1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by the one, 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: the only Weston hod Kuitz. We're coming to you hear 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: from our studios at lambeau Field. Hope everyone had a 5 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: wonderful Merry Christmas, and the Packers certainly did west going 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: down to Miami on a chilly South Florida degree Sunday 7 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: and knocking off the Dolphins to twenty. And I'll just 8 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: start by saying this. When we were sitting in these 9 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: seats last week, analyzing and previewing this game from all 10 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: different angles, if you had told me, Mike, the Dolphins 11 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: are going to have twenty points at halftime and the 12 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: Packers are going to score only two touchdowns all day, 13 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: what do you think of green based chances here? That's 14 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: how this game unfolded. And yet the Hackers pulled out 15 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: a victory with a tremendous defensive turnaround, a second half shutout, 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 1: three interceptions in the fourth quarter, and the offense converting 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: um a couple of those into field goals that broke 18 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: a twenty to twenty tie, and the Packers hang on 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: for a victory that has changed the playoff fortunes significantly 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: of both teams here, both Green Bay and Miami. Yeah 21 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: Miami and now four straight losses for them at all 22 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: competitive games. But it just shows you the narrow margin 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: of victory right for the Green Bay Packers. It was 24 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: funny one of our insider inbox writers readers actually wrote 25 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:37,279 Speaker 1: into us saying, you know, your keys, the victory couldn't 26 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: really have been more wrong, and and how you guys 27 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: laid this out? You know, yeah, we pretty much missed 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: the dartboard with the with those last week containing Jalen 29 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: Waddle and Tyreek Hille. The Packers obviously did a much 30 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: better job that the second half, but the first half, 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: both of those guys were going off like gangbusters with 32 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: some coverage breakdowns. I look at this game, Mike, as 33 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: there was a tipping point. It was Jared Reid's takeaway. 34 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: It was him generating that force fumble in concert with 35 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: Devandre Campbell. Then read actually recovers it himself that allowed 36 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: the Packers weren't able to generate a lot of points 37 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: off of their takeaways, but they did get three pivotal 38 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: field goals. The first one was at forty six yard 39 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: by Mason Crosby for before halftime. Then the Packers come 40 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: back after the break and actually are able to go 41 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: down the field made some of their biggest plays in 42 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: the afternoon. The third and nine pass to Patrick Taylor. 43 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: Mercedes Lewis makes one maybe arguably his best grab as 44 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: a member of the green Bay Packers, that thirty one 45 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: yard ball down the sideline over Eric Row and then 46 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,239 Speaker 1: it gets culminated with that that touchdown run by A. J. 47 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: Dillon that tied the game up for Green Bay, and 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: they really took it from there. And as you said, Mike, 49 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: you tip your cap to the defense. They took it 50 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: on the chin in the first half. They made some adjustments. 51 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: Jerry Gray had a few choice words for his secondary 52 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: and they came out shut them out in the second 53 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: half and finished with three consecutive interceptions. I know that 54 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: the storyline this week afterwards we found out, you know 55 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: two was actually in the concussion protocol. You hope for 56 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: the best for him, yeah, no question, you know, in 57 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: his long term health. But the green Bay Packers need 58 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: to do what they needed to do to win that game, 59 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: and they did it. Yeah. Oh, to be a fly 60 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: on the wall for that. What must have been a 61 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: rather impassioned halftime talk from from Jerry Gray with his 62 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: with his defensive backs. The way chances are it was 63 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: very similar to when I don't do the subject verb 64 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: agreement correctly. Spot needs to pull me over. Hey, we've 65 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: talked about this, Wes No. I mean he got his 66 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: guys going. Yeah he did. He got he got his 67 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: guys going. They clamped down. I mean, the the what 68 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: were the yardage first half was like to seventy one 69 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: and second half was was one oh five and and 70 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: and it really was. It was cutting down. It was 71 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: cutting down on the explosives. Um. The long touchdown to 72 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: Jail and Waddle early in the game was exactly what 73 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: you feared from this team, and then the one to 74 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: Tyree killed out on the one yard line again exactly 75 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 1: what you fear when you when you play a team 76 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: like this as far as those explosive players are concerned. 77 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: The Packers caught one huge break in the second half 78 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: when Jalen Waddle had had had caught one of those 79 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: in breakers, slants, crossers, whatever you wanna call it, taking 80 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: it all the way down into the red zone, but 81 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: then was called for illegal formation because he lined up 82 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: off of the offensive line. The right tackle was not 83 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: covered up, so the Packers caught a break there, and 84 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 1: then on the very next play, Deveandre Campbell gets his interception, 85 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: the second of the of the three interceptions in the 86 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,119 Speaker 1: fourth quarter. And I guess that's what I was gonna 87 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: say where I don't disagree with you with regard to 88 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: the jarn Reid fumble and recovery late in the first 89 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: half being a turning point, because the score is twenty 90 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: to ten at that point. The Dolphins are at midfield 91 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: late in the first half, they're looking like they're going 92 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: to get a field goal minimum to go up twenty 93 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: three to ten, maybe a touchdown to go up twenty 94 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: seven to ten, and then you are playing uphill big 95 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: time in the second half. But I thought that this 96 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: this was the kind of game where where they were 97 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: just multiple turning points, where the game kept swinging back 98 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: and forth. Because the game is tied twenty to twenty. 99 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers tries a deep shot to Alan Lazard in 100 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: the end zone. Apparently, when it's less than fifty degrees 101 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 1: on Christmas Day in Miami, there's no such thing as 102 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: pass interference. Because Alan Lazard gets knocked away from the 103 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: ball and it gets picked off. And but the very 104 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: next play I hear Alexander gets the interception. You know, 105 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: I mean another turning point there, and I just mentioned 106 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,679 Speaker 1: the illegal formation on Jalen Waddle and then Deveandre Campbell 107 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,599 Speaker 1: gets an interception right after that. The Dolphins go from 108 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: thinking they've got first down, maybe first goal in the ten, 109 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: whatever's going to be too Suddenly the Packers have the 110 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: ball and are going the other way with a lead 111 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: and only six minutes on the clock. And uhum, and 112 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: you know the Dolphins are looking at trying to get 113 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: that stop and get the ball back, which they do. 114 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: Rasul Douglas gets the third interception and um um, and 115 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:07,799 Speaker 1: the Packers leave Miami with with a huge victory. Just um. 116 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: A game that swung back and forth so many times, 117 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: felt like there were so many turning points. But the 118 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: you know, sort of the epitome in some ways of 119 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: this Packers season where you know, even when the Packers 120 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 1: lost in Buffalo, they didn't quit in that game. When 121 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: they lost at Philadelphia. You know, teams that are you 122 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: know you're playing those teams on the road. You know 123 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: they're going to the playoffs. And and all that. Packers 124 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: didn't quit in the game in Philly either, and they 125 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: got that to a one score game late when a 126 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: lot of stuff was going against him. The Packers haven't 127 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: quit on their season at four and eight, when they 128 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: were flying back from Philadelphia a month ago, would have 129 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: been easy to quit on the season at that point. 130 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: They haven't quit on the season there seven and eight 131 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: now with a three game winning streak, they're very much 132 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: alive with two home games here coming up. Um the 133 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: For as much as there's been the inconsistencies, the up 134 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: and downs and everything, the defining characteristic of the tooth 135 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: Packers as they do not quit. They don't. And I 136 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: also look at this game to Mike to touch on 137 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: one more thing with the jar and Reid fumble that 138 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: play after that, really the Dolphins got away from Raheem Mostard. 139 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: And when you think about playmakers, guys that could potentially 140 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: hurt you, what's the number one way to take them 141 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: out of a game generate turnovers? Not only did most 142 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: Are really not touch the ball much after that fumble, 143 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: they kind of got away from their running game altogether. 144 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: The more this thing was into his hands, the more interceptions, 145 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: the more takeaways. Green Bay was able to generate and 146 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: watching those clips of Jire Alexander's interception and obviously everybody's 147 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: seen the interview now at Pam Oliver afterwards and just 148 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: how funny that was in the thirty second bit. But 149 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: what is interesting to me about that that I don't 150 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: think enough people are talking about is the first thing 151 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: Jire says there when waddle, when these guys are coming 152 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: in motion, just how flipping fast they are. You can 153 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: see it. It's not just a straight line speed. It's 154 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: their ability to turn on a dime. That is a 155 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: challenge that is ever present when you're facing the Miami Dolphins. 156 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: It's the reason why no team wants to see them 157 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: in the playoffs, because those guys are game records. Green 158 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: Bay in the second half, whether it was in its 159 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: gains having to step in for Keyshaw Nixon being out, 160 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: whether it was Reid having to play important snaps at 161 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: the five tech with Dean Lowery being unavailable due to 162 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: the calf injury, Darniell Savage coming back in and playing 163 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: on the top of that thing. Packers needed to keep 164 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: those playmakers in front of them, and they needed to tackle. 165 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: They did that in the second half. And when you 166 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: do that enough, Mike, it generates turnovers, it generates takeaways. 167 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: When you're asking a young quarterback like to a young 168 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: team like the Dolphins, to be able to extend to 169 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: to grind for points. The Green Bay Packers defense got 170 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: back to doing what it did well at Spurts last season, 171 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: and I thought that was a big key to victory 172 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: in this Yeah, it absolutely was. And and there was 173 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: so much about this game that was that was characteristic 174 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: of this Packers season in general. All and what I 175 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: mean by that is up and down, positives, negatives on 176 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: in all three phases you look at, you look at 177 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 1: special teams. Keyshawn Nixon has a ninety three yard kickoff 178 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: return right on on Miami's first kickoff after the opening 179 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: field goal, but the special teams also botched a fake 180 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: punt and gave Miami the ball in great field position. Offensively, 181 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: that drive to start the second half had to have 182 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: it down by seven. You can you can wipe out 183 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: everything that's happened in the first two and a half 184 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: quarters if you can drive down and tie the game 185 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: at that moment, because you say, okay, it's game on. 186 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: Nothing up to this point has mattered and let's go, 187 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: and the Packers were able to do that. Took seven 188 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: minutes off the clock, eleven plays. I think it was 189 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: seventy eight yards. Tremendous offensive drive when you had to 190 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: have it. But two failures in goal to go that 191 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: led to field goals, another failure in the red zone 192 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: that led to a field goal. Packers not offensively not 193 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,959 Speaker 1: able to capitalize on all their opportunities. So there were 194 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: as the positives and negatives, and then defensively, as we 195 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: talked about getting burned by the explosives early on, but 196 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: then suddenly over the last thirty two minutes of the game, 197 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: you generate four takeaways, will completely change the complexion of 198 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: the game. So the Packers are still kind of riding this, 199 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: you know, this roller coaster of of up and down play. 200 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: They know what they're capable of, they know what they 201 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: need to fix. If they can take if they can 202 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: take care of the ladder in these last two games, 203 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: they might still be playing in January. You set me 204 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: up perfectly here, John Stockton, my Carl Malone, all right, 205 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: because that is the thing I really wanted to delve 206 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: into here, Because yes, the Packers did not generate enough 207 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:42,839 Speaker 1: points off of those takeaways. Yes, if you kick too 208 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: many field goals, it is probably a recipe to lose 209 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: those games. But you know what Green Bay did in 210 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: this game that they've struggled with at times. It's not 211 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: just the complimentary football, it's how well they excelled in 212 00:10:55,160 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: situational football in this game. The Keyshawn Nixon kickoff return awesome. 213 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: He was lamenting afterwards not getting a touchdown. Rasil Douglas 214 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: made a little bit of a funny about that as well. 215 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: They aren't able to get the touchdown. You have the 216 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: Dahl and Lovett fake punt doesn't go their way, but 217 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: the defense keeps Miami out of the end zone. Mike, 218 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: I'm telling you this too. You've covered this team five 219 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: years longer than I have, but this is the best 220 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: the Packers kickoff coverage units have looked in my time 221 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:26,559 Speaker 1: on the beat. When they kick, these guys get down, 222 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: they stay in their lane, and they attack the football. 223 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: In that game, with Whereee Moostred only averaging nineteen yards 224 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: per kicking, where most is a weapon speedy kickoff return. 225 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: You talk about using starters on special teams, Miami does that, 226 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: and then some in his gains Tyreek Carpenter. You know, 227 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: I go back to the beginning of the season and 228 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: mettal Floor was asked about this on Monday in his post, 229 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: you know, day after press conference. You know, we talked 230 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: about down love, it about Keishaw Nixon, Ruby for Eric Wilson, 231 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: these veterans that have done this in the league before. 232 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: But what was the thing you and I discussed back 233 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: in training camp. It was the idea of, Okay, you're 234 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: gonna have some guys that maybe aren't your traditional starters, 235 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: but our core special teamers that you're gonna build your 236 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: units around. But once you get to December, you're gonna 237 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: have hungry guys like in his games emerge. You're gonna 238 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: have guys like Isaiah McDuffie emerge. You're gonna have somebody 239 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: making tackles like Trek Carpenter is right now, Patrick Taylor 240 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: throwing blocks on on kick return for Keshan Nixon. King's 241 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: leanning Bari. You know, the Carpenter one's the best example, 242 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: because here's a raw guy that Green Bay draft six 243 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: ft three two or thirty pounds, almost looks like a linebacker. 244 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 1: Everybody's asking about linebacker. What did I say to you 245 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: after they took him. I'm like, this is Sean Richardson 246 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: with more speed. This is a guy that has the 247 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: type of body type you look for on coverage teams. 248 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: And the Packers are able to win the field position battle. 249 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: They didn't play like the best team in every second 250 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: of that game, but at the end of the day, 251 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: it was the takeaways, it was winning field position, it 252 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: was winning time of possession, and it was being the 253 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: team that responded better to adversity. And that's how you 254 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: make the playoffs. Yeah. Absolutely, and and and that's why 255 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: I said, that's why I talked about how how important 256 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: that drive opening the third quarter was because there are 257 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 1: a lot of things that had gone wrong in the 258 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: first half of the Packers, yet they got to the 259 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: locker room down seven, they were getting the ball coming 260 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: out of halftime. And now after going after their first 261 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: nine tries this season when they were fielding the second 262 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: half kickoff, they only got one touchdown in their first 263 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: nine tries. They've now done it back to back weeks 264 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: against the Rams and the Dolphins taking that second half kickoff, 265 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: and this one was crucial because you get that game 266 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: tied up and then It's sort of like from then on, 267 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: the rest of the game is kind of crunch time, right, 268 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: It's like you forget about everything else. It's twenty to twenty. 269 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: You play ball. You got a quarter and a half 270 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: with your season on the line, and from the time 271 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: that game was twenty to twenty, there was absolutely no 272 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: question who the better team was on the field. And 273 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: no matter what happens up to that point, when you 274 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: get to whatever moment a game reaches crunch time, there 275 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 1: is no better formula in this league for winning than 276 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 1: being the better team with the game on the line, 277 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: because because it allows it allows you to cover up 278 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: the mistakes you make in an in in an inevitably 279 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: imperfect game, because nobody goes out there and and plays 280 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: a perfect game. So think about this too. Just with 281 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: the Packers having to settle for those field goals in 282 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, they don't win that game if their 283 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: defense isn't playing the way they played late. I don't 284 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: know if I've ever felt more comfortable, at least during 285 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: the Mount Flora. I don't want to get too hyperbolic 286 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: about this, but about just needing to get the points 287 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: to make sure that if you give up some field position, 288 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: Miami can either tie it or win it with field goals. 289 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: That's what the Packers did in this game. It wasn't 290 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: just about the takeaways. It's about the fact that by 291 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: the time you got to the fourth quarter, midway through 292 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, you felt good about how green Bay 293 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: was going to be able to defend them. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, 294 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: And while a lot of things, really everything green Bay 295 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: needed to go its way on Saturday on Christmas Eve 296 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: did and we'll get to some of that in a minute. 297 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: And as as we go over the playoffs scenarios, it 298 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: wasn't all sunshine and roses for the Packers because they 299 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: did come back from Miami with a handful of injuries. 300 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: Christian Watson left the game with a hip injury. Keishaan 301 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: Nixon um obviously with the big kickoff return, and he'd been, 302 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: you know, been working his way and developing into a 303 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: mainstay defensively as that nickel corner. He left the game 304 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: with a groin injury. Yash Naiman at right tackle left 305 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: the game with a shoulder injury. Royce Newman replaced him, 306 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: and Dean Lowry on the defensive line left the game 307 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: with a calf injury, which led to uh, some shifting 308 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: around with Jaron Reid, but then also more playing time 309 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: for rookie Vonte Wyatt. Matt Lafleur has put all four 310 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: of those players in sort of the day to day 311 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: category as we head into this week and the preparations 312 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: for the vikings on the field will begin on Wednesday, 313 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: and we will just see what the what the availability 314 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: is for these guys. The Packers would love to get 315 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: them all back obviously, Um, but that's a that's a 316 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: wait and see thing. And as as healthy overall, aside 317 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: from you know, not having or Shawn Gary and Eric 318 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: Stokes and you know, a couple of key guys like 319 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: that on defense, David Bakery on offense. We had talked 320 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: about how the Packers are coming into this game about 321 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: as healthy as you could ask for. Now the healthy equation, uh, 322 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: you know, turning against them a little bit. We'll have 323 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: to see what happens as the week unfold. Yeah, And 324 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: to get back to that really quickly. To close on 325 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: this with that point about you know, the Packers and 326 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: not being able to convert at the end and getting 327 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: the end zone. It got to the fourth quarter there 328 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: where I started looking at them I'm like, man, who 329 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: are there available personnel at this point in time? Um, 330 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: you know, because Aaron Jones tweet the ankle, you're not 331 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: really able to use him. That's one of the reasons 332 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: why Patrick Taylor played in the situations He did a 333 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: third and nine, Um, where he potentially might have been 334 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: responsible for past protection. Even he's good in that area, 335 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: but I'm just saying, like you, and then he and 336 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: then he did pick up the blitz on the very 337 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: display after the third and nine, which was the thirty 338 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: one yard passed down the down the sideline to Lewis. 339 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: So Patrick Taylor was in there in some in some 340 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: crucial situations, and it even triggered in my mind in 341 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,120 Speaker 1: those instances where it's like, you just gotta win this game. 342 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: You gotta figure out the injury report afterwards. You gotta 343 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: write the hip isn't too bad, the groin isn't too bad. 344 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 1: Now we will see what it's like. Matt Lafore said 345 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 1: on Monday, it looks like all these guys are day 346 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: to day. Um, you know, Nixon had already been dealing 347 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: with the groin. That's the somewhat precarious one. But this 348 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,239 Speaker 1: is what you gotta do, Mike, You gotta win these 349 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: football games. You gotta win with the guys you have, 350 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: and when you have ins gains out there a guy 351 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: that never had played defensive snaps I can't remember in 352 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: the regular season before, you know, and being lining up 353 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 1: across from Jalen Waddle. That's how you win football games 354 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 1: this time in the year. And the Packers did that. Yeah. Well, 355 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: we do need to get to the playoff scenarios and implications, 356 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: and we will do that momentarily. Here Serious x M 357 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the 358 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: minute NFL news that true football fanatics need seven three 359 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: sixty five and at Cousin Subs, we have something for 360 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and cheese, golden fries, 361 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: and cream shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or 362 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years of better. 363 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: All right. I mentioned all the things that went Green 364 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: Bay's way on Christmas eve Day, which was the Lions losing, 365 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:18,959 Speaker 1: the Seahawks losing, the Giants losing, and the Commander's losing. 366 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: So that couldn't have gone any better. The Packers get 367 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: the win that they need in Miami. So now Green 368 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 1: Bay comes back. You've got two home games here Minnesota 369 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: and Detroit division opponents, indoor teams coming hopefully to what 370 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 1: will be the cold of lambeau Field. Although it's not 371 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: supposed to be super cold on New Year's Day for 372 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: the Vikings. But um, but it's chillier than US Bank 373 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: Stadium certainly maybe not chillier than the press box in Miami, 374 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 1: the way you and I were freezing sitting underneath an 375 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: air conditioning event that nobody could figure out how to 376 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: shut off. But sorry, I digress. Um, So the Packers 377 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 1: are coming back home. Here's here's the scenario. I'll lay 378 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: it out for you as as simply as I plase, 379 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: and and it will be. And Path the Playoffs is 380 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 1: coming back on packers dot com. I promised it would 381 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 1: be if the Packers got to seven and eight on 382 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: Christmas that at McDonald's. There anything more jovial than I 383 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 1: tell you. People People are, people are fired up for 384 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: the return of Path to the Playoffs. It's sort of 385 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: generate generating all this excitement because I held off until 386 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: until the Packers got to this point. Packers are seven 387 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 1: and eight if they can win out and finish nine 388 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 1: and eight. They need either a loss by Washington or 389 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: two losses by the New York Giants, and the Packers 390 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: will have a playoff spot. Now, I don't even want 391 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,439 Speaker 1: to get into the scenarios. You might as well go 392 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: buy a powerball ticket if you're trying to figure out 393 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: how the Packers can get into the playoffs at eight 394 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: and nine if they split their last games as opposed 395 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: to winning them. Both Packers are in a position now 396 00:19:57,560 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: where if they can win them both get to nine 397 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: and eight. It's all about what happens with the Giants 398 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: and the Commanders and uh and we'll just have to 399 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: We'll just have to see what unfolds um. This week, 400 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: both the Giants and the Commanders are playing teams with 401 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: lesser records. They're playing the Colts and the Browns respectively. 402 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: Last week, all the matchups kind of lined up in 403 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: Green Bays favor right. The teams that the Packers needed 404 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: to lose, they were, you know, the Giants were playing 405 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: the Vikings on the road. The Commanders are playing the 406 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 1: forty Niners on their own division champs in their own place. 407 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: Things went the way you would hope and expect um 408 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: Packers are gonna be, you know, crossing their fingers a 409 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 1: little bit here with with the matchups that the Giants 410 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: and the Commanders have this week. But that being said, um, 411 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: the Commanders in particular not playing well of late and 412 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: have a quarterback uh situation here with Ron Rivera trying 413 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 1: to decide essentially whether to go with Taylor Heineke or 414 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: Carson Wentz down the stretch here to try to get 415 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: a playoff spot for Washington. Yeah, first off, if I 416 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: may start with this, the Packers, when you look at 417 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,479 Speaker 1: how this weekend shaped out, You ever see Forget Paris, 418 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: the movie Forget Paris with Billy Crystal Billy Crystal vehicle. 419 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: There's a great line in it where I think it 420 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: was his dad or whatever just sits there and keeps going, 421 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: you want it, you got it. It was an old 422 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: Toyota commercial, but he's like that, that's and he just 423 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: keeps reiterating that over and over again. As Saturday was 424 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: playing out, That's what was going off in my head, 425 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 1: like Packer fans, you want it, You've got it. Now, 426 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: we gotta win on Sunday. But like it, really, these 427 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: last couple of weeks have been this, You're going to 428 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: get everything you want. You're gonna take advantage of it. 429 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 1: You're gonna jump on the opportunity because you and I 430 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: said it, Mike, we said it at the beginning of 431 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: December when you looked at how the Giants schedule lined 432 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: up in the Commander schedule. Both of those teams could 433 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: be playing their best football right now. It was still 434 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: going to be difficult. They hadn't seen the Dallas yet. 435 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: Really they had into one of them. I don't even 436 00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: think had played Philly yet. And here we are now 437 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: in Week seventeen Washington. I understand a hundred percent what 438 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: Ron Rivera was doing. You're probably losing that game. You 439 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 1: want to see what Carson Wentz has. You've got to 440 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 1: figure out if he's going to be a guy that 441 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 1: could potentially lead you on a playoff run. Here the 442 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: difficult thing about this is your offense might be more 443 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: effective with Wentz, You might move the ball better with Wentz. 444 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: He certainly is a better quote unquote athlete in terms 445 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,440 Speaker 1: of the measurables than Taylor Heineke. But most of their 446 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,719 Speaker 1: wins this year have come when Taylor Heineke has been 447 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: the quarterback and he's had to do it in unconventional ways. Yeah, 448 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: I think I even made that remark. Sort he's sort 449 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 1: of a he's sort of a spiritual leader as much 450 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,119 Speaker 1: as he is as much as he is an on 451 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 1: field you know leader that the quarterback needs to be, 452 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: but he's there. There's sort of a there's sort of 453 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: a heart and soul element to Taylor Heineck when he's 454 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: the guy that's leading that team. And as much as 455 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: and I understand where Rivera is coming from because in 456 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: terms of in terms of you know, really pondering this decision, 457 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: because um, for as much as I I respect Heineck, 458 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: and I give him a ton of credit for the 459 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: way the way the guy battles and he plays. He 460 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: plays fearlessly. He will he will absolutely fight you tooth 461 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: and nail to the end. What's always bitten Taylor Heineke, 462 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: and it's biting the Washington Commanders right now, is that 463 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,679 Speaker 1: he gets careless with the football. And that's really that 464 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,440 Speaker 1: is why the Commanders now the forty Niners are gonna 465 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: be a tough team to beat regardless, but certainly that 466 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: loss against the Giants in the Sunday night game the 467 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 1: previous week, that loss was on Taylor Heineke turning the 468 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 1: football where he was careless with the ball, the Giants 469 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 1: took advantage and then we're able to hang on for 470 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 1: a win. And that carelessness with the ball showed up 471 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: against a really, really good forty Niners defense as well. 472 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: So Rivera's Rivera is in a tough spot because because 473 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: Heineck is that is that spiritual guy. But yet you're 474 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: not gonna win if he's going to turn the ball 475 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: over like that. And see this is where I get. 476 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: This is where I want to spin it into this 477 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: week seventeen situation because I actually think Heinek is the 478 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: quarterback that should be starting against Cleveland. I think he's 479 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: the guy that gives them the best chance of winning 480 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: the game. However they're gonna do it. I mean, Carson Wentz, 481 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: correct me if I'm wrong here. I believe they were 482 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 1: two and four with him as as the starting quarterbacks. 483 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,199 Speaker 1: Five of their wins have come in this Heineke era. 484 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: More often than not, they've won with Heineke. If you 485 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: go with wins, I'm very curious to see how this 486 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,919 Speaker 1: works out. Because you have Deshaun Watson on one side. 487 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: A lot of noise, don't want to get into that 488 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: aspect of it. But a guy that legitimately has just 489 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: been playing again for the last three weeks and then 490 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,360 Speaker 1: you got Wentz on the other one that's been out 491 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 1: here for two months. Very curious to see how that 492 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: matchup of play out. As far as the Packers are concerned, 493 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: you have to win these last two. But Washington, you 494 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: look at this game against Cleveland and you look at 495 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: next week, regardless of who would be playing in that game. 496 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,679 Speaker 1: You gotta hope. But Washington needs to find some wins 497 00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: here and they got to try to find something that's 498 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: gonna get him that number seven spot. Yeah, there are 499 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: implications here, of course that hopefully we'll be discussing next 500 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: week if the Packers can beat the Vikings and they 501 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: stay in this thing, and then and and say, you know, 502 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 1: if if you are hoping for you know, either the 503 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: Giants or the Commanders to lose and they're playing you know, 504 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: the Eagles and the Cowboys respectively, there's a lot of 505 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 1: reason to rout this week for the Eagles to lose 506 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: in the Cowboys to win, so that the NFC East 507 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: and essentially the number one seed in the NFC is 508 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: not decided because if the Eagles take another loss and 509 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: the Cowboys get another win, both of those teams are 510 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: still playing for a heck of a lot in Week 511 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: eighteen against their division rivals teams that the Packers may 512 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: need to lose. That being said, if the Giants get 513 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: a win this week against the Colts, they are in 514 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: the playoffs. If they the way everything had fallen on Saturday, 515 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: if the Giants had managed to beat the Vikings Um 516 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: if if they had gotten that game to overtime, for example, 517 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: without Greg Joseph hitting the sixty one yard walk off 518 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: field goal, if they get that to overtime and win it, 519 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,360 Speaker 1: the Giants would have gotten in already. They just need 520 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: one win to get in. So from the Packers perspective, 521 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 1: you're looking at the Commanders. You just need them to lose. 522 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: Once Packers win both of their games and you get in. 523 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: Here's here's what I think is is the is the 524 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: interesting the interesting scenario, so to speak, is if if 525 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 1: the Packers, if the Packers win. Trying I'm trying to 526 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 1: think all this through, I've lost my train of thought now, 527 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 1: so I apologize. I had come up. I had come 528 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: up with what I thought was maybe a scenario, and 529 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 1: I hadn't confirmed at a but a scenario of games 530 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: if everything fell a certain way, that Green Bay in 531 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: Detroit in week eight teen could be like a wind, 532 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: winner gets in and loser goes home, like the Facto 533 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: playoff game, which then means hello Sunday night football primetime 534 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 1: at lambeau Field. Right. I don't know. I'm still not 535 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: a hundred percent sure if that can actually happen. Maybe 536 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: there's a lottery ticket out there that somebody could punch 537 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: and figure out a way for that to take place. 538 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: I don't know if this time is going to be 539 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 1: enough for you to recombobulate and think about that, staff. 540 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,239 Speaker 1: But I want to say this, because we focus so 541 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 1: much on the Green Bay Packers. Everything worked out perfectly 542 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: for them last weekend. It also lined up very well 543 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: for them this week because think about it, Tennessee, there 544 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: isn't a lot for them to play for it this week. 545 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: Everything is coming down to that Jacksonville game next week. 546 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,120 Speaker 1: So you would hope regardless of who the Dallas Cowboys 547 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: you know, play, don't play whatever, that's gonna be a 548 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: winnable game for them on Thursday night. Think about this too, Mike, 549 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: I was talking with Tom Fanning, r PR Assistant Director 550 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 1: PR about this in the press box on Sunday. If 551 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: Detroit doesn't kind of choke on its marbles there a 552 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: little bit against Carolina, there was a scenario where the 553 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:47,119 Speaker 1: Packers could have played Detroit, you know, gotten to that 554 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: game and beat in Detroit, and Detroit still would have 555 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: been the team that advanced based on strength of schedule. 556 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,919 Speaker 1: It worked perfect strength figure. It worked out perfectly that 557 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:02,280 Speaker 1: Carolina with a playoff put completely ran them out of 558 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: the building. And get this too, Philadelphia. Jalen hurts shoulder entry. 559 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: They're going up now against New Orleans. New Orleans at 560 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: six and nine. People upset about Dennis Allen everything. They're 561 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: still kind of in this thing in the South. The 562 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,400 Speaker 1: teams that need to play for something benefit the Packers. 563 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,679 Speaker 1: The teams that necessarily don't need to play anything for 564 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 1: this week also benefits the Packers. Yeah, I think the 565 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: I think the scenario I was trying to put together 566 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: is this Giants win, Commanders lose, Packers win, Seahawks lose, 567 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: and Lions win. If all of that happens in Week seventeen, 568 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: I think I think the Week eight teen, Green Bay 569 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: detroite game is the winner gets the last playoff spot, 570 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: the number seven seed, and the loser is out. It 571 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: becomes a de facto playoff game, and I would bet 572 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: that Dan Campbell will probably coach that game shirtless and 573 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 1: maybe even barefoot on the sideline at lambeau Field to 574 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: try to spire his team to a playoff spot. I kid, 575 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: of course, but that being said, I think that's the 576 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: scenario that would potentially set up a Green Bay Detroit 577 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: winner go home game in Week eighteen at lambeau Field. 578 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: But as of now, all that matters is beat the Vikings, 579 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,479 Speaker 1: and the Packers are still in it. Heading into week eighteen, 580 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: We'll see how the other chips fall. Let's make it 581 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 1: even more exciting. We'll talk about this on Thursday. Matt Eberflus. 582 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: Justin Fields going to Ford Field and just run, just 583 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: run away with the entire game. Don't don't even yeah, 584 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: Luke Luke Luke gets the offensive coordinator, a good friend 585 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:39,880 Speaker 1: of ours, former Packers assistant coach. Don't even call a 586 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: pass play, just just run it. Just run it with 587 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: all of the running backs, receivers, your quarterback, everybody. Just 588 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: run against the Lions and if I see it rushing yards. 589 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: Are you kidding me? Jam? This is his game. I've 590 00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: I've digressed far too much of this show. Any other 591 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: points you would like to make before I sign up? 592 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: All I gotta say is just keep it going, keep 593 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: all of it going. The Packers so much has kind 594 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: of fallen the way they needed to fall the last 595 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: two weeks, and after everything they went through the middle 596 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: season stretch of the season, this is what you're hoping for. 597 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: Two more games here to make it happen. All right? 598 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: With that, we will call it a wrap on this 599 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 1: edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of 600 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 1: our coverage of the team. We have it all for 601 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: you all week long on Packers dot Com leading up 602 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: to Sunday's January first New Year's Day game against the 603 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings for West I Am Mike. Thank you for 604 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: tuning in, everybody. We'll see you next time.