WEBVTT - #444 Packers Unscripted: Constant challenge 0:00:01.480 --> 0:00:20.239 Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.239 --> 0:00:23.400 I am Mike Spofford sitting next to my partner in crime, 0:00:23.480 --> 0:00:26.239 West had Kuwitz. Were coming to you here from our 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:29.360 studios at lambeau Field and West. It's a Monday. The 0:00:29.360 --> 0:00:32.400 Packers obviously did not play over the weekend. The message 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:36.839 from head coach Matt Lafleur as he dismissed his players 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:40.240 and coaches for a weekend off after a tough Thursday 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:43.480 night loss to the Philadelphia Eagles pretty simple in that 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:46.160 you have to turn the page. I believe the phrase 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:49.560 he used was hit the reset button, because as frustrating 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.120 as the loss was, you have chances by the goal line, 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:54.240 and you lose the turnover battle and all of these 0:00:54.280 --> 0:00:57.040 other things that went into it. You have to hit 0:00:57.080 --> 0:00:59.080 that reset button and move on because there's a lot 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:01.280 of football left to be played. Yeah, I thought, least 0:01:01.400 --> 0:01:04.880 you know, yesterday in particular showed you where the Packers 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:06.920 sit right now, three and one going into the second 0:01:06.959 --> 0:01:08.920 quarter of the season. That's a pretty good position to 0:01:08.920 --> 0:01:12.080 be in right now in the NFC. And it's tough 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:14.880 because you know, and I know fans get like this 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.279 to have already started to answer some Insider Inbox questions 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:19.760 before we tape the show for what will be Tuesday's 0:01:19.840 --> 0:01:25.399 Insider Inbox, and everyone's so reactionary, you know, wins and losses. 0:01:25.480 --> 0:01:27.120 It's the greatest thing ever's the worst thing ever. The 0:01:27.160 --> 0:01:30.880 thing that always surprises me is that, and I think 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:35.160 media myself is included in this very It's all about consistency, 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:37.399 right the entire season is you know, the best teams 0:01:37.400 --> 0:01:39.800 that make the playoffs are the most consistent ones. It's 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.800 very difficult just to dominate every single week in this league. 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:45.800 It's not n c A football where if you're top 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:47.680 five team in the country, you're just expected to blow 0:01:47.720 --> 0:01:50.840 everyone out. I mean, you had Baltimore looking like they're 0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:53.520 just going to be world beaters and destroying everybody, and 0:01:53.520 --> 0:01:55.400 then they go and have the performance that they did 0:01:55.440 --> 0:01:58.080 against Cleveland, and Cleveland was the worst team in the world, 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:00.320 and now they're back at two and two. So from 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:02.559 the Packers, you just have to look at everything at 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:05.360 a high macro level. Right now you're three and one. 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:08.000 You're gonna going into a tough environment in Dallas, no 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:10.720 question about that. But now the Cowboys are coming off 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:14.120 of a really close loss. So all those things, paired 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:16.880 together are what makes the league so great. And it's 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:20.840 also about showing which teams can weekend and week out, 0:02:21.400 --> 0:02:24.840 you know, find the way to win, regardless of whether 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:28.200 everything goes correctly or not. Yeah, and shortly after we 0:02:28.240 --> 0:02:30.800 get done taping this episode, the Packers will be hitting 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:34.720 the practice field for an unusual Monday practice, obviously the 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:37.360 players coming back from the weekend. It'll be a short 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:41.400 workout and getting ready for that Week five trip to Dallas. 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:43.840 As the week goes along, we will see what the 0:02:43.880 --> 0:02:47.200 injury updates are with regards to Davante Adams and his toe, 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:50.200 and Brian Blaga and his shoulder, and Kevin King and 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:53.440 his growing Those are three prominent starters obviously in the 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:56.800 Packers lineup that we will see how the week unfolds 0:02:56.800 --> 0:03:00.840 with them. But you said it was as I packed 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:03.440 up my things and went to bed last night after 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:07.799 kind of absorbing a day of NFL football, I think 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:10.320 what struck me because it applies to the Packers and 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.320 what happened on Thursday night against the Eagles. It's just 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:15.639 how hard it is to get to four and oh 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:17.560 in this league. I mean, you look at what happened? 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:21.360 The Los Angeles Rams give up fifty five points at home, 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:24.880 so they don't get to four. And oh, the New 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:27.639 England Patriots got all they could handle from the Buffalo 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:31.040 Bills and win by six, partly thanks to a blocked 0:03:31.080 --> 0:03:35.160 punt for a touchdown and knocking the starting quarterback for 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:37.160 the Bills out of the game and the backup ends 0:03:37.200 --> 0:03:39.280 up throwing an interception in the end zone. So New 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:42.160 England survives and gets to four. No, the Kansas City 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:44.880 Chiefs get all they can handle from the Detroit Lions. 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:48.240 They barely survive on a touchdown with twenty seconds left 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:51.040 to get to four. And oh, it's not an easy 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:54.440 thing to do. And as you said at the outset 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:57.119 three and one at the quarter pool, there's absolutely nothing 0:03:57.160 --> 0:04:00.000 wrong with that. And right now in the NFC, nobody 0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:03.240 he has more than three victories. The only undefeated team 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:05.560 is the San Francisco forty Niners at three and oh 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:07.839 because they were on a bye week. Yeah, absolutely, and 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:09.680 and and we're gonna talk about some of these Sunday 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:11.320 games here in a minute. But I thought the Kansas 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:14.720 City game against Detroit showed you exactly where the bar 0:04:14.920 --> 0:04:18.320 is and It's weird because Kansas City, that is not 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:20.799 going to be a performance at Andy Reid and those 0:04:20.800 --> 0:04:22.599 coaches are gonna put up as this is one of 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.280 our best that we've ever had. But in an environment 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:27.360 like Ford Field, you and I have been there how 0:04:27.400 --> 0:04:30.039 many times now, Mike, when you get that energy, they 0:04:30.080 --> 0:04:32.920 get that crowd excited. How difficult it is to pull 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:36.120 back in Patrick Mahomes. Despite the fact he didn't throw 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:38.280 a touchdown pass in that game, only the fourth time 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.599 in his career that that's happened, they still found a 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:43.880 path to victory late. That's what it takes to be 0:04:43.920 --> 0:04:47.160 a four oh team. And it's also underrated because it's 0:04:47.200 --> 0:04:49.719 such a tough, bitter taste in your mode to end September. 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:52.200 But the Packers did a lot of solid things to 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:55.560 get to three and one at this point, defensively, offensively, 0:04:56.040 --> 0:05:00.080 special teams. It's just it's trying to make sure that 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:03.280 you shore up the leaks that showed in that game 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:06.640 against Philadelphia get back on track now going into Dallas. Yeah, well, 0:05:06.640 --> 0:05:09.760 looking at the NFC North, the Lions certainly having just 0:05:09.800 --> 0:05:12.840 as many regrets about their home loss to Kansas City 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:15.880 as the Packers are with their home loss to the Eagles, 0:05:15.880 --> 0:05:18.800 because the Lions had I mean, my goodness, they have 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:22.280 a touchdown overturned by replay, and then on the next 0:05:22.320 --> 0:05:24.719 play it's a sack fumble and they lose the ball. 0:05:24.880 --> 0:05:28.240 And then later on you have a running back who 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:30.320 coughs it up at the goal line and the Kansas 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:32.479 City Chiefs pick it up and run all the way 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:35.840 down in the field for a defensive touchdown. And at 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:37.480 the end of the day, the final score of that 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:41.039 game is thirty four to thirty in in favor of 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:43.640 Kansas City. And uh, the Lions are looking at this 0:05:43.760 --> 0:05:46.599 same boy, they were. They were right there to get 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:49.359 to three oh and one and actually be on top 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:51.960 of the NFC North at the quarter pole with the 0:05:52.000 --> 0:05:55.159 Packers and the Bears at three and one, with Chicago 0:05:55.320 --> 0:05:58.640 knocking off Minnesota. Yeah, and and the Lions again shows 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:01.240 you how you really can't or predict anything week to 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:04.000 week in this league, not only from how tough they 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:06.080 played Kansas City. You give credit to them for that 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:08.520 they were to to oh and one. I think you know, 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:10.800 even if you didn't expect the Lions win the game, 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:13.400 you expected them to have a really good performance. But 0:06:13.600 --> 0:06:16.320 they end up getting a rushing yards from Carrie on 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.320 Johnson after they really haven't been able to establish the 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.440 run very well during their first three victories. Kenny Gallady, 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:24.680 who was shut down completely a week before in a win, 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.479 well then he comes back and has two touchdowns, but 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:30.400 it's still, you know, again, it all boils back together 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:32.680 where you have to have a consistent performance, even though 0:06:32.680 --> 0:06:35.279 they didn't have Darius Slay. The one thing that I 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:38.040 found peculiar and I mentioned this on Twitter, and I 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:40.080 don't know if Matt I didn't see if Mat Patricia 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:42.960 addressed it after the game. Detroit went with a lot 0:06:43.040 --> 0:06:45.880 of prevent defense on that final series where Kansas City 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:48.000 ended up going down the field to not only you know, 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:50.000 take the you know, to tie the ball game up, 0:06:50.000 --> 0:06:52.720 to take the lead at that point. Yeah, the fact 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:55.440 that they only needed a field goal to tie and 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:59.000 obviously a touchdown to win, it was it was an 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:02.320 interesting defensive sequence and maybe the you know, the absence 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:05.680 of Slay or whatever the case was, if that's if 0:07:05.920 --> 0:07:08.479 that's what it was, I don't know. That was Wesson 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.720 don Hodkuwitz football in the back yard, give him five 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.360 seconds to make the throw and then you know eventually 0:07:14.360 --> 0:07:16.280 you can rush. I mean they're going with a lot 0:07:16.280 --> 0:07:18.000 of three man looks. There was one play I think 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:20.160 where they had a two man rush with two spies, 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:24.080 and you know, if you're playing to protect a seven 0:07:24.120 --> 0:07:26.680 point lead, I get that, you know, if the field 0:07:26.720 --> 0:07:29.920 goal doesn't matter. But I mean all Kansas City needed 0:07:30.000 --> 0:07:33.480 was the field goal. And in credit to Patrick Mahomes too, 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:38.360 when finally Detroit ended up going with an even man rush, 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:42.040 they were able to collapse the pocket pocket pocket, and 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:44.760 Mahome came out and just made a phenomenal pass. Uh, 0:07:44.800 --> 0:07:47.080 you know, against some pressure that he found the receivers 0:07:47.080 --> 0:07:49.080 he needs to. We founded Travis Kelsey and that one 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:52.360 and it was enough to find the victory. Yeah. Well, 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:55.840 I think we're learning certainly through the first quarter of 0:07:55.840 --> 0:07:58.800 the nineteen season, and we've been talking about it all along. 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:01.239 But I think yester Day in a lot of ways 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:04.320 confirmed just how tough this NFC North is going to 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:08.400 be from start to finish this year. The Minnesota Vikings 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:12.880 going to Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears lose Mitchell Drabinsky, 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:15.480 they're starting quarterback on the opening drive of the game, 0:08:16.360 --> 0:08:21.880 and the Chicago Bears defense just completely throttles Minnesota a 0:08:21.880 --> 0:08:25.120 game that was sixteen to nothing until well into the 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:28.400 fourth quarter before Minnesota got on the board, a sixteen 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:31.960 to six final. An impressive victory. I don't care what 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:33.760 you want to say about how ugly it was. That 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:36.720 was an impressive victory by the Chicago Bears at home 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:40.120 against a division rival. And Minnesota now is trying to 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:42.720 figure out, you know, can they take their show on 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:45.959 the road, because they've been really impressive in two home 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:50.599 victories and extremely underwhelming in two road losses, both to 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:54.080 division opponents. Yeah, Minnesota is definitely at a crossroads right 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:58.600 now because their defense, while still you know, good, it's 0:08:58.600 --> 0:09:01.960 not to the level of where Chicago's at right now, 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:04.040 not at all. I also thought that, you know, you 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:06.840 look at the strip sack that Khalil mac had. The 0:09:06.880 --> 0:09:08.840 first thing that crossed my mind is it's like, that's 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:11.920 why David bat makes the big bucks. That's why Brian 0:09:11.960 --> 0:09:14.160 Bulag I thought, as I've said numerous times now, is 0:09:14.200 --> 0:09:18.120 incredibly underrated. Riley Reef is not a nobody in this league. 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:20.600 I mean he's played for a long time, he's established 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:23.640 left tackle. I mean, that's the commitment that the Vikings 0:09:23.640 --> 0:09:25.320 made to him when they signed him two years ago, 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:28.240 and Mac just made him look silly on that sack 0:09:28.800 --> 0:09:31.360 of m Cousins. I thought that was interesting. I didn't 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:34.719 realize all the fumbles loss that Kirk Cousins has through 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:36.200 the course of his career. I saw something. It was 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:39.160 like twenty seven or something like that. Goodness, some kind 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.719 of hit and turnovers there. And the reason I say 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:44.800 Minnesota's at a crossroads because they gotta fair what kind 0:09:44.800 --> 0:09:46.640 of team they are. I mean, Adam Feeland after the 0:09:46.640 --> 0:09:50.760 game was talking about one in passing offense right now, 0:09:50.800 --> 0:09:53.680 just having a difficult time getting that going. Dalvin Cook 0:09:53.720 --> 0:09:55.920 has had some really good performances. He gets bottled up 0:09:55.960 --> 0:09:59.040 in this one and then also misses a crucial past 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:02.200 protection late that you know resulted a negative yardage and 0:10:02.240 --> 0:10:04.880 a negative play for the Vikings as well. So well 0:10:04.880 --> 0:10:08.000 and the and the Bears do this defensively without Rokuwan Smith. 0:10:08.080 --> 0:10:12.679 Nick Kwikowski steps in as a backup inside linebacker, and 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:15.800 you mentioned the past protection with Dalvin Cook. This is why, folks, 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:19.040 this is why we talk about how difficult it is 0:10:19.120 --> 0:10:22.440 for running backs coming from the college game to learn 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:24.960 how to pass protect and pick up blitzes in the NFL, 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:27.400 because at the end of the day, a star running 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:31.040 back in college, maybe once or twice in his entire 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:34.320 college career, will he have to step up and block 0:10:34.400 --> 0:10:37.800 a blitzing linebacker who's the caliber of an NFL player. 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:40.400 You get into the NFL, you have to do it 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:43.280 on a regular basis. And Dalvin Cook couldn't do it 0:10:43.440 --> 0:10:47.040 against a backup linebacker. And there's nothing against Quitkowski, who's 0:10:47.080 --> 0:10:49.000 played for the Bears for a number of years and 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:52.040 filled in admirably every time he's been asked to, but 0:10:52.160 --> 0:10:55.359 he's not a starter. And the one time he completely 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:58.280 whipped Dalvin Cook for a sack and the other going 0:10:58.320 --> 0:11:00.640 around him, I mean to say, and the other time 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.240 he just bull rushed him right back into the quarterback 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.520 because couldn't set his feet and and uh and bow 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:09.320 up and make the block. It's tough duty, and that's 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:11.480 why we talk about it with young running backs coming 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:13.720 to the NFL. Coaches need to be able to trust 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:18.080 those guys to protect their quarterback against blitzing linebackers, and 0:11:18.120 --> 0:11:19.840 it's not an easy thing to do. I just this 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:21.800 is the thing I always kind of love about fans too, 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:25.240 and this isn't anything against Dexter Williams. Aaron Jones had 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:28.000 to answer the same questions back in two thousand seventeen. Absolutely, 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.240 but fans are always like, why isn't Dexter Williams playing more? 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:32.360 Why didn Aaron Jones play more in two thousand seventeen. 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:35.559 There's more to the position than just running the ball. 0:11:36.040 --> 0:11:37.679 You have to be able to protect, pass protect, you 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:39.800 have to be able to be accountable on third downs. 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:41.400 You have to be able to go out and become 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:43.000 a pass catcher when you need to. And that's not 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:45.600 to say that Williams couldn't or Jones couldn't, but there 0:11:45.679 --> 0:11:48.400 is equity built up in Jamal Williams and Aaron Jones 0:11:48.440 --> 0:11:51.120 in his third season, even you know Danny Vitally there 0:11:51.120 --> 0:11:53.160 in his fourth season to be in those roles, to 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:56.480 be in those situations, because you just can't risk it 0:11:56.600 --> 0:11:59.000 in those moments. You need to have your most experience 0:11:59.120 --> 0:12:02.440 or most accountable play years, your veteran players on the field. Now. 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:04.920 A lot of times what happens is injuries will occur, 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:06.719 and then that's when a player gets thrown in the 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:08.800 spotlight and you really find out what they can do. 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:12.880 But until that moment arrives, it's very difficult to throw 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:15.120 someone out there that isn't ready for that moment, isn't 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.640 proven in that moment if you have the other options available. 0:12:19.320 --> 0:12:20.720 I think that's one of the things that to be 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:22.319 honest with you, I think that the Vikings are kind 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:25.439 of learning this year where they don't have that Latavious Murray, 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:30.120 that that number two guy here in that spot where okay, 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:33.360 that's that's you know, a veteran that can step up 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:35.920 in that situation. Because their number two guy, Madison is 0:12:35.960 --> 0:12:39.360 younger than than Dalvin Cooks. So yeah, they're you're you're 0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:41.800 right there in a there in an interesting spot there. 0:12:41.800 --> 0:12:44.160 And as as Theland said, I mean Adam Theland had 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:46.560 what one catch for six yards or two catches for 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:49.840 six two catches for six yards? Which one zero? He 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:52.480 had a catch for zero yards? Yeah, I mean, um, 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:56.120 the Vikings we talked about it. Mike Zimmer wants to 0:12:56.120 --> 0:12:57.760 be able to run the football. He wants to be 0:12:57.800 --> 0:13:00.960 a run oriented offense. But a game like yesterday just 0:13:01.000 --> 0:13:03.840 shows you if you if you cannot protect the quarterback 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:06.800 and you cannot establish any kind of a passing game 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:09.080 in the NFL, it's very difficult to win. And also, 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:10.800 I gotta be remis if I didn't say this, Chase 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:14.120 Daniel really stepped up in that game. A terrible injury 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.120 early on from Mitchell true Bisky did not look good. 0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:18.280 We'll see what exactly the m R S or whatnot 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:21.120 show with that. But the way that his uh, his 0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:24.440 shoulder kind of you know, move there, Yeah, it wasn't 0:13:24.480 --> 0:13:27.320 It was an awkward deal for sure. So but Chase 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:29.360 Daniel has been playing in this league for a long time. 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:31.120 I've always felt like he's sort of one of those 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:35.040 underrated kind of backup quarterbacks. He's kind of had chances 0:13:35.080 --> 0:13:37.200 to be a starter, but not really right. I mean, 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:39.600 he went to Philadelphia, they paid him a lot of money, 0:13:39.600 --> 0:13:41.800 but then they end up drafting Carson Wentz. They make 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:43.719 the moves that they did, and he ends up kind 0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:47.360 of falling out their Kansas City Chiefs for a while. 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:50.080 But I'll tell you what, if you're in that position 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:53.040 and you feel like you're just the quarterback, a consistent 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.679 quarterback away from being a contender, you can do a 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:57.679 lot worse than Chase Daniel. I thought he really showed 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:01.200 a lot in that game, especially considering Chicago still hasn't 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:02.959 been able to really get the running game going here, 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:06.520 even though they've been featuring David Montgomery the last few weeks. Yeah, 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:10.439 definitely a real quickly here. West Select Cousin Subs locations 0:14:10.480 --> 0:14:14.320 are now offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your 0:14:14.320 --> 0:14:17.200 favorite sub, they're delivering right to you when you order 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:21.800 online at Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs we believe 0:14:21.840 --> 0:14:24.560 in better. Okay, as the week goes on, we'll obviously 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:27.000 talk a lot more about the Dallas Cowboys, but I 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:30.080 do think we need to address what happened in the 0:14:30.120 --> 0:14:34.200 Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday Night football. The Cowboys 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:38.560 trying to get to four and oh and Ezekiel Elliott 0:14:38.640 --> 0:14:43.960 is shut down. The Dallas Cowboys offense really has one 0:14:44.080 --> 0:14:46.400 drive opening the third quarter where they go down and 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:51.640 get a touchdown. But the New Orleans Saints with Teddy Bridgewater, uh, 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:54.440 they post the victory without even scoring a touchdown. They 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:57.200 get four field goals and win the game twelve to ten. 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:01.240 This is one of those results West that obviously the 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:03.200 Saints are going to be waiting another four or five 0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:05.440 games whatever it is to get Drew Brees back. But 0:15:05.480 --> 0:15:08.600 this is one of those results the Saints beating the 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.760 Cowboys at home with Bridgewater at quarterback, that we might 0:15:11.760 --> 0:15:14.880 be looking back on in December when we're looking at 0:15:14.920 --> 0:15:17.640 playoff positioning and everything else. This could be a really, 0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:20.120 really keyball game in the whole mix well, and it 0:15:20.200 --> 0:15:23.080 shows one thing we talked so often about quarterback play 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:26.880 and without a shadow of a doubt, the New Orleans 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.400 Saints are at their best when Drew Brees their quarterback. 0:15:30.200 --> 0:15:32.440 But getting back to that, Mike Spofford, let's be a 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:35.600 real moment of the week. This game is completely different 0:15:35.640 --> 0:15:38.880 if that's the two thousand fifteen two thousand fourteen New 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:42.480 Orleans Saints defense. Absolutely the job that they did against 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:45.840 Zeke Elliott. I mean, eighteen carries for thirty five yards 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:50.440 along of six and also a force fumble that was incredible. 0:15:50.720 --> 0:15:53.120 Jason Witten had a fumble in that game that was lost. 0:15:53.200 --> 0:15:56.520 Jason Witten has like eight career fumbles in twenty years. 0:15:56.760 --> 0:15:59.600 Got the ball punched out from behind just the way 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:02.480 that they had tacked the ball. I'm just so impressed. 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:04.400 I know mars Shawn Lattimore has been kind of hit 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:05.960 or miss at points this year. But I thought he 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:08.440 played a pretty solid game. They just made it really 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.360 difficult on the Cowboys. And the one thing I learned 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:14.520 from that performances and again this is going to be 0:16:15.040 --> 0:16:18.840 super Oh tell me something I don't already know. If 0:16:18.960 --> 0:16:22.800 you are able to contain Ezekiel Elliott, that is the 0:16:22.880 --> 0:16:26.280 domino that sets off everything for the Cowboys. It sets 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:30.560 off Prescott's play action, it sets off the downfield passing game. 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.000 The more people that you have to get committing to 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:38.240 the run, the better chances that the Cowboys offense is 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:41.120 really going to expand they had a very difficult time 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:43.480 doing that because they just were unable to get Elliott going. 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:47.040 Prescott didn't really have any big plays and you know, 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:50.120 there was a dearth of touchdowns in this game. New 0:16:50.240 --> 0:16:52.720 Orleans Saints credited him the first time the Sean Payton 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:55.200 era win a football game without its scoring without scoring 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:58.520 a touchdown, and Teddy Bridgewater did exactly what he needed 0:16:58.560 --> 0:17:00.600 to do with the weapons that he had to get 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:02.800 a victory. Yeah, this Saints team, to me is so 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:07.600 impressive what they're doing defensively and really their their history. 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:10.280 I'm telling you, you go into that New Orleans Superdome 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:13.639 in a primetime game. I don't know what their winning 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:15.919 streak is or what their record is over the last 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:18.480 you know, even when they were a seven and nine 0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:20.960 team for those couple of years there. If you have 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:23.240 to play in the Superdome in prime time, that might 0:17:23.280 --> 0:17:27.080 be the toughest road assignment in the NFL. They're they're 0:17:27.160 --> 0:17:32.120 winning percentage in home night games is u is astounding. 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:35.960 And they did it again. And the Cowboys, who everybody 0:17:36.400 --> 0:17:39.760 was questioning them because of their first three games, the 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:42.720 sch the schedule that they had beating the Giants before 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:45.640 the Giants turned it over to Daniel Jones at quarterback. 0:17:45.640 --> 0:17:48.200 They beat the Redskins, who don't have any wins this year. 0:17:48.240 --> 0:17:50.760 They beat the Dolphins, who don't have any wins yet 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:54.639 this year, so that everybody was criticizing the Cowboys, and 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:56.679 the Cowboys are saying, Okay, we're gonna come out and 0:17:56.720 --> 0:17:59.280 prove you know who we are. And then they go 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:02.600 into New Orleans and score only ten points and uh 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:04.760 and they're sitting at three and one just like the Packers, 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:09.480 which really sets up an intriguing matchup um at a 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:11.800 T and T Stadium on Sunday, a pair of three 0:18:11.840 --> 0:18:14.760 and one teams that both feel like they should have 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:17.080 could have gotten to four and oh, but they didn't 0:18:17.119 --> 0:18:20.040 do it. And now you're looking at the difference between 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:22.040 four and one or three and two for these two 0:18:22.040 --> 0:18:25.359 ball clubs, and there's a massive hole potentially there for Dallas, 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:28.320 depending on what happens with Tyron Smith. Right at the 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:31.359 end of the game the game, Jerry Jones telling the 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:33.679 reporters and afterwards it's a high ankle spring. So we 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:36.080 have to see exactly how the week plays out with Smith. 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.600 But Fleming was the one I think that stepped in 0:18:38.640 --> 0:18:41.399 there at the end. That's the thing. I mean. Tyron 0:18:41.480 --> 0:18:43.560 Smith is still at twenty years old, is still one 0:18:43.600 --> 0:18:45.720 of the pre eminent left tackles in this game, and 0:18:45.840 --> 0:18:48.200 for whatever reason he's unable to go or is severely 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:50.840 limited by that. That is going to be a big 0:18:51.000 --> 0:18:53.800 question mark for Dallas going into this game. I know 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.040 Zadarius Smith and Preston Smith last week, they're disappointed they 0:18:57.040 --> 0:18:59.640 didn't get to the house. But if Smith is, if 0:18:59.720 --> 0:19:01.800 that's Smith isn't there for that, we had to deal 0:19:01.800 --> 0:19:04.119 a lot of Smith's here this this week. That's going 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:07.760 to be problematic. Yeah, I mean, and uh, this is 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:09.639 one of those. And I know we'll talk about this 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:11.680 later in the week, but the type of game that 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:15.720 Elliott is coming off of, you have to believe that 0:19:16.000 --> 0:19:18.679 the emphasis and practice for the Cowboys is gonna be 0:19:19.240 --> 0:19:22.760 everything it takes to get Elliott going against the Packers. Certainly, 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:25.639 the Packers have shown their leaks in run defense, and 0:19:25.640 --> 0:19:28.680 you said it earlier that Elliott and what he does 0:19:29.000 --> 0:19:32.000 on the ground is, uh, you know, is the key 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:34.520 to open the door to everything else in this offense. 0:19:34.560 --> 0:19:36.679 The passes to Cooper, the passes to Wit, and the 0:19:36.720 --> 0:19:39.399 passes over the middle to Randall Cobb coming out of 0:19:39.400 --> 0:19:43.400 the slot. All of that is predicated on on Elliott 0:19:43.440 --> 0:19:47.280 getting defenses to pay so much attention to him in 0:19:47.359 --> 0:19:49.959