WEBVTT - #622 Packers Unscripted: Six straight 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:11.240 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:11.240 --> 0:00:14.600 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:17.079 by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz. We're coming to you 0:00:17.160 --> 0:00:20.599 here from our studios at lambeau Field West. We have 0:00:20.600 --> 0:00:24.040 a lot to cover on this show, including some news 0:00:24.040 --> 0:00:28.319 with regard to the COVID nineteen list and UH and 0:00:28.480 --> 0:00:30.640 the green Bay Packers, and we will get to that 0:00:31.200 --> 0:00:33.199 later in the show. I want to start though, with 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:37.440 talking about the Packers victory over the Washington Football Team 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:41.040 on Sunday at lambeau Field ten. The final score, green 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:44.960 Bay wins its sixth straight, now six and one on 0:00:45.080 --> 0:00:47.520 the season, with a two and a half game lead 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:50.440 in the NFC North following a Bear's loss and the 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:55.160 Vikings being on thereby. Um yeah, after week one. This 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:57.240 is exactly what we thought, right, we'd be sitting here 0:00:57.240 --> 0:01:00.480 talking about the Packers being six and one. Funny too, 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:03.320 I know everyone's drawn up those stats about how hey, 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:05.240 it's the first time ever a team has won six 0:01:05.240 --> 0:01:08.240 straight games after a thirty five point loss one the 0:01:08.280 --> 0:01:10.080 week after it was the first team to win five 0:01:10.120 --> 0:01:11.920 straight games after So we have to see how far 0:01:12.600 --> 0:01:14.800 they could take this thing. You know, it was funny. 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:17.720 I was driving on my typical route after I leave 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:21.160 lambeau Field, You're going down Lombardi Avenue, pretty much dead 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:23.120 to the world by the time you leave the stadium, 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:27.120 And I was sitting there thinking to myself, like, you know, 0:01:28.360 --> 0:01:31.200 we witnessed some darn things over the years. You know, 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.120 some some interesting games, some of them of which have 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:37.400 happened during this winning streak. But I don't know if 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:42.360 there's anything more apropos than Green Bay having a setback 0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:44.680 like they did in Week one and then finding a 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.160 way to write the shift and continually getting better throughout 0:01:48.200 --> 0:01:50.720 the course of their six game winning streak, despite the 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:54.280 fact they keep taking hits to their defense, especially but 0:01:54.360 --> 0:01:56.920 as we found out today, um, you know, their offense 0:01:56.960 --> 0:02:01.440 potentially going into Thursday. But the fact of the matter is, Mike, finally, 0:02:01.480 --> 0:02:04.480 the green Bay Packers defense played the way situationally, they 0:02:04.520 --> 0:02:06.240 needed to play. They were gonna have to do it 0:02:06.280 --> 0:02:08.640 at some point. You can limit teams, you can limit 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:10.840 their opportunities, you can limit the explosive plays, but when 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:13.160 you get down to the brass tacks and the red zone, 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:14.720 you have to be able to get stops and the 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:17.399 Packers got four of them consecutively to win this game. Yeah, 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:19.680 you know how I I always like to say this 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:23.480 is a week to week, right, I mean, yes, there 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.400 are certain things that are indicators and and things that 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:29.040 you follow, and the numbers of the numbers, you can't 0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:34.400 argue with the facts. But there's no maybe no better 0:02:34.440 --> 0:02:39.640 example within a given team than going fifteen consecutive defensive 0:02:39.639 --> 0:02:43.079 possessions in the red zone, allowing touchdowns and then suddenly 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:46.120 getting four consecutive stops, two of them inside the five 0:02:46.200 --> 0:02:48.640 yard line, one of them with an interception in the 0:02:48.760 --> 0:02:51.400 end zone, and then forcing a field goal at the 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:53.760 end of the game when the Packers were up by 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:57.000 three scores in Washington, was just trying to get within 0:02:57.120 --> 0:03:01.480 two scores at that point. Hats off, Hats off to 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:04.520 this Packers defense because, as you said, the injuries that 0:03:04.560 --> 0:03:08.880 they've dealt with, Preston Smith, his career long consecutive game 0:03:08.960 --> 0:03:11.880 streak came to an end, Kevin King still not back, 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:14.280 and we all know of course about Zadarius Smith and 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:18.960 Jayar Alexander currently being on injured reserve and uh and 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:22.960 the Packers defense came to play. Um they yes, they 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:25.280 gave up a bunch of yards Washington was able to 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:27.480 move the ball. I will say this though, the four 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:29.560 hundred and thirty yards that a lot of people are 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:33.560 focusing on, just remember sixty five of those Roughly we're 0:03:33.560 --> 0:03:36.000 in the last two minutes of the game when the 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:39.680 Packers were up by fourteen and essentially letting Washington run 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:41.960 out the clock, which is what they did. So it 0:03:42.040 --> 0:03:44.920 really was a defensive performance of less than four hundred 0:03:45.040 --> 0:03:49.960 yards on top of the four the four red zone stops. 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:52.080 And this is what the Packers defense needed to do. 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:56.840 They've been they've been building this foundation of where this 0:03:56.960 --> 0:03:59.680 defense is headed week by week right west, and and 0:03:59.720 --> 0:04:03.680 they just they laid down another pretty significant building block 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:05.880 in this victory over Washington. I'm glad you use the 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.040 term block, because I mean you take a piece by 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:10.600 piece here right the way the Packers played collectively as 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:13.800 a unit. You don't have Preston Smith a hundred and 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:17.080 two consecutive games, played a hundred and seven if you 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:22.360 count in his five postseason appearances. Most NFL players would 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:26.080 give an arm or a leg to play a hundred 0:04:26.120 --> 0:04:29.480 and two games in the NFL. NFL let alone doing 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:33.320 that consecutively. Preston Smith has been an absolute iron man. 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:36.480 You don't have him, though, so what has to happen? 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:39.679 He's not available, so Darius is dealing with his back 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:42.640 injury on injured reserve. It was time for the third 0:04:42.680 --> 0:04:45.200 Smith brother to step up for Shawn. Gary was a 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.599 first round pick, the twelve pick and the two thousand 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:50.360 and nineteen NFL Draft. The moment was gonna come where 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:52.320 the Packers were gonna need to lean on that young man, 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:54.760 and he came through in Spains. I mean I saw 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:57.679 the Stafford Pro Football Focus ten pressures he was credited 0:04:57.680 --> 0:05:02.280 for by that stat agency. He had four quarterback hits objectively, 0:05:02.600 --> 0:05:05.000 and then also with the two sacks in that game, 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:07.080 one of which was really a momentum turner there at 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:09.400 the beginning of the second half. Green Bay gets that 0:05:09.480 --> 0:05:12.000 scoring drive, you get the fourteen to seven lead at halftime, 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:15.760 but we always talked about doubling up right that possession 0:05:16.240 --> 0:05:18.719 by Arizona. They go out there, it looks like they're 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:20.880 gonna have a chance to answer what the Packers did, 0:05:21.200 --> 0:05:24.080 and Rashan Gary gets the ball back to Green Bay. 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:28.279 They score another touchdown. Suddenly it's seven game. There's a 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:32.200 lot of guys. You can talk about Russell Douglas, Kenny Clark, Kingsley, Kiki, 0:05:32.279 --> 0:05:34.680 the way he finished this game, Dean Lowry. The list 0:05:34.720 --> 0:05:38.080 goes on and on. An incredible, you know, end zone 0:05:38.320 --> 0:05:41.760 interception from Channon Sullivan and Adrian Amos coming up with 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:45.320 a big you know, turnover on downs play, but Rashan 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:48.719 Gary stepping up and being a dominant player. The Packers 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:51.040 needed it, and I thought he really took a massive 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:53.559 step forward in this one. Yeah. Absolutely, And I'm glad 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:56.240 you mentioned the double up thing because we talked about 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:58.560 that with the strategy and and you know, with the 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:01.520 coin toss and that, and this is the second game 0:06:01.520 --> 0:06:04.880 in a row where the Packers lost the coin toss. 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:08.120 The opponent deferred in order to have the opportunity to 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.599 double up, and in very different ways. The Packers completely 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:15.640 thwarted the strategy last week against Chicago, it was the 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:18.160 defense getting a stop at the end of the first half, 0:06:18.200 --> 0:06:20.279 getting a stop at the start of the second half 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:24.279 to maintain the small lead that the Packers had. This time, 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:27.080 as you mentioned, the Packers get the ball three minutes 0:06:27.160 --> 0:06:29.960 left in the first half, drain the clock and get 0:06:30.000 --> 0:06:33.200 a touchdown on a beautiful back shoulder from the slot. 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:36.920 Uh throw, Aaron Rodgers to Al Lazard. You don't see 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:39.800 back shoulders from the slot very often, and Rogers and 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:42.840 Lazard pulled that off. So that's the touchdown that puts 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:46.080 the Packers in the lead. Washington has no time left 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:48.240 in the first half to answer, and then on the 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:51.400 second play of the opening possession of the second half, 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:55.240 Rashawn Gary just berries Taylor Heinrich in the pocket, the 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:58.400 ball comes out, Dean Lowry grabs it, actually gets it 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:00.719 on the fly before he even where the ball even 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:03.360 goes to the ground. And then a couple of plays later, 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:05.760 Aaron Rodgers to Bobby Tony and the Packers are in 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.360 the end zone. Again. It's a two touchdown game, and 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:12.080 for the second week in a row, the opponent's opportunity 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.600 to double up ends up being a stretch of the 0:07:15.640 --> 0:07:19.480 game where the Packers take control and establish who's got 0:07:19.520 --> 0:07:23.200 command of the football game. And you know, Green Bay, 0:07:23.240 --> 0:07:25.679 you talk about defense, you know, being able to set 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:27.520 the tone in a game, and I felt like that's 0:07:27.520 --> 0:07:29.760 what they did specifically in the second half. I mean, 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:32.600 as Alan Lazard said after the game, this wasn't the 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:36.120 picture perfect performance. I'm sure Green Bay's offense wanted against 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:39.080 you know, Washington. There was too much pressure on Aaron Rodgers. 0:07:39.120 --> 0:07:41.760 They weren't able to establish the run. There are a 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:43.560 lot of things that kind of worked against him, but 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:46.920 the defense was the one that kind of gave them 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:50.320 the jolt and obviously gave them an incredible opportunity to 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:52.160 put points on the board that ended up leading to 0:07:52.160 --> 0:07:55.559 the tongue in touchdown. But I just thought you saw 0:07:55.600 --> 0:07:58.440 those two phases play off each other really well. The 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:01.240 fact of the matter is, to Mike, total yardage that 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:03.480 is sort of an antiquated, archaic way to sort of 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:06.240 judge defenses. I think everyone pretty much agrees with that 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:08.640 now because you look at a game like this. Yes, 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:11.000 there were four and thirty total yards. Some of that 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:14.320 again came on that last drive, but it was what 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:17.560 green Bay did over four against the opposition, the red zone, 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:21.320 over two in goal, the ghost situations. Certainly, I know 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:24.320 some people brought up an insider inbox. Well, you know, 0:08:24.360 --> 0:08:26.800 the the Heineke play was sort of a fluke. But 0:08:26.920 --> 0:08:30.160 see that's the thing, Mike, that is the NFL. Everything 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:32.679 is not going to be perfect. Things like that happens 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:35.880 in this league every single week and multiple times in 0:08:35.960 --> 0:08:38.559 any given game. It's a matter of it's a matter 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:41.680 of whatever happens, how do you respond to it? Who 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:45.520 rises up in a big situation? The quarterback sneak on 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:48.040 the one yard line. That's not what you expected to 0:08:48.080 --> 0:08:51.319 happen because everybody thought Taylor Heineke had scored a touchdown. Well, 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:53.920 somebody had to make a play on fourth and goal 0:08:53.960 --> 0:08:55.959 from the one. The Packers were the team that made it. Yeah, 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:57.920 and Devonga. Campbell made a lot of plays in this 0:08:57.960 --> 0:09:01.640 game and thirteen tackles, two force fumbles, including one he 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:05.040 was credited for on the Heineke sneak, which then ultimately 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:08.160 ended up being stopped after heine corral the ball. Gary 0:09:08.240 --> 0:09:11.640 made the stop there. Two turnovers on downs inside the 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:14.800 five yard line for Green Bay. Again, a defense that's 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:18.160 missing Jerry Alexander, you know, Kevin King unable to play, 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:20.520 you know, Press the Smith. The list goes on and on. 0:09:20.600 --> 0:09:23.280 To get contributions from Campbell the way they have and 0:09:23.360 --> 0:09:25.960 some of these young guys, especially on this defensive line, 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:27.920 to Mike the one position where the Packers have been 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:31.280 healthy that has enabled this group to be a top 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:33.760 ten defense here at the beginning half of the season 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.720 in real realistically. As Aaron Rodgers said afterwards, there he 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:41.040 feels like the offense is close. And this idea that 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:43.840 the Packers are six and one without maybe playing their 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:46.439 best football yet and definitely not having the best version 0:09:46.480 --> 0:09:49.560 of themselves on the field, that bodes well for them 0:09:49.600 --> 0:09:51.679 down the stretch, even though they're going to be facing 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:55.960 an incredibly difficult November stretch. And I want to touch 0:09:56.000 --> 0:09:58.160 on one other thing with regard to the offense too, 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:01.679 because you mentioned it. The y in defensive front completely 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:05.160 took away the run was dominating the line of scrimmage. 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:07.200 Early in the game, the Packers couldn't run the ball 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:09.800 and Aaron Rodgers was sacked three times in about the 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:12.719 first quarter and a half of play. But then that 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.160 drive at the end of the second quarter, the past 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:18.439 protection settled down. The Packers still never really found a 0:10:18.520 --> 0:10:22.160 running game throughout the entirety of this ball game, but 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:25.000 the past protection settled down late in the second quarter, 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:27.880 and then that held through the second half to where 0:10:28.000 --> 0:10:31.360 even though the Packers couldn't run the ball the one 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:34.319 drive there there after the one turnover on downs, they're 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:36.040 backed up on their own four yard line, but they 0:10:36.080 --> 0:10:37.600 were able to come out of there and drive down 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:39.640 and get a field goal to make it a three 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:43.280 score game. And and the past protection settling in against 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:46.520 a really, really tough Washington front, I thought was what 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:50.160 solidified at least the offense being able to do just 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:53.680 enough to maintain the lead and and finish this game. 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:56.200 Aaron Rodgers had such a great line last Wednesday, Mike, 0:10:56.200 --> 0:10:58.480 where you talked about, you know, statistics, they are kind 0:10:58.520 --> 0:11:01.520 of whatever you make them. They and sort of provide 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:04.679 evidence to whatever you want your argument to be. I 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:09.280 thought that the kind of doggedness that people have sort 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:12.480 of had towards Washington's defense, or the trepidation that you know, 0:11:12.520 --> 0:11:14.360 people talking about how they haven't really lived up to 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:16.360 the hype, I'll selly well, Mike, I don't care what 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:18.880 their total defense ranking is. If you just looked at 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:22.360 that what that unit on Sunday, that's an impressive unit. 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:24.800 I mean, Chase Young and Monte sweat team has advertised 0:11:24.880 --> 0:11:27.800 Jonathan Allen had a big game. They can pressure with 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.360 four and get to the quarterback. Yeah, they don't have 0:11:30.440 --> 0:11:32.600 they don't have to blitz and I said it an 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:36.560 Insider inbox in Monday morning's column. That looked like and 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:38.719 I was wondering all week long last week, and we're 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:41.400 right when I said, something doesn't compute here with regard 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:43.679 to the talent on this Washington defense and where they 0:11:43.679 --> 0:11:47.040 were ranked, Well, that looked like the Washington defense that 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.520 won the NFC East last year and put that team 0:11:49.520 --> 0:11:52.160 in the playoffs. Yes, I know Washington is now two 0:11:52.240 --> 0:11:55.200 and five. This could be a turning point, uh for 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:58.000 that team because because the defense was starting to look 0:11:58.040 --> 0:12:00.760 more like the version that was re be really good. 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:02.960 And let's never act like the NFC East is just 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:05.880 all solidified. Yes, Dallas is off to a fine start 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:09.520 for she still a lot of football. We played Washington. 0:12:09.720 --> 0:12:11.440 One of the reasons they made the playoffs last year 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:13.840 is because they made a big run. Just to make 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:17.680 one last comment on that, Taylor Hanekey Heineck, Mike, I 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:19.480 said it to you last week. I think we might 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:21.400 even said on the show, the kid is a gamer, 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:24.640 and I thought he proved that again. Now I understand 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:28.000 he doesn't have the NFL first round pick. Arm I 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.839 know he doesn't have the stature, but the kid is tough, 0:12:32.320 --> 0:12:34.719 he's willing to run, and he's not afraid to make 0:12:34.720 --> 0:12:38.440 a big play, and I just feel like, maybe he's 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:40.280 not the guy you go into the season going, Okay, 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:42.719 well this is our starting franchise quarterback. But you can 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:45.520 win with that kid if you put some pieces around him. 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:48.520 Washington's not as far away as people might think they are. 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:49.920 I think there are a couple of pieces in the 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.559 secondary way from having a defense that can contend. Yeah, 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:55.320 and I think and and Taylor Heineke needs some better 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:58.079 weapons on offense too. I think they have Terry McLaurin 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:00.880 and they have a bunch of guys that haven't really 0:13:00.880 --> 0:13:03.520 done a whole heck of a lot for them on offense. 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:06.320 So so we'll see where that goes with them. I 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:09.680 want to also mention with regard to the Packers special teams, 0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:13.679 one blip on special teams in this game, Mason Crosby 0:13:13.720 --> 0:13:16.199 getting a field goal blocked Maury straight and said there 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:20.319 was some uh leakage on the interior with the protection, 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:22.920 but also the kick was low. I think everybody could 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:27.840 see that. But other than that one moment, this was 0:13:27.880 --> 0:13:30.480 a pretty good game for the Packers on special teams. 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:33.800 The kickoff coverage that we've seen some returns come out 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:37.240 to the thirty maybe the thirty five. Those were all stopped. 0:13:37.320 --> 0:13:40.400 The returns were all stopped inside the twenty five yard 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:43.840 line in this game. And then we've talked about him 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:46.079 a lot already, but Corey bojork has What more can 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.480 you say about about this young man? He He is 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:55.280 becoming a field position factor every single week and the 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:58.440 Packers defense is benefiting from it. There's no question about it. 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:01.280 Ten years have been covering this team in ten years 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:03.439 in for and with all due respect to Tim Massy 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.160 because I loved him, not that he's watching this right now, 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:10.079 but great guy and had a really solid career, great career. 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:12.000 But you know, there are so many times over those 0:14:12.040 --> 0:14:14.920 ten years that I watched Packers games right where you'd 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:17.880 see Andy Lee, you'd see some of these guys, Shane Lechler, 0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:20.240 some of the best of the best in the National 0:14:20.280 --> 0:14:24.680 Football League, Jock, Johnny Hecker, you know, Michael Dickinson, right, 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:28.280 but Dixon whatever his name is, from Seattle, in Seattle, 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:30.480 And so many times I'd watch these guys and be like, man, 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:32.720 if the Packers could get a punter like that, somebody 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:35.000 that can really help change the field position. Somebody that 0:14:35.000 --> 0:14:37.480 when you're into your past the fifty, you can find 0:14:37.480 --> 0:14:40.200 a way to pin defense or offenses back if you 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.760 know your offense gets stopped. They've gotten that kid and 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:47.760 his name is Corey Bjrkez. And yes, you know, we 0:14:47.880 --> 0:14:50.200 just saw the eighty two yard punt. We saw the 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:55.320 leg strength. But as Maurice Straitton talked about the toolbox 0:14:55.360 --> 0:14:58.400 that he has, the number of different punts that he 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:01.280 can utilize. I was so happy to see him get 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:04.920 rewarded games out of reach packers are gonna win, but 0:15:05.040 --> 0:15:07.480 just to see him get the credit for that punt, 0:15:07.520 --> 0:15:11.320 which is one of the most miraculous punts I've ever seen. Mike, 0:15:11.440 --> 0:15:14.200 I don't think you could have. You couldn't have put 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:17.840 an index card between that football in the goal line 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:20.560 for where it bounce and for him to get the 0:15:20.560 --> 0:15:22.040 credit at the three there. I thought that was a 0:15:22.040 --> 0:15:26.280 real nice test. Yeah, it was remarkable. Yeah, absolutely some 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:30.040 sponsor business here. West Serious x M NFL Radio delivers 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:32.280 hard hitting analysis and up to the minute in NFL 0:15:32.320 --> 0:15:37.240 news that true football fanatics need seven three and at 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:40.440 cousin subs, we have something for everyone, like our Wisconsin 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.720 cheese curds, mac and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.400 all paired with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. 0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:50.360 Cousin subs, we believe in better. All right, Well, we 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:52.280 knew this was going to be a challenging week for 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:56.440 the Green Bay Packers regardless, right, Arizona seven and oh 0:15:56.600 --> 0:15:59.320 the Cardinals get to host the Packers making a west 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:02.360 coast trip on a short week. All of that, two 0:16:02.360 --> 0:16:04.440 of the top teams in the NFC going a head 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:08.240 to head in prime time, and then the news breaks 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:12.720 on Monday that Packers defensive coordinator Joe Berry and wide 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:17.720 receiver Davante Adams have tested positive for COVID and have 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:21.920 been placed on the COVID nineteen reserve list. I guess 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:24.720 I shouldn't say with regard to that it was actually 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:28.760 a positive test place we don't know that the official 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:32.600 roster designation, as they've been placed on the COVID nineteen 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:37.000 reserve lists. So, of course, Murphy's law right timing is 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:40.000 everything of all the weeks, of all the weeks that 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:44.280 you're going to have a key coach and obviously a 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.640 very key offensive player end up on the COVID list 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:51.240 it's when you have a short week and you're facing 0:16:51.560 --> 0:16:55.560 the lone undefeated team in the NFL. So the challenges 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:57.920 just got stacked a little bit higher here for Green 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:01.160 Bay as as they get ready to go out to Arizona. Well, 0:17:01.200 --> 0:17:03.160 and you know, first and foremost, you know, just kind 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:05.960 of keeping you know, Joe Barry, my thoughts a little bit. 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:07.680 That's kind of the way I approached this thing. I've 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:10.239 approached at the last eighteen months. You hope for the 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:13.000 best of the wealth and health and wellness side of things. Certainly, 0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:15.320 as you pointed out with Davanta Adams, what we know 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:17.920 right now, he's placed on the COVID nineteen reserve list. 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.840 NFL teams do not comment on what the status is 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:23.520 of those guys. Could be a close all those different 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.760 things that happen. So we'll see what happens with Davante Adams. 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:29.200 But the fact of the matter is from a football perspective, 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:31.359 from the business of sports perspective, from the fact that 0:17:31.359 --> 0:17:32.879 the Green Bay Packers are six and one of the 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:35.679 Arizona Cardinals are seven, and oh, this is not the 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:39.159 news agreement Packers wanted to get. This week, Barry's defense 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:41.400 has done an exceptional job this season. I think you've 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:43.240 seen him really settle in, you know, with some of 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:45.760 the defensive play calling in the last five weeks. I mean, 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.720 this is a unit that, as I said in our intro, 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:51.280 has gotten better really steadily for six seven straight games, 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:56.159 basically always taking a step forward. Davante Adams, man, I 0:17:56.240 --> 0:17:58.680 just I want to see one year where he can 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:02.639 play six in games were now seventeen games, and just 0:18:02.680 --> 0:18:06.240 see him blowout record books because he's that talented, he's 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:09.080 that good, and the guy just produces. I know you're 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:12.439 not a fantasy football guy, but I've been playing fantasy 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.520 football for fifteen years. I'm telling you right now, Mike, 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:17.679 you watched receivers in this league. Guys will have a 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:20.120 hundred yard games with two touchdowns. The next week they'll 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:22.600 come back with thirty yards. They'll drive you nuts. From 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:26.200 a fantasy perspective, I can't recall anyone that's been as 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:30.640 consistent in terms of production then Davante Adams. If he's 0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:32.800 not getting ten catches for a hundred yards, then he's 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:35.000 getting two touchdowns. If he's not getting a touchdown, then 0:18:35.040 --> 0:18:37.760 he has fourteen catches for a hundred sixty yards. The 0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:41.479 guy is a dynamic football player, and I was so excited, 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:43.760 and we'll see. You know, you can get two negative 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:46.640 tests whatever that is, you know, be potentially active. All 0:18:46.640 --> 0:18:48.800 those things that are above my head, above my pay grade. 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:52.280 But I was so excited this week Mike about DeAndre 0:18:52.359 --> 0:18:54.760 Hopkins Davante Adams. They don't play each other, but these 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:57.600 are the two most consistently dominant receivers in the league 0:18:57.640 --> 0:19:00.320 over the last five years. So excited to see them 0:19:00.359 --> 0:19:02.520 on the field. Uh, It's still gonna be a great 0:19:02.520 --> 0:19:04.919 matchup regardless of how all this stuff unfolds, but certainly 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:07.080 for Green Bay it is a massive wrench in the 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:09.560 plans to have to be dealing with this on a 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:13.120 short week, playing the best team in the National Football League. Yeah, 0:19:13.160 --> 0:19:15.159 And Matt Lafleur at the time that we're taping this, 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:18.840 he hasn't addressed, um the issue of Davante Adams going 0:19:18.880 --> 0:19:21.760 on the COVID list, but he did talk about uh, 0:19:21.880 --> 0:19:25.320 Joe Barry, and although la Fleur didn't really make a 0:19:25.359 --> 0:19:29.960 specific announcement, he did suggest that Jerry Gray, the Packers 0:19:29.960 --> 0:19:33.639 defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator on the defensive side, 0:19:34.080 --> 0:19:36.919 who has been a defensive coordinator for multiple teams in 0:19:36.960 --> 0:19:41.320 the NFL previously in his coaching career, most likely will 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:45.520 be the defensive play caller for Thursday night in Arizona. 0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:48.480 Is certainly a guy that that Matt Lafleur the rest 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.359 of that defensive staff would have plenty of confidence in. 0:19:51.480 --> 0:19:54.480 But um, but this is this, this this is a 0:19:54.520 --> 0:19:57.680 shake up here, you know, Um, as we've talked about, 0:19:57.720 --> 0:20:00.359 with all the progress the defense has made, all those 0:20:00.359 --> 0:20:03.040 building blocks and everything, now suddenly you get a little 0:20:03.040 --> 0:20:04.359 bit of a you get a little bit of a 0:20:04.440 --> 0:20:07.240 wrench thrown into uh, you know what's supposed to be 0:20:07.320 --> 0:20:10.320 this this straight ahead progress and and we'll just have 0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:15.080 to see how they react because, um, Kyler Murray, you know, 0:20:15.440 --> 0:20:17.640 one of the big storylines here in this short week 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:20.359