WEBVTT - #330 Packers Unscripted: Necessary adjustments 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:19.880 M Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:19.920 --> 0:00:22.959 I am Mike Spofford, joined as always by my trusted 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:25.320 colleague Wes Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here from our 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:27.560 studios at lambeau Field and as you can see, West 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:31.000 is wearing the throwback apparel this week. The Packers will 0:00:31.040 --> 0:00:35.280 be in their third jerseys on Sunday afternoon at lambeau 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:38.319 Field against the Buffalo Bills. But West, before we get 0:00:38.360 --> 0:00:41.159 to that, a little bit of a few items to 0:00:41.159 --> 0:00:44.080 clean up with regards to last Sunday's game and some 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:47.239 rough news for the Packers on the defensive line. We 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:49.879 found out on Monday from head coach Mike McCarthy that 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:53.760 veteran d lineman Mohammed Wilkerson ended up having to stay 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:57.160 behind at a hospital in d C for a procedure 0:00:57.240 --> 0:01:00.480 on his injured ankle before he was able to uh 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:03.639 come back to Green Bay. And McCarthy didn't lay out 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:05.920 any timelines, but a lot of media reports out there 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:08.679 that this is a season ending injury and a tough 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:11.720 blow for the Packers defensive line for a guy Mike 0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:13.680 Patton had a lot of plans for him, was using 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:15.560 him in a lot of different ways. Now they have 0:01:15.640 --> 0:01:17.640 to make do without him. It's tough, Mike, because when 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:20.840 you heard Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, Dean Lawry, they all 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:24.240 talked about it on Monday, just what he meant to 0:01:24.360 --> 0:01:26.600 that room and what I mean when he's back, what 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:28.959 he'll continue to mean to that room. But just the 0:01:29.000 --> 0:01:32.880 presence he brought. Certainly his resume, two time All Pro 0:01:33.000 --> 0:01:36.800 defensive lineman, had two seasons with more than ten sacks, 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:40.039 which is not easy to do at his position. The 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:42.080 Packers had, they had big hopes for him. I mean, 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:44.479 you look at the way that Mike Patton, who worked 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:46.720 with him his first two years with the Jets, he 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:49.000 had packages designed for him. He was playing like that 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:52.960 hybrid defensive end outside linebacker role, almost as a five 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:56.840 technique rusher in that sub base package. They used that 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.280 quite a bit against the Minnesota Vikings to a lot 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:01.960 of success in the first three quarters. And certainly he 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:04.920 can also push inside and get pressure as a three 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:08.880 technique interior rusher. So to lose him at this juncture 0:02:08.960 --> 0:02:11.000 the season, and listen to Mike Daniels, you know he 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.040 mentioned he sits next to him on the team flight 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:15.359 that was a tough blow for them, and it's something 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:17.240 they're really gonna have to, you know, kind of rally 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:20.000 around now and try to rebound from. Yeah. Well, a 0:02:20.040 --> 0:02:22.680 couple of guys whose roles are certainly going to increase, 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:26.000 Guys who fall into that draft and developed category for 0:02:26.040 --> 0:02:28.280 the Packers. Dean Lowry, of fourth round pick in the 0:02:29.280 --> 0:02:32.639 draft out of Northwestern Montrevius Adams, a third round pick 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:38.240 in the draft out of Auburn UM Large Conference guys. 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:42.960 Lowry certainly has more experience thus far in his NFL career. 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:45.800 We've seen him get a little more comfortable over his 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:48.359 first couple of seasons with lining up in some different 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:51.200 spots across the defensive line and some of those run 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:54.760 defense base more base packages. He's at the five technique 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:58.519 on across from the offensive tackle sub you know, nickel 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:02.400 and dime. He's more of an in here your pass rusher. Um. 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:05.760 He's been effective, but now we're going to see potentially 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:09.320 an increased snapload for him with Wilkerson being on the show. Yeah, 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:13.480 I mean, you look at how this goes. Lowry in 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:16.160 a lot of ways is a lot like Wilkerson. I mean, 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:18.960 they're two completely different players, But I mean the way 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:21.120 that they play the game and what they're asked to 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:23.880 do in this defense is very similar. So in that way, 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.280 it shouldn't be too far of a fall. He's six 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:29.359 ft six two pounds. He can play that five technique 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:31.400 defensive end when they need it, and they've actually played 0:03:31.400 --> 0:03:34.040 bass quite a bit the first three weeks of the season. 0:03:34.240 --> 0:03:36.160 But then he can also push inside. As we saw 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:38.560 during training camp, Mike, how many times you and I 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:40.720 were standing out there and watching some of the one 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:42.720 on one work and some of the half line drills. 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:44.400 He was getting a lot of push. I mean, he's 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:46.520 put a lot of strength on to his body and 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:49.360 it's allowed him to be able to I think, kind 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:53.400 of complete his versatility. The other aspect of it, though, too, 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:55.720 is that you know, he only played thirty three defensive 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:58.040 snaps in the first three games, just all right, first 0:03:58.080 --> 0:04:00.640 two games, and got twenty four last weekend in Washington. 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:04.000 There's an opportunity now with him being fresh and being 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:06.320 ready to potentially be able to give a spark to 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:09.120 that defensive front. The Packers felt good about this defensive 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:13.920 line going back to February befine, before Mohamed Wilkerson was 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.280 signed in Montrevias Adams coming back from his injury. They 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:19.920 felt good about it from day one. Yeah, Wilkerson added 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:22.240 to it. But it is about getting back to the 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:25.000 realization that, Okay, if it's on us four again, you 0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:27.359 know we can handle this. Yeah. And we saw the 0:04:27.360 --> 0:04:30.640 Packers certainly in the second half in Washington. They didn't 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:32.800 have Wilkerson, he was he was out of the game 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:35.760 by that point, and and the defensive front seemed to 0:04:36.080 --> 0:04:39.640 adjust pretty well. Now, obviously it took a while. If 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:42.120 you look at the fourth quarter Minnesota over time in 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:44.240 the first half against Washington, seemed like it took a 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:47.359 while for the Packers secondary to deal with the loss 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:51.120 of Kevin king and and make adjustments there. So hopefully 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:54.359 whatever adjustments need to be made upfront, maybe not quite 0:04:55.000 --> 0:04:57.680 so many growing pains. But again, we'll have to see 0:04:57.720 --> 0:04:59.640 things are things are week to week. It's it's a 0:04:59.680 --> 0:05:02.120 match bas league and uh. And we'll see what Buffalo 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:04.440 brings to the table on Sunday. Absolutely, and it's gonna 0:05:04.440 --> 0:05:06.679 be a stiff test for them, especially with the Buffalo 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:09.000 coming off of that win against the Vikings. There's gonna 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:11.200 be a lot of momentum built into that. But no doubt, 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:13.160 one other thing I want to mention in the defensive 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:16.240 line is Kenny Clark, and for my money, he's the best. 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:18.240 He's played as well as anybody on that side of 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:21.239 the ball. Uh these first three games, I would agree 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:24.160 he's playing a lot. I mean, one of the defensive 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.920 snaps for the season, played fifty six out of sixty 0:05:26.960 --> 0:05:30.400 one snaps in Washington. He's twenty two years old. He 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:33.080 feels like he's fresh and ready for it. I'd have 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.839 to imagine as the season wears on that Jerry Montgomery 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:37.760 and Mike mccarthur are gonna want to be smart with that. 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:40.680 But he said on Monday, if he's needed right now, 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:43.240 he's up for the challenge. Sixteen tackles, a sack in 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:46.040 two pass deflections. He's looked good early on. Yeah, you 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:48.320 take a look at what Kenny Clark has done against 0:05:48.360 --> 0:05:50.520 the run, in particular my what you might have missed 0:05:50.520 --> 0:05:52.640 piece that is on our website. There's a handful of 0:05:52.640 --> 0:05:56.240 plays that just his his technique in run defense, the 0:05:56.240 --> 0:05:58.400 two gapping being you know, being able to shed the 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:01.040 block to one side or the other, just been outstanding 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.839 and against Washington. He was doing it, lining up on 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.800 the nose, lining up at three tech, lining up, shading 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:10.080 the center, you know, in some different spots there and 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:13.000 being effective. And in fact it's not in my piece, 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:16.200 but on the long forty one yard run by Adrian Peterson, 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:18.479 the guy who got in the backfield was Kenny Clark 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:22.080 slowed that play down initially, but then Peterson was still 0:06:22.120 --> 0:06:24.120 able to bust it through when when other guys couldn't 0:06:24.120 --> 0:06:27.160 make the play. He he's been really really impressive back 0:06:27.200 --> 0:06:28.800 to back weeks. I think he's been right up there 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:30.640 at the team high and tackles. I mean, he's just 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:32.800 he's been a maller so far, and the Packers are 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:34.080 going to need more of that if they got to 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:36.400 go with Wilkerson. Yeah, well, we'll also have to see 0:06:36.440 --> 0:06:39.080 what happens on the Packers offensive line. McCarthy did not 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:42.000 have any updates on the back injury to Brian Blog 0:06:42.080 --> 0:06:45.360 at right tackle the shoulder injury to Justin McCrae at 0:06:45.440 --> 0:06:49.920 right guard. So we'll see if one or both or none, 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:53.640 you know, will be uh be playing on Sunday against Buffalo. 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:57.520 The Packers essentially have three potential replacements for those two 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:02.360 spots Jason Spriggs Byron Bell lous Patrick Spriggs pretty much 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:05.839 just a tackle now, Patrick a guard, and Bell a 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:08.760 guy who has played both guard and tackle. So we'll 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:11.880 see how that shakes out. But obviously, with Aaron Rodgers 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:14.560 still not fully mobile, dealing with the knee injury and 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:17.840 he changes on the offensive line, and with Rogers potentially 0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:20.680 not practicing, and the way things have been going, there's 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:23.320 a lot for the Packers to sort out on offense. 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:25.520 And and as we've talked about, try to start these 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:28.640 games a little faster because against both Chicago and Washington, 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:31.400 the offense just got off to a really really slow start. Yeah, 0:07:31.480 --> 0:07:33.480 and protecting the football is going to be paramount to 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.160 in this game against Buffalo. Ultimately, when you go back 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:38.400 and look at what they did against Minnesota, I think 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:40.640 that was the difference. That's how they won the game. Yeah, 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:43.560 they won the game with early turnovers, field position, they 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:45.520 built a lead and then they just hung on from there. 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:48.240 For the Packers, that will be important to start fast, 0:07:48.240 --> 0:07:49.960 and yeah, we'll have to see what formed the offensive 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:52.600 line takes. Again, I mentioned this and I think yesterday 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:55.160 so I thought Jason Spriggs had really settled in by 0:07:55.160 --> 0:07:57.680 the end of training camp at left tackle. Now he's 0:07:57.680 --> 0:07:59.680 going back to right tackle again. He's talked about the 0:07:59.720 --> 0:08:02.040 channel just that in the past, so if he's needed 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:05.200 there Byron Bell is a pro. I mean, he's played guard, 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:07.200 he's played tackle on this league for a long time. 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:10.560 He can handle that. And certainly Lucas Patrick gives you 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.560 that guard to center flexibility. So the Packers were really 0:08:13.600 --> 0:08:15.360 smart and the three guys that they kept behind that 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:18.000 starting offensive line was really good to be able to 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:20.720 get the starting five out there together and playing together 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:23.240 for you know, the first Uh, I guess it would 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.280 end up being what ten quarters who had two and 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:27.840 a half games, But well, we'll we'll have to see 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:30.160 what form the week takes with the rest of those guys. Well. 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:32.840 The other change going on offensively for the Packers is 0:08:32.880 --> 0:08:35.400 the return of Aaron Jones, sat out the first two 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:38.160 games due to a suspension. Got in the game on 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:41.839 Sunday forty two yards I believe on six carries. His 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:44.200 first two carries went for ten and for eight yards. 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:46.680 Mike McCarthy had cautioned he was going to have a 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:50.200 limited role first coming back after the time that he missed, 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:53.040 and uh, you know, Packers are in a good situation 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:55.280 now at running back. You have all three of your 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:58.160 options healthy. They all bring a little something different to 0:08:58.200 --> 0:09:01.960 the table. As I said in my postgame editorial, and 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:04.880 I've repeated, you know, a couple of times in other places. 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:07.440 I think the key now here for the Packers is 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:12.320 to figure out what is the right productive mix in 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:16.400 terms of having an effective and productive rotation, but not 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:19.959 crossing that line to where everything's everything becomes disjointed on 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:22.920 offense because you're changing things around all the time. That's 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.679 a that's a fine line to walk. The Packers coaches 0:09:25.720 --> 0:09:28.680 will figure that out as as as we go along here. 0:09:29.000 --> 0:09:31.080 But you know, I like the fact that all three 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:33.840 of the backfield options are healthy and the coaching staff 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:36.960 can you know, has in a way a problem to 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:39.040 figure Yeah, And it's weird, Mike, It's just it just 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:41.800 hasn't really been the case so far. They're just out 0:09:41.800 --> 0:09:43.920 of those three. Just seems like somebody's been nicked up 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.480 or somebody's always sitting out. Yeah, Aaron Jones obviously being 0:09:47.480 --> 0:09:49.680 out with the suspension. So for the first time here, 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:53.400 it probably since the beginning when when Williams and Jones 0:09:53.400 --> 0:09:57.120 were unproven, but Packers have three legitimate options at that position. 0:09:57.160 --> 0:10:00.280 And breaking down what happened in this game against watched 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:03.480 in Jamal Williams started the game, got thirty snaps, Time 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:07.560 Montgomery twenty, and then Aaron Jones got seventeen. McCarthy has 0:10:07.600 --> 0:10:09.880 said in the past he'll ride the hot hand if 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:13.080 it presents itself, but he's not averse to committee approaches. 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.400 I know that doesn't make fantasy football owners out there 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.840 very happy, but it's true. And I thought this game, 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:19.720 there's a lot of things didn't go well for the Packers. 0:10:19.760 --> 0:10:22.640 In this game, I had no problem whatsoever with what 0:10:22.720 --> 0:10:26.160 how the backfield was handled hundred and fifty six total yards, 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:28.360 And I thought, when you look at the production of Williams, 0:10:28.679 --> 0:10:32.600 Montgomery and Jones altogether in a vacuum, the three guys 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:35.080 did everything that they do well and the Packers were 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:37.640 able to capitalize on that. As you said, it's gonna 0:10:37.640 --> 0:10:39.839 be a balancing act, it's gonna be a juggling act 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:42.880 these next games coming up. To figure out, Okay, you 0:10:43.000 --> 0:10:45.400 got Time Montgomery, here's what you can do with him, 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:47.720 Here's the ways he can threaten and stress a defense. 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.960 You know what Jamal Williams does in his consistency as 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:54.040 a pass protector between the tackles runner, and obviously the 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:57.440 explosiveness of Aaron Jones. That is a lot of options 0:10:57.480 --> 0:10:59.760 to handle. But it's a good problem to have. And 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:02.280 as I've said all along, since the very beginning, I 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:04.240 think that this offense can be at its best when 0:11:04.240 --> 0:11:06.920 all three of those guys are available and healthy and 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:09.200 ready to contribute. Right and it's about the long game. 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:11.760 Right now, you have thirteen regular season games to go, 0:11:11.920 --> 0:11:14.400 You have all three of these guys healthy and playing. 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:16.880 You want to keep it that way for as long 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:18.839 as you can. You want to keep Aaron Jones healthy 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:21.560 from the start. People are like, what it was, seventeen snaps. 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:23.600 He hadn't played in two weeks, and before that he 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:25.839 was dealing with a hamstring injury. I mean, I get it. 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:28.800 If you're playing Madden and it says, Okay, this guy 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:30.600 no longer has a hamstring and he's clear to play, 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:32.440 You're just gonna use him every single down. It just 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:35.120 doesn't work that way in the NFL, though, So I 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:38.000 would imagine if assuming everything checks out this well well 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:39.960 with him this week, that could be a line for 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:42.080 more opportunities. You just have to wait and see. Yeah, 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:45.200 I would agree. Um some sponsor business though, West, It's 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:47.440 time to enter the Cousins Subs Best Seats in the 0:11:47.480 --> 0:11:49.520 House promotion. You and a guest could win a chance 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:51.640 to kick back on the fifty yard line in style. 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.520 Two pairs of lucky Packers fans will be chosen prior 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:56.680 to each home game for this v I P experience. 0:11:56.800 --> 0:11:59.960 Enter daily now through December sixteen by completing the end 0:12:00.040 --> 0:12:02.800 reform and submitting for complete rules and eligibility, go to 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:06.760 Packers dot com slash Best Seats Cousin Subs. We believe 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:09.400 in better? Okay West? On yesterday's show, we promised we 0:12:09.400 --> 0:12:11.520 would get to looking around the league a little bit 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:15.720 at where things stand after three weeks in this topsy 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:19.040 turvy NFL, and the long and the short of it is, 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:21.760 out of thirty two teams, three teams are three and 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:24.840 oh three teams are oh and three and twenty six 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:29.720 teams are somewhere in between. So you figure it out, Okay, go, Hey, 0:12:29.760 --> 0:12:31.440 you know what I'm gonna start on the Bears. How 0:12:31.480 --> 0:12:34.040 about that? I said a week ago that that game 0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:36.880 against Seattle was going to be really important, and lo 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:39.600 and behold, you see Seattle actually is able to get 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:41.160 a win this week, so they got off the schneid. 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:43.600 But the Bears they get that win again Seattle, and 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:45.520 then they go and Squeak went out against the Cardinals, 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:48.480 coming back from down fourteen nothing on the road. By 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:51.320 the way, suddenly number one in your division. And that's 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:54.160 just how the NFL works. Sometimes some people ask me 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:56.240 this question was asked I think two days ago in inbox, 0:12:56.280 --> 0:12:58.679 is this the the tightest the the NFC North Race 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:00.680 has ever been? It was tighter, Lie Steer, But I 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:03.840 mean it's three it's three games in there, so there's 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:06.160 so much to get There's so much to get sorted out. 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:08.480 And for all the all the Packers fans who are 0:13:08.559 --> 0:13:10.440 who are like, jeez, you know the Packers are so 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:12.600 close to you know, to be in three and o 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:15.040 or having an extra win. Look at what the Chicago 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:16.880 Bears are thinking. The Bears are like, if we don't 0:13:16.880 --> 0:13:19.160 blow a twenty to nothing lead at lambeau Field, we're 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:20.959 three and o and sitting pretty on top of the 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:24.480 division right now. So there's it's it's early. There's so 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:27.400 much that there's so much that has to get sorted out. 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:29.720 But it looks like it's gonna be a fun year. Yeah, 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:31.280 I think so. And then you look at the NFC 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:33.760 North or the NFC at conference in general. You know, 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:35.720 the Tampa Bay finally came back down to earth a 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:38.880 little bit there. Not saying Ryan's fits magic ran out, 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:40.480 but I mean you started to see some of the 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:43.520 takeaways and turnovers that that have been kind of staples 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:45.839 of of his game in the past. When you live 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:47.800 by the sword, sometimes you die by the sword. They 0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:49.760 still kept in it with Pittsburgh, who got a very 0:13:49.800 --> 0:13:53.200 big win for themselves, but certainly from that regard, and 0:13:53.200 --> 0:13:56.760 then obviously the shootout the Saints and Falcons and put 0:13:56.920 --> 0:14:00.280 the offensive on slot in the NFC. So it gonna 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:02.199 be a fun here. There's a lot of teams specifically 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:04.440 in this conference that are going to be vying for 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:07.360 playoff spots and every game is meaning. I mean, that's 0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:09.040 at the end of the day, if you're an NFL fan, 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:12.199 if you're a football fan, that's what you're cheering for. Yeah. Absolutely, 0:14:12.240 --> 0:14:13.720 and you just look at you look at the way 0:14:13.800 --> 0:14:17.199 Week three went. Nobody thought Buffalo would go into Minneapolis 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:19.840 and beat the Minnesota but nobody thought they would win, 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:23.479 let alone win by base three touchdowns. It was seventeen 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:26.280 It's one of the it's it's one of the biggest, 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.200 one of the biggest upsets. You know, a seventeen point 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.120 underdog on the road. And then there weren't a whole 0:14:32.160 --> 0:14:34.640 lot of people that gave Matt Patricia a chance to 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:37.600 beat his old boss on Sunday night football at Ford Field, 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.600 and uh, that was no fluke win either. The Detroit 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:44.680 the Detroit Lions clearly outplayed the New England Patriots. The 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:47.760 Patriots now sitting at one and two, the Lions get 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.360 off the schneid. They're they're at one and two, and hey, 0:14:50.360 --> 0:14:52.280 with everything else that was going on for them for 0:14:52.320 --> 0:14:54.080 two weeks, they sit there and go, well, the Bears 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:55.680 are two and one at the top of the division, 0:14:55.680 --> 0:14:58.120 were only one game out of first place. I mean, 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:00.600 how else would you look at it? Quickly turns too, 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:02.560 because you and I were talking about, Okay, the Packers 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:04.840 and Buffalo coming up in Detroit and not saying that 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:07.640 those still aren't winnable games, but the narrative changes a 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:10.440 little bit absolutely, And also the fact that carry on 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:16.520 Johnson ended the streaks rusher in Detroit, so the last 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:20.800 their last one coming actually against the Packers Reggie but 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:25.400 Reggie Bush Thanksgiving Day. That that awful game for Green 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:29.280 Bay when Matt Flynn was filling in for Aaron Rodgers 0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:31.320 from his first broken collar one I believe the final 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.240 score was forty to ten. And uh that was when 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:36.240 obviously it looked like the Lions were on their way 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:40.000 to the division championship, and low and behold by between 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:43.880 Thanksgiving and Week seventeen, it was suddenly the Packers against 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:45.960 the Bears that Soldier Field for the division title and 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:48.640 the Lions had completely fallen out of it. But that 0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:52.680 was their last one yard rusher in a game Thanksgiving 0:15:53.400 --> 0:15:55.880 against the Packers until Sunday night against the Patriots, of 0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:57.760 all teams. And I think that was the last hundred 0:15:57.800 --> 0:16:00.800 yard rushing performance of Reggie Bush's career or two. So yeah, 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:03.760 it was. It was a wacky game, probably in terms 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:05.400 of just the game in which the Packers lost, not 0:16:05.480 --> 0:16:08.280 talking about some insurmountable comeback or anything like that. Is 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:11.200 the craziest game I covered, just because it was just 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:13.720 the whole Anything that could go wrong seemed to go 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:15.880 wrong in the contest. I think the offensive line got 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.400 banged up from what I recall, but be that as 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:22.040 it may. Uh In two thousand eighteen, matt Patricia, who 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:24.560 I believe on the first play or the first series 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:26.240 where they ended up kicking the field goal on fourth 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:29.400 and short, got booed for like the fifth or sixth 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:32.400 consecutive game or whatever it's been at at Ford Field. 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:36.280 Just can't make people happy. But hopefully Detroit fans now 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:38.560 keept him a little slack because I think he said 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:40.880 all the right things. He's done what he's needed to 0:16:40.920 --> 0:16:43.160 do in that post. He's kept an even keeled mindset. 0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:45.960 Matthew Stafford is one of the best in the business. 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:48.280 I still maintained that. I love his moxie. I think 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.800 he's proven himself over the years. And yeah, it's at 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:53.960 the NFC North, for my money, is still I think 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:56.960 the best division division right now in football. I think 0:16:56.960 --> 0:16:59.000 it's gonna be them and probably the self that are 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:00.600 gonna be competing for that on it this year. But 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:02.480 it's gonna be a fun year. It really is well 0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:04.359 and there there are some things to figure out with 0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.200 regards to the NFC West. Suddenly, Jimmy Garoppolo and San 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:10.040 Francisco is out for the season. The Rams are three, 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:12.640 you know, on top of that division. The Seahawks get 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:14.680 off the schneid, they get their first win of the year, 0:17:14.760 --> 0:17:18.320 so we'll see what happens with that. But really a 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:22.159 big game, potentially for NFC implications coming up this Thursday 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:25.120 Night West the Los Angeles Rams against the Minnesota Vikings, 0:17:25.400 --> 0:17:30.600 and both teams banged up. The Rams their two starting cornerbacks, 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:33.240 Marcus Peters a key to leave dealing with injuries. The 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:36.120 Vikings hoping to maybe get Dalvin Cook back at running back, 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:38.439 but then some personal and legal issues going on with 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:42.000 Everson Griffin, so and and and all of a sudden, 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:44.439 Thursday night football, here's a pretty big game in the NFC, 0:17:44.440 --> 0:17:46.119 and you don't even know who's going to be out there. Well, 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:47.600 this is what I love. It's like because this is 0:17:47.600 --> 0:17:50.159 the whole Fox deal now right right there in Fox. 0:17:50.440 --> 0:17:53.080 And suddenly the Minnesota Vikings are playing the l A 0:17:53.240 --> 0:17:56.040 Rams in week four of a Thursday night football game. 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:58.840 I'm used to like the being the Browns and the 0:17:58.960 --> 0:18:02.320 Jets or something like that, and nothing's really on the line. 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:06.240 This is a huge game. Fox Fox Fox forked out 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:08.439 some big money for this Thursday night package and the 0:18:08.480 --> 0:18:11.960 schedule maker delivered for because these Thursday night matchups this 0:18:12.040 --> 0:18:13.760 year are not what we're used to know. I know, 0:18:13.840 --> 0:18:16.040 I'm like, this is this is Sunday Night football. I mean, 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:18.080 everybody knew what the Vikings and Rams are gonna be. 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.439 But that being said, this is a huge test for 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:22.840 l A. I saw that stat that they're three and oh, 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:25.040 but the teams in which they've beaten right now other 0:18:25.080 --> 0:18:27.680 than the loss, are one in five combined. So this 0:18:27.760 --> 0:18:29.640 is I mean, I get the Vikings right now are 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:31.960 one one in one as well, but I still maintain 0:18:32.040 --> 0:18:33.440 that they're right up there with the top of the 0:18:33.560 --> 0:18:37.000 class in this conference. Seeing how they can bounce back 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:39.440 and rally back going on the road and seeing if 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:41.520