Joining me now from London.

Alec Lewis of the athletic at Alec Underscore.

Lewis via X of course co host during the Friday football feasts at Buffalo Wild Wings locations throughout the land, and he's always brought to you by Steves, which maybe we just make this as Steve's Appliances Marathon segment.

How you doing over there, Alec?

Pretty good?

No, No, I'm on a bus.

It's raining.

Gray just left the Hanbury Manor where the Vikings are staying and they practice third today and have a game in a couple of days, looking forward to it.

I'm doing incredibly well.

I'm pumped up.

It's the feast.

I've kind of talked my way into the idea that despite Joe Huber and Blake Brandell and justin School starting for the Vikings offensive line, there's just no freaking way that we're going to let the Browns beat us.

This team has only played with the lead for two total snaps all season through four games.

There's no way we're going to roll into Tottenham and get out foxed.

I Stefanski, regardless of our health issues, where's your head at on all of this?

Am I being to Pollyanna Ish into Sunday's game.

No, I mean, I think that's a that's a pretty fair take.

Look, this Brown's offense leaves a lot to be desired.

They've had injury issues.

That tackle Dylan Gabriel is a smaller guy who has a good army and process.

But you know, just like I do against Brian Flores, with the amount of droppers and rushers and disguises, it's pretty difficult.

So I I like where your heads that I do have questions obviously, like what the Vikings offensive plan is gonna be if you don't have three offensive linemen, uh, and you're on your you're on to your third string left guard and your third string center and back up right tackle and you don't want to be in third and long and you're a hard time running.

The one is the path to move the balls Like a lot of it's probably gonna be quick passing game.

Think some of it is going.

To be some special teams wizardery and.

Do some of that.

And I think you put yourself in a solid position in a game that I mean the over under I think it's like thirty five and a half, So we're talking.

I mean this is not a game that's going to probably generate thousands of European NFL fans, but who knows, maybe it will.

Now this is probably it feels like it'll be the lowest scoring game of the weekend, but maybe we'll see something different.

Not a carsoning company, you think, just out of respect in the tenure that he had here, like if we're in a tough spot and not gone lambin a slash would slash whatever this thing is here in the six five one carpet studio that if we do have an issue and we needed to know Lineman, would would they just like, would Stefanski just let Cam Robinson walk across the field?

We get a quick uniform change, and he'd just let us use Cam Robinson if needed.

I think that's a great question.

It might have been part of the trade package to acquire him.

Where you did you know pick swaps you got, you got sind across the field.

Yeah, it's not bad a thought.

I honestly didn't think about that.

Can plug them in a guard.

People wanted that to happen this offseason.

What is throughout the week?

You mentioned kind of the dreary weather today, but what was the mood and the vibe that you were able to capture one way or the other from a two and two team haven't been able to stop the run and either of their losses, but it's still I mean, we're talking thirteen games left here.

It's where we're not right in eulogies quite yet, Just kind of the idea of this team knowing maybe they let one slip through their fingers, the ability to bounce back regardless of health, Like where where where's the mentality sitting here into the weekend.

Yeah, I think you know a lot of a lot of this team, especially the younger guys.

I think they've enjoyed just the goofy nature of what this trip has been.

I think you got some guys probably miss their families and probably ready to give back.

But I just feel like overall, I mean, Josh Untell said walk out of the press conference in Dublin after the Pittsburgh lost, He's like, I hope you guys are going to London because we're gonna put on a better performance than that.

So I just think there is a very high level motivation right now to get one in this spot here and go into the bye with a little wave of momentum just having I mean, it's like they've been in the headwind going moving into a headwind.

It feels like this entire season.

So to get to the by start to get a lot a little healthier win this game.

I do think that that's kind of just squarely where everyone's minds are in this game.

Again, I do think it's going to be really interesting offensively to see what if anything they can like the easy button that they can try to push in this game, because it's just it's hard to find a pass.

But potentially I kind of feel like Kevin O'Connell.

Has this game.

He will be as dialed in to make sure they win this game as he's been probably at some time, because if you lose it, the vibes going back become quite quite difficult.

So I'm going to I'm going to play back some of some of Kevin O'Connell's press conference a little later on this morning, but you were there.

He spoke to the media this morning or technically earlier this afternoon London time, but I think he mentioned maybe CJ.

Ham is going to be questionable into this game, and for a guy that's played roughly a third even less than that really of snaps, you know in the offense under O'Connell, is is that part of you know, it's like, I wonder what this offense is going to look like, I'm with you in lockstep there, Like does getting a guy like CJ hamback help, whether it's protection schemes and just kind of how he could potentially be used to keep Carson Wentz upright.

Yeah, he's questionable and I would not be surprised at all if he plays in this game.

He's practiced all week coming back from a little knee thing that happened in camp.

But yeah, there's no question brow a protection standpoint, whether he's aligning at fullback and he's chipping on the interior the X tier on the way out, or whether he's in like a wing position next to the attack or next to tight end and he can just.

Get a nudge on Miles Garrett.

I mean, look this, this this Brown's defensive front.

Miles Garrett will get all of the pub and he should because he's a special, special player.

But they they signed this spring a guy Malik Collins who's kind of been a journeyman and he had the highest pass r US win rate among any interior defender in the NFL, he can be a problem.

What they do a lot with these interior guys, they'll stunt them, and so you'll see Malink Collins taking out Mason Graham's matchup and Mason Graham looping over.

And so I think any possible way that you can just enhance your protection, you got to you got.

To push that button.

You've got to try to do that.

I definitely think c J ham has proven with the way they've used them last couple of years that that is an avenue.

So definitely a nice spot for him to be back.

And then I think like if the game goes how it feels like it's going to go, any type of separation that the receivers can create early in the down feels like it could be huge.

And then Carson Wentzon's decidesive this and actually the hit then guy and I will also say this, I mean as little as they can, I mean as much as they can prevent Carson Wentz from getting hit in this game, it's going to be critical.

You saw how much of a beating he took last weekend, and I just you just wonder how sustainable any type of extreme punishment on him in the pocket, and you just wonder how much he can absorb given what he already absorbed last weekend.

Yeah, you know, you mentioned the leak a lot of size across that defensive front there, and I was kind of laughing, you know, you know how my guy is like pa a couple of times a seak he mentioned, you know, kind of digging into the Browns, like, really, haven't heard a lot about Mason Graham.

You know, I wonder what's up with the I wonder what's up with the Michigan rookie, highly touted, highly drafted.

Just haven't really through four heard much about Mason Graham.

And then I'm thinking to myself, well, okay, enter the equation.

Joe Huber and Blake Brandell taking your first snaps at center.

I hope we continue to not hear about Mason Graham.

But Malik, I'm glad you mentioned him as well, because that that is going to be the a topic into this weekend.

And it's just, you know, it's it's fun, it's it's awful in terms of you want your preferred players out there, your health issues be damned.

It's just it's it's been a frustrating slog in some respects that everyone's kind of feeling.

But in the end, like, what an opportunity for those guys against this front with a lot of reps in practice.

You just hope you see something special from one of those guys to stand up against these Browns.

No question.

And then the other aspect that I've mentioned here is the Browns have been the best at contacting running backs behind the line of scrimmage in the NFL.

Like, I think the number is sixty two runs against the Browns they contact the opposing running back behind the line of scrimmers.

That's the most of any NFL team through four weeks since twenty seventeen.

Part of that is because their linebacking core is very, very good.

They drafted this UCLA rookie Carson Swettinger, who's probably one of the most underrated rookies drafted and producing right now in the NFL.

And then Devin Bush is all over the place, Grant Dealt with the safety will run and hit, So yeah, I mean it's it's all hands on deck, and I'd say, yeah, Joe Huber and Blake Brandell, who's never played center in a game, he said those guys at their work cutoff for him, and if they can get the work done, they should be celebrated.

Yeah, you know when when we do the feasts Alec and got a.

We gotta work on the name for this bid doctor doc.

It just doesn't hit me.

But but you send this creative enough.

No I don't.

I don't really like it.

It is alliterative, which fits with the fan culture, but still it's it's kind of an awful name.

We'll fix it.

We got the bye week, just like anybody else.

During the bye week, we get healthier, we get better.

Uh, how do how do we run against this team you mentioned?

I think the number is it's like sixty You broke up, so I'm talking to the listening audience here.

It's like sixty some percent of rushing attempts is it's that they're contacted before the line of scrimmage.

That's that's a problem.

But simultaneously, when you talk about protecting Carson Wentz and just the sustaining of the beating and limiting or mitigating the beating, we need to get Mason rolling and we need him to be more efficient than he was against the Steelers.

Is have you seen anything if you were going to put that doctor doc together that says, you know, the commitment by O'Connell plus X might lead to some sort of effective running on Sunday.

Yeah.

The two potential avenues that I'd probably go with that are either a like this Brown front is so attacking and they try to get a field so fast that anything that can attacked the edges, whether it's like pin and pull stuff or jet sweeps stuff, to try to just quickly get the bomb the edges.

That that may be an avenue.

And then the other one would potentially be you know, last week on a fourth and one, they went unbalanced with Christian Garris on the right side, and you kind of wonder like it was something the Steelers would you know, it was the move the Steelers pool many times last week of going on balance, adding an extra offensive lineman.

Maybe you know, you throw in Henry Bird or Sir Walter Rouse or somebody had to, you know, pair them with Josh Oliver and you have a little.

Fun out here in London with some unbalanced looks in the run game.

But no, I do the run be.

We're talking to Alex Lewis of the Athletic Alex Underscore Lewis via x and it's all part of the the Steves Appliances dot Com Steve's Appliances dot Com.

The marathon segment.

Now from from the Opportunity, I saw this again, such such a focus on health, but it plays into the game as significant as it's been on the Viking side.

I saw something with Greg Newsom that talented Brown's corner.

He's kind of an iffy potentially to play on Sunday.

Have you sniffed around anything in terms of the Brown side of things.

You mentioned the old line, but Greg Newsom popping up as an iffy for Sunday's kind of big news if you're thinking about Carson slinging it around the gym.

Yeah, no question.

They you know, besides Greg Newsom, they have Denzel Ward, who's been at great corner in the NFL, and then their nickel corner Miles Harden is interesting.

It's like a third year pro.

He's a light later round pick, but he can play a little bit of man coverage.

But if they don't have Greg Newsom, then I mean the corner depth in Cleveland is I mean, it's a.

Question for sure.

So again, that is a.

Spot where you'd hope that Jordan Adison could get off press coverage or use some maybe stacks of budgets to get those guys some clean routes early in the down.

I do think that's a possibility.

When you look back at Sunday's game, the return of Jordan Addison, I mean the stat sheet, she'll surely pulls it up and Carson goes for three point fifty.

We get that Addison's let's outrun Peyton Wilson next time if there is a next time sort of thing.

But just at a base level, did it look like into totality looking back at the game from your eyes, did you see some things kind of open up where you know, in a game of negatives, you'll lose the game, but there's a positive aspect of it.

And you can feel the combination of Jefferson and Addison being back is going to be something that whether it's Carson or when JJ McCarthy returns from from the ankle, that they got something to work with there, and and Addison just is kind of picking up where he left off in camp prior to the suspension.

Yeah.

Absolutely, I mean I've said this probably you heard me say it, but Wes Phillips said that Jordan has the best training camp performance of any Vikings offensive player, and it really, I mean, it did feel like other than the little stumble on the long pass, you know, it felt like he kind of picked up where he left off.

And I definitely think if you can protect long enough to get him the ball down the field, he can be dynamic and really impact the game.

It's really like.

You know, we talk so much about the line and protection because it allows everything else to kind of flow, and if you don't have it, then talking about Jordan Addison, I mean you're really just talking about quick passes, screens, that type of usage, which again just expect a lot on Sunday.

Yeah.

Absolutely, And as far as as far as the Browns are concerned, you know, I don't know how much work that you you ever put into Dylan Gabriel, but the south paw and you know, we like to joke about the ball spinning differently, how on earth can you catch a ball from from a left handed QB.

But but to that end, just Dylan Gabriel, you know, certainly different from a Joe Flacco if you're just watching film, the more stoic statue esque Flaco versus the young cat much smaller, but maybe some design.

You know what, what do we anticipate from from a Dylan Gabriel standpoint, just at a base level as he makes his first start against Brian Flores.

Yeah, I told Pa I was upset that he couldn't get to see Joe flacka on London.

I know that's been a career, you know, something he's wanted to get accomplished over the course of his career, with how much he loved Joe Flacco.

But Dun Gabriel is a He's a smaller guy.

He's got some velocity in the arm, he's athletic, and he processes the field pretty well.

But I think, I mean again, this defense and what he's going to see is unlike anything he's probably ever experienced, even though at Oregon he did play against Ohio State and Penn State and he was at Oklahoma before so talented thrower the football, but he was picked where he was for a reason.

And you really got the feeling talking to Brian Flora's out of here that it's for them just so much.

They're viewing it like, look, we got to stop Quinn shot Jackkins, we got to stop the run game, Browns will use unbalanced formation, so making sure that they're on their p's and q's there is critical.

And then you.

Know, you force the opposing quarterback in the long downs and distances, and when the Vikings defense had had done that this season, I believe opposing teams are like two for twenty something from third and long this year against the Viking, So that's it feels like the game plan is do everything they can to stop Quinn Shawn Junkins and then make life very hard for Dylan Gabriel.

Yeah, it's a two for twenty six.

I believe teams are on third and six or longer against Flores.

And one thing that's kind of popped up a couple of times this week.

You're you've probably enjoyed or endured this via social media, et cetera.

But team loses in Pittsburgh and everyone's down on the GM again because of the drafting and the coaches play calling.

I mean, just all those things that happen in the loss.

We see it.

But in the same sense, you know, we can't undo things, We can't go back in time.

We got to move forward and face the Browns.

But from your eyes from what you've seen and analyzed, you know, replacing effectively a Jonathan Bullard and a Harrison Phillips with a Jonathan Allen and a Javon Hargrave, you feel so much better about the pressure you're getting in a pass rush situation from the middle of our defensive front.

Super excited about it.

They've both been mostly productive.

But in the end, did we lose anything in stopping the run at a base level by jettison ing Phillips and Bullard.

Yeah, I mean I think you know this, Biden's team feels like stopping the run game is so much about, you know, techniques, fundamentals.

Brian Flores said the other day, He's like, none of this is sexy and it's it's boring, but like that is what it takes to stop the run consistently and effectively.

I do think, if anything, these first four games give you an appreciation for the job that Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard did stop in the run.

It never talked about, it was it was always very low key.

But I mean, look, these these two guys in particular, and Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, they are pass rush first interior defenders and so you kind of I mean you're given a little to get a little, uh or.

Given a little to get a lot.

I think that's kind of been the idea.

And and I mean I would say, you know, if I'm Cleveland and I'm approaching this game, I'm trying to load up offensive linemen and run it right at them as much as I possibly can and then prove that the Vikings can stop them.

And so that will be an opportunity for the Vikings to do that.

I thought initially, you know, John Robinson is gonna.

Do what he's gonna do.

Uh.

The more worrisome outing was last week for me against Pittsburgh.

But yeah, it'll be interesting to see if they can step up and stop the Browns.

Uh and a and a rookie running back and clinch at Dufkins and Brian Flores was was pretty high on and talking about the other day.

Just uh, just time for a couple more.

I'll let you get on to enjoy the afternoon slash evening in London Town, specifically with the special teams.

I mean, just as weird as things have been in the way that we've been talking this out, you know, health and all of that to the side.

The special teams kickers been perfect.

We dig that.

I think there's something wrong with the special teams at a base level that I just can't put my finger on.

I don't know if it's the availability of bodies, if it is coaching and technique and all of those things.

I don't know.

But Miles Price has been kind of an uplifting part of that conversation, certainly a positive in totality with some of his returns and putting the team in a good spot.

Is special teams potentially something that is a feather in the cap and a game changer in favor of the Purple on Sunday at Tottenham.

I'm glad you brought it up, because I do think it has the potential to just sway the game one way or another.

Any muffed part, return, muffed kick, you know, missed field goal, like I you know, with what this score might potentially be on Sunday morning there over in the States.

You know, it just feels like those plays in that phase are magnified.

And I would agree with you.

Like Will Riker has been great this year.

He's been probably one of the most consistent players on the team.

Honestly, Ryan Wright has had some incidents where you know, you're like, all right, that's what you need from Ryan Wright, and then he's had some instances where it's like, all right, that's Ryan right, and then Miles Price I feel like has done a pretty good job back there in his role.

But there's no question, like you know, this is the type of game that magnifies any mistakes you make in that area because of you know, just the muddiness that it probably is going to be.

Now into the week, there was the idea that JJ McCarthy he might be getting some reps, he might practice.

That kind of lends to the optimism that the kid QB might be able to have a full week of practice post buy.

I'm not interested in looking ahead two weeks, but was there anything that was like disappointing about his inability to get on the field this week?

It was just, I mean, a miss, I'm worried about Van Ginkel, I'm worried about the old lines.

So JJ McCarthy, to be honest, in reality, I want him to get healthy.

But I wasn't necessarily I never planned on him playing this game.

But any nuggets or morsels that you've been able to scrap up here in terms of just the kid QB and his recovery from the ankle.

No.

I mean, we saw him after practice the other day.

He was in great spirits and talked to us and fist bumped and all that and his usual like energetic self, which was great to see given obviously the road that it's been.

But I you know, Kevin O'Connell said today, had the rain not been what it was and maybe the field situation, you know, being a little different, he might have gotten in some work today and some individual stuff.

And so I mean, really like it felt like when Kevin O'Connell talked on Tuesday to some of the media out here, he insinuated that it might be possible this week, But you didn't ever feel like, at least I didn't that it was like an absolute guarantee.

And it just feels like they're taking this very much date day by day and we'll see what happens after the bye week.

I mean, it feels like, with.

The way that Kevin O'Connell's talked about this.

He needs a full week of practice to be playing in the game.

So I am curious as we return from the bye week and the head of the Eagles game.

Will he be practicing fully every single day that week?

And if he does not, will he play in that game?

Like that is where my mind will go when I turn return hopefully at some point from this ten day trip.

Last thing for you, Alec, I guess kind of down that down that road.

There's no complaints in what we do.

Unique opportunities and it's it's an absolute blast being able to cover pro sports teams and in your particular case, your connection to the Vice Kings.

You got to be ready to go home, though, right, I mean ten days over there?

Are you kidding me?

Just well what people people don't people don't know, they don't care.

I mean we're on this bus and I mean you got to go twenty one miles from the Vikings Hotel into downtown London, and I mean and that takes two hours.

You do that twice a day, four hours, four days this week.

That's sixteen hours on a bus.

I mean, it is it is you know, you got, you got, This is this is why you sign up for journalism readier.

But now it's been a glass have had a lot of fun, been cool to see these places and beyond grateful for it.

But yeah, I mean Dylan Gabriel Carson Wins.

We'll get through with that and then you know, run all back and bust them out.

Call me real, real happy to do that.

That's awesome man, Thanks for giving me time while while you sit on that bus and just try to find your way back into London.

Great work.

As always, We'll catch up with you and follow you on Sunday and then we'll see you back in town next week.

Thanks Norda.

I've never been excited.

It's excited to get back to Buffalo wil Wings Coon Rappings.

I will see you soon.

Absolutely.

That's Alec Lewis of the Athletic at Alec Underscore Lewis via X covers the Minnesota vikings for the Athletic and we'll be following his stuff from Tottenham on Sunday Sunday morning.

That's the Steves Appliances Marathon segment brought to you by Steve Steves actually brings you Alec Lewis at to the Friday feast at Buffalo Wild Wings.

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Thank you Steves Steve's Appliances dot com.

PA have the chance to chat with Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell.

You will hear that conversation next as we continue on nine to Noon on the fan.

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I got a real bad feeling about this game.

I think we're screwed.

Hope I'm wrong.

If so, I'll eat crow on fan line it's Ryan and Michigan.

I know what you're feeling.

Ryan, I get it, And over the course of the first ninety minutes of the show, I can tell you I've become convinced the Vikings are going to win this game.

Now.

I mean, you listen to If all of you listen to nine to Noon, you know well, it's more about having fun than anything I'm wrong all the time.

I'm wrong every day.

If we got a sponsor for the Covenant cleanup provided by XYZ actual Company, it would be the most valuable sponsorship on the entire station because we are wrong every single day.

I get it.

This just feels like Vikings are going to win, but it's going to be maybe the worst game you've ever watched in fifteen years, or at least.

I harken back talking with Alex Lewis last segment.

I remember twenty twenty three, Vikings in Las Vegas kind of got hooked in with the with the Power Trip.

They did a couple shows in Las Vegas at Buffalo Wild Wings.

We actually did a Friday feast of Buffalo Wild Wings.

And similar to the idea of spending ten days across the pond, five days in Las Vegas feels like ten days across the pond.

And we're all just ready to go home.

And I believe the team, Gosh, just middland around five hundred at this point.

It's a non playoff team, right, We're playing with Dobbs.

We got the.

Achilles situation, with the Achilles situation with Kirk, and you're just trying to figure out if you can really win games with Josh Dobbs and maybe find your way into a playoff spot.

You had the Dobbs magic at the Falcons.

You got a good half out of him.

Against the Saints, it took Jameis Winston.

Bless Jameis Winston, Love Jameis Winston, as he single handedly gave the game back to us with two just brutal interceptions.

Then you lose in primetime, as was that Makai Blackman that refused to jump on the Courtland Sutton pass in the end zone by Russ.

You lose at Denver in primetime.

You lost.

Oh how about the brutal ten twelve to ten Bears victory over the Viking on a Monday night game at US Bank Stadium.

DJ Moore over the middle late.

How ugly was that?

But all of that was topped by the everybody just wants to freaking go home, Go beat the Raiders, Please go beat the Raiders.

And if I remember correctly, you know we got Dobbs in the mix.

I think the Vikings would go back to mister Mullins.

The following week, we playing Aid and O'Connell that game, Yeah, yeah, we nearly lost to Aidan O'Connell.

I think it took like a late Hunter Renfro fumble in the red zone or near the red zone.

You get the one field goal in that mix a three to nothing game.

You're so pumped that Justin Jefferson returns I think from the hamstring.

I mean, think about twenty twenty three.

Oh my goodness, memory Lane.

Maybe this is cathartic to help us feel better about our current situation.

But you get the you get just Justin Jefferson back, only for him.

I believe he went to the hospital.

Dobbs in those hospital balls.

Right.

That was the worst game that we as Vikings fans have watched in many many years.

That actually was a victory.

We've probably seen many worse losses Philly title game for one.

That's what this game feels like.

It's going to be, not not to that detriment.

I don't know if we can match what happened in Las Vegas two years ago, but it is going to be that kind of slog fest where you're just you're begging to find an open an open lane for Jordan Mason.

You're you're begging to find that third down conversion to a Jefferson, You're still wondering what's up with TJ.

Hawkinson all of those things, but your defense and flores do what you need them to do against Dylan Gabriel Judkins makes you worried a couple different times.

Miles Garrett, good luck to Carson trying to survive for sixty minutes.

And you win because of field position, game via the plus sized punter.

You win via field position, because Miles Price breaks off a couple of nice punt returns.

You win on the foot of a Will Riker.

That's just kind of where this game feels like it is going at this point.

But to that end, the breakdown, to the build up, the reason I've included a couple times in the show is now that Addison's back, if we can continue to get healthy, this thing with Jefferson and Addison is as good as it gets in the NFL.

And the man behind most of that, his name is Keenan McCardell, Vikings wide receivers coach, and PA got the chance to sit down and chat with him earlier today and well take it away, Pa.

Friday was raining field came up a little more slippery than Wednesday and Thursday, so maybe you can settle a conversation that people have had forever.

When it's rainy and a field comes up wet, what does a favor receivers or dbs.

Their favors or receivers Because we know where we're going, so I you know today was it would have been a fun game day because we know where we're going.

They got to they got a guess on where we're going, so it would have favored the receivers in a big way.

Now, now, Keenan had a seventeen year National Football League career also a Super Bowl winner of course, wide receivers coach for the Minnesota Vikings.

And you played thirty seven games with Cleveland after Washington drafted you, and that started in your second year.

So with the Browns did that kind of jump start your career?

It really did.

You know, I got a great opportunity in Cleveland, showed my talents and I took advantage of it.

You know, Coach Belichick gave me a great opportunity, had some great coaches over there that gave me an opportunity that believed in me, and you know, I just took it and ran with it.

I mean I kind of tell my guys, anytime you get an opportunity to play, you gotta take advantage of it.

And that's what I did in Cleveland.

Yeah, you know, we've talked about this before, but a decade and a half plus in the NFL twelfth round, pick don't play for Washington, end up in Cleveland.

It's slow to start there, but then it takes off.

Multiple teams won a Super Bowl.

I mean you've seen it from a one up to a nine, you know what I mean.

Yes, I have, and it's you know, it's fun.

You know.

I tell guys, your your journey will always change in this league, and it's up to you how you want your journey to change.

You know, your career to change.

And each each year is a new year, and you got to make sure you go out and put the work in and and if you keep putting the work in, you'll.

Get rewarded at the end.

Keenan, what the Dog Pound where Cleveland plays home games.

Now, you know it's a different stadium when you played there, But nevertheless, the dog Pound and home games of Cleveland, what were they like?

Oh?

Great fans?

Uh for for us, for the Browns are great fans, but for the visiting team.

It was a bad time, you know, a couple of batteries being thrown, some snowballs.

No it, you know, but it's of being the tradition of the dog Pound making it hard on the on the opposing team, and uh, you know, I had my I have some great times in Cleveland.

Now now it's a little windy here in London at this moment, but the wind off Lake Erie.

Do you remember games where like what was what were the worst conditions that you would have there?

Oh?

Man, we've had a snow game where the fields the phil is all snowy, kind of like their game against Pittsburgh Stillers Steelers last year.

I remember those those times down there.

Uh you know you talk about win.

I mean I've been in some of the windy is games around down there, and I mean catching the football and throwing the football was hard, you know, and more saving.

So we you know, we just you know, you.

Got used to it because you're practicing it so long, but the visiting team didn't get used to it.

Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell is our guest.

After the Friday practice, a final practice during the course of the week, up to the Browns game.

Speaking of the Browns and their defense, how do you expect them to defend Justin Jefferson.

You know, it's I think it's a possible.

You know, they're gonna double him, but it's possible they can play a man to man because of all the other weapons we have, you.

Know, for running the ball really well.

You know, you got Jordan coming back, Speedy's playing well, Adam's playing well.

So you know it's gonna be a hard time to just say I'm gonna double Jets and lead these other guys open and then probably putting eight men in the box and and Jordan running the ball.

You know, you know, you put seven min in the box and then Jordan gets to run the ball, but you put eight men in the box.

You know, it's a challenge outside.

So you know, it's it's gonna be an interesting game.

You know, I'm looking forward to it.

You know.

You know, Coach Schwartz is a good is a really good.

Defensive coordinator, and I know he has a plan, so we just got to be ready for it.

You mentioned the name Jordan Addison, and you know I can argue of all the players and the joint practices New England that he was the best of every single player.

He had so much pop.

And you know then he returns in the Steelers game, we get the eighty one watching the practices this week he's he's been absolutely I mean, Jordan has really dialed in right now, isn't he?

Yes, he is.

I mean he came in in training camp, dowed in.

You know, he had the vacation as we call it, for three games and came back he was still doubting, you know, and that's because of how he.

Practiced it during training camp.

I mean, his training camp helped him come back in and be on top.

Of his game.

Dude, do you think maybe, and this is a better question for him, but just you know, kind of being you know, a surrogate dad or uncle to these guys plus their coach.

Do you know those three games that he that he had to be away, do you think maybe it was a little eye opening to him, like, Wow, holy cow, my guys are playing in here and I'm missing it.

That's what you miss, you know, you miss doing what you do you've been doing all your life, and then when when it's taken away from you, you kind of get a wake up call just to see, you know, like I need to make sure I'm on the right path, so I go down the wrong path.

So, you know, it was a little eye opening for him, and I enjoyed that.

Last year.

It's getting Wendy and Randy on this practice field.

Jail and Naylor conversely, was up and down in training camp and then the Patriots joined Erchis Andrews's arm or whatever.

He was dropping some passes during training camp.

Then we start the regular season, talk about being on point.

Holy col Jail and Naylor has dialed in, isn't.

He He's died in.

I'm loving it because it's just the maturation of him.

You know, his growth process right now has been unbelievable.

I think he's enjoying it.

And when you enjoy your time to play, it makes the game a lot easier.

It comes to you easier.

And I think he's having fun out there, and it's great for office because you get another whipping and.

Last one game and the rookie type Alton.

You know, I've had some conversations with him after games, including preseason and regular season, and okay, he's a drafted wide receiver.

He wants to play fifty sixty seventy plays a game, but he understands a lot in life now used to be the best gunner in the NFL and to help this team how they need me.

The reason I bring it up is because you know, better than anybody, not everybody buys into it that way.

And not everybody.

I mean, he's a true team player, and you know, doing the evaluation process, you know, we talked about it that that person coming in should have a trait, but it also should be a true team player that can play on special teams, help the team out in any way that he can until he.

Gets his opportunity to help us in as a receiver.

So you know, looking at Tye, looking at all this film, how good he was as a gunner, kick kickoff return guy, you know, he fit the model that we wanted.

And I think, you know, he's showing people that he's a pretty damn good gunner.

So I enjoy watching go out and make plays.

As wide receivers.

Coach Keenan McCardell in London with PA earlier today and we're gonna pause now come back shortly.

Some text messages to jump into.

But top of the hour eleven ish all chart hit is going to join me from the Utah Bunker and we're going to break down some fantasy and reality as we get closer to the final hour of a Friday Feast nor to Win for PA nine to noon on the Fan