WEBVTT - #435 Packers Unscripted: What'll it take? 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:20.919 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:23.880 I am Mike Spofford. He is my partner in crime 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:26.480 West had Kuwitz were coming to you here from our 0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:29.600 studios at lambeau Field and West. It's almost your Packers 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:34.559 Vikings slated for noon Sunday kickoff at lambeau Field. It 0:00:34.680 --> 0:00:36.960 is Friday, our final show of the week and that 0:00:37.040 --> 0:00:41.080 means keys to victory. So we can start on the 0:00:41.120 --> 0:00:43.919 offensive side, the defensive side, whatever direction you want to go. 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:47.920 But where do you think the Packers need to succeed 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:51.480 to come out victorious here on Sunday afternoon. Very easy 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:54.000 answer to this, Mike. You cannot let the Minnesota Vikings 0:00:54.080 --> 0:00:56.520 rush for a hundred and seventy two yards. It's going 0:00:56.560 --> 0:00:58.680 to be the biggest thing. And I know that's gonna 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:00.800 sound somewhat like a joke, but at the same time, 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:04.600 there is some relevance to that. The Atlanta Falcons. It 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:06.360 was one of the rare things that you see in 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:09.400 this game in two thousand nineteen where the run game 0:01:09.480 --> 0:01:12.040 completely dictates the tempo of the entire football game. And 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:14.600 as you illustrated earlier this week on our shows, other 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:17.000 things happened. There were takeaways, there were the situations that 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:19.959 unfolded that allowed Minnesota to win in the way in 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:23.000 which they did, But ultimately it came down to the 0:01:23.040 --> 0:01:25.479 fact that they just ran rough shot all over them 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:28.400 on the ground all day. You and I have both 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:32.160 talked about different aspects of this run defense from last week. Obviously, 0:01:32.200 --> 0:01:34.199 I had the story on packers dot Com talking about 0:01:34.200 --> 0:01:36.479 how the Packers went with more of an unconventional three 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:41.640 three five. Look got that right this time with going 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:43.920 with the five man front, throwing one true inside linebacker 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:46.240 and then just a bunch of you know, defensive backs, 0:01:46.240 --> 0:01:48.560 and they asked them to tackle and they did. As 0:01:48.560 --> 0:01:51.120 you also illustrated one of your stories, b J. Goodson 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:53.920 now gets involved in this defense. It sounds for talking 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:56.400 to Matt Lafleur and also Mike Petton, that he could 0:01:56.480 --> 0:01:58.440 very well have a role in this defense, particularly in 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:02.400 the early down situations against Minnesota. So whatever concept the 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:06.320 Packers run with here containing Delvin Cook, to me is 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:10.200 the primary primary objective because even though Kirk Cousins is 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:13.400 an All World quarterback, you know, he's a franchise quarterback, 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:15.680 all those different things, and they have an outside weapons. 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:19.360 If you allow Delvin Cook to start dictating what you 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:22.280 have to do defensively, it's going to be a rough afternoon. Yeah, 0:02:22.280 --> 0:02:24.600 And I say exactly the same thing as far as 0:02:24.600 --> 0:02:26.760 a key to victory on the defensive side of the ball. 0:02:26.960 --> 0:02:29.400 And I'm gonna say it this way based on the 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:32.920 evidence from Week one against the Atlanta Falcons. And obviously 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:36.799 that's a small sample size, but this Vikings offensive line 0:02:37.280 --> 0:02:39.520 is a better run blocking offensive line than a pass 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:44.120 parking one. So it sounds kind of crazy to say 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.959 that you actually want to turn the ball over to 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:50.639 Kirk Cousins when he came into lambeau Field last year 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.079 and through for four yards and a bunch of touchdowns, 0:02:53.120 --> 0:02:55.440 you know, especially late in the game and all that. 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:59.680 But frankly, you know, Mike Zimmer is putting together the 0:02:59.720 --> 0:03:02.160 type the offense that he wants to play. He's fought 0:03:02.160 --> 0:03:04.760 with his offensive coordinators in the past about not running 0:03:04.760 --> 0:03:06.760 the ball enough. He wants to run the ball and 0:03:06.760 --> 0:03:09.640 play defense. So if you're gonna beat this Minnesota Vikings 0:03:09.639 --> 0:03:11.840 team that is really starting to take the shape that 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:14.239 Mike Zimmer wants, you're gonna have to get them out 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:17.120 of what they want to do. And that's not to 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:20.360 say that Kirk Cousins and Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:22.520 and Adam thieland are going to be an easy group 0:03:22.560 --> 0:03:25.519 to stop if you turn the game over to them. 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:28.800 But I'm with you, Wes. You cannot let Dalvin Cook 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:31.880 dictate how this game goes and uh and if that 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:34.840 starts happening at lambeau Field, the Packers are going to 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:37.800 have to adjust whether whether you're gonna try Raven Green 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.520 next to Blake Martinez as an inside linebacker, or go 0:03:40.600 --> 0:03:42.520 with the new guy b J. Goodson, or work Tie 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:45.160 Summers in there. Whatever you're gonna do, you've got to 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:48.080 find a way to not let Dalvin Cook dictate things. 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:51.720 And then the Packers defense settles in. Use the pressure 0:03:51.760 --> 0:03:54.600 that the steady pressure you got on Mitch Drabinsky, get 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:57.000 after the quarterback in that way and see if you 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.240 can come out Victoria. Yeah. And the other thing is 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:00.880 this the way to look at it as well, is 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:03.160 that you know Jerry Alexander and Kevin King and the 0:04:03.520 --> 0:04:06.080 resources that they have in the secondary. I think in 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:08.200 some regard you have to trust them to be able 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:11.000 to handle feeling and to handle digs and that's easier 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:14.520 said than done. I totally understand that. But you go 0:04:14.560 --> 0:04:16.599 back to another thing you're mentioned earlier this week, and 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:18.800 that you know, the way Kevin King was playing before 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:21.560 that lower body injury crept up on him against Minnesota 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:25.560 last year, the different permutations of this defensive core that 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:28.040 you can use, particularly at that second and third level. 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:30.880 This is gonna be a big test for those guys 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:33.520 up front. So whatever that secondary can do to lessen 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:36.640 that load, uh and take away that dimension the Vikings 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:40.320 offense is going to really be beneficial. And to close 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:42.600 this all out, the other thing I wrote an insider 0:04:42.680 --> 0:04:45.000 inbox this week is you know, a fan had asked 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:49.240 and it was a pertinent question about Okay, what you know, 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:51.400 what do the packers still have left to show? You know, 0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:53.960 given some of their offensive things that happened to Chicago? 0:04:54.000 --> 0:04:55.440 I mean, is there going to be different things that 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:58.200 they didn't get too? Different concept, different scheme. You know 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:00.600 that they're gonna be able to unveil as non scouted 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:04.359 look and I said, that's totally plausible. But also the 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:06.480 Minnesota Vikings are going to be in a very similar 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:09.560 situation with their packs exactly with only ten pass attempts 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:12.040 on film from week one. I was talking to Tremont 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:14.719 Williams about this in the locker room yesterday after practice. 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:17.240 They don't have a lot to go on in terms 0:05:17.240 --> 0:05:21.080 of the twenty nineteen Vikings passing game because Cousins only 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:24.400 attempted ten passes against the Falcons. Yeah, and Preston Smith, now, 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:26.720 who's in his fifth NFL season, he said he can't 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:30.000 really remember going into a game after a quarterback had 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:33.960 only thrown ten times. So this is gonna be a 0:05:34.040 --> 0:05:36.600 real chess match, I think in that way, seeing exactly 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:39.440 how the Packers pass game matches up with what on 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:42.040 the opposite side of the ball, you know Minnesota wants 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:44.040 to do, and and who's going to win that battle. 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:46.560 But again getting back to my original point, I think 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:48.680 it starts up front. I think it starts with shutting 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:52.040 down Dalvin Cook and being able to really show that 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:54.240 you know, we're not going to allow you to run 0:05:54.279 --> 0:05:56.440 over us the way that Atlanta did. Yeah, and then 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.799 you mentioned having kind of that trust in Jaire Alexander 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:02.240 and Hevin King. If week one is any indication of 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.480 what the Packers can do in terms of getting pressure 0:06:04.520 --> 0:06:07.799 on the quarterback. You trust if you're if you're putting 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:11.039 the Vikings into passing situations, you're trusting that you're going 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:13.400 to continue to get that steady pressure and not let 0:06:13.440 --> 0:06:15.479 Kirk Cousins sit back there. Yes, and then the other 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:17.799 thing that I like, and again it's only one sample size. 0:06:17.839 --> 0:06:20.120 I totally get that we're gonna and that there's gonna 0:06:20.120 --> 0:06:22.760 be fifteen more weeks for this defensive prove itself. But 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:24.919 the one thing that I really took away from that 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:27.880 game against Chicago is that these guys can rush and 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:30.920 get after the quarterback without forsaking their assignments. I mean, 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:32.800 there were so many times in the past it seemed 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:35.840 like guys with jet rush, interior alignment with jet rush. 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:38.800 But then a gap comes open, an opportunity, you know, 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:41.359 presents itself the way they were able to suffocate that 0:06:41.440 --> 0:06:44.120 pocket with Mitchell Trubisky in it, and now this week 0:06:44.160 --> 0:06:46.960 you've got a quarterback that is probably less mobile than Rubinsky. 0:06:47.480 --> 0:06:49.839 They need to keep that pressure going. So, whether that's 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:52.280 the Smith's, whether that's some of the blitz stuff that 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:55.400 you know, Mike Hama said, Mike Zimmer, Mike Petton has 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:58.479 been wanting to incorporate Dean Lowry, Kenny Clark. It's a 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:01.159 full boat approach to the way in which you have 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:03.960 to actually attack this this Vikings passage. And when you're 0:07:03.960 --> 0:07:07.640 talking about that jetting up the field and abdicating other assignments, 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:10.120 that's when you're vulnerable to the screens and the draws 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:13.360 and and the Vikings. For what they have done offensively 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:15.360 against the Packers in recent years, they always seem to 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:17.680 hit him on a screen pass for a big play 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:20.440 because guys are too anxious to get after the quarterback. 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:22.880 And that's something with this new defensive front, some of 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:25.360 the new pieces here, maybe that changes. And as much 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:27.200 as you and I can talk about the sack totals 0:07:27.240 --> 0:07:29.760 the quarterback hits, the pressures that Darius Smith had ten 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:32.200 or whatever, let's the thing that is not going to 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:34.200 be as gaudy or not as flashy that people want 0:07:34.200 --> 0:07:36.520 to talk about as if Packers just played really fundamentally 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:40.000 sound football against the Chicago Bears and then the results 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:41.920 were what they were after that. Yeah, well, on the 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:44.360 offensive side of the ball. As far as a key 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.480 to victory, I kind of look at this as a 0:07:47.480 --> 0:07:51.040 almost a reverse chain reaction because for me, It starts 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:53.920 with being able to convert on third down, because, as 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:56.680 we talked about, two for twelve not good enough, Well, 0:07:56.680 --> 0:07:58.920 how do you convert more on third down? Well, don't 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:00.920 get in ten plus quite so much, because six of 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:03.480 those twelve were ten plus. Well, how do you avoid 0:08:03.960 --> 0:08:07.080 getting into ten plus by running the football well on 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:11.040 first and second down? So that chain reaction takes us 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:14.640 back to this Packers running game needs to get going 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:19.560 and needs to produce more than it did against the Bears. Unequivocally. Uh. 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:21.840 And that was something that Nathaniel Hackett was sort of 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:24.680 talking about when he came to the podium on Thursday, discussing, 0:08:25.640 --> 0:08:27.160 you know, kind of some of the issues they had 0:08:27.240 --> 0:08:28.920 right off the bat trying to run the football. He 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:31.360 mentioned it. The question was asked if he felt like, 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.160 if they were able to maybe do make some of 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:36.040 the headway that they did in the second half right 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:38.120 off the bat, how much of a difference it would 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:39.679 have made throughout the course of the game, And he 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.880 agreed it would have been a significant one. They did, 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:44.719 they were able to carve out those yards. I think, 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:46.959 you know, Aaron Jones finished with thirty nine rushing yards. 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:49.000 That might not seem like a lot when you look 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:51.079 on the outside looking in, But when you look at 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:54.440 that first quarter, the negative twelve yards or wherever they started, 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:59.040 it was progress. So I still stick to what I 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:01.480 said before the Chicago game because the job is not 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:03.280 gonna get any easier. This is still a really good 0:09:03.360 --> 0:09:06.520 run defense. It's a great defense in general. So it's 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.119 gonna be about making sure that you can get opportunities 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:11.240 where Aaron Jones touches the ball and he has open 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.400 field in front of him, whether that's as a pass, 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:15.080 whether that's as a run. I thought some of the 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.400 concepts they did in the second half, some of the 0:09:17.679 --> 0:09:20.360 ways in which you know Jones was able to set 0:09:20.400 --> 0:09:23.120 up runs and hit his cutbacks, that's where you want 0:09:23.160 --> 0:09:25.680 to get to. And then certainly incorporating Jamal Williams into 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:28.599 that plan as well, because is Aaron Rodgers said, and 0:09:28.640 --> 0:09:31.920 I mentioned it when yesterday or whatever. With the conversation 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:34.560 you have with John Coon, they're gonna see some really 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:37.880 good defenses in this NFC North. So I don't want 0:09:37.920 --> 0:09:39.800 to sit here and say, well, okay, well Denver's next 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:42.040 week or Philadelphia is a week after that. Note you 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:44.160 want to be able to get it done now and 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:47.120 make your life easier against Minnesota, especially starting at the 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:48.920 season at home here. Yeah, well, when you look back 0:09:48.960 --> 0:09:51.480 at Week one in the Packers running game, Aaron Jones 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:53.640 in the second half, he did have I believe it 0:09:53.720 --> 0:09:56.440 was four carries in the second half that went for 0:09:56.520 --> 0:10:00.520 five six plus yards. You'd obviously like to see some 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:02.880 of those earlier in the game so you don't end 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:04.960 up with a first quarter like the Packers had at 0:10:05.000 --> 0:10:09.120 Soldier Field. But it's an illustration of how important it 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:11.560 is to still and if your defense is keeping you 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:13.640 in the game, you still need to stick with the 0:10:13.760 --> 0:10:17.079 run and keep trying to pound it in there because eventually, yes, 0:10:17.160 --> 0:10:19.520 some of those runs you're gonna get six yards, you're 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:22.320 gonna get five yards, and you're gonna put yourself in 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:24.880 the right down and distant situation to let Aaron Rodgers 0:10:24.920 --> 0:10:27.640 go to work exactly. And and you know, we've always 0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:30.280 discussed this. You go back to two thousand fourteen during 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:33.160 the prime and Vettie Lacey's career. You go back to 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:36.199 you know, Ryan Grant. When the running game is there 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:39.720 and keeping defense is honest, that's when things really truly, 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:43.240 you know, hit maximum function. Here for the offense, it's 0:10:43.240 --> 0:10:45.920 when Aaron Rodgers can really pick a part of defense. 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:48.320 So I think we've seen shadows of it, you know, 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:51.720 shades of it with Aaron Jones when he can get going. Certainly, 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:53.440 you go back to that game that Jamal Williams had 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:55.959 last year against the Jets. He played a big role 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:57.600 in that come back and being able to mount the 0:10:57.600 --> 0:11:01.160 momentum that they did. They've had those moments. It's I 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:02.880 think the key now and I think over the course 0:11:02.880 --> 0:11:05.000 of the season they're going to have moments again, but 0:11:05.120 --> 0:11:08.760 doing it against the top echelon of the league that's 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:10.600 going to be the biggest key for this season, not 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:12.719 only this game. And I just feel like this is 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:15.080 one that you want to get started with. Yeah, all right, Well, 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:19.360 we'd be remiss if we exited this week without talking 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:23.240 about the celebration that's going to happen at halftime of 0:11:23.320 --> 0:11:26.400 Sunday's game against the Vikings. And I'm talking about a 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:29.640 tribute to the late bart Star who passed away earlier 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:32.240 this year. I know on shows earlier this year we talked, 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:36.280 we gave some reflections on on Mr Starr. The Packers 0:11:36.840 --> 0:11:40.839 wearing a number fifteen decal on the back of their 0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:44.240 helmets all season long this year in h in memory 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:48.959 of of Star, just a tremendous individual. I'm I'm really 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:51.480 excited just to just to see the tribute and to 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:54.640 be able to do something like this in front of 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:56.680 the eighty thousand fans that are going to come to 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:58.839 lambeau Field because you and I, Wes, We've been at 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:02.920 plenty of games over the years that when Bart Star 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:05.360 was able to come out of the tunnel, whether it 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:07.760 was on Alumni weekend like this one is, or whether 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:12.000 it was for Brett Farve's number retirement, his number being 0:12:12.000 --> 0:12:14.439 added to the facade of lambeau Field on that rainy 0:12:14.480 --> 0:12:18.199 Thanksgiving night, whatever time. Any time that Bart Star has 0:12:18.200 --> 0:12:20.720 come out of that tunnel, the cheers from the lambeau 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:24.079 Field fans have really been something else. And uh and 0:12:24.160 --> 0:12:26.679 I'm you know, I'm excited to see, uh, you know, 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:30.520 the fans get to enjoy kind of one last moment 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:33.200 in memory of Bart. I'm gonna do a little bit 0:12:33.200 --> 0:12:35.240 of a story time here with Wes Hodquits. I hope 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:37.600 that's okay. Absolutely, it is probably a little bit off 0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:43.120 the rails, but ah to me and You're right. The 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:46.120 crowd is always just completely went wild for bart Star. 0:12:46.240 --> 0:12:48.600 You want to ramp up a crowd, get bart Star 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:50.160 out there, they'll be with you. There was a reason 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:52.200 why Brett Farve wanted him back with him in two 0:12:52.200 --> 0:12:55.480 thousand fifteen, right, I mean just the relationship, the history. 0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:58.040 But this is what always stood out to me about 0:12:58.080 --> 0:13:00.920 bart Star. And it goes act and not even I'm 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:03.480 not even talking about the alumni weekends or him coming 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:05.600 back and holding a flag and you know, we'rabbing people up. 0:13:06.080 --> 0:13:08.600 It was when you'd come back to lambeau Field, like 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:11.679 in a media standpoint. I remember there was instances where 0:13:11.679 --> 0:13:13.080 he'd come back and it would be part of a 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:16.600 you know, a promotion or some kind of like you know, 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:19.280 just just a small thing that maybe people didn't even 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:21.559 know that he was there for. And where I want 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:23.920 to tie this back to is I'm lucky to still 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:26.439 have one of my grandparents alive, a wonderful woman who 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:30.520 I'm love very very much. When Starr would come back, 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:33.560 I remember talking to Mike vander Moss about this. It 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:36.080 was almost sort of like your grandparents sort of coming over, 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:39.720 you know, when you're eight nine years old, and just 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.320 that feeling that you would get when they're there and 0:13:42.320 --> 0:13:46.000 they're hanging out, you know, you know, you're telling stories, 0:13:46.160 --> 0:13:48.280 maybe playing some ball with you or something like that. 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:52.040 I always got a very similar feel whenever Bart Star 0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:55.000 was in the building. And it's hard to explain. I 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:56.720 don't even know if I'm doing a good job of it, 0:13:56.760 --> 0:13:59.880 but there was just this feeling that everything was right 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.240 in the world. And he did that. He carried that 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:07.040 torch for this organization for so long. So many generations 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:10.600 have been affected by him, impacted by him, and when 0:14:10.600 --> 0:14:12.480 you look at the impact that him and his wife 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.800 Cherry made, Bart Jr. Everybody at the Bard Star Foundation. 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:20.560 I said it earlier the spring. I mean, that's that's 0:14:20.560 --> 0:14:25.800 a legacy. That's something that passed your lifetime, will continue 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:31.040 to resonate with generations to come. Fathers and well, you know, 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:34.520 mothers will talk to their children about what he meant 0:14:34.920 --> 0:14:39.240 in what he represented, and I think that's really special. Yeah. 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:42.120 I can't say it any better than that, So appreciate 0:14:42.160 --> 0:14:44.400 your thoughts there before we go here. At the end 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:48.560 of the week, West other games Week two in the NFL, 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:50.800 if you start in the NFC North, the only division 0:14:50.840 --> 0:14:54.160 game is Packers and Vikings, but the Bears on the 0:14:54.280 --> 0:14:58.640 road at Denver and the Lions at home against the Chargers, 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:02.000 both trying to avoid and two. Well, I guess for 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:03.920 the Lions it wouldn't be O and two because they're 0:15:04.120 --> 0:15:07.480 O O and one, but both teams trying to avoid 0:15:07.520 --> 0:15:10.040 going winless through the first two weeks of this season. 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:12.880 It's weird in this, this whole gamut of the NFL, 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:16.360 how it just always seems like if a coach leaves 0:15:16.360 --> 0:15:18.920 and gets another head coaching job somewhere else, they always 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:21.560 end up playing that team the next year, right Like 0:15:21.680 --> 0:15:25.200 Vic Fangio was sort of the innovator, helped renovate that defense. 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:27.200 And this is an a f C NFC matchup that 0:15:27.240 --> 0:15:30.240 only happens once every four years, but it happens the 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.800 first year that Fangio leaves Chicago and goes to be 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:35.440 the head coach of the Brand. And I'm sure it's 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:38.160 no surprise whatsoever that it just so happened that this 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:40.240 got scheduled for Week two, But the fact that this 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:42.440 ended up being on the two thousand nineteen slate, I 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:45.320 think is really funny that you have Vic Fangio now 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.880 after everything he did last year with with those defensive 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:52.160 players in you know, Khalil Mack, and now he's going 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.760 to be talking to his offensive coordinator, you know, discussing 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:57.800 how you need to you know, attack these guys, basically 0:15:58.280 --> 0:16:01.800 fighting a mirror of yourself. And certainly Matt Nage is 0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.000 gonna have a great vantage point on on what Fangio 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:06.680 does with his defense in in you know Denver. So 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:09.280 that's gonna be a great matchup to watch. Uh, certainly 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:11.200 to oh and one teams. I mean one of those 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:12.800 is gonna be Owen too. I think I always talk 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:15.400 about that this time of year, but um, I know 0:16:15.680 --> 0:16:17.960 Denver's going through slight rebuild. But the fact that they 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:20.720 traded for Joe Flacco tells you that I should say something. 0:16:20.760 --> 0:16:23.160 Whatever it was signed Joe Flacco tells you that they 0:16:23.160 --> 0:16:25.280 still feel like they can contend this year. So that's 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:27.440 gonna be one to follow to see exactly how all 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:30.880 those pieces fall into place. As far as the Lions, 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:32.840 even though they're at home, I think they have their 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.240 work cut out for them. Uh, just based on you know, 0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:38.280 the charges in Philip Rivers have been up and down 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:40.000 over the years, but it just seems like they found 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:43.280 their rhythm again based on what happened last year, and 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:45.320 that's gonna be a tough out for the Lions. Yeah. 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:47.360 I think that is gonna be a tough, tough home 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.600 game for Detroit. And obviously those two a f C 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:53.600 West teams are teams that the Packers are going to 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:56.200 see later in the season. Denver obviously coming up right 0:16:56.240 --> 0:16:58.840 away for green Bay. The rest of the slate in 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:02.680 Week two, we all know where it starts. It's New 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:06.160 Orleans at the Los Angeles Rams, the rematch of the 0:17:06.240 --> 0:17:10.720 controversial NFC Championship game from a year ago. Different location 0:17:11.119 --> 0:17:12.959 be out in l A this time instead of at 0:17:12.960 --> 0:17:16.320 the Superdome in New Orleans, but both teams want to 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:20.480 know and expected to be contenders once again, and this 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:23.800 is the big rematch from last January. Yeah, I mean 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:26.560 it's funny. I actually thought this would dominate headlines a 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:28.399 little bit more this week. It doesn't really seems like 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:30.479 it has. Yeah, it seems like it's been quiet as 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.199 far as the national media attention on this game. And 0:17:33.240 --> 0:17:35.400 maybe it's just because it's too early in the season 0:17:35.520 --> 0:17:39.040 for for the storylines to just I just thought, like, 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:41.640 you know, it being you know how last year ended 0:17:41.640 --> 0:17:43.680 in the controversy with that play. I mean they made 0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:46.760 a rule basically based on that play. Yeah, they they 0:17:46.880 --> 0:17:50.720 change the change the replay review system based on one 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:52.680 play in a playoff game. Yeah, But I mean it's 0:17:52.720 --> 0:17:55.560 just it's it's really interesting to watch and to see 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:59.080 exactly what the Rams you know can do this year 0:17:59.119 --> 0:18:02.680 at the Rams remind me of that title contender right 0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:08.080 that has this you know, incredible, miraculous run and gets 0:18:08.119 --> 0:18:11.119 the shot you know at the champion and then just 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:14.520 gets completely flatlined in the first round. And seeing how 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.320 they build themselves back up here with a young team 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.440 for the most part of young core. Uh, that's gonna 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:22.200 be my number, you know, one of my top three 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:25.119 things to watch this season as far as the Saints 0:18:25.160 --> 0:18:27.280 are concerned. You always know what you're getting with them. 0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:30.159 That is as steady as a program as there is 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:33.480 right now in the NFL. You know where their strengths are, 0:18:34.000 --> 0:18:37.480 you know where their relative weaknesses are. And seeing exactly 0:18:37.560 --> 0:18:39.639 where those two things meet and if they can make 0:18:39.680 --> 0:18:43.400 another run here ten years after their last championship. It's 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:46.800 gonna be fun to watch and just seeing the ramifications 0:18:46.800 --> 0:18:50.040 and implications for this conference A lot is going to 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:51.920 be decided in the NFC West this year. I think 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:54.159 the NFC North is strong, the NFC West is strong. 0:18:54.800 --> 0:18:57.000 I could very well see that being the two divisions 0:18:57.000 --> 0:18:58.800 that are vying for those wild card spots at the 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:01.359 end of the season. So games like this, especially with 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:03.320 the Saints pulling off the wind that they did last week, 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:04.919 has a lot of you know, a lot on the 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:07.040 line with it. Yeah, it could be uh, we'll see, 0:19:07.080 --> 0:19:09.399 you never know in September football in the NFL, but 0:19:09.440 --> 0:19:11.439