Raiders Insider Podcast Offers A Complete Recap of Win Over Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast offers a complete recap of the Christmas Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Hi everybody, this is Hondo Carpenter from Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas
00:06 Raiders Insider Podcast with a complete recap of the Raiders 20-14 win over the Kansas City
00:14 Chiefs.
00:15 Man, we've got so much to discuss tonight.
00:18 I'm just going to tell you right now, I am going to get into a lot.
00:23 We're going to talk about a lot.
00:25 But I already know what's coming Wednesday on my podcast in an article that I have coming.
00:32 So I just want you to mark your calendar.
00:34 Whatever you do, do not miss Wednesday's podcast, nor my article coming on Wednesday.
00:41 I want to discuss tonight a complete recap of this game.
00:44 It was a game that I predicted on the podcast this week a couple of times that the Raiders
00:50 were going to win.
00:52 I gave my list of reasonings of why I thought they would win.
00:56 You can go back and watch those podcasts if you don't believe it.
00:59 Had some people calling me out on social media saying I never said that, but you can go back.
01:03 That's what I love about the digital age.
01:06 There was about 95% of what I thought we wanted to see, we did.
01:12 The only thing we didn't see was the Raiders' success attacking with Aiden O'Connell, who
01:20 his performance was not very good tonight.
01:22 I don't think there's any other way to say it.
01:24 I don't think it was completely terrible.
01:26 You can't say that the Raiders defense and a lot of people talking about, well, the Raiders
01:32 won, Mahomes played terrible.
01:34 Well, let's not pretend like the Raider defense didn't have a lot to do with that.
01:39 Secondly, let's not pretend like the Chiefs defense didn't have a lot to do with some
01:44 of the attacking down the field, which I thought was a big deal.
01:48 But it wasn't a great performance by Aiden O'Connell and I don't think he would try to
01:52 pretend that it was.
01:54 But there was 95% of what I said we wanted to see, we did.
01:58 The Raiders come in to Arrowhead, they invade this place, get the monster win on Christmas
02:03 Day.
02:06 National audience, Nickelodeon game.
02:08 It was a huge game and it was a humongous win.
02:12 You can't cut this any other way.
02:14 Humongous win.
02:15 I saw smoke billowing out of the Raiders locker room celebration.
02:19 A lot of really good stuff.
02:20 And I had some things I want to talk about.
02:23 Again, if you and I'm going to get in, just make sure you check out Wednesday's podcast
02:28 and article, but there is no way to even remotely imply that you can't see Antonio Pierce's
02:36 stamp on this team.
02:38 And I'm just going to very quickly say, I think it's going to be nearly impossible,
02:44 although he certainly can do whatever he wants.
02:47 I think it's going to be a very difficult thing for Mark Davis if he doesn't name Antonio
02:51 Pierce.
02:52 Very difficult.
02:53 I'll get into all that later.
02:55 But a humongous win by a dominating defense.
03:03 Dominating.
03:05 And special teams, very good offense.
03:08 I mean, how about Zemir White?
03:11 Goes for over 100.
03:12 I don't want to hear about, well, there was one big run there.
03:14 There was, but there were several very important runs.
03:17 In fact, if you really want to know the truth, I think they went away from him.
03:22 And had they stayed with him, I think the Raiders offense would have been more successful.
03:26 They had a drive early.
03:28 And I think they put up a field goal and then came back the next time.
03:33 Too many passes.
03:34 They didn't go to Zemir.
03:35 It could have been two drives later, but I felt like they had a chance to establish Zemir
03:39 earlier and they didn't.
03:42 But again, I thought the offensive line played tremendously well.
03:47 And you could see them.
03:49 Okay, you could.
03:50 I'm just telling you, they played tremendously well.
03:53 How about Jermaine Illuminor?
03:55 He played fantastic.
03:56 He goes, and there's an injury to him.
03:59 Colton has to come in.
04:02 Colton injured, not even close to 100%.
04:04 In fact, I'll have those videos up tomorrow.
04:06 I interviewed both those guys in the locker room.
04:09 And the way those two young men performed.
04:14 That performance by Colton Miller was all heart.
04:16 I thought Jermaine was really, really good.
04:19 Thayer, Dylan Parham.
04:22 I mean, there's so many guys that had really good games.
04:26 And there were some guys that didn't.
04:28 Aiden O'Connell being one of them.
04:32 But it was just a great win.
04:33 Now, I want to address one thing, and then I'm going to get right back to this game because
04:36 I have so much to discuss.
04:40 Raider Nation, y'all got to get over the fact that Derek Parr was the quarterback here.
04:44 He's not here anymore.
04:45 I mean, I'm watching Raider fans who should be celebrating a win at Arrowhead.
04:50 Boy, we're one quarterback away, and we had him.
04:55 And then one group, ha ha, we get rid of him, now we win at Arrowhead.
04:58 I mean, both sides of this debate, let it die.
05:03 It's over.
05:05 He's not here.
05:06 It's not like he went to New Orleans and turned the world on fire, but it's not like he was
05:11 a bad quarterback for your franchise.
05:13 He's the all-time leader winning.
05:15 Just let it go.
05:16 He's not here.
05:17 Enjoy this win.
05:20 Dear God, some of you are like people that if you won the lottery would bitch because
05:24 you had to pay the taxes.
05:27 Let it go.
05:28 Just let it go.
05:29 Anyways, so I'm here at Arrowhead Stadium.
05:31 The stadium is to my right.
05:33 It probably looks like how it is on, how I don't know.
05:35 I'm pointing to my right regardless of how it looks on your screen.
05:41 So what you see behind me is a picture I took when I got here today.
05:43 This is a green screen, but I'm here in the press box right now.
05:46 It's just, I move away from where my colleagues are working because it's not fair.
05:51 I'm talking and not typing.
05:54 But what a big win.
05:55 The Raiders came out and just physically dominated the Chiefs.
06:01 Remember in my analysis in my podcast, I talked about what they did when they come up against
06:09 the Chargers.
06:10 I mean, man, the Chargers get their great running back and wham, punch, physicality.
06:16 He's injured.
06:17 He's hurt.
06:18 They knocked Pacheco out today coming back.
06:19 And I said in my podcast, this is a guy coming back.
06:23 I may have said that on the radio, excuse me, but either one I talked about, this is
06:27 a guy coming back off injury.
06:28 Now you're going to play a physical Raider team.
06:30 That's not what you want.
06:32 The Raiders were just impressive.
06:34 I want to talk about a couple of things.
06:35 There was one thing early that really impressed me and it was Nate Hobbs.
06:42 There was a play and it was in the first, it was in the first half for sure.
06:44 I think it was in the first quarter where Patrick Mahomes is scrambling and Nate Hobbs
06:51 has an opportunity to nail him.
06:54 But it would have been, even though it would have been inbounds, it would have been close
06:57 to being out of bounds.
06:58 And I talked to my podcaster earlier this week, you can't let the refs decide this game.
07:04 And you saw him push them out rather than hit them, which I think he would have got
07:08 a penalty, even though I don't think it would have been warranted because of the way the
07:11 NFL protects quarterbacks.
07:13 It just showed discipline on his part.
07:15 I thought he was phenomenal.
07:18 The Raiders now have five defensive touchdowns this year.
07:21 Marcus Peters was one.
07:22 You may remember his pick six.
07:24 Jack Jones has had two in the last two weeks.
07:27 Last week, Jonathan Jenkins picks up a ball, scoops and scores.
07:32 Today it was Bilal Nichols who scooped and scored.
07:35 Daniel Carlson with a missed extra point, but that missed extra point was not on him.
07:45 That mixed extra point was just a mishandled snap.
07:48 And it was really wet and cold here and it hits the hands of the holder and it was just
07:52 mishandled.
07:53 It wasn't that anybody failed.
07:55 It was literally just it was on weather and it was just one of those things the Raiders
08:00 don't get to practice in that every day.
08:02 And you can't simulate the cold in Vegas.
08:06 And even though it's cold in Vegas this time of year, and I know a lot of you that don't
08:08 live there are like, "Yeah, shut up."
08:10 Okay, I understand, but it's not Kansas City.
08:15 But five defensive touchdowns.
08:18 We have talked a lot about Patrick Graham and how great he is.
08:23 I think it's time now to be talking about this guy needs some head coaching interviews.
08:29 I think he's earned that.
08:32 And again, I'll talk more about that on Wednesday, but I think he was phenomenal.
08:35 The defense was everything you expected them to be.
08:39 You have seen a track record for them and they performed at that track record.
08:43 And they just held the best quarterback in the NFL, which is what I believe he is.
08:48 And remember, I know that really irritates Raider fan, but I'm not a fan.
08:53 My job is to be analytical.
08:57 But they just held the best quarterback and made him look silly.
08:59 Now let's talk about it because I think there's a lot here.
09:06 So let's go over Mahomes statistics.
09:08 He was 27 of 44, 235 yards, sacked four times.
09:13 Technically, I think there was a fifth, but they didn't give it to Max.
09:17 One TD, one interception, the quarterback rating is 73.6.
09:25 That's the best quarterback in the national football league.
09:28 And before anyone says, oh, you know, he wasn't at his best or whatever, isn't it amazing?
09:32 The Raiders can be out Josh Jacobs and they can be out other great players and nobody
09:37 ever talks about who's out for the Raiders.
09:39 Okay.
09:40 Patrick Mahomes was in there.
09:43 You have every right to expect him to be Patrick Mahomes.
09:46 He wasn't.
09:47 And to not credit the Raiders defense is disingenuous.
09:50 Just like Aiden O'Connell, we saw how he played the last time he played the Chiefs.
09:56 He was the highest rated quarterback in the NFL that week.
09:59 We saw how he played last week against the Chargers.
10:01 Today he didn't.
10:02 It would be disingenuous to not credit the Kansas City defense.
10:06 It was a great performance.
10:08 I had a lot of people say, man, that was a boring football game that I don't know what
10:12 you were watching.
10:13 It was physical.
10:14 I thought the Raiders offense was at times predictable, but sometimes the Chiefs defense
10:20 just played really well.
10:22 Again, they're the defending Super Bowl champions.
10:25 This isn't some scumbag team.
10:27 This isn't some group of patched together team that came into this game at two and 12.
10:35 This is the defending world champions.
10:38 You just went into their field on Christmas day, you smacked them in the face, ill intent,
10:45 violence, physicality, pain, and you won.
10:51 If you can't enjoy that, you can't be excited about that.
10:54 I don't know what excites you, but man, that was a great football game in a great environment.
11:00 I think there are several things you take away from this.
11:03 I predicted the beginning of the year.
11:05 I thought the Raiders were a nine and 18.
11:07 I said if Jimmy stayed healthy for 17 games.
11:11 He hasn't, but I still think that they're a nine and 18.
11:13 It's what I thought they were.
11:17 And Aiden has played pretty much a lot like Jimmy did before he was replaced.
11:23 So you're on track for that.
11:24 I think the Raiders will still finish nine and eight.
11:28 And I think they'll win in Indy next week, and I think they'll come home and beat Denver
11:33 and finish nine and eight.
11:34 And if they do that, I think they're going to end up in the playoffs.
11:39 I think they end up there.
11:41 And this team just fighting, scrapping, doing everything.
11:46 I want to talk about some unsung heroes tonight.
11:48 Malcolm Coons.
11:51 I have always told you I have very low expectations of rookies, no matter even where they're drafted,
12:00 because it is a normally when a rookie comes in and just performs magically.
12:06 It's just, it's an anomaly.
12:08 Doesn't happen very often.
12:09 There's a learning curve.
12:10 I don't care if you're from Alabama where it's some of the best football or Georgia
12:15 or wherever your school is.
12:17 If you think it's world-class championship football, you then come to the NFL.
12:23 I remember a great friend of mine, TJ Duckett, you may remember he was a first round draft
12:27 pick of the Atlanta Falcons.
12:28 I mean, the guy was a huge monster, big, ran a 4-3-40 and he was huge.
12:35 And I remember him telling me after he gets to the NFL, it's the first time he'd ever
12:38 been caught from the back from a lineman.
12:44 It's just a welcome to the NFL moment.
12:46 Okay.
12:47 So second year guys, you expect them to show you more, but there's still, there's a curve.
12:51 Third year is what we call the money year.
12:52 Why?
12:53 Because if you have a good third year, the chances are you're headed towards making money.
12:58 In the NFL, you don't play for the first contract, you play for the second.
13:02 Learn that from Nick Saban, by the way.
13:04 And Malcolm Koontz, I wrote an article earlier this year, coming into the year, guys who
13:08 this is their year to step up and talked about Malcolm Koontz and he's done it.
13:11 And he's done it since the regime change.
13:15 Make no mistake, we are crediting Patrick Graham and Antonio Pierce.
13:20 And of course the defensive line coaches for that.
13:25 Rob Leonard, we're crediting them.
13:29 They deserve all the credit, but Malcolm Koontz just played like a beast.
13:32 I mean, Max Crosby held every single play.
13:36 I mean, some of you were sending me pictures on Twitter and I was retweeting them of holds.
13:42 There was one where a guy had his hands underneath him looking like he was a police officer arresting
13:47 somebody.
13:48 It was unbelievable.
13:51 Or a UFC match.
13:53 It's unbelievable.
13:54 It was just so blatantly unfathomable.
13:58 But let's not pretend like it's just when the Raiders play the Chiefs.
14:01 It's when they play anybody.
14:02 There's holding on every play.
14:05 You know this, I've asked AP about it.
14:08 He talks to the officials about it.
14:10 He sends tape in or whatever.
14:12 I mean, he's constantly harping on it.
14:15 And Malcolm Koontz is punishing them.
14:17 I think it's very clear now the Raiders have their 1 and 1A, I mean, their 1A on each side
14:24 at defensive end.
14:25 Okay.
14:26 Tyree Wilson's making a push.
14:27 You got a bunch of big name, not big name, but guys playing big in the middle.
14:33 John Jenkins, Adam Butler, that guy played out of his mind today.
14:38 Bilal Nichols.
14:41 Again, Jerry Tillery, Butler, Tillery, Jenkins, Nichols.
14:50 I'm missing somebody and I'm going to feel terrible about it.
14:53 Jerry Tillery, Bilal Nichols, Jonathan Jenkins, Adam Butler.
15:00 I mean, there's just a bunch of guys playing at a really high level.
15:04 Then you throw Tyree Wilson in there.
15:06 Okay.
15:07 I mean, let's just look at some of the defensive numbers.
15:11 Forgive me for a second because I'm reading this to you, but I literally just got out
15:16 of the locker room and I haven't had time to even look at these numbers and memorize
15:24 them.
15:25 Let's talk about it.
15:26 Okay.
15:27 Nate Hopps, nine tackles.
15:28 I thought Nate played unbelievable today.
15:33 Absolutely unbelievable.
15:35 Roberts playing nine tackles.
15:38 I mean, that guy, and you got him on a long-term deal.
15:43 Merry Christmas to you.
15:46 Okay.
15:48 Amik Robertson, five tackles.
15:53 Let's go back because Hobbs had 11, but he also had nine and two assists.
15:57 Roberts playing had 11, nine and two assists.
15:59 Amik Robertson, eight.
16:01 Divine Diablo, six.
16:03 Kuntz, six, but three sacks.
16:07 I'm like, what?
16:11 Jones, five tackles.
16:13 Trayvon Merrick, three tackles.
16:15 B'Elon Nichols, three.
16:17 Adam Butler, two.
16:19 Max Crosby, two.
16:21 Robinson, two.
16:23 Wilson, two.
16:25 Tillery, two.
16:26 Jenkins, one.
16:28 Epps, one.
16:29 But hey, let's talk about Epps.
16:33 He made some plays now.
16:35 There was a couple of times he put some guys in positions right at the last second.
16:39 I mean, I thought Marcus Epps, you don't see it.
16:43 It's like with defensive linemen.
16:45 Other than sacks or scooping scores, you don't always see a lot of stats from them, but they
16:50 impact the game in a massive way.
16:54 I thought Marcus Epps did some things today that don't show up.
16:57 When you're the quarterback of the back, see, Spillane's the quarterback of the linebackers.
17:00 Crosby's the quarterback on the defensive line.
17:02 Epps is the quarterback in the back.
17:04 And when he's putting some guys in some great positions, that's exactly what you need out
17:10 of that guy.
17:11 A safety may not have 10 tackles.
17:14 If he does, you're crap defense.
17:16 Want to know a way that you can tell your greater defense isn't crap?
17:21 Because when you start looking at all of the great tacklers and how many tackles everybody
17:26 got, your best safety has one tackle.
17:31 But he's putting guys in spots, he's moving things around.
17:36 His communicative ability is way underrated.
17:41 When now you go up the gut, your defensive line has Crosby, your linebacker has Spillane,
17:47 your defensive back has Epps.
17:49 It's a big deal.
17:51 It's a very, very big deal.
17:55 And Patrick Graham, again, just coaching out of his mind.
18:00 Now let's talk a little bit about the offense because I think there's a lot to talk about.
18:05 There was multiple bad throws to Devontae.
18:10 But he also had some catches he's got to make.
18:15 There are some catches that he just left on the field.
18:18 Now, if I'm going to be fair, and you all know I love Hunter, and you all know I love
18:22 Devontae, it's people, good people.
18:26 But these guys aren't in those first three years.
18:28 These are multi-big contract guys.
18:32 You can't make those drops.
18:33 Just can't do it.
18:36 Can't do it.
18:38 He did.
18:39 I can't be disingenuous and not mention it.
18:44 And Devontae, when he's frustrated, is willing to voice that.
18:48 And I respect him for it.
18:51 And the one thing I like about him is someone said to me one time, "You can't be critical
18:54 Devontae.
18:55 He's going to get mad."
18:56 No, that's not Devontae.
18:57 He's not a child.
18:58 He's a consummate professional.
18:59 And he holds everyone to the standard that he holds himself.
19:03 He is a great player.
19:04 He is a Hall of Fame player.
19:06 And if you asked him, he would tell you, "I can't make that drop."
19:11 This isn't personal.
19:12 He's a phenomenal human being.
19:15 It's just analytical.
19:17 Can't make that drop.
19:18 I want to go back though and talk about some of the offense, because I think there were
19:22 some things on offense that are worthy of discussion.
19:26 Okay.
19:27 Jacoby Myers targeted five times, three catches.
19:31 He is a very good player.
19:36 In fact, the Raiders got to do a better job, but when you're playing better defenses, it's
19:41 hard to do a better job.
19:43 You may remember I said to you after they beat the Giants, this was impressive, but
19:49 you can't expect this every week because defenses are better than the Giants.
19:54 We saw it against the Chargers.
19:58 And I think the Chargers have a much better defense than the Giants.
20:02 If you want to know the truth, I think the Chargers' defense is much better than the
20:09 Giants, but I think the Chiefs' defense is significantly better than the Chargers'.
20:15 And so against the Chargers, against the Chiefs, Aiden struggled today.
20:21 Now in fairness, they had some new looks.
20:24 They had some things that they didn't show them the last time.
20:26 That's good coaching.
20:28 And the Chiefs have great coaching.
20:30 They're defending world champions.
20:31 Just keep reminding yourself of that because I saw so many people unhappy.
20:37 Does anyone think if AP had been the coach of this team all year, there isn't two or
20:42 maybe three more wins?
20:45 Bueller?
20:47 You don't think that we're sitting here looking at a 10 and five team right now?
20:51 I do.
20:53 I do.
20:54 A hundred percent.
20:58 I think there's much better coaching going on right now than there was at the beginning
21:03 of the year.
21:04 And that needs to be said.
21:07 But Zemir White, 145 yards.
21:10 Now understand that he had a 43 yarder, but they all count.
21:17 And even without it, he was over a hundred.
21:19 Or as the kids say today, "Honey" or "Hundy" I think is what they call it.
21:26 And at the end of the game, when the Chiefs are all lining up, knowing Zemir is going
21:33 to get the ball.
21:34 And I love the way AP said it.
21:35 "When you know that I know that I know that you know that they know that everyone knows
21:38 that we're going to run the ball."
21:40 And the Raiders lined up like the old school Raiders.
21:43 Dear God, when that drive was going on, I was down in the bowels of the stadium getting
21:49 ready for the post game interviews.
21:52 And you just could almost picture Gene Upshaw, Archelle, Jim Waddell, Ted Hendricks.
22:03 You could just picture the old school Raiders like, "Yeah, we coming."
22:09 Vince Lombardi once said, "I don't care if you know what I'm going to run, because I
22:13 don't think you can stop it."
22:14 Obviously he didn't say that to me, but I remember reading that he said that.
22:20 So if I could credit who he said it to, I would give them the credit.
22:25 Everybody here, even Taylor Swift, knew they're going to run the ball, but they couldn't stop
22:32 them.
22:34 Now, I said in the podcast on what I was looking for, that when you looked at this game, you
22:45 were asking a lot of players to do something that we know they've already done.
22:49 And I said, "Can you ask Zemir White to go run for 150?"
22:54 "No, you can hope so, but you can't really have faith in it.
22:58 He hasn't done it yet."
22:59 Well, now all of a sudden, Bryce the Poker just went up.
23:05 It's the biggest term.
23:08 Why?
23:09 Because all of a sudden now he's proven, "Hey, I can be RB1.
23:12 I can be it.
23:13 Give me the rock.
23:14 Let me do what I do."
23:17 You don't think that young man's confidence is sky high and he's here in year two?
23:23 Remember, he isn't even in his money season yet.
23:30 Can you smell what Antonio Pearce and champ Kelly are cooking?
23:36 I can.
23:38 I'm just being analytical.
23:42 So what do we see here?
23:45 We see exactly what we thought.
23:48 This is not a rouge.
23:51 There were a group of people who, however well-intentioned they were, made some ignorant
23:58 comments that he was just a rah-rah guy.
24:00 I'm going to address that on Wednesday and y'all need to just make sure you tune in.
24:05 He's not a rah-rah guy and that's disrespectful.
24:12 Antonio Pearce is a hell of a football coach.
24:15 He's a head coach material in the National Football League.
24:19 Put some respect on the guy.
24:21 He's earned it.
24:23 He's a world champion player.
24:25 He's a world champion person.
24:28 Just a great guy.
24:29 I genuinely really like him a lot.
24:31 And I've said that all along.
24:32 I said it when he was a position coach and there was at that point no thought that there
24:38 was going to be changes.
24:39 I said it when the Raiders got him.
24:43 Him and I have mutual friends in common.
24:47 So I know him both as a player and off the field.
24:53 I know the integrity.
24:55 He loves people.
24:57 Loves people.
25:01 And so here is this team.
25:05 Call it rah-rah if you want, but there's a lot of Kansas City Chiefs in pain today.
25:13 They went home, they're laying on ice bags because they just went into an alleyway with
25:17 the silver and black and done got their ass kicked.
25:20 I'm sorry.
25:21 Y'all know I don't normally use that language, but it is what it is.
25:25 That's an ass whooping.
25:28 And granted, it's only six points and you're off in student score touchdown.
25:33 But physically, there was no doubt which team was physical, which one came in with ill intent,
25:42 which team came in with a violent attitude, which one came in and said, we're going to
25:47 be physical.
25:49 Just there was no doubt about it from the opening play.
25:51 I mean, it looked like a, it was just football the way it's supposed to be played.
25:57 I'm sorry.
25:58 That's how you expect it to be played.
26:00 Now, I want to address two more things real quick.
26:04 I have promised you guys, and you know, I'm not a fan, but I love the game of football
26:09 and I root for good people.
26:12 I remember the Raiders organization several weeks ago, maybe several months ago, told
26:18 me you need to wear something silver and black.
26:20 And I said, but I'm not a fan.
26:22 I'm a neutral media guy.
26:25 And they gave me a hug.
26:28 Yeah, come on.
26:29 You love me.
26:30 I said, of course I do.
26:31 But they come on, you got to do it.
26:34 Just do one in a hoodie.
26:35 I go, I don't even own a Raider hoodie.
26:37 I own no piece of Raider merchandise.
26:41 That's saying my family doesn't because you move to Vegas, man, and my wife is all in.
26:46 She's a huge Raider fan.
26:48 My son, he's 17 months old.
26:51 You should see the Raider stuff that he has.
26:56 And so this gentleman, I know he's going to watch this.
27:02 That's why I gave you that wink.
27:04 Bought me a hoodie and it's a hoodie that team has and said, you got to wear this.
27:13 And I said, all right, here's the deal.
27:15 When the change was made, you guys be Kansas City or Miami and I'll wear the hoodie.
27:23 Deal.
27:24 He goes out and buys it.
27:26 In fact, I had two other members of the organization each buy me a different hoodie.
27:31 I got three now.
27:35 So I will do Hondo in a hoodie one time.
27:41 And because I'm doing it out of respect, because I said I would later this week when I'm joined
27:45 by my buddy Zeke Trezavant, I will do a Hondo in a Raider hoodie this week because I promised
27:50 I would.
27:52 And I also added later on because they told me I should if AP gets named.
27:58 And then if they went after that, it'll be just if they make the playoff, if they, if
28:04 I do it any other time this year, it'll be if they win a playoff game.
28:07 But there you go.
28:08 It doesn't mean I'm changing and ripping off my clothes.
28:12 All fan, no.
28:13 Still going to be who I am.
28:15 But I certainly don't mind that those guys said that to me and it'll be fun and it'll
28:21 be a good time.
28:22 I am, I just think this Raider fan, this is not a complete team.
28:29 I think it's a nine and 18.
28:32 You have holes and people ask me, who should they go draft?
28:37 Whatever.
28:38 Well, first of all, you don't even know the draft order and you don't know who's all coming
28:40 out.
28:41 So you can't make those statements right now.
28:45 There are holes that have to be filled and we could have conversations ad nauseum about
28:52 which ones to fill and we will just not right now.
28:59 We got a end of the season run here, two more games and potentially the playoffs when it's
29:05 all done, then we'll get into all of that talk.
29:08 But there are holes and this is a team that has a chance to get exponentially better.
29:14 There's free agents that want to come here, coaches that want to come here with AP.
29:20 They're going to be a much better, if they stick with AP, they're going to be a much
29:26 better football team right now, next year.
29:30 I'm calling it right now.
29:33 Much better because they've got some people that can fill holes.
29:36 They've got some coaches that they can add, which are terrific coaches.
29:41 And there's going to be a good draft pick, picks.
29:45 And especially if they give it to Champ Kelly, which again, we'll talk more about that Wednesday.
29:48 I have zero concerns after that.
29:54 Champ Kelly is a proven talent evaluator.
29:56 Guys, great.
29:57 I mean, look at Jack Jones, former high draft pick gets cut for his fault, but AP knew his
30:08 locker room, knew him, felt like, okay, we can bring him in, keep him in check.
30:14 There was a time tonight when maybe AP had to talk to him, settle him down a little bit,
30:25 but the young man has proven he can take correction.
30:28 And we know he's a great player.
30:30 So you just picked him up for next to nothing and he's playing like a pro bowler.
30:35 Boom.
30:36 So that takes off a lot of pressure on, do you have to go pick a CB1?
30:43 There's a lot of good things here on this team.
30:47 There's a lot of things on this franchise for which you can hear the media talking.
30:52 I'm sorry, but there's a lot of things in this franchise for you to be excited about.
30:57 Your team is emerging.
30:59 Your team is fighting.
31:00 They look like old school Raiders.
31:03 Just enjoy this moment.
31:07 Just enjoy this moment.
31:10 Christmas night, kicking back with friends or family.
31:13 Maybe you're at work, maybe you're overseas or you're one of our military.
31:16 I know a lot of you guys listen.
31:18 Thank you, by the way.
31:19 Merry Christmas to all of you.
31:22 But look at where you're at.
31:24 You just beat Kansas City at Kansas City on Christmas day in front of the nation.
31:28 You pounded them.
31:30 You pounded them.
31:33 Physically pounded them.
31:35 You know, you got holes, but you have a guy that's a Raider leading your team.
31:42 You got a guy that's a Raider in the interim general manager.
31:46 Your players are playing fiercely with ill intent, violent intentions, physicality.
31:56 I've been here four years.
31:57 This is the most it's ever looked like Raider football to me.
31:59 And you got that.
32:02 I will leave you with this.
32:06 One time my father said to me, I had a very low point in my life.
32:13 And he said to me, I want you to know, I know you're disappointed with what you're going
32:21 through right now, but I'm so proud of you.
32:27 Sorry, it's Christmas and he's been gone almost 10 years and it still hurts.
32:33 He said to me, I'm so proud of you for how you do it.
32:40 All right.
32:42 This is Raider nation.
32:43 It's just win baby.
32:45 It's Superbowl or bust.
32:46 That's why I love this fan base.
32:48 I love your mentality.
32:51 And I know right now this isn't a Superbowl team, but you can be proud of how they're
32:57 fighting scrap it.
32:58 It's looking like the Raiders again, and all of your hope is to the future.
33:03 All your faith now is to the future.
33:06 You can see it.
33:07 It's common.
33:08 You don't have to overthink this.
33:10 Dear God, don't overthink it.
33:13 You can see it.
33:14 It's tangible.
33:15 It's tangible.
33:16 I was thinking during this ball game tonight about all the Raider nation I met a couple
33:23 weeks ago out at the tailgate before the charger game in lot J and everybody talking about
33:29 what the Raiders used to be and where they need to go.
33:31 And I thought about every one of you guys, you can see it now.
33:37 It's no longer a pipe dream.
33:38 It's reality.
33:39 Yup.
33:40 Okay.
33:41 We have some holes to fill, but we know we can fill them.
33:44 This isn't a rebuild teams that go into Kansas city and be Kansas city the way you did with
33:51 no offensive touchdown, aren't rebuilding teams.
33:55 They're teams that need additions, not rebuilt.
33:58 There's a lot to be excited tonight.
34:00 I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas.
34:05 Raider nation, I hope you're enjoying this one.
34:07 I appreciate you have so much respect for you from my family to yours.
34:14 Thank you for your watching, listening, subscribing, sharing.
34:18 As you know, all of our content is free.
34:21 A lot of places you got to go pay, not us.
34:24 And we thank you for sharing that lets us continue to keep it for free, but we appreciate
34:29 you.
34:30 Even the critics, thanks for watching and tell me how stupid and dumb and fat and ugly
34:33 and all the bad things that you think of me.
34:35 Thank you.
34:36 Please just keep reading and watching, but we appreciate all of you.
34:40 Remember, we're also part of the fans for sports network.
34:43 You can find me on instant Graham at Hondo SR Hondo SR, or you can find me on Twitter
34:49 at Hondo Carpenter, H O N D O C A R P E N T E R.
34:53 Thank you everybody for listening.
34:54 That's a complete recap.
34:56 Doctor's orders from the movie.
34:58 What about Bob?
34:59 I'm writing you a subscription, a prescription from your problems.
35:03 Go enjoy the rest of Christmas.
35:04 And I'm sure some of you are watching this on Tuesday and you're back at work, but you're
35:09 looking forward to the new year's weekend and a game in Indy.
35:12 Take a break from your problems and enjoy life.