WEBVTT - #498 Packers Unscripted: Wrap it up 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:14.800 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.840 --> 0:00:17.480 I am Mike Spofford, sitting next to the one and 0:00:17.560 --> 0:00:19.960 only west Hodcowitz. Were coming to you here from our 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:23.239 studios at lambeau Field West, our final show of the week. 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:25.960 We're just a couple of days away from Packers Lions 0:00:26.040 --> 0:00:29.639 Week seventeen at ford Field, and we all know what's 0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:31.800 on the line for green Bay win and get a 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:35.600 first drawn by fly back from Detroit, settle in to 0:00:35.680 --> 0:00:38.360 watch Seattle and San Francisco, see what happens in that 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:42.920 NFC West game and how that might impact the Packers seating. Um, 0:00:42.960 --> 0:00:45.600 the number one seed would be at stake for green 0:00:45.640 --> 0:00:47.920 Bay if they're coming back from Detroit with a win. 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:51.680 So with that in mind, what's it going to take 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:54.640 here for the Packers to get to thirteen and three? 0:00:54.680 --> 0:00:56.560 I like the way you laid that out to begin 0:00:56.600 --> 0:00:58.760 with two. It's like, oh, thank you, yes, I'll have that. 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:03.160 That's sounds about. That's the menu for someday. That sounds 0:01:03.200 --> 0:01:04.880 about as pricks are perfect as how it could work 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:06.399 out for the Packers, but you have to earn it, 0:01:06.440 --> 0:01:08.240 you have to work for it. In order to do that. 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:11.120 The two things that I really isolated as important in 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:14.080 this game. I go along with what Brian Balaga and 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:17.560 Matt Lafloord a lot of people said statistically, I don't 0:01:17.640 --> 0:01:20.480 think the Lions defense is as bad as the numbers 0:01:20.560 --> 0:01:22.800 might suggest. I still think they are dangerous, and I 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:24.480 still think it's something the Packers are gonna have to 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:28.160 take an account they can't take for granted. Offensively, though, 0:01:28.200 --> 0:01:29.920 you can't get away from the fact that it is 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:35.120 an undrafted rookie quarterback that you're facing with an unestablished 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:37.640 run game. Now, Kenny Golladay is as good as they 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:42.200 get as receivers go in this league right now. But defensively, 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:44.279 I think you need to be able to really push 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:47.400 this thing, and I think it's up to Zadarius Smith, 0:01:47.400 --> 0:01:50.720 press that Smith, Kenny Clark, to pressure David Blow, to 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:53.520 get after him, to make this day as uncomfortable as possible, 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:57.560 all while being able to maintain that solid run defense 0:01:57.560 --> 0:01:59.720 that they've played over the last month. Yeah, and I 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:03.360 would say if there's one guy for the Lions offensively 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:06.600 that makes me a little bit nervous, it's Kenny Golladay. 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:08.840 We've seen him make big plays against the Packers. I 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:11.800 think this is a really up and coming young receiver 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:14.720 who has not reached the peak of his powers yet. 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:18.680 And also we saw yes Kyler Fackra was held. He 0:02:18.800 --> 0:02:20.919 probably could have gotten a sack of Kirk Cousins, but 0:02:20.960 --> 0:02:23.640 that was a pretty bad breakdown in the secondary that 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:26.760 allowed that long touchdown pass that was called back late 0:02:26.800 --> 0:02:28.799 in the Vikings game. You can't have those kinds of 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:31.800 breakdowns against Kenny Golladay where he could end up having 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:34.480 a huge day. The other thing I see with this game, 0:02:34.560 --> 0:02:37.720 quite simply for the Packers is don't turn the ball over. 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:40.360 You know, you know how I always am West when 0:02:40.400 --> 0:02:42.360 we sit here and we talk about a game where 0:02:42.960 --> 0:02:45.120 we really feel like the Packers are the better team 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:48.400 and that the Packers should win the game. So to me, 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:51.560 in those circumstances, I always say, hey, just don't turn 0:02:51.639 --> 0:02:55.560 the ball over. Don't make those kinds of momentum changing 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:58.560 plays that can give a big underdog that spark and 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:01.120 that belief that they can not you off and that 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:05.679 they can make their season with a big upset victory. 0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:07.640 And the Packers are coming off of a game in 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:11.399 Minneapolis three turnovers in the first half, very well could 0:03:11.440 --> 0:03:14.480 have spelled disaster for Green Bay in their attempt to 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:18.480 clinch the NFC North. It didn't. They came back. But 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:20.760 three turnovers in the first half is not a recipe 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:22.720 for success. You gotta nip that in the butt and 0:03:22.760 --> 0:03:25.600 not let that become a trend here as you're trying 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:27.280 to play your best football. Yeah, you gotta be able 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:28.760 to protect the football, and it's the reason why the 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:31.040 Packers are twelve and three. Simply put, They've been able 0:03:31.080 --> 0:03:32.680 to take the ball away. They've played well in the 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:34.560 red zone on both sides of the ball, and they 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.840 protected the football offensively. Here's the interesting thing. You know, 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:40.840 Monday night in Minneapolis was only the second time this 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:43.000 year the Packers have had three turnovers in a game. 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:47.800 You know what. The other one was Philadelphia Detroit Detroit 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:51.320 really that Monday night game. Yeah, Aaron Rodgers through an interception, 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:55.240 Aaron Jones had a fumble, and Darius Shepherd fumbled the punt. 0:03:55.360 --> 0:03:57.280 So maybe it doesn't matter if the Packers turn the 0:03:57.280 --> 0:04:01.520 ball over. No, As as I say, not exactly a 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.600 recipe for success, But my point being that this Detroit 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:08.120 Lions defense did take the ball away from the Packers 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:09.800 a few times, and they were on the verge of 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:12.880 beating Green Bay at Lambeufield. Yes, Matthew Stafford is no 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:15.760 longer the quarterback, but still those are the kinds of 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:18.840 things that get your attention in a game where you're 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.159 where the Packers are going in obviously is a heavy 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.279 favorite and expected to win. I just think it's a 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:25.560 it's a week that you can't take for granted. You 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:28.440 just have to really be on top of everything and 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:30.320 and take care of business the way you're meant to 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:33.400 take care of business. I mean, this team to get 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.880 to this point. It was really interesting listen to Aaron 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:38.440 Rodgers discussed this at his locker on Thursday. I mean, 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:41.360 you know the way he even said that game against 0:04:41.360 --> 0:04:43.520 Minnesota he can he count said among one of his 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:46.839 better games he's played this year. Not maybe statistically, not 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:49.120 because the numbers people can say, well, are you setting 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:51.160 the bar that low for yourself? No, he's not saying that. 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:54.440 It's that they were able to effectively manage the game 0:04:54.560 --> 0:04:56.640 in a game in which you needed to do that. Now, 0:04:57.120 --> 0:05:00.400 this is completely different from where the pack because we're 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:02.400 at in the past, like when you look at it 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.120 with going into Ford Field, and what it was gonna 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:07.120 take to be able to beat a team like that 0:05:07.640 --> 0:05:11.599 in two thousand, what sixteen, the last two seasons when 0:05:11.760 --> 0:05:13.760 you know they were on the wrong end of it. 0:05:14.240 --> 0:05:17.640 I just think that there's so much fluidity with this 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.159 roster that if you do take care of the football 0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:23.840 and you manage the appropriate situations offensively and defensively, you're 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:25.960 going to be able to be successful. It's just the 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.600 numbers bear it out. All year long. People wanted to 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:31.960 talk about identities, they wanted to talk about what separates 0:05:31.960 --> 0:05:34.560 this team. I think that's what does it. It's that 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:37.520 they're just incredibly smart in those situations and when the 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:40.479 fourth quarter comes around, more often than not, the field 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:43.120 is tilted in their favor. Yeah. The other thing too, 0:05:43.160 --> 0:05:45.640 I think from what I've heard in the locker room, 0:05:45.640 --> 0:05:47.640 we haven't had a lot of locker room maxus this 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:50.320 week with the holiday in the short week and everything, 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:55.360 but I sense the players. The players are definitely dialed 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:59.560 into the fact that you cannot take anything for granted here. 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:01.840 They oh, what's at stake, they know what's on the line. 0:06:01.839 --> 0:06:06.080 Preston Smith even mentioned yesterday when some reporters were at 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:10.000 his locker, Hey nobody thought the Arizona Cardinals with four wins, 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:13.320 We're gonna go to Century Linkfield in Seattle and knock 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:17.080 off the Seattle Seahawks, a loss that quite frankly, has 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:20.200 really damaged Seattle's chances to get the number one seed. 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.520 They they could still get it if you know, the 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:24.960 Packers losing the Saints Louis and all this other stuff 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:28.520 falls their way. But if the Seahawks hadn't lost that 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:30.679 game of the Cardinals, they'd be going into that Sunday 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:32.760 night game saying, hey, if we beat the forty Niners, 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:35.200 we are the top seed in the NFC. They lost 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:38.080 that opportunity to a team in their own division that 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:40.479 only had four wins on the year end coming into 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:43.400 their place. So it is all about not taking anything 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:45.760 for granted. I think the Packers are buying into it, 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:47.680 and I expect to see a pretty focused team on 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:49.880 Sunday in Detroit. Yeah, and and the other thing I 0:06:49.920 --> 0:06:52.560 made this argument and insider inbox, this team for the 0:06:52.640 --> 0:06:55.880 last eight months has played to be in this position. 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.760 Everything that they've done, every workout, every practice, every game 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:04.039 has set themselves up to go into Detroit, win this 0:07:04.120 --> 0:07:06.920 game and get a first round by you don't want 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.520 to waste all of those efforts, all that hard work, 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:12.280 all of that momentum because you overlook a three win 0:07:12.360 --> 0:07:15.480 opponent and every single guy, I think Corey Linsley mentioned 0:07:15.520 --> 0:07:18.120 it too, that first game was by one point. There 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:23.480 was a one point difference, turnovers, whatever, uh, total yards production, 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:25.440 you can look at all of it. In the end, 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:28.000 it was one point that separated the Packers from victory 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:31.760 and defeat. And while the situation has changed and half 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:33.880 of this roster it seems like for the Lions is 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:37.000 now an injured reserve, that still is something that there 0:07:37.000 --> 0:07:39.720 are guys that want to finish this thing out and 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.520 and play the string out and show that you know what, 0:07:42.840 --> 0:07:44.640 if Matt Patricia is gonna be the head coach in 0:07:44.680 --> 0:07:47.040 two thousand, twenty and beyond, and that's the plan, we 0:07:47.120 --> 0:07:48.720 gotta play hard for him. We have to be ready 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:50.880 for him. And then even a guy like David Blah, 0:07:50.920 --> 0:07:52.440 I mean, he's trying to prove that I can be 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:55.160 a backup in this league. I'm a quarterback that's worth developing. 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:57.120 I could be in this position again next year with 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:00.800 Matthew Stafford. All those things bundled together There's still is 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:02.240 a lot to play for it. But as I've said 0:08:02.280 --> 0:08:05.120 all week long, Mike, for the Packers, they have to 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:07.920 go out, they have to control the momentum right off 0:08:07.960 --> 0:08:10.520 the bat and make sure that while this game you 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:13.679 cannot take for granted, maybe the second half is where 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:17.520 you can actually start to you know, maybe pull back 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:20.000 some of the troops if you can get out there, 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:22.600 get a quick lead and make sure that that crowd 0:08:22.640 --> 0:08:25.120 is in your favorite right. And that's exactly the fast 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:27.680 start idea is exactly what the Packers did not do 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:30.480 the first time against the Lions. They fell behind thirteen 0:08:30.520 --> 0:08:33.480 to nothing. Fortunately for green Bay, that was a home game. 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:35.760 As soon as the rally started, you know, the crowd 0:08:35.840 --> 0:08:38.080 kind of got behind the team and then it comes 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:42.720 down to Mason Crosby kicking a walk off field goal there. So, um, 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:44.760 I totally agree with you. I think I think a 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:47.440 fast start, as we talked about on yesterday's show, you know, 0:08:47.480 --> 0:08:49.720 if if there are some green Bay fans in the stands, 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:52.160 you know, get them riled up early, keep the Detroit 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:54.840 fans quiet, don't let them think that some some big 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:57.640 upset for Matt Patricia to hang his hat on in 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:00.120 the off season is is what's going to result. And 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:02.760 keep in mind too, Aaron Jones. We've been discussing these 0:09:02.760 --> 0:09:05.480 milestones all week long. Sixteen rushing yards away from his 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:08.400 first thousand yards season, one touchdown away from matching on 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:11.320 On Green single season record for touchdowns in a season. 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:15.040 Aaron Jones is a critical piece to this puzzle because 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.360 not only for all those reasons, but the fact that 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:20.960 Detroit is missing what three inside linebackers at this point 0:09:20.960 --> 0:09:24.040 of the season. Their defense is really their defensive front 0:09:24.080 --> 0:09:26.760 in particular. So if you're able to get that that 0:09:26.800 --> 0:09:30.040 ball moving in the first quarter, um, then you know, 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:33.160 keep whatever happened, whatever that change was in that second 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:35.640 half against Minnesota, and carry that over to this game. 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:38.280 We could talk about Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams and 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:40.199 all the other pieces that have to be in play 0:09:40.240 --> 0:09:42.680 for the Packers here both on Sunday and moving into 0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:45.400 the postseason. But I just think, especially with the question 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:47.360 marks right now with Jamal Williams and not sure what 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.080 his availability is going to be with the shoulder injury, 0:09:50.600 --> 0:09:52.800 Aaron Jones, this game is set up for him perfectly 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:54.520 to have a breakout day. Yeah, well, I want to 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:58.160 continue to talk about that because there are several individual 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:02.920 milestones mile posts that various Packers could hit here in 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:05.920 the final regular season game. Obviously, getting the win, getting 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:08.400 the first round by is the priority, but you mentioned 0:10:08.800 --> 0:10:11.800 Jones is sixteen yards away from his first thousand yard 0:10:11.880 --> 0:10:16.280 rushing season. He currently leads the NFL with nineteen total touchdowns. 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:19.959 The last Packers player to actually lead the NFL and 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:22.600 touchdowns for a single season was Jim Taylor back in 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:26.160 nineteen sixty two. And I believe Aaron Jones goes into 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:29.360 this final game one touchdown ahead of Christian McCaffrey of 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:32.280 the Panthers. And then also he's one touchdown off of 0:10:32.320 --> 0:10:37.160 the Packers single season franchise record of twenty touchdowns, which 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:40.080 was set by a Mon Green back in two thousand three. 0:10:40.160 --> 0:10:43.040 So that, uh, that's one for him to get another one. 0:10:43.080 --> 0:10:47.679 You mentioned Davante Adams, He's, uh, the exact number is escaping, right, 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:51.240 And I was at nineties ninety six receiving yards from 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:53.679 a thousand yards season, and it's really interesting for him. 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:56.360 Not only would it'd be pretty cool for him to 0:10:56.400 --> 0:10:58.360 get a thousand yards season in a year that he 0:10:58.440 --> 0:11:00.880 missed four games and he's only playing twelve in the 0:11:00.920 --> 0:11:03.240 regular season. But this is a guy who had a 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:07.079 nine seven yards. He just missed a thousand another year 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:09.880 where he had eight hundred and eighty five but then 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:13.160 missed the last two games when a hundred and fifteen 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.520 yards and two games would have been pretty reasonable for 0:11:15.600 --> 0:11:18.199 him to get a thousand. Davante Adams has only had 0:11:18.240 --> 0:11:21.800 one thousand yards season technically in his career, and he's 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:23.920 going for number two in a year that he missed 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.600 an entire month, So that's kind of interesting as well. 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:28.800 And on the defensive side, here's a couple to keep 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:31.440 an eye on. West. I look this up and it 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:36.320 was interesting. Zadarius Smith, Preston Smith, Kenny Clark. That trio 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.719 has combined for thirty one and a half sacks so 0:11:39.800 --> 0:11:42.440 far this season with one regular season game to go. 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:48.040 Since sacks became an official NFL statistic. In the top 0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:52.560 trio in one season for the Packers was in Reggie 0:11:52.600 --> 0:11:55.720 White with sixteen sacks and winning Defensive Player of the Year, 0:11:56.160 --> 0:11:58.960 along with Vannie Holiday with eight sacks and Keith mackenzie 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:02.719 with eight sacks had two between the three of them, 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:05.760 So the Packers current top trio is thirty one and 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:07.840 a half. If they get one more sack, maybe the 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:10.040 two Smiths split one, they each get a half, and 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:11.880 that gets him to thirty two and a half, and 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:13.959 that would be one to chalk up and another one 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:19.560 on defense too. Uh. The Packers coaches go through the 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:22.680 film and they keep track of tackles, and the official 0:12:22.720 --> 0:12:26.439 statistics that the Packers put out are the coaches tabulations 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:30.520 of tackles. Well, Blake Martinez solo and assisted tackles combined, 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:33.000 He's been credited with a hundred and ninety one tackles 0:12:33.000 --> 0:12:36.520 so far this year and since Packers coaches started keeping 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:43.200 that statistic in five Since then, the single season record 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:45.960 for the Packers is a hundred and ninety four tackles 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:49.800 by Nick Barnett in two thousand and five. So Blake 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:53.560 Martinez is four tackles away from breaking Barnet's record, and 0:12:53.640 --> 0:12:57.000 obviously nine tackles away from the first two hundred tackles 0:12:57.000 --> 0:13:00.960 season since the Packers coaches have been keep being that statistics. 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.560 So and I've got a few other ones that are 0:13:02.600 --> 0:13:04.400 going to be in my one Last Look column as well. 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:06.680 I had some fun looking up this, uh this stuff 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:10.040 yesterday as I was preparing my Saturday one last look 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.880 for Packers dot Com. But some interesting things here as 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:15.480 the regular season wraps up, because all of the team 0:13:15.559 --> 0:13:18.080 records and all that are based on regular season games, 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:20.960 only postseason goes into another category. Well, and then there's 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:23.520 one other one that is not going to be as heralded. 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:25.640 I don't think many people will make much about, but 0:13:25.720 --> 0:13:29.640 it's thirteen wins. Packers can actually get thirteen wins in 0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:31.960 this season. That would be the most since two thousand 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:35.120 eleven during that fifteen win campaign, if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:37.720 there there are only three. There are only three coaches 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:41.000 in Packer's history with thirteen wins in a regular season. 0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:44.080 It's Vince Lombardi, Mike Holmgren, and Mike McCarthy. They're the 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:45.920 only ones who have done it. And Matt Lafleur, in 0:13:45.960 --> 0:13:48.600 his first year, is trying to become the fourth coach 0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:50.760 to hit that mark. And it goes back to something 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:53.080 that I think, you know, Mark Murphy has talked about 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.120 this season. I think a number of guys have talked about. 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:57.960 I mean, how many people on September one would have 0:13:58.000 --> 0:14:01.160 put them in a position to be doing this right now, uh, 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:03.800 to to have a first round by I mean, Aaron 0:14:03.880 --> 0:14:06.920 Rodgers has mentioned this at numerous different intervals throughout the 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:08.559 course of the year about how maybe this isn't the 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:11.080 most talented team. But I'll be honest with you, Mike, 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:12.600 and you've been doing this a little bit longer than 0:14:12.640 --> 0:14:14.360 I have, but this is as tight knit of a 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:16.920 team as I've covered. And that's not to say that 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:18.880 the chemistry wasn't there with some of those other teams. 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:22.440 I think the two thousand team in particular had great chemistry, 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:25.320 but in terms of, especially on the defensive side of 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:29.000 the ball, how close they are from cornerbacks, the defensive 0:14:29.040 --> 0:14:32.200 linemen to linebackers. It's not just the positional groups, and 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:34.120 it's not just you know, getting into the huddle and 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:37.560 and you know, channing Kumbaya together. I mean, these guys 0:14:37.640 --> 0:14:40.320 legitimately really care about each other. And I know that 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:42.400 narrative and that cliche kind of gets thrown out there 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:45.280 when teams are having success. It's more difficult to get 0:14:45.320 --> 0:14:48.240 that sort of reputation when you're six and ten. But 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:50.960 I think to some extent it's true because there is 0:14:50.960 --> 0:14:53.240 an idea there that those guys are playing for each other. 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:56.200 So Darius and Preston Smith are on the verge of 0:14:56.240 --> 0:14:59.520 becoming superstars in this league. You get fourteen sacks in 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:01.760 a season, in thirteen sacks in a year, you're gonna 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:04.880 get notoriety. Kenny Clark has been just the steady as 0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:07.640 they go kind of players since day one with his mentality. 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:10.280 Even with some of the breakouts he's had the last 0:15:10.320 --> 0:15:12.600 couple of seasons, you have your Dean Lowry's and your 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.520 gyr Alexanders and you look at a guy like Kevin 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:18.800 King and how he stepped up a week ago. They've 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:21.160 stayed healthy and they've been able to be on the 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:23.240 field together, and then when they're off the field, there's 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:25.960 a lot of the cambaraderie there as well. So it's 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:28.080 not a stat it's not a milestone, it's not anything 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:30.320 cool like that, but that definitely goes a long way. 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.280 When you talk about a team in its chemistry going 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:35.440 into the month of January, yeah, I mean every team 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:38.720 sort of develops its own version of chemistry. There are 0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:42.800 all sorts of different formulas to continue the metaphor that 0:15:42.800 --> 0:15:47.360 that work. I think with this particular team where the 0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:52.160 chemistry has has uh, withstood some scrutiny and and withstood 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:55.600 some rough moments have been coming off of the losses 0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:57.760 in the second half of the season, when the Packers 0:15:57.800 --> 0:15:59.560 lost to the Chargers and they lost to the forty 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:04.360 nine Ers. These weren't just you know, knockdown, drag out 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:06.320 fights and you lose on a walk off field goal 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:09.240 kind of thing. These were just dud performances on both 0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:12.400 sides of the ball, quite frankly by by the Packers 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:15.440 in road games, you know, long flights out to the 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:19.320 West Coast and all that. And I think the chemistry 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:22.600 of this team pulled them through and got them back 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:26.680 on the right track very quickly after both of those losses, 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:29.960 as as opposed to seeing you know, seeing one lost 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.160 beach twice, so to speak. And I think that's one 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:34.560 I think that's one way that the chemistry of this 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.320 team has been tested, and they have passed that test 0:16:37.360 --> 0:16:39.280 to get to this point and being able to balance 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:41.360 back from losses where they didn't fall into you know, 0:16:41.400 --> 0:16:44.760 mid season dulgrums. They didn't have consecutive losses all season. 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:47.000 And then keep in mind too, and this is kind 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:49.160 of the onus and and sort of mantra that I've 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:51.480 developed for this team. You have to beat them for 0:16:51.560 --> 0:16:54.080 four quarters, because you've seen them get off to slow 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:56.720 starts and then work their way back into it. It 0:16:56.760 --> 0:16:59.720 happened last week. Then you also have seen times where 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:02.000 maybe they get off to a fast start, they kind 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:03.800 of go into a little bit of a lull in 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:07.239 the second third quarters and they finish like gangbusters in 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:10.480 the fourth. I mean, this is a team that we 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:12.159 say it over and over again about how they can 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:14.040 win a variety of ways, but they truly can. And 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:16.280 last week I thought they you know, kind of pop 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:20.239 the cap on another way. So it's a fascinating way 0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:22.040 to go into this thing. The Packers have to turn 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:23.960 back Detroit. They have to be able to win this 0:17:24.000 --> 0:17:28.200 game and get that crown. But when they do, man, 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:31.000 you look at how this thing sets up right now. 0:17:31.040 --> 0:17:34.040 If they're hosting a game or two in January in 0:17:34.119 --> 0:17:37.920 Green Bay, Wisconsin against San Francisco and New Orleans and 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.320 some of these warm weather teams seattle to a certain extent, 0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:45.200 the game changes. Yeah, absolutely well, looking at what else 0:17:45.280 --> 0:17:48.320 is going on around the league in week seventeen. As 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:50.919 I mentioned at the top of the show, if the 0:17:50.960 --> 0:17:54.280 Packers get the win at Detroit, they're flying back and 0:17:54.280 --> 0:17:57.159 then settling in to watch the Seahawks and the forty 0:17:57.200 --> 0:18:00.080 Niners battle for the NFC West crown. And if the 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:03.160 Packers get to thirteen and three, then a Seattle win 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:06.440 over San Francisco at Century Link would give the Packers 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:09.879 the number one overall seed. From the forty Niners perspective, 0:18:10.160 --> 0:18:13.800 if they win against Seattle and win the NFC West, 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:15.760 they are the number one seed. And then if the 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:18.000 Packers have a win, they would get the buy and 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:20.400 the number two seeds, and either way it shuffles out. 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:23.560 It's a great story. Uh. If Green Bay would somehow 0:18:23.720 --> 0:18:26.439 just work their way back up this thing and end 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.720 up claiming the number one seed, that's incredible. San Francisco's 0:18:29.760 --> 0:18:31.800 point of view, you look at the setbacks they've had 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:34.080 and being able to claw their way back into that 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:37.000 game against the Rams and then potentially beat Seattle and 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:39.280 Century Link. I know Packer fans don't hear that, but 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:41.200 that's also a pretty good narrative two for a team 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:43.120 claiming the number one seed. Yeah. Well, when you look 0:18:43.119 --> 0:18:45.160 at the forty Niners, I mean, this is a team, 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:47.720 this is a team that won on the road at 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:50.960 New Orleans, and I'm trying to remember they had another 0:18:51.000 --> 0:18:53.280 really big road victory. I can look it up if 0:18:53.320 --> 0:18:55.199 you can talk for a couple more seconds there. The 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:57.000 other thing, yeah, I will say, well you're looking that 0:18:57.119 --> 0:18:59.720 up is for those wondering can the Packers get a 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.119 first drawn by if they were to happen to lose 0:19:02.160 --> 0:19:05.160 at Detroit. The answer is yes, but that would require 0:19:05.240 --> 0:19:07.800 the Carolina Panthers to beat the New Orleans set. So 0:19:07.840 --> 0:19:11.159 if the Packers lose and the Saints lose, the Packers 0:19:11.240 --> 0:19:13.480 would still get a first round by. But if the 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:17.879 Packers lose and the Saints win, then Green Bay is 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.000 the three seed, and then as the three seed, the 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:22.600