WEBVTT - #424 Packers Unscripted: Off to Canada 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:21.279 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:21.320 --> 0:00:24.200 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:27.400 west Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here from our studios 0:00:27.440 --> 0:00:31.400 at lambeau Field and Weston. Shortly after we get done 0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:33.760 taping this show, we've got a head to the airport 0:00:33.840 --> 0:00:37.000 and catch a plane for Winnipeg. We're off to Canada. 0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:38.760 Don't say that one every day. Yeah, I don't know 0:00:38.800 --> 0:00:44.040 if we'll ever say it again. But Packers third preseason 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:48.360 game against the Oakland Raiders at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:53.880 Football Stadium. Right field, Yeah, I G field, Um a 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:58.480 CFL excuse me, CFL field for the Blue Bombers. But 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:04.839 real quickly as we get rolling preseason game number three, 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:09.080 it's not really quite the same as preseason games number 0:01:09.120 --> 0:01:12.959 three of the past. Aaron Rodgers still t b d 0:01:13.080 --> 0:01:15.240 ist whether or not he will play and play at 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:18.440 all in this preseason. But who do you have your 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:20.760 eye on heading into this one? You know what is 0:01:20.800 --> 0:01:23.160 funny before we even get into that. Back in the day, 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:25.720 I know again you're big Matten player. I was too 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:29.720 when you would simulate the franchise mode the third preseason game. 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:32.640 I think they always had the starters playing three quarters 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:35.080 in that game. John even talked about it when we 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:39.000 did our three Things video on Tuesday about how you 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.440 know the game has changed in that regard so well. 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.080 It isn't the three or the third preseason game in 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:46.080 the past. It's the third preseason game we have now. 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:49.040 So you're gonna get a chance for probably a series 0:01:49.120 --> 0:01:50.920 or two to see the starters one last time. Now, 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:52.800 whether or not Aaron Rodgers is on the field, that's 0:01:52.800 --> 0:01:54.640 still up in the air, but you're going to see 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:57.880 the starting offensive line. You're gonna see Mike Patton's defense 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:00.720 there again. So when I talk about and when I 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:03.680 look at who is my player to watch, I've said 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:06.080 it on three different videos and an insider Inbox, it's 0:02:06.120 --> 0:02:09.760 Aaron Jones because I just look at where the Packers 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:11.840 run game has been at and I put this line 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:15.840 in inbox for Thursday. The narrative right now is that 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:17.560 it's been off to a slow start on the ground. 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:20.480 Aaron Jones can flip that on its head with one run. 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:24.160 He's that talented, he's that explosive, and Mike, we have 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:27.880 wasted so much breath and energy and words talking about 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:31.000 him and Jamal Williams and Matt Lafleur's offense. I'm excited 0:02:31.040 --> 0:02:32.600 to almost be at a point that we can finally 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:34.880 see it because I think it's going to be dynamic 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:37.639 and assuming. I don't know if it will be this Thursday, 0:02:37.639 --> 0:02:39.920 but if they can get Danny Vitally back in this 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:43.119 next week, and the compliment that these guys offer each 0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:47.040 other in terms of pass catchers, in terms of past protection. 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:48.880 We saw Aaron Jones some of the strides he's made 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.679 in pass pro this camp. It's not just about the 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:54.320 explosive gains out of the backfield. It's how those players 0:02:54.320 --> 0:02:57.240 can be utilized in the entire construct of the offense. 0:02:57.520 --> 0:02:59.200 That's what I'm excited to see, and we're probably gonna 0:02:59.200 --> 0:03:01.880 see it for a series. Aaron Jones up in Canada. Yeah. 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:04.960 Matt Lafleur did confirm that Jones would play a series 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:08.919 or two, emphasizing that treating him a little bit differently 0:03:08.960 --> 0:03:11.639 in his thought process than Aaron Rodgers, and that when 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:15.160 there isn't contact through the spring, there isn't full contact 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:18.960 in training camp. A running back the whole ball security thing. 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:20.840 You just need to get hit a couple of times, 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:23.640 you know, before you get into a game that counts 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:26.040 and and take that first real hit and that first 0:03:26.360 --> 0:03:28.720 real tackle. But I also want to talk about a 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:32.080 couple of other guys who are slated anyway as far 0:03:32.120 --> 0:03:36.640 as we know, to make their preseason debuts for this year. 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:39.440 One of them is second year cornerback Josh Jackson, the 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:42.360 second round pick from last year out of Iowa. Now 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:44.440 we've spent a lot of time obviously talking about the 0:03:44.480 --> 0:03:47.920 cornerback position. Kevin King's still sideline with a hamstring injury. 0:03:48.120 --> 0:03:50.680 We've seen Tony Brown step up and do some things. 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:53.320 We've seen Kedar Holman as well, but now Holman is 0:03:53.360 --> 0:03:57.400 out with a stinger and most likely not playing this week. 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:00.560 Josh Jackson has been brought back kind of slowly, I 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.080 guess you might say, from the foot injury that sidelined 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:05.280 him the first couple of weeks of training camp. But 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:08.200 he has been in eleven on eleven. He actually was 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:12.400 in some eleven on eleven as a nickelback with the 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:15.840 Ones for a few snaps in practice this week. So 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:18.520 that is a sign that he's going to get in 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:20.640 there and uh and show what he can do and 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:22.640 and frankly, he's kind of been a little bit of 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:26.720 a forgotten guy in this in this cornerback competition because 0:04:26.960 --> 0:04:29.320 we've seen so much of those other guys and then 0:04:29.560 --> 0:04:32.000 he was out with that foot injury and just now 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:34.800 trying to get back into things. The timing was unfortunate 0:04:34.800 --> 0:04:37.320 for a second year player. Now, it's never a good 0:04:37.360 --> 0:04:40.000 time to miss practice or miss training camps, but that 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:42.839 first few weeks, Mike, that's when you're installing the defense 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:44.640 for the second time. They do it the first time 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:46.480 during the off season program and O T a s 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:48.760 in minicamp, but that second time is starting to be 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:50.880 your your final run through, so to speak, before you 0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:53.760 start scheming, and for him to miss that, certainly, there 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:55.800 are the mental reps and there are those type of 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:57.760 things that you can draw from. But let's be honest. 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:00.160 I think one of the reasons why Tony Brown has 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:01.679 come on the way he has and can dark Holman 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:03.920 has come on in the shape that he has is 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:06.280 because they've been taking those first team reps. They've been 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:09.760 in there with Adrian Amos, with Darnielle Savage since he's returned, 0:05:09.800 --> 0:05:13.800 with Trumon Williams. Those key veteran communicators and Amos and 0:05:13.839 --> 0:05:16.480 Williams standpoint that are going to be critical for those 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.760 nickel and dime packages. Jackson has gotten back on the field, 0:05:19.800 --> 0:05:23.800 He has reacclimated himself to uh those team drills. The 0:05:23.800 --> 0:05:25.919 only thing missing at this point is getting back in 0:05:25.920 --> 0:05:28.360 the regular season game. I think you and I both 0:05:28.400 --> 0:05:30.720 probably you know, don't even really think about it, but 0:05:30.880 --> 0:05:33.880 Josh Jackson started ten games for this team last year. 0:05:34.520 --> 0:05:38.200 He played a lot of all they need him as well. 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:41.120 You and I have said this countless times, especially if 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:43.360 Kevin King is dealing with this hamstring issue right now. 0:05:43.400 --> 0:05:45.920 They need Josh Jackson to be a second round pick 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:48.720 that steps up and plays well. And this is gonna 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:50.600 be a really good litmus test for him, assuming he's 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:53.880 out on the field on Thursday night, to start building 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:55.720 that confidence back up and showing he can be a 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:58.280 rotational part of this defense. Yeah. I mean, we've talked 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:00.200 about it before West in this day in a in 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.159 the NFL, as you're constructing the fifty three man roster, 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:07.719 you want to have a solid half dozen cornerbacks that 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:10.960 a defensive coordinator, that a position coach feels confident that 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:14.040 they can step in and play because there are a 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:16.920 lot of times you're gonna have four cornerbacks on the field, 0:06:17.240 --> 0:06:19.880 and it doesn't take much from an injury standpoint before 0:06:19.920 --> 0:06:22.479 you're tapping into number five and number six to be 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.960 able to to keep your full complement of defensive packages 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:27.640 and be able to call what you want to call 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:32.320 uh forgiven game situations. So all of these guys, whether 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:35.120 you're talking about King and Holman getting back from their injuries, 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:38.479 or Jackson getting into some preseason action and what Tony 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:42.000 Brown has done alongside Jaire Alexander, all of the all 0:06:42.040 --> 0:06:44.719 of these guys are going to have a place in 0:06:44.760 --> 0:06:47.640 Mike Patton's defense. I just don't see any other way around. No, 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.600 they definitely will. And we talked so much about the corners, 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:52.719 and rightfully so, but it does go into the safety 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:55.560 position as well, because right now, Will Redmond is a 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:58.120 kind of a hybrid between a corner in a safety. 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:01.360 Natrelle Jamerson plays bolt spot. Candon Sullivan has gotten a 0:07:01.400 --> 0:07:04.039 lot of reps as a as an outside perimeter corner. 0:07:04.480 --> 0:07:06.719 This is gonna be critical timing for them too, because 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:10.120 maybe you're keeping one of those guys when it shuffles 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:12.320 down to it because who's going to be that sixth 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:16.040 fifth cornerback or fourth you know, safety, or a guy 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:18.160 that could play both spots and be a special team 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:20.880 or there are so many question marks still to be 0:07:20.960 --> 0:07:24.000 answered there because, as you just said, a year ago, 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.320 at this time, Mike, I didn't know who Tony Brown was. 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:29.120 Tony Brown wasn't on this roster, and then he starts 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:31.960 four games for this defense in this secondary plays an 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:35.240 eleven contest for the Packers. So these are all the 0:07:35.280 --> 0:07:37.200 type of things and variables that you have to take 0:07:37.240 --> 0:07:40.080 into account when you're heading into a season, not just 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:42.480 JayR Alexander and Tremont Williams and who's gonna be your 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:44.360 front line, but who are going to be those guys 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:46.760 that you're gonna be developing and counting on should an 0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:49.480 injury arise mid season. Yeah, no question, I bought it. Well. 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:53.000 Another guy who's going to be making his preseason debut 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.720 for nineteen more of a veteran player, fourth year receiver 0:07:56.800 --> 0:08:00.200 Trevor Davis. And we've talked a little bit about him 0:08:00.240 --> 0:08:02.600 in that through the spring and the opening part of 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.880 training camp, I thought he was off to a fantastic start. 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.960 He was putting the hamstring trouble and everything that derailed 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:14.240 his season behind him. But then that first joint practice 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.280 with the Houston Texans, he took what quite honestly was 0:08:17.320 --> 0:08:20.640 an unnecessary hit in a special teams drill gave him 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:24.680 a stinger. Um. Now he feels like he's fighting this 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:28.200 injury prone label, which I don't think is necessarily fair 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:30.600 given that he was pretty healthy his first two years. 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:34.280 Yesen was a lost season to injury, and what happened 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:36.920 the thing with the Texans was just a freak accident. 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:38.840 It wasn't anything of where he's not taking care of 0:08:38.840 --> 0:08:43.360 his body and whatnot. But regardless, in his absence, he 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:46.360 misses about two weeks worth of training camp. We've seen 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:51.000 Darius Shephard Alanzard raised their profiles in this receiver competition. 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:54.720 Trevor Davis gets back on the practice fields Sunday on Monday. 0:08:54.800 --> 0:08:58.320 I thought he really really shined in practice. He was 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:00.760 taking the ball on end around and he was taken 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:03.760 shovel passes, He ran a deep route, made a great 0:09:03.800 --> 0:09:06.679 catch on a deep ball from Tim Boyle, showing all 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.360 the different facets in which he can be involved in 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:13.080 this offense and and the plan. Um that the Packers 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:15.079 seem to be revealing in the spring for how they 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:18.840 wanted to use him. But this competition is pretty stiff 0:09:19.040 --> 0:09:22.720 and he doesn't have any in game preseason snaps on 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:26.000 film yet. This is his opportunity to do that. And 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:29.559 as I've written about on our website and a story 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:32.720 here on Davis heading into this game, he's ready to 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.080 state his case and he has to do it now. Yeah. 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:37.800 The one tragedy I think with Trevor Davis, and this 0:09:37.880 --> 0:09:40.440 is not a dig on Mike mccarthur, Tom Clements or anybody. 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:42.480 You almost kind of wish he would come into the 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:46.040 league now with Matt Lafleur than he did four years ago. 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.280 And the reason I say that is because it just 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:50.640 seems like, out of anyone maybe on the offensive side 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:53.520 of the ball, this offense is probably tailored his skill 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:57.320 set enough, with the motioning, with the misdirection, the bunch formations. 0:09:57.320 --> 0:09:59.640 He's not a traditional slot receiver. He actually plays a 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:01.959 lot on the perimeter, so there's different ways that you 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:04.720 can use him off screens of that nature. I just 0:10:04.800 --> 0:10:08.520 think that this offseason, going back to we were talking 0:10:08.559 --> 0:10:11.040 about this durn O t a s it just seems 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:13.040 like he's so much more comfortable with what he's being 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.400 asked to do right now, and it was it was 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:18.280 really tragic that the situation happened that he got hurt 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:21.800 when he did, because he was off to a great start. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.440 I thought. I thought he was playing tremendous football in practice. 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:26.720 And the other dimension that you have to keep in 0:10:26.760 --> 0:10:28.680 mind when you think about Trevor Davis and you start 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:30.960 to figure out your fifty three and your depth chart, 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:33.880 Davis is a kickoff return or he's a punt return 0:10:33.880 --> 0:10:36.000 and he's a receiver, but as I talked to him 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:39.640 about his locker, he's also arguably their best gunner on 0:10:39.760 --> 0:10:42.280 punt coverage. He's a guy who plays the front line 0:10:42.280 --> 0:10:46.920 on kickoff coverage. His body type when he's healthy, lends 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:50.520 itself to a core four player. UM that's gonna go 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:52.600 a long way. And the thing that Davis needs to 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:54.160 do now is he needs to make some of those 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:56.520 catches in the preseason that we've seen in practice. He 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:58.640 needs to maybe pop a big return kind of like 0:10:58.679 --> 0:11:01.800 Shepard did with the at six yarder in Baltimore and 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:03.800 show that I can be a complete player and I 0:11:03.840 --> 0:11:06.439 can be someone that pushes not only for a spot 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:08.640 on the forty six to be a special teamer, but 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:10.280 also a guy that can be counted on in the 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:13.640 receiver rotation. Davis has shown everything you wanted to see 0:11:13.679 --> 0:11:15.760 from a young guy. He just needs to do it 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.079 in a game. Now. Yeah, I want to pass along 0:11:18.160 --> 0:11:21.000 kind of a moment of enlightenment for me from the 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:25.200 conversation that Davis had at his locker with reporters this week, 0:11:25.240 --> 0:11:28.000 because he was talking about the deep ball he caught 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:30.719 from Tim Boyle where the ball was a little bit underthrown, 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:32.880 so he had to slow up and a couple of 0:11:32.920 --> 0:11:36.920 defenders are converging. He waited until the last possible second 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:38.400 and he put his hands out and he kept his 0:11:38.440 --> 0:11:41.640 hands down low and let the ball fall into them. Now, 0:11:41.679 --> 0:11:44.560 that's a technique that we've talked about before. It's called 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:46.920 late hands. If you, as a receiver put your hands 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:49.920 out too early, you're just giving the defender a chance. 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.920 You're telling him the timing and giving him a chance 0:11:52.960 --> 0:11:55.160 to get his hands in the way and deflect the ball. 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.920 So that's a technique that receivers use a lot. What 0:11:58.040 --> 0:12:02.120 I didn't realize is that Davis actually developed that tech 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:06.520 that technique as a punt returner because he says he 0:12:06.600 --> 0:12:09.400 needs to use late hands as a punt returner because 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:11.480 he doesn't want to give the gunners who are coming 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:15.000 to try to lay him out the timing of when 0:12:15.040 --> 0:12:17.680 the ball is actually going to arrive, because they're reading 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:19.440 that as well. So he's waiting for the ball to 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:21.360 come down and then the hands come out at the 0:12:21.440 --> 0:12:25.079 last second. Um, excuse me, I'm losing my voice a 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:28.120 little bit here, But I found that I found that 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:31.120 somewhat fascinating in a way. I hadn't even thought of that, 0:12:31.120 --> 0:12:34.319 that whole late hands technique being used as a return 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:37.640 man on special teams, because you know, that's one of 0:12:37.720 --> 0:12:39.920 the most fearless jobs out there on the field, is 0:12:39.920 --> 0:12:42.400 is punt returner. And he he kind of joked about 0:12:42.400 --> 0:12:44.680 it about, you know, not wanting those gunners to to 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.800 smack him around, but it's the reality of what he 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.000 has to face, and he's developed that technique and he 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.400 uses it both as a receiver and a return That 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.560 was the fun part of that conversation was that you 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:57.920 hear Davante Adams talk about all the time, and that's 0:12:57.960 --> 0:13:00.760 a technique situation that's to be able to execute a 0:13:00.800 --> 0:13:03.480 play to catch a pass. Trevor Davis is using that 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:06.560 to keep gunners from laying him out. As you said, 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:09.600 I mean, that's a survival instinct. So think about how 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:12.160 you can incorporate that into the passing game when it's more. 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:15.160 I don't want to call it a benefit or extra credit, 0:13:15.360 --> 0:13:17.280 but it's a technique that you can use to have 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:21.040 a successful offensive play rather than just protecting yourself from 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:23.559 a potential hit. Uh. The other thing I want to 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:25.240 ask you too, because someone asked me an inbox. You know, 0:13:25.320 --> 0:13:28.520 last year we talked so much about Grono Allison's catch 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.160 from Aaron Rodgers, the no look pass. Somebody put me 0:13:31.200 --> 0:13:34.040 on the spot and asked, what do you think is that? 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:36.600 Maybe not that type of play, but what what sticks 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:39.040 with you the most when you think about, you know, 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:41.679 the big play this year's camp. I'm definitely going to 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.079 be a victim of recency bias here, but the boil 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:46.360 to Davis catches up there. I don't know if it's 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:49.959 the one, but when you take into account the double coverage, 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:51.880 the technique he had to use to pull that in, 0:13:52.080 --> 0:13:54.120 and then also the presence of mind to catch the ball. 0:13:54.520 --> 0:13:57.000 You see guys tied together three or four of those elements, 0:13:57.000 --> 0:13:58.880 but then they don't bring in the football. You just 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:00.400 move on to the next plane. Every one kind of 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:03.360 forgets about it. Davis completed the catch. He did that 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.000 after coming back from the stinger. Honestly, those are the 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:07.599 type of things that I think the coaching staff. I 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:09.600 don't want to speak for them, but you want to 0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:11.920 see from a guy that's been out for two weeks, 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:14.319 and you know, maybe you want to prove that what 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:17.040 he did the first week or so it wasn't a fluke. Yeah, 0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:20.320 I mean Matt Lafleur called Monday's practice for Trevor Davis 0:14:20.440 --> 0:14:22.840 very encouraging, was the word that he used, and then 0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:25.000 and then flat out said I'm excited to see what 0:14:25.040 --> 0:14:27.120 he's going to do in a game. Well, here we are, 0:14:27.200 --> 0:14:29.560 this game coming up against the Raiders, A couple other 0:14:29.640 --> 0:14:32.840 things here with this third preseason game, West, I think 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:36.440 we're going to finally get to the end of this 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:41.640 competition at left guard between Lane Taylor and rookie second 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:44.520 round pick Elton Jenkins. I think you and I both know, 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:46.480 having been on the beat, we know how to watch 0:14:46.520 --> 0:14:49.800 practice that when the Packers returned to the practice field 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:53.600 on Sunday. The first snap that the number one offensive 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:55.720 line is on the field, I think that's going to 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.160 tell us who won the competition, because we're heading into 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:00.480 the fourth week of the preseason and we know the 0:15:00.480 --> 0:15:02.880 preseason playing time in the game against the Chiefs will 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:06.000 be very different. So I think the competition ends with 0:15:06.120 --> 0:15:10.800 this Raiders game. So far, Lane Taylor, for the vast 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:14.320 majority of the time has been the first, has taken 0:15:14.320 --> 0:15:17.880 the first reps at left guard. But there's been no 0:15:17.960 --> 0:15:21.520 winner declared in this competition yet. So do you see 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:24.040 that the same way in that this is sort of 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:26.440 where the competition ends and the decision is going to 0:15:26.440 --> 0:15:29.600 be made over the weekend. I would traditionally agree with 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:31.800 you on that. This year, I'm going to disagree with 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:35.240 you only because of what happened last year, which is 0:15:35.280 --> 0:15:39.760 where Justin McCray started at right guard because Brian Bulaga 0:15:39.880 --> 0:15:41.560 was coming back from the a c L. They wanted 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.120 blogging to have those reps, so they played in that 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:46.920 last game against the Chiefs. I forgot about that. So 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:49.320 I think it's possible, based on how they've divvied up 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:51.520 those reps in the snaps that Taylor has taken with 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:54.040 the two's at times. I think it's entirely in the 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.320 fact that he actually started the first game against Houston 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:58.720 when none of the other starting offensive line played. I 0:15:58.720 --> 0:16:01.120 think it is possible that it leaks into next week. 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:04.480 That being said, I would be very curious if it 0:16:04.520 --> 0:16:06.360 still ends up being Taylor. But if they play a 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:09.600 second series, then you see Jenkins comes in. I could 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:12.880 see that being a situation. But to your original point, 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:15.800 the underlying message there, I do believe you kind of 0:16:15.800 --> 0:16:17.400 have to figure out which way you want to go 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:20.160 with this thing. Though it's great that Jenkins is getting 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:24.240 those snaps, but Lane Taylor, now, uh, you know, when 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:27.920 you look at what he's brought to that position, the 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:30.360 comfort level he's had with David back tr two guys 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.680 that came into the league together in two Thousan. Jenkins 0:16:33.680 --> 0:16:36.080 is a young guy, He's very athletic, but Taylor also 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:38.200 gives you some of those intangibles that you look for 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:41.520 when you talk about solidifying your offensive line. The encouraging 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:44.280 thing for me with Jenkins is I thought he's shined 0:16:44.320 --> 0:16:46.920 throughout the preseason, whether it's been at the guard position, 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:49.520 whether it's been rotating in its center. He did have 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:51.760 a couple holding calls last week, one of which one 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:54.520 of one one of which Matt Floor said wasn't even 0:16:54.560 --> 0:16:56.720 on him, it was, you know, on a different player. 0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:00.440 I just I'm really encouraged by it. I guess we're 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:02.840 gonna have to wait and see. It will tell you 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.120 something though. If it is obviously still Lane Taylor going 0:17:05.160 --> 0:17:08.240 out there first on Thursday night, He's still the incumbent, 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:10.800 right the burden of proof is on Jenkins to show 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.280 that he's worthy of being a starter right off the bat. Yeah, 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:17.560 and as we know, the competition at backup quarterback between 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:20.840 Deshaun Kaiser, Tim Boyle Manny Wilkins the number four right now, 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:24.800 that will be continuing, uh, certainly through um these last 0:17:24.840 --> 0:17:28.800 two preseason games, not just the Raiders game. But where 0:17:28.880 --> 0:17:32.960 do you see this competition right now? I see it 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:34.879 all neck and neck. Yeah, I think I think it 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:37.480 obviously is Kaiser and Boyle. There's just so much more 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:41.080 experience there with those two guys. Uh. And certainly Kaiser 0:17:41.240 --> 0:17:43.320 got off to kind of a slow start last week, 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:45.040 but then kind of rally the troops a little bit. 0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:48.200 I think Boyle that the thing about Boile watching him 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:51.240 play so far throughout this preseason, is he has moments 0:17:51.280 --> 0:17:54.880 of just you know, sheer an utter excellence. I mean 0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:58.560 downfield passes that are on the money, big play potential 0:17:58.640 --> 0:18:02.080 that every NFL team covets in a quarterback. He needs 0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:04.080 to string it together, though, he needs to be able 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:05.800 to do that on a more consistent basis, And he'll 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:09.000 be the first one to tell you that. From Kaiser's perspective, 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:12.679 I think it's being able to immerse himself in this scheme, 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:16.159 play within the scheme, but still be Deshaun Kaiser, be 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:17.879 the guy that was the second round pick, Be the 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.600 guy that does have natural instincts to make a play. 0:18:21.400 --> 0:18:23.200 This is going to be such an important game because 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:25.200 we don't know whether or not Aaron Rodgers goes. If 0:18:25.200 --> 0:18:27.400 he doesn't go, Kaiser is probably gonna be out there 0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:29.560 with the ones. Again, what can you do with that 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:32.080 opportunity to prove that, you know what, I can run 0:18:32.119 --> 0:18:34.560 this offense. I can be there with Davante Adams. Adams 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:36.560 said it this week. When Rodgers isn't on the field, 0:18:36.560 --> 0:18:38.720 their goal is to make sure it's as if he's 0:18:38.760 --> 0:18:40.400 never left, that they can still run with the same 0:18:40.400 --> 0:18:43.840 amount of efficiency. That's the task for Kaiser and then 0:18:43.880 --> 0:18:46.679 behind him whenever Boyle comes into that game proving that 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:49.440 he has what it takes the potentially be a number two. Yeah. Well, 0:18:49.440 --> 0:18:51.240 before I forget here West, I do need to take 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:55.000 care of some sponsor business. Select Cousins Subs locations are 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:58.879 now are now offering delivery whether you're ordering catering or 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:01.040 your favorite sub, their de iverring right to you when 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:05.200 you order online at Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.960 we believe in better. Okay, one other topic I want 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:11.560 to get to here before we go and head off 0:19:11.560 --> 0:19:15.359 to the airport West. The first preseason game against the 0:19:15.359 --> 0:19:20.920 Houston Texans, defensive coordinator Mike Patton was on the sidelines. Now, 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:25.000 I will admit I thought, Okay, it's just a preseason thing. 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:27.160 He's just doing it for the month August and he'll 0:19:27.200 --> 0:19:30.399