00:00All right, I wanted to get into this with people here.
00:07People saw Tank Deal Sunday, had an incredible comeback,
00:12and this is now yesterday.
00:14We moved past the, oh, man, it's a great story for Tank.
00:19It's still a great story, but a great story for Tank to where, yo,
00:23that he's actually bringing it on the field.
00:26Four catches over 100 yards and a touchdown,
00:28and obviously a big chunk play with a 63-yard touchdown,
00:33caught it and ran away from everybody there.
00:35And I'm curious where you land and where people land on this.
00:40We talked about it all offseason, right, the three of us.
00:44Hey, man, guys, let's – like, we got to chill out on the Tank Deal thing.
00:50Like, we got to – like, you can't be depending on him.
00:53Like, we don't even know if he's going to play.
00:55You can't – like, you can't look at that and try to depend on that.
00:58Like, just, we'll see.
00:59We don't even know if he's going to play.
01:01We don't even know when he's going to return.
01:02We wondered if he would come back at all.
01:06But we also talked about he's a real wild card
01:08because if he's the Tank Deal that we saw before the injury,
01:13then, hey, this is a game changer.
01:17This is a guy that is most definitely, you know,
01:22a difference maker for an offense if he's the Tank Deal.
01:24So, we've got two weeks, 100-yard receiving yesterday –
01:29or Sunday against the Chargers.
01:31We know it was the Chargers, but 100 yards against the Chargers.
01:35Where are you at now since you've seen him for two weeks going?
01:39Is this – are we in difference-making Tank,
01:42or is it too soon to get there for you yet?
01:46Oh, we're in difference-making Tank.
01:47We're in should-take-other-people's-reps mode for Tank.
01:53I mean, I think you've got two guys on this offense
01:57that I would categorize as playmakers, right?
02:01You've got a bunch of guys that can play multiple positions,
02:04that are reliable, that are going to be where they're supposed to be,
02:06that if the ball's thrown in their catch window,
02:08they're going to catch it.
02:09And that's fine.
02:11They're valuable.
02:12Not minimizing those guys.
02:13But you've got two guys right now that can maybe put themselves
02:20in a bad situation, get pinned to the sideline,
02:22or not have run-by ability, the ball's in the air,
02:28with the ability to go up and make a play.
02:30Obviously, one of those guys is Nico Collins,
02:32and I think it's safe to say right now,
02:34after the three-pump touchdown, he catches, he separates late,
02:41he gets forced to the sideline, he separates late.
02:43And catches the back end of the football,
02:46and then outruns everybody to the end zone.
02:48I think we're at a spot where I think it's fair to say
02:51that Tank Dale is the second-best playmaker on this team right now.
02:55I still don't know if he's the Tank Dale that once was.
02:58I mean, that was a different dude, different route runner just in general.
03:02But in terms of being a playmaker at the NFL level,
03:06Nico Collins is elite, and I think Tank Dale just re-arrived,
03:09if you will, as one of those guys.
03:11So, yeah, I think it was not just a good day for Tank.
03:15To your question, I think he's a weapon, he's a priority,
03:20and you've got to find ways to get him touches, period.
03:24Yeah, I mean, he's the second-best playmaker, as you said, on the team.
03:29It's Nico, and then it's him.
03:32Like, the best compliment is, I would assume that at some point
03:37we're getting to a space, if not already, the Browns may be doing this,
03:41where teams are also looking at, all right, where is he lined up pre-snap?
03:48Because, obviously, he's a move guy.
03:50They do jet sweeps.
03:52They do – he's run the ball multiple times.
03:54I mean, Clint, we're sitting here through him two games.
03:59I mean, what he's done compared to Marv is insane.
04:03But in two games, I mean, he's got five catches, 148 yards.
04:07He's averaging almost 30 yards a catch, you know, with that 63-yard touchdown.
04:11And he's got, you know, some carries where he's run the football.
04:15So, you're looking like, all right, what's the matchup?
04:18He's the guy that may go down the field and run past people,
04:22got up past 20 miles an hour on that touchdown run.
04:24Like, that's something we've got to deal with,
04:27which means potentially pulling some coverage away from 12.
04:34I don't know that the Texans had other guys on the field,
04:38other weapons at all, tight end, running back, anybody, other receivers,
04:42that at least made people think pre-snap.
04:45And I think we may be getting there if we are not with Tank,
04:49especially after that last game.
04:51Well, I just – there's no question I think we're there.
04:53We saw him catch a screen and get his – look like his legs cut up underneath him.
04:56He popped right back up.
04:57Yep.
04:58You know, we've seen the quick game.
05:00We've seen the mid-range game.
05:01We've seen the double-move game.
05:02But, yeah, I think he's a guy that it's undeniable,
05:06the chemistry that he has with the quarterback,
05:08it's undeniable just the playmaking ability that he has
05:11to take things that are very difficult, a high level of difficulty,
05:14and make them look easy.
05:16And when that's the case, it's – I mean, if you're C.J. Stroud,
05:20really if you're Nick Cayley, but absolutely if you're C.J. Stroud,
05:23yeah, sure, we all love Tank.
05:26We know C.J. and Tank are close.
05:27But let's just talk about it from a football perspective.
05:29You've got a guy on the other end of some of these passes
05:31that you don't have to make a perfect throw.
05:33I mean, I'll be honest with you.
05:34Jalen Noel was out there doing work and making plays.
05:36But go back and show me a catch where the ball wasn't dropped down the damn chimney.
05:41You know what I mean?
05:42It was great.
05:43He's separating.
05:43He's making some plays.
05:45But show me – I don't mean to pick on J. Noel, all of them.
05:48Show me plays this year where C.J. didn't damn near stick it in his face mask.
05:53Outside of 12, yeah.
05:54Where C.J. Stroud didn't damn near stick it in his face mask.
05:58I mean, whether it's Hutch, whether it's Schultz, whether it's Marv,
06:01whether it's – I guess Booty's made a couple of go down in the dirt
06:05and get it kind of plays, pick the ball up off your shoestrings.
06:08But, I mean, really, for the most part, everything has been perfect throws.
06:11Like, not just in your catch window.
06:12Like, in your chest.
06:14Like, in your chest.
06:15You know what I mean?
06:15Like, inside your shoulder pads.
06:17You almost got no choice.
06:17Yeah, you have no choice.
06:18I mean, it's either get beat up or catch it.
06:20One of the two.
06:21And so, now I think you've got a guy, again, outside of 12 in tank
06:25that can go out there and legitimately make plays for your quarterback.
06:29And that's what I think this team has needed desperately, really, I mean,
06:35for going on – I mean, since Tank got hurt, if we're being honest.
06:38Yeah.
06:39I mean, Christian Kirk wasn't that guy.
06:41Jay Knoll never really got the shot.
06:43Higg was coming but got hurt.
06:44Right?
06:45I mean, so, I just –
06:46Yeah, yeah.
06:47I think you can't just let your second corner go one-on-one
06:51with Tank down the field.
06:52No.
06:52Are you going to see what happened to the chart?
06:55He's going to run his legs off.
06:57He's going to get double moved.
06:58He's going – I mean, it's going to be tough.
07:00Yeah.
07:00So, look, he is showing us that he is getting close back to that guy
07:06that was a difference maker for this team.
