WEBVTT - #452 Packers Unscripted: Ways to win 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:20.720 Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:23.400 I am Mike Spofford sitting next to the one and 0:00:23.480 --> 0:00:26.400 only Wes Hodkuwitz. We're coming to you here from our 0:00:26.440 --> 0:00:29.160 studios at lambeau Field West, our final show of the week. 0:00:29.200 --> 0:00:32.159 It is Friday, but we need to condense things a 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:35.400 little bit because there's an injury update to go through 0:00:35.440 --> 0:00:38.320 before we get to our usual end of week Keys 0:00:38.360 --> 0:00:41.720 to Victory. So with regards to the Packers injury report, 0:00:41.920 --> 0:00:45.479 it's lengthy. There are twenty guys listed on it. Now. 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:50.040 We'll see come late Saturday afternoon when the final designations 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:52.600 are made from Monday night's game how many of those 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:55.280 guys end up being removed from the injury report. But 0:00:56.200 --> 0:01:00.320 some primary updates. First of all, Davante Adams on the 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:03.680 injury report not practicing, told reporters he's not sure when 0:01:03.720 --> 0:01:07.280 he's going to be back. Jamal Williams is back at practice, 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:10.680 he's been cleared from the concussion protocol, and center Corey 0:01:10.760 --> 0:01:14.480 Lindsley also in the concussion protocol, not fully cleared yet 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:17.640 but back at practice on a limited basis. So those 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:20.640 are some of the big names as to what's going on, 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:23.920 as well as a certain guy number twelve, Aaron Rodgers, 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:26.920 cropping up on the injury report with a knee injury. 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:29.480 There's been no indication that he's in any danger of 0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:32.399 missing the game, but he is on the injury report 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:35.399 dealing with something in a knee. Yep. If you're dealing 0:01:35.440 --> 0:01:38.319 with anything, you got to report it. So the Packers 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:41.039 certainly with taking it easy on Aaron Rodgers in their 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:44.160 first practice back, um, you know, having him sit out there. 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:46.679 Um you know, I should say said out, but just 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:50.240 being able to be cautious with it. Yeah. This week 0:01:50.320 --> 0:01:52.200 is going to be interesting for Green Bay though, because 0:01:52.280 --> 0:01:54.600 you look at Davante Adams and he was talking at 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:56.560 his locker and you a group that you were a 0:01:56.560 --> 0:01:58.840 part of, you know, And as he points out, I mean, 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:01.680 he's dealing with the pretty significant injury right now and 0:02:01.760 --> 0:02:03.880 he doesn't want to be back outer until he feels, 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:06.680 you know, just fine about it. And I thought one 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:09.400 of his big money lines was basically saying that you 0:02:09.400 --> 0:02:13.440 can walk around your local store and you could play football. 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:16.359 They're two different things. And you did see Davante walking 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:20.120 around practice on Wednesday. But yeah, I mean I should 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:21.920 say on Thursday, but you know, you have to be 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:26.040 smart with it. The real nice thing, pleasant surprise, mind you, 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:28.040 is that Jamal Williams was back out there in a 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:31.480 full participant after being cleared from the concussion protocol two 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:34.320 weeks after the hit at Philadelphia. I was a part 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.799 of that media scrum. Jamal Williams basically said much ado 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:40.520 about nothing. He's ready to focus on football. He doesn't 0:02:40.520 --> 0:02:43.120 care about talking about the hit. But going into this matchup, 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:46.000 if you don't have Davante Adams, but you have Jamal 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:48.920 Williams and Aaron Jones, that's a big, big plus for 0:02:48.960 --> 0:02:52.400 this offense. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean you'd like to be 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:54.919 able to share some of that workload in the backfield. 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:57.800 Obviously Tray Carson spelled Aaron Jones a little bit, But 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:01.280 at the end of the day, sixty five plays for 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:03.920 the Packers at Dallas, Aaron Jones touched the ball on 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:06.880 twenty six of them, and there was another targeted pass 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:09.400 that was incomplete. So that's twenty seven out of sixty 0:03:09.440 --> 0:03:13.119 five plays that essentially we're focused on Aaron Jones. That's 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:15.240 a pretty big workload for one day, and and a 0:03:15.320 --> 0:03:18.800 difficult workload to sustain. Week after week after week in 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:20.840 such a long season. So you want to get Jamal 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:23.400 Williams back out there and start to maybe divide up 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:25.560 that load a little bit if you can. Yeah, definitely, 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:27.960 and especially considering the stretch that they're on. It doesn't 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:30.280 even have to necessarily be in this game against Detroit, 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:32.800 but you have Oakland after this at home on six days. 0:03:32.840 --> 0:03:35.600 You then have two big road trips. You have a 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:38.920 game against Carolina next month before you can get to 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.080 your bye week. So you know, you want to be 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:43.440 able to not you know, have to push everyone, not 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:46.640 just Aaron Jones, push everyone to that extreme if you 0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:49.120 don't have to Jamal Williams. You know, I wrote about 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.280 this on Packers dot Com. He actually was coming off 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.440 his best game of the season when he sort of 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:56.480 gave the offensive pick me up against Denver, went into 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:59.640 that that Philadelphia contest. So if he can you know, 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:03.360 get back into a rhythm here, I have no problems, questions, 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:06.720 concerns whatsoever about him in terms of the mentality of football. 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:08.600 You know, he said he's going right back in there. 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:10.480 He's not changing his mindset at all. He's going to 0:04:10.520 --> 0:04:12.280 play the same way he always does. And if you know, 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:15.880 Jamal Williams, I think everybody pretty much understands that, Um, 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:18.160 you know that's not a lie. Yeah. Well, let's stay 0:04:18.160 --> 0:04:20.160 on the offensive side of the ball here, West as 0:04:20.160 --> 0:04:23.400 we talk about keys to victory for Monday Night. In 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:28.440 this Packers Lions showdown Packers offense. What does it need 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:31.400 to do to come out victorious? Well, first off, they 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.360 need to be able to move the ball all four quarters. 0:04:33.920 --> 0:04:36.000 You want to be able to eliminate the lulls. That's 0:04:36.000 --> 0:04:38.400 been the one thing that through the first five games 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:40.120 of the season has kind of been missing for them. 0:04:40.120 --> 0:04:42.480 They've gotten off to some great starts, which, if you 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:44.640 go in contrast the last few seasons, that was sort 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.320 of an issue for them. They would find their rhythm late, 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:49.360 but getting established early was of an issue. It was 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:51.960 a problem. Well, this year you come back and their 0:04:51.960 --> 0:04:55.800 first scripted plays, their first few series drives, they've been explosive. 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:58.040 And it's been that way since Week one against Chicago. 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:00.880 So you know, if you're able too, I should say, 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:02.680 after they did get into the rhythm against Chicago, it 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:05.720 hasn't really been an issue. Sure, but if you're able to, 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.080 you know, contour the offense and find different playmakers to 0:05:09.120 --> 0:05:11.440 emerge here without Davante Adams. And again we'll let the 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:14.839 weekend take its course, but let's say you don't have them. 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:16.840 What was what they did so well in that game 0:05:16.880 --> 0:05:19.920 against Dallas is it was Jimmy Graham making a clutch catch. 0:05:19.920 --> 0:05:21.960 It was Robert toan you, although he's dealing with a hip, 0:05:22.240 --> 0:05:25.200 making a really critical catch along the sidelines. It was 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:28.839 guys playing well in situational football that lifted the entire boat. 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:30.960 That's going to be the key in this one. I 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:33.360 think it's gonna be Aaron Jones, It's gonna be Jamal Williams. 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:36.279 It's going to be all those auxiliary pieces coming together 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:39.159 if you don't have Davante Adams to really threaten and 0:05:39.240 --> 0:05:42.719 stress and Detroit defense that has been pretty impressive here, 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:44.600 Mike through the first month of the season. Yeah, I mean, 0:05:44.680 --> 0:05:47.200 I keep coming back to as far as the offense 0:05:47.240 --> 0:05:50.000 of the Packers is concerned. What Matt Lafleur continues to 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:52.600 harp on, whether he's talking about it in a postgame 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:57.320 setting or in a midweek news conference, and that's third 0:05:57.360 --> 0:06:01.960 down conversions the Packers right around percent for the season. 0:06:02.120 --> 0:06:04.240 Pretty remarkable when you think about it that you can 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:07.000 be at thirty on third down through five games and 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:09.520 be four and one. That just tells you how many 0:06:09.600 --> 0:06:12.839 other aspects of this team, how many things are going 0:06:12.880 --> 0:06:15.080 well in order to make that happen. We've seen it 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:18.640 West when the Packers get into that rhythm offensively and 0:06:18.880 --> 0:06:22.000 they're at their best, they're quite frankly, so far this year, 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.839 they've been avoiding third down entirely. They're having these drives 0:06:24.839 --> 0:06:27.600 where they're only needing first down and second down and 0:06:27.640 --> 0:06:29.599 they're moving the chains and they're not even getting into 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:32.280 third down situations. I think the biggest thing that sticks 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:36.320 out about the struggles on third down. I saw a 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:40.159 stat that I believe the Packers have had eight third 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:44.039 and sixteen plus situations through five games, and they're over 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:45.919 eight and those There aren't a lot of things in 0:06:45.920 --> 0:06:48.000 the playbook that are going to be able to convert 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:50.080 third and sixteen unless you catch a break on a 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.159 defensive penalty or something like that. So eight third and 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:56.200 sixteen plus situations in five games is way too many, 0:06:56.279 --> 0:06:59.240 and that's where La Fleur is focused. It's about getting 0:06:59.240 --> 0:07:02.359 those third down on situations into into the more manageable 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:05.240 down and distance the six yards and under. You know 0:07:05.640 --> 0:07:08.080 that kind of thing where then your percentage is obviously 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:09.880 going to go up and you're going to be able 0:07:09.920 --> 0:07:13.640 to keep the ball and sustain those drives and avoid 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:17.320 the lulls that that seem to be happening when the 0:07:17.360 --> 0:07:20.000 Packers aren't in the really quick rhythm thing where they're 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.200 not even getting the third down. So it's a matter 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:23.960 of smoothing all of that out, and I think the 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:27.000 Packers offense is going to get there eventually, but you know, 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:28.760 the sooner the better. Yeah, when you say the quick 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:31.160 rhythm stuff, you look at the conversions of Packers have 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:34.160 made during those series. It's second and three, that's third 0:07:34.200 --> 0:07:38.119 and two. It's being able to keep the chains very manageable. Um. Now, 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:40.920 that's a really extreme example. It's a good example with 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:43.960 the with the third and sixteen and plus, but even 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.800 third and ten. I mean, that's that's an unlikely to 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:50.120 convert play for most teams because the defenses are just 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:53.000 playing you for a third intense situation. Yeah, they're gonna 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:54.920 give you the short field, they're gonna give you the 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:58.040 short completion underneath, they're gonna come up and make the tackle. 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.760 Usually in those situations you either need a defensive penalty 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:04.680 or somebody just flat out missing a tackle in order 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:07.280 to be able to convert in those third and double 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:09.880 digit types. So that's why so often when they talk 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:12.120 about third down efficiency, and it's true it is third 0:08:12.120 --> 0:08:15.640 down efficiency, but realistically it's more first and second down efficiency. 0:08:15.720 --> 0:08:17.360 You know, how you're able to get you know, maybe 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:19.600 a four yard carry off the bat, a six yard catch. 0:08:19.760 --> 0:08:21.800 That's what made James Jones great in my opinion, all 0:08:21.800 --> 0:08:23.640 those years with those stop routes as he would run. 0:08:23.880 --> 0:08:25.400 You know that he was always good for eight to 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:28.760 ten yards on those plays at critical points in football games. 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:32.200 So this is where I think Jimmy Graham can really 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:34.080 help them in the long term. You know, you've seen 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:35.880 him kind of get going here the last two weeks, 0:08:35.880 --> 0:08:39.200 over hundred yards in these two games together. You know, 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:41.480 maybe in Marcedes Lewis. He looks so much better in 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:43.880 this offense this year with how they're able to integrate him. 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:46.720 He's not a sixth offensive lineman anymore. He's a real 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:48.800 threat to be able to, you know, move the ball. 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.640 And honestly, Mike, this is where I think you're really 0:08:51.679 --> 0:08:55.240 seeing the superstar tendencies of Aaron Jones, because last week's 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:57.280 game wasn't just about you know, he had a hundred 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:59.480 and eighty two total yards, hundred and seven of that 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:02.960 were rushing. He had seventy plus yards catching the ball, 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:06.800 a career high seven catches. They really used him more 0:09:06.880 --> 0:09:09.400 through these five games as a pass catcher. Then I 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:12.640 really remember him being designed as a route runner during 0:09:12.640 --> 0:09:15.240 his entire time in the last two seasons. It isn't 0:09:15.240 --> 0:09:17.839 just screen passes, it's put it's flanking him out wide 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:19.680 and actually being okay, throwing it to him if he 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:23.120 comes on a crosser. That's where I think defensive defensive 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:26.000 coordinators now really have their eye on him and what 0:09:26.080 --> 0:09:28.839 he could potentially present in The more attention he draws, 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:30.040 and something I talked to him vote in the locker 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:32.560 room after last week's game, the more options it's going 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:34.839 to open up your Marquez Valdes, Scantlings and the other 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:37.280 real big threats in his offense. Yeah, well, it comes 0:09:37.280 --> 0:09:39.480 down to, as you said, with the first and second down, 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.760 it's about avoiding the negative plays. It's about avoiding the penalties. 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:45.880 You know, Packer's offensive line. If there's one thing that's 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:48.360 been a little bit of a bugaboo, so to speak, 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:51.359 the last few games. It's been it's been some untimely penalties. 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:55.280 Um Since the opening game against Chicago when the Bears 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:57.880 had five sacks, Rodgers has only been sacked five times 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:00.200 since then in the last four games. In one of 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.000 those was even a give up intentional type of sack 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:07.480 against the Cowboys. The way that play unfolded, So if 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:10.360 you can avoid the negative plays and avoid the penalties, 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:12.600 then those third downs end up being much more management. 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:14.800 And getting back to my original point when you asked 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:16.520 me about the key to this victory in this game, 0:10:16.559 --> 0:10:19.520 the four quartered attack, I just feel like Detroit. While 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:22.000 they do have good playmakers on that defense, especially if 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:24.560 Darius Slay is able to go, they have given up 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.280 yards this year. I mean the twenty fifth right now 0:10:27.960 --> 0:10:29.640 in the league in total yards. I think they're twenty 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:32.920 one against the run. Teams have had been able to 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:35.360 have success moving the ball, and when you can move 0:10:35.400 --> 0:10:37.000 the ball the way that Green Bay does and have 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:39.880 protect the football the way they have, that's when you 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:42.120 talk about third down efficiency and things of that nature. 0:10:42.360 --> 0:10:44.560 That's why you're four and one at this juncture because 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:48.520 you've consistently made enough plays and protected the football that 0:10:48.880 --> 0:10:51.400 you know, not every stat has to be league leading. 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:53.680 You can find ways to win. And that's I think 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.480 been the number one character of this team here through 0:10:56.520 --> 0:10:58.680 this first month of the year. Yeah, all right, well 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:01.559 quickly here, West, before we shift gears to the defensive 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:04.880 side of the ball. Select Cousin Subs locations are now 0:11:04.960 --> 0:11:08.520 offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:11.319 they're delivering right to you when you order online at 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:16.360 Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs. We believe in better okay, 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:20.400 defensive keys to victory. West, I'm not sure what you think, 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:26.199 but I'm starting on this one with keeping Matthew Stafford 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:29.280 from getting into a rhythm. And I'll say that, you know, 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:31.960 we haven't had one of those tried and true SPAFF 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:34.199 stats and info segments for a while. All Right, I've 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:38.040 got one of Yeah, I've got a whole Yeah, I've 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:39.840 I've got a whole bunch of them here for you. 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:43.400 All right, Okay, the Detroit Lions have beaten the Packers 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:46.880 four consecutive games. They've swept the last two season series 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:51.080 in seventeen and eighteen. The first time the Lions have 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:54.160 swept back to back season series from the Packers since 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:57.960 the early eighties eighty three seasons. So it's been a 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:00.000 long time since the Packers have been in this situation 0:12:00.880 --> 0:12:05.040 in this rivalry, and the Lions have not won five 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:09.040 straight in this series since the pre Lombardi era of 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:12.960 the nineteen fifties. So um, the Packers certainly don't want 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:17.440 to tread into that territory. But getting back to the 0:12:17.480 --> 0:12:20.560 here and now, these last four games, and I know 0:12:21.559 --> 0:12:24.000 the Packers have been missing Aaron Rodgers, and I believe 0:12:24.080 --> 0:12:27.000 three out of the four if I'm not mistaken, but 0:12:27.120 --> 0:12:31.240 Matthew Stafford for the Lions Detroit has put up thirty 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:34.280 plus points in all four of the victories the last 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:38.599 two seasons. And here are Stafford's numbers, eighty out of twenty, 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:44.480 which is exactly two thirds, sixty six point seven thirty 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:48.880 three yards, nine touchdowns, no interceptions, a one two point 0:12:49.000 --> 0:12:54.600 zero passerrating over these four Lions victories the last two seasons. 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:58.480 That's like off the charts good and the Packers cannot 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.400 let him get it into that type of rhythm and 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.240 have that type of game. Here's the other interesting thing. Too. Though. 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:08.720 West Matthew Stafford's first thirteen games, He's now played seventeen 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:12.480 games against the Packers. His first thirteen games against the Packers, 0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:18.000 green Bay intercepted him nineteen times. Zero interceptions of Stafford 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:23.080 over the last four That's that's the trend the Packers 0:13:23.120 --> 0:13:26.280 have to change in order to get this rivalry flip 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:28.080 back in the other direction. So if you ask me, 0:13:28.160 --> 0:13:30.520 just very quickly, what's the first thing that comes to 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:33.000 mind in these last four losses the last two seasons, 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:36.520 it's been efficiency for Matthew Stafford. Absolutely, he's not been challenged. 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:38.480 And as much as we want to talk about Aaron 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:40.800 Rodgers and whether he did or didn't play in these games, 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:42.559 or who the head coach was, or what what the 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:44.920 scenario was going to be and what the implications were, 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:47.720 fact of the matter is Aaron Rodgers doesn't rush the passer. 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:50.520 Aaron Rodgers is not a boundary cornerback. He's not a safety, 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:53.559 he's not a linebacker. He's a quarterback. He would have 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:56.520 to go tip for tat with Stafford playing excellent football. 0:13:57.000 --> 0:13:58.920 That's where I think the defense has to rise to 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.000 the occasion. And I'm really intrigued to see it, Mike, 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:03.680 because I think with Sadarius Smith and Preston Smith and 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:05.520 the pressure they've been generating, they're gonna be able to 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:08.240 get after Matthew Stafford more than he has been the 0:14:08.320 --> 0:14:11.280 last two seasons. There were some sacks, but the pressure 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:13.840 wasn't consistent and not at all. And the more you 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:16.760 dial up the pressure, the more the opportunities open up 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:19.720 for themselves downfield. Now here's the number one question mark. 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:22.400 We talked so much about Davante Adams, and rightfully so, 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:25.760 but there are a lot of missing pieces here for 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:28.360 green Bay's defense in the secondary going into this game. 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:31.240 Raven Green They've already been without him. That pushes Adrian 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:33.680 Amos up into the box. Now you have Darnell Savage 0:14:33.680 --> 0:14:36.520 missing some practice time with his ankle injury, so does 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:39.640 that push Amos back? You have Will Redmond stepping up, 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:42.240 but there's only one Will Redmond, so you need to 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:45.360 make some decisions there. The one real positive thing for 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:47.240 green Bay is that Kevin King was back on the 0:14:47.240 --> 0:14:50.080 practice field on Thursday. A little bit of concern there 0:14:50.080 --> 0:14:52.320 with him already dealing with the growing injury and then 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:53.880 dealing with the knee injury. The fact that he was 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:55.600 able to be out there is great. So if you 0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:58.720 can have Alexander and King allow those guys to work 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:01.240 on islands in free up the safeties in the slot 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:04.080 cornerbacks a little bit more, that's going to be the 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:06.320 biggest key here, because, as we've been talking about for 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:09.520 the last three seasons now, this new Matt Stafford, the 0:15:09.560 --> 0:15:11.600 one that's been able to have the success he's had, 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:14.480 it's because he spreads the football around and makes guys better. 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:17.200 That's how Detroit's winning and that's how they're the number 0:15:17.200 --> 0:15:19.480 eight ranked our offense in the league at this point. Yeah, 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:21.920 I mean, I just think this game for the Packers, 0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:24.560 as much as we talked about everything on the offensive side, 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.480 I just really think it comes down to not letting 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:30.560 Stafford get into a rhythm and control the action at 0:15:30.560 --> 0:15:32.560 the line of scrimmage. And you know, the way he 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:36.359 has performed against the Packers over these last couple of years, 0:15:36.400 --> 0:15:38.800 that's what needs to That's what needs to change. And 0:15:38.840 --> 0:15:40.960 as you said, he spreads the ball around. He's got 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:43.960 the weapons. Kenny Golladay I mentioned the other day his 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:46.640 twelve point eight yards per catch this season is a 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:50.200 little bit misleading because Golladay has had two games against 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:52.240 the Packers so far in his career, and he has 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:54.800 a sixty yard reception and a fifty four yard touchdown 0:15:54.880 --> 0:15:57.560 against the Packers. He's a big play guy. Hockinson has 0:15:57.600 --> 0:15:59.800 been added to that mix now at tight end the 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:02.080 draft pick. It looks like he's going to be back 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:05.080 from his concussion and most likely playing on Monday Night. 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:07.720 That's an interesting matchup as you talk about all those 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:09.840 defenders in the middle of the field as opposed to 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:12.680 those corners on the islands. How are the Packers going 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:16.720 to to match up there? We've seen, We've seen Matthew 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:18.520 Stafford the one that always sticks out to me, and 0:16:18.560 --> 0:16:21.680 it also happens to happens to be a Monday night 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:25.360 game from two years ago in he was just lined 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:28.320 up in shotgun at lambeau Field and pointing his fingers, 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:30.920 you know, here and there. I mean, he knew absolutely everything. 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:34.800 He was in complete command of that entire game. And 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:39.280 this is a different defense, different coordinator, different personnel. Everything 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:42.320 about the Packers defense is so different now than it 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:44.840 was two years ago. And that's what I'm going to 0:16:44.880 --> 0:16:48.080 be watching is how comfortable is Matthew Stafford going to 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:51.240 look against this defense compared to what we've seen the 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:53.840 last couple of years. Absolutely, Now, the one thing you 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:56.080 have a great statu it's incredible that it's been this 0:16:56.200 --> 0:16:58.440 long since the Lines have had a stretch where they've 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:00.640 won five straight games over Green Bay. Yeah, you're trying 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:02.880 to avoid that part of that. You're trying to avoid 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:05.560 it exactly going into this matchup. But the thing that 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:07.760 stands out to me too, is there Mason Crosby field 0:17:07.800 --> 0:17:10.800 goal away. You know, from having one of those wins. Absolutely, 0:17:11.280 --> 0:17:13.280 there are things that Green Bay has done that they've 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.320 been still in these games. Now. Weeks seventeen last year, 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:19.080 I think that was somewhat anomaly. Everybody's bags were sort 0:17:19.080 --> 0:17:21.080 of packed at that point. It was what it was, 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:23.480 and you didn't have Aaron Rodgers available. So yeah, and 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:28.280 the week's seventeen game in was was pretty ugly as well. Yeah, Yeah, 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.520 and that was the one in Detroit. But getting back 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:32.119 to just being in Green Bay, I mean, I think 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:34.719 there's there are veterans on this team, guys that are 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:38.040 in their six seventh eighth NFL season that they went 0:17:38.440 --> 0:17:41.600 years without losing to Detroit at home. You just got 0:17:41.600 --> 0:17:44.080 to get back to that, So seeing what the crowd 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:46.240 environment is like, seeing you know, if you get off 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:48.399 to a fast start, how that changes the temple of 0:17:48.400 --> 0:17:51.120 a football game. All those things are gonna be critical factors. 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:54.159 And you know, first and foremost too, I think you know, 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:57.600 you look at this matchup having Aaron Rodgers healthy relatively speaking, 0:17:57.880 --> 0:17:59.840 and just being able to get the offense moving right 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:03.199 the bat with weapons that weren't there last season at 0:18:03.200 --> 0:18:05.920 the end of the year, with like Aaron Jones, this 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:10.119 is a more dynamic, multifaceted team than just number twelve. 0:18:10.160 --> 0:18:12.760 Now they can beat you in different ways. And I 0:18:12.760 --> 0:18:14.840 think that's the X factor in this matchup for both 0:18:14.880 --> 0:18:18.120 sides is which team is able to actually utilize their 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:21.120 full contingent, their full roster to be able to build 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:23.720 a victory because this is a critical game in October 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:25.959 for the NFC North in the implications for the next 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:27.879 two months. Yeah, that's what I was going to get at. 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:29.679 We talked about it earlier in the week that this 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:32.080 is an opportunity for the Packers to get to three 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:35.320 and o in their division games at the midway point 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:38.920 of the division matchups. After this one, no more NFC 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:41.439 North matchups until the final three weeks of the season 0:18:41.480 --> 0:18:44.399 when you play everybody for a second time. So the 0:18:44.400 --> 0:18:47.160 way the schedule sets up is really interesting because there'll 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:50.600 be a big gap now between NFC North matchups. The 0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:53.920 flip side of it is, this is the first division 0:18:53.960 --> 0:18:57.119 game for Detroit here in the sixth week of the season. 0:18:57.119 --> 0:19:01.000 Now it's only their fifth game because they've had their 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:04.120 bye week, but their schedule very different in that respect. 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:07.000 This is their first division contest, it's the third one 0:19:07.040 --> 0:19:09.600 for the Packers. And if we look elsewhere at what's 0:19:09.600 --> 0:19:12.240 going on around the league here in week six, the 0:19:12.320 --> 0:19:15.080 Chicago Bears are on their by coming off of their 0:19:15.080 --> 0:19:18.520 trip to London, and the Minnesota Vikings have a big 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:24.520 NFC matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Obviously, lots of common 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:27.520 opponents and everything there that we're looking at, and uh, 0:19:27.560 --> 0:19:30.120 and that will be one to to watch closely on 0:19:30.160 --> 0:19:33.199