Austin Ekeler joins G&D to discuss the Commanders moving on to the NFC Championship, and also when he knew Washington was special.
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00:00Speaking of the NFC Championship game, one of the guys that's going to help get the commanders over the hump and in to the Super Bowl
00:06Is Austin Eckler who joins us presented by IT Cadre for trusted insight from trusted insiders
00:14IT Cadre where DC Sports insiders share their exclusive
00:19perspective
00:20Let's put our hands together for us. That's Austin Eckler boys and girls put some respect on his damn name
00:26one person
00:29I want to ask you serious
00:33No one has ever been harder to tackle than you were on Saturday night in Detroit
00:38So did you wear your you can't tackle me cologne?
00:42Did you dip into butter right before the game was there Vaseline on your jersey and arms?
00:47Why couldn't the Lions tackle you?
00:51Hey, I mean that's probably why I've been around the league for as long as I have is one of my strong points is being
00:57You know
01:01Damn right about that. That was awesome. You were incredible. I think it was your first touch of the game
01:06It was very like I think you'll understand what I'm saying
01:09It was like Friday Night Lights movie real moment where he kind of like did this like full speed
01:14Spin out of a tackle and then like completely stopped for a second. I go. I'm still going
01:19It looked like it was like a director made you do that cut like three times and they shot it in the perfect way
01:27I think yeah, I caught the ball out in space and I was like surprised
01:31Oh, I'd open it was so started getting vertical and then there's two guys kind of coming to like compression tackle me from each side
01:37Hung her right one guy got my legs spun out of that kind of reset my feet started going forward again
01:43And then the army brown gets pushed down into my leg
01:45Tried to Heisman hurdle him and then he ended up getting on the ground
01:48So suddenly fire got me on that one. So Austin take me back to before this game Detroit's great
01:53I mean, they are in the number one seed. They're awesome. They've been awesome all year long
01:56That place is going bananas. There's a confidence though
01:59There's a an attitude wherever you want to call it with you guys where nothing's too big. Nothing's too scary
02:05What's the mood like before the game going up against this great opponent who's now in your rearview mirror?
02:09But take me back there to Saturday night before kickoff. What are you guys feeling? What's being said?
02:15Yeah, you know for us it was hey
02:17We're out here hunting like we that is the mindset like we are hunting to go earn
02:21Right some respect on our team, you know, really people are saying
02:25You know, this is you know good enough for the commanders. We didn't expect anything from from them this year anyway
02:31And so for us like that's all just crowd noise like for us. We are hunting to go win games
02:36We are hunting to continue to go prove. Hey that we have some heavy hitters out here and
02:40That's the mindset this week as well and it's go out and let's hunt the egos are now in our way
02:45You know, they're another team that kind of like the Lions have proven themselves over the past, you know a few years established themselves and
02:52We're on the same type of mindset as well
02:54Austin what is the key?
02:56To being able to go to an environment. That's that loud and that raucous and not allowing it to phase you
03:03You guys weren't having all start penalties all game long
03:06You answered the bell time and time again
03:08We dating back really to week three and since II and I remember in the first half you were such a big part of that
03:12As well, but you guys just kept getting up off the mat. That was an electric atmosphere
03:18What are the difference between the teams that can handle that and the teams that can't?
03:22Yeah, you know there's some perks into our offense that are kind of built in for going into loud environments and
03:29You know from from day one. We were a and no huddle offense
03:33So guess what? I don't even have to talk to anybody out there in the field. We can already run our offense
03:37You know say with Jade you can call the plays. We don't have to say word everything's on signal signals
03:42And so I mean it could be we could you know have the loudest stadium, you know, wherever that is
03:48And it doesn't matter for us right for us. It's an energy. It's an energy that hey, everyone's loud excited
03:53That's great because you know, we're using this energy as fuel for us
03:57but for us we can get lined up and operate at the same pace because
04:00We don't have to get in the huddle and talk to each other like some of these teams do so for us
04:05It really doesn't matter. I think it's fun because hey, everyone's going crazy. It's loud
04:08It's like again, like I said an energy that we can feed into and I think our team does pretty well in that environment
04:14Austin Acker with this your own G and D
04:15Yeah, the fact you're going to see title game kind of speaks to that
04:18Austin is there more pressure when you're playing an offense like that?
04:22And what I mean is it would feel to me a pudgy zilch that can't do anything you guys can do
04:26But hey, they're gonna score every time we have to we have to did you feel that dynamic at all word?
04:31You know that Detroit offense is really good. You guys are really good, too
04:34But was there an extra added pressure that you guys kind of had to match them? I
04:38Mean the pressure is is already at a maximum
04:42I don't know how you could add more pressure. It was just feel the same at this point
04:46You know, especially where we're at right now
04:48the ultimate pressure and that's where it kind of feels like you do pretty much the whole way through the playoffs is this is hey,
04:54you know advance or go home and
04:57For us. Yeah, we know that. Hey, they're heavy hitting offense
05:00Well, guess what?
05:01We are too and we kind of showed even with the the game versus Tampa that keeps keeping them off the field
05:05We know they did a really good job with time of possession and how do you you know?
05:09When the time of possession battle it means moving the sticks and not turning the ball over and so that's something that's been emphasized for us
05:16The entire year and really showed up in both of our playoff games so far
05:20Austin Eckler on Grant and Danny they're on the fan going into the NFC championship game
05:26Just like we all expected in year one of this regime
05:30running the football has been such a
05:32Talking point not only in this segment
05:34But for everybody for the last several weeks you guys just hadn't really been able to get the ground game going
05:40But man, did that change in a big way be Rob look like he was shot out of a cannon
05:44You had a lot of success
05:45How do you carry that over now against probably a tougher front like Philadelphia is going to bring to the table
05:53Yeah, you just go back and look at the matchups, you know
05:55I hate to beat the dead horse here and I don't talk about matchups and looking at different game plans and based off of matchups and
06:02Things like that every week, but that's that's the game we play, you know
06:05Where do we feel like we can exploit some of their weaknesses and where do we want to stay away from things that they might?
06:10Be better at than we are and so I know you know just for myself
06:15You know looking at their linebackers and then when I played them, you know, I've been able to you know
06:19Have success out and get in space. So it's like, okay, that's probably gonna be something we're trying to do
06:23Hey, let's get Austin in space
06:25That's kind of one of in my strengths for you know, as long as I've been in the in the league
06:28And so it'll be more things like that. How do we draw up plays for our players and their strengths?
06:33And same thing in the run game, you know, are we gonna you know, attack the edges?
06:37Are we gonna attack here at the middle? Are we going to use some misdirection? Are we going to use some guard pull stuff?
06:42You know, it'll probably be a combination of that because you want to keep them on their toes
06:46But that's the best part about you know
06:48Going through the week and looking at the game plan and sitting down with Cliff and and everyone else and you know decide
06:53Okay, these types of players are gonna be run the red zone. This is kind of open field
06:57These are third down runs and just kind of seeing that all come together. It's pretty cool to be a part of
07:03Austin only real bummer from the game is Sam Cosby going down, you know, just just stinks you feel for the guy
07:09You know as you guys are experiencing such a high
07:12What's it like in game when there's a change in front of you as a running back looking at that offensive line and and then kind
07:18Of going forward. How does it change you guys's approach or what you might be able to do this weekend?
07:22Yeah, you know it's it's obviously unfortunate, you know for for anyone, you know to have significant injury like that
07:30You know and it definitely changes it changes because that was one of our starters and he was a starter for a reason
07:35You know signed up by the contract this year
07:37so really established himself as one of the dominant, you know to guards in the league and
07:42You know when you lose a guy like that
07:44It definitely tough, you know and Trent Trent will step up
07:47You know, he filled that role when he went out and you know did his job
07:51we're able to continue to you know, find successful in the ball and continue to
07:55Hold on to that lead and it's it's the next minute mentality
07:58But yeah, you know just as far as we go, you know, Sam's still there with us
08:03You know in the building cheering us on like still has his energy in there
08:06So we know we'll have that from him, but you know won't have to see him on the field, which is unfortunate
08:11But also, you know part of the game, unfortunately
08:15Austin are you at a point where nothing Jaden Daniels can do?
08:18Impresses you or kind of takes you a back anymore
08:21I know the rest of the country's just getting used to him. But on that stage to play the game he did
08:27even for those of us that have kind of
08:30Seen that become old hat. That was a new amazing height for him
08:35Yeah, I think this is why the NFL is so popular
08:38It's because even though you're expecting, you know amazing things when you still see them you're still amazed you're like dang
08:46That was a really great play. It's the same thing with Jaden, you know, like he's established himself
08:50you know, even this early in his career, you know the dynamic player that continues to make plays and it's flashy and has poise and
08:58you know can get the job done and
09:00Even when he we know that and when he does it you're still like wow, that was cool
09:05It's the same thing as being his teammate man, it's been such a great great pleasure to be, you know
09:10In the backfield with him watching him do his thing and helping him make some plays out there
09:15What's gotten into Jerry Rice? I mean the Ami Brown
09:24He's proven proven that he's got what it takes to continue to play at a high level
09:28and so that's what he's going out there doing he's been showing out for us, you know these past couple weeks and
09:33Really put a statement on on his name of being a playmaker in big games
09:37When did you guys know? I mean, I think you think everyone every team gets together with optimism. You guys are pro athletes
09:43You're not built to think of negative things. You're you're always looking ahead and you know, you keep driving and your work ethics
09:48All is so incredible. Well, when did you get to feeling lost and just you personally where you go?
09:52You know what? This isn't just a good team. This is special. Like what did you know?
09:58Hmm well, I think there's levels to it or maybe different stages to it
10:02I think you know during training camp and going through that type of environment you start to see kind of the philosophies of
10:09Dan Quinn and the coaching staff of okay. Okay. This is how we're gonna run our team
10:13This is how we're going to talk about brotherhood coming together. These are kind of the expectations of
10:19What practice should look like and when you start to kind of build those?
10:24Fundamental blocks of what the team looks like you can kind of start to see okay
10:27what kind of season this is gonna be as far as like am I gonna enjoy coming into work or
10:32Gosh, like is everyone tight or is it relaxed or is it like what is that that feeling?
10:37And so, you know from from early on it was set up as a feeling of okay
10:41Hey, we have this brotherhood. We're all bought in if you're a bond into the brotherhood, right? You're gonna be accepted
10:46You're gonna really love being here
10:48And so that's pretty much what that start our roster has done and then now we put that on the field and hey
10:54How can we adapt around our new offense our new quarterback and really start to put this together because we don't really
11:00Have an understanding because there's so many new guys and new offense and all this new stuff
11:04We don't really have understanding of our capabilities yet. So we got to go continue to build that
11:08so that's what we've been doing and we continue to push our own bar forward of the standard and expectation and the
11:13capabilities and
11:14that comes down to again the
11:16Fundamentals of the brotherhood that we have and then now put the talent on top with the scheme on top and we've just continued to
11:22Push ourselves forward and we've gotten to new stages of new expectations for ourselves because we've shown up and shown that our capabilities are actually
11:29Pretty pretty far out as far as what we were able to do
11:32So it's been pretty awesome and a kind of a developing type of process for us to see how special this team is in
11:39Austin Eckler presented by IT cadre joining us on Grant and Danny
11:45Austin I know all eyes for you are on now the Philadelphia Eagles
11:51But I am curious just to get your thoughts in the news over the last 24 hours
11:56Anthony Lynn's name has come back up as a head coaching candidate with the Dallas Cowboys
12:01Obviously Cliff Kingsbury's been in the mix as well two of your coaches and guys that have helped you this season
12:08Just curious to get your thoughts, you know Lynn very well from her time with the Chargers know about whether or not you feel like
12:14You know
12:15He should get another shot and what kind of head coach he would make if he got another run and then Kingsbury as well
12:21Yeah, I mean for me like I can't even speak on it right now
12:28We're still you know trying to win games out here and so for me it's like hey, that's great
12:33I'm hoping you guys have some opportunities. Maybe you'll take them. Maybe not
12:36But right now hey help us win this dang game
12:39Like that's where I need your focus and so, you know in the future
12:43That's what they decide to do and they want to go pursue those
12:46They probably would both make great opportunity or a great fit for somebody but like hey
12:51Let's let's let's focus now. Let's focus now focus here along those lines
12:55There's been a lot of talk about maybe changing the way that the coaching cycle works
13:00We're like you can't interview anybody until after the Super Bowl because that way no
13:05There's not a disadvantage for the guys that like cliff. I think's doing it the right way
13:08He basically said I'm not talking to anybody until the season's over for us
13:13Do you think they should do it that way? That makes sense? Yeah. Yeah, it makes sense, right?
13:17It makes sense. Like it's if someone's interviewing for a job and they're like, oh, I'll take it and it's like well
13:22We actually want to interview other people too. And they're like, well, this guy is willing and so should we take them?
13:27He's already here. We don't have to compete as much now, you know, it kind of
13:31I feel like makes it
13:33an environment that's like you said not as fair for the people that are still in the actual
13:38in the tournament because
13:40This you can't expect those guys to be able to even have a chance to go and you know
13:44Do interviews and stuff like that because they got to focus on the team, which they should be
13:47So I think it should be asked a little bit more like have like a free agent type date where it's like hey
13:51Here's the date after that
13:53Conversations can open, you know, you can still have maybe some preliminary talks of who's interested type thing like that
13:59But maybe no official interview. So I don't know. That's just me talking out of you know, something I don't
14:04Know you're right
14:05I think like you could do it the day or two after the season and and because it is a lot of times as these
14:10You know coaches coordinators for the really good teams like Washington
14:14You know, it's the best teams ever the teams that don't lose the teams that go months without losing the teams that are in some
14:19Out of our juggernauts like the commanders. They're the best ever, you know those teams then
14:24The guys they get screwed over a little bit sometimes
14:28Yeah, you know I could I could see that, you know being a thing you beer
14:31I think coaching, you know in the NFL is kind of handled really by ownership in that side
14:35Like there's no Union or anything like that. So it's kind of a Wild West over there, you know
14:39They'll have to say how much they're paying people or anything like that. So
14:43You know, that's it's a whole the whole topic of discussion that you know
14:48Us players look we don't have to get involved in because it's just by the even more of a mess
14:52But yeah, so hopefully hopefully they get it figured out over there. Austin will list your question here
14:57What's it like playing a team for a third time?
15:02Actually, I was talking to
15:05Just on Newton in the rock from that day. He's like man third time playing these guys. I'm like, hey
15:09Well, at least but now we know who they are, you know, like, you know the players
15:13What they're about and other strengths weaknesses things like that. So game plan and
15:18I'm sure for the coaches too is a little bit a little bit easier because you know, you know what to expect
15:23And so yeah, I think it's really cool because you know
15:27It's a team that's in our division and now we're kind of like hey the new kid on the block the new arrival
15:32So I know it was like for you know, but what the Chargers and and KC we were always chasing them and now we're still chasing
15:39You know that team that's kind of been in that seat
15:42And now we have an opportunity to knock them off and the one of the biggest games of the year
15:46One more IT cadre listener question for Austin Eckler. Somebody wants to know if have you used the VR technology and put on those?
15:55goggles that Jaden wears
15:57We had a guy on yesterday telling us all about how he does this for hours every week and it prepares them for the game
16:02It's amazing technology. Have you actually worn those goggles at all and looked at what it looks like? I
16:08Have not
16:10Imagine it's a little different for running back though than it is for quarterback because I mean for me
16:14I'm reading different gaps and things like that and I have to run a quarterback
16:18You can at least you know stamp in there and kind of get a feel of the front and stuff like that
16:22Maybe some some coverage and things that are you know beyond the line of scrimmage. So
16:28No, I haven't gotten into it, but it sounds like you know, it's been popping up a lot lately
16:32I don't know if it's because you know, maybe media is trying to like pinpoint like man. Why is it so good?
16:37But you know if it's something that's really helping him. He's really using it like that then good for him
16:42I hope keeps doing it
16:43Awesome. Awesome as always man, really cool that you guys are going to the conference championship game and and we get to talk to
16:48You about it, dude. This is great. Keep it up, man. It's been fun
16:51Let's do it, man. Let's keep it going one more. Appreciate you playing in the Super Bowl Austin Eckler
16:56awesome all season long
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