WEBVTT - #501 Packers Unscripted: Peak performers 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:14.160 Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.200 --> 0:00:17.680 I am Mike Spofford, joined by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz. 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:20.280 Were coming to you here from our studios at lambeau Field. 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:24.040 Hope everyone had a happy New Year. West. It is Thursday, 0:00:24.079 --> 0:00:27.560 the second day of the Packers. Will be back, will 0:00:27.600 --> 0:00:30.680 be back, excuse me on the practice field later today, 0:00:30.720 --> 0:00:32.640 a couple of practices here at the end of the week, 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.599 find out the postseason opponent for the divisional round over 0:00:36.640 --> 0:00:39.920 the weekend, and then get back to work again on Monday. 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:42.400 What I want to do on today's show as the 0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:44.559 Packers head into the postseason, We'll try to take a 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:47.000 bit of a bird's eye view here, not worrying about 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:50.640 specific opponents and how those different scenarios might play out, 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:55.120 but who are some of the the big time players 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:57.200 for the Packers who need to play big time in 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.760 the playoffs, And who are some of the lesser known 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:03.160 eyes we don't talk about much, unsung hero types that 0:01:03.200 --> 0:01:05.800 maybe need to play a pretty big role here for 0:01:05.840 --> 0:01:08.119 the Packers to make a postseason run. So let's start 0:01:08.160 --> 0:01:10.640 on the offensive side of the ball. A big time 0:01:10.680 --> 0:01:13.560 guy who needs to play big time football. Who you 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:20.679 got Aaron freaking Jones? And easy answer, right, I mean 0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:23.160 everybody way to go out on a limb there, hot 0:01:23.200 --> 0:01:25.880 coits being able to pick Aaron Jones. But I want 0:01:25.880 --> 0:01:28.800 to read you some statistics here A big stat guy 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:32.480 not like you, but I'm a relatively I'm like an 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:36.280 apprentice stat guy. Aaron Jones. Games in which you went 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:40.119 over a hundred yards and rushing this year Minnesota week two, 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:45.920 Week five at Dallas, Week fourteen against Washington, Week sixteen 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.639 at Minnesota, and last week at Detroit. Got a hundred 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:53.800 yards in that game. Packers were five and oh in 0:01:53.840 --> 0:01:55.960 those games. If you want to throw in the hundred 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:59.560 and fifty nine yard catch game, yeah the biggest seed 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:02.480 for Orman's case, make it six and oh. I'm not 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:03.840 gonna be able to draw that up on a Pro 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:06.640 Football Focus or ESPN Stats and Info thing, but that's 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:09.920 a wes Hotkoitz stat right there. Let's look at the 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:15.720 losses really quickly. Thirteen carries twenty one yards against Philadelphia, 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:20.600 eight carries for thirty yards against Los Angeles Chargers, in 0:02:20.720 --> 0:02:23.600 thirteen carries for thirty eight yards against San Francisco. Aaron 0:02:23.680 --> 0:02:25.800 Jones needs to produce. He needs to have the football 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:28.679 in his hands, because when he does, good things happen. Mike, 0:02:28.760 --> 0:02:31.040 We've known it for three years, and I think this 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.280 year seeing the way that he's taken on this role 0:02:33.320 --> 0:02:36.079 in this offense. He's not just a running back. He's 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.160 not just a scat back. He's a third down back. 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.960 He's a pass catcher. He's a guy that can motion 0:02:41.000 --> 0:02:44.040 out and actually catch slant passes, which I thought has 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:46.679 been a real small, minor edition that a lot of 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:48.799 people don't talk about, but something the Packers have done 0:02:48.840 --> 0:02:51.520 this year with their running backs. Aaron Jones is a 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:54.560 ball player, and with having Jamal Williams hopefully getting him 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:56.960 back here for this divisional playoff run, and seeing what 0:02:57.040 --> 0:03:00.120 Tyler Irvin adds to this offense, Aaron Jones become is 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.640 more and more dangerous. I can't disagree with that selection whatsoever, 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:08.400 but since I have to pick my own guy, I'm 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:12.600 also going to be captain obvious here. It's Aaron Rodgers. 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:17.720 We've seen We've seen it west. The Detroit game last 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:20.960 weekend was a perfect example. Aaron Rodgers went back and 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:25.839 forth in that game between missing throws that we've seen 0:03:25.919 --> 0:03:28.320 him making his sleep over the course of his career, 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:33.679 and then making some absolutely incredible pinpoint throws that were 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:37.200 a huge part of that comeback. I'm thinking about, you know, 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:39.880 the fade to Davante Adams down the right sideline that 0:03:39.960 --> 0:03:42.120 set up the field goal in the first quarter, the 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:45.160 touchdown pass to Alan was Ard, phenomenal throw, the way 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.320 he avoided the rush and got the ball to Aaron 0:03:47.400 --> 0:03:50.000 Jones on the screen pass on the final drive, and 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:53.400 there were others, but we also saw the scramble to 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:55.840 the right. Aaron Jones is wide open for a touchdown 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:58.200 down the right sideline, he throws it over his head. 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:01.400 Um Alan was Ard on a deep post over the middle, 0:04:01.760 --> 0:04:04.400 completely splits the defense. He's wide open and the and 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:08.000 the rocket laser type throws three yards over his head. 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:11.120 Those are the kinds of throws that Aaron Rodgers has made. 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:14.400 Those over the course of his career way more often 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:17.960 than not. And we've just seen these bouts of inaccuracy 0:04:18.240 --> 0:04:22.080 with him at different times, and I just think if 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:27.680 he straightens out his game, if he becomes more consistent 0:04:27.839 --> 0:04:30.240 with his throws, I think there are a lot of 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:33.160 things about this Packers offense that can become more consistent 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:36.080 in the postseason, and that's really what they've been searching 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:39.040 for for so long, is some level of consistency on offense. 0:04:39.080 --> 0:04:41.120 I think it really falls on number twelve. Yeah, I 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:43.240 agree with you, Mike, because here's the thing. It is 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:45.640 a human game. It's a human element to this game. 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:47.840 Very rarely you're going to see a guy go out 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:51.400 there and just be perfect. Yeah. I guess technically Aaron 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:53.680 Rodgers was against the Raiders, and I think it was 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:58.000 what Drew was it Drew Brees thirty on that that 0:04:58.040 --> 0:05:00.680 Monday night football game. But in most cases, and even 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:03.159 in those two specific instances, I bet both of those 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:05.080 guys have certain plays and things that they want to 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:07.239 have back. That's just the way that this game is played. 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:10.480 It's incredibly human. It's the most difficult position in all sports. 0:05:10.520 --> 0:05:13.040 But I think what we learned in that game against 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:16.080 the Lions is that if you start getting more of 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:19.640 those big plays the Lazard pass, uh, you know that 0:05:19.839 --> 0:05:22.920 being able to see Aaron Jones throw all the muck 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:27.039 and and junk that was there and avoid throwing the 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:29.120 ball and hitting one of the defensive lineman as he 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:33.640 shoveled off that that screen pass when these things align 0:05:34.040 --> 0:05:36.800 and you create more of those and cut back on 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:39.200 those maybe plays here there where the ball is just 0:05:39.240 --> 0:05:41.200 a little bit too far, you didn't really step into 0:05:41.200 --> 0:05:44.960 the throw properly. That's when Aaron Rodgers gets really dangerous. 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:47.360 And the question was asked this week, Mike. It was 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:48.960 masked to me, and I know it was asked of 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:52.880 you as well in inbox. Can the Packers? Is this sustainable? 0:05:52.920 --> 0:05:54.600 Can the Packers win a Super Bowl with the way 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:56.400 they're playing? And my answer was, well, there are two 0:05:56.440 --> 0:05:59.160 games away from it at this point. Now, these are 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:00.839 gonna be two very diff for gold games. I don't 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:02.440 care who comes out of the wild Card round to 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:04.720 come to Lambolefield, that's gonna be a tough opponent. And 0:06:04.760 --> 0:06:06.960 whoever survives to get to that NFC title game should 0:06:07.000 --> 0:06:09.839 the Packers win, will also be a tough opponent. But 0:06:10.400 --> 0:06:13.640 as we've set all along here, if Aaron Rodgers gets hot, 0:06:13.680 --> 0:06:19.800 if you get those terrific throws on the regular, watch 0:06:19.800 --> 0:06:23.120 out for this team because this defense can be suffocating 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:26.159 at times. These special teams are much vastly improved in 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:29.560 the final quarter of the season, and offensively, you know 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:31.719 what they can do with Aaron Jones when he's going 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:34.680 and when the balls in Davante Adams hands, Aaron Rodgers 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:37.240 is the one thing right now that I think, if 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:41.040 if that all ties together and the consistency is honed, 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.400 the Green Bay Packers are a team to be reckoned 0:06:44.440 --> 0:06:46.760 with here during the postseame. And and I want to 0:06:46.800 --> 0:06:50.240 clarify too, I'm not saying that Aaron Rodgers needs to 0:06:50.240 --> 0:06:53.400 go out and play the two thousand and ten Atlanta 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.479 Divisional Round playoff game at the Georgia Dome. I don't 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.719 think he necessarily needs to play like that, which was 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:04.520 otherworldly performance for the Packers to make a run here 0:07:04.600 --> 0:07:07.240 and and take a shot at a super Bowl. But 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:10.680 I do think that when it's just a throw here 0:07:10.800 --> 0:07:13.040 or a throw there, that can be the difference between 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:15.680 a touchdown or a field goal, or the difference between 0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:18.520 a big third down conversion across the fifty that gets 0:07:18.560 --> 0:07:21.200 you into scoring range versus having to punt and then 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:23.360 you're just trying to pin the other team deep. Those 0:07:23.400 --> 0:07:26.120 are the things that one or two you know here 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:28.160 there in a game can be the difference of another 0:07:28.280 --> 0:07:30.960 another six points, maybe another ten points, you know that 0:07:31.040 --> 0:07:34.000 kind of thing. And that's what That's what takes this 0:07:34.080 --> 0:07:37.480 offense to another level and then takes a little bit 0:07:37.520 --> 0:07:40.040 more pressure off the defense where they maybe they don't 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:42.840 have to hold somebody to seventeen in order to win 0:07:42.840 --> 0:07:44.880 a playoff game. You've got a little bit more margin 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:47.800 for error there. I think Aaron Rodgers is the guy 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:51.720 who creates the margin for error for this Packers team 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:53.680 going into January. Yeah, and and that's a guy that 0:07:53.760 --> 0:07:56.800 you want in that position because he just he manages 0:07:56.840 --> 0:07:59.040 the game so effectively and that that is such a 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.520 negative contentation to things. But let's be honest, Mike, if 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:04.800 Aaron Rodgers doesn't manage that game on Sunday the way 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:07.280 he did, Packers don't have a chance to come back. 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:09.400 If the turnovers are there, if the takeaways are there, 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:12.320 doesn't matter how many incompletions there. If you don't protect 0:08:12.320 --> 0:08:15.000 the football, it's gonna be difficult to put yourself in 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:16.800 a position to win that game, right. And he talked 0:08:16.800 --> 0:08:20.040 about even after the Minnesota game, which you know, there 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:22.560 there were obviously some some plays that got away, some 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:24.480 thrills that got away, this and that and other really 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:27.040 good plays. But he talked about being you know, on 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:29.120 his p's and queues with the checks at the line 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.480 of scrimmage and the adjustments and getting the offense into 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.040 the right play and stuff. And that's what he does 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:37.000 really well in this Matt Lafleura offense. Now it's just 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:39.680 a matter of him obviously continuing to do that and 0:08:39.679 --> 0:08:43.200 then taking it to another level that we've seen before 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:46.640 with regard to his accuracy and the playmaking ability. And 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:48.360 this is the part that I've kind of had problems 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:50.320 with with Packer fans this year and even some of 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:53.719 the media narratives with this, because so much they try 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:56.400 to tie together. Okay, well, he has twenty six touchdowns 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:59.240 and four interceptions in his yards per pass are this 0:08:59.400 --> 0:09:03.520 and YadA, YadA, YadA. It's it's a difference between understanding 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:05.719 that there's certain throws I'm sure Rodgers wants to make 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:08.040 it feels like he can make better and also understanding 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:10.480 what his role is right now. The Packers had a 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:13.760 running back that scored sixteen rushing touchdowns this year. This 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:16.720 is a much more dynamic and versatile red zone offense 0:09:16.720 --> 0:09:19.720 than we've seen in the last ten years in Green Bay. 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:22.640 It doesn't always have to be on him finding Davante 0:09:22.679 --> 0:09:26.199 Adams or finding Geronio Allison, or throwing or scrambling for 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:29.200 rushing touchdowns when they get into the red area. He 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:32.480 has weapons out of the backfield that he can utilize. Now, 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:35.640 this very easily could have been a thirty five touchdown 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:37.640 year for him if you don't have an Aaron Jones 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:40.360 behind you. But the key is and where you've got 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:43.360 to be able to disseminate all this information and understand, 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:46.600 you know, the areas of improvement versus the areas of reality. 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:49.360 Is that there are throws in that game against Detroit 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:51.840 that Rogers knows he can make better. He talked about it. 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:55.800 If those things get shored up, if sent of those 0:09:55.840 --> 0:09:59.120 passes get made, this is really a team that can 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:03.200 be demonstrative force here in the postseason. That's the only 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:04.920 argument I want to make. Yeah, I agree with you 0:10:04.960 --> 0:10:07.840 all right on staying on offense. Give me an unsung hero, 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:10.760 a lesser talked about guy here that you think could 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:14.360 play a really big role in the postseason for Green Bay. 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:16.959 A lot of great candidates this, you know, Alan Lazard 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:18.880 is the name that probably jumps off as quickly as 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:21.800 than most, just based on the way he's come on 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:24.120 for this offense. You know, if you pro rade out 0:10:24.160 --> 0:10:26.839 his numbers since Week five, I mean he basically have 0:10:26.920 --> 0:10:28.640 been on pace for like a seven, seven or fifty 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:31.920 yard receiving season. Has been a huge addition to this offense. 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:35.120 I want to probably go even smaller though than even that, 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:37.319 And I want to just focus on Lucas Patrick for 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:40.520 a moment, because we're talking about a guy he stepped 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:44.160 in admirably for Corey Linsley. But right now, the way 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:47.160 that the Packers are structured, with the injury to Lane 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:49.440 Taylor earned the season and the fact that Elton Jenkins 0:10:49.520 --> 0:10:52.080 ended up having to be a starter basically off Week three, 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:55.400 on Lucas Patrick has not only been the backup to 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:58.120 Corey Lindsley, he's been the backup to Billy Turner and 0:10:58.160 --> 0:11:01.000 Elton Jenkins, all three of those bots. And if you 0:11:01.000 --> 0:11:03.120 look at the way this this fifty three man roster 0:11:03.200 --> 0:11:06.600 is set right now, Mike, there really isn't another quote 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:10.240 unquote backup in those interior positions now. Alex like can 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:13.320 play it. John Leglue was just signed off a practice squad, 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:16.960 but they haven't really taken those reps as much as 0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:21.120 Lucas Patrick does through this postseason. You hope that the 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:22.959 only thing Lucas has to do is play on the 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:25.240 field goal unit and he gets to collect a Super 0:11:25.280 --> 0:11:27.199 Bowl ring at the end of all this. But as 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:29.480 we saw last week, it can happen just like that 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:32.000 where he has to go into a football game, and honestly, 0:11:33.000 --> 0:11:35.640 you probably could bring up maybe I'm being a victim 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:37.959 of recency bias here, but I think that was the 0:11:38.000 --> 0:11:39.880 best game he's played as a Green Bay Packer, and 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:42.000 he did it in a really critical situation. I think 0:11:42.000 --> 0:11:44.240 there's no question about it, especially when you look at 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:46.760 the number of snaps, the fact that he came in 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:49.040 early in the second quarter and the number of snaps 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:51.480 he ended up playing. This was not just you know, 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:54.640 subbing in and taking snaps, and he played sixties some 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.679 I think, you know, essentially a full game. But because 0:11:57.679 --> 0:11:59.760 the Packers had more than eighty players in the game, 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:02.160 it is just that that's the way it played out. 0:12:02.200 --> 0:12:04.120 And just to throw him one more thing, Elton Jenkins 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:06.520 was a two year starting center in college. I mean 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.480 that tells you how highly they think of Lucas Patrick, 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:12.199 a guy who never played that position in college, only 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:13.959 learned it when he got to Green Bay and started 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:17.079 working with James Camping and obviously with Adam Stanovic. They 0:12:17.120 --> 0:12:18.920 feel comfortable enough that you know what, you're going to 0:12:18.960 --> 0:12:20.920 be the guy they're snapping the ball to Aaron Rodgers 0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:22.840 and we're gonna keep Jenkins in the position that he's 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:24.719 played all year. I just think that said a lot 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.240 about Lucas and how he settled into a position that 0:12:27.520 --> 0:12:30.040 he really never played until he got to Green Bay. Yeah, 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:32.319 I'm gonna take a little bit different tack on this one. 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:34.240 I am going to stay on the offensive line, though, 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:36.000 because the guy that I want to talk about here 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:38.560 is David Baktiari at left tackle. And the reason I 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:41.319 bring him up is because in the first half of 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:44.720 the season, we're talking about bok tr being a three 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:49.360 time All Pro, and we saw a lot more penalty 0:12:49.400 --> 0:12:52.000 flags being thrown in his direction than we're accustomed to. 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:54.880 He wasn't playing at the level that we had seen 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:59.320 him play at for the bulk of the previous three years. 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:02.280 But I think you can make a pretty strong argument 0:13:02.320 --> 0:13:05.240 here that over these last five regular season games, with 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:07.679 the Packers going five and oh heading into the playoffs, 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:11.040 that the old David Baktiari is back. Now he's going 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.600 to say, of course that you know he didn't go anywhere. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:15.959 He's still the same guy, and yeah he is. There 0:13:15.960 --> 0:13:18.400 were there were some flags I think that were questionable. 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:21.480 He was trying to work through some things with regard 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:24.480 to the point of points of emphasis with offensive holding 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:29.199 and that kind of stuff. But we've seen David Bactieri 0:13:29.320 --> 0:13:33.880 play some really solid, clean football against some top notch 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:36.360 opponents here down the stretch and when you're heading into 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:38.800 the postseason where he might be lined up across from 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:42.959 a Cameron Jordan's, or he might be lined up across 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:46.280 from a Jadeveon Clowney, or you know, a pass rusher 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:49.480 like that on the edge. If David Baktieri very quietly 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:52.560 as he's done this, keeps doing what he's doing, I 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:55.680 think that can be a really big part here of 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.200 of what the Packers might accomplish in the playoffs. One 0:13:58.200 --> 0:14:00.520 thing that doesn't get talked a lot about with XR 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:04.640 is his communication skills. Certainly he's an all pro left tackle. 0:14:05.000 --> 0:14:07.719 He is arguably, I think pound for pound you can 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:10.880 make an argument he is right up there with Aaron 0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:13.680 Rodgers in terms of the best draft picks Ted Thompson 0:14:13.760 --> 0:14:15.880 ever made, and he did make the Pro Bowl this year. 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:18.080 I will throw that in. But as we had discussed 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:21.160 at the time, I over the bulk of the season, 0:14:21.280 --> 0:14:24.320 box tr was not necessarily a player he was in 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:27.640 previous years. The Pro Bowl recognition was just long overdue 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:30.280 because he hadn't gotten it previous Yeah, and and Ted 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:32.840 Thompson being able to find a franchise left tackle on 0:14:32.920 --> 0:14:35.360 the fourth round, that is that is something I think really, 0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:39.080 you know, doesn't get enough a conversation about, especially from 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:41.280 and from a college program that at the time was 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:43.440 kind of bottom of the barrel. I mean, the Colorado 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:46.600 Buffaloes were not winning, they were, you know, at the 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:50.760 bottom of their conference. And Ted Thompson found, you know, 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.760 the West Coast guys, scouts, they found this guy, and 0:14:54.040 --> 0:14:56.000 they made the fourth round investment in him, and it 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:57.920 was it's been huge for Green Bay. But what a 0:14:57.920 --> 0:14:59.880 lot of people don't talk about despite all of his 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.600 acolades on the field, he's a really good communicator off 0:15:02.640 --> 0:15:05.280 of it. How many times have we seen Elton Jenkins 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:07.200 and him to talking in the locker room, talking on 0:15:07.240 --> 0:15:08.840 the sideline. I think that's had a lot to do 0:15:08.920 --> 0:15:11.120 with that young man being able to to play as 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.640 well as he has right off the bat, much similar 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:15.760 to what Josh Sitton did with Box t R Six 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:18.880 seven years ago. Now. Absolutely, but the other thing is too, Mike, 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:20.800 if you watch these games enough. The point I want 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:23.040 to circle this all back to us back Tar is 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:25.320 doing the same thing with officials when some of that 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:28.160 stuff was getting called earlier this year. He was asking officials, 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:31.280 you know, talking to them after these plays, trying to 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:34.120 get some clarification on it. And I think he's found ways. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:35.680 I haven't asked him this, I haven't talked to him 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.440 about it, but I think you've seen him taylor his 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:41.240 game to understanding what's being emphasized and what he needs 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:42.880 to do. Because of the second half of the year, 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:45.120 I'll be honest with you, I'd be hard pressed to 0:15:45.120 --> 0:15:47.160 find an offensive lineman that's played as well as he 0:15:47.200 --> 0:15:49.720 has since the bye week. Yeah, I think he's been awfully, 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:51.760 awfully good here down the stretch. And as we've talked 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.120 about a lot box tr on one side, Bolaga on 0:15:54.160 --> 0:15:56.200 the other, I think Brian Blagus should be in the 0:15:56.280 --> 0:15:59.360 running for for All Pro when those there's a real 0:15:59.480 --> 0:16:02.320 chance un Um and we'll we'll see what happens there. 0:16:02.360 --> 0:16:05.240 So I'm not taking anything away from Blaga season, but 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:07.520 I think box tr is the one who's gone about 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:09.480 a little bit quieter because he didn't get off to 0:16:09.560 --> 0:16:11.840 a great start this year. If he keeps doing what 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.160 he's doing, this Packers offense is in good shape. Yeah, 0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:16.680 the AP made that adjustment two or three years ago 0:16:16.680 --> 0:16:18.920 where the actual right tackle is what gets picked for 0:16:19.000 --> 0:16:21.440 the all protein, not just two left tackles. Yeah, he 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:24.120 has a real shot at it. Yeah, all right, defensive 0:16:24.160 --> 0:16:25.840 side of the ball. Give me a big time guy 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:28.080 who needs to play big time football. It has to 0:16:28.120 --> 0:16:31.000 be Zadarius Smith right now, just because it isn't just 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:33.080 about his pressures, which he led the league in this 0:16:33.160 --> 0:16:35.640 past year. You can go by ESPNS metric and go 0:16:35.680 --> 0:16:38.800 by Pro Football Focus. Everybody says nobody brushed with the 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.760 quarterback more than Zadarius Smith did. But it's the way 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:44.560 they're moving him around. It's how you can't really play 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:47.480 for him at a specific spot. He can go down 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:48.920 with his hand and the dirt is a three tech. 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:50.800 He can stand up and go between the A gap 0:16:50.840 --> 0:16:53.040 the B gap. He can rush from the outside I 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:56.560 think it has led to that whole defensive front. Really, 0:16:56.640 --> 0:16:59.640 it's it's just been this Pandora's box that has opened 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:03.280 for them. Kenny Clark has been more effective. Preston Smith, 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:05.080 I think, is doing a really good job doing what 0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:07.560 he's asked to do. You're seeing Kyler Facto and Rashawn 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:11.040 Gary step up the heart and soul. This defense right 0:17:11.080 --> 0:17:13.920 now is a Darius Smith. They've known that since September 0:17:13.960 --> 0:17:16.600 when they put that c on his chest, and he 0:17:16.680 --> 0:17:18.680 has lived up to that every bit of the way. 0:17:18.680 --> 0:17:20.520 If the Packers are going to make a Super Bowl run, 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:23.240 if this defense is can can continue to be on 0:17:23.280 --> 0:17:26.560 the streak of holding defense or offenses underneath twenty or 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:29.080 fewer points, it has to be Zadarius Smith in the 0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:32.280 middle of that orbit. My guy in this category. I'm 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:34.760 going with Preston Smith. Actually, and the reason I'll say 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.520 that for a couple of reasons. One, I think we're 0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:41.320 going to see these teams in the postseason makes some 0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:46.240 adjustments to how the Packers are moving Zadarius around and 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:48.800 having him attack from some different angles and you know, 0:17:48.880 --> 0:17:51.600 maybe attack the a gaps here and there. I think 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:54.480 because of adjustments, we're going to see an opposing offense 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.000 make to that. I think Preston Smith needs to be 0:17:57.560 --> 0:18:00.159 a bigger force off the edge. And I also that 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:03.000 with because he's a guy, he's had a career year 0:18:03.080 --> 0:18:06.160 twelve sacks, best season that he's had in his five 0:18:06.240 --> 0:18:08.359 year NFL career, But the last month of the season 0:18:08.359 --> 0:18:11.080 he's been a little bit quieter. He hasn't necessarily kept 0:18:11.160 --> 0:18:14.560 up the pace of the high impact plays that he 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:18.040 was making earlier on. I think if Preston Smith gets 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:20.240 back to, you know, maybe the guy that we saw 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:23.320 in October and November, especially in October, I think when 0:18:23.359 --> 0:18:25.920 he was really dominant, I think if he gets back 0:18:26.000 --> 0:18:28.600 to that guy, combined with what sa Darius Smith is doing, 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:31.480 this Packers defense has a lot going. Yeah, I agree, Mike. 0:18:31.520 --> 0:18:33.520 And the one thing that's nice about Preston and Sadarius 0:18:33.560 --> 0:18:35.480 to when he's outside that really has probably been the 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:38.400 biggest surprise for me. Maybe not so much with Preston, 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:40.760 but both of those guys can defend the edge really well. 0:18:41.280 --> 0:18:43.040 There was a number of years there were Green Bay 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:44.800 against the run. If if you know, it wasn't Clay 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:48.200 Matthews getting home, they sometimes let stuff open on the outside. 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:51.359 Packers have been really sure in being able to protect 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:54.040 to the sideline. The key and will probably bleed into 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:57.920 what I'm talking about for the underrated defensive player is 0:18:57.960 --> 0:18:59.800 going to be what the Packers can do between the 0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:03.399 handshes you saw Blake Martinez being able to break the 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:07.720 franchise record two three tackles and the coaches statistics. Uh, 0:19:07.880 --> 0:19:10.520 Dean Lowry. I think this run defense goes as as 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:13.800 Dean goes a lot of times. Um, if they're able 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:16.439