The OTP | Pregame - Week 15

Published Dec 13, 2024, 2:00 AM
Mike Keith and Amie Wells are joined by Titans Radio's Dave McGinnis on the OTP: Pregame, presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans.

This is the OTP pregame presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans. No matter your life stage, you can plan on Farm Bureau Health Plans for great healthcare coverage with a sensible price tag. Visit FBHP dot com with Amy Wells. I'm Mike Keith. This is Ramon Foster from Titans Radio and one oh four to five The Zone. Former NFL player. You also have the title with the league. You do the side job for the league. What do you call that?

Appeals officer?

You're an appeals officer?

Are you a badge?

No? Oh, that would be so cool, like when Elvis got the badge from President Nixon.

Yeah, it would come with a badge at.

Well, it can come with a lot of things upon stuff.

You know. It's interesting because so a lot of people don't know you're an appeals office that really hasn't gotten out there, that no.

One talks about it, talks.

About it at all.

I referenced my y'all know, I joke about this all. I got like five different jobs people, but I never tell them what they are. I ended up getting this on in this past July August, and it's on the NFL ops page like it's public knowledge that is out there. It's myself, Jordan Nelson, Derek Brooks, the Hall of Famer, and another Hall of Famer former Titan himself, Kevin will Watt also, so.

It's four of us. This year was a pandem group.

It's a it's a good group, and I think they were conscious about what they were doing, getting offensive guy defense guy old New like there was a balance on this.

Now, we're not going to ask you about your most recent case because all of those are private and there's no way anybody publicly would know what your nage was. That would never be released by the NFL for every So does it just it just rotates, It just comes in order. You don't get select did for a particular case. It's just your turn.

It's your turn and your availability too. So that's as how it usually goes as it pertains, so is the thing to the league hands out fines all the time. So it's just when you have a bigger one that has, you know, a little bit behind it, that's when that type of stuff get announced. Yeah, probably one of the only times I ever had that national god to about me too, So that was different. I mean, there's something that's gotten out.

That was a lot.

Yeah, back end of last week, was I missed it? I flew the plane for sure, Yeah, yeah, for sure. It was fascinating. But it's been public knowledge all year long, right, and the NFL does a good job. It's agreed upon between the NFL and the NFL and the PA, and the rules of it, of course, is to follow the godlines of the cb A in the rule book. So that's essentially what.

The job is.

And it's good having former players in that position because there's a little bit difference of understanding when it comes from player to player conversation and.

Stuff like that. There's context that's more understanding. Yeah, absolutely, well, it's it's too bad that you haven't gotten more publicity for that.

You know what is crazy how that stuff goes, Man, I actually run away from it.

You know, it is natural. You should just let people know.

It's right.

That never stopped anyone. I've learned, I bet you have. I've learned well. In all seriousness, you handled all of your publicity about that case very well, very proud of I appreciate it, and we didn't bother you about it well. Even as the Titans ready to churs, we haven't all been out to dinner together yet. When that happens in Indianapolis, maybe yeah, we trust me.

The way my socials were last week, I got so many phone calls and folks I hadn't talked to him a while in the business outside.

Okay, all right, well you've got to share. Who's the funniest phone call that you got, the funniest message you got that you're willing to share with the OT.

People won't give us a specific bu't because it's it's too close to this. The news breakers, the news breaker I had somehow they found my number.

They can find anything.

Listen, never even had conversations with it. And that's the thing behind the job too, is behind this task. It's a duty, really, is what it is is the ability to not say anything because whatever you rule upon is what happens. But you're on the radio every day, I can I don't talk about it though you have handled that well, yeah, and you have to because again it's it's it's a trust thing too, and it's for the preservation of the preservation of the league too. On how you go about doing that job because the rules of the game are what they are, and you got to view them in at such two because this thing that we do that involve these three letters NFL, you want to preserve that as much as you possibly can.

And that's the.

Duty of it is too. It's guys that's play for other teams that have seen their team, like it's been guys that have you know, I've been around in the game because it's only five years or moved from it. And the NFL and nfl PA are okay with that also.

So that was the other thing.

So I was very upfront about, well, you know I worked with Titans, right, sure, we don't care. It's like, okay, will you follow the guy. They want real people.

They don't want somebody living out in the middle of nowhere who has no contact with any of it. It is, and I applaud them for wanting real people because I mean, you're gonna look at the shield, the NFL shield, and you're gonna do what's right for the shield, because that's who you are as a person.

And we all benefit from the shield, Like we're able to do this podcast because of it too, you know. So, uh, there's a lot the NFL has a lot of branches. It does, and everybody's working towards the right direction.

Keep this thing going all right, fascinating, So you're ready to get into the five topics.

Absolutely, five topics.

Five topics. We're going to start Tennessee Cincinnati with Trey Hendrickson. Topic number one, defensive end. Cincinnati Bengals leads the NFL in sacks with twelve and a half in twenty twenty four. He actually has twelve and a half of Cincinnati's twenty four sacks, so he has more than half their sacks. Okay, he has over fifty sacks since he joined the Bengals in twenty twenty one. Huh yeah, because he had seventeen and a half last year. I didn't realize he was cooking like that, all right, So listen to this. Trey Hendrickson has aligned as the right edge the offensive lines left on ninety five point one percent of his snaps this season. He's also lined up three point six percent of his snaps right inside defensive line, so he's moved inside, but he's been on the defense is right off the offense is left. For that number of snaps, He's had only four snaps on the left side of the defensive line. The right side of the offense. So if that holds true Sunday in Nashville at Nissan Stadium, Jac Latham's gonna have it. Yeah. JC has had a rough few weeks. What Ramon Foster is the challenge of blocking the guy like Trey Hendrickson And what is JC Latham going to have to do better to be successful on Sunday?

The challenge of blocking Trey Hendrickson is he doesn't quit. He goes his a lot of amount of plays, get his rest, and he powers right back up to go again. His ability to have that many sacks and that sort of a window mac Mike and that for that franchise says a lot about who he is. They also set him up to be an ability to work. He only specializes in one type of rough side too. He knows his moves and how his body is going to be over the left tackle when he's rush up against him. He understands the angles. And here's the thing about him too. He came into this league I remember as a young guy too with the Saints like just power, power, power, run through your face. And over time he's gradually made himself a little bit more of a finesser. He scares you with his ability, with this power to hit you and get off of you right now, or he can also set you on your butt like he's that type of guy. That's where he is as a pro right now to where this is why I always tell guys like when you hit year six through nine, that's when you really become a true pro where you don't have to practice as much anymore, you watch more tape and do less physical because you only have so many shots left anyway. And that's where he is, and that's why his production is what it is. Also, and he's probably a little bit ticked off because Cincinnati didn't extend them out. He is what he considered underpaid right now. They've done it twice with Jamar, and I'm sure we'll get to him. To Jamar and also him, it confuses me. You saved that guy. But either way for j C. Three weeks is hard to try to reset your mind more than anything, He's to me is at the mental part of his rookie year to where the physical is there. Right We understand he's big, he's strong, but now how can he persevere the injuries that he may have? Little Nixon dings? How does he look at tape and figure out how to minimize himself as far as his deficiencies, to correct why he's given up these sacks. That's where he has to be. This is why I always tell young guys like, the game is more mental than it is physical. At this point, he's not getting physically beat down, he's not getting plowed over and stuff like that. They're getting him of what they've seen him mess up with on tape. And that's where JC, in my opinion, has to start first, look and like and just digest and just regurgitate what you've messed up at. And not just the sacks that you've given up. That's only one player game, right, not just the sacks, but what happened to play before, what happened like the series before. It's such an intricate p hard on, like watching offensive line develop that a gomea did something to you in the first quarter and they circle back to it at the end of the half like last week. Right, that's what he's got to figure out. What are they doing to me to get to that point right there? If it's bending underneath my arms, then I got to get to my point a little bit quicker, like it's he ain't bad, He's just getting got by guys with veterans. If you look at the people that he's given up Saxon, they have been more veteran guys.

As of I mean, the Titans have gone up against some pretty ridiculous defenses this season.

And for a guy like J. C.

Latham, who is a rookie, he's played fairly well, especially early. You know, he showed off that strength, he showed off those abilities.

Are we seeing a fatigue.

Almost like a rookie wall kind of thing where his body's just not used to the amount of work that he's being asked to do.

And he's also ding.

Yeah, and he is ding.

So there's not too but or is this a guys are realizing what he can and cannot do it? To your point, they're circling back to some of his weaknesses.

A little bit of both. I think I told us Philonoell, who's our teammate, on Titans Radio the Washington game, which is where he gave up another sack in that game to a veteran guy. Also, I saw him putting the heating pad on and I was like, Phil, I don't think he should go back in the game, And it was one of those situations to where he's young, so he feels invincible, right, But if that was a veteran with how I saw him react on the sideline, a veteran would have tapped his helm and then probably pulled himself out. So you got to give him a lot of credit for just really pushing through these injuries. I think that's the point. I do think when you look at his career and how last year went for him too, like we don't realize, like he went from playing college ball to training, from training to trips, from trips to the Combine, from the Combine to the NFL Draft, from the draft to the Titans, like it's been NonStop. So I do think, and I don't usually like to use this excuse, but I do think he's feeling it the time, the stress of the job. And you guys know, like I know, when you're record isn't as favorable, it's hard to where's my motivation. I saw him coming off the field it was in the Washington game and he was just upset, And this is where you need vets to be around. I know he's got a good group around him too, but you just grab a dude, like him that you know is going through it is in a spind cycle, and tell him it's not always like this and you need what we like to call in the game, oh g's sometimes, oh guys to tell you, hey, just keep pushing, take a take a day, reset your mind, because it's more of that than anything.

Is this where he missus Cushion Berry being out with injury right now?

I would, I would guess so, Mike, because that's where a silent guy like him behind the scene understands what a full year looks like. And for a young guy too at that position that's heralded as high as he is too. Yes, it is because I'm sure he built their relationship because he took him on his wing. From what I could tell this year, that's where it matters a little bit more, Mike, it does, And we take that for granted sometimes why you keep certain guys around the team, like you know, I know von Miller is a great player, but he's more of a teacher role, you know what I'm saying. Probably for those young granaut guys that are up there, Gregory Rousseau, you know, and those types of guys that are around Heck, it's numerous guys around the league that live that type of life of being a player coach more than anything, and then necessary for the locker room man for the team.

Yeah, he's still twenty one. Young twenty one. I mean, he's not a guy who had seven years in college because of COVID. He's young. And here's the other stat too, is JC has had some difficulties. He's certainly done some good things in past protection throughout the year at times. But listen to this stat The Titans have averaged five point seven yards per carry when running to the outside left. That's fourth in the NFL. Wow. They average fewer than four yards per carry when running in all other directions.

Again, the strength is there, right, We mentioned his ability to be good at that, but it's it really is a matter of one a bad season piling onto you. And I've always think I'm pretty sure I said it on the podcast we did before too, like past protection, which Peter Scarronsi's gotten a whole lot better at according to the metrics. It's like painting. Remember I brought up to Bob Rothston. Sure, Bob ross Trees I'm sure didn't look really good in the beginning mistake mistake. It's hard having happy mistakes.

You don't have happy mistakes happy Trade Hendrickson, thirty year old Trade Hendrickson, year eight from Florida, Atlantic six four two sixty five. Yeah, you don't have happy mistakes against guys.

Like he's happy about that.

And you know, all that's going to take, and I know we got five questions. All that's going to take is him to stop whatever happened last week. Once I told the story about how I had a guy chasing the sack off of something I did the week before, and the moment I shut it off, his game plan was gone because he worked on b me what the other person did the week before. It's a process. Happy mistakes a hard still don't mike the game like they just are all right.

Topic number two Tony Pollard. Tony Pollard leads the Titans with nine hundred and thirty seven yards rushing. That's ninth overall in the NFL. He has seven games with eighty plus rushing yards. Only Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry have more. He has three one hundred yard games. By the way, did you hear the stat that with sixty three yards Tony Pollard will become the eighth Tennessee Titan to go over one thousand yards. Did you see how Keith Bullock did with those?

He got everyone except the last one, and then he tried to make us feel good on the back end of it, Mike.

Well, they were that was edited in a way that there were maybe more. There's maybe more than one. Hint, do you know this? Do you know the seven?

I don't know the seven? All right, don't make me guess.

Oh yeah, let's see if you can do it. You obviously haven't seen the social media video with Keith Happy.

No, I haven't seen it yet.

Okay, she was on assignment.

I was on a side, all right, So I miss.

Since we became the Tennessee Titans in nineteen ninety nine, seven players have rushed for one thousand or more yards.

Okay, go Eddie Eddie.

George did it multiple times? Correct?

Chris Johnson?

Chris Johnson did it multiple times? Correct? Derrick Henry, Derrick Henry did it multiple times? Correct? Now?

Is that three?

Yeah? Now? You?

All of the.

Next four are one offs.

Other running backs.

You've been here nearly twelve years. One of them happened while you were here.

One of them happened while I was here, the one off. Okay, oh, DeMarco Murray.

Marco Murray, okay, twenty sixteen.

All right, that's four.

Would you have gotten these? Ramon Foster?

Probably not all of them?

Okay, okay before my time, trying to think of running backs before or I was here, that I wouldn't know.

Okay, Uh, there's another Chris, right, there is another.

Chris, Chris Brown.

Chris Brown is correct, Okay, thank you.

Two thousand and four.

I've got five.

That was the hardest of the three that you Yeah, I have five. You know one of them, I know one of you know one of them through homecoming weekends and various things that you have been involved in over the years. Running back, I would say, you know probably pretty well running back running back? Yeah, thank you.

You like him somebody I like.

I think he's funny and fun and you enjoy being around him.

I enjoy a funny, fun us that I enjoy being around.

Yes, this person's gonna hate you. Yes. I don't hang out running backs typically, Yeah, hangs out with Boat gave, hangs out with Chris.

Joh oh oh oh oh, yeah, I know he's uh Lindell, like.

Really do I do think he's funny and fun and.

One more the other one one more Okay, So here are at the hints. He has the same last name as one of the other six guys. Johnson, he has the same that's just a hint. Okay, he has the same last name as one of the other six guys. He did it in a year where Vince Young was the quarterback. He played at the University of Tennessee. He's from not far from where your husband is from, probably a closer to Orlando, originally Florida.

He also shares a first name with another NFL running back from the same university.

Yeah, she wouldn't know.

Travis Stevens Stole okay, So Travis something.

Travis something, Travis Okay. So his nickname Cheese because he was like a block of cheese trying to tackle Travis Henry.

Travis Henry.

Yeah, I'm seven.

Running backs for those of you who miss Titans tonight with Keith Bullock, Eddie George, Chris Brown two thousand and four, Travis Henry two thousand and six, Lindale White two thousand and seven, Chris Johnson multiple times, DeMarco Murray, twenty sixteen Derrick Henry multiple times. So the topic two on Tony Pollard is how does Tony Pollard help his offensive line? And how did they help him? How does he help them hitting the right holes first?

Like that that right there is something that we bring up like not run into darkness as a running back. We hate that up front, don't run into my back. If I got the big gap right here sealed off, please hit that one unless you're trying to manipulate the line back like it's those types of things right there, and they're being very transparent with the coaching staff. Coach, I don't like that run, Coach, I do want to run this fellas up front?

What y'all want to do?

Like, those are the questions that have to also happen too, and you're trying to get that thousand yards and you're trying to move this offense forward. Is why are we running Let's say, if you don't like running toss plays, why are we running toss plays? Coach? Like I can't see the field or hate coach, they're only too quick in the backfield. Those are the things you discuss upfront for those guys up front and the old line it's don't don't stop blocking until you hear the whistle, Like it's one of the most cliche things ever blocked to the whistle. But those are the things that have to happen. And here's the other part. Why not do the smart thing you told the stat earlier JC Latham is running over five yards? Well, when they go to Hitside, it's over five yards of blip nearly six. Continue to work that, work the body. What is a kiss analogy? Keep it sensible, stupid? Sure, like that's just where you are. It's not a I hate to say, it's not a very complicated game, but it's not Do the things that you do well, and do them often with a little flair here and there. Sprinkle some dust on it every once in a while and season it up right. But that's what you do in those moments, especially this time of the year or two when it is cold. You gotta keep turning the ball. And if what they do upfront good is run blocking, move forward.

Absolutely.

I don't want to make this about me, but are you surprised that I got six out of seven?

No, you're very good at your job. That's passing you. No, But I'm not surprised.

I'm surprised that was good.

I think I only would have gotten six of the seven. Yeah, which ones? You've forgotten? DeMarco? And the reason is I kind of well, I'm a big DeMarco fan and I was, and I'm glad he's doing well coaching and I like him very much. But I think I would have lost it in the Derrick Henry years. Yeah, that so faded together. I just don't. I think I would have gotten it eventually, but I would not have gotten it quickly.

I have got DeMarco blindly, just on the basis that he was one of the big backs here meaning name, and he had.

A great DeMarco was a huge reason in my opinion, that we turned it around in twenty sixty.

What a pro in Pittsburgh like game planning for guys like him as you you just put him up on the big board. There's the name like stop sure, and he delivered in his career for a real good moment for between Dallas and the Nashville.

He definitely did his Pro Bowl is what I remember is what cement him to go to the Pro Bowl, because I was there for somebody.

Somebody got to go to the Pro Bowl.

It was the first one I had covered, and he was we had like four or five guys.

There was there and then and like that.

That's not true, Mike. I was in Mobile too. That's the year we took the van. Okay, yeah, let's talk about it for a second. We took a van and Nashville to Mobile, Alabama, did the scene, did the Senior Bowl. Then we drove from Mobile, Alabama to Orlando, Florida, covered the Pro Bowl, and then we drove all the way back to Nashville.

All right, Mike, I'm starting to feel sorry for it.

But you didn't drive.

I sure didn't drive. Ashley drove.

Actually, fer I covered maybe you.

I drove half of the way. I drove, yeah, like half the way to Mobile.

Well you got to Columbia, Tennessee, and then that's just how far she.

She didn't even make it out of state.

Okay, So I'm not a great favor, so nobody wants me.

But I sat in a mini van for a really long time, really long time.

I mean, isn't that your life now too?

No, I don't mind. I do have a mom car, but it's not a Miniban.

No, your car, sharp, it is it's a very sharp anyway, it's a very sharp Nissan.

It is a Nissan sponsor. Let's not feel bad for Mike Keith that year.

But I didn't get to go to the Pro Bowl. Yeah, I've never been.

We can feel bad for you, but not that one.

Not. Yeah, but she she always brings that. Oh, I was at the league meeting big time. I just wait for you know, there at the King's Coronation.

I'm just doing my job. I go where I'm assigned. You, I just go where I'm assigned. I just I don't make the schedule.

You know, good old foot soldier over here.

I just have to play the games that are in front of you.

Mike, I don't see how you do.

I don't make the schedule.

I feel sorry for you that much.

You shouldn't. You should not.

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Tighten Up Home is at the forefront of all that we do. It's why we're so committed to caring for the places in space in which we work and live. Ashley, the official furniture provider of the Tennessee Titans. The otp pregame continues with Ramon Foster. Topic number three. Brian Callahan coached for Cincinnati before he came here. I don't know that that's been publicized.

This hadn't hurt he comes from society, does Yeah, I mean it's it's we, Josh.

But it's totally a fair topic. So here's the real question. Callahan was in Cincinnati for five years before getting here. Is there any advantage on either side? And if so, who has an advantage to Brian Callahan coaching against his former team this weekend.

Being that close and how close and how often they're around each other with coaches. I think it's a little bit of instinct and knowing what he might do in situations like the personnel on the field. All right, those dudes of dott and Trey Henderson is who we is?

Right? Like I mean, Jeffy Sam who Trey Hendricks is.

Yeah, that problem handles itself, but the shell of the way he want his offense to work, versus what he would know about Brian Callahan would know about his defense to Wilson's defense. Yeah, there's something to be had there, knowing to have if we getting second and three, he's gonna do this, hey, first down in the red zone.

He likes to show. You think, more advantage to Callahan, that advantage to Cincinnati.

Yes, because I feel like, as it pertains to what Brian Callahan is, his template has still been drawn h oh okay, his template has still been drawn up. You got to think because Brian Callahan told everybody earlier this year when he got hired, like he helped set up the structure of what Zach Taylor does. So there's an understanding that, Look, most coaches are creatures of habits. There's no way around that. They just are who they are. They can spin it and make it better in other phases, right, but they are who they are. On first and ten, he likes to run four run plays. You gotta be lucky picking which one of those four are or how he likes to move that off. But I do think there's something to be said about a guy to set up his play calling sheet on how he likes the call plays. So I would give a slight adventage to coach Callahan knowing I guess the personality of what Zach Taylor can be like on game day.

Okay, ramon Foster topic for an offensive line question. All right, Orlando Brown has been hurt their left tackle. We don't know that he will play. We're not sure about that. Last week, they started their left guard, Cody Ford, at left tackle. They started the backup left guard, Cordell Vohlson at left guard. They started Ted Carris, the veteran at center, the nephew of Alex Carris. By the way, is it really Alex Kappa at right guard and gigantic Amaryus Sims from Georgia at right tackle. Thoughts on what the challenges for the Titans will be against that offensive line this.

Week, knowing there's a known problem and not exposing it. Coach Kyllahan came out last week and challenged the defensive line on getting to the quarterback and making them culprit I mean, public enemy number one as it pertains to who's gonna help this team win. And their left tackle, Cody Ford was giving it up last week like he and and and that left side somewhat got pushed around and bullied a little bit. So you gotta be able to do those things as it pertains to that team. Yeah, you gotta be able to expose those guys when giving the opportunity to him, and then of course a Marusmims on the other side as a young guy to treat him as such. Also, if j C can have his woes, then you gotta make sure he feels his also, that's why I think you you try to dominate a guy like him. And then the other side of it too is Joe Burrow's gotten dynamic and his ability to manipulate the pocket and move up and down and find his guys down to field with his eyes up. If you can keep and squeeze him in the pocket, you got something that you could really work with this week. That's where it has to be. And I thought the challenge that coach Brian can initially Brian Callahan initiated to the defense was appropriate too. That's your most senior group with the most experienced I feel like on the entire team, big bodies upfront gotta do work, and that's where you try to expose those guys a Nissan Stadium on Sunday. You have to be able to do that. Young guys, old guys all they must they gotta feel the pressure on a week.

Like this interesting and this doesn't really have anything to do with that. But issuing a challenge or calling out a group of people that are a senior group of people that's a leader, just a group that contains a lot of leaders in this team, does that send a message not only to that group, but kind of to the whole team that hey, guys, like, we're watching everything you're doing here and it's.

On them to lead the charge, and that that like coaches do this often they coach through the media. It's quite funny to hear coach said, what you know, like the those are the reactions you have is not personal. Like if I'm asking you to do your job and simply be productive and be one of the most important parts on this team, you should do that. And yes, everybody else does feel it, because I feel like a lot of people will walk around and say, well, you don't talk about Big Jeff like that.

No, he called out Jeffrey Simmons group.

He called us the best of Joseph Days group, like a bunch of senior guys that have been doing it in his league for over five plus years. Right, and if the rest of the teams here is that like the pressure's on at that point. You either you fight or flight at that point, and I thought it was very unique that he did it at that moment. And I think that continues to move forward for the rest of the season too, because Jeff's even said that in this post game is like you're playing for more than just you know.

A check.

It's about pride and your job for the next couple of years. And I think it does start with those dudes up front, and everybody should have heard that message.

Ramond Foster and the Snickers hot seat today. Copick five. Morgan Cox. Morgan Cox coming to the end of another successful season. Here's fifteenth in the NFL. He's thirty eight years old. He made the Ravens team as an undrafted free agent in twenty ten. He played for them for eleven seasons. He's finishing his fourth season with his Tennessee Titans. He played at the University of Tennessee. How was there with Morgan I know, and he waited two years to be the long snapper and then became the long snapper at Tennessee two thousand and seven through two thousand and nine. In doing a feature that we're working on with the sports performance staff, and I think people are going to really enjoy this on their TV programs because.

Some of them are interesting.

Some of the stuff they're doing is quite different, and it's it's not just for now, it's for the long term, especially with the young guys. But in talking to them about one of the guys who's really bought into the program, it's Morgan Cox and it's a thirty eight year old man who be thirty nine in April. I don't mean to sell him out, but probably nine in January. Yeah, yea, But this guy is one of the He's played two two hundred and forty one NFL games. Talk to me about five Pro Bowls, two All Pros? Why is he so good at his job?

One is started with work on the front end. I remember watching Morgan at the University of Tennessee and he came in. I think he's playing linebacker, guy from Memphis, right, he's playing line but there's a log draw Mayos there. There's a bunch of dudes that was in front of him. Oh, Mark, Like, there's so many dudes in front of Morgan, and he was smart. I'm not gonna get on the field, probably playing a position, so let me figure out the special teams thing. And I remember watching Morgan earlier in that career. Well, now I can say early in his career, if we're looking back to college. He went to the end door and would just have a football tied to a chain literally like a junk dog junkyard dog chain, and he would start at the goal line and he would snap the ball in between his leg and walk it all the way down the field. And this chain probably weighs about twenty pounds or something like that, but what it does, it was teaching him the motor skills of throwing the ball between his legs as far as the way the long snaps are supposed to go. And at that point, like Tennessee, the University Tennessee has always had a good kicking program they have and he was a part of that operation. And with those types of dudes like Morgan that you don't get drafted for a long snappers too often. You gotta fight and find your way in training camp. And I think his pathway is starting at the University of Tennessee of being a guy that figured out I need to pivot to another position of importance. And he chose long snapping, and he's a pro bowler. Now he's a Super Bowl champion also, But how do you get to this point being smart, being consistent and being professional and he has been all of those things and the decisions that he's made and just how he's gone about I think he registered one tackle, I think or something like that for the years.

Three he's got there. It is, I mean, and he's not been a guy who's had a lot of special teams tackles in his career because he's playing with the Ravens. They've always had a lot of guys that could get down there before. But I mean he's I think he's near his career high in year fifteen in special teams tackles. He's certainly willing he goes down. I mean, he's It's not for a lack of trying.

It's not.

He's just a pro. And it feels like, and I don't know, you know what his discussions are with, you know, the front office or whatever, but it feels like he's going to go as long as he wants to. And the question becomes how long does he want to? And then it raises the point, what percentage of NFL players get to decide how long they want to go.

Yeah, I mean it's not a lot.

Yeah, even Tom got pushed out of New England, right, you know. To that point, Morgan, though, is such a specialty position that is not many folks that do it who are also good at it. Like, I don't think people understand when that ball is snap held and kicked, like there's a clock that it has to be off by, Like the snap has to get back there in a certain amount of time like a and it has the catcher has to be good, the spinning of the football has to be good, and all of that has to happen in like one point one seconds or something like that. It's fast, and maybe I'm a little quick on on the time. But what Morgan has his ability to snap that ball, put it on the spot on the field every single time, the consistency, professionalism, and clearly Mike with him doing the sports health stuff like the transformation of his body continually.

That's how you lie, you know. They said, So we're gonna I don't mean to give this whole story. We're gonna do away, But it's largely about the different element that they've really incorporated in the athletic performance area, which is speed. They've hired a coach specifically who is an expert in speed training. His name is John Shaw, and it's been fascinating. So they were talking about the veterans who have bought into it, that have helped the young players to buy into it. And it's Jeff Simmons, and it's Art and Key, and it's Harold Landry, and it's all the receivers and the d backs as you can imagine. Nick Folk is another one, and a lot of the they feel like that a lot of his success from fifty plus is and he's a little dinged right now, but I mean he's forty years old, but I mean the guy's hit his last eight kicks from fifty plus. Yeah, and a lot of it they feel like, is that training not so much that he's faster, that it's the speed to power more quickly. It's like a burst. It's like a burst. That's exactly what you said it better than I did. And that Nick Folk has hit a PR a personal record, or it's called a PB by some people, a personal best that he has hit like seventeen point six miles an hour at some.

Point that's incredible.

But Morgan is also in that group. Stonehouse is in that group of people who are really trying to utilize this new fangled training and they feel like it's going to have a lot, not just a short term benefit, but it's going to have a more long term benefit. And they I also do feel like that it has helped with some of the soft tissue injuries. For all of the difficulties the Titans have had in twenty twenty four, and there have been many, they have not had as many soft tissue injuries or so it seems.

This is where when I was a NFLPA rep, you know, we were speaking about the GPS and the technology, the woop bands that guys wear and stuff like that that do sleep study on it. So I'm a dinosaur essentially at this point. Okay, With how I played football, it was just iced up, icing stem or massage. That's all we really did. And as my later years, at about like eighteen nineteen nineteens, my last year, there was a lot of story conversation on sleep studies like water, quick twitch, soft tissue stuff, recovery, like all of these things became a thing and one of the main facets of it. We had questions about the information that you get that teams get from GPS's can it be used against you? Okay, guy left guard a over here is a tick slower and I can see it on this GPS. Does that mean we have to get rid of them already? But what I'm what I'm hearing is this is they're finding out ways to Yeah, there might be a you know, a player that hey, there's nothing we can do. His GPS isn't there as production is down, we gotta cut him. But what I'm hearing is teams that got good quality players. You mentioned the Nick Fox. He's been money and this is one of the I guess the payoffs of having at GPS is have we incorporate this quick twitch Like he's hit fifty yarders this year?

Fifty six? Yeah, I mean he's had two games where he's made three fifty yarders.

I didn't see this, Yeah, you know happening like live Well.

When the Titans traded for him, it was like, well, good. I mean, he'll make eighty percent of his kicks and he'll.

Yeah that's nice.

He's missed two yeah yeah, yeah. But but I mean a lot of it, you know, I think that's fascinating. So many of these athletes. Bryce Oliver, yeah, Bryce Oliver is faster than what they thought he was based on his forty coming out of Youngstown, and he's getting faster. Jarvis Brownlee is faster if he had if he had been clocked this way coming out of college, he'd have been more than a fifth round pick. But he's developed. He he's his play speed is getting faster due to technique and and you combine the strength and power training with the speed train. It's fascinating.

It is. I'm a huge, a huge advocate of technology and all to make it safer life, from helmets to cleats to that side of his body that I'm saying, I would have been golly. I probably wouldn't want from undrafted to like the fifth round.

Pick that I mean, you'd probably played tight end.

Seriously, that was my first reps anyway, it was extra tight end.

Well give me eighty eight at that Joo Jumpo Sati. I never forgot was so nervous. Oh my gosh, you go in there and does anybody report eligible better than JOHNA Jucu. It is one of my favorite things that I see on Sundays sixty one reports. First of all, he's a tremendous kid. He really is a tremendous kid. And man he battles, he does.

He does an undrafted mind side, you.

Get everything Johnna Jucu's got, even from how he reports.

I like it.

I mean, there is no notice. There will never be a penalty on Johnnajuku for failing to accurately report. Yeah. No, he would go to every person in the stadium and report it.

Now, there's the two sizes of it. Okay, number one, I'm an undrafted so you need to notice me.

Okay, the other.

Side, see the other side of he's alignment. That's the only time you get to number call for a good reason.

Right, And I guess he does let the other note. Yeah, probably, but who cares. I love it. I love his enthusiasm for whatever. I mean, you watch him in practice, it's like that. It's like that in pract Wow. And you know you love those guys who he wants to play buy in.

He wants a job. Man wants a job. This is one of the best jobs in the world.

Yeah.

Yeah, you should do your job.

Yeah, to the best of your ability.

I like young guys like that, though, Yeah, nothing until this can steal their joy.

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We have props portion.

We have to get to the props portion. It's time. It's time for the key ingredients of the game, delivered by Little Caesars Pizza. Pizza. So are you ready? Sure? Key Number one for the Titans is score, that's right, score points In half of their games this season, this week's opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, have scored thirty or more points. They average twenty eight points per game. Titans only average seventeen point five. That won't cut it Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee must be prepared to put up points to have a chance to beat the Bengals. Key number two, turn up the heat on the passer. We talked about it earlier. The Titans need Harold Landry and Arden Key to have big games. Jeffrey Simmons two. Bengals are gonna throw the football. They average thirty seven passes per game. Tennessee needs a huge game from its pass rushers on Sunday and Key number three. Get control of the game early when the line of scrimmage on offense by running the ball. Stop Cincinnati's attempts to run the ball in order to make them one dimensional even though they like to throw, make them predictable. Win field position with special teams, play from in front where you can control the controllables. Getting control of a game early is something that Titans really haven't done this season. Sunday against the Bengals would be a good week to try something new.

Might stop watch didn't work, but it felt long, it felt windy, so we'll say it was over a minute windy. Little Caesars is the official pizza partner of your Tennessee Titans.

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So I mean, did you learn that like Windy when you get to go to the Pro Bowls and the Super Bowls, he.

Took some Liberty drafts.

She goes to the draft the Liberty we're a little different. Now we've gone fancy on the helmets because we have.

Like a whole. So we have a tray. Now, can I set the tray up?

All right? Look at this.

We've got a jar. So you've got a jar jar upgraded to a squeeze bottle.

And this is I wanted the squeeze bottle in here. Make sure and turn the jar properly forward the lady.

Look at that?

All right? So you got a tray, and you know you can serve because it's the holidays, so you need a big old jar of helmets because you're gonna cook something with helmans. But the other thing too, and Ramone points is out, you're gonna make a sandwich. Half you are, You're gonna make a sandwich of some sort over the holidays because all those good meals and afterwards, five six hours later, you have a sandwich that that Helman's right there in the squeeze bottle. It's really more handy, it is.

It is, because I mean the jar, I gotta go get a spoon. You got to get is waste? Well, no, it's not waste.

Well it can be.

It can't unless you're dead wasting time.

Yeah, unless it's that, and then that could be if there are other people around. Not great.

So you mentioned like the post holiday sandwiches, but like there's also the pre dad dinner sandwich too.

So there's I got a.

Wait a minute, you have a sandwich before dinner.

Listen, listen, if somebody's been out on the smoke or probably a dad, probably me to smoke the ham and I gotta wait until like four or five o'clock. Some slices of bread and some ham on some there you go.

Yeah, it's usually you got to make sure it's good for everybody else.

And that's all you're being thoughtful. Back in the day with the with the Queen's court, right, like somebody had to test the food.

That's all tested, Dada.

That's listen, I'm doing the duty a good person.

That's it.

I think dad snacks before meals are more universal than I thought. That's what I'm gathering, or maybe it's an offensive line.

A lot of learning.

I'm learning man maotivation from helmet.

Mayo Titans Years, Be loud, and your deviled eggs.

Potato salad and whatever holiday.

Dish you wish to make, make your mama and the entire family proud helmets, the official mayo of the Tennessee Titans Mayo game Day, be delicious.

The end solid. What do you think.

It was just a little lengthy? You had some extra.

Lovely person. Wow, your recall is awesome? Well you said Wendy read it. Yes, Rameon, Thanks so much for being here and for sitting in in the Snickers hot seat. Feel free to take all of those that you wish this post Halloween.

I'm on this weight loss track now, so I'm leaving.

What's that going. It's going good, it looks great.

I'm trying to make it. I'm trying to get the mic size is what I'm trying.

My size never well.

Not the size.

See with me, My head would be super big basketball on a polk.

Hell. I don't think anyone wants that.

But it's been good though, ride my bike good, but it starts up front though.

Do you do like peloton? I do?

Do you really end up getting the bike seats to do you have?

Do you have a favorite instructor? Uh?

Not right now because I'm easing back into it. I do the low impact rides right now. But no, not not a favor instructor because I've forgotten themselves because it's been like a year since I have my membership. So I'm back in the side. I'll get that back to you later. This good though, I'll look forward to that. Yeah, I have my report.

I get the fancy seat. Help.

No, that seat is brutal.

It's a game changer.

This is what you get on the OTP pregames. So much, so much more than you ever wanted. I mean so much more.

You're welcome for.

Remote Foster and Amy Wells. I might keep thanking you for joining us again for the O TEMP