WEBVTT - #429 Packers Unscripted: Keys to victory 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:21.160 Hi everyone. Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:21.160 --> 0:00:23.799 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one on only 0:00:23.840 --> 0:00:27.040 West Hodkuwitz. We're coming to you here from our studios 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:30.560 at lambeau Field and West. It's almost here, Packers Bears 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:35.680 kicking off the NFL season. It's Thursday night at Soldier Field. 0:00:36.159 --> 0:00:38.640 Shortly after we leave the studio here, we'll be heading 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:41.760 to the airport to catch the plane to get to Chicago. 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:47.960 Our last show before the game traditionally has been the 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:51.280 Keys to Victory show, So let's start there. Keys to 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:53.199 victory here for the Packers. You want to start on 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:55.040 the offensive or the defensive side of the ball. I 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:57.360 guess I'm starting on the Packers offense technically, but a 0:00:57.360 --> 0:00:59.400 lot of it has to do with the Chicago Bears defense. 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:02.880 And the main thing I look at is Aaron Rodgers. 0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:04.920 We know his history against the Bears, we know his 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.560 history at Soldier Field. The one thing the Packers need 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:09.240 to do in this matchup that I think in some 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.680 ways they weren't able to do last year was get 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:14.720 the ground game moving and get it moving effectively and efficiently. 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:16.800 Got a chance to be in the huddles of both 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:21.040 Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams on what would be Tuesday 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:24.680 for the Packers. I wanted to say Friday, Um and 0:01:24.880 --> 0:01:26.960 you know them talking about Okay, neither of those guys 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:30.039 played in the preseason, but they're both healthy, and they 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:32.400 both believe in the system. And as I've said a 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:35.920 countless points during this offseason, Mike, the changes that this 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.679 offense is making, I think you're gonna see some of 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:41.360 it reflected in Aaron Rodgers and his play style. But 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:43.120 I think the biggest impact is going to be with 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:45.160 the running game, to be quite honest with you, and 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:48.120 for Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams, going up against the 0:01:48.200 --> 0:01:53.440 league's reigning and defending run defense, stopping champion in the 0:01:53.520 --> 0:01:56.520 Chicago Bears with a unit that brings back pretty much 0:01:56.560 --> 0:01:59.040 the same parts from last year is to me the 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:02.040 biggest key to victory this ball game. Aaron Jones has 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:04.360 had some mixed history there in Chicago. He's had two 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.880 Nie s brains in two of those games that Soldier field. 0:02:07.320 --> 0:02:09.560 If you can actually get him going and get him 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:12.760 uh the ball in open field, I think that is 0:02:12.800 --> 0:02:15.320 really the biggest thing that could open up this offense 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:17.320 in this game for the Packers. Yeah, And I don't 0:02:17.400 --> 0:02:20.120 see this as one of those games that you're saying, Okay, 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:22.560 the Packers need to run for a hundred and fifty yards, 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:24.960 you need to put up like some huge rushing numbers 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:27.880 or something like that. You're probably not going to do 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:30.080 that against the Bears, a team that's coming back with 0:02:30.240 --> 0:02:33.160 essentially their entire defensive unit intact, and they were number 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:35.760 one in the league against the run. But you have 0:02:35.840 --> 0:02:37.640 to be able to do something on the ground to 0:02:37.680 --> 0:02:40.800 get them to respect it. And I look at this 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:42.960 game as having two keys, and I think they play 0:02:43.040 --> 0:02:45.160 hand in hand. It's run the ball and protect the ball, 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:47.160 and I think run it. Being able to run the 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:49.480 football is what's going to help the Packers be able 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:52.480 to protect the football because it will protect Aaron Rodgers. 0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:55.240 It will give him cleaner pockets that will potentially give 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:59.760 him better throwing lanes to avoid the deflections and the 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:03.120 turnovers and things like that that This Bears defense frankly 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:06.880 thrives on thirty six takeaways last year, number one in 0:03:06.919 --> 0:03:10.240 the league. They scored six defensive touchdowns, the first being 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:13.120 by Khalil Mack with the pick six against Deshaun Kaiser 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:16.520 in Week one. That what the Bears defense did in 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:18.840 the first half of that game at lambau Field in 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:20.840 Week one last year, that set the tone for the 0:03:20.840 --> 0:03:24.920 way their defense was gonna play all season long. And 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:27.920 but the times they did get to watch the Bears 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:31.480 last year, Yes, they are a very good defense, but 0:03:31.560 --> 0:03:34.080 they go from a good defense to a great defense 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:36.600 when they're turning the ball over. So if you protect 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:40.960 the ball, they become much more mortal, I guess is 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:43.480 what I want to say on defense. And you can't. 0:03:43.560 --> 0:03:46.840 You can't start turning the ball over and get into this, uh, 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:51.240 this situation where they've got their building momentum from their 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.720 defense because of big plays. You've got to stay away from. Yeah, 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:55.800 it's funny you mentioned that too, because Jamal Williams said 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:57.920 the same thing. They are mortal. That's the way he 0:03:57.960 --> 0:04:00.600 looks at this matchup. He's like, we all bleed read 0:04:00.880 --> 0:04:02.880 and certainly they are a good defense, but they're not 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:05.800 going into this game scared in that regard. The thing 0:04:05.840 --> 0:04:07.960 that is exciting you remember yesterday I dropped the whole 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:10.800 grocery store lying on you, right. My dad really liked that. 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:12.320 By the way, I got a props for that as 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:13.560 soon as I was able to go home and eat 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:18.279 dinner with my parents. But more importantly, this defense that 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:22.520 Chicago has the perfect embodiment of that. Vic Fangio is 0:04:22.560 --> 0:04:24.600 first year didn't have a lot of weapons to work 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.120 with on the defensive side the ball for Chicago, but 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:30.160 they built a foundation and they found established players and 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:32.960 contributors that they felt Adrian Amos was one of them, 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:35.159 by the way, that they could build the defense around 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:38.440 long term. Well, now they've brought in some veterans, they've 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:41.560 obviously made the trade for Khalil Mack, and they've developed 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:45.039 their homegrown talent. It is is picture perfect of a 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:47.160 blueprint of how you want to build a defense as 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:50.479 there is in the NFL right now. But that being said, 0:04:51.080 --> 0:04:54.080 the Packers have something new on their side of things 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:56.240 and they needed to make adjustments, and that's going to 0:04:56.320 --> 0:04:58.720 be the big emphasis going in this game. I just 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:01.240 think when you look at that battle in the trenches, especially, 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:02.760 you know, if you are able to get to the 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:06.360 second level against ro Kuan Smith, against Danny Trevathan, that's 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:08.440 where the Packers are really going to need to make 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:11.920 their opportunities count. Because it's so difficult. There's gonna be 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:13.640 times where you're gonna be running into that wall. It's 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:15.800 only gonna get you two yards, but you have to 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:17.640 be able to keep going back to that well. I 0:05:17.640 --> 0:05:20.719 thought John very articulately put it earlier this week with 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:23.760 that stretch zone scheme, the outside zone scheme, you know, 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.560 finding different ways to get guys moving a little bit 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:29.320 so you're not just charging head first into them in 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:32.719 wearing down the defense over four quarters, that's gonna be 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:35.000 the big key. You and I were talking on our 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:37.960 Packers periscope pre game, and the question was asked of us, 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:40.640 how many touches do you see Aaron Jones getting this game? 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:43.120 Could very well see it in being a fifteen touch 0:05:43.160 --> 0:05:46.400 Aaron Jones twelve touch Jamal Williams kind of game because 0:05:46.760 --> 0:05:49.600 their styles play off each other perfectly. And I think 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.599 this is the perfect opponent to use that kind of 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:55.440 juxtaposition of talented running backs in tandem. Yeah, and I 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:57.320 think you want to try to keep those running backs 0:05:57.320 --> 0:05:59.680 if you're if you're gonna pound into that wall, as 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:01.760 you say, and try to get them to respect the run, 0:06:01.960 --> 0:06:03.600 you're gonna need to do it with a couple of 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.040 guys over the course of four quarters, not just feed 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:08.479 one guy over and over. I don't think that's gonna 0:06:08.480 --> 0:06:10.800 work against this defense. And I don't know the exact 0:06:10.839 --> 0:06:13.720 statistics like I do the Packers defense, but to me, 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.160 at least the way I looked at it, the Bears 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:18.920 don't have like this big rotation of guys. I mean 0:06:19.000 --> 0:06:21.920 a lot of these guys play a lot in their 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:24.360 condition their well conditioned. They hold up in the fourth quarter. 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:26.080 It's the reason they were one of the top defenses 0:06:26.080 --> 0:06:29.040 in the league last season. But you're going to see 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:31.680 very many of the same looks once you get into 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:34.840 the second and third quarters. Finding your opportunities, finding the 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:37.960 holes and capitalizing on those is going to be critical. Yeah, Well, 0:06:38.000 --> 0:06:40.360 switching to the defensive side, I see a couple of 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:44.840 keys here for the Packers. One is to be sound tacklers, 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:47.880 and we that that goes for any game. But when 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:53.120 you look at this Bears offense, specifically Tarik Cohen and 0:06:53.320 --> 0:06:56.200 the new rookie running back David Montgomery, the third round 0:06:56.240 --> 0:06:58.320 pick out of Iowa State. He was actually the Bears 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:00.840 first draft pick because they did not have a pick 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:02.960 in the first two rounds. They took Montgomery in the 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:07.359 third round as their opening pick. These two guys are 0:07:07.760 --> 0:07:12.000 they are a combination of both fast, but they've got 0:07:12.000 --> 0:07:13.640 a little bit of power to him too. They are 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:17.160 not easy to get on the ground. And you can't 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:19.920 let these guys break tackles. You can't let them turn 0:07:20.360 --> 0:07:22.920 a three and four yard gain into the seven or 0:07:22.960 --> 0:07:25.600 eight or twelve, you know, the explosive type of gains 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:27.440 on the ground. So I think that's one of the keys. 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:30.560 The other thing, and this this one comes with a 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:33.120 bit of a caveat because Mitch Trubisky is now in 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:36.440 his third year. We're going to see just how much 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:39.440 progress mits Trubisky has made. And I think because the 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:41.880 Bears didn't have a first or second round draft pick, 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:46.680 I think Trubisky's trajectory here is really going to determine 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:50.680 just where the Bears are gonna ultimately go. But I 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:52.480 think you've got to keep this guy in the pocket. 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:54.600 You have to make him beat you from the pocket 0:07:55.000 --> 0:07:58.120 until he proves that he can. Because the Bears games 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:01.120 that I did watch last year, I thought Whisky was 0:08:01.160 --> 0:08:04.160 that as most dangerous when he was allowed to scramble 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:06.680 out and whether he was running for first downs or 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:08.960 just scrambling out and then being able to throw the 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:11.800 ball on the run. He was really really good and 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:15.440 he hurt defenses that way. If I'm the Packers, I 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:17.360 don't want to let this guy get out of the pocket. 0:08:17.400 --> 0:08:19.640 Make him beat you from the pocket first, and then 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:21.840 maybe you're just from there. And I do I have 0:08:21.920 --> 0:08:24.880 respect for what um they did in terms of building 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:27.800 up the receiving corps here. Certainly they got Allen Robinson 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:31.880 and Taylor Gabriel who has a history with Matt Laflour 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:36.120 and Atlanta. I did like the draft pick of Anthony Miller. 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:38.520 I know he's been off to a slow start, but 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:42.000 let's be honest here, the way that Mitchell Robinsky plays 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:46.000 this game, what are the biggest points of emphasis in 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:50.360 this offense. It's a multifaceted, versatile run game, running backs 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:52.120 that can do different things. I think the one thing 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:54.240 that the Bears on the offensive side the ball have 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:57.000 done a phenomenal job of the last two years is 0:08:57.040 --> 0:09:00.360 they've built up running backs that compliment robisky skill set. 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:03.520 And this year with bringing in Mike Davis uh In, 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:05.880 you know, seeing where he's come from and the kind 0:09:05.880 --> 0:09:07.480 of bell cow back that he can be. I'm not 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:09.360 anticipating that he's gonna be the guy getting the most 0:09:09.360 --> 0:09:12.480 touches out of that group, but they just all three 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:15.400 of those guys have such different styles in David Montgomery 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:17.240 is sort of a little bit of a blend of everything. 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:19.680 And then the other key to this game, like is 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:21.800 gonna be Trey Burton, and he's been dealing with the 0:09:21.800 --> 0:09:24.480 growing injury. He has been limited in practice, but I 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:27.360 think everybody understands and sees that that tight end position, 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:29.480 especially with the way that Trubisky does this thing, is 0:09:29.480 --> 0:09:31.840 gonna be really critical in this offense for the long run. 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:34.640 So if Burton doesn't play or he's limited, I think 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:36.200 that's gonna be a big thing to keep an eye 0:09:36.200 --> 0:09:38.920 on with this matchup. And then from there, just not 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:41.679 allowing as you said, Trubisky to get outside the pocket, 0:09:41.679 --> 0:09:44.000 extend plays and get the ball in his running backs hands. 0:09:44.240 --> 0:09:46.120 If you can shut down that component of it and 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:48.360 get pressure on him, it's gonna make your life a 0:09:48.400 --> 0:09:50.640 lot easier. Yeah. Well, the latest we heard out of 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:53.760 Chicago as they're saying Burton could be a game time decision, 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:56.840 So we may be finding out ninety minutes before kickoff 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:00.400 on Thursday night when the inactives are turned and whether 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:02.760 Burton is available for Mr Bisky or not, and there's 0:10:02.800 --> 0:10:05.559 a big drop off after him. I mean, he's their guy. Um, 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:07.959 you know, Adam Sheheen was was a mid round I 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:09.800 think the second round pick last year, but he's gotten 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:12.000 off to a slow start with his career. There isn't 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:14.760 like a big go to receiving target in this offense 0:10:15.080 --> 0:10:18.120 beyond Burton at the tight end position, So that's gonna 0:10:18.120 --> 0:10:19.360 be a big one to track. Even though I know 0:10:19.360 --> 0:10:21.920 there was such a discrepancy between the size of the 0:10:21.920 --> 0:10:24.439 two injury reports, the fact that Burton's on there and 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:26.199 is a game time decision is one of the more 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:28.920 important prevalent ones this matchup. H I would agree with that. 0:10:29.000 --> 0:10:32.400 Um quickly here West Select Cousin Subs locations are now 0:10:32.520 --> 0:10:36.000 offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:38.760 They're delivering right to you when you order online at 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:42.480 Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs. We believe in better 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:44.840 all right, I'm gonna throw a couple of game preview 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:48.319 questions that you hear whether that I honestly didn't prepare, 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:53.480 prepare you for. We talk a lot about matchups. The 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:56.559 NFL is a game of matchups. It's one on one 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.000 in certain situations, you have to beat the man across 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:03.040 from you. What's the one on one matchup that has 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:06.320 your attention the most heading into this game. It's a 0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:08.600 great question, and it would be very easy for me 0:11:08.640 --> 0:11:10.680 at this point in time just say, Khalil Mack against 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:13.640 the outside tackles, the offensive tackles of the Packers. If 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:15.880 you want to talk about that later, by all means, 0:11:16.200 --> 0:11:18.800 that's your prerogative. But I want to talk about Aaron 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:23.120 Rodgers in the safeties of the Chicago Bears. Another question 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:25.440 was asked us a good question in our lives, our 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:30.000 pregame lives, live stream periscope about you know, you look 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:33.600 at the history that both adrian names has, you know, 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:35.439 the year that he's spent with Mitchell Drobiski and then 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:38.360 the time that Aaron Rodgers spent with Ha Ha Clinton Dicks. 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:41.520 Is sure that matchup favors I always feel like the 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:44.320 burden of proof is on the defense to stop the offense. 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:47.320 So I believe that matchup probably favors both of those quarterbacks. 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:50.640 Aaron Rodgers has played against his practiced against ha Ha 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:53.600 Clinton Dix in all these years. It's gonna be really 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.160 interesting to see what that dynamics like. If there's certain 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.319 areas of Clinton Dix's game that Rogers looks to exploit, 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:01.599 if there's certain things that Clinton Dix looks out of 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:05.520 Rogers to potentially capitalize on. But then Eddie Jackson too 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:07.640 is back there, and he's one of the top young 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:09.520 safeties in this league as well that the Packers have 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:12.200 become pretty familiar with the last few years. Jackson's a 0:12:12.240 --> 0:12:14.640 big time and he was a big time playmaker for 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:17.600 this Bears defense. I don't remember exactly how many of 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:21.439 the six defensive touchdowns he had, but I know he had. 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:24.440 I know he had multiple. Um it was quite a few. 0:12:24.440 --> 0:12:27.240 But be that as it may, that cat and mouse 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:29.600 game that Aaron Rodgers is going to play with those safeties. 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:32.280 The only thing that's different really about this Bears defense 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:35.920 this year is the secondary. With you know, Bryce Callahan 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:39.240 is now in Denver. Buster Scrin appears to be the 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:42.800 nickel for them now. So the new positions there are 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.480 the unknowns are the areas that you aren't quite sure 0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:47.400 what you're gonna get because let's be honest, even though 0:12:47.480 --> 0:12:50.520 Chuck Begano is the defensive coordinator. Now, when you have 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:54.120 the type of athletes that the Bears have, I don't 0:12:54.160 --> 0:12:57.040 expect wholesale changes from this unit. I expect him to 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.679 look at the film and try to put those players 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:01.880 a lot them in the prime of their careers back 0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:05.000 in those positions. The question is, now, how does Clinton 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:07.680 Dick's match up with his former teammate at Alabama and 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:10.560 Eddie Jackson, And then also what is Buskers grind offer 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:13.120 in the slot? Seeing how Aaron Rodgers plays against those 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.480 components to be very intriguing. Yeah, and I think it 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:20.040 it definitely goes almost without saying the Khalil Mac against 0:13:20.080 --> 0:13:23.960 the offensive tackles, I think based on the way the 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:26.920 Bears used Mac last year. Yes, he will move around, 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:29.559 he won't always be lining up in the same spot. 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:32.360 But if there's one guy who's going to get him 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:34.880 the most out of the Packers offensive lineman, I think 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:37.520 it's going to be Brian Blaga. And I think this 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:41.080 is obviously a really interesting matchup. We all know what 0:13:41.280 --> 0:13:44.400 Mac did in the first half last year at lambeau Field. 0:13:44.400 --> 0:13:46.600 He had just joined the Bears a week earlier. He 0:13:46.679 --> 0:13:48.720 was a one man wrecking crew in the first half 0:13:48.760 --> 0:13:51.920 of that game. All the Packers, obviously they made some adjustments, 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.320 they were able to limit his impact in the second half. 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:57.560 I think potentially his conditioning played into that as well, 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:01.760 because he had basically missed the higher training camp in preseason. 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:06.640 But the thing that's interesting that we talked about earlier 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:09.040 in the week, obviously, with this Bears defenses, you can 0:14:09.440 --> 0:14:11.199 you could stick a tight end over there, you can 0:14:11.200 --> 0:14:13.520 ship block with a running back. You can do whatever 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:15.400 it takes to take Khalil Mack out of the game. 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:18.600 Anybody can do that. The reason you can't just necessarily 0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:20.960 sell out to do that is because of a chem 0:14:21.040 --> 0:14:24.280 Hicks and Leonard Floyd and Roquan Smith and these other 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:27.120 guys that they have in their defensive front seven. But 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:30.440 I still say, if you're walking out of if you're 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:33.640 walking out a soldier field. At the end of Thursday night, 0:14:33.880 --> 0:14:37.280 saying Khalil Mack didn't have a big impact on this game, 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:39.800 I like the chances of the Packers coming out on top. 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:42.120 That's a win. I mean, that's gonna be the starting point. 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:44.640 And again, you have to be able to Curtail Hicks. 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:47.720 We know the dominating force that he can be. The 0:14:47.840 --> 0:14:50.800 NFL saw it last year. But there's a reason why 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.080 Khalil Mack is the one that brought the headlines to 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:54.640 this unit. I think there was a lot of people, 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:56.720 Vic Fangio among them. It felt like they were just 0:14:56.800 --> 0:15:00.000 that one piece short of becoming a really dominant defense 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.640 this last season, and Mac put them over the top. 0:15:03.240 --> 0:15:06.680 So for Brian Balaga, David Botr the rest that offensive line, 0:15:06.760 --> 0:15:09.200 understanding where he is at all times and being able 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:12.480 to neutralize that threat is going to be imperative for 0:15:12.560 --> 0:15:15.000 the long term success of this team. And then also 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:18.160 in certain opportunities, you know, being able to you know, 0:15:18.600 --> 0:15:22.880 come up with some midgame adjustments. I mean, Matt Laflour 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:24.840 talked about that at the podium this week. I mean, 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:27.560 how much in these type of matchups is going to 0:15:27.640 --> 0:15:31.080 be based on seeing something that maybe you weren't entirely 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:35.320 prepared for not that's the wrong word, but entirely anticipating, 0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:38.440 but using something else that you've prepared to counter that 0:15:38.840 --> 0:15:41.160 expect the same thing on the Packers offensive side the 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:44.120 ball as well. So, uh, it's just that that's the 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:46.440 chess game you play, especially early on here when everything 0:15:46.480 --> 0:15:49.960 is scouted looks and just kind of unveiling it for 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:53.280 the first time, and again for it being the kickoff 0:15:53.280 --> 0:15:55.080 to the hundredth game, you know, the hundredth season in 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.640 the NFL. I don't think you could ask for more 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:01.160 a better matchup to see exactly two teams that with 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.120 the rivalry, the history that these guys have, and also 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:06.640 what the ramifications for a game like this is in 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:08.520 this division right off the bat. All right, Well, one 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:11.440 other question I want to throw at you, and I 0:16:11.480 --> 0:16:13.480 was asked this by a couple of different readers in 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:16.880 our Insider Inbox column. In a few different ways. We've 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:21.120 talked about Aaron Rodgers, Mitch Dubiskie, Davante Adams, Khalil Mack, 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:25.320 Adrian amos Zadarius Smith. You know, all of the big 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:29.360 name components that go into this game. Is there a 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:33.440 guy that nobody's talking about that maybe ends up having 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:37.640 an impact on Thursday Night that potentially swings this game 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:39.920 one way or this? Do you say Preston Smith in 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.640 that litanium name? I didn't. Actually, that's probably because so 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:45.440 much of the spotlight is going to be on Amos 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:47.760 just because of his history with the Bears, and I 0:16:47.800 --> 0:16:50.160 know Eddie Jackson holds him in a really high regard for, 0:16:50.360 --> 0:16:52.680 you know, the chemistry that they built and how he 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:55.160 helped him along despite Amos being kind of a young 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:58.440 guy himself. But Preston smith Man, I've said this at 0:16:58.520 --> 0:17:00.880 numerous turns, and I'm really glad that Larry Mcareiron mentioned 0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:03.560 this in one of our Last Three Things episodes of 0:17:03.600 --> 0:17:07.280 the season of Training Camp. You know, all the headlines 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:10.800 pretty much have gone towards Zadarius Smith, and rightfully so 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:12.440 he's gonna be a big player in this offense. I 0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:13.719 think there's people that feel like this is a guy 0:17:13.760 --> 0:17:16.520 that has legitimate Pro Bowl potential and the chance to 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:19.320 be a perennial you know, eight ten sac guy a year. 0:17:19.920 --> 0:17:23.280 But Preston Smith is really well cut for this defense. 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:26.320 I think more than any other signing the Packers made 0:17:26.320 --> 0:17:29.120 this offseason. This guy just makes sense for what Mike 0:17:29.160 --> 0:17:32.200 Petton wants out of the outside linebacker position. The multitude 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:34.560 of ways that you can use him. So I'll be 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:36.399 honest with you, Mike, I would not be surprised in 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:39.639 the least if after all this conversation about the changes 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:41.280 on offense and everything that you see a guy like 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:43.840 Preston Smith who's sort of you know, he's quiet, he's 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.280 soft spoken, but he just does his job, you know, 0:17:46.320 --> 0:17:48.720 makes an impact with a sack or two at keep 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.400 points of this game. And on top of that, when 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:55.000 you have a running game like the Bears have, you 0:17:55.040 --> 0:17:57.520 need to be able to shut down the edges, and 0:17:57.760 --> 0:18:00.280 Preston Smith's a guy that can help you there as well. Yeah, 0:18:00.280 --> 0:18:02.160 and my guy is on the other side of the ball. 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:04.520 If I were to pick sort of a quiet, potentially 0:18:04.600 --> 0:18:07.200 unsung hero in this game, I'm going with Geronimo Allison 0:18:07.600 --> 0:18:09.960 because you mentioned as we talked about, one of the 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:13.919 only position changes personnel changes on defense for the Bears 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:17.000 is that nickel corner. And I think the way the 0:18:17.040 --> 0:18:19.800 Bears potentially match up here against the Packers, I'm not 0:18:19.840 --> 0:18:22.600 sure if Kyle Fuller is going to travel and match 0:18:22.720 --> 0:18:25.760 up play after play with Davante Adams, or or if 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:28.359 Prince of Mukamara will take his share. That's the way 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:30.680 they've done it against Adams in the past. They've used 0:18:30.720 --> 0:18:33.120 both of those guys. But then I think the other 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:36.760 guy probably as far as your starting corners has to 0:18:36.760 --> 0:18:39.480 be on MVS because he's the speedster who could take 0:18:39.480 --> 0:18:43.080 the top off the defense. So I think Allison, with 0:18:43.160 --> 0:18:46.760 his experience and as comfortable, in my opinion, as comfortable 0:18:46.800 --> 0:18:49.960 and potentially productive as he's looked from what we've seen 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:54.600 in Matt Lafleur's offense, I think Allison against that new 0:18:54.680 --> 0:18:56.800 nickel corner for the Bears could be a matchup that 0:18:56.840 --> 0:18:58.840 the Packers are going to go after. Yeah. Absolutely, And 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:01.200 in scrin I know there was questions about him in 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:03.439 the free agency this year and some of the plays 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:05.119 that have been given up, some of the penalties that 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:07.760 have been amassed, you know, they feel like he can 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:09.119 be a guy that's going to settle in there. The 0:19:09.160 --> 0:19:12.560 problem for the Bears is that Callaghan had just become 0:19:12.600 --> 0:19:15.359 such a consistent guy for them. I mean you talk about, 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:17.679