WEBVTT - #812 Packers Unscripted: Scoping out San Fran 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:19.040 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:19.079 --> 0:00:22.560 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spoffer, joined as always 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.160 by the one and only Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to 0:00:25.200 --> 0:00:29.240 you here from our studios at Lambefield to preview this 0:00:29.360 --> 0:00:33.640 Sunday's three twenty five pm Central Time kickoff at Lambefield 0:00:33.680 --> 0:00:37.919 against the San Francisco forty nine Ers and Wes. I 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:41.480 don't think anybody thought that the forty nine Ers would 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:44.479 be five and five at this stage, But what I 0:00:44.720 --> 0:00:47.680 can tell you is that there is nobody in that 0:00:47.720 --> 0:00:50.639 Packers locker room who's looking at five and five as 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:53.720 any indication of the opponent that they are facing. 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:57.920 I wish I could remember the forty nine Ers journalist 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.440 or member of the media who had tweeted. I tweeted, 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:02.480 it's snowed in Green Bay this morning. I don't know 0:01:02.480 --> 0:01:05.520 if you coul tell. When we were driving in, I 0:01:05.640 --> 0:01:10.200 tweeted out a video of Lambeufield and the snow that's 0:01:10.280 --> 0:01:12.560 encapsulating everything. And there's a bunch of San Francisco media 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:14.840 of them picking up on that, and somebody from the 0:01:14.880 --> 0:01:19.400 San Francisco Media Corps retweeted it and it put as 0:01:19.400 --> 0:01:22.120 far as the text that went along with it, basically 0:01:22.160 --> 0:01:26.000 acknowledging it's tough game coming up. But they said five 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.760 and five about as desperate as a team can be 0:01:29.319 --> 0:01:33.160 at this point, backed into a corner. And I felt 0:01:33.200 --> 0:01:35.320 like that was such a good summation of this because Michael, 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:37.560 I'll tell you what if you just look at the 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:42.840 statistics and then you go through everything at the very 0:01:42.880 --> 0:01:45.040 end of it, say okay, what is this team's record 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:49.080 very easily could be a seven eight, nine win team. 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:52.600 Yeah no, and then you dive farther into it. Five 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:57.800 and five four losses by three points or fewer. They've 0:01:57.840 --> 0:02:00.800 been in every single game they've played this seas and 0:02:01.360 --> 0:02:05.560 they've weathered so many injuries. And we'll go into all 0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:07.840 the breakdowns of positions and phases, but the fact that 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:11.840 they got through eight games though Christian McCaffrey, they developed 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:13.960 Jordan Mason the way that they did that he could 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.080 be a lead back, would have easily probably been a 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:17.960 fourteen hundred yard rusher if you had to play out 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:21.000 the whole string of the season. Here. It just shows 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:25.680 you the innovativeness of Kyle Shanahan, the adjustments they've had 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.560 to make defensively to a slew of changes. They just 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:31.799 are always competitive. So yeah, in a lot of ways, Mike, 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:33.800 I look at this game as, yeah, it's it's seven 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:35.920 and three verses five and five. But very easily this 0:02:35.960 --> 0:02:38.120 could be a playoff preview type matchup. 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:42.440 Yeah, it absolutely could. And yeah, I think the forty 0:02:42.520 --> 0:02:47.079 nine ers probably are are about as as desperate as 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.320 it gets now with the way things are going in 0:02:49.400 --> 0:02:53.800 the NFC West, They're not going to be out of anything, no, 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:56.880 because nobody's running away with that division. The leaders will 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.399 talk about their big matchup later. The Cardinals are six 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:02.080 and four, sitting on top of that division. So the 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:04.000 fact that the Niners are just one game back of 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:09.320 the division lead, but that actually the reason the Cardinals 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:11.400 are in first and the Niners are in second is 0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:15.040 very interesting to look at because one of those four 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:18.720 very close losses you mentioned was to the Cardinals. It 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:22.280 was at home for San Francisco, big divisional matchup, and 0:03:22.360 --> 0:03:26.400 they were going in for a touchdown late in the 0:03:26.400 --> 0:03:28.840 fourth quarter that would have given them a two score lead, 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:31.720 and they fumbled the ball inside the ten yard Yep. 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:35.080 Kyler Murray then takes the Cardinals the other way, the 0:03:35.120 --> 0:03:38.160 Cardinals end up getting the victory. On the other end 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:41.800 of things, that fumble inside the ten yard line is 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:48.920 one huge play that is defining San Francisco's season right now. 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:51.600 They had the four close losses. The other loss was 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:53.680 to the Kansas City Chiefs, I think by ten points 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:56.440 or so. You know, certainly no shame in that. But 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:00.480 looking at where the Niners are, they are as far 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:03.160 as total yardage goes, they are the number two offense 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:06.200 in the NFL. They are the number six defense in 0:04:06.240 --> 0:04:13.200 the NFL. Everything about this team says this is pretty 0:04:13.280 --> 0:04:15.880 much the same team that went to the Super Bowl 0:04:15.920 --> 0:04:19.520 a year ago and nearly won the Super Bowl, except 0:04:19.520 --> 0:04:23.160 the record, accept the ability to win some of these 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:28.080 close games. Brock Perdy dealing with a shoulder injury sounds 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:30.120 like he's going to play, like he's not in danger 0:04:30.160 --> 0:04:33.120 of missing the game, but he is limited in practice 0:04:33.160 --> 0:04:36.839 to this point, and we'll see where things are health wise. 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:39.200 I think the thing that's impressed me the most about 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:41.520 their offense, and not that this is all that different 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:45.280 from previous years, but you look at the weapons as 0:04:45.320 --> 0:04:48.200 far as Purty spreading the ball around in the passing game, 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:53.560 Juwan Jennings, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel. Samuel is just ten 0:04:53.640 --> 0:04:56.480 yards away from five hundred receiving yards on the season, 0:04:56.480 --> 0:04:58.520 and all three of those guys would be over five 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:02.480 yards then once once he gets there, So that certainly 0:05:02.480 --> 0:05:06.360 stands out. And you mentioned Christian McCaffrey is back. Jordan 0:05:06.440 --> 0:05:10.640 Mason seven hundred rushing yards in Christian McCaffrey's place. That 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:13.360 was a heck of a job by that young man. 0:05:13.400 --> 0:05:18.240 But Packers had their trouble with McCaffrey in the playoff 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:22.279 matchup last year. And you know, I think brock Purdy. 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:26.040 The other thing I'll say is, hopefully the Packers kind 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.279 of getting burned a little bit by Caleb Williams and 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:30.880 his legs and the scrambling and the zone read stuff. 0:05:31.200 --> 0:05:33.760 Hopefully that was a little bit of an alarm bell, 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:36.440 a wake up call for what Brock Purdy might do 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:40.000 with his legs, especially if his throwing shoulder is bothering him. 0:05:40.000 --> 0:05:41.720 He might be a little bit more inclined to get 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:43.599 away from the pressure and not take a hit on 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.839 that bad shoulder and try to take off and run. 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:50.919 But it's no different than any other year when you 0:05:50.960 --> 0:05:53.320 face the forty nine Ers where you can't just go 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:55.080 into it and say, Okay, we're gonna try to take 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:57.560 this guy away and let other guys beat us, because 0:05:57.880 --> 0:05:59.120 whom do you pick? 0:05:59.200 --> 0:06:01.800 Yeah, juwan right, I mean that's what kind of happened 0:06:01.839 --> 0:06:03.359 last year in the playoff game. I mean this is 0:06:03.680 --> 0:06:05.960 you know they lose Brandon Ayuk. Now, well, Jennings has 0:06:06.000 --> 0:06:09.039 become a primary target for them in this offense. George 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:11.040 Kittle was telling the media this week, when you play 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:13.240 the Packers, you want they're up on the schedule, you 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:15.640 want to be out there. Although he's been battling kind 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:18.799 of a lingering hamstring injury for at least the last month. 0:06:19.880 --> 0:06:22.440 There's so many different things to point to with this 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.159 offense and in the ways that they can generate yards 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:29.000 and production and efficiency. I talked to last month when 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:30.880 the Packer I actually say earlier this month, when the 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:34.360 Packers are getting ready to face the Detroit Lions. Why 0:06:34.400 --> 0:06:36.640 were the Lions successful in that game? Well, it was 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:38.599 kind of that blueprint that the forty nine Ers have 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:41.320 sort of set for the league, which is run the 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:44.440 clock out, take the air out of the ball, win 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:46.800 the game of possessions. This is still the number one 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:50.160 ranked average time of possession team at the National Football League. 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:52.760 The forty nine Ers have gotten away from some of 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:54.719 the things that they've done well in the past. They've 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:57.880 given up too many explosive plays defensively while buying large 0:06:57.880 --> 0:07:01.279 still playing well. You talk to about the missfield goals, 0:07:01.360 --> 0:07:03.359 you know in some of these matchups, and Jake Moody 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:08.039 having an injury that kind of sidelined him for a minute, fumbles, 0:07:08.120 --> 0:07:10.560 those type of things. It's just the forty nine Ers 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:13.480 just haven't They've had one or two things go wrong 0:07:13.560 --> 0:07:15.520 in most of these games that they just haven't been 0:07:15.520 --> 0:07:17.920 able to overcome, and that's why they're sitting where they are. 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:20.760 But you know, Christian McCaffrey is two weeks back now 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:23.960 in this offense. He's still getting his feet underneath him. 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:25.760 This is not the game where the Packers want to 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:29.120 help him be able to do that. I think there's 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:31.320 a very clear line here and things that have to 0:07:31.360 --> 0:07:34.320 happen for Green Bay to come out victorious. And a 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:37.680 lot of it is picking your poison. In another part 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:40.600 of it is making sure that whatever you do emphasize 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:43.560 you shut that aspect down. That's how green Bay got 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:45.200 off to the start they did last year in the 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:47.800 playoff game. They weren't able to continue it for the 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:50.160 full four quarters, but that's how they were able to 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:52.720 control the tempo early on. And I feel like being 0:07:52.840 --> 0:07:55.280 back at lambeau Field, a place where you know they've 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:57.480 had success against the forty nine ers, even during the 0:07:57.560 --> 0:08:00.320 Kyle Shanahan era. You have to use all that to 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:01.000 your advantage. 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.760 Yeah. Absolutely. On the defensive side of the ball, it 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:09.200 sounds like Nick Bosa, the star edge rusher for the 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.320 forty nine ers. To steal an old line from Mike McCarthy, 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:16.880 it sounds like Bosa will be hard pressed to play on. 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.520 No disrespect to Bosa, I just I love that McCarthy 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:22.160 when when McCarthy would say that you knew, all right, 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:24.480 well pretty much count that guy out for Sunday. 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:28.480 Yeah, he's he's dealing with kind of a hip oblique 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.960 type injury. It sounded like he was trying to play 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:34.120 through it last week, then he aggravated it, came out 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:36.280 of the game, and then frankly his absence on the 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:39.160 final drive for the Seahawks where Gino Smith took Seattle 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:43.080 right down the field and Gino Smith then scrambled to 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:45.840 the pylon and scored the winning touchdown to beat San 0:08:45.880 --> 0:08:49.960 Francisco with just twelve seconds left. Bosa's absence was was 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:53.960 crucial in in that loss, and he's he is their 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:57.360 their leading pass rusher with with seven sacks on the season. 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:02.920 The biggest thing that sticks out to me defensively about 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:05.920 this group of San Francisco forty nine ers is they 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:10.040 have nine different players with an interception. Yea, they have 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:13.679 eleven interceptions, which is a lot, but only two guys 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:16.200 with two interceptions. There are nine different guys who have 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:20.240 picked off a pass on this defense, and that's certainly 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:21.800 something to keep an eye on come Sunday. 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:25.160 Yeah. Indeed, Leonore, who I think just got an extension 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:27.439 if I remember correctly, with the forty nine ers, has 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:30.200 been just a revelation for them. And that was one 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:32.920 thing that even you know, whether it goes kind of 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:35.760 even goes back to the Harbaugh days. Yeah, they played 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:38.200 really good defensively. You knew all their names for their 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:40.960 their defensive line and then their linebackers, but then they 0:09:41.000 --> 0:09:43.920 sometimes wouldn't have the star cornerbacks or anything like that. 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:46.800 They just they won a lot with that front seven. Well, well, 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:48.839 Leonore is a guy that has added a lot. He's 0:09:48.840 --> 0:09:50.680 been a real fine for them, a former fifth round 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:52.920 pick I think in twenty twenty one, and then you 0:09:52.960 --> 0:09:56.839 go to Fred Warner. Certainly Dre Greenlaw losing him in 0:09:56.880 --> 0:09:59.679 the Super Bowl I think has affected them. That has 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:02.640 been a a huge challenge for them. Obviously, they tried 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:06.760 to sign they did sign DeAndre Campbell Debandre Campbell to 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:10.760 be able to try to offset that absence. I think 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.000 they're going to get Greenlaw back at some point this season, 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.600 it sounds like, but by and large, I mean, you 0:10:15.679 --> 0:10:18.320 still have to be so cognizant of what this defense 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:20.880 can do and how they can hurt you, and when 0:10:20.960 --> 0:10:24.320 you have Warner there like that's I say this. Every 0:10:24.360 --> 0:10:26.640 time the Packers have played the forty nine Ers, it's 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:28.319 been This will be the seventh time, I believe in 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:32.160 the last five years. It doesn't matter what the year is. 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:34.600 You could take me back twelve years. They always they 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:37.600 don't just have good linebackers. They have the best linebackers 0:10:37.600 --> 0:10:40.439 in the National Football League. The job that they've done 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:43.120 developing them and the way that now Nick Sorenson is 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:48.240 using them, they are a real problem to deal with 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.200 and there's a reason why every single time the Packers 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:54.320 played them, Aaron Rodgers would pay his respect to Warner 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:57.600 and what he brings in the type of sideline sideline 0:10:57.600 --> 0:10:59.440 player he is, but also the way he can attack 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:04.920 the runage. He's a complete five tool linebackers. So yeah, 0:11:05.000 --> 0:11:07.720 and then with the litany of guys that can intercept 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:09.680 the football. I mean it just there's so much in 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:12.400 this game on running the ball well, protecting the football, 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:14.600 and making sure that you don't give the forty nine 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:15.920 ers any extra opportunities. 0:11:16.000 --> 0:11:19.120 Well, let's dive right into the keys to victory then 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:21.800 for this one, I'll start. There are a few on 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:24.439 my list here, but I'm going to start with this one. 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:28.080 I think the Packers have to get a takeaway in 0:11:28.160 --> 0:11:31.800 this game, nineteen takeaways. The Packers have been stuck on 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:35.440 nineteen for a little while here because not just because 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:37.760 of the bye week, but because their last two games 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:40.840 against the Lions and the Bears, the defense did not 0:11:40.920 --> 0:11:43.800 take the football away. So that's been that's been a 0:11:43.880 --> 0:11:46.240 change in terms of in terms of what we saw earlier. 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:48.240 And the other reason I bring it up for this 0:11:48.320 --> 0:11:53.360 game in particular is because I think if the Packers 0:11:53.400 --> 0:11:57.440 get one takeaway off of Purdy last January, they win 0:11:57.520 --> 0:12:00.920 that game going away. Darnell Savage had an interception maybe 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:02.679 a pick six that hit him right in the chest. 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:06.679 Keishawn Nixon had an interception that he certainly regrets letting 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:10.120 get away from him. Either one of those plays. If 0:12:10.160 --> 0:12:13.000 the Packers get the interception off of Purdy, I think 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:16.560 Brock Purdy is the goat of San Francisco's season because 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:18.240 the Packers are going to go in there as the 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:21.480 seventh seed and knock off the one and it's going 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:23.640 to be because of one of those interceptions and the 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:26.520 Packers just didn't hang on to the football. You've got 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:28.720 to be able to make that play in this game 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:30.080 when Perdy gives you that chance. 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:32.080 Yeah. I mean that's also the difference in the type 0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:34.679 of safety play too. I mean, Savage wasn't able to 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:36.280 make those type of plays here. But you look at 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:38.439 a guy like Zabra McKinney now at six, I mean 0:12:38.440 --> 0:12:41.160 that if he's in that position, what potentially could happen. 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:44.200 Evan Williams the way that he played, he's back, it 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:46.720 looks like the hamstring injuries behind him. That's now become 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:48.719 a strength as far as positions for green Bay. So 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:50.839 I agree with you one hundred percent. There's two things 0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:52.480 that stand out to me about this, and you already 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:54.960 read one of them in my inbox column. The one 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:58.520 area whereas offensively San Francisco has struggled this year is 0:12:58.520 --> 0:13:00.400 in goal to go. It's in the red zone area, 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:02.640 and they're pretty much the same kind of boat that 0:13:02.679 --> 0:13:04.640 Green Bay is. Where they move the ball well, but 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:06.760 when they get inside the twenty, it's been kind of 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:09.640 a grind trying to turn those into touchdowns. I feel 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:11.760 like whoever is able to win that aspect of this 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:15.320 game wins this football game. The other thing, too, I 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:17.760 don't expect snow out here on Sunday like we had 0:13:17.760 --> 0:13:19.640 this morning at Lambeufield on Thursday. 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:21.800 I don't think that's in the forecast. 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:24.200 But it's still going to be right around forty. What 0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:27.000 does that mean, Well, kickoffs and there's going to be 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:30.559 more opportunities Keishawn Nixon, you know, this is where he 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:32.880 typically has been able to heat up late in the season. 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:35.960 San Francisco's thirtieth in the league right now. On kickoff 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.959 return def coverage, I mean there's a potential there for 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:41.760 Nixon to break one. And when you look at game 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:44.520 changing special teams plays, we saw it last week, and 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:46.640 maybe there's another one in there for Green Bay this one. 0:13:46.760 --> 0:13:49.400 And Nixon had a big return last January in that 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:52.080 playoff game. He ended up fumbling the ball at Eric 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:55.600 Wilson makes the great recovery, but Nixon almost almost broke 0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:58.760 that one. And that long kickoff return in the playoff 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:01.080 game did set up a touchdown for the Packers. So 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:04.719 you're definitely, you're definitely onto something there. The other two 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:07.800 things that stand out to me in this one, and 0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:12.160 I already already suggested one already, and that's too that's 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.320 to not let Rock Purty beat you with his legs. 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.480 The Packers defense really was, as I said in our 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:19.840 last show, felt like the defense was on its heels 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.880 all game because of what Caleb Williams for the Bears 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:26.400 was doing with his legs. You can't kind of be 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.440 put in that position again. And I do think. I mean, 0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:34.280 Purdy is certainly, you know, a capable scrambler regardless, but 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:36.640 the fact that his throwing shoulder is not one hundred 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:39.600 percent not to say that he's that he's going to 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:42.000 hesitate to make any throws. But it's more to me, 0:14:42.120 --> 0:14:44.560 it feels like if he's going to be hesitant to 0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:48.720 take any hits, you know, because you know, one hit 0:14:48.800 --> 0:14:51.560 in the wrong spot, the you know, right slash wrong 0:14:51.600 --> 0:14:54.600 spot could you know, could really change things for perty. 0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:57.080 So he might be even more inclined to take off 0:14:57.440 --> 0:14:59.400 get out of the pocket. And the Packers have really 0:14:59.440 --> 0:15:02.160 got to contin and him in the pocket. And then 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:04.360 the other thing is and I know I said, we've 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:07.520 been talking about the whole pick your poison thing, but man, 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:10.720 if there is one through line in these games in 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:13.880 the Matt Lafleur era against the San Francisco Forti and Ires, 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:18.280 it's been George Kittle. He does damage against the Packers 0:15:18.360 --> 0:15:22.360 every single time. The only game that Kittle has played 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:24.880 in his career against the Packers in which he was 0:15:24.920 --> 0:15:28.200 not a factor, not a significant factor in my opinion, 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:31.720 was the twenty nineteen NFC Championship game where Raheem Moster 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:34.960 had the huge game and Jimmy Garoppolo only threw eight passes, 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:38.120 so there wasn't anything in the passing game for Kittle 0:15:38.200 --> 0:15:41.040 to do. All his other games, he missed the game 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:44.320 in twenty twenty. He was on ir All of Kittle's 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:48.040 other games against the Packers, there is significant production usually 0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:50.760 comes with a touchdown. I think you've got to find 0:15:50.800 --> 0:15:53.160 a way to limit him better than the Packers have 0:15:53.240 --> 0:15:55.240 done in the past. And is that a cure all, No, 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:58.840 because you got McCaffrey, you got Deebo Samuy, you got 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:01.680 Juwan Jennings, and there plenty of other weapons to deal with. 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:04.440 But I would like to see a Packers defense not 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:06.120 let George Kittle beat him for once. 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.040 Yeah, for sure. And if I may to bring it 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:11.400 back to pretty to a little bit as well. The 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:13.440 one thing, you know, this year it's been a little 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:14.600 bit more up and down for him. I mean the 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.560 stats don't jump off the page obviously, as you mentioned, 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:19.520 he's also dealing with the shoulder now. But why he's 0:16:19.560 --> 0:16:21.480 been such a good fifty You know, people get so 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:24.040 tied up in the fact he was mister irrelevant. I 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:26.600 think sometimes you forget about why he fits so well 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.960 into Shanahan's offense and a lot of what he does 0:16:30.040 --> 0:16:32.360 is similar to what Jared Goff is doing in Detroit now. 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:35.600 It's efficiency, it is protecting the football, it's making the 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:39.160 plays that are there, maybe not having all the incredible 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:42.440 highlight reel Sports center type plays, but being able to 0:16:42.520 --> 0:16:45.480 matriculate the ball down the field. And that's where he's 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:48.360 really excelled. And to bring it back to Kittle, the 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:52.080 ability for him to come in from day one and 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:56.320 be able to maintain and build that chemistry with his 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.760 tight end. I mean, yeah, Ayuk has been in and out. 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:03.080 He had the holdout this past year. Deebo Samuel is 0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:04.920 using a variety of different ways. But when you think 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:08.640 of this San Francisco offense, even before Christian McCaffrey got here, 0:17:09.000 --> 0:17:12.040 George Kittle was the constant. He's the fifth round pick 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:15.920 that became a superstar, and seeing him really be able 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:18.720 to grow with Purdy has been something I think one 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:20.919 has helped kind of make his own case for a 0:17:20.920 --> 0:17:24.280 Hall of Fame career, but two is what enabled Perdy 0:17:24.320 --> 0:17:26.040 to be able to come in as a rookie and 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:29.720 second year player and ultimately make an impact. We've seen 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:32.240 it time and time again. The best friend of a 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:34.760 young quarterback in the National Football League is a tight end. 0:17:34.920 --> 0:17:36.960 It's happening in Green Bay here right now with Tucker 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:39.600 Craft and Jordan Love. When you have that type of 0:17:39.600 --> 0:17:42.679 guy you can turn to. That's where you go when 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:44.200 you need a first down, that's where you go when 0:17:44.200 --> 0:17:46.520 you need to make a play. And Kittle's always been 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:46.960 that guy. 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:51.320 Yeah, last year, last year, in that playoff game in January, 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:54.960 it was it was Kittle, Kittle and McCaffrey that did 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:57.240 a lot of damage when Deebo Samuel left the game 0:17:57.359 --> 0:18:01.000 with an injury. We'll see, we'll see how close to 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:04.560 full speed, full strength Kittle is with the hamstring injury, 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:07.119 and playing in forty degree weather isn't always the greatest 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:10.080 thing for hamstring injuries either, So you know, we'll just 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:11.360 have to see how that plays out. 0:18:11.440 --> 0:18:13.320 Kittle's a tough son of a gun, but I is. 0:18:13.359 --> 0:18:15.159 But I do want to mention this is something he 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:17.560 has been dealing with. He's miss games already with this 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:20.119 hamstring injury. He took a week off. We'll see if 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:22.679 it helps him, if it's gonna be something that is 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:25.399 going to allow him to play more. But Michael, you 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:26.960 and I have been covering this league for a long time. 0:18:26.960 --> 0:18:29.879 I covered track and field before this. Those things just 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.720 don't go away. Yeah, it's not an injury where it's 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:34.960 like six weeks for a bone to heal. It doesn't 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.320 work like that. Sometimes you tear it in different spots. 0:18:37.320 --> 0:18:40.399 I mean is it is probably one of the biggest 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:44.080 storylines to follow going into Sunday and throughout Sunday. 0:18:44.160 --> 0:18:47.359 Yeah, without a doubt, a little bit of sponsor business 0:18:47.359 --> 0:18:51.040 here West Sirius XM NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis 0:18:51.040 --> 0:18:53.680 and up to the minute NFL news that true football 0:18:53.680 --> 0:18:56.560 fanatics need. Twenty four to seven, three sixty five and 0:18:56.600 --> 0:18:59.280 had cousin subs. We have something for everyone like our 0:18:59.280 --> 0:19:03.159 Wisconsin Chief Kurds, mac and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.680 all paired with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. 0:19:05.760 --> 0:19:10.720 Cousin Subs. Fifty plus years of better All right, Week 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:13.280 twelve in the NFL. First, we'll take a look at 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:17.719 the NFC North and an interesting matchup. The Bears playing 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:21.760 their third consecutive home game. This one will be against 0:19:21.800 --> 0:19:25.760 the Minnesota Vikings, and as frustrating as that loss was 0:19:25.800 --> 0:19:28.080 for the Bears last week to lose to the Packers 0:19:28.119 --> 0:19:30.960 on the blocked field goal, you get the sense that 0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:33.639 the Bears are back in that spot where they feel 0:19:33.640 --> 0:19:35.880 like they got something to build on with their offense 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:39.520 and with Caleb Williams. This Minnesota Vikings defense is going 0:19:39.560 --> 0:19:41.720 to be a huge challenge in that regard. This will 0:19:41.760 --> 0:19:44.680 be an interesting matchup the first. 0:19:44.520 --> 0:19:47.000 Time that Caleb Williams is seeing this Brian Flores defense 0:19:47.040 --> 0:19:50.000 as well. Yep. So there's parts of it that I 0:19:50.040 --> 0:19:53.719 wonder about, you know, certainly the diagnosing of that front, 0:19:53.760 --> 0:19:56.040 where your pressure points are, how things are going to 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:58.840 be thrown at you, finding your pursuit angles and finding 0:19:58.880 --> 0:20:01.600 your escape you know, zone from the pocket. All those 0:20:01.600 --> 0:20:04.280