WEBVTT - #447 Packers Unscripted: Answering the call 0:00:00.960 --> 0:00:20.400 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:24.760 I am Mike Spofford, sitting alongside my trusted colleague Wes Hodkuwitz. 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:28.400 Were coming to you here from our studios at Lambeo 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:32.960 Field and West were another day closer to Packers Cowboys 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:38.120 Sunday in Dallas, a T and T Stadium, Central time kickoff. 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:40.919 Pretty much a nationally televised game from what I understand 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:44.040 pretty much about it, but the whole country is gonna 0:00:44.159 --> 0:00:47.400 see this one in a really neat little part of 0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:49.600 that as well. I was confirming this with our boss, 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:52.159 Duke Bober. It actually will be. You can be streamed 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:55.520 live online as well, because it's open to the entire 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:59.040 national viewing public as well. A lot of eyeballs on 0:00:59.080 --> 0:01:01.160 this game, Yes, they're will be a lot of eyeballs 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:03.440 on this game, and for good reason. Not just because 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.679 of the Packers and the Cowboys and their fan bases. 0:01:07.720 --> 0:01:09.800 But it's two teams that are three and one and 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:12.680 one of these teams, both of these teams fighting to 0:01:12.720 --> 0:01:14.800 get to four and one. One of them will get there. 0:01:15.160 --> 0:01:18.679 And with regards to the Packers, as Green Baby began 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:22.960 its practice week on Wednesday, to prepare for this game. 0:01:23.040 --> 0:01:25.360 Some good news on the injury front in that right 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:29.680 tackle Brian Blaga was back on the practice field limited 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:33.600 capacity due to the shoulder injury, but having him back 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:36.759 at practice with a lot of uncertainty elsewhere. And we'll 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:39.880 get into some of the ramifications here as well, but 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:43.280 Jamal Williams didn't practice. He's in the concussion protocol. Davante 0:01:43.360 --> 0:01:46.600 Adams did not practice, still dealing with the toe injury. 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:50.080 The fact that the fact that Blaga was back out 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:53.120 there and you can go into a really really tough 0:01:53.400 --> 0:01:56.800 road environment with those two book ends potentially in box 0:01:56.840 --> 0:01:59.760 tr and Bolaga to handle those edge rushers Robert Quinn 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.400 and to Marcus Lawrence, that could be a really really 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:05.040 big factor in this game for Green Bay. On equivocally, 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:06.840 I mean it's going to be critical, I think for 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:09.480 the Packers to have Bulaga available. Now we're shooting this 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:13.040 before Thursday's padded practice. We see exactly what he's able 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:15.480 to do if he's able to go for that. But 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:18.560 the fact when you're coming off an injury that sidelines 0:02:18.560 --> 0:02:20.560 you for the rest of the ballgame. You and I 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:23.000 have been doing this long enough, you don't always anticipate 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:26.359 seeing those guys at Wednesday's practice and Bilaga was out there. 0:02:26.480 --> 0:02:28.280 And you know, I was talking a couple of weeks 0:02:28.320 --> 0:02:29.840 ago when I wrote the story about him, and we 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:31.880 were discussing some of the history of him in Green Bay. 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:34.280 I mean, I really think his toughness gets overlooked by 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:36.760 a lot of people and what he's played through. There 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:38.480 have been some injuries, but he's also played at a 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:41.600 pretty high level through uh, you know, a course of 0:02:41.919 --> 0:02:45.400 different setbacks. So right now, I tip my cap to 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:47.280 Alex lde. I thought he did a really nice job 0:02:47.320 --> 0:02:49.480 trying to come in there allowing the packers other for 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:53.800 offensive linemen to stay in their best spot. But everybody knows, 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:55.480 I mean, this line is at its best when Brian 0:02:55.480 --> 0:02:58.400 blog is available, and in that environment, with the communication 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:00.400 issues that could be in play with how allowed it 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:03.120 gets within in a T and T stadium, I think 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.160 could be really important for them to have Blogger for 0:03:05.200 --> 0:03:07.799 this one. Yeah, and you said that his toughness can 0:03:07.800 --> 0:03:10.359 get overlooked at times, because he is a guy who 0:03:10.520 --> 0:03:12.520 in the course of his career has missed some time 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:17.320 with significant injuries. But what's gotten overlooked are the times 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.200 that he has played through a lot of things that 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:24.560 would sideline other players, and Aaron Rodgers commented on this 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:28.160 Wednesday after practice that he gives Brian Bulaga a lot 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:30.560 of credit for the things that he has fought through 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:33.520 over the years to be out there to help the team. 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:36.320 It's it's certainly a pride thing with him. It's a 0:03:36.320 --> 0:03:38.560 pride thing for a lot of players in the locker 0:03:38.640 --> 0:03:40.680 room to do whatever it takes to get ready to go. 0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:46.280 But Rogers specifically pointed out Bolaga and Davante Adams in 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:50.680 this respect, because even as Adams has not yet returned 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:54.080 to the practice field, nobody is necessarily ruling him out 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:56.840 quite yet for Sunday. It's still a wait and see 0:03:56.840 --> 0:04:00.320 thing there. And Rogers said, they're just some guys who 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:03.560 are who are born with the type of toughness, the 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:07.160 type of dedication and the personal drive that they will 0:04:07.160 --> 0:04:09.960 do whatever it takes to get out there. And uh, 0:04:10.000 --> 0:04:13.880 and he certainly complimented both Bolaga and Adams on that 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:16.440 aspect of what they bring to the locker room. Yeah, 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:18.400 so two different things here. If blog is able to 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:21.560 go on, Sundy will actually his hundred career start already. 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.880 Regular season started, so a nice little feather in his 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:28.040 cap being able to accomplish that from Davante Adams, It's 0:04:28.160 --> 0:04:30.200 very interesting when you look at his story what has 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:33.520 become his story over the last five years. You it 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:36.920 is impossible to beat the horse anymore dead than it 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:40.560 already is about what happened in two thousand. There is 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:43.520 no moisture left in that thing. I mean, it is done. 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.239 But the one thing that very few people talk about 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:49.359 is what he battled through that year. Then. First I 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:52.120 believe it was the ankle, then it was the knee injury, 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:54.359 and I think it was Rogers even comments and he 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:56.840 basically was playing on one leg for most of that season. 0:04:57.120 --> 0:04:59.800 But yet he went out there and not once a 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.040 of than what the injury report said. Not once did 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:04.160 he ever go to his locker and make excuses about it, 0:05:04.480 --> 0:05:07.240 never said it was an issue until the following year. 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:10.200 So yeah, I mean, would it surprise me if you played. 0:05:10.279 --> 0:05:12.880 Absolutely not. I mean, because I think he's put that 0:05:12.960 --> 0:05:14.520 out there that, you know what, he'll lay it on 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:16.960 the line for the team. What the Packers have to 0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:21.160 balance here is trying to get him healthy as possible 0:05:21.200 --> 0:05:24.160 as soon as possible, because we're still another month away, 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:26.720 actually about five weeks away, I think from the byeway 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:28.479 from the bye weekend, So there is a lot of 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:31.080 ground to cover here. There are some road trips coming in, 0:05:31.560 --> 0:05:33.680 you get the extra day coming after this, you know, 0:05:33.720 --> 0:05:35.960 going into the Troy game. But you know you've got 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:39.400 to be smart with Davante Adams too, So seeing exactly 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.680 what that plan is going to be. I know a 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:43.400 lot of the young guys in the locker room at 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:45.400 that position talking about if we need to step up, 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:48.400 we're ready to do it because you know, you want 0:05:48.400 --> 0:05:50.120 to have Davonte Ams for this game, but you also 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:52.040 want to have him for the whole season. That's the 0:05:52.120 --> 0:05:54.680 question the Packers will have to answer going into Sunday. Yeah, 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:57.120 well that will be the interesting thing as this game 0:05:57.200 --> 0:06:00.320 unfolds on Sunday with regards to you set some of 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:04.159 these younger skill position players who don't have a lot 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.080 of experience, but potentially we'll be called upon at the 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:11.080 receiver position if Adams can't play. You're looking at guys 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:15.560 like Jake Kumero, who obviously played last year, but he's 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:18.080 missed the last two games now, he hasn't really gotten 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:20.919 a whole lot of snaps so far in twenty nineteen, 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:23.839 and then the guys like Alan Lazard and Darius Shepard 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:26.080 at wide receiver who are on the field down the 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:30.000 stretch against the Philadelphia Eagles when Adams had exited with 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:32.239 that toe injury, and then you look at the running 0:06:32.240 --> 0:06:35.320 back position. If Jamal Williams does not get cleared through 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:40.640 the concussion protocol to be active for Sunday, Dexter Williams 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:43.760 the rookie sixth round draft pick out of Notre Dame. 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.680 He's been a healthy scratch the first four weeks. He's 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:51.240 been one of the seven game day inactives when you 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.920 pair the roster down from fifty three to forty six 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:55.599 for game day. He has not been on a game 0:06:55.680 --> 0:06:59.400 day forty six yet, but signs certainly pointing to that 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:02.520 very stink possibility, and he could get thrown under the 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:04.640 fire right away, yeah, because you know, with with Williams, 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.919 you're gonna want to be careful with that. Packers have 0:07:06.960 --> 0:07:09.200 not made any comment yet on what his forecast is. 0:07:09.200 --> 0:07:11.000 It's just nice to see him around the building. But 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:13.960 concussion protocol is a concussion protocol, and he was a 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:17.160 non participant on Wednesday, So that being said, it opened 0:07:17.200 --> 0:07:19.280 up a lot of opportunities for Dexter Williams to be 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:22.040 that number two back right now to Aaron Jones. And 0:07:22.360 --> 0:07:26.240 you know, Williams is a very modest guy. I mean, 0:07:26.280 --> 0:07:29.360 he's not clamoring for snaps. He's saying he's staying ready 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:32.120 if he needs to be ready. But the most poignant 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:34.320 comments I felt were actually when we were chatting with 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:38.240 Ben Sermons last week, the Packers running backs coach, on Friday, 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:41.000 and he said, you know, you don't know until you know. 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:42.760 You need to get him out in a game to 0:07:42.760 --> 0:07:45.880 actually see, okay, has he fully ingested everything, but from 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:48.960 his bandage point in the classroom, seeing him in practice, 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:50.640 he feels like he's seen a guy in the tour 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:53.480 with his football i Q and what's being asked of 0:07:53.560 --> 0:07:55.240 him and his assignments. He says he doesn't have a 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:58.480 concern with him right now with his pass protection. Certainly 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:01.000 there are elements of his game. He's not a finished, 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.640 polished product, but in terms of where he's come in 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:08.120 the last four or five months, Sermons feels like it's significant. 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.320 Make no mistakes, This is still the Aaron Jones Show, 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:14.080 and it will be the Aaron Jones show on Sunday, 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:17.800 but Jones played sixty six of seventy nine snaps last week. 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:20.320 Danny vitally spelled him a little bit in a couple 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:22.320 of third down situations, but for the most part, it 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.080 was all Aaron Jones. You're gonna want to be smart 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.640 with that. So if Dexter Williams needs to get called 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:29.600 upon for a handful of snaps here, and they're even 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:32.280 a designed run or two, that's gonna be something they're 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:34.400 gonna need him to do. Because, to be perfectly honest 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:36.640 with you, if you take away the past protection and 0:08:36.679 --> 0:08:39.079 some of the issues with his drops, I was really 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:41.920 impressed with him as a runner, as a natural runner 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:44.440 during the training camp. You could see the explosiveness as 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:47.439 a really quick first step when he's running between the tackles. 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:49.920 It's just finding the elements, the other elements of the 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:52.200 game and rounding those out. Yeah, exactly, That's what I 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:54.400 was going to say. It's about it's about rounding out 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:57.000 those other facets for him to become a complete player, 0:08:57.040 --> 0:09:00.440 because when he's playing running back and taking and offs, 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:03.840 he looks like he belongs. He's looked like he has 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:06.959 belonged in the NFL from day one in that regard. 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:10.040 But we saw through training camp in the preseason some 0:09:10.120 --> 0:09:12.319 issues with trying to catch passes out of the backfield, 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:15.360 some issues with past protection. Those are the things that 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:17.960 he needs to work on to get his game to 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:20.120 the level where he has the complete trust of the 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:23.240 offensive coaches. Of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This is one of 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:26.839 those things that to me is interesting, especially when you're 0:09:26.840 --> 0:09:31.160 talking about two defensive coaches for the Dallas Cowboys. I 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:33.680 almost said the wrong team name there for the Dallas 0:09:33.720 --> 0:09:36.280 Cowboys who have been around a long time, been doing 0:09:36.280 --> 0:09:38.520 this a long time, and I'm talking about Rod Marinelli 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:42.640 and Chris Richard, who are the coordinator play caller. However, 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:45.160 you want to divide those duties between those two guys. 0:09:45.520 --> 0:09:49.520 But you just wonder, Okay, if they see Dexter Williams 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:51.959 come into the huddle as the lone running back, they 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:54.400 know this guy's a rookie, they know he hasn't been 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:57.840 on a game day forty six. Does that prompt a 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:00.120 blitz caller? What what are they going to do to 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:03.200 test him? Because this game is all about matchups and 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:07.040 the coordinators, the coaches who are calling plays and stuff. 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:10.080 It's always about personnel. It's about who's in, who's in 0:10:10.120 --> 0:10:12.079 witch huddle and one are the matchups we can take 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:15.920 advantage of. So you have to know that Dexter Williams 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:17.959 is going to be honest, P's and Ques with blitz 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:20.520 pick up. You can't just hope that you can put 0:10:20.600 --> 0:10:22.240 them in there and then they're not going to blitz, 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:24.679 because there's a good chance they will. So this is 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:27.559 what I like about Matt Lafleur's system, though Mike McCarthy 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:29.000 at the end of it, a lot of times you 0:10:29.120 --> 0:10:31.160 needed those guys to be three down running backs because 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:33.240 they wanted to stay with the no huddle. They wanted 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:35.439 to be able to just stick with eleven personnel a 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:37.360 lot of times, and okay, that's what you're running. With 0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:40.000 Matt Lafleur. It's a lot more inviting I think for 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.600 a young running back. That's no disrespect of McCarthy system. 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:45.079 It worked great. But with the floor I think you 0:10:45.160 --> 0:10:47.600 can bring in Dexter Williams. You can have Danny Vitally 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:50.040 in the backfield. You can run play action off of that. 0:10:50.120 --> 0:10:52.320 You can get the wheel route going again with Vitality, 0:10:52.640 --> 0:10:54.880 you can get the tight ends incorporated you can bring 0:10:54.960 --> 0:10:56.719 it in a little bit more than when it was 0:10:56.800 --> 0:11:01.600 really spread out pass pass protection at a premium shotgun 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:04.880 pistol type formations. That's where I think you could get 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:07.760 Williams going. And then the other aspect of it, too, 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:11.800 is that Matt Lafleur is not He has no reservations whatsoever. 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:13.960 If you followed the offense the last three weeks. He's 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:17.360 willing to change personnel after first down, second down. He 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:19.719 can mix and match there, whereas with McCarthy was a 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:22.040 lot of times sitting in those same packages. And Okay, 0:11:22.040 --> 0:11:23.920 if you're the first down running back, you've got to 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:25.920 be ready to be past protecting on third and three 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:28.839 as well. So that is the one area that I 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:31.920 think could allow dexter Williams to come in and maybe 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:34.520 have a specific game plan role if he's if that's 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:37.319 what they feel they want to do. The one aspect 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:39.240 of it, though, as you point out, is you want 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:40.959 to make sure there aren't those tells there when you 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:43.880 do introduce a new player that Okay, this is what 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.480 they're running and this is how they're going to try 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:48.199 to do it right and and and then the other 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:50.319 side is saying, okay, we know what they're gonna run 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:53.160 if if there's a tendency involved there, so what's our 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:55.640 best way to attack that and to get them out 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:57.960 of that plan. So that's the kind of chess match 0:11:58.080 --> 0:12:00.800 that goes on throughout four quarters of NFL game. And 0:12:00.880 --> 0:12:03.160 just to touch quickly on the receiver situation, Let's say 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:06.679 for whatever reason, Davante Adams doesn't go if I'm going 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:08.920 to be Chris Richard or if I'm gonna be you know, 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:11.400 Rod Marinell, you're looking at the scheme, I think the 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:14.120 natural thing would be keeping more safety attention over to 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:16.760 Marcus Veldees Scantling. Let's say they do that, because I 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:20.079 think when you get Davante and MVS going at the 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:23.079 same time, that's the danger, right because Davante can draw 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:25.640 the extra tension and MVS can beat people one on 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:28.360 one down the field. If that is the direction they go, 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:30.160 And this is the scenario that plays out a lot 0:12:30.200 --> 0:12:32.880 of hypotheticals here. That's when it comes down to guys 0:12:32.920 --> 0:12:34.800 winning their one on ones. I don't care if you're 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:36.640 a tight end. I don't care if you're a receiver. 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:39.120 I don't care if you're Dexter Williams or Aaron Jones, 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:41.679 Danny Vitally, you have to win your one on one 0:12:41.760 --> 0:12:43.800 matchups in the run game, in the past game, and 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:46.120 you have to be able to have multiple players step up. 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:49.000 If they're gonna draw attention to one guy, that's gonna 0:12:49.040 --> 0:12:51.400 be the biggest key here, depending on exactly how this 0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:54.400 situation unfolds with Adams this week. Yeah, and another thing 0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:56.920 I want to mention too, with regards to the receivers. 0:12:57.679 --> 0:13:01.880 Darius Shephard, the undrafted rookie from North Dakota State. We 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:05.040 all know the last what turned out to be the 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:08.360 last play of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, they 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:12.160 were running a two man route with MVS and Shepherd 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:15.600 and Rogers decided to go quick with the slant to MVS. 0:13:15.679 --> 0:13:18.520 The ball gets deflected up in the air, intercepted past 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:22.040 interference probably, but it's water under the bridge. But Rogers 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:24.120 said immediately after the game, Hey, if I hold the 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:26.800 ball a tick longer, Darius Shepherd's wide open in the corner, 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:29.080 we get that game tied up. You know we're going overtime. 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:33.839 Larry McCarron pointed out something in our Three Things video 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:36.240 that we did after practice yesterday where he was looking 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:38.480 at the film and saw a play late in the 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:43.400 game where Shepherd was at receiver after Adams had exited 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:45.800 the game, and it was a play that was an 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:48.880 incomplete pass to Geronimo Whiles, and he was the primary read. 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:51.920 Rogers went there right away and it was incomplete, but 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:55.200 Darius Shepherd had completely beaten his man and was opened 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:57.560 down the seam. Now, the reason I point that out 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:00.800 is because when it comes to the film room, Aaron 0:14:00.920 --> 0:14:04.920 Rodgers doesn't miss a thing he knows on that play 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:08.559 now heading into Dallas, on that play, that formation that 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:12.040 Darius Shepherd beat his man and was open and so 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:15.760 and then obviously, as I mentioned before, the last play 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.040 of the game, he was open for the touchdown as well. 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:20.680 Those are the kinds of things that Aaron Rodgers files 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:22.680 away in the back of his mind. And if Darius 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:25.680 Shepherd is thrown into a significant role in the game 0:14:25.760 --> 0:14:28.240 on Sunday, those are the types of plays that Aaron 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.720 Rodgers will be thinking about. It's a great point, obviously, 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:33.640 a wonderful observation from Larry as well, bringing being able 0:14:33.680 --> 0:14:36.000 to you know, kind of pinpoint that this is also 0:14:36.080 --> 0:14:38.120 what makes I think Geroni Way Allison so valuable to 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:40.400 this offense and what they want to do. We talked 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:42.280 all offseason about him being in the slot, but he 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:45.320 can play boundary, you know, perimeter as well, So that 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:47.600 allows you to potentially mix and match their go with 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:50.120 Shepherd more in the slot, because I think you we'd 0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:51.880 all agree that that's where he's probably gonna make his 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:54.480 money in this league, is operating, and that that proxy 0:14:54.520 --> 0:14:59.320 those close proximity, close quarters. And I dude, we saw 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:02.600 it all summer long. I mean, yes, you have to 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:05.040 keep into account in these preseason games the type of 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:07.880 competition he was facing. But Darius Shepard was with the 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:10.840 one offense, you know, basically from O. T. A. S on. 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.040 He was getting rotated in there. He did it throughout 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:15.200 training camp. He knows what it's like to be in 0:15:15.280 --> 0:15:18.400 there against the likes of Tremont Williams and Jr. Alexander 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.920 and the upper echelon of that position in this league. 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:23.960 I'm gonna say this right now, if he ends up 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:26.160 being called upon against Dallas or in these weeks to come, 0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:29.080 regardless of what the situation is with Adams, that situation 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:30.960 is not gonna be too big for that young man. Yeah, 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:33.240 here's another thing I want to get your opinion on 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.800 quickly before we go today because I'm gonna potentially write 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:38.480 about this a little bit later in the week. And 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:41.760 what I'm talking about is the Packers run of success 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.160 in that building, a T and T Stadium, whether you're 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:46.800 talking about Super Bowl forty five, the Matt Flynn come 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:50.560 back in thirteen, the playoff game at the in the 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:55.080 sixteen postseason January of seen, and then the seventeen regular 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:58.440 season game Packers have won four straight there. Now, the 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:01.000 games in sixteen and seven ten are obviously the most 0:16:01.080 --> 0:16:03.640 recent ones. So when you're talking about guys like veteran 0:16:03.720 --> 0:16:08.240 guys like Corey Linsley, David Box, tr Brian Bulaga, Blake Martinez, 0:16:08.800 --> 0:16:13.120 Kenny Clark, guys like that who were part of those 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:15.560 games and part of those big victories, I'm just curious 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:20.520 what you're feeling is on how much confidence do guys 0:16:20.600 --> 0:16:25.160 like that walk into a building with when they're in 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:29.440 a venue where they've experienced not just success, but significant, 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:33.280 big victories. I'm just wondering, from a psyche standpoint, what 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.400 does that do Because they're not going to stand there 0:16:35.400 --> 0:16:37.760 in the locker room and say, you know, to put 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:39.920 something on the bulletin board for the Cowboys, like, yeah, 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:42.320 we we definitely believe we walk in the building, we're 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.360 gonna win the game. But I think there's something to it. 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:48.360 I don't know, maybe there isn't. I'm gonna be careful 0:16:48.400 --> 0:16:50.680 with this analogy. Okay, I'm about to use, but I 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:52.160 do want to make a point off it. I'm not 0:16:52.240 --> 0:16:55.160 trying to illustrate anything and taking out of context. But 0:16:55.560 --> 0:16:58.720 we like to walk our dog, Kevin. He's a wonderful 0:16:58.760 --> 0:17:02.080 little pup. We go over to Voyager Park. Okay, Kevin 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.200 has certain areas of that park that he has been 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:08.679 to before and he has maybe marked and he always 0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:11.720 darts for those same trees. I'm not trying to say 0:17:11.760 --> 0:17:13.359 that that's what the green Bay Packers have done, but 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.000 there is a familiarity quite any here. There is a 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:20.280 familiarity for a lot of those veterans with a T 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:23.080 and T stadium and you cannot tell me. And this 0:17:23.200 --> 0:17:25.760 goes both ways. There's been places too. I mean, we 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:31.520 talked about US Bank and how different Ford Field recently 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:34.600 has been difficult, but there's a lot of positive memories 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:36.520 right now for the Green Bay Packers and a T 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:40.720 and T stadium, that venue. For those veteran players, it's 0:17:40.760 --> 0:17:44.640 not just victories, it's comebacks, it's emotional wins, it's playoff victories. 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:47.200 They are as big and as important as they get 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:50.440 in this league. And the number one player that's that 0:17:50.480 --> 0:17:53.120 stems from all that is Aaron Rodgers. He has seen 0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:57.119 it all, He's done it all in that stadium. And again, 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:02.400 when you have that type of you know, recall experience. 0:18:03.040 --> 0:18:04.919 I'm not saying it's going to be decided the outcome 0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:06.920 in this game. We know that these things can shift 0:18:07.000 --> 0:18:09.920 on a dime, But in terms of confidence going in 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:12.440 there and understanding the venue and knowing what you're looking for, 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:16.520 there's a number of players in this team from different 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:20.520 generations and versions of the Packers that have experienced that 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:22.360 success in there and they want to taste it again 0:18:22.440 --> 0:18:24.640 on Sunday. Yeah. And the other thing Rogers pointed out 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:26.680 to that I thought was interesting is in all of 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:30.120 the Packers trips into that stadium. Obviously, the Super Bowl 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:33.440 was a whole different uh can of worms, so to speak, 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:36.000 because it wasn't against the Dallas Cowboys. It's the it's 0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:38.879 the crowd you know at a Super Bowl, but in 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:41.720 the other the other games, one where Rodgers is on 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:44.399 the sideline because Matt Flynn is playing, and then the 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:47.439 other two. In recent years, there's been a pretty decent 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:50.840 Packers following that that has you know, gotten its hands 0:18:50.920 --> 0:18:53.720 on tickets and and shown up. And the Packers have 0:18:53.840 --> 0:18:56.119 heard those fans at at a T and T stadium, 0:18:56.160 --> 0:19:00.920 Now that's a it's a huge stadium, massive crowd, and 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:02.840 yes it gets loud in there, it doesn't get as 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:05.720 loud as some of the more compact indoor stadiums. I 0:19:05.800 --> 0:19:07.760 think that we've that we've seen in the league just 0:19:07.840 --> 0:19:11.440 because the places is so massive. But those Packers fans 0:19:11.680 --> 0:19:14.520 have made themselves heard, and I think with the start 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:17.120 the Packers have gotten off to this year, I would 0:19:17.119 --> 0:19:20.480 expect there will be a similar you know, Packer contingent 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:23.080 in the stands on something. I think so, And especially 0:19:23.119 --> 0:19:25.000 since we have our Pepper Rally on Saturday night and 0:19:25.320 --> 0:19:28.160 everybody's gonna be revved up from getting their Mike Spofford autographs, 0:19:28.160 --> 0:19:29.560