FACE/OFF: Diving Into Colts' Shane Steichen vs. Ravens' Jesse Minter (w/ Ben Borus!)

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. This message is a paid partnership with AppleCard. One of my favorite parts of Game Day is everything leading up to it. Getting the house ready for a watch party, putting on my favorite team hoodie and making one last run to the store before kickoff. You know the routine. And with my AppleCard, I can earn up to 3% unlimited daily cashback on every purchase I make with AppleCard using Apple Pay. Not a month from now, but every day. Apply in the wallet app on your iPhone today, subject to credit approval. AppleCard issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch, Terms and More at AppleCard.com. That feeling when you check your bank account and your paychecks days away. And of course your calendar's all. Good news.

1:00With Chase Secure Banking, your direct deposit hits your bank account up to two days faster. So when your friends are like, and your bills go, you have the peace your deposit brings. And the best part, there's no monthly service fee for 17 to 24-year-olds. Thanks to Chase Secure Banking. For Chase Secure Checking Own, eligible direct deposits may be credited up to two business days early depending on when the payer submits the transaction. Member FDIC. What's the overall temperature feel for the Indianapolis Colts heading into 2026? We have an expert film guy to join us today to talk all about it. Let's get to it. You are Locked On Colts. You're daily Indianapolis Colts Podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team, every day. Welcome to Locked On Colts. I'm Zach Hicks. And joining me today is Ben Boris or you guys know him on socials at Colts Film Room. He was on here a lot last year. We are excited to have Ben back on the show.

2:01And before we dive into today's episode, today's episode is brought to you by Fandool. Get $350 in bonus bets guaranteed when you bet $5 every day for seven days. Join all the action at Fandool.com. On today's show, we're going to get Ben's kind of overall feel on this Colts team heading into the season. Ben last year was famously a little bit more optimistic than I was. And for half a season, he looked like he was on the right track. And then for the second half of the season, I was somehow on the right track, unfortunately. So we'll talk about the overall temperature feel about this team. And then we're going to get into what we like to do best. A lot of the film discussion and just the nerdy stuff. We're going to talk about how Shane Stuykin thared against Jesse Minter last season. And how that was in our opinion, the best coaching job that we had ever seen from Shane Stuykin with the Colts. It was absolutely incredible. But then in the final segment, we're going to talk about how this Raven's team does pose new challenges, some new faces in there. Obviously, different guys on defense.

3:03So maybe the results won't exactly be like this one to one repeat. The Colts maybe won't drop 38 points on the Ravens here in week one. So we'll talk about that in the final two segments. But then to really kick us off, since it's your first time back on the show in a minute here. And we have the season right around the corner. What's your overall feel on this team going into the year in week one and just in general this season? Yeah, well, first of all, it's great to be back. Thank you for having me. The second part of that is I think I feel really good about the floor of this team. Like I've seen some stuff about people being really pessimistic. Oh, like Shane Stikens on the hot sea, he could be gone by week four. They could have cleaned out. I don't really see that. I really like the floor. When you think about specifically the offense, they kind of change what the right tackle. And then a wide receiver pretty much swap one for one. Maybe you lose a little bit if you're not as high on keen and Alan. And then defensively, there's been a little bit more turnover. And there's probably a little bit more pessimism to be had there.

4:03But like I still think the floor with this coaching staff is too high for things to be to completely fall off the rails. The schedule isn't overly difficult when all things considered. And I think that like there's a reason to feel like, hey, there's a reason to feel like this team could do what they were doing again. And I think that they have the players to do that, particularly on the starting, the starters, as we get into the depth, it's a little bit more worrisome. So it's really about staying healthy this year. And if the goals can do that, there's no reason they can't be in the mix in December. Yeah, I'm with you. I mean, I've been pessimistic in the past, but I think going into this year, I'd say this is the most optimistic I felt since I mean, dare I say Wow, wow. Okay. Like since 2022, now that didn't, I wasn't rewarded, I guess, going into the 2022 season. So maybe it ends up the same way. But just in terms of like, like last year, they weren't going into the season with sauce gardener, right? Like they didn't have this A1 corner on the outside. I was not very high on Daniel Jones last season.

5:05I wasn't high on Minchue or rookie Richardson in 2023, in terms of like what they would bring that season. So I think just in terms of like where the quarterback plays at, where the continuity is on offense, where the talent is with the starters on defense, I should say. I do feel pretty optimistic. Now, is that going to lead to me predicting more than nine wins this year? Probably not, but I feel more optimistic than I think I have in the past, where it was like a pessimistic seven eight win projection for me. Now it's like an optimistic nine win projection. That's, I mean, that's the Chris Valor there. I think the one thing to point out too is with our optimism is I want people to remember this when they get through the first three weeks of the season and they played the Ravens, the Chiefs and the Texans. I think that for how reactionary the NFL can be in a week to week league, I will be patient with this team. And if they start out, oh, and three, I will not necessarily be hitting the panic button. Now I expect them to win at least one of those games, hopefully too.

6:08But if they, I mean, they're going to arrowhead. They're playing the Texans and they're playing the Ravens. It could get ugly to start out, but the schedule does get a lot easier. It kind of reminds me after everyone pressing the panic button. Earlier, it may be even in 2018 when that team wasn't necessarily ready yet, but I will not be in that first three weeks. I think that's important to know as well. Yeah, I won't be pushing the panic button if they start, oh, and three, I think my hand will be hovering over it though, because we, oh, yeah, yeah, like I'm not saying, oh, it's fine to this. I'm just saying, like, I'm not going to press it yet. And I think a lot of people will, but I know that that's a very tough start to the schedule. Right, because like, let's say they start with three losses, we have the dreaded turnaround back to Pittsburgh, still coming up, which I don't think many of us are feeling very optimistic about, just because the track record of Pittsburgh plus that being a turnaround from an overseas game, we still have at Jacksonville later in the season, which we already know is a loss. We've already counted that one as a loss. That's the free space or whatever in the pingo for counting against the cult.

7:09So the panic button would be close to being hit if they start, oh, and three, but it wouldn't be. You're like taking the glass off and you're like, okay, here it is. Like I might have to press that. Going a little bit more in-depth, let's start with defense here, because even if we run out of time, I want to make sure we get in on the defense, because I am fascinated by this defense. I think there's potential where this could be like a fringe top 10 defense in football, because like they have the talent. I think this is one of the better secondaries in football. I really like what they have in the secondary. They have a bonafide, like fringe, all pro corner and sauce gardener, a guy who's been in all pro and mooney wards, so if he's healthy, you can at least maybe get a pro bowl level out of him. A pro bowl caliber safety and camera and binaum. And I'm very high on Justin Waltley. Like I have not hidden from that in the last two seasons. I'm excited to see him out there. I think the secondary can be good. I think Buckner is still pretty good. He's healthy. I think they have a lot of pieces, but I don't feel great about this defense after like the top 15 to 16 guys.

8:11And if we know anything about the colds, like especially last year where they were, I mean, like I would guess like 30-something guys played a snap on defense last year. It's going to be terrifying when you're down to past the 16 guys. And there'll be more than 16 guys you play on Sunday when you count like the Jerry Tilleries, the Jail and Tumolo Alps and Michael Clemens, and I can just go on and on and on about these players. So what's kind of your overall feel on the defense going into the year? I think we have similar reads on it. I like the starters. Like you said, the first 16 guys. I actually am pretty high on the linebacker rotation. Although it's a little bit unorthodox to like, want to rotate linebackers the way that Lou is said they're going to start out the season doing. I don't necessarily hate it. And I think that I've liked some of the way the young linebackers have played in the preseason. I think he gives Lou some variability there from different packages. I obviously love the secondary. I think that like while I wasn't a fan of the value of the sauce gardener trade and still probably not, having him on the defense is going to feel great.

9:13Because I think that when it has killed the colds, I think towards 2024, was that they would let a team's best wide receiver just go off. I mean, it was if it wasn't Justin Jefferson, it was Malik neighbors or Brian Thomas or Roman Dune's A all 100 yard guys in 2024. I think that that and then you even start before they got sauce and the Xavier Howard debacle and the start to 2025. Like that was the reason that that Broncos game was close. I mean, the colds didn't punt. There's the Broncos. That shouldn't have been an issue. Sean Payton just kept attacking Xavier Howard and then Sean McVeid did the exact same thing. So it feels good to have a corner that, however you feel about sauce gardener, he is better than a lot of corners in the league when it comes down to being able to game plan versus those top guys. So I love that. But yeah, the depth is extremely concerning and a couple injuries away from really going to give Lewis hands full in terms of how he's going to game plan for some of the offenses down the stretch. Yeah, like I think they have some good rotational players and like a hunter roller.

10:15I'm with you. I think the top four linebackers. I'm intrigued by enough by all of them to be like like Betcher and Alan, even if they're not starters, I feel good about them. Even Cam Taylor Britt, I feel better about now than I did when they signed him. Like he had a really good preseason. Yeah, really good preseason, really good offseason in general. We both love Tommy like at a Tommy Wattabore is awesome up front. After that, the other depth players though are very concerning. And that'll be something that we'll talk about throughout the season. But coming up, Ben and I are going to dive into our passion project on this episode, which is talking about Shane Steigen versus Jesse Mincer last season. How that was honestly the most impressive coaching performance of Shane Steigen's career. And now we get the part two of that here in week one with the Baltimore Raven. So we're going to talk about that here in just a moment. But first, with schedules getting busier and everyone getting back into the normal routines, figure out what's for dinner can become a daily headache. Home Chef makes cooking simple and fresh with fresh food delivered right to your door.

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13:26That's Q, U, O, dot com slash locked on NFL. Alrighty locked on Colts every day. Is we are back with Ben Bourse, a K, A, at Colts film, I'm talking all about Shane Stuykin versus Jesse Menter in 2025. And before we get to that, don't forget to check out the everyday club for ad free episodes and access to a group. Shout out with other listeners of the show me and Jake. Tap the link in the show notes are going to lock down Colts dot supercast dot com. So Ben in preparation of this first game, you went back and watched the infamous Los Angeles beatdown of last season, where the Colts offense was just lethal that entire game. You could see it from the get go in that one. But I think the moment that really like told me that Shane Stuykin was was all about beating the crap out of this team was that like third and long conversion to Alec Pierce down the left side line. Yeah, where they called it perfectly for the quarters call that they were getting. It was like 30 19 and they get like a 40 yard gain down the line. It was a deep flag down the left side line.

14:28Yeah, they played that corner perfectly. They were able to exploit the quarters coverage they expected. And that's when I knew like, okay, Shane Stuykin is certainly all over this. And it was against the team with the Los Angeles chargers that were a top 10 defense. One of the better defenses in football. We're good enough to get Jesse mentor this head coaching job with the Baltimore Ravens. So just give a quick overview, Ben, of like what went right for the Colts in that game and how did Shane Stuykin get the best of one of the best defensive play callers in football last year? Yeah, well, I think part of it was at the time that they played that game. It was there wasn't really a right answer for how to defend this offense. You had to start with stopping Jonathan Taylor. But if you did dedicated too many resources to that Alec Pierce, Daniel Jones showed that he would find Alec Pierce deep. And that presents its own set of challenges. So a chargers came out and they played a ton of quarters, which the weaknesses and a quarters coverage are covered for is the flats in a lot of it. You're going to have the space underneath that quarters, you know, that off corner that you can just attack over and over again.

15:33And that's what Shane Stuykin did. And most defensive coordinators, they're probably going to be fine if you say, hey, we play quarters and you attack the weakest part of the coverage. That's fine. It's just a paper cut or it's just like a little, you know, bruise. But they just did it over and over and over again. And there wasn't a lot to trap the flats. There wasn't anything to take that away. And Shane Stuykin just found a way to do that. And then when they weren't playing quarters coverage, it was clear that they still wanted to get the ball in the perimeter because they would use run actions and different ways to get Tyler Warren out into the flats. And you go look at those passing charts and I posted one of them from like next gen stats and like there is like very little throws in between the hatches. They wanted this defense stretched horizontally running, sideline to sideline. And they just did it over and over again. And part of the reason too is that Jesse Minter comes from the Michigan college stuff and some of the new trends of aligning your nickel. Who those don't know your nickel corner. A lot of times for most defenses is going to align to the passing strength.

16:34So the side where the most passing threats are. These college coaches have brought field and boundary. So we're the wide side of the field is where's the space. So we're going to align the nickel there whether there's nothing there or not. And Shane Stuykin's like, okay, you can align your nickel corner your best pass coverage to the field. We're just going to attack the boundary over and over and over again. And we've seen him do that with the Seahawks game. First Mike McDonald. We saw him do it first, obviously the chargers. And then even in 23 when they played the Ravens and that kind of defense, he's done that. So a lot of boundary passes to the flats. And that's where we saw a lot of what Shane Stuykin did. Yeah, so two things I want to throw at you that I recall from that game and you can correct me if I'm wrong. But there were a lot of isolation routes to the outside as well when, especially when there wasn't the quarters where like we're going to get under center. We're going to do this play action and we're going to have Alec on an off-benchman St. Jews versus whoever on the outside. And we're going to use that speed there. We're going to use that ability to win an isolation. And I remember like the big third down and you at the end of the game to clinch it.

17:36Was just pierced by himself against that corner on the outside. We run the little hook route and we trust him to win that. There was a big comeback route on the left side line as well where they trusted pierced to create that separation. So now without pierced being paid like a wide receiver one, I'm kind of expecting that we see a similar approach here going into week one. Yeah, totally. And I think we'll have to talk about more about what the kind of adjustments are going to be. Because I don't necessarily think it's going to be like just a replay from 20 to 25 necessarily. But I do think that we're going to see, you know, it's obviously different personnel as well. But I do think they're going to find a way to do something similar. If Jesse Menter and Anthony Weaver decide they want to align their nickel field and boundary and they get that on the opening drive, like there's just not enough film to know exactly what they're going to do. So it's going to be a lot of in-game adjustments. What are they doing after the first drive? I could see James I can coming out in a lot of different formations trying to get as much information on a defense that we don't know if they've adjusted here or not. So I definitely think that Alex Pierce is going to be a big part of that.

18:37We'll see in which ways and how often. But I do think that he will be a big part of that game. Right. And then one more thing I want to throw at you that I remember from that game is the way that the Colts match their run looks with their passing looks when they were under center. Like you mentioned, they were leaking warning to the flat a lot. But essentially when you look at how Menter used her when James last year, they use him as like this pseudo like linebacker safety hybrid. He's going to come and trigger downhill against the run. And because we're going to be in nickel so often with Menter, they needed Durwin James come down and fit really hard. So what the Colts did is every single play action pass has so much backfield motion from like, you know, we're selling this counter run by pulling two linemen or pulling alignment and a tight end in leaking war and backside. So you're getting like these hard fits from Durwin James. And they were putting him in absolute hell in that game along with the linebacker. The linebackers were, it was like they were miserable in that game. And I think that was one of the biggest keys. And then when you saw like later in the game when the Colts were just actually handing the football off,

19:41you were seeing linebackers running every which way because they didn't know if the Tyler Warren coming back across the formation to seal a backside block if he was going to peel into the flat. So then they're running away from the middle of the defense where John Fintailer was running untouched for 30 yard touchdowns. Yeah, that was great where they like over time like teams they kind of caught up to some of the movement passes because Shane Stuykin said, Daniel Jones has good likes. He can throw on the run really well. He's super accurate doing it. We've got a running back that can do it. We've got to tighten that people believe is a true blocker. Let's run a ton of movement passes. And that's kind of how they started out the year. And then you got to the Rams game in particular and I posted about this. The Rams will like hang back. So they wouldn't necessarily bite as hard on the run fake. And they wouldn't sprint to like they'd almost play it like a true zone. They weren't triggering down Hill. They were almost they knew the boot was going to come eventually. And the way to punish that is to run basically a throwback screen the other way. And that's what they did to John Fintailer. So these linebackers are basically like all over the place like you mentioned.

20:41And I think that that was a big part of it too. Like obviously John Fintailer goes for three touchdowns in that game. And they got dominated up front. But part of that is just the way that they've stretched the defense. Yeah, no for sure. It was a great game plan. And it was like, you know, the first time those two guys went against each other, you could obviously say Shane Stuykin won. That was just one of his best games that he's called. But the key now will be can he repeat that against the Baltimore Ravens? So in a second, we're going to talk about the different challenges the Ravens pose compared to what the Chargers posed last year. And how it might not be a one-to-one repeat because things rarely are in this chaotic sport that we love to cover. Support for today's episode comes from indeed sponsored jobs and workplace chaos hits. And you need the right hire indeed sponsored jobs helps connect employers and candidates who match specific needs like skills certifications and location. So less time gets spent searching and more time gets spent finding that right fit.

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23:47We talked about the temperature feel going into the season and we also talked about sheen's psych. It's master class against Jesse Menter last season and how maybe that could run into this first game. But I do think that there are a couple of aspects that are different about this matchup. Ben and I'm going to mention three people in particular. One is Trey Hendrickson. Trey Hendrickson is a very different beast than a hampered Khalil Mac was in that in that last game. And just kind of the rotation that the chargers had at edge in that game. And just a certified bucket getter at defensive end is a big time difference. I mean there's a reason why the colds pursued Trey Hendrickson this off season. The other one is Kyle Hamilton. Darwin James is fantastic. Kyle Hamilton might be the best in the league at what he does. So I think that's a big part of this. And then another one I find really interesting is Anthony Weaver and his mix into this equation. Because let's start with Weaver because I think you and I both really like Anthony Weaver. And I think the two times that the colds faced off against him.

24:47The first time was in 2023 2024 24 24. I believe. Yeah, 2024 Richardson was the starting quarterback. And I thought Weaver really got the best of psych in that game. It was a tougher game for the colds. They still won that game, but it was mostly because of the legs of Anthony Richardson than anything. And the dolphins quarterback injuries if you remember. Yeah, right. Exactly. This past season though in week one, I thought Stichen actually came out pretty well. And it's because you rolled out this new offense that I don't think Weaver was expecting. But I do think the colts, you know, they accounted for the blitzes really well. I think Weaver went to man coverage a lot on third down in that matchup. And the colts had answers with Josh Downs and a couple other of their bucket getters at wide receiver. So through two matchups, I think it's been a pretty good back and forth between these two. And I'm curious to see what Weaver brings to this equation of Shane Steichen versus Jesse Mentor. So he was definitely on one of the key figures on why things will change. I have two others.

25:49Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, I think as if you're trying to decide why this game might be a little bit different and why the game plans might be a little bit different. You know, I think we've kind of it's been a storyline obviously here in colts camp. How is Daniel Jones coming off the Achilles? How is Alec Pierce? You know, we always assume that he would, you know, at least people locally, you know, thought week one was always a possibility and the very likely outcome. That is great for the colts. Obviously that they're both going to be playing out there in week one. But if you're the Ravens and you're game planning for these two, you have to force these guys to prove you wrong. I think they are going to stack the box. They're going to make sure Jonathan Taylor does not become a factor in that game. And then they're going to make Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce who have not had any reps together this off season, beat them deep until they get forced into not stack the box anymore. So I think that's a big determining factor of like if Daniel Jones and Sykin likes to call a shot pretty early in the game and make sure the defense knows that Alec Pierce can still run by him. If they can connect on one

26:50of those, that might change the entire dynamic of the game because I think the Ravens are going into this thing. We have to take away Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren. And then if Pierce beats us make him because he has in practice pretty much all some. Yeah, that's an excellent shot because I could really see the Ravens coming out early in this game by stacking the box, making sure when the colts are under center and they want to do these like bootleg stuff and these things where they're leaking Warren that they're going to have the edges accounted for and make sure like okay if we see Warren coming across the formation, make sure that those backside ends or or you know those force defenders are staying home and staying on him and they're going to force those downfield throws to Pierce. So that is certainly a good shout there. I want to get your gauge though on do we think the Ravens come out and play some man in this game like like again with Weaver last year they played a ton of man. He kind of got burned but then when Minter tried to play zone last year against the Colts, he really got burned. So I think traditionally with this Colts team like especially last year too, it was you want to play more man coverage on them. The culture much better at killing you again

27:54zone because they'll just find those weak spots and Jones was so good free and post snap of like okay with my motion I know what's coming I know where the spots are going to be to attack where against man it's more so can my guys go beat a guy one on one and outside of Josh Downs, they haven't really had many guys who could do that. So how do you think the Ravens approach this? I'm kind of thinking they might play a little bit more man but we'll see I think come. I was kind of thinking something similar just because again like there I think you just have to be if you're the Ravens you have to be improvement like Alec Pierce you're not going to play man coverage or cover one down the field while Alec Pierce can just burn you deep on a go ball but like if you don't believe that Alec Pierce you have to make him prove it like and as they should. So I think you're going to see a little bit more man coverage. I think the other thing that Anthony Weaver did in that game is play more zero and I think that again with Daniel Jones as a kill he's it's great. I have not had a chance to view practice this off season I know you have but it's great to hear that he's moving well. If you're Anthony Weaver and you're Jesse Mentor I am playing zero I am

28:58blitzing you where you haven't dealt with pressure and particularly when you were injured last year pressure was suddenly started to revert back to normal you're coming off an injury now I could they are going to heat day on Jones up I have no doubt about that. Yeah and that would be the big question the quotes have to answer early this season is because from weeks one to eight John Fentaylor was past blocking the best of his career they were they were having these answers for the blitz that I had really never seen from Shane psychic like and I think Shane psych is a great offensive mind but even going back to his Philly days and some of his Chargers stuff too like he is always kind of struggled against zero in in the blitz but he was finally having these answers early last season where that's was part of like this big surge they had but then starting with the Pittsburgh game then the Atlanta game Kansas City was a big one too that these scenes start though in zero Adam and they really were testing John Fentaylor and testing Daniel Jones' ability to stay cool and collected in the pocket and it led to some issues and it led to the points for game coming down and the efficiency coming down so what version of the Colts offense do we get

30:01against the blitz because I mean remember 2023 with Gardner Menshue how Kyle Hamilton had like three blindside hits on Menshue where he wasn't even effect like the Ravens I know this is different staff and everything well I guess weavers back so not completely different but they like to bring pressure it's what the Ravens like to do and I'm kind of expecting a similar-ish game plan to like the dolphins a week one last year where they're gonna they're gonna test the Colts and be aggressive early on defense no doubt and I think that is the one thing that is kind of my mind of like you know I think they it's not that they didn't get after Jones when they played last year have entered in but I think that's good there going to turn it up a notch and basically say Dana Jones the big resurgence was part of the reason he was handling pressure like unblocked pressure in his face when he was being pressured he was answering in ways he never did with the giant that obviously reverted you know as he started to get injured and a little less confident on his feet I think the other thing the Colts are gonna have to be a run first team to start up the year like you didn't get like you didn't get it's not maddened you don't just load it up and you just

31:01play and I know that the Colts are gonna tell you how confident they are and all those things and I hope that that connection just picks up right where it left off I think if you're Shane Steichen though you have to realize hey we we need to get the we have the one of the best running backs in the NFL we got to get this running game going and I think the other thing is he's coming off such a high usage year I think Seth McGowan is just like an X factor for this team of like will they finally they haven't done it in the past will they kind of split some of the carries you know to manage Jonathan Taylor's workload as he gets a little bit into it now his third contract like is that something they're going to do but I think the run game they're gonna have to stay ahead of the schedule and not get them into pressure heavy downs where Daniel Jones could be dealing with some pretty exotic looks in spots where who knows how confident he is now that he's actually getting game reps off the Achilles. Yeah so we will see come Sunday I think it's gonna be a really good matchup I still feel pretty optimistic about what the Colts have on offense especially now they have a set I guess more of a separator in Kenan Allen versus Michael fitman junior not I don't

32:04want to say Allen's this great separator at this point is queer because he's not but we both made our opinions known about fitman junior last season and how the Colts could have upgraded there so I'm intrigued to see what they can do I'm expecting an aggressive Raven's team but I think this Colts team has all the ingredients to respond and and and put up some points on Sunday but great conversation with Ben Bourse again at Colts Film Room make sure you guys are checking him out and thank you guys for making Lockdown Culture first listen today and every day now in video we send you the first ever 24-7 YouTube channel on the NFL and audio check out Lockdown fans to football with fabs and Marcus for your second listen again that is Ben Bourse at Colts Film Room if you never missed an episode as well the everyday club is vote for you get us ad free plus members only discord access and much more head to lockdowncolds.supercast.com to join the club thank you all for tuning in we back here tomorrow afternoon with our first injury report of the season we'll have all eyes on AJ Halsey, Alec Pierce and anyone else who might be nicknamed Bruce so some fun stuff there we'll have that all covered on tomorrow's episode

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