WEBVTT - #570 Packers Unscripted: Dandy of a day 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:14.560 Hi, everybody, Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:17.920 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:21.079 by my trusted colleague Weston Hadkowitz. Were coming to you 0:00:21.120 --> 0:00:25.320 from socially distant locations at lambeau Field and West You 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:28.520 take a look back at last Sunday. You really couldn't 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:30.600 draw it up any better as far as the way 0:00:30.640 --> 0:00:32.879 the results fell for the Green Bay Packers. In the 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:35.360 early part of the day, the Minnesota Vikings lost to 0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:38.960 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which gave the Packers the opportunity 0:00:39.000 --> 0:00:42.400 to clinch the NFC North Championship with a victory over 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:46.320 the Lions, which Green Bay did with a thirty one victory. 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:50.200 And as the Packers were kneeling that out, the Philadelphia 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:52.879 Eagles were kneeling out an upset victory over the New 0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:56.600 Orleans Saints that now has the Packers technically in the 0:00:56.720 --> 0:01:00.360 number one spot in the NFC. With that tiebreaker over 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:03.120 New Orleans, it was a pretty good Sunday all all 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.600 around for Green Bay. Yeah, it was like the opposite 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:09.360 of my fantasy football team, Mike, where in that particular case, 0:01:09.520 --> 0:01:11.920 nothing went right for me. The last few weeks for 0:01:11.959 --> 0:01:14.679 the green Bay Packers. Everything went right for them on Sunday, 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:17.800 but namely their performance against the Detroit Lions. Now, I 0:01:17.840 --> 0:01:20.319 warned people, if you go back to Insider in box 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:22.840 last week, anytime you crossed Lake Michigan, you have to 0:01:22.840 --> 0:01:26.400 throw out the records, especially when Matthew Stafford is the quarterback, 0:01:26.400 --> 0:01:28.480 and that held true. I mean, this is a matchup 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:31.479 where going into Ford Field, there's just something about it, Mike, 0:01:31.520 --> 0:01:33.759 I don't know exactly what it is, but you can 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:36.720 never just take that game for granted at any juncture 0:01:36.720 --> 0:01:39.280 of the season. And even though they have an interim coach, 0:01:39.360 --> 0:01:40.960 even though they had a bunch of injuries on both 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.520 sides of the ball, Detroit was game in this contest. 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.080 But what I like that green Bay did. They started 0:01:46.080 --> 0:01:49.720 off fast, they started out efficient, and that first play, 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:52.200 third play of the game for green Bay, first series 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:55.080 of the game, being able to hit Davante Adams on 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:58.640 the sixty five yard. They were testing the Lions secondary 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:00.640 that was without Jeff Acuta and all so a Desmond 0:02:00.640 --> 0:02:04.240 Truffont and I are they tested those young cornerbacks early on. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:06.760 It worked to the Packers benefit and we're able to 0:02:06.840 --> 0:02:09.799 kind of control the tempo throughout those four quarters. Yeah, 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:12.840 and we saw Davantae Adams make that bit of history 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:14.760 that we had talked about last week where he got 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:19.239 a touchdown reception in his eighth consecutive game, which snapped 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:22.120 that franchise record tie with Don Hudson, and also just 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:25.760 a touchdown rushing or receiving an eight consecutive games, broke 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:29.239 a tie with Paul Hornig Anamon Green. So Davante Adams 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:32.320 sitting alone in the record book there with that streak, 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:36.200 which hopefully for his sake, he'll continue against the Carolina 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:39.800 Panthers this weekend. But you said it west offensively for 0:02:39.840 --> 0:02:42.399 the Packers. It was a fast start, first two possessions, 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:45.960 two touchdowns, but then the Packers really took control of 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:48.440 this game at the start of the second half. It 0:02:48.520 --> 0:02:52.079 was a fourteen all tie at halftime, but the Packers 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:54.800 got the ball to start the second half, put together 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.880 two methodical drives, one that was almost nine minutes on 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:01.400 the clock, the next one almost eight minutes on the clock. 0:03:02.000 --> 0:03:05.520 Both of those resulted in touchdowns, and sandwiched in between 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:09.280 was a three and out by the defense, So suddenly 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:13.320 twelve minutes remained in the ballgame. The Lions had run 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:16.040 only three plays on offense and the Packers had a 0:03:16.080 --> 0:03:20.520 fourteen point lead. That was that worked out absolutely as 0:03:20.560 --> 0:03:23.079 perfectly as the Packers could have asked for to get 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:25.919 command of that football game. Eight minutes and forty nine 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:29.480 seconds to drive that far and as Rogers even said afterwards, 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:32.680 a real grinding out kind of series for green Bay, 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:34.480 And it was at an important time, Mike, because it 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:38.480 sort of flipped the Packers typical game plan on its access, 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:41.400 where they've had some really strong second quarters and then 0:03:41.400 --> 0:03:43.160 the third quarters have been times when they just haven't 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:45.560 really gotten the start they wanted. In this particular case, 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:48.400 the Lions kind of, you know, grab some momentum at 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:50.640 the end of the first half. Green Bay needs a 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:53.440 response after a three and out to close the second quarter, 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:57.040 and they get it that series in particular, trying to 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.520 remember if it was three or four third down conversions 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:01.920 they were able to make. The biggest one, of course, 0:04:01.960 --> 0:04:04.560 being probably one of the prettiest plays of green Bay season. 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:08.680 Marci was abled is scantling yards on third and fourteen, 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:12.720 a play that started, mind you, Mike, with Robert Tunyan 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.920 on the right side coming off the quick chip block 0:04:16.279 --> 0:04:20.200 ends up bowling over three Lions defenders. Aaron Rodgers could 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:22.400 have had all week to throw that ball, and with 0:04:22.480 --> 0:04:25.080 that type of protection, with that type of time, Marquis 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:29.279 Valdes Scantling making a big play. Six targets for Scantling 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:33.159 in this game, six receptions, eight five yards. Rogers was 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:37.159 just emphatic in his praise of the third year receiver afterwards, 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.279 talking about not only the strong hands, not only the 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:42.320 way he stepped up when he was called upon, but 0:04:42.480 --> 0:04:45.200 the way in which he responded the last two weeks. 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.880 You gotta remember, before that game against the Lions, his 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:51.640 last catch was the fumble in Indianapolis. At the end 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:54.080 of that game, he kept his shoulder, his head on 0:04:54.120 --> 0:04:57.000 his shoulders and was able to bounce back, and he said, 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:59.320 that's the reason. Rogers said, that's the reason why he's 0:04:59.360 --> 0:05:02.840 learning the respect this locker room and more importantly, earned 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:05.600 his trust in this offense. But what was interesting with 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:08.240 regard to the way the game developed for MVS is 0:05:08.320 --> 0:05:11.520 afterwards everybody was wondering, well, where were the deep balls 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:15.360 to MVS. What's forgotten is that that third quarter drive 0:05:15.880 --> 0:05:18.800 started with a third down and a deep shot to 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:22.839 mvs but he draws a defensive holding penalty who's actually 0:05:22.920 --> 0:05:25.120 held up about ten yards from the line of scrimmage. 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:27.839 The flag was thrown very early. Then the deep shot 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:31.400 was overthrown as a result of that holding, so they 0:05:31.440 --> 0:05:33.320 did still try to go deep to him, but it 0:05:33.400 --> 0:05:35.640 was it was the way he was incorporated into the 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:37.840 offense and all the other ways, the back shoulder throw 0:05:37.960 --> 0:05:40.479 for the touchdown with the strong hands. You mentioned the 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:45.039 comeback round on third and fourteen. Really interesting on that 0:05:45.040 --> 0:05:47.440 that drive for the Packers to open the third quarter. 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:50.960 They had to overcome two holding penalties on that drive 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:53.000 in order to get that touch and one of those 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:55.640 was by Velde Scantling and then he makes up for 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:58.520 it by converting on the third and fourteen to keep 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:01.520 that drive going. So a lot of things the Packers 0:06:01.560 --> 0:06:03.960 were able to work through and and really get things 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:07.720 going there at the start of the second half. And 0:06:07.760 --> 0:06:10.120 I'll say this too, I think we saw and we'll 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:13.159 be talking about this, I think in the coming weeks here, 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:15.839 but I think we saw Aaron Rodgers make a legitimate 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:20.400 move here toward a potential third m v P with 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:23.800 him putting up another hundred and thirty plus passer rating game, 0:06:23.920 --> 0:06:27.320 three touchdowns, no interceptions. He's done that now, I believe 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:29.960 is it nine or ten times in his career where 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:33.640 he's had a three touchdown game without any interceptions. He 0:06:33.720 --> 0:06:38.719 extended his lead in the passer rating category over Patrick Mahomes. 0:06:38.760 --> 0:06:42.480 He's Rogers now at one nineteen plus as far as 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:45.960 his passer rating, and with Mahomes throwing three interceptions, Rogers 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:50.000 has four. Mahomes has five on the year. So Rogers 0:06:50.040 --> 0:06:52.200 is and isn't gonna catch Mahomes In terms of the 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:55.159 passing yards, Mahomes is already well over four thousand yards. 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:57.880 Rogers is more than five hundred yards behind him with 0:06:57.960 --> 0:07:00.920 three games to go. But all those other major categories 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:03.720 for quarterbacks, Rodgers is in the lead right now, and 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:05.839 I think he's got a legitimate shot at that third 0:07:05.960 --> 0:07:08.080 m v P. He really does. And I thought a 0:07:08.080 --> 0:07:10.880 performance like this, the fact that Mike the Packers have 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:14.320 played now thirteen games this season. In one of those 0:07:14.360 --> 0:07:17.640 games Tampa Bay, Aaron Rodgers pass raining has been under 0:07:17.680 --> 0:07:20.880 a hundred and eight. Uh. He's been north of that 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:24.360 in twelve different games. That is a remarkable stat. Tom 0:07:24.400 --> 0:07:29.280 Fanning Packers Communications rep that they have here was just 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:32.360 churning out the stats. Uh in in the career milestones 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:36.840 that Rodgers has reached. Heck, he even surpassed the incomparable 0:07:36.920 --> 0:07:40.640 Tobin wrote for the all time franchise record for rushing 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.200 touchdowns by a quarterback. When this thing is all said 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:45.800 and done, maybe absent, you know, the iron Man record 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:48.400 that Brett five has, Rogers is gonna make a run 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:51.400 at all these here in Green Bay. But more importantly, Mike, 0:07:51.440 --> 0:07:52.920 I think this thing that stands out to me when 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:54.960 I was looking at his stats and sort of digesting 0:07:55.000 --> 0:07:59.720 everything after the game on Sunday two thousand and fourteen, 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:03.040 He's exceeding those numbers right now. He's he's kind of 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:06.520 outpacing that. While the yardage isn't what it was in 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:09.600 two thousand eleven, he's kind of closing in on a 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:12.800 lot of those different stats as well. Thirty nine touchdown 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:16.760 passes through thirteen games. Just a remarkable season that he's 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:19.960 put together. You can see the comfort in the offense. 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:23.800 He's utilizing all of his perimeter weapons, He's getting Robert 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:26.600 Tounyon involved the way he has with nine touchdown passes. 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:30.520 He's making those running backs better Mike for a guy 0:08:30.560 --> 0:08:33.080 that allegedly didn't have any weapons to begin the season. 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:34.840 I think the people that are going to be voting 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:37.800 the national narrative that has been construed, they have to 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:41.400 make a decision here. Okay, was it that Aaron Rodgers 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:43.120 didn't have any weapons like a lot of them said, 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:44.960 he didn't at the beginning of the season, so naturally, 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:46.679 I mean, my goodness, he should be the m v P. 0:08:46.880 --> 0:08:49.160 Right he's doing this with a bunch of guys from 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:52.280 down the block at Bayport High School. Or is it 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:54.720 the fact that maybe they underrated what the Packers had 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:58.520 offensively and maybe Aaron Rodgers has just taking those different 0:08:58.600 --> 0:09:01.679 levels to the next step. Uh, that's what's gonna be 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:03.280 the big decisions they're gonna have to make. Because we 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:05.400 all knew what Patrick Mahomes had coming back coming off 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:08.880 a Super Bowl Aaron Rodgers, everybody's questioning thirteen and three? 0:09:09.280 --> 0:09:11.280 Is that a legitimate thirteen and three? Is it a 0:09:11.320 --> 0:09:13.080 fake thirteen and three? Because you know, it's just so 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:15.880 easy to win thirteen regular season games in the NFL. No, 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:17.840 this is a guy that is very much in the 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:20.360 thick of this thing. And if this pace holds Mike 0:09:20.400 --> 0:09:22.560 with three regular season games to go, I don't know 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.080 how you can deny Aaron Rodgers a third m v P. Yeah, 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:27.120 I think it's I think it's going to be difficult 0:09:27.160 --> 0:09:29.640 to do that. But there are still three regular season 0:09:29.679 --> 0:09:31.840 games left that is a legitimate chunk of the season, 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:35.320 and both Mahomes and Rogers with some big games here 0:09:35.600 --> 0:09:39.200 left to play. But since I was absent minded last 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:41.480 week with regard to the sponsor business, I'm going to 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:43.560 get to it a little bit earlier and my son 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:46.520 gets to eat this week. It's awesome, Thank you, So 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:50.160 here we go serious x M NFL Radio Channel eight 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.480 is the only radio outlet dedicated to the National Football 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:56.600 League seven days a week, three hundred sixty five days 0:09:56.640 --> 0:09:59.559 a year, and Packers fans score up to five hundred 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:02.240 dollars for your devotion to the pack when you open 0:10:02.280 --> 0:10:05.680 a Packers checking account from Associated Bank. Learn more at 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:09.960 Associated bank dot com. Backslash Packers all right west on 0:10:10.000 --> 0:10:11.960 the defensive side of the ball for the Packers in 0:10:12.000 --> 0:10:16.240 this game against the Lions, I think it was and 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:19.880 I wrote about this Monday night after Matt Lafleur addressed 0:10:19.880 --> 0:10:21.960 the media. It just seemed to be another one of 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:24.520 those games with with a lot of ups and downs 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:26.839 on on the defensive side of the ball. There were 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:30.040 some really good moments after you know, the Lions had 0:10:30.120 --> 0:10:33.120 had scored a touchdown early, then the Packers defense got 0:10:33.120 --> 0:10:35.280 a couple of stops and the Packers took a fourteen 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:37.720 to seven lead. The three and out at the start 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:39.560 of the second half that we talked about that was 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:43.040 also big. But then you look at the negatives and 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:45.400 you know that drive in the fourth quarter when the 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:48.440 Packers are up by two touchdowns and the penalty flags 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.240 are just flying all over the place, you're giving the Lions. 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:53.800 I believe it was four free first downs on that 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:56.880 drive alone, five and all in the game. Because the 0:10:56.960 --> 0:11:01.040 defensive penalties, those kinds of things are frustrating. And if 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:03.120 there's a trend on the defensive side of the ball 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.680 that you get concerned about here, it is that the 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.200 Lions took the opening kickoff and went right down and 0:11:08.200 --> 0:11:11.440 scored a touchdown. The Packers have now allowed points on 0:11:11.559 --> 0:11:14.280 the opponent's opening drive in four of the last five 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:17.200 games now, the Lions getting a touchdown, that's the only 0:11:17.240 --> 0:11:19.080 time that that opponent has put it in the end 0:11:19.160 --> 0:11:21.920 zone in this current street. The other ones were all 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:25.360 field goals. But the Packers defense is not coming out 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:27.120 of the box, out of the gate, you know, right 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:29.760 away in the first quarter, playing the kind of defense 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.240 that they want to play. It's it's it's been this 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:35.840 kind of roller coaster thing game to game series two series. 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:39.080 That's just kind of what the Packers defense is right now. 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:43.360 And and uh, hopefully you know you can get the 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:45.960 key turnover, get the key stop. That's the kind of 0:11:46.000 --> 0:11:48.839 thing that this this Packers team is going to is 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:52.520 going to count on from the defense. But quite honestly, 0:11:52.559 --> 0:11:54.839 this Packers offense is going to have to continue its 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.360 trend of of putting up thirty plus points, which it 0:11:57.400 --> 0:12:00.199 has done the vast majority of the season, to give 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.400 themselves the best chance to win. Right now. Let's let's 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:06.880 start this by quoting one of my all time favorite 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:10.960 coaches in the nashvill Football League, Dom Capers. Let's start 0:12:11.000 --> 0:12:15.000 with the positives the Green Bay Packers defensively, there are 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:17.040 there have been a lot of upticks here. I think 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:19.960 Dean Lowry is playing his best football the season right now. 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:23.720 Kenny Clark looks healthy again, but unfortunately they lost mon 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:26.280 Trevias Adams, so they got to figure out a rotation 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:28.320 here and how they want to go about handling this 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.720 thing moving forward. But Lowry and Clark have really impressed 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:34.040 me as of late. Kenny Clark also getting his second 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:36.560 sack of the season at the end of the first half, 0:12:36.920 --> 0:12:39.800 an important time for green Bay after a jumping off 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:43.440 sides penalty had just given the lines and on timed 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:48.240 down uh Jaire Alexander playing an elite level the thing, 0:12:48.280 --> 0:12:50.080 and also with Shawn Gary, we have to see exactly 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:51.640 where he's at health wise, but he got his fifth 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:54.319 sack as well. The thing that that is the most 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:56.959 concerning to me at this point um on the other 0:12:56.960 --> 0:13:00.160 side of the spectrum for green Bay's defense is one 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:04.320 they're making teams go the distance, especially on those opening 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:07.080 series where it hasn't been one big breakdown. It's not 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:09.360 a seventy yard catch that they're getting down the field 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:11.320 and and then you know, putting points on the board, 0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:17.240 but there hasn't been a lot of I keep trying 0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:20.120 to think the right word in terms of like it's 0:13:20.240 --> 0:13:23.920 it's too easy. Matthew Stafford completes six and seven on 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:28.360 that opening drive. The only incompletion was a pretty obvious T. J. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:32.360 Hockinson drop. Uh, they aren't able to get the stops 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:34.840 on third and long, which typically Green Bay actually has 0:13:34.840 --> 0:13:36.920 done a pretty good job of this year. That hurt 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:39.640 them in this game. They they've stopped the run the 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:41.400 last two weeks money, I mean, they only have a 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.760 given up a hundred and fifteen rushing yards to running 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:46.360 backs in the last two games. But it also in 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:48.600 those third and short situations. They just haven't been able 0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:52.240 to really hold their line and stop teams there. You've 0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:54.200 got to have one of these things sort of happened 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:56.800 in order to win consistently on the defensive side of 0:13:56.800 --> 0:13:58.880 the ball. This team is talented enough, they're going to 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:01.560 get takeaways. Those things are going to happen. But you 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:03.400 also don't want to be like that eleven team that 0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:05.360 just had to live and die off the takeaways and 0:14:05.400 --> 0:14:08.280 then sort of hold on for dear life when those 0:14:08.320 --> 0:14:11.400 things don't happen. They're deep enough, they're talented enough to 0:14:11.440 --> 0:14:14.280 do it. Unfortunately, they had lost Raven Green that caused 0:14:14.600 --> 0:14:17.520 a domino effect and they lose Channon Sullivan. But honestly, 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:19.880 I thought, you know, Vernon Scott played well in a 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:23.280 small basis. So it's just figuring out the right rhythm 0:14:23.320 --> 0:14:26.120 and tempo for this defense and being able to maintain it, because, Mike, 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:27.960 the reality is we're gonna be talking about a lot 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:31.360 on Thursday. But if Christian McCaffrey plays this week and 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:34.360 Derrick Henry plays next week, the Green Bay Packers are 0:14:34.480 --> 0:14:37.560 entering a very very difficult part of their schedule defensively 0:14:37.640 --> 0:14:40.080 making sure that they stopped two of the NFL's elite 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:42.280 running backs. Yeah, and that's what I wanted to get 0:14:42.320 --> 0:14:45.320 to next, is that you mentioned the Packers run defense 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:48.160 has been on the upswing here and I actually looked 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:52.120 at it statistically. You go back these last three games. 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:54.120 The start of the Bears game, the very first hand 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:57.920 off David Montgomery goes fifty seven yards. Since that opening 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:02.320 handoff of the Chica Ago Bears game, in the last 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:05.240 three games, the Packers run defense has allowed only three 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:08.440 point nine yards per carry to the running backs of 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:11.160 the opponents. So that's taking out the quarterback scrambles and 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.360 these other things that get thrown into rushing yards. That 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:17.520 really isn't a reflection of your run defense. Running backs. 0:15:17.560 --> 0:15:20.560 After the fifty seven yard run by Montgomery. Running backs 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:23.240 only have about a hundred and forty rushing yards over 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:28.160 the last three games. But here comes potentially Christian McCaffrey 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:31.240 on Saturday night at lambeau Field. Then the following week 0:15:31.280 --> 0:15:35.360 the NFL's not only reigning rushing king from twenty nineteen, 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:38.240 but league leading rusher in trying to go back to 0:15:38.280 --> 0:15:42.120 back in that category in Derrick Henry. So this uptick 0:15:42.160 --> 0:15:44.800 in the Packers run defense is going to get tested. 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:48.160 They're going to it's you know here it is prove 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:51.720 that your run defense really is, you know, making the 0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:54.320 strides that you wanted to make heading into the playoffs. 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:57.280 You can't ask for too bigger tests back to back 0:15:57.280 --> 0:15:59.920 Now again, McCaffrey will see where things are injury why 0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:02.760 is But the reports that we're hearing is that he's 0:16:03.160 --> 0:16:06.200 potentially returning to practice this week. He was held out 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.960 last week when some people thought he would play UM 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:13.280 and UH and McCaffrey and Henry back to back. UM. 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.600 The challenge doesn't get too much tougher than that. It 0:16:16.680 --> 0:16:19.360 really doesn't like And it's funny too, because they're completely 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:22.840 different running backs to UH. Christian McCaffrey is just an 0:16:22.880 --> 0:16:25.640 all around weapon. Now, we've got to see exactly where 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:28.240 he's at healthwise. He's only played in what three games 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:30.840 this season? If he does go or if he's limited, 0:16:30.840 --> 0:16:33.360 we're gonna have to see exactly how how much you 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.000 know he's going to be available to them. And then 0:16:35.000 --> 0:16:37.000 the other thing the Panthers have to start thinking about 0:16:37.160 --> 0:16:39.920 is not necessarily shutting him down, but do you really 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:42.640 want to put more tread or take more tread off 0:16:42.640 --> 0:16:44.560 of his tires here in a year that has, you know, 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:47.040 ultimately basically been lost for them now sitting at four 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:49.160 and nine. But if he does play, he can hurt 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:50.680 you in a number of different ways. The one game 0:16:50.720 --> 0:16:52.000 he played on when he came back, I think he 0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:55.000 ended up putting up however many total yards and whatnot. 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.240 I mean, he's he's a definite playmaker, one of the 0:16:57.240 --> 0:17:00.800 best in this NFL. And Derrick Henry Man. I mean, 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:03.160 the thing about Derrick Henry is he's a monster truck. 0:17:03.520 --> 0:17:05.560 And you don't want to just go tackle monster truck 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:09.600 with my Grand Prix out there. You need several automobiles 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:11.960 in order to stop that guy. And that's where this 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:14.560 it's on the defensive front, it's on the outside linebackers 0:17:14.600 --> 0:17:16.880 holding their edges. It's on the inside linebackers being able 0:17:16.920 --> 0:17:18.960 to be stout, and even the guys when he does 0:17:19.000 --> 0:17:21.480 trickle in the secondary with the defensive backs making sure 0:17:21.480 --> 0:17:24.119 that they gang tackle. Grimy did an interesting thing in 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:27.439 this game, like looking back at Sunday, they rotated all 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:30.080 three their inside backers. I don't know the last time 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:33.560 I've seen that. Typically you always go with one every 0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:36.679 down guy, the the mic that is their first second 0:17:36.720 --> 0:17:38.720 and the usually the only inside lane back around the 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:42.160 field on third down, that Blake Martinez type. This game, 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:44.639 they use Kamal Martin, they use Chris Barnes, and they 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:49.080 use Christian uh uh curtsy. I maybe you know this. 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:52.080 I didn't really see a big parallel and where they 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:54.400 use specific personnel. It just seemed like they rolled all 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:57.560 of them. So figuring out what that combination is going 0:17:57.600 --> 0:17:59.600 to be is gonna be critical, because not only are 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:02.040 they going to it matched against potentially McCaffrey as a 0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:04.120 pass catcher, but there's gonna be those instances to where 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:05.600 they're gonna have to take that guy on head on, 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:07.840 and it's gonna have a big impact on whether or 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:09.119 not the defense is going to be able to get 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:11.200 off the field. Yeah. I mean one way to look 0:18:11.280 --> 0:18:14.159 at this is, you know, if McCaffrey does play on 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:17.320 Saturday Night, he's sort of like you're you know, almost 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.159 like your rematch with Alvin Kamara and the potential preview 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:21.680 of the playoffs in terms of how you're going to 0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:24.399 handle a guy like Kamara if the Packers were to 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:26.720 face the Saints in the postseason. We all know what 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:29.119 Dalvin Cook did to the Packers. Well, Derrick Henry and 0:18:29.200 --> 0:18:32.200 Dalvin Cook. It's not totally apples to apples, but those 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:34.680 guys are pretty you know, similar in a lot of ways. 0:18:34.880 --> 0:18:37.040 And you look at a running back like Cam Akers 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:39.359 and what he's doing for Rams, you know, a team 0:18:39.400 --> 0:18:42.680 like that that looks like it's headed to the postseason. So, um, 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:45.159 these are you know, the these are the tests that 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:46.840 are going to that are going to get the Packers 0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:50.520 ready for the postseason. In really, what is in my opinion, 0:18:50.840 --> 0:18:54.720 their most vulnerable defensive area. Um, even though it's been 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.760 trending better of late, but their most vulnerable defensive areas, 0:18:57.760 --> 0:19:01.200 certainly considering what happened last January, is the defense against 0:19:01.200 --> 0:19:02.840 the run. Yeah, And the other thing to keep in 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:04.600 mind too at this Panthers game, and again we'll talk 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:07.880 more about it on Thursday, But even if McCaffrey is limited, 0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:09.440 or even if he doesn't play, we'll see how the 0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:12.479 week shuffles out. Mike Davis has had kind of a 0:19:12.520 --> 0:19:15.320 resurgence this year for Carolina and he actually fits what 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:17.960 Matt role and that offense wants to do pretty dang well. 0:19:18.520 --> 0:19:20.440 He's been a good fill in piece. He can catch 0:19:20.520 --> 0:19:23.399 the ball, he can run. He's not as dynamic as McCaffrey, 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.560 but he's been a definite one B to what McCaffrey 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:28.040 has done. And keep in mind, this is the guy 0:19:28.080 --> 0:19:31.200 that barely ever played when McCaffrey was healthy. McCaffrey's in 0:19:31.240 --> 0:19:33.080 every down back. They don't they don't have a Jamal 0:19:33.080 --> 0:19:35.160 Williams that's coming off the bench to spell him. I mean, 0:19:35.200 --> 0:19:37.439 he just goes and for Mike Davis to step up 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:40.280