WEBVTT - #477 Packers Unscripted: Needs vs. Niners 0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:14.600 Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:18.200 I am Mike Spofford sitting next to my trusted colleague 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:20.720 West Hodkowitz. Were coming to you here from our studios 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:24.120 at lambeau Field and West It is almost here. Packers 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:28.440 forty Niners will be Sunday night, seven pm Central Time 0:00:28.520 --> 0:00:32.640 kickoff from Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California, our final 0:00:32.720 --> 0:00:35.040 show of the week on Friday, and that means keys 0:00:35.120 --> 0:00:38.600 to victory for the Green Bay Packers. Where do you 0:00:38.600 --> 0:00:41.560 want to start with this one? Well, okay, so Matt 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:44.120 Mike Patton had a great line when he was talking 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:47.320 to reporters on Thursday evening asked about all these injuries 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:49.400 that the San Francisco forty Niners have and basically how 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:51.159 you game plan for it? He said, you have to 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:54.760 game plan for everything. You can't like allow yourself to 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:56.640 not think that certain players is going to be there 0:00:56.640 --> 0:00:58.680 and then you're playing catch up. You gotta be able 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:02.200 to scheme for everything. Oh, George Kittle is probably the 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:06.120 ultimate part of that, right. Kittle had not practiced for 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:08.880 two weeks. Over two weeks and then actually returned to 0:01:08.920 --> 0:01:12.080 practice on Thursday when they went into pads in a 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:15.800 limited capacity. This guy is probably the best in the 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:17.920 game right now. Matt la Floor touched on it as 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:20.440 well this week. You have to find a way to 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:23.880 stop him. So I look at the San Francisco offense 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:26.680 and and certainly Jimmy Garoppolo is a force to be feared. 0:01:27.280 --> 0:01:29.039 He showed he could win a football game what he 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:32.319 needs to when the auxiliary parts are not there for him. 0:01:32.360 --> 0:01:34.520 But San Francisco, what they do well in these condensed 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:36.720 formations is running the football and getting the ball to 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:38.600 Kittle and the guys in the middle of the field. 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:41.560 Those are the two outlets this defense has to shut down. 0:01:41.560 --> 0:01:43.280 And there's a lot of work to do for Green Bay. 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:45.720 It's one thing to say that, it's another thing to 0:01:45.760 --> 0:01:49.559 put that into practicality. They had some issues. They sat back, 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:52.160 they looked at the explosive plays that they allowed during 0:01:52.160 --> 0:01:54.560 the bye week, and now they're trying to find some 0:01:54.600 --> 0:01:57.280 answers for it. This is as tough as a test 0:01:57.320 --> 0:01:59.040 as the Packers are going to get in terms of 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:01.440 the offense to tacks the middle of the field, and 0:02:01.480 --> 0:02:03.520 they have to be ready for Yeah, I mean, it 0:02:03.600 --> 0:02:07.320 sounds kind of crazy with Jimmy Garoppolo coming off of 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:10.880 a four hundred yard four touchdown game. To sit here 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:13.519 and say the Packers need to put the ball in 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:16.120 Jimmy Garoppolo's hands, but I really think that's what they 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:18.600 have to do, because if if you don't slow down 0:02:18.639 --> 0:02:20.560 this running game, and we'll see if Matt Brita is 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:22.480 going to play or not. But even if he doesn't, 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:24.880 you still got Tevin Coleman and or he Moster to 0:02:24.919 --> 0:02:28.280 deal with in the backfield. They've They've got multiple guys 0:02:28.320 --> 0:02:31.239 that they will go to regardless. I just think if 0:02:31.280 --> 0:02:34.440 if the Packers cannot slow down the running game, it's 0:02:34.480 --> 0:02:37.560 not gonna matter that much the whole Garoppolo and Kittle 0:02:37.600 --> 0:02:39.600 and everything. And like I say, it sounds kind of 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.320 crazy to say that, because if George Kittle is back, 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:44.919 Jimmy Garoppolo coming off of a four d yard four 0:02:44.960 --> 0:02:49.280 touchdown game without a weapon like that, um, he obviously 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.639 can be extremely dangerous in the passing game. But I 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:54.519 think the Packers have to try to turn this into 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:56.920 a passing game for the Fortys in order to beat them, 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.160 because if they pound away on the ground, I think 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.680 it becomes a really, really long day for the Packers defense, 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:04.799 it's like a boxing match, right. I mean, a guy 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:07.040 might have a good uppercut, but if you got to 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.800 watch out for their their left hook, that's where you 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:12.000 have to you know, neutralize that and then you know, 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:14.519 hope you defend the rest of it well enough. That's 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:18.840 what the present. They have a multiple different variations of 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:21.079 how they can hurt you offensively. Garoppolo is a part 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:23.200 of that and Kindles a part of that, but they 0:03:23.240 --> 0:03:26.160 can really do damage if they get that second rank 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:29.280 run defense going early and often. They had to make 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:32.040 some modifications here. Brita is a big part of their 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:35.440 home run potential of that offense. Most Dirt has been 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:37.360 a guy that's filled in there the last two years 0:03:37.440 --> 0:03:40.200 and done a nice job and kept himself in that rotation. 0:03:40.640 --> 0:03:42.839 Tevin Coleman is the guy that between the tackles will 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:45.400 continue to punch you in the mouth every single play 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:49.240 if you let him. Arizona sold out to a certain extent. 0:03:49.520 --> 0:03:51.840 They were fundamentally sound and how they were able to 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:54.160 defend that running game the last two weeks. I think 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:56.240 what green they has to do is keep a similar 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.400 mentality with that and even if Garoppolo gets some yards. 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:01.440 And I understand people want to give up a hundred 0:04:01.440 --> 0:04:05.680 passing yards a game. I get it. But if you 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:08.280 put the ball out there, that puts the ball in jeopardy. 0:04:08.360 --> 0:04:11.680 It allows your playmakers and your ball ball hawks to 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:15.440 potentially get a takeaway, a game changing turnover. That's the 0:04:15.520 --> 0:04:18.400 area for success here, because if they're looking at a 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:21.360 bunch of second and favorable third and favorables, that's when 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:24.320 the teeth really start to show. With Kittle and with Deebo, 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:27.960 Samuel Emmanuel Sanders in that passing game, that's what they 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:30.680 can really hurt you. Yeah, well, turnovers we will certainly 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:33.200 be a factor here in this game as well. And 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:35.560 as I said in Insider Inbox, I don't know if 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:38.520 the Packers necessarily have to win the turnover battle in 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:40.760 order to win the game, but I don't think they 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:42.920 can lose the turnover battle. You at least have to 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:44.960 be able to break even here and not give that 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:48.240 forty nine or defense with the twenty two takeaways a 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:50.599 big edge, any kind of an edge really in the 0:04:50.640 --> 0:04:54.440 takeaway battle. Garoppolos thrown ten interceptions. As I say, if 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:57.200 the Packers can put the ball in his hands, maybe 0:04:57.200 --> 0:04:59.840 you do get a pick a deflected pass, I means 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.600 something that can turn the tide there. What what are 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:06.840 your thoughts on the whole turner turnover equation heading into 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:09.640 this one. You gotta take care of business, and you're right, 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:11.440 I don't know if it comes down to is it's 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:13.560 as simple as okay. If the Packers win the turnover 0:05:13.600 --> 0:05:15.640 margin or they lose the turnover margin, that's gonna be 0:05:15.640 --> 0:05:18.080 the difference in the ball game. These are two really 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:20.120 good football teams. There's gonna be a lot of things 0:05:20.120 --> 0:05:24.200 in play, time of possession, red zone offense, third down efficiency, 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:26.480 all those things are going to weigh out of ultimately 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.599 determined a victor in this game. But turnovers are huge 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.599 and San Francisco knows how to play through them. But 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:35.920 they also generate a lot too. They get a lot 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:38.360 of pressure on the quarterback and that allows those guys 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:40.240 in the secondary to be able to take advantage of it. 0:05:40.320 --> 0:05:44.119 Richard Sherman three interceptions this year, returning to form after 0:05:44.160 --> 0:05:47.080 some you know, nasty and early injuries the last few seasons. 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:50.560 That's gonna be a big battle against Davante Adams. But 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:53.599 for the Green Bay Packers, they do protect the ball 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:55.840 pretty well and they take it away. And if you can, 0:05:56.520 --> 0:05:57.919 you and I can discuss this, we can have a 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:00.320 three hour show where we talk about what the Packers 0:06:00.360 --> 0:06:02.120 have done right and what they've done wrong this season. 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:04.719 The biggest area, number one, right at the top of 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.120 the pyramid is the fact that they've won those turnovers 0:06:07.560 --> 0:06:10.440 and they've been able to maintain momentum and capitalize when 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:13.880 they've gotten those takeaways. There has to be that element 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:15.520 of this game. I don't care if it's five, I 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:17.120 don't care if it's one, but you probably got to 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:20.200 generate a touchdown off a takeaway here to be able 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:23.040 to keep pace with what San Francisco offers. Yeah, because 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:25.360 they're not going to give you a lot opportunities defensively. Yeah, No, 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:28.599 I agree with you there. I agree entirely offensively for 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:31.600 the Packers to when you talk about a game, you're 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:34.280 going into thinking that against this defense, you're only going 0:06:34.320 --> 0:06:36.320 to get so many shots. You're only going to get 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:38.960 so many bites at the apple, so to speak. If 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:42.880 the Packers are going to clean up the penalties, the 0:06:42.920 --> 0:06:45.919 false starts, the delayed games, the holding penalties, the things 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:48.720 that have that have set them back and prevented them 0:06:48.720 --> 0:06:52.159 from being as efficient offensively as I think we've seen 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:55.520 that they can be. This is the game to do that, 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:59.880 because um it will opportunities will be difficult to come 0:07:00.279 --> 0:07:03.159 and if you get behind the chains against this defense, 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:06.160 this pass rush, I mean a pass rush that gets 0:07:06.160 --> 0:07:08.880 the job done with four that doesn't have to send 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:11.400 a whole lot of blitzes and whatnot. They can rush 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:14.880 for and cover seven all night long against Aaron Rodgers, 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.120 they can make things difficult. So you don't want to. 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:21.080 You can't turn your second and fours into second and 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:23.320 nines with a false start, is what I'm saying, because 0:07:23.520 --> 0:07:26.040 that will really really cost you against this defense. Yeah, 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:28.040 and and that's what really sticks out to me in 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:30.440 this game is that the areas where Green Bay has 0:07:30.480 --> 0:07:32.600 wanted to make improvements and where they need to make 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:35.000 improvements in the second half of the season, all of 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:37.880 them are going to be tested against San Francisco. When 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:39.400 you look at how they can attack the middle of 0:07:39.440 --> 0:07:41.960 the field, When you look at how defensively they are 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:44.160 able to get home with pressure and not having to 0:07:44.200 --> 0:07:46.840 send that extra man, even being able to keep guys 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:50.680 back play solid coverage, be up on their fundamentals. That's 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:53.400 why San Francisco is where they is where they are. 0:07:53.480 --> 0:07:55.960 Excuse me there, you guys, what is either way? Uh? 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:58.560 And Matt Lafleur discussed it this week too. They are 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:00.440 a couple of plays away from me an a tenant 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:04.880 old football team going into this thing. They are dangerous, volatile, 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:08.800 and they can find different ways to make you submit 0:08:09.120 --> 0:08:11.120 in certain ways. And I think that's why they've been 0:08:11.120 --> 0:08:12.880 able to win, you know, the games that they have 0:08:13.200 --> 0:08:15.280 in these recent weeks when maybe they're giving up a 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:18.800 few more points, is because they're resilient enough to be 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:21.040 able to find ways to do that. And that's actually 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:23.880 real testament to them because when you just are holding 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:27.320 teams to load mount of points, few amount of yards, 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:30.520 it's difficult when you start to give those up to 0:08:30.560 --> 0:08:33.000 be able to just find that calling card again and 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:36.600 revert back to it. San Francisco has done that. And 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:39.680 the other area that I'm very fascinated to watch how 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.679 this thing plays out is that they just don't give 0:08:42.679 --> 0:08:46.520 the opposition a lot of free passes. Whether it is 0:08:46.559 --> 0:08:49.319 the takeaways, whether it is the penalties. They played pretty 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.040 clean football for how many weeks did you hear me? 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:52.640 Come on the show, I can talk about them being 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:56.280 the big fundamental And there were a lot of pundits 0:08:56.360 --> 0:08:58.120 out there, I'm not going to name names that wanted 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.120 to talk about the Saints. They want to talk about Seattle, 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:03.400 they wanted to talk about these Everybody kind of just 0:09:03.480 --> 0:09:06.920 overlooks San Francisco for some reason. And I was sitting there, going, Guys, 0:09:07.920 --> 0:09:10.199 this team right now now. They might not have Drew Brees, 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:13.400 they might not have these superstars that jump off the pageio, 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:17.280 but kind of like those early two thousand tens forty 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:19.800 Niners teams, they just got a bunch of guys that 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:23.080 do their jobs really well and that is what has 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:24.679 put them in a position right now to be at 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:26.959 the top spot in the NFC. Yeah, there are a 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:31.880 lot of interesting matchups in this game as we look 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:35.000 ahead to You already mentioned Davante Adams against Richard Sherman. 0:09:35.040 --> 0:09:37.640 We're certainly going to see that affair amount. David Baktiari 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:41.400 will be against Nick Bosa um the second go round 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.960 with with Abosa brother for the Packers this season, Um 0:09:46.080 --> 0:09:49.440 Joe Staley if he plays for the forty owners, he 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:51.719 is on the injury report, and also Mike McGlinchey, their 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:54.840 other offensive tackle. Those two guys against the Smiths. Uh, 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.720 you know for the Packers on the edge, Um, is 0:09:57.760 --> 0:10:00.440 there one of those types of matchups in this game 0:10:00.520 --> 0:10:03.000 that jumps off the page at you the most. Well, 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:05.400 first off, it's definitely the left tackle situation for the 0:10:05.440 --> 0:10:07.840 forty niners. If you know you're in a position where 0:10:07.840 --> 0:10:09.719 Staley still not able to come back and he has 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:12.720 not yet returned to practice here, well, then that becomes 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:15.000 an area that you think, you know, Mike Patton is 0:10:15.000 --> 0:10:18.000 gonna look towards to potentially generate some pressure and opportunities. 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:20.520 Eighteen and a half sacks for the Smiths coming into 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:22.920 this game, and I'm sure you know, not even just 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:25.120 lining them up across from left tackle, but just being 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:27.800 able to move those guys around and be unpredictable. That 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:29.800 could be a big key for them. I also think 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:31.800 it really does come down if George Kittle is playing 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:34.200 this game, how you defend him? Is that Ibraheim Campbell 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:37.160 who played forty two snaps against Carolina? Is he your 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:40.560 best option? There? Is it having Adrian Amos trail him 0:10:40.559 --> 0:10:42.960 a little bit? Is it a guy like Tremont Williams 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:46.199 and in certain situations, it's going to be the inside linebackers, 0:10:47.080 --> 0:10:50.280 or or are you flat out doubling George Kittle every 0:10:50.280 --> 0:10:52.880 time he's on the field, and you're counting on Alexander 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.040 and King and Tremont Williams for that matter, to match 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:59.120 up one on one with Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel 0:10:59.160 --> 0:11:01.680 and whoever else is out there. Maybe that's the approach, 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:05.520 because because Kittle is just that dynamic, he changes, he 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:08.400 changes games so much. When he gets gone, well, he 0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:10.200 loves you, right, I mean, the reason why he had 0:11:10.240 --> 0:11:12.079 as many yards as he did last year is because 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:14.640 he's so darn effective and first in ten and being 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:17.280 able to to get the yardage and keep the chains moving. 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:19.440 But then every once in a while he breaks that 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.240 big play that can be such a big difference. And 0:11:22.480 --> 0:11:24.680 that's what stands out to me about this. Kyle Shanahan 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:29.840 offense bunch formations, condense formations, motions, misdirections, things that challenge 0:11:29.880 --> 0:11:32.440 the communication of a defense. And then, oh, by the way, 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:35.120 once the ball is actually snapped. They have so many 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:37.720 different guys with so many different skill sets that are 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:41.040 going to stress you in split second decision situations where 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.880 if you fall behind, They're going to be able to 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:46.320 get the necessary timing for Jimmy Garoppolo to get the 0:11:46.320 --> 0:11:49.600 ball out. So that that's the area that I think 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:52.320 Kittle has just been exceptional. And it doesn't even really 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:55.040 matter who the quarterback has been for San Francisco, he 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:59.200 still is just always accountable, always available, and the best friend, Mike. 0:11:59.240 --> 0:12:01.760 I don't care how good your receivers are. I don't 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:04.480 care how good your running backs are. The best friend 0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:07.800 for a quarterback is a dynamic tight end that makes 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:10.560 himself available in the middle of the field. You've seen 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:12.679 it since the beginning of time with this league, ever 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:15.760 since that that position was created. You've seen it with 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.320 this offense. In particular, when the tight ends get going. 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:21.680 George Kittle is the guy. He has been the guy 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:24.839 for the last few seasons. And along with stopping the 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:26.960 run and not allowing them to leak and get those 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:30.160 extra yards and have the favorable down and distance, you 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:32.680 have to find a way, regardless of who the player 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:35.120 is or what number it gets, you know, called upon, 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:37.920 to be able to find a way to stop him. Yeah. Well, 0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:39.720 as we've been talking about all week, this is a 0:12:39.720 --> 0:12:42.520 big one. Forty are nine and one. The Packers are 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:45.520 eight and two. You look at what else is going 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:49.960 on around the NFL in Week twelve. If I've got 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:55.200 that bio always messes you, Yeah, well it messes me 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:59.080 up to I'm getting older. But the New Orleans Saints 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:01.920 also eight and two. The Seattle Seahawks also eight into. 0:13:02.040 --> 0:13:04.880 The Minnesota Vikings are eight and three. They are on 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:08.040 their bye week, and the Vikings and the Viking fans 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:10.760 will be sitting on their couches on Sunday night hoping 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:13.560 that they'll be going back to work on Monday in 0:13:13.600 --> 0:13:16.280 a tie for first place in the NFC North if 0:13:16.320 --> 0:13:18.640 the forty Niners beat the Packers. The Packers, of course 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:23.600 trying to maintain that one game lead on Minnesota in 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:29.800 the division. The game that was flexed out of the 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:33.600 Sunday night game, which as the Packers and Forday Nights 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:38.359 took this slot, was Seattle on the road at Philadelphia. 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:42.240 Now the Philadelphia Eagles, you talk about a talented team 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:45.520 that has had injuries and ups and downs and everything else. 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:48.440 They they are five and five. They have looked like 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:50.640 a five and five team. They've just say they've ridden 0:13:50.640 --> 0:13:54.480 the roller coaster all season long. But they're playing at home. 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:58.120 We all know, you know, there are some strange statistics 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:01.280 about West Coast teams playing in the Eastern time zone 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:03.560 at that one o'clock Eastern because that's you know, ten 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:07.000 am Pacific for a kickoff for those teams. So that'll 0:14:07.040 --> 0:14:09.760 be interesting here. And the Seahawks are coming off of 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:13.360 their by, but they were in some dog fights the 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:15.440 last couple of games before there by. They had to 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:18.360 go to overtime to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:21.400 went to overtime to beat the San Francisco forty Niners. 0:14:21.840 --> 0:14:24.800 This is a really interesting game to me. Philadelphia wanting 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:27.080 to try to keep pace with Dallas in the NFC 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:29.320 East in a division race that's still very much up 0:14:29.320 --> 0:14:33.320 for grabs, and the Seahawks, much like the Vikings, they're 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:35.400 going to be hoping that if they can get a 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:38.000 win and the Packers get a win, then the Seahawks 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:40.960 will would be in first place with the Niners in 0:14:40.960 --> 0:14:43.040 the NFC West, kind of like with the Cardinals and 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:44.640 what I was talking about this week. I mentioned it 0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:46.320 more in inbox than I did on the show, where 0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:48.080 the Cardinals are probably gonn end up being a seven 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:49.800 and nine, eight and eight team that I want nothing 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:52.760 to do with. The Philadelphia Eagles are one of those 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.800 teams too, because they can play with anybody in this league. 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.960 And the tough thing is, I think sometimes people have 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:01.160 a hard time rationalized in this because there is only 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:05.280 six playoff spots needs conference. Good teams can be eight 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:07.520 and eight, like you can actually be a good team 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:09.480 that is eight and eight. Heck, maybe even seven and 0:15:09.560 --> 0:15:11.680 nine on occasion, just when the ball doesn't bounce a 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:13.840 certain way where you just don't get up for certain games. 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:16.720 Philadelphia has sort of been one of those teams, and 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:18.680 not just this year, the last couple of seasons. You know, 0:15:18.920 --> 0:15:20.880 a team that's just always been hovering right around five 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:23.160 hundred but can play with the best of them. The 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.520 two most compelling matchups for me, outside of obviously this 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:28.720 game that did give flex of Sunday Night Football are 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:31.880 Seattle traveling to Philadelphia for the reasons that you outlined, 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:33.760 and then also the Carolina Panthers happy to go to 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:36.800 the Superdome to face New Orleans Saints. Both the Eagles 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:38.600 and the Panthers are five and five. They are on 0:15:38.640 --> 0:15:41.400 the precipice here of trying to stay in the race 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:44.280 for the playoffs there and they're in danger in in 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:47.320 a loaded NFC, they're in danger. You pick up your 0:15:47.360 --> 0:15:51.280 sixth loss before Thanksgiving, you're in danger of falling out 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:53.800 of it entirely. And you know, Mike McCarthy always talked 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:55.200 about you need to be ten and six and then 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.680 you can start talking about playoffs. And in order to 0:15:57.840 --> 0:16:00.680 be able to be contend and actually be a legitimate 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:03.600 playoff team, you have to beat teams that are not 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:06.360 only seeming destined for the playoffs, but teams that are 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:08.160 going to contend for a Super Bowl here, They're gonna 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:10.640 contend for an NFC championship. They're going to make that 0:16:10.680 --> 0:16:13.560 push once the calendar turns to two thousand twenty. So 0:16:13.720 --> 0:16:16.360 for Philadelphia, this is a gut check. It's a gut 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:18.840 check for Carson Wentz. Can he be the quarterback weekend 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:21.120 and week out that they need him to be. You know, 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:24.560 what is their identity running the ball? Is it Jordan Howard? 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:26.960 Is Jordan Howard going to be available? I mean, like 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:29.240 there's all these different things that they have to check off, 0:16:29.280 --> 0:16:32.200 because while they are talented, just always seems like they've 0:16:32.240 --> 0:16:34.320 just come up one or two plays short from being 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:36.640 the team that I think everybody expecting to be. I 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:38.680 me personally going into the year, I thought, with Carson 0:16:38.720 --> 0:16:40.320 Wentz back, this is going to be the champion in 0:16:40.360 --> 0:16:42.760 that division. I don't care. You know. There was all 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:46.560 the mess and situations and talk and what was going 0:16:46.600 --> 0:16:49.240 on in Dallas and Zeke Elliott was even gonna play 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.120 when when when we saw the Eagles at lambeau Field 0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:54.200 in week four and again this is the Eagles riding 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:56.760 the roller coaster. They look to me like they would 0:16:56.760 --> 0:16:59.680 win the NFC East in week four, I thought, you know, okay, 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:01.720 this this team is going to put it together. They're 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:04.920 gonna get rolling. It hasn't happened. Now, hasn't happened for 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:07.440 the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East either. They are 0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:09.680 six and four. They have to go on that they 0:17:09.680 --> 0:17:11.439 have to go on the road to New England. So 0:17:11.480 --> 0:17:13.520 if you're the Eagles here, you you look at this, 0:17:14.200 --> 0:17:15.800 You look at this and go, okay, we're five and 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.360 five after ten games. We don't really like where we are, 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:20.560 but hey, you know what if we can win at 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:23.760 home against a playoff contender in Seattle, and if the 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:26.800 Cowboys go out to Foxboro and get beat You're sitting 0:17:26.840 --> 0:17:29.760 there tied six and five with the Dallas Cowboys for 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:31.879 the lead in the NFC East with five games to go, 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:33.920 and they have one more head to head matchup coming 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:37.720 up later this season as well. So um, for all 0:17:37.760 --> 0:17:40.160 of the ups and downs that the Eagles have gone through, 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:43.239 they are absolutely right in this thing, especially if they 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:46.080 can get a win over Seattle and another. True, the 0:17:46.080 --> 0:17:48.440 reality is there's a very good chance that that team 0:17:48.440 --> 0:17:50.320 that wins that division could very well end up being 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:52.880 nine and seven, eight and eights. So you gotta keep 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:54.959 yourself in that. But if they do, whoever it is, 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:57.040 you get a home game in the playoffs because you're 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:01.040 a division champs, right, So I mean in Seattle Seahawks 0:18:01.080 --> 0:18:04.240 with the six and ten record or whatever it was, Yes, 0:18:04.520 --> 0:18:06.480 they were, they were seven and nine, and they beat 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:08.959 the they beat the New Orleans Saints. Just get in. 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:13.080 You never know. That's what makes this week so interesting though, 0:18:13.119 --> 0:18:16.080 because there are a lot of bad football games, but 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.120 there's really like five or six that have just these 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.639 incredible implications for the rest of the season. When we 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:23.400 talked about the Panthers trying to stay with an arm's reach, 0:18:23.400 --> 0:18:25.400 of the Saints as they run away with that division. 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.240 You got the Jaguars and the Titans both hovering around five. 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:31.639 They're trying to, you know, take something with this. The 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:34.880 Oakland Raiders need to beat the New York Jets here 0:18:35.160 --> 0:18:37.600 to be seven and four. The Oakland Raiders could be 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:39.520 seven and four. Can they need to beat the New 0:18:39.600 --> 0:18:42.159 York Jets who suddenly started winning some football games. And 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:45.159 then finally again where this thing just keeps getting more 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:47.719 and more difficult for the l A Rams. You know, 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:51.000