1 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 3 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: by my trusted colleague West Hodkoitz. We're coming to you 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: Hear from our studios at Lambeufield to talk about the 5 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: Packers twenty seven to eighteen victory on Sunday over the 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeufield West. And we'll get into the 7 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: good and the not so good and everything from this win. 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 1: But I just want to start by saying this. When 9 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: you see that the Philadelphia Eagles have suddenly lost two 10 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: games in a row, the Buffalo Bills have suddenly lost 11 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: two games in a row, and the Detroit Lions went 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: on the road against a team that had been struggling, 13 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: although of course that is the Kansas City Chiefs, but 14 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: they lose by two touchdowns. You take your victories and 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: be happy with them and walk away and just get 16 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: back to work. That's where this Packers team is right now. 17 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: Just win baby. Al Davis had it right all those years. 18 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 2: I don't know, Mike, you are not huge on the 19 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 2: social media thing, and honestly that's probably smart on you. 20 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: Thank you. 21 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 2: But there were some pretty cool graphics out there. There 22 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 2: are four teams in the National Football League left with 23 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: one loss, and the Green Bay Packers happened to be 24 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: one of them. When you look at the totality of 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: a season, wherever this thing goes for Green Bay, I 26 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:20,639 Speaker 2: will always go back to that locker room, the visiting 27 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: locker room at AT and T Stadium, when Brandon McManus 28 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: was addressing the media and he said to all of us, 29 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 2: you know, we don't know a tie, if it'll be 30 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 2: a good thing or bad thing, how it'll all work 31 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 2: out in the end. But the fact is is if 32 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: the Packers leverage it properly, it can give them an 33 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: advantage in some of these tiebreakers. Look at the NFC 34 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 2: North right now. The Packers stand on top of it 35 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 2: at three to one and one. Where they take this thing. 36 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: We got a lot of games coming up, got two 37 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: back to back road games coming up. The Packers need 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: to get a win on the road here, preferably this week. 39 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: But if you don't take care of business at home, 40 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: it's going to be a really hard way to get 41 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: to the playoffs, get to a good seating. And the 42 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: green Bay Packers wasn't the prettiest football game you and 43 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 2: I have had watched, but they got the job done. 44 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: It was definitely a flawed victory. But I think the 45 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: discussion of this one, at least for me, it starts 46 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: with the performance by Josh Jacobs, because not only did 47 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: Josh Jacobs look like the twenty twenty four Josh Jacobs 48 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: in terms of being kind of the heartbeat of the 49 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: Packers offense in this game, he you know, he racks 50 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: up one hundred and fifty yards from scrimmage, gets nearly 51 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: a hundred of it rushing, gets the rest of it 52 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: receiving rushes for two touchdowns. But then we find out 53 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: after the game he's dealing with a little bit of 54 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: the stomach flew like he wasn't even feeling all that great, 55 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: and yet you would not have known that at all 56 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: by what we saw out on the field on Sunday, 57 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 1: and I it was nice to see after the struggles 58 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: the Packers have had running the ball early in the season, 59 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: we definitely saw the running games start to come to 60 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: life in the second half in Dallas, and it felt like, 61 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: as I said, this looked like Josh Jacobs as the 62 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: as the true catalyst of the Packers offense the way 63 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: he was last year, I think that bodes well moving forward. 64 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, Michael, And I'll be honest with you, I 65 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: don't feel that great today. I'm a little bit under 66 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 2: the weather. But all I could think about this morning. 67 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: I don't think I'm sick. You don't worry about that. 68 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 2: But I barely slept last night, and all I could 69 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: keep thinking about this morning was God, how the heck 70 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: did Josh Jacobs touch the ball twenty three times or whatever? 71 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: It was feeling the way he was feeling. And I 72 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 2: don't know if you caught the micd up. Fortunately we 73 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 2: were spared of any involuntary reactions that he might have 74 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: had but playing in that football game. But the fact 75 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 2: that he was able to laugh through a lot of 76 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 2: it and keep a positive disposition to the point that 77 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: Matt Lafuler wasn't even really aware of just how much 78 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 2: he was hurting in that game, I think obviously speaks 79 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: to the type of man that Josh Jacobs is and 80 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: also the type of football player he is. He wants 81 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: that ball in his hand and the Green Bay Packers. 82 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: You and I said it last week on Unscripted, We 83 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: said it on the forty eight other videos that you 84 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 2: and I do. The Packers to win games consistently need 85 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 2: Josh Jacobs to be the one kind of steering this thing. 86 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: Jordan Love played exceptionally well. Matt Lafleur called it one 87 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: of his best games as a Packer starting quarterback. But 88 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 2: I felt like the offense moved up a tick once 89 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: Josh Shacobs got going, and particularly in the second half. Yeah, 90 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: and when Green Bay needed a response, they turned to 91 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: their Pro Bowl running back and he produced in spades. 92 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 1: Yeah. The frustrating thing, the only frustrating thing really offensively 93 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: in this game for the Packers was that you went 94 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: into halftime with two hundred and forty total yards on 95 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: the board. You're on pace for, you know, approaching a 96 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: five hundred yard offensive day, but it's only ten to 97 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 1: nothing at the half because the Packers just left too 98 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: many points out there on the board in the first half. 99 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: One of the biggest reasons was kind of the one 100 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: bad play that Jordan Love had, which is I wrote 101 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: about in my Rapid Reaction piece that this one bad 102 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,239 Speaker 1: play that seems to happen each game is what Jordan 103 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: Love needs to get rid of. He knows that everybody 104 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 1: knows that. I think he's going to get there at 105 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: some point. But he, you know, tried to force a 106 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: ball on a third down scramble play with the Packers 107 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: in field goal range. Obviously, it's just throw it away, 108 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: kick the field goal, get on the board, three nothing, 109 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: get on with the game. It's the opening drive of 110 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: the game. You don't need to be a hero in 111 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: that moment. That being said, then he comes back at 112 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: the end of the game with the game on the line, 113 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: third and eight, the Bengals are within six points. You 114 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: can't give the ball back to Cincinnati at that point, 115 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: and he and Matthew Golden connect on a thirty one 116 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: yard absolutely clutch throw and catch and route adjustment by 117 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: Golden and all of that. So we're seeing we're seeing, 118 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: you know, the sublime along with the ridiculous in some 119 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: senses with Jordan Love and when. But what I mean 120 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 1: by that is the the there's so much good that 121 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: he's doing, and he's just so close to eliminating that 122 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: one play that is going to elevate him statistically and 123 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: elevate this Packers offense even further. And I think he's 124 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: he's just he's getting there. We just have to wait 125 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: for him to get there. 126 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 2: Absent of those three plays, the two interceptions in the 127 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 2: fumble in Dallas, if you take those away, and obviously 128 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 2: it's the old dumbk first thing, it changes everything. If 129 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 2: you take away the bad place, they all count, but 130 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 2: this guy's play. What it's taking away from right now 131 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 2: is the fact that Jordan loves playing like an MVP. Yeah, 132 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 2: that is the way he has performed. When you talk 133 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 2: about your one last look column last week with the 134 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 2: third down productivity with the offense. Right now, when you 135 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 2: talk about the way that he's closed out these games 136 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 2: when the defense has been relinquishing some yards, Jordan Love 137 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 2: has been the rock that this team has needed, and 138 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 2: it's just been that one bug on the windshield that's 139 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: sort of been getting interrupted to this thing. But again, 140 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: the thing that's so impressive about it, Mike, is that 141 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 2: whether it was Cleveland, Dallas or what happened against Sin 142 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: s Eddie, every single time he responded yeah, he didn't 143 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 2: sink into a shell. He didn't change the way he 144 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: played necessarily. He still kept the offense driving forward. And 145 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: the beautiful thing about it, when you actually look at it, 146 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 2: is Christian Watson isn't back yet. Jaden Reid is gone. 147 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 2: He's developed the chemistry now with Matthew Golden to make 148 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 2: him a go to target. We've seen a resurgence here 149 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: from Romeo Dobbs in being that I would almost call 150 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 2: him like the Amen Ross Saint Brown of this Packers offense, 151 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: where it's like when you need a play, when you 152 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 2: need a first down, or as we saw a couple 153 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 2: weeks ago, when you need a touchdown, this is the 154 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: guy that you turned to Tucker Kraft the twenty four 155 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: yard pass in the scene, Mike I wrote an insider Inbox, 156 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 2: I felt like that was one of Tucker's best plays 157 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 2: of the season because it showed the new dimension to 158 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: his game that we've been talking about this season. Yeah, 159 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: Jordan Love is utilizing all of his perimeter playmakers and 160 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:42,720 Speaker 2: that is the most exciting thing. But as you said, 161 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: you have to take away that big play because that's 162 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 2: ultimately what's taking points off the board in Cleveland, obviously 163 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 2: led to a big swing in Dallas and temporarily sidetracked 164 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: this offense against Cincinnati. 165 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, and as much as we're going to wait for 166 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: Jordan Love to get rid of that one bad play, 167 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: his best attribute and I included this in my rapid 168 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: reaction column as well, and you just alluded to it. 169 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: His best attribute is that he can flush it and 170 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: move on with the best of them. He does not 171 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: let a bad play, a bad moment bother him in 172 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: the slightest because if he did, there's no way The 173 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: Packers score on five consecutive drives in Dallas when they're 174 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: trailing and when they need points. In this particular game, 175 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half go touchdown, field goal, touchdown. 176 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: They pull within one score three consecutive times. But what 177 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,199 Speaker 1: do we talk about on this show, Wes when a 178 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: team is making a comeback, don't let them get the 179 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: ball back again only down one score. And Jordan Love 180 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: made sure that didn't happen, because every time the Bengals 181 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: got within one score, the Packers offense went down the 182 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 1: field and got points of their own and re established 183 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: a two score lead. And Joe Flacco and a Bengals 184 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: offense that was getting rolling never got the ball back 185 00:08:54,880 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: only down one score. The offense's ability to receive spawn 186 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: in big moments the last two games. And I would 187 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 1: even throw in the Cleveland game because they did get 188 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: in field goal range to win the game, and then 189 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 1: the kick was blocked. Of course, the offense's ability to 190 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: respond in crunch time is kind of becoming the identity 191 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: of this of this offense right now, and that's a 192 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: pretty good place to be because because there's a lot 193 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: that can go on in the first forty five to 194 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: fifty to fifty two minutes of a ballgame, you get 195 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: into the back half of the fourth quarter and you've 196 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: got to get something done. Right now, this Packers offense 197 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: is proving it can do that. Now, it's not going 198 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: to necessarily be able to do that every single game, 199 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: but you got to feel good about their crunch time 200 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: performance on that side of the ball right now. 201 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 2: You can't live in third and long, but you can 202 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: survive there, and that's one thing Green Bay's done in 203 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: this early part of the season. You hope at some 204 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 2: point you're going to be seeing more third and mediums, 205 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: You're going to be seeing more third and shorts, and 206 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 2: the Packers will be able to capitalize on that and 207 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 2: Jordan Lo will be able to do some of the 208 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 2: magic that we've seen so far. But not only for 209 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: Love to be coming up in those moments. But for 210 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: the offense to be in sync when they desperately need 211 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 2: to be, I think bodes well. We've almost been scared 212 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 2: to say the drop word, right, because that was something 213 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 2: that really plagued them last year. 214 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: No. 215 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 2: Packers' hands through the first six weeks, through the first 216 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 2: five games have been exceptional, some of the best in 217 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 2: the National Football League. Dantavian Wicks was dealing with kind 218 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 2: of an ankle injury, so he was out at the 219 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 2: end of this one a little bit. But the fact 220 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 2: that Wis has flushed what happened last year and forward, 221 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 2: the fact that Dobbs has kind of reassessed himself and 222 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 2: become a go to guy again. The Packers are doing 223 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 2: a lot of good things offensively, and it's allowed them 224 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 2: to kind of get through these early hiccups. But for 225 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: me to throw these stats at you really quickly, Michael, 226 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 2: I mean, you're looking right now at a Packers offense 227 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 2: that right now number one in the league and third 228 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: down offense fifty two point three percent. They are seventh 229 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 2: in fourth down offense, they are third in red zone offense, 230 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 2: and they are eighth in goal to go. It's a 231 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 2: ninth ranked offense there's a lot of room for growth, 232 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,199 Speaker 2: but in the key areas, in those situational moments where 233 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 2: you need to be at your best. Matt Lafloor Jordan Love. 234 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: These guys have made it work, and that gives me 235 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,439 Speaker 2: hope that if they can find that true identity, that 236 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 2: the identity I think they want to be, not just 237 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 2: a scrappy team, but an explosive team that's hidden behind 238 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:17,439 Speaker 2: all this. 239 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, and one other thing I want to touch on 240 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: on offense, and we will shift gears to the other 241 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: side of the ball. Rookie receiver Matthew Golden. We saw 242 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: him make a thirty five yard catch down field. I 243 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: already mentioned the thirty one yard catch on the clutch 244 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: third and eight late in the fourth quarter when the 245 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: Packers absolutely had to have it. We also saw early 246 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: in the game he was getting the ball in his 247 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: hands and I guess a little bit more creative ways 248 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: that ended up counting as rushing attempts. Statistically, everybody's asking, 249 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: you know, okay, so you know how much more are 250 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: they going to get Matthew Golden the ball and everything? 251 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: And I'm not trying to I'm not trying to dump 252 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: on everybody's like fantasy football hopes and whatever here. But folks, 253 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: it's like, as soon as you know, as soon as 254 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: Matthew Golden gets his first hundred yard game or whatever, 255 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: which is coming at some point, then the next question 256 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: is gonna be, well, how come Tucker Craft only got 257 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: two targets? I mean, understand what this offense is about. 258 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: If Matthew Golden is putting up eighty some yards on 259 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: the five touches and whatever, that you know that he 260 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: gets enjoy it. This is a young guy who's barely 261 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: starting his career and he's on an offense that has 262 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: Romeo Dobbs and has Tucker Craft and has Josh Jacobs. 263 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: I mean, you don't get to run one hundred plays 264 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: in an NFL game. You get to run about sixty 265 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: sixty five, you know. I mean, so anyway, I'm enjoying 266 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: watching Matthew Golden come into his own and I still, 267 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: even as we are here in the middle of October, 268 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: there is so much more out there for Matthew Golden 269 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,559 Speaker 1: that I think we're you know, we're going to see 270 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: an even better and more polished player when we get 271 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: to the middle of December and this regular season hits 272 00:12:59,520 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 1: the stretch. 273 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 2: I was in the scrum after the game with Golden 274 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 2: and when that question started getting asked about he doesn't 275 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 2: have a touchdown yet, And to be honest with you, 276 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 2: and you don't play fantasy football at all, I barely play. 277 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 2: At this point, it didn't even equate in my mind 278 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 2: that he hadn't had a receiving touch yet. 279 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 1: I hadn't even thought about it. 280 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: He just won the Packers the football game. You don't 281 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 2: know what happens there, if that's an incomplete pass, if 282 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 2: he drops it, if Love doesn't make that play that 283 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: Cincinnati was in position to answer. And you've been in 284 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,319 Speaker 2: the same spot you were in Dallas where both teams 285 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:32,599 Speaker 2: are kind of in the shootout, and especially with the 286 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 2: way that Flacco was playing, the way he was getting 287 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 2: the ball out, the way things were trending for the defense, 288 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 2: they needed a response there. Matthew gold did it. And 289 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to tell you, if this kid can stay healthy, 290 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 2: he's gonna have a lot of touchdowns, he's gonna have 291 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:44,839 Speaker 2: a lot of catches, and they're gonna find a lot 292 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 2: of ways to utilize him. And when you use a 293 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 2: guy or when you draft a guy in the first round. 294 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: That's exactly what you're hoping to add to your team. 295 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I just I would just ask people to 296 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: not get so fixated on statistics. And I understand we're 297 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: in a fantasy football era. Don't get so hung up 298 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: on statistics and just enjoy what you're watching out there. 299 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: This is an impressive, impressive young player who's only going 300 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: to continue to get better. We do need to talk 301 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: about the defensive side of the ball, though, because it 302 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 1: is disconcerting that for the second game in a row 303 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: with a bye week in between, that things started to 304 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 1: snowball the wrong way on the Packers defense and the 305 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: unit couldn't seem to right the ship. In the Dallas game, 306 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: it was at the end of the first half when 307 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 1: the Cowboys put together that ninety five yard drive, and 308 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: then in the second half the Cowboys couldn't be stopped 309 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: until the overtime when they got the stop inside the 310 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: five yard line. In this game, the Packers absolutely dominated 311 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half, Joe Flacco taking 312 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: over at quarterback just a few days before when he 313 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: comes in Cincinnati via the trade, and at halftime, the 314 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: Bengals have sixty five yards in four first downs. You 315 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: can't dominate an NFL offense much better than that. But 316 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: the Bengals came out in the second half. They put 317 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: they got the second half kickoff, put together a monster drive, 318 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: seventeen plays, ten minutes and fourteen seconds off the clock, 319 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: and as I talked about before, because the score was 320 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: only ten to nothing because the Packers had left some 321 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: points on the board in the first half, the Bengals 322 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: get that touchdown and suddenly it's a ten to seven game. 323 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: The Packers offense answered the bell every time they had to, 324 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: but the Packers' defense didn't show the resiliency that you 325 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: need to show, and that this defense is certainly capable 326 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: of showing, because suddenly, you know, Flacco got hot, Jamar 327 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: Chase got hot, and the Packers didn't seem to have 328 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: an answer for it. And quite frankly, you listen to 329 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: Matt Lafleur's press conference on Monday, they're searching for the 330 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: answers as to what it is that has that has 331 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: allowed for these second half struggles to to be such 332 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: a concern. 333 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: A couple things first and foremost, I thought this game, 334 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 2: in particular was the moment where Green Bay desperately needed 335 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 2: to take away. I understand you can't force them. I mean, 336 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: to a certain extent you can. But you can't force 337 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: Joe Flacco to throw in an interception. YadA, YadA, YadA, 338 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 2: and Flacco played the same exact game he played against 339 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: them in Cleveland, except his weapons. In this game, he 340 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 2: traded in a better run game in Cleveland for a 341 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 2: much better passing offense. No doubt for Cincinnati, and Jamar 342 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 2: Chase is outer worldly. No disrespect to t Higgins, He's 343 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 2: a fine receiver. Jamar Chase is him. This guy I 344 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 2: wrote an insider Inbox. You throw the ball in his 345 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: area code, He's going to go find it. And he 346 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 2: has that rare intangibility. And this is what I also 347 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: said about Matthew Golden. You could see it on the 348 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 2: thirty five yard catch he had. When the ball is 349 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 2: thrown to him, it doesn't feel like a fifty to 350 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 2: fifty ball. It doesn't matter if the defender is there. 351 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 2: It feels like he's going to catch it. He did 352 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 2: it on the nineteen yarder the touchdown. He also did 353 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 2: it earlier in the game as well. 354 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: And he does it he does a guy like Chase 355 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: and we're seeing a little bit of it from Golden 356 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: That thirty five yard or down the sideline was a 357 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: good example. They do it in a way that just 358 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: looks casual when it's a tough play to make, but 359 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: they make it look easy. They make it look casual. 360 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: They sort of it's sort of like lulling your defender 361 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: to sleep in a way that they don't really know 362 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: the ball is there, and then suddenly, boom, the receivers 363 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 1: got his hands on it, and you're like, wow, what 364 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: a play. And Javar Chase made that play at the 365 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: pylon on the fourth and five from the nineteen yard line. 366 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: That was the one that had all of us in 367 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: the stadium, in the press box everywhere, we were just like, 368 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: holy cow, like what a play. Yeah, silence, But by 369 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,879 Speaker 1: the same token, that's the type of play. That's the 370 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: play that the Packers have to break up. That's the 371 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: play you gotta make. It's just like the George Pickens 372 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: ball down the left sideline late in the first half 373 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: in Dallas, where the Packers look like they have two 374 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 1: guys that are in pretty darn good position to make 375 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: the play, but neither one of them makes it. The 376 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: receiver makes the play and all of a sudden, you know, 377 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: and it's like, those are the plays that are the 378 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: difference between X number of points on the board versus 379 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: a different number of points on the board at the 380 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 1: end of the day, and all this discussion about what's 381 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 1: wrong with the defense. 382 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 2: Bizarrely, and I'm gonna just flat out call it bizarrely, 383 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: the Bengals did not have a play of over twenty 384 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 2: yards in this game. Yeah, the Packers had six, and 385 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: all four of the longest plays that Cincinnati mustard all 386 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 2: came in the fourth quarter. For me, I think the 387 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: alarming part about it was and this is and I 388 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 2: think this goes back to the self scouting and figure 389 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: out what Green Bay needs to do is Jeff Hafley's 390 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 2: defense is very proficient at not giving up the explosive play. 391 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 2: It's why they're ranked right now fourth in the NFL 392 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 2: in total defense. Yep, and right now because of this 393 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 2: game and the way that Cincinnati approaches their rushing offense, 394 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 2: the Packers now have the best run defense in the 395 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 2: NFL seventy three yards allowed per game. But it's almost 396 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 2: like not that you want to give up an explosive play, 397 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 2: but it's just it's almost like the dinking and dunking 398 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 2: element is almost I don't know how you interrupted, and 399 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 2: I'm and it's what Matt Lefloor and Jeff Haffley are 400 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 2: trying to figure out. Because Mike had Parson said it 401 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 2: on Thursday, they knew exactly what Joe Flako was going 402 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: to give them. It was gonna be checkdowns over the middle, 403 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:10,679 Speaker 2: and it was gonna be out roads and that's pretty 404 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 2: much what he did. And as Lafleur said, I think 405 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 2: it was somewhere around two point five and under. Every 406 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 2: time the ball was out, he played on time and 407 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 2: a forty year old quarterback that is very confident in 408 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 2: the type of player he is at his age. It 409 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 2: won It's gonna keep Cincinnati in a lot of games 410 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: this year, and maybe it's enough to get Joe Burrow 411 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 2: back and still be an earshot of the playoffs. But 412 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 2: it's also something Greenbay has to look at because it 413 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 2: happened with Dak and it happened with Flacco. And I assume, well, 414 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 2: we'll see if Kyler Murray's up, but you have to 415 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 2: think in two weeks Aaron Rodgers is gonna be taken 416 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 2: notice of that as well. 417 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's it's this cat and mouse game that 418 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: that opposing offenses are winning right now against against the 419 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: Packers and Jeff Hafley's defense, because they're getting they're they're 420 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: doing the quick game, the quick passes, getting the ball 421 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: out so the as rush can't get there. The answer 422 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: to that, the answer to that is not necessarily to 423 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: try to blitz, because if the ball is coming out 424 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: so quickly, you know, then you're just compromising the coverage. 425 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 1: Right the times that the Packers have blitzed, I mean 426 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: you could see I want to say I saw it 427 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: two times for sure, and maybe three. You could see 428 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 1: it was an automatic it was an automatic read by 429 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: Joe Flacco that when the Packers did blitz, it was 430 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 1: the backside slant. Yep, Like that's just that's where that's 431 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: where the ball, that's where the ball was going. So 432 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 1: but with all with all of this stuff, the quick game, 433 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: the backside slant against the blitz, these are these are 434 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: the things that the Packers are seeing. Now, Okay, this 435 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 1: is how teams are counteracting the things that we're going 436 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: to do. So now, Jeff Hafley and Matt Lafleur, they've 437 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: got to come up with Green Bay's counters, and when 438 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: you can, when you cannot give up the explosive play, 439 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: your defense is always going to be in good shape. 440 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: And I do think we're talking about a completely different 441 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: defensive performance. Really, if Jamar Chase doesn't make the incredible 442 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: catch on fourth and five at the pylon to give 443 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: them the extra eight points, if Cincinnati's walking out a 444 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: Lambeoufield with only ten points on the board because that 445 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: fourth down play gets broken up, or that fourth down 446 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: kind of a desperation throw quite frankly by Joe Flacco, 447 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: if that play doesn't work, the Bengals are leaving Lambeoufield 448 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 1: with ten points, and we're talking about a pretty good 449 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: day from the Packers defense. Again, So there's a lot 450 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: that's troublesome, But yet it's not like there's this huge gap, 451 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 1: I guess, is what I'm trying to say, between the 452 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: Packers being the defense they want to be and getting 453 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 1: those results. 454 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 2: We need to move the show along because we ran 455 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: into some issues at the beginning and we have a 456 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 2: construction schedule to get to. But it's probably the first 457 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: time I've ever done this. When we come back on Thursday, 458 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: I want to open up discuss this a little further, 459 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 2: because I have some thoughts on in a couple of 460 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 2: reasons that I had my Keys to victory last week 461 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 2: that I'm curious to play out defensively for green Bay 462 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 2: now going into this game against Arizona. But we'll get 463 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 2: to that because one we got sponsorship business, but we 464 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 2: also got to talk about lukecas Halfsik. But defensively, I 465 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 2: think there's a lot of layers to that onion that 466 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 2: are worth unpacking. 467 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, well, we do need to pay some 468 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: bills around here, so let's turn it over right now 469 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: to a word from our sponsors. Serious XM NFL Radio 470 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL 471 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: news that true football fanatics need. Twenty four to seven, 472 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,880 Speaker 1: three sixty five. 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Hey Packers fans, 480 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: we always knew Lambeofield was a but now it's official. 481 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: Learn more about all the Wonders of Wisconsin at travel 482 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: Wisconsin dot com slash Wonders. Welcome back to Packers unscripted. 483 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: You brought up his name, Wes Kicker. Lucas Haversix signed 484 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: on Saturday as an emergency option in case Brandon McManus 485 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: can't go on Sunday, and I guess I'll say it 486 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,360 Speaker 1: this way. It sort of felt like Brandon McManus could 487 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: have gone on Sunday, but because it was only the 488 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: fifth game of the season and the Packers have already 489 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 1: had their bye week, they chose the high side of 490 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: caution here. With so many games left to go that 491 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: they don't want this quad injury of McManus's to become 492 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: like this season long thing to have to deal with. 493 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 1: They want to get on top of this, They want 494 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: to get rid of it. So Haversek got the call 495 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 1: and the young man came through. 496 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,639 Speaker 2: He did, I'm just to mention too, Brandon McManus. I 497 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 2: actually watched him a little bit during his warm up 498 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 2: down on the field and Lafleur had said too, he 499 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 2: was kicked, and well McMahon said, yeah, I mean he 500 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 2: was drilling fifty yarders, but there was still an element 501 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 2: of pain in the follow through and that's kind of 502 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 2: what the Packers wanted to shield against. So again, we'll 503 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,360 Speaker 2: see what the weak calls for Brandon, because obviously he's 504 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:11,879 Speaker 2: a big part of this team. They extended him for 505 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 2: a reason. You want to have him healthy. But for 506 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,679 Speaker 2: Lucas haversek in this wild, wild specialist world, we hear 507 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 2: the stories all the time. Whether it's kickers, punters, long snappers, 508 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 2: these guys have to do very bizarre things at times 509 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 2: to try keeping their careers afloat or try to find 510 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 2: an opportunity. As haversc said afterwards, there's only thirty two 511 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 2: of these jobs in the NFL, so he had a 512 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 2: shot at it back in twenty three. His second NFL 513 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: game was actually at Lambeau Field with the Los Angeles Rams, 514 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 2: But since then he's bounced around a lot. Last year 515 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 2: he kicked for the Arlington Renegades in the UFL. He's 516 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: trying to find a way to keep this thing going, 517 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 2: he said. He's picked up some substitute teaching jobs. Somebody 518 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 2: in our Insider Inbox columns said they actually worked with 519 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:49,879 Speaker 2: them at. 520 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: A school down in Arizona, Arizona. 521 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 2: He was an undrafted rookie. He went to Arizona University 522 00:24:55,359 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 2: of Arizona and graduated in twenty twenty two. Ye now 523 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 2: he's been living in Cleveland and he's been doing the circuit. 524 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 2: He said he thought about getting a substitute teaching job again, 525 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: but he had it work out two weeks ago in 526 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 2: New York. He had a workout last Tuesday in Indianapolis, 527 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 2: and then the Packers called and he came in here 528 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 2: works out. I believe it was on a Thursday. The 529 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 2: Packers signed him on a Saturday, and next thing you know, 530 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 2: he's having to make five huge kicks in a game 531 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 2: in which the Packers really needed those field goals for 532 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,719 Speaker 2: him to distill that all down and show that Moxie 533 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 2: I thought spoke volumes about him. And it also is 534 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 2: another lesson and just how that rolodex is so important 535 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 2: and the Packers, regardless if you're on the team or not, 536 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 2: it's particularly at the specialist position. You always got to 537 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 2: keep your vision out there to figure out if there's 538 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 2: a guy that you might need to turn to in 539 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 2: those instances. 540 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and he came through, with the biggest kick of 541 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: the game being the one just after the two minute warning. 542 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 1: The Packers are up by six. They fail on the 543 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: third and two, and so they send out Haversick for 544 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 1: a thirty nine yard or two again re establish the 545 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: two score lead and in effect put the game away 546 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 1: with less than two minutes to go, not give the 547 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: Bengals the ball back with just the six point cushion 548 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: and uh and and he drilled it. And it made 549 00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: him five for five on the day with the two 550 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: field goals the three extra points. Pretty uh, pretty darn 551 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: good showing. And by the entire field goal operation for 552 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 1: the issues that that the unit has had a good 553 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: showing there all. 554 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 2: In the game. Ball here in the game. 555 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 1: Ball for yeah, good and and well deserved. Good for him, 556 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: all right, Wes, We're gonna be talking about this a 557 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: lot as the season goes along, so I don't want 558 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 1: to belabor it right now. But three, one on one, 559 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: four and two, three and two, three and two. Those 560 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: are your four records. In the NFC North, every single 561 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: team is above five hundred. Here in the middle of October. 562 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: So as I like to say, buckle up, folks, like 563 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: this is this is just getting started. Here we go. 564 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: This division, this division is not backing down from anybody. 565 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: And uh yeah, uh, here we go. 566 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 2: There's nothing I hate more than watching base when you're 567 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,680 Speaker 2: in the Brewers case for down one to nothing. I 568 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,040 Speaker 2: don't mean to rub any salt in the wound here, okay, 569 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: but I'm just telling you, like honestly, what my viewing 570 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 2: habits were on Monday night. So I don't need to 571 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 2: watch the Brewers try to chase one run late in 572 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 2: the innings. It ended up being very exciting at the end. 573 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: It was a very exciting ending. Unfortunately went the wrong way. 574 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 2: But yes, but for that reason, I switched my channel 575 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,160 Speaker 2: over to ABC. I watched the end of the Chicago 576 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 2: Washing game. I didn't need to be agitated. I'm a 577 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 2: quitter by natural mindset. And I'm going to tell you 578 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 2: this Packer fans, I don't know because of the burg 579 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 2: game going on, I don't know how many people watch 580 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 2: Chicago Bears game. One very scrappy performance by the Bears, 581 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,199 Speaker 2: but two, if you ever again needed another reminder of 582 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 2: how difficult it is to win a game in the 583 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 2: National Football League see the Washington Commanders, because they found 584 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 2: a way to lose that game. And to the Bear's 585 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 2: credit and to Jake Moody's credit, who is their practice 586 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,479 Speaker 2: squad kicker, He's already been released from the forty nine 587 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 2: ers because of just being too erratic. He came through 588 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: clutch and and Ben Johnson credit to him. I thought 589 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 2: they had some really smart blocking schemes. I thought the 590 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 2: offensive line for the Bears played exceptionally well. Caleb Williams 591 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,360 Speaker 2: was very smart with how he handled that final sequence 592 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 2: to put them in scoring position, and the Bears clawed out. 593 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 2: But for the Washington Commanders to fall to three and 594 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 2: three that way, it again shows you for a team 595 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 2: that's that talented and has Super Bowl aspirations this season 596 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: with how it's built. 597 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, and they got their quarterback back this game after 598 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: he had missed some time. 599 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, and yeah, that's how it goes. 600 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, And right now, the top team record wise 601 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: in the NFC is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at five 602 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: and one. They chalked up another win over a previously 603 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 1: previous one loss team in the San Francisco forty nine Ers, 604 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 1: who've been playing with their backup quarterback. The Niners are 605 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: now four and two, So I think I saw if 606 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: I counted it correctly, and you've got your screen and 607 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: you've got your thing called up there, I believe it's 608 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 1: now twelve. Twelve of the sixteen teams in the NFC 609 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: are above five hundred right now. 610 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 2: That's correct? Would you like to well five hundred or better? 611 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 1: Sorry? Yeah, five hundred. So only four teams in the 612 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 1: NFC are below five hundred right now, and with this 613 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 1: much time left to go and only seven playoff spots available, 614 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: it is going to be an absolute dogfight the rest. 615 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,239 Speaker 2: Of the way. And I mean there was a lot 616 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 2: of extracurriculars that happened with the Kansas City Detroit game. Unfortunately, 617 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 2: what that did with Brian Branch who's now been suspended 618 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 2: for one game because of what happened with Juju Smith 619 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: Schuster afterwards, it took away from the spotlight that that 620 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 2: was an excellent win for the Kansas City Chiefs in 621 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 2: a gritty performance by them. Gritty's been my word of 622 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 2: the day, I guess. But Chiefs are team that's had 623 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 2: to claw themselves back into this thing, and they've done 624 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 2: it steadily. And I think you can see the life 625 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 2: sort of reviving around them right now, particularly in the 626 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 2: belief in Patrick Mahomes and what he could do with 627 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 2: the squad this year. A really strong performance from them, 628 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 2: a strong answer, and I felt like that was a 629 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 2: statement game because Detroit was riding high four straight wins 630 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 2: after the loss here in Green Bay, which I'm sure 631 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 2: there's a lot of stuff that they thought about that 632 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 2: you're on the road. They played the Packers tough, some 633 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 2: things didn't go their way, and then the Kansas City 634 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 2: came out here and showed that, you know, there's still 635 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 2: a team to be trifled with. 636 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the other one I'll throw out there too, 637 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: because this one, I'll be honest to cut me by surprise, 638 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: because I thought the Jacksonville Jaguars, coming off of that 639 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: Monday night victory over Kansas City, that okay, here come 640 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: the Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence, and nope, they run into this. 641 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: They they're hosting the Seattle Seahawks about as long a flight, yeah, 642 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: you know, continentale, not internationally, but as long a flight 643 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: continentally as anybody has to make. Seattle flying all the 644 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: way to Jacksonville, I guess Miami would be further. But 645 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 1: the Seattle Seahawks and Sam Darnold Man, they bounced back 646 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: from a tough loss against Tampa Bay the previous week 647 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: when they lose right at the wire, and they go 648 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: into Jacksonville and post to win, and Seattle's right there 649 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: now with everybody at four and two. 650 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 2: Big time performance by the Seahawks, Big time performance by 651 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,800 Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Huge performance by the Atlanta Falcons, 652 00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 2: who have a really sneaky good defense that gave Buffalo 653 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 2: all kinds of fits. We talk so much about the North, 654 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 2: and the North is going to be a It's going 655 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 2: to be a meat grinder this year, yep. But the 656 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 2: NFC in general is very talented this year and it 657 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 2: is going to be a complete race for those three 658 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 2: wildcard spots, so any win matters. Packers are three to 659 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 2: one and one, one of the four left with one win, 660 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 2: and as we'll preview on Packers Unscripted on Thursday, trying 661 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 2: to pick up another against one of the four teams 662 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 2: that are actually below five hundred in the NFC, the 663 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 2: Arizona Cardinals. 664 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: That's right, and with that we will call it a 665 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: rap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to 666 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: follow all of our coverage of the team on packers 667 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 1: dot com. For Wes, I'm Mike. Thank you for tuning in. 668 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 2: Everybody. 669 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: We will see an next time.