WEBVTT - #695 Packers Unscripted: Chances climbing 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:10.560 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:14.120 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by the one, 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:17.360 the only Weston hod Kuitz. We're coming to you hear 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:20.400 from our studios at lambeau Field. Hope everyone had a 0:00:20.480 --> 0:00:24.840 wonderful Merry Christmas, and the Packers certainly did west going 0:00:24.920 --> 0:00:30.040 down to Miami on a chilly South Florida degree Sunday 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:34.720 and knocking off the Dolphins to twenty. And I'll just 0:00:34.760 --> 0:00:37.280 start by saying this. When we were sitting in these 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:41.520 seats last week, analyzing and previewing this game from all 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:47.599 different angles, if you had told me, Mike, the Dolphins 0:00:47.600 --> 0:00:50.920 are going to have twenty points at halftime and the 0:00:50.960 --> 0:00:53.800 Packers are going to score only two touchdowns all day, 0:00:54.440 --> 0:00:57.680 what do you think of green based chances here? That's 0:00:57.720 --> 0:01:00.920 how this game unfolded. And yet the Hackers pulled out 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:05.880 a victory with a tremendous defensive turnaround, a second half shutout, 0:01:06.000 --> 0:01:09.759 three interceptions in the fourth quarter, and the offense converting 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:13.920 um a couple of those into field goals that broke 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:16.480 a twenty to twenty tie, and the Packers hang on 0:01:16.600 --> 0:01:21.440 for a victory that has changed the playoff fortunes significantly 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:24.360 of both teams here, both Green Bay and Miami. Yeah 0:01:24.360 --> 0:01:26.920 Miami and now four straight losses for them at all 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:29.360 competitive games. But it just shows you the narrow margin 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:31.760 of victory right for the Green Bay Packers. It was 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:34.759 funny one of our insider inbox writers readers actually wrote 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:37.279 into us saying, you know, your keys, the victory couldn't 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.600 really have been more wrong, and and how you guys 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:41.440 laid this out? You know, yeah, we pretty much missed 0:01:41.440 --> 0:01:44.759 the dartboard with the with those last week containing Jalen 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:47.160 Waddle and Tyreek Hille. The Packers obviously did a much 0:01:47.200 --> 0:01:49.360 better job that the second half, but the first half, 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:51.400 both of those guys were going off like gangbusters with 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:55.760 some coverage breakdowns. I look at this game, Mike, as 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:59.680 there was a tipping point. It was Jared Reid's takeaway. 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:03.840 It was him generating that force fumble in concert with 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:07.800 Devandre Campbell. Then read actually recovers it himself that allowed 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:10.000 the Packers weren't able to generate a lot of points 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:13.440 off of their takeaways, but they did get three pivotal 0:02:13.440 --> 0:02:15.840 field goals. The first one was at forty six yard 0:02:15.840 --> 0:02:19.040 by Mason Crosby for before halftime. Then the Packers come 0:02:19.040 --> 0:02:21.640 back after the break and actually are able to go 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:23.840 down the field made some of their biggest plays in 0:02:23.880 --> 0:02:26.760 the afternoon. The third and nine pass to Patrick Taylor. 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:31.040 Mercedes Lewis makes one maybe arguably his best grab as 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:32.800 a member of the green Bay Packers, that thirty one 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:36.680 yard ball down the sideline over Eric Row and then 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:39.239 it gets culminated with that that touchdown run by A. J. 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:41.480 Dillon that tied the game up for Green Bay, and 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:43.919 they really took it from there. And as you said, Mike, 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.000 you tip your cap to the defense. They took it 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:49.040 on the chin in the first half. They made some adjustments. 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:53.000 Jerry Gray had a few choice words for his secondary 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:54.760 and they came out shut them out in the second 0:02:54.760 --> 0:02:58.880 half and finished with three consecutive interceptions. I know that 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:01.640 the storyline this week afterwards we found out, you know 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:04.320 two was actually in the concussion protocol. You hope for 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:06.440 the best for him, yeah, no question, you know, in 0:03:06.560 --> 0:03:08.919 his long term health. But the green Bay Packers need 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:10.480 to do what they needed to do to win that game, 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:12.760 and they did it. Yeah. Oh, to be a fly 0:03:12.919 --> 0:03:15.320 on the wall for that. What must have been a 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:20.200 rather impassioned halftime talk from from Jerry Gray with his 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:23.679 with his defensive backs. The way chances are it was 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:25.840 very similar to when I don't do the subject verb 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:30.000 agreement correctly. Spot needs to pull me over. Hey, we've 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:33.480 talked about this, Wes No. I mean he got his 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:35.600 guys going. Yeah he did. He got he got his 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:38.080 guys going. They clamped down. I mean, the the what 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:40.920 were the yardage first half was like to seventy one 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:43.920 and second half was was one oh five and and 0:03:43.920 --> 0:03:46.120 and it really was. It was cutting down. It was 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:50.040 cutting down on the explosives. Um. The long touchdown to 0:03:50.120 --> 0:03:52.280 Jail and Waddle early in the game was exactly what 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:54.720 you feared from this team, and then the one to 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:57.480 Tyree killed out on the one yard line again exactly 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:00.080 what you fear when you when you play a team 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:03.640 like this as far as those explosive players are concerned. 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:06.320 The Packers caught one huge break in the second half 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:10.600 when Jalen Waddle had had had caught one of those 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:13.920 in breakers, slants, crossers, whatever you wanna call it, taking 0:04:13.960 --> 0:04:16.279 it all the way down into the red zone, but 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.760 then was called for illegal formation because he lined up 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:24.479 off of the offensive line. The right tackle was not 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.480 covered up, so the Packers caught a break there, and 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:30.600 then on the very next play, Deveandre Campbell gets his interception, 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:33.880 the second of the of the three interceptions in the 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:36.119 fourth quarter. And I guess that's what I was gonna 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:39.200 say where I don't disagree with you with regard to 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:42.599 the jarn Reid fumble and recovery late in the first 0:04:42.600 --> 0:04:45.800 half being a turning point, because the score is twenty 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:48.840 to ten at that point. The Dolphins are at midfield 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:51.760 late in the first half, they're looking like they're going 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:54.000 to get a field goal minimum to go up twenty 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.200 three to ten, maybe a touchdown to go up twenty 0:04:56.240 --> 0:04:59.520 seven to ten, and then you are playing uphill big 0:04:59.560 --> 0:05:03.599 time in the second half. But I thought that this 0:05:03.600 --> 0:05:05.880 this was the kind of game where where they were 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.320 just multiple turning points, where the game kept swinging back 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:13.040 and forth. Because the game is tied twenty to twenty. 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:16.159 Aaron Rodgers tries a deep shot to Alan Lazard in 0:05:16.200 --> 0:05:19.520 the end zone. Apparently, when it's less than fifty degrees 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:21.840 on Christmas Day in Miami, there's no such thing as 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:25.039 pass interference. Because Alan Lazard gets knocked away from the 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:29.560 ball and it gets picked off. And but the very 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:32.719 next play I hear Alexander gets the interception. You know, 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.320 I mean another turning point there, and I just mentioned 0:05:35.320 --> 0:05:38.679 the illegal formation on Jalen Waddle and then Deveandre Campbell 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.599 gets an interception right after that. The Dolphins go from 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:44.240 thinking they've got first down, maybe first goal in the ten, 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:47.880 whatever's going to be too Suddenly the Packers have the 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:50.520 ball and are going the other way with a lead 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:53.960 and only six minutes on the clock. And uhum, and 0:05:54.040 --> 0:05:55.920 you know the Dolphins are looking at trying to get 0:05:55.920 --> 0:05:58.240 that stop and get the ball back, which they do. 0:05:58.800 --> 0:06:02.279 Rasul Douglas gets the third interception and um um, and 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:07.799 the Packers leave Miami with with a huge victory. Just um. 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:10.320 A game that swung back and forth so many times, 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:13.320 felt like there were so many turning points. But the 0:06:13.960 --> 0:06:16.240 you know, sort of the epitome in some ways of 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:21.000 this Packers season where you know, even when the Packers 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:23.920 lost in Buffalo, they didn't quit in that game. When 0:06:23.920 --> 0:06:26.919 they lost at Philadelphia. You know, teams that are you 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:28.839 know you're playing those teams on the road. You know 0:06:28.839 --> 0:06:31.880 they're going to the playoffs. And and all that. Packers 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:34.040 didn't quit in the game in Philly either, and they 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:36.240 got that to a one score game late when a 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:38.520 lot of stuff was going against him. The Packers haven't 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:41.280 quit on their season at four and eight, when they 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:44.560 were flying back from Philadelphia a month ago, would have 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:46.400 been easy to quit on the season at that point. 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:48.560 They haven't quit on the season there seven and eight 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:50.560 now with a three game winning streak, they're very much 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:54.080 alive with two home games here coming up. Um the 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:56.920 For as much as there's been the inconsistencies, the up 0:06:56.920 --> 0:06:59.920 and downs and everything, the defining characteristic of the tooth 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:03.400 Packers as they do not quit. They don't. And I 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:06.080 also look at this game to Mike to touch on 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:09.200 one more thing with the jar and Reid fumble that 0:07:09.360 --> 0:07:14.080 play after that, really the Dolphins got away from Raheem Mostard. 0:07:14.280 --> 0:07:17.520 And when you think about playmakers, guys that could potentially 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:20.200 hurt you, what's the number one way to take them 0:07:20.200 --> 0:07:23.960 out of a game generate turnovers? Not only did most 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.280 Are really not touch the ball much after that fumble, 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:29.320 they kind of got away from their running game altogether. 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:33.440 The more this thing was into his hands, the more interceptions, 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:36.480 the more takeaways. Green Bay was able to generate and 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:41.080 watching those clips of Jire Alexander's interception and obviously everybody's 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:43.720 seen the interview now at Pam Oliver afterwards and just 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:46.680 how funny that was in the thirty second bit. But 0:07:46.800 --> 0:07:48.760 what is interesting to me about that that I don't 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:51.360 think enough people are talking about is the first thing 0:07:51.480 --> 0:07:55.080 Jire says there when waddle, when these guys are coming 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.720 in motion, just how flipping fast they are. You can 0:07:58.800 --> 0:08:01.200 see it. It's not just a straight line speed. It's 0:08:01.200 --> 0:08:03.560 their ability to turn on a dime. That is a 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:06.800 challenge that is ever present when you're facing the Miami Dolphins. 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:08.720 It's the reason why no team wants to see them 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:12.440 in the playoffs, because those guys are game records. Green 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:14.760 Bay in the second half, whether it was in its 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:17.720 gains having to step in for Keyshaw Nixon being out, 0:08:17.720 --> 0:08:19.960 whether it was Reid having to play important snaps at 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.320 the five tech with Dean Lowery being unavailable due to 0:08:22.360 --> 0:08:25.880 the calf injury, Darniell Savage coming back in and playing 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:29.080 on the top of that thing. Packers needed to keep 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.480 those playmakers in front of them, and they needed to tackle. 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:33.560 They did that in the second half. And when you 0:08:33.640 --> 0:08:37.880 do that enough, Mike, it generates turnovers, it generates takeaways. 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.800 When you're asking a young quarterback like to a young 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.520 team like the Dolphins, to be able to extend to 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:47.320 to grind for points. The Green Bay Packers defense got 0:08:47.320 --> 0:08:49.920 back to doing what it did well at Spurts last season, 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:51.600 and I thought that was a big key to victory 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:54.040 in this Yeah, it absolutely was. And and there was 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:58.120 so much about this game that was that was characteristic 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:00.520 of this Packers season in general. All and what I 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:05.480 mean by that is up and down, positives, negatives on 0:09:06.200 --> 0:09:08.520 in all three phases you look at, you look at 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:12.199 special teams. Keyshawn Nixon has a ninety three yard kickoff 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.040 return right on on Miami's first kickoff after the opening 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:17.880 field goal, but the special teams also botched a fake 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:21.800 punt and gave Miami the ball in great field position. Offensively, 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:25.000 that drive to start the second half had to have 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:28.200 it down by seven. You can you can wipe out 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:30.360 everything that's happened in the first two and a half 0:09:30.440 --> 0:09:33.400 quarters if you can drive down and tie the game 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:36.679 at that moment, because you say, okay, it's game on. 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:39.360 Nothing up to this point has mattered and let's go, 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:41.800 and the Packers were able to do that. Took seven 0:09:41.800 --> 0:09:44.080 minutes off the clock, eleven plays. I think it was 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:47.800 seventy eight yards. Tremendous offensive drive when you had to 0:09:47.840 --> 0:09:51.920 have it. But two failures in goal to go that 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:54.480 led to field goals, another failure in the red zone 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:57.160 that led to a field goal. Packers not offensively not 0:09:57.280 --> 0:09:59.959 able to capitalize on all their opportunities. So there were 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:02.840 as the positives and negatives, and then defensively, as we 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:06.200 talked about getting burned by the explosives early on, but 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:09.680 then suddenly over the last thirty two minutes of the game, 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:14.240 you generate four takeaways, will completely change the complexion of 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:17.360 the game. So the Packers are still kind of riding this, 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:20.480 you know, this roller coaster of of up and down play. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:23.800 They know what they're capable of, they know what they 0:10:23.800 --> 0:10:26.079 need to fix. If they can take if they can 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:28.240 take care of the ladder in these last two games, 0:10:28.280 --> 0:10:30.520 they might still be playing in January. You set me 0:10:30.600 --> 0:10:34.120 up perfectly here, John Stockton, my Carl Malone, all right, 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:36.720 because that is the thing I really wanted to delve 0:10:36.720 --> 0:10:40.040 into here, Because yes, the Packers did not generate enough 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.839 points off of those takeaways. Yes, if you kick too 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.720 many field goals, it is probably a recipe to lose 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:48.520 those games. But you know what Green Bay did in 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:51.040 this game that they've struggled with at times. It's not 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:55.080 just the complimentary football, it's how well they excelled in 0:10:55.160 --> 0:11:00.400 situational football in this game. The Keyshawn Nixon kickoff return awesome. 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:03.559 He was lamenting afterwards not getting a touchdown. Rasil Douglas 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:05.400 made a little bit of a funny about that as well. 0:11:06.000 --> 0:11:08.240 They aren't able to get the touchdown. You have the 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:10.840 Dahl and Lovett fake punt doesn't go their way, but 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:14.120 the defense keeps Miami out of the end zone. Mike, 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:16.280 I'm telling you this too. You've covered this team five 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:19.000 years longer than I have, but this is the best 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:22.400 the Packers kickoff coverage units have looked in my time 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:26.559 on the beat. When they kick, these guys get down, 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:29.760 they stay in their lane, and they attack the football. 0:11:30.320 --> 0:11:33.240 In that game, with Whereee Moostred only averaging nineteen yards 0:11:33.280 --> 0:11:37.400 per kicking, where most is a weapon speedy kickoff return. 0:11:37.559 --> 0:11:40.800 You talk about using starters on special teams, Miami does that, 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:45.960 and then some in his gains Tyreek Carpenter. You know, 0:11:46.240 --> 0:11:47.679 I go back to the beginning of the season and 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:50.240 mettal Floor was asked about this on Monday in his post, 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:53.080 you know, day after press conference. You know, we talked 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:56.720 about down love, it about Keishaw Nixon, Ruby for Eric Wilson, 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:58.840 these veterans that have done this in the league before. 0:11:59.520 --> 0:12:01.480 But what was the thing you and I discussed back 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:03.640 in training camp. It was the idea of, Okay, you're 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:06.520 gonna have some guys that maybe aren't your traditional starters, 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:09.079 but our core special teamers that you're gonna build your 0:12:09.160 --> 0:12:12.400 units around. But once you get to December, you're gonna 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:14.440 have hungry guys like in his games emerge. You're gonna 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:17.280 have guys like Isaiah McDuffie emerge. You're gonna have somebody 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:20.920 making tackles like Trek Carpenter is right now, Patrick Taylor 0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:24.480 throwing blocks on on kick return for Keshan Nixon. King's 0:12:24.520 --> 0:12:28.720 leanning Bari. You know, the Carpenter one's the best example, 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:31.040 because here's a raw guy that Green Bay draft six 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:33.520 ft three two or thirty pounds, almost looks like a linebacker. 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:36.080 Everybody's asking about linebacker. What did I say to you 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:38.800 after they took him. I'm like, this is Sean Richardson 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:41.280 with more speed. This is a guy that has the 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:43.520 type of body type you look for on coverage teams. 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.120 And the Packers are able to win the field position battle. 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:49.680 They didn't play like the best team in every second 0:12:49.679 --> 0:12:51.720 of that game, but at the end of the day, 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:54.920 it was the takeaways, it was winning field position, it 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:57.040 was winning time of possession, and it was being the 0:12:57.080 --> 0:13:00.560 team that responded better to adversity. And that's how you 0:13:00.559 --> 0:13:03.080 make the playoffs. Yeah. Absolutely, and and and that's why 0:13:03.160 --> 0:13:05.800 I said, that's why I talked about how how important 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:09.160 that drive opening the third quarter was because there are 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.040 a lot of things that had gone wrong in the 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.560 first half of the Packers, yet they got to the 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:16.000 locker room down seven, they were getting the ball coming 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:20.360 out of halftime. And now after going after their first 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:23.600 nine tries this season when they were fielding the second 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:26.560 half kickoff, they only got one touchdown in their first 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:28.880 nine tries. They've now done it back to back weeks 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:32.440 against the Rams and the Dolphins taking that second half kickoff, 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:34.920 and this one was crucial because you get that game 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:37.400 tied up and then It's sort of like from then on, 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:39.760 the rest of the game is kind of crunch time, right, 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:43.040 It's like you forget about everything else. It's twenty to twenty. 0:13:43.080 --> 0:13:44.840 You play ball. You got a quarter and a half 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:47.160 with your season on the line, and from the time 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:50.520 that game was twenty to twenty, there was absolutely no 0:13:50.640 --> 0:13:52.760 question who the better team was on the field. And 0:13:53.000 --> 0:13:55.280 no matter what happens up to that point, when you 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:59.400 get to whatever moment a game reaches crunch time, there 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:02.560 is no better formula in this league for winning than 0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:05.560 being the better team with the game on the line, 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:08.400 because because it allows it allows you to cover up 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:12.280 the mistakes you make in an in in an inevitably 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:15.800 imperfect game, because nobody goes out there and and plays 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.360 a perfect game. So think about this too. Just with 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:20.280 the Packers having to settle for those field goals in 0:14:20.280 --> 0:14:22.800 the fourth quarter, they don't win that game if their 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:25.560 defense isn't playing the way they played late. I don't 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:28.360 know if I've ever felt more comfortable, at least during 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:30.320 the Mount Flora. I don't want to get too hyperbolic 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:33.480 about this, but about just needing to get the points 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.160 to make sure that if you give up some field position, 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.560 Miami can either tie it or win it with field goals. 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:41.520 That's what the Packers did in this game. It wasn't 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:44.080 just about the takeaways. It's about the fact that by 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:46.080 the time you got to the fourth quarter, midway through 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.640 the fourth quarter, you felt good about how green Bay 0:14:48.680 --> 0:14:51.240 was going to be able to defend them. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, 0:14:51.280 --> 0:14:55.840 And while a lot of things, really everything green Bay 0:14:55.880 --> 0:14:59.720 needed to go its way on Saturday on Christmas Eve 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.880 did and we'll get to some of that in a minute. 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:05.880 And as as we go over the playoffs scenarios, it 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.960 wasn't all sunshine and roses for the Packers because they 0:15:09.000 --> 0:15:11.880 did come back from Miami with a handful of injuries. 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:15.040 Christian Watson left the game with a hip injury. Keishaan 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:19.040 Nixon um obviously with the big kickoff return, and he'd been, 0:15:19.120 --> 0:15:21.600 you know, been working his way and developing into a 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:24.560 mainstay defensively as that nickel corner. He left the game 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.600 with a groin injury. Yash Naiman at right tackle left 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:31.600 the game with a shoulder injury. Royce Newman replaced him, 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:34.560 and Dean Lowry on the defensive line left the game 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:37.040 with a calf injury, which led to uh, some shifting 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.360 around with Jaron Reid, but then also more playing time 0:15:39.360 --> 0:15:43.040 for rookie Vonte Wyatt. Matt Lafleur has put all four 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:45.400 of those players in sort of the day to day 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:48.720 category as we head into this week and the preparations 0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:52.600 for the vikings on the field will begin on Wednesday, 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:55.240 and we will just see what the what the availability 0:15:55.280 --> 0:15:58.360 is for these guys. The Packers would love to get 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:02.720 them all back obviously, Um, but that's a that's a 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:05.960 wait and see thing. And as as healthy overall, aside 0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:08.280 from you know, not having or Shawn Gary and Eric 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:10.040 Stokes and you know, a couple of key guys like 0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:13.160 that on defense, David Bakery on offense. We had talked 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:16.120 about how the Packers are coming into this game about 0:16:16.160 --> 0:16:19.720 as healthy as you could ask for. Now the healthy equation, uh, 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:21.960 you know, turning against them a little bit. We'll have 0:16:22.000 --> 0:16:24.160 to see what happens as the week unfold. Yeah, And 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:26.360 to get back to that really quickly. To close on 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:28.800 this with that point about you know, the Packers and 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:31.040 not being able to convert at the end and getting 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.840 the end zone. It got to the fourth quarter there 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:35.880 where I started looking at them I'm like, man, who 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:39.040 are there available personnel at this point in time? Um, 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.600 you know, because Aaron Jones tweet the ankle, you're not 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:43.320 really able to use him. That's one of the reasons 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:46.040 why Patrick Taylor played in the situations He did a 0:16:46.160 --> 0:16:49.280 third and nine, Um, where he potentially might have been 0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:51.720 responsible for past protection. Even he's good in that area, 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:53.560 but I'm just saying, like you, and then he and 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:55.440 then he did pick up the blitz on the very 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:58.000 display after the third and nine, which was the thirty 0:16:58.000 --> 0:17:00.480 one yard passed down the down the sideline to Lewis. 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:02.720 So Patrick Taylor was in there in some in some 0:17:02.760 --> 0:17:05.960 crucial situations, and it even triggered in my mind in 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:08.120 those instances where it's like, you just gotta win this game. 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:10.120 You gotta figure out the injury report afterwards. You gotta 0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:12.560 write the hip isn't too bad, the groin isn't too bad. 0:17:13.240 --> 0:17:15.400 Now we will see what it's like. Matt Lafore said 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:17.120 on Monday, it looks like all these guys are day 0:17:17.119 --> 0:17:20.159 to day. Um, you know, Nixon had already been dealing 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:24.560 with the groin. That's the somewhat precarious one. But this 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:26.239 is what you gotta do, Mike, You gotta win these 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:28.000 football games. You gotta win with the guys you have, 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:29.800 and when you have ins gains out there a guy 0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:32.240 that never had played defensive snaps I can't remember in 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:34.919 the regular season before, you know, and being lining up 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:38.200 across from Jalen Waddle. That's how you win football games 0:17:38.200 --> 0:17:40.200 this time in the year. And the Packers did that. Yeah. Well, 0:17:40.280 --> 0:17:43.680 we do need to get to the playoff scenarios and implications, 0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:47.119 and we will do that momentarily. Here Serious x M 0:17:47.200 --> 0:17:49.960 NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the 0:17:49.960 --> 0:17:54.359 minute NFL news that true football fanatics need seven three 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:56.639 sixty five and at Cousin Subs, we have something for 0:17:56.680 --> 0:17:59.639 everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, mac and cheese, golden fries, 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:02.480 and cream shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or 0:18:02.560 --> 0:18:06.560 sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years of better. 0:18:06.920 --> 0:18:09.040 All right. I mentioned all the things that went Green 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:13.840 Bay's way on Christmas eve Day, which was the Lions losing, 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:18.959 the Seahawks losing, the Giants losing, and the Commander's losing. 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:23.480 So that couldn't have gone any better. The Packers get 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:26.040 the win that they need in Miami. So now Green 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:29.119 Bay comes back. You've got two home games here Minnesota 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:33.760 and Detroit division opponents, indoor teams coming hopefully to what 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:36.159 will be the cold of lambeau Field. Although it's not 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.280 supposed to be super cold on New Year's Day for 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:41.760 the Vikings. But um, but it's chillier than US Bank 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:45.160 Stadium certainly maybe not chillier than the press box in Miami, 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:48.919 the way you and I were freezing sitting underneath an 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:51.600 air conditioning event that nobody could figure out how to 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:56.960 shut off. But sorry, I digress. Um, So the Packers 0:18:56.960 --> 0:19:00.200 are coming back home. Here's here's the scenario. I'll lay 0:19:00.200 --> 0:19:03.120 it out for you as as simply as I plase, 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:06.159 and and it will be. And Path the Playoffs is 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:08.640 coming back on packers dot com. I promised it would 0:19:08.640 --> 0:19:10.240 be if the Packers got to seven and eight on 0:19:10.320 --> 0:19:14.840 Christmas that at McDonald's. There anything more jovial than I 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:17.680 tell you. People People are, people are fired up for 0:19:17.800 --> 0:19:20.159 the return of Path to the Playoffs. It's sort of 0:19:20.200 --> 0:19:23.960 generate generating all this excitement because I held off until 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:27.399 until the Packers got to this point. Packers are seven 0:19:27.440 --> 0:19:30.400 and eight if they can win out and finish nine 0:19:30.400 --> 0:19:35.919 and eight. They need either a loss by Washington or 0:19:36.040 --> 0:19:39.520 two losses by the New York Giants, and the Packers 0:19:39.520 --> 0:19:42.960 will have a playoff spot. Now, I don't even want 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:46.439 to get into the scenarios. You might as well go 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.800 buy a powerball ticket if you're trying to figure out 0:19:49.800 --> 0:19:51.960 how the Packers can get into the playoffs at eight 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:54.560 and nine if they split their last games as opposed 0:19:54.560 --> 0:19:57.480 to winning them. Both Packers are in a position now 0:19:57.560 --> 0:19:59.440 where if they can win them both get to nine 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:02.800 and eight. It's all about what happens with the Giants 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:06.080 and the Commanders and uh and we'll just have to 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:09.520 We'll just have to see what unfolds um. This week, 0:20:10.320 --> 0:20:13.080 both the Giants and the Commanders are playing teams with 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:17.160