Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - CROSSOVER: Can Indianapolis Colts Add Another DOMINANT Victory Over Shorthanded Arizona Cardinals?
Episode Date: October 9, 2025The Indianapolis Colts are on the hunt for another victory to pad their AFC lead, and the Arizona Cardinals are in the way. Could the Colts dominate once again, or does this have the makings of a trap... game?What are the biggest storylines for both teams? What are the most significant matchups, and what factors will lead to either team winning or losing?Alex Clancy (@ClancysCorner) of Locked On Cardinals joins for Crossover Thursday! Become a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box! JOIN HERE! Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts/📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/ Follow Jake's written work on roundtable.io/sports/nfl/colts/ and Zach's on si.com/nfl/colts/, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, and @LockedOnColts! Crossover Thursday is presented by PrizePicks. Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Supply HouseJoin the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit https://SupplyHouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHNFL5 for 5% off your first order.PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year.SquareTo learn more, go support your favorite neighborhood spot and see what Square has been up to in your neck of the woods. And then if you have extra time, check out https://square.com/go/lockedonnfl.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars, and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
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Colts head coach, Shane Steichen, faces an old familiar foe this weekend and Jonathan Gannon.
So who's going to have the upper hand?
And can the Arizona Cardinals keep their entire 2025 season from falling apart?
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Hello, hello, everybody.
I am Jake Arthur of Locked on Colts and the Colts Beat Rider for Roundtable.
sports, joined by the incomparable Alex Clancy of Locked-on Cardinals.
Welcome to the show today, everybody.
We're going to take you through a little journey of this week six matchup of the Cardinals
visiting the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
What are the most influential matchups of this thing?
What's kind of the main ingredients and a win for both sides?
But first, let's talk about the biggest storylines.
So, Alex, the Cardinals are very interesting team.
Obviously start 2 and 0.
Three, drop three in a row now, but everything's been a one score game.
So I've got to imagine two and three is maybe not super reflective what this team maybe is,
or maybe they are exactly that.
But what's your gauge on this team right now?
Like, what's the scuttle butt there in Arizona?
Interesting is a very sweet way to put it.
This is something that, yeah, the Cardinals have had three walkoff losses in the last three weeks, self-inflicted,
of the three Seattle two weeks ago handled them for three quarters and the office decided
to wake up and make it a game in the fourth. But the overarching theme here is that you don't know
who to point the finger at. And that's kind of a problem. And point the finger at, proverbially speaking,
like the offense had been anemic. Jonathan Gannon has not been taking over situations that a head
coach absolutely needs to take over to avoid the situations the Cardinals have been in. And by and
large, Jake, when you lose to a team like Tennessee Titans, who the Colts beat by three scores,
I think.
Yeah, it was like 40 to 13 or 40 to 20.
Yeah, there's no world why that should have happened, especially the way that it did
this past week.
So it's more scary than happy right now.
Yeah, I get that.
And you know, the Colts and Cardinals are owners of two of the worst moments of the season,
Ady Mitchell, two weeks ago, losing good.
of the football as it flies out of the end zone for a touchback. And then no less than, you know,
seven days later, here come the Cardinals repeating the same mistake. So yeah, it's self-inflicted
wounds is a good way to cost yourselves wins. The Colts only loss happened in the game in which
they did that. So obviously two two teams really looking to have things buttoned up and under
control. But, you know, obviously there's a lot of injury news with Arizona right now as well. Running backs,
it seems like they're in shambles.
Kyler didn't practice today.
So in terms of like the injuries and everything,
what's kind of your temperature on that?
So the defense, because of what they've been able to do this off season
through free agency and the draftor has been able to withstand the,
you know, the really tough stuff they've been going through.
You know, Garrett Williams, who's not a super household name yet.
This was supposed to be his fringe all pro year, went out in week two.
He's on IR.
Will Johnson, a rookie, has been great in the stead of Max Mountain,
missed a game. But offensively, yeah, the run game with losing James Connor and Trey Benson
and I are now has been tough. But if there's one thing that Drew Petson's good at, the offensive
coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals, is scheming up the run regardless of who's back there
and regardless of who's playing quarterback. So overall, yeah, injuries suck, but that's not
something that has, you know, look at the 49ers. You don't even have to look outside the division
for what the 49ers have done with injuries riddling their entire team. So yes, you don't want
anybody to get injured, the team you cover your most hated rival. You want any human
being to get injured. But it's not something that's uncircventable. With Kyler-Marie,
though, man, this could be a couple things. And we'll talk about this later also. If
Kyla Marie doesn't play and Jacopi Bresed balls out, we're going to be having very weird
conversations after this game. Yeah, that's the biggest one. Yeah, I mean, the backup quarterback
is always the most popular guy in town when it's not going steady up at the top. Yeah, that's, of
course conversations you want to avoid with the cult it you know they're four and one there's
really not a lot that's gone wrong other than there they're one loss in which a lot of things
went wrong and they kind of is really self-inflicted but you know Zach and I were just talking on our
Wednesday show you know why is this team sitting atop the AFC rankings right now it's just so
peculiar because everything is really going right right now like Daniel Jones is
is playing the best football of his career.
You know, Jonathan Taylor is leading the league in rushing.
The offensive line has outperformed, I think,
what a lot of us thought they would
because they were working in new starters at center and right guard.
And then they were bringing back Braden Smith at right tackle
who missed the entire final quarter of the year.
And then defensively has not been quite as crazy as the offense.
Like the pass rush is okay, it could be better.
They're getting some timely big plays like in the turnover department.
and all that but i think this is another instance of how do the colts how do the colts you know
enter and come out of this game they've been able to jump on teams early and i pommel them you know
three of their four wins are by 20 or more points which is kind of unheard of through like the first
five weeks you know so you're kind of looking to just ride this train and see if anything comes
down to earth or is it's this just truly a team we need to get used to being
really, really good.
You know, they're kind of clearing up injury-wise in some areas that's positive.
Kidney Moore, they're starting slot.
He's not practicing yet.
He had an Achilles injury.
It was just, I don't know, like a sprain, strain, whatever, but they didn't put him on IR.
But he's one of the most important members of their defense, and they're starting to work
him up a little bit, Alec Pierce, who led the NFL in yards per catch last year.
He's out a concussion that's kept him out two weeks now, I think.
And he's full participation again, but how it went last week was he practiced Wednesday and Thursday, couldn't go Friday and stayed in the protocol.
So obviously a big weapon that they would need.
So it just really depends here.
And I think one of the bigger matchups here is sometimes when coaches know each other, it not the talent around them doesn't matter, but coaching really weighs heavily.
And Shane Stuyken and Jonathan Gannon, obviously both coming from Arizona.
They know each other.
But, you know, I think Gannon can throw some things at Stuyken.
That can be really difficult.
Like the defensive coverage is at everything that Gannon has kind of cooked up
and the way that they don't really show their hands until after the ball's been snapped
in a lot of things, I think it's pretty interesting.
Yeah, you know, it's fascinating.
Nick Rallis has really done a great job.
I said when Stuyken and Gannon left Philly, they lost their heartbeat.
and they won a Super Bowl this past year, which kind of puts that into the one year.
But I did say, and this is not me retracting anything that I've said of late,
but I wanted the Cardinals to sign Shane Stiking during that cycle.
And I thought it would be great, offensive coach, offensive-minded, you know, Kyler Murray.
But Jonathan, again, by and large, up until a few weeks ago, has been fine.
And if the Cardinals don't lose to Tennessee, we're not having these, oh, no, is he on the short list of first-edged coach to get fired?
But yes, like what Nick Rawls has done, especially when, you know, you lose Darius Robinson,
first round pick last year. Bejojolari hasn't come back. You've got injuries across the board.
They're throwing four safety sets out there, including Katon Crawford from Nevada, seventh round
pick. But what I call, and we'll talk about this more, is like, their demon mode set up is three
safeties. Daydard Taylor Demerson, second year player out of Texas Tech, Gouda Baker, and Jalen
Thompson, and then two outside corners. It's been Max Melton and Will Johnson with Garrett
Williams on the show. So that's the best DB group that they have. And if there's
there's anything, they're nothing but opportunistic with the talent that the defensive players
have, putting them in the best position to succeed. It doesn't matter what position group
you're in. You could see a safety drop down and play backer if they need to be, if they need
to be faster at certain times. So you're right. It's a really malleable like a meba like
defense and Nick Rales is going to be getting head coaching looks at the end of the season.
I like that. It's refreshing because Lou Anerumo for the Colts does a lot of that same stuff.
Like there's been instances where you don't necessarily think the Colts personnel matches up great against the offense they're playing.
But just whatever Anuromo cooks up from a, you know, a strategic standpoint just seems to work.
Like they completely overwhelmed the dolphins in week one and a matchup that didn't look all that great.
But, you know, they confused, you know, the offense all day.
And coaching can go a long, long way.
And it seems like that's probably where Arizona is at the most dangerous.
All right, guys.
So coming up here in a moment, we're going to kind of look at a more.
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All right, welcome back every dayers of Locked-on Colts and Locked-on Cardinals.
We are talking about this week six matchup.
It's A-F-C versus NFC, but honestly, I think it's pretty interesting.
So let's look at some of these individual matchups here, Alex.
When you look at the Colts, when you look at the Cardinals,
what either gives you pause or you think is a really good matchup for the Cardinals?
You know, for me, it's going to be, can the Cardinals take this boring side-to-side,
not many deep threat taken offense and just let it rip?
Like what I've been screaming for for the last, you know, week and a half is like, listen,
this offense is broken, play the hits, throw the ball to Marv,
throw the ball to Tray McBride, and see what happened.
Just try different.
because this offense has been terrible.
They haven't scored more than what the, I mean,
they haven't scored more than 21 points in a game.
Okay, this was this past week against Tennessee on offense.
They scored 27 against Carolina,
but there was a defensive touchdown.
Just try something different.
The biggest matchup for me is the Cardinals against the Cardinals
offensive game plan.
Like it really doesn't matter who they're playing this week.
Indy's defense has been kind of two-faced.
Obviously, you've led a couple teams under 10 points, I believe.
Miami in week one.
Oh, and the Raiders, right, this past week.
Like, there's ball hawking in that defense.
Every defense in the NFL has strengths and weaknesses.
So when it comes to the Cardinals and this week, it's them against themselves.
And that sounds like a cop-out answer.
And we're doing a crossover and we're talking about the Colts.
But when it comes to this, what we saw from the Colts defense last week against Gino Smith,
you know that there is greatness in that defense, even though they've given up a bunch of points in other games.
It's going to be the Cardinals versus the Cardinals.
And if they can put up more than 24, 25 points, which they're going to have to do to beat this team.
Yeah, and I do think there are ways for Arizona to still be successful.
You had mentioned the run game and kind of the next man-up mentality and being able to craft
something effective regardless of who's back there, that is still the biggest area of concern
for me with the Colts defense is their run defense.
They've been in these matchups, obviously.
They've only been in one close game.
So really nobody has been able to establish the run.
But when they do run and attempt to run, especially their lead.
back, it's productive.
The Colts do give up a sizable amount of yards per carry, at least to lead backs.
Denver, if they didn't identify Xavier and Howard as like a clear target that they could just
go after all throughout the game and this run and chase thing, they probably could have had
a really, really productive day running the ball because when they tried it with J.K.
Dobbins, it really worked.
So if the Cardinals are feeling something and the Colts' offense isn't clicking and the game
is close. I do think that's something the Cardinals can capitalize on it. It's again,
it's something that gives me pause kind of every week. When I'm looking at this here,
so Marvin Harrison, Jr., obviously, probably not up to the standard everybody wanted so far,
but I think it'd be wild to discount him. So especially like you said, like if you're Arizona,
just whatever's been working, just do that to get out of your rut. And everyone knows Marvin Harrison,
and, you know, kind of boundary shots, at least through Ohio State, using him downfield
and everything.
That's kind of the best way to go with them.
But I'm curious to see if the Colts just parked Charverius Ward on him.
We were told before the season that they were going to let him basically shadow guys,
like whenever there was a suitable opposing receiver to shadow that he would be doing it.
But a couple times now what they've done is just put him against the wide receiver two,
and then they bracketed coverage on the top guy, which is.
just like with the Rams, what they did with Pooka Nakua, career high, 170 yards in that game.
Don't worry about it.
Yeah, you guys know all about that two times here.
So Charberry's Ward versus Marvin Harrison, if that's what they're going to do,
and then let the other DVs kind of take up what else is there.
But then very interested to see, like this showcases two of the best tight ends,
most exciting tightens in the league.
Tyler Warren versus Tray McBride, this feels like a game where they could just be going
shot for shot on each ensuing drive.
I'm really interested to see how that one goes.
Well, I wish that Tram McBride was getting the targets that Tyler Warren's getting.
I wish he was getting the run on the off even if it's the rushing stuff around the end zone.
Like they're being creative with getting the kid the ball.
And Tyler Warren, I think is going to be better than Brock Bowers.
I think he's going to be better.
Like he'll be the best tight end for a decade, hopefully competing with Tray McBride
and Trayman Bride can get the ball thrown a few more damn times again.
And I mean, you know, what you mentioned about,
Marv is interesting. The tight end thing is fascinating. For me, the biggest thing going into this is
if Kyla Murray doesn't play, what's the offense going to look like? He didn't practice the last
two days. What is going to happen with Kyler Murray? And if Jacoby Brousset comes out there,
who, you know, Colts fans know from his time there over the course of a few years who sprung
into action when Andrew Luck retired, like he's a consummate pro. The dude is won games. I mean,
he kept Cleveland afloat before, you know, when Deshaun Watson was on his suspension after they traded for
like the dude is not a scrub back you know backup it'll be passing to see what this
offense look like if they take the restrictor played off it even with him at quarterback
and what that outcome will be because again this is cardinals versus them in the mirror
and if jacobie percette outperforms what kailer murray's done up until this point
there's going to be silly sauce happening in arizona regardless really of outcome but
you know i think above all else from the defensive side of the ball it's jt i mean it's
it's going to stop that the top rusher in the league.
The Cardinals have been pretty good against the run.
Seattle ran all over them, but they've been okay.
If you grind down this defense, that's when you exploit them.
If you can keep them on the field, that's when you exploit it.
Because remember, folks, NFL players are human beings who get tired.
And if they're on the field a lot, they're going to be playing worse than when they were
when they started the game before the game started.
So, I mean, JT is number one chief concern.
And if Daniel Jones continues his running, continues his run.
Yeah, how the Colts kind of approach things, it's kind of fascinating because what they've done for the most part is they come out passing and then, you know, pass, pass, pass. And it's productive. They score points. And then in the second half is really when they start to pound you with Jonathan Taylor. At one point, he was averaging like eight or nine yards per carry in the second half of games. And then he's, there's been very few glimpses, especially in the second halves of games where he has not been productive.
So Arizona, if their past defense is really clicking, I wonder if they go to Jonathan Taylor early.
Like, they'll get him going a little bit, but they don't give him the bulk of his 20, 25 touches in the first half necessarily.
So I'm curious about that because Arizona, I mean, they play the run pretty well, right?
They're up there in New York's precarry defendant.
Is that correct?
Yeah.
I mean, the second, they're completely different offense in the first half in the second half because the Auburn doesn't produce in the second half, so they're on the field more.
Yeah. So, yeah, I'm, it's Shane Steichen's philosophy, literally he said it in his opening press conference and it comes up every now and then because especially this year, things are working how I think he's finally dreamed of is you throw to score points and run to win the game, basically. So that's how they want to get all their points in the first half and then milk it out with the run game in the second half. And that's a big way they've been doing it for the most part of this year. My last one I'm really curious about is liops.
Latu Latu versus Paris Johnson and Jonah Williams.
So Latu's had a very interesting season.
So by this point, he's a guy who you want to be having 10 plus sacks in his second year.
Now he only had four last year.
But how this team's, how the defense is built, it's kind of centered around him.
And he really needs to be productive in order for the group to be productive overall.
He's getting pressures.
I think he's got like 16 pressures so far.
but he's only got one sack and not very many hits.
Like he's hurrying the quarterback a lot,
but it is not resulting in sacks.
He is showing a little bit of growth
in how he attacks offensive tackles.
He's added a little more power.
He's getting a little bit more of a bull rush,
whereas he, until now, has been kind of a finesse rusher.
But oddly enough, he has two interceptions now through.
Yeah, so much.
Yeah, Lou Aniromo is dropping his defensive ends into coverage.
crazy. I've got to imagine it's among the tops in the league. So he's been very opportunistic and
has a couple interceptions, but you would like to see him with more sacks than interceptions,
like at least by the midway point, you know. So if I look at it correctly, I think Paris
Johnson's having a pretty solid year, but not necessarily Jonah on the right side. Is that
right? That's correct. The right side is the right tackle and now left guard are the two
weakest spot. So DeForest Buckner worries me also, even though, you know, he's getting up
an age. I saw he was, he lived in the backfield against, against the radio. So, um, he's,
he worries me as well on that one. Yeah, he's been getting, uh, quite a few double teams this
year to his recollection, he says kind of more than he ever remembers getting. So all right,
guys, coming up here in a moment, we're going to talk about what are the keys to victory? Because
this is any given Sunday, either team can win. So what are going to be the biggest factors and a
win for a loss for both sides.
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All right, welcome back.
Every dayers of Locked on Colts and Locked on Cardinals.
We are putting a bow on our coverage here of this.
this game. It's going to be an entertaining one. AFC, NFC, NFC, so not incredibly consequential to
when it comes to tiebreakers and all that good stuff by seasons end. But I do think this is going to be
an entertaining matchup nonetheless. All right. So Alex, when you look at this, you know,
the Cardinals did start out two and O. They've lost three very close ones. Again, like we mentioned
at the top, one score games all around. So the Cardinals are definitely in any given Sunday team.
It seems like they can compete with just about anyone. So if they're going to,
win this game what do they got to do the offense can't wait until the third quarter to wake up
um the offense can't be a bottom five offense for the majority of the game and if they do get a lead
not just sitting on your hands hoping the other team decides to take a nap for the rest of the game
until the clock runs out like this is it sounds like a joke i've been living in a circus for the last
three weeks like truly it's it's the wildest incomprehensible
like brain-wise, being able to break down and download what we've witnessed and how these Cardinals
have lost the last three games. They're very different, but they've all got the same theme.
You play to not lose the game instead of playing to win it, and it's been very, very obvious.
The key to victory for the Cardinals is have a cohesive game plan execute it for 60 minutes,
as opposed to being really good for half of it and really bad for the other half.
I'm very familiar with that.
Not as much this year, but it took until this year for the Colts to have any sort of identity.
I feel, you know, offensively, you never knew what to expect.
Defensively, you never knew what to expect.
It feels like they finally have the right people in place.
But yeah, it's not a fun place to live right there.
So for the Colts, they've got the one loss, but why they lost in that game was incredibly evident.
So number one, you obviously have to protect.
to Daniel Jones.
Like, he's done very well against the blitz and against pressure.
He's been more able to escape pressure than I expected.
Like, he's always been able to move around a bit, but I didn't expect him to have the sack
avoidance of Anthony Richardson, essentially.
So the Rams in that win were able to get pressure on him consistently, like throughout the
game.
And it was only two sacks, but like he was moving around a lot and having to make quick
decisions, getting hammered after throws, things like that.
Now, the Colts were without their right guard in that game, Matt Gonzalez.
He's back now, so the Colts will be at full strength up front.
So I do still think, especially with like Callais Campbell, I don't care if he's 22 or if he is 72.
The guy is going to be giving the Colts problems.
He's done it for every team he's played for.
So he's always got me worried.
And then, of course, the Cardinals just are defensively solid overall.
So they shouldn't be discounted.
so you got to protect Daniel Jones
got to protect the ball too
obviously that's a given
duh but the Colts
had not turned the ball
over at all leading up into the Rams game
two weeks ago they turned it over three
times in that game obviously one
was the AD Mitchell Gaff and then
you know Daniel Jones had a couple
a couple throws that he just really would like back
just press things when it didn't really need to be done
so protect the ball
don't give the other team extra opportunities
and then really effectiveness in the red zone is big
because they were one of the worst teams in the league
coming into just last week.
It's crazy because they've been one of the high-scoring teams
throughout the season,
but they were not good in the red zone.
But they were a perfect six-for-sixthes last week.
A lot of that was the defense giving them great field position
with turnovers and things like that.
But you got to have that effectiveness in the red zone,
whether it's Tyler Warren or Jonathan Taylor,
you know, Josh Downs,
you're finding ways to,
get other guys involved.
But a big part of that as well is they've got a new kicker.
So their kicker, Spencer Schrader, was doing really, really well, had only missed one kick
between field goals and extra points all year.
But he got hit after an extra point in his knee, and then he's done for the year.
So they brought in Michael Badgley, who he's been with the Colts twice before, but he did
tear a hamstring last offseason and cost him to miss the entire year.
so that one is you know he worked out for them they know he's got a clean bill of health and he
impressed in his workout but at the same time kickers are so volatile like where you could go and
count on spencer strater each and every time he was going out there badgely's going to have to
prove that he deserves that same kind of trust you know so you hate to you know kind of hang things
on a kicker there but having a different kicker than the one who's been absolutely automatic
makes you a little nervous.
Yeah.
Yeah, all of that.
The Jonathan Taylor inside the Red Zone stuff kind of terrifies me,
especially late in games.
Like that stuff,
Meantimes had a great number.
The Cardinals are top five in defensive EPA in the first half,
their bottom five defense VP in the second half.
That may even be the first quarter and fourth quarter,
more centralized.
So that could be nightmare fuel for this team.
But the things that the Cardinals do check the boxes on is they are good in coverage,
Josh Sweat and Baron Browning and Jordan Birch,
have been really good off the edge.
Kaleas and Dalvin Thompson have done their job on the interior.
And this is going to come down to is a Kyla Maria Jacobi Reset.
And either way, I want the restrictor plate off.
If you're going to make mistakes, make them huge.
Because if the Cardinals lose in convincing fashion,
I don't see a world where somebody doesn't get let go.
I don't think it's to be the head coach.
I think Drew Petson's going to be the Patsy at this point,
even though he does share some blame.
But enough is enough.
This went from not having to have this conference.
until losing to Tennessee and then, oh, no, now you have to have this conversation.
So shame on them for losing the last three games the way they did.
They get 100% be four and one, 100% be at top of the NFC, and they decided to, you know,
shoot themselves in the foot three games in a row.
So this is going to be a real determinant on the future of the coaching staff of this team.
Yeah, I mean, you hate to see them go out with a whimper, especially when you know they're
capable more.
It's the argument I feel like I've had to have with the Colts over the last few years.
So obviously, you know, three straight losses, I'm sure you don't feel great.
But, like, do you have any optimism in this one?
Like, do you think there's kind of, you think the Cardinals could win it?
I mean, listen, I, yeah, they've got the, like, if, Jake, this is what I, a little
exercise, before we get out of here, this is a little extra that I do for, for my viewers.
It's like, okay, look around the NFL.
How many worse offenses are there than the Arizona Cardinals, even though they're playing
poorly?
Eight.
Probably, yeah.
And, like, it's bad and it could be so much worse.
So if the bad turns to good, then you're fine.
So, yeah, the Cardinals could 100% win this game.
Like, this isn't like they're, you know, the Browns or the Jets right now.
Like, they're beating themselves much more than the opponents are beating them.
Their defense is giving up 19 points a game on average in three losses, which is bananas.
So they could 100% win this game, 100% win this game.
But it's going to be a matter of how they lose if they lose.
They lose 40 to 10.
Yeah, we're going to have different conversations.
Yeah, this one for the Colts, I don't know what to expect.
Just because this is the kind of matchup they've won pretty handily throughout the year so far.
But I do feel like Arizona's defense, I struggle to see the Colts having a total cakewalk against that.
It could be something where like a turnover here or there leads to bonus points for him and things like that to create a big lead.
but just like straight up offense versus defense,
I do think it's a pretty good matchup.
And that defense does some things,
especially in coverage that are very interesting.
I think it depends on how the pass rush marries with that coverage.
Like if they make Daniel Jones hesitate a second as to what he's seeing,
and there's pressure bearing down,
obviously that could lead to some errant throws.
We saw against the Rams.
But if he does,
if he has time to throw,
then that's kind of,
kind of his bread and butter is taking what the defense gives him.
And he's, he's done, he's gone above and beyond what I think any of us expected to this point.
Because Shane Stuyck is putting him in some really good places.
So we'll see.
I mean, the familiarity with Jonathan Gannon and vice versa.
Yeah.
Because, I mean, Gannon's plenty familiar with Shane Stiking as well.
But all I know is I'm very interested in this matchup.
I think it's going to be fun.
Like when, when the Colts get to tangle it up with a team all over.
way out in the NFC West that you don't get to see very often, but yeah, it's, uh, this,
this could be a huge win. It could be narrow. It could be the Cardinals one. You know,
I, I, I don't know what to expect in this one. And I think that's probably what makes it more
entertaining coming into it. Yeah, man. I'm, I'm stoked. I mean, it's, it's going to be,
to be fascinating, Daniel Jones, Daniel Jones is a perfect example of, and this is what we
struggle with Kyler and Drew Petting is when put, these guys are NFL quarterbacks. Okay.
So you put them in, it's like having the 12th.
guy on the bench having a wide open three in the middle of a game, it's like, he's going to make
it. He's an NBA player. You know, so if you put a quarterback in the position to succeed,
irrespective of what he'd look like in East Rutherford, I mean, the dude's, like, the dude,
the dude's bawling out. Like, I'm not surprised. He would draft a number four overall for a
reason. Yeah, without question. So guys, we'll have way more on this matchup throughout the
rest of the week. We will get you ready for the matchup, and then, of course, we'll come at you
right after the game as well.
Thank you guys for making us your first listen of the day.
And obviously with the NFL season being here,
you've got to make your next listen a double dose of the Locked on NFL podcast.
So Tyler, the Madman Roland,
is going to get you a shot of espresso to start your football day.
And then Tony Wiggins is going to take you into the barbershop
for the smoothest breakdowns to end your day.
Again, find Locked on NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.
If you guys don't already follow us at so on social,
media. I'm at Jake Arthur NFL. And my friend here is at Clancy's Corner, which I love that,
love that by the way. So yeah, YouTube, wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, all of it.
We're bringing you guys content. Thank you guys. And you have yourselves a great rest of the week.
