WATCH: How can the Jags get tougher on both sides of the ball? Catching Up with Tommy Mac 1-30-24

How can the Jags get tougher on both sides of the ball? What do they need to acquire for that to happen?

Tommy talks about it on Catching Up with Tommy Mac.

All right welcome into another edition of catching up with Tommy Mac podcast here on 1010 xl’s podcast platform at 1010 xl.com of course on the 1010 XL app we’re live on Facebook which will be also shared all over the spectrum of where you watch and listen to podcast

Social media as well and uh we do it right here from the 1010 XL podcast Studios a lot of great talent uh performs in this uh Studio delivering uh what Gators Jags seols High School you name you can find it right there at the website of

1010 xl.com Tommy Max brought to you by team Tommy Mack just a great group of businesses getting it done the right way uh great people great business uh who care about our community and I care about them no doubt about that lots to get into today we’ll talk about the

Championship games that were Super Bowl 58 is now set um I’ll tell you what I think uh is the common denominator amongst all four teams really um we’ll talk about the agony of defeat yes it still stinks to this day we’ll look at the Jags we’ll also look

At some of the top interior interior offensive lineman that are free agents we did the dline interior last week we’ll uh we’ll throw in the offensive interior this week before I go any further though let’s welcome in my producer and buddy gramage what’s up gramage can we just take all the free

Agent into get all yeah which on you want all of them all of them every single one first the top six and can two play center yeah actually I think Williams number 60 he just needs a chance but I don’t I don’t think they think he’s athletic enough to like pull

From the center position but he uh I forget his his last name is Williams uh he’s on the Jags uh roster um but he looked like he was pretty thick yeah what’s that is it Seth Williams uh might be might be big big thick kid you know

But hey we need we need some new blood as well we’ll get into all of that of course uh Kansas City and San Fran take care of business Kansas City tell you what man and you know what all four teams had it um and I know a lot of people out

There you you look at X’s you look at O’s you want to blame somebody you want somebody cut you somebody you’re very selective and who you want you know things to happen to but that’s okay you’re allowed that most of you not your media but the fans of course but we we

Don’t have that grit like we don’t have that toughness you look at KC man but I’m looking at number 65 Trey Smith Their Right Guard or left guard left guard he’s Marin Pete he’s big he’s gigantic he’s athletic and he’s getting after people he wore those linebackers

Out they wanted no part of him at all he was getting after them he was whipping them to the ground throwing them around and never getting off them staying on him he was a menace I know he had the two penalties which one I thought was total crap but whatever that’s the kind

Of guard we need we thought we had it in Sheriff but last year wasn’t it maybe the year before he had a little more of that but I that’s the kind of guard I want then of course you watch Chris Jones from Kansas City just being a

Oneman recking crew that guy is just phenomenal damn shame that number 90 tours ACL did you see that the guy who had the strip sack number 90 he had it on Lamar came around the corner he got hurt on the play towards ACL that sucks gonna miss the Super Bowl what a damn

Shame but uh hats off to uh Kansas City for going into Baltimore and getting it done Baltimore had chances it’s the way it goes we’ve seen it on our end right after the Chiefs game last year in the divisional Playoff round we could have said well if that would happened that

Would have happened right you know fumbles miscues uh penalties not you know things should you know not good and lack of penalty how they didn’t throw a penalty on that pick in the end zone that that was just like likely was he got harassed before the ball was even close and even

The commentator said something like yeah the ball wouldn’t even or the ball was there already or something like that like the ball’s not even there when he gets hit it’s like a full like two seconds before the interception that was weird a lot of people feel like well that’s cuz they

Wanted these teams to be in I don’t know if I I don’t believe that I think you you earn it right there those that’s the way the cookie crumbles right like Z flowers trying to make a play at the end there you know that when it when he gets

Hit take another step and dive maybe maybe I don’t know it’s easier said than done so trying to make a play trying I mean if he get if he gets it over it’s six so after a lot of these games and particularly once you get the the divisional and the championship rounds

Yeah whatever team loses media fans they try to find these like inherently wrong things with the team that lost right yeah you know now it’s Lamar can’t win in the playoffs and and this Ravens team is not built for the playoffs to go the Long Haul yada

Yada yada and it’s like man like it’s like what you just said they’re six inches away from potentially winning that game was they flat and if you get killed that’s a little bit different I agree yeah I mean you’re talking a couple of plays here well

First of all the one where they didn’t call the pick he should have never thrown that ball there were three Defenders right there so that you know I mean Lamar didn’t play his best got they deserve to lose the game I agree but the the KC deserve to win they they I just

Love look you may not like Kelsey I I like him just because the guy comes to play he was sluggish a few weeks ago I’m standing by that remember I came on here I was like man he’s that was weird he’s going down on the first tackle he had no

Burst but now he’s got his legs under him if you know what I mean he’s all he’s acclimated he’s good and he came to play and he was ready for a fight man that’s what it takes it takes that grit and and people are like well Andy Reid

Sound like it doesn’t matter first of all you don’t know what Andy Reid’s like behind closed doors he gets his team ready to play the physical look at Shanahan Kyle Shanahan he’s not Mr rahah I’m tough gonna bite your kneecaps off either but guess what they’re physical every time they play we

Saw it here in ja they were way physical so it’s that culture of just yeah man grit and toughness and meanness and just getting after it up front like it matters so much up front when your guys are making a difference when your line is pushing that line of scrimmage

Your dline is just disrupting everything you know KC came to fight man it’s and and I tell you I’ve been there right the agony of defeat it sucks when we lost to the Patriots in 1996 it took a while to get over that man and it was back then I think the

Super Bowl was the week after and I was here in Jacksonville I watch that damn thing just thinking the whole time gosh dang that could have been us not going to say should have because we lost but could have very well could have been us it stings man it don’t sting

It’ll sting Detroit forever and I and I know Dan Campbell says they can’t get back hard to get back and it is but you can get back got to keep that same attitude man that same humble attitude work for it earn it and then fly around

With your hair on fire on on game day be prepared you know no excuses all all accountability and I’ll tell you what Jag fans I I look at our team even last year this past year know granted you got to have all the weapons healthy but

We’re not that far off talent wise we’re far off attitude wise in my opinion but we’re not far off talent wise we got to add some beef we know that we got to add some things our players got to get better our QB’s got to hone it in a

Little better everybody’s got to continue to get better interior defensive line o line beef him up but just change the attitude change the attitude I really do believe it I I’ll say if I was in Philly I’d be say saying the same thing about Philadelphia you read the Press

Clippings you got a big head you stopped doing whatever it takes you stopped doing that that that sacrifice you thought you could just do enough to get by because we’re 10 and one or 8 and3 with the Jags case we’re in control look at us woohoo

Came back from 1 and two now we’re 8 and2 I believe the hype too but man it you can’t believe the hype you got to stay humble and I don’t think you did and by the way that could be all from the beginning of the off seon when it starts

In the wait room maybe not doing that extra set or doing that extra round or not going that you know that heavy not trying that hard I’ll get it next I got a golf game to get to you know I’m on a trip I got to go take my trips I can’t

You know get that extra workout in that I mean that’s what that’s the job that’s the sacrifice right you get time off after the season no doubt you should take it off without question do whatever you want train don’t train but then there comes a point in the in the year

The calendar year where it’s like I’m back to work now granted my work from March through you know June is minimal during the day you know yeah you should do extra stuff and fill it up but overall it’s minimal but I’m still working still trying to get better still

Trying to get stronger more flexible quicker better hand ey coordination better foot coordination whatever all year long I would imagine takes that um I would imagine that in the NFL it’s a lot like basketball uh offseason in terms of a lot of great players in the

NBA say that like during the season they practice time and stuff is more you know film study next opponent like that type of thing and the offseason is when they they add an extra move to their Arsenal or what like if you’re you know if you’re Trayvon Walker this offseason

Dude really Master another pass rush move type thing or or that type of thing does that makes sense what I’m saying yeah like you’re kind of foundation yeah and then you add to the foundation and you’re adding to the arsenals to to make yourself a better player to be a more

Well-rounded player to be good at other things if you’re say you’re a linebacker that’s known for being more of a thumper not well you work on getting faster that whole offseason you get better in coverage more fluid more flexible you work on the weaknesses so that you become a more well-rounded player

Overall without a doubt and then once the season comes that starts like year that’s a year round thing yeah that’s not like I just do it a certain time and even even during the year you’re still lifted you’re still trying to maintain your strength you may not get stronger

Because you’re sore but you still got to maintain your strength you know it’s got to be that kind of discipline that kind of that kind of commitment that kind of sacrifice and then you get time off I don’t know man I look and I know it’s easier it’s

Easier you know being removed as long as I have to sit here but I’m telling you these all every one of these players if they get close to the Super Bowl and but don’t go or they go and lose or what have you it’s going to sting you forever it does cuz there’s

Nothing like a Super Bowl chance there’s only 57 of them in the history of the game you don’t think about that right times how many players 70 80 what’s that 4,000 you know what I mean out of all the players that play in the league think about that am I doing my math

Right 58 games right and the winners are 80 A Team 8 Time 5 is 4 yeah that’s 40 40,000 or four I don’t know do the there’s a lot of repeats there too yeah I’m just saying like think about that small number compared the amount of players

That play in the league yeah yeah I sat with Nolan Carol on our happy hour show two weeks ago played eight nine years played with Philly some great never went to the playoffs you could tell he was jealous he’s like man you guys went to

How many me and bees you know we had we had eight in a fouryear span total so it does it does man that Super Bowl is special you can can never take that away you get emotional about it it is it’s like everything you dreamed of

As a kid as a young player as even a pro you want to be out there man hey the don’t get me wrong when you’re not in the Super Bowl the pregame the weak pregame parties are quite phenomenal if you get the Right tickets to get into

The right parties of the whole city which normally you do it’s it’s a good party there’s no doubt you see a lot of celebrities you see a lot of other football players a lot of just people um but guess what come game day everybody wakes up hung over thinking

Damn I wish I was in this game you know what I mean I wish I was playing today so uh you do man you do it’s it’s that important I look again I know everyone’s calling for this or that I mean it I I think it this is who we are

Right now the Jags and I’m giving him another year I’m hitting reset for him no excuses you got no excuse I think you got a lot of things to improve upon I think you got to get better at certain things I think you got to change the the

Entire attitude uh go back to earning it go back to when you were climbing the charts two years ago think about all that and get back to that so hopefully uh they can but I did I I tell you and then and then Detroit look you

Know I mean I love Dan Campbell and I I really did I was pulling for them I thought it would be great story great for their City great for the or organization but you know the analytics I everyone’s like oh the analytics say this they say

Go you know sometimes you got to use some common sense some gut you know Dan Campbell man you just one of those field goals just one have to go for it every single damn time you know like and I know I know uh what GF said and he said

What every good leader should say hey we we should have executed the calls were fine I don’t know just think of that go conservative one of them just one field goal may change the entire game but hat off to San Fran getting it done the in my opinion the most inexcusable call of

The game by the Lions was that last Drive they’re trying to score yeah and they they’re going to have to get the ball back and try to score again when they ran the ball with David Montgomery and they got stuffed to like the one oh yeah and then burn a

Timeout yep you you lost the game yeah when you burn when you burn that timeout you lost the game yeah because the I’ve been listening to this podcast about and I knew this anyway y with the new rules and how it goes and everything it’s a

Less than 5% chance you’re going to get an onside kick it’s basically almost impossible it has to be literally like the most perfect kick ever to get it right and they said on the broadcast that this entire football season there’s been like two successful recoveries it doesn’t happen anymore yeah why they

Take it out because guys get hurt on it well it’s because there used to be you know onside kicks were for forever is that the kicker would Pooch it up real high yeah and you’re tring to kick I was on that team and your front line would

Just cream as many guys as possible Right to hope that is that a problem I don’t think so but the league thought so right so see you can’t do that anymore so it’s made it borderline impossible the Lions to have all three of those to hopefully for a three and out and get

The ball back with some time left to go score when they ran the ball I’m like what are you doing man yeah they killed you you you have to run plays where Jared G can throw it out of the back of the end zone if he has to right stopped

The clock well I tell you what you could see it’s slipping away from Detroit 100% you could see it when it even at 2410 you’re like something’s going on and then then it was it was not over after that but then they scored again and then

You’re like oh oh boy it felt eily similar to the 2017 game that our Jags played against the Patriots Yeah right that entire second half even when the Jags were winning I I felt really good the first half yep the entire second half in that game I was like they’re

Going to blow this they’re gonna blow this yeah they just couldn’t get it done man they too many drops at the end you know just just not enough but off to San Fran for getting it done they’re they’re a tough team I tell you this uh we’ll

We’ll break it down till the Super Bowl but I felt before the Kansas City game that if they went into Baltimore and won that they’re going to be tough to beat in the Super Bowl K City the Chiefs yeah yeah yeah I think they’re going to be

Really really tough to be and the way they won too they they’ve got man even they’re like that Sneed I want I mentioned that last week I want that Sneed in a Jaguar uniform man that got larus sne that’s the kind of that’s kind of attitude you

Need that’s the kind of getting after it man I I I just there’s something to that there’s something to that culture of of just being a bully being physical well not taking any crap from anybody not getting beat by physicality like hey you may you may be neutral right like you both are

So physical you just neutralize each other but you can never lose the physical B well if you’re neutral by the way in a game like that if you’re neutral in physicality I’m going take Patrick Mahomes every time all day long if you can neutralize it the Chiefs win yeah

Because Pat Mahomes ain’t losing a game where the physicality is neutral and that little key was clutch Kelsey was clutch um Mar Val scantling was clutch yeah he was he was that catch at the that was a tough catch man no doubt he’s had a drops issue yeah he has and he he

Went up and snagged that thing yeah yeah those good games man that’s what we look for right in the championship games tight tight games hopefully the Super Bowl’s tight you know what’s so crazy to me and this just like this just shows you how fast things can change in the

NFL yeah think about I think it I want to say that game was on Christmas day remember when the Chiefs played the Raiders and the Raiders just ran it down their throat every single play yep they didn’t even complete a pass like the whole second half or something crazy and

Won the game and you thought to yourself man against some tough offensive and defensive lines this Chiefs team is going to get pushed around and they may not make it out now all of a sudden they’re they’re bullly everybody they come together at the right time yep it’s

Just getting better throughout and just you know hitting your groove and but it just shows you like even even as rough as it was to watch this Jaguar team in the last month of the season to watch them get pushed around it just shows you man like one player one coach yeah one

Momentum changing game like yeah it doesn’t take a lot to change momentum yeah and momentum can change attitude yeah you know well I always think like I’m not giving them excuses but you you see what I’m saying and and look Spagnola does a good job of of calling

Defenses he’s he mixed it up I’m sure cuz look when you’re getting pounded on the run you got to call run blitzes you just got to call blitzes because that’ll screw up the lineman and who they have to block and you get a chance to get hit

Change the momentum that like a big head hit can I thought that too I I thought uh Detroit could have run the ball more on San Fran 100% I thought they had a chance to really pound that rock they were getting like like five yards a clip

Man that rookie something else man G Gibbs jir Gibbs oh my gosh and the the other kid from B the wide receiver Jam Willams dude they’re they just got to keep it together up there and they they can come back they can come back it’s not going to be easy because uh the

Tough listen I’m telling you and I think it happened here again I’m just going to say it it happened in 2017 I think it happened in 2023 not as bad as the breakdown of 2017 or 2018 I should say but I think you could you you didn’t

Handle the success that’s a big part of a team especially when you’re not used to winning and you have like Detroit their biggest hurdle will be handling the success of 2023 now they got to keep their guys together and I don’t know their salary cap and all that and where

Every guy is in their contract but assuming that’s all pretty much staying together they have to be able to handle that success go back to the drawing board really believe that hey yeah we had a great year but man it’s back to doing nothing again we got to work our

Way all the way up not believing in the hype I’m telling you right now and granted I was part of that but the media uh and the fan we we overhyped this team that they started beling in it they did and I know nationally they started

Talking about like they were going to be maybe the team to beat but you got to be able to handle that man you got to still stay humble and and and go out there and prove it so I feel that’s got to change in my opinion I feel like the in my

Opinion one of the biggest similarities between 2018 and you’re right 2018 was definitely worse oh was way worse they were drama they were a bad football team in 2018 this their defense wasn’t bad though yeah 2023 was disappointing but they weren’t a bad team um but the biggest comparison like the biggest

Similarity in my opinion is the we’ve talked about this before if you’re not getting better you’re getting worse Y and I think both times after 17 and after 22 the organization thought we’re going to run it back with basically the same crew and yep basically no no one’s going

To say this publicly but basically we’re we’re kind of picking up where we left off by the way uh 2008 wasn’t that the same thing all we need is Derrick Harvey yep that’s all we need right it’s kind of same thing we don’t need no we got our guys and I’m I don’t

Look I don’t totally disagree with that I thought they had enough talent to really be you know a competitive team and I still do but not when you’re not I’ve always said it like competitive talented enough to be competitive but not talented enough and nobody really is to just show up and think

You’re just going to get it done because you were great the week before or great the day before or great the year before doesn’t work like that and the teams that stay hungry and stay humble are the ones that go far so look again it’s it’s

It’s about reset time for me and I don’t care about the talk I don’t care about I I want to see who they add in free agency I want to obviously see the draft I’m going to see who they they going to figure this whole thing out with Ridley

And uh Josh and what to do with Cam especially if Anton’s our left tackle I think balky not really addressing that means something you know he kind of glossed over cam but he didn’t the other players so on who is going to be here you know the following year I think they

Got to figure all that out um in my opinion I took from that press conf reset time that I don’t think cam Robinson is going to be here next year I well he didn’t I mean he’s like oh this guy’s definitely gonna be a Jag but he never said Cam’s definitely GNA

Be a Jag you’re like okay well that means something right that’s just and I don’t think he would have said explicitly Anon Harrison can absolutely play left tackle well he could he well I think he can a lot of people inside that building believe he can I think look

It’s all in trench defense he’s not going to also say well we want cam back but he’s not at that number cuz that’s probably what it really is right and you got to be careful with Cam he’s had some injuries a little bit older I love his

Tenacity I wish the whole line had it and I would bring him back for sure um I’m not going to play with the man’s money but however they got to work that out um but if Anton if I feel like he’s my left tackle yeah move on over you

Know and then I don’t know you know Walker and Cam I I I don’t know kind of feel like it’s just it’s a broken record last three years you know Walker what is he you know where is he going to play well he’ll if he was that guy he’d be a no

Doubt starter on one side of the line he would I’d resign Ezra I I would I’d find Ezra Cleveland to stick around I think he’s athletic I think he’s he’s got the right temperament I would too I think he’s if for the right money of course I

Wouldn’t love if he’s my opening day starter I would I I think you can win with him I mean he he’s to me he reminds me a lot of bar I think you know he’s an athletic you know he’s not necessarily going to take someone and move them out

Of the way but look Doug doesn’t run that kind of offense either they’re not a Smashmouth offense they’re not they’re kind of a finesse offense they want to throw the ball they want to get the ball out quick they want to get the ball under their Playmakers hands you know

It’s not pound you down the field and rip your skull off and then hit with a play action pass or just it’s more like let me get in your way I don’t like it but it’s kind of how they they played last year I don’t have a problem with it

Until it until that kind of translates to your o line being soft and I felt like that that line got soft by The End by the end of this past season well you know in 20 in 2022 they ran that offense well and they weren’t soft in my opinion

Right how do you go from sof not soft to soft you you think you’ve already arrived and not preparing like you should have prepared that’s my assessment anyway I would think all right let’s look at some top interior offensive lineman free agents for 2024 brought to you by team Tommy mck

Chrystal SOS Bailbonds J dog junk removal Graffiti Burger Bar the carpet man Azar sausage code ninjas Solomon Ventures Beach life rentals truck accident law firm and Outback Marine great to have all them on board um you know you look at the uh there’s a there’s a good I mean there’s a good I

Got about eight names here um that are in the top 10 or so of free agents of the Interior guards and centers there’s a guard down in uh in Miami uh Robert hunt that is going to be high on people’s list I’d be surprised

If they let him go but he did not sign a new deal beginning of last year think he wants a tested 66 335 mer who can move um again you know if it comes down to power and athleticism I think Doug goes with the athleticism I think that’s how they’re

Running that that that offense that run game you know being athletic not necessarily moving guys out of the way but being fast enough and alile enough to cut them off and create a lane well I don’t know if I definitely believe that but they’re not the first team to run

Those kind of Zone Concepts you know um so uh I prefer I mean if if a guy like Robert hunt has got the the athleticism to go with it I want the beef I want the mer can we not find both you know I get I get why you like forner because he

Could pull great well can we get somebody that can also you know stand his ground and not get knocked back it’s great to he can pull it’s great that he’s athletic he looks impressive when he’s running down the field so does Ezra you know but that that really doesn’t

Mean that much can we get a badass Center who can also pull like a Jason Kelce he can pull he’s as athletic as they all get on guess what he’s also an animal you know he’s a smart animal too at least lately at least this past year

I’ve been W you know what he does like he’s not a total Barry into the ground kind of guy he’s like he’ll hit you hard he’ll get you going he’ll make the block and then he’s done with you and he’s saving his energy for the next play I I

Mean that’s fine too I don’t care just as long as you’re effective I like when Lyman bury him into the ground that’s what I would prefer but if you can get the job done without doing that good for you that’s okay but I don’t think you

Can just get in the way of people they’re just as big and fast and strong as you and I don’t think that that really works unless you really beat him on you know the timing of your your your angle of your block you know what I mean

Like a reach like if you’re reaching me and you like you already got the angle and I can’t get outside that that reach arm does that make sense because you’re so quick to Wallen me off and now I got to try to go through your whole body

Instead of just the arm that makes sense at all wish I could show it maybe I will one day it’s like boxing out in basketball yeah exactly well yeah the opposite if you’re the defender because you’re front facing obviously but like it’s the same just idea of you’re not

Blocking someone so much as you are getting in their way yeah right right the whole point of boxing someone out is you’re in the way on the path they can’t get they can’t get to the ball absolutely uh let’s see we’ve got Dalton Risner I like him he’s guard out of

Minnesota he actually took Ezra’s job uh zler the Ravens guard he’s good but he He’s 33 I don’t think we got to go a little bit younger you know I think we do Damen Lewis Seattle another guard and Mer at 332 again they got to be able to move

Kevin doson another guy ranked pretty high guard for LA Rams centers he got Conor Williams Conor McGovern Williams at Miami McGovern to Jets get out of the Raiders Andre James pretty high on him Aaron Brewer pretty athletic I don’t know we’ll look at the the the draft coming out again it’s it’s GNA

Be it it it you don’t have to have you don’t have to be gigantic to be the merer you just got to have the attitude to be the model merer you know Cooper Hodes comes back I don’t know is he big enough to play maybe he could play

Center I’d be getting him snapped you if B ends up playing playing Center you really missed on that that and that’s inexcusable to me I don’t know what the hell went on with that I thought his knee was just no good like that’s why he couldn’t play for you I thought that’s

Why you dropped him down you never tried him at Center you know what I mean that just seems odd if a team like San Fran goes hey let’s try this kid at Center he ends up being a center for San Fran if he’s not there yet but if that’d be a

Disappointment that you couldn’t have figured that one out but we know this we know we know the kind of player you want now you got to find that player he’s got to be athletic how about a little menacing little like wants to start a fight every time do yourself a f and by

The way 65 for the ners they’re guard he’s a beast too man he gets after it too those guys are fun to watch man I just I just love I I think an offensive line that mauls people that really just gets after demoralizes that defense that just sets

The tone for your entire team you know it’s like the front wall in a in a battle that front wall is leading the charge and you feel great behind them you know what I mean like they’re they’re they oh you got who guess who I

Got yeah like I’m I’m I’m starting to to walk up a rumble and next to me’s belli and cersi and wiell you know what I mean I’m feeling pretty good I’m feeling all right I’ll take one of the the little guys let them take the big ones they

Could move oh yeah they could move oh Benny Coleman one of gigantic guard he was extremely athletic and like that I think that’s extremely athletic I think that matters here because I think like there’s this idea I’m not saying Doug or Trent or someone thinks this but there’s

Kind of this idea where it’s like like if you go with the beef and if you go with the the bigger Road grading lineman these are dudes that can’t move more than four yards right that’s not true well and in their defense so Zone blocking is all based on time a lot of

Even the man is too but Zone blocking is a lot on timing right it’s like I was talking about that reach block you got to be really athletic and quick to make sure if I’m the center and my gu’s here on top of me and the ball’s going to my

Left I got to be quick enough to turn my hips and get him walled off and not let him penetrate right so I understand you do understand how you have to be if you’re going to run those kind of blocking schemes instead of I’m just

Going to take my guy and move him you know guard on a defense on a three technique maybe get a little push from my my tackle and then I’m just taking them for a ride right I’m not just trying to get in his way where that I’m

Creating a lane my force is creating the lane I I’ll take it from a different standpoint so I always felt as a linebacker um there’s always these uh vertical gaps and what I mean by that is so let’s just say a if we were running a drill back guard and linebacker okay and

There’s only C you know you close the holes so he can either go left or you can go right you can’t just you know go outside and whatnot there’s parameters if that guard if I take on that guard at three yards there’s a vertical gap on

Either side that he can just pretty much the back can do whatever he wants if I smash that guard at one yard he doesn’t have he can’t go nowhere does that make sense that vertical Gap was kind of on the the other way you know moving those

Guys out of the way getting up to that second level creating that vertical Gap so Ean can get up there or if you know uh Bigsby can figured out and get up there and then make his move either left or right or wherever he wants to go this

Has been the book on Derrick Henry his whole career yeah is the way to stop Derrick Henry is you got to meet him you got to close the vertical Gap and you got to meet him before he can get going yep because he’s a back with great

Patience and great vision and he knows where the holes are he knows how to read holes he knows how to hit them yep and then if he hits a hole and gets momentum and gets downhill yeah forget it yeah Eddie George was the same way I mean you

Didn’t want Eddie to get a full head of steam you didn’t want him to get up into that vertical Gap and then figure out which DB he was going to run over you know what I mean same like like Derrick Henry or Derrick Henry which DB he’s

Gonna stiff arm into the next state I don’t look I don’t I don’t know what happened to forer um I thought like after his rookie year I liked his tenacity I remember talking about that during the year uh his pass blocking wasn’t great it it wasn’t he was pretty

He was ranked like 32nd in pass blocking but like the Jags I thought he’d get better I thought I didn’t think he was going to be some kind of stalwart centering year or two but I did think he would get better um and he didn’t so he

That’s either I don’t think I don’t think you I don’t think that just happens there’s a reason that happened you know what I mean I don’t like if you stop lifting you’re going to get weak you know like Superman when he’s off the juice he’s Clark Kent Clark Kent

Gets beat up in a diner Superman comes back and clears the diner out you know what I mean so can it be something as simple as you’re kind of a product of your environment in terms of in 2022 that team did have a little bit of

Attitude that team was had a little bit of bring the fight not not they weren’t bullies by any means but they were there was a little bit more we’re going to punch back we we’ve got this and I think could forner have just been a product of

That so because the guys around him are physical he’s physical versus last year was the opposite yeah Sheriff’s physical yeah he was violent during Camp so I wonder this look what what H same thing with Devon H Hamilton what happens to forers he gets high in his stance and

They take him for a ride well you get high in your stance when you’re what when you’re tired so I would have to look at conditioning are these guys tired are they not conditioned enough you know what I mean what are they doing in their office time I don’t know who

Knows I don’t really care as long as they’re conditioned do whatever the hell they want but that conditioning comes into play and the minute you get you know winded and you start standing up is the minute they’re driving you back we see it with Hamilton on the other side

He gets high I don’t care a big yard doesn’t matter I mean forner is a massive guy but when you stand up and those defensive linemen are almost as big as you and as powerful as you and they get underneath you you’re the one going for the ride not them

So I wonder if that’s part of it again maybe not doing enough to you know the extra that you have to do the great ones do it I’m telling you right now I I I saw it live even after tough practices the great ones they’re in the weight

Room they’re running on the treadmill they’re doing work with their hands they’re lifting you know it takes that kind of it depends what kind of outcome you want but it takes that I would wonder that and you know what if if and you think I’m not the I don’t know balky whatever

He says but he was saying that like we got to get stronger in the weight room I’m like how you not strong already what are you talking about whyn’t everybody strong don’t everybody got a lift the weight room’s magnificent I would be like a kid in the Candy Star you you’d

Have to yank me out of there there’s so much stuff to do I mean even today I’d probably hurt myself but there’s so much stuff to do to get better so I don’t know again I think they need an attitude adjustment and I think they

Got to get back to uh back to work again resetting it for 2024 nothing you can do about 2023 nobody’s going nowhere uh so so what I didn’t to be honest with you like I said a month ago I didn’t expect anybody to go anywhere I didn’t I didn’t expect any

Coaches to get fired I uh I didn’t and and the the the one coach sh I’m looking at above everybody is Doug it’s his team and him and Trent better be on the same page as to what type of player they bring into this organization it’s not like I’m saying

It’s not just the talent and the scheme and that match it’s do what kind of player are they do they die live and die for it will they do anything for it will they sacrifice for it or will they just be you know minimal I’ll just get by and

Do enough to get paid and if we win great if not I’m still getting paid you know there’s there’s a difference and that’s their job to find that to find those kind of guy I’ll go back to and I’ll wrap it up with this I’ll go back

To what Dan Campbell said after their their their playoff Victory you know him and his uh his GM he said what kind of player do we want to have not what kind of quarterback what what talent we need every no none of that not kind of talent what kind of

Player kind of person what kind of character what kind of guy is he gonna be inside my locker room is he gonna work his ass off and not and moan is he G to walk around with a stick up his ass and think he’s better than

Everybody you know is he going to be one that doesn’t you know look into his own mistakes and hold himself accountable that’s not the guy I want I want the hungry guys The Humble guys the guys where it really matters and it’s more than just a paycheck it’s chasing that

Glory chasing the glory of Victory so hopefully we can get it it’s going to happen quick man no doubt about it we’ll be back on Friday looking more into it you know I’m not going to get into it today but maybe on Friday I know we talk

Mostly ball and we will but how come Kobe Bryant’s not in the argument of best of all time all I hear is MJ and LeBron two great candidates no doubt because he’s not the best of all time what’s that because he’s not the best of all time Kobe Kobe’s like back into the

Top 10 oh I disagree I got that’s not what I heard online man not not my response is number two number two yeah what between Lebron and uh Michael no yeah how many I don’t know we’ll talk about it Friday how about that was not even the best player on his championship

Team for two of his Rings or three of his Rings Jack was the best player H Kobe was I think Kobe was pretty excuse my language pretty darn good pretty darn good but it’s at least an argument if Shaq was better well now you’re in okay so is MJ better than

Shaq who’s the best player of all time mjj yeah yeah MJ is way better than Shaq how about LeBron LeBron’s the second best player of all time better than Shaq yes better than Kobe yes how do you go how do you go by it just thought of curi is it rings is if

They went one on like let me ask you that if Jordan in his prime and Lebron in his prime went oneon-one on the court who would win I believe LeBron wins that because he’s bigger and I think size wins out in one-onone he beat one the best basketball player because you got

To incorporate passing and and a bunch of other stuff in a five on five game that’s different than a one defense and offense right I mean I you talking about Team Championships but I also think LeBron is one like like Magic Johnson would lose to a lot of guys in

One-on-one but Magic’s probably the best passer of all time and passing is a really important part of basketball yeah yeah but LeBron first of all LeBron has the most points scored of all time how many assists does he have because passing is really important he’s he LeBron rebounds

LeBron’s like top five in assists rebounds I’m not sure he’s rebound Steels Rings he’s LeBron is high in all these categories the NBA like the NFL like who’s the greatest player in the NFL of all time is it Brady because he won all the Rings or is it somebody else

That’s just a better player it’s harder in basketball because there’s no one position like a quarterback unless you’re Shaq could anybody stop sh the hack of Shaq with the e foul the out of him why are you H why are the kill him the quote for for Greg papovich on why he

Did that is hilarious like a shot put he just couldn’t his retirement speech yeah um because he finished I think he finished like third or fourth all time in points something like that he finished pretty high and in his retirement speech he said that his you know the story of his

Like stepdad and stuff in the military yeah he said that his stepdad told him you dummy if you’d have worked on those free throws you’d have been first that ball was too small for Shaq to shoot a free throw all right we’re gonna that’s goingon to do it for us

We’ll talk friday about that maybe get you to chime in we’ll look more towards free agency what’s that I love me good Hoops debate love it yeah yeah I don’t know we’re gonna have to De baate that we we we’ll talk about that of course Jordan I’m from being from Chicago

Jordan was always topnotch to me living in that City when he was his second run of the three championships in a row was absolutely fantastic we’ll talk more about that and look around the National Football League and of course getting ready for Super Bowl 58 Tommy Mack

Catching up with Tommy Mack rolls on throughout the year every Tuesday and Friday right here on 1010 xl’s podcast platform until next time stay safe and be cool out there we’ll see you right here I’m catching up with Tommy Mack peace