1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 2 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford sitting next to my partner in crime, 3 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: West Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here from our studios 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: at lambeau Field, back from Santa Clara, California, West and 5 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: the Packers two thousand nineteen season unfortunately has come to 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: an end to loss in the NFC title Game to 7 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 1: the San Francisco forty Niners. And there are a lot 8 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: of different ways we can try to go about dissecting this, 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: but for me, we all know the Packers needed to 10 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: play better than they did in San Francisco in Week 11 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: twelve in order to get a different result, and the 12 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: bottom line is they didn't play better and because of that, 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: the San Francisco forty Niners. Hats off to them. They 14 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: are clearly the best team in the NFC and they 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: will represent the conference in Super Bowl. And from just perspective, 16 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: you feel really good for Kyle Shanahan, Robert Sala, everybody 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: over there on that side of things, because San Francisco, 18 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: it's it's the very beginning is been a tremendous you know, uh, 19 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: They've done a tremendous job all season long in terms 20 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: of what they were able to do and how they 21 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: were able to accomplish it. And you know, they came 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: in and they did what they were supposed to do 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: in this game. And you know, it was an interesting 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: game plan. If you would have told me going into 25 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: this thing that Jimmy Garoppolo was only going to throw 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: the ball eight times eight times, I don't think I 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: would have believed you. But and then you know, certainly 28 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 1: Tevin Coleman has kind of been their bell couse, sort 29 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,919 Speaker 1: of the power back for them. Well, he gets injured 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: with the shoulder injury, and where he mostart who was 31 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: probably one of the better stories in the NFL this 32 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: season when you consider where he came from, the amount 33 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: of stops he had leading up to San Francisco, and 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: even when he got to the forty niners he was 35 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: mostly a special team's hand. And then here he is 36 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: now six yards per carry for his career during the 37 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: regular season and he busts out for two or twenty 38 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: yards in this game against Green Bay. The Packers did 39 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: not have an answer for them. And you know, guys 40 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: in the locker room, Blake Martinez among them, talked about it. 41 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: I mean they just San Francisco was able to switch 42 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: things up enough with their run concepts that the Packers 43 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: were never able to get comfortable outside of really that 44 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: opening drive where they went three and out. Beyond that, 45 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: San Francisco was able to move the ball at will. 46 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: And when you give up that amount of rushing yards 47 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: two five rushing yards, it's just it's it's that's a 48 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: big uphill battle to climb. Yeah, it was a combination 49 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: of two things in the first half in which the 50 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: Packers fell behind twenty seven and nothing. It was the 51 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: inability to stop the run with most Are doing the 52 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: vast majority of that damage, and then the Packers making 53 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: mistakes on offense. You look at most Are, I believe 54 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: he's been released cut like a half dozen times in 55 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: his career. He ends up with the two and twenty 56 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 1: yards and four touchdowns. He becomes the first player in 57 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: NFL history with two d plus yards and four rushing 58 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: touchdowns in a playoff game. The tuner and twenty yards 59 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: is the second most rushing yards in a playoff game 60 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: by an individual, behind only Eric Dickerson, who of course 61 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: is in the Hall of Fame. And on the Packers 62 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: side of things, you know, whether you're talking about penalties 63 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: or sacks or a fumbled snap when it's looking like 64 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: you're going to get on the board at seventeen to nothing, now, 65 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, you can say, hey that, you know, 66 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: if the Packers get it to seventeen seven there, maybe 67 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: it's a different game. Yet. Maybe it is, but maybe 68 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: it isn't if you can't stop the run, because, um, 69 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: what San Francisco was doing in this game on the ground, 70 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: as you said, the Packers just didn't have an answer 71 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: for it. And when I sort of described it an 72 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: inside or inbox as I was writing in the wee 73 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: hours of the morning on the plane coming back, when 74 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: it's third and eight and a simple handoff goes thirty 75 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: six yards for a touchdown, you kind of go oh, 76 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: because that's not that's not how that's supposed to happen. 77 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: And it looked way too easy for the forty niners, 78 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: and it just kind of stayed easy through the bulk 79 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: of the ball well, and the Packers had shifted to 80 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: their dime there and they had run mostly based up 81 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: to that point. And for the most part, the Packers, 82 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: I actually think, have defended the run all right. On 83 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: draw plays with their dimes scheme this year, that wasn't 84 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: one of them, and most Are was able to get through. 85 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: I wrote about it in our game notes. Six of 86 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: their ten longest plays went through he Mostert and he 87 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: you know, it was a thirty six yard carry. That 88 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: was his big game, the touchdown. But other than that, 89 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: it was just consistently being able to move the chains 90 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: and have explosive plays when they needed them. The thing 91 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: that's tough for Green Bay in a game like this 92 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: is that you pointed it out. I mean, offensively, they 93 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: just shot themselves in the foot too much in the 94 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: first half. Second half, they actually turned it up a 95 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: little bit. You saw Davante Adams get going. I thought 96 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: they were playing a little bit more free. Jimmy Graham 97 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: had a big catch. Certainly Aaron Jones didn't have a 98 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: bevy of opportunities, but I thought played pretty well with 99 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: the ones he did receive. But defensively, they could never 100 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: get the stop or the takeaway that they needed. Believe 101 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: it was five games this or where San Francisco and 102 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 1: Jimmy Garoppolo did not have a turnover, and two of 103 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: those were against Green Bay. So you can have some 104 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: of those missed opportunities. You can miss some tackles, but 105 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: if you give up the ball and you're not able 106 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: to force it and get gash for those explosive plays, 107 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: it's it's a very difficult battle to be able to 108 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: wage against a team like San Francisco. You and I 109 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: discussed this about you go back to that Lions game 110 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: at Ford Field. Like you, it was an up and 111 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: down game for Green Bay. They rallied late. When you 112 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: get to the postseason and you're against a team like 113 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: the forty Niners who are as good and as disciplined 114 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: and so many different aspects of the game, they're just 115 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: not going to afford you those opportunities to call yourself 116 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: back into it. And the result was what it was. Well, 117 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: you knew when the Packers were down to nothing in 118 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: the turnover category at halftime and facing such a big 119 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: deficit it was going to take a turnover to to 120 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: really turn the tide in this game. But you know, 121 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: turnovers come by either most of the time, sack fumbles 122 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: on the quarterback or interceptions. And if you're not making 123 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: the quarterback throw the ball, you're not gonna be able 124 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: to get those turnovers. And the forty Owners just controlled 125 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: things at the line of scrimmage. They um, they just 126 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: they look dominant. And I'll say this too. It as 127 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: I was kind of pondering all this flying back on 128 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: the on the plane late last night, you looked at 129 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: the NFC and how much of a meat grinder the 130 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: NFC was this year. The Vikings were a good team, 131 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: The Saints were a good team, Seahawks were pretty good. 132 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: Packers obviously were good, but all the rest of those 133 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: teams were still kind of just grinding along. In the playoffs, 134 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: the forty Niners found another level. They dominated Minnesota, they 135 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: dominated the Green Bay Packers. And as good as the 136 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: NFC was, the forty Niners were the one team in 137 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,679 Speaker 1: that group of good teams in the NFC that rose 138 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 1: to another place in January. And that's why they're going 139 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: to the Super Well And and this is the part 140 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: I wanted to get into later in the show, but heck, 141 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: why not just get into it now? Uh, San Francisco, 142 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: Like they're the standard right now. They're the standard bearer 143 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: for the NFC. And we'll find out here in two 144 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: weeks maybe for the NFL in terms of how they 145 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: play in where they can win football games. For Green Bay, 146 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: they are ahead of schedule, and that's one of the 147 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: things I'm sure you and I'll be discussing a lot 148 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: this week. Nobody anticipated the thirteen win season, being back, 149 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: to get in the playoffs and also get a first 150 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: round by to win a game, to get back to 151 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: your third NFC championship game in six years. All those 152 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: things were phenomenal and terrific. But San Francisco, once Jimmy 153 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: Garoppolo got back, and once they got through that early 154 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: gamut in that first month of the season, people really 155 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: start to think, Okay, this guy, this team was sort 156 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: of a quarterback away, a pass rusher away, and you 157 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: could kind of see I mean I was saying it. 158 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: I remember the conversation we had with Wayne Larvy during 159 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: one of our pepperis I set it back in September 160 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: and early October. I mean, San Francisco to me was 161 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: one of the best teams, if not the best team 162 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: in the NFL at that point, because they did all 163 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: the little things right, and they're incredibly fast, incredibly discipline 164 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: and in between the hashes, really tough on both sides 165 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: of the ball. For Green Bay, where they need to 166 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: look at now going in this offseason is that you 167 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: are ahead of schedule. And I'm writing this an Insider 168 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: inbox for Tuesday. This is a tremendous opportunity ahead of 169 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: them right now. But they have to be pragmatic. They 170 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: have to be disciplined in what they do and how 171 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: they approached this offseason to reach that next level. Last year, 172 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: John Lynch felt like, you need to go add d Ford. 173 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: Look at what de Ford added to this to this defense. 174 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: You've seen Joe, you know, Nick Bosa come in, have 175 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: what he's done, the speed of their linebackers, having a 176 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: veteran like Richard Sherman. I don't, as Aaron Rodgers said, 177 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: I don't see the Packers as being that far away 178 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: from where the forty niners are. But they need a smart, 179 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: savvy offseason to make that next step. Yeah, and I 180 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: want to get into a little bit more of Aaron 181 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: Rodgers comments here in a minute. West but select Cousin 182 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: Subs locations are now offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering 183 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: or your favorite sub, They're delivering right to you when 184 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: you order online at in subs dot Com. Cousin Subs. 185 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: We believe in better, all right, well, Aaron Rodgers. Obviously 186 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: he's gone to the podium three times now in January 187 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 1: after an NFC championship loss on the road, and this one, 188 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: this was a different press conference. You know, obviously we 189 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: don't need to revisit Seattle and the heartbreak of all 190 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: of that. But three years ago against the Atlanta Falcons, 191 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: the Packers were dominated, um on the scoreboard and all 192 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:37,079 Speaker 1: of that UM and Rogers. Rogers message, other than saying, hey, 193 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: we need to get a championship game at home, which 194 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: is something he still hasn't had yet in his career, 195 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 1: but as much as then was you know, hey we 196 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 1: gotta go all in. It's it's about it's about having 197 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 1: that that franchise changing off season. Well, it took a 198 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,559 Speaker 1: couple of years. That franchise changing off season was this 199 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: past and so Roger's message after the game last night 200 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: against San Francisco was he he really feels the window 201 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: is open for this team, that there's there's a core 202 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: here now that Matt Lafleur as a Now we'll be 203 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,839 Speaker 1: heading into his second year as a head coach, the 204 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: staff that he's put together, Brian Goudacunstall being his third 205 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: year as the general manager in charge of the roster. 206 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: There's a core here now to work with to figure out, 207 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: then what are the extra pieces that are needed to 208 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 1: move forward. It's not it's not about it's not about 209 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: needing some kind of an overhaul anymore, because that overhaul happened. 210 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: And Aaron Rodgers is he's he's very he's very optimistic. 211 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: He says he has a lot of trust in the leadership, 212 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: both personnel department, coaching staff. He has a lot of 213 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: trust in the leadership of the team, the locker room 214 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: as well himself included. As to where this team is headed. 215 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: In as much as a loss in the conference championship 216 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 1: when you're sixty minutes away from Super Bowl, as much 217 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: as it stings, and it's still going to sting for 218 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: a while, I just get the sense that the Packers 219 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: are going to be heading into an off season with 220 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: a really different feel this time than even three years 221 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: ago when they got to the same point in the postseason. Yeah, 222 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: it's it's a much different scenario this year and this 223 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 1: this time around. You know a couple of things that 224 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: the first thing I thought Aaron Rodgers that the line 225 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: he had about how you know this was fun again, 226 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 1: you know, and and him enjoying this season. Now, I 227 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: obviously I mentioned this a number of times on this 228 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: show over the last episodes. I didn't cover the Packers 229 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: daily like you did in two thousand ten and two 230 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 1: thousand eleven. But this was my eighth full time season 231 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: on this beat, and Mike, this was the tightest locker 232 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: room by far. It wasn't close. Two thousand and fourteen 233 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: was a great team. They were a phenomenally talented team 234 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: that was a super Bowl caliber squad. No doubt, that 235 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:55,720 Speaker 1: team wasn't as tight knit as what this team was 236 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: in terms of the that X factor that she always 237 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: talked about. And I think that's one of the reasons 238 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: why is I walked in that locker room on Sunday night, 239 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: that that locker room was, you know, as emotional as 240 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: anyone I've ever been, and even more so in some 241 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: regards than two thousand fourteen, because guys understood what they 242 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: had accomplished and what it meant that that the health 243 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: of the team, the way that they came together. Um, 244 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: you know, they didn't lose back to back games all season. 245 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: That's not easy to do when you're looking at you know, 246 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: guys coming in in April installing and I had a 247 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: conversation with Mason Crosby as he was leaving locker room, 248 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: and he mentioned, it's just it's tough. It is tough 249 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: when you make it this far and you're that close 250 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: to your goals, and he's like, you know, it's you're tired. 251 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: You know it's been a long run and you just 252 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: want to make it that one extra step. But the 253 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: nice thing for this team, I think, even more so 254 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: than two thousand fourteen, and definitely more so than two 255 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: thousand sixteen, is they feel like, one, they're credibly young 256 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: in their talented but they also this roster that didn't 257 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: have playoff experience in a lot of ways, and now 258 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: they've got two great examples of it that they can 259 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: build off of. But it needs a productive, healthy offseason. 260 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:18,599 Speaker 1: They need to take the principles that they've instilled this 261 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: past year under Matt la Fleur, and they need to 262 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 1: be able to find that path offensively to finding the 263 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: efficiency they look like defensively, finding more consistency and special teams, 264 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: finding the playmakers that they need to make a difference 265 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: there because in so many ways they were exceptional, but 266 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: in so many ways. You also saw what it's going 267 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: to take to be that San Francisco forty Niners type 268 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: Super Bowl contender. Yeah, and I like what you said 269 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: about the locker room in terms of the closeness and 270 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: the tight knit feeling of it, because I would agree 271 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: it's been a long time since I've been in a 272 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: Packers locker room that felt this tight. And I will 273 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: say two thousand ten the Super Bowl Championship here, obviously 274 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: that was a very tight locker room, but it was 275 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: different because it was a closeness that was fostered by 276 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: circumstance and adversity because you know, Nick Barnett goes down, 277 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 1: Jare Michael Finley goes down, Mark Tauscher goes down. All 278 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: these starters were getting injured and these other guys have 279 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: to step in, and it was like the team just 280 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: kept getting growing closer and closer because of those circumstances 281 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: and what it had to deal with this team. I 282 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: think you would agree with me. This team felt like 283 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: it was pretty close before it even stepped on the 284 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: field in Chicago on that Thursday night in Week one. 285 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: There was something about the vibe in the locker room 286 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: and you know, everything with the coaching change, and knew 287 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: a lot of new faces in the locker room and 288 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: all of that, all all of the that change can 289 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: bring that about. But I think what was special about 290 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: this group was that that closeness happened so quickly, as 291 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: I say, before they even took the field in a 292 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: regular season game. They seemed to have it. And yeah, 293 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: it's disappointing that it ends here because you had a 294 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: lot of things that went your way. You were a 295 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: really healthy team for the most part. You caught some 296 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: opponents with some injuries that were in your favor because 297 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: they were missing some key players. You came out on 298 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: the on the right end of a lot of really 299 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: close games in one season, which doesn't always happen. A 300 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: lot of times those close games in the fourth quarter 301 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: end up you end up splitting them fifty fifty. The 302 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: Packers didn't split them fifty fifty, and that's why they 303 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: ended up thirteen and three and in the position that 304 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: they were. So there were a lot of things, and 305 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: Rogers even said at the podium after the game, there 306 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: were times where it just felt like maybe this was 307 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: meant to be just the way the way everything was going. 308 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: But quite frankly West, they ran into a juggernaut in 309 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 1: the San Francisco forty Niners, and that what the forty 310 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: Niners have done the last two weeks is maybe one 311 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 1: of the most impressive UH playoff runs, if you want 312 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: to call it that, even though it was only two 313 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: games with them being the top seed, but it's one 314 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: of the most impressive playoff runs I've seen in the 315 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: NFL in quite a while. And it is that way, Mike, 316 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: because it looked like they were losing the grasp on 317 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: it in December with five games that all came down 318 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: to the final play. They lose to Atlanta. You know, 319 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: they have the setbacks everything that they barely hang on 320 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: to beat the Seahawks. They barely hung on, you know, 321 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: needed a last second field goal to beat the Rams, 322 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: as you say, every way we talked about that last week. 323 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: Every game for them was coming down to the last minute. 324 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: So it was looking like there were some vulnerabilities there 325 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: from the team that had gone nine and one and 326 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: then got to ten and one by you know, blowing 327 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: out the Packers in Week twelve. But then they found 328 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: they found it again. As I said, they went to 329 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: another level in January when all the rest of these 330 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: very good, very competitive teams in the NFC, we're still 331 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: kind of just grinding away. And I think a lot 332 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: of credit goes to Robert Sala specifically, and I'm sure 333 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: Kyle Shanahan had a role in this too, But they 334 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: made some tough decisions going into the playoffs. They decided 335 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: to go with Mosley as their outside corner opposite of Sherman. Yeah, 336 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: I mean, they made some decisions that were how they 337 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: started this season, but they felt like this is going 338 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 1: to give us the best chance to win. And defensively, 339 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: I felt like they found a lot of answers. You know, 340 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: this this team and seeing how they match up with 341 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: the with Kansas City, it's going to be very interesting 342 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: because Kansas City in many ways has won the same way, 343 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: but without the run game, in a more dynamic passing game. Now, 344 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,199 Speaker 1: their defense wasn't nearly as suffocating as San Francisco was 345 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: this year, but they can be opportunistic and they can 346 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: make you pay. So it's going to be a very 347 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 1: captivating Super Bowl fifty four and for Green Bay, and 348 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: I'll even extend this out to Tennessee to two teams 349 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: that that really caught fire at the end of the season. Uh, 350 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 1: this is this is a big moment for them because 351 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: unlike college football, where you're gonna graduate junior classes and 352 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: senior classes and if you have a lot of talent, 353 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 1: you have a good feeling that you're gonna compete for 354 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: the national title the next year if you have enough guys, 355 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: returning doesn't always work like that in the NFL. And 356 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: that's why the off scenes is important. That's why making 357 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: sure that the young Ross or that Brian Goodkin is 358 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: built dating back to March and April, not thinking about 359 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: Okay two thousand nineteen or bust, thinking about playing the 360 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: long game. Here. You want to see those strides and 361 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: I feel like, specifically looking at Matt Lafleur's offense, you 362 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: can see how this can be a real juggernaut in 363 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 1: its own right when Aaron Jones becomes a real solid 364 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: playmaker that you feel like if he stays healthy. Here 365 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: this is this is the type of dynamic, multifaceted playmaker 366 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: that the Packers have been looking for for years. It 367 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: isn't just a running back, it's not just a scat back. 368 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 1: He's a full fledged can give you everything he's got 369 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: for sixty minutes and do whatever's asked of him and 370 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: accomplish that well. Uh Davantae Adams is at the peak 371 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: of his powers. You saw a guy like Alan Lazard 372 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: step in. Elton Jenkins looks like the type of left 373 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: guard that you could stick in there for the next 374 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: ten years if you need to do it. And defensively, 375 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: the pieces that were added Sa Darius and Preston Smith 376 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: both seven years old at this point, Adrian Amos, there's 377 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: a lot of things to be excited about right now 378 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: for Green Bay with what they did find. Can you 379 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: go back You're not gonna be able to make four 380 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: high profile signings again, Yeah you can't. Yeah, you're not 381 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: gonna be able to go out and spend a second 382 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,439 Speaker 1: year in a row in from the agency like the 383 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 1: like the Packers did this past year. It doesn't work 384 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: that way. But you still we know Brian Goodakut is 385 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: going to be active. He's proven he's shown in his 386 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: time as GM when he said when he took over, 387 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: we're going to be involved in every conversation. We're going 388 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,479 Speaker 1: to explore every avenue to improve the team. He has 389 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: stood by his word, and not just in the off season, 390 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: but during the season as well. And those are the 391 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: things Rogers talked about. When you're picking up guys like 392 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: Tyler Irvin, Jared Veldeer, b J Goodson, these other role 393 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: player type of guys that have experience in the NFL 394 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: that can step in and help you out. They're not 395 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: it's not just some undrafted rookie off the bench who's 396 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: got to step in in a big moment. Those are 397 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: the kinds of things where this Packers roster has has 398 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: taken a step forward, and now it's a matter of 399 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: continuing that and sticking to that approach in the in 400 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,360 Speaker 1: the process as you move forward. And this is where 401 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: I go back to the pregnatic. You know, kind of 402 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: aspect of this is Brian Goodkins has to be really 403 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: diligent there. His front office has to be really diligent. 404 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: Who do you resign? Who do you look to add? 405 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: Is there a DeFord type player out there? That's a 406 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: pretty extreme example, considering he was on a franchise tag 407 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 1: last year, but you know, one big playmaker that you 408 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: feel can be a missing piece. All those things factor 409 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: into this, and it's the reason why I think there's 410 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: a lot of optimism right now. If you talk to 411 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,199 Speaker 1: that locker room because they feel like they aren't that 412 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: far away. But you have to make a count, no 413 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: question about it. Yeah, all right, Well, we will talk 414 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: about some of those offseason issues and players whose contracts 415 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: are up and all that as the week goes along 416 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: here with the two thousand nineteen season in the books, 417 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,240 Speaker 1: But for now, we're going to call it a wrap 418 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: on this edition of Packers on Scripted. Be sure to 419 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers 420 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,119 Speaker 1: dot com. You can subscribe to us like us on 421 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 1: iTunes and other podcast services, and there's all kinds of 422 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: great video content out there on the Packers YouTube channel 423 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: for Wes. I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody. 424 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: We will see you next time. M H.