1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 2 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford sitting next to my partner in crime, 3 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: West Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here from our studios 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: at lambeau Field and West. It is our midweek show Wednesday. 5 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: Here coming up on Sunday, the Packers are back at 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 1: lambeau Field. Imagine that it's been a while. Green Bay 7 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: versus Washington a noon Central kickoff at lambeau Field for 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: Week four team. So we will take a look here 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: at this upcoming opponent. The Washington Redskins are three and nine. 10 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. Wes there two and oh in 11 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: their last two games. And this is a team that 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 1: two weeks ago they were one and nine with an 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: interim coach, Jay Gruden having been fired at midseason, Bill 14 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: Callahan takes over as an inner him coach one and nine, 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: six games to go with an interim coach. But they 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 1: have not just mailed it in there, not laying down. 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: This is a team that is fighting, and they've gotten 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 1: wins over the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers the last 19 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: two weeks, and they're coming into Green Bay feeling pretty 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: good about themselves. Yeah, and it's really interesting. I've been 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: reading all the clipping, the clippings and everything out of 22 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: the Washington newspapers and I'll tell you what, Mike, It's 23 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: crazy how a performance like Darius Guys and Adrian Peterson, 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: what they did last Sunday against Carolina quickly that can 25 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: change a narrative for a season. I'm sure there's a 26 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: lot of beat writers and media folks out there that 27 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,199 Speaker 1: were starved for writing for something positive about Washington during 28 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: a really turbulent season on the field off the field, 29 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: and here they are this one to punch that. You know, 30 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: I wrote this an inbox this week. I mean, the 31 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: Packers are still very familiar with what Adrian Peterson can 32 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: do to you. He did it to them in a 33 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: Week three of last last last season a hundred plus 34 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: yards a couple of touchdowns when the Packers lost out 35 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: there at FedEx Field. And there's a certain amount of 36 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: people out there too that would say that Darius Guys 37 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: was arguably the best running back in this year's draft class. 38 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: I mean, he was right up there with all of them. 39 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: But he's been hurt for most of the season, so 40 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: they finally got him together and then the thing I 41 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: thought was most impressive about that win over Carolina, they 42 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: did it really without Terry McLaurin. They were able to 43 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: you know, that's been their big playmaker this season. That's 44 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: been the real bright spot for this offense. Weekend and 45 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: week out. Well, they didn't really have the passing game. 46 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: They went more of a game manager role with Haskins, 47 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: and here they leaned on their two running backs. Guys 48 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: had the sixty yard or Adrian Peterson just a bowl 49 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: not easy to get down within four yards, and Washington 50 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: pulled out a victory. Well, certainly you have to believe 51 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: that Washington's game plan coming into lambeau Field is going 52 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: to be to try to pound the ball with the run. 53 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: With Peterson and guys, they combined for what was a 54 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: two yards correct um combined totals three carries on that, 55 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: by the way. Yeah, so basically the two of them 56 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: together averaging about ten yards a carry against against Carolina 57 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: in a game that they fell behind for nothing, mind you. 58 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: So they decided, Okay, we're gonna stick with the run. 59 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,399 Speaker 1: We're gonna try to limit and this is I think 60 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: what their plan will be against the Packers as well. 61 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: Try to limit how much responsibility falls on the quarterback. 62 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: Get that running game going, keep trying to pound the 63 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: run at Green Bay. And then you do have the 64 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: speedy rookie wide receiver from Ohio State and Terry mclauren. 65 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: He's averaging I believe it's around fifteen yards of catch, 66 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: he's got five touchdown receptions on the Ears, having a 67 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: really solid rookie season, and he is a game breaker 68 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: type with with his speed, he can he can make 69 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: some big plays out there. Yeah, give you some statistics here, 70 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: Michael mclauren right now, forty two catches. That's fourteen more 71 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: than Chris Thompson, their their third down back. He has 72 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: sixty six receiving yards, which is more than three hundred 73 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: in front of Thompson for first on Washington's roster. Fifteen 74 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: point four yards per catch in a team high five 75 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: touchdown receptions. Let's put that in comparison. Mike Washington has 76 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: the rest of their receivers together have six touchdown receptions, 77 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: so making up forty four point four percent of that production. 78 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: And he's a dynamic football player. And I think you 79 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: know Greg Bates who writes a column and our our 80 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: program for us every week did a story kind of 81 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: looking at the opponent, breaking it down, and I thought 82 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: he made a really good point. I mean, they've had 83 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: a lot ups and downs this year, and there are 84 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 1: a lot of questions about Washington's upper management where this 85 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: team is going to go in two thousand and twenty 86 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: and beyond. But the thing I like that Bill Callahan 87 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: has done is he's provided some sense of normalcy here. 88 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: Dwayne Haskins is going to be our guy through thick 89 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: and thin, hell and high water. Where that is going 90 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: to be who we're gonna roll with. And they're building 91 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: around their young pieces now Adrian Peterson thirty four years old. 92 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: Now I mean obviously not you know more in the 93 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: autumn of his career. But I the one thing I 94 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: never understood with the way all Washington approached this thing 95 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: was either had to be all Peterson or no, no Peterson. 96 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: They just never really could seem to understand or figure 97 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: out a way to just use him in not a 98 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: limited fashion, but more in a platoon fashion. That's what 99 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: they did against Carolina. They got both of those backs, 100 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: going thirteen carries, ten carries. I don't know why it 101 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: had to be all or nothing for so long for them. 102 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: When Geis is healthy, I think you can see how 103 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: both of these two guys can really play off each other. 104 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: I think sometimes, just to be fair to the coaching 105 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 1: staff there, I think there were times that Peterson wasn't 106 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: necessarily comfortable with the whole the type of role that 107 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: they wanted for him. Now that Darius guys a high 108 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: draft pick, rookie running back who's shown a lot of promise, 109 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: he's gotten himself healthy, Um, you can see obviously the 110 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: potential that's there with that one to punch. I think 111 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: Haskins at quarterback as the rookie, As you said, Callahan 112 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: has made it clear, you know, this isn't gonna be 113 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: some quarterback carousel here. This is their rookie quarterback. They 114 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: invested a high first round draft pick. He's the quarterback 115 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: of the future, so it's time for him to play. 116 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: I think he's protected the football a little bit better, 117 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: maybe than Daniel Jones from the Giants last week. But 118 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: haskins com Lesian percentage he's barely above. I think he's 119 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: only a completion so he has some things to uh 120 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: to iron out there. But in looking at the other 121 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: phases for Washington, as well, you look at their defense west, 122 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: there are a lot of numbers that don't look good. 123 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: They're ranked pretty low against the run, and they're right 124 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: in the middle of the pack against the past. They 125 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: do have a fair number of sacks, so there are 126 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 1: there are some stats that jump out at you. But 127 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: when you just look at they've been really bad against 128 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: the run, and they've been really bad on third down. 129 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: But then you look at the game at Carolina last week, 130 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: Christian McCaffrey only gets forty four rushing yards against what's 131 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: supposedly a bad run defense, and the worst third down 132 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 1: defense in the league actually stopped ten third downs in 133 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: a row, allowing them to come back from a fourteen 134 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: nothing deficit to actually take a two touchdown lead before 135 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: hanging on to beat the Panthers by by one top down. 136 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: So my point is, I think there are a lot 137 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: of full season statistics and rankings and stuff that don't 138 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: really apply to what Washington looks like right now and 139 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: the way they've played these last two weeks. I mean, 140 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: against the Lions, they had a kickoff return for a 141 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: touchdown from a special teams unit that hadn't really done 142 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: much all season long, but suddenly they bust a kickoff return, 143 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: they end up beating the Lions by three points. Chocoling 144 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: up in the wind. Call yeah, and it goes both ways, 145 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: right because offensively, this is statistically the worst offense in 146 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: the NFL. Right now, they're right around twenty two and rushing. 147 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: But then you see what they do in that game 148 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: against Carolina, which the Packers were very familiar with the Panthers, 149 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: seeing them a month ago and seeing how competitive they 150 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: were in that sense. But as you mentioned from the 151 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: very get go of this show, they've won two in 152 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: a row. Now, the feeling change, the temperament changes. One 153 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: of the reasons why I thought last week was such 154 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: a critical game for Green Bays because the Giants had 155 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: lost seven in a row. David Jones hasn't really tasted 156 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: victory yet. You have to beat that team because that's 157 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: what everyone says you should. People are gonna go in 158 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: and Green Bay is gonna be favored in this and 159 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: then by all means should be. This is a team 160 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: that's going towards a playoff push. Washington's playing towards the future. 161 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: But the mandate is the same between them. You can't 162 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: take take either of them lightly defensively, They've worked through 163 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: some very strange things though this year. There's the questions 164 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: with Josh Norman uh and was he benched? Was he 165 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: not benched? And then you look at some of these 166 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: other facets of this defense and exactly what their identity is. 167 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: But as you said, last week, they pulled every everything together, 168 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: they played good ball, and now they sit right around 169 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: nine total defense. I mean, this is a respectable unit 170 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: that is going to still be able to find ways 171 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: to stress this Packers offense. Yeah, I mean, I think 172 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: there are a lot of things. I mean it really 173 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: if Matt Lafleur has any concerns, and I don't think 174 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: he necessarily does, because the Packers went about things last 175 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: week the right way, I think they'll go about things 176 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: this week the right way. But if he has any 177 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: concerns about trying to get his players attention with regards 178 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: to this Washington team, all you have to do is 179 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: is put on the film from that Carolina game. They 180 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: outscored Carolina like twenty nine to nothing after the fourteen 181 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: nothing started. I mean, they they didn't just come back. 182 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: They were dominating that game. Now Carolina obviously they just 183 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: fired their head coach, and and Ron Rivera is out 184 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 1: and they're gonna be looking for a new head coach 185 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: in the off season. And things really, quite frankly for 186 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: Carolina started to go south when Christian McCaffrey doesn't get 187 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: in from the two yard line at lambeau Field, and 188 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: suddenly what looked like a promising season for them has 189 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: has gone the wrong way. But this, uh, this Washington team, 190 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: I think I think they're gonna pose a bigger challenge 191 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: quite frankly to the Packers than the Giants did last week. 192 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: That's just my gun. Yeah, I would agree with that, 193 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: especially the way that they're trending. I mean, thirty six 194 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: right now. As far as tackle or excuse me, sacks 195 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: pretty spread across the board. Quentin Dunbar four interceptions they 196 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: brought in Landon Collins was a big signing for them. Uh, 197 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: these you know over the past year, and I just 198 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: look at this team is still a way that you 199 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: know they're gonna be. It's tough to come back from 200 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: a mentality when you're three and nine like that is 201 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: a difficult thing to do. There's going to be question marks. 202 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: But I listened to Bill Calhan's postgame news conference. You 203 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: read the clips. As I said off the bat, this 204 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: is a team that does have confidence right now, and 205 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: they have confidence and they have nothing to lose. So 206 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: for green Bay to earn that number ten victory of 207 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: the season, it's going to come through a very game 208 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,959 Speaker 1: Washington team. Yeah, I would agree with you. Um select 209 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:31,079 Speaker 1: Cousin Subs locations West are now offering delivery whether you're 210 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: ordering catering or your favorite sub they're delivering right to 211 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: you when you order online at Cousin Subs dot com. 212 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: Cousin Subs. We believe in better. Okay, As the Packers 213 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: get prepared here for this week four team game, I'm 214 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: interested in your take on this West because we've talked 215 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: about We've talked about some issues the the Packers. They're 216 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: trying to show up some things on defense, they're trying 217 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 1: to get more impact from the return game. And we'll 218 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: talk about the new returner of the Packers have acquired 219 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: in a minute. But here's here's the thing for me. 220 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 1: There are a lot of people out there saying, you know, okay, 221 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: it's December now, the Packers they are what they are, 222 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, And to a certain extent I agree with that. 223 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 1: But at the same time. I remember three years ago 224 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: a Packers team that through the month of December started 225 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: looking better and better and better than where they were 226 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,960 Speaker 1: at Thanksgiving and where they were just before Thanksgiving. And 227 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: the fact that now this Packers team has been on 228 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: the road for four of its last five games and 229 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 1: now gets to come home for back to back home games. 230 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: You know how this league works, west When you have issues, 231 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: it is so much easier to try to fix your 232 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: issues when you're playing at home, no matter which side 233 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: of the ball it is. Then when you're playing on 234 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: the road. I think these next two games, and then 235 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: you obviously have the Monday nighter in Minnesota coming up 236 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: after it, but I think these next two home games 237 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: for the Packers, this is this is your chance to 238 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: to try to fix some things and and give the 239 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: team that one more step forward, that one more uptick 240 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: before the stretch run and hopefully I'll playoff run in January. Yeah, 241 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: I think it was last week. I used my analogy 242 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: about the tuneup fight. If you're a fighter, if you're 243 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: a boxer, you lose a championship type matchup, you start 244 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: back down, you pull yourself back up, you try to 245 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: get some wins back together, you try to make another 246 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: run at this thing. They started that last week against 247 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: the Giants, and there was a there's a comment that 248 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,599 Speaker 1: Adam hohl Heinrich because in Packer's Daily spoiler Alert, we 249 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: don't always write our own scripts on that, we have 250 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: people that do that for us. But at Triple H 251 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: had written in there. You know, there was no real 252 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: hangover from what happened in San Francisco, and that's what 253 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 1: you wanted to see because as we discussed on Monday 254 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: show too, I mean, eighteen points, it was a possession game. 255 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: There really weren't a whole lot of opportunities just blow 256 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: that thing open. But the Packers did what they needed 257 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: to do against an opponent that they needed to beat, 258 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: and that earned you this opportunity against Washington. You beat Washington, 259 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,080 Speaker 1: that earns you an opportunity against Chicago. Because you and 260 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 1: I both watched the Monday night game with Minnesota, they're 261 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 1: not lying over for anybody. I mean, that is gonna 262 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: be a tough, knockdown, drag out war in week sixteen. 263 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: That's just the way this thing is looking right now. 264 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: So Green Bay to have two back to back home 265 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: games to get people revved up again because we there 266 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: was a ton of them. You and I covered a 267 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: ton of them at home here the first two months 268 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 1: of this season. And this is they were just in 269 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: a stretch of one game in forty eight days or 270 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: whatever it was at Lambeau so and I think the 271 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: home stretch early on when we saw the way the 272 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: Packers came out sputtering on offense in Week one against 273 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 1: a good Chicago defense. But after Week one to have 274 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: that stretch of five home games in six weeks, Matt Lafleur, 275 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers, the offense, they were able to they were 276 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: able to work out the kinks. They were able to 277 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: really fix some things and work on some things. When 278 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 1: you had the stretch of home games, well, now you're 279 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: always going to have other issues that are going to 280 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: crop up throughout the season. When you're in a stretch 281 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 1: of four road games out of five, it's tough to 282 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: fix your issues. You're trying to just say, hey, we're 283 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: gonna try to find a way to survive. We're gonna 284 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: try to find a way to win games. They fell 285 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: flat in l a, they fell flat in San Francisco. 286 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,680 Speaker 1: They gotta win. They got a road win against the Giants. 287 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: They got a road win against Kansas City and that 288 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: stretch of four road games in five weeks. Now they're 289 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: back home. It's a it's an opportunity to turn some 290 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: things around and and in looking for a spark on 291 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: special teams in the return game, Packers are still trying. 292 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: Traymont Smith has been released. Tyler Irvin, a return specialist. 293 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: I guess you might say he's officially running mostly turned 294 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 1: in his career, but yes, he's mostly mostly done returns 295 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: in his career, most recently from Jacksonville claimed off waivers. 296 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: And it looks like they're just gonna plug him in 297 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: as the return man and say, all right, kid, you 298 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: know here you go, this is this is your shot 299 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: because we're looking for a spark here. Yeah, and they 300 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: needed the guy. I think that was natural at both 301 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: of them. I mean when you look at tray Smith, 302 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: I mean, certainly he has some pelts on the wall 303 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: as it relates to the kickoff return, but not as 304 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: many of them at the pro level on punt returns. 305 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: In Irvin, you have a guy that has done it 306 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: both uh, and I just think, yeah, I mean, people 307 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: have been asking for they want things to be shaken 308 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: up a little bit, and the Packers have. You've been 309 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: following them with what they've done over the last month 310 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: with special teams. They're doing everything they can and this 311 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: is an important game to do it, Mike, because Washington 312 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: special teams are legit. Dustin Hopkins I think, you know, 313 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: not having his best year, but you know Steven Sims 314 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: has one brought back for a touchdown this year in 315 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: the night or whatever that was. They are going to 316 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: push for field position in this game and the Packers 317 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: need to start winning that. And here's the thing. You 318 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: have four games like I think Packers by no means 319 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: are looking ahead, but I think at nine and three 320 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: they feel like they're a playoff team. They feel like 321 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: they're a contender. This is you know, we talked about 322 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: these two games at home. These next four weeks are 323 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: an audition for the playoffs to show exactly where you 324 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: stack up and how far you could potentially bring this 325 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: thing and to go where they need to go. The 326 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: special teams need to be better. J K. Scott put 327 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: a huge foot forward, no pun intended last week in 328 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: New York, especially in those can aditions where he's been 329 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: kind of struggling a little bit with colder weather. Mason Crosby. 330 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: We've talked to nauseum about the performance that he had 331 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: and what he was able to do in those conditions 332 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: in the season, and he's had in general. Kickoff return, 333 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: punt return has been the one thing that has been 334 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: left to be desired since Week one of the season. 335 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: So you bring in Irvin, now you see what he 336 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: has to offer. The great thing about this position and 337 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: the great thing about special teams this goes back to 338 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: something that Tim mass they told me in two thousand thirteen. 339 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: There's really no playbook for specialists in return positions. You 340 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: can be replaced like that and the guy can go 341 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: in there and do the job just like that. He 342 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: needs to know the block and patterns, he needs to 343 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: have a general feel for the scheme. But returning is 344 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: returning and kicking is kicking. Tyler. Irvin has a chance 345 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: now to come in here and show that he belongs. Yeah, 346 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: And with regards to the Packers special teams as a whole, Yes, 347 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: the return game, they haven't gotten the spark there that 348 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: they've been looking for. Coverage wise, they haven't allowed any 349 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: real backbreaking returns. A couple of explosive returns here, and 350 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: they're during the season, but nothing really backbreaking. And yeah, 351 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: early earlier in the year than than more recently. Penalties 352 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: are certainly way down on special teams compared to a 353 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: year ago, which which was a huge problem. So it's 354 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 1: not as it's not as though the sky is completely 355 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: falling on special teams here. And certainly what j K. 356 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: Scott did against the Giants, he's been in a slump 357 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: for about a month. Two of his three punts against 358 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: the Giants were really really good ones. I mean, penned 359 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,959 Speaker 1: them inside the twenty yard line um with you know, 360 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: high hangers that um that were either fair caught or 361 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: downed in difficult field position for the Giants. So that's 362 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: that looks like it's you know, he looks like he's 363 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: working his way out of that. Any kind of a spark, really, 364 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: it feels like that the Packers could get from their 365 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: return game could really make a difference here down the stretch. 366 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: If suddenly Aaron Rodgers is starting a few drives at 367 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 1: the thirty five or the thirty eight yard line as 368 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: opposed to the twenty two or the twenty five yard line, 369 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: things could really start to look different. West and That's 370 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: what Brian goodacombs to Matt Lafleur after here. That's why 371 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 1: they keep changing things around. They're looking for their looking 372 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: for that spark. And and this is an opportunity with Irvin. 373 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: He was available on the waiver wire from Jacksonville. They're 374 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 1: going to give him a shot. Yeah. And the thing 375 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: that I thought this week really proved too is there 376 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: just aren't There isn't an answer just sitting on the 377 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: street corner right. For so many weeks, especially Insider in 378 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 1: Box more so than this show, we would get question 379 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: after question, why did they trade Trevor Davis? What was 380 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: the reasoning that was behind this? Trevor Davis got released 381 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: this week from Oakland. You hate to see that for him. 382 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 1: He's a good guy, but it goes to show you, 383 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: I mean, everybody's always looking to get better, especially in 384 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: the Special Team's phases where guys can be recycled so quickly. 385 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: Davis has already ended up in Miami, for example. So 386 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: the Packers, in addition now having a second round pick 387 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: for next year, I feel like they have a guy 388 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 1: that you know, we're gonna probably learn a little bit 389 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: more about him later in the day. But to to 390 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: be able to find answers and be able to find uh, 391 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: you know in potentially he find something that could push 392 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: you and propel you into the postseason. All it takes, 393 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: Sean Menega said it since the very beginning of the season. 394 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 1: All it takes is that one big return. The Packers 395 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: are still waiting on it, and Urvan's gonna be the 396 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: chance it gets a chance to you know, potentially do it. Yeah. Well, 397 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: we will see if if they get that that little 398 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: extra juice that they're looking for in that phase. But 399 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 1: for now, we are going to call it a wrap 400 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: on this edition of Packers on Scripted. Be sure to 401 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers 402 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: dot com. Subscribe to us like us on iTunes and 403 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: other podcast services if you will, and definitely check out 404 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: the new Packers YouTube channel for wes I Mike. Thanks 405 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: for tuning in, everybody, We'll see you next time.