00:00Browns one. Nathan Zagura joins us right now on the Wise Heart Right. We make it right. Call Kyle, right?
00:05Hotline.
00:06Hello, Nathan.
00:09Good morning, Ken. What do you know about Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy that we don't? That's juicy stuff.
00:17I don't know. I'm kidding. How am I doing? I'm great. How are you doing? I mean, this is fun.
00:24I'm doing wonderful. I'm bustling here. I am trying not to lose my voice.
00:29I mean, we got Friday Night Touchdown later on tonight, so I'm trying to keep it within reason.
00:35But, I mean, Nathan, it's hard. You think about this.
00:38I mean, we were trying to not make it awkward, you and me and Tone, a month ago after preseason
00:47games.
00:48And here we are, 27-24. And I do think, like, I'm not trying to throw anybody under the bus.
00:54I like Kevin a whole lot. I know you did, too. Still do.
00:58Here it comes. Here it comes.
00:59But, no, I think you're seeing a cultural difference.
01:02You have a guy who everybody was saying was a one-and-done guy, a 60-year-old guy.
01:07And here he is. And he's got these guys believing in each other.
01:11There is an emotional group here that has found a way to go out there and play for each other
01:17to find wins.
01:17Go ahead, Nathan.
01:19Yeah, there's no doubt about it. And, you know, you think about a month ago after the preseason.
01:23What about after week one? I mean, to think about where we are three weeks later is awesome.
01:28And Todd Munkin, I think there's a benefit also to being a 60-year-old first-time head coach.
01:34He's made it to where he wants to be, and he's going to do it his way. You know what
01:39I mean?
01:39He kind of has that carte blanche in his mind.
01:42All right, I've always wanted to do it. Here's how I'm going to do it.
01:45And the team has bought into that. Todd Munkin, I think, is a great coach.
01:49And I think he's a tremendous coach for a young football team.
01:52And I would be remiss if I didn't add that Mike Rutenberg has absolutely taken control of that defensive side
01:59of the football.
01:59And those guys love him. There is a genuine affection on this team for the coaches.
02:05And I think it was a very smart thing by Mike Rutenberg and the Cleveland Browns to keep all the
02:09position coaches on the defensive side
02:11because the D-line guys love Jaxie's there. The linebackers absolutely love Tarv.
02:15The corners love B. Lynch. The safeties love Coach Bonda.
02:18And there is a real passion. There is a joy around this team.
02:22Blake Whitehart said something to me two weeks ago after the Tampa game.
02:25He caught the touchdown, and he said,
02:27this is the closest team I've been on with the Browns in terms of the fact the guys all like
02:33each other.
02:34They're getting along. They're rowing in the same direction.
02:36I think Quincy Williams has brought an infectious energy over there.
02:39Jared versus certainly brought a little bit of swagger and toughness and desire to talk trash to the opponent on
02:46that defensive side.
02:47But that heart, mind, fist that Rudy preaches, they've bought in.
02:50You've got a special teams unit with Corey Bohorkas hitting 81-yard punts.
02:54Rex Sunahara from Bay Village, who knows exactly how much this means to this city,
02:59and is saying what a weekend this is going to be.
03:01We've got the guards and the ALDS on Saturday.
03:03And then you've got Andre Schmidt, who, if you think about where he was after a season opener one year
03:08ago,
03:09to do what he has done, 22 straight field goals, good from 56 to beat the Steelers on national TV.
03:15It's incredible.
03:16And here's the best part, guys.
03:18We had 14 more penalties.
03:20We had some issues with the clock.
03:22We've had some issues in terms of our assignment and our alignment, as Gerard would say.
03:26And this is a young team that is making mistakes but growing and yet still finding ways to win.
03:33Deshaun Watson has led three straight game-winning drives.
03:37Three straight.
03:38Last quarterback to do that in the Super Bowl era in three consecutive weeks was Brian Sipe in 1979.
03:44That's how rare what he has done has been.
03:46This defense has gotten stopped three weeks in a row.
03:50It's just awesome.
03:52The energy last night down there was electric.
03:54I mean, once I was so amped up, I couldn't even go to bed last night.
03:58It was just, it was great.
04:00The city put itself on full display.
04:02This team, it's a little bit of a roller coaster at times.
04:05But I do think we got a glimpse in that first half of what this offense can be.
04:10We haven't seen it for 60 minutes.
04:12And if we do, I think this team really, because the defense is excellent, these young playmakers are elite.
04:18Our offensive line is definitely making improvements.
04:21And it's, we have a chance, I think, to actually be something special and something consequential here.
04:26And the vibes are just, it's great.
04:29It's, it's, this is a lot of fun, man.
04:31This is a lot of fun.
04:33Nathan Ziger, always fun joining us, especially after two wins in five days.
04:38What did you think of the Deshaun Watson game yesterday from start to finish?
04:42I thought in the first half, I mean, he looked fantastic.
04:46I thought he looked fantastic.
04:48You get caught and, you know, running those read options is a very tricky thing, especially when you do it
04:53on T.J. Watt's side.
04:54And T.J. Watt had that play covered so well, he could have got both of them.
04:58So you get the fumble there, the defense holds, that's awesome.
05:02So unfortunate on the bomb.
05:03Denzel Boston got clear of the line, of the cornerback.
05:06That had a chance to be kind of a nail in the coffin, big play.
05:09It just tips the finger that churns, you know, of course, the pass interference into an interception.
05:14Then he does make some plays with his legs.
05:16You go back, the third down play, getting around brisker, huge for the Cleveland Browns.
05:20The throws he makes on the final drive, ripping the one into Jerry Judy.
05:23And how about Jerry Judy?
05:25Jerry Judy hadn't caught a ball in two weeks.
05:27He could have easily said, you know what?
05:29They're playing the young guys.
05:31I'm not that into this.
05:33Deshaun Watson went to him during the week, said three.
05:35I don't know when it's going to be, but I know I'm going to need you.
05:38And I need you to be ready.
05:39And Jerry Judy said, I'll be ready.
05:41And guess what?
05:4217 yards to open that final drive.
05:44He was there.
05:45I really thought Deshaun Watson, going back to him, he looks so much more calm in the pocket
05:50than at any time we've seen him here with the Cleveland Browns.
05:53He's making plays with his legs.
05:54He's making plays with his arm.
05:56And you saw, I think, in that first half where we really had it going, what this team could be.
06:01And I really hope that we get one of those where we put it together for 60 minutes
06:05because we're going to start scoring in the 30s.
06:07We have that kind of talent here.
06:09And Deshaun Watson is playing well.
06:10And at this point, he's Captain Clutch, right?
06:13Anytime we need to go get points, he's going to make the plays and get us points.
06:18Nathan Zagura joining us here on the Wise Heart Right.
06:20We make a right call, Kyle Wright Hotline.
06:22Is there any sort of an update at all?
06:24Do you know any information about Mason Graham and his injury?
06:28I do not.
06:29I do not.
06:30I hope this is just based on nothing.
06:32Obviously, you hope it is not serious.
06:36I'm sure we will get updates as they come out.
06:38But he's been playing so well.
06:39And it was so unfortunate.
06:40It ended up being Jared Burst got blocked down by the tight end and ends up going right
06:44into Mason Graham's leg.
06:45So you hope that it's OK.
06:47I will say this in that defensive tackle room.
06:49What Mike Hall did yesterday is incredible.
06:53Mike Hall was injured.
06:54Mike Hall's in a boot right now after the game.
06:56And he's like, look, Mason Graham's not out there.
06:59We can't have Malik and Aiden have to go the entire game.
07:02I've got to get out there.
07:03Not only did he get out there, he got out there and got a sack, made plays.
07:06I mean, it was incredible.
07:08So this was just this was it was awesome.
07:11But yes, certainly hoping Mason Graham, who was in the early defensive player of the year
07:14conversation, Daniel Jeremiah said that not my words, Daniel Jeremiah's that we hope
07:19that we can get him back.
07:20He's playing so well.
07:21But there's how about Aiden Huntington coming in?
07:23He got two sacks.
07:24One got taken away on a penalty.
07:26But he steps up.
07:27This team just has guys that are stepping up when they need to, making plays when they
07:31need to.
07:32And like I said at the beginning, they have still not executed cleanly for 60 minutes.
07:37There are still too many sloppy penalties, too many instances of Browns hurting Browns.
07:40And yet they keep finding a way.
07:43So when those things minimize as a young team matures and gets more experience, again, I'm
07:47pretty excited about what this Browns team has the potential to be.
07:51We had a caller, Matt Hudson, who brought up the pass rush.
07:54I mean, you have, what, 10 hurries, I think, pressures, five sacks.
07:57They're getting after it.
07:5910 hits.
07:59Yeah, 10 hits.
08:0110 hits.
08:01We have many more pressures than that.
08:0210 hits, seven tackles for loss.
08:04Dominant performance.
08:05Well, what is the...
08:08Because he brought up Myles Garrett specifically.
08:10I know you ain't going to sit there and rip on Myles Garrett.
08:13But what happened?
08:15What happened between last year and this year where you got four guys going after him instead
08:19of one?
08:21Well, I think that you had four guys.
08:23I mean, listen, let's not forget Malik Collins had six and a half sacks, which was a career
08:26high for him before he gets hurt in 11 games.
08:28So you had guys still performing at a high level.
08:31It's just now they don't know necessarily where it's coming from.
08:36The Browns are having to be creative in their pass rush.
08:38The Browns are being creative in some of the pressure looks that they're showing.
08:42One of the things that Quincy Williams does very well is blitz.
08:44Carson Sueshinger is a great blitzer.
08:46So you're seeing us show, you know, mugging the A-gaps.
08:49We're using these guys as rushers.
08:50We're doing some simulated pressures where we're dropping D-line it out.
08:54So we're a lot more varied in what we're doing up front because in the past, it was
09:00obviously built around the Megastar.
09:01I mean, we're talking about the best pass rusher potentially in the history of the NFL.
09:05So it should be.
09:06Now it's everybody.
09:07We have to be rush as a team.
09:09So we're getting creative and guys are winning their one-on-one matchups.
09:12And it's been awesome to watch.
09:14They're so hungry.
09:15And there probably has to be in the back of guys' minds, you know, when you're playing
09:19with somebody like Miles, man, I better get there really fast or he's going to get there.
09:23And so now it's like, everybody's just doing their job, working together.
09:26What about the contributions you get?
09:28Sam Williams.
09:29Sam Williams is playing great.
09:30The Browns pick him up.
09:31What a great addition at the 53.
09:33Not only does he get a sack, he also hits the arm of Aaron Rodgers, which leads to Denzel
09:37Ward's interception.
09:39Last week, it's Derek Barnett with the pressure that hits the arm of Bryce Young that leads to
09:42Hickman's game-sealing interception.
09:44They're all doing it.
09:45They're getting after Isaiah McGuire's sack in each of the last two games.
09:48And I think maybe that just has something to do with it.
09:50They know I can't rely on somebody else either.
09:54I can't be like, well, Miles is going to get there.
09:56We've all got to get there.
09:57And they are playing with tenacity.
09:58And it's awesome.
09:59And I think part of it, again, Mike Rutenberg really has instilled something in this defense.
10:03They believe in him.
10:04They love him.
10:05And they are playing very, very hard and very fast.
10:08Go back and watch the highlight.
10:09You want to have one highlight to me that sums up what this Cleveland Browns defense and what this
10:13team is all about.
10:14And it's not a crazy play.
10:16It's not a huge play.
10:17But they throw a swing pass out to Darnell Washington, who, by the way, is an absolute
10:21mountain of a man.
10:22And Carson Swester tries to tackle him up top.
10:25Can't.
10:26He gets onto his leg.
10:27And six Browns swarm him and take him down like piranha in the river if you drop the
10:33cow in there.
10:34And all of a sudden, the big man fell down.
10:36But that shows to me exactly what this team is and what they're about.
10:40I love hearing Nathan after a win.
10:43It's awesome.
10:43This beats the heck out of so many of the years.
10:45We had to have you come on and find the positives.
10:48You and me both, brother.
10:50You and me both.
10:51Like, Nathan, they might have lost to drop to 0-15, but they had some nice runs there
10:56in the fourth quarter.
10:57Anyway, Nathan, speaking of the running game, again, it was only three yards to carry.
11:01But how about Judkins out of the backfield?
11:03You know, I watched him at Ohio State, and I kept maintaining that this is a weapon when
11:09you can use him a little bit in the passing game.
11:12And I know it's been more of a safety valve, but I think there's more of an opportunity there.
11:16And that can be kind of an extension of the run.
11:19I am 100% agree with what you think about that.
11:23Get him what I call long handoffs, where you give him an opportunity in space to make plays.
11:28He has six catches for 43 yards.
11:30He does a good job on most of those.
11:31He makes at least one guy miss before he is able to get brought down.
11:35And I love that they stuck with the run game.
11:37There were some important runs on third downs where he was able to power through the pile
11:43and get there.
11:43We're still not getting him down the field enough.
11:46Of his 53 yards yesterday, 45 came after contact.
11:50So when you think about that on 17 carries, that's not great.
11:54For example, Jalen Warren, did he have some yards after contact?
11:57He sure did.
11:57He also had some runs where he had an opportunity to get a jailbreak out there.
12:00And then what about Jaleel McLaughlin?
12:02Reminds me of Nick Chubb.
12:04Not that I think he's going to become Nick Chubb, but the game that Nick Chubb had in Oakland,
12:08where it's like, oh, you only get a handful of carries.
12:09You make the most of it.
12:10Well, in this case, Jaleel McLaughlin got one carry.
12:12He went for 28 yards and a touchdown.
12:14And then go back to that play, because not only did McLaughlin do a great job, go circle
12:18number one, Casey Concepcion.
12:20He blocked Patrick Queen not once, not twice, but three times on that play.
12:25A rookie wide receiver.
12:26Long runs only happen when receivers block, and that was awesome.
12:29I like everything they're doing on offense.
12:31We've got to clean up the penalties, obviously.
12:34And it just feels like we are so close to becoming an elite vertical passing team, because
12:39if you watch the tape, Boston was open on that one, Howard got beat, and unfortunately,
12:43go back there, a couple of Concepcion, where there was pressure off the right side again.
12:46But if we can start to block up in some of those shot situations, I think we're going
12:50to have an opportunity to be a pretty good vertical passing team as well.
12:53Nathan, thank you very much for the time.
12:55Wishing you the best.
12:56Have a wonderful weekend.
12:58I mean, how could we not have a wonderful weekend here in Cleveland?
13:01GoGuard starting the ALDS.
13:03Brown's in first place.
13:04We get to watch the games on Sunday.
13:06No stress.
13:07No, we're feeling good.
13:08This is a fun time in this city.
13:11I feel like it should be sunny today.
13:12I know we're going to get the sun back tomorrow, but the sun is shining on Cleveland right now,
13:16even if it's rated.
13:17Nathan, thank you very much.
13:18The great Nathan Zaguro.
13:19On the Wiseheart right, we make a right call, Kyle Wright hotline.
13:22What he had to say about that offensive, defensive line, and the difference of the Munkin'
13:27man.
13:28Ken Carman, Anthony Lima, coming in hot.
13:309.43 on the fan.
