Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social
Speaker 1: Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford,
Speaker 1: joined as always by my trusted colleague Weston Hodkowitz, and
Speaker 1: I would like to start today's show by welcoming our
Speaker 1: new sponsor, west And that is Serious XM Radio. Serious
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Speaker 1: three hundred and sixty five days a year, So welcome
Speaker 1: to Sirius XM. And as far as NFL football was,
Speaker 1: we have a three and o Green Bay Packers team
Speaker 1: to talk about going down to New Orleans. The for
Speaker 1: the franchise is sake. The Packers get their first win
Speaker 1: in the super Dome since Super Bowl thirty one back
Speaker 1: at the end of the season. But in that's a
Speaker 1: big win for green Bay. Yeah, it really is, Mike,
Speaker 1: And you even said it there. You're the one that
Speaker 1: kind of put that out there last week, the fact
Speaker 1: that it had been since actually January. The Packers won
Speaker 1: their last game there. You have to go back to
Speaker 1: for the last time that they beat the Saints there,
Speaker 1: and it was an emotional victory because I think they
Speaker 1: overcame a lot of adversity throughout those four quarters. Offensively,
Speaker 1: they still did a lot of what they've done. Now,
Speaker 1: mind you, they didn't have Davante Adams, but Alan Lazard
Speaker 1: comes through with a career day, six catches, a hundred
Speaker 1: forty six yards touchdown. They got over a hundred yards
Speaker 1: from their tight ends, two touchdowns from those from that position.
Speaker 1: The Saints really wanted to take away Aaron Jones. The
Speaker 1: Packers said, Okay, well we'll go to our other guys
Speaker 1: and take advantage of some one on ones. And at
Speaker 1: the end of the day, it was Aaron Rodgers being
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers, and without these crowds in these stadiums, he
Speaker 1: has become a bona fide weapon with his cadence and
Speaker 1: his stead and his his heart count. The fifth play
Speaker 1: of the game, Mike, he caught uh the Saints office
Speaker 1: hides and just a remarkable, uh you know performance by him.
Speaker 1: A hundred twenty one passer rating out through the first
Speaker 1: three games. Yeah, and when you look at this game, West,
Speaker 1: I think we knew going into this Sunday night football
Speaker 1: game it was going to be a back and fourth game.
Speaker 1: Teams were going to gain the momentum with their offenses
Speaker 1: moving up and down the field, And that's really how
Speaker 1: it played out. But I can't remember a game, quite honestly,
Speaker 1: where you're in a tight one in the fourth quarter
Speaker 1: and the momentum shifted so instantaneously a couple of times
Speaker 1: because the score is tied, the Packers get stuffed on
Speaker 1: a fourth and one at midfield, the Saints take over,
Speaker 1: and you're thinking, boy, Drew Brees with a short field,
Speaker 1: they're probably gonna take the lead here, Aaron Rodgers gonna
Speaker 1: have to play from behind in the fourth quarter to
Speaker 1: pull this out. But no. On the second snap of
Speaker 1: the saints next possession, Taysom Hill gets the ball knocked
Speaker 1: out by Zadarius Smith. Smith recovers the Packers have the
Speaker 1: ball right back, almost in the exact same place where
Speaker 1: they got stopped on the fourth and one. It was
Speaker 1: as though the field fourth and one never happened. The
Speaker 1: Packers go down and take the lead and stayed in
Speaker 1: command the rest of the game. Those momentum shifts were
Speaker 1: so huge and so quick back to back. It was
Speaker 1: really an interesting occurrence in such a tight game. Yeah,
Speaker 1: and again you hope that the Packers defense and its
Speaker 1: totality will be better than the two thousand and eleven
Speaker 1: group was. But they've been as opportunistic as that team
Speaker 1: was when the Packers were just setting every scoring record,
Speaker 1: every offensive record that they were back nine years ago.
Speaker 1: And this is one of those moments. I think there's
Speaker 1: a lot of really solid playmakers on that side of
Speaker 1: the ball, and when they given, you know, an opportunity
Speaker 1: to to take the ball away, you know they capitalize
Speaker 1: on it. Is that Darius Smith and then also kings
Speaker 1: Ley Kiki. He had a strip sack as well in
Speaker 1: this game. That was a big point of emphasis going
Speaker 1: into the season for Green Bay, not just getting sacks,
Speaker 1: not just you know, getting negative yardage plays, but going
Speaker 1: for the football, attacking the football. They did that and
Speaker 1: Zadarius I mean again, Mike, the way that they're using him,
Speaker 1: the different areas of the field where he's lining up.
Speaker 1: You know, there's a couple of times where you know
Speaker 1: he's gonna take a chance and maybe it won't pay off,
Speaker 1: but the playmaking it that he brings to that position
Speaker 1: and how that play in itself was able to sort
Speaker 1: of turn the game on its head and the Packers
Speaker 1: were able to extract the momentum back at that pivotal
Speaker 1: point of the contest. That really speaks to what sa
Speaker 1: Darius springs as a player and also the energy that
Speaker 1: he's infused into that locker room. Yeah, there there were
Speaker 1: certainly some things that didn't look good for the Packers
Speaker 1: defense in this game. Obviously, the tackling was an issue.
Speaker 1: Alvin Kamara nearly two yards from scrimmage, combining his rushing
Speaker 1: and receiving obviously the fifty two yard touchdown on the
Speaker 1: catch and run, he had multiple miss tackles. An ugly
Speaker 1: play for the Packers defense and and one that they're
Speaker 1: certainly gonna hope not to repeat down the road. But
Speaker 1: I will say this west the way the Packers defense
Speaker 1: bounced back from that, because that's a demoralizing play that
Speaker 1: has a chance to completely take the wind out of
Speaker 1: your sales for the rest of a ball game on
Speaker 1: that side of the ball. That didn't happen because the
Speaker 1: next two possessions for the Packers defense where the Zadarius
Speaker 1: Smith fumble we talked about, and then after the Packers
Speaker 1: took the lead with a field goal, they got a
Speaker 1: three and out with two of those tackles in those
Speaker 1: three downs against Alvin Kamara in the open field. The
Speaker 1: Packers defense bounced back and rose up when it had to,
Speaker 1: and then the Packers offense was able to capitalize and
Speaker 1: get the touchdown that provided a two score lead with
Speaker 1: two minutes to go, the only two score lead that
Speaker 1: any that either team ever had in this game, and
Speaker 1: that's what finally sealed the win. Yeah, and you know
Speaker 1: what I loved about that series after the Zadarius uh
Speaker 1: Force fumble there, it was that it was the complimentary
Speaker 1: players that really achieved it. It was Ty Summers who
Speaker 1: had come into the game and yeah, he was one
Speaker 1: of the guys that miss a tackle on that big
Speaker 1: Kamara run, but he came back and made a big
Speaker 1: solo effort. Jyr Alexander Mike. I can't compare him to
Speaker 1: the rest of the NFL. I haven't watched enough of
Speaker 1: these corners, but he's in the middle of a breakthrough
Speaker 1: right now with the way that he's performing and and
Speaker 1: the way he covers the flat. I haven't seen a
Speaker 1: cornerback do it like that since maybe going back to
Speaker 1: Charles Woodson, and in terms of how a guy that
Speaker 1: just in the in space, he goes and he makes
Speaker 1: the tackle, he makes the play, and he's also just
Speaker 1: sticky Sticky Sticky's smooth and coverage. Incredible performance by him.
Speaker 1: And then Shannon Sullivan teaming up with with Kevin King
Speaker 1: at the end of that play, King pushing Kamara back inside,
Speaker 1: Sullivan making the tackle. It was the complimentary pieces that
Speaker 1: pulled the game through for Green Bay. No Kitty Clark,
Speaker 1: Kevin King's Ley Kiki. You know you have to make adjustments.
Speaker 1: It had to be Ty Summers playing his first snaps
Speaker 1: in the NFL in a regular season contest on the
Speaker 1: defensive side of the ball, and he came through at
Speaker 1: nine tackles. Yeah. Well, on the offensive side, as you
Speaker 1: mentioned before, the Packers were without Davonte Adams and a
Speaker 1: couple of things here. The Saints, they were loading the
Speaker 1: box here and there to cut to stop Aaron Jones
Speaker 1: after obviously the big game that he had against the
Speaker 1: Detroit Lions, and they were shading a safety over toward
Speaker 1: Marquis Velda scantling side most of the game to take
Speaker 1: away his speed and his potential for the deep ball.
Speaker 1: So what are the Packers do? They go deep to
Speaker 1: Alan Lazard. Two big plays down the field against single coverage,
Speaker 1: Lazard has a forty eight yard or that puts the
Speaker 1: ball in the on the two yard line or three
Speaker 1: yard line. Then he has a seventy two yard catch
Speaker 1: and run on the opening possession of the second half.
Speaker 1: That also creates a goal to go inside the five.
Speaker 1: Lazard with six catches career high a hundred and forty
Speaker 1: six yards. That's how you make up for your number
Speaker 1: one wide out not being in the lineup right. Yeah, absolutely, Mike,
Speaker 1: And also, as I mentioned, taking advantage of what the
Speaker 1: defense is giving you. If Lazard's gonna get one on
Speaker 1: one opportunities, Matt Lafleur started moving him around that big
Speaker 1: play the seventy two yard He came from the slot
Speaker 1: and moved across the field to be able to pull
Speaker 1: that one down and then nearly get inside the end zone.
Speaker 1: You talked about loading the box up, Well, what was
Speaker 1: one of the adjustments the Packers made in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1: You start moving around j Sternburger, you start moving your
Speaker 1: tight ends, You get the defense moving sideline to sideline,
Speaker 1: and that creates opportunities. Three catches for thirty six yards,
Speaker 1: a twenty three yard catch from Sternburger. That's set off
Speaker 1: that final orring drive for Green Bay, the kind of
Speaker 1: bounce back the Packers wanted to see from the former
Speaker 1: third round pick after he had a couple of drops
Speaker 1: the last few weeks. But Mike, I'd be remiss. I
Speaker 1: have to talk about it. Alan Lazard, the player that
Speaker 1: he's become in this offense. This isn't about him just
Speaker 1: being a great story anymore an undrafted free agent. This
Speaker 1: is a guy that's becoming a bona fide number two
Speaker 1: receiver on any football team. Not just what his skill
Speaker 1: set says or not where he was drafted, but the
Speaker 1: way that he has adapted himself to this scheme. If
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers throws a deep ball down the field, he
Speaker 1: catches it, who does that remind you of? That's a
Speaker 1: Jordy Nelson type feature attribute. His focus is concentration in
Speaker 1: his hands. That is what has enabled him to become
Speaker 1: the player that he's become in this offense. And basically
Speaker 1: under a year at this point. Yeah, Well, this game
Speaker 1: really was and and much the same way in the
Speaker 1: first two games, although you had Davante Adams with the
Speaker 1: big game and Week one, Aaron Jones with the big
Speaker 1: game in Week two and we talked about the complementary pieces.
Speaker 1: This game was about the complimentary pieces taking on an
Speaker 1: even larger role, not just Alan Lazard, but the Packers
Speaker 1: tight ends collectively Tanyan Sternberger Lewis. They combined for over
Speaker 1: a hundred yards receiving and a couple of touchdown passes.
Speaker 1: You mentioned Ty Summers stepping in for Christian Kirks you
Speaker 1: exited with a shoulder injury. Summers is wearing the communication helmet,
Speaker 1: calling the defensive signals. He's getting his first defensive action
Speaker 1: after playing only on special teams as a as a rookie,
Speaker 1: and Kingsley Kiki gets the two sacks. With Kenny Clark
Speaker 1: missing uh missing a game. We'll see what happens with
Speaker 1: with Clark in practice this week if he can come back.
Speaker 1: But then the other the other glue to this whole
Speaker 1: thing West has been the Packers offensive line. They started
Speaker 1: with a different combination as a starting five for the
Speaker 1: third consecutive game, with Billy Turner making his twenty debut.
Speaker 1: He's at right tackle, Lucas Patrick is at right guard,
Speaker 1: Elton Jenkins settling back into his customary left guard spot,
Speaker 1: Corey Lindsley at center, who was on the injury report
Speaker 1: but was able play. And then David Baktieri the rocket
Speaker 1: left tackle, and this Packer's offensive line list for all
Speaker 1: the changes, all the moving parts. Only two sacks through
Speaker 1: the first three games, and Aaron Rodgers and Matt Lafleur
Speaker 1: both took the blame for the one against the Saints
Speaker 1: because it was a free rusher and what the Packers
Speaker 1: have been able to do establishing the running game. It
Speaker 1: wasn't as productive against the Saints, but it's still got
Speaker 1: done what they needed to to open up the things
Speaker 1: for the tight ends on the shallow stuff and then
Speaker 1: the deep stuff down the field. Almaz Art, Yeah, and
Speaker 1: that's that's really been the starting point. I mean to
Speaker 1: have two sacks and three games, and you go back
Speaker 1: and look at Aaron Rodgers box scores and some of
Speaker 1: the sacks he's taken over the years. That is both
Speaker 1: a credit to him getting the ball out quicker, that's
Speaker 1: a credit to Matt Lafleur in their scheme and being
Speaker 1: comfortable with what's being asked of them. But most importantly,
Speaker 1: it's just how adaptable this offensive line has been. For
Speaker 1: my money, you read it insider in boxing. What I
Speaker 1: wrote on Tuesday, David bat is the best offensive lineman,
Speaker 1: definitely the best left tackle in the league at this point.
Speaker 1: What he can do against the run. How stout he's
Speaker 1: been again the pass I mean the pancakes that he's
Speaker 1: had so far. He had one on the big pass
Speaker 1: to Lazard. And then also we talked so much about
Speaker 1: Billy Turner, Rick Wagner and Lane Taylor. Well here comes
Speaker 1: Lucas Patrick out of nowhere, and he has now started
Speaker 1: three games at guard for Green Bay and they obviously
Speaker 1: have made a concerted effort to keep him there. Turner
Speaker 1: filling in really nicely. Then at right tackle, the third
Speaker 1: different right tackle that Aaron Rodgers has worked with so
Speaker 1: far this season. So all those things come together, but
Speaker 1: it's about how those guys really have adapted, jelled, and
Speaker 1: credit to Adam Stanovich to for having those guys ready
Speaker 1: on game day. Yeah, well, a little bit of sponsored
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Speaker 1: Backslash packers. Okay, quickly West. Heading into Week four here,
Speaker 1: the Packers will be preparing for a Monday night football
Speaker 1: game at Labo Field against the Atlanta Falcons and a
Speaker 1: Falcons team that, quite frankly, just has to be reeling
Speaker 1: right now. They have loan two huge fourth quarter leads
Speaker 1: the last two weeks and losing to the Cowboys and
Speaker 1: the Bears. There's talk swirling about dan Quinn and his
Speaker 1: job security in Atlanta. This is uh, this is one
Speaker 1: the Packers obviously can't overlook them, because, as Matt Lafleur said,
Speaker 1: this is going to be a hungry and I think
Speaker 1: a very angry Atlanta Falcons team that comes into lambau
Speaker 1: Field next week. Well, first and foremost, the Falcons are
Speaker 1: no longer allowed to make a change at the coaching position.
Speaker 1: We already have submitted dan Quinn's head shot for the
Speaker 1: game program on Monday night, so there are no no
Speaker 1: changes allowed now as we're going to do that at
Speaker 1: the time we're taking this on Tuesday. But the floor
Speaker 1: said something else, Mike, He said, I mean the Falcons
Speaker 1: basically could be two in one right now, very easily
Speaker 1: with the way that these last two games have played
Speaker 1: out for them, demoralizing difficult. It's going to be a
Speaker 1: huge gut check for them coming into lambeau Field having
Speaker 1: the extra day to sort of stew over how things
Speaker 1: went against the Bears. But as we've seen with Matt
Speaker 1: Ryan and the weapons he has offensively, they can play
Speaker 1: with anyone in the National Football League. That's why it's
Speaker 1: gonna be really critical for green Bay to get his
Speaker 1: health as they can get with some of these guys.
Speaker 1: Will see if Kenny Clark can come back or not,
Speaker 1: or if they wait until after the bye week. But
Speaker 1: it's just it's a team you can't take for granted.
Speaker 1: But as far as Green Bay is concerned, Mike three
Speaker 1: and O to start the season for the second consecutive year,
Speaker 1: Matt Lafleoor has only lost one time so far at
Speaker 1: lambeau Field, and that was over a year ago. Now
Speaker 1: at this point, uh two points in the first three games,
Speaker 1: the most enfranchise history to start a season. All of
Speaker 1: these different accolades that they've had, I keep saying over
Speaker 1: and over again, well they just can't keep doing this,
Speaker 1: but they are, and that's a credit to them. Is
Speaker 1: every Sunday gonna go perfect? No, is every play always
Speaker 1: going to be the best called no but to be
Speaker 1: three and O. Given everything that the league has dealt
Speaker 1: with already, that speaks volumes about Matt Lafloor, and it
Speaker 1: speaks volumes about this locker rooms ability to gel and
Speaker 1: be able to really can contour themselves to playing good
Speaker 1: football in spite of all the different setbacks they've had
Speaker 1: this summer. Yeah, and I think if you had told
Speaker 1: me before the New Orleans game that the Packers are
Speaker 1: going to be without Davonte Adams, We're not going to
Speaker 1: rush for a hundred yards and we're still going to
Speaker 1: put up thirty seven points in the super Dome, out
Speaker 1: have said you are crazy. But one of the biggest
Speaker 1: keys to all of that has been the offense has
Speaker 1: not turned the ball over yet in three games. So
Speaker 1: you knock on wood a little bit to hope that
Speaker 1: keeps going. But for now, we're going to sign off
Speaker 1: in this edition of Packer's Own Script and be sure
Speaker 1: to follow all of our coverage of the team on
Speaker 1: Packers dot com. For Wes, I am Mike. Thank you
Speaker 1: for tuning in everybody. We will see you next time.