- 2 days ago
Ross Tucker joins the show to discuss his new promotion within CBS and what the Commanders offense could look like without Laremy Tunsil.
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00:00We're also going to be calling games with Ian Eagle on CBS this fall.
00:04Circumstances are what they are, but that's awesome for you.
00:06You're always insightful when I watch games with you on them.
00:09I love listening to the radio calls you do.
00:12Congrats, dude.
00:14Man, that means a lot.
00:15Thank you, JP.
00:16Thank you, B-Mitch.
00:17Appreciate you, brother.
00:19Yeah, listen, I mean, B-Mitch, JP, I think you know this.
00:23I think the first time I was ever on TV was with B-Mitch.
00:28I was on IR.
00:29The old CSN days?
00:31Yeah, I remember that.
00:32I think it was like CN8 or, yeah, CSN, and I was on IR with the Redskins,
00:39and I was just in Reston, Virginia, rehabbing my neck,
00:43and I figured I might as well try the media thing out a little bit.
00:47So I would sometimes sit right next to B-Mitch,
00:50or maybe I'd be back home in PA and I'd be in the Philly one.
00:53So it's been, I guess it's been like, that was 2007 season.
00:58So it's been about 20 years.
01:00And to say I'm excited to do these games with Ian would be a massive understatement.
01:07You guys know how good he is.
01:09I've done a bunch of games on the radio with him.
01:11So I have a pretty good idea of how it's going to go.
01:14And I'm super excited that as more and more people get to watch,
01:19that they're going to hear what it's like when Ian and I do games together.
01:22It's, it's, I'm pretty confident it's going to go well.
01:25You know, Rob, for me it's like the closest you can get to football without getting hit.
01:31Doing media.
01:32You know what?
01:33So I've thought about this, and I've talked to guys about this.
01:36So probably the closest is coaching because you really, you're in the locker room
01:47and you really feel the ecstasy and agony of the win and the loss.
01:54Oh yeah.
01:54But certainly calling games is a lot closer to playing than being in a, in a, in a studio.
02:02There's no quiet.
02:03I mean, you're at the game, you got to prep.
02:06I mean, they give us like the same scouting reports that the teams get.
02:09You're going to the team facility on Friday.
02:12You're meeting with players and coaches.
02:14You're absolutely eating the cafeteria food.
02:16No question.
02:17Um, and then, you know, you're doing the game and it's just crazy.
02:22Cause I, I don't know if I ever told you guys this, but my dad's five, nine a buck 70.
02:27So I grew up wanting to be like a right for sports illustrated or like be a broadcast.
02:35Like I thought I'd go to Syracuse to try to be a play by play guy.
02:38And I just got a lot bigger than I ever and better at football than I was anticipating.
02:44And so if you ask my family and friends, they'll tell you, God made Ross good enough to play for
02:50a while.
02:51So he could get the broadcasting gig that he's doing now.
02:54That's great, man.
02:55Uh, happy for you work hard.
02:57And it shows like when you have the insight and the depth of knowledge, it shows you put the work
03:01in.
03:01Do you know what you'll be, what week one is?
03:04I do.
03:05Yeah.
03:05That's the only one they've announced.
03:07You know, um, you mentioned to start circumstances.
03:09So I think we're taking it one week at a time.
03:12Yeah, sure.
03:12But it's, uh, it's an awesome one.
03:15It's the Buffalo Bills at the Houston Texans.
03:18Oh, yeah.
03:19Both teams won playoff games.
03:21Both teams get made it to the divisional round.
03:24Both teams, you know, rightfully think that they got a very legit chance to get to the Super Bowl.
03:30You know, they both are coming off kind of heartbreaking playoff losses for different reasons.
03:35So that, and by the way, they, I think they play, they play against each other in the regular season
03:41the last few years.
03:42And those games have been electric.
03:44So, I am really, really looking forward to that one.
03:47Well, as an offensive lineman, I'm sure you're looking forward to being in that boot instead of on that field.
03:51Against Will Anderson.
03:52Against that damn defense.
03:54Holy crap.
03:55I mean, I'm going to say this during the game.
03:57But, I mean, not only the defense in general for the Texans, but their secondary is like old school football.
04:09You know, like Jalen Petrie, Kamari Lasseter.
04:13You just don't find DBs as much anymore that are really trying to hit you and really try to beat
04:22you up.
04:23Like, they've got one of the most physical secondaries I've seen in a long time.
04:29I love the way the Houston Texans play football on defense.
04:32Yeah, I mean, that game's juicy.
04:34You got arguably the best quarterback in the game against arguably the best defense in the game.
04:38That'll be awesome.
04:39I don't know if you've been traveling around camp to camp or what.
04:43We are here in Ashburn today as the Commanders are hosting the Dolphins for joint practices.
04:50I did want to start with you.
04:51How big of an impact do you think this Laramie Tunsil injury will play for Washington?
04:58Yeah, so, I mean, it's a significant injury.
05:01There's no way to get around it.
05:03But what I will tell you is that Brandon Coleman has done some positive things and looked pretty good at
05:12times at left tackle.
05:14Certainly, it feels like he has the athletic ability to do it.
05:17And also, you know, it's happened pretty early.
05:22Now, the downside of it happening pretty early is that, you know, they could have other injuries.
05:29But the upside is they have a lot of time to make sure they feel good about their solution.
05:37And if it is Brandon Coleman, for him to get as many reps as possible next to the guys like
05:44Chris Paul and the other guys on the offensive line, the tight ends.
05:47So, you know, this isn't like it happened the fifth play of this first game and everybody's like, oh, crap.
05:54I mean, they've got a lot of reps that they can get together before that.
05:58And I'll also say this, and it's funny because I think people are finally catching on to this.
06:05It's nice to have a Pro Bowl offensive lineman like Laramie Tunsil.
06:10You know what the truth is, though?
06:12You know, you're really only as good as your weakest link up front.
06:17I mean, in other words, I would rather have five guys that are absolutely average that have three all pros
06:27and two guys that are below average or that really can't play.
06:31Because the defense is going to hunt up the guys that can't play.
06:36I mean, the defense is going to attack those guys.
06:39Now, with one guy like Coleman, they can slide to the left.
06:45They can protect them.
06:47Cosme is a good one-on-one pass protector.
06:49You know who they really need to step up now, believe it or not, is Connerly.
06:54They need to be able to slide the protection and help Coleman.
06:59More often, they would have to help Laramie.
07:02And now, instead, Connerly has to be the guy that can hold it down one-on-one more, you know,
07:09given his pedigree.
07:10Yes, that's the thing I've been saying over and over again.
07:13You can help out that left tackle.
07:15Your tight ends, running backs, other guys can help him out.
07:18You can figure that out.
07:19But you're absolutely right.
07:21If Connerly takes a step forward, that's going to be much easier for this team to adjust to.
07:28Yeah, that would be – it's kind of like – there's a lot of talk in Philly with Lane Johnson.
07:34He said this will be his last year.
07:35And, you know, I think his PFF has an island rate, meaning how often the guy is totally one-on
07:42-one in pass pro.
07:43And Lane Johnson leads the NFL like every year.
07:47I mean, they just put him one-on-one, which is not overly common.
07:51But, you know, if you want to help Coleman more, it's hard to give consistent help to both sides.
07:58If you're going to help Coleman more, then Connerly has the onus of being able to get it done in
08:05one-on-one situations more often.
08:08It's really interesting you say you'd rather have five decent than two great and three bad.
08:14I remember covering the Skins offensive line when you had Trent Williams and you had Brandon Sheriff
08:20and various quarterbacks were running for their lives because the guy on the right tackle side or whatever it might
08:26be was just subpar.
08:28So that is certainly a storyline to watch down here.
08:32It was a crazy week last week, though, Ross, because you had, like, for fans, you had the elation of
08:38Steph Diggs' arrival
08:39and then Tunsell's departure, like, within 48 hours of each other.
08:44But what do you make of Diggs coming to Washington?
08:47Well, the thing is, is he proved last year that he can still play at a really high level.
08:54So for them to be able to get him at this stage, and they really needed him, and with every
09:03passing Brandon Iyuk video or Instagram post,
09:08that looked like a worse and worse idea.
09:12I mean, can you imagine if Diggs had signed somewhere else and then they were just kind of stuck trying
09:18to make a trade for Iyuk
09:20and see what he did for them this year or had to just roll with, you know, McCaffrey and Williams
09:27and Traylon Burks or Deami or whatever.
09:30Diggs can still play at a really high level.
09:33You know, he said, I'm one of the best twos out there.
09:37If I'm going to be a two, I think maybe he said he's the best.
09:39And I tend to agree with him.
09:42There's something about him that runs its course at some point where the teams are kind of like, okay, I'm
09:52done with this guy.
09:54However, you know, he's usually good that first year.
09:59You know, they're usually happy that they have him that first year.
10:04And then after that is when they want to move on.
10:08I think they only did a one-year deal.
10:09And you know what?
10:10Antonio Williams might show that he's ready to be the number two or whatever next year.
10:15They might only need him for this one year.
10:17Yeah.
10:18Well, Antonio Williams has been having a very good camp.
10:21What were your thoughts of him when the command is drafted him?
10:24Well, so first of all, I don't pretend to be like the guy that sits there and breaks down wide
10:32receiver, rookie, you know, draft pick footage.
10:35However, kind of like you guys, on the Raw Sucker Football Podcast, I bring on experts.
10:42I bring on draft gurus.
10:44I have Greg Cosell from NFL Films every week.
10:47He was the guy that people really liked.
10:50People really liked Antonio Williams and loved the draft pick by the commanders, thought there's a really good chance, you
11:01know, that he would end up being one of their top two or three receivers.
11:04And it sounds like, you know, that's sort of the path he's on.
11:09Yeah, Williams is going to be – he's going to have a real opportunity here.
11:14I continue to land in this space.
11:16People, you know, ask me all the time, like, oh, what do you think for the commanders?
11:20What do you think for the commanders?
11:21And it's – however many games Jaden Daniels plays, I think they win about two-thirds of them.
11:26Like, I just think Jaden is still that guy.
11:28I think Jaden's had a very impressive camp.
11:30I think the new offensive system will help Jaden a lot and help them – their ability to run the
11:37ball.
11:37I don't know what you saw in the two years with Kingsbury, but what do you think going to kind
11:42of a more pro-style offense can unlock for Jaden?
11:46Well, a couple things.
11:47First of all, JP, why do you say two-thirds of however many games Jaden plays?
11:52I mean, you're saying that and couching that.
11:56Like, you're already expecting him to – like, are you just thinking this is what he's going to be where
12:01he gets hurt every year?
12:02You're already kind of like anticipating that.
12:03No, I would say the same thing for Cincinnati.
12:05I would say the same thing for Baltimore.
12:07Like, I think most teams, if you think the offense is pretty good, are going to win at a pretty
12:12good clip as long as you have that starting quarterback out there.
12:15I didn't mean it to, like, couch it specifically.
12:17Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:19So then I guess what I would say about, you know, there's 21 new offensive coordinators, I believe, in the
12:28NFL this year.
12:29Damn.
12:30And literally – yeah, first of all, that's bananas because I would love to sit down and rank where OC
12:39is in terms of how important.
12:42You know, if quarterbacks one and then, you know, maybe you say head coaches two, OC is like top ten,
12:50man.
12:50I mean, that OC makes a big difference.
12:53And what I'm hearing in 21 cities right now is how this offense is better.
13:01It's better for the quarterback.
13:03They're more aggressive.
13:05It's – like, let me just tell you, there's 21 new guys.
13:09They can't all be better than the guy that was in it last year.
13:12I promise.
13:13And I kind of thought Cliff did some really good things.
13:18I mean, especially that first year with all the up-tempo, no huddle stuff that Jayden was comfortable with.
13:26They were aggressive on fourth down, whether you want to give that credit to Kingsbury or Dan Quinn.
13:33I'm a little bit surprised that they felt like moving on from Cliff after last year was the right move.
13:41I know that there had been some conversation behind the scenes.
13:45Certainly, JP, I'm sure you have more insight into that one than I do.
13:50But I thought Cliff did some good things.
13:53We'll see.
13:54You know, all over the NFL, all I'm reading is Kyler Murray more under center and play action and boots
14:00and Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson and Jaden Daniels.
14:04So, I don't know.
14:06Everybody's trying to do the McVay, Shanahan thing.
14:08I get it.
14:09But, first of all, not every quarterback's great at doing that stuff.
14:13And, secondly, at what point if everybody's running basically the same offense, do defenses catch up to it and you'd
14:21be better off doing something else?
14:22Well, see, that's the NFL.
14:23The NFL is always copy.
14:24And I'll tell you this.
14:25As a former quarterback, running a play action pass from a boot, from being already in the shotgun and running
14:32from under center, when you turn your back, you get more effect out of a defense when you turn your
14:36back to them.
14:37And then they lose sight of that football.
14:40A thousand percent.
14:42And also, the timing is different.
14:46When you're in the gun and you put it in the running back's belly with a half-ass fake for,
14:51like, a split second, they're looking at the old linemen.
14:55They're not even buying that.
14:57But, you do it under center and you have hard play action, those guys have to honor it.
15:05Otherwise, they're going to be late to their gap in the run game.
15:09They have to honor it.
15:09So, rather than the fake being the first half second or a split second, now it's, like, after a second
15:16and a half.
15:16So, now the receivers really have a chance to get down the field.
15:21And it's funny.
15:22You guys will appreciate this.
15:24Because I remember talking with some Texans players when Kyle Shanahan was there.
15:28And with the, you know, the Kubiak offense.
15:31And every week I felt like I was doing Texans games on the radio.
15:35And Owen Daniels at tight end would say, honestly, man, it's really just, like, the perfect offense for a tight
15:41end.
15:42And then Eric Winston at tackle said the same thing.
15:45Arian Foster and all the running backs always say it's the best offense for them.
15:50Quarterbacks, Sage Rosenbell, my buddy, they're like, oh, man, it's the best for a quarterback.
15:54And then receivers, you ever talk to, like, Andre Johnson, Julio Jones, they're like, man, this offense is designed for
16:01receivers.
16:02Hey, guys, guess what?
16:04Guess what?
16:05There aren't any other positions.
16:06I mean, if a guy at every position thinks the offense is the best and most perfect offense for their
16:13position, maybe everybody should run that.
16:15Maybe that should be the offense.
16:17Right.
16:18No, it's interesting because it's, like, it's kind of like the old adage for MLB players in spring training.
16:24Like, oh, I'm in the best shape of my life.
16:26Like, every offense is designed to get receivers open and tight ends open and running backs big holes.
16:30But, like, does it actually work?
16:32Do you see it come to fruition?
16:35Russ, zooming out from the commanders, looking around the league, you have a team you think takes a step up
16:41and a team you think takes a step back?
16:46Yeah, I mean, I guess I'll say I don't know if I think they take a step back, but I
16:55am surprised by the Super Bowl odds and the season win total, which we talk about on the Even Money
17:03Betting Podcast for the Baltimore Ravens.
17:06I mean, the Ravens have the second best odds to win the Super Bowl and the second best season win
17:14total behind only the Rams.
17:17And I know the Ravens have some ability, but, gosh, I mean, a first-time head coach, and, oh, by
17:26the way, he hires a first-time play caller?
17:30And the Ravens, you know, they seemingly always lose games they shouldn't.
17:35They haven't had a ton of postseason success.
17:39You know, they can't really take a step back from last year because they didn't make the playoffs last year.
17:43But my point is I think that they are a team that's being a little bit overrated right now and
17:52that people are giving them maybe a little bit too much credit.
17:55But I think on the other side, I kind of like the Saints.
18:00You know, the Saints are under the radar.
18:03I did a couple of their games last year, and late in the season, those guys believe in Tyler Shuck,
18:12and that's not a great division.
18:14I mean, you look at the Falcons, and the Panthers have a bunch of injuries already, and the Bucs have
18:20all kinds of contract drama.
18:23I wouldn't be surprised if the, you know, if the Saints just kind of sneak up on them.
18:29But that Jordan Tyson kid at Arizona State was electric.
18:33I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Saints sneak up on people and win that division.
18:39I like that, man.
18:40I like that.
18:41Last thing then, Ross, in Washington, I mean, even in the NFC East, I think Philly and Dallas are the
18:47expected kind of top dogs.
18:49Philly's defense should be phenomenal.
18:51Dallas's offense should be phenomenal.
18:52Well, what do you think the viewpoint around the country, as you're traveling, talking to coaches all over, is of
18:59this Burgundy and Gold team?
19:01Yeah, I think the belief is probably somewhere along the lines of what you said, JP.
19:10I think most people really are believers in Jane Daniels.
19:15You know, now there's always going to be concern about the injury stuff with his slight frame.
19:21But when you're around him, when you talk to him, people that have talked to people that are around him,
19:28there's a lot of belief in that young man.
19:30And what he did two years ago was incredible.
19:34I mean, you know, and I said this to you guys two years ago.
19:37Well, he's not just good, he's clutch.
19:40So I think two years ago, they won more than their fair share of those close games.
19:45Last year, they did not win their fair share of those close games.
19:52I think this is the year that it sort of evens out.
19:56So I think most people think that they'll be somewhere in that 7-9 win range seems to be the
20:03consensus.
20:05That sounds about right.
20:06I mean, dude, if you go 12-5 one year.
20:08I'm going 10 or 11.
20:0912-5 and 5-12, the reality is probably somewhere in the middle there, you know.
20:13And I think this defense could be much improved.
20:16Ross, we're excited to see you out there this season, man.
20:19Congrats again on the new gig.
20:20Appreciate you again.
20:21Good luck, bro.
20:22Yeah, thank you guys so much.
20:24Always great being on with you.
20:25All right, man.
20:25Take care.
20:26It's our boy, Ross Tucker.
20:27Give him a follow at RossTuckerNFL.
20:29You can watch him on CBS with Ian Eagle this fall, calling games.
20:33Check out the Ross Tucker podcast.
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