WEBVTT - #757 Packers Unscripted: Lot on the line 0:00:07.320 --> 0:00:10.719 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:13.960 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spafford, joined by the 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:17.040 one and only Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:22.200 from our studios at Lambeaufield to preview Sunday Night Football West. 0:00:22.200 --> 0:00:25.280 It'll be the Packers and the Vikings in primetime at 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:29.880 US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Obviously the second meeting between 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:32.760 the Packers and Vikings this year. And when you look 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:38.279 at this Minnesota Viking season, it's really strange how it 0:00:38.320 --> 0:00:41.240 breaks down because I know they've changed quarterbacks multiple times 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:43.479 and they may be making another change at that spot 0:00:43.720 --> 0:00:46.479 this week, which we can talk about. But the Vikings 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:49.400 started the season zero to three, correct, then they won 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.400 six out of seven games, with the only loss in 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:56.480 that stretch coming to the Kansas City Chiefs. But now 0:00:56.560 --> 0:00:59.640 since then they have lost four out of five games, 0:00:59.680 --> 0:01:02.800 with the only win in this most recent stretch coming 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:05.280 by a score of three to zero against the Las 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:08.080 Vegas Raiders, one of the oddest games of the twenty 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:11.240 twenty three season across the board. So they've lost four 0:01:11.280 --> 0:01:14.080 out of five, including two in a row. Their playoff 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:16.880 hopes are just as much on the line as the 0:01:16.920 --> 0:01:20.440 Packers are, and this is a team that's still trying 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:22.600 to figure out exactly what they want to do at 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:26.000 quarterback to try to get themselves into the postseason. 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:31.280 There's a lot going on there right now Minnesota, and 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:35.000 first and foremost the big part of this and I 0:01:35.040 --> 0:01:36.600 wrote about it, and you talked a lot about how 0:01:36.640 --> 0:01:38.480 this matchup is gonna be different from the first time, 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:42.120 but just the way that this season has turned for Minnesota. 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:43.720 After that game at lambeau. 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:45.840 Field, there was a lot of people I remember covering 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:48.639 that game afterwards it was almost like that both teams 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:51.120 had lost when you went into the locker rooms afterwards, 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:54.400 because Minnesota thought whatever hopes they had and maybe building 0:01:54.480 --> 0:01:56.400 upon what they did the previous year in a thirteen 0:01:56.440 --> 0:01:59.880 win season under Kevin O'Connell could probably be thrown down 0:01:59.880 --> 0:02:02.840 the toilet with losing Kirk Cousins for the remainder of 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:05.840 the season. Josh Dobbs sprinkled a little bit of you know, 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:08.239 magic fairy dust on them for a minute, he did. 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.880 Then he came back down to earth. Nick Mullins, who 0:02:10.919 --> 0:02:12.800 was the one that was originally kind of signed to 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:16.200 be the backup to Kirk Cousins. Well, then he has 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:19.720 a four interception game against Detroit. Jaren Hall, the fifth 0:02:19.800 --> 0:02:23.000 round pick that originally was going to be the backup 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:26.000 and the replacement for Cousins when Mullins was still on 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.280 IR he got a concussion, only placed ten snaps. 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:30.760 So it's just been this. 0:02:30.720 --> 0:02:34.760 Whirling dervish right now in that state, trying to figure 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:37.000 out what their you know, focal point of their offense 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:39.160 is going to be. But it's funny. It's not just 0:02:39.240 --> 0:02:41.360 that though, right. I mean, they've had questions in the 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:43.520 backfield in terms of who their lead back is. 0:02:43.760 --> 0:02:44.079 TJ. 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:48.040 Howkinson tears his ACL justin Jefferson misses the middles part 0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:51.239 of the season with the hamstring injury. There's just been 0:02:51.360 --> 0:02:53.720 all these different things that have kind of crept up 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:57.160 on Minnesota and ultimately here they are, And in a 0:02:57.160 --> 0:03:00.680 lot of ways, I think it's poetic Week seven, just 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.240 like last year in Week seventeen, the greemd Packers trying 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:06.080 to keep their playoff hopes alive, except this time Minnesota 0:03:06.120 --> 0:03:07.480 sitting in the exact same seat. 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:10.559 Yeah, exactly last year at this time, the Packers were, 0:03:10.680 --> 0:03:13.520 as you say, fighting to stay in the playoff chase 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:16.880 in Minnesota was you know, had already clinched the NFC 0:03:16.919 --> 0:03:20.200 North title at that point and they were looking ahead 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:24.080 to what they were going to do in the postseason. Yeah, 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:27.600 a lot of changes. The loss of TJ. Hockinson is 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:30.280 a big one for this Minnesota offense because with Justin 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:34.800 Jefferson missing nine games with a very troublesome hamstring injury, 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.400 Hawkinson had been the leading pass catcher both receptions and 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:43.000 yards for this Minnesota offense. He now goes down. Jefferson 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:45.360 has been back in the lineup for the last three weeks, 0:03:45.360 --> 0:03:49.640 with his production steadily climbing to where in the lost 0:03:49.680 --> 0:03:52.000 to the Lions last week, he had six catches for 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:54.120 I believe it was one hundred and forty one yards. 0:03:54.120 --> 0:04:00.360 Big game, had a touchdown there. So that's a that's 0:04:01.120 --> 0:04:03.760 a big weapon for Minnesota to get back, and it 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:06.880 seems like Justin Jefferson is sort of back to his 0:04:06.960 --> 0:04:10.040 old self. And then you have Jordan Addison who is 0:04:10.120 --> 0:04:12.680 on the injury report. They're saying he's day to day 0:04:13.000 --> 0:04:15.400 with an ankle injury. He had a big game against 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.599 the Packers back in week eight in late October at 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:21.560 Lambo and then kJ Osborne, who's sort of been this 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:24.600 you know, steady guy who produces when they need him to, 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:29.359 and he's he's always there and he had one of 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:32.800 his better games against the Packers back when Jefferson was 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:37.320 not playing a couple of months ago. So obviously on 0:04:37.360 --> 0:04:40.400 the defensive side for the Packers. The matchup, the matchup 0:04:40.440 --> 0:04:43.640 here is going to be interesting just how the Packers 0:04:43.640 --> 0:04:46.120 play this out because jay r Alexander has been suspended 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:47.919 by the team for one game, so he will not 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:52.159 be matched up with with Justin Jefferson as as he 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:55.000 has the last couple of times these two teams have 0:04:55.160 --> 0:05:00.479 met up. And Darnell Savage might be coming back at safety. 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:05.240 He's back at practice now after missing some time. And 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:11.040 you've got you know, Carrington Valentine, Corey Ballentine, Keishawn Nixon 0:05:11.120 --> 0:05:13.560 is there as the nickel. Not quite sure how the 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:15.800 Packers are going to are going to match up against 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:20.280 this Minnesota offense, but we may not know until later 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:23.400 today or Friday exactly who's going to be quarterbacking for 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:26.200 Minnesota with all all of this going on. 0:05:26.400 --> 0:05:29.200 Yeah, and it's one of those things too where publicly 0:05:29.279 --> 0:05:32.600 that is what the Vikings are saying privately, obviously you're 0:05:32.600 --> 0:05:35.760 building a plan around somebody. To me, again, if I 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:37.800 was a betting man, and as you said on yesterday's show, 0:05:37.800 --> 0:05:40.960 there is no gambling in Bushwood, sir, But I would 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:43.719 think Hall gets the call because he is the one 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:46.040 guy that is under contract for next year for Minnesota. 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:48.200 They did invest the draft pick into him, and he 0:05:48.279 --> 0:05:49.560 was the guy they were going to turn to in 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:52.320 the first place when Cousins went down. 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:52.839 Right, and they did. 0:05:52.880 --> 0:05:55.320 He started the game at Atlanta, but then, as you said, 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:57.680 he got a concussion early on in that game. That 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:00.280 turned things over to Josh Dobbs, who would literally been 0:06:00.440 --> 0:06:03.479 signed just days before that, hardly knew any of the playbook, 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:06.120 and suddenly there was this magic going on with Josh 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:09.960 Dobbs that helped the Vikings get to seven wins, which 0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:11.599 is which is where they are right now. 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:13.520 But this is where it gets tricky for them because 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:15.480 you look at that game against Detroit and you had 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:18.480 Nick Mullins throw for over four hundred yards. They had 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:21.960 no running game whatsoever. I think Chandler might have been 0:06:22.000 --> 0:06:24.080 their leading rusher with like twenty one yards or seventeen 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:25.080 yards something like that. 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.080 Yeah, he only carried the ball like eight times. Then 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:30.640 they turned over. Sorry to interrupt, but they had turned 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:34.080 over their running game to Chandler from Alexander Madison, and 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:36.800 Chandler had had like one hundred and thirty some yards 0:06:36.839 --> 0:06:41.560 in the overtime loss to the Bengals the previous week. Then, 0:06:41.720 --> 0:06:44.480 but suddenly the running game disappears and it's all on Mullins. 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:46.720 He throws for four hundred plus yards but throws four 0:06:46.760 --> 0:06:50.279 picks and Kevin O'Connell's thinking about changing quarterbacks. 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:52.719 Yeah, and the way that Minnesota built this thing out 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:55.080 this year, I mean, it wasn't necessarily surprised that that's 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:58.279 the way they were trying to construct the offense. Because 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:00.839 you know, Josh Oliver gets signed, he's considered one of 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:03.599 the top blocking tight ends of the National Football League. 0:07:04.040 --> 0:07:06.039 You want to be able to establish yourself in that 0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:08.599 way to compliment what you're getting from Justin Jefferson and 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:11.200 obviously the huge investment with Addison. You want to be 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:13.680 able to play it both ways. And you see why 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:18.200 it's necessary in a game against Detroit where Vikings lose 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:19.880 that game by six points, but they throw for that 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:23.200 many yards all because of the turnover differential margins. So 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:26.160 that's why Green Bay it's going to be very interesting 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:28.640 to see how they match up with them defensively losing 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:31.800 Jire Alexander. There's no circumstance that you can explain to 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:33.760 me a scenario in which the Packers are better on 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:36.400 the field with Jiry Alexander not there. 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:39.239 But things happen behind the scenes. 0:07:39.560 --> 0:07:42.080 Obviously, there was a lot of consternation about how the 0:07:42.080 --> 0:07:45.640 beginning of the game started in Carolina, and this is 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:48.440 where we are with the one game suspension here for 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.000 joh So that means Krington Valentine likely will be thrown 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:54.440 back in there. Eric Stokes more is going to be 0:07:54.440 --> 0:07:56.960 expected from him with two games now underneath his belt 0:07:56.960 --> 0:07:59.320 because the Vikings are going to hit you. They're not 0:07:59.360 --> 0:08:01.800 the deepest coren the National FOOTBA League. I think there's 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:04.239 only five guys on their active roster at that position, 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:07.240 but Jefferson, Addison and Osbourne. And Osbourne is the one 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:08.960 I in my eye on because I think he does 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:11.400 not get as much respect as he deserves. I think 0:08:11.400 --> 0:08:13.600 he could be a solid number two, number one receiver 0:08:13.680 --> 0:08:15.160 for a lot of teams in the NFL. But when 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:18.680 you have someone that's as dynamic as Addison and honestly 0:08:18.840 --> 0:08:21.720 the best receiver in the game right now in Justin Jefferson. 0:08:22.360 --> 0:08:24.520 You're not going to be able to get as many opportunities. 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:27.400 But whoever the quarterback is out there for the Vikings 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:30.880 on Sunday Night, does have three really solid guys to 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:31.280 turn to. 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:34.400 Yeah. Well, and when you look at this Viking season, 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:36.679 as up and down as it's been, as as kind 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:38.640 of crazy as it's been, it's really come down to 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:41.839 the turnovers, wes. And that's why Kevin O'Connell continues to 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:44.120 try to figure out what to do at quarterback. He 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:48.680 knows he has offensive weapons. Even with TJ. Hawkinson being injured. 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:51.840 As we've rattled off all these guys, O'Connell knows he 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:54.240 has offensive weapons. He wants a quarterback that's going to 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:57.280 protect the football and give his team the best chance 0:08:57.280 --> 0:09:01.840 and not put his defense in bad situation with the turnovers. 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:04.880 Minnesota has turned the ball over thirty times this season, 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.880 which is tied for the second highest total in the league. 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:09.880 And here's how it breaks down. They're a seven and 0:09:09.960 --> 0:09:13.040 eight football team that in itself is somewhat remarkable. They 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:16.280 have thirty turnovers and to still be in the playoff 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:19.000 front here with two games to go. But they have 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:22.439 turned the ball over seven times in their seven victories. 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:25.600 They have turned the ball over twenty three times in 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.600 their eight losses. It, you know, we say it all 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:33.520 the time. Obviously, the turnover margin, the turnover differential is 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:36.600 always going to play a big factor in this league. 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:39.280 And you know, when you look at it from the 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:44.920 Packers side of things, green Bay's green Bay defensively has 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:48.120 struggled to get takeaways. They haven't you know, they haven't 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:50.120 hit that stretch yet this year where you know where 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:51.800 they come in bunches, where you get on a run 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:54.280 where suddenly you know the ball is always finding their hands. 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:57.760 Packers need that to happen on Sunday night at US 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:01.120 Bank Stadium. They need, they need, they need something like 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.240 that to go their way because that's been the formula 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:05.200 to beat Minnesota is to get them to turn the 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:06.840 ball over, no matter who's playing quarterback. 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:08.720 Yeah, it was, as I said, it was the difference 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:11.000 in that game against the Lions. Detroit does not win 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:13.840 that football game without being plus three in the turnover 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:16.720 margin in that contest. Here's what I find that's the 0:10:16.720 --> 0:10:18.560 most funny though, Mike, because there's years where you and 0:10:18.559 --> 0:10:21.000 I have sat down here and we've talked about plus 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:23.600 and minus with turnover differential and how that affects wins 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:26.520 and losses. This year, it makes no sense at all. 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:30.000 I mean, here are your bottom basically nine teams in 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:33.240 terms of turnover differential this season, starting with minus six 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:36.160 at Carolina and Tennessee. The results are what they are, 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:39.080 But then you got ten. Then you have Philadelphia in 0:10:39.120 --> 0:10:44.160 Cleveland in New England at minus seven, completely different seasons 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:47.000 that they've been through, the New York Jets minus eight, 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:51.000 Minnesota in the playoff hunt at minus nine, Washington minus ten, 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:53.280 and we've obviously seen how things have gone for the Commanders, 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:55.920 but they're tied for last in the league with Kansas 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:58.880 City at minus ten and Kansas City currently sitting in 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:02.280 a wild card positioning. None of these teams, I would 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:04.400 you know, even now with the issues that Phillies had, 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.560 I don't think you'd say, Okay, they're in the Baltimore, Miami, 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:10.720 San Francisco category right now. But there's good football teams 0:11:10.760 --> 0:11:12.679 in there that just have not been able to win 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:15.640 that differential. Yeah, Green Bay is smack dab in the 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:18.840 middle right at zero in terms of their nept differential. 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:21.640 They've actually done an acceplent exceptional job in the second 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:24.160 half the season protecting the football. But again, as you 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.160 outline trying to find ways to get the ball to 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:28.760 take away, it's always going to be a point of 0:11:28.800 --> 0:11:30.640 emphasis in a football game that you need to be 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:33.720 able to generate turnovers. But Michael, if there was ever 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:36.079 a game where you're going to put down that exclamation point, 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:38.160 it's this one because it really probably is going to 0:11:38.200 --> 0:11:39.600 be the difference between a winning a loss. 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:42.240 Yeah, you need the Packers need the defensive effort that 0:11:42.280 --> 0:11:46.359 they brought to Detroit on Thanksgiving where you were disrupting 0:11:46.440 --> 0:11:49.480 Jared Goff, you were getting you know, the strip sacks 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:52.320 and obviously the defense scored a touchdown in that game 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:56.000 on Thanksgiving, and there's you know, that's of immeasurable value 0:11:56.520 --> 0:12:00.360 in these types of games. Since then, we saw Keishaw 0:12:00.480 --> 0:12:02.840 Nixon get the big interception of Patrick Mahomes in the 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:05.360 fourth quarter in the victory over the Cheese but that 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:08.240 was the that was the Packers only takeaway in that game. 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:13.040 And yes, the Packers technically statistically they got two takeaways 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:16.199 against the Giants, but they were those were literally giveaways 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:18.760 by the Giants. The Packers didn't do anything to get 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:21.920 the ball. One was the punt that hit the unsuspecting 0:12:22.000 --> 0:12:25.000 guy and created a live ball situation and the Packers 0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:27.680 fell on the other one is Saquon Barkley just fumbling 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:29.640 the ball completely on his own when he when he 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:32.960 trips and and and goes to the ground. So those 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.360 takeaways almost don't even count. I mean, I know they 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:39.000 count statistically, but they don't really count. And then other 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:41.120 than that, you had the the early strip sack of 0:12:41.160 --> 0:12:44.040 Baker Mayfield against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which then ended 0:12:44.120 --> 0:12:46.960 up not having as big an impact on the games 0:12:47.080 --> 0:12:50.080 as you would want that one to. So the Packers 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:53.000 have to take the football away in this game because 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:56.200 because that has been the bugaboo for Minnesota. And you know, 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:59.280 I mean, we'll we'll be in the press box, and 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:02.400 at us Bank Stadium, it's an open air press box, 0:13:02.400 --> 0:13:04.040 so we get a little bit more of you know, 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:07.600 the stadium atmosphere than when we're behind the glass. But 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:11.439 what I was going to say is that when when 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.040 there are issues that impact a team throughout the course 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.400 of a season, and it can be it can be whatever. 0:13:16.440 --> 0:13:19.079 It can be missing field goals, it can be penalties. 0:13:19.400 --> 0:13:22.400 In this case for Minnesota, it's turnovers. You know it. 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:25.840 As soon as Minnesota turns the ball over once fumble 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:29.040 or interception on Sunday night and the Packers get the football, 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:32.080 You're going to feel it in the stadium, in the 0:13:32.120 --> 0:13:34.760 attitude of the fans there, you know there, their shoulders 0:13:34.760 --> 0:13:36.760 are going to slump like, oh, here we go again, 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:39.840 and there's going to be somewhat of you know, that 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:43.440 feeling on the sideline for the Minnesota vikings. The Packers 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:46.280 can't let Minnesota just have one of these games where 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:49.320 they get to protect the football, because because it can, 0:13:49.679 --> 0:13:53.480 it'll play a huge factor on Sunday night. I want 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:56.360 to talk about a little bit about Minnesota's defense as well, 0:13:56.360 --> 0:14:00.000 because when we were discussing the first meeting between these 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:04.040 teams this year, there was a lot of talk about, 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:07.720 you know, Brian Flores and the blitz happy defense and everything, 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.240 and you know, Minnesota's blitz percentages being at the top 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:12.839 of the league, and then in that game at lambeau Field, 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:16.640 Flora's hardly blitzed at all a relative to what their 0:14:16.679 --> 0:14:19.960 tendencies have been I really don't know what to expect 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:21.960 in that regard comes Sunday night. 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:22.120 Now. 0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:26.280 It's obviously I always think it's easier. It's easier to 0:14:26.360 --> 0:14:29.960 dial up the blitzes when you're playing at home because 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:33.280 you have that advantage of the opposing offense being on 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.160 the silent count and you can time things up a 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:38.280 little bit better than when you're on the road and 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:40.640 you don't have that advantage in terms of dialing up 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:44.560 pressure looks. But that aside, really, I think it's going 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:47.280 to be very interesting to see how Minnesota approaches things 0:14:47.280 --> 0:14:51.400 because they just lost Dj Wantam, their number two sack 0:14:51.480 --> 0:14:53.880 leader on the team. They've lost him now to an injury. 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:56.280 You have Daniel Hunter who's got fifteen and a half 0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.560 sacks this year with two games left to go. He's 0:14:59.600 --> 0:15:05.600 having a tremendous year, and you know, the Vikings have 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:08.560 just been very unpredictable. I think in that sense, in 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:10.600 terms of how Flora's is going to go about things 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:11.320 weak to week. 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:13.040 Well, one of the big reasons I think I don't 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:16.520 know what Flores's operation of philosophy was going to be 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:19.440 in week one, but I think sometimes I honestly think 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:21.960 that all the injuries probably did affect how much they 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.280 blitzed this season, because I don't want to say it's 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.120 quantity over quality, but it is really jarring how much 0:15:27.200 --> 0:15:29.120 this team has blitzed over the course of the year. 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:31.640 In respect to where they rank in sacks, they're pretty 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:33.280 much middle of the pack. Yeah, it comes to sex, 0:15:33.600 --> 0:15:36.920 but they generate pressure and they try to do it consistently. Now, 0:15:37.320 --> 0:15:40.120 what's interesting is you mentioned Wanham. They already lost Marcus 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:42.880 Davenport earlier this season. Davenport was seen as sort of 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:45.920 the replacement for, you know, Zadarius. When Zadarius leaves and 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:48.160 goes to Cleveland, he was going to be the running 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.360 partner with Hunter. I've been so freaking and pressed by 0:15:51.440 --> 0:15:54.280 Danil Hunter this year because again, every time you hear 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:56.520 neck injury, Mike, every time you hear fusion and that 0:15:56.560 --> 0:15:58.760 type of stuff, and knowing that he wasn't able to 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:00.840 play through it for that amount of time, your mind 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:03.360 always goes to bad places. We've seen it in Green Bay. 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.800 How sometimes guys just don't get back from that. Hunter's 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:09.320 done that and he's actually gotten better now. I don't 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.320 know if that's just his skill set meshing well with 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:14.000 floras a scheme or exactly what the philosophy's been there. 0:16:14.480 --> 0:16:17.560 But Daniel Hunter is a problem and Green Bay's gonna 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:20.880 have to account for him in this matchup. But overall, 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:25.200 just being able to kind of wear down Minnesota is 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:28.080 going to be vital in this game. The Green Bay Packers' 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:30.240 offense that the Vikings are going to be seeing is 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:32.920 vastly different than the one that they saw in Week seven. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:36.440 The quarterback's different, the offensive line is playing much differently. 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.160 We saw this pass Sunday for the first time since 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:42.080 man I don't even know how long Rashid Walker took 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:45.360 every snap at left tackle rather than that rotation, and 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:47.320 then obviously over at right guard, you've had almost a 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:50.280 steady rotation now between John Runyon and Sean Ryan at 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:53.320 that spot. The Packers, I think you're seeing more continuity. 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:55.880 I think you're seeing more consistency, and obviously just more 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:59.640 swagger amongst that receiving court. One of the better safety 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:01.520 could takes that you're going to see in the National 0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:04.240 Football League with what the Vikings deploy and how they 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.119 use those guys. But overall, I'm expecting a totally different 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:10.520 game from week week seven. I just I feel like 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:15.400 these two teams good bad or in between are much 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:17.399 different and much chance, you know, in terms of how 0:17:17.400 --> 0:17:18.680 they've laid out and where they're. 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:19.440 At in this part of the season. 0:17:19.560 --> 0:17:22.840 Yeah, and handling Daniel Hunter, whether Flores decides to blitz 0:17:22.960 --> 0:17:25.879 or not, or blitz a lot or not. Handling Daniel 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:29.720 Hunter will be key here because you look back at 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:32.439 the last handful of games West and and the guys 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:35.359 that the the top notch pass rushers the Packers have 0:17:35.400 --> 0:17:38.520 gone up against, whether you're talking about into your an 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:41.879 interior guy like Aaron Donald for the Rams or t J. 0:17:42.040 --> 0:17:45.199 Watt on the edge for the Steelers, or Aiden Hutchinson 0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:48.560 Brian Burns. Last week we didn't hear boo out of 0:17:48.640 --> 0:17:52.840 him for for Carolina. The only edge guy, the only 0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:56.960 the only top notch pass rusher who in my opinion, 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:00.200 had a had an outsize impact on a game over 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:02.240 the last couple of months Yere against the Packers was 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.560 Caveon Thibodeau for the Giants. That's really the only the 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:10.480 only guy the Packers didn't didn't handle quite right, But 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:14.720 otherwise all of the top pass rushers from these opposing 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:17.679 teams over the last six or seven games, the Packers 0:18:17.680 --> 0:18:19.840 have done a really really good job. Can they do 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:22.360 that against Hunter as well? And then if they are, 0:18:22.960 --> 0:18:25.800 what does Flores dial up in terms of pressure looks 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:28.840 to try to just get Hunter one on one where 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:31.119 the Packers can't you know, chip with a tight end 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:32.920 and help out or help out with a running back 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:34.720 because the running back has to have his eye on, 0:18:35.119 --> 0:18:37.399 you know, somebody blitzing from somewhere else. All that kind 0:18:37.440 --> 0:18:40.520 of stuff. That's the that's the x's and o'sh chess 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:42.000 match that that goes into this. 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:45.200 And it is funny now without uh, with where they're 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:48.200 at right now with these injuries behind Hunter, in terms 0:18:48.200 --> 0:18:51.760 of active players, you're leading sack sack artists I guess 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:54.600 you could say from Minnesota are Harrison Smith with three 0:18:54.640 --> 0:18:57.480 and Harrison Phillips with three. And Phillips is basically a 0:18:57.560 --> 0:19:00.359 run stuffing nose tackle And that's just it's just kind 0:19:00.359 --> 0:19:01.280 of the way it's. 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:01.800 Been for them so far. 0:19:01.920 --> 0:19:03.840 Yeah, And I want I should have mentioned Chris Jones 0:19:03.880 --> 0:19:05.480 for the Chiefs as well. We didn't hear much out 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:09.280 of him. When you know, another top notch guy you 0:19:09.320 --> 0:19:11.159 know on the defensive front for the other team that 0:19:11.200 --> 0:19:14.880 the Packers handled well, So hopefully that continues. Well, we've 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:18.560 touched on we've touched obviously on the on the turnover 0:19:18.720 --> 0:19:21.560 issue already. What else do you see as a key 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:23.359 to victory for green Bay in this game? 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:24.200 Aaron Jones. 0:19:24.920 --> 0:19:27.240 I was doing some research with the story that I 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:29.679 wrote on Thursday morning, and if you go back and 0:19:29.720 --> 0:19:31.520