WEBVTT - #575 Packers Unscripted: High-stakes showdown 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:14.520 Hi, everybody, Welcome to another edition of Packers unscripted from 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:18.000 Packers dot Com. I am like Spofford, joined as always 0:00:18.079 --> 0:00:20.959 by my partner and Crime West Hodcoits were coming to 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:25.400 you here from socially distant locations at lambeau Field West. 0:00:26.000 --> 0:00:30.800 Week seventeen. It is here, Packers Bears, Soldier Field three 0:00:31.720 --> 0:00:36.280 Central time kickoff, and we all know what's at stake. 0:00:36.320 --> 0:00:38.760 The Packers going for the number one seed. The Bears 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:41.600 are trying to get into the playoffs as a wild card. 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:46.560 And you take a look at this Bears season five 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:50.240 and one, a six game losing streak, now a three 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:54.000 game winning streak, trying to make it four to slip 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:57.440 into the postseason. It's been a hard team to figure out, 0:00:57.480 --> 0:00:59.240 but it is a team that is playing really well 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:01.400 right now. It's a team we've learned a lot about 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:03.840 two I think, and the course of the season has 0:01:03.880 --> 0:01:07.119 worn on the Chicago Bears have gotten back to what 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:10.319 they do well. For a long time, Mike, it seemed 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:12.360 like they were trying to become something that they weren't, 0:01:12.400 --> 0:01:14.800 and I think that kind of factored into the decision 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:17.600 and moved to Nick Foles and go away from Mitchell Troubinsky, 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:20.040 but they also went away from the run game at 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:22.039 that time. They also weren't getting the tight ends as 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:24.640 involved as they have in the past. And when Troubinsky 0:01:24.760 --> 0:01:27.360 came back and in his big comeback game was against 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:29.840 Green Bay, it didn't go completely how he wanted it to, 0:01:30.480 --> 0:01:32.360 but that was a building block, and I think one 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:35.440 thing that they found out in that matchup was the 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:38.800 fact that all Right, David Montgomery was a guy that 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:41.640 we invested into a number of years ago. They had 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:45.240 to maneuver without him mid season. Then they were trying 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:48.520 to use Cordell Patterson in that running back role. Since 0:01:48.640 --> 0:01:52.480 Montgomery has returned, he's averaging twenty almost twenty four touches 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.400 per game. Now they've established the running game again, they're 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:57.400 putting up points. And I know a lot of Packer 0:01:57.480 --> 0:01:59.800 fans are quick to point out the competition that they've 0:01:59.840 --> 0:02:02.560 done that against is not elite in terms of the 0:02:02.680 --> 0:02:06.800 NFL rankings, but it's production nonetheless, And for the Chicago Bears, 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:09.440 they're feeling much better about themselves going into this matchup 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:11.880 today then I think they did a month ago into 0:02:12.040 --> 0:02:15.080 lambeau Field. Yeah, it's interesting heading into this one. I 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:18.600 mentioned this when I did our weekly Three Things video 0:02:18.919 --> 0:02:23.120 with UH with Larry McCarn yesterday, that you look at 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:26.959 that first Bears Packers matchup and the Bears first handoff 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:29.640 in that game was to David Montgomery and he busted 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:34.640 a fifty seven yard run. And it's that sort of 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:37.000 became a turning point in a lot of ways for 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:40.520 both of these teams. Because for the Bears it reminded them, hey, 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:42.720 David Montgomery needs to be a big part of this 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:45.800 offense moving forward. And yes, they did not beat the 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:48.639 Packers that night. They ended up blowing a late lead 0:02:48.680 --> 0:02:52.800 the following week against the Detroit Lions, but they figured 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:55.560 out that David Montgomery the role that he needs to 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:58.200 have in order to be successful. That fifty seven yard 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:00.240 run I think was a big part of that. On 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:03.840 the Packers side of things, the Packers run defense has 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:07.160 been quite good since that fifty seven yard run. It 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:09.200 was sort of like that was the final kick in 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:11.320 the teeth or whatever you want to call it for 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:15.600 the run defense to get things turned around. And the 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:19.440 turnaround came to fruition UH in some respects with the 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:22.679 performance against Derrick Henry last week. So as you head 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:26.040 into this week seventeen matchup and Soldier Field, the Bears 0:03:26.120 --> 0:03:29.240 run game and the Packers run defense is going to 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:31.400 be front and center here. Yeah, And as much as 0:03:31.400 --> 0:03:34.720 we'll talk about the Bears and where they went and offensively, 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:36.440 the fact that they're in a better rhythm now than 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:38.760 they were a month ago, the Packers defense is in 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:42.320 a much different position today than it was back in November, 0:03:42.520 --> 0:03:44.160 and a big reason for that is how well they've 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:47.520 defended against the run. To some extent in his scheme, 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:50.360 it is being able to just fit your gaps and 0:03:50.360 --> 0:03:52.080 and be in the right position at the right time. 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:54.840 But Mike, I've really been blown away, especially these last 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:58.000 three weeks, the number of players, individuals who have stepped 0:03:58.080 --> 0:04:00.960 up their games here in these this final stretch of 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:04.640 the season. Chris Barnes moving in as the mic linebacker, 0:04:04.720 --> 0:04:07.000 the every down guy, that's been the right adjustment for 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:08.920 this defense. I think you're getting more and you're the 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:11.000 first one to point this out. I think you're getting 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:13.680 more out of Christian Kirksey, and that will roll playing 0:04:13.680 --> 0:04:16.520 more on nickel situations and then also being able to 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:20.000 incorporate Kamal Martin that rotations actually I think worked out 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:23.279 pretty well for them. But Dean Lowery, Kenny Clark, both 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:25.440 of those guys have been playing at an elite level. 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:29.160 The outside linebackers have been very gap sound understanding their assignments, 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:30.919 where Shawn Garry has been a big part of that 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:33.479 as well, and certainly the safety stepping up and making 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:35.719 plays when they have to. All of those things bode 0:04:35.760 --> 0:04:38.880 well for Green Bay and a lot of lessons were 0:04:39.000 --> 0:04:42.119 learned when they ruptured for that fifty seven yard carry 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:45.480 against Montgomery. And the green Bay has they've seen Montgomery, 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:47.240 they know what this guy can do. And if you 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:49.360 go back and listen to all the unscripteds we've been 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:52.240 doing for the past three years now, I've continued to 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:54.280 toot the horn for him that this guy's a guy 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:56.960 that must be respected. Now he's over a thousand yards 0:04:57.000 --> 0:04:59.080 on the season. I think there's only what five running 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:01.680 backs that have already achieve eve that Mike he is 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:04.800 a top of the line running back who must be respected. 0:05:04.960 --> 0:05:08.120 But the Packers defense, because of how they've rebounded the 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:10.320 second half of the season, has worked its way into 0:05:10.360 --> 0:05:13.520 the top yard in total defense is in the top seven. Now. 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:16.760 I believe in passing defense in their run defense has 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:20.840 vastly improved, but that's only as good as your last performance. 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.400 And Greenway needs to get one more marker here to 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:25.400 show that this is a different unit. They can play 0:05:25.480 --> 0:05:28.760 gaps sound, they can play fundamental before they move into 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:32.160 that postseason. Yeah. Absolutely, and you have to believe with 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:35.039 what we've seen of the Bears offense as as has 0:05:35.080 --> 0:05:38.440 been mentioned, it wasn't exactly against a murderers row of 0:05:38.640 --> 0:05:41.520 defensive opponents over the last few weeks. But as you said, 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:44.520 production is production, and the Bears have figured out what 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:47.240 it takes to be successful. So I you know, even 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:50.159 if the Packers run defense starts the game the way 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:52.839 they did against Derrick Henry, I think we're going to 0:05:52.880 --> 0:05:56.280 see the Bears stay committed to that run with David Montgomery, 0:05:56.520 --> 0:05:59.239 you know, unless this becomes you know, a twenty point, 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:02.479 you know, three score deficit or something like that. I 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:04.279 think the Bears are going to stay committed to the 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:06.120 run for as long as they can in order to 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.000 try to pull this one out. And Mike, everybody knows 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:12.520 that's head home right now. They understand that you are 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:16.680 an exceptional racquetball player, one of the best in green Bay, 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:19.320 maybe the four counties surrounding Brow County as well, if 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:21.640 we want to push it out there. You and I 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:23.400 both know if you would go down to the y 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:27.000 m c A and you play five straight games and 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:29.039 maybe you play some West hot quits is maybe you 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:33.000 play some enhancement talent guys that you can beat up on. 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:35.640 Mike Spofford is gonna walk out that day feeling pretty 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:38.160 darn good about himself. Now, if you go in there 0:06:38.160 --> 0:06:39.760 and maybe you play some of the top guys in 0:06:39.800 --> 0:06:42.719 the country at racketball, you don't do so hot, You're 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:45.960 not gonna feel that good about yourself. It doesn't matter 0:06:46.040 --> 0:06:48.479 the fact that the Bears maybe haven't beaten the top 0:06:48.520 --> 0:06:51.080 of the line defenses here with their offensive scheming, their 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:53.880 thirty plus points per game since Lazar took back over 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:56.119 the play since has has taken over the play calling 0:06:56.160 --> 0:06:59.200 from Mattnegie. The fact of the matter is they feel 0:06:59.279 --> 0:07:02.880 confident now. There is some momentum again, and this is 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:06.680 a momentum driven sport. Jimmy Graham, as well as much 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:08.919 maligned as I know he is sometimes at the Packers 0:07:08.960 --> 0:07:11.640 fan base two touchdowns last week, I mean they are 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:15.320 being able to find ways to win on offense, and 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:18.120 you and I all week long, like we've discussed this, 0:07:18.200 --> 0:07:21.320 you cannot look past the Chicago Bears. I understand that 0:07:21.440 --> 0:07:23.040 was a big win for Green Bay. It was the 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:25.640 most complete performance of the season. But if you don't 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:29.560 respect the threat that the Bears present, you're gonna be 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:33.560 walking out of Soldier Field disappointed on Sunday night. Yeah. Absolutely, 0:07:33.600 --> 0:07:37.360 I mean I think it's it's the reality checks somewhat. 0:07:37.400 --> 0:07:39.760 And as as I say all the time, as we 0:07:39.920 --> 0:07:41.920 say all the time, it's a it's a week to 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:45.280 week league, right, And if it were as easy as 0:07:45.480 --> 0:07:48.040 playing as well as the Packers played last Sunday night 0:07:48.080 --> 0:07:50.440 against Tennessee, of course they would play like that all 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:53.440 the time. But it doesn't just because they did it 0:07:53.480 --> 0:07:56.600 against Tennessee against a very good team, you know, under 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.760 the lights, the prime time, all of that, it doesn't 0:07:59.760 --> 0:08:01.640 mean you're just going to show up and play like 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:05.720 that again. By the same token, the Packers performance back 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:09.080 in Week five or six, whatever it was against Tampa 0:08:09.120 --> 0:08:12.600 Bay not a good performance for Green Bay, but they 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:14.960 didn't go out and play like that every week either. 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:17.520 That's just that's just not how it works. So you 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:20.480 can't assume things. You can't take things for granted. And 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:23.640 you said it was momentum. Momentum in this league is real. 0:08:23.760 --> 0:08:26.160 And the Bears were headed the wrong way with six 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:28.880 consecutive losses. Everyone was talking about are they gonna blow 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:32.559 the whole thing up and start over? Suddenly they win 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:35.920 three straight. They're still in the playoff hunt, looking to 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.520 get back to the postseason after winning the NFC North 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:41.320 two years ago. And uh, and you just can't. You 0:08:41.400 --> 0:08:43.079 just can't count them out. I do want to get 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:46.640 to our sponsor business here though, before I forget so serious. 0:08:46.800 --> 0:08:50.440 X M NFL Radio channel is the only radio outlet 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.000 dedicated to the National Football League seven days a week, 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:56.080 three hundred sixty five days a year. And Packers fans 0:08:56.120 --> 0:08:58.760 score up to five hundred dollars for your devotion to 0:08:58.800 --> 0:09:00.880 the pack when you open a pack is checking account 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:04.800 from Associated Bank. Learn more Associated Bank dot com backslash 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:06.959 Packers Go. And you understood where I was going at 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:10.600 with that racquetball analogy, right, because because I wasn't just 0:09:10.640 --> 0:09:13.920 putting you over as a superb racketball player. It also, 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:17.160 I mean, this is week seventeen, man, it doesn't matter 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:19.120 who the Bears beat. It doesn't matter if they pass 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:20.959 your eye tests as a fan or they don't. They 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:24.320 beat those teams, they succeeded, they won offensively in those matchups, 0:09:24.840 --> 0:09:27.320 and they're ready for this test that Green Bay presents. 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:30.800 They're going to be. It's a lot different ballgame winning, 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:34.760 succeeding putting points on the board than being shut down 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:37.040 in the way you're gonna look at that thing mentally. 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:39.760 So that's why I just I've said all along this week, 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:41.480 I just feel like Green Bay and they have. I mean, 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:43.800 Matt laflour is saying all the right things, but you 0:09:43.920 --> 0:09:45.920 just gotta respect that because I think in some areas 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:48.280 of the fan base, the way I've seen on Twitter 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:51.959 and on iron Boxing, you know, submissions, I'm glad the 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:55.240 fans aren't playing this game. I'm it's positive that it's 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:57.880 the that locker room. Yeah, I agree. I just I 0:09:57.920 --> 0:09:59.880 get the sense that there are a lot of assumptions 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:03.000 out there, not from within this building, but outside this building. 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:05.440 There are a lot of assumptions that the Packers are 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:07.360 just going to show up and play exactly like they 0:10:07.360 --> 0:10:10.439 played against Tennessee in Chicago. Doesn't have a chance, You 0:10:10.600 --> 0:10:13.400 can't you can't assume that the Packers could do that. 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:15.440 They certainly could, and that's what they wanted. That's what 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:17.840 they wanted, and we'll talk about that next Monday if 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:20.160 that's the case. But but you can't you can't assume 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:23.440 that that is going to happen. To recap the scenarios here, obviously, 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:25.920 if the Packers win this game, they get the number 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:29.280 one seed and the only first round by in the 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:33.120 NFC playoffs. The Packers can also get the number one 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:37.000 seed if the Seattle Seahawks lose to the San Francisco 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:40.719 forty Niners. The Bears are in a similar situation in 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:43.280 terms of, you know that one other game that could 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:45.760 impact them if the Bears win. If the Bears beat 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:48.280 the Packers, they are in the playoffs as a wild card. 0:10:48.600 --> 0:10:52.080 The Bears can also get a wild card if the 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:55.320 Los Angeles Rams can beat the Arizona Cardinals. But the 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:58.000 Rams are without their starting quarterback and without one of 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.840 their top receivers in Cooper Cup, so that's going to 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:03.360 be a tough one for the Rams. I think the 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:05.600 Bears are. The Bears are certainly looking at this as 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:07.960 they've got to win this to get in and hey, 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:11.760 if you're the Packers, here's the thing. If you don't 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:14.280 win this game and you don't get the number one seed, 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:17.040 you will be either two or the three seed. If 0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:19.400 the Bears are in the playoffs, they will be either 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:23.200 the six or the seven, which would create a possibility 0:11:23.240 --> 0:11:26.199 of having to play the Bears right away again next 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:29.280 week in the wild card round. It could happen. So 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:32.560 from green based perspective, it's like, well, you can either 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:35.440 knock the Bears out now or you might have to 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:37.800 knock him out again next week. So sort of like 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:40.560 why wait around, right? And I think that's sort of 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.600 what Matt Lafleur has been getting at this week when 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:46.880 he's been saying this is a playoff mentality game for 0:11:47.000 --> 0:11:49.199 the Packers, not just because the number one seed is 0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:51.760 at stake, but if you don't take care of the Bears, 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.000 you might have to try to beat them again in 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:57.600 six or seven days. Yeah. And the big reason that 0:11:57.679 --> 0:12:01.120 you end up pushing that message home, guys, is you've 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:04.600 earned this opportunity. Mike. It's week seventeen. The Packers reported 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:08.440 for camp on July. It's currently as we're taping this 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:11.320 New Year's Eve. Everything you've invested in the last five 0:12:11.400 --> 0:12:14.440 months has been to be in a position to have 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:16.480 the number one seed, to get the buy heading into 0:12:16.480 --> 0:12:19.320 the playoffs. And it's right there for you, man, thirty 0:12:19.320 --> 0:12:22.640 one minute flight down, thirty one minute flight back. If 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.560 you take care of business in between. You have a 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:30.120 direct path from green Bay, Wisconsin to Tampa Bay, Florida. 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:35.000 Tampa Florida. Sorry, a direct as the crow flies path 0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.600 to the super Bowl that runs through this stadium. You 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:42.040 don't want to waste that opportunity. Yeah, absolutely, Well. We 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:45.440 talked obviously a lot about the running game for the Bears, 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:47.800 the run defense for the Packers. What are some other 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:51.199 keys to victory here for Green Bay that jump out 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:53.160 at us as far as what the Packers have to 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:55.320 do on either side of the ball in order to 0:12:55.360 --> 0:12:58.480 emerge victorious and lockdown that number one seed. The Keen 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.439 Hicks factor. I mean, last time that the Packers played them, 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:03.320 there was that question all week long if Hicks was 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:06.000 going to be ready. The Bears ended up designed to 0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:09.479 sit him out, and I thought that had a direct correlation, 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:12.120 not necessarily on the outcome of the game, but definitely 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:14.000 the way that Green Bay was able to assert themselves 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:17.120 and scoring forty one points against the defense. I still 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:19.720 think I has a lot of playmakers. There's been some 0:13:19.800 --> 0:13:22.800 question about Eddie Jackson this year. I saw and in 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:25.120 his level of play. I haven't followed the Bears enough 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.040 to be able to comment on that, but when you 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:29.360 look at that front and Kyle Fuller is one of 0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:31.480 the top cornerbacks in this league, I really respect what 0:13:31.520 --> 0:13:34.120 he brings to the table. And and obviously there you know, 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:36.320 we everyone knows the story there with Green Bay and 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:39.440 whatnot with him. So I just feel like the Hicks 0:13:39.520 --> 0:13:41.520 factor is going to give them a boost in this one, 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.280 in addition to the fact that he's one of the 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:47.400 most disruptive, if not underrated, defensive lineman in the National 0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:51.920 Football League. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean I said it back 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.160 in week twelve when it happened, and I've been saying 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:57.120 it this week as well, that you could see the 0:13:57.120 --> 0:14:00.880 Bear the Packers completely exploited the absence of a Chem 0:14:00.960 --> 0:14:03.400 Hicks right from the get go in that first matchup 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:06.080 with the Bears. I believe it was within Aaron Jones 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:09.280 first four carries of that game, he had runs of fourteen, 0:14:09.559 --> 0:14:13.120 nine and eight yards that were between the tackles. The 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:16.440 Packers took advantage of the fact that Hicks wasn't in there. 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:18.960 It's not going to be as easy this time. And 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:22.880 I think in that respect that speaks to the commitment 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:25.600 the Packers are going to need to have to the 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.320 run game in this game in order to stay balanced, 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:31.640 in order in order to keep this offense operating at 0:14:31.640 --> 0:14:35.200 that at that balanced deficient level, because Hicks is gonna 0:14:35.240 --> 0:14:38.040 make it harder to get six and seven yard carries 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:41.160 between the tackles. But you can't just give up on 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.840 the run and and and completely turned to the past 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:46.880 because we've seen we've seen good defenses, you know, give 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:49.960 the Packers trouble when when they get away from the 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:53.200 running game. So I think offensively, staying balance is going 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:55.120 to be is going to be big in this game, 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:57.400 and it's when we've seen the Packers offense at his best. 0:14:57.640 --> 0:15:00.640 On the other side, defensively, I'll throw out there too. 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:04.480 I say this every time the Packers go up against 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:07.880 Mitch tru Whisky, and you can't let this guy run 0:15:07.920 --> 0:15:11.200 around and make plays with his legs because you know, 0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:15.920 is he the most prolific efficient passer in the league. No, 0:15:16.200 --> 0:15:18.960 he's he's not even close to that, frankly, but he 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:21.240 is a guy who will scramble to the chains and 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.360 get first downs. He will get out of the pocket 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:26.320 and make plays on the run. You have to keep 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:28.400 Mr True Whisky in the pocket and make him beat 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.280 you from there. Don't make him beat you where he's better, 0:15:31.760 --> 0:15:34.400 which is when he's on the move. In my opinion, Yeah, 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:38.320 and he's a momentum quarterback. He's almost a definition of it. 0:15:38.360 --> 0:15:40.320 When things are going right, and he can be really 0:15:40.320 --> 0:15:42.520 difficult to stop. And when things are going wrong, well 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:44.720 we've seen that over the last three years. What what 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.040 the you know after effect of that is. But things 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:48.760 are going right for him right now, Mike, as I 0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:52.280 wrote an Insider inbox on Thursday, you look back to 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.400 that game against Green Bay, he's right there as far 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:59.200 as pass or passing completion percentage. I mean, he's he's 0:15:59.240 --> 0:16:03.400 been efficient and absence of a really terrible pass in Jacksonville, 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:06.920 everyone talks about how he's throw into quadruple coverage and 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:09.160 this was how could you have done that? They're playing 0:16:09.200 --> 0:16:12.000 the Jacksonville Jaguars. What people don't really talk about is 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.520 the fact that the Bears basically dominated the rest of 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:18.360 the football game, and really that was the one bad moment. 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:20.000 But that's the thing that ended up on social media, 0:16:20.000 --> 0:16:22.360 that's what ended up on ESPN. They don't really look 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:25.080 at the fact that if not for that, uh, Trabinsky 0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:28.320 would have had a freaking forty passer rating or whatever 0:16:28.320 --> 0:16:29.680 it would have been. I mean, that was the one 0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:31.280 mistake that he made. It just happened that all the 0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:33.720 eyeballs were on it. But that's the key to victory 0:16:33.720 --> 0:16:36.880 in this game too. He's gonna probably give the defensive 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.400 secondary two or three chances at balls in this game. 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:41.600 That's just the way he plays the position, especially if 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:45.960 you can stop David Montgomery on early downs, like Green 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:48.440 Bay was able to control the line of scrimmage against 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:50.720 the Titans. If you're able to do that, that's where 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:52.240 you want to get your bisky. You want to put 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:54.359 this game in his hands. You want to make him uncomfortable, 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:56.360 you want to get after him. He was. He was 0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.240 hit six times in that game. Zadarius Smith has had 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:01.840 a man ignitt for the backfield when he's back there 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.320 during his you know, almost two full seasons in Green Bay. 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:07.760 Now there is a path here. I keep I'm propping 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:09.679 up the Bears. I'm not trying to present them as 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:12.199 the Kansas City Chiefs right now, but there is a 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:14.320 path for green Bay and I think that this is 0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:16.639 a game that they're obviously favored in and for good reason. 0:17:17.080 --> 0:17:20.600 Packers have a good history at Soldier Field during Aaron 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:23.840 Rodgers tenure. Is is the starting quarterback and Trabisky is 0:17:23.880 --> 0:17:26.080 only one one of his six games against green Bay. 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:29.200 But that being said, you just need to find a 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:30.720 way to pre able to pressure him and get a 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:32.760 couple of takeaways. That's been the difference Mike. As much 0:17:32.800 --> 0:17:35.480 as green Bay has controlled and has avoided the explosive 0:17:35.480 --> 0:17:38.000 plays in recent weeks, the takeaways have been the biggest difference. 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:39.520 And when you have an offense that doesn't give it 0:17:39.560 --> 0:17:42.760 away like Aaron Rodgers and Matt with floor don't, good 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:44.960 things are gonna happen. Yeah. And the one other aspect 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:47.160 to this game all throw in there too is obviously 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:50.800 special teams. We've seen the Packers have had. The Packers 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:52.880 have had their hiccups on special teams over the last 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:54.679 couple of months. There's no doubt about it. One of 0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:58.360 the best special teams performances the Packers had in this 0:17:58.440 --> 0:18:01.800 time was against the Bears. In that first meeting, Cordorrell 0:18:01.840 --> 0:18:05.639 Patterson didn't get really anything going on kickoff returns. Bears 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:09.560 didn't get much going on on punt return But traditionally 0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:13.080 the Bears have been the better special teams unit compared 0:18:13.119 --> 0:18:15.800 to Green Bay. That's a phase that not saying the 0:18:15.800 --> 0:18:18.480 Packers have to have to win the phase, but you 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:21.080 can't let the Bears dominate that phase, which then would 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:24.480 lead to dominating field position. Can't let that happen on stuffing. 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:27.040 The bizarre thing is, and this goes before Sean Menning 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:29.320 goes here, and honestly probably goes before run Zoock to 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:32.639 Green Bay always seems to do okay against Patterson, Like 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:34.840 we'll spend the whole week talking about how dangerous he 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:36.639 is and how much of a problem he causes teams 0:18:36.640 --> 0:18:39.159 in Green Bay I think absent and maybe one kickoff 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:41.560 return during his time in Minnesota, I can't really remember. 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:44.480 There was a hundred plus yard kickoff return at the 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:46.399 at the Metro Dome and that was early was that 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:48.600 his rookie year? It was early in his career. I 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:50.840 don't remember exactly which year, but yeah, other the other 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.679 than that one. Yeah, the Packers knock on wood you know, 0:18:53.800 --> 0:18:56.640 have have done pretty well against it. So the point being, 0:18:56.680 --> 0:18:58.320 I mean, he's still a pro bowler. He still can 0:18:58.400 --> 0:18:59.720 you know, hurt you in a lot of ways. But 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:01.719 you just you have to be on your your your 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:03.920 p's and ques here, just like last week the defense 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:07.119 was against Derrick Henry because he could still have yards 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:09.880 and still look really good statistically, but you just can't 0:19:09.960 --> 0:19:12.000 let him take over a game. It's just that that 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:15.080 is the key against Patterson, and especially the way that 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:17.240 the Bears use him now is sort of a backfield 0:19:17.520 --> 0:19:20.680