WEBVTT - #537 Packers Unscripted: Projections to ponder 0:00:01.120 --> 0:00:20.959 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted Social 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:24.640 Distancing Style from Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:28.640 joined as always by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz. Today 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:32.680 I'm coming to you from our new studio here at 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:35.760 Lombardi Avenue West. You're going to get to join me 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:38.680 in this studio. I think at some point we haven't 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:41.640 gotten there yet. You are still in the bonus room 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:43.520 above your garage. But how are you doing, my friend? 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:46.159 I'm doing fine. You know the best part about this 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:48.520 whole scenario as you open up with Hey, we're doing 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:51.400 this social distansing style. This is just the way it 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:53.400 is now for the last five months. I mean, it's 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:57.360 almost like we've had our own season of Distance Unscripted 0:00:57.360 --> 0:00:59.600 as Uh, we're doing the best we can. I'm still 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:03.160 safe and healthy. I hope the same to you and yours. Yeah, absolutely, well. 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:06.760 The first practice of Packers training camp is still a 0:01:06.760 --> 0:01:09.640 handful of days away. I think as the week goes 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:12.600 on and into next week, when practices get rolling, we'll 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:15.839 start talking a little bit more about position battles and 0:01:15.920 --> 0:01:17.960 how the roster might shake down. There are a lot 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:20.040 of things to talk about over the next few weeks 0:01:20.280 --> 0:01:22.800 in that regard. But I want to do today's show 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:26.080 throwing a couple of questions at us. So question number 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:28.360 one for you because I just I like to start 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:32.440 conversations this way. I hope it works for you. Um, 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:37.200 Aaron Jones and the Smith Brothers were the individuals on 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:40.399 the Packers offensively defensively who had what you would call 0:01:40.480 --> 0:01:44.280 the breakout seasons in twenty nine. So my question to 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:48.480 you to start us off today is which of those guys, 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:52.280 Aaron Jones or the Smith Brothers collectively has the tougher 0:01:52.360 --> 0:01:56.120 act to follow in too follow up what they did, 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:59.280 to potentially repeat or even improve on what they did. 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:02.000 You haven't thoughts there. That's a really good question, Mike. 0:02:02.040 --> 0:02:03.440 I think you and I probably could build a one 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:05.880 hour radio show off of this, I mean alone, that's 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:08.040 a really smart one to think of. You know, I 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.600 think I'll probably go with the Smith Bros. And the 0:02:10.600 --> 0:02:12.600 main reason for that is they set the bar so 0:02:12.800 --> 0:02:15.799 high for themselves in the year one. Uh that that's 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:17.960 not saying that you can't attain that. I mean, certainly 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:20.560 precedents and Darius last week both said that's their goal. 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:21.960 They want to be able to take this thing to 0:02:22.040 --> 0:02:24.920 another level. But man, when you go out and you 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:27.720 signed two unrestricted free agents, two guys that weren't even 0:02:27.720 --> 0:02:30.839 in this system, and they both fit so flawlessly into 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:34.000 what Mike Petton wanted to do. It's incredible what those 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:36.480 two were able to accomplish right off the bat. There 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:38.800 wasn't one of these little lulls like where you had 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:42.080 to write a story in September and October like, oh, 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.200 you know, they haven't fit in yet, they aren't getting 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:46.799 the production. Yet they did it right from the first 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:50.120 game in that in that matchup against Chicago, and they 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:52.960 carried it throughout the rest of the season. So I 0:02:53.000 --> 0:02:55.000 think the tougher act to follow is the Smith Bros. 0:02:55.040 --> 0:02:57.280 Just because they set the bar so high for themselves, 0:02:57.680 --> 0:03:01.160 Whereas with Aaron Jones, there's still so much out there 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:04.560 for him. Yet he had fifteen hundred total yards, he 0:03:04.600 --> 0:03:06.640 had a boatload of touchdowns, and there was a lot 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:08.839 of records that he broke, but yet he still only 0:03:08.840 --> 0:03:11.360 did that on what two hundred some touches. I mean, 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.239 it's not even like he had this this year where 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:16.079 he was just the predominant bell cow. So I look 0:03:16.120 --> 0:03:17.760 at the Smith Broses being the two that had the 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:20.760 toughest act of following now going into yeah, I think 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:22.640 I would agree with you there. As far as making 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:25.360 that choice, I do think it was rather remarkable how 0:03:25.760 --> 0:03:28.919 the system fit, the scheme fit of the Smith brothers 0:03:29.000 --> 0:03:33.760 in Mike Patton's system was about as as smooth and 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:37.119 easy and almost perfect as you could get for two 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:40.120 guys as free agents coming into a brand new team 0:03:40.200 --> 0:03:41.880 and all that. You know, I like to throw a 0:03:41.880 --> 0:03:44.520 lot of stats at you, the stats and info portion 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:46.960 of things. So here are a few things about the 0:03:47.000 --> 0:03:49.800 Smiths from nineteen that I think are interesting. Not only 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:52.560 both of them with more that with a dozen sacks 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:54.800 or more on the season, which since sacks became an 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:58.560 official state in the first pair of teammates in the 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:01.840 same season for the Packers to each have twelve or 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:06.440 more sacks, but individually a couple of interesting things. Darius 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:10.000 Smith had four games in the regular season with two 0:04:10.080 --> 0:04:12.360 or more sacks. You have to go all the way 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:14.839 back to two thousand and six and a pretty darn 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:18.840 good pass rusher named Aaron Campman to find a regular 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:22.440 season where a Packers individual pass rusher had four games 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:23.880 with two or more sacks, and then what did he 0:04:23.960 --> 0:04:26.760 do against Seattle in the playoffs? He had another two 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:29.920 sack game and gave himself five. Okay, now, Preston Smith 0:04:30.560 --> 0:04:34.240 twelve sacks in the regular season, seven of those twelve 0:04:34.279 --> 0:04:37.719 sacks on third down, the money down. And then what 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:40.560 does he do in the postseason. He has two sacks 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:42.719 against Seattle and one of them being on a huge 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:46.280 third down in the fourth quarter. You just you can't 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:51.039 understate or overstate maybe it is, Yeah, you can't overstate 0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:54.880 the impact that these two guys had and in their 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:58.000 first year here in Green Bay with Mike Patton's defense, 0:04:58.080 --> 0:05:00.200 and that's why I do think their act is a 0:05:00.200 --> 0:05:03.320 little bit there. They've given themselves a little bit tougher 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:05.919 active all well, And this was the biggest shift I 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:09.880 thought the Packers made with Mike Petton in this defense. Now, 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:12.000 this is no disrespect to Dom Capers. He's one of 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:14.200 the best that's ever done it, a guy that has 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:17.320 all of my respect and admiration. But one thing that 0:05:17.400 --> 0:05:20.159 happened in the later years of the Caper era was 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:22.640 that you get to those third down, those dime packages, 0:05:22.640 --> 0:05:24.640 and I think there was this collective kind of everyone 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:28.200 holding their breath about Okay, can you hold here? Are 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:29.839 you gonna be able to get enough pressure? Are you 0:05:29.839 --> 0:05:32.680 gonna be able to really, you know, get the ball 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:35.880 back to the offense in those situations when the off 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:37.960 when the defense was probably at its best, they were 0:05:37.960 --> 0:05:40.120 able to do it. When they didn't, that's when you 0:05:40.160 --> 0:05:43.400 saw them really struggle. One thing that I thought throughout 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:45.479 the course of last year really made a difference with 0:05:45.520 --> 0:05:48.479 Mike petton scheme is once you got into third and 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:52.799 seven plus, everybody just had this look on their face like, Yeah, 0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:55.279 it's time to eat and this team is not going 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:57.600 to get those six, seven, eight, nine, ten yards to 0:05:57.640 --> 0:05:59.800 be able to get that first down. We're gonna try 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:02.279 to take even more from them with a sack. And 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:04.960 obviously now they both the Smiths have talked about the 0:06:05.000 --> 0:06:08.159 emphasis on the forced fumbles this year as well. That's 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:10.760 where I thought they really hit the note in two 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:13.719 thousand nineteen when it was third down, that was the 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:16.360 Packers down. In a lot of times they were able 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:19.520 to dominate. Yeah, and what you said about the forced fumbles, 0:06:19.520 --> 0:06:21.919 I think it's interesting maybe that's the next step for 0:06:21.960 --> 0:06:24.520 this pass rushing duo because twenty five and a half 0:06:24.640 --> 0:06:27.560 combined sacks in the regular season twenty nine and a 0:06:27.640 --> 0:06:30.880 half including the Seattle playoff game. But yet on those 0:06:30.880 --> 0:06:34.080 twenty nine and a half sacks only two forced fumbles, 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:36.760 one by each guy. That's the place where they can 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:39.120 take their game to the next level, because as impactful 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:43.320 as sacks are, obviously turnovers are the types of plays 0:06:43.560 --> 0:06:46.440 that change games. And I do think it's also interesting 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:49.839 what you said about Aaron Jones and how much how 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:51.719 much seems like it is still out there in front 0:06:51.720 --> 0:06:54.200 of him, and how Matt Lafleur can potentially use him 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:56.159 in so many different ways in this offense. And it 0:06:56.200 --> 0:07:00.280 sounds crazy to say that a guy who had yards 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:03.159 from scrimmage, rushing and receiving combined piled up twenty three 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:07.000 touchdowns including the playoffs, which is a franchise record for 0:07:07.120 --> 0:07:11.560 a full season including the postseason, to say that maybe 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:13.880 there's more out there for him yet it just it 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:16.560 it sounds crazy, but it just it does feel that 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:19.960 way in the sense that Aaron Jones maybe hasn't really 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:23.200 hit his ceiling yet as incredible a season as he 0:07:23.240 --> 0:07:26.120 had in Yeah, And I think that's where this thing 0:07:26.160 --> 0:07:29.400 goes to the next level now in we saw them 0:07:29.560 --> 0:07:32.320 really start to incorporate more of those two back concepts. 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:34.200 You know, I've been beating the drum all off season 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:35.760 for I think we're going to see more of that 0:07:36.040 --> 0:07:40.240 in especially adding ah J Dellon in that equation. That 0:07:40.280 --> 0:07:43.440 doesn't necessarily take snaps away from Aaron Jones. I think 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:47.320 it allows Matt Lafleur, Nathaniel Hackett, Luke Getzi, everybody that's 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:49.760 involved with the passing game to get a little bit 0:07:49.760 --> 0:07:52.920 more creative with how they utilize him. His carries may 0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.480 look very similar this year, his touchdowns, well, I'm sure 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:57.400 the Packers will be happy if that look very similar 0:07:57.480 --> 0:07:59.720 this year. But I just think you're gonna see him 0:07:59.760 --> 0:08:01.680 became more of a difference maker in the past and 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:04.240 game and how they utilize him there. Let's be honest 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.040 about something, Mike. You know, Aaron Jones is in a 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:08.680 contract year. A lot of running backs that are looking 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:10.480 to get paid. In this league, you have to be 0:08:10.520 --> 0:08:11.840 able to catch the ball and you have to be 0:08:11.880 --> 0:08:15.040 able to produce an open space. Aaron Jones has shown 0:08:15.120 --> 0:08:18.240 he can do that. So I think the skies the ceiling, 0:08:18.560 --> 0:08:20.920 the sky is the limit for him. Excuse me, no 0:08:21.120 --> 0:08:24.119 ceilings you hear, but I think I think he really 0:08:25.040 --> 0:08:27.760 every year about him has been about maturation and improvement. 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:30.360 He went from being a more consistent ball carrier on 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:33.000 year two, year three, he became a better pass protector, 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:36.680 he became a better pass catcher. And seeing him bring 0:08:36.720 --> 0:08:40.080 all those tools together, uh that that's that's where this 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:42.200 thing is going to get really interesting for him. You 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:44.040 want to be one of the top ten, top five 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:46.679 running backs in this league. That's what you have to do. 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.320 And the more that he does that, and you also 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.440 touch on the force fumbles with the Smiths, the more 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:53.560 that that happens for those guys, the more that you 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:57.880 get those accolades, you get that adulation from the pundits 0:08:57.920 --> 0:09:00.080 in this country that you know, punch a lot of 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.040 those Pro Bowl ballots and the All Pro teams. That's 0:09:03.080 --> 0:09:06.160 the difference, because if you're in Green Bay, you know, 0:09:06.280 --> 0:09:08.840 unfortunately that doesn't always mean you're gonna be in the biggest, 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:11.840 brightest spotlight, but it does give you a platform with 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.040 this offense and defense in the direction that they're heading, 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:16.360 to make you a really good player and to give 0:09:16.400 --> 0:09:19.680 you an opportunity to prove it. Yeah, well, you mentioned 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:22.200 accolades and Pro Bowl ballots, so I want to throw 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:24.240 another question at you here. It's a little bit of 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:26.920 a continuation. We'll be talking about some of the same players, 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:30.440 but looking back to a year ago, Zadarius Smith and 0:09:30.520 --> 0:09:34.120 Kenny Clark were both both ultimately made their first Pro 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.000 Bowl as NFL players. They were selected off the alternate 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:40.800 list when other guys dropped out for various reasons. There 0:09:40.840 --> 0:09:43.200 were a handful of other guys for the Packers who 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:46.280 were named alternates last year, but they did not get 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:49.560 selected and they they still have yet to to go 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:52.080 to a Pro Bowl. And that list from last year 0:09:52.120 --> 0:09:57.319 would be Adrian Amos, Jayear, Alexander Preston, Smith, Aaron Jones, 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:01.040 and Corey Lindsley. I knew I was forgetting one other 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:02.960 one in there. So five other guys for the Packers 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:05.520 who were alternates a year ago who have yet to 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:07.880 be in a Pro Bowl. So my question to you 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:11.079 is which of those five guys and all throw another 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:12.679 one in the mix too, even though he wasn't an 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.240 alternate last year. But I'll say kicker Mason Crosby will 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:18.760 make it a half dozen. Which of those six guys 0:10:18.800 --> 0:10:22.840 do you think is on the verge of making his 0:10:22.880 --> 0:10:27.080 first Pro Bowl in Well, Aaron Jones is there because 0:10:27.080 --> 0:10:28.880 you saw he was number thirty three in the top 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:31.280 one hundred. I'm not saying that that top one hundred 0:10:31.320 --> 0:10:34.760 carries any water whatsoever with with the league, but it 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:36.800 does show you that there's a lot of people, a 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.600 lot of players that know his name. And also I've 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:41.800 seen him on the you know, the screen in the 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:44.600 film room and understand how dynamic he is. I think 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:47.280 he's on the precipice of potentially being a Pro Bowl player. 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:49.400 The one that I think is going to be the 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:52.960 guy to watch though throughout this whole equation is going 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:55.760 to be Gyr Alexander Um. This is a dude that 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:58.000 is still only twenty three years old. He still has 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:00.400 his best years ahead of him, and he's just oftenite 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:02.439 as any player that I think I've ever covered at 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:04.720 his age. And the other thing too, he met with 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:09.280 the media. Excuse me on Monday with our zoom call. 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:11.760 I'm saying this to a bunch of people. You think 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:14.160 you gotta understand is Jaire is not a great camera guy. 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:17.240 He doesn't like the cameras he loves. He loves. He's 0:11:17.280 --> 0:11:21.120 a gregarious, outgoing guy. He's not a big dude about 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:22.920 sitting in front of a camera and having twelve people 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:24.960 around him. So being in front of a zoom, I 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:27.120 have to imagine also was kind of, you know, kind 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:30.320 of like an eye opener here for him. But you know, 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:32.719 he's you know, people can think he's goofy, they can 0:11:32.720 --> 0:11:35.680 think he's being funny. There is nobody that takes his 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:38.040 job more serious I think in that locker room than 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:40.960 Jire Alexander. He has a chip on his shoulder. I've 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:43.400 been saying this for years now. If you understand who 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:45.120 he is and where he comes from, this is a 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:47.200 guy that's very motivated to prove that he is the 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:49.959 best cornerback in the National Football League. Matt and already 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:51.880 agreed with it. I saw all the stats that Madden 0:11:51.920 --> 0:11:54.199 and all the respect they put on his name. But 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:58.520 he feels like he has all everything he needs, especially 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:00.520 now working with you know, Jerry Gray. He was very 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.160 complimentary of him and in the time that they've had together, 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:06.800 Gire Alexander's right there and he I think he's just 0:12:06.840 --> 0:12:09.800 a few splash plays away, a few interceptions here, a 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:13.439 few big pass deflections there. Away from being a cornerback 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:16.280 that everybody can look at is being Okay, you have 0:12:16.360 --> 0:12:18.679 your you know, your Gilmore's and everybody else that's at 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:21.680 the top of that level right now. But Alexander is 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:24.400 fast on their heels. Is that next generation? Yeah, I'm 0:12:24.440 --> 0:12:26.560 totally with you on both of the guys you talked 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:28.800 about there. I do think Aaron Jones is right there. 0:12:29.040 --> 0:12:32.000 There's no reason really he shouldn't have gotten some sort 0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:34.240 of Pro Bowl recognition a year ago. I think that 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:37.240 was unfortunate, but you know, as they say, it is 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.160 what it is. And yeah, getting ranked number thirty three 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:44.160 in the NFL's Top one um certainly uh an achievement 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:46.840 there to make your debut on that top one hundred 0:12:46.840 --> 0:12:50.320 list in a spot that high. But I'm totally with 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:52.720 you on Gire Alexander. I think this is the guy 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:55.760 to watch the as I wrote about on our website 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:58.480 and the story is available on packers dot com. The 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:02.520 trajectory of his rear has been has been sort of 0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:05.120 clear and obvious to anybody who's been watching. He's a 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:07.360 first he's an up and coming first round pick. Then 0:13:07.400 --> 0:13:10.119 he gets named to the p p f W A 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:14.520 All Rookie team. He leads the Packers in past deflections. 0:13:14.559 --> 0:13:16.679 Each of his first two years, he has fifteen as 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:20.640 a rookie, has twenty three in his second season. He 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:23.880 becomes a bona fide number one cornerback and then a 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:28.200 Pro Bowl alternate. As I mentioned uh in nineteen, the 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:31.160 arrow seems to just keep pointing up with this guy. Now, 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:33.319 what does he have to do to get the Pro 0:13:33.400 --> 0:13:37.120 Bowl recognition? Probably crank up that interception number. He's only 0:13:37.120 --> 0:13:40.480 had three interceptions over his first two seasons in the league. 0:13:40.480 --> 0:13:43.280 And I thought one of the more interesting answers of 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:46.440 several interesting answers in his Zoom call was when he 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:48.840 was asked, Okay, what do you do to get more interceptions? 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:50.319 And he was just like, I just have to catch 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:53.680 the ball. And I think, and yeah, he's being funny 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:56.280 and he's being a little snide, but he's also saying 0:13:56.320 --> 0:13:59.680 he feels he's had the opportunities to get the interceptions 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:02.320 that he needs for that kind of recognition. He just 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:05.199 has to cash in. He has to finish those plays, 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:08.079 and then I think the rest takes care of itself 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.000 for Alexander. I love the guy's attitude and yeah, some 0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:13.840 people will say he crosses the line to maybe the 0:14:13.840 --> 0:14:17.520 cockiness versus just confidence. Whatever. You can analyze him anyway 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:20.280 you want to, but his mentality, in my mind, is 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:23.440 exactly what you need at a position like cornerback, because 0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:25.840 in this game, you're gonna get beat you're gonna give 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:28.040 up completions, you're gonna give up first downs, and there 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:30.480 are times you're gonna give up touchdowns. But it's a 0:14:30.520 --> 0:14:33.600 sixty minute game out there every Sunday, and there's nobody 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:36.640 who can flush a bad play and then get out 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:39.480 there and stay on the attack for sixty minutes in 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:43.160 my mind, like Jaire Alexander. Yeah, And there's a huge difference, Mike, 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:46.600 between cocky and being disrespectful. In all the years I've 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:51.240 covered I've covered JR. Alexander, I've never felt like he's disrespectful. Um. 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:54.200 You look at the battles he had with Davante Adams 0:14:54.200 --> 0:14:56.840 when he was a rookie and practice. Adams took a 0:14:56.920 --> 0:14:59.280 liking to this guy right away for that reason because 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:01.400 of how he can he did, how he came back 0:15:01.480 --> 0:15:03.680 play after play, and how he didn't want to be beaten, 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.120 didn't matter if it was over at Nichke Field or 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:08.400 at lambeau Field or a T and T stadium. This 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:10.400 is a guy that just wants to play football and 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:12.720 he wants to do it at a high level. Now, 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:16.400 bringing that all together, the play that always will stand 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.320 out to me goes back to two thousand eighteen and 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:20.440 it was that interception that got taken away from him 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.440 because of that agregious call on Clay Matthews for roughing 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:26.040 in the passer. But the reason I bring that point 0:15:26.120 --> 0:15:29.320 up again is that was the play where I was like, Yeah, 0:15:29.440 --> 0:15:31.600 that guy's a ball howg He's a guy that just 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:34.400 has a magnet for it. Now, as he said, there's 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.840 been he was fourth in the league and past deflections 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.800 or passes defense last year. He needs to start catching 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:42.240 more of those balls. But he just puts himself in 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:44.560 a position at all times to be around that thing. 0:15:44.920 --> 0:15:48.120 And he just has a sticky ability, especially with some 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:49.640 of the stuff that I think, you know, the ways 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:51.200 that you can use him in his own coverage and 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:56.040 this deceptive nous of his speed and his athleticism. Alexander's 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:57.560 a guy that I don't think as far away from 0:15:57.560 --> 0:15:59.800 being in that Pro Bowl conversation. Yeah, and this is 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:02.080 a He's not just a cover guy either. You mentioned 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:04.600 the plays in your mind that that stick out his 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:08.120 rookie year, that play in Minnesota at US Bank Stadium, 0:16:08.200 --> 0:16:10.760 on the slip screen, bubble screen, wherever you want to 0:16:10.800 --> 0:16:13.480 call it, where he just blew up. I think it 0:16:13.560 --> 0:16:16.520 was Adam Feeling and chases down Stefon Diggs in the 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:19.600 backfield for a loss. You don't see cornerbacks make plays 0:16:19.640 --> 0:16:21.680 like that every day. That was That was a really 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:24.560 impressive one. But before we go here, West, I just 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:26.600 need to say too. And we talk a lot about, 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:29.320 you know, the Pro Bowl as as a measure and whatnot, 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:31.680 and yeah, it's it. Maybe it's not the greatest measure 0:16:31.720 --> 0:16:35.360 of everything. But if there's a guy, if there's a 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:38.280 guy who deserves a Pro Bowl bid as a sort 0:16:38.280 --> 0:16:41.280 of career achievement award, can we get Mason Crosby to 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.960 the Pro Bowl at some point here? I mean, seriously, 0:16:44.000 --> 0:16:45.880 look at what this guy has done over the course 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:48.960 of his career. He's put the Green Bay Packers are 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:51.240 about to embark on their one hundred and second season, 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:55.000 and Mason Crosby has every scoring record in the book 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:58.240 for this historic franchise and he's continuing to put them 0:16:58.320 --> 0:17:01.480 completely out of reach. Yet this guy has never been 0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:03.800 to a Pro Bowl. And I, you know, you and 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:05.680 I have both known Mason for a long time. I've 0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:07.720 covered his entire career here since he was a sixth 0:17:07.800 --> 0:17:10.439 round draft pick in two thousand and seven, and I 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:12.480 just think it's I just think it's a shame that 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:15.080 he doesn't have at least, you know, one of those 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:18.159 little Pro Bowl logos you know, in his in his 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:21.560 bio as a career achievement, you know. And here's another 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:24.439 thing for you, Mike, Mason Crosby going into this season 0:17:24.520 --> 0:17:28.480 two d and eight consecutive games played, the most among 0:17:29.119 --> 0:17:32.520 active kickers. Actually, it's probably right up there. Gosh, he's 0:17:32.520 --> 0:17:35.000 the Is that the most? Yeah, that's that's the most 0:17:35.040 --> 0:17:40.919 among active players? Oh no, um, Sam Cook from Baltimore. Um. 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:43.680 But two d and eight games, he is sixty games 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:47.639 ahead of uh Steven Hauska in Buffalo right now for 0:17:47.800 --> 0:17:50.960 most consecutive games played by a kicker. So what is that, Mike? 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:55.119 That's four seasons, Yeah, almost four seasons. Uh. Yeah, just 0:17:55.160 --> 0:17:58.560 an incredible career he's had. The problem is two things 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:02.000 with kickers. They're never hurt. Uh, really. So if a 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:04.000 guy goes to the Pro Bowl, if he's not the guy, 0:18:04.040 --> 0:18:06.360 because there's only one that gets to go for each conference, 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:09.000 if he's not the guy, or he's not in the 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.640 super Bowl, or that guy isn't in the super Bowl, 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:13.919 well the guy's gonna go. Every kicker wants to go 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:16.600 to the Pro Bowl. Unfortunately for him, he's just never 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:18.840 had like that one year where it's just been like, 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:23.159 you know, Billykndiff. No disrespect to Billy Condiff. I'm not 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:25.440 trying to, you know, disrespect him at all, but Billy 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:28.560 Kundiff was a kind of a journeyman kicker. He has 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.879 that one seven percent year with Baltimore and goes to 0:18:31.880 --> 0:18:35.800 the Pro Bowl. Everybody, their mother, their cousin, even their 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.840 child would agree that Mason Crosby has been a better 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:41.440 NFL kicker than Billy Condiff. But it's just the rubb 0:18:41.480 --> 0:18:44.520 of the green. And if you look at, you know, 0:18:44.640 --> 0:18:47.439 ten years down the line, you know he's going to 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:49.520 be in the Packers Hall of Fame. Someday he's gonna 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:51.920 end up being he's gonna put that scoring record so 0:18:51.960 --> 0:18:54.159 far into a different stratosphere. No one's ever gonna be 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.159 able to touch it with his longevity. But it's just 0:18:57.280 --> 0:18:59.400 the way that that position goes that sometimes those guys 0:18:59.400 --> 0:19:02.359 don't get that spect There's still time though, uh, you know, 0:19:02.560 --> 0:19:05.160 guys in his late thirties at that position, there's there's 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:07.119 definitely an opportunity if he's able to have one of 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:10.000 those seasons, one of those special seasons where he does 0:19:10.040 --> 0:19:13.120 all the right things and the right people are watching. Yeah, 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:15.080 I think it'd be great if if that were to 0:19:15.119 --> 0:19:17.960 happen here sooner rather than later for Mason Crosby. But 0:19:18.240 --> 0:19:20.159