WEBVTT - #376 Packers Unscripted: Breaking down the Bears 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:21.200 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:24.400 I am Mike Spofford, joined by my trusted colleague West 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:26.799 hod Koitz, were coming to you here from our studios 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:29.840 at lambeau Field and West. It's our Wednesday show, our 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:32.519 middle of the week show, and that means a closer 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:34.920 look at the Packers opponent. We started talking about the 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:38.680 Chicago Bears quite a bit on yesterday's show, but let's 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:42.080 dive a little deeper because when when I look at this, 0:00:42.200 --> 0:00:45.800 the first thing that jumps out to me is what 0:00:45.840 --> 0:00:49.839 I like to call something that falls into the something's 0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:52.320 got to give category, And what I mean by that 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:55.920 is Aaron Rodgers has thrown three d and six consecutive 0:00:55.920 --> 0:01:00.400 past attempts without without an interception, excuse me. And the 0:01:00.480 --> 0:01:04.760 Chicago Bears lead the civilized world by a large margin 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:08.720 with twenty five interceptions on the season, including seven from 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:13.760 Kyle Fuller at corner and five from Eddie Jackson at safety. 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:17.200 This is gonna be really really interesting here because if 0:01:17.240 --> 0:01:20.480 Aaron Rodgers can protect the ball, the Packers chances to 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:22.960 win this game go up dramatically. If the Bears start 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:27.120 taking it away, their chances rise dramatic, and I think 0:01:27.160 --> 0:01:29.080 it goes back to that old adage. You know, you 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:30.960 get two takeaways a lot of times, it's going to 0:01:31.040 --> 0:01:33.920 translate into a win. And for the Packers, you know, 0:01:34.120 --> 0:01:36.319 last week, it was exactly what they needed. They got 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:39.040 their two big takeaways, one late, but still help them 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.520 put away the football game. Chicago Bears have been doing 0:01:41.520 --> 0:01:43.119 it all season long, Michael, and I mean you can 0:01:43.160 --> 0:01:46.200 look at their stats right now where they're at. I 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:49.880 mean they have one, two, three, four or five, six, eight, nine, ten, 0:01:50.000 --> 0:01:54.280 eleven different guys with an interception. Prince of Mukamara. Gotta 0:01:54.320 --> 0:01:56.200 give credit to him too. He's kind of turned back 0:01:56.240 --> 0:01:59.400 the clock a little bit this season, been a really accountable, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:03.120 important piece of that defense. We learned yesterday. Looks like 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:05.600 Bryce Callahan is gonna be out here with a foot injury, 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:07.680 So that's a that's a ding right there as far 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:10.560 as their nickel slot position. But I mean with what 0:02:10.680 --> 0:02:13.600 Kyle Fuller has done this season seven receptions, Eddie Jackson, 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:16.440 I remember Eddie Jackson. I talked to him, was one 0:02:16.440 --> 0:02:18.359 of the only people at his podium at the NFL 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:22.200 Scouting Combine talking to him and in his path from Alabama. 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:25.640 Breaking his leg probably would have been in early maybe 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.480 not a first round, definitely a second day pick had 0:02:28.480 --> 0:02:30.200 he not broken his leg. At the end of his 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:32.080 his year at Alabama, he goes out for the draft, 0:02:32.120 --> 0:02:33.960 the Bears take him in the fourth round. Ha ha. 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:36.840 Clinton Dicks was singing his praises as far as what 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:39.200 this kid's potential is and now here he is with 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:42.519 five interceptions this year to return for a touchdown, Yeah, 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:45.640 something has to give. It's gonna be the you know, 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:48.200 the security that Aaron Rodgers has had with the football 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:51.680 this year against one of the league's top ball hawking defenses. Yeah. 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:55.280 You mentioned the foot injury to Bryce Callahan at their 0:02:55.400 --> 0:02:59.560 nickel position. And that's an interesting one here because as 0:02:59.600 --> 0:03:04.560 we see Sunday's game unfold, does that mean Randall Cobb 0:03:04.600 --> 0:03:07.919 in the slot becomes a big time key receiver here 0:03:07.960 --> 0:03:11.000 because he's going to have maybe the most favorable matchup. 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:13.960 Or do the Packers move Davante Adams into the slot 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:15.920 and then see how the Bears react. Are they going 0:03:15.960 --> 0:03:19.440 to have Kyle Fuller, for example, cover Davantae Adams even 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:21.000 when he's in the slot. Are they going to take 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:24.240 their chances with a backup nickel defender. There so kind 0:03:24.240 --> 0:03:27.480 of an interesting piece to this chess match because of 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:29.840 this new injury to Callahan. Yeah, and if you do that, 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:32.360 how do the Bears want to defend it? Do you 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:34.079 want to have one of the safety is dropping down 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:36.800 into the box, you know, covering a receiver out of 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:38.839 the slot. All things We're gonna have to figure out. 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:42.120 The important thing I think for the Packers as it's 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:45.480 related to Adams specifically, probably over the last six games, 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:47.960 is they've moved him around a lot, and he's been 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:50.480 effective from a lot of different positions. I don't have 0:03:50.520 --> 0:03:52.360 all the stats and the splits as far as what 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:55.120 is inside outside ratio has been in terms of catches 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:57.320 this year, but I think the one thing he has 0:03:57.400 --> 0:04:00.200 definitely demonstrated in year five is he can do it all. 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:03.280 So I'm sure when you look at Vic Fangio, he's 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:05.760 been in this division for several years now, he's watched 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:09.320 the maturation and development of Adams, seeing the cat and 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:12.680 mouse game there. How he wants to possibly defend him 0:04:12.720 --> 0:04:15.360 in What that means depending on how much attention you 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.080 give him, We're gonna have to wait and see. I 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:21.440 don't know Honestly, maybe you do. You're more intelligent than 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:25.080 I am. How Kyle Fuller has been exactly deployed this season, 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:27.279 if he's played mostly outside, if they've moved him in 0:04:27.560 --> 0:04:31.720 in man situations, matching situations, all things we're gonna have 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:33.520 to learn. At least I'm going to have to. Yeah. 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:36.240 I can't say I've watched the Bears enough this year, 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:38.760 and certainly not watching enough of the All twenty two 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:41.400 type of film where you see exactly how a guy 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:44.479 like Fuller is being deployed. But for everything that the 0:04:44.560 --> 0:04:48.679 Bears have done in the turnover category on defense this season, 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:53.120 the transmission, so to speak, of this Bears defensive engine 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:57.960 is that front uh seven, that front group and when 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:01.400 you're talking, when you're talking Khalil Mack and a Keem Hicks, 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:04.240 they've combined for sixteen sacks I believe it is on 0:05:04.279 --> 0:05:06.880 the season. But it's not just those sixteen sacks West, 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:09.640 I mean, it's the the constant disruption. I'm not sure 0:05:09.640 --> 0:05:12.240 how many forced fumbles the two of them have combined 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:15.239 for they they seem to be pretty adept at getting 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:18.560 the ball out. Is at nine six by Mac five 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:22.560 or three by Hicks? Yeah, I mean this, uh, those 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:26.039 two guys, and at this point we don't know exactly 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:28.479 what the health status is. As we mentioned earlier in 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:30.800 the week, as far as the Packers offensive line goes. 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:34.560 But but Mac and Hicks boy that um, it's it's 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.560 a tandem unlike any other, unlike any that the Packers 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:40.240 have seen all years, since week one when Mac made 0:05:40.240 --> 0:05:42.680 his Bears debut. You know, and obviously I'm not privy 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:44.960 to the conversations that the Bears have, but I can 0:05:45.000 --> 0:05:48.000 only imagine at some point Ryan Pace and Vic Fangio 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:50.679 and that coaching staff sat down and figured out, Okay, 0:05:50.720 --> 0:05:53.279 what pieces do we need for this defense? Because Mike, 0:05:53.320 --> 0:05:56.040 if you go from what this unit looked like the 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:59.239 day that Vic Fangio was hired onto John Fox's staff 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:02.000 to what they look like today, it's pretty incredible. I 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:04.040 actually got into a major fight with a fan and 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:07.400 insider inbox recently. You had to edit it. Who was 0:06:07.560 --> 0:06:10.239 who was complaining to me about the Packers draft classes 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:12.239 from two thousand and eleven to two thousand and fifteen. 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:15.120 In addition to that being just a completely wide ranging, 0:06:15.760 --> 0:06:18.320 uh you know, scheme to be trying to figure out, 0:06:18.640 --> 0:06:21.320 you know, whether or not drafts were successful or unsuccessful 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:24.039 based upon whether those players are still on the roster. 0:06:24.800 --> 0:06:28.520 I immediately threw that back in their face and I 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:30.719 mentioned that, well, if you look at the Bears drafts 0:06:30.800 --> 0:06:33.960 during that time, Bears have like three guys left from 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:35.880 those draft classes on the roster right now. I think 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.279 the Packers had like eight or seven or something like that. 0:06:38.760 --> 0:06:42.000 Bears had some lean years where they were not getting productivity. 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:44.360 In these last two and a half years for them 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.120 have been so important because, yeah, you found your Kyle 0:06:47.160 --> 0:06:49.200 Fuller's who had to bounce back from an injury to 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:52.200 to become the player he's become. You drafted ro Kuan Smith. 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:53.599 It looks like he's going to be a player in 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:56.560 this league for years to come. You had Danny Trevathan 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:59.920 sign over from Denver. Now also you had Darrell Freeman 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:02.520 that didn't work out. But they sort of did this 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:06.200 paint splatter approach where we're just gonna throw resources. We 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:09.080 have a ton of cap space, we're gonna see what sticks. 0:07:09.360 --> 0:07:12.200 Resigned some of our own guys, maybe trade for Khalil Mack. 0:07:12.320 --> 0:07:14.440 Have the room to be able to absorb that contract, 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:17.360 and they're beginning to see the fruits of that labor. 0:07:17.400 --> 0:07:21.120 I don't want to disrespect Mitchell Trobisky at all and 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:23.840 what they're doing offensively, but in so many ways, Mike, 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:26.080 this really does remind me of that two thousand one 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:29.080 Bears team, where they have a suffocating defense and an 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:31.240 offense that's going to get them as far as they 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:34.240 need to go. If you go back, Mike, over the 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:36.680 last ten fifteen years, that's been the blueprint for the 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:39.680 Bears when they've made runs. They've never had this completely 0:07:39.760 --> 0:07:42.640 unstoppable offense. It's always been based around being able to 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:44.920 score more points than the other team. And this year, 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:46.960 this defense has allowed them to do that. Yeah, and 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:48.400 and I don't want to get too far off the 0:07:48.440 --> 0:07:50.600 track here in the conversation, but I think what we're 0:07:50.640 --> 0:07:54.160 seeing here as the regular season winds down two teams 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:57.000 in particular in the NFC, the Chicago Bears and the 0:07:57.040 --> 0:08:01.040 Seattle Seahawks. What these two teams are doing offensively now, 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.840 I think Russell Wilson has a little bit more explosiveness 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:08.800 in that Seahawks offense than Drabinsky does with the Bears, 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.840 but the Seahawks also are focused on running the football. 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:17.720 We're seeing what is essentially developing as the counter to 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:20.800 the Rams and the Saints and this explosive offenses. So 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:23.480 whether the Bears, the Bears are just one victory or 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:26.520 one Minnesota loss away from clinching the NFC North of 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:29.280 being a division champ in the playoffs and the Seahawks, 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:33.120 Seahawks obviously have the inside inside track on that first 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:35.880 wild card spot. So we're gonna see these matchups in 0:08:35.880 --> 0:08:38.880 the postseasons in in one way or another. As far 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:42.520 as these defenses and what they've built over the years, 0:08:42.520 --> 0:08:45.680 over over the course of the year, versus these explosive offense. 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:47.520 I kind of like that where you had the Seahawks. 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:49.880 It's like the Boston Mike sid kind of coming out 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:53.360 a little bit like voice cracks. It's exciting to talk about. No, 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:55.400 I mean the fact that you and I even discussed 0:08:55.440 --> 0:08:59.320 we started this, this breakdown of the Bears with the defense. 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:01.640 Every week, we always talked about the offense. It just 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:04.000 tells you what they bring to the table and what 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:06.679 they present. And before I'm sure there's a scattered amount 0:09:06.679 --> 0:09:08.120 of people out there are still like, well, why didn't 0:09:08.160 --> 0:09:10.400 the Packers trade for Khalil Mack. I've said this since 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:13.040 day one. I give Ryan Pays a lot of credit. 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:15.560 He he put his hat out there, he said, this 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:17.040 is going to be the move, This is gonna be 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:19.880 probably what sinks or swims my time here as the GM, 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:21.960 It's worked out great for them. They also had the 0:09:22.000 --> 0:09:24.120 cap room to be able to make him the highest 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:26.480 paid pass Russia in the NFL. You got to tip 0:09:26.520 --> 0:09:28.400 your cap in some of those instances because I think 0:09:28.520 --> 0:09:31.440 Vic Fangio's defense was close. I think Mac has put 0:09:31.480 --> 0:09:33.560 them over the top. And even with that Mike you 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:35.480 see it make a guy like a Cheam Hicks better. 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:37.600 I mean Hicks. His stats are going to jump off 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:39.840 the page. He has forty seven tackles in six sacks. 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:43.200 But if you watch him operate within that defense and 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:45.280 how those two guys play off each other at that 0:09:45.480 --> 0:09:48.920 front level of the trenches, it fits them really well. Yeah. Well, 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:50.320 I want to get back to what you were just 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.920 talking about with GM Ryan pace in the moves he's made, 0:09:52.960 --> 0:09:54.240 But I need to take care of a little bit 0:09:54.240 --> 0:09:58.080 of business here. The powerful noise canceling technology that helps 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:01.360 NFL coaches block out eight and screaming fans can get 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:04.360 you closer to the music. You love learn more at 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:09.000 www dot bos dot com, Slash Packers Bows the official 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:12.080 headphones of the Green Bay Packers, and at homer Here 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:13.960 in the stands. We all know that Green Bay fans 0:10:14.000 --> 0:10:15.960 give it their all and that takes a lot of energy. 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:18.880 So grab a warm bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup. It's 0:10:18.880 --> 0:10:22.080 meaty goodness fuels the greatness of Packers fans everywhere. Try 0:10:22.120 --> 0:10:24.800 the delicious classic chicken noodle soup. Just visit your local 0:10:24.800 --> 0:10:28.480 supermarket and asked for Campbell's Chunky Sup Official sup partner 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:31.760 of the Green Bay Packers. Okay, returning to the discussion 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:33.680 of Ryan Pace, you said how much he kind of 0:10:33.720 --> 0:10:36.560 stuck his neck out there on the Khalil Mac move. 0:10:36.640 --> 0:10:39.840 He did the same thing with Mr Rubisky. He traded up, 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:42.360 just trading up one spot, but it cost him a 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:45.280 fair amount of draft capital trading up from the three 0:10:45.320 --> 0:10:49.839 spot to the two spot to draft Trubisky. And I 0:10:49.880 --> 0:10:52.760 was asked in Insider inbox about Okay, so, just how 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:56.880 sustainable is this for the Bears? Uh? Because they're obviously 0:10:56.920 --> 0:10:58.559 they put together a good team. They're going to be 0:10:58.640 --> 0:11:01.840 in the playoffs this year. What's the what's the longevity 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:06.040 of this potential competitive run for them, And I said 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:08.920 it comes down to two things. One, Ryan Pace is 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:12.240 going to have to start drafting better than a lot 0:11:12.280 --> 0:11:14.520 of other teams because the Bears don't have a first 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:17.599 round draft pick now until the next two drafts, no 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:20.440 first round picks because of the Mac trade. But the 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:22.840 other thing that really is going to be potentially even 0:11:22.880 --> 0:11:26.880 the bigger piece to how long the Bears can sustain 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:30.680 this is what is Mr Trubisky ceiling his development. He's 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:32.600 only in his second season. He's got a lot of 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:36.000 games under his belt for a second year quarterback. But 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:39.319 if his arrow continues to point up and he continues 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:43.880 to become the guy that Ryan Pace was so enamored 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:46.360 with and so convinced was his guy that he made 0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:48.120 that trade to get up to number two in the 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:50.400 draft in order to take him a couple of years ago, 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:53.200 then this can be a This can be sustained for 0:11:53.200 --> 0:11:55.800 the Chicago Bears. But as it is with any team 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:58.679 in the NFL West, it hinge it hinges on the quarterback. 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:01.640 The Bears right now have one who is not at 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:04.640 his ceiling yet. The question is what is that ceiling? Yeah, 0:12:04.640 --> 0:12:06.360 it's a great question. It's the thing. If you have 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:08.320 a quarterback under three or four years in the league, 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:10.559 you're still trying to figure out I honestly, I think 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:13.040 there's some teams. You look at Miami, it's been six 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:14.760 years now, they're still trying to see what they have 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.800 in Ryan Tanner. That's just the game you play if 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:20.160 you don't have Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees and these 0:12:20.160 --> 0:12:22.440 guys that are just on their famous way to the 0:12:22.440 --> 0:12:25.280 Hall of Fame. Trabinsky to me, you know, if you 0:12:25.320 --> 0:12:27.080 go back to Week one, Mike and we did our 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:31.480 our preview ended up being the regular season premier. I 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:34.120 was really hesitant about him to some regard. I still 0:12:34.160 --> 0:12:36.560 am someone hesitant about him. But the one thing I'll 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:38.200 give him credit for, and I will also give Matt 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:41.160 Naggie credit for, is he's playing a lot more free 0:12:41.160 --> 0:12:43.840 this season. Um. Now, that also goes with a you know, 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:46.240 there's more interceptions this year. There's been some turnovers. I 0:12:46.240 --> 0:12:48.200 think he's tied for third right now in the NFL, 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:54.960 tied for fourth with twelve picks the most last week, right, Yeah, exactly. 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:56.480 I mean that was a rough showing, but yet they 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:58.719 still did enough to to win that game fifteen to 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:03.560 six Trubisky. I think the best thing that they did, 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:06.679 and I can't get into all the what played into it, 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:08.839 but the fact that Jordan Howard finally had a hundred 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:11.959 yard game last week, his first performance of that nature 0:13:12.040 --> 0:13:15.800 this season. Tera Cohen has been his number one target 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:18.320 out of the backfield. You can sign Allen Robinson, you 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:20.920 can sign Taylor Gabriel, you can do all these different 0:13:20.960 --> 0:13:23.040 things as far as the perimeter weapons, but I think 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:25.640 it's pretty obvious that his best friends right now or though, 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.360 is his backfield. When they get how Weard going, when 0:13:28.360 --> 0:13:31.240 they get Cohen involved, good things happen for the Bears. 0:13:31.640 --> 0:13:33.559 That's where the big emphasis, I think for Mike Petton 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:36.280 and this defense has to be being able to show up, 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.880 not allow, you know, Howard to be able to gush you, 0:13:39.880 --> 0:13:41.960 you know, kind of bleed you for yards, and keep 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:45.320 Derek Cohen away from those big play opportunities. Because as 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:47.280 much as we've talked about all those perimeter weapons and 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:50.480 everything they added Anthony Miller through the draft, it's still 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:53.680 about the tight end Trey Burton in those two running backs, 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:55.080 and you've got to start there if you're gonna stop 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:58.680 your Bisky. Yeah, and you mentioned Cohen is is the 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:01.400 Bears leading receiver year in terms of yardage. But I 0:14:01.440 --> 0:14:04.199 would say the other thing that does make this Bears 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:07.240 offense a little bit difficult, not only some of the 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.240 creative motioning and this and that, and and a handful 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:14.200 of trick plays that Matt Naggi has has run throughout 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:16.240 the course of this season, but it's kind of an 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:19.240 equal opportunity passing game. When you just look at the numbers, 0:14:19.280 --> 0:14:23.080 I believe it's five different guys with at least thirty 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:27.920 receptions and four hundred yards essentially. Um. Those uh, five 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:30.680 different guys with with those kind of numbers, And and 0:14:30.720 --> 0:14:32.760 you said it. You know, there's Cohen, there's the tight 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:38.080 end Burton, you have Gabriel Robinson, and Anthony Miller the 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:40.960 rookie wide receiver. We had talked last year the Bears 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:43.680 had to do something at wide receiver because as a rookie, 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:46.160 Trubisky really didn't have anybody to throw the ball too. 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:50.080 They did that, They completely revamped their receiving corps. And 0:14:50.200 --> 0:14:53.320 as these guys have continued to to work in this 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:56.600 offense and and understand what Naggie wants them to do, 0:14:56.680 --> 0:15:01.320 and and Traubinsky understanding what his role is. It's it's 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:04.160 not an explosive offense, but it's not exactly easy to 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:06.400 defend either because the ball can go to so many 0:15:06.440 --> 0:15:08.600 different guys. Yeah. Absolutely, And again not to keep throwing 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:10.960 comparables back to two thousand one with Jim Miller and 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.520 what the Bears did that season with Anthony Thomas, but 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:16.160 there are I think some of those those direct correlations 0:15:16.160 --> 0:15:18.560 because it's not like they have a Pro Bowl all 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:21.520 Pro type difference maker in this offense. But they get 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:23.680 it done and they can win close games, and if 0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:25.960 you're going to win and make a playoff run, that's 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:27.480 what you have to do. And to be quite honest 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:30.240 with you, with Trubisky only being in his second year 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:32.960 at twenty four years old, this is the trajectory you expected. 0:15:33.000 --> 0:15:35.400 You expected them to take a step, but probably still 0:15:35.440 --> 0:15:37.000 not to be on the cutting edge of a lot 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.440 of this stuff. So they're doing it the right way 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:41.360 in that regard. I think Anthony Miller and used to 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:44.200 come is gonna be a real problem for the NFC North. Um. 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:47.080 You know, Allen Robinson has been okay for the majority 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.000 of this season. Taylor Garbriel has been a safety valve 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:52.600 of sorts for him coming out of the slot. But 0:15:52.600 --> 0:15:54.800 but getting back to what I said originally, I just 0:15:54.840 --> 0:15:57.680 think that Howard and Cohen, the one thing that they 0:15:57.680 --> 0:15:59.040 were able to do last year when they didn't have 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:01.720 those perimeter weapons as they were really able to establish 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.080 them as there one to punch. That's your threat. That's 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:06.720 where Trubisky is going to be his most comfortable, the 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:08.720 fact that he's been using Cohen. And it's not like 0:16:08.720 --> 0:16:12.400 he's just getting six yard completions here either, sixty three catches, 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:15.680 six seventy nine yards, four touchdowns, a long of seventy. 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:20.120 He can make plays. So yeah, that it isn't exactly 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:22.440 I think what Atlanta possesses in terms of just the 0:16:22.560 --> 0:16:25.880 across the board explosiveness, but there's enough there that if 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.440 the Bears are suffocating you defensively, they're going to be 0:16:28.440 --> 0:16:30.720 able to get enough points to win. Yeah. And the 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:33.200 one thing that I would say is the X factor 0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:35.680 with this Bears offense that you really have to pay 0:16:35.680 --> 0:16:38.240 attention to because there's certainly plenty of film on it 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:41.480 to this point as we get into December, and that's 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:44.680 the scrambling of Mistrud that's right too. Yes, absolutely, he's 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:47.440 got I believe he's closing in on four hundred rushing 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:49.960 yards on the season. I think he has three rushing 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:53.920 touchdowns to go with his passing touchdowns. And like I said, 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:57.120 I haven't watched a ton of Chicago Bears football this year, 0:16:57.160 --> 0:16:59.840 but when the Packers were on their bye week, I 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:02.600 did sit and watch pretty much start to finish the 0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:05.320 Bears game against the Patriots. That was that Soldier field 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:08.359 and Mr Rubisky just kept tucking the ball and running 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:10.840 and I just kept waiting like, Okay, when is this 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.960 Bill Belichick defense going to adjust and take away the 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:17.240 scrambling Trubisky. Now, the Patriots eventually did win that game, 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:20.720 but Trubisky with his scrambling was single handedly keeping the 0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:22.560 Bears in it and gave them a chance to win 0:17:22.640 --> 0:17:26.200 that game all the way up until the end. This guy, 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:28.520 this guy is dangerous when he runs with the football. 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.920 He's a good athlete. He's he's savvy and smart with 0:17:32.200 --> 0:17:35.560 where he runs and when he slides. And I think 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:38.440 from the Packers point of view, defensive game plan wise, 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:41.640 you don't want to rush Mitch Trubisky to sack him. 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:44.159 You want to rush him to make him throw the ball, 0:17:44.200 --> 0:17:46.439 because if you try to go after the sacks, he 0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:48.480 will get away and he will burn you and move 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:50.359 the chains with his legs. Yeah, it's incredible, and I'm 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:52.159 glad you point that out because I was. I was 0:17:52.240 --> 0:17:54.280 meaning too about ten minutes ago when I forgot to 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:56.560 bring this aspect up of his game, because I think 0:17:56.600 --> 0:17:58.320 that's when you look at the two running backs and 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:00.560 what they do there. He's the counter to at He 0:18:00.560 --> 0:18:02.240 can check it down to Cohen, he can tuck it 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:04.320 and scramble it, he can find a guy on the perimeter. 0:18:04.760 --> 0:18:06.879 There's all those different assets than he has available in 0:18:06.880 --> 0:18:09.520 his fingertips. In a credit to Trabisky, he seems to 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:12.640 do a pretty good job of not panicking and being like, Okay, 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:15.159 I got aboard the play and scramble. He looks at 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:17.359 it much like Aaron Rodgers looks like at it is 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:19.760 that if your guy's covered, you're the you're the hat, 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:22.639 you're the unclaimed guy. You know, go and get your yards. 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:24.960 And he's been able to do that. The Bears like 0:18:25.080 --> 0:18:27.520 that about him when they drafted him out of North Carolina. 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:29.879 They saw that playmaking ability with him, and it's the 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:31.639 thing that can really give you headaches for a defense 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:34.040 as the game goes on. So how the Packers planned 0:18:34.040 --> 0:18:36.560 to attack that? Do you have someone spying him? What 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:38.480 kind of concepts are you looking at all things that 0:18:38.520 --> 0:18:40.600 Mike Petton's gonna have on the table. But to your 0:18:40.640 --> 0:18:43.560 original point, rushing to contain him and keeping him in 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:45.000 the pocket is going to be one of the big 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:46.680 keys I think for the Packers to pull out a 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:49.480 victory here. Yeah, I think if the Packers can contain 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:51.840 that running game as you mentioned before, and not let 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:54.879 Jordan Howard really kind of get rolling downhill, so to speak. 0:18:55.280 --> 0:18:58.480 You limit the explosive plays of Cohen, whether that's in 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:01.240 the running game or the passing game, and you make 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:04.640 Mits Rubinsky throw the ball. And if in December weather 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:06.520 in Chicago, now I understand it's not going to be 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:09.000 too awfully cold for the middle of December down there 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:11.840