1 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spafford, joined once again 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: by my trusted colleague Wes Hodquits. Coming to you here 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: from our studios at lambeau Field to review. Unfortunately, Wes 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: a thirty one to twenty seven loss to the Chicago 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: Bears in the NFC Wildcard Playoffs at Soldier Field on 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: Saturday night. And it's a tough one, a tale of 8 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: two halves. There are a number of different ways to 9 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: parse and rehash this one, and we won't have enough 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: time to go through all of it. But this is 11 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: a This is a tough one to swallow because the 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: Packers had this one. 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think what makes it the hardest 14 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: is the fact that in so many ways this was 15 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: a redux of the game against the Bears last month, 16 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: and in some ways probably even a little bit more painful. 17 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: Fifteen point going into the fourth quarter, it looks like 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: everything is trending in the right direction for Green Bay 19 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 2: and then unfortunately, some more Bears magic in the fourth quarter. 20 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: Caleb Williams made some more stuff happen, and the Packers 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: just were unable to find a response, and much like 22 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: that first game against the Bears at Soldier Field, it 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 2: was in all three phases. It wasn't one particular area. 24 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: It was the offense struggling to be efficient in the 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 2: third quarter, multiple three and outs. It was the defense obviously, 26 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 2: you know, rupturing there in the fourth quarter twenty five 27 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 2: points allowed. And then the special teams units a big 28 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: punt cover punt return that went for I believe thirty 29 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: seven yards and then also brand mcmannus missing three kicks. 30 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: It's not a winning formula. And we talked about it, 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: we wrote about it. The Packers had to fix the 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 2: issues that kind of plagued them throughout the course of 33 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: the season. They did not, and their season is over 34 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: because of it. 35 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I like the way you outline that, because 36 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: it really was an all three phases thing, I mean. 37 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: And the Packers offense looked unstoppable in the first half. 38 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: The Packers defense looked like they had a really good 39 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: handle on everything the Bears were doing in the first half, 40 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: really through the first three quarters, because it still took 41 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: until the fourth quarter before the Bears found the end 42 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: zone for the first time. And then yeah, the special teams, 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: I think in addition to the thirty seven yard punt return, 44 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: there was another punt return of twenty two yards. So 45 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: when the Packers defense was starting to struggle, the field 46 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 1: position also wasn't you know, in their favor with those 47 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: punt returns that the Bears were getting, and then seven 48 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: points left out there by the kicker with two missed 49 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: field goals and a missed extra point. It's the way 50 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 1: I rode about it on Saturday night on the bus 51 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: ride to the airport and a little bit on the 52 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: plane ride the flight coming home. Is the way the 53 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: season went for the Packers. Yeah, this is a it's 54 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: a crushing loss. You hate to see a season that 55 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: seemed to have so much promise and so much potential 56 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: end this way. But it also wasn't entirely shocking because 57 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: they had lost games this way at different points throughout 58 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: the course of the year, not just in Chicago, which 59 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: was the most damaging one. Because that's why, essentially why 60 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: this rematch was in Chicago and not at lambeau Field, 61 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: because the Bears won the NFC North on the strength 62 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: of that comeback in the middle of December with the 63 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: onside kick and and all that. But you know, we 64 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: saw the Packers. You know, they they blew multi score 65 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: leads at Cleveland, at Denver, at Dallas, even though that 66 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: one was earlier in the game, and then you ended 67 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: up getting into a shootout. But yeah, it had happened before, 68 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: It had happened earlier in the season in other instances, 69 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: and and and then it ends up being what wipes 70 00:03:59,360 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: out your season. 71 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think when I go back and kind of 72 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: look at this Packers year, that's what's going to make 73 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 2: this the most difficult is that there was so much potential. 74 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: And it's not just about these collapses or whatever you 75 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: want to call them, these these comebacks in the fourth quarter. 76 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 2: It was the fact that when you talk about having 77 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 2: Michah Parsons come in and then make the impact that 78 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 2: he made, right, we spent the whole offseason talking about 79 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 2: Tuckerkraft and how is he going to grow? And then 80 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 2: you see him obviously become one of the top, if 81 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: not the best tight end football at the time of 82 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 2: his injury, probably right up there with Trey McBride in 83 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: terms of productivity, right with Jordan Love. And Jordan was 84 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 2: a stud in this game, right, Jordan was just the 85 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 2: consummate leader, but also took his game to another level 86 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: this season as an athlete. There was so much to 87 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 2: love about it, and there were so many times whereas 88 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 2: Michah Parson said, when he was addressing us, I'm sure 89 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: we'll talk about the shortly, but when he was addressing 90 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: us in the locker room, you know, there was no 91 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 2: point of this season where he felt like they weren't 92 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: a championship caliber team, even when they were working through 93 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: some of those losses. But at the end of the day, 94 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,919 Speaker 2: you have to get the job done. Green Bay did not, 95 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 2: and as difficult it is to swallow, and certainly, looking 96 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: at what you know this run has been. Like with 97 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 2: the Chicago Bears under Ben Johnson, this is very bittersweet 98 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: for it to come to the end this way. The 99 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: Bears did a lot of really good things in this 100 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 2: football game. Caleb Williams was brilliant when it mattered most 101 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 2: for his team down the stretch. I thought you and 102 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 2: I one of the storylines we built up last week 103 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: was the fact that you're looking at Jordan Love and 104 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: Kleb Williams. It's not just the two faces of these 105 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 2: franchise now, but they're emerging stars in this league. Yes, 106 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: and guys that you're going to see on all the 107 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 2: billboards and you know, the placards and all that in 108 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 2: the years to come. And they both played like it. 109 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: Williams could not have gotten off to a worse start. 110 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 2: The Packers get up twenty one to three, they go 111 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: what was it, one of four on fourth downs in 112 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 2: the first half, the Bears do and that leads to 113 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: really them having no momentum whatsoever. But then when crunch 114 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 2: time came, whether it was Colston Loveland, whether it was 115 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 2: DJ Moore, Caleb Williams found his weapons, He found the 116 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: explosive plays that really Jeff Hafley's defense had not given 117 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: up much this season, and he didn't crunch time. And 118 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: it's much like how the Packers dealt with a lot 119 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: of these issues, and it ultimately bit them in the butt. 120 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 2: The Bears have been through those trials and tribulations so 121 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: often in the fourth quarter of this season. Yeah, they 122 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 2: were ready for that moment. 123 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, they set an NFL record, as we talked about 124 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,919 Speaker 1: last week, six victories in the regular season. When trailing 125 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, they 126 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: did it again. This was number seven. The collapse started 127 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: with the Packers' offense struggling coming out of halftime, the 128 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: Bears completely changed their approach. The Bears were on the 129 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: field defensively four times in the first half. The first 130 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: three times the Packers went right down and scored touchdowns, 131 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: and the fourth time the Packers missed a long field 132 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 1: goal because they ran out of time and had to 133 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: kick on the final play of the half. So the 134 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: Bears come out in the second half, they completely change 135 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: what they're doing. They decide pretty much, you know, on 136 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: any given play, didn't matter down or distance, run or pass, 137 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: they were gonna send somebody extra, a cornerback, a nickel guy, 138 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: a safety. They were gonna blitz, and they were gonna 139 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: crank up the pressure on Green Bay's offense, and the 140 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: Packers just didn't find any answers ended up being essentially 141 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: four wasted possessions in which three to three an ounce 142 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: and another drive where the Packers only got one first 143 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: down and had to punt, a total of nine net 144 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: yards in four possessions and not burning any time off 145 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: the clock at all. So, as I said, even though 146 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: the Packers defense held the Bears out of the end 147 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: zone until the fourth quarter, after the Bears scored their 148 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 1: first touchdown on their fourth possession of the second half. 149 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: The Bears still got two more possessions and scored two 150 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: more touchdowns. They got the ball six times in the 151 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: second half because of the failures on the offensive side 152 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: of the ball, and then kind of the the epitome 153 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: of how quickly the script can flip in a game 154 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: to me occurred in the middle of the fourth quarter. 155 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: What we thought was in the moment was maybe going 156 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: to be the biggest storyline of the game for the Packers, 157 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: which was Matthew Golden taking the screen pass, fighting his 158 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: way through tacklers, jumping over people, and getting into the 159 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: end zone. The rookie first round draft picks first touchdown 160 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: of his NFL career. It broke the drought for the 161 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: Packers offense. Green Bay had a twenty seven to sixteen 162 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: lead with six and a half minutes to go, but 163 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: then less than a minute of clock time, the Bears 164 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: had fourth and eight, actually was fourth and three, then 165 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: they false started made it fourth and eight, and then 166 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:58,320 Speaker 1: Caleb Williams made unquestionably the play of the game. He's 167 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: moving to his left, you his offside. The Packers appear 168 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: to have four defenders in that sideline area down there, 169 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: about twenty five yards downfield, and Williams just lets it 170 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: rip and it is a absolutely perfectly thrown ball to 171 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: Roma Duneesa twenty seven yards on fourth and eight. If 172 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: the Packers get that stop, if they stop that play 173 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: and they are taking over with an eleven point lead 174 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: in Chicago territory with five and a half minutes to go, 175 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: I'll take my chances that this collapse isn't going to 176 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: reach the finish line, that the Packers are going to 177 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: find a way to win the game. But that fourth 178 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: and eight play, man, I mean, I'll you know, the 179 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,119 Speaker 1: more I've been thinking about it, it's it's not exactly 180 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: the same, it's not some kind of a carbon copy, 181 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: but it's the closest thing I have seen in a 182 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: playoff game since Aaron Rodgers to Jared Cook in Dallas. 183 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 1: It really was, you know, I mean, and sorry, I've 184 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: been babbling on for a long time, so I'll turn 185 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: it over to you. But to me, that play was 186 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,719 Speaker 1: that play was the one that in a lot of 187 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: ways broke the Packers back. And I know we can 188 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: talk about missed field goals and the final drive and 189 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: the opportunity there, and you know there's time out issues 190 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: and everything else going on, but that fourth and eight 191 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: play was really the one that kept the game alive 192 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 1: for the Bears, and the one where watching it from 193 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: the Packers' perspective, you just kind of went, oh, no, 194 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: like like now this this comeback really could happen for Chicago. 195 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's very perceptive and salient point you raise 196 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 2: their mike because actually, the more you think about it, 197 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 2: it really was that right where the Cowboys when you 198 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 2: think back to that, they really in some ways had 199 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: Green Bay dead to rights, and then Aaron Rodgers just 200 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 2: found something magical right to be able to connect with 201 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 2: or with Cook and just I mean Jered Cook. He 202 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 2: had a tremendous career, I think, multiple time pro bowler. 203 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 2: By the time it was all said and downe, I 204 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 2: still would fancy that that's probably the best catch his career, 205 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 2: just when you keep in fact and the doctor in 206 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 2: you know, his foot placement on that pass the dunes, 207 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: he didn't have to make such a tight rope catch. 208 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 2: But the ability, as Matt Lafleur said afterwards, the goal 209 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 2: for them defensively is they wanted to get Caleb motioning. 210 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 2: They wanted to get him to his left, They wanted 211 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 2: him throwing across his body. They knew how dangerous he 212 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 2: was when he and he scrambles an extensive place to 213 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 2: the right. That was a part of the pass rush plan. 214 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 2: It was a part of the defensive game plan. The 215 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 2: hard part for Green Bay is there was so much 216 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 2: they gave away in that second half, and that was 217 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 2: the one instance where Caleb Williams seriously took something and 218 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: he made that happen. I don't know how many players 219 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,839 Speaker 2: in the National Football League, how many quarterbacks can make 220 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 2: that throw in that window in the zone coverage that 221 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: he was facing. And credit to a Dunza who hadn't 222 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 2: played for a month. That was one of only two 223 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 2: catches he had in the game. Came up at a 224 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 2: big time for his football team. To your point with 225 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 2: the Matthew Golden piece too, I just want to say 226 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 2: one how happy that receiving core was from You want 227 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 2: to talk about how this group has embraced him as 228 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 2: a young player. Was talking about Bow Mountain about in 229 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 2: the locker room, the final locker room on Monday morning, 230 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 2: and he mentioned the first time because Bow didn't travel 231 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,719 Speaker 2: because of his knee injury. When he saw him on 232 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 2: Monday morning, despite the result, went and gave him a 233 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 2: huge hug. Could not have been happier for him. These 234 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 2: guys know how hard this young man is work. He 235 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: knows the pressure that is on his shoulders, and the 236 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 2: fact that I think it's been more a matter of 237 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 2: opportunity than what he's actually anything he's done on the 238 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 2: field with the amount of veteran receivers that Green Bay has, 239 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: but the guy completely balled out. The tough thing was, though, 240 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 2: that was sort of epitomized on that series, is that 241 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 2: the moment that they got the touchdown, they missed the 242 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 2: extra point. And that's not to put it all on 243 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 2: Brandon McManus, but it just every time it seemed like 244 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 2: Green Bay had some type of answer, there was just 245 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 2: something there that just took the momentum out of it. 246 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 2: In all three phases, they just never were fully able 247 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 2: to get that type of play or momentum shift. That 248 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 2: made the Chicago Bears truly question whether or not they 249 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 2: were gonna be able to pull this thing out as 250 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 2: a two seed against a seven, And ultimately the Bears 251 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 2: did what they did for the second time in a month, 252 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 2: Dj Moore made a game winning catch for them what 253 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: turned out to be a game winning catch, and that 254 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: was that for the Packers twenty twenty five season. 255 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's so much, And I don't want to 256 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: dwell on these too long because we have a lot 257 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: of other things to talk about, but it's it's so 258 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: much the little things. Right, Because the what would have 259 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,559 Speaker 1: been the second to last Packers drive in the game, 260 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: Romeo Dobbs makes an incredible one handed catch on a 261 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: play you know, gains like thirty plus yards, but unfortunately 262 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: goes out of bounds. Ye, So instead of burning another 263 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: forty seconds before the next snap or forcing the Bears 264 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: to use the time out there, the clock is stopped. 265 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: That helps Chicago. Then the Packers end up taking if 266 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: I'm recalling the sequence of events right, the Packers end 267 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: up taking a delay of game right after using a 268 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: time out on that drive. You take a delay a game, 269 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: it moves you back five yards. And Brandon McManus's field 270 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 1: goal then is five yards longer than it would have been, 271 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 1: and he misses it. It's a forty four yarder instead 272 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: of a thirty nine yard or because of the delay 273 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: a game It's just it's you know, all of these 274 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: little things. The Packers end up, you know, burning a 275 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: time out on defense because of a substitution mistake. I mean, 276 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: it's a crucial play for the Bears. You can't have 277 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: only ten guys on the field or you know, you 278 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: could give up a touchdown on that place, so you 279 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: have to call a time out. But because of that 280 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: substitution error and burning the time out, then you don't 281 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: have another time out on your final offensive drive when 282 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: you're trying to come down and potentially score the game 283 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: winning touchdown. The extra point that's missed, you know, that 284 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: then leads to, you know, the Bears get a two 285 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: point conversion when the otherwise would have kicked for one, 286 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: and all of the numbers, the numbers, the deficit, the 287 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: math of the entire stretch run of the game changed 288 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: when Brandon mcmannus missed the extra point after the Matthew 289 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: Golden touchdowns. So it's just it's all, it's all these 290 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: little things that just kept adding up to, as Matt 291 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: Lafleur said after the game in sort of a different context, 292 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: but the Packers just gave the Bears too many opportunities, 293 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: gave them too many chances, and to Caleb Williams credit, 294 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: he cashed in with all those chances. The Packers started 295 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: the game with three consecutive touchdowns on offense. The Bears 296 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: finished the game with three consecutive touchdowns on offense, and 297 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: they ended up with more points on the board at 298 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: the end. 299 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: And you look at also what they did. But the 300 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 2: fact that Kyro Santos in both of these games was 301 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: this silent MVP for them, it really had nothing to 302 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 2: I mean, it did have something to do with Brandon 303 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 2: mcmanuson some extent, because as he admitted, there were seven 304 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 2: points that he left on the board for them. But 305 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: the first game, Santos made some major kicks for them. 306 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 2: He obviously had the on side kick at the end 307 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 2: to get them the ball back. In this game, when 308 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: they could not get anything going, they still got nine 309 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 2: points off his foot, one of those being I think 310 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 2: a fifty four yard field goal in those conditions and 311 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 2: that win that they were dealing with. 312 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a fifty plus the same direction where 313 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: McManus missed the fifty five yard or at the end 314 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: of the first time. 315 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, and just to be able to get those nine points, 316 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 2: that was the difference, and they were able to stay 317 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 2: with them close enough striking distance that it truly did 318 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 2: feel like on that first touchdown pass, or just said, 319 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 2: the first touchdown run that DeAndre Swift had for six yards. 320 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 2: Once that gave out, once the red zone defense gave 321 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 2: out for green Bay, that's when I started to really 322 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 2: get worried, because it felt like for pretty much three 323 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: plus quarters, green Bay still had their red zone defense 324 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:48,119 Speaker 2: with it, and once that gave way, the water. 325 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: And to me, that's where when the Bears started to 326 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: seemingly score with ease in the fourth quarter, when they 327 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: got into the red zone, that's where it looked to 328 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: me like the Packers defense was just out of gas. 329 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: They were running on empty. And that's where I go 330 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: back to the four wasted possessions on offense. So the 331 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 1: Bears ended up with six possessions in the second half 332 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: with the ball. The Packers defense had nothing left. They 333 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: had they had gotten red zone stops, they had gotten 334 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: fourth down stops. They had for the first three quarters 335 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: of the game. They they held Chicago to nine points. 336 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: And then once, as you said, sort of once the 337 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: once the dam broke, then the floodgate was open and 338 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: and they couldn't do anything about it. So the season ends, 339 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: the Bears are moving on. Lots swirling around, of course, 340 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: with regard to head coach Matt Lafleuur and his future. 341 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: There are reports that the Packers are going to try 342 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: to work out a contract extension with Matt Lafleur. Nothing 343 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: official in that regard yet, but assuming that is going 344 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 1: to work itself out and Matt Lafuur is back, I 345 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: think the biggest thing everybody's watching for from Green Bays 346 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: perspect of on the coaching side of things, is does 347 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: Jeff Halflee, the defensive coordinator, get one of these open 348 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: jobs in the NFL. He's got a handful of interviews 349 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: lined up as we're taping this. He may be talking 350 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: to another NFL team right now for all we know. 351 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: And there are nine head coaching openings as of this moment, 352 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: because just before we turn the cameras on here, we 353 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: learned that Mike Tomlin was walking away from the Pittsburgh Steelers. 354 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 1: So more than one fourth of the league, nine out 355 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: of thirty two teams looking for a new head coach 356 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: right now, and Jeff Haffley is talking to a bunch 357 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 1: of them. 358 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:37,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know a lot of guys were discussing this. 359 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 2: Matt Lafleur obviously said in his season ending news conference 360 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 2: with us on Sunday that if that is what works out, 361 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 2: he is anticipating that Halfley gets one of those jobs 362 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 2: based on how well the interviews, how well obviously the 363 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 2: success he's had in Green Bay so far, that he 364 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,719 Speaker 2: probably is going to be. If Matt is here next year, 365 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 2: you'll probably looking for a new defensive coordinator. When we 366 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 2: got into the locker room on Monday, I think the 367 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 2: players were a little bit more optimistic that, hey, maybe 368 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 2: we'll get them back, something will happen where we can 369 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 2: get them back for one more season. It sounded like 370 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 2: Michael Parsons was probably leading that train of players. DeVante 371 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 2: White had a funny line too, when we were talking 372 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 2: to him when the question was posting. He's like, nothing's 373 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 2: official yet, nothing's official yet, so he's holding out hope. 374 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 2: But Okay, if it is this, if this is it 375 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 2: for Halfley, I mean the run that he had here, 376 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 2: you know, particularly, I will go back. I mean the 377 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 2: defense was great this year. I give him so much 378 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 2: credit for finding a way to incorporate Michaeh Parsons and 379 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 2: make him fit this scheme, and those two working together 380 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 2: to build a pass rush playing with him and end 381 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 2: up setting the tone for an All Pro, first team 382 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: All Pro season for Parsons. But what Halfley did in 383 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 2: terms of just the twenty twenty four season, when it 384 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 2: just seemed like, no matter what he needed to do, 385 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: he always hit the right note. If they're struggling to 386 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 2: get a pass rush, they were really successful with simulated pressures. 387 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 2: If a team's moving the ball a little bit, they're 388 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 2: getting big takeaways. If they aren't getting takeaways, they're eliminating 389 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 2: displosive It just seemed like he was always one step ahead, 390 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 2: and unfortunately they got really dinged up on the defensive 391 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,400 Speaker 2: side of the ball this year to their best, obviously 392 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 2: collecting their best player ultimately. But yeah, yeah, Halfley was 393 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 2: I mean, he's going to go down. Is probably among 394 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 2: many good hires, but probably the best hire that Matt 395 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 2: Lafleur has had here, and that you gotta be careful 396 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 2: with it because by the time we get done taping 397 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 2: this or by the time this post, the world could 398 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 2: have already shifted. Yeah, but the fact of the matter 399 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 2: is this is that coaching karrousel time of the year 400 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 2: and at any given moment something can change. 401 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, you've hinted at a couple of things with 402 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: regard to that final locker room session. Monday was kind 403 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: of the locker clean out day for the team and 404 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: the media is allowed into the locker room for about 405 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:47,400 Speaker 1: an hour. You and I both talked about it afterward. 406 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: It was one of the one of the busiest, more 407 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: newsworthy type of final end of season locker room interview 408 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: sessions that we've had, because not only were we talking 409 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: to players like Keishaw Nicks and Christian Watson and Javon 410 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: Bullard about, you know, processing the disappointment of the loss 411 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: and how the season ended and you know what you're 412 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: looking at moving forward. And I certainly sense a lot 413 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:17,719 Speaker 1: of resolve amongst these Packers players to do whatever it 414 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: takes to atone for a season ending at this level 415 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:28,239 Speaker 1: of disappointment. But we also heard from Micah Parsons and 416 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: from Tucker Craft, two guys who lost their seasons to 417 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: ACL injuries, Craft about halfway through the year, Parsons about 418 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: three quarters of the way through the year, and those 419 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: guys talked about their recoveries and where they're at and 420 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,239 Speaker 1: just you know, you can sense Wes and just in 421 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: hearing from those guys again for the first time in 422 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: a while, how big a leaders those guys are. And 423 00:21:54,200 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: it's not that the Packers were necessarily lacking leaders, because 424 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: there are a number of guys who you know, rise 425 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,680 Speaker 1: up and were not injured, you know, and didn't miss 426 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 1: games and whatnot. But the collective leadership I think of 427 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: the team suffered when guys like Parsons and Craft and 428 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: Elton Jenkins, you know, go down and and just hearing 429 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: from them again, it reminded me the way they answer questions, 430 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: the way they talk about themselves, about their teammates, They 431 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,879 Speaker 1: just they exude a certain amount of leadership and you 432 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: and you can't help but feel how much that portion 433 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: of things was, uh was missing down the stretch, you know. 434 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 2: And coaches and players never like to talk about injuries 435 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 2: because obviously it's just equated to excuses. Fortunately, I talk 436 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 2: professionally now whether I want to or not, so I 437 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 2: get to talk about injuries and I get to use 438 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 2: them as an excuse to some extent. And the point 439 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: I want to raise with that is you absolutely have 440 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 2: to overcome this stuff if you're gonna win a championship. 441 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: The Packers didn't this year, bottom line, right, But if 442 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 2: you think back on it, it's not just that you're 443 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 2: right about the words. Both of those guys are incredibly eloquent. 444 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 2: They both threw their support behind Matt Lafleura really expanded 445 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 2: what he means to that locker room. They talked about 446 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 2: what their individual seasons meant to themselves. In Parsons case, 447 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: twelve and a half sacks, he gets traded here and 448 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 2: the dead of midnight basically comes in, learns a new defense. 449 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:23,320 Speaker 2: Fourteen games puts together is his fourth first team All 450 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 2: first his fourth All Pro season, his fifth Pro Bowl 451 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 2: season with the Packers. On the other side of things, 452 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,160 Speaker 2: in his own words, Tuckerkraft said, I mean he felt 453 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 2: like he was on the precipice, on the cusp of 454 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 2: putting together the best season by a Packers tight end, 455 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 2: and it sure looked like he was. 456 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: There, And statistically he was. If you just do the math, 457 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: he was. He just if he doubles his numbers from 458 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: the first half of the season through the second half, 459 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:50,160 Speaker 1: he would have set Packers tight end records for receptions 460 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: receiving yards and touchdowns in one season. 461 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 2: So all that's well and good statistics, accolades, all of that, 462 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 2: but you covered this team, you watch this team, You're 463 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 2: at every single practice that I you're at, every single 464 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 2: game that I was at. It's what both of those 465 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 2: guys do on each side of the ball, regardless of 466 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 2: whether or not they're touching the football. So you look 467 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 2: at Tucker and the way he carries himself, the energy 468 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 2: he's wearing a sea on his chest, he's a third 469 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 2: year player. His ability when he does have the ball 470 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 2: in his hands yards after the catch, the yak. This 471 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 2: guy is an emotional energizer bunny for that offense, and 472 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,160 Speaker 2: they took him out. You know, he was gone after Carolina. 473 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: Micah Parsons. I've never seen any he came as advertised. 474 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 2: I've never seen anyone hustle the way that this guy hustles. 475 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 2: He is an elite, blue chip athlete, but he also 476 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 2: has this undying relentlessness that is so rare and I 477 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: think is what takes him from being an elite player 478 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 2: to potentially a Pro Football Hall Fame time. Yes, yes, 479 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 2: both of those guys are gone, So it's not just 480 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 2: about their production at that point. It's about the energy, 481 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 2: it's about the enthusiasm. It's about having that dude on 482 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 2: the field that you feel like, if it's third and long, 483 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 2: he's going to find a way to move the chains, 484 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 2: or if it's third and four, he's going to find 485 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 2: a way to sack the quarterback. Right. You took all 486 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 2: that out, and that was difficult for Green Bay to 487 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: come back from. What was encouraging listening to both of them, 488 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 2: and they're not you know, they're hoping for early season 489 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 2: returns next year, but the motivation in their voice, in 490 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 2: the amount of drive that they have right now to 491 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,240 Speaker 2: come back and be better than ever. When you talk 492 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 2: about the twenty twenty six Packers, whatever shape it takes 493 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 2: once we get six eight months from now, Yeah, you're 494 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: talking about two of the three best players on this 495 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 2: football team and they are both jacked to get back 496 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 2: out on the field. 497 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, Well, I do want to talk about the 498 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: other games, wild card weekend, review some things, but we 499 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: also got to pay some bills. So let's hear a 500 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 1: quick word from our sponsors. 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Pit Boss Grills 510 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: available at minards. Hey Packers fans, we always knew Lambeoufield 511 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: was a wonder, but now it's official. Learn more about 512 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: all the wonders of Wisconsin at travel Wisconsin dot com 513 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: slash Wonders. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted ari Wes four 514 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: teams left standing in each conference. There were six winners 515 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: and six losers over wild Card weekend. I'll just throw 516 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: it out to you here, who or what were you 517 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: most impressed with? 518 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 2: Mike Spofford, I was most impressive. If Hannah wants to 519 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 2: splice in the footage, this man over here in this chair. 520 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 2: He started rattling off victors on our show last week 521 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 2: on Packers Preview and aside from I think the Packers, 522 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 2: you got them, all. 523 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: Right, I think I think you had Philly or did 524 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: you I think I picked I think I picked the Eagles. 525 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, all right, never mind forget this guy. But yeah, 526 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 2: I no, okay, answer the question, Weston, move on here. 527 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,639 Speaker 2: I think the thing I was most impressed by was 528 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 2: the Buffalo Bills, because Golly only knows what happens if 529 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 2: the Bills lose that game. And when you're talking about 530 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 2: an upstar team in the Jacksonville Jaguars, and you're talking 531 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 2: about a team that has been as close to a 532 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 2: super Bowl as the Bills have gotten over the last 533 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 2: three to five years. Josh Allen showed that experience, James Cook, 534 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 2: everybody on that that offense, they rallied together, they made 535 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 2: the plays, they advanced. Maybe the Houston Texans defense. You 536 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 2: can pick anything from all these games. But when you 537 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 2: talk about teams that I mean, there was a huge 538 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,200 Speaker 2: pressure on them to win this week. They all there's 539 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 2: always huge pressure. But the Buffalo Bills they had to 540 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 2: win and they got it done. 541 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:14,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was, I was. I was most impressed with 542 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 1: with Buffalo's comeback. Certainly Houston's defense, you know, as advertised. 543 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: I think we both talked. We knew going into that 544 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: game that that Steelers offense. You know, yes, they were 545 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: getting dk Metcalf back, but you just knew that they 546 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: were going to have trouble with that, especially that defensive front. 547 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: The combination of the combination of what Houston has in 548 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: its defensive front and then what it has behind that 549 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: in terms of I mean, does anybody for the Houston 550 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: Texans ever miss a tackle? I don't think, I mean 551 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: they just I mean it that that's Demico Ryans to 552 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: a team, right, like yeah, I mean, you know, and actually, 553 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: and I actually got a kick out of it during 554 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: the Monday night broadcast when they showed the highlight of 555 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 1: win Demico Ryans sacked Aaron Rodgers when he was quarterbacking 556 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: the Packers. I actually didn't remember that Ryans had sacked him, 557 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: but that was that was actually kind of a kind 558 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: of a cool highlight to see. I mean, we'll see 559 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: if if that is indeed it for Aaron Rodgers, Mike 560 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: Tomlin walking away from the Steelers, you know, it kind 561 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: of would seem that that that probably was it for 562 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: Rogers and glad he got back to the playoffs and 563 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: all that. The other one, the other one I want 564 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 1: to talk about though, too, is the San Francisco forty 565 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: nine ers going into Philadelphia and beating the Eagles. And 566 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: it's not just I mean, yeah, the Eagles were up 567 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 1: and down. They were not they were not the fine tuned, 568 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: you know machine, the juggernaut that they appeared to be 569 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: last January. But to go into that in that building, 570 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: Lincoln Financial Field, a tough you know, tough conditions. It's windy, 571 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: and the Niners, who have overcome so many injuries already 572 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: over the course of the season, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, 573 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: and they were missing Brock Purdy for half the season 574 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: and you know, all these other guys, and then they 575 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 1: lose George Kittle early in that game, so there's another 576 00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: injury there to overcome. And they overcome two interceptions from 577 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: their quarterback. You know, their defense went out there and 578 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: stood tall against the Eagles when the Eagles defense was 579 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: trying to you know, was trying to make the plays 580 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: to jumpstart things. I thought it was just it was 581 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: a it was a gritty, kind of ugly, messy type 582 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: of win. But I thought that was a really, really 583 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: impressive win by the forty nine ers, and I don't 584 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: know if they're going to have enough left in the 585 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 1: tank going on a short week now back to face 586 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: their division rival, the Seahawks. They just faced them and 587 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 1: only scored three points, and now they have to play 588 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: them in Seattle and all that. But that was that 589 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: was a really impressive win by Kyle Shanahan's bunch. 590 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, and especially considering that they really struggled to run 591 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 2: the ball. Purdy did not have his best games, but 592 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 2: they just found a way. I mean, DeMarcus Robinson, who 593 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 2: is a guy that was signed for four million dollars 594 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 2: a year this year, comes up with a big time performance. 595 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: Juwan Jennings, you know, I'll sit in this chair a 596 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 2: lot over the last you know, eight nine years, and 597 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 2: I've talked a lot about their ability to developers tight 598 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 2: or say linebackers the forty nine ers and the job 599 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 2: they've done with that interior defensive lineman. I think it's 600 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 2: really underrated. The job they've done developing receivers in that 601 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 2: place and Kyle Shanahan finding weapons and Juwan Jennings really 602 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 2: growing into that role. We saw it, we got We've 603 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 2: had flavor and samplings of it over the last few 604 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 2: years in the matchups with the forty nine ers, but 605 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 2: he is their their wide receiver one now, especially after 606 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 2: all this stuff you talked about, the injuries, all the 607 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 2: stuff that happened in Brandon Ayuk, right right, and they 608 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 2: still kept tredging forward. And I'm with you, I don't 609 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 2: know what happens when they head out to Seattle. I 610 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 2: don't know what is left in the tank at that point. 611 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 2: But the fact is is that Philadelphia won the defending 612 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 2: Super Bowl champions. They were very inconsistent this year, but 613 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 2: they were a good football team and they could play 614 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 2: with anybody. And on this particular day, in what is 615 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 2: one of the most hostile environments we experienced it last 616 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,760 Speaker 2: January at Lincoln Financial, the forty nine ers walked in 617 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,040 Speaker 2: there and got it done. So sets up for a 618 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 2: very intriguing matchup now again a rematch of that regular 619 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 2: season finale against Seattle. 620 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I want to talk more about those matchups, 621 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: the four divisional playoff matchups Saturday and Sunday coming up 622 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 1: this weekend. We'll get to a lot of details there 623 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: on our next show, but for now, we do have 624 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,680 Speaker 1: to call it a rap. On this edition of Packers 625 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: on script and be sure to follow all of our 626 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: coverage of the team, lots of season ending wrap up coverage. 627 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 1: Wes had a story on Matt Lafleur's season ending news conference, 628 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: and then I had a story on the final locker 629 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: room clean out. He wrote about Micah Parsons, I wrote 630 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: about Tucker Craft. All that stuff is up on Packers 631 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: dot com, so if you haven't already, please check it out. 632 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 1: And with that for Wes, I am Mike. Thank you 633 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: for tuning in. Everybody, we will see you next time.