1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by my 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: trusted colleague Weston Hodkoitz. We're coming to you here from 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 1: our studios at lambeau Field. And as I'm sure you noticed, 5 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 1: we did not have an episode earlier this week on 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: our usual Tuesday slot. We were taking a pause on 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com on our website as far as any 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: new content out of respect for the Damar Hamlin situation. 9 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: What happened on Monday night football in Cincinnati with the 10 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: Buffalo Bills in Cincinnati Bengals. The latest is, uh, some 11 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: very positive news coming from the hospital in Cincinnati West 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: and that is uh, that's tremendous to hear because you 13 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: and I have talked on this show many times about 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,639 Speaker 1: the physical sacrifices, the risks that players take with their 15 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: bodies to play this game. But it's not supposed to 16 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: be a risk regarding your life there, and there's a 17 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: there's a difference there, and when you see when you 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: see those risks sort of those two very different risks 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: converge as they did on Monday night in Cincinnati, it's 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: incredibly scary, incredibly scary situation for everybody involved, and obviously 21 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: just trying to make sense of those moments when you 22 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: witness them. Right, Like on Monday. I wrote about this 23 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: in our Insider inbox Colm when it posted on Wednesday, 24 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: I actually got done with work on Monday. Uh, you know, 25 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: it was actually a pretty fun couple of days, right, 26 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: I mean, I wrote the story about, you know, positive 27 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: sort of push the Packers made. Here guys playing the 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: saxophone on the game on Sunday. Um, just talking to 29 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: guys about what this run has been like for the 30 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers to win four consecutive games, and the 31 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: most excited I've probably been all season, maybe in a 32 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: few years, to sit down and watch Monday night football. 33 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: And I was over at my parents house. My dad 34 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: you know, made some food and was going to hang 35 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: out with them for a little bit. And uh, I 36 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 1: actually just left right before it happened that they had happened, 37 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: and my dad through me a text. By the time 38 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: I got to my house, my friend Scott Stephen in 39 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: our social department, everybody was like, did you just see that? 40 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: And when you turn that on and then you realize 41 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: what this young man is going through a few things 42 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: went through my mind. First, you know, God help him. 43 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: I mean just like literally drop into your knees and 44 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: saying a prayer right now, right now for the poor kid, 45 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: twenty four years old. His mom's in the stadium. Two. 46 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: I've long said this, Mike, but I mean literally, first responders, 47 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: medical personnel, doctors, trainers are the best among us, and 48 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: you're seeing it now with that report and some of 49 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: the things the family has said. I mean, that is 50 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: probably what's really helped save this young man's life. And 51 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 1: you hope neurologically he pulls through. Okay, as lungs there 52 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: isn't too much damage. But the CPR, the life saving 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: measures they took, the ambulance on the field, all of 54 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: those things and everything that's happened in the hours afterwards 55 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: is what has gotten us to this point. In three, 56 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: you just quickly feel for the players because Mike, I mean, 57 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: I don't want to go into too many things, but 58 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: when I was at the Press Gazette, we had a 59 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: cardiac event happened in our newsroom to one of our 60 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:28,119 Speaker 1: coworkers who did pass away. And it is a scarring 61 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:32,399 Speaker 1: thing to see your friend, your brother, your teammate. You're 62 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: these guys spend six months with each other NonStop, and 63 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what Sean McDermott and Josh Allen and 64 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: everybody on that football team must have been feeling. And 65 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: the right move was made cancel the football game, postponent 66 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: to spend it, whatever the thing you want to throw 67 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: on it, and just let these guys, you know, kind 68 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: of grieve and pray and hope that you know, he's 69 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: going to come through. Okay. So it's just a really 70 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: interesting forty eight hours that the economy of the Packers 71 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: and and us going through this and writing these stories 72 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: on Sunday night, and and Aaron Rodgers talking about, you know, 73 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: not giving up on this team and then really being 74 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: brought forward with what is really important in this life. 75 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: And yeah, there's not much else to say. Yeah, and 76 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: for those if you want to get a sense of, 77 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: you know, what the Packers players are thinking, feeling, players 78 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: talked in the locker room on Wednesday after practice. We 79 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,679 Speaker 1: have some videos on the website. I wrote a story 80 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: trying to bring together some of the different voices, including 81 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: head coach Matt la Fleur, and just how the Packers 82 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: are dealing with this. This is something that the entire 83 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,559 Speaker 1: league is dealing with. UM as Week eighteen, the final 84 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: week of the regular season, is upon us here and 85 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: uh and certainly that news, that news on Thursday morning 86 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: out of the hospital in Cincinnati, that's that's been making 87 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: the rounds now. It's uh, um, it's it's a breath 88 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: of relief, fresh air for the league, certainly for the 89 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: Buffalo Bills. Um. You know Damar Hamlin and his family, 90 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: everything that they have been going through over the last 91 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: you know, two and a half three days whatever it's been. Now, 92 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: UM you uh, um, you hope that that positive news 93 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: is just the start of more positive news moving forward. 94 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: So with that, UM, we actually have a lot of 95 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: ground to cover on this show because there is a 96 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: victory to talk about from last Sunday as well as 97 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: an even bigger game coming up now this Sunday. So 98 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: we'll start with SEV over the Minnesota Vikings, which sets 99 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: up the Packers now thanks to the Washington Commanders losing 100 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: to the Cleveland Browns sets up the Packers for a 101 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: win to get in scenario. And you know, a month ago, 102 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: it would have been um, it was almost impossible to 103 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: think that the Packers would be in this situation, not 104 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 1: to say that they wouldn't necessarily still be alive, but 105 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: to actually get to Week eighteen, one game to go 106 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 1: and not need any other help. That the the playoff 107 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: picture of the playoff position is in your own hands. Um, 108 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: pretty incredible. The opportunity that the Packers have in front 109 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 1: of them thanks to an absolutely dominant, dominant victory over 110 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: the team that has won the NFC North title this year. 111 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: The best performance the Packers have had this season. I 112 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: think an argument could be made when you look at 113 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: all three phases, one of the best performances they've had 114 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: under Matt Floor. Uh, everybody contributed to this, Mike, you 115 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: and I. The popular catchphrase that everything the past few 116 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: weeks has been complimentary football. Packers need to play complimentary football. 117 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: They came out and they mastered complimentary football in this thing. 118 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: I mean the fact that Aaron Rodgers through for a 119 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: d fifty nine yards a touchdown, had points ever passer rating, 120 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: and they won by four touchdowns or whatever it ended 121 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: up being. And we're up by thirty eight points before 122 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings even found the end zone in this game. 123 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: Aaron Jones, the blocking, the defensive pressures from the inside, 124 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: the takeaways, the touchdowns, Keyshawn Nixon. Uh. It has the 125 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: makings of a special football team. And I think what 126 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: is most the coolest part of this whole run. You say, 127 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: control your own destiny. You say all these things about 128 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: the playoffs. No, the one thing that I like the 129 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: most about this is the Green Bay Packers stuck together 130 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: even when the odds didn't look very good. You look 131 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: at those New York Times polls, you know when they 132 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: were doing them. And by the way, please keep doing 133 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: that every year New York Times, if you're watching this 134 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: every year, because it was the easiest, most efficient way 135 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: to be able to really get a feel of where 136 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: these playoffs scenarios worked. Um, and I didn't have to 137 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: click through like eight five ads to get there. I 138 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: being able to look at it go from four percent, 139 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: I think, and now it's what around you gotta win 140 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: this game. So that's what they're taking to an account. 141 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: It really gives you an idea of not only what 142 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: the Packers had to do on their end of things 143 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: to make this happen, but the stuff that had to 144 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: go their way the right way. It would have just 145 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: been so difficult to watch them have a performance like 146 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,239 Speaker 1: last week. Watch Keyshaw Nixon come on, watch the defense 147 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: start to crystallize. And then okay, well now we gotta 148 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: hope you know, Seattle loses and Washington needs to lose, 149 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: and the Houston Texans need to like all these different scenarios. Right, No, 150 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: it's easy. The Green Bay Packers get Detroit Lions. Here. 151 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: It's a rematch of that Week nine game, which we 152 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: all thought that was the beginning of the end given 153 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,079 Speaker 1: the injuries, and uh, here they are one win and 154 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: you're end. Yeah. And it was remarkable to me watching 155 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: the game against Minnesota on Sunday, how um, how quickly 156 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: and and decisively in a sense that the Packers defense 157 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: set the tone for this football game. Because it's zero 158 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: zero and in the first quarter and the Packers get 159 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: a punt blocked first real significant miske you on special 160 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: teams in quite a while for Rich Bisaccio's units, and 161 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings have first and goal on the one 162 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: yard line and you're thinking, you know, yeah, you're staring 163 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: at probably a seven and nothing deficit. Right, Well, what happens? 164 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: You talk about complementary football, there are two different types 165 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: of complementary football in my mind, and you need to 166 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: have both of them. When when when one phase or 167 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: one side of the ball does something well, the other 168 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: side needs to continue, It needs to keep it going right. 169 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: The other half of complimentary football is when something goes 170 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: wrong in one phase of the game, then another phase 171 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: of the game picks them up and fixes it right 172 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: and and limits the damage or whatever the case might be. 173 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: The block punt puts the ball in the one yard line, 174 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: and what happens. The defense goes out and makes a 175 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: goal line stand three straight plays. Minnesota goes backwards one yard, 176 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: it's a field goal, and then the special teams makes 177 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 1: up for its own mistake and Keishaan Nixon takes it 178 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: a five yards to the house. Suddenly, when you thought 179 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 1: you were going to be down seven to nothing, the 180 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: game is seven to three. You go from you know, 181 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: mentally minus seven to uh to legitimately plus four on 182 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: the scoreboard. It was. It was an amazing turn of 183 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: events to me. It's set the tone. It's set the 184 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 1: tone for everything. And certainly then the defense went on 185 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: after the goal line stand to get to get four takeaways, 186 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: running that total up to twelve takeaways during this four 187 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: game winning streak, and and that's really been the biggest 188 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: deef difference defensively is the Packers have been taking the 189 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 1: ball away. The offense has been taking care of the football. 190 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: When you win the turnover margin decisively as they have 191 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: throughout the course of this winning streak, you're going to 192 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: win football games. And that's why the Packers are where 193 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: they are right and for what I believe to be 194 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: the first time this season, pass rush, secondary coverage, everything 195 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: working together. The symmetry is there right because where Shawn 196 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: Gary is a phenomenal talent, the Packers really miss him. 197 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: But I think, you know, Pressett Smith has turned his 198 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: game up here the last couple of months. I think 199 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: the interior line is getting as much pressure as they 200 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: have all season. Now keep in mind, we're you know, 201 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: the Vikings were hurting here. They were under their third 202 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: strength center Brian O'Neill left that game. It looks like 203 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:30,839 Speaker 1: by the way slotman he's out for the year. I 204 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: think from what I saw, I mean they're gonna have 205 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: to go Chris Read the rest of the way here 206 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: until well, if you get an O'Neil's out for the 207 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: rest of the year now too, it's the there's a 208 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 1: there's an achilles injury that was part of his injury 209 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: as well, So so that injury at right tackle for 210 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: the for the Vikings, it's much worse than they initially 211 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: thought on Sunday night. Yeah, so they're really hurting in 212 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: that area. But the thing is, Mike, the Packers saw 213 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: it in week one. Ain't nobody feeling sorry for you. 214 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: If you're gonna have David box tr and Elton Jenkins 215 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: out there, you have to be able to stem the tide, 216 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: to hold the line. And the Packers took advantage of it. 217 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: But I just feel like the pressure has been there 218 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: and you're looking at it. On the back end, guys 219 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: are being opportunistic, they're playing together. Ussel Douglas good coverage 220 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: that leads to a seventy five yard interception for a 221 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 1: return from Darnell Savage. The Packers played physical. They are 222 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: up in guys faces again, and Mike, I don't know 223 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: if you can say anything more about jire Alexander's performance 224 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: in that game. For all the all the headlines, all 225 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: the bravado, all the things that people try to take 226 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: out to build this up, this young man went out 227 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: there on Sunday, and he played at an all pro level. 228 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: He rose to the challenge. The thing about Jire Alexander 229 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: I've been saying since day one he is one of 230 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: the most confident players I've ever been around. And that 231 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: it's not to say, oh, he speaks confidently. No, he 232 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: could say no words. I think he would actually probably 233 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: prefer that if he didn't have to talk at all. 234 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: But it's the way in which he plays the game 235 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: of football. Doesn't matter if it's Justin Jefferson, doesn't matter 236 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: if it's a fifth string receiver. When he lines up 237 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: against somebody, he wants to shut that person down. And 238 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: he won that battle on Sunday. Yeah, absolutely, I mean 239 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: the Packers. But between between mixing up different blitz packages 240 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: and situations, mixing up the coverages where Alexander, you know, 241 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: there were times season Justin Jefferson's face jamming him at 242 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: the line of scrimmage. But even whether he was jamming 243 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 1: him at the line or not, there was a mixture 244 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: of zone and man coverages, you know, in terms of 245 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: those calls, how they were going about it. And Justin Jefferson, 246 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: who had nine catches, four yards and two touchdowns against 247 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: the Packers back in Week one when the secondary was 248 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: in a really bad spot and really really struggled that day. 249 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson, the leading receiver in the league with and 250 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: the Vikings having plenty to play for in terms of 251 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 1: playoff seating, is held to one catch for fifteen yards. 252 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: I believe it was an incredible performance by by Alexander 253 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: and by the guys around him. And as you said, 254 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:59,079 Speaker 1: it's that it's that pass rush and the coverage working 255 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: in concert in glove kind of thing. And this is 256 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: where this is the type of defense that that everybody 257 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: was hoping the Packers would have from the beginning of 258 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: the season, and there are a lot of things that 259 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: went wrong. Unfortunately, they didn't get to this level as 260 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: soon as everyone was hoping and expecting. But the most 261 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: important thing is they're there now and they have a 262 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: chance to get a win, to get into the playoffs 263 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: and see just maybe how far they can go. And 264 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: before we turn it over to the Lions, I just 265 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: have to say this because you and I have not 266 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: talked about this at all off air, but I have 267 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: to say this. All the years that we've seen Aaron 268 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: Rodgers either drawing teams off sides are catching teams with 269 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: the twelve personnel in the field in this game is 270 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: the first time I can ever remember a team not 271 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: having enough players on the field. Because of how they 272 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: were afraid of Aaron Rodgers and the no huddle and everything. 273 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: The Vikings legitimately just lined up with ten players and 274 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: everybody just stood around and didn't know what was happening. 275 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: That ends up leading to a third down conversion by 276 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: Randall Cobb. Yeah, you were the one. I give you credit. 277 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: You were the one before the snap. You even said, 278 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: you're sitting next to me to my left in the 279 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: press box and you're like, do the Vikings only have 280 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: as a crucial third down in the game? Do the 281 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: Vikings only have ten guys in the field. And we 282 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: immediately we started, We're like, you know, and then you counted, 283 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: I count. It's like, yeah, they've only got ten. And 284 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: nobody was like looking to call nobody on the side. Yeah, 285 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: there there was there was nothing. They had ten guys 286 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: ringo running onto the field. We needed the Christian ringo 287 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: attack from the sideline there, that's what That's what the 288 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: Vikings needed. Well, the Packers are in the best position 289 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: they could have asked for considering considering where things were. 290 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: And this is the thought that occurred to me the 291 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: other day, West, because I know when when the Packers 292 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: were in the midst of that five game losing streak 293 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: earlier this year, things were going south. You and I 294 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: sat here and and I continued to say, I think 295 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: on multiple shows, right, I said, this is a team 296 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: that was three and one with a ten point lead 297 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: over the Giants at halftime in London. Right, you're using 298 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: five games in a row. But things can't be this bad, right, Well, 299 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: the flip side of that, now, this team was four 300 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: and eight with a nine point deficit in the fourth 301 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: quarter at Chicago, a team with only three wins. And 302 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: yet in the final analysis, of course, as bad as 303 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: that look, you know, you know and we knew that 304 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: this team was not that bad either, right, I mean, 305 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: the the every NFL season is going to have its 306 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: ups and downs, the wild swings of this season, from 307 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: where they were at halftime in London to where they 308 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: were going into the fourth quarter in Chicago in the 309 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: game of the season, to where they are right now 310 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: Sunday night football under the lights at Lambou Field against 311 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: a division rival in the Detroit Lions to win and 312 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: get into the playoffs. This has been an absolutely unfo 313 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: gettable ride for good and bad reasons. Yeah, and the 314 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: Packers lost in Week nine. There's no way to work 315 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: around that that the Detroit Lions won fifteen to nine, 316 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: and at the time we're like, oh my goodness, this 317 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: is a bad loss, one in six. But I love 318 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 1: how these two teams stories sort of work together. Yes 319 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: they're in the same division, Yes there's all these parallels 320 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 1: between them, but it's more about these are two teams 321 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: that didn't quit on their coaches, they didn't quit on themselves. 322 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 1: This is when you think about playoff football. We'll see 323 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: what the Seattle Seahawks do. Maybe the Lions don't have 324 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,440 Speaker 1: anything to play for on Sunday night. But the fact 325 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: that it came down to this matchup. We've seen a 326 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 1: lot of these games over there's Mike. We've seen it 327 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: on both sides where this game hasn't necessarily meant anything. 328 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:43,880 Speaker 1: Six to the last seven years, the Packers have closed 329 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: the regular season against the Lions. But for it all 330 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 1: to come down to this, that's what football is all about. 331 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: And I'm excited to watch that matchup. Yeah, No, question 332 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: about it. I want to get into the Lions a 333 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: bit more, but I don't want to forget about our 334 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: sponsor Business's serious x M. NFL Radio delivers hard hitting 335 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true 336 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: football fanatics need. Seven three and at Cousin Subs, we 337 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: have something for everyone like our Wisconsin cheese Kurds, mac 338 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with 339 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs 340 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: fifty years better. All right, the Detroit Lions coming to 341 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: lambeau Field. The scenario, if you don't know it, is this. 342 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: The Lions will be playing for a playoff spot on 343 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: Sunday night if the Seattle Seahawks in the late afternoon 344 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: window on Sunday lose to the Rams. If the Seahawks 345 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: beat the Rams, the Lions will be eliminated and that 346 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: number seven seed in the NFC will come down to 347 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: the Packers or the Seahawks. Packers when they get it, 348 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: Packers lose, the Seahawks get it. So an unusual situation 349 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: with the Seahawks playing at and the Packers playing at 350 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: seven twenty, and that's perhaps a discussion for another day. 351 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: But the Lions. I tell you Jamal Williams six yards 352 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: shy of a thousand yard rushing season, which would be 353 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: the first in his career, and he's leading the NFL 354 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: with fifteen rushing touchdowns. I'm on rass st. Brown has 355 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: hit a hundred receptions on the season, He's over eleven 356 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: dred yards and six touchdowns. And Jared Goff, this being 357 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,479 Speaker 1: a quarterback who has played in a Super Bowl, mind you, 358 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: I don't think he's ever played better than he's playing 359 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: right now. He his passer rating for the season is 360 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: in the triple digits. He's at one hundred point one. 361 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: His last interception actually was courtesy of JayR Alexander way 362 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,199 Speaker 1: back in Week nine. That's the last time when the 363 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: Lions beat the Packers, that's the last time Jared Goff 364 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: through an interception. He's put up a passer rating of 365 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: a hundred and ten plus in four of the lions 366 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: last five games. And this is the other statistic I 367 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: looked up because I know you had mentioned it. He's 368 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: only been sacked twenty two times on the season. Five 369 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: of those were in one game against the Dallas Cowboys, 370 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: So that means in the other fifteen games, he's only 371 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: been sacked seventeen times, which tells you about this Lions 372 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: offensive line and what this sets up as a very 373 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: very different matchup in the trenches compared to last week 374 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,360 Speaker 1: when the Vikings were all banged up on the offensive 375 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: line they're having, they're going down to their third string center, 376 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: they're starting right tackle. Goes out this Lions offensive Lion 377 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: Matt Lafleur even said it, he believes it's one of 378 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: the two best in the league, right up there with 379 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 1: the Philadelphia Eagles. This is going to be a huge 380 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: challenge for the Green Bay Packers defensive front to win 381 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 1: this game in the trenches. On Sunday night, we could 382 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: have finished an entire show about just this matchup in 383 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: the Lions and everything they sent. There's a few things 384 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: I want to touch on here, specifically on the offensive 385 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: side of the ball, because I think you've gotta give 386 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 1: credit to Brad Holmes. I think you gotta give credit 387 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,159 Speaker 1: to John Dorsey, everybody over there in the front office 388 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: with the Lions, the Detroit Lions. Where they're succeeding now 389 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: where they failed for so many years is they have receivers. 390 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: Now they have offensive linemen maybe the best in ball 391 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: right now. I mean, it is that good. They are deep, 392 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: they are talented, they are physical. Frank right now is 393 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: going to a Pro Bowl. I am so impressed by 394 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: how that front has played. Why do all these things matter, Mike, 395 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 1: because I think when you look to when Jared Goff 396 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: had his most success with the Rams, there are parallels there. 397 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 1: They have given him a supporting cast that he can 398 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: win with. I was surprised to even look and see 399 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: that his passer rating right now is not the highest 400 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: of his career. He actually had some higher ones in 401 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: l A. Or maybe yeah it was l A at 402 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: that point. But the difference is exactly what you said. 403 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: His seven interceptions this season, we're all in the first 404 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: eight weeks of the season. The fact that he has 405 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: knocked down to take the turnovers. He still had double 406 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: digit interceptions with the Ramps, but he's knocked those down 407 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: on this side of it. And here is the number 408 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: one thing the Detroit Lions have finally succeeded with. They 409 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: finally have running backs. I'm not trying to make the 410 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: Barry Sanders comparisons, but you talked so many years about 411 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: all the draft picks they invested. Unfortunately, there was some 412 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: bad fortune on the injury front. There's some guys they 413 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: just whipped on all together. But DeAndre Swift is a 414 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 1: talented guy, but he couldn't stay healthy. Jamal Williams comes 415 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,120 Speaker 1: in the door one of the most durable, consistent, accountable 416 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: players at that position and as a guy who never 417 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 1: misses a football game. Matt Lafleur said, he said it 418 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: at his press conference on Wednesday, it was such a 419 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: big point, severely underrated in National Football League. Those two 420 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: guys together, they've basically been able to form what Jamal 421 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: Williams and Aaron Jones were here. I think Jones a 422 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 1: little bit more dynamic than Swift, but Swift is becoming 423 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: a pass catching threat. You give him ten carries a game, 424 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: he's gonna hurt you with them. You look at this 425 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: performance last week, Mike two and sixty five rushing yards 426 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: against Chicago. Now it's Chicago, but it's still all counts. 427 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: And if you're talking about a team that's feeling good 428 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: about itself coming off a performance, that's exactly the game 429 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 1: that the Lions needed, coming off of that egg that 430 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 1: they dropped against Carolina. Yeah, and I and I'm not 431 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: saying I'm not saying this to discount that running game, 432 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 1: because that has been a huge foundation and a huge 433 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: support for Jared Goff. But you just said it to 434 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: two and sixty five rushing yards against Chicago last week. 435 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: Two of those were in the second half when the 436 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: Lions had a sizeable lead. Jared Goff started that game 437 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: against Chicago last week sixteen out of twenty for three 438 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: touchdowns in the first half and the Lions were in 439 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: complete command. You cannot let this quarterback settle in because 440 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: the way he has gotten rolling in the second half 441 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: of the season, he is really difficult to stop. On 442 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: the defensive side of the ball, the lines have been very, 443 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: very up and down defensively. Houston and Hutchinson, their two 444 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: best pass rushers, have combined for about fifteen sacks this season. 445 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: They've certainly had some issues in the secondary in terms 446 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: of breakdowns. They had the really bad, the really bad 447 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: game with the run defense against Carolina, which is one 448 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: of their only two losses in their last nine games. Defensively, defensively, 449 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: this has been a team that that has been very 450 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: up and down. But that being said, it's also a 451 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: team that is uh it's also a team that is 452 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 1: not afraid to engage in in a shootout, so to 453 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: speak with with anybody, if if if Jared Goff has 454 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: asked to go out there and put up three, five 455 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: thirty two points, whatever the case might be, he just 456 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: might do it because because that's that's the kind of 457 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: season the Lions have had, and they aren't afraid to 458 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: play a whatever type of game they need to play 459 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: in order to win. No, and I'm telling Lions fans 460 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: this right now. I'm not sitting here saying that Jared 461 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 1: Goff is going to be the guy that leads you 462 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 1: back to a playoff in a Super Bowl or whatever. 463 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,159 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to, but this is a guy you 464 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:14,639 Speaker 1: can win with though. This is a guy you can 465 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 1: build a team around. And I, like I was trying 466 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: to make those comparisons with the Rams. I just see 467 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: signs of this thing being very similar to how they 468 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: rebuilt the Rams after it didn't look so promising for 469 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: him his first year with Tough Fisher, right. But I 470 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 1: want to just touch on that quickly about the run defense, 471 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: because if Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams are in a 472 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: j Dillon can come in here. Um, we don't have 473 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: it in the budget, but if they could and stand 474 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: here in the middle. This is exhibit A and Exhibit 475 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: one A of why the groom of Packers you know 476 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: you feel good about if you need to be in 477 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: a shootout this weekend. I like the Packers chances being 478 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 1: able to run this football at lambeau Field with those 479 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: two guys against that run defense. Aidan Hutchinson is a talent. 480 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 1: He is going to be a guy that is going 481 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: to wreak havoc in the NFL for years to come. 482 00:25:58,280 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: I don't know if you saw his interception last week 483 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: against Chicago, but like just the stuff he can do. 484 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: He's just playing and basically faking like he's on the 485 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: sidelines and then catches a pass in the open field. 486 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 1: I mean, an incredibly talented guy. If you allow the 487 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: Lions to do what they did in the first game, 488 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: you know, have get some takeaways, get some win in 489 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: their sales, feel good about themselves, not care about everything 490 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,199 Speaker 1: else that happened this season, the fact that they were 491 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: like the worst rank defense in the league. They're going 492 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: to play to that level. But if you punch them 493 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,360 Speaker 1: in the mouth early like Carolina did, I think it's 494 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: a very winnable game for the Green Bay Packers. Yeah. 495 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: The interesting thing too, and we talk about turnovers, turnover margin, 496 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 1: differential ratio, all of that and how it plays such 497 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 1: a big factor in any NFL game. But you look 498 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,120 Speaker 1: at all the circumstances surrounding this one. We talked about. 499 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: Jared Goff hasn't thrown an interception since Week Night. The 500 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: Detroit Lions have only fifteen giveaways in the turnover department 501 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: all season, which is the lowest in the NFL. No 502 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: buddy has turned the ball over less than these guys have. 503 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: The fact that in the first meeting at Ford Field 504 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 1: this year, Aaron Rodgers through three interceptions in a game, 505 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: the only time he's done that in the last six years, 506 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: and that happened against the Detroit Lions, right, and the 507 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: and and two of those to all three of those 508 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: were in the red zone, two of them in gold 509 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: to ghost situations. And then, as we mentioned earlier in 510 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: the show, this Packers defense suddenly has twelve takeaways in 511 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 1: its last four games, and that has been the fuel 512 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 1: of the resurgence of this Packers defense. Everything about this 513 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 1: game and the circumstances and and what happened the first time, 514 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 1: and the way these teams are playing, everything just screams 515 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: that turnovers are going to decide it. There. There's there's 516 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: almost no there's almost no way around it. Now, maybe 517 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: maybe neither team turns the ball over and this becomes 518 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 1: this becomes a zero zero thing, and and you see 519 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: in you don't have one of those big sudden change 520 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: momentum shifts, you know, kinds of things. That's that's certainly possible, 521 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 1: But it just feels like, with all the numbers and 522 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: all the circumstances surrounding it, that that turnovers and maybe 523 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: it'll be just one could end up being the difference 524 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: in this football game. And it's played at lambeau Field, 525 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 1: it's not at Ford Field. Detroit can win on the road, 526 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 1: but they haven't done it a lot this year. They've 527 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: been a much better team at Ford Field. They have 528 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,239 Speaker 1: two of their road winds in the same stadium out 529 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 1: there in the meadow lands in Jersey. They beat both 530 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: the Giants and the Jets at at at their place, 531 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: which uses that that sleep grass or whatever they call 532 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: that too, that field turf um. But here's where here's 533 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: what's gonna come down to. Mike goal to go. Green 534 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 1: May Packers have struggled in that area. The Detroit Lions 535 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: are one of the worst defensively in that area. The 536 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: Packers have to finish drives. Yeah, it's another, it's another 537 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: something's got to give category, right, I mean something, something's 538 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: got to give in this game. You're you're absolutely right, 539 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: um this uh. And the Packers have been there too. 540 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: That's the other thing. They have guys Anne Lazard, Robert Tounyan, 541 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: David ba guys underneath Matt Lafleur that have done this 542 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: every single year. They've had to play meaningful games in January. 543 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: They have that advantage. Detroit Detroit Lions not so much. 544 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: Packers have to use that. And and I apologize because 545 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: obviously we're trying to cover a lot of ground on 546 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: the show. You just said his name, David Botier. He's 547 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: back in the lineup for the Green Bay Packers after 548 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: missing multiple games because appendeck to me, he gets back 549 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: in there. And guess what, like his name isn't even 550 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: mentioned all day long, whether he was lined up across 551 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: from Zadarius Smith or Daniel Hunter, two pretty good pass 552 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,959 Speaker 1: rushers for the Minnesota Vikings. Those guys were kept pretty quiet, 553 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: and uh at number sixty nine had a lot to 554 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: do that the Packers. Keishaw Nixon was you know, was 555 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: able to play despite his injury. Christian Watson was able 556 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: to play despite his Both guys have been back on 557 00:29:56,120 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: the practice field already this week. Packers, you know, Rashawn 558 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: Gary and Eric Stokes aside, this Packers team. You're as 559 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: healthy as you can be for what is now the 560 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: biggest game of the season. As these games have just 561 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:13,320 Speaker 1: gotten bigger and bigger every week, right absolutely, And that's 562 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: the way you wanted you wanted to be. You want 563 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: to play meaningful games, Mike. It wasn't coming out of Philly. 564 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: It wasn't sitting there like, oh man, the Packers there, 565 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: their playoff chances aren't very good. It's just that feeling 566 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: like eighteen, not all of what happened in eighteen, but 567 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: just when you get to mid December and you just 568 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: the games don't matter anymore for the playoff. It's just fun. 569 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 1: I mean, you hear the excitement, you you feel like 570 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: that the ticket values going up and everything. People want 571 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: to be a part of this thing. Sunday Night football. 572 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: It doesn't get any better. Than that, and during such 573 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 1: an emotional week for the league, emotional week for us 574 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:46,720 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how to cover things properly and 575 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: be respectful of the situations. I'm I am very excited 576 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: to get to the field and get to the game 577 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: on Sunday night and see how this thing shakes out. 578 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: All the number seven seed in the NFC is there 579 00:30:57,280 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: for the taking and the Packers are going to do 580 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 1: everything they can to take it. With that, we'll call 581 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscript. To 582 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: be sure to follow all of our coverage of the 583 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 1: team and everything from Sunday Night's big game at lambeau Field. 584 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: Will have it all for you on Packers dot com 585 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 1: for West, I'm Mike. Thank you for tuning in, everybody. 586 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: We'll see you next time.