WEBVTT - #690 Packers Unscripted: Beating the Bears 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:10.720 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:14.200 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.200 --> 0:00:16.520 by my trusted colleague West and Hot Koitz. We are 0:00:16.560 --> 0:00:19.680 coming to you old school. I guess you could say, 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:23.280 little did I know? When I powered through last Thursday's 0:00:23.320 --> 0:00:26.120 episode with that terrible voice, it was just the start 0:00:26.120 --> 0:00:28.600 of something not good for me to come back into 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:32.760 the office just yet. So we pulled out the technology 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:35.800 that helped us out in the past and uh, and 0:00:35.880 --> 0:00:39.360 we're back on the air, West, and this time it's 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.879 to talk about a Packers victory nineteen over the Chicago 0:00:42.960 --> 0:00:45.880 Bears at Soldier Field. And when you start the discussion 0:00:45.880 --> 0:00:48.520 of this game, it all starts with the fourth quarter, 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.319 because through the first three quarters this game was not 0:00:51.400 --> 0:00:54.040 looking good for Green Bay. No, it wasn't, Mike, and 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:58.000 I was sitting there, you know, especially when Chicago's driving again, 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:00.320 and you're kind of thinking, like, man, even if the 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:02.120 Packers get some answers here, are they going to be 0:01:02.120 --> 0:01:06.640 able to stop them defensively? But in al Lazar talked 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:08.679 about in the postgame locker room, there were so many 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:12.120 parallels between this game in the Dallas game last month 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:15.000 where they actually had the first comeback in the fourth 0:01:15.040 --> 0:01:19.880 quarter into me I mean between the special teams coming 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.759 through with the block field goal, jyr Alexander getting an interception. 0:01:23.800 --> 0:01:26.559 You know, he got burned twice on those deep completions. 0:01:26.600 --> 0:01:29.160 He bounces back, responds the way you want to see 0:01:29.200 --> 0:01:32.240 him respond, gets a big pick and the Packers scoring 0:01:32.319 --> 0:01:35.440 points off of that pick, and certainly, you know Christian 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:38.320 Watson once again doing his heroics late to really put 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:40.920 this thing on ice for green Bay. All season long, 0:01:41.000 --> 0:01:44.919 like thirteen games, they've been trying to find a complimentary performance. 0:01:45.160 --> 0:01:47.200 I felt like in all three phases they found it 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:50.720 at Soldier Field. Yeah, it finally came together there down 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:54.160 the stretch, and as you said, the complimentary performance. When 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:57.120 things started happening green Bay's way in the fourth quarter, 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:00.960 they kept going that direction. I thought to a couple 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:03.640 of key turning points in this one for the offense. 0:02:04.040 --> 0:02:08.720 I thought, when Christian Watson drew that past interference penalty 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:14.480 thirty eight yards, Packers were down at at that point 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.720 in the game nineteen to ten I believe was the score. 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:21.520 That thirty eight yard pass interference penalty then set up 0:02:21.560 --> 0:02:24.040 the twenty one yard touchdown run by A. J. Dillon. 0:02:24.160 --> 0:02:27.320 Suddenly it felt like a brand new game at that point. 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:31.400 And then on the defensive side, you mentioned Alexander had 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:33.560 gotten burned for a couple of big plays. The Packers 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.600 also early in the game got burned for a big 0:02:36.639 --> 0:02:41.080 play when Justin Fields ran for a fifty five yard touchdown. Packers, 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.040 they they're giving up too many big plays still, But 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:48.120 I thought the turning point was the response to the 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:51.000 big catch by n Kiel Harry down the sideline, which 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:53.600 was the second time that Alexander had gotten beat deep. 0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:57.639 The defense rose up three plays to force a field goal, 0:02:57.720 --> 0:03:00.360 and then on top of that, Dean Lowry blocks field 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:03.160 goal to keep the score nineteen to seventeen. There, We've 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:05.440 seen so many times over the course of the season, 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:07.600 when the Packers defense has given up a big play, 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:10.560 it hasn't responded to that well, to that very well, 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:13.040 and it has almost always led to points and often 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:17.880 touchdowns for the opponent. That sequence right there, I thought 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:21.640 was was a big step forward in in winning this 0:03:21.680 --> 0:03:25.440 game and completing a comeback that was actually thirteen points 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:27.960 in the first half when the Packers were down sixteen 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:30.639 to three. Yeah, They've had some monumental comebacks here. When 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:33.040 you look at I think last month with the Cowboys, 0:03:33.040 --> 0:03:34.720 that was the first time the Cowboys had lost the 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:36.640 game in the fourth quarter where they've been up, I 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:38.960 think they're like a hundred fifty and oh by fourteen 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:40.880 points where they've had that type of lead. The Packers 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:43.080 came back from it, same thing, and this one, I 0:03:43.120 --> 0:03:45.280 mean there never that's I think the largest comeback the 0:03:45.320 --> 0:03:47.720 Packers have had at Soldier Field against the Bears. So 0:03:48.200 --> 0:03:50.280 it speaks to the mental toughness of that team. But 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:53.760 you wrote about it in your Monday Morning Insider inbox. 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:56.520 You know, Dean Lowry is really the unsung hero of 0:03:56.560 --> 0:03:59.080 this game one. You know, we could talk about the 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:01.320 block field goal here in a minute, but Kenny Clark 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:03.000 was the one to point this out in the postgame 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:04.920 locker room. I thought it was worth mentioning because so 0:04:04.920 --> 0:04:08.320 many eyes were on Equinomius st Brown catching that fifty 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:11.920 six yard against Jerr Alexander. But on that play, seconds 0:04:12.080 --> 0:04:16.440 milliseconds before Fields throws a ball, Dean Lowry lays him out, 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:19.159 gets a really nice hit on him. And after that 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:21.640 first quarter where they gave up seventy one rushing yards 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.480 to Justin Fields. Luke getsy Fields. They were not running 0:04:25.560 --> 0:04:27.600 him anymore after that. They asked him to be more 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:30.440 of a pocket type quarterback. That allowed the Packers to 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:32.960 hone in a little bit on David Montgomery and other 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:36.320 than that explosive in the second half to Harry Really, 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:38.479 I thought that for the most part, the defense played 0:04:38.520 --> 0:04:42.760 really well. Getting back to that field goal, though, my goodness, 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:45.400 if the Bears get points there, if they go up 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:48.839 by five at that point, Green Bay Packers, they're not 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.320 in a position that in Mason Crosby thirty two yard 0:04:51.400 --> 0:04:55.000 or is gonna put down. Then you know, the Packers 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.600 get into scoring territory, they're gonna go for it. You're 0:04:57.600 --> 0:04:59.440 not gonna kick a field goal at that stage if 0:04:59.440 --> 0:05:02.680 you're down by points. And in terms of the Packers 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:05.880 needing to find some type of answer, needing a phase 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:08.960 like special teams to really pick them up, uh, it 0:05:09.040 --> 0:05:12.679 was incredibly required. Because yes, you had the force fumble 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:15.359 early on from Mussul Douglas, you had it recovered by 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:18.080 Rudy Ford. The Packers weren't able to get points off 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:21.359 of that drive. At the end of that game, Green 0:05:21.480 --> 0:05:24.800 Bay when I talked about complimentary football, not only did 0:05:24.800 --> 0:05:27.239 they create takeaways, not only did they make big plays 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:30.000 and phases where you're not necessarily going into a game 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:32.960 expecting a Dean Lowery block. It's what the Packers did 0:05:33.040 --> 0:05:36.400 after those plays. It has been the kind of rabbit 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:39.400 they've been chasing all season, and from that regard, I 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.760 thought that was probably the most encouraging thing about this performance. 0:05:43.040 --> 0:05:46.080 The Packers at four and eight going into this game, 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:48.880 really looking up at a lot of different teams here. 0:05:49.080 --> 0:05:50.800 They could have packed it in going into that the 0:05:50.880 --> 0:05:54.560 end of that third quarter, and instead they came together. Yeah. 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.320 Well in a big moment obviously at the end of 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:59.640 the first half as well, with the Packers getting into 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:02.760 scoring position. Score is sixteen to three. It's fourth and 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:06.680 four from Chicago's fourteen yard line. I'll be honest, West, 0:06:06.720 --> 0:06:09.080 and I said it in the live blog. I'm kicking 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:11.560 the field goal there. It's still the first half, sixteen 0:06:11.640 --> 0:06:13.880 to six. Just go in at halftime down by ten. 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:16.200 You got plenty of time to come back against this 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:19.159 Bears defense. Matt Floor was having none of it. He's 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:21.320 like he felt like the Packers are gonna have to 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:24.040 score a lot of points to win this game. Settling 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:26.720 for a field goal there, he didn't like it. He 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:30.240 went for the touchdown. Gutsy bold call and a little 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:32.839 bit of a scramble drill, and guests, who's on the 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:35.880 same page with Aaron Rodgers on a scrambled drill there 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.320 the rookie second round pick Christian Watson a fourteen yard touchdown. 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:42.839 Huge risk there, because if you don't get the touchdown 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:45.120 and you going at halftime down sixteen to three, you're 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:47.240 really not feeling good about this game. But that was 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:51.000 such a huge lift for the Packers. I know when 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:52.840 we're at the games, you know, we don't get to 0:06:52.880 --> 0:06:54.640 go into the locker room at halftime, but I can 0:06:54.640 --> 0:06:58.200 only imagine there was a certain amount of energy in 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.000 that locker room at halftime, even though the Packers were 0:07:01.040 --> 0:07:04.320 down by six. It it felt different even at that point. Well, 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.680 and to add a little bit more context to to 0:07:06.680 --> 0:07:09.039 to your comment about kicking the field goal, why that 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:11.680 also would have seemed possibly like a prudent decision. They 0:07:11.720 --> 0:07:15.080 just lost a yard with Aaron Jones the play before 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:17.200 that when they tried to run it. My guess is 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:19.240 when they ran the ball, they're thinking okay, well, we'll 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:21.280 either get the first down or we'll get close to it. 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:24.040 Then we're in another position. At fourth and four. You 0:07:24.120 --> 0:07:28.679 basically have to pass the football. And for Christian Watson, 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:30.560 you know, we hear the term plaster you know, we 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:33.960 talk about defensive backs extended plays. The counter to that 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:36.920 is you have to plaster on your man. Christian Watson, 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:39.440 with his size and his speed. That is not an 0:07:39.440 --> 0:07:42.520 easy assignment for anybody. And when the Packers are sending 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:45.120 him on these deep crossers. I wrote about it last week, Mike, 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:49.120 it is the ultimate weapon right now for this offense 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:51.680 because it's not just your typical slam, it's not typically 0:07:51.720 --> 0:07:54.800 your drag round. It is him taking that thing up field. 0:07:55.160 --> 0:07:58.040 And once again, is he's catching those balls, getting more confidence, 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:01.680 more and more dangerous. The rookie becomes yeah, well, and 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:04.400 you mentioned earlier to Dean Lowry, you know, kind of 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:07.480 the unsung hero with with the block field goal. Other 0:08:07.560 --> 0:08:10.760 unsung heroes in this game, Zach Tom the rookie steps 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:13.960 in at left tackle for David Baktieri, who um had 0:08:14.000 --> 0:08:19.040 an emergency appendectomy on Friday. Um, I know a little 0:08:19.040 --> 0:08:23.560 something about that, by the way, Um, But um so 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:27.080 Bat couldn't play this time, unlike the Washington game, which 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:29.320 the Packers made the decision to go with Tom at 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:32.320 left tackle right before the game because Bat's knee wasn't 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:35.200 feeling well. At least Tom got one day of you know, 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:38.000 full day of practice on Friday as the number one 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:40.760 left tackle, was able to prepare mentally and everything else 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:44.440 that goes into getting ready for the game. The Bears 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:48.120 don't have the best pass rush. You know, Robert Quinn 0:08:48.200 --> 0:08:51.440 was traded, Rokuan Smith was traded, Jack Sandborn, you know, 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.160 the the undrafted linebacker round Wisconsin. He's going to be 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.000 a terrific player. He already is a player. But in 0:08:57.120 --> 0:08:59.200 terms of the front four for the Bears in the 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:02.280 pass rush get after the quarterback, they weren't able to 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:05.360 do a whole lot of it. Um Zach, Tom really 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:07.960 really held up well. It was the type of performance 0:09:08.000 --> 0:09:10.720 from the offensive line that that the Packers certainly needed 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.679 with Aaron Rodgers dealing with the with the sore ribs 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.400 and everything. So shout out to Tom there. We'll see 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:19.600 you know exactly if for when David Bactieri might be 0:09:19.640 --> 0:09:22.720 able to come back. Um, you know, it's very uncertain 0:09:22.760 --> 0:09:26.320 at this point recovering from an emergency surgery like that. 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:28.199 And then the other thing you have to point out 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:33.400 to Sammy Watkins, things haven't gone as well as anybody 0:09:33.480 --> 0:09:35.800 would have hoped for. Watkins coming in as a free 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:38.960 agent and you know, being a veteran presence and hoping 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:41.920 to you know, ease this transition to the to the 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:47.439 post Davante Adams receiving corps. But Sammy Watkins through two 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.160 really really crucial blocks in this game. One on a J. 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:53.280 Dillon's touchdown run which was off of faking the jet 0:09:53.320 --> 0:09:55.960 sweep and Dylan going the other way, and then on 0:09:56.040 --> 0:09:59.040 the forty six yard jet sweep run by Christian Watson 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:02.480 to seal the game, Sammy Watkins throws really the only 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:06.200 block that that Watson needed because nobody else for the 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:09.400 Bears was anywhere close to him. The whole side of 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:13.880 the field was wide open um and uh so wanted 0:10:13.920 --> 0:10:16.199 to wanted to shout out Sammy Watkins as well. It's 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:18.960 pretty cool to see him throw the block and uh 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:21.520 and put the number one the fist up in the 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:24.600 air right away after that, because he knew as well 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:27.080 as anybody else who was in that stadium that that 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:30.520 was a touchdown as soon as that block was thrown. Yeah, 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:33.200 that was my favorite takeaway is that that image of 0:10:33.360 --> 0:10:36.440 Christian Watson, you know, extending down the field and and 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:40.319 you see you know, Watkins in the background there, uh, celebrating. 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:42.680 I also got to give a shout out to Sammy 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.120 Watkins because on Friday, Mike, you might have remembered this 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.720 back when you were uh, you know, having some younger 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.640 kids around the household. It was the Packers holiday family 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:55.440 Christmas party and uh, my son, You've had a chance 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:56.840 that I think meet him now a couple of times. 0:10:57.320 --> 0:11:00.400 He Uh, he's the most extroverted little four year old 0:11:00.400 --> 0:11:03.959 you've ever met. And uh we were at the crafts 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:06.400 table while we were waiting to meet Santa Claus and 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:09.720 Sammy and his family came up and his daughter's beautiful 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:12.880 young family. You know, they were at the crafts table. Well, 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:17.199 my son because again being the most extroverted probably person 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:20.600 in the entire family, uh, quickly made friends with Sammy, 0:11:21.080 --> 0:11:23.480 was trying to share pens with him and everything. And 0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:26.719 kudos to Sammy, a true pro handled that very well, 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:30.120 was very nice with my son, and to see him 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.600 succeed in that way. I mean the Packers this season, Mike. 0:11:34.280 --> 0:11:36.480 They went into the year talking about when it comes 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:40.880 to blocking receivers, Alan Lazard and Sammy Watkins are two 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:43.719 of the best in the business. And to see that 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:46.079 area of the game come through for them, because it 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:50.360 wasn't just that play for Watson. Over in the other 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:52.480 side of the locker room, A J. Dillon talked about 0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:56.280 his touchdown run. Watkins was blocking on that as well, 0:11:56.360 --> 0:11:59.040 helping kind of a crackback not crackback block, but sort 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:02.800 of the seal block with Zach Tom to spring Dylan 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:05.560 to the end zone. The Packers have been so good 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.360 at that. When we talked earlier this season about running 0:12:08.400 --> 0:12:10.360 the football, it wasn't just well they can't throw it, 0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.600 they have to run it. It was how they built 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:16.120 the offense to run the football. And this game, especially 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:18.600 with Aaron Jones and my goodness that the next time 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:20.800 the Packers play a Soldier field, I I might just 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:23.319 have Aaron is a healthy scratch. It's just there's something 0:12:23.360 --> 0:12:25.800 about that field where he just always seems to have 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:28.200 some type of thing that pops up. But when they 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:30.920 when they went to A J. Dillon in this game, 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:33.720 Dylan responded the right way, and I loved Aaron's quote 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:36.080 afterwards about it, when he's asked about being you know, 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:38.520 Dylan kind of taking the lead at the backfield, he said, Hey, 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:40.800 when a dog is being a dog, you gotta let 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:43.559 the dog be the dog. And and and certainly Dylan, 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:45.560 you could tell how much that meant to him. This newly, 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:48.959 as we found out expected father Um being able to 0:12:49.240 --> 0:12:51.400 do that little celebration as well with the rock and 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:55.000 the baby, So positive signs all around. Unfortunately for the Packers, 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:56.920 as we know, Mike, they've dug themselves into a little 0:12:56.920 --> 0:12:59.559 bit of this hole. But I thought the way that 0:12:59.600 --> 0:13:02.720 they back when they could have easily folded Um definitely 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.640 spoke volumes about this football team. Yeah, and for those 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:07.720 who like to dig into the film clips and stuff, 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:11.480 a little bit of self promotion here the Christian Watson 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.559 jet sweep forty six yard touchdown on the fourth quarter. 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:16.679 I went through the game film my what you might 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:18.800 have missed. It's up on Packers dot com. You can 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:21.480 go through all the clips. It was the eighth time 0:13:21.520 --> 0:13:24.680 in the game that the Packers ran Watson in motion 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:27.920 all the way across the formation, and the first seven 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:31.080 they ran all kinds of other plays. There were pitches 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:34.240 this way, pitches that way, play action, passed, straight, drop 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:36.640 back past, all kinds of stuff. Of course, the first 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.760 seven times Watson did not get the ball. The eighth 0:13:39.800 --> 0:13:41.880 time he did. If you go and look at the 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:44.920 plays six, I would say five of the first seven 0:13:45.200 --> 0:13:48.920 were very successful plays anyway, and then obviously the big 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:52.880 the kill shot at the end with Watson. So it's 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:55.080 fun film to go through. It's it's cool to look at, 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:56.960 so be sure to check that out. And if I 0:13:57.000 --> 0:13:58.920 may be sure to check that out, it's great, great 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.280 stuff from Michael. But you know the thing about Soldier 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:02.960 Field is we are in a corner of the end 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:07.520 zone over there, and there aren't always great imagery of 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:12.160 the on field action that play and also the touchdown 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.520 pass both actually where we had great vantage points on. 0:14:15.200 --> 0:14:18.280 What was so astonishing about that is you could see 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:21.120 Chicago try to react to what Green Bay was doing 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:25.280 and they bit hard on the run. But I also 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:29.120 bit hard on the run. And it wasn't until Christian 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:33.800 Watson is steps away from the sideline did I realize 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:35.560 he had the football. And at that point, Mike, you 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:38.240 watched the film you broke it down. There's a few 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:41.560 people even standing close to him the rest of the way. 0:14:41.600 --> 0:14:44.680 I mean, that's the interesting about him. There's nobody close 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:46.600 to him when you when you watch it, it's when 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.280 you watch it, it's pretty remarkable. And you see, you know, 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:51.920 and the A J. Dillon touchdown round that we've been 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:54.720 talking about, that was another one to where where Watson 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.120 is on the jet sweeping that Uh. You know, that 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.120 action pulls a couple of guys, you know, makes it 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:04.200 just even if the guys don't move necessarily, but it 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:07.200 can make them hesitate. It's to you know, to their 0:15:07.240 --> 0:15:10.680 reaction to where the ball is actually going. And and uh, 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:13.960 that hesitation allowed A. J. Dillon to get through there 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.720 with those good blocks by Tom and Watkins to to 0:15:16.840 --> 0:15:20.000 create that lane. So um, it's a it's really it's 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:22.080 really fun film to watch. It was. It was a 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:25.160 good one to go through packers now five and eight. 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:28.480 Obviously the idea is to try to win out, to 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:30.960 try to get above five hundred. You see where other 0:15:31.000 --> 0:15:33.760 things fall and uh, and we can talk about some 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:36.640 of those other results here coming up in a minute. West, 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:39.120 but uh, I will take care of the sponsor business 0:15:39.120 --> 0:15:43.000 serious x M. NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:45.600 up to them in the NFL News that true football 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:49.920 fanatics need seven three, six five, And at Cousin Subs, 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:53.040 we have something for everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, 0:15:53.400 --> 0:15:56.000 mac and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:58.400 with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin 0:15:58.560 --> 0:16:03.960 Subs fifty years of better alright elsewhere around the league 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:10.720 in Week thirteen, a lot of interesting things to touch on. Um. 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:13.720 The Giants and the Commanders played to an overtime tie 0:16:13.720 --> 0:16:17.760 in the first of their two games this season. That 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:20.160 could be very interesting here if the Packers do get 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:21.880 on a run. I don't want to get into it 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:23.960 too much yet, but if the Packers get on a run, 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:28.160 we're gonna be talking about that. That Giants and Commanders tie. 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:31.160 The Vikings pull out another close one, holding off the 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:33.360 Jets at the goal line a couple of times down 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:36.120 the stretch. Minnesota gets a win. They're holding off a 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:39.720 big Jets come back. A couple of questions I want 0:16:39.720 --> 0:16:43.400 to ask you. The forty Niners get a big win 0:16:43.480 --> 0:16:47.920 over the Miami Dolphins, but they lose Jimmy Garoppolo. They 0:16:47.920 --> 0:16:51.080 are now down to Brock Purty as a third string 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:53.920 quarterback to try to lead what I think is a 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:57.880 really really good forty Niners team. Um, where do you 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:00.400 see things going for the forty Niners from year? And 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:04.520 then my other question for you is do the Cincinnati 0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:07.800 Bengals somehow have the Kansas City Chiefs number? They've beating 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:09.919 him three times in a row? Now, who's beating Patrick 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:12.239 Mahomes three times in a row? Yeah? I don't know. 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:16.680 Joe Burrow has like right look out, I mean wow? Yeah. 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:20.240 First and foremost, Um, brock Purty did everything he needed 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.840 to do to manage that football game once he went in, 0:17:22.920 --> 0:17:26.520 and he's not going to get help. He's the man now. Uh. 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:29.720 My biggest takeaway from that game, though, it isn't gonna 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:33.120 be about brock Purty. I think San Francisco's playoff hopes 0:17:33.200 --> 0:17:34.600 is going to go back to the guy that they 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:37.480 sort of wagered their season on, which is Christian McCaffrey. 0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:43.000 McCaffrey is a versatile, dynamic playmaker, but he hasn't been 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:45.320 the same running back out of the backfield this season. 0:17:45.640 --> 0:17:47.760 They're gonna need more from him in that area and 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:50.479 It's going to be key to their hopes because if 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:52.680 you don't have your number two or number three quarterback, 0:17:53.080 --> 0:17:54.920 what did the Packers learn, you know back in two 0:17:54.960 --> 0:17:57.240 thousand thirteen, you better have a really good running back 0:17:57.240 --> 0:17:59.920 and you better have a really good offensive line. That's 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:02.640 where San Francisco's hopes and fortunes are going to lie. 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:05.840 As far as the rest of this week kind of 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:10.000 shuffled out, um, I thought New York and Washington tying 0:18:10.240 --> 0:18:14.280 was just the perfect sort of um culmination of just 0:18:14.400 --> 0:18:17.440 what that division has been this year and just the 0:18:17.440 --> 0:18:20.440 the insanity of it all, I mean, um, and from 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:23.360 Washington's perspective, that tie really hurt them and that they 0:18:23.400 --> 0:18:26.720 fell behind Seattle. Now because of Seattle's come back over 0:18:27.359 --> 0:18:30.439 the Rams. Seattle now is that number seven seed in 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:34.080 this playoffs hunt. So I really tying it into where 0:18:34.080 --> 0:18:36.040 the Packers are at if I may really quickly Brian 0:18:36.080 --> 0:18:39.880 Goodkin's talk to the media on Monday, as did Matt Lafleur, 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:42.120 and Packers have four games to go and the only 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:45.640 thing they can worry about is winning, but seeing how 0:18:46.200 --> 0:18:49.920 the East shuffles out, seeing about whether or not San 0:18:49.960 --> 0:18:54.320 Francisco can weather Garoppolo's you know absence and you know 0:18:54.440 --> 0:18:59.159 can seattle rally for all of its flaws around Gino Smith. Uh, 0:18:59.200 --> 0:19:03.160 this is such an intriguingly high stakes here in the NFC, Mike, 0:19:03.240 --> 0:19:04.920 because I I've said it once, I've said it a 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:08.280 million times. I think any of these seven teams that 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:11.760 make the playoffs have a chance. The Detroit Lions this week, Mike, 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:15.040 going into this upcoming week, are actually favored right now 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:18.160 over the Minnesota Vikings, the number two seed um as 0:19:18.200 --> 0:19:19.960 that game will be played at at Ford Field, so 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:23.040 they're obviously getting the home advantage. But the fact that 0:19:23.040 --> 0:19:27.560 that's even our consideration right now, with the Lions being 0:19:27.600 --> 0:19:30.000 on the outside looking in with Green Bay, I think 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:33.040 speaks volumes about how this this conference and and things 0:19:33.080 --> 0:19:37.800 have shuffled out. Yeah, well this weekend, that that Lions 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:40.760 game at Ford Field in Detroit against Minnesota. I mean, 0:19:40.960 --> 0:19:43.520 for right now, you call that the biggest game of 0:19:43.560 --> 0:19:45.879 the Dan Campbell era to this point, right, I mean, 0:19:45.920 --> 0:19:48.880 because really for the for the Lions, it's it's are 0:19:48.880 --> 0:19:51.639 they going to stay in the playoff race down the 0:19:51.640 --> 0:19:54.600 stretch and give themselves a chance and put people on 0:19:54.720 --> 0:19:58.600 notice potentially by beating a two lost Minnesota team that 0:19:58.640 --> 0:20:01.160 has that's won so many clothe schemes here along the way, 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:05.040 or are the Lions not quite there yet? And uh 0:20:05.080 --> 0:20:07.360 and and they're going to They're going to fade down 0:20:07.359 --> 0:20:09.280 the stretch. There's a lot of a lot of excitement. 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:12.840 They were fired up in Detroit for that Thanksgiving game 0:20:12.880 --> 0:20:15.639 against Buffalo and they took a really good Buffalo Bills 0:20:15.680 --> 0:20:18.280 team all the way to the wire before losing. I 0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:20.639 think that game on I think that game on Sunday 0:20:20.680 --> 0:20:23.520 against the Vikings is gonna be a full sixty minute 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:28.400