. Like Koc could have coached
31:23
better. Really.
31:24
It's just the, I mean down to Ryan Wright, the punter.
31:27
He didn't. He has not looked great all
31:30
year. It's just they've been winning
31:32
and it's been masked a little bit.
31:34
So it's not all Dobbs fault, but when you're the quarterback, you
31:39
get all the blame and all the credit.
31:40
And right now he's getting a lot of blame.
31:42
Yeah. That's the position.
31:43
But I go back to I think, Evan, maybe maybe either one of you
31:47
guys said it early in the podcast is.
31:49
Why didn't you make a quarterback change?
31:52
I mean, especially, yeah, 4/4 interceptions.
31:56
I mean with three of them maybe in the first half and just like
32:00
I couldn't believe that they want to at least try something
32:03
new IT. It just kind of blew my mind
32:07
that I didn't see Jaren Hall either in in in that game.
32:10
So but it's not. It's not not my.
32:15
Not my problem to have. We'll see what happens here.
32:18
I mean it's it's nice that the bye week is here and Koc and
32:23
everyone else can kind of take some time, look at some film and
32:30
figure some stuff out. I think Koc needs to take some
32:32
time and do a little self audit as well of his own coaching and
32:37
play calling and examine some of those late game.
32:42
You know, we're up by a score or we're up by a thin margin.
32:47
And you know what he's doing in those moments because the Saints
32:53
game slipped away or almost slipped away.
32:56
The Broncos game could have been won.
32:58
The Bears game could have been won.
33:01
It's it's been frustrating. It's actually kind of amazing
33:06
that the games, and I know it's all about.
33:09
When you play team and and who's injured and I'm not taking away
33:12
from your your wins at all you you you have to win when who you
33:16
play and on a certain date but it's it's kind of crazy that if
33:20
you were to tell me that you'd win against the 49ers and and
33:25
and and I would even throw Saints in there because they
33:29
they were a team you know that I think could have could have won
33:31
but and then you lose to and now the Broncos on the rise but the
33:35
Broncos and then you lose the bear edge.
33:38
I would have flipped those, those four games and said you
33:41
lose the other two and win win those.
33:44
I I just, it's football's a funny thing, so.
33:46
Yeah, yeah, definitely is. Well, even the Broncos, I mean,
33:49
you go back to their game against the Dolphins where they
33:52
they let the Dolphins score 70 points.
33:55
Like how do you, how do you win any games when?
33:57
You had it and ever since that is like that's what the the slap
34:01
and face they needed to start start actually playing football.
34:05
So yeah. Yeah.
34:07
They figured it out for sure, or at least in the last handful of
34:10
games. I mean, they're, what, five wins
34:12
in a row? I mean, jeez, yeah, they're one
34:14
and five and now they're six and five.
34:16
What about the Bears quarterback situation?
34:19
How do you feel? OK, yeah, that's going to be
34:20
keep it short. But I mean, I've said on the
34:24
last podcast I am not a Justin Fields fan.
34:27
I'm not not so on them. I wasn't so on when we drafted
34:30
the the dude, yes. I mean, the dude is athletic.
34:35
As all get out, you can see it in in the game we played against
34:38
you he extended plays rolling out of the pocket and then you
34:42
see stupid plays. I mean everyone fumbles
34:46
eventually, but to to have him be aware of the situation,
34:51
especially the one on like the 25 yard line ball security, all
34:56
you have, the field goal, what are you doing so and and what
35:01
hurts I think the most. As as I've seen Fields play is,
35:06
it doesn't seem like he cares. Like when he does something
35:10
stupid or makes a mistake he's like Oh well and and I
35:15
understand it's an emotional game and I don't want him to be
35:18
so upset that it impacts his play for the rest of the game.
35:22
But he it just doesn't seem like he has any emotion.
35:26
You you look at replays when he he fumbles or makes a stupid
35:30
mistake and he walks out the field with.
35:32
Because he always takes his helmet off for some odd reason
35:36
and you just see it on his face that he doesn't care.
35:39
And the and and it speaks volumes.
35:42
And I don't know if it's just that he doesn't care.
35:46
He knows he's going to get picked up by another team
35:49
somewhere. Maybe that's what he wants.
35:50
I don't know. Well, as a Vikings fan, I hope
35:53
he has at least one more game kind of like this where it looks
35:57
like he's decent so that the Bears get soft or cold feet on
36:02
drafting another guy. Well I was I was going to
36:04
mention this at the end of the podcast what's next But I'll
36:07
I'll I'll just say it right now is Ryan Polls has got a it's
36:11
it's an audition for for Justin Fields.
36:13
I think for the rest of the season.
36:15
Ryan Polls has got to pull some big data and is this is his guy
36:19
or not because there's a lot of good quarterbacks coming for
36:25
this draft. Not that I want another project
36:28
but. If you're gonna invest in in the
36:32
Justin Fields game, you're gonna do it so maybe the Bears can
36:36
draft your guy JJ McCarthy, and then you can revel in.
36:42
JJ hasn't even. He hasn't declared yet.
36:45
He'll obviously he'll declare. When?
36:48
Right after they lose to the Hawkeyes.
36:50
This, this week. Whatever.
36:50
Whatever. Whatever.
36:53
But anyway, yeah, I'm kidding. By the way, I want to make it
36:55
clear I. Don't I I I will.
36:56
I will say one thing going back to Justin Fields you you always
37:00
reference Austin that he's RRB one.
37:03
Do you know the stats I pulled on on Dobbs on his rushing?
37:08
He is your #2 in the weeks 9 through 12.
37:12
He has 142 yards mass in 204. But on week nine he was your
37:18
leading rusher? Yeah, so.
37:20
That make him your RB2, just throwing it back at you.
37:24
To that point, I think Dobbs, I don't have the numbers right in
37:27
front of me. I think he has the second most
37:29
rushing yards on the team. Yeah, he literally may be RB2,
37:34
so. Behind OK, behind Madison, I
37:36
think. He is and I respect you you you
37:38
calling that out. So considering you always call
37:41
Justin Fields RB One, so just had just had to throw it out
37:45
there at least for you guys the starter.
37:50
Yeah, it's definitely been an interesting quarterback
37:52
situation for the Bears and the Vikings, I think.
37:55
Yeah, it's it's crazy to think of.
37:57
I mean, at least I think you guys have an idea.
38:01
Do you want to sign Kirk Cousins another year or two?
38:05
I mean, you hope he recovers from from this injury as as
38:11
100%. I mean, I'd never like to see a
38:13
guy go down like that, but you also have to keep that in mind.
38:16
He's getting older and will he recover as well so.
38:20
We saw Aaron Rodgers back on the field today.
38:23
Yes, I saw that. I think I'm going to injure my
38:25
eyes if I give the full effort into an eye roll that I want to
38:30
give. For that, the The Jets literally
38:34
have a .4% chance of making the playoffs.
38:37
I saw that he is not coming back.
38:40
If there's no playoff chance. He just wants to.
38:45
He's gonna. He wants to beat the medical
38:48
odds and he wants to be the one that I could have come back.
38:51
I just, you know, we just weren't in the race anymore, so
38:54
it didn't make any sense. I was good if we if we would
38:56
have made the playoffs so it would have been good.
38:58
That's what he's going to say on Pat McAfee.
39:00
He's not coming back. I I I would agree.
39:02
I mean there's no sense of him coming back and trying to re
39:07
injure on a you know he's not going to be 100% anyways but but
39:13
it does make the the storyline for the offseason.
39:16
What does he do? So yeah, super ideal.
39:19
You mentioned Forest signing Kirk after this season and
39:25
initially I I wanted that. I I'm a Kirk Cousins fan, but I
39:30
don't know how much sense it makes.
39:33
Jared Allen came out. I don't know if it was yesterday
39:36
or today he was. I think he was on a podcast or
39:39
something. But he mentioned like, yeah,
39:43
when you're 3536 like Kirk is and you suffer that kind of an
39:47
injury in a contract year, it doesn't make any sense to throw
39:51
even. I mean a cheap deal to sign Kirk
39:54
would be like $20 million. That would be most of a full
39:58
contract for a first round quarterback.
40:01
I mean, I don't, I don't think it makes sense numbers wise to
40:05
bring him back when you just don't know, I mean.
40:08
Well, and the idea was, I mean there was a reason why you
40:14
drafted Hall last year. I mean I I I guess why draft him
40:23
if you're gonna just sign Kurt? You know, I I I just, I think
40:30
the organization at that point, at least during draft day was,
40:35
yeah, this is Kirk Cousins last year with us.
40:38
And you always have to get them in cheap, obviously so.
40:42
Evan, for this year, what are your thoughts?
40:45
Let's assume they make a quarterback change.
40:48
Who do you think it should be, and who do you want it to be?
40:53
Well, I mean at this point where where we are currently there,
41:00
there will be a quarterback change.
41:03
Not to say that I think steering away from what we were talking
41:09
about for a moment, I think Kirk could come back.
41:13
I think there is a strong possibility that he does.
41:17
I know that he's expressed interest in coming back.
41:21
He wants to retire as a Viking. He doesn't really have any
41:24
intentions of going anywhere else and I think he proved early
41:28
on in the season that he was playing at a high level.
41:31
Oh yeah. And I think the as much as we
41:35
don't want to admit it, I think the Aaron Rodgers narrative
41:38
might be helping Kirk's case a little bit.
41:41
Because we can. We can let Rodgers take all of
41:45
the. The glitz and the glam and the,
41:48
you know, all the interviews of Wow, you came back in 75 days or
41:52
whatever it was. And Kirk can just quietly do the
41:57
same thing without all of the publicity and come back next
42:04
September, play like he was this September.
42:07
Hopefully not like he was in the first couple of games 'cause he
42:10
was turning the ball over quite a bit, but playing well, playing
42:15
kind of. Week 4567 Kirk Cousins and we
42:21
were, I mean we were saying MVP. He was calibering that
42:24
territory. Like legitimately entering that
42:27
territory. And he's he's always been.
42:29
I mean, even going back to his days in Washington, he's always
42:32
been under the radar, heavily criticized.
42:36
He's not. He's not this guy.
42:39
He's not that guy. He's not a Tom Brady.
42:41
He's not a Russell Wilson. He's not a whatever.
42:45
And I don't know. I I think he's still got
42:47
football in him. I think.
42:49
I think Kevin O'Connell really, really trusts him and I think
42:55
they've worked well together. I think this offensive line
42:57
they've built to protect Cousins, I think there's a lot
43:02
of trust there as well. So I don't know all of that to
43:06
say. I don't know that they make a
43:09
change per SE. I think the change is we go back
43:12
to Kirk. Next season.
43:14
Interesting instead of. I I, I've, I think I've said
43:19
this before and I would say it again.
43:20
I don't know that you spend a draft pick, at least a high
43:24
draft pick on a quarterback. I know this is a very it's a
43:29
very quarterback heavy draft class, maybe one of the best.
43:34
But I was having this conversation with somebody the
43:36
other day. Like, who's to say that two
43:38
years from now, the quarterback class won't be just as good, if
43:42
not better? You know why?
43:44
Why do we have to you know burn everything down get rid of
43:48
everybody to bring in a new quarterback when we could keep
43:53
rolling with something that's worked pretty, pretty well and
43:58
then see what happens a couple years, right.
44:02
I'm I'm taking your your Cliff notes on that's what the Bears
44:05
need to do is they need if they don't want Justin Fields they
44:10
don't need to draft you know someone quarterback wise that
44:15
has failed them several times they need to go out they have
44:19
the money get a veteran quarterback and not saying Kirk
44:22
Cousins but they need they need a veteran quarterback pay the
44:28
dude the money and get this to get their this franchise the
44:32
Bears franchise back on on you know scale here then you you get
44:38
a rookie quarterback that can sit learn and and just just do
44:45
it that way. I it shows with the Packers.
44:50
It shows with with the Patriots that is I'd say the winning
44:55
combination. Let your draft pick rookie
44:59
quarterback sit at least two years let them learn the system
45:05
Let them just just learn the NFL game because it's much different
45:11
than the college game. You see too often I'm not
45:14
discrediting there are there are the good quarterbacks I mean CJ
45:18
Stroud's having a phenomenal year in Houston.
45:20
Wouldn't have wouldn't have thought that.
45:21
I mean I thought he was a good quarterback but I wouldn't have
45:24
said that he was going to have the year he's having as a rookie
45:27
but that's few and far between I think I I like I like your idea
45:33
I think the Vikings should do it.
45:35
I just don't know if they will with with Kirk Cousins, so.
45:39
Do you think Aaron Rodgers pulls a Brett Favre and leaves New
45:41
York and then comes to Chicago? I mean, if the money is there, I
45:46
don't know if Bears could could swallow that pill though.
45:49
They'll literally own. I mean, I mean, I don't think, I
45:52
just don't think the the relationship's there to to make
45:55
that happen. It would be rough.
45:56
It would definitely be worse than when Brett Favre came to
46:00
Minnesota, I think. So, yeah, yeah, we had somebody
46:03
in our chat. I think it was the the Slav.
46:08
Super Slav. Is that his name?
46:10
Sounds right. I'm so sorry.
46:11
If you're listening, we love that you're here.
46:13
Come to our next live stream next game against the Raiders.
46:18
Vikings. Raiders Yeah.
46:20
But I think it was him. He's AI think, he said.
46:22
He was in the Chicago area. He may even be a Bears fan, but
46:27
he was saying like the Bears and Packers rivalry is so crazy.
46:33
And the Vikings, Bears rivalry doesn't even register to Bears
46:37
fans, which is fine. It doesn't.
46:39
Yeah. I mean I'm sorry, but it
46:41
doesn't. That's like saying I'm, I'm, I'm
46:44
sorry I'm gone through a or a Michigan comment.
46:47
That's like saying the Michigan, Michigan State rivalry's as big
46:49
as the Michigan, Michigan, Ohio State rivalry.
46:52
It's a there's there's no there's no comparison.
46:57
I mean, it's just not it's a rivalry, but it's there's two
47:01
different levels though. Well, going back to my initial
47:05
question about a quarterback change, Koc in his press
47:11
conference I think yesterday on Monday or on Monday, so two days
47:16
ago said something or alluded to the idea that any quarterback
47:21
that's out there needs to be able to utilize your now healthy
47:27
Justin Jefferson. They activated him today,
47:30
yesterday. I think it was yesterday.
47:31
On Tuesday, they activated him. He's good to go, which is
47:35
awesome. That's super exciting.
47:37
That's kind of crazy that we're this far into this episode.
47:39
We haven't even mentioned that. But any quarterback that you
47:43
have starting almost like the the biggest aspect of who who
47:48
you choose to start is who can best utilize Justin Jefferson,
47:54
which I agree with what he's the best player on the team.
47:56
Justin Jefferson is. At least the best player on
48:00
offense. I think Daniel Hunter and
48:02
Harrison Smith may have some some other comments about who
48:06
the best player on the team is, but I'm saying JJ is Josh
48:10
Mantellis. Man, Josh Mantellis is awesome.
48:12
I don't think he's the best player on the team, but he's
48:14
definitely amazing he's up there.
48:16
He's up there, but yeah. Because they're forgetting that.
48:19
One interception that Kirk threw early on in the season and JJ
48:22
came back and just laid somebody out.
48:24
Oh yeah, tackle. I think he could play defense.
48:27
Yeah, maybe. Maybe he's also been out for a
48:29
while because true, an injury that defenders probably wouldn't
48:33
get. But yeah, unless you're it is a
48:37
hamstring. So Xavier Rhodes probably would
48:39
have been out for 1000 years because of that injury.
48:43
We don't need to talk about that.
48:44
I think you can make the case for either Mullins or Hall.
48:49
Mullins has that. He's been a backup, but behind
48:52
Kirk Cousins, so he's not going to be starting over Kirk.
48:56
But he's been in the meeting room.
48:57
He's had his helmet on, listening to everything on every
49:00
game. He has a similar athletic
49:04
ability to Kirk Cousins, so the offense is already built around
49:08
that. Theoretically.
49:11
He's really good and knowledgeable in the playbook
49:13
and the ways that KOC wants to play the game.
49:16
Jaron Hall, he's been. On the team since he was drafted
49:20
in April, he also has been in every meeting room and he's been
49:24
a guy behind Kirk Cousins and with his helmet on on the
49:27
sidelines hearing everything. But Hall, I think is a little
49:31
bit more mobile. So that's an aspect of the game
49:34
that you could another wrinkle you can throw in there in your
49:37
decision of quarterback. So I wouldn't be upset with
49:42
either of those at this point. I would be upset if they threw
49:45
Dobbs out there again. Yeah, I I mean you you raise up
49:50
good points. You have so many receiving
49:55
weapons and I'm not. I mean then you add in
49:58
Hawkinson, the tight end. It just, it just blows my mind
50:02
actually how how many weapons you have.
50:06
So maybe that is what you need is more of a like a Kirk Cousins
50:10
passing quarterback. I mean, the mobility, yeah,
50:14
helped you a few few games, but then obviously it hurt you
50:18
against Denver and Chicago, so. And it's gonna it's gonna depend
50:22
on the offensive line, too. I mean, you you can't have
50:26
another game like you did against the Bears where they
50:29
were just Swiss cheese and there were all these holes and the
50:35
quarterback ends up on the ground or throwing
50:38
interceptions. And to that point, not to crap
50:40
on Dobbs even more than we are. I already have this.
50:43
Go ahead and do it. But I saw someone tweet.
50:47
And I don't know who it was that Dobbs mobility and his like
50:53
liquidity. His movement around and outside
50:56
of the pocket against that Bears defensive line may have really
51:01
put a lot of strain on the tackles for sure.
51:05
So if you're not going to stay in the pocket, it's hard to keep
51:10
a clean pocket if you don't know where your quarterback is.
51:14
If you have a solid pocket quarterback, you know where you
51:17
need to block, right? If you have a quarterback that
51:20
could out of nowhere be running into you, it's hard to know
51:23
where to block. So it makes your your job as an
51:27
offensive tackle a lot harder, which then adds some confusion
51:31
and then can cause a sack or some pressure which leads the
51:35
quarterback to just throw a Willy nilly interception.
51:39
So I think a pocket passer. It makes a lot of sense in the
51:43
Vikings offense, just because it's more consistent and more
51:47
predictable for the offensive line and it plays to their
51:50
strengths. It's just when it's a good
51:54
point. Yep, when the things fall apart,
51:56
that's when running helps. But only if they fall apart and
52:00
you have a lane. Not if you get a little skittish
52:04
and you see ghosts. Yeah, well, it'll.
52:09
It'll be a long week, I think, for the Vikings.
52:12
And who do you have for the after the bye week?
52:16
Who's. Your Raiders?
52:17
To go to Vegas. OK, OK, so.
52:20
And who'd you say? The Bengals?
52:21
They're both away games, right? On the road, Yep.
52:24
OK. At Raiders, At Bengals.
52:26
Sorry, I didn't mean if you were going to ask that question, but.
52:29
No, that was curious. And then we've got that
52:32
three-game divisional stint to end the season.
52:34
Lions, Packers, Lions. So.
52:37
That'll be tough. It's going to come down to those
52:40
three games, and we've said this for a couple weeks now.
52:42
It's going to come down to those three games and now the Packers
52:46
are kind of right in that mix. We're on the verge,
52:49
unfortunately. The Vikings losing to the Bears,
52:51
I can't believe. I can't believe the Packers.
52:55
I can't believe they came and and beat the Lions in Detroit on
53:00
Thanksgiving. That I mean, besides the first
53:02
quarter. I think the Lions played decent
53:04
but it is just too far to come back from the I just couldn't
53:09
believe it when I watched that game so.
53:13
Well, you've got some information here from a fan.
53:18
I. Suppose we could call him.
53:20
A new Skull Hop follower, which we're grateful for, Dustin Baker
53:23
on Twitter today tweeted. More of.
53:28
Like I would say, an educated guess.
53:31
But it makes a lot of sense and I respect the opinion on what he
53:35
thinks. Depending on like how the
53:37
Vikings win or lose the next five games.
53:40
Going to the Raiders and the Bengals, hosting the Lions,
53:44
going to Green Bay and then. Got Green Bay at home.
53:48
OK, New Year's Eve. OK, so Raiders and Bengals away,
53:51
hosting the Lions and the Packers and then finishing off
53:55
in Detroit away. OK.
53:58
So, Evan, do you want to read out what Dustin Baker thinks
54:00
happens depending on the win totals?
54:02
Yeah, so his tweet from today said this is probably in all
54:06
caps, probably how the Vikings playoff fate would play out per
54:11
record in the remaining five games.
54:14
So if the Vikings win the next five games, they win the NFC
54:17
North, which makes sense because they have to play the Lions
54:19
twice. So you win both of those games,
54:23
you almost automatically are winning the division.
54:28
If they go four in one, they don't win the division, but they
54:31
get the sixth seed, which is where they were going into the
54:34
Bears game. And now I think they've slipped
54:36
down to the seventh seed after losing to the Bears.
54:40
Maybe they're still in the. 6th Maybe.
54:42
The only reason I would probably disagree with that is that
54:45
Dustin tweeted this out today. True.
54:48
So that was post bears game. So again, this is a a very
54:52
educated guess on Dustin, but. Well, and I'm.
54:55
I'm thinking through like if the season ended today, like that's
54:58
when you go to ESPN.com, that's what the that's the information
55:03
you're going to get. Yeah.
55:04
Anyway, so four and one, they're the sixth seed in the NFC.
55:08
Three and two in the next five games they get in the playoffs
55:13
for sure, but probably a sixth, maybe a seventh seed if they
55:19
only win two of the next five games and go two and three.
55:23
Dustin says their scoreboard watching in week 18, which means
55:26
it depends on other teams. Other teams would have to win
55:30
and or lose for the Vikings to then get in one and four.
55:35
Nope. O and five hail no.
55:40
So yes, I I definitely agree with that assessment of the
55:46
Vikings playoff hopes here. I think the five games are
55:50
winnable. And we've gone on A5 game win
55:53
streak before. I'm not going to say that we
55:55
will win all five. I don't think that's realistic.
55:58
But I think the toughest stretch of the Vikings schedule is
56:01
behind with. I mean, we played Philly, Kansas
56:06
City and San Francisco in the first eight weeks of the season.
56:10
So to have those huge games behind us and to have won one of
56:15
them. I think you feel pretty good as
56:19
a Vikings team going into the bye and then going into these
56:22
final five games. I think they make the playoffs.
56:25
That's my prediction. Yeah, as of right now, I think
56:28
they do too. Dustin followed that tweet up by
56:31
saying regardless, like if they make the playoffs, they're
56:34
probably going to Detroit or going to San Francisco on the
56:39
Wild Card weekend. Obviously, if they win the
56:41
division, they'll host a playoff game.
56:43
But they'd be. One of the lower seeded division
56:47
winners, so they would probably only host one if they win the
56:52
the South would be the lowest probably, yeah, so they're a
56:56
leader. Doesn't have a unit of 500
56:59
records, so. Yeah, I highly respect Dustin's
57:03
opinions there. Again, I know that they're
57:06
probably just or. It's all probably.
57:08
You know, it's a highly educated guess.
57:11
So there's no guarantees on what happens regardless of wins and
57:14
losses there. But I think at the moment, and I
57:19
may be wrong on this, but I think at the moment both the
57:22
Vikings and the Lions hold their own destiny still, even after
57:26
the Vikings lost to the Bears. I think if the Vikings win out
57:30
there, they will win the division because that means they
57:32
have beat the Lions twice, they have beat the Packers twice and
57:36
they split with the Bears among all the other conference and
57:40
division wins. That they have so far.
57:44
I think all of that hinges on what is now the most important
57:48
decision of the Vikings season and that is who starts at
57:52
quarterback. I just think off playbook equity
57:58
you have to make the change and you have to go with either
58:01
Mullins or Hall. It's just which one of those,
58:03
and I've said it before on this podcast, I trust the coaches.
58:06
I talk, I it's technically talking crap about KO, CS, game
58:11
management style. But I trust him.
58:14
I just hope he makes a confident yes, we're going with Nick or
58:17
yes, we're going with Jaron. So, so both of you expressed
58:22
that you want to change. So who do you want?
58:24
Do you want Hall or do you want Mullins?
58:27
Based on what you're given right now?
58:31
Just just what? What's your gut feeling?
58:35
Well, and and I don't know, I I've seen a lot of stuff on
58:38
Twitter. I I tend to maybe land in your
58:41
category a little bit Austin. Like yeah, I'll I'll trust the
58:45
coaches. I I think, I don't think there
58:48
is a wrong decision necessary. There is.
58:52
The wrong decision is to not make a change, but but, but you
58:56
guys have both said you want to change.
58:58
So to be clear, I'm asking. I'm asking you guys can split?
59:01
I didn't say that I wanted say I didn't say that I wanted Dobbs
59:05
out. I I still wonder if for the sake
59:09
of. Consistency for the sake of
59:11
chemistry, for the sake of, you know, giving the guy a chance,
59:17
which we have to some extent, and you know he's, he's not
59:22
played well the last couple of games, not as well as he did the
59:26
first two games that he played for the first.
59:28
Game and 1/2. Game and a half, sure, whatever.
59:31
But I I don't know, I I wonder if that's still an option on the
59:37
table. Do you keep him in there?
59:39
Maybe it's the the least popular decision, and maybe it gets a
59:44
ton of Flack on Twitter. But I mean, gosh, if you throw
59:49
Dobbs in there, who cares what people say on Twitter If we win,
59:52
Doesn't matter. If they come out at any point
59:55
and announce, yeah, Josh is still our guy, I can tell you
59:59
right now my personal Austin's opinion.
1:00:02
I'm furious. I respect your your thought
1:00:04
process and I'm not saying anything about you, but.
1:00:07
I'd be pretty. I, I, I'm, I'm going to wager
1:00:12
that Dobbs is going to be the starter for for Week 14.
1:00:17
I I just don't see how your organization after, you know,
1:00:22
let him play for, for what, four games or whatever, is just going
1:00:27
to be a switch? I I just don't see it.
1:00:30
I could be wrong. You guys know your organization
1:00:33
better than I do, but I just don't see it.
1:00:36
I would. I would just add one final stat
1:00:40
to the quarterback conversation. Josh Dobbs has two wins.
1:00:46
Nick Mullins as a starter for the Vikings?
1:00:49
Well, he did. He start against the Bears last.
1:00:53
No, I think Kirk did. No, No.
1:00:55
Did they bench the starters? Yeah, I think one of the the
1:00:58
funny, cool stats to throw out is the Vikings haven't had a
1:01:03
single quarterback start two straight seasons worth of games
1:01:07
since Fran Tarkenton, and I think that still holds true.
1:01:10
I'm pretty sure the Bears Vikings game we attended last
1:01:13
year. What in Chicago?
1:01:15
Last year, yeah, it was. It was last last season I.
1:01:19
Think you need to look that up and bring it up next.
1:01:21
I'm a lot of Fact Check that. I think.
1:01:24
I think Nick Mullen started that game.
1:01:26
I feel like Kirk started and then Nick came in in the
1:01:29
second-half. I I'd say it's worth it to even
1:01:32
pull that up right now and look it up all.
1:01:34
Right. Well, Even so.
1:01:36
Even if he did, even if he did, and I'll look this up, but even
1:01:39
if Nick did start that game in Chicago, Josh Dobbs has one more
1:01:44
win as a starter. And Jaren Hall that has zero
1:01:48
wins as a starter currently. So I I think there's there's
1:01:52
some merit there and I'll I'll. Say, but the Bears were playing
1:01:55
to lose last. Yeah, that was the number one
1:01:59
pick of the draft. Potentially so.
1:02:01
And I'll say even if I'm correct in saying Nick Mullins has that
1:02:05
one win under his belt as a Viking, it's all a moot point
1:02:09
because yeah, Darren Hall doesn't have as many wins.
1:02:12
He doesn't have as much opportunity.
1:02:14
Same for Nick Mullins. So you're you're not wrong.
1:02:18
We can't take those wins away from Josh Dobbs.
1:02:20
Those were fun. It was exciting.
1:02:22
The passionate era those two weeks was really fun until it
1:02:26
wasn't my if if it made me decide which don't ever make me
1:02:32
decide. I should never do that.
1:02:34
That's why I I'm not the coach or GM of the Vikings.
1:02:37
But if you made me decide right now, I would quick twitch lean
1:02:40
towards Nick Mullins. His play style is the most
1:02:44
similar to Kirk Cousins. Not saying he is Kirk Cousins,
1:02:48
but he probably fits. Better in the offense, the
1:02:51
system, the longest. Kirk started that game.
1:02:53
Did he? Seriously.
1:02:55
Yeah, Kirk started, and Mullins finished.
1:03:00
Are you looking at the right game?
1:03:02
This is last year, 29 to 13? No.
1:03:04
Is that the? At at 17 or week 18.
1:03:07
January 8th, 2023, We were there.
1:03:11
We went to this game. But, but I would agree with you,
1:03:13
Austin. If you're choosing I I would say
1:03:18
Mullins just because it's been in the system the longest.
1:03:22
I mean, what's the worst going to happen?
1:03:24
Yeah. You play him a series and if or
1:03:27
two and he looks like crap, you put someone else in.
1:03:31
I mean that's true. So I I'll eat.
1:03:34
I'll eat it. I was wrong.
1:03:36
I'm. I'm so sorry, faithful
1:03:37
listeners. You I'll do better.
1:03:40
I really will. Don't don't leave just because I
1:03:42
was wrong. But I was wrong.
1:03:43
You got me. I wasn't out to get you.
1:03:46
No, that's OK. It's all out of love.
1:03:48
I'm just, I'm just trying to prove a point here that you
1:03:51
you've been smiling ever. Since you, Josh Dobbs has more
1:03:54
wins than Hall and Mullins as a starter, and I've been on record
1:03:57
saying the only stat that matters is wins.
1:04:00
I don't care if you throw for a million yards what were your
1:04:03
wins like? All that matters is wins.
1:04:05
So to that point, you're right. I still say they need to make
1:04:10
the change. I respect you for saying maybe
1:04:13
they don't have to, but if it was up to me, that would have
1:04:17
already been publicly announced. We've sufficiently gotten
1:04:19
nowhere in this. Debate.
1:04:21
We'll we'll agree to agree with my opinion.
1:04:25
Or we'll just surrender to whatever Kevin O'Connell, which
1:04:30
is all we can do because we're just three dudes sitting in
1:04:33
Iowa. And I don't care about that like
1:04:35
you so two dudes that actually care with KOC.
1:04:39
So just want just want to put that on there Fairpoint.
1:04:43
Well, we'll probably have plenty to talk about next week.
1:04:46
Even though it is the bye week, there will likely be some news.
1:04:50
I mean we'll we'll have to know who's practicing and who's
1:04:53
taking those first team reps and obviously JJ coming back is a
1:04:58
big storyline as well, so we'll have plenty to talk about.
1:05:01
We don't plan to take a week off even though the team is not
1:05:04
playing. We'll have an episode next week
1:05:06
and we'll we'll keep rolling and we'll look ahead to the the
1:05:10
Raiders game. In that next episode as well.
1:05:13
But we, we had a little little moment on Apple Podcasts that I
1:05:18
think you wanted to share quickly.
1:05:19
Yeah, so we are. You can find us everywhere.
1:05:21
You find your favorite podcast, even on YouTube.
1:05:24
You can be watching us and looking at my beautiful face
1:05:26
right now. Or you can listen on Apple
1:05:30
Podcasts. And wherever you listen, please
1:05:33
give us a review. That would be greatly
1:05:35
appreciated. Tell us what we're doing right.
1:05:39
If you think we're doing a lot wrong, that's OK.
1:05:41
But don't leave a review. Just like tweet at us or
1:05:43
something and then we'll try to fix it.
1:05:45
And then you can leave us a review saying a five star review
1:05:47
saying that we fixed it, but we got a five star review.
1:05:51
So admittedly I pretty early on went on Apple podcast and just
1:05:56
left a non word review. I just hit the five stars.
1:06:00
I was wondering who the second one was.
1:06:01
So me I I gave a non worded 5 star review.
1:06:05
Pretty pretty biased review, but someone else gave us a little
1:06:11
little sentence. So on Apple podcast I'm going to
1:06:14
butcher this because I don't know how to how to stay this say
1:06:17
this. But Joe Steimel time S gave us a
1:06:23
review titled 2. Great guys, thanks.
1:06:28
And then he said what else can you say but Skull and beer and
1:06:32
beer. And that sums up our entire
1:06:34
podcast, except for the two episodes where we have invited
1:06:38
somebody from enemy territory on.
1:06:40
I appreciate that he has said skull before.
1:06:43
Forrest has said Skull before one time and I was there and I I
1:06:48
will never forget it usually. Forrest was the what was the
1:06:51
context? I'm sure you had had a few of
1:06:54
those. Yeah, exactly.
1:06:55
A few of those. Beverages.
1:06:56
It had nothing to do with with the Vikings being better than
1:06:59
the bears or anything like that. You still random?
1:07:02
You still said it, but we've enjoyed many beers together so
1:07:07
at least half of the podcast you can you can enjoy.
1:07:11
So yeah, if you two think we're doing a good job, please go out
1:07:14
to wherever you listen to us. Leave us a review, tweet at us.
1:07:20
If you think we can do better, let us know outside of reviews.
1:07:24
But yeah, that was pretty cool to see A to see a comment on
1:07:27
there. Yeah, yeah.
1:07:28
We definitely appreciate it and we'd love to hear from you in
1:07:32
any medium a review an e-mail. A tweet, a comment?
1:07:37
We'll we'll get back to you and where can they do all that?
1:07:40
Pretty much anywhere. I mean, if you're on the
1:07:42
Internet, yeah, you'd probably find us somewhere we we're on.
1:07:46
Myspace still. Open.
1:07:49
We're not on that. On that, yeah, but we can
1:07:51
resurrect that. I was on Myspace way back in the
1:07:53
day, but no, we're on Twitter, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube.
1:08:01
We have a newly operational website.
1:08:05
We do have our own website and we own the domain, yeah, so the
1:08:08
skullhop.com. You do have to type in
1:08:12
www.yeahitdoesntwork. If you don't do that,
1:08:15
www.theskullhop.com and you'll find everything you need to from
1:08:21
there. Yeah, including this episode.
1:08:23
It'll be posted there and along with just some other information
1:08:28
about us and links to everything else as well.
1:08:30
So. Hey, we're on Snapchat too.
1:08:32
So, yeah, come find us on Snapchat the school hop.
1:08:36
That's that's our name everywhere.
1:08:38
All right, what do we think of this beer?
1:08:40
The arms race from Big Grove. I've been nursing mine I.
1:08:44
Had a hole in my mug. Yeah, there's there's a hole in
1:08:47
mine too. I've been empty since before we
1:08:49
started talking about Dustin Baker's tweets.
1:08:51
But it's it's good. That's why I have a very.
1:08:53
Good. Very good selection.
1:08:55
Yeah, Big Grove does it well. Yeah.
1:08:57
So thank you, Big Grove. We enjoyed your beer.
1:08:59
We've had your other beers on here before.
1:09:01
We'll have many of yours again. Forrest, thanks so much for
1:09:05
coming on. Hey, thanks guys.
1:09:07
I really do appreciate this. Hopefully next year if this
1:09:11
continues on, you'll have me on for the the Bears broadcast.
1:09:15
I I do enjoy. I mean I I, I watched the
1:09:18
Vikings enough to understand your love for them.
1:09:21
They they are a good football team.
1:09:23
They've had some bad luck this year.
1:09:27
But I won't say Skull. But you just did.
1:09:30
Yeah, I said I won't say it, but good luck.
1:09:34
I mean, I I think you're a playoff bound team this year, so
1:09:37
good luck to you guys. Thank you.
1:09:38
Thanks. And you've been to you've
1:09:40
physically been to more Vikings games than Bears games, at least
1:09:44
in the last year. Or so in the In the last two
1:09:46
years I have been to more Vikings games than Bears games,
1:09:50
unfortunately. So all right, man.
1:09:53
Well. Until next time.
1:09:56
Until next time. Let's go.
1:09:58
Let's go.