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00:00Nick Benito versus Andrew Thomas.
00:02It's the heavyweight fight in the trenches that we're not going to want to miss.
00:06Jackson Dart gets his biggest test of his young career against the Broncos defense.
00:11And who's going to step it up at wide receiver this week?
00:14It's week seven, and this is Blue Rush.
00:19Flights booked to the Mile High City.
00:21The Giants are 2-4, and they're coming off the mini-bye.
00:24And they got themselves a chance to head to Denver
00:27to keep the momentum going off the Eagles' win.
00:30What's up, everybody? What's up, Big Blue?
00:32B-London here, as well as our longtime beat writer for the Post, Paul Schwartz,
00:37with our week seven Blue Rush preview show for the New York Post.
00:40Paul, I went into the locker room. Vibes are high.
00:44I got a chance to catch up with Kayvon Thibodeau and little Jordan Humphrey.
00:47But before all that, let's get straight into this game, my friend.
00:51We've got this whole Jackson Dart, Cam Scadaboo hype.
00:55Can they keep the vibes going, going into Denver?
01:00Against a nasty defense, Paul.
01:02That's what I call them. That's the adjective.
01:04Nasty.
01:05Yeah, look, the vibes have to survive altitude, right?
01:09You know, the good Giants vibes survive the highest altitude
01:12they will play at this season.
01:15Yeah, you know what?
01:17It's about handling some success and some prosperity.
01:20And seven weeks into the season, Brandon, this is not the stuff we're accustomed to talking about, right?
01:26Handling success, handling prosperity, handling good vibes,
01:30handling people saying nice things about you, about the team, about the quarterback,
01:35about the coach, about the defense.
01:36Dexter Lawrence, after the loss to the Saints in New Orleans, he and Brian Burns addressed the team.
01:45And one of the things, you know, I talked to Greg Van Roten, the veteran offensive lineman,
01:49and he told me that Dex told us, look, it's about handling success.
01:54It's about, you know, we beat the Chargers.
01:56We did not handle that success the right way.
01:59We played okay at times in New Orleans, but we turned the ball over five times.
02:04That, we did not handle our business.
02:07Okay, so then they come out after that, and they play a terrific game on both sides of the ball
02:11against the Eagles.
02:14They had a bunch of time off.
02:15They had Friday, Saturday, Sunday off.
02:18They're back at work, obviously, this week for the Broncos.
02:21How are they going to handle this success?
02:23This is not about circling the wagons.
02:26Nobody believes in us.
02:27You know, we're coming off another loss.
02:31Nobody thinks we can do it.
02:33Let's talk about the draft.
02:35Let's talk about guys getting fired.
02:37Let's talk about making a quarterback change.
02:40People are happy.
02:41People are happy about Jackson Darton, about Cam Scadaboo, and about Brian Burns, and about
02:45the defense, about Cordell Flott taking an interception back and almost, you know, having
02:49a pick six, so about finally beating the hated Eagles.
02:53So this is a new dynamic for the Giants.
02:56It'll be very interesting on Sunday in Denver, a very hard place to play, to see, can they
03:01back it up?
03:02What do all you guys always talk about, Brandon?
03:06Stack it.
03:06Yep.
03:07Stack a good practice.
03:08Stack a good week.
03:09Stack a good game.
03:10Stack a good two games.
03:12Stack a good month.
03:13Let's see how good the Giants...
03:14It's like Lego, right?
03:15You liked Lego when you were a kid?
03:17I loved Lego when I was a kid.
03:19Your son liked Lego, right?
03:20He loves it.
03:21He loves it.
03:21Great.
03:22As long as they don't eat it, right?
03:23Here's two things about Lego.
03:25Don't let the kid eat it, and if your kid doesn't clean up and you're walking around
03:30barefoot, you're going to step on...
03:32You've done that, right?
03:32Absolutely.
03:33Absolutely.
03:34You stepped on a...
03:35It seems like every piece of Lego is incredibly pointy and sharp.
03:39You step on that Lego late at night.
03:42You got to resist saying something that's going to wake everybody up, right?
03:45Yep.
03:46Stack it.
03:46Let's see how the Giants are good at Lego.
03:48Stacking.
03:49Stack those Ws.
03:51Or you can bring Jameis Winston out again, and you can eat the Ws.
03:54Either way, it should be, and if you're going to give yourself an opportunity to win two
04:01in a row, it has to be the Giants versus the Broncos and the altitude.
04:06Not the Giants versus the Giants and the Broncos and the altitude.
04:11And to stack success or to keep the success, they've got to handle that Broncos blitz.
04:17And I feel as though the Eagles game was a PSAT for the SATs, the Denver Broncos, because
04:24the Eagles tried to blitz Jackson Dart, but he was getting the football out of his hands.
04:29So when I looked at the tape, it shows you that he understands his hots and his side
04:35adjustments.
04:35On the flip side of that, the offensive line kind of held up as well.
04:39And there was a couple throws where he stayed in the pocket, probably a little bit longer,
04:44I mean, a little bit shorter than a Russell Wilson or a Justin Fields.
04:48And he was able to make some throws.
04:50So this kid continues to impress us.
04:53And I'm glad we're talking about, if we're talking about quarterbacks of week seven, Paul,
04:57we're talking about a Giants quarterback that's looking good.
05:01Not talking about a senior or junior quarterback that we think they're going to draft to replace
05:07this quarterback, but going up against this Broncos defense and the blitz rate, second
05:13highest blitz rate in the NFL at 34.2%.
05:17They blitzed Justin Fields at 58.6% this previous game out in London and sacked him nine times.
05:27I don't think, I think me and Ryan Dunleavy, our colleague, think that Jackson Dart is better
05:32than Justin Fields at this time of his career.
05:36But if the Giants want that success, they are going to have to protect the quarterback.
05:40He's going to have to protect himself.
05:42And I feel as though there can be plays made in those holes or in those gaps or those voids
05:48when Denver blitzes this guy.
05:51Well, first of all, protect, protect, protect.
05:53Jackson Dart's got to protect the football.
05:56Yeah.
05:56Right?
05:56I mean, look, there's going to be pressure on him.
05:59There's going to be a swarm.
06:00You know, you mentioned the Broncos lead the league with 30 sacks.
06:05The next teams have 20.
06:07Okay.
06:07So how do you get 10 sacks more than the next team?
06:11Well, you do that is by sacking Justin Fields nine times down and up, down, over, I guess,
06:18over in London, right?
06:19Over in London.
06:20You sack him nine times and all of a sudden you go from, you know, a close lead in the
06:26team sack competition to 10 sacks, 30 sacks.
06:30They're on some kind of record-breaking pace.
06:33You know, four and two record and 30 sacks.
06:36You know, do the math.
06:36It's going to be a hell of a lot of sacks if they keep this up.
06:40They probably won't keep it up because nine sacks is an outrageous number.
06:43But the Giants need to know with a young quarterback, he needs to protect the ball.
06:49If you get sacked on third and five, it's not good.
06:52You have to punt.
06:53You get sacked on third and five and it's a strip sack and a fumble.
06:57It's the road to disaster.
06:58Right.
06:59So that's number one for Jackson Dart.
07:01Now, he's been pretty good at that.
07:03You know, he dropped the ball once, right?
07:05In New Orleans, it was not a, you know, it was just, he just dropped the ball.
07:10You know, he's got to protect the ball.
07:12He's got to, you know, secure it.
07:13He just was starting to run and he dropped it.
07:15You can't have any of that stuff.
07:17So that's number one.
07:18And, you know, what is Andrew Thomas up to now since he missed the first two games
07:24and only played 24 snaps in the third game?
07:26And what is he up to about 3,720 snaps without a pressure?
07:32What is the number?
07:33120?
07:34I mean, it's somewhere up there, Paul, but this kid is the MVP.
07:37He's the most valuable player on this team.
07:40He may not be the best, but he's the most valuable player.
07:43I'm sorry to cut you off.
07:44Keep going.
07:44No, he might be the best too, because it look, it's the kind of position when you,
07:49when you're running back, when you're Jackson Dart, when you're Brian Burns,
07:52the more we talk about you, the better, right?
07:54The more we mention you on TV, the more we write about you, the more we talk about you
07:59on Blue Rush Podcast with Andrew Thomas, nary a word, right?
08:05You know, you can go the whole broadcast and don't hear him unless they want to focus on
08:08the guy.
08:09This week, we will hear Andrew Thomas.
08:11We will hear his name because if he locks up Nick Bonito, it will be, you know, a master
08:16class.
08:17He leads the league with eight sacks.
08:18If he doesn't, you know, if he gives up a pressure, that's okay.
08:22If he gives up a sack, not great, but it's okay.
08:25You know, it's all part of a day's work for a left tackle.
08:28So, you know, this is why he got the big money.
08:31You know, he's, he's a remarkable player.
08:34He really is.
08:35He, you know, he had some issues early in his career with technique and figuring it out.
08:40And since his only issue now is staying on the field.
08:42And, you know, you know, thank goodness his foot, his recovery after Lisfranc foot surgery
08:48was a long, long rehab and a long process.
08:52Since he's come back, he's been, he's been an Ironman.
08:55He takes every snap and he just does his job and you don't hear from him.
09:00And, and, you know, like any left tackle, you don't hear his name.
09:04It's great.
09:05But that doesn't mean we shouldn't talk about him and shouldn't write about him.
09:07But, you know, there's more, right?
09:09John Franklin Myers, the former Jet, three sacks.
09:12Zach Allen, two and a half sacks.
09:15Jonathan Cooper, four and a half sacks.
09:18Linebacker, he was just named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
09:21The week after Benito was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
09:26So this is up and down.
09:27Jermaine Illuminar, the guys inside.
09:29We'll see if a John Michael Schmitz, he's still in concussion protocol as of Wednesday.
09:34You know, that's not a great, that's not a great sign considering
09:37they played, you know, six days ago.
09:39You know, they played Thursday night.
09:41We'll see if he gets cleared.
09:42Probably not in time.
09:43So you have to go with Schlotman again, probably.
09:46You know, it's going to be a test.
09:48Runyon, Van Root, it's a test for all of them.
09:50Keep your rookie quarterback as clean as possible,
09:53but knowing that there will be heat in the pocket
09:57and Jackson Darcher's going to have to deal with it.
09:59You know, the funny thing about it is how it's like opposites attract.
10:03On the left side, you've got a quiet Andrew Thomas,
10:06in personality as well.
10:08But when he plays well, we don't hear about him on the right side.
10:12Jermaine Illuminar, when he plays well, he does the podcast.
10:17He does the interviews in the locker room.
10:19So hopefully it's a little bit of, you're going to,
10:22if you're Jackson Dart, you want a little bit of both.
10:24You want to see Jermaine Illuminar back on the Blue Rush podcast.
10:29You want to see him on the Kay Adams show
10:31because that means that his pressure rate was low.
10:34On the flip side, you want to be looking around.
10:37It's like, is Andrew Thomas even in the locker room because he's quiet,
10:41he's not saying anything, and we're not talking about him
10:44because he did his thing again at left tackle.
10:48Those are two guys that are going to have to play great, Paul.
10:53But obviously, the former wide receiver in me looks at this game,
10:59and it's who is going to step up on the perimeter.
11:03Which pass catcher is going to step up?
11:06Because you've got Patrick Sertan, who is the best corner.
11:09He is the Revis of my day on one corner, locked up, man-to-man, hands-on,
11:17will travel if he needs to.
11:19Who is going to be that guy that steps up at wide receiver?
11:23If you're Jackson Dart going into a game where you're going to get blitzed,
11:29you're hoping you can run the football, the run game can continue to go,
11:33but you know you're going to have to make a couple big boy throws
11:35to keep the chains moving or push the ball down the field,
11:39do you have a guy on the perimeter that you 100% without a doubt
11:44am like, I'm throwing it up to that guy.
11:47He's going to make a play for me.
11:49Well, no, I do not.
11:51You know, is Darius Slayton going to play?
11:53You know, he was very limited on Wednesday with a hamstring.
11:57As you know, receivers, hamstrings, you know,
11:59it's usually not a one- or two-week thing.
12:02We'll see.
12:02He says he feels better.
12:03Maybe he'll be able to go.
12:04Maybe he won't.
12:05I would guess probably not.
12:07We'll see more later in the week.
12:09To me, it might be like the first Jackson Dart start.
12:13It could be more of a tight end centric situation with Theo Johnson
12:17and Daniel Bellinger.
12:19You know, if you think of it, you know, if you think of Patrick Sertan, right,
12:21he matches up with the best wide receiver, right?
12:24So, you know, every week there's a guy, there's a guy, there's a guy.
12:27If Malik Nabors was healthy, we'd be writing about Malik Nabors
12:30versus Patrick Sertan.
12:32That's a heavyweight matchup.
12:33Yes, sir.
12:35You know, Patrick Sertan this week, it's almost like he looks at the Giants
12:39and says, who am I going to deal with here?
12:41I mean, am I going to go out with a, you know, one-legged Darius Slayton?
12:46Am I going to go wide with Jalen Hyatt?
12:49Am I going to go wide with little Jordan Humphrey?
12:52I don't think Patrick Sertan is going to, you know, have a steady diet in the slot
12:56with Wondell Robinson, but if he does, so, you know, it's almost like the guy
13:01who he goes against, I don't want to, you know, disrespect anybody,
13:06but it's not the caliber of the player he usually goes against.
13:10You know what I mean?
13:10It's not going to be like, man, I'm gearing up for Terry McLaurin.
13:14Man, I'm gearing up for CeeDee Lamb here.
13:16You know, I got to buckle up here.
13:18I'm gearing up for Malik Nabors.
13:19He's gearing up for who, who, right?
13:22And if he takes Darius Slayton out of the game or little Jordan Humphrey
13:27or Jalen Hyatt out of the game, I mean, how much game do those guys have
13:31in them right now?
13:32So to me, I think it's, it's, it's Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger.
13:37You know, let's get the ball to those guys.
13:39Let's be creative.
13:41You know, let's throw some more screen passes, take advantage of that Broncos
13:45aggressiveness and blitzing.
13:47You know, they haven't done a lot of screen game, right?
13:50They did a lot in the summer.
13:53Scadaboo, Tracy, you know, I think these guys, you know, Wandale, I think these guys
13:57can play the screen game.
13:59Maybe even Devin Singletary, if you want.
14:01So I think they have to be very creative.
14:03I think Dayball and Mike Kafka have to be very creative.
14:06This is not a Giants offense round.
14:08You just line up and say, we're going to run the ball and throw play action.
14:11Because look, you know it, Brandon.
14:13And there's going to be a game where Cam Scadaboo has 14 for 40.
14:19You know, there's just going to be one of those games.
14:21That's not anything to discredit Cam Scadaboo.
14:24It's just the way the NFL works and the way defenses work, that they're going to look at
14:27this and say, they want to run the ball.
14:30You know, Wandale Robinson said that this week.
14:32We want to run the ball.
14:33We want to run the ball.
14:34So, you know, let's see if they, let's see if the Giants can run the ball.
14:39If they can't, they have to have a plan B.
14:43And if I'm one of the wide receivers in that room, I'm ready to now step up.
14:48I put my hand up and be like, coach, I am that plan B.
14:51But then at the same time, you got to sit down and be like, I'm going to step up, put
14:55my hand up and go catch a rock.
14:57Coach, I am that plan A, plan B.
15:00Because when you, what you just said right now, if I'm sitting back in the meeting room,
15:06got sunflower seeds in and Kafka's about to stand up, put the install in.
15:11If I see that we are heavy with routes and targeting the tight ends after hearing the
15:19noise about them needing to bring in another receiver because no one believes in the receivers
15:25in that room.
15:26Yeah, you're going to catch that 10-yard catch.
15:28You're going to catch that, that little, you know, the 15-yarder across the middle.
15:32But those ones that are the deep ones, the explosive plays, you have to have it to quiet
15:38the noise.
15:39Because if you don't, this is your last week of auditioning to see like, okay, who could
15:43step up and be that guy?
15:45If no one steps up, has a catch over 25, 30 yards.
15:51If no one, if no one makes a big play, big catch and run, outside of Wondell.
15:56Wondell's, he's locked in.
15:58But if you're the Jalen highest and little Jordan Humphrey and let's say Bo Collins, if
16:02he gets bumped up, if you don't make that play, that's it when it comes to them going
16:09your way.
16:10They're bringing in other guys or they're going to start targeting the tight ends
16:14even more.
16:15So this is that week.
16:16And I saw today at practice, after practice, we're waiting for Jackson Dart at the step and
16:21repeat to come up and talk to the, to the beat, but he's all the way at the far end of the
16:28field.
16:28And he's throwing up 50, 50 balls to the receivers.
16:33And they had, they kind of had one of the guys would play as a defender, kind of grab
16:37on a guy.
16:38So you could see little Jordan Humphrey and those guys go up for the, go up for a pass.
16:41That's what you got to come down with.
16:45And if you don't come down with, come down with that.
16:48Then if you were bumped up on a practice squad, you might get pumped down on the practice squad
16:52because they're going to bring someone in that they feel as though can make that catch
16:58because I don't, I think they're going to look at it.
17:00Like we have to get Jackson Dart some help on the perimeter.
17:03So the opportunity is there.
17:06And I got a chance to go into the locker room and speak with little Jordan Humphrey because
17:10he's going back to Denver because he played with the Broncos.
17:14He talked about Patrick Sertan, what it's going to be like going up against him, the
17:18altitude, and of course, making that play and the Giants receiver room making that play.
17:25So let's check this conversation out real quick.
17:31All right, let's have some fun here.
17:32Brandon London in the locker room with little Jordan Humphrey.
17:36It's a receiver thing on this one.
17:38So really, let's have some fun with the people.
17:40Let the audience know that it's a receiver's world out there.
17:44I love to start these interviews off with asking guys, what is a must-have in their locker?
17:49You got to have it every day.
17:51I got to have my lotion.
17:53You know what I mean?
17:54Can't be walking around all ashy and stuff like that.
17:56Can't do it.
17:57So keep your lotion on.
18:00Stay moisturized, folks.
18:02Especially when you go out to Denver and you got to play in that altitude.
18:07I lived there for three years.
18:08You played there.
18:10Obviously, what's it like going back?
18:12I guess this is for the first time.
18:14Going back for the first time, it should be fun.
18:16You know, there's a lot of guys on the team that I know, got a good relationship with.
18:19I know Coach Payton very well.
18:20So, I mean, it's going to be fun.
18:23It's going to be fun always playing because guys, you know.
18:24You know what I mean?
18:25When you're knowing Coach Payton and what his offense is like, is there anything you're
18:29kind of telling your DBs, telling the defense, kind of keep a heads up for it when it comes
18:34to that offense?
18:35I mean, yeah, definitely.
18:36Definitely trying to get some tips.
18:37You know what I mean?
18:37But it's a new year.
18:38You know, Coach Payton, every coach likes to switch up the things they like to do with
18:42the Tennessee.
18:42So, I'll try to get some tips, but at the end of the day, we just got to go out there
18:46and ball.
18:46All right.
18:47Speaking about going out there and ball, you had yourself a pretty solid game when you got
18:51caught up from the practice squad.
18:53Seems like the chemistry is there with Jackson Dart.
18:56You guys had a touchdown in Buffalo in the preseason.
19:00Like, what's that been like, one, personally, just kind of seeing his rise to being QB1 and
19:05making plays?
19:06And then, two, like, how much, how comfortable are you two out there?
19:09I mean, it's been awesome seeing Jackson grow.
19:13You know, he's been balling since OTAs, and he just continued to make steps and steps to
19:19improve as the year has gone on.
19:22But it's been a lot of fun out there, being out there playing with him.
19:26I mean, all he tells me, he just tells me to go out there, let's go out there and play
19:29football, play our football.
19:30And I feel like that's what we go out there and do, and whatever he needs, like, you know,
19:33I got his back on.
19:34So, yeah.
19:34So, now you're in position to fight for targets, fight for balls.
19:37You want to be a guy that Jackson goes to.
19:40Like, how do you continue that?
19:42Like, how do you kind of rise to be like, all right, I'm that guy or one of the guys
19:48for Jackson?
19:49Just got to go out there and continue to make plays, you know.
19:51I feel like as long as I go out there and do my job, the ball's going to find me.
19:55You know, we got a group of guys who can go make plays any time.
19:58So, I just got to make sure I'm doing my job.
20:00And so, when it does come to me, I'm ready.
20:03So, you guys are very confident in that locker room that you guys have the guys in-house
20:08in that room that can lead this team on a run, make plays on the perimeter for that
20:14rookie quarterback.
20:15A lot of people, there's a lot of noise out there that the Giants could be going or trading
20:19for someone else.
20:20Like, what do you guys say to that?
20:22What's y'all's mindset to that?
20:24I mean, there's going to be a lot of noise, especially in New York.
20:28You know, there's going to be a lot of noise, but at the end of the day, like, we know we
20:31got each other back and we know what's going on in here.
20:33So, we just going to keep working, keep our head down, and try to be the best we can be
20:37and go out there and win games on Sunday.
20:39Coming out of that Eagles game, when you guys broke the tape down as a receiver room, what
20:43are some good things you guys liked?
20:45And then, what are some things y'all looking like, okay, we got to be better in this area?
20:49I mean, like, we was physical on the perimeter.
20:51We made plays, but there's some things that we got to clean up, just like technique, you
20:56know, and just listening and being efficient as an offense.
20:59So, we still got a lot of things to improve.
21:01We had a good game, but we got a lot of things to improve on.
21:03Lastly, you're going up against PS2 again.
21:05This is a guy that you've known from being out there in Denver.
21:08Like, what's it like going up against a guy like that?
21:11I mean, it's going to be amazing.
21:13I mean, he's the top corner in the NFL.
21:15So, just to see where I'm at as a football player, going against him is going to be great.
21:21I mean, like I said, P2 is a great guy, great player.
21:25So, it's going to be fun.
21:27All right, man.
21:27Good luck on Sunday.
21:30Gave a lot of credit to Patrick Sertan, as he should.
21:34But, Paul, I think he's a guy.
21:36And, you know, Jackson Dart was sitting right next to us.
21:38We were talking about, oh, you guys had the chemistry from the spring to the summer to the preseason
21:44to now.
21:45So, obviously, you're going to hype up Jackson Dart, him sitting right next to you.
21:48But I think the receiver room, they believe in this.
21:50They believe in the quarterback.
21:52And I think they look at it like, we understand our limitations, but we have a quarterback that
21:57can make us better, you know?
22:01Well, you know what?
22:02There's all different thresholds with these first-year quarterbacks, right?
22:05And this one is, okay, if things are going well and he's running the ball and Giants are
22:12running the ball, you know, can the offense function?
22:14Okay, what happens if they can't run the ball?
22:16Can our quarterback throw us out of this game?
22:19You know, can he, you know, you know, we may have to throw it 40 times.
22:24We may have to, you know, not be able to run the ball as much because they're taking it away.
22:29So, that's the next thing.
22:30Can Jackson Dart do that?
22:32Giants don't want to do that.
22:33But, you know what?
22:34Tough luck.
22:34You have to do what you have to do.
22:36You know, you mentioned the receivers.
22:39I don't think it's all about just going up and catching 50-50 balls.
22:42It's also, are you going to block on the perimeter, right?
22:45Are we going to throw a screen?
22:46Are you going to block?
22:47Are you going to, you know, clear out your area so maybe Daniel Bellinger can get underneath
22:52and catch a 25-yard pass?
22:55You know, it's, you know, they have to be a gritty bunch because, look, we're all going
23:00to be surprised if little Jordan Humphrey or Wondell Robinson or Darius Slayton, if he plays,
23:06or Jalen Hyatt has any big numbers.
23:09You know, Malik Nabors is the big numbers guy and he's not there.
23:13So, make a catch when it's there.
23:15If there's a deep ball present for Jalen Hyatt, bang, you got to make it, you know.
23:19But I don't think the big numbers are going to be there.
23:22That's just the way it is with this offense right now, with this wide receiver room.
23:27And that's not really a knock on him.
23:29That's reality.
23:30And if one of those guys comes out with a game that, you know, a career game, God bless
23:34him.
23:34That would be great for the Giants.
23:35But I don't think they can bank on that.
23:38Yeah, it's a fantasy to think that they're going to put up fantasy numbers.
23:41But at the end of the day, like, if that opportunity is there, who knows?
23:44You make that catch, defender falls, that could be that big play that you need.
23:49So, it's going to be interesting because, again, that opportunity is right there for
23:53any of those guys.
23:54Who knows?
23:55Jalen Hyatt, you got to stay in it because if somebody goes down, you get thrown right
23:59back into it.
24:00So, it's going to be interesting to watch how these guys, if they get gritty on the
24:05outside with the blocking and on the perimeter, which little Jordan Humphrey mentioned that
24:10that was something that they did well in the Eagles game.
24:13So, you have to build off of that.
24:14But let's Riverside this, Paul, because I went over to Kayvon and I was talking to him
24:19about not only the season he's having, but how they have to be the best defense in this
24:25matchup.
24:26And Kayvon thinks that the defense is up for it.
24:30And London in the locker room with Kayvon Thibodeau.
24:32All right, it's your week seven, London in the locker room here with Kayvon Thibodeau.
24:40Kayvon, we'd like to start these things off with a little, I'd like to ask you guys to
24:44bring our audience into the locker room.
24:47Show us something in your locker that is a absolute must-have.
24:51Must-have for my locker, I would say it got to be, I'm going to go to face washers.
24:59Okay, face wash.
25:00Why is that?
25:01You got to have, you know, your routine of cleanliness and, you know, just everything,
25:05right?
25:05We wear pads, we're sweaty, you know, we do the whole nine.
25:08So, just being able to, after a good practice, make sure you get all the dirt, clean your pores,
25:12clean your face, and, you know, you still want to look good on game day.
25:14Okay, you got KT's Finger Licking Kitchen that you do on TikTok.
25:18Is next a face wash routine?
25:20I may not do a face wash routine because I really am just a soap water and a little bit of toner,
25:25you know what I'm saying?
25:25I ain't going to give you everything.
25:26Okay.
25:27But I definitely, you know, I like to give a little game about my routine and stuff.
25:30But I probably won't take it to TikTok.
25:32All right.
25:32You keep the face clean.
25:33Absolutely love it.
25:34But you've been getting absolutely dirty out there on the field.
25:38We saw you all throughout, what, social media in the offseason with the wrestling.
25:42Then you came in in the spring.
25:44There was something, like, there was a fire lit in you.
25:48Going into week seven, where do you feel like you are personally, before we get to talking about the team,
25:53where are you at personally seven weeks into the season?
25:56I feel like I'm still peaking.
25:57You know, I still got, well, really you don't have time because the season's here.
26:00But I definitely think I'm still getting better.
26:02I still got room to grow, room to improve.
26:04I think things are going well, but they can go better.
26:06So, you just got to keep working.
26:07Are you seeing the wrestling pay off?
26:10Definitely.
26:11I think, you know, there are a few different moves that I've been able to execute.
26:13There are a few, you know, just technique things that I've really been able to hone in on, you know,
26:19on the field that have, you know, kind of come to life.
26:21All right.
26:21As a squad now, let's start with the defensive unit.
26:24You guys have been all over quarterbacks.
26:26You guys are kind of the backbone of this team.
26:29Going into a week like this against the Broncos, where you know they're going to send pressure at your quarterback,
26:34how important is it for you guys to get pressure on Bo Nix?
26:38Yeah.
26:38First, we got to stop the run.
26:39You know, obviously, they're top probably 15 or whatever in the league and just running offense.
26:44And I think, you know, Bo Nix, fellow Oregon alumni, he's a great player,
26:49but definitely got to affect him and get him off the spot to, you know, affect the game.
26:52What do you think of your rookie quarterback and how he's handled his first three starts, career starts in the NFL?
26:58I think it's been great, but you can't get ahead of yourself.
27:00You know, we still got a lot of wood to chop, a lot of water to carry.
27:02And, you know, he's still young, so still got some maturity, still got some growth.
27:05But I'm super excited, super energized, and I think it's going to do well.
27:08You talk about maintaining success in the NFL.
27:11You guys had the huge win against the Chargers, then you had the letdown against the Saints.
27:15You got the huge win against the Eagles.
27:17How do you make sure you sustain that momentum?
27:21Day by day.
27:21I think, you know, each day you have an opportunity to correct all of your kind of shortcomings.
27:25And if you do that and you do it the right way with, you know, intention, with a little bit of fire, I think, you know, you can do the right thing.
27:32So, for us, just day at a time, working on our craft, getting better, and, you know, take it out there and show it on the field.
27:38Would you call this win a statement win if you guys go in there and handle business?
27:42Man, in this league, every win is a statement win.
27:44So, you know, every opponent is a nameless, faceless enemy.
27:48But every win that we can get, you know, is a statement win.
27:50All that wrestling he did in the offseason is working out.
27:56And, you know, you could, again, we always see this, Paul.
27:59Like, you've said it a million times, that contract year, guys are going to show up and show out.
28:04But I think, again, there's something different about Kayvon Thibodeau this year, without a doubt.
28:10And his teammates, the media, the fans, everyone realizes, like, okay, this is the guy that you drafted with the fifth pick in the draft.
28:18I think he looks stronger.
28:19I mean, I just literally think he looks stronger, number one.
28:22He's a good run defender.
28:24And, you know, this is what happens.
28:26You know, guys at his position often do not come out like gangbusters.
28:30I mean, Abdul Kar is playing terrific, but his statistics aren't crazy.
28:35Michael Strahan, Osi Umanura, Justin Tuck.
28:38We've been through it already.
28:39Mathias Kiwanuka.
28:40Their numbers early in their career were not great.
28:43They had to learn the NFL ropes.
28:46You saw flashes.
28:47You saw glimpses.
28:47JPP was a little more physically advanced as a rookie and put up some better numbers.
28:54And then he exploded his second year.
28:55So, you know, Kayvon was not that kind of explosive, disruptive.
29:00Osi, get off the ball.
29:02Bang.
29:02Where'd he go?
29:02Where'd he go?
29:03You know, he...
29:04But he's a student.
29:05He's learning.
29:06And I just think he looks stronger.
29:08He just looks like a stronger person right now.
29:11You know, he doesn't have the bend of an Abdul Karter.
29:13I don't think he has the suddenness of a Brian Burns.
29:17He's a good player.
29:18Maybe, you know, getting to be a very good player.
29:21Very good against the run last week against the Eagles.
29:24Excellent.
29:24Ask Saquon Barkley how Kayvon Thibault did last week.
29:27He did very well.
29:29Sets the edge.
29:30Makes his tackles.
29:32You know, reroutes guys inside so somebody else can make the tackle.
29:35And, you know, I think their goal has to be this week.
29:38But Bo Nix, when you watch him, he's an impressive second-year guy, right?
29:43But don't you think, Brandon, you've seen Bo Nix play.
29:47Don't you think there's a little bit of training wheels still with Sean Payton on him?
29:52I still don't think they're like, he can win the game for us.
29:55I don't think so.
29:56They want to run the ball with J.K. Dobbins.
29:58They, you know, Nix is really good throwing on the run.
30:02Excellent.
30:03Really good.
30:03Probably better throwing on the run than he is just standing in the pocket.
30:06You know, he played college football for a million years.
30:09He had a million games.
30:10Tons of snaps.
30:11You know, he was just, you know, all different, you know, different colleges.
30:15And just was very, very experienced.
30:17And, you know, some people looked at it and said, he's older.
30:20And, you know, he doesn't have a great upside.
30:22Well, he's older, which means last year as a rookie, he was ready to play.
30:25But I don't think that Sean Payton says, Bo, you can win the game for us.
30:31I just don't think that's the way they play.
30:32Right. And so that's what the Giants, I think, have to do is make this a Bo Nix game.
30:37Make him throw it 40 times.
30:39And let's see, you know, because they have good players.
30:42You know, they have good receivers.
30:43Troy Franklin, Mims, you know, Cortland Sutton.
30:47You know, they're good players.
30:48They're good.
30:48But they're not the best the Giants will see.
30:51And I just don't think they're built to throw it and throw it and throw it.
30:55So, you know what?
30:57The Giants, you know, are not way up there in sacks.
31:01I think they're top 15 in sacks as a team.
31:04Brian Burns has the most.
31:05You know, he's trailing Benito just by one.
31:08Good for him.
31:09Maybe this is a game where the Giants pass for us is more like the Charger game and, you know, wreak some havoc because these players keep on asking and insisting and, you know, imploring their defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen.
31:27Trust us.
31:28Trust us.
31:28Trust us.
31:29Let us go.
31:30Let us be more aggressive.
31:31Maybe this is a game where they do that.
31:33And, you know, I think there's a six or seven, five, six, seven sack game and the Giants coming at some point.
31:41Not just Brian Burns.
31:42This would be a heck of a time for it.
31:44You know, the Broncos, you know, Matt Pert started last week at one of the guard spots.
31:49He's now on IR.
31:50They're going to have to play with another starting guard.
31:53You know, maybe there's some opportunities there.
31:55And Kavon mentioned Bo Nix and getting after him.
31:58And he said, first things first, we've got to stop the run, put them in passing situations.
32:02And when you watch the tape on Bo Nix, you can tell that the intellect is there.
32:06Shout out to Davis Webb, former New York Giant.
32:08You can tell he's got Bo Nix prepared when it comes to knowing where to go with the football.
32:15But when you watch him, Paul, it's like he's a little gunshot.
32:18It's like he's a little afraid to just, bam, put his foot in the ground and make that throw.
32:23So I could be wrong.
32:25But if you watch the Jets game, like he struggled against the Jets defense.
32:29That was, what, the worst in the NFL?
32:32You could say it's because of the flight over, you know, short, whatever, the week, whatever it is.
32:36But at the end of the day, when you look at it, if you're on offense and you're playing against the Jets,
32:41it's a get-right game for you statistically, what you're thinking.
32:45But when it comes to, like, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeau, Abdul Carter, like, when you watch the tape and what they do,
32:53what Shane Bowen does with them with a lot of the stunts and a lot of the raps, it's like they take turns.
33:00It's like a receiver.
33:01It's like they're three receivers and you can move them around.
33:05They're interchangeable on who gets the blitz and who gets the rush from where.
33:09And I think Brian Burns is one of the best in the game, and if he can have, he can put together some of those games
33:15where he gets some sack fumbles, maybe scores a touchdown, then you're up there for defensive player of the year.
33:22But, yeah, for Kayvon Thibodeau, I think he's putting it together.
33:27We're seeing him put it together.
33:29And because of that, because these guys are having the success, and I know Abdul doesn't have it statistically yet,
33:35but if you watch the tape, it's the same thing we said about Kayvon.
33:37He's almost there.
33:39He's almost there.
33:40He's still affecting the decision maker, the quarterback, but he's not getting the sack.
33:46You're seeing these guys' success help the back end.
33:50Cordell Flott jumping routes.
33:52I talked to him today.
33:53I was like, how did you know to jump that?
33:57And he talked.
33:57Well, I watched.
33:58He said, I looked at the formation.
34:00I saw the receivers split, close split.
34:03But I knew we were sending pressure, and I knew my guys were going to get there, and we're going to force him to throw the ball fast.
34:11He was like, pretty much, like, what are you going to run from this close split if you don't run any sort of shallow cross, bang eight posts?
34:17It's some sort of out route.
34:19And he jumped that route.
34:20So when you say, like, they had the conversation with Shane Bowen, and it's like, all right, listen to the players a little bit more.
34:28We saw that against the Eagles.
34:30Now, like we said, you've got to put it together again against a Denver Broncos team that's led by Sean Payton, and you have Bo Nix at quarterback.
34:42Paul, we've been going, so let me pass it to you, Paul.
34:44Finish us off, man.
34:45What do you find out as we get ready?
34:48We get the oxygen ready for the mile high.
34:52Final thought going into this game.
34:54Well, I wrote in the post this week about the Giants are now an unpredictable team, and that's a good thing.
35:01You know, people don't like unpredictable.
35:02Whoa, whoa, whoa.
35:03We're going to mean unpredictable.
35:04But in the past, the Giants were predictable.
35:06They would play.
35:07They would not play very well, and they would lose.
35:09So I think right now they're the kind of a team that you want to watch play, not just us because that's our job.
35:16I think the league, look, they haven't put the league on notice.
35:19They're two and four.
35:19They did win on national TV last Thursday night against the Eagles.
35:22So people noticed it.
35:24They watched Cam Scadaboo rip his shirt off.
35:26They watched Jackson Dart having fun, doing his dances and things like that, playing quite well.
35:31So now this is another step in the development of a rookie quarterback.
35:35And, you know, I was there when Eli Manning was a rookie and chronicle every game, and it was a bad game and a rough game and a rough game and a bad game, then a little better, then a little better.
35:44Then he won, and then he became Eli Manning in 2005, right?
35:48So Jackson Dart, this is he's two and one as a starter, and now he faces his toughest test.
35:55You know, he played a road game in New Orleans.
35:57He did not play badly, but he fumbled the ball once.
36:00He dropped it.
36:01He threw two interceptions.
36:02They both of them have a story.
36:05He did not play badly, and he was not, you know, gun shy.
36:08He was not wide eyed, but the Giants didn't win.
36:10Okay, so now this is a road start again, his second in a very tough place to play with altitude, as you said.
36:18The Broncos are 2-0 at home.
36:22They had a long trip.
36:24You know, they played well, certainly well defensively against the Jets, but, you know, they didn't put a stamp on a game, you know, a standalone game Sunday night, Sunday morning in London.
36:33So, you know, it will be a long week recovering from them.
36:37The Giants are coming off, you know, a long break after a Thursday game.
36:42Let's see.
36:43It's always fascinating to watch a rookie quarterback.
36:46It's not all on him, and maybe they put the clamps down on his running game.
36:52Maybe they have a spy so Jackson Dart can't run.
36:54You know, defenses, the more they see of a rookie quarterback, the more the rookie quarterback has to adjust and adapt and improve and not make the same mistake twice.
37:04So, along the way of this development is the fact that the Giants have been playing better, and they can make something of their season at 2-4 here.
37:13So, it's a must-watch game, and they're unpredictable, and that should be embraced, because unpredictable is better than, ugh, same old, same old.
37:23Absolutely, and every one of these guys understand what this game would mean.
37:28Every single guy I talk to said that this would be a statement win.
37:33They can get the momentum in the mile high.
37:37It would be huge, because they're talking about getting a win on the road as well.
37:41So, you're talking about just different milestones to check off throughout the course of a season where no one really gave them a chance.
37:48So, let's hope that it's the Giants from the Chargers and the Eagles game, not the Giants from the Commanders or the Saints game.
37:56Thanks for watching the Blue Rush Preview Show.
37:59Make sure you guys check in with us on game day.
38:02I will be doing a live watch party right here in the Post Studios, hoping to get a special guest in here.
38:09Fingers crossed.
38:09Don't want to announce it and jinx it right now.
38:12Then we'll have the post-game show, the post-game live as well.
38:15And then, of course, on Monday, we'll have David Tyree, myself, and Paul break down the game and talk a little wide receiver talk as well.
38:24Paul, you told them that we were laughing.
38:27I know I'm supposed to be breaking it right now, but we were laughing because you were like,
38:31no one thought you were going to catch a touchdown or that pass in the Super Bowl.
38:35And we just broke out laughing.
38:37So, Mondays, we have a great time with DT.
38:40For Paul Schwartz, I'm Brandon London.
38:42Thanks for watching Blue Rush.
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