1
00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:20,840
Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com.

2
00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,079
Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford, joined alongside as always by my

3
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,160
Speaker 1: trusted colleague west Hodkuhits were coming to you here from

4
00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,600
Speaker 1: our studios at lambau Field and West. At the end

5
00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,920
Speaker 1: of this week, the Packers will head west to Los

6
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,720
Speaker 1: Angeles to take on the Rams, the loan remaining unbeaten

7
00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,000
Speaker 1: team in the NFL. And they are seven and oh

8
00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,800
Speaker 1: and they've looked pretty impressive in getting to that mark.

9
00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,720
Speaker 1: They certainly have, Michael. I mean you look at the

10
00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,559
Speaker 1: Rams right now in the way that they're built. Everybody

11
00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,800
Speaker 1: knew what Sean McVeigh brings the table as an offensive mind,

12
00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,360
Speaker 1: and they found their quarterback of the future a number

13
00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,880
Speaker 1: of years ago, and Jared Goff Todd Gurley one of

14
00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,760
Speaker 1: the prime premier unning backs in this league, no question.

15
00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,920
Speaker 1: But what's impressed me the most about the Mike is

16
00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,640
Speaker 1: they found ways to complement all those pieces. They found

17
00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,160
Speaker 1: some receivers, uh and I think some interesting spots and

18
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,480
Speaker 1: being able to have them come up and make big production,

19
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,560
Speaker 1: big gains in this Andrew Whitworth ends up coming over

20
00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,600
Speaker 1: from Cincinnati. All the years he played They're still playing

21
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,839
Speaker 1: at a credibly high all Pro level, even at thirty

22
00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:25,480
Speaker 1: seven years old at left tackle. Defensively, Wade Phillips, that

23
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,160
Speaker 1: big defensive line, it's very difficult to find holes in

24
00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,680
Speaker 1: this Los Angeles Rams offense, defense, special teams. They're very

25
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,399
Speaker 1: complete team. Yeah. I think with this offensive system that

26
00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:41,520
Speaker 1: McVeigh is running, it sounds cliche in a sense, but

27
00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,320
Speaker 1: but really what they've got in this running back in

28
00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,200
Speaker 1: Todd Gurley, you know, to take to steal the old

29
00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,480
Speaker 1: Reggie Jackson New York Yankees line. He's kind of the

30
00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,360
Speaker 1: straw that stirs the drink, isn't he? Because I tell

31
00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,000
Speaker 1: you what, when when it comes to the receivers they

32
00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,400
Speaker 1: have and Goff and the tremendous year that he is having,

33
00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,800
Speaker 1: teams have to focus their attention on Todd Girly because,

34
00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,840
Speaker 1: as Mark as Mike McCarthy said on Tuesday, this is

35
00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,440
Speaker 1: a guy who can take over a game. And there's

36
00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,760
Speaker 1: nothing defenses fear more than getting the ball just run

37
00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,000
Speaker 1: down their throats. So you have to find a way

38
00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,720
Speaker 1: to contain Girly. But then that does put the ball

39
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:16,960
Speaker 1: in Goff's hands, and and he's got quite an array

40
00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,160
Speaker 1: of weapons. At wide receiver. And we were talking to

41
00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,160
Speaker 1: Kenny Clark about this too on Tuesday, and he said

42
00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,720
Speaker 1: that the dangerous thing about Girly is he sets everything

43
00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:26,560
Speaker 1: up for them, as you said, sort of the straw

44
00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,760
Speaker 1: that stirs the drink. If you start, you know, creeping

45
00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,240
Speaker 1: safeties into the box, if you start playing your linebackers

46
00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,440
Speaker 1: too far up, well, that's where they make the play

47
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,280
Speaker 1: action game go. They can really threaten you downfield with

48
00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,680
Speaker 1: the weapons that they have. Robert Woods has been a

49
00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:42,560
Speaker 1: revelation since he got there a couple of years ago.

50
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,519
Speaker 1: We know what Brandon Cooks does. Cooper Cup coming out

51
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,280
Speaker 1: of Eastern Washington, I believe with the red field out there,

52
00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,160
Speaker 1: and if I remember correct, you're three guys that can

53
00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,680
Speaker 1: all stretch the field on the perimeter. But at the

54
00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,920
Speaker 1: same time, if you dedicate too many resources out there,

55
00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,720
Speaker 1: start going too much, too high, well and Gurley burns

56
00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,000
Speaker 1: you underneath. So it's a it's a really dangerous game

57
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,200
Speaker 1: you have to play when you're playing the Rams. Some

58
00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:08,400
Speaker 1: have done it better than others to the point of

59
00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,720
Speaker 1: this season, but you look at a game like San

60
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,440
Speaker 1: Francisco last week with them, I actually think the fort defense,

61
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,040
Speaker 1: you know, it isn't as star powered as it's been

62
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,400
Speaker 1: in the past, but I thought they put together some

63
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,320
Speaker 1: respectable performances this year. The Rams really made them look bad.

64
00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,840
Speaker 1: So you know, the the challenge for Mike Patton and

65
00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,000
Speaker 1: these defensive coaches defense defensive players is going to be

66
00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,320
Speaker 1: trying to find that perfect balance between dedicating enough bodies

67
00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 1: enough resources to Todd Gurley without allowing Jared Goff in

68
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,600
Speaker 1: that passing game to stretch you vertically. Yeah, here's an

69
00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,040
Speaker 1: interesting thing statistically about Girlely that I looked up this week.

70
00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,720
Speaker 1: He does lead the NFL and rushing yards. I believe

71
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,760
Speaker 1: he's that six eighty six through seven games. But the

72
00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,320
Speaker 1: interesting thing about that is in seven games, he actually

73
00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,560
Speaker 1: only has a hundred plus yards in three out of

74
00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,320
Speaker 1: seven games, which seems kind of odd for a guy

75
00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,120
Speaker 1: who's leading the league. But one of those hundred yard

76
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,680
Speaker 1: games was actually a two hundred yard game, And I

77
00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,800
Speaker 1: think it's a sign that defenses have, at least some

78
00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,960
Speaker 1: defenses have figured out how to contain Girly. But when

79
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,160
Speaker 1: you look at the fact that the Rams overall on offense,

80
00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,320
Speaker 1: they're averaging thirty three and a half points a game,

81
00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,080
Speaker 1: you look at these wide receivers West You you mentioned

82
00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:23,080
Speaker 1: Woods and Cup and Cooks. Um Cooks has the highest

83
00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,640
Speaker 1: yards per catch of the three, He's the most explosive,

84
00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,760
Speaker 1: the big play guy. Cup has the most touchdowns. Woods

85
00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,400
Speaker 1: has the most yards and receptions out of the bunch.

86
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,920
Speaker 1: So if if there's a classic pick your poison when

87
00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,000
Speaker 1: it comes to defending an offense, this is this really

88
00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:39,920
Speaker 1: is one of those. This is what I really respect

89
00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,400
Speaker 1: about the Rams two is that they have their personnel,

90
00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:44,600
Speaker 1: They have their three receivers, They have a tight end

91
00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,440
Speaker 1: in Higbee. They have Girly Malcolm Brown. You see a

92
00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,279
Speaker 1: little bit of him, but realistically, man, they're not disguising anything.

93
00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:53,320
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, they're gonna some of their concepts will be,

94
00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,599
Speaker 1: but you know what personnel you're gonna see. You know

95
00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,880
Speaker 1: what kind of packages you're gonna see. The Rams are

96
00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,520
Speaker 1: daring you to stop them. To make one more note

97
00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:04,480
Speaker 1: on Girly, what I find really impressive six yards. He

98
00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,279
Speaker 1: doesn't have a carry over thirty this year. It just

99
00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,800
Speaker 1: shows you that a lot of this production it isn't

100
00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,280
Speaker 1: just one big, huge carry And then that's what you know.

101
00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,799
Speaker 1: No Pontenda carries the day for him it's just consistent production,

102
00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,359
Speaker 1: getting in favorable second and third down situations in allowing

103
00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,080
Speaker 1: your playmakers to make plays from there. You bring up

104
00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,360
Speaker 1: a great stat about the receivers. I wasn't even aware

105
00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,000
Speaker 1: of that. I did know that Cooks is among the

106
00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,440
Speaker 1: league leaders in yards per catch in obviously Woods with

107
00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,400
Speaker 1: six d two yards receiving. That jumps off the page.

108
00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,480
Speaker 1: But to have three different guys leading in three different areas,

109
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,680
Speaker 1: that's how you draw it up. When you go back

110
00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:40,800
Speaker 1: to the Packers in two thousand eleven, that's usually the

111
00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:42,920
Speaker 1: comparison I usually draw with a lot of these teams.

112
00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,040
Speaker 1: That's how you really get defensive coordinators scratching their heads

113
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,719
Speaker 1: because on any given week, you don't know who it

114
00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,240
Speaker 1: could be. Yeah, if there's one thing that you latch onto,

115
00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,240
Speaker 1: maybe as a Packer's defense. In terms of something you

116
00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,479
Speaker 1: can try to take advantage of against this Rams offense,

117
00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,279
Speaker 1: it's that Jared Goff has thrown five interceptions. Now, five

118
00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,600
Speaker 1: interceptions in seven games. Not an alarming number. This is

119
00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,240
Speaker 1: a guy who's completing about his passes. His passerrating is

120
00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,560
Speaker 1: over a hundred and ten I believe for the season.

121
00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,039
Speaker 1: So we're nitpicking a little bit here when you talk

122
00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,360
Speaker 1: about him throwing five interceptions. But if the Packers can

123
00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,440
Speaker 1: get Golf to make a mistake or two, now that

124
00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,000
Speaker 1: comes with stopping Todd Gurley or at least or at

125
00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,000
Speaker 1: least containing him and preventing the big plays that we've

126
00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,080
Speaker 1: talked about, because this offense, this offense will make you

127
00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:33,560
Speaker 1: pay with the big plays, the forty fifty yard explosive gains.

128
00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:35,880
Speaker 1: But if the Packers can do those kinds of things,

129
00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,160
Speaker 1: then you know, you get one or two mistakes out

130
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,320
Speaker 1: of Jared Goff in a crucial situation, then just maybe

131
00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,400
Speaker 1: that's something that turns the turns the tide in your

132
00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,320
Speaker 1: favorite Denver set the blueprint for this, I think yeah,

133
00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,240
Speaker 1: And and the Rams were able to squeak out of victory.

134
00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,680
Speaker 1: I think partly included in that is the fact that

135
00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,560
Speaker 1: Denver has had a lot of issues offensively with case

136
00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,840
Speaker 1: Keenum and you know the direction that thing's gone. But

137
00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,600
Speaker 1: if you look at that game with Golf, fourteen completions

138
00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,520
Speaker 1: on attempts with an interception was sacked five times, a

139
00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,120
Speaker 1: fifty eight point eight passer rating. That usually isn't good

140
00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,320
Speaker 1: enough to get it done. But what fortunately for the Rams,

141
00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,280
Speaker 1: they have Girly to pick them up from there. They

142
00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,320
Speaker 1: have a defense that's going to keep you in ball games.

143
00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,200
Speaker 1: So there aren't a lot of ways that you're going

144
00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,320
Speaker 1: to be able to attack them and have everything fall apart.

145
00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,400
Speaker 1: They're gonna be able to counter you in different ways.

146
00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:26,640
Speaker 1: But to your point, Mike, you do need to remember

147
00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,320
Speaker 1: that Jared Goff is a third year quarterback. At this time,

148
00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,440
Speaker 1: he's still only, let's see, twenty four years old. I mean,

149
00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,920
Speaker 1: there are going to be opportunities there. They aren't going

150
00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,760
Speaker 1: to be plentiful, but if you do get those chances,

151
00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,600
Speaker 1: you have to be able to execute on it. Yeah. Well,

152
00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,640
Speaker 1: you mentioned this defense the Rams have and I want

153
00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:44,800
Speaker 1: to get to that in a minute, but quickly, we's

154
00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,600
Speaker 1: some sponsored business. It's time to enter the Cousins Subs

155
00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,200
Speaker 1: Best Seats in the House promotion. You and I guest

156
00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,160
Speaker 1: could win a chance to kick back on the fifty

157
00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,840
Speaker 1: yard line in style. Two pairs of lucky Packers fans

158
00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,560
Speaker 1: will be chosen prior to each home game for this

159
00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,320
Speaker 1: v I P experience. Enter daily now through to number

160
00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,880
Speaker 1: sixteen by completing the entry form and submitting for complete

161
00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,400
Speaker 1: rules and eligibility go to Packers dot Com slash best seats,

162
00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,360
Speaker 1: cousins subs. We believe in better. Okay, this Rams defense,

163
00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,280
Speaker 1: I tell you what, there's absolutely no question at all

164
00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:19,000
Speaker 1: that it starts with Aaron Donald on that defensive line.

165
00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,040
Speaker 1: And I tell you I remember back when Aaron Donald

166
00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,920
Speaker 1: was coming out of the University of Pittsburgh, he had

167
00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,080
Speaker 1: won every college defensive award. I mean, you know, the Bednarik,

168
00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:33,160
Speaker 1: the butt Kiss, the Lombardi or whatever. All. I don't

169
00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,079
Speaker 1: even know the names of all of them, but all

170
00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,920
Speaker 1: all of those, all those awards for defensive players in college,

171
00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,640
Speaker 1: he won them all. He went to the Senior Bowl.

172
00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,240
Speaker 1: He absolutely dominated everybody at the Senior Bowl. He was

173
00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,040
Speaker 1: the star of the Week in Mobile, Alabama. And yet

174
00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,800
Speaker 1: there were still teams that, based on his height, they

175
00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,040
Speaker 1: did not actually think he was a first round draft pick.

176
00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,679
Speaker 1: Credit the Rams. They nord all the rest of that noise.

177
00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,160
Speaker 1: They took Aaron Donald in the first round. He's now

178
00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,000
Speaker 1: the reigning defensive player of the Year in the NFL.

179
00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,439
Speaker 1: Should mention Todd Gurley um is the reigning offensive player

180
00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,040
Speaker 1: in the Year in the NFL as well, but Donald

181
00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,040
Speaker 1: is the reigning defensive player of the year. He's coming

182
00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,280
Speaker 1: off a four SAT game against the San Francisco forty Niners.

183
00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,120
Speaker 1: He now leads the NFL with eight sacks through seven games.

184
00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:23,840
Speaker 1: He's on pace for a career high. And this is

185
00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,000
Speaker 1: a guy who has an interior defensive lineman has had

186
00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,880
Speaker 1: double digit sacks twice already in his career. This guy is,

187
00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,080
Speaker 1: this guy is amazing. I mean he he is. He

188
00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,880
Speaker 1: is the focal point of any offensive game plan against

189
00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,640
Speaker 1: this Rams defense. And the thing that's impressed about Donald

190
00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,560
Speaker 1: He's done it since day one that he entered the league.

191
00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,199
Speaker 1: There's never been a let up. There's never been a

192
00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,160
Speaker 1: learning curve for him. He's just produced since the very beginning.

193
00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:49,960
Speaker 1: It's actually funny that you go back and looking at

194
00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,400
Speaker 1: there four games he didn't start his rookie year in

195
00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,960
Speaker 1: two thousand four sort of reminds you a little bit.

196
00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,599
Speaker 1: I think at Clay Matthews that once he did it

197
00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,880
Speaker 1: in the lineup, the guy was just a natural born

198
00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,640
Speaker 1: star took off. And here's the other thing too, I

199
00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,079
Speaker 1: like questions about his height coming out of of pit.

200
00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,880
Speaker 1: I wonder what the San Francisco forty Niners think of that, because,

201
00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:09,520
Speaker 1: unfortunately for them, they've had to see a lot of

202
00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,800
Speaker 1: him over the years, and he's been incredibly productive with

203
00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,960
Speaker 1: another big game last week. Six pounds by any measure,

204
00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,680
Speaker 1: that should not be a combination that makes you think

205
00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,920
Speaker 1: defensive player of the year. And that's not a disrespectful

206
00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,160
Speaker 1: thing to to Donald or anybody at that size. But

207
00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,040
Speaker 1: typically height is one thing, but wait is another, like

208
00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,720
Speaker 1: even like guys like Mike Daniels. To see Daniels isn't

209
00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:34,679
Speaker 1: the tallest guy in the world, but he still is

210
00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,960
Speaker 1: over three pounds. Donald just makes it work for him

211
00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,679
Speaker 1: and his ability to be able to to beat these

212
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:45,319
Speaker 1: interior offensive guards and centers that are routinely twenty sometimes

213
00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,200
Speaker 1: forty pounds heavier than him just a huge testament to

214
00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,679
Speaker 1: him and his play style. I love I love to

215
00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:52,640
Speaker 1: watch him play. It was interesting I wrote a story

216
00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,200
Speaker 1: for on Kenny Clark about him and kind of being

217
00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,160
Speaker 1: able to pick up where he left off from last season.

218
00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,679
Speaker 1: Clark right now is third in the league monkst defensive

219
00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:04,520
Speaker 1: tackles for snaps played at a little over Donald actually

220
00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:08,120
Speaker 1: leads the league right now in that category, just under ninety.

221
00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,840
Speaker 1: He does it from beginning to end. His motor does

222
00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,840
Speaker 1: not stop. It's impressive to watch man. Yeah, well, and

223
00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,040
Speaker 1: what the Rams have done on the defensive side of

224
00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,439
Speaker 1: the ball. Donald was a first round pick the year

225
00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,040
Speaker 1: he came out, and he is the centerpiece of that defense.

226
00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,040
Speaker 1: But the rest of it they've kind of built through

227
00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:27,480
Speaker 1: free agency. They've signed and Dominican sue to uh to

228
00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,240
Speaker 1: kind of pair with Aaron Donald on the interior of

229
00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,160
Speaker 1: the defensive line, and both of those guys will move

230
00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,880
Speaker 1: around and line up in different spots, but essentially they're

231
00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,520
Speaker 1: that defensive line tandem. Um. They picked up Marcus Peters,

232
00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,839
Speaker 1: a key to leave at cornerback. Now to leave is

233
00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,320
Speaker 1: on injured reserve, but but you've got Peters. Obviously. They

234
00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,640
Speaker 1: signed Sam Shields, who has come back from essentially missing

235
00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,520
Speaker 1: two entire seasons due to his multiple concussions in his career.

236
00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,440
Speaker 1: Great to see Shields back out there playing again. The

237
00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,440
Speaker 1: Packers will Packers will probably see him a fair amount,

238
00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:02,200
Speaker 1: perhaps on Sunday after But they've they they've built this

239
00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,959
Speaker 1: defense by by sort of plucking different guys from around

240
00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,400
Speaker 1: the league and uh and and plugging them in and

241
00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,760
Speaker 1: it's working. I mean, obviously, you can't argue with the

242
00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,040
Speaker 1: fact that that they're undefeated. There have been some teams

243
00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,480
Speaker 1: who have racked up some yards and some points. Minnesota

244
00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,520
Speaker 1: had a big offensive game against these guys on a

245
00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,600
Speaker 1: on a Thursday night, we saw both the Seattle and

246
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,000
Speaker 1: the Denver. Bronco is not known for explosive offense, so

247
00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,280
Speaker 1: to speak, but they scored enough points to stay right

248
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,440
Speaker 1: in the game with these guys and take them down

249
00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,800
Speaker 1: to the wire as well. So u um an impressive defense.

250
00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,280
Speaker 1: But yet there are some areas statistically where where they

251
00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,840
Speaker 1: have they have some numbers that don't necessarily look like

252
00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,320
Speaker 1: an undefeated team. Yeah, and I mean it is something

253
00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,400
Speaker 1: to where when you put up the offensive yards that

254
00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,040
Speaker 1: their offense puts up there, your defense is going to

255
00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,040
Speaker 1: give up yards too, because a lot of offenses are

256
00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,320
Speaker 1: gonna be put in you know, two minute situations. So um.

257
00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,520
Speaker 1: But that being said, they have guys who can take

258
00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,680
Speaker 1: away the ball. They have guys that can pressure your quarterback. Uh,

259
00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:00,959
Speaker 1: they have different as I'm mentioned earlier, they have different

260
00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:02,439
Speaker 1: ways to win. If it ends up being a game

261
00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,920
Speaker 1: in the twenties of the teens, they have a defense

262
00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:06,480
Speaker 1: that can keep them in it, that can get him

263
00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,520
Speaker 1: on the positive side of that. Uh what what it's

264
00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,440
Speaker 1: probably impressed me more than anything. I mean, it's one

265
00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,720
Speaker 1: thing to go get Brandon Cooks or to get Marcus Peters,

266
00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,040
Speaker 1: and and obviously what happened coming out of Kansas City.

267
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,080
Speaker 1: I've been probably more impressed over the years and how

268
00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,560
Speaker 1: they've augmented their roster offense and defensive by finding I

269
00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:24,400
Speaker 1: don't want to call them cast offs, but finding the

270
00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,480
Speaker 1: Robert Woods is finding the Mark Barrens, who sort of

271
00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,760
Speaker 1: appeared to be on the outskirts of his career and then,

272
00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,320
Speaker 1: as it turns out, the Rams were able to use

273
00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:32,920
Speaker 1: him in a hybrid role. Was sort of on the

274
00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:34,959
Speaker 1: cutting edge of that. It has been there now for

275
00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,720
Speaker 1: a number of years in making plays. The Sam Shields

276
00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,680
Speaker 1: one was a little different. I mean, I made my

277
00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,520
Speaker 1: opinion very clear on Shields in the past. I he's

278
00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,360
Speaker 1: a tremendous person. I've enjoyed my time covering on my

279
00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,120
Speaker 1: wish for nothing but the best for him in the future.

280
00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,040
Speaker 1: I would be lying to you if I told you

281
00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,400
Speaker 1: I still didn't watch his games with bated breath. But

282
00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,200
Speaker 1: the fact that he's been able to come back, he

283
00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,360
Speaker 1: always had the legs, dude, I mean, like the Packers

284
00:13:57,559 --> 00:13:59,760
Speaker 1: when he left Green Bay. It wasn't that he couldn't

285
00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,440
Speaker 1: pluy a on the field. I mean, it's not that

286
00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,080
Speaker 1: he'd lost his ability. He has gifts that you cannot

287
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,160
Speaker 1: coach in this league. So I wish nothing but success

288
00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,760
Speaker 1: for him. We'll see how this game plays out, obviously,

289
00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,240
Speaker 1: but the Rams are deep in their deep at number

290
00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,640
Speaker 1: of positions and shields. Insertion at cornerback is is another

291
00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,720
Speaker 1: one of those spots. Yeah, the one thing to look

292
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,360
Speaker 1: at statistically, maybe a couple of things going into this

293
00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,840
Speaker 1: game with this Rams defense. You know, as I say,

294
00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,440
Speaker 1: you're trying to nitpick against an undefeated team and trying

295
00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,480
Speaker 1: to find maybe where the chinks in the armor are.

296
00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,160
Speaker 1: A couple of things where they rank in the bottom

297
00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,520
Speaker 1: third of the league defensively. One is actually yards per

298
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,960
Speaker 1: carry allowed by opposing running games. They don't allow a

299
00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:42,520
Speaker 1: lot of rushing yards total because teams are throwing the

300
00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,800
Speaker 1: ball like crazy to try to keep up with that offense.

301
00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,400
Speaker 1: But when teams do run the ball, the yards per

302
00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,640
Speaker 1: carry it's it's rather productive. They aren't great in that statistic.

303
00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,200
Speaker 1: And the other one is third down. Their third down

304
00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:57,080
Speaker 1: defense does actually rank quite a bit lower than the

305
00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,280
Speaker 1: bulk of the league. So when you look at all

306
00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,320
Speaker 1: these things the pa Kers have been talking about over

307
00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,240
Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks, over the bye week about

308
00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,600
Speaker 1: you know, wanting to find more run pass balance, needing,

309
00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,960
Speaker 1: needing to be better in situational football, particularly third down,

310
00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,240
Speaker 1: red zone. We know the third downs. For the Packers,

311
00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,200
Speaker 1: it comes down to the down and distance. Because Aaron

312
00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:18,080
Speaker 1: Rodgers pointed out the other day the Packers have had

313
00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,840
Speaker 1: in in six games, they've had twenty two third downs

314
00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,960
Speaker 1: of eleven plus yards. That's an unbelievable number, it really is.

315
00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,720
Speaker 1: That's an area the Packers need to need to fix,

316
00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,840
Speaker 1: and and getting the running game going is one way

317
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,960
Speaker 1: to help fix that. Yeah, absolutely have to do it

318
00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,240
Speaker 1: early too. They have to be able to establish that.

319
00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:38,120
Speaker 1: They got to stay in with pace with the Rams.

320
00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:39,880
Speaker 1: They can't fall behind. I think that's gonna be the

321
00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:42,520
Speaker 1: big thing here because the way that Los Angeles is structured,

322
00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:44,320
Speaker 1: they don't really allow teams to get back in it

323
00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,960
Speaker 1: once they blow them out. When you're in it with them.

324
00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,720
Speaker 1: They've had a lot of games down to the wire.

325
00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,240
Speaker 1: You mentioned some of their stats. It's reflected in their scores.

326
00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:53,480
Speaker 1: They've been able to squeak out some two and three

327
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,320
Speaker 1: point victories this season. So for the Packers, we talked

328
00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,240
Speaker 1: about it every week, but getting off to a fast start,

329
00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,040
Speaker 1: being able to establish that early on, and honestly, Mike,

330
00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,640
Speaker 1: I'm just excited too to see Aaron Rodgers back to

331
00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:07,160
Speaker 1: back for yard games offense right now, fourth in the league,

332
00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:08,960
Speaker 1: Packers have been able to move to football. This will

333
00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:10,400
Speaker 1: be a nice little challenge to see if they can

334
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,080
Speaker 1: do it in the coliseum. Yeah. Well, we've got a

335
00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,200
Speaker 1: couple of more days to talk about the keys to

336
00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,120
Speaker 1: victory here for the Packers, and we'll get to those

337
00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,200
Speaker 1: as the week goes on, but for now, we'll call

338
00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,200
Speaker 1: it a wrap on this edition of Packers on Script,

339
00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,040
Speaker 1: and be sure to follow all of our coverage of

340
00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,840
Speaker 1: the team on Packers dot Com on Twitter. He's at

341
00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,320
Speaker 1: west Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the

342
00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,920
Speaker 1: team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, We'll see you

343
00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:30,400
Speaker 1: next time.