WEBVTT - #441 Packers Unscripted: Moving quickly 0:00:00.920 --> 0:00:20.639 Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.720 --> 0:00:23.520 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one that only 0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:26.800 Wes Hodkowits were coming to you here from our studios 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:30.720 at lambeau Field and West. It's Thursday Night football this 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:34.280 week Packers and Eagles squaring off at lambeau Field in 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:36.879 a couple of days. So we need to take a 0:00:36.880 --> 0:00:39.800 look at this Philadelphia Eagles team. And the first thing 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:43.680 that I see is a one and two record, But 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:46.480 when you look at the games, this is a team 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:49.279 that very easily could be three and oh, just like 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:54.120 Green Bay absolutely in a very uneven statistical breakdown of 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:56.360 them if you really look at it. I alluded to 0:00:56.400 --> 0:00:58.120 this and some of the other content we've done. I mean, 0:00:58.160 --> 0:00:59.880 when you look at how they're defending the run, but 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:02.240 they're giving up the yards against the past. You know, 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:04.520 Carson Wentz and the offense have been kind of beat up, 0:01:04.520 --> 0:01:07.759 but then he's leading these comebacks to make things interesting. Um, 0:01:07.800 --> 0:01:09.679 their run game hasn't been what they wanted to be. 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:12.440 They've been injured at receiver, but yet they still feel 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:15.520 dangerous right there, and Sprowls came back. There's just so 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:19.560 many different little sectors of this offense and defense that 0:01:19.640 --> 0:01:23.080 make them really truly dangerous. And the other thing too, 0:01:23.120 --> 0:01:25.240 that always stands out to me about these Thursday games 0:01:25.720 --> 0:01:28.959 this is about is random in terms of what you're 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:31.880 gonna get of any other time you're going to see 0:01:31.880 --> 0:01:37.560 on a schedule. Game plans are important, philosophies, momentum is important, 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:39.600 but a lot of times, as Tremont Williams and some 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:41.160 of these guys said in the locker room, this week 0:01:41.440 --> 0:01:44.679 comes down who's just a fresher team. That's the battle 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:46.640 both of these teams are waging right now with the 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:49.200 way they're approaching their practice schedule both last week and 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:51.680 into this week. And you know, to some extent there's 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:53.680 some randomness to this, but the Packers are trying to 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:55.760 dot their eyes and cross their teas and hope that, 0:01:56.040 --> 0:01:58.440 you know, they can be the healthier, more productive team 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:01.400 on Thursday night. Yeah. Well, the Ells all season long, 0:02:01.480 --> 0:02:04.000 through these first three games, they've had a hard time 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:06.480 getting out of the gates, so to speak. You look 0:02:06.520 --> 0:02:10.560 at their score by quarters, they've been outscored fifty to 0:02:10.720 --> 0:02:14.480 twenty three in the first half of games, but they've 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:18.120 outscored their opponents to seven in the third quarters. So 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:19.959 they've been a team that comes out of the locker 0:02:20.040 --> 0:02:22.280 room at halftime. I think they've been down in every 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:24.880 game at half time. If I'm not mistakes, they've been 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:27.720 down in every game, but they come out of the 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:30.120 locker room at halftime and make their charge at you. 0:02:30.639 --> 0:02:33.800 And it was enough to beat Washington in Week one 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:37.800 with the big second half comeback. They fell short against 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:41.679 the Atlanta Falcons and the Detroit Lions, but had opportunities 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.480 right in the final moments of both of those games 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:47.160 with big pass plays from Carson Wentz and the ball 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:50.880 slipping through the receiver's hands. And that's why I say 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:54.040 this team, this team is so close to being three 0:02:54.080 --> 0:02:56.480 and oh. And this is where this is where I 0:02:56.520 --> 0:03:00.359 consider a team dangerous. And I know the Philadelphia Eagles 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:03.119 are banged up on defense, They're dealing with a lot 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:07.480 more injuries than even the Packers are. But this is 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:09.560 a team that a lot of people predicted would be 0:03:09.639 --> 0:03:12.280 right in the mix all season long in the NFC 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:15.160 playoff picture. They do have a lot of talent on 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:17.520 the roster, and they have players obviously who just a 0:03:17.520 --> 0:03:19.960 couple of years ago went through a Super Bowl run 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.600 when a team like that is is one and two 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.760 and looking to avoid being one and three at the 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:28.880 quarter pole, which would be a tough spot to come 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:31.560 back from. This is a team you gotta watch out for, 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:34.040 no doubt about it. And it's funny too you're mentioning 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:36.080 those games where they could have been three. No, you 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:38.200 could probably argue that the worst game they've had this 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:40.640 year is the one that they won against Washington right 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:43.000 out of the gates, with how slow they started in 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:44.960 the comeback they had to mount. I thought they played 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:48.480 Atlanta really tough, especially given the circumstances with their personnel. 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:51.960 Wentz had to go out Josh McCown, who was retired 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:54.520 like a month ago. Well he's in that quarterback and 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:56.960 that was on the road in a primetime exactly. We 0:03:57.000 --> 0:03:59.200 know what that's like in that stadium with how difficult 0:03:59.200 --> 0:04:01.040 it can be there. But to Sean Jackson has been 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:03.680 beat up. They lose Ronald Darby to the hamstring this 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:06.800 past weekend. So you know, Doug Peterson, we haven't had 0:04:06.840 --> 0:04:08.320 a chance to talk to him yet, but I'm really 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.880 interested to hear his thoughts on exactly how they're approaching 0:04:10.920 --> 0:04:13.560 this week and and just trying to get them as 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.280 themselves as healthy as possible. Because the other thing that's 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:19.200 very interesting about them defensively, as I mentioned their second 0:04:19.200 --> 0:04:21.479 A league against the run, but they've given up the 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:24.080 fourth most amount of yardage and you know they've been 0:04:24.120 --> 0:04:27.479 beat up in the secondary. So exactly how they're able 0:04:27.560 --> 0:04:30.560 to respond to those conditions, it's gonna be really you know, 0:04:30.600 --> 0:04:32.679 I think that's gonna be the biggest thing with who's 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:35.560 gonna end up prevailing in this contest, And for the 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:38.600 Packers perspective, it's going to be defending the run. You know, 0:04:38.720 --> 0:04:40.960 they've they've given up some yards the last two weeks 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:43.760 to their credit, outside of the seventy five yard or 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:46.039 to Delvin Cook. They haven't given up a lot of 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:49.440 game breakers, but guys have consistently moved the ball against them. 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:51.600 Now you're gonna see Miles Sanders, You're gonna see Jordan 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:54.200 Howard who has a history against Green Bay, and then 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:56.760 you got the scat back there and Darren Sproles who 0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:59.279 has been doing it for twelve thirteen years now. So 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:02.320 even though they are banged up, the point I'm trying 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.240 to illustrate his Carson Wentz is enough of a magician. 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:10.160 Easy for me to say magician that there's still sometimes 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:12.080 able to pull a rabbed of their hat. And Doug 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:14.760 Peterson's as creative as they come in terms of offensive 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:16.960 play callers. Yeah. Well, a couple of years ago when 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:20.720 Wentz really came into his own, I guess I would say. 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:23.200 And unfortunately for him, he wasn't able to lead the 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:26.200 Eagles on that playoff run, but he was potentially headed 0:05:26.200 --> 0:05:27.960 to an m v P Award that year. If he 0:05:28.040 --> 0:05:31.240 hadn't blown out his knee, he might have he might 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:34.520 have won the m v P. But the thing that's 0:05:34.520 --> 0:05:38.240 always struck me about him is he has he has 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:40.919 the mobility to get away from the past rush and 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:43.320 make plays on the run, but when he is in 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:46.440 the pocket, he's almost like a Ben Roethlisberg, and that 0:05:46.480 --> 0:05:49.240 he's tough to bring down. I mean this this this 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:51.880 is a quarterback, you know, a young guy. Obviously it 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:54.039 helps to be in his early twenties like he is 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.120 to be able to play like this. But uh um, 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:01.120 but this is just a tough stimmer at quarterback, and 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:04.040 and they are dealing with injuries. That receiver you mentioned, 0:06:04.320 --> 0:06:07.200 DeShawn Jackson, Alshon Jeffrey has been out, so they've been 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:10.359 relying on Nelson Agailor and the tight end Zach Ertz 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:12.160 and Arts as a guy, I think you could be 0:06:12.520 --> 0:06:15.280 a tough matchup here. But Carson Wentz I tell you, 0:06:15.360 --> 0:06:17.680 I've oh, I've been impressed with him since he came 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:20.400 into the league, and he's just a guy that strikes me. 0:06:20.440 --> 0:06:22.520 I don't care what defense he's going against, and the 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.599 Packers are playing really good defense right now, but he's 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:27.560 the kind of guy who's capable of a three and 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:31.440 fifty yard, three touchdown game anytime because he's just got 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:33.640 that kind of talent. Yeah, and that I think that's 0:06:33.680 --> 0:06:36.560 really the truest sign of an elite quarterback in this 0:06:36.640 --> 0:06:39.479 league is if you can win when maybe your weapons 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:41.000 aren't what they need to be. You think of two 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:43.160 thousand and fifteen with Aaron Rodgers and the run they 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:45.680 got on, and you're playing a playoff game with James Jones, 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:49.479 Jeff Janis and Jared Aberdare the top three that you 0:06:49.480 --> 0:06:51.080 were thinking you were gonna have at the top the 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:54.479 beginning of the two thousand fifteen season. You know, Wentz 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:56.919 is in a pretty predictive similar spot right now. You 0:06:56.920 --> 0:07:00.000 look at the injury report, they estimated that Elshan Jeffrey 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:02.680 to be limited with the calf. Deshaun Jackson still a 0:07:02.760 --> 0:07:04.279 d MP, looks like he might be a couple of 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:07.920 weeks away. Zach Ertz is the guy. I mean, he's 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:10.840 he hasn't been off to that that fire you know, 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:12.840 fast start that he was last year when he had 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:14.960 over a thousand yards or whatever the final stats were. 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:16.800 But he's a guy that they are going to threaten 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:19.080 in the middle of the field with Nelson. Aghilar has 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:22.040 been up and down throughout his career these four seasons. 0:07:22.040 --> 0:07:23.840 We saw it in two thousand and sixteen. I think 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:25.560 he was kind of in the doghouse a little bit 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:29.560 going into that game in Philadelphia, but he's re emerged. 0:07:29.640 --> 0:07:31.960 He he was able to kind of bring his game 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:34.120 back together and be the player they thought he could 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:35.720 be when I believe he was a first round pick 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:38.960 for them a number of years ago. So for once 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:42.000 his perspective, you need you need to have guys you're 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:44.600 throwing too, you need to be able to find playmakers 0:07:44.600 --> 0:07:47.880 on the field. But his ability to work off script 0:07:47.960 --> 0:07:50.240 and make things happen, it's one of the reasons why 0:07:50.560 --> 0:07:52.960 Philadelphia has been able to play these close games the 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:56.720 last few weeks when maybe personnel wise, everything wasn't really 0:07:56.720 --> 0:07:59.400 working in their favor. Yeah, And what jumps out to 0:07:59.480 --> 0:08:01.480 me on the defensive side of the ball for the 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:05.840 Eagles when I think about you think about that defense 0:08:05.880 --> 0:08:08.400 they had when Nick Foles took over at quarterback and 0:08:08.440 --> 0:08:11.920 they made the Super Bowl run. To see that this defense, 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:14.520 if I was reading the stat sheet right, they only 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:19.440 have two sacks and I believe three takeaways, yes, three three, 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:23.360 three takeaways through the first three games. That's that's almost stunning. 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:26.600 Much like we're talking about the Vic Fangio defense last 0:08:26.640 --> 0:08:29.360 week with the Broncos, and that defense still doesn't have 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:33.360 any sacks or takeaways because Packers did an outstanding job 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:36.280 protecting Aaron Rodgers, and Aaron Rodgers did an outstanding job 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:40.800 protecting the football. But this is this is an Eagles defense. 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:43.120 When you're talking about Fletcher Cox and some of these 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:46.920 pass rushers, Brandon Graham, guys like that that they have, Boy, 0:08:46.960 --> 0:08:49.400 you would think you would think they're ready to bust 0:08:49.440 --> 0:08:52.400 out in some way. Two sacks and three takeaways in 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:55.280 three weeks is not what they're expecting out of this unit. 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:58.079 Fletcher Cox, his quiet start is probably I don't want 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:00.560 to see the most concerning but alarming for this defense. 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:03.280 I mean they need at that position. It's gonna happen 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:05.520 that you're gonna go through laws. They just can't expect, 0:09:05.880 --> 0:09:08.160 you know, defensive tackles to just routinely put up a 0:09:08.200 --> 0:09:11.840 sack every game. He's a big player though, but three tackles, 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.079 no sacks here through the first three for them, they 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:17.000 need more from that spot because if you really look 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:19.480 at it, kind of like the Packers were last year, 0:09:19.480 --> 0:09:21.720 little bit, that's where their pressure actually kind of starts 0:09:21.800 --> 0:09:24.240 is inside and then they work to their to their ends. 0:09:25.200 --> 0:09:27.600 But yeah, trying to get more pressure there is going 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:29.760 to be a big thing. And as I said before, 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:31.760 I mean with the secondary they only have three picks. 0:09:31.760 --> 0:09:34.040 They're sort of working through some new things. You know, 0:09:34.160 --> 0:09:37.480 Andrewson Dajo now plays in that secondary. To get back 0:09:37.520 --> 0:09:39.480 to the defensive tackles, Tim Journ again has been out 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.840 with the foot, so again working through some stuff early 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:44.920 on here, and then also trying to see you know, 0:09:45.000 --> 0:09:47.720 Brandon Graham now in this tenth season, you know where 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:49.760 is he at at this point of things. There's a 0:09:49.760 --> 0:09:51.559 lot of questions that they have to answer. But as 0:09:51.559 --> 0:09:54.640 you and I both know, the defensive coordinator there, Jim Schwartz, 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:57.320 has been entrenched there for a number of years, incredibly 0:09:57.360 --> 0:10:00.360 creative with what he brings to the table rest of 0:10:00.520 --> 0:10:03.000 play caller on defense, no question about it. Yeah, So 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:04.640 all those things kind of work in their favorite and 0:10:04.960 --> 0:10:07.640 they're always you know, there is randomness to these matchups. 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.160 So this is a situation where if you don't really 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:12.760 stay up on your keys, you know, that's where Fletcher 0:10:12.800 --> 0:10:16.600 Cox starts to make that impact. So the Packers aren't 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.560 taking these guys lightly, regardless of what the records are. Yeah, 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:22.240 I want to make one or refer to one element 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:26.080 on special teams here too as well, because you made 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:30.679 reference yesterday to the fact that the Packers really weren't 0:10:30.679 --> 0:10:33.240 able to show anything with the kickoff return game and 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:36.360 the new guy Traymont Smith because of Brandon McManus's leg. 0:10:37.240 --> 0:10:41.120 But the Detroit Lions ran a kickoff back a hundred 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:43.640 yards for a touchdown against these guys. And this is 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:47.040 what's always interesting to me because when something like this happens, 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:51.200 it's like, Okay, you know, how how much is Sean Meninge, 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:53.960 the Packers special teams coordinator, what's he looking at on 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:56.520 the film and maybe what they can take advantage of 0:10:56.720 --> 0:10:58.760 or is it the fact that because they gave up 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:00.920 a hundred yard kickoff or turn, they're going to get 0:11:00.960 --> 0:11:03.920 it short up. Now, whatever the weakness was, it cost him. 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:06.480 It essentially cost him a game and giving up a 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:09.000 special teams touched on when you end up losing by 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:12.400 three points and uh, you know so I don't know. 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:15.120 I do know that that if Traymont Smith gets an 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:19.000 opportunity here, um, I think Menea will probably let him 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:21.000 take a shot, you know, not if he catches one, 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:23.240 you know, say two yards three yards in the end zone, 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:25.439 it's like, okay, let's let's see if these guys can 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:28.120 cover or not. And I think, honestly, Mike, it usually 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:31.520 goes one way or the other. It isn't just okay, 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:34.520 you know, they you're just routine, your average, you're on 0:11:34.559 --> 0:11:36.680 the line. If you give up a return like that, 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:40.040 typically it ends up being okay, you really get everybody 0:11:40.040 --> 0:11:42.959 together and pull that unit and re emphasize some things, 0:11:43.559 --> 0:11:45.720 or it's sometimes a red herring for what is going 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:48.160 to happen with it. I think back, honestly too, when 0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:51.280 the Packers gave up that kickoff return against Indianapolis a 0:11:51.360 --> 0:11:54.480 number of years ago. I'm not trying to paint that 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:56.320 is that was sort of the you know well, I mean, 0:11:56.360 --> 0:11:59.000 in some extent it was sort of the the beginning 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:01.000 of the end for that in it that season, they 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:03.280 just never were really able to be consistent enough, and 0:12:03.320 --> 0:12:05.640 then it kind of leaked over into a couple more seasons. 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:08.920 So kickoff returns are so important right now in this 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:11.480 version of the NFL because you don't get as many 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:13.920 attempts as you used to, as many bites at the apple, right, 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:16.440 the opportunities are rare because of the touch back. And 0:12:16.480 --> 0:12:19.679 it's on both sides, Mike. It's the kickoff returners making 0:12:19.720 --> 0:12:22.079 the most of those chances, and it's the coverage units 0:12:22.120 --> 0:12:24.560 when you don't have all of those reps making sure 0:12:24.600 --> 0:12:26.439 that you stay in your lanes and you find ways 0:12:26.480 --> 0:12:28.760 to contain the returner when the ball does come out. Yeah, 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:31.720 interesting story there, It's like, and why I've always remembered this, 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.400 I don't know. But back in the nineties, the Wisconsin 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:37.600 Badgers had a kicker, John Hall, who just for four 0:12:37.720 --> 0:12:41.360 years he booted every single kickoff, like into the stands. 0:12:41.640 --> 0:12:45.040 You know, for four years the Wisconsin Badgers kickoff return 0:12:45.080 --> 0:12:49.160 team almost never had to tackle or cover anybody. First 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:52.240 game after John Hall had graduated and moved on to 0:12:52.320 --> 0:12:56.480 the NFL, the opening kickoff of the season, and I 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:58.960 believe it was Syracuse runs it back for a touchdown 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:01.520 against Wisconsin. I mean, that's but you know, that's an 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:04.920 old story. But it's the example of when you don't 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:08.400 when you're not getting the reps in game, sometimes you 0:13:08.480 --> 0:13:11.400 just never know what's going to happen. And and kickoff returns, 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.319 especially early in the season, are really sporadic because when 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:16.839 the weather is good, the ball is flying and there 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:19.320 are a lot more touchbacks. And then you get later 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:21.840 in the season and perhaps there will be more chances 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:24.120 down the road. And honestly, I'm really intrigued to watch 0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:27.280 Trey Smith's philosophy with what he likes to do, because 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:30.080 he brought out thirty three kickoffs last year and that 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:32.800 that's a pretty big number for two thousand and eighteen 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:35.400 in the NFL, averaging two per game over if you 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:37.640 if you count that, what is he looking for? What 0:13:37.760 --> 0:13:40.400 is Sean manningat comfortable with because even though we're three 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:43.920 games into this yet, we've really yet to see anything 0:13:44.040 --> 0:13:46.440 from the returners. Um. And I don't mean that in 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:50.120 terms of like being disparaging to you know, the capabilities 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:51.959 of them, just we just haven't seen it yet. There 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:53.840 haven't been many kickoff returns that have come out, there 0:13:53.840 --> 0:13:56.640 haven't been very many punt returns yet. All things that 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.120 are going to be you know, maybe potentially on display 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:02.040 lambou Field on third. Yeah. Well, I want to get 0:14:02.080 --> 0:14:04.960 back to a couple of things with regards to the 0:14:05.040 --> 0:14:09.640 Week three results in the NFL, because there was one 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:14.960 development that can be very important to the NFC as 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:18.080 a whole and to how things will potentially impact the 0:14:18.080 --> 0:14:20.880 packers down the road. And what I'm talking about is 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:24.560 the New Orleans Saints, with Teddy Bridgewater as their backup 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.360 quarterback now their starter for the next five to six 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:30.520 weeks whatever it's going to be, going into Century Link 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:36.400 Field and beating a two and oh Seahawks team. Um, 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:40.440 this is this is potentially a really key development here 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:43.680 in the NFC playoff picture because if if Teddy Bridgewater 0:14:43.800 --> 0:14:47.480 can do what the Saints are hoping and play like 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:51.200 he did against Seattle on the road. This New Orleans 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:54.880 Saints team could really be something when it gets Drew 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:57.160 Brees back well. And here's the thing that really stood 0:14:57.160 --> 0:15:00.640 out about that game is that Russell Wilson didn't make 0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:03.080 many mistakes. They did lose a fumble from Chris Carson, 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:06.680 but you know, he played pretty relatively flawless football to 0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:08.840 keep his team in that game and you know, try 0:15:08.880 --> 0:15:11.840 to get a big victory at home. Teddy Bridgewater didn't 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:15.800 blank he you know, as a backup quarterback, I don't 0:15:15.840 --> 0:15:17.440 care who you are. You could have been Aaron Rodgers 0:15:17.480 --> 0:15:19.400 in two thousand six or you could be Teddy Bridgewater. 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:22.080 Now that is a difficult spot to be thrown into. 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:25.160 You look at Mason Rudolph in his first start with Pittsburgh, 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:27.600 has a pick, they lose the football game, I mean 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.640 just didn't go their way that day. Bridgewater did exactly 0:15:30.720 --> 0:15:32.720 what he needed to do to steer that offense. Because 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:35.000 there are a lot of playmakers there. When you look 0:15:35.000 --> 0:15:38.600 at Alvin Kamara and certainly Michael Thomas, that the multitude 0:15:38.600 --> 0:15:41.760 of weapons he has to work with our ample. So 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:45.440 his ability to step back into that saddle. He's played 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:47.280 a lot of football He started a lot of games 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:49.880 in this league already, but he's gone through a lot 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:52.000 over the last two and a half years. And this 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:53.960 is a guy. Not to interrupt you, sorry, but this 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.480 is a guy who would have a playoff victory or 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:59.280 at least one playoff victory on his resume if not 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:02.040 for Blair all. You know, duck hooking the twenty seven 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:05.400 yard or on the frozen University of Minnesota field there 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:11.280 against ironically Seattle, but uh but yeah, Bridgewater. Before everything 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:14.080 happened with his knee, this was a guy whose arrow 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:16.560 was clearly pointing up in this league. And you gotta 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:19.560 remember to Mike. New Orleans has invested a lot into 0:16:19.680 --> 0:16:22.320 him over the last two years. They traded I believe 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:24.320 a third round pick to the Jets, who had signed 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:26.520 him as an unrestricted free agent. You don't see that 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.920 very often. Never played for the Jets in a regular 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:32.440 season contest, he ends up coming over and then they 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:34.800 go and resign him again this offseason. I don't know 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:37.480 how many millions have been invested into him at this point, 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:39.720 but New Orleans sees a lot in him. Sean Payton 0:16:39.720 --> 0:16:41.960 sees a lot in him, and the Saints do have 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:45.120 a question whether it's tomorrow, next year, or in four 0:16:45.200 --> 0:16:47.520 years from now where they're going to have to replace 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:50.320 Drew Brees. What a great audition for him these next 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:52.560 couple of weeks with the weapons that they have in 0:16:52.760 --> 0:16:55.520 New Orleans, reminding everybody that, Okay, even if Drew Brees 0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:58.160 isn't on the field, this is a different team right now. 0:16:58.160 --> 0:17:00.360 We're a contending team and we feel cough in the 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:03.360 backup quarterback that we have. Yeah. Well, in looking at 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:06.920 what happened on Monday night football in the Nation's Capital, 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:10.359 the Chicago Bears went to Washington, jumped out to a 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:13.800 twenty eight to nothing lead, and then held on from there. 0:17:13.840 --> 0:17:17.239 At the bottom line, West is the NFC North. Right 0:17:17.240 --> 0:17:19.480 now you have the three and o Packers, the two 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:22.560 oh and one Lions, and then the Vikings and the 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:26.160 Bears are both two and one and tied for last 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:29.560 place with two and one records, and those two teams 0:17:29.560 --> 0:17:32.600 are playing each other. I believe this coming Sunday, So 0:17:32.960 --> 0:17:35.840 either the pack sorry, either the Vikings or the Bears 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:39.000 will be two and two after this week. But but 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:42.640 the NFC North showing up strong here in the month 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:44.720 of September, I don't know how many times I've said 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:46.640 it on scripted over the last three and a half years, 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:49.280 it's still to me the most criminally underrated division in 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:51.920 football because I think so many people see the turnover 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:54.680 at times the last three years with it in terms 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:57.080 of who's been the front runner in it. Certainly you 0:17:57.080 --> 0:17:59.240 haven't had a team since two thousand and ten win 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.199 a championship about of it. But at the same time, 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:04.280 I think people got to start paying attention to how 0:18:04.320 --> 0:18:07.000 many wild cards teams this division has produced over the 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:09.720 last five or six years, and it's been every single one, 0:18:09.800 --> 0:18:13.040 every permutation that you have from this division in terms 0:18:13.040 --> 0:18:16.199 of the combinations that have went I truly believe, and 0:18:16.240 --> 0:18:18.199 again we're gonna see how all the shuffles out. The 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:21.639 NFC East looks like it could be a real contender. 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:23.520 But I think there is a chance that this division 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:26.000 produces three playoff teams. I really do think there is 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:28.359 that possibility. Because when you start a season like this, Mike, 0:18:28.440 --> 0:18:31.040 and you take care of business in your your you know, 0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:34.320 interconference games, your a f C games, you know there's 0:18:34.320 --> 0:18:36.119 a certain amount you're gonna have to lose within the 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:39.840 division theoretically, but you know everybody's staying right on this 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:42.840 and they've all responded. Chicago got punched in the face 0:18:42.960 --> 0:18:44.920 right away off the bat. They were at home. We 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:47.440 saw what that atmosphere was like, people are flying high. 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:49.840 They had to mount a rally after that. They have. 0:18:50.280 --> 0:18:53.240 Minnesota did what they had to do against a bad 0:18:53.280 --> 0:18:56.040 team to come back and win that football game in 0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:59.240 Detroit after what could have been just a total gut 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:02.680 wrenching tie where they lose that lead against Detroit. Yeah, 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:07.240 against Arizona has responded so in in all those regards, 0:19:07.359 --> 0:19:09.320 I just think you're seeing what you need to see 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:12.640 from these teams at this juncture, the season of maturity 0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:15.520 inability to respond to some adversity. Yeah. I mean, I'm 0:19:15.520 --> 0:19:18.359