WEBVTT - #487 Packers Unscripted: Finding focus 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:14.600 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:14.640 --> 0:00:17.279 I am Mike Spofford. He is the one and only 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:20.040 wes Hodkoits. We're coming to you here from our studios 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:22.759 at lambeau Field and West. I want to start today's 0:00:22.760 --> 0:00:27.680 show following up on Matt Lafleur's Monday press conferences usual 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:32.600 day after the game review of the proceedings. And it 0:00:32.720 --> 0:00:38.239 was really kind of funny because he had notched his 0:00:38.320 --> 0:00:41.680 tenth win, becoming the first Packers head coach in the 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:45.440 one year history of the Green Bay Packers to reach 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:49.640 double digit wins in his first season in Green Bay. 0:00:51.000 --> 0:00:54.920 But big surprise, he didn't do anything to celebrate it whatsoever. 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:58.320 He was a little frustrated with the way some of 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:01.080 the things had gone on Offen in the game, and 0:01:01.120 --> 0:01:04.200 so afterward he went straight up to his desk on 0:01:04.240 --> 0:01:07.520 the third floor in the atrium and put on the 0:01:07.560 --> 0:01:10.520 game film and started grinding away trying to figure out 0:01:10.560 --> 0:01:13.080 how to get this thing where he wants it to be, 0:01:13.520 --> 0:01:16.199 the whole ten wins and all that. You know, it's like, okay, 0:01:16.240 --> 0:01:19.039 he'll he'll relish it. However it shakes out in the 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:22.800 off season. But this guy is. This guy is absolutely 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:27.560 laser focused on getting the Packers to a level that 0:01:27.600 --> 0:01:29.840 he hasn't seen yet. Yeah, and I think that's what 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.039 when you break it all down and you see a 0:01:32.040 --> 0:01:34.560 team that's ten and three but still has areas to improve, 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:38.360 that's the motivation right now for him in this Packers offense. 0:01:38.680 --> 0:01:41.319 It's very interesting because right now, as it stands, the 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.600 Packers are ten and three, and we're gonna talk about 0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:46.040 playoffs scenarios. That's gonna be a topic moving forward here 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:50.400 until week seventeen. But unlike many other years, you know, 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:52.320 Mike McCarthy always used to like to say, you get 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:54.240 to ten wins, you can start thinking playoffs. This is 0:01:54.280 --> 0:01:57.600 a different type of year because of just how top 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:00.840 heavy and you know the NF he has been, and 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:04.000 how basically six teams have really separated themselves. Now with 0:02:04.080 --> 0:02:06.080 the Rams getting that win from the rest of the pack, 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:09.160 and then you have whatever is happening right now in 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:13.560 the NFC East. I mean just it's like the Hare 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:15.680 and Hall of the NFL right now that you won't 0:02:15.760 --> 0:02:17.840 understand that reference, but it's like, does anyone want to 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:23.080 win this thing? Yeah? For a second, there I was 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:25.360 that first half on Monday, and I was like, oh, well, 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:27.600 maybe Eli Manning wants to come back and win this thing. 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:30.440 Who knows. But that being said, the Packers have to 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:32.880 stay concentrated because there is scenarios here, Mike, where the 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:35.520 Packers could win eleven games and miss the playoffs depending 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.799 on how certain things you know, come together. Now, there 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:41.560 are two lynchpin games to this whole thing. It's the 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:44.640 Packers and Vikings next week, and it's the forty Niners 0:02:44.680 --> 0:02:46.800 and Rams, which I believe is also a Week sixteen. 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:49.640 A lot of implications based off of both of those, 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.480 but for either one of those to have huge implications 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:55.960 for weeks sixteen, you have to get through the Packers 0:02:55.960 --> 0:02:58.440 and the Bears. In the Rams and the Cowboys, the 0:02:58.440 --> 0:03:00.680 Packers and Bears, I mean that that matchup right there. 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.160 The Packers win that game, in the Rams lose, the 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:06.040 Packers do technically have a playoff spot clinched. If I 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.720 have that math correct, Yes, that is that is correct. 0:03:09.120 --> 0:03:12.520 This week. A Packers win and a Rams loss guarantees 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:15.519 the Packers a playoff spot of one sort or another. 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:18.079 But here's the spoiler alert. If that scenario plays out, 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:20.639 I guarantee you next Monday, Matt Lafleur is not gonna 0:03:20.680 --> 0:03:22.200 want to talk about that. He's gonna want to talk 0:03:22.240 --> 0:03:25.000 about the twelve win and winning the division. That's the 0:03:25.040 --> 0:03:27.400 way he's driven, and then that's the way the scenarios 0:03:27.440 --> 0:03:29.640 played out. The Packers have worked so hard. I mean, 0:03:29.680 --> 0:03:32.080 you can talk about the ups and the downs of 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:34.359 this season, but they've put themselves in a position, Mike 0:03:34.400 --> 0:03:37.640 on December ten to have ten victories. A team that 0:03:37.680 --> 0:03:40.080 had been playing and clawing from behind for the better 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:42.800 part of three years. Well, now suddenly they're the ones 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:45.160 going around that final turn of the track with the 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.720 wind in their back and trying to finish this race strong. 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:49.920 But you know, there's other teams that were gonna try 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:51.640 to have a good kick too, and are going to 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.680 try to usurp them there on that final you know, 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:56.920 hundred meters or what have you. That's why the motivation, 0:03:56.960 --> 0:04:00.400 that's why the attention to detail has to be there. Because, 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:02.280 as we've talked about now a little bit, and we'll 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:05.600 preview it more tomorrow, the Chicago Bears are for real. 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:08.480 I mean, they are still a good football team that 0:04:08.520 --> 0:04:11.960 has a not so great record. They're making a charge, 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:13.640 but they're making a charge of the Packers have to 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:15.760 hold them off on Sunday. There's one way to do that, 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:18.280 and that's to be focused on win number eleven. Yeah, 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:20.479 it's it is to be focused on win number eleven. 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:22.599 And just to give everyone the quick rundown as to 0:04:22.600 --> 0:04:25.240 where things stand right now, as we just mentioned, the 0:04:25.279 --> 0:04:28.240 Packers can clinch a playoff spot this week if they win, 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:31.600 and if the Rams lose, that would guarantee the Packers 0:04:31.640 --> 0:04:34.400 a spot in the postseason. As far as the NFC 0:04:34.440 --> 0:04:37.040 North is concerned, right now, the magic number is twelve. 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:40.159 If the Packers get to twelve wins, they win the 0:04:40.279 --> 0:04:42.400 NFC North, which means they need to win two of 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:44.320 their last three games to win the division, and it 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:46.800 doesn't matter which too. They can beat the Bears and 0:04:46.839 --> 0:04:49.800 the Lions and lose to the Vikings and their division champs, 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:51.880 or they can win one of the other ones and 0:04:51.920 --> 0:04:54.560 beat the Vikings and their division champs. Twelve wins is 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:58.039 the magic number there, and obviously the Packers are still 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:02.880 keeping their eye on what's going on with the Seahawks 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:06.240 the Saints in terms of two of the division champions 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:08.520 in the NFC are going to get first round bys 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:11.200 and so all of that is still in play as well. 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:13.000 And to point this out as well, I mean it's 0:05:13.000 --> 0:05:15.520 not quite run the table. Maybe it's run the coffee 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:17.719 table or run the nightstand. But I mean the Packers 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.240 could very well win these last three and then you 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:22.520 get a first round by Yes, they are in. They 0:05:22.560 --> 0:05:24.440 are in control of that. If the Packers get to 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:27.840 thirteen wins, they will have a first round by either 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:31.039 the one or the two seed, depending on what else happens. 0:05:31.120 --> 0:05:35.160 But obviously getting getting to thirteen wins is a huge 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:37.920 task when your last three opponents are all of your 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:41.320 division opponents, and two of those after this week are 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:43.160 going to be on the road. Yeah. Absolutely. One of 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:45.719 the things I really did enjoy, though, beyond what Matt 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:49.839 Lafleur said just about that reaching that milestone, was how 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:51.560 he broke down this game. And I think one of 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:53.880 the things that he's been really good with the media 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:55.839 with this year that he probably doesn't get enough credit 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:58.760 for those Monday breakdowns. A lot of times after the 0:05:58.760 --> 0:06:00.240 games he says, you know, we have to look at it, 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:01.839 we have to review it. But once he reviews it, 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:05.919 he's been pretty transparent in what he sees, and he 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:07.640 did it again on Monday. We're looking at some of 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:10.280 the plays that they were just an eyelash here too 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:12.120 away from breaking a big one. And it's one of 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:14.800 the reasons why he still thinks this offense, he likes 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:17.039 where it's at. He thinks the potential is there for 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:18.920 them to be really good down the stretch. They just 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:21.560 have to clean some stuff up. In this game, it was, 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:24.159 you know, kind of pretty much amounted to the past. Yeah, 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:26.039 it did. It did amount to the passing game. You 0:06:26.080 --> 0:06:28.560 can't argue with a hundred and seventy four rushing yards, 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:32.039 which is a season high for the Packers ind and 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:35.160 thirty four of those from Aaron Jones. But Matt Lafleur, 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:37.159 and this is what I thought was kind of interesting, 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:41.120 is he started that press conference on Monday, he rattled 0:06:41.160 --> 0:06:44.279 off like five or six plays showing how top of 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:46.360 mind they were. They're still on his mind as to 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:49.760 how close the Packers were in the passing game to 0:06:49.800 --> 0:06:52.320 breaking this open. He mentioned the play action throwback to 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:55.480 Jimmy Graham a few times. There was a post play 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:58.919 over the middle where Alan Lazard was open and Packers 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:01.480 didn't connect. There was a potential touchdown past to j 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:06.360 Sternberger Um the rookie tight end didn't quite connect. There. 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:08.720 There was a screen pass to Jamal Williams where one 0:07:08.800 --> 0:07:11.520 block was missed and that could have broken for a 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:15.600 big one. There was a third down past Aaron Jones 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:20.480 down the sideline that didn't quite connect. Jones actually released 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:23.560 to the inside, which was unexpected, but it's because the 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:27.400 cornerback slipped and Rogers, because he was lofting a deep ball, 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:30.000 he still through it as though it was an outside release, 0:07:30.040 --> 0:07:31.720 and so then Jones couldn't catch up with it. So 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:35.400 just all these things with the little circumstances. Something's off 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:37.480 here there. The timing is a little bit off, so 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:40.760 things weren't connecting. This was the message I got form 0:07:40.760 --> 0:07:45.160 though Matt Lafleur wasn't standing at the podium saying saying, Okay, 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:48.240 we're really close, everything's gonna be all right. He's like no, 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:52.080 he's saying we're really close and we have to get there. 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:54.720 That that was That was his message. He is going 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:57.160 to be pushing these guys. And he talked about the 0:07:57.200 --> 0:07:59.600 details of the place, and that comes down to things 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.560 like the leases and the timing and and a block 0:08:02.720 --> 0:08:05.280 here there the details of the place. He's going to 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:09.880 be pushing these guys to really lock down on those details, 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:12.520 because for the Packers to get to where they want 0:08:12.520 --> 0:08:16.680 to go the rest of this season and hopefully into January, 0:08:17.400 --> 0:08:19.520 that's what it's going to take. It's going it's going 0:08:19.560 --> 0:08:22.200 to take the execution of all of the finer points 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:25.440 so that you're not standing there on a Monday and 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:27.520 and saying like, oh, yeah, we're just three or four 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.160 plays away that we needed to connect. You know, that's 0:08:30.360 --> 0:08:32.400 obviously that's not going to cut it in January. Well, 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:34.280 I think the big line I think it was Linda 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:36.600 and Fonte who once said, you know, we're five plays 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:38.440 away from being twelve and four when they were seven 0:08:38.440 --> 0:08:40.880 and nine or something like that. I mean, it happens, right, 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:42.760 I mean, those those are the kind of things. But 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:45.400 it's also hindsight. And if you flip a coin, however 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:48.079 many times it's gonna vary depending on what's going to 0:08:48.160 --> 0:08:51.080 happen in that given scenario. I mean, it's just you 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:54.120 can't have all the stars line every time. You have 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.719 to make sure that you correct what's correctable and then 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:59.040 live with the mistakes because it is a it's a 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:02.840 human game. There our mistakes. There's just the fundamental issues 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:04.600 that I think the Packers want to hone up here, 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:06.320 and you saw and it's not just with the offense. 0:09:06.320 --> 0:09:08.960 It's all three phases. I thought the special teams, as 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:11.320 we talked about yesterday, took a big step forward and 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:13.920 in the Fleur was very effusive in his praise for 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:16.800 their blocking on their punt returns and how they cleaned 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:19.720 some stuff up there. Tyler Irvin staks north and south 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:22.720 and you know, catching a clean ball the defense and 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:25.800 in you know, being able to can dictate the temple 0:09:25.840 --> 0:09:27.440 a little bit. Yeah, there were a couple of breaks 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:29.000 there in the middle of the field that they want 0:09:29.040 --> 0:09:31.360 to be able to, you know, eliminate. But for the 0:09:31.360 --> 0:09:34.640 most part, the Packers won this game because of how 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:38.400 the defense responded offensively. The step forward that we saw 0:09:38.520 --> 0:09:41.079 was with the run game, the re emergence of Aaron 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:43.840 Jones and in seeing exactly how dynamic he can be, 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:46.200 because the one thing we hadn't really seen Mike to 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:49.120 this point was him break that big game is largest 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:52.160 Kerry before Yester or before Sunday was twenty yards. He 0:09:52.160 --> 0:09:54.840 brought up forty two yards and a credit on that 0:09:54.920 --> 0:09:57.040 a three tight end package. It was the receiver Jake 0:09:57.080 --> 0:09:59.959 Kumro that was busting him free there on the left 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:01.600 side of the line. So I got the big block 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.480 on the safety. Yeah. So there are uh, you know, 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:07.119 positives that you draw from and things that it's like, Okay, 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:08.840 that's something you can hang your hat on. This is 0:10:08.880 --> 0:10:12.199 what we could be down the line. But you also 0:10:12.240 --> 0:10:15.320 need to have the passing element honed up. And you've 0:10:15.320 --> 0:10:17.640 seen it. You've seen Davante Adams, You've seen Alan Lazard, 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:21.400 You've seen these receivers have big games. Can you do 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.679 it more consistently now? Because these next two games, Mike I, 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:27.280 as I said, I mean New York in Washington, those 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:29.080 were the two where it's like, okay, you get the winds, 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:32.959 you feel good about yourself. Chicago and Minnesota are two 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:35.520 of the tougher defenses the Packers are gonna play all season, 0:10:35.920 --> 0:10:38.280 especially if a Cheam Hicks comes back this week, which 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:41.240 is what all signs are pointing towards. The front is 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:42.840 going to be short up. Yes, they don't have Roal 0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:45.280 Kwan Smith, but they have a good scheme and Chuck 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:48.520 Pagano has been really intelligent with how he's used that personnel. 0:10:48.880 --> 0:10:50.880 And then Minnesota, you always know what you're getting with 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:53.719 Mike Zimmers. So this is where they got to rise up, 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:57.160 because if you take care of business against Chicago and Minnesota, 0:10:57.200 --> 0:10:58.800 then people expect you to be able to go in 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:01.480 Detroit and win that one in the season finale, especially 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.080 if Matthew Stafford doesn't come back. Can you rise to 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:07.120 that occasion? This is what this week is about. This 0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:09.080 is the first part of that test. Yeah, and I 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:11.280 know we'll talk about it more tomorrow with regards to 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:14.560 the Bears, but I made this comment in Monday's Insider Inbox, 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:17.480 writing late Sunday night after the rest of our postgame 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:22.120 coverage was was up on the website. The Chicago Bears 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:27.000 are playing for their season. I mean, there's uh, there's 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:30.200 just there's no two ways about it. They they they 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.240 are going to come into lambeau Field and absolutely lay 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:36.720 it all on the line, because, um, this is it. 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:39.520 I mean, and as we talked about yesterday, the Bears 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:41.800 could run it here and get to ten and six 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:43.480 and it still might not be enough to get into 0:11:43.480 --> 0:11:47.400 the postseason, but they know they cannot afford a seventh loss. 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:51.760 I mean if if the Packers beat the Bears on Sunday, 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:56.160 I don't know if the Bears are necessarily fully mathematically eliminated. 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.840 That might depend on some other things, but they are 0:11:58.920 --> 0:12:01.560 eliminated with regard to the Packers. I mean, the Packers 0:12:01.559 --> 0:12:05.319 will essentially have eliminated them. That that Chicago cannot catch 0:12:05.360 --> 0:12:07.800 Green Bay in any way, shape or form. And uh, 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:11.040 And this is a Bears team that, yes, there were 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.599 some there were some low moments. They've they've underachieved to 0:12:14.640 --> 0:12:17.920 a certain extent, but they were twelve and four. They 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:20.199 were twelve and four last year for a reason. They 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:23.360 were a field goal away from getting to the Divisional 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:26.000 round of the playoffs. And they're starting to play like 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:29.559 that Chicago Bears team again. A couple of things. You're one, 0:12:29.600 --> 0:12:31.360 You're right, they'll still even if they lose to the 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:35.040 Packers on Sunday, they still could have that potential playoff 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:37.360 door open. But they need Minnesota to lose out, They 0:12:37.400 --> 0:12:39.959 need the Rams to lose out, and and certainly that 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:43.480 would include them beating the Vikings in their regular season finale. 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:46.400 But the part that you raised, I think is a 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:48.760 good point because it's something I talked with Mercedes Lewis 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:50.679 about last week. That's a guy that's been around now 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.640 for thirteen fourteen years in the NFL, and he mentions 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:56.200 how the parody of the league in the margin for 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:59.160 error is so small with how much parody that there is, 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:02.200 and in there really isn't that much that separates a 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:04.760 team like the Bears from being a legitimate playoff contender. 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:06.560 I mean, look at it, Mike. I mean, they beat 0:13:06.960 --> 0:13:09.520 the team that could very well end up winning the 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:12.440 NFC East still in Dallas last week, and it was 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:16.160 a convincing victory that But you played by the rules, 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:18.319 and the rules are as the divisions get a win. 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:20.679 You know, whoever wins the division gets a buy or 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:23.240 it gets a seating and gets a home game, and 0:13:23.240 --> 0:13:25.920 two of them get buys. But you know, for for 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:27.960 the Packers here, I think the important thing is going 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:29.880 to be at ten and three to show that this 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:32.520 is what we present, this is what we offer, and 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:35.880 this is who we are. We've been more consistent than 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:38.600 the Bears have been this season, and it's put us 0:13:38.640 --> 0:13:41.240 in a position now to potentially control our own destiny 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:44.400 going into the playoffs. But to the original point, the 0:13:44.440 --> 0:13:47.040 Bears are dangerous because there is nothing to lose in 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:49.960 this case, and unlike there's nothing to lose, but yet 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:52.200 everything to lose at the same time. And that's right 0:13:52.240 --> 0:13:54.720 because unlike New York and Washington, who at least you know, 0:13:54.720 --> 0:13:56.480 depending on what they do with their coaching staffs, you 0:13:56.480 --> 0:13:59.440 know that personnel is built beyond this year. They're not 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:02.199 looking at us here. The Bears were looking at this year. 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:04.480 They were staring this season in the eye, and they 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:05.960 wanted to be able to make a run and they 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:07.360 wanted to show that they could be a team that 0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:10.160 goes from the division champion to a conference champion to 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:12.440 a Super Bowl contender. They weren't able to do that 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.680 to this point. So, yeah, you have a GM, you 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:17.719 have a head coach, you have personnel there that they 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:20.320 were very forward thinking with that. They put a lot 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:22.720 of eggs in this basket that's right in front of us. 0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.680 And it's that that's what makes the Bears dangerous. And 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.040 it makes it so that La Fleur and his coaching 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:30.000 staff and once these players come back into the building 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:32.560 on Wednesday, they have to be up on it because 0:14:32.560 --> 0:14:34.720 in order for this to be relevant, in order for 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:37.880 the Packers to consider themselves to be legitimate playoff contenders. 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:40.440 They needed to get through these three weeks. They've gotten 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:42.760 through two of them. You need to beat the Bears, 0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:44.080 and then you need to be able to do the 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:45.720 what they haven't been able to do, which is when 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:47.960 in the US, which is to win in Minneapolis. And 0:14:48.000 --> 0:14:51.040 that will be a certainly coming up soon enough. Well, 0:14:51.080 --> 0:14:53.200 with regard to the Bears, we know that they're coming 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:56.120 off of a mini by having played on the previous 0:14:56.160 --> 0:15:00.840 two Thursdays. As a matter of fact, um and but 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:02.640 I also want to get to some of the other 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:06.880 results from this past Sunday in the NFL, because, boy, 0:15:07.120 --> 0:15:11.720 that game in New Orleans West San Francisco, forty Niners 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:14.680 against the Saints, back and forth, back and forth. It 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:17.880 was um, it was like watching the you know, watching 0:15:17.880 --> 0:15:20.440 the score on like a pinball machine or something. The 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:23.560 way the way the numbers just kept rising and rising. 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:26.880 And it comes down to the Saints coming back from 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:29.880 nine points down in the fourth quarter. They take the lead. 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:34.360 The forty Niners get the ball last and a big 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:38.160 fourth down conversion to George Kittle coupled with a face 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:41.560 mask penalty that takes what would have been a fairly 0:15:41.680 --> 0:15:44.280 lengthy field goal into more of chip shot range for 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:49.200 Robbie Gold and the San Francisco fourty Entners reclaim the 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:51.880 number one spot in the NFC with a forty eight 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:55.760 to forty six shootout victory. San Francisco eleven and two. 0:15:56.000 --> 0:15:58.720 New Orleans is ten and three. How freaking good is 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:01.240 Drew Brees, though forty years old, to put three in 0:16:02.040 --> 0:16:04.560 passing yards? I believe that was a season high against 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:07.760 Robert Salis past defense against that, against that, I mean, 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:10.320 those are those are two teams that have played some 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:13.680 pretty good defense for the bulk of the season, and 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.960 it's just it's just an example of how you absolutely 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:20.040 never know in this league how games are going to 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:23.080 I mean, who would have thought, yes, I mean, the 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:25.520 forty enters have a really good offense. Drew Brees is 0:16:25.520 --> 0:16:27.560 a Hall of Fame quarterback. The Saints have been really 0:16:27.560 --> 0:16:30.240 good on offense for a number of years. But nobody 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:32.880 thought with those two defenses going head to head in 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:35.120 December that there'd be ninety four points on the board 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:39.160 in regulation. Mind, you didn't even didn't even go to overtime. Well, 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:42.680 there's a certain fore Ride beat writer sitting near left 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:45.320 right now that decided not to start Drew Brees in 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:50.120 a fantasy league, went with Russell Wilson instead, and that 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:55.840 I'll be looking forward to playing in the consolation bracket 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:58.640 this week in the Green Bay Ballers, but have fun 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:01.280 with that. But no turning the focus back. A couple 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:03.840 of things we learned here. One, Kyle Shanahan can coach 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:06.159 man because it's not even about the schemes. It's about 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:09.920 the fact that the Saints came back um and they 0:17:10.000 --> 0:17:12.280 put those points on the board. There's fifty some seconds left, 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:15.399 forty some seconds left, and for Shanahan to rally the 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:18.000 troops and for Jimmy Garoppolo to manage that situation. This 0:17:18.040 --> 0:17:20.240 was another one of those games like we saw last month, 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:23.560 where the running game did get going, but it didn't 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:25.720 dictate the temple like it has in the past. For 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:28.439 the forty, Jimmy Garoppolo needed to win that game. And 0:17:28.480 --> 0:17:32.040 George Kittle, who did diddally squat in the first half, 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:34.639 believe even he had a fumble at one point, he 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.399 comes back in is their big playmaker down the stretch. 0:17:37.760 --> 0:17:41.159 That's what you anticipate from those players. And credit to 0:17:41.200 --> 0:17:43.000 the forty Niners to be able to come back and 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:46.360 pull that out because the storyline until Week seventeen, now 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:49.439 unless the forty Niners actually claimed this number one seed, 0:17:49.840 --> 0:17:52.080 is the fact that they ended up losing to Seattle 0:17:52.119 --> 0:17:53.600 in a game in which they could have tied and 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:57.040 really controlled their destiny down the stretch. They needed this win, 0:17:57.119 --> 0:17:59.320 they needed to claw their way back because there's gonna 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:01.680 be a really good team from the NFC West that's 0:18:01.680 --> 0:18:04.000 gonna be a five seed and that's just the reality. 0:18:04.040 --> 0:18:06.359 And want to make sure it's not them. Yeah, well, 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.000 I give the I give the forty Niners. I give 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:10.840 the forty Niners a heck of a lot of credit 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:14.880 because everybody talked about, you know, this gauntlet that they 0:18:14.920 --> 0:18:17.320 were facing, where they were going to where they're gonna 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.640 have to face Green Bay and then the Baltimore Ravens 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:23.040 and then the New Orleans Saints back to back to back. 0:18:23.680 --> 0:18:25.840 And what did they do. They ended up winning two 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:28.000 out of those three, and the one that they lost 0:18:28.119 --> 0:18:30.280 was on essentially on a walk off field goal the 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:32.920 same way that they beat that they beat the Saints 0:18:33.880 --> 0:18:36.199 in New Orleans. And I'm telling you, West, you know, 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:40.080 I realized, I'm I'm biased in this sense because in 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:43.280 my years covering the Packers, I've only been to the 0:18:43.280 --> 0:18:46.600 New Orleans Superdome twice, and the Packers pretty much got 0:18:46.600 --> 0:18:49.240 it handed to them both times, and I left both 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:52.280 of those games with an absolute ear splitting headache from 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:54.919 all of the noise. I think that Superdome is one 0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:58.639 of the toughest places in the NFL to play. I 0:18:58.720 --> 0:19:01.080 certainly would not like the Packers to have to go 0:19:01.160 --> 0:19:05.520 there in January if it comes down to that, exactly, 0:19:05.560 --> 0:19:08.800 I'm gonna bring a whole bottle. But for the Fortys 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:12.359