WEBVTT - #251 Packers Unscripted: Week 17 wrap 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:20.360 Hi, everybody, and welcome to Packers Unscripted. Happy New Year 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:22.840 to all of you out there. From Packers dot com. 0:00:22.880 --> 0:00:25.840 I am Mike Spofford and he is Wes Hodkowitz. We're 0:00:25.840 --> 0:00:28.040 coming to hear from our studios at lambeau Field to 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:31.159 talk about the conclusion of the Packers two thousand and 0:00:31.200 --> 0:00:34.040 seventeen season. It ends with a thirty five to eleven 0:00:34.120 --> 0:00:36.839 loss at Ford Field in Detroit and West I know 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:40.040 a lot of reports out there swirling around about possible 0:00:40.159 --> 0:00:44.320 changes going on within the organization, and let's just say 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:47.240 that after the game, Mike McCarthy did not address anything 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:50.240 about the future of what's going on with the coaching 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.840 staff or anything else in the football operation. So it's 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:56.600 not our place to discuss the speculation. We will wait 0:00:56.680 --> 0:00:59.040 until we hear from the head coach, which is going 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:01.520 to be presumed be within a couple of days sometime 0:01:01.600 --> 0:01:03.720 later this week. We will hear from him on what 0:01:03.880 --> 0:01:06.840 is going on or not going on. So with that, 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:10.880 the final game of the regular season um not the 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:13.600 way the Packers wanted to go out, Certainly, thirty five 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:17.200 to eleven a rough ball game. Brett Hunley didn't finish 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:20.600 his stint as the starting quarterbacks. Certainly the way he 0:01:20.640 --> 0:01:23.520 wanted to. A couple of early turnovers really kind of 0:01:23.520 --> 0:01:26.040 blew the Packers chance to to make this a game 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:28.480 and and and stay competitive in it. Yeah, I think 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:30.080 the thing that stands up the most when you really 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:31.960 look at the stat sheet once this thing was over 0:01:32.080 --> 0:01:35.240 was the four turnovers four takeaways for the Lions and 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:37.600 zero for the Packers. I mean that that was gonna 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:40.959 tilt this ball game so significantly. Mike McCarthy said afterwards 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.080 he actually was relatively happy with the way the Packers 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:45.280 started this football game. They had made the decision earlier 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:47.319 in the week that they were going to try to 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:49.320 go for that surprise on side kick if they won 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:52.680 the coin toss, and there you go, Mason Crosby doing 0:01:52.720 --> 0:01:54.800 one of the things that he does best. Germaine Whitehead 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:57.360 makes a tremendous play on the ball to get the 0:01:57.360 --> 0:02:00.000 Packers the football at the fifth forty nine yard line, 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:03.200 as they've done basically every single time Hunley has been 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:06.040 under center. They drove on that first series, and then 0:02:06.200 --> 0:02:08.720 you know, the past a little bit behind. Jamal Williams 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:11.760 ends up being a drop turns into an interception, and 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:14.280 the lines were able to get the ball there, but 0:02:14.840 --> 0:02:17.760 Packers actually end up forcing I believe the three out defensively, 0:02:17.800 --> 0:02:20.239 Green Bay gets the ball back, actually ends up kicking 0:02:20.240 --> 0:02:22.440 the field goal to go up three to nothing. So 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:25.000 things were kind of working in their favor, but slowly, 0:02:25.480 --> 0:02:28.560 between the drops and the mistackles and everything kind of 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:31.839 culminating together, the game slowly got away from them. Yeah, 0:02:31.880 --> 0:02:33.840 when you turn the ball over twice in the red 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:36.720 zone with scoring opportunities there in the first quarter in 0:02:36.760 --> 0:02:39.600 a game that you know you're playing uphill from the beginning, 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:42.200 you've got You've got some starters on the field. I'm 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:45.440 not saying this was an entire, you know, taxi squad 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:47.400 type of lineup, but the Packers were using a lot 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:49.840 of backups on both sides of the ball, with some 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.280 starters sprinkled in, and even some of those starters on 0:02:52.320 --> 0:02:54.839 the defensive side. I would say, we're rotating in and out, 0:02:54.880 --> 0:02:58.680 maybe more often than they would in a usual regular 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:01.320 season game. Sit suation. So you turn the ball over 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:03.160 twice in the red zone with a chance to score 0:03:03.240 --> 0:03:06.000 early in the ball game, the defense does start out 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:08.720 pretty well, even after giving up the one deep ball 0:03:08.760 --> 0:03:11.079 fifty plus yards over the top. They hold the Lions 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:13.760 to a field goal there, but then the Lions big 0:03:13.800 --> 0:03:16.120 plays kind of kicked in. They got the fifty four 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:18.880 yard touchdown to Kenny Golladay. They later on they get 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:21.280 a seventy one yard touched down past the Golden Tate 0:03:21.360 --> 0:03:25.519 when he's a wide open um to the left side 0:03:25.800 --> 0:03:29.120 for Stafford against the zone defense, and the Packers offense 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:32.520 after those early promising drives just never really got going 0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:35.440 until getting a fourth down touchdown pass late in the 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:38.720 game to Randall Cobb that that you know, gave you 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.360 maybe some hope that the Packers could close the gap 0:03:41.400 --> 0:03:43.400 a little bit, but it just didn't happen. Yeah, pretty 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:45.560 much the same drill in this game, and it's been 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:47.920 sort of the downfall of the Packers in the second 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:50.640 half of the season. Offensively. Got out to a relatively 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:53.600 fast start. Slow down, have some three Now, let's have 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.360 some big three notes. Where Hunley's taken a sack on 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:59.560 third down and that leads to some negative yardage as well, 0:04:00.040 --> 0:04:02.240 ends up the field position battle. I think Wade heavily, 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:06.200 especially in that first half, Packers punting justin Vogel punting 0:04:06.200 --> 0:04:08.800 out of his own his own end zone two or 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:11.000 three different times. Yeah. And then you also have the 0:04:11.600 --> 0:04:14.200 mistake on the punt return where you end up muffing 0:04:14.200 --> 0:04:16.600 a punt because one of your blockers gets blocked into 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:19.119 Trevor Davis who's just trying to make a fair catch, 0:04:19.160 --> 0:04:21.440 and the Lions, you know, get the ball in easy 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:23.839 scoring position. That that's you know, the game just started 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:25.719 a snowball the wrong way. Yeah. And that's a tough 0:04:25.880 --> 0:04:27.680 spot for Down to tell a Brown too, because I 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:29.359 and I guess I gotta go back and look at 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:31.520 the film. I don't remember him working as a jammer 0:04:31.640 --> 0:04:34.359 the last few games. That's I think another thing, with 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.159 all the injuries that happened, Josh Hawkins, as you said, 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.200 ends up rotating with Devon House at cornerback. Lindsay Pitkins 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.480 makes his first career start, the undrafted rookie cornerback out 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:46.880 of vote excuse me, Oklahoma State. So yeah, it just 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:48.880 it was I think there was just there were some 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.560 guys that stepped up. I mean you look at you know, 0:04:51.600 --> 0:04:53.720 the Manuel Birds of the world that sort of came 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:56.000 out of nowhere to make a play, and even some 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:58.360 of the Vets. I thought Clay Matthews and Mike Daniels 0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:01.640 played really hard, but a us the board inconsistency and 0:05:01.760 --> 0:05:04.040 just not being able to take advantage of opportunities and 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:07.200 having some unfortunate turnovers I think ultimately just led to 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:09.040 this game being out of site for the Packers once 0:05:09.040 --> 0:05:10.880 we got to the fourth quarter. Yeah, So as the 0:05:10.920 --> 0:05:14.320 final score UH reads thirty five to eleven, the Packers 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:17.000 finished the season at seven and nine UM. As we 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.320 talked about, obviously the eight game or eight season streak 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:22.520 of going to the playoffs comes to an end, just 0:05:22.560 --> 0:05:26.679 the second sub five hundred record in Mike McCarthy's twelve 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:29.360 year tenure and what it ends up doing now at 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:31.719 seven and nine the Packers, it looks like we'll be 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:35.040 picking four in the first round of the NFL Draft. 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:37.240 Just to explain a little bit, they tied with the 0:05:37.240 --> 0:05:40.159 Washington Redskins at seven and nine for what would be 0:05:40.160 --> 0:05:43.720 the thirteenth and fourteenth positions. UH. Strength of schedule is 0:05:43.720 --> 0:05:46.320 the first tiebreaker is actually dead even between the two, 0:05:46.320 --> 0:05:48.279 so they go a little deeper into the tiebreakers and 0:05:48.320 --> 0:05:51.880 it actually comes down to a common games tiebreaker. You 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:53.919 have to have a minimum of four common games. With 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:57.080 that opponent, and the Packers and the Redskins both played 0:05:57.400 --> 0:06:00.480 the Seahawks, the Vikings, the Saints, and the how Boys. 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:04.400 They both played five games against those four opponents. Because 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:07.640 Washington played Dallas twice, the Packers played Minnesota twice. In 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:10.240 those five games, the Packers went two and three, the 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:13.600 Redskins went one and four. So because the Redskins were worse, 0:06:14.000 --> 0:06:16.640 they get the thirteen spot, the Packers get the fourteen spot. 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:19.560 The upshot of all that explanation, West is that the 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.320 Packers have the highest draft pick they will have they 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:25.440 have had since two thousand nine, when they drafted B. J. 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:28.760 Rodger at number nine overall to be fourteen. The the 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:31.680 highest draft pick the Packers have had since then was 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:34.640 twenty one when they drafted Ha Ha Clinton Dicks in 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:39.720 so uncharted waters, but a tremendous opportunity for this organization. 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:41.440 It is. And as you said, Mike, I mean you 0:06:41.480 --> 0:06:43.360 look at two thousand nine, that was the last time 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:45.160 that draft was the last time they were coming off 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:47.680 the season which they didn't go to the playoffs. So um, 0:06:47.760 --> 0:06:50.440 this is the silver lining, the consolation, if you want 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:52.520 to call it, that you do have a chance now 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:55.000 whether it's gonna be offense defense. Whatever they decided to 0:06:55.000 --> 0:06:57.120 do with it. There is an opportunity, not only in 0:06:57.120 --> 0:06:59.039 that first round, but in those other rounds to picking 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:01.080 a little bit earlier to try of finding a difference maker. 0:07:01.360 --> 0:07:04.560 They did it with haklind Dixson two thousand fourteen, picking one, 0:07:04.640 --> 0:07:07.240 and I thought that had a big, really a push 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:10.040 for that defense to really solidify that safety position. Absolutely 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:11.440 what they can do with this one, yeah, And we'll 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:13.080 have plenty of time to talk about that when we 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.480 go to the Combine in February and all that, But 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:17.080 for now, we're going to toss it to a break 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:37.760 back with more and Packers Unscripted right after this Welcome 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.440 back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.800 Hodkowitz in that one, and West some big pieces of 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:46.160 news we haven't had a chance to discuss yet because 0:07:46.240 --> 0:07:50.720 they occurred after our final show of the previous week, 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:53.880 but before the Packers kicked off against the Detroit Lions 0:07:54.280 --> 0:07:57.320 in the season finale. And that is two key pieces 0:07:57.360 --> 0:08:00.840 to this Green Bay Packers offense re signing signing contract 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:03.680 extensions as they were in the final. Both players are 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:06.320 in the final year of their rookie deals, and I'm 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:09.960 talking about receiver Davante Adams and center Corey Linsley. I 0:08:09.960 --> 0:08:12.239 think it was pretty obvious that these were the two 0:08:12.680 --> 0:08:16.280 biggest free agent priorities or pending free agent priorities for 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:20.200 the Green Bay Packers, and really good news that they 0:08:20.480 --> 0:08:23.200 got both of these guys back into the fold without 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:26.240 even approaching that March deadline of free agency. Well, the 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:28.160 nice thing is with getting the deals done with both 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:30.560 Adams and Lensley. The way that works as You're able 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.240 to basically pro rate a portion of their signing bonus 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:35.640 towards the two thousand seventeen caps, so that makes it 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:38.600 a more palatable contract over the length of it. So 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:40.760 you know you're able to spread it over four years 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:43.040 instead of three. Uh that that goes a long way 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:45.400 with contracts at time. So very smart and savvy from 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:47.960 the Packers from that perspective. But at the same time, 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:51.319 it also rewards both Davante Adams and Corey Linsley for 0:08:51.440 --> 0:08:53.760 kind of betting on themselves as year, playing this thing out, 0:08:54.040 --> 0:08:57.319 seeing what they can accomplish. Um Lindsley had the offseason 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:59.680 surgery on the ankle. He felt like that was going 0:08:59.720 --> 0:09:02.559 to be something that could clean up the lingering hamstring injuries, 0:09:02.559 --> 0:09:04.959 the leg injuries he's been suffering. He ends up playing 0:09:04.960 --> 0:09:08.600 every offensive snap for the Packers this season. Then Davante Adams, 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:10.920 he had that big breakout year a year ago, but 0:09:10.960 --> 0:09:13.120 people were still kind of wondering can he do it again? 0:09:13.520 --> 0:09:15.280 Not only did he do it, he did it with 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:17.640 Brett Hunley at quarterback as well. He was able to 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:20.720 establish that momentum, that rhythm and timing with Hunley as well. 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:23.560 And I think when you just look at his physical gifts, Mike, 0:09:23.600 --> 0:09:26.600 the fact that he just turned twenty five on Christmas Eve, Uh, 0:09:26.600 --> 0:09:28.000 this guy was going to be one of the top 0:09:28.040 --> 0:09:30.400 freed It's not only at the receiver position but in 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:33.280 the entire NFL. So for the Packers to get both 0:09:33.320 --> 0:09:35.199 of them locked up now, I think that says a 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:38.040 lot about them in terms of the two prospects they 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:40.400 developed from that two thousand fourteen draft and now their 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:43.520 ability to kind of continue to grow within this offense. Yeah, 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:45.800 And I think what you said about Davante Adams and 0:09:45.840 --> 0:09:48.280 what he did with Brett Hunley, if there were any 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:52.600 questions about him, you know, building and repeating what he 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:56.320 did in a in a breakout. He did it with 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:59.120 Brett Hunley at quarterback. Because at the end of the day, 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:02.480 the Packers one three games with Huney at quarterback against Chicago, 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:05.600 Tampa Bay, and Cleveland, and Davantae Adams had a pretty 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:08.960 significant role in all of those victories. He really was 0:10:09.000 --> 0:10:11.640 Brett Hunley's go to guy, and and when the offense 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:15.400 was clicking, when it was getting some things done with 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:17.240 Brett Huntley at quarterback, a lot of it had to 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:19.839 do with Davanta Adams. I'm he couldn't be happier for 0:10:19.880 --> 0:10:22.280 the guy. I mean, he did everything he had to do. Obviously, 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:26.480 you hope everything with the concussion, the second concussion that 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:32.000 he sustained in unfortunately everything from there goes smoothly and 0:10:32.000 --> 0:10:36.000 he comes back with no issues. But but we even 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:39.719 saw on social media Aaron Rodgers awfully happy that that 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:42.960 there's no concern with Davante Adams going elsewhere. Yeah, and 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:45.280 Randall Coby even talked about the locker room after the 0:10:45.360 --> 0:10:48.200 game on Sunday night. I mean, here, here's a guy 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:51.160 who came into Green Bay I think had pretty big 0:10:51.200 --> 0:10:54.960 expectations because of that that history, the legacy they've had 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:57.800 of second round draft picks in Green Bay really becoming 0:10:57.840 --> 0:11:01.080 Pro Bowl type receivers, difference making type of Eavers and Adams. 0:11:01.160 --> 0:11:02.760 He had to take the long, hard road. I mean 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:04.640 the first year he kind of broke out a little bit, 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:07.439 stepped in that number three spot, was a good complimentary 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:09.880 piece for that offense. The second year, a lot more 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:12.520 was going to be asked him. Without Jordy Nelson. He 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:14.680 ends up injuring his his ankle in the first week 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:16.840 of the second week of the season. It lingers the 0:11:16.960 --> 0:11:20.160 entire season wasn't the same player. He had so many doubters, 0:11:20.160 --> 0:11:22.000 so many questions, you know, so many questions are being 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:24.319 asked about him going into that third year, and then 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:26.000 you really started to see what he can do. He's 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:29.400 ever ever so confident in his abilities, So I think 0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:31.640 that went a long way. And then just to touch 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:33.800 on really quickly, Mike, when you look at Corey Linsley, 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:36.440 I think this says a lot about Lindsley because this 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:39.000 is the first time the Packers have really extended and 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:41.240 given a second contract to a center. Since I believe 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:42.959 Scott well I was going to say Scott Wells I 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:45.240 think was the last one into the late two thousands. 0:11:45.240 --> 0:11:48.680 So uh, for them to feel like Lindsley's the guy there, 0:11:48.800 --> 0:11:51.240 I think it's it's it feels a huge need because 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.160 there wasn't an air apparent obviously there. I mean they 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:56.880 were going to have to make a big move there 0:11:56.880 --> 0:12:00.000 if Lindsley didn't come back. So now you bring him back, 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:02.680 you have Lane Taylor extended earlier this season. You have 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:04.840 to see where things are at with Brian Blog. You know, 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:06.880 if if Jarry Evans wants to come back or not, 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:08.680 or what the plan will be there at the right side. 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:11.000 But as far as having those three pieces together with 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:13.680 box tr Taylor and Lindsley for at least the next 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:16.920 three seasons a very very big thing for Aaron Rodgers 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:19.480 now going forward. Yeah, there's a there's a foundation there, 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:22.120 certainly on the offensive line. There are some questions both 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:25.800 injury wise and with Jarry Evans and and his decision 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:29.400 about his future exactly what what the right side is 0:12:29.440 --> 0:12:31.800 going to look like inen And with regards to the 0:12:31.840 --> 0:12:33.920 receiving corps, I know a lot of people are wondering 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:37.559 with Jordy Nelson's contract, Randall Cobbs contract and now Davante 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:40.080 Adams getting his new deal. How is this all gonna 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:42.120 work out? Is somebody going to be the odd man out? 0:12:42.760 --> 0:12:44.360 I don't know how this is gonna work out. I 0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:47.200 will just say this, the fact that the Packers, going 0:12:47.240 --> 0:12:50.559 back to your original point, that they signed both Lindsley 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:54.120 and Adams before the season ended. It changes and we'll 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:56.160 see how things come out in terms of the numbers, 0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:58.600 but it certainly changes what the cap number for both 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:01.480 of those guys is in twenty team. So what I 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:04.240 think it does, however this shakes out, is it gives 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:07.240 you more flexibility with what you want to do in 0:13:07.360 --> 0:13:10.640 some of these other financial contracts situations then you would 0:13:10.640 --> 0:13:12.720 have had if both of these guys take it all 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:14.920 the way up to March, and then you don't have 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:17.280 that option of counting some of that signing bonus and 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:19.800 some of that money against the cap. And keep in 0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:21.560 mind too, because this has become a big narrative, and 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:23.839 I just want to dispel one notion. Let's say I 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:26.800 get paid one million dollars for four years to write 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:30.400 in report for Packers dot Com. It would be nice. 0:13:30.559 --> 0:13:32.440 I don't a lot of times with the NFL contracts, 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:36.840 it isn't just two and fifty or fiftif the way 0:13:36.840 --> 0:13:40.400 that these contracts go, just because it's X amount of dollars, 0:13:40.559 --> 0:13:42.280 you just don't divide it by how many years it 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:44.080 is and say, okay, that's the cap number. It's a 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:46.280 lot more complicated to that. And I think one thing 0:13:46.280 --> 0:13:48.319 people are is not thinking enough about is the fact 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:51.720 that the first year of an NFL contract a second contract, 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:55.120 typically it's not a huge cap hit. It's more towards 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:56.840 the end of it. So another thing to keep in 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.360 mind when you start trying to become micromanaging and doing 0:13:59.400 --> 0:14:01.880 all these couch GM decisions, right, it's not necessarily a 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:04.079 huge cap hit because they're getting all the money in 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.640 the signing bonus and then then they're getting a lower 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:08.680 salary in that first year the deal, but then the 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:10.760 signing bonus is pro raded over the life of the 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:13.880 contract in terms of the salary cap. So it is uh, 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:15.880 you know, it is a numbers game and uh, and 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:18.040 the Packers are playing it and the cap keeps going 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:20.720 up to that's another thing it does. It absolutely does. 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.520 With that, we'll toss it to a breakback with more 0:14:22.520 --> 0:14:44.000 on Packers unscripted right after this welcome back to Packers unscripted, 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:46.560 Mike Spofford right here, West Hodko, it's all the way 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.040 over there, and West, I gotta tell you we need 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:52.680 to talk about this. The way this last playoff spot 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:55.120 in the a f C was decided in Week seventeen, 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:58.440 there wasn't a lot of playoff drama in Week seventeen 0:14:58.920 --> 0:15:01.480 compared to maybe of other years we've seen in the past. 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:03.840 But the way this a f C thing went down 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:08.400 with the Baltimore Ravens, all they had to do was 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:12.000 stop fourth and twelve from the forty nine yard line 0:15:12.120 --> 0:15:14.480 in the last minute of the game at home against 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:18.360 the Cincinnati Bengals to go to the playoffs. They blow it. 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.560 Not only do they allow the fourth and twelve, they 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:25.400 allow a forty nine yard touchdown pass. Baltimore hands its 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:29.200 playoff spot to the Buffalo Bills, and thanks to fourth 0:15:29.240 --> 0:15:32.000 and twelve from the forty nine by the Cincinnati Bengals, 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:34.280 the Buffalo Bills are in the playoffs for the first 0:15:34.280 --> 0:15:39.760 time since This is one of the crazier The league 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:41.880 is crazy. I get that, and I talk about it 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:44.200 all the time. This is one of the crazier ones 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:49.120 I think I've come across I I couldn't make any 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.840 I couldn't make heads or tails. To be honest with you, 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.760 I think I'm still kind of struggling with it. So 0:15:54.800 --> 0:15:56.880 all right, so here's what happens. You and I get 0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:59.640 donecovering the game. I was still writing my notes, so 0:15:59.760 --> 0:16:02.520 I was kind of like in tunnel vision until probably 0:16:02.520 --> 0:16:06.120 i'd say, like eight pm Central Time on Sunday night. 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:09.800 Finally have a chance to sit back, and you were 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:12.000 obviously working on cider inbox, but I finally a chance 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:14.280 to sit back and start watching. What happened in the 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:17.080 first clip I see is of Micah Hyde and the 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:20.160 Buffalo Bills in their locker room watching the monitor in 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.480 their locker room after after they got their you know, 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:26.920 stuff taken care of in that play unfold. It is 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:30.080 amazing I think for that franchise to be able to 0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:34.360 accomplish that this season. Um, let's be honest. These are 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:36.480 the storylines that I think make the game the most 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:39.800 compelling and for the Bills through all the ups and 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:41.560 downs this year, and there's certainly were a lot of 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:43.880 them for them. I mean, there's the issue almost a 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:47.600 disaster with the quarterback situation mid season, their defense fluctuated. 0:16:48.080 --> 0:16:50.680 They bring in Calvin Bedroom so many different variables to 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:53.160 it for them to be able to get in the playoffs, 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:55.280 I think, especially in an uneven year like this where 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:58.840 they're really only two bona fide like front runners in 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:02.520 that conference. Um, you have to feel great for him. Yeah, 0:17:02.560 --> 0:17:05.600 I mean, what a day for the city of Buffalo. Really. 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:07.439 I mean when when you start, when you when you're 0:17:07.480 --> 0:17:10.120 looking at the clips of the fans at the sports 0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:12.560 bars watching the end of the the end of the 0:17:12.600 --> 0:17:16.280 Cincinnati Baltimore game, and their franchises is in the playoffs 0:17:16.280 --> 0:17:19.720 for the first time this century. It's it's one of 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:22.760 those days. Regardless west of what happens in the playoffs, 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.040 they have a tough matchup obviously going down to Jacksonville 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:26.720 in the wild card round. All of that, it's a 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:29.760 game they certainly can win. But regardless of what happens 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:32.640 in the playoffs. For the Buffalo Bills, those fans of 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:36.520 that team are going to remember New Year's Eve seen 0:17:36.600 --> 0:17:38.480 for a long time. Yeah, and I'll tell you this too, Mike. 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:40.800 If I'm the Bills, I want to play Jacksonville right now. 0:17:41.160 --> 0:17:43.840 Jacksonville has a lot of questions to answer, they're limping 0:17:43.840 --> 0:17:46.879 into the playoffs two straight losses. Their offense hasn't done 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:49.879 much at all. Um, you know, the defense going through 0:17:50.280 --> 0:17:52.800 some ups and downs, you know, losing that game to Tennessee. 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:54.720 Tennessee had a playoff spot on the line, had to 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:56.879 beat a playoff team in order to get it, and 0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:58.639 they did it so as much of the up and 0:17:58.720 --> 0:18:00.760 ups and downs. Also for the tennis See Titans, hats 0:18:00.760 --> 0:18:02.359 off to them for getting Yeah, like you and I 0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:04.680 predicted at the beginning of the season, Buffalo and Tennessee 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:07.720 where the natural wild you know they were. We saw 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.200 it coming from a mile away. Um, But I think 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:11.840 it goes back to what you and I said before. 0:18:11.920 --> 0:18:13.520 And I don't want to turn this into the you know, 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:15.320 we're gonna rip on Blake Bortles here for two and 0:18:15.320 --> 0:18:18.880 a half minutes. But when you have inconsistent quarterback play, 0:18:18.960 --> 0:18:21.399 doesn't matter how good your defense is, it doesn't matter 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:24.119 how good your perimeter weapons are. You have to be 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:27.119 able to protect the football. Bortles hasn't done it in 0:18:27.119 --> 0:18:29.080 the last two games, and it's really come back to 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:32.080 hurt the Jaguars. In credit to Marcus Mariota, he did 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:33.919 what he had to do. Their running game did what 0:18:33.960 --> 0:18:36.200 it had to do. Although I'm sure Derrick Henry isn't 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:38.480 going to be talking to his relatives about his twenty 0:18:38.520 --> 0:18:41.679 eight carry fifty one yard performance. You did what you 0:18:41.720 --> 0:18:43.960 had to do to be able to get into playoffs. 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:47.000 And Dick Lebo that defense, they're gonna make one more 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:48.480 run at this thing. Yeah, They're going to give it 0:18:48.480 --> 0:18:50.639 another shot, all right? Before we go to break the 0:18:50.680 --> 0:18:52.600 West picture this. You and a friend are sitting v 0:18:52.720 --> 0:18:55.159 I P and plush leather recliners watching the Packers on 0:18:55.200 --> 0:18:58.199 the fifty yard line at lambeau Field. Nice picture, isn't it. Well. 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:00.600 If you enter Cousins Subs Best Seats in the House promotion, 0:19:00.640 --> 0:19:02.080 you and a guest could win a chance to kick 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:04.160 back on the fifty yard line and style. Two pairs 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:06.760 of lucky Packers fans will be chosen prior to each 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:09.119 home game for this v I P experience. For complete 0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:12.520