00:00We'll face the Bills on Sunday.
00:02This is a big one, Rob Ninkovich, and I was going to ask you about,
00:07because you did it very well for a long time on the defensive side of the football.
00:14If you were this Buffalo Bills defense, what would you,
00:18and you've seen, you've got some tape now when it comes to Drake May,
00:22what can you do to try to disrupt him?
00:25Well, number one, you don't let him out of the pocket,
00:27because we've seen in the previous matchup where he made that beautiful throw
00:32on the sideline there to Diggs where he got out of the pocket.
00:35So really hard to cover in the secondary when you let your quarterback out
00:38and scramble around.
00:39So number one, you've got to crush the pocket.
00:42So keep him inside the pocket, make him throw from a phone booth.
00:46That's really your best way to go about not letting these plays extend as a defense.
00:54It's going to be one of them shootouts.
00:55I don't see this game going in a low-scoring affair.
01:00The over's like, what's the over shot, 49 or something?
01:03Last check, I thought it was 50, but I'll double check.
01:0550.
01:05Yeah, 50 and a half.
01:07Will that change, though, if weather's bad?
01:08Yeah, I was just going to say, I think we're going to get, what,
01:11six inches of snow maybe?
01:12Don't listen to what Curtis says.
01:13He has no way down.
01:14I just heard the professional over there, Curtis.
01:16Josh Allen and Joe Burrow just put up like 75 points in a snowstorm.
01:21It's actually a lot easier to throw in the snow.
01:24So when it's snowing versus raining, you get more tack on the ball.
01:29And what's the one benefit of playing offense that defenders don't have?
01:33You know where you're going.
01:34I know where I'm going.
01:35Oh, I'm running a 15-yard out.
01:37Okay, defender.
01:38Oh, he's on the ground.
01:39I'm wide open.
01:40See you later.
01:41So some of the biggest games that we ever had as an offense,
01:45the Tennessee Titans in October, I think we were 59-0.
01:50Chicago in Chicago, a blizzard, we destroyed them.
01:53You know, Tom put up some really big numbers in the snow.
01:55So that doesn't really bother me.
01:56Now, if it's wet, I think that could be a big change,
02:00difference in trying to throw the ball, trying to run the ball.
02:04Buffalo does average 157 yards per game on the ground.
02:08They got a really good running back.
02:09So the key to this game is going to be up front,
02:13making sure that they do not just run the ball, hand it off,
02:17and gain five to eight yards a carry.
02:20And you've been struggling against the run here of late defensively,
02:23so that's going to be something else.
02:24Is most of that Milton Williams being out, do you think?
02:26I think that's part of it, you know, and I think it's definitely part of it.
02:31And when you see, and Niko brings up a great point,
02:34like a team like Buffalo and Josh Allen,
02:38you can get 30 yards rushing off of a pass play because, I mean,
02:43what do you have, a 30-yard touchdown in that game?
02:45Then on third and 15, he rushed for another 20.
02:47So, you know, right there you're talking about this 50 yards in rushing
02:51that they're able to get just off of pass plays.
02:53We're not talking about James Cook and runs or maybe specific runs
02:58that Josh Allen keeps the football.
03:00So those are things, like Rob says, you have to make sure that you're –
03:04if you've got to take – you've got to take away that running game
03:06and limit as many rush plays that you can from Josh Allen.
03:11I think there was a play that Cincinnati was in.
03:14They were in man coverage, and they blitzed Josh Allen,
03:18and he stepped up in the pocket.
03:20And as he was running for a touchdown, there was guys in coverage
03:25chasing the receivers, and, man, they had no idea that he was even up
03:29running for a touchdown.
03:30Literally, they're glued on their guy.
03:32They're running down the field with no awareness.
03:35So it'll be interesting to see.
03:37I know the Pats play a lot of zone.
03:40Zone versus Josh Allen, there's pros and cons to that.
03:44The pros are you have vision on the quarterback.
03:46So when he does get up into the line of scrimmage and try to scramble
03:50for whatever, first down, your eyes are on the quarterback.
03:54But if you're in man, your eyes are not on the quarterback,
03:56so then you need a mirror.
03:58You've got to put a guy on the inside on Josh Allen.
04:00So who is the most athletic linebacker that we have that would mirror
04:04Josh Allen?
04:05You're going to have to have a mirror on him, especially on third down.
04:08If there is one, who has the coaching advantage?
04:12I think Vrabel.
04:13Yeah.
04:13Yeah, definitely Vrabel.
04:14So I still have some questions on the Buffalo head coach.
04:21Is he the guy?
04:22Yeah.
04:22He sucks.
04:23I think this is it for him.
04:24I mean, he's had a – I saw a meme on Instagram.
04:27It was like a Buffalo Bills fan realizing they wasted the last five years
04:31of a window to do something, and now the Patriots are back.
04:36They were screaming and crying.
04:37But for the amount of talent, especially last year, two years, the last two years,
04:43to lose to Kansas City in the fashion that they did, it's like, dang.
04:48I bet they go offensive-minded coach and next – and Curtis brings this point up
04:53all the time, which I think he's right about.
04:55If they don't go very deep into the postseason, I think you're like, all right,
05:00we're done with Sean McDermott.
05:01He's a defensive-minded guy.
05:02We still have Josh Allen in his prime.
05:05Let's go with somebody that can really, you know, make him stand out
05:10and do some great things.
05:12And I think you see an offensive guy go to Buffalo, you know, next year.
05:17It's hard to move on from a guy when you're in the playoffs.
05:19Yeah, no, I know it is.
05:21Nine, ten win, 11 win team.
05:22Yeah.
05:23I think the last –
05:23What's your excuse?
05:24Like, we just can't get over the hump.
05:26That's why we're moving on.
05:26Maybe.
05:26Similar to like a Mike Malarkey in Tennessee.
05:29Yeah.
05:30They had a stacked team.
05:31They went to the playoffs.
05:31They fired him, then they brought in Vrabel.
05:33Right.
05:34I mean, they're going to a brand-new facility next year.
05:37And this will be, if they fire McDermott, I mean,
05:39probably one of the most coveted jobs in football.
05:41Yes.
05:42To coach that guy, that team at this time.
05:44Yeah, that would be, you know, like a rabid fan base.
05:49And I think, just like in Pittsburgh, we have this conversation as, you know,
05:53Courtney's a Stalers fan.
05:54But the fans in Buffalo probably are done with Sean McDermott.
05:59Like, they probably, like, run – get this guy out of here.
06:02So, as an organization, it's not going to be, like, something where you're going to get a lot of pushback
06:07if you fire them, even if they make the postseason.
06:10Nick, quickly before you go, your first playoff game with the Patriots,
06:13our first playoff game overall was that awful one to the Ravens.
06:16Yeah.
06:16What does just getting to the playoffs mean for the development of the young guys on this team?
06:20Like, what – were you better the second time around?
06:21Did that help in any way?
06:22Was there anything that getting playoff experience benefited you or that team?
06:26Yeah, you realize how much more physical it is.
06:28It's almost like preseason or regular season, there's a big jump in physicality.
06:33But when it goes into the playoffs, it's almost like even more.
06:38Guys are more violent.
06:39They're trying to knock you out.
06:41They're hitting you harder.
06:43Everything counts more.
06:45One play here, one play there.
06:47You know, the first play of the game in 2009, I think Ray Rice hit his head on the goalpost.
06:50It was an 80-yard touchdown, so that was not ideal.
06:55But you learn that in the playoffs, it's one or two plays that can really change the outcome of the game.
07:02All right.
07:02I probably don't even have to ask, but you like the Patriots in this one?
07:06I do like the Patriots.
07:07I think Buffalo is pressing too much.
07:10And listen, they almost lost to Cincinnati.
07:12I know Cincinnati has Burrow back, and they had their receivers back, blah, blah, blah.
07:17But Cincinnati's not a great team, right?
07:20And they were going back and forth with Cincinnati.
07:22I think Buffalo is pressing, and Josh Allen has got the weight of the team on his shoulders.
07:28He's trying to do too much.
07:29That's why you see some of the interceptions.
07:30He's forcing passes, forcing certain things in a coverage.
07:34So I'm definitely going with the Pats.
07:37I think all three phases are better in a sense of understanding your roles, coaching, and execution.
07:45All right.
07:46You going to be there?
07:47I will be there, yeah.
07:48Okay.
07:48All right.
07:49Well, thanks for being here this morning, as always.
07:51Well, thank you.
07:51Can't wait to drive home for an hour.
07:55Awesome.
07:55Maybe stop and use a check somewhere.
07:57I will.
07:58I think you're going to pay something.
07:59Pay for your gas on the way home with a check.
08:00You can't.
08:00I don't think you could do that.
08:02You got the card for the gas.
08:03Go pick up some groceries.
08:05That's Rob Dinkovich.
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