WEBVTT - #486 Packers Unscripted: Win No. 10 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:14.440 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:17.880 I am Mike Spofford, sitting next to my partner in crime, 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:20.560 was Hodpots. Are coming to you here from our studios 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:23.560 at lambeau Field and West. The Packers are fresh off 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:28.680 a fifteen victory Sunday at lambeau Field over the Washington Redskins. 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:32.200 A lot of implications with this one. Green Bay gets 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:35.920 to ten wins, ten and three, now remaining one game 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:38.360 ahead of the Minnesota Vikings in the race for the 0:00:38.440 --> 0:00:41.159 NFC North, the Vikings knocking off the Detroit Lions to 0:00:41.200 --> 0:00:44.720 get to nine and four. The Packers also getting a 0:00:44.760 --> 0:00:47.159 little bit of help that they needed, primarily from the 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:50.600 San Francisco forty nine ers, who win a shootout in 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:55.240 the super domin New Orleans forty six. The implications there 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:58.120 being while San Francisco is now in the top spot 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:01.720 in the NFC at eleven and two, New Orleans is 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:06.040 ten and three, tied with the Packers, the Packers actually 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:10.160 have one fewer conference loss than New Orleans, so if 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:13.040 Green Bay can win its final three games, it will 0:01:13.080 --> 0:01:17.040 get a first round by regardless of what happens in 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:20.080 the NFC West. But here's the thing. There are a 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:23.000 lot of questions right now because of how the Packers 0:01:23.080 --> 0:01:27.319 beat Washington, if they are really capable of running the 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:31.200 table against the three NFC North opponents coming up, because 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:35.720 there was a lot of dissatisfaction. I guess maybe is 0:01:35.720 --> 0:01:38.920 the word with the victory over Washington. How did you 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.840 see it? Okay? So, first and foremost, it was a 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:45.080 difficult game to analyze because the Packers played that The 0:01:45.160 --> 0:01:48.000 first quarter was picture perfect, exactly what you wanted to 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:51.240 see from them. Defensively, they forced three straight three and 0:01:51.280 --> 0:01:53.520 ounce to start the game, three and ounce one after another. 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:55.640 They didn't get a first down until they actually, I 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:57.720 think it was a penalty that converted it for them 0:01:58.040 --> 0:02:01.160 in the second quarterback jumping off side, and then you 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:03.000 know that would be until then they had just been 0:02:03.360 --> 0:02:07.640 you know, offensively, we're not able to accomplish anything offensively 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.560 for Green Bay. They get good field position after Tyler 0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:14.400 Irvin's first punt return, defense keeping Washington back, and they 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:16.680 score points right away. They end up scoring two touchdowns 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:19.239 the fifth time this season they've scored fourteen points in 0:02:19.280 --> 0:02:23.000 the opening quarter. Looks great, and then they just fall 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:26.280 into this lull. The one phase that kind of stood 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:28.320 up the entire time I thought was special teams. Yeah, 0:02:28.360 --> 0:02:30.280 it's one of the probably the better outing special teams 0:02:30.320 --> 0:02:32.760 has had. J K. Scott was not quite where he 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.400 was at the week before, but Mason Crosby made two 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:38.400 important field goals. Tyler Irvin has four returns for fifty 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:41.920 one yards and no penalties for Seawan Menega's unit a 0:02:42.000 --> 0:02:45.960 sterling job for sixty minutes offense and defensively, though there 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:48.720 were lulls. Defensively, I thought for the most part they 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:50.960 kept him off the board. They gave up some garbage 0:02:50.960 --> 0:02:54.200 points late, but Darius Guys started to get going. He 0:02:54.280 --> 0:02:56.359 had a big explosive play. They were able to dictate 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:58.160 tempo a little bit more with the running game, which 0:02:58.200 --> 0:03:01.480 we were anticipating Washington was going to religiously do. Yeah, 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:04.080 we knew Washington even at fourteen to nothing, just like 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:06.760 the previous week in Carolina, Washington was not going to 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:09.480 abandon the run. They were going to continue to pound 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:11.720 the run. Packers caught a little bit of a break 0:03:11.720 --> 0:03:13.720 with Darius Guys going out with an injury, so then 0:03:13.760 --> 0:03:17.519 it all fell really on Adrian Peterson. But but yes, 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:19.960 Washington came into lambo to run the ball just as 0:03:19.960 --> 0:03:24.000 we anticipated. So it's tough. The tough part of this 0:03:24.080 --> 0:03:26.800 for me to break down is the offensive performance because 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:30.200 you know I said this going into this thing, Washington's 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:32.600 defense is not an embarrassment by any means. They're a 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:36.120 good defense. Those weren't just hollow words. They have playmakers there. 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:39.600 Unfortunately for them, Ryan Krarigan gets injured again after he 0:03:39.640 --> 0:03:41.600 comes back and he leaves with a calf injury. They 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:46.000 their two cornerbacks were banged up, but they were able 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:49.000 to get Green Bay out of its offensive rhythm and 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:51.280 with the exception of Aaron Jones, who goes off for 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:55.480 a d total yards, they really were unable to recapture that. 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:57.720 So that's the question they're gonna face now all week 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:00.920 long going against is Chicago Bears d fence that's always 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:03.080 been good and is now going to look to be 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:05.040 back at the peak of their powers in this matchup 0:04:05.040 --> 0:04:08.720 on Sunday. But all those things aside, it was the 0:04:08.760 --> 0:04:11.080 tenth win of the season. The Packers did exactly what 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:12.560 you and I said they need to do. They need 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:15.480 to beat a statistically poor Giants team, and they need 0:04:15.520 --> 0:04:18.240 to beat a three and nine Washington team. They did that. 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:20.200 You can't ask for much more. You could have beaten 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:23.320 them forty nine to nothing, you only still get one victory. 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:27.000 So in a very tight and highly contest at NFC 0:04:27.120 --> 0:04:30.000 right now, with seven teams really duking it out, I mean, 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.039 obviously somebody has to get in from the NFC East. 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:34.640 This is this is a scenario that you're in. You 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:36.680 need to win the ball games, and the Packers accomplished 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:39.080 that goal on Sunday. Yeah. I think the frustrating thing 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:41.240 on the offensive side of the ball for the Packers 0:04:41.360 --> 0:04:45.000 is the opportunities they had, the field position they had, 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:48.839 There were so many chances to score more points and 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:52.560 to get yourself some separation here from Washington. I thought 0:04:52.560 --> 0:04:55.280 the key sequence, quite frankly west was at the end 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:58.599 of the first half, because the Packers had they'd blown 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:01.839 a couple of opportunities when they had crossed midfield but 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:04.720 then stalled out weren't able to get into field goal range. 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:07.000 Late in the first half, about a minute left and 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:09.440 a half, the Packers are inside the thirty yard line, 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:12.719 they have first down at the Washington twenty seven. You 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:15.680 have a fourteen to six lead. At that point, you're 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:18.039 looking at and the Packers are getting the ball coming 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:20.360 out of halftime, so you're looking at your feeling like, 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:23.040 at a minimum, the Packers are going to double up 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:24.880 here and get either a field goal in a field 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:26.719 goal or a touchdown on a field goal, or maybe 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:30.240 two touchdowns. You're looking at anywhere from six to ten 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:34.400 to fourteen points potentially before Washington gets the ball back 0:05:34.520 --> 0:05:39.400 in the third quarter. But Aaron Rodgers gets hit with 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.880 a strip sack loses the ball, Washington recovers, and then 0:05:42.960 --> 0:05:45.599 coming out of halftime, the Packers do put a drive together, 0:05:45.640 --> 0:05:47.720 but they stall out and kick a field goal, so 0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:50.840 instead of getting six or ten or fourteen, you get 0:05:50.880 --> 0:05:54.440 three out of those two possessions. Washington gets the ball 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:57.719 back only down seventeen to six. When they respond in 0:05:57.800 --> 0:05:59.920 the third quarter at one point with a field goal, 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:02.520 it's seventeen to nine, and you're still in a one 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:05.520 score game going into the fourth quarter. When you had 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:09.960 these opportunities to to stretch things out, it was it 0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:13.599 was a maddening frustrating game to watch offensively because of 0:06:13.640 --> 0:06:16.760 the position the Packers were in and the opportunities they 0:06:16.760 --> 0:06:22.000 were presented with. Personally, I guess it's one of those things. 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.440 I just look at it as you know, the NFL, 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:26.440 this is a week to week thing. If the Packers 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:30.440 would run up forty five points on Washington, yeah everybody 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:33.919 would be feeling better about themselves. But if they do 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:36.880 that against Washington, that still doesn't that doesn't say anything 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:38.919 about what you're going to do in January. I just 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:41.279 don't believe that. I just believe every game in the 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:46.040 NFL is its own single entity. And yes, the Packers 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:50.640 didn't do everything they should have offensively to win this 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:54.000 game against Washington, but they did enough because then they 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:56.440 were able to put together a long seven and a 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.440 half minute, fourteen play drive in the fourth quarter that 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:02.240 finally tacked on some some more points and got that 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.680 two score lead restored. Yeah. I mean, well, first and 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:07.320 foremost this, there's thirty two teams in the league. There's 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:10.200 sixteen games right now a week, and very few times 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.000 are you're just going to have the team that's supposed 0:07:12.000 --> 0:07:14.960 to win just completely dominate. You look at New England 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:16.920 right now, they have a lot of questions after losing 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:20.680 to Kansas City. Seattle lays an absolute egg in l 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:23.840 A and you know New Orleans ends up being outstruck 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:27.320 out shot by San Francisco. So that's why the Packers 0:07:27.320 --> 0:07:29.080 are the number two seed right now if the playoffs 0:07:29.080 --> 0:07:31.840 started today, and it's because they won their game and 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:34.160 those other teams didn't. And and and that's kind of an 0:07:34.160 --> 0:07:35.960 easy answer to that, but it's the truth. I mean, 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:37.880 you have to win what's in front of you. That's 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:39.960 why the green Bery Packers are in an interesting spot 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:42.360 here with three games to go all against the division. 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:44.440 Now that being said, the one thing that I did 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:46.240 take away from this game was something that you and 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:48.640 I have been talking about for weeks now, and that's 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:52.000 that it isn't always just one particular player in this game, 0:07:52.000 --> 0:07:54.160 the Packers after the first quarter had a difficult time 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:57.280 getting its pass game going. So then Aaron Jones re emerges. 0:07:57.520 --> 0:08:00.320 Aaron Jones re emerges as a pass catcher. His five 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:03.160 yard catch down the sideline ended up keying that four 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:05.280 team play drive. That was the play of the game. 0:08:05.320 --> 0:08:08.240 I thought, you're you're you're facing third and fourteen from 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:11.120 your own seven yard line with about eight minutes left 0:08:11.120 --> 0:08:14.320 in the fourth quarter. It's a one score game and 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:19.160 the uh seventeen to nine at that point. If you 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:22.120 don't convert. There you're looking at J K. Scott punning 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:25.360 the ball off the goal line and Washington being down 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:27.920 just eight points getting the ball back with plenty of time. Yeah. 0:08:27.960 --> 0:08:31.800 And in this maturation of Aaron Jones is a pass catcher. 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:33.520 You've seen it throughout the season. And even though he 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:35.480 hadn't been a firm part of that game plan for 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:37.120 a month now, or at least hadn't been able to 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:39.520 get the ball in that capacity in a month, Aaron 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:41.160 Rodgers had the confidence to go to him in a 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:43.280 critical situation and even rewarded him for it. It It was 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:45.760 a picture perfect pass. But he needs to catch it, 0:08:45.800 --> 0:08:47.520 he needs to fall backwards, he needs to not drop 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:49.000 it him, he needs to make sure he doesn't double 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:52.280 clutch it. And he did that. And the one thing, 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:55.240 and I tweeted this during the game. There's been highs 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:57.120 and there have been lows this year for the Green 0:08:57.120 --> 0:08:59.840 Bay Packers offense. The one thing that has been con 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:02.160 instant and has been a constant since the beginning, and 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:04.520 they are doing as well as I've ever seen during 0:09:04.559 --> 0:09:07.559 my eight years covering this thing. Their foreman an offense 0:09:07.760 --> 0:09:11.199 is really effective when they know when defense is no Okay, 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:13.120 they're gonna need to run the ball here. The Packers 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:15.400 can do it. They weren't even always able to do 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:17.640 that with Eddie Lacey when he was there running back, 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:19.520 but they can accomplish it, and they can do it 0:09:19.520 --> 0:09:22.520 with both Aaron Jones and Jemal Williams. In this particular game, 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.880 it was Aaron Jones time and he he came through 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:27.480 in spades. I mean, this is a guy now that 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:31.360 has reset every major statistical single season record in his 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:34.360 career and there's still three games to go. Yeah, um, 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:38.000 well quickly here Wes select Cousin Subs locations are now 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.240 offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:43.960 They're delivering right to you when your order online at 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:48.760 Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs. We believe in better. Yes, 0:09:48.800 --> 0:09:51.320 as you mentioned, Aaron Jones ended up with a hundred 0:09:51.400 --> 0:09:54.000 nine yards from scrimmage, a hundred and thirty four on 0:09:54.040 --> 0:09:59.040 the ground, fifty eight through the air. Defensively, though, I 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:02.160 wanted to revisit one thing also with regards to this 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:05.600 game for the Packers, it was it was interesting because 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:09.719 because there were a couple of moments when the defense 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:14.680 got some key stops right around midfield when it looked 0:10:14.720 --> 0:10:18.000 like Washington was potentially pushing into scoring range. They got 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:20.240 Adrian Amos gets an interception right at the end of 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.040 the first half. There's an early fourth quarter drive or 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.800 Washington's right at midfield and the defense rises up and 0:10:26.840 --> 0:10:30.439 gets the stop. The funny thing is until the final 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:34.920 drive of the game, Um that made this went the score. Sorry, 0:10:35.000 --> 0:10:39.200 the score went from twenty to fifteen. Prior to that, 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:42.319 The only touchdown drive the Packers gave up was when 0:10:42.320 --> 0:10:44.760 they were put in the best possible field position. They 0:10:44.760 --> 0:10:47.240 had them backed up on the five yard line. The 0:10:47.600 --> 0:10:51.360 Washington comes running out with with Peterson and Guice pounding away. 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:53.480 They hit one big pass down the field once they 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:57.480 got across midfield. They end up scoring that but scoring 0:10:57.480 --> 0:11:01.640 on that one. But defensive the Packers gave up one 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:05.360 drive of significance, that being that yard touched on drive. 0:11:05.480 --> 0:11:09.439 One drive of significance in the first seven possessions for Washington. 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.480 Considering everything we've been talking about what the Packers defense 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:16.000 and the explosive plays it's given up and and all 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:19.600 of that, this was this. This was a pretty solid 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:23.600 defensive effort. I thought Um and yes, at the end 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:25.840 of the game. You don't like giving up a touchdown there, 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:28.040 but you know, the Packers were in sort of that 0:11:28.200 --> 0:11:30.160 keep everything in front of you, tackle them, make the 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:32.720 clock run, all that kind of stuff. I thought the 0:11:32.720 --> 0:11:36.480 Packers defensively played a really, really solid game, and frankly, 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.439 if the offense had taken advantage of more of the situations, 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.080 we would have been talking about this being a very 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:45.000 complete victory from Packers. Yeah, they largely did what they 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:46.880 were supposed to do in Tremont Williams. Some of the 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:49.360 guys lamented afterwards the fact that Washington was able to 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:52.319 march down they add some more points, actually add some 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:53.560 more you know, they did add more points, but they 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:55.440 added some more yards to otherwise would have looked like 0:11:55.440 --> 0:11:59.400 a very dominant defensive day. Yeah, and certainly that past 0:11:59.480 --> 0:12:02.640 that Dwayne Askins made to Terry mclauren, I mean, that 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:05.640 is a picture perfect there's no way better in terms 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.079 of a throw and a catch. Tremendous catch, going to 0:12:08.120 --> 0:12:10.640 make a lot of highlight reels. Tremendous catch by mclauren 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:12.600 there at the end of the game. The thing that 0:12:12.600 --> 0:12:15.760 that stinks from a football purist perspective, it would have 0:12:15.760 --> 0:12:18.160 been nice if Darius Guys is still out there, because 0:12:18.160 --> 0:12:20.680 I just he's such an exciting young player, and I 0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:22.440 thought you started to see what he brings in this 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.679 offense because one of the reasons why as good as 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:28.440 Adrian Peterson still is at thirty four, you know what 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:30.560 you're getting when he's in there. I mean, it's just 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:33.040 going to be north and south running, just smashing the mouth, 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:34.760 and they're hoping to get enough yards on first and 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:37.080 second down to create third and manageables and to be 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:39.959 able to keep the ball moving. When Geiss was out there, though, 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:42.960 there just wasn't that home run threat. And for the Packers, 0:12:43.040 --> 0:12:45.480 to their credit, I thought there was some really good 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:49.360 alterations and adjustments that Mike Petton made going into this game. 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:51.720 One of them was the big base package where they 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:55.079 brought in Rashaan Gary. He was actually a third outside 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:58.440 linebacker along with the three defensive linemen. They played with 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:01.400 only one true cornerback. That was to match their six 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:05.640 offensive line personnel from Washington and guys tackle. The guys 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:07.680 stayed in the trenches. Kenny Clark had his best game, 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:11.360 uh statistically speaking, since Week two with the one and 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:13.720 a half sacks. Adrian Amos I thought played a whale 0:13:13.760 --> 0:13:17.520 of a ball game in interception a sack, Blake Martinez 0:13:17.559 --> 0:13:21.600 was a few penalties and a few reverses away from 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:25.040 having like two sacks and a forced fumble, but it 0:13:25.080 --> 0:13:28.719 didn't quite go his way. I thought, Yeah, overall, defensively, 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:31.160 it was a solid performance. It just from that first quarter. 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:32.520 I mean, it looked like this could have been a 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:35.560 historic performance. They just you know, Washington eventually did start 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:37.520 to move the ball a little bit. Yeah, and uh, 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:40.920 it felt like for the most part, the Packers stayed 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:43.320 in control of this game. As I said, the offense 0:13:43.360 --> 0:13:46.800 not taking advantage of the opportunities that would have given 0:13:46.840 --> 0:13:49.400 the Packers more breathing room. But getting back to what 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:54.840 you had said off the top, the special teams finding 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:57.280 a punt return game, I tell you what I know. 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.240 There was all this stuff, you know, minus eight punt 0:14:00.280 --> 0:14:02.640 return yards for the season through the first twelve games 0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:05.080 and all that. It was an ugly season statistic for 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:08.439 the Packers, and Tyler Irvin wiped it out in one 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:11.320 game four returns fifty one yards. He was a big 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:15.199 reason that the Packers were starting a lot of drives 0:14:15.240 --> 0:14:18.760 at midfield. Um. You know, even if they're in between 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:20.960 say the thirty five and forty, that's still pretty good 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:23.520 field position. But at midfield you get a ten twelve 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:28.360 yard return um that's even better. And what I thought, 0:14:29.920 --> 0:14:32.720 we talked about how the blocking needed to improve, and 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:35.640 it definitely did improve, because I know on at least one, 0:14:35.680 --> 0:14:38.840 if not two of those returns, the Packers were just 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:43.000 single blocking the gunners on the outside for Washington, and 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:46.200 we've seen in the past where even double teaming the gunners, 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:47.920 the Packers weren't able to get the job done, and 0:14:48.000 --> 0:14:51.480 every punt was being fair caught. Even with the single blocking. 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.160 The space was there for Irvin to get up field 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:57.480 right away, then try to make the first guy miss 0:14:57.560 --> 0:15:00.840 after the first few yards, and for him to put 0:15:00.880 --> 0:15:03.760 up fifty one punt return yards in four attempts a 0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:07.880 huge change in how the Packers return game looks here 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:10.240 now heading heading through December. I mean, if the Packers 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:12.720 actually can get their punt return game on a little 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:15.320 bit of a you know streak here and get some 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.240 momentum built up, they're gonna need to send a nice, 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:20.480 you know, fruit broquet to trust Way for being willing 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:22.000 to punt him in the middle of the field, because 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:25.440 I thought that was critical to ye. Bill Hubert from 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:27.720 s I may even brought up a great point all 0:15:27.720 --> 0:15:29.520 week and I didn't realize. I mean, this really goes 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:32.120 to his scouting at this game. I mean, trust Way 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:33.600 punts to the middle of the field. He doesn't do 0:15:33.600 --> 0:15:37.000 any directional punting, and I think he s he swings away. 0:15:37.000 --> 0:15:39.440 He leads the league in gross punting average. It's all 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:41.480 it's all about booming him and kicking him as far 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.120 as you can. And Irvin was able to get some 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:46.280 returns off. Yeah, and it's funny too because he's still 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:48.000 up there in net yards too. It's just that if 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.120 he gives up eight or nine yards, it's punted so 0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:53.000 far that it doesn't really throw that off. So that 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:54.760 being said, this was a game where I thought a 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:57.880 couple of times Way out punted his coverage, and especially 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.680 when they had only the single blockers, and you look 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:02.560 at it, Irvin was able to make plays. I mean 0:16:03.720 --> 0:16:05.080 the other thing that just stands out to me, and 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:06.560 it's no one's really going to talk about it because 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:09.000 they don't need to, but punt return is a really 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:11.920 difficult job and it's not glamorous. I mean, there's a 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.920 reason why. You see the fact that the guys that 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:18.240 are really good at this league get rewarded financially with 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:20.240 accolades all that stuff, because it's just it's not an 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:23.080 easy gig. The thing I like the most from Irvin 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:24.920 it didn't have anything to do with the fifty one yards. 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:27.120 It's just that he catches the ball really clean. He 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:29.200 said he could still do it better, but I mean, 0:16:29.240 --> 0:16:31.920 it's just catching a ball cleanly on a punt return 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:34.160 is so critical because you have to be able to 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:36.360 hit that first step right away. And you see that 0:16:36.400 --> 0:16:38.600 with Irvin. So you understand why the Packers took a 0:16:38.640 --> 0:16:40.960 liking to this guy. Now he needs to keep it going. 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:42.800 It was just one game, but the fact that both 0:16:42.840 --> 0:16:45.640 of the Packers touchdowns came off of returns from Irvin 0:16:45.760 --> 0:16:50.120 afterwards or beforehand, that they went and scored, uh, that's 0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:52.680 that's a real testament to him, and he shows you, Michael, 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:55.120 why it's so important to manage the field position in 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:58.920 these games, especially late in these seasons, when a lot 0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:01.280 of it as much as made of points and yardage 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:04.720 and production and takeaways, it's those hidden yards on the 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:07.520 actual field position that sometimes can turn a game one 0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:10.800 way or another, especially when it gets close in the postseason. Well, 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.040 I think what I like the most about Irvin is 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.200 that his first step every time he caught the punt 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:19.359 was forward. So he was he was just he was 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:22.440 he was taking what was there immediately, and you could 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:24.600 see as he caught the ball there was all he had, 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:26.399 all the confidence in the world and how he was 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:29.359 catching and securing the ball. He's just getting up field 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:31.720 immediately and getting what is there. And yeah, a ten 0:17:31.840 --> 0:17:34.600 yard punt return, and you know, and we're you know, 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:37.159 we're obviously talking it up because the Packers just hadn't 0:17:37.400 --> 0:17:40.439 done anything like that all season long. But when you 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:43.600 do it three or four times in a game, yeah, 0:17:43.640 --> 0:17:45.760 that adds up to some of those hidden yards. And 0:17:45.800 --> 0:17:48.359 just the fact that he's taking what was there, not 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:51.440 trying to, you know, dodge three or four guys at 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:53.320 the spot of the punt and then try to make 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:56.360 something happen. Well, by then everybody else is down there 0:17:56.400 --> 0:17:59.879 and you're pretty much a dead duck. So um, I 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:02.520 just like the way he approached it. He got the 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:04.800 yards that was there. He helped out the Packers field 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:07.119 position game, and and I think this is going to 0:18:07.200 --> 0:18:09.280 be an important player here for the Packers down and 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:11.639 the Packers blocked to clean too. There were no there 0:18:11.640 --> 0:18:13.399 were no blocks in the back, there was no holding 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:16.280 off the line of scrimmage. They just I think they 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:18.719 haven't been rewarded with the big returns yet. But I 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:21.320 thought over the last month, you've seen them cut down 0:18:21.320 --> 0:18:23.640 on the mistakes and the mental errors and the things 0:18:23.680 --> 0:18:25.760 that really hurt you because you saw it happen to 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:28.360 Washington in this game. The Washington had some kickoff returns 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:30.639 brought back some yards because they just you know, they 0:18:30.680 --> 0:18:32.919 had those penalties that just kind of really, you know, 0:18:32.920 --> 0:18:34.520 shoot you in the foot. So if they can get 0:18:34.600 --> 0:18:36.200 Irvan going here, and we didn't get to see him 0:18:36.200 --> 0:18:38.200 on kickoff returns because they all got they all were 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:42.800 touchbacks well into the end zone. But Mason Crosby and J. K. 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:44.800 Scott have had their moments this here at Crosby has 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:46.359 been playing at a Pro Bowl level, but it's just 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:48.280 the return unit has been the one that has just 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:50.920 been lacking. If you can bring that up here down 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:53.480 the stretch that is, I think that's really something that 0:18:53.560 --> 0:18:56.119 can give you some energy and something boost you know, 0:18:56.280 --> 0:18:58.600 on some of these offensive possessions. Yeah. Well, we will 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:01.840 continue to review this game on tomorrow's show, but for 0:19:01.920 --> 0:19:03.800 now we do have to go. That's a wrap on 0:19:03.840 --> 0:19:06.159 this edition of Packers Unscript. Would be sure to follow 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:09.240 all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com, 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:12.520 subscribed to us, like us on iTunes and other podcast services, 0:19:12.560 --> 0:19:16.000 and be sure to check out the Packers YouTube channel 0:19:16.200 --> 0:19:18.840 for Wes I'm Mike. Thanks for tuning in everybody. We'll 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:19.560 see you next time.