WEBVTT - #668 Packers Unscripted: The time has arrived 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:10.800 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:14.040 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford. He is the 0:00:14.080 --> 0:00:16.919 one and only Weston hot Koitz. We're coming to you 0:00:16.960 --> 0:00:20.360 here from our studios at lambeau Field West. It is 0:00:21.120 --> 0:00:27.840 finally almost here, and of course I'm talking about the 0:00:27.920 --> 0:00:31.320 season opener for Packers Vikings. It will be a three 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:37.120 pm kickoffs Sunday at us Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:41.519 We will certainly be there from our perch in the 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:46.000 press box. We're going to talk about keys to victory 0:00:46.040 --> 0:00:48.159 and whatnot as we go along in the show. But 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:50.720 right before we turn the cameras on here, we were 0:00:50.800 --> 0:00:54.000 kind of joking around about one of the keys of 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.959 this whole thing is finally getting to this point, right 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.560 It's like there's going to be a game that's going 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.560 to how it's going to matter. It's a big one 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:06.520 against the division rival, obviously, but the time has finally arrived. 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:09.280 It's finally arrived, and and it's time for football again. 0:01:09.880 --> 0:01:11.920 Even at the time you know that we're taping this, 0:01:12.200 --> 0:01:15.199 even the lead up to Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams, 0:01:15.640 --> 0:01:19.199 you can tell the world is ready for football again. 0:01:20.200 --> 0:01:22.360 I think Packer fans, you know, training camps, fund the 0:01:22.360 --> 0:01:24.720 preseason is fun. I really do feel like it is 0:01:24.760 --> 0:01:26.600 the best build up and lead up in all of 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:31.480 sport uh to to the definitive beginning of the season. 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:36.440 But the thing that's interesting about with this new world 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:38.440 we live in with the preseason is you do have 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:42.959 a pretty substantial chunk of time here before we get 0:01:43.120 --> 0:01:46.360 to Week one. And you know, for that reason, I think, 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:48.800 whether it's the media, whether it's the players, I think 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:51.520 everybody is just sort of getting to the point where 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:54.200 it's like, yeah, it's time to play football again. And 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:56.560 that was one of the big questions I had for guys. Really, 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:59.360 my only big question in Wednesday's locker room is what's 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:02.480 the anticipation nation? Like, I mean, especially with the defense. 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:05.080 We talked all off season about this defense and how 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:07.840 dominant can be and what is life going to be 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:10.440 like without Davante Adams for the offense where it was 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:13.600 Rich Besaccia going to be able to overhaul special teams. Well, 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:16.359 now we finally be able to get some answers. Yeah, exactly, 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:19.880 We're going to find out exactly where things are headed. 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:22.720 This will be just the start. It's a marathon, as 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:25.800 we say many times, not a seventeen games, I mean 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:29.680 first of seventeen here. This regular season doesn't end until 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:33.720 almost the middle of changes. Trying to set off, trying 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:35.920 to get me going here. All right, well, alright, alright, 0:02:35.960 --> 0:02:39.959 we'll back up. We'll back up, because this show is 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:43.760 about the keys to victory. And you just mentioned offense, defense, 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:45.880 and special teams, a little note on each one. So 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:48.000 I will let you start wherever you would like to, 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:53.160 whichever phase you want to begin with. What is the 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:55.920 a number one key to victory in your mind for 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:58.560 the Packers on Sunday against the Viking. This could apply 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:01.200 to any phase. But for me, it's who has the 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:05.040 better unscouted looks, who is able to disguise more of 0:03:05.080 --> 0:03:07.000 what they want to do. And I know when you 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.120 look at that, you say, well, Kevin O'Connell has a 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:11.600 new scheme. You don't really know what DNA tell is 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:14.600 gonna do with this defense. That's all true, But Green 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:19.000 Bay it's just such a different look this year. Offensively, 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.240 you know, green It's not going to run through Davontae Adams. 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:25.200 The plays aren't going to be tailored to number seventeen. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.160 We're all on the same boat. You and I watched 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:32.360 every single training camp practice that was available to the media, 0:03:33.080 --> 0:03:35.800 Well you really did. I saw most of them, thank you, Canton. 0:03:36.320 --> 0:03:40.320 But I couldn't even if I was allowed to. I 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:42.240 don't think I could sit there and say, yeah, I mean, 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:44.800 this is this is Davantae Adams offense. This is gonna 0:03:44.800 --> 0:03:47.240 be the year of Jordy Nelson. This is no I mean, 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:49.320 they are going to be multiple, They're going to be 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:52.320 diversified in a lot of this is going to really 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:55.040 come back to what is green Bay gonna do well 0:03:55.120 --> 0:03:57.720 here the first few weeks of the season. So I 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:01.040 look at the known like the fact of this is 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:03.760 that you have Aaron Rodgers and you have a plethora 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:06.160 of weapons. They're gonna be going up against the hungry 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:08.240 that Vikings defense. We've heard all the stuff with said 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:12.680 Arius Smith fair play, but green Bay, what they've cooked 0:04:12.720 --> 0:04:15.440 up and what they've concocted offensively, I'm really eager to 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.600 see if they can stress this new Minnesota defense because 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:21.400 for me, without Mike Zimmer being there for the first 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:23.480 time in eight years, there are a lot of question 0:04:23.560 --> 0:04:25.840 marks there for the Vikings. Despite the fact a lot 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:28.480 of their personnel remains the same. Yeah, I agree with you. 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:32.880 The match up here with the Packers going up against 0:04:32.880 --> 0:04:35.360 this Vikings defense, it is it's the It's the first 0:04:35.400 --> 0:04:38.080 time Aaron Rodgers is going to face a Vikings defense 0:04:38.160 --> 0:04:41.000 not being run by Mike Zimmer in nine years. It's 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:43.400 going to be it's going to be a different feel 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.359 and a different look in that regard with as we 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:48.280 talked about on our last show, some of the same 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:51.200 cast of characters. Eric Kendricks is still out there, Daniel 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:54.200 Hunter is still out there, Harrison Smith is still out there. 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:59.760 But I think it's going to be interesting to see 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:01.840 just what kind of start the Packers can get off too, 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:06.040 not only because of the transition here without Davante Adams, 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:09.640 but also all of the the uncertainty right now on offense. 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:12.080 At the time we're taping this from an injury standpoint, 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:15.760 the Packers really don't know if Alan Lazard, who has 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:18.640 an ankle injury, is going to be available, if David 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:23.000 Bok tr e Elton Jenkins, Bobby Touny in a lot 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:26.160 of key pieces on offense that we may not know 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:29.920 until potentially Friday or even right up until kickoff. Just 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:32.680 how this is going to uh, how this is going 0:05:32.720 --> 0:05:36.960 to come together. So for me, I just I just 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:39.480 fall back on and I don't want to sound like 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:42.400 a broken record, but what I've been saying all offseason, 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:45.520 all training camp leading up to this is I think 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:47.800 the key to this Packers offense is going to be 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:50.200 those two running backs. It's gonna be Aaron Jones and 0:05:50.240 --> 0:05:52.919 a J. Dillon. And and I'm not saying that the 0:05:52.920 --> 0:05:55.080 Packers are going to run the ball forty five times 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:58.240 with their running backs, but if Aaron Jones and a J. 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:02.200 Dillon touched the ball combined forty five times with with 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:06.280 runs and screen passes and maybe wheel routes and check 0:06:06.360 --> 0:06:10.679 downs and whatever else, it wouldn't surprise me. Because these 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:13.360 two guys are going to be on the field a 0:06:13.440 --> 0:06:17.440 lot together. And I think what the Packers are going 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:20.760 to want to do, especially early in the season, is 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:24.160 is established these are a couple of our bell cows 0:06:24.240 --> 0:06:27.040 here offensively, and then they're going to see how defenses 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:29.120 are going to react to what they want to do. 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:32.640 I made history on Wednesday night Mike my fantasy football 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:35.000 draft for the first time since I started covering the 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:37.760 team in two thousand and twelve. I drafted a Green 0:06:37.760 --> 0:06:40.559 Bay Packer, and that's not because I had anything against 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:41.880 him in the past. It's in the fact that I'm 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:43.320 in a league with a bunch of homers that are 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:46.080 always overdrafting Green Bay Packers that I can never get 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:49.680 any of the top guys. I drafted AJ Dillon. I 0:06:49.680 --> 0:06:51.520 would have taken Aaron Jones too if I would had 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:53.840 the opportunity to, but he was off the board already. 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:56.760 But I took A J. Dillon as my flex because 0:06:56.920 --> 0:07:00.320 I agree with you a hundred and fifty. I feel 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:03.919 like this offense could run with two backs. This offense 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:05.800 is going to be able to provide both of those 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:09.279 guys touches. As good as Jamal Williams was, and he's 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:12.800 an all time fan favorite, the offense wasn't structured in 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:14.960 a way in which you're gonna be able to really 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:18.440 feed both guys. A lot of that fell on the unselfishness. 0:07:18.480 --> 0:07:22.400 Selfishness easy for me to say of Jamal Williams that 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:24.040 he was able to kind of take a back seat 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:26.640 a little bit, and to A. J. Dillon's credit, he's 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:28.880 done that too at times the last couple of years. 0:07:29.360 --> 0:07:31.040 But this is the year, where I think you have 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:34.520 two running backs kind of coming into the same orbit here, 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:36.880 Aaron Jones still at the peak of his power if 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:39.240 he could stay healthy, and a j Dillon kind of 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:42.120 being on that come up. The Packers didn't throw him 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:43.640 out there and say, hey, we're gonna run you three 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:45.679 or thirty times a year like they did at Boston College. 0:07:45.680 --> 0:07:48.840 He said we're gonna gradually bring you up. And what happened, Mike. 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:51.760 He became a better past protector, He became a better 0:07:51.800 --> 0:07:54.720 past catcher. He became the well rounded back that Brian 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:57.040 Goodkin's projected him to be back in two thousand and 0:07:57.040 --> 0:07:58.920 twenty when they took him in the second round. This 0:07:59.000 --> 0:08:01.040 is a very exciting time for the Green Bay Packers 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.440 offense because I feel like, whether it's the run, the past, whatever, 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:06.840 they have two backs, they are going to be able 0:08:06.880 --> 0:08:08.760 to really get this team moving out of the gate. 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:10.840 And I think what Jones and Dillon give you the 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:15.040 opportunity to do as an offense is to force the 0:08:15.120 --> 0:08:17.800 defense to defend the whole field. And what I mean 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:22.120 by that starting off is horizontally from sideline to sideline. 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:24.720 When if these two running backs are on the field, together, 0:08:25.800 --> 0:08:28.640 and even if it is a pass play, you can 0:08:28.840 --> 0:08:31.920 have one of them be running a check beat being 0:08:31.960 --> 0:08:35.080 the checkdown receiver out to the left over by the sideline, 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:37.320 and the other one running a wheel route down the 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.840 right sideline. How is the how is the defense going 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.760 to match up to that? And and defend the entire 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:47.520 field horizontally and you get them stressed horizontally, then okay, 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:50.640 now let's take our shot down the seam where you 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:53.160 know the vikings, you know, the middle of their defense 0:08:53.200 --> 0:08:55.800 with Kendricks and Harrison Smith. As we've talked about, it 0:08:55.800 --> 0:08:58.800 can always it always seems like it's tough to attack 0:08:58.880 --> 0:09:02.679 the middle of the field. Again, it's Minnesota, so now, 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:05.040 and that could all look different with ed don Tell 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:07.559 and them switching to the three four and all that. 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:11.719 But these these two running backs, I think give the Packers, 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:17.440 give the Packers an opportunity to to really challenge defenses 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:21.080 in different ways that maybe we haven't necessarily seen when 0:09:21.160 --> 0:09:23.520 so much of the offense was running through Davante Adams. 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:25.440 And that's what I'm really curious to see what it 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:29.680 actually looks like out there on the field. Um, come 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:32.040 week one, and as we go through the entire season 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:34.360 and doing it in stereo with one another. I think 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:36.080 that's gonna be a big part of this thing too, 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:38.199 because you know, a lot of years the Green Bay 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:40.520 Packers it was it was a it was an offense 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:43.199 that was kind of sitting on Aaron Rodgers shoulders a 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:45.040 little bit. You had a running back. We saw it 0:09:45.080 --> 0:09:47.400 in two thousand fourteen with Eddie Lacy. You had you 0:09:47.400 --> 0:09:49.680 did have backs at times that could shoulder the load, 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.679 but a lot of it was letting Rogers sort of 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:55.679 create and building the rest of the offense out from there. 0:09:55.720 --> 0:09:57.880 I think what is most exciting to me is I've 0:09:57.920 --> 0:09:59.960 said it since the beginning of the off season program, 0:10:00.480 --> 0:10:03.439 since the time in which Davantams was traded. I love 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:05.800 that this is probably going to be a season in 0:10:05.840 --> 0:10:08.560 which Matt Lafleur can get back to the principles of 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:12.200 his offense and what him and Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh, 0:10:12.440 --> 0:10:14.480 all these guys have done so well. If you have 0:10:14.520 --> 0:10:17.840 a superstar, you feed that superstar. But sometimes when you 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:20.600 have a lot of talented players, you use that depth 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:22.319 to your advantage. I think that's gonna be one of 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:25.120 the big hallmarks of this team. Yeah, well, switching gears 0:10:25.840 --> 0:10:29.240 to the defensive side of things as far as the 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:31.480 keys here. I look back, and I don't I don't 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:34.360 want to dwell too much on Week one against New 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.080 Orleans last year, but I did want to look. I 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:38.760 look back at a little bit of the play by 0:10:38.760 --> 0:10:41.520 play on paper of that game of just how did 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:45.120 how did Joe Berry's defense get off to such a 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:48.880 horrible start? Right? Because it wasn't a good look on 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:50.760 either side of the ball, But certainly there were a 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:55.640 lot more expectations defensively um with Joe Berry coming in 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:59.160 as the new coordinator. And and I was reminded in 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:02.160 looking at things, is that they just they got off 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:06.600 to a terrible start with third downs. There was in 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:08.600 the New Orleans game. There was there was a third 0:11:08.640 --> 0:11:10.560 and eight they gave up. Then there was a third 0:11:10.600 --> 0:11:13.120 and thirteen that turned into a fourth and seven, which 0:11:13.120 --> 0:11:15.719 then the Saints still converted on fourth down. There was 0:11:15.760 --> 0:11:18.960 a fourth and goal where they jumped offside. So the 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:22.400 third and fourth down situations that they got off to 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:26.240 a terrible start there. But then not just in the 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:28.800 first game, but over the first several weeks. Remember the 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:32.080 red zone problems. I mean, however, whatever it ended up being, 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:34.160 I don't know, nineteen or twenty times in a row 0:11:34.280 --> 0:11:36.920 or something, and I may be exaggerating. I don't remember 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:38.760 the exact number because I've tried to put it out 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:42.280 of my brain. But the Packers defense couldn't get a 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:44.400 stop in the red zone for the longest time at 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.040 the start of last season. I think those those are 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:50.319 always two key areas for any defense at any time. 0:11:50.600 --> 0:11:53.240 But the way the season started last year, for Green 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:56.280 Bay to get off to a at least a solid 0:11:56.360 --> 0:12:00.200 start with third downs and with red zone, um, I 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:02.319 think it's going to be a big key in this 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:04.400 game and for the entire first month of the season. 0:12:04.440 --> 0:12:07.800 I agree because people want to make jokes about Kirk Cousins, 0:12:07.920 --> 0:12:10.280 and I don't know where all that comes from. It's 0:12:10.280 --> 0:12:11.880 been something that's kind of followed him. I think, even 0:12:11.920 --> 0:12:14.480 going back to his Washington days, Kirk Cousins is a 0:12:14.480 --> 0:12:17.199 good NFL quarterback and you can I don't care where 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:18.800 you rank him in the hierarchy, but if you look 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:20.559 at his stats against Green Bay Packers, he's had a 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:22.800 fair amount of success. Maybe not if you look at 0:12:22.800 --> 0:12:24.200 the wins and losses, but when you look at the 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.440 completion percentage, when you look at the accuracy the throws 0:12:27.440 --> 0:12:29.600 that he's able to make him when they're in rhythm, 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:32.840 there is a big difference between that Vikings offense in 0:12:32.920 --> 0:12:35.400 the one in which they're not. So I agree with 0:12:35.440 --> 0:12:37.440 you in terms of the red zone. In terms of 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:40.360 the situational offense, that's going to be key, But for me, 0:12:40.400 --> 0:12:44.440 it's also making sure in those early situations, early downs, 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:47.240 you don't let those six yard runs kind of crease 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:50.000 to a Delvin Cook because once you start getting in 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:53.160 those second and short, third and short opportunities, I feel 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:55.440 like that's where Cousins has really thrived, because yeah, he's 0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:58.200 been sacked fifteen times against Green Bay in these six meetings, 0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:00.760 but you can't really sit there and say, well, this 0:13:00.800 --> 0:13:02.640 game he was sacked five times and they got their 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:06.480 butts kick. The Packers have gotten pressure on the guy before. 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:09.000 He's sort of a stationary type quarterback. You're going to 0:13:09.040 --> 0:13:11.160 be able to get some sacks, but it's about whether 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:12.640 or not you're actually able to get him out of 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:15.280 that rhythm. He gets into that rhythm and they start 0:13:15.280 --> 0:13:17.719 being able to penetrate down in the red area. That's 0:13:17.720 --> 0:13:20.280 where you start to find yourselves in trouble, and realistically, 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:22.480 the Packers did last November. Yeah, And that was the 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.640 other thing I noticed too, as much as some of 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.720 those long yarded situations I mentioned from Week one against 0:13:27.720 --> 0:13:30.440 New Orleans last year, the early part of that game, 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:33.800 when the Saints jumped out seventeen to nothing first three drives, 0:13:33.840 --> 0:13:36.360 three scores, a field goal, and two touchdowns, there were 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:41.000 also several third and one, third and two's in those which, 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.839 as the defense, you can't live there, right, I mean 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:46.880 that that's going to be a high percentage conversion rate 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:48.640 for the offense. It's very tough to get off the 0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:50.760 field on third and one and third and two, But 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:52.720 then when you do get them in third and seven 0:13:52.720 --> 0:13:54.400 and third and eight, that is when you have to 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:56.960 get off the field. And and the Packers just out 0:13:56.960 --> 0:13:59.680 of the gates last year really struggled in that regard. 0:13:59.800 --> 0:14:02.840 Now that being said, as much as we've talked about 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:05.760 the injury issues and a lot of uncertainty on the 0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:09.520 offensive side, defensively, the Packers are about as healthy as 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:12.319 you could ask for right here. I think the only 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:15.480 starter who's listed on the injury report is Darnell Savage. 0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:18.520 If I'm not mistaken with he had the hamstring from 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:21.920 back on family and all indications are he's going to 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:25.560 be ready to go. He certainly has has indicated he 0:14:25.640 --> 0:14:29.320 plans to play health wise. The Packers are where they 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:31.080 want to be on the defensive side of the ball, 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:33.680 and Joe Barry has to be pretty happy about that. 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:36.120 And I know for Packer fans you can't take the 0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:38.880 emotion of it, because it is emotional pay. You want 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:40.440 your team to win, and there are big steaks with 0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:43.320 the division game right off the bat in Week one 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.720 on the road, But it's also going to be an 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:49.080 entertaining ball game in terms of what the Vikings have 0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:52.040 offensively and how that's going to match up with Green 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:55.000 Bay's defense. When you talk about the justin Jefferson's and 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:57.880 who potentially could be covering him, what is JayR Alexander 0:14:57.920 --> 0:14:59.240 going to be doing. Who is going to be in 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:01.840 the slot. Although you know we've seen Rasseul Douglas, there's 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:04.479 so much in the camp they've talked about the flexibility 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:07.520 of that spot, and certainly, as I already mentioned earlier, 0:15:07.760 --> 0:15:10.600 Delvin Cook is a difference maker. Kenny Clark was very 0:15:10.640 --> 0:15:13.560 complimentary of the offensive line that that Minnesota has been 0:15:13.560 --> 0:15:16.600 building and it's been a long long process for the 0:15:16.680 --> 0:15:19.360 Vikings trying to get more stability there, but they've put 0:15:19.400 --> 0:15:24.480 in the resources to that position. So to me, I 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:26.680 feel like this is gonna be a game and there's 0:15:26.680 --> 0:15:29.200 always gonna be you know, fits and starts. There's never 0:15:29.240 --> 0:15:31.280 really been a big blowout. I can't think of one 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.760 during the Cousins era with the Vikings, but it is 0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:37.040 going to be about attacking early on and seeing who 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.920 who is able to to kind of get their early 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:42.760 first momentum. But the Packers, if if it is the 0:15:42.800 --> 0:15:45.600 Packers and you have the Jr. Alexander's and the Devandry 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:49.360 Campbell's and some of these guys that are Shawn Garry 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:53.040 everything we talked about during training camp. The Packers have 0:15:53.200 --> 0:15:56.520 skies with a lot of swagger, and the better they play, 0:15:56.640 --> 0:15:58.840 I feel like that's gonna be a self fulfilling prophecy. 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:00.880 So it's gonna be excit. Need to watch. Yeah. And 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:03.360 on the special team side of things, you mentioned Rich 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:07.840 Bisaccia earlier. Obviously the Packers brought him into to create 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:11.200 a culture change. We talked on previous shows about how 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:14.880 some of the roster decisions. Final roster decisions were geared 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:18.600 towards special teams. Packers are looking to get off to 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:21.880 a good start in that area obviously, and but they're 0:16:21.920 --> 0:16:23.760 gonna have a heck of a challenge thrown at him 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:27.840 right away because at roster cut down time, the Vikings 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:31.440 picked up Jalen Reagor and it sounds like the Vikings 0:16:31.480 --> 0:16:34.200 special teams coordinator is putting him back thereund punt return. 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:36.840 This is his guy. And I know it was two 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.480 years ago and it was two special teams coordinators ago 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:42.440 for the Packers, but Jalen Reagor ran one back against 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:44.880 Green Bay when he was playing for the Philadelphia Eagles 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:47.840 on a long punt return. So they know all about him, 0:16:47.880 --> 0:16:50.640 about about his speed, his ability in that phase, and 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:52.360 the Packers are going to be challenged right out of 0:16:52.400 --> 0:16:55.040 the gate here. It was really interesting listening to Chris 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.360 Barnes and and Chris is such a thoughtful guy. We 0:16:57.360 --> 0:16:59.160 didn't get a chance to talk to him much in training, 0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:01.480 Cambinet not for his own perspective that just the media 0:17:01.520 --> 0:17:03.320 didn't really chat with them too much with quay Walker 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:05.960 coming in. But one of the things I asked him 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.480 on Wednesday was about the Special Teams unit that Green 0:17:09.480 --> 0:17:11.600 Bay has assembled here. Because we've talked so much about 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:15.040 Rich pisacci and Keishaan Nixon and you know down Levett, 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:17.720 you know Pat o'donald, all the changes they've made with 0:17:17.760 --> 0:17:20.960 incoming personnel, you kind of forget about the guys who 0:17:20.960 --> 0:17:23.359 were here last year, the guys that do have a 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:25.280 chip on their shoulder, the guys that do want to 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.520 that that are kind of tired of hearing about how 0:17:27.560 --> 0:17:30.679 Special Teams was sort of a you know, it was 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:35.240 holding green Bay back and they're hungry to to rectify that. 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:39.160 And I just I go back to those offseason practices, Mike, 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:42.240 and just the sense of urgency that Rich Pisaccia coached with. 0:17:42.640 --> 0:17:45.280 There was no coasting. It didn't matter if it was 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:49.320 organized team activities, training camp, probably even if they were 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:52.760 getting in line for the cafeteria. He had these guys 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:59.679 really really tightly, efficiently coached. And I feel like that 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:02.240 shift you've seen. Aaron Rodgers has talked about it, Matt 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.199 Lafloor has talked about it. That's going to translate in 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:08.000 these settings. And I was the story I did on 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:10.640 on Jack Coco earlier this week. One of the things 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:12.160 that kind of hit home for me a little bit 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:17.120 was how Bisaccia tests these players. He gets after them, 0:18:17.240 --> 0:18:19.400 not because he wants to look like a tough guy, 0:18:19.760 --> 0:18:21.879 not because he he wants to sit here and be 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:24.600 the loudest guy in the room. He wants to put 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:27.080 them through that type of chaos. He wants to see 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:32.120 how it tests them from a fundamental standpoint, because once 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:35.119 that game starts, they're all on the same team, and 0:18:35.119 --> 0:18:37.720 whatever happens out there is going to be reflect back 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:40.960 on the entire team. So I just I think the 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:43.760 mental side of this thing and the way Bisaccia coaches 0:18:43.880 --> 0:18:46.160 is just so next level. It's something I haven't seen 0:18:46.200 --> 0:18:48.960 before on special teams during my time covering the team, 0:18:49.000 --> 0:18:51.480 and I'm excited to see what those guys, specifically the 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.120 ones that returned from last season, the Maori Rodgers, how 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:58.440 they respond with wanting to prove they are better than 0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:01.320 what everybody said they were last Yeah, you're exactly right. 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:06.640 The motivation, the motivation is certainly there, and the culture 0:19:06.680 --> 0:19:09.560 has changed in in that phase for the Packers on 0:19:09.640 --> 0:19:13.280 special teams. I still think it'll be a work in progress. Uh, 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:15.520 you know, as we talked about through training camp, the 0:19:15.520 --> 0:19:18.680 preseason games, it was about finding the right guys. Now, 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:21.560 rich Basacci feels like he has his guys, so now 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:25.200 he's going to coach and mold and direct and lead 0:19:25.280 --> 0:19:28.400 those guys to play the way he wants them to play. 0:19:28.400 --> 0:19:30.320 And it's not going to be perfect in week one, 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:34.320 but the Packers certainly need to at least break at 0:19:34.359 --> 0:19:36.800 least try to break even in that phase and then 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:40.200 work toward um as this evolves over the course these 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:42.119 over the course of the season. Work to be a 0:19:42.119 --> 0:19:44.680