Aiyuk HAS to show up this week

  • 5 days ago
Transcript
00:00And I also want to be clear that I am in no way
00:04battling back on the idea of like,
00:07okay, Brandon, you know, chop, chop, let's go.
00:10Yeah, I get that.
00:12Full agreement, but I don't,
00:14A, I don't tie that to his contract at all.
00:17Like for instance, if Brandon was still on his rookie deal
00:19and he had six catches through two games
00:22and it was still last year, let's go.
00:25Let's like, I mean, come on,
00:27especially if the offense is coming off of 17 points.
00:30You know what I mean?
00:31Like, sure.
00:31Like, I think it's okay to hold everyone
00:34to that standard all the time.
00:36You know, it's why I have a hard time.
00:38I'll just share this with the audience.
00:40I have a hard time with the sports media question of
00:43who's got more pressure on them this week or this year.
00:47I have a hard time with that
00:48because it's professional football
00:50and there is insane amounts of pressure
00:52on everybody all the time.
00:54You know, I don't like,
00:55at no, there's no chance that the Niners lose this game
00:58and we're like, well, but Kyle Shanahan's fine.
01:01He didn't do anything wrong.
01:02Let's talk about Brock and let's talk about Brandon.
01:04No, you're gonna be talking about everybody.
01:06Like, this is a good team.
01:08The expectations couldn't be higher.
01:10The pressure is on everybody.
01:13The same way each and every one of you have bills
01:16that show up in your mail or in your email inbox
01:20and the pressure is intense
01:22to get them paid every single month.
01:24I get what you're saying, but it's not,
01:26I don't think that it's the same across all sectors
01:29and certainly across the team.
01:31For example, my lovely wife, Supper, who I adore,
01:35she's a teacher and she has tenure.
01:38So the pressure on her,
01:40and she and I have this discussion all the time.
01:42I bet she disagrees with you.
01:44She does. Yep.
01:45But the pressure on Supper to perform
01:49is different than the pressure on me to perform
01:51because I, while I've been in the business for 26 years,
01:55I don't have tenure.
01:56There's no such thing in our business as tenure.
01:59I don't even know if we'll make it to six o'clock
02:01and that's how it is every single day.
02:02I'm hopeful and I like our chances,
02:04so the pressure on Kyle is different
02:08than the pressure on Brock Purdy
02:09because Brock is chasing that big bag.
02:12So if Brock Purdy goes out and is three and 13 this year
02:16and throws 38 interceptions, that costs him a lot of money.
02:20So he's under a different level of pressure
02:22than Kyle Shanahan.
02:24Well, but I guess, you know what I mean?
02:27You can just say you're right, because I am.
02:29But your wife would disagree with you and that's-
02:32And she's wrong.
02:33And I say this knowing that she's still in school.
02:35But that's my point. Real tough guy.
02:37Yeah, exactly. Talk to me at 3.30.
02:39My point is whatever pressure you feel in many ways
02:42is up to you.
02:44That's up to you.
02:47And I would argue professional sports is where people,
02:51like, they have to be very good at handling that
02:56and performing in those situations.
02:58You know what I mean?
02:59Like, to do what they do for a living is so insane.
03:03It's so, like, especially in the NFL.
03:06Like, let's talk about Brandon Aiyuk.
03:07To go over the middle in an NFL game,
03:10you've got to be nuts.
03:13Absolutely nuts.
03:15Now, would I go over the middle for 30 million?
03:19I don't know.
03:20How about if I go over one time for two million
03:22and then I leave?
03:23Like, you know what I mean?
03:25I would argue that his ability to go over the middle
03:28is now a little bit, I don't know, easier
03:31is probably not the word,
03:32but his fallback worst case scenario
03:36is better than it was five weeks ago.
03:38Yeah, but see, again, it's whatever you attach it to.
03:41Are you attaching it to job status, money,
03:44the way people talk about you?
03:46I don't know.
03:47You're standing within the community.
03:49They've all, like, yeah, Brandon's not gonna get fired.
03:52Kyle's not gonna get fired.
03:54And Brock's not gonna get fired.
03:56Only two of the three have gotten big money.
03:58But, you know, so yeah,
04:00it's all a matter of perspective on that.
04:04But just to whittle it back
04:05to what we're kind of talking about,
04:06like, I have no, no argument whatsoever
04:10with the idea that, yes, it is time to perform,
04:14not this Sunday, every Sunday, every Sunday.
04:18But particularly for me this Sunday.
04:20And that's where I don't agree.
04:22This Sunday, you've got no Debo, no McCaffrey,
04:25and Kittle is gonna be questionable.
04:27He couldn't even make it through practice today
04:29with a hamstring.
04:30And we can talk about soft tissue injuries
04:33and the 49ers another day.
04:35Seems a little bit like a pandemic
04:38down there in Santa Clara of soft tissue injuries.
04:41But if you don't have George or Debo or Christian,
04:45guess what, Brandon?
04:46There's more pressure on you to be the dude.
04:49You got the bag, now be the man.
04:52That's what I'm saying.
04:53I say 49ers go play well and win the game.
04:55And if Brandon IU has two catches for 28 yards,
04:59but Juwan goes for eight and 111 and a touchdown,
05:02and Jordan Mason goes for 125 and two scores,
05:0649ers win 27 to 17.
05:08Let's drink.
05:10On Monday.
05:10Yeah.
05:11And on Tuesday.
05:12And Tuesday.
05:13No, on Tuesday, it's gonna be where the hell is number 11?
05:17He doesn't even have as many catches through three games
05:19as his number on the back.
05:21Gotta know the circumstances of that.
05:23That's all I'm saying.
05:25Like if it's because he's not playing well,
05:27then I'm with you.
05:28But I don't know that playing well as a receiver
05:31automatically means numbers.
05:33So far we've seen two games
05:34and we're gonna go to the phones
05:36and I can't wait to hear the people.
05:38And you know, people come at me,
05:39if you disagree with me now,
05:41Thursday, best day of the week, I'm here for it.
05:43And I got a Thursday night football lot coming up.
05:45Fade.
05:46I'm four and two, fade me all you want.
05:48I'm lucky on Sunday.
05:50I'm riding high right now.
05:51You got lucky.
05:52You boys riding high right now.
05:53Tom Petty, you got lucky, kid.
05:54Yeah, exactly.
05:55Whatever.
05:56You got lucky.
05:57Scoreboard's on the phone.
05:58I'll just say this, through two games,
06:00week one, Brandon IU, the big takeaway,
06:03dropping the football.
06:04Week two, Brandon IU, no separation.
06:07So where are we at?
06:09Week three, it's time to dominate.
06:11Yeah, we assess it every week.
06:12That's what we do.
06:13Right.
06:14That's what we assess it every week.
06:15And if Grandy's grades were to just grade Brandon IU,
06:18and Grandy, jump on the mic if you're so inclined,
06:21if you wanted to just grade Brandon IU through two games,
06:25what grade would you give Brandon IU?
06:29Let's see.
06:29You could separate it in two grades if you want,
06:31like two different games.
06:32You can do whatever you want, Grandy.
06:33You're kind of a grown man.
06:34He's not great.
06:35I'm going somewhere between a D plus or a C minus.
06:38I like it.
06:39I hit him as a D, so.
06:40I think he had a D against the Jets.
06:42I don't think against Minnesota he did anything offensive,
06:46but he did against the Jets.
06:48Nothing special either.
06:49Nothing special.
06:50Yeah, yeah.
06:51So you give him a D and a C,
06:52and that averages out to a C minus.
06:54Like, I'd have to all 22 this thing
06:55to watch every single one of his routes.
06:57Do your homework.
06:58And I guess, here's another thing.
06:59Here's another, this is,
07:00and then, I promise, this is the last thing we say,
07:02we'll go to the phone.
07:04No, but if you're, like, you're saying,
07:06okay, now step up.
07:08Now!
07:09Now.
07:10No, step up two weeks ago.
07:12No, now.
07:13I don't hold you to a different standard
07:14because your teammates got hurt.
07:16You need to play that well every week.
07:19Of course.
07:19All the time.
07:20That's why I have him as a D.
07:21That's all I'm saying.
07:22If we get a D level Iyuk in this game,
07:26guess what, Niners?
07:27You lose.
07:28Not necessarily.
07:29I'm telling you, you lose.
07:31And you might lose anyway.
07:32The Rams play you tough now.
07:33Oh, gosh.
07:34This is terrible football team right now.
07:35I'm taking the Rams and the points for sure.
07:37No, you're not.
07:38Andy in Fremont.
07:39You won't.
07:40Andy in Fremont here to start us off.
07:42888-957-9570.
07:44You care about Iyuk's numbers
07:46or you care about the final score?
07:48Andy, what's up?
07:48Thanks for calling.
07:50Hey, good afternoon, guys.
07:51How you doing?
07:52We're great.
07:55Hey, I just wanna say something really quick, man.
07:58I think it's unfair for Iyuk.
08:00You know, I personally don't,
08:03I'm nobody to say how much money he deserves
08:04and how much he doesn't deserve.
08:06But there's so many things that will come into play
08:09to put the ball in his hands.
08:10Take it back to the Super Bowl, man.
08:12He was wide open for a touchdown.
08:15But guess what?
08:16You got an O-lineman not blocking the number one defense.
08:19So whose fault is that?
08:21Is that Iyuk's fault for not getting that catch?
08:24Is that Brock Purdy's fault for not having time?
08:26Is that the O-lineman for not doing his job?
08:29We also talk about Shanahan's scheme.
08:32I'm a fan of Shanahan, don't take that wrong.
08:36But Shanahan's gotta put the targets on him.
08:39Shanahan's gotta make him the number one receiver.
08:41And we've seen it with a lot of our stars.
08:44You know, we're a run-first offense.
08:46We don't see Kittle do too much stuff like Travis Kelsey.
08:49We don't see Iyuk get as many targets.
08:51We saw that in the Super Bowl.
08:53You know, I mean, so many things come into play
08:56to get the ball in his hands.
08:58And we gotta play as a unit if everybody wants to eat.
09:02And that's all, that's all I gotta say.
09:04Andy, thanks, yeah, it's a good call.
09:05And here's kind of what I will extend
09:08what he just said to add.
09:11Shanahan needs to make him the number one receiver.
09:14Let's talk about that for a second.
09:16He clearly is the most talented receiver
09:18that the 49ers have this weekend.
09:20So I have absolutely nothing against that.
09:22But that is, again, the fantasy footballization
09:25of what we're watching out there.
09:28Again, I don't care who the number one is.
09:31And I don't think, maybe he will someday correct me
09:34if I'm wrong, we could ask him this.
09:37But I don't think Shanahan sits down
09:39in front of the screen in his office
09:41and gathers his coaches around and goes,
09:43all right, here's the pecking order this weekend.
09:45Here's who's gonna be number one.
09:46Here's who's gonna be, no, no, there's a play.
09:50And you want the play to work.
09:51And sometimes that means going through progressions
09:54and getting to option two and option three.
09:56And sometimes Brandon will be option two
09:58or option three or whatever.
10:01So I look at it as a collective.
10:03It doesn't mean Brandon is in a snuggie
10:05and totally protected from all of this.
10:08But he might play well and not get catches.
10:12He might play awful and get catches.
10:15So I'm not gonna just sit there and go,
10:18okay, let's box score dive on Brandon Aiyuk
10:21because holdout and because contract.
10:24No, dude, everybody is held to a standard
10:28on the 49ers of playing well as much as possible
10:31every single week and winning most games.
10:34That's my sole focus when I sit down and watch them play.
10:37Of course, and the sole focus is on watching the team win.
10:40And I get that.
10:41I'm the same.
10:42I'm a fan and I want them to win.
10:43But when you look at this week,
10:44he's going to be the number one option on a lot of plays.
10:47And if you look through two weeks so far,
10:49he's not been the number one option on a lot of plays.
10:51The number one option has been Debo.
10:53It's been Kittle.
10:54It's been a ton of Jordan Mason and Brandon Aiyuk at times.
10:58And that's why his target rate is lower
11:00than it's been throughout his career.
11:01But now you don't have Debo and you don't have Christian.
11:03So now you're going to be the number one target
11:06on a lot of plays.
11:07So what does Brandon do well?
11:09He gets open.
11:10His ability to run all the routes is best on the team.
11:14So go ahead, Kyle, and scheme it up
11:17to where when you're gonna pass the ball,
11:19he is your number one option.
11:20And if he's your number one option
11:22and he's able to get open,
11:24then Brock should be able to target him
11:26at a higher rate than he's been targeted.
11:27And I look at these other guys.
11:29You would think.
11:30Cooper Cup, 27 targets in two games.
11:32Now he's out, but, and he got hurt
11:35and he still had 27 targets.
11:37Believe me, neighbors, 25 targets.
11:40Amon Ra, 25 targets.
11:42These are number one receivers who are schemed
11:46to where they want them to have the ball a lot.
11:48Well, okay.
11:49That's what I'm looking for on Sunday.
11:51Two of your three examples are exactly
11:53what I don't want the 49ers to be.
11:56Now the Amon Ra one, that's a good football team.
11:59I know they lost the football game.
12:01And what'd you say, he has 25 targets?
12:03Yep.
12:04Which means he only had seven week one.
12:07And they barely won that game.
12:09They've all been off to actually
12:11a little bit of a wobbly start.
12:12But your other two examples are exactly
12:13what I don't want the Niners to do.
12:16Malik neighbors gets all the targets.
12:17Why?
12:18Because he's literally the only good football player
12:21on his entire offense.
12:23Right.
12:23Okay.
12:24Now, Cooper Cup got all the targets.
12:26Why?
12:27Well, I'd argue because Pukanukuwa played
12:29a half of football and left.
12:31Yep.
12:31And what happened?
12:33He was one of the only, certainly in the passing game,
12:36only good football players on his team.
12:38And so you see teams like that that just drop back
12:41and just try to feed dudes.
12:43I'd argue that doesn't win.
12:45They don't win.
12:46The Giants don't win.
12:48The Rams have been embarrassed in the game
12:50that Cooper got all these targets.
12:52They lost by 31 points.
12:54I don't want-
12:55And that's why he got so many targets
12:56is they were behind early.
12:57That's part of it.
12:58It's also because there's no other good players
12:59on the team to throw the ball to.
13:01So I don't want, I think it's a bad look,
13:04quite frankly, for Kyle Shanahan,
13:06if the Niners have to go,
13:08dude, just drop Brock back and throw it to Brandon.
13:11Let's do it 18 times and see what happens.
13:14That's very anti-Shanahan.
13:16If you're supposed to be a scheme master, let's scheme.
13:19Let's go.
13:20Jordan Mason should look good.
13:22Jawan Jennings can get open.
13:25Hell, Chris Conley.
13:26Let's see some, let's see the rook.
13:29Let's see the kid.
13:30Let's see Cowing stretch the field.
13:33Let's see-
13:34Let's see $30 million in action.
13:35The guy's got five targets a game right now.
13:37That's tucked into what I'm saying though.
13:39If that's not doubled this game,
13:41if he doesn't get at least 10 targets,
13:43then either he's not getting open
13:45or he's not ready or Shanahan doesn't believe in him.
13:48At least 10.
13:49That's the-
13:50At least 10 targets.
13:51Okay, I mean, sure.
13:54Then again, now there's exceptions.
13:57Get him the rock.
13:58What if they're running the ball down the Rams' throat
14:00and they have a lead?
14:01Well then, if we're talking about eight pass attempts
14:03like Jimmy G in the playoffs-
14:04No, not like that, but let's say it's 25 pass attempts.
14:07Do almost half of them have to go to Brandon?
14:09If George Kittle's not on the field, yes.
14:11Okay.
14:12Yes.
14:13Because Jordan Mason's not going to be a pass catcher.
14:16He's averaging, I think, one target a game.
14:17I think he's got one, one each game.
14:18Right, so would you rather throw it to Saubert
14:22or Brandon Ayoub?
14:23I'd rather throw it to whoever is open.
14:25Then scheme him open, Kyle.
14:27But other people might be open too.
14:29That's all I'm saying.
14:30Like, I get, again, I get it.
14:32Then why are you paying him 30 million?
14:34Now, that's a good question.
14:35I mean, if we're going to lean on Saubert and Cowing-
14:39Hold on.
14:40What are we doing, Mark?
14:41This has been asked on the Xfinity Mobile text line.
14:43And I use your first name
14:44because I'm starting to get annoyed.
14:46Are you?
14:47Not really.
14:48Okay.
14:48On the radio.
14:49So, like for instance, 925, thank you for listening.
14:50Thank you for texting.
14:51If the wide receiver production depends so much
14:53on the offensive line,
14:54then why are we paying receivers so darn much?
14:57Good question.
14:58Super question.
14:59Pretty sure I spent the entire summer-
15:00That's a great question.
15:01And I spent the entire summer
15:02asking the exact same question.
15:04If passing is down across the league,
15:06if Mel Kiper has to do national content
15:09saying we got to make changes in the game
15:11to allow us to throw deeps more,
15:12if that's the case, what are we doing?
15:15Does anybody right now have a 2-0 record?
15:19Because they're like,
15:20dude, their receiver is amazeballs.
15:24Is that happening?
15:25The Vikings are 2-0.
15:26Justin Jefferson left halfway through the game.
15:29The Bucs are 2-0.
15:31How are we doing?
15:32Is Mike Evans winning you your fantasy game?
15:35I'd argue no.
15:36Chris Godwin.
15:37The Saints are 2-0.
15:38What's happening there?
15:40Rashid Shaheen.
15:41Kinda, he's going deep.
15:43But I'd argue Alvin Kamara has like 47 touchdowns already.
15:47Last week alone.
15:48Who else is 2-0?
15:50The Bills are 2-0.
15:51Wanna know what they did in the offseason?
15:53They got rid of all of their receivers.
15:56Well, you don't even know who their receivers are.
15:59They drafted one and they don't throw it to him.
16:03So, that's a good question.
16:06And I do believe that the NFL is going to regret
16:11this little bump.
16:13This run that everyone went on,
16:16all the receivers now need to make $27 million
16:19a year or more.
16:21Not the most important position on the field.
16:23Not even close.
16:25Right?
16:26It's crazy you say that because Khalil Shakir
16:29leading Buffalo with eight catches.
16:31And how many yards?
16:33He's got 96 yards.
16:34So, that's in two games.
16:36Correct.
16:37So, he's averaging 48 yards per game
16:40and the Bills are 2-0.
16:42Leading the way.
16:43And quite frankly, kind of comfortably 2-0.
16:47Yeah.
16:47So, Doug in Berkeley.
16:50Hi, Doug.
16:50Thanks for calling.
16:53Hey, guys.
16:54Thanks for taking my call.
16:55Good listening to you.
16:56I feel like a guy that's out on the Bay
17:00and he's sailing along in a sailboat
17:03and then the wind just dies down.
17:05Because what you guys are just now talking about
17:09is what I wanted to say.
17:13Fire away.
17:13Fire away, Doug.
17:15Yeah, put your spin on it.
17:15Like you had been talking about.
17:17Yeah, put your spin on it.
17:19So, and I had never thought about this before.
17:23And then listening to you guys for the last half hour,
17:27I wonder if one of the reasons why the holdout,
17:30this is the first thing I want to say.
17:31I got two things.
17:32The first, I wonder why the holdout with Brandon
17:35lasted so long.
17:37Because all these other guys that are getting paid,
17:39you know, 28, 29, 30, 35 million,
17:42they're like the number one or number two option
17:45on the team.
17:47I wonder if, you know, our front office was thinking,
17:52you know, we got all these guys.
17:55Brandon is not the number one or number two option.
17:58Should we really pay him that much?
18:01He's a great talent,
18:02but our situation is really, really different.
18:04And so I wanted to get your thoughts on that
18:06and you kind of have just given me those thoughts.
18:09No, Doug.
18:09And I have one more thing.
18:10Yeah, go ahead.
18:11Talk to us, Doug.
18:12One more thing about this weekend's game.
18:17You know how in the NFL, through most of the season,
18:21if there's a team that's down
18:23and they have to win to stay in contention,
18:26they usually win.
18:28Okay, I wouldn't take our opponent this weekend for granted
18:32because if they go 0-3,
18:34their chances of making the playoffs
18:36are really, really low and they are in our division
18:38and they are a tough opponent with us
18:39and both teams are banged up.
18:40So I'm a little,
18:43I hope we bring it because I'm a little concerned about it.
18:45So I'll do my two things.
18:47Yeah, and I think that-
18:47Thanks for taking my call.
18:48Doug, thanks.
18:49I think that's very fair.
18:50It's interesting how Vegas looks
18:52at a totally injured Rams team
18:55and goes, well, they can't play.
18:56And then looks at a totally injured Niners team
18:58and goes, seven point favorite.
19:00Yeah, like why are we expecting the injuries
19:02to affect the Rams and not the Niners?
19:04I don't know.
19:06I think it's tucked into a compliment to Kyle Shanahan
19:08somewhere along the road
19:09because the Rams have their quarterback too,
19:11the same way the Niners have theirs.
19:13But they're missing their,
19:14two of their three best weapons.
19:16They still have their running back.
19:17So are the Niners.
19:18Well, the 49ers have a ground game
19:21that still is very much intact
19:23and an offensive line that's very good at run blocking.
19:26I do think that if you look at
19:28like the best foot forward for the Rams,
19:30it's Kup and Nakua and Matt Stafford
19:33and then Kyron Williams, a good running back
19:36for the Niners, it's a run game
19:37with fill in the blank running back and Kyle Shanahan.
19:41And then it's Debo, George and Brandon.
19:43I'll buy that.
19:44Rams are also down three starting offensive linemen.
19:46Yeah, the offensive line.
19:47And even when they're out for the line is healthy,
19:49it's a pretty bad offensive line.
19:51And the defense probably healthy,
19:53but also unhealthy, not a very good defense.
19:54That's why, by the way,
19:55that's what I'm getting at this week.
19:57And I know it's nowhere near as fun and sexy.
20:00The defense needs to eat this weekend.
20:02My God, what are the Rams have to throw at you?
20:06They have no offensive line and no wide receivers.
20:08What are they throwing at you?
20:09You better be amazing.
20:11And they're gonna have to go to a silent count
20:13because it's gonna be crazy.
20:15At home.
20:16Exactly.
20:17Crazy.
20:18So they better be amazing.
20:19That's what my eyes are on.
20:21The Rams should not be able to get to 16 points
20:23this weekend.
20:24They should not be able to get to 16 points.
20:27If they get to 17, that's too many.
20:31It's too many.
20:32That means you fumbled at your own two
20:33or something like that.
20:36Yeah, in my opinion.
20:37So the other thing he said, though,
20:39like, okay, why did you pay Brandon this?
20:42Do you remember when Kosh Inhan went on the TK pod
20:45and he sort of explained, quote, the way he looks at it.
20:50And he goes, I don't look at it as
20:53is that guy worth $30 million?
20:58I look at it as the whole picture,
21:00all of the salaries, the cap, and our team building.
21:04And then, and he was mainly talking about the quarterback.
21:07I don't worry about is a quarterback,
21:09is he worth 55, is he worth 57?
21:12He's like, that's what a quarterback costs.
21:15And that's where the Niners got caught here.
21:17This is what a good wide receiver costs right now.
21:20I can raise my hand and go, it shouldn't.
21:24It shouldn't.
21:24It's like when you visit Hawaii and orange juice is $11.
21:28It shouldn't be, but do you want orange juice?
21:30Exactly.
21:31We're here.
21:32So, you want orange juice or not?
21:35And the Niners kind of got stuck there
21:37because that's what a wide receiver costs.
21:40It shouldn't, but it does.
21:41Especially it shouldn't for this team
21:43that doesn't rely on the wide receiver
21:45as much as other teams, yet they still went out
21:47and they paid the wide receiver for whatever reason.
21:50They felt like they had to,
21:51and the price kept going up and up and up and up,
21:54and then they paid him.
21:55And now, so far through two games,
21:57they have not gotten much of a return on their investment.
21:59Him, he's a good player.
22:01That's why they paid him.
22:01Yeah, I hear you.