WEBVTT - #628 Packers Unscripted: Defensive dominance

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, everyone, Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from

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<v Speaker 1>Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spoffer, joined by my

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<v Speaker 1>trusted colleague Weston Hodkowitz, were coming to you here from

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<v Speaker 1>our studios at lambeau Field here to talk about a

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<v Speaker 1>Packers victory West and an impressive one on the defensive

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<v Speaker 1>side of the ball, a sevent team to nothing shut

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<v Speaker 1>out at lambeau Field of the Seattle Seahawks. And we've

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<v Speaker 1>been talking all season long about how this defense, the

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<v Speaker 1>arrow keeps pointing up, the unit just keeps ascending, and

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<v Speaker 1>in some ways you don't know how much further you

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<v Speaker 1>could have ascended. After a really impressive performance, although in

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<v Speaker 1>a loss in Kansas City against Patrick Mahomes, but this

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<v Speaker 1>defense topped itself once again. I can't believe that stat

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<v Speaker 1>I saw afterwards. I wish I could give proper credit

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<v Speaker 1>to the first person to point this out. Is a

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<v Speaker 1>stat though, that Kyler Murray trick Mahomes and then having

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<v Speaker 1>Russell Wilson three Elite Pro Bowl All Pro type players

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<v Speaker 1>and the Packers held those three guys to one passing

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<v Speaker 1>touchdown in those matchups. I mean, it was one of

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<v Speaker 1>those deals where I know some people at halftime when

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<v Speaker 1>I made a remark about how this is the first

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<v Speaker 1>time the Packers have shut out an opponent in the

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<v Speaker 1>first half, dating back to that game against Buffalo and eighteen,

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<v Speaker 1>which also ended up being the last shutout, and some

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<v Speaker 1>people are like, don't say anything, You're gonna jinxit, YadA, YadA, YadA.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you what, Mike, this is one of the

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<v Speaker 1>first times I think I can remember on the beat

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<v Speaker 1>where I don't think there was any worry of a jinx.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think there was any worry of a let

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<v Speaker 1>up the Packers. The way they were playing, the confidence

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<v Speaker 1>in which they were playing, with the speed and tenacity

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<v Speaker 1>that they were playing with. Defensively, they were the best

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<v Speaker 1>unit on the field once again, not just for the Packers,

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<v Speaker 1>but either team. And it's been that way now for

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<v Speaker 1>a number of weeks. And to have the injuries and

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<v Speaker 1>the losses, and we'll talk about some of that here shortly,

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<v Speaker 1>with the some of the more hits the defense took,

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<v Speaker 1>they still keep moving forward in their ranked third right

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<v Speaker 1>now in total yards and scoring uh and really looking

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<v Speaker 1>like the unit the Packers need them to be to

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<v Speaker 1>make a championship run. Yeah. Absolutely, And it was funny.

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<v Speaker 1>I was for those of you who don't entirely understand

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<v Speaker 1>our game day process. During the game, while things are

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<v Speaker 1>going on, Wes is writing what we call the quarter

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<v Speaker 1>by quarter updates on the website. I am doing the

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<v Speaker 1>live blog as the game gets towards the end, and

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<v Speaker 1>West is writing the fourth quarter update. I am getting

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<v Speaker 1>ready to write a TOPP or what we call the

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<v Speaker 1>top to your quarter by quarter updates that we can

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<v Speaker 1>post right when the game ends of the final score

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<v Speaker 1>and statistics and whatnot. My whole point of explaining this

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<v Speaker 1>is that I was following live on g S. I

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<v Speaker 1>s the total yards for the Seattle Seahawks in the game.

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<v Speaker 1>On that final desperation drive, they just crossed over two

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<v Speaker 1>hundred yards. Then Preston Smith gets a fourteen yard sack

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<v Speaker 1>and drops them below two hundred yards, and it was

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<v Speaker 1>looking like it would be a one ninety something game.

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<v Speaker 1>But then they get a sixteen yard pass on the

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<v Speaker 1>fourth and forever, so they barely get over two d

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<v Speaker 1>total yards on the last play of the game. And

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<v Speaker 1>that just that just speaks volumes to what this Packers

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<v Speaker 1>defense was doing. And the crux of it really was

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<v Speaker 1>what turned this from a solid defensive performance into a

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<v Speaker 1>great one. Were the two interceptions in the second half.

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<v Speaker 1>It's three to nothing and Russell Wilson makes an ill

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<v Speaker 1>advised third down throw in the red zone to the

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<v Speaker 1>end zone and Kevin King gets the interception there. And

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<v Speaker 1>then when the Seahawks are in a little bit more

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<v Speaker 1>of a desperation mode that tend to nothing, he tries

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<v Speaker 1>to take a deep shot into double coverage to lock it.

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<v Speaker 1>Adrian Amos gets that interception on the deep ball in

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<v Speaker 1>the end zone. Those two turnovers, really, then is what

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<v Speaker 1>allowed the Packers to stretch this out and take away

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<v Speaker 1>any drama of what was looking like it could be

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<v Speaker 1>a down to the wire game when it was just

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<v Speaker 1>three nothing at halftime. Well, and to tell you the

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<v Speaker 1>strength of this defense in addition just the mental fortitude

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<v Speaker 1>and to be able to rally the way they have

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<v Speaker 1>around each other. It's a fact that we talked about

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<v Speaker 1>in the preseason. They have playmakers at all three levels,

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<v Speaker 1>and with the installation of Davandre campbellt inside linebacker, there

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<v Speaker 1>really isn't a weak spot right now for this defense.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know, you look at a guy like Adriannams,

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<v Speaker 1>I just feel like He's the one that's sort of

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<v Speaker 1>really epitomizes this entire unit. He's an unheralded, rather spaff

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<v Speaker 1>soft spoken individual that is just so darn consistent. I

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<v Speaker 1>even think about that pass again, it's in garbage time,

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<v Speaker 1>but they were in that zone concept the prevent defense there.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it was to lock it. He was trying,

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<v Speaker 1>Wilson was trying to hit along the sidelines, and Adrian

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<v Speaker 1>Name is covering basically half the field, comes over right

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<v Speaker 1>by the pylon and breaks up a past that otherwise

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<v Speaker 1>might have been the touchdown. Uh. Not a big play

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<v Speaker 1>in terms of the grand scheme of things in victory,

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<v Speaker 1>but that's what kept Seahawks off the board. That's what

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<v Speaker 1>kept those numbers close to yards of offense him in

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<v Speaker 1>in the talent of Darnell Savage on the back end,

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<v Speaker 1>the way the umbrella of that thing. Uh, that's been

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<v Speaker 1>a big lynch pin here for this defense. But even

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<v Speaker 1>before that, you know, I made this comment in inbox, Mike.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know what you thought about it, but Preston

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<v Speaker 1>Smith gets that sixteen yard sack. I think it was

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<v Speaker 1>it was this huge fourteen yards late in the game.

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<v Speaker 1>I understand that that's a garbage time type sack. But

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<v Speaker 1>the way Preston Smith played that entire type of that game,

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<v Speaker 1>he really didn't have the statistics to really show the

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<v Speaker 1>impact that he had made, the pressure that he had generated,

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<v Speaker 1>some of the other plays that he helped create. That's

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<v Speaker 1>the thing about this year's defense. There's not gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of guys where you look at the cornerbacks

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<v Speaker 1>and be like, Okay, who's the stud right now. It's

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<v Speaker 1>not gonna be a lot of Okay, where's the all Pro.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just eleven guys when they're on the field playing

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<v Speaker 1>as one, and it has the Packers with you know,

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<v Speaker 1>their best defense right now statistically in a decade. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's interesting because because I had made a

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<v Speaker 1>point of this an insider inbox as well, when you

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<v Speaker 1>talk about the sort of those steady influences, the understated

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<v Speaker 1>you know, not the raw, raw guys, but but the

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<v Speaker 1>leaders on this team to the defensive captains here are

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<v Speaker 1>Adrian Amos and Kenny Clark. And you won't find two

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<v Speaker 1>guys who at the same time can be so valuable

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<v Speaker 1>to what their unit is doing, but in a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of ways get so little recognition for it, and they

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<v Speaker 1>also don't really care necessarily about getting that recognition, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think that that says a lot about them. And

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<v Speaker 1>and as as I said an inbox, that's not to

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<v Speaker 1>take anything away from the larger personalities like as a

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<v Speaker 1>Darius Smith or j Alexander who has also been they've

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<v Speaker 1>also been captains on this defense. And I'm not trying

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<v Speaker 1>to to disparage their way of going about things at all.

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<v Speaker 1>But with those two guys in particular, Amos and Clark

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<v Speaker 1>both being captains on this particular defense, and the way

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<v Speaker 1>these guys are are are going about things, UM really

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<v Speaker 1>stands out to me. This team now wes for the

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<v Speaker 1>season eighteen points per game allowed, which as you said,

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<v Speaker 1>I think is third in the league. Now since Week one,

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<v Speaker 1>the thirty eight to three loss to New Orleans, since

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<v Speaker 1>week one, it's fifteen point eight points per game. That's

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<v Speaker 1>just remarkable. What um, what this group is doing. And

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<v Speaker 1>now they will have some additional challenges. You just mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>the type of game Preston Smith had and and then

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<v Speaker 1>capping it off with a sack to get something big

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<v Speaker 1>in the statistical column. Well, the pass rush here, Whitney Merciless,

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<v Speaker 1>it looks like a very significant injury to his biceps,

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<v Speaker 1>and then Rashawn Gary also leaving the game with an

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<v Speaker 1>elbow injury. There's still some evaluation going on there. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>see what what ultimately the deal is with Gary's injury,

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<v Speaker 1>but this pass rush is going to be relying even

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<v Speaker 1>more on Preston Smith than it already has here going forward,

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<v Speaker 1>and Jonathan Garvin too. You know the second rounder, excuse me,

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<v Speaker 1>the second year player was the seventh rounder last year

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<v Speaker 1>and a young man that is still only twenty two

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<v Speaker 1>years old and has had to really grow up quickly

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<v Speaker 1>in this defense. It's after being a healthy scratch for

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<v Speaker 1>half the season last year, he's suddenly been thrust in

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<v Speaker 1>a rotational role. That's the way this thing has gone.

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<v Speaker 1>What hurts the most about there's a couple of reasons

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<v Speaker 1>that the merciless injury hurts that game, especially with some

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<v Speaker 1>of the injuries they were dealing with on the defensive line.

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<v Speaker 1>That game was the first time, Mike, that you and

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<v Speaker 1>I have seen and maybe over a month, maybe two months,

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<v Speaker 1>where the Packers started running their dime with three outside

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<v Speaker 1>linebackers again, they were using Preston Smith, they were using

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<v Speaker 1>Rashawn Gary as down three tech linemen or using Garry

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<v Speaker 1>as a rover. They got away from that because they

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<v Speaker 1>just didn't have the bodies for it. But Merciless, the

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<v Speaker 1>way he was playing, enabled them to get back in

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<v Speaker 1>those packages. It sounds, and Merciless had lined up inside

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<v Speaker 1>on on an occasion as well, a lot of versatility

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<v Speaker 1>there and that was sort of that spot they were

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<v Speaker 1>missing without Zadarius Smith. That was a role that he

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<v Speaker 1>had played before his back injury. And the thing that

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<v Speaker 1>hurts the most is I felt like I tweeted this

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<v Speaker 1>as I was leaving the building on Monday. Merciless really

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<v Speaker 1>felt like that Eric Walden signing for this defense, he

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<v Speaker 1>felt like it was, okay, you need help, but outside Rusher,

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<v Speaker 1>here's a guy that can can bring something. And he

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<v Speaker 1>seemed like he was a really steady locker room guy.

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<v Speaker 1>We only got to talk to him once, but obviously

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<v Speaker 1>you hear what people say about him down in Houston.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a you know, admirable, you know, type of locker

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<v Speaker 1>room dude. And for that injury, and as soon as

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<v Speaker 1>you and I saw it, Mike, and when you see

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<v Speaker 1>him curled up like that, and then you understand it's

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<v Speaker 1>the biceps. We've seen enough of those type injuries. Your

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<v Speaker 1>your your stomach kind of drops a little bit. The

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<v Speaker 1>hope would be based on the reports we've seen so

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<v Speaker 1>far as that the Packers might have avoided a big

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<v Speaker 1>injury with Rashawn Gary. Got to see all that shuffles

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<v Speaker 1>out yet. But the fact is is that Gary has

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<v Speaker 1>been such an integral part of this defense. He's leading

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<v Speaker 1>them in sacks right now. This season, he's gotten the

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<v Speaker 1>uptick in playing time and he's really responded with those snaps.

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<v Speaker 1>The Packers need him and you know, knock on wood

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<v Speaker 1>at some point maybe the next two months, Saidarius Smith

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<v Speaker 1>is back in the fold. Two. Yeah, we'll have to

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<v Speaker 1>see how that goes. Rashaan Gary with five and a

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<v Speaker 1>half sacks, I believe on the season, which is hops

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<v Speaker 1>on the team. So before we shift gears to the

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<v Speaker 1>offense west some sponsor business Serious x M NFL Radio

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<v Speaker 1>in a bowl. Cousins subs. We believe in better. All right. Offensively,

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<v Speaker 1>the Packers did indeed get quarterback Aaron Rodgers back off

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<v Speaker 1>of the COVID list, and he played despite not having

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<v Speaker 1>essentially practiced for the previous two weeks. Um and give

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<v Speaker 1>some credit to Seattle's defense, that's uh, that's no slouch

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<v Speaker 1>of unit, especially when it comes to uh to what

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<v Speaker 1>that group does in the red zone. But the Packers

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<v Speaker 1>were having some trouble finding their footing on offense. A

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<v Speaker 1>missed field goal early that took some points off the board.

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<v Speaker 1>But this offense, as we had talked about last week,

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<v Speaker 1>it went through the running backs Aaron Jones, A J. Dillon,

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<v Speaker 1>combining for more than two hundred rushing and receiving yards,

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<v Speaker 1>adding up those yards from scrimmage. But now things could

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<v Speaker 1>shift in at least for the next game or two.

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<v Speaker 1>Most likely are going to shift even more heavily to

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<v Speaker 1>A J. Dillon because Aaron Jones is now out with

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<v Speaker 1>a knee injury, though it sounds like it's only going

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<v Speaker 1>to be a short absent. Yeah, and that's you know,

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<v Speaker 1>as Metal even said on Monday, you know, the hope

0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:29.320
<v Speaker 1>is they avoided you know, kind of a you know,

0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:33.000
<v Speaker 1>a bullet there, Aaron Jones, you saw it. I understand

0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:36.280
<v Speaker 1>his rushing yards where they're at right now. But in

0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:38.360
<v Speaker 1>terms of the pass catching, you saw it. With those

0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:40.400
<v Speaker 1>two catches he had over the span of three plays,

0:11:40.400 --> 0:11:44.000
<v Speaker 1>bolt him over twenty yard explosives. The way he can

0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:47.040
<v Speaker 1>energize this offense with his play style, what he can

0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:51.320
<v Speaker 1>create when he's in space, it's incredible. A J. Dillon

0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:53.800
<v Speaker 1>For a guy who was kind of maligned a little

0:11:53.800 --> 0:11:56.040
<v Speaker 1>bit as a pass catcher coming out of Boston College,

0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:57.520
<v Speaker 1>and I think a lot of that was just due

0:11:57.480 --> 0:11:58.880
<v Speaker 1>to the fact he didn't really do it and this

0:11:59.080 --> 0:12:02.880
<v Speaker 1>their system. What a revelation this guy has been. I

0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:05.920
<v Speaker 1>mean that fifty yard or the reason that was so impressive.

0:12:05.920 --> 0:12:07.400
<v Speaker 1>It wasn't like he had to make He's made better

0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:10.600
<v Speaker 1>catches over the course of the year. But to throw

0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:12.640
<v Speaker 1>an underneath pass to a running back and have that

0:12:12.720 --> 0:12:15.120
<v Speaker 1>running back turned it into a fifty yard game down

0:12:15.120 --> 0:12:20.679
<v Speaker 1>the sideline of making three guys miss or breaking their tackles,

0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:23.600
<v Speaker 1>breaking their will. Uh that that was a huge play.

0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:26.640
<v Speaker 1>You saw how amped up Davante Adam Scott after it,

0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:29.440
<v Speaker 1>given the big shove to him after the play. This

0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:32.040
<v Speaker 1>young guys come a long way, and the Packers knew

0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:33.400
<v Speaker 1>that this was going to be a part of his

0:12:33.440 --> 0:12:36.440
<v Speaker 1>maturation process. When you lose Jamal Williams, someone that was

0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:38.840
<v Speaker 1>as steady as they go at the running back position,

0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:41.240
<v Speaker 1>they knew they were going to need A. J. Dillon

0:12:41.280 --> 0:12:43.960
<v Speaker 1>to step up. It wasn't gonna be carries a game

0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:46.280
<v Speaker 1>with Aaron Jones, and I think he's done that in

0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:49.120
<v Speaker 1>an exceptional way. And you'll also give credit to Aaron

0:12:49.240 --> 0:12:51.160
<v Speaker 1>Rodgers too. I mean it was his first game back,

0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:54.880
<v Speaker 1>you know, as mattal Floor pointed out, he hadn't really

0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:57.120
<v Speaker 1>practice at all in two weeks, not only because of

0:12:57.120 --> 0:12:59.080
<v Speaker 1>the COVID week, but then also the week before that

0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:01.280
<v Speaker 1>they were on the short you know schedule going up

0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.720
<v Speaker 1>against Arizona, so they really never even practice. It was

0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:06.720
<v Speaker 1>just all walk through type stuff. So Rogers managed the

0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:10.360
<v Speaker 1>situation and when they needed big explosive plays down the stretch,

0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:12.960
<v Speaker 1>as Rogers said, all three of them were compliments and

0:13:13.000 --> 0:13:15.959
<v Speaker 1>courtesy of A J. Dillon. Yeah, absolutely, what I liked

0:13:16.160 --> 0:13:18.800
<v Speaker 1>what I like best about this game, And I mentioned

0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:22.600
<v Speaker 1>this also an inbox because whether you're talking about the

0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:26.160
<v Speaker 1>score being three to nothing after three quarters or the

0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:30.320
<v Speaker 1>score being twenty four after three quarters. What I liked

0:13:30.360 --> 0:13:34.480
<v Speaker 1>about this game is when your offense can put together

0:13:34.679 --> 0:13:37.320
<v Speaker 1>two drives and score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter,

0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:40.760
<v Speaker 1>and your defense doesn't give in and gets a second

0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:45.640
<v Speaker 1>turnover and simply doesn't allow the opponent to ever generate

0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:48.880
<v Speaker 1>any kind of momentum. Whatever the score is after three quarters,

0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:50.760
<v Speaker 1>you play like that in the fourth quarter on both

0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:52.280
<v Speaker 1>sides of the ball, You're gonna win a lot of

0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:55.480
<v Speaker 1>football games in this league. And that's something as much

0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:58.840
<v Speaker 1>as as much as those first three quarters offensively, it

0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.760
<v Speaker 1>was it was frust rating. The Packers had some opportunities

0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:04.760
<v Speaker 1>to score, mistakes were made, things didn't go their way.

0:14:05.800 --> 0:14:08.440
<v Speaker 1>They finished this game the way you want to finish

0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:10.920
<v Speaker 1>any football game, regardless of what the score is going

0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:12.960
<v Speaker 1>into the fourth quarter. And I think that bodes well

0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:16.280
<v Speaker 1>here as we're starting to hit, you know, getting closer

0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:18.240
<v Speaker 1>and closer to what we could call the home stretch

0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:21.360
<v Speaker 1>with Thanksgiving and the Packers by week now just around

0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:23.400
<v Speaker 1>the corner. Well, and you know, and and O b J.

0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:26.680
<v Speaker 1>Made his decision right he went to the Los Angeles Rams.

0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:30.080
<v Speaker 1>It is what it is there isn't gonna be this big,

0:14:30.120 --> 0:14:32.240
<v Speaker 1>you know, type of hero coming over the mountain. That's

0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:35.600
<v Speaker 1>gonna just add even more plays in this offense. The Packers,

0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:37.600
<v Speaker 1>if they're going to get where they want to offensively,

0:14:37.920 --> 0:14:39.480
<v Speaker 1>it needs to be the young guys. It needs to

0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:41.320
<v Speaker 1>be guys stepping up. A J. Dillen has been a

0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:43.080
<v Speaker 1>big part of that. I think he's probably been the

0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:46.000
<v Speaker 1>most improved player. I think would be easy for everyone

0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:48.280
<v Speaker 1>to say in his second year here, with this offense

0:14:48.720 --> 0:14:51.040
<v Speaker 1>and with Aaron Jones being gone here for a minute,

0:14:51.280 --> 0:14:53.080
<v Speaker 1>this is gonna be a big test for him, not

0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:56.320
<v Speaker 1>only against you know, this upcoming opponent in Minnesota with

0:14:56.360 --> 0:14:59.120
<v Speaker 1>all the challenges that Mike Zimmer defense presents, but also

0:14:59.600 --> 0:15:01.680
<v Speaker 1>historic really one of the best defenses in the league,

0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:03.640
<v Speaker 1>and the Los Angeles Rams over the last three or

0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:06.040
<v Speaker 1>four years they're gonna have to battle as well. So

0:15:06.920 --> 0:15:09.760
<v Speaker 1>I think the exciting aspect of this is you do

0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:12.480
<v Speaker 1>hope you're getting Aaron Jones back, and obviously you hope

0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:14.320
<v Speaker 1>that you know that's going to happen in December when

0:15:14.360 --> 0:15:16.440
<v Speaker 1>you really want to get the run game going. But

0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:19.120
<v Speaker 1>this is the trial by fire that I think A. J.

0:15:19.240 --> 0:15:21.960
<v Speaker 1>Dillon really needs and see if, okay, can this guy

0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:23.720
<v Speaker 1>be the every down back we needed to because with

0:15:23.720 --> 0:15:25.760
<v Speaker 1>all due respect to Patrick Taylor, that was his first

0:15:25.880 --> 0:15:28.760
<v Speaker 1>NFL carries on Sunday. So I got the ball twice

0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:31.080
<v Speaker 1>there in the in the fourth quarter, giving Dilon a

0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:32.720
<v Speaker 1>little bit of a break. Yeah, you want to get

0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:35.320
<v Speaker 1>the you know, more backs involved, but realistically this is

0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:37.040
<v Speaker 1>going to be a one back offense you would think

0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:39.400
<v Speaker 1>for a couple of weeks here. Yeah. Absolutely. The The

0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:41.880
<v Speaker 1>one thing that will be interesting to see to me,

0:15:42.680 --> 0:15:45.000
<v Speaker 1>sort of one of those little earth things that that

0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:49.080
<v Speaker 1>people can forget about is that with Aaron Jones being

0:15:49.120 --> 0:15:52.360
<v Speaker 1>out and a J. Dillon now taking the Lions, share

0:15:52.400 --> 0:15:55.680
<v Speaker 1>the snaps at running back that pass protection in the backfield.

0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:57.920
<v Speaker 1>I'm not saying that A J. Dillon isn't any good

0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.560
<v Speaker 1>at it, That's not my point. Aaron Jones has become

0:16:00.600 --> 0:16:05.520
<v Speaker 1>exception as a pass blocking pass protecting running back with

0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:09.240
<v Speaker 1>the Blitz pickups and the communication and everything like that.

0:16:09.240 --> 0:16:13.040
<v Speaker 1>That's uh, that's something that that will be worth watching

0:16:13.080 --> 0:16:15.200
<v Speaker 1>here with a J. Dillon because that's going to be

0:16:15.440 --> 0:16:18.520
<v Speaker 1>another area where as big as strides as we've seen

0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.800
<v Speaker 1>him making year two, he can take even more strides

0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:24.440
<v Speaker 1>in that area because we saw what Aaron Jones has

0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:27.040
<v Speaker 1>done over the first you know, three or four years

0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:28.880
<v Speaker 1>of his career to get to where he is now.

0:16:29.320 --> 0:16:32.720
<v Speaker 1>Big picture in the NFC, well, first, with regard to

0:16:32.720 --> 0:16:35.120
<v Speaker 1>the Division, the Packers stay three and a half games

0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:38.040
<v Speaker 1>ahead of the Minnesota Vikings, and we'll talk more about

0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:40.520
<v Speaker 1>the Vikings on our next show with the trip to

0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:45.080
<v Speaker 1>Minneapolis coming up here next weekend. But as far as

0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:48.000
<v Speaker 1>the top of the NFC, the Packers are right back there. Suddenly,

0:16:48.080 --> 0:16:50.760
<v Speaker 1>West one week after losing a game, losing your quarterback

0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:53.240
<v Speaker 1>and losing a game and all that, Green Bay has

0:16:53.320 --> 0:16:56.680
<v Speaker 1>eight into Arizona takes its second loss, not having its

0:16:56.720 --> 0:17:00.960
<v Speaker 1>quarterback against Carolina. Cardinals and Packers both eaten two. Packers

0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:04.040
<v Speaker 1>obviously have the head to head there Dallas a half

0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:07.280
<v Speaker 1>game back at seven and two. The Rams took their

0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:11.040
<v Speaker 1>third loss of the season on Monday Night Football. They

0:17:11.080 --> 0:17:13.440
<v Speaker 1>lose on the road at San Francisco, and in division

0:17:13.480 --> 0:17:16.199
<v Speaker 1>game out West, the Rams are seven and three, and

0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:19.200
<v Speaker 1>suddenly the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are six and three, having

0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.640
<v Speaker 1>lost two games on either side of their bye week.

0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:24.600
<v Speaker 1>They lose to New Orleans. Going into the by, they

0:17:24.640 --> 0:17:29.720
<v Speaker 1>come out of their by and lose at Washington. So, um,

0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:32.040
<v Speaker 1>it's all right out there for Green Bay right now.

0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:35.040
<v Speaker 1>The Lass at the Lass at Kansas City. We talked

0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:37.199
<v Speaker 1>about it, you know, in some respects it was a

0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:41.359
<v Speaker 1>missed opportunity considering all those results, the other results that

0:17:41.400 --> 0:17:44.639
<v Speaker 1>had happened um last week. While the Packers got some

0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:47.120
<v Speaker 1>more results in their favor this week, and they got

0:17:47.200 --> 0:17:49.479
<v Speaker 1>the win over the Seahawks and uh and and they

0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:51.639
<v Speaker 1>vaulted themselves right back up where they want to be.

0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:54.120
<v Speaker 1>These seventeen games are not about who is the best

0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:56.800
<v Speaker 1>team in the NFL. It's about who's the most consistent team,

0:17:56.800 --> 0:17:58.800
<v Speaker 1>Who's gonna be the one that earns that first round

0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:00.840
<v Speaker 1>by Who's going to be the team proves that we

0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:05.119
<v Speaker 1>deserve to be considered the upper echelon entering the playoffs.

0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:07.280
<v Speaker 1>And the way I look at it right now, Mike,

0:18:07.280 --> 0:18:09.840
<v Speaker 1>as the Packers got four more division games, both of

0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:12.480
<v Speaker 1>which against the Minnesota Vikings they still have yet to

0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:17.000
<v Speaker 1>play this season. You win those, you run that table,

0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:19.200
<v Speaker 1>and then you kind of let those other chips fall

0:18:19.240 --> 0:18:21.920
<v Speaker 1>where they may with the remainder your nonconference stuff. And

0:18:21.960 --> 0:18:25.720
<v Speaker 1>then also this matchup coming up against the Rams that

0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:29.359
<v Speaker 1>puts you in the dance. And these next couple of weeks,

0:18:29.440 --> 0:18:32.120
<v Speaker 1>the Packers take care of business against the Vikings again,

0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:34.199
<v Speaker 1>a team that we're going to talk about scares the

0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:37.160
<v Speaker 1>living daylights out of me, a team that cannot be overlooked,

0:18:37.160 --> 0:18:39.080
<v Speaker 1>a team that has been in every single one of

0:18:39.119 --> 0:18:41.159
<v Speaker 1>the nine games that's played so far, a team that

0:18:41.280 --> 0:18:43.560
<v Speaker 1>is a team that is four and five and is

0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:48.600
<v Speaker 1>just a whisker here. They're away from potentially being seven

0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:51.679
<v Speaker 1>and two, but it's real, but it's consistency. And the

0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:53.919
<v Speaker 1>Green Bay Packers at eight and two, have been an

0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:58.840
<v Speaker 1>incredibly consistent football team, despite the injuries, despite the potential distractions,

0:18:59.119 --> 0:19:01.399
<v Speaker 1>despite all that, and it has put them in a

0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:04.119
<v Speaker 1>position now to to be able to really claim the

0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:06.919
<v Speaker 1>top of this conference. It's gonna be a really exciting

0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:09.359
<v Speaker 1>final seven games of this season, and obviously it starts

0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:12.800
<v Speaker 1>on Sunday against the the Vikings in US Bank Stadium. Yeah,

0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:15.280
<v Speaker 1>the Packers will have an opportunity to go four and

0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:17.960
<v Speaker 1>a half up on the Vikings with only six to play.

0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:21.439
<v Speaker 1>That would be considered the catbird seat if I'm allowed

0:19:21.480 --> 0:19:24.359
<v Speaker 1>to use the old cliche. But we'll talk more about

0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:26.600
<v Speaker 1>that on our next show. For now, we'll call it

0:19:26.640 --> 0:19:29.440
<v Speaker 1>a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure

0:19:29.440 --> 0:19:31.600
<v Speaker 1>to follow all of our coverage of the team. We've

0:19:31.640 --> 0:19:34.919
<v Speaker 1>got stuff for you every single day on packers dot

0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:37.640
<v Speaker 1>com for West, I'm Mike. Thanks for tuning in, everybody.

0:19:37.840 --> 0:19:38.760
<v Speaker 1>We'll see you next time.