WEBVTT - #445 Packers Unscripted: Second quarter 0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:20.800 M Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:23.479 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only 0:00:23.520 --> 0:00:26.759 Wes Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here from our studios 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:29.400 at lambeau Field and West. The first quarter of the 0:00:29.440 --> 0:00:32.720 Packers season is over. The second quarter will get underway 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:36.760 officially on Sunday down at a T and T Stadium 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:39.199 in Dallas. The Packers are three and one. The Cowboys 0:00:39.200 --> 0:00:42.160 are three and one. You don't want to make too 0:00:42.200 --> 0:00:46.720 many over arching conclusions after just four games of a season, 0:00:46.800 --> 0:00:50.360 but the sense that I get listening to Matt Lafleur talk, 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:52.680 listening to some of the guys in the locker room talk, 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:55.640 is that this week of preparation here leading up to 0:00:55.680 --> 0:01:00.120 the Cowboys is going to focus on two things that 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.440 the Packers are not doing as well as they want 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:05.160 to right now, and it's about running the ball and 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:07.800 stopping the run. Do you get that sense that this 0:01:07.800 --> 0:01:10.399 this week one quarter of the season done. The opponent 0:01:10.440 --> 0:01:13.760 that's coming up, the Dallas Cowboys, These are really high 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:17.360 priorities here for absolutely, to be fair. If you have 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:19.440 the number one run defense in the league and you 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:21.920 have Zeke Elliott coming up on your schedule, It's gonna 0:01:21.959 --> 0:01:24.880 be a big moment. But but that being said, I mean, 0:01:24.880 --> 0:01:26.360 you look at some of even the stories that I've 0:01:26.400 --> 0:01:28.040 written so far this week. You know, with or and 0:01:28.080 --> 0:01:31.920 Burke's returning to practice, people are asking Montrevius Adams how 0:01:31.959 --> 0:01:35.040 he's doing with the shoulder because there is that emphasis there, 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.919 and you understand that. You know, these last few weeks, 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:40.360 the Packers have talked about it. This is not the 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:42.560 type of run defense that they feel they can be. 0:01:43.160 --> 0:01:44.640 You know, one of the things I think is really 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:47.480 important to point out with this is I guess maybe 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:49.400 I'd have a little bit more concerned if the Packers 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:52.520 were running traditional base and traditional nickel and they were 0:01:52.560 --> 0:01:56.080 unable to stop this. But the reality is is because 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:58.320 of the injuries they've had it inside linebacker and now 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:00.960 at the defensive line, they've had to kind of shift 0:02:00.960 --> 0:02:02.400 a little bit. We've had to see them use more 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.960 hybrid packages. Raven Green, who I thought did an exceptional 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:08.400 job against the run in the first game against Chicago 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:11.040 for being a box safety, sort of reminded me that 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:14.040 Morgan Burnett type of guy that is quicker, faster, can 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:15.840 go with the tight ends. But also can take on 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:18.280 a running back charging full steam at him, Well you 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:20.720 lose him. So you have to adjust there, and there 0:02:20.720 --> 0:02:23.360 really isn't a backup so to speak, at that hybrid 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:26.440 safety spot, so they've had to get creative. But here's 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:28.280 the thing, Mike, is that when all the chips are 0:02:28.320 --> 0:02:30.480 on the table, you look at Ezekiel Elliott coming up 0:02:30.480 --> 0:02:32.600 on the schedule. You have to be on top of 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:35.000 your p's and ques with this matchup because he can 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:36.800 hurt you in so many ways. He can burn you 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:39.160 for the short yardage, he can get the third and shorts, 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:42.040 he can break a big run. The New Orleans States 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.960 did an exceptional job of defending him. So for Mike 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:47.200 Petton and his crew looking at that film last week 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:49.040 and see how that can translate, that has to be 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:52.640 a big, prime, primary objective for how you attack this 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:56.440 football game. Yeah. I mean, when you look at football 0:02:56.680 --> 0:03:00.280 just in general, there may be nothing more team work 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:03.760 oriented then running the ball and stopping the run. Because 0:03:03.800 --> 0:03:05.919 and the reason I say that, when you're trying to 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:07.800 run the ball, I say, if you're the Packers, you're 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:11.000 trying to get Aaron Jones on an outside zone. If 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:14.280 one guy in the run blocking unit breaks down, the 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:16.720 play can get blown up and by the same token 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:19.240 on the other side, when you're trying to stop the run, 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:22.480 if one guy gets pushed out of his gap too far, 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:25.560 or say one guy takes a chance and shoots one 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:28.640 gap when maybe he's got a two gap responsibility, but 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:32.000 he takes a shot and then boom, the run hits 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:35.360 in the area that he vacates. All it takes is 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:39.520 one guy to mess up, essentially, and uh, and things 0:03:39.520 --> 0:03:42.160 can start to get sideways in a hurry. I think 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:45.960 in some ways that's what happened against Philadelphia. And when 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:49.080 Philadelphia got that momentum going running the ball, they just 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.200 kept after it. And on a short week, and you know, 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:54.480 you have defenders who are wearing down and all of 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:58.360 that kind of stuff. So the Packers they've got some 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:01.720 injuries to deal with, but hopefully the extra rest, all 0:04:01.760 --> 0:04:04.120 the extra film study and everything that can go into 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:07.120 a game like this against Ezekiel Elliot, They've they've got 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:08.680 to get it short up. Yeah, And I don't want 0:04:08.680 --> 0:04:10.360 to be a victim of the moment here with some 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:12.960 recency bias. But the thing is, Mike, I looked at 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:15.680 that Philadelphia game from the beginning. And I'm not saying 0:04:15.720 --> 0:04:17.920 the Packers obviously there were seven points away from winning it, 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:20.360 but I just thought that was gonna be troublesome because 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:22.360 of the way the defense is configured, in the way 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:25.200 that they're running these rotations. Right now, you play those 0:04:25.279 --> 0:04:28.479 you know, there's seven eight core guys that play relatively 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:31.000 every snap, and now you've got to come back on 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:33.240 four days, you know, three days rest and play again 0:04:33.560 --> 0:04:36.160 in that type of environment against another run heavy team. 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:38.040 It's not like they went up against Arizona. I mean, 0:04:38.040 --> 0:04:40.960 this is a unit with Tug Peterson. Again, they're off 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:43.600 to a slow start with some of their running concepts, 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.039 but when they're at their peak, they want to be 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:47.760 able to push the ball. That's why they brought in 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:51.159 Jordan Howard. That's one of the focuses and emphasis that 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:53.680 they've had for this season is to play the way 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:56.200 they played on Thursday night. Now you're gonna get a 0:04:56.240 --> 0:04:58.040 couple of days to decompressed, and you're gonna get a 0:04:58.080 --> 0:05:01.400 full week of preparation for this matchup for Alice. The 0:05:01.440 --> 0:05:03.440 way I look at it, and again, you need to 0:05:03.440 --> 0:05:05.560 get it short up. We're a quarterway through the season, 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:09.800 right now. But it is team fundamental football. When guys 0:05:09.800 --> 0:05:12.599 are fresh and playing together, and you know they're playing 0:05:12.640 --> 0:05:15.440 in Unison, that's when a run defense is at its best, 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:17.600 and that's what the Packers are looking for right now. Yeah. Well, 0:05:17.640 --> 0:05:20.480 both teams, the Cowboys and the Packers have some injuries 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.080 to deal with heading into this one. We don't necessarily 0:05:23.120 --> 0:05:25.800 have full and complete updates on everything going on, but 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:30.080 with regards to the Cowboys, they're all Pro left tackle 0:05:30.120 --> 0:05:33.479 Tyron Smith, it sounds like from reports that are leaking 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:35.960 out that he is going to miss the game against 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:39.640 the Packers. Although the long term prognosis for Smith and 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:42.719 that Cowboys off offensive line it doesn't sound as bad 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:46.359 as initially feared. But that could be a big loss 0:05:46.360 --> 0:05:49.200 for Dallas here as they're trying to get Ezekiel Elliott 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:52.160 going after a rough game against the Saints. And on 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:55.000 the Packers side, you mentioned Orn Burke's is back in practice. 0:05:55.320 --> 0:05:57.520 This is a player who's missed more than a month 0:05:57.560 --> 0:06:00.479 and a half, almost two months really since getting injured 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:03.520 in the preseason opener back in early August, so it's 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:06.359 hard to say just how soon he's going to be 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:10.200 completely back up to speed. And ready to contribute defensively. 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:13.920 Jamal Williams is back with the team, though he's not 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:16.440 back on the practice field because he is officially in 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:19.240 the concussion protocol, and then other guys were just going 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:21.680 to be waiting. As the week goes along here, the 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:24.040 Packers will be back on the practice field on Wednesday. 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:26.680 They had a short practice Monday Tuesday as an off 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:31.840 day for the players. But on Wednesday, Davante Adams, Brian Blaga, 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:34.640 and Kevin King, all of whom were injured against the 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:37.560 Philadelphia Eagles. We don't really know the status of those 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:39.640 players yet and we'll just have to see if they'll 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:44.159 be held out of practice with limited participants. But really, 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:47.080 for the first time this season, the Packers kind of 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:50.560 dealing with with an injury list that raises your eyebrows 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:52.680 a little bit because it's coming to multiple spots and 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:55.920 on different sides of the ball. Yeah, the biggest positive 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:58.440 coming out of this weekend was the fact that Jamal 0:06:58.480 --> 0:07:01.120 Williams was walking through the locker room. Yeah, because his 0:07:01.160 --> 0:07:04.760 typical smiling self. Uh. The thing was is that you know, 0:07:04.800 --> 0:07:07.320 because you're in the concussion protocol, how that procedure works 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:09.000 for the league you're not allowed to speak to the media, 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:11.239 so we didn't talk to him yet, But just seeing 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:13.040 him come out of the meetings with the other running 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:15.280 backs like it's any other day. When you see that 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:17.520 type of blow, I mean, that's that's what you hope 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.160 to eventually see as him to be continuing. Well, and 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:22.240 I'll clarify too, I don't want to read too much 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.080 into it, but we know with this concussion protocol stuff, 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.480 sometimes guys aren't even in the meetings because of the 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.080 severity of what's going on. So the fact that he 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:33.560 was in the meetings with the team. No, he hasn't 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:36.760 been cleared from the concussion protocol yet, but he's at 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:39.520 a certain stage where he's not being completely held out 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:42.000 of all activity, which is something that we've seen in 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:44.440 certain instances in the past. I mean, I go back 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:46.560 to the Sam Shields thing. I go back to Jamichael 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:48.880 Finley in two thousand thirteen when he had that hit 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:51.080 across the middle and then he kind of just disappeared 0:07:51.120 --> 0:07:52.560 for a bit. You weren't sure what was going to 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:55.080 happen there. So just to see I mean, for what 0:07:55.160 --> 0:07:58.080 that could have potentially been a big sigh relief from 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:01.400 just a human standpoint, seeing Jamal Williams, you know, appearing 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:04.119 to be okay. From that perspective, Matt la Floor is saying, 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:06.120 you know, by all accounts him walking around the building 0:08:06.120 --> 0:08:09.000 good signs there or in Burke's is interesting because he 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:11.200 was the one that returned to practice on Monday, and 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:14.360 as you pointed out, this is gonna be you know, 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:17.000 those soft muscle injuries, Mike, especially when you're coming off 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:19.800 a terror like he did with his pack. It's not 0:08:19.840 --> 0:08:22.080 a bone, right, it's not six weeks. You've got to 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:24.160 play it by ear. You gotta go by how you feel. 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:26.720 You have to communicate that to the trainers. The big 0:08:26.760 --> 0:08:29.680 goal and emphasis for Burkes this week is just being 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:32.480 able to redevelop the strength start to bang again if 0:08:32.480 --> 0:08:34.800 you can get some of those reps in there he's had. 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:36.880 You know, it's been about six seven weeks now since 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:40.280 it happened against Houston, So just trying to gain the 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:42.719 confidence back because as he mentioned and I asked him 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:44.800 this in the locker room on Monday, now, he was 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:47.160 feeling really comfortable in the scheme and what they were 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:49.280 asking him to do after you know, kind of being 0:08:49.600 --> 0:08:51.319 thrown into the fire and then sort of having to 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:54.960 take a backseat to Antonio Morrison. He felt prepared and 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:58.520 ready to be that secondary option to like Martinez. So 0:08:58.600 --> 0:09:00.440 just seeing how this plays out for him is going 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:02.960 to be critical because I really do believe not only 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:05.200 does it give you depth at the position, but with 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:07.200 some of these things that are ailing the Packers trying 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:09.600 to find a hybrid safety, trying to find a coverage 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:13.160 linebacker that can play next to Blake Martinez. If Burkes 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:15.800 can be you know, solid against the run, I mean 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:18.400 that's a major upgrade for this defense moving forward. Yeah, 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:20.200 I think it could be as well. I just, uh, 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:23.440 I think it's it's smart to temper the expectations a 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:26.040 little bit because, I mean, let's face it, a guy 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:28.400 who's missed as much time as he has, and once 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:31.520 you get into the regular season where the Packers are, 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:34.000 they're only putting the pads on once a week in 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:36.160 terms of when you talk about the banging and really 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:39.120 trying to get back into football shaped. So to expect 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.160 a guy to just you know to walk back into 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:44.440 practice for a couple of days after seven weeks of 0:09:44.720 --> 0:09:48.320 very limited and sometimes no activity and then uh, you know, 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:50.720 walk out there on Sunday and try to tackle Ezekiel 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:54.080 Elliott doesn't really work that way. So there'll be a 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:56.760 process here to get Burke's back up to speed and 0:09:56.800 --> 0:09:59.280 ready to go, and we'll just see week to week, 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:02.439 um how things go in terms of getting him ready. 0:10:02.440 --> 0:10:04.800 But I agree with you that, I mean with the 0:10:04.840 --> 0:10:08.120 way things started with Raven Green in that spot and 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:10.680 then he gets hurt, and there's been kind of some 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:13.280 mixing and matching going on with Mike Petton in terms 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:15.760 of personnel and how they want to do things. Just 0:10:16.040 --> 0:10:20.360 getting another option available for the different packages he wants 0:10:20.400 --> 0:10:22.959 to run. I think it's going to help us, and 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:25.559 just getting back to a preferred starter, right, I mean, 0:10:25.559 --> 0:10:27.679 when you originally line up your depth charger, O, T 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:29.920 A S and in minicamp, the way you want things 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:32.199 to align, the way you prepare, and and how you're 0:10:32.240 --> 0:10:34.800 figuring in your mind you're gonna move the chess pieces around. 0:10:35.400 --> 0:10:38.079 Raven Green was a major chess piece. Mike. I just thought, 0:10:38.200 --> 0:10:40.120 I mean, people, that's not gonna be a name that's gonna, 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:42.520 you know, sound off a lot of alarms. Yeah, it's not. 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:44.320 It's not like he was suddenly going to become a 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:46.719 pro Bowl player anything. But you're right in terms of 0:10:47.000 --> 0:10:50.120 the usage and the way Mike Patton wanted to employ 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:53.320 him in different situations. He was a key piece take 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:55.560 because it wasn't just him being the hybrid linebacker. He 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:57.520 was the next man up with the two safety spots. 0:10:57.520 --> 0:10:59.679 And now you saw Will Redmond come down, you know, 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:02.120 working through something. Now I believe he was in the 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:04.480 getting evaluated for concussion. I don't know where that went 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:06.560 after that, but you know, he was the guy that 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:09.000 sort of moved in and Green was out. But then 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:11.760 that pushed Adrian Amos to the you know, to the box. 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:15.240 I've wrote about this an insider Inbox, looking specifically at 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:17.920 offensive line because people are asking about Alex light a 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:20.480 little bit. I cannot stress to you the value of 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:22.520 being able to take a backup and plug them into 0:11:22.520 --> 0:11:25.560 a starting spot because it allows you to stay strong 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:28.360 at your other points and doesn't diminish you at two 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:32.120 different spots. That's not an indictment against Adrian Amos, but 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:35.760 everybody understands he was brought in for what he provides, 0:11:35.840 --> 0:11:39.839 as you know, that strong, traditional strong safety type role, 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:42.280 you know, not just moving the box and playing the 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:44.840 hybrid linebacker. Spot. You know, if you have to end 0:11:44.880 --> 0:11:46.920 up moving Billy Turner to right tackle because you don't 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:48.240 have Brian Blog and then you have to put in 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:52.200 another guard at that spot. It there are so many 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:54.360 different variations of it, but when you can just go 0:11:54.440 --> 0:11:58.040 to one specific player, that's so valuable for Green Bay. 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:00.800 So seeing how all this works against Dallas again, there's 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:03.720 four or five days separating today in that game, but 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:06.840 what the Packers can potentially have and who could potentially 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:08.520 play in that game is gonna be critical for that 0:12:08.559 --> 0:12:11.480 matchup at and T Stadium. Yeah, definitely what we'll certainly 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:14.520 be talking about it a lot as the week continues. Um. 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.960 Before we go here today though, wes uh. Shortly before 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:20.679 we came into the studio here to tape this episode, 0:12:21.200 --> 0:12:24.600 you were you were in attendance at a press conference 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:30.040 involving Mason Crosby October. UM, the month of October, the 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:34.199 Packers will be involved in some different cancer awareness initiatives 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:37.240 and things like that as the month goes along, and 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:40.240 a little bit of news coming out of of of 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:43.120 this news conference with Mason Crosby. What did you find out? Yeah, 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:45.840 so well, for first and foremost Packers versus cancer. This 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:47.959 is an initiative they've been doing for the last three years. 0:12:48.000 --> 0:12:51.240 Mason is one of the heads of the Vince Lombardi 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:54.880 Cancer Foundation, something he's been doing for a number of years. 0:12:54.880 --> 0:12:56.920 I can't even tell you, probably six seven years at 0:12:56.920 --> 0:12:59.080 this point. He's been heavily involved with that and as 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:02.160 one of the spokespeople for this campaign along with Blake Martinez. 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.160 Each person was allowed to come up and sort of 0:13:04.200 --> 0:13:07.400 speak very quickly. It's well documented by now, obviously what 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:09.920 Mason's sister in law, Brittany has been battling over the 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:12.880 last three years. I wrote about it two years ago. Um, 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:15.240 you know, in her condition and being diagnosed at a 0:13:15.360 --> 0:13:18.600 very extremely young age with a varying cancer and how 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.800 that sort of impacted their lives. Well unfortunately now, Mason's 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:26.440 wife was diagnosed with a lung tumor during the summer, 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:29.760 which she ended up having removed at the I think 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:32.800 it was the day after the Packers preseason finale. So 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:35.240 a couple of different layers to this one is Mason 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:38.000 pointed out this was not a cancerous tumor. You know, 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:41.600 there was cancer like, but it wasn't. It hadn't metastasized, 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:42.800 so We didn't want to put it in the same 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:46.000 category as you know, what the drastic nature of what 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:48.760 Brittany is dealing with. But at the same time, I 0:13:48.760 --> 0:13:51.720 also thought it was a somewhat heartwarming story because, um, 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:53.920 this sort of shows you the tight knit nature of 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:57.839 the Packers, especially with those players. Um Molly actually sees 0:13:57.880 --> 0:13:59.960 one of the team doctors as a physician of Prime 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:04.400 Ry Care, physician Dr Evan, So it was Dr Gray, 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:08.840 John Gray and Dr Even that Actually she was complaining 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:11.199 of some discomfort. She'd been dealing with some sinus infection 0:14:11.240 --> 0:14:13.440 type stuff. They end up running some scans on her 0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:17.120 and she was dealing with this, um very healthy, you know, 0:14:17.800 --> 0:14:20.880 lady in her early thirties, mother of five. I was 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:22.840 going to say, with a lot of kids running around 0:14:22.840 --> 0:14:25.640 the house, the big message that and I'm going to 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:27.640 write about it for our website. We'll get in all 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:29.720 the details there. But I mean, the message that Mason 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.240 wanted to convey was the importance of screening with things 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:35.520 like this and in early detection. And you know, certainly 0:14:35.520 --> 0:14:38.080 it's timely giving what they've gone. You know that the 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:40.720 Packers first Cancer campaign, the emphasis in the month of 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:45.680 October throughout sports and entertainment media. UM, in the emphasis 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:47.960 that has been placed now in all cancers, not just 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:52.280 you know, one specific variety. UM. Just another wake up 0:14:52.320 --> 0:14:54.440 call and unfortunately for a family that probably didn't need 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:57.920 another one. But certainly the positive aspect of it is 0:14:57.960 --> 0:15:00.120 Molly's doing well. They don't believe she's gonna need the 0:15:00.160 --> 0:15:03.960 additional treatment. She had it removed through a surgery. Actually 0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:07.200 the day after the Kansas City game and the Saturday. 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:09.800 It was kind of wild because in the same day 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:13.120 in which they were told by the doctors that you know, 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:15.680 everything was looking good, they felt like they got everything. 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:17.680 They were able to save more of her lung than 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:21.320 they were initially anticipating. Uh. Shortly after that, he ended 0:15:21.360 --> 0:15:23.160 up getting a call from Brian Goodkin's telling him he 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.840 was gonna be the Packers kicker again here for fourteen season. 0:15:26.880 --> 0:15:28.720 Well that that That's what I wanted to point out, 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:31.120 is that now that now that some of this news 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:35.480 and what what Molly Crosby was dealing with throughout the 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:37.920 summer and a lot of uncertainty is to exactly what 0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:40.320 was going on and what was ailing her. You know, 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.360 Mason Crosby was fighting for his job in training camp 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:46.280 with Sam Ficken and everything, and and Mason was dealing 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:48.280 with an injury of his own he missed some time 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:51.520 with with a strained calf. I mean, you look back 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:53.600 now at the month of August and everything that was 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.480 going on. I mean the uh um, I don't want to, 0:15:56.680 --> 0:15:59.840 you know, stereotype. Mason Crosby is sort of that you know, 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:02.480 ice in his veins type of you know, kicker, you 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:04.800 know that whole cliche that you hear. But when you 0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:07.080 look back at the month of August and everything that 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:11.560 was going on in Mason Crosby's life, um and uh 0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:14.280 and and the fact that that he came through it 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:17.400 and obviously kept his job, the packers are thrilled that 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:20.800 he has remained their kicker. But then u um, but 0:16:20.920 --> 0:16:24.080 now fortunately some really good news at least coming out 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:27.320 of coming out of Molly's procedure to get the tumor removed. Yeah. 0:16:27.360 --> 0:16:29.800 I can't say enough of at Crosby's mindset and and 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:32.720 Molly's as well, obviously, you know, having to battle this 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.120 and and go through this mentally during a training camp. 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.280 They found out shortly before camp started they were actually 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:43.680 initially planning on having surgery straight away, and then it 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:46.720 was during that process that they discovered that she actually 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:50.520 had a blood clot in her abdomen as well, just 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:53.760 through doing the full body examination. So not that that 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:57.200 necessarily would have turned in anything, but you know, immediately, 0:16:57.240 --> 0:17:00.360 but long term, it's just it makes you and and 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:02.320 one of the things that Mason really conveyed was that 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:05.720 it makes you grateful for your family and also, you know, 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:08.479 for things like playing for the Packers. He said there 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:09.919 were a lot of days where he would come in 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:12.080 and you know, this was sort of a little bit 0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:13.960 of a safe haven for him. He got to focus 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.560 on his job and in doing something that he loves 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:18.840 and being around a team that he really appreciates. So 0:17:18.960 --> 0:17:21.280 a team captain this year on special teams. I mean 0:17:21.960 --> 0:17:25.399 just uh an incredible summer that um, I mean, you 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.200 really tip your cap to the Crosby family and just 0:17:28.280 --> 0:17:32.080 their mental you know, headspace and strength to sort of 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:35.760 for the fortitude to get through everything that that that 0:17:35.800 --> 0:17:38.159 they were dealing with as a family. And obviously, you know, 0:17:38.240 --> 0:17:40.480 you and I have both known Mason for a really 0:17:40.520 --> 0:17:42.960 long time. I've been here since uh, you know, since 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:45.440 before he was drafted. I've covered his entire career and 0:17:46.200 --> 0:17:48.840 seven he was drafted in two thousand seven in the 0:17:48.840 --> 0:17:51.479 sixth round. There's there's never been There's never been a 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:55.240 more stand up guy from the very beginning. Um, because 0:17:55.280 --> 0:17:59.040 he's dealt with position competitions at different stages throughout his career, 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:01.480 and to think of he was dealing with that as 0:18:01.480 --> 0:18:03.919 well as as well as a lot of uncertainty with 0:18:03.960 --> 0:18:06.840 what was going on with Molly. I just, uh, I'm glad, 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:09.439 I'm glad it's all worked out the way that and 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:11.359 didn't lead on at all. I mean, it's not something 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:13.240 that they were They were kind of playing it close 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:15.200 to the you know, the vest a little bit and 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:18.760 then um, you know, obviously his involvement went this and 0:18:18.840 --> 0:18:20.600 he was explaining the reason that came up. He was 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:22.520 just kind of explained the ways it's impacked him. He 0:18:22.600 --> 0:18:25.520 lost grandmother to cancer, his sister in law, dealing with 0:18:25.560 --> 0:18:29.560 this and unfortunately tumor situation with his wife that you know, 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:32.280 knock on wood, we don't have any available to us 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:33.960 right now, but you know, I'll be able to work 0:18:34.000 --> 0:18:36.040 through that well. Certainly, the message of the month in 0:18:36.119 --> 0:18:38.080 this cancer we're in this month is if you got 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:40.880 anything going on get it checked out. Absolutely. I want 0:18:40.880 --> 0:18:43.119 to mention to the Packers Pro Shop again, we'll be 0:18:43.160 --> 0:18:46.840 selling the Packers Versus Cancer Vince Lombardi caps. It's actually 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:50.359 a knit cap this year, so for the chilly out. Yeah, 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:53.040 five dollars from each of those purchases goes to the 0:18:53.119 --> 0:18:56.679 Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, and then people that are shopping 0:18:56.680 --> 0:18:58.320