1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 2 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford, joined by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz, 3 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: were coming to you here from our studios at lambeau 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: Field West. Earlier today, we heard from head coach Matt 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: Lafleur his season ending press conference, rather traditional for head 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: coaches in the middle of the week after the season ends, 7 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 1: that they kind of addressed the media one final time 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: to wrap things up, and I'm interested in your thoughts 9 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: as well. My initial two takeaways from this are one 10 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: that it's really really hard to get over an ending 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: like the Packers had, because even a few days later, 12 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: you could still hear some of the regret and bitterness 13 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: and disappointment and everything in Matt Lafleur's voice. So we'll 14 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: talk about that a little bit. But also, he's extremely 15 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: upbeat about the future. I think he used the word 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: excited at least five or six times throughout the course 17 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: of the half hour press conference. He likes what he's 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: built so far, but he's a coach that knows the 19 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,479 Speaker 1: process is nowhere near complete. This is still an ongoing evolution, 20 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: and the reason why it's so difficult one obviously just 21 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: the result, but two, it's because of as he pointed out, 22 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: how special that locker room was, how close that locker 23 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: room was, one of the closest that he's ever coached 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: at any level of football, and that, as Aaron Rodgers 25 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: talked about after the game, that's what made you feel 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: like this could be a real special season, because you 27 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: don't always get that. You'll have teams that win Super 28 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: Bowls that aren't as tight as that locker room was, 29 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: and you'll have teams I think, as Mercedes Lewis pointed 30 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: out on Monday too, he played on plenty of teams 31 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: that weren't quote unquote winning playoff teams, but had a 32 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,279 Speaker 1: good chemistry. It can be a lick, sir, I feel 33 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: to to help a team get to that next level, 34 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: and when it all ends, it is it's just it's 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: such a sudden train stop. You can't prepare for you 36 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: because you don't think about it. You think about the game, 37 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: in winning, in what that would mean, and just continuing 38 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: upon that run. So there is a lot to break 39 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: down and digest this week, But as you mentioned in 40 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: the second point of your point, they also feel a 41 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 1: genuine excitement and enthusiasm about what is to come based 42 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: on this first season. They were ahead of schedule in 43 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: so many ways, whether it was just the implementation of 44 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: this offense, whether it was being able to incorporate the 45 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: new free agent pieces, or even having a guy like 46 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: Elton Jenkins make a you know, year one contribution. All 47 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: of those things kind of add up to being a 48 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: pretty special, you know year that you don't always get 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: with the first year head coach. But unfortunately the Green 50 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: Bay Packers fourteen wins will have to do and they 51 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: set their sights now. Yeah, I think one of the 52 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: things that I liked best about his remarks that he 53 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: came he came off very very aware of the fact 54 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: that there are going to be things that are going 55 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: to come up in that you can't prepare for. That 56 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: you're not going to expect that there are going to 57 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: be new challenges, new difficulties. Everything that the Packers worked 58 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 1: through this year, he knows they were blessed with a 59 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: fair amount of good fortune from a health standpoint, not 60 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: a lot of major injuries to deal with. Um, it's 61 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: not easy to win so many close games in the NFL. 62 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: As we talked about a lot those those usually tend 63 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: to follow more fifty fifty throughout the course of a season. 64 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: Packers are on the winning end of the vast majority 65 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: of close games, So that's going to be something that's 66 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: that's difficult to repeat. He's already what I sensed is 67 00:03:54,760 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: he's already mentally preparing himself for whatever it is that 68 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: comes down the road that the Packers didn't have to 69 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: deal with in twenty nineteen, but it's going to hit 70 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: them at some point, and I and I think he's 71 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: he's already mentally aware that that those things are going 72 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: to come eventually. Yeah, and and being able to have 73 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: that experience to to lean back on now. I think 74 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: it's just so critical. It didn't even really dawn on me, 75 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 1: Mike until he brought it up himself, that this will 76 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: be the first time he goes into year two with 77 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 1: the same offense with the same team since two thousand, 78 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 1: fifteen sixteen with with Atlanta, you know. And that's a 79 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: part of being a climber. It's a part of getting 80 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: more opportunities. He went to being an offensive coordinator to 81 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: have an offensive play caller, to finally a head coach 82 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: here with the Green Bay Packers, and and everything that 83 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: comes with it understanding Okay, you need to implement your offense. 84 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: You need to be the offensive you know, guru in 85 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: mind that is going to get this team ready for Sunday. 86 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: And it's funny, you said finally though, because it happened 87 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: so quickly. Nineteen boom, there he is as a head coach. 88 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, but you know, at thirty four years old, 89 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: this is something that he was thinking about when he 90 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: was a quarterback at say Anna Valley Stage. You know, 91 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: someday being able to run his own scheme and run 92 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: his own team, and being the son of a football 93 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: coach and a mom that was a coach. I mean, 94 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: it's just it that is always in you, I believe, 95 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: and this was his first chance to really be able 96 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: to understand, Okay, it's not just a position. It's not 97 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: just the side of the ball. It's being in special 98 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: teams meetings, it's being in defensive meetings, setting the agenda 99 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: for everybody in that building, from the training staff, the 100 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: strengthen conditioning department, and also having conversations with Brian good Kunstan, 101 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: having conversations with Mark Murphy. This is everything that plays 102 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: into being a head coach at the highest level. And 103 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: those experiences like you can't just go into an interview 104 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: being like, Okay, I know exactly what to expect and 105 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: this is how I'm going to approach everything. A lot 106 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: of it is Okay, when you get those curveballs thrown 107 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: at you, how do you adjust your swing to it? 108 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: And I feel like that's what Matt Lafleur. Probably the 109 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 1: biggest adjustment now that he gets to make now going 110 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: into year two is knowing where he needs to devote 111 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 1: his time, how to a cayta his resources and is 112 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: He even pointed out leaning on his staff because he's 113 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: not always going to have all the answers. It's an 114 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: exciting thing for him to be a coach that won 115 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: thirteen games, got to a playoff one, a division title, 116 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: was in an NFC Championship game. But now it's about 117 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: that next step and everything that he has to do 118 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: to ensure that they do take that step forward in Yeah, well, 119 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: he had some interesting thoughts both regarding the offense and 120 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: the defense. I want to get to those in a minute. 121 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,679 Speaker 1: But Select Cousin Subs locations are now offering delivery. Whether 122 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, they're delivering right 123 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: to you when you order online at Cousin Subs dot com. 124 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: Cousin Subs, we believe in better. Okay, Well, he spent 125 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: the majority of at least in terms of the evaluation 126 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: part of it, talking about the offense because that's his 127 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: area of expertise. It was his offense that the Packers 128 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: were implementing and transitioning to this year, and I thought 129 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: it was interesting and that he he came right out 130 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: and said the whole up tempo thing, which a lot 131 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: of fans were wondering, like where is it. Why aren't 132 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: the Packers going to a huddle and playing faster and 133 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: all that? He said, Hey, that's that's something we didn't 134 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: get to this year. But it sounds like it's a 135 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: pretty high priority for that he wants to have. Now 136 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: it's not going to be, you know, the track meet 137 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: sixty minutes a game or whatever, but he wants to 138 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: have a segment of the offense that's there for them 139 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: to be able to go up tempo, to play faster 140 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: when it's not just a two minute situation, but as 141 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: a change of pace at other times in the game. 142 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: It sounds like that's something he really wants to work on. 143 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: With Aaron Rodgers here heading into twenties. Yeah, because I 144 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: wouldn't go and say that, you know, Kyle Shanahan, what 145 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: they were doing was really quote unquote up tempo in 146 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,559 Speaker 1: most cases. But it was just how they broke the huddle, 147 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: how they got to line a scrimmage, Guys being in 148 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: the right spots, being disciplined, not having to have any miscommunication, um, 149 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: just honing all that in. Kyle Shanahan's in his third 150 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: year now as a head coach that he's been able to, 151 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: you know, really work those things out. But for Green Bay, 152 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: as the floor talked about it, it's not always just 153 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: one or the other. You don't want to just always 154 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: be up tempo because then you know you're you're you 155 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: might you know, speed yourself out of things. You also 156 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: don't want to be down to two and three seconds 157 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: on a play clock because then that's when the defense 158 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: starts to get dependant's ears back. There's all these things 159 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: that you have to account for in the course of 160 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: a sixty minute game. And you know, he admitted that's 161 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: something that this offseason, when the coaches break things down 162 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: and when the players get back into the building in 163 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: the spring, being able to you know, maybe take that 164 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: next step hasten that process that that is what his 165 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: vision is for where these things go. Aaron Rodgers is exceptional, 166 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: he said it. I mean the way that he was 167 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: open minded about the way that he approached this new 168 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: offense and in his role in it what was being 169 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: asked to him. But for everybody, it's it's a growing process. 170 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: It's the understanding that this was year one and now 171 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: you go into year two. What can you do to 172 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: make sure that the offense is, you know, adaptable to 173 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: every situation in being able to be multifaceted where you 174 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: really needed to. Yeah, and with with how tough things 175 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: ended out in San Francisco in the NFC Championship game, 176 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: Matt Lafleur had some really pointed words actually in terms 177 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: of questioning just the intensity, the urgency, the effort of 178 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: the players. Just felt like he wasn't seeing the same 179 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: team out there in San Francisco that he saw during 180 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: the regular season. But interestingly, he also said he also 181 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: looked at that excuse me as something to be self reflective. 182 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: That He's like, I need to look at myself and 183 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: find out why my team looked like that. In an 184 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: NFC Championship game. Um, so again, I think you know, 185 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: we're we're we're starting to get a feel after this 186 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: first season now, and we were seeing it earlier as 187 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: well when they hit some bumps in the road with 188 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: the game out in Los Angeles and the first trip 189 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: to San Francisco. Matt Lafleur is a really self reflective 190 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: head coach. His first it seems that his first step 191 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,439 Speaker 1: he he evaluates things, but then his first step in 192 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: trying to figure out what needs to change, it's always 193 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: looking at himself first, and then he'll start to branch 194 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: out and figure out other things. And I just I 195 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: think that's a quality that uh, you know, maybe it's 196 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: something he's born with, maybe being son of a coach, 197 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: whatever whatever it is that has created that in him. 198 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: But not every not every coach has that. Not every 199 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: coach always looks at himself first, or at least publicly 200 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: is going to say like, hey, I'm going to look 201 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 1: at myself first. And I think that's something that that 202 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,599 Speaker 1: Packers fans can As tough as that ending was, I 203 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: think Packers fans can have a lot of confidence in, uh, 204 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: in this head coach in terms of getting to the 205 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: bottom of why this happened and trying to make sure 206 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't happen again. I'll be honest with you, I 207 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: don't know if Mark Murphy and Bryan god Kuntz and 208 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: Rust Ball everybody, when they sat down and talked with 209 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: him through the head coaching process of trying to make 210 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: that higher, if they if they were able to really 211 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: get at the core of the apple there. But I 212 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:01,319 Speaker 1: would argue with you now that we're more than a 213 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: year into this thing, that Matt Lafleur's best quality I 214 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: think as a coach, and what makes him a guy 215 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 1: that think is going to be successful for many, many 216 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: years in this profession is the fact that he he 217 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: leads by example. He asked of himself before before he 218 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: asked from others. I actually think that's that's not really 219 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: an issue just with the NFL. That's an issue in society. 220 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: There's a lot of weak minded people out there, uh, spineless, Uh, 221 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, they just don't have that backbone of you know, billing, 222 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: willing to accept responsibility. They just want to blame other people. 223 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: And it happens a lot in industry. Boss's supervisors always 224 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: wanted to talk down to those beneath them rather understanding 225 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: who's who's the people that are making these decisions and 226 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: how are people responding to the way of which you're leading. 227 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: That that's critical, And I've said it before on the 228 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: show and I've written it an inbox. It doesn't matter 229 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: how good of an X and o's guy you are, 230 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: or even what you're in a person, communication skills are like, 231 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: if you don't have that foundation, it just isn't gonna 232 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: work because everyone's nobody's gonna respect you. And Matt Lafleur 233 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: was very self aware coming into this season that that's 234 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:08,680 Speaker 1: where this has to start, because the fact of the 235 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:10,720 Speaker 1: matter is, Mike, a lot of things went wrong in 236 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight fifteen. For the Packers to have 237 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: the overhaul that they had this past year, they had 238 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: to get better. They had to get better with their coaches, 239 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: they had to get better with the players, they had 240 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: to get better with the scheme, they had to get 241 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: better with the administration. Everybody needed to improve and the 242 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: fact of the matter is they won fourteen games, they 243 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: made a playoff Berth and you listen to guys like 244 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: Mercedes Lewis, Brian Bulagau, Trumon Williams, Mason Crosby, leaders in 245 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: that locker room that have seen so many different versions 246 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: of this Packers team, all appreciative of the tech that 247 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: he took with this roster. That's something that you hang 248 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: your hat on now as you move forward as a 249 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,359 Speaker 1: head coach. Yeah, and when you talk about the potential 250 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: obstacles that say the Packers didn't have to deal with 251 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: in twenty nineteen, that may come up in you know, 252 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: the most significant injuries the Packers had, I would say, 253 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: we're you know, Lane Taylor going down with the iceeps injury, 254 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: but Elton Jenkins was ready as a rookie second on 255 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 1: draft picked to step in and take over and that 256 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: was as as seamless as you could as you could 257 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: ask for. And then Davante Adams missing four games with 258 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: the turf toe injury, and then you know, working his 259 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: way back even when he was back on the field, 260 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: he wasn't totally himself yet for a handful of games there. Um, 261 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: But you know there almost inevitably after a year like 262 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: this one, they're going to be some more injuries that 263 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: Packers are going to have to deal with. And and 264 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: that's where the roster construction and how much experience do 265 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 1: you have in the backups that are going to step in. 266 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: These are all of the conversations that Matt Lafleur and 267 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: Brian gudakun stand the personnel staff are going to have 268 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: in the off season. Another one I'll look at is, 269 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: you know this two thousand nineteen Packers Matt Lafleur as 270 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: a head coach. They haven't had a losing streak. You know. Now, 271 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: that's that says something about again the self reflection and 272 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: the leadership and all these other things that we've been 273 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: talking about, because every time the Packers lost a game, 274 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: they got it turned back around and and you know, 275 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: righted the ship very quickly. But this is the NFL. 276 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: You're probably going to lose a couple of games in 277 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: a row. Here. That's another thing that maybe in is 278 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: something that you know you won't be able to turn 279 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: it around quite so fast. And if you lose a 280 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: couple of games in a row, then how does the 281 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: locker room react? Then what kind of leadership is needed 282 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: to to get things going? These are the kinds of 283 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: things that that are potentially coming down the pike. But 284 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: as I as I said before, it seems that Matt 285 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: Lafleur is not going to be surprised by anything. He's 286 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: he's aware that he didn't face everything in year one 287 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: and uh and I think just that awareness is going 288 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: to serve him well. Heading into YouTube, there's a lot 289 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: to unpack there. Um, what I'll start with is it's 290 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: a chicken or the egg, right in terms of the 291 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: two game not having a losing absolutely, it is interesting 292 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: how the locker room responded to every single one of 293 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: those situations and how they played the following week. Right. 294 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: What happens when the adversity hits the second time, that's 295 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: something every team has to figure out. Will be interesting 296 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: to see if that should happen next year, how the 297 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: Packers will handle that. But the other the two other 298 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: things I want to talk about very briefly here. One, 299 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: Packers certainly just got to figure out what the heck 300 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: happened in California this year, because it's just that that 301 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: that's where it went awry. That was the the three 302 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: long the three longest road trips, the three longest plane 303 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: fights are are are where for whatever reason, things just 304 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: didn't go Yeah, So that that's just that's something I 305 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: think that they're going to be able to put a 306 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: finger on when they reassess here over the next six 307 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: seven weeks, and I'm guessing it'll be something and may 308 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: even be asked when we get back to the combine. 309 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: The other thing is very small, and I'm sure it's 310 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: not gonna be something the floor is gonna want to 311 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: go into, because I know Mike McCarthy certainly didn't. But 312 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: I wonder if the Packers have really this is speculation 313 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: on my standpoint. I wonder if the Packers really have 314 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 1: gotten their finger on the pulse of the GPS system 315 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: and understanding workload management. Uh, you know, knowing when to 316 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: push guys and when not to push guys because you're right, 317 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: turf toe injuries are gonna happen. Um, you know, we 318 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: we saw more injuries seasonating injuries happened in practice than 319 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: we did in the the football field this year. Uh. 320 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: The thing that with happened with Raven Green and the ankle, 321 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 1: you can't really prepare for that. But the soft tissue 322 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: injuries that would be sidelining players for weeks. Uh sometimes 323 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: with Casey Hayward some of these guys, it would wipe 324 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: them out a whole season. Those didn't haunt the Packers 325 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: this year, and a lot of that is rest and 326 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: recovery and preparation. But what I want to say to 327 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: along those lines, because fans are always asking, they've been 328 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: asking for years, like what is the deal with the injuries? 329 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: And you know this and that and why why do 330 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: the Packers always get struck with all these injuries? It 331 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: seems like the list is longer for Green Bay than 332 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: other teams. I'll say this too. Players have to take 333 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: care of their own bodies. There has to be there 334 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: has to be some commitment from within from themselves to 335 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: do what it takes because they can only be given 336 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: so many plans and so many objectives and and this 337 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: and that, and you know, I don't know. I just 338 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: wonder a new head coach coming in, a new coaching 339 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: staff coming in, you get a greater commitment from the 340 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: players to do things on their own when they have 341 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 1: this whole new group of people to impress in order 342 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: to get the playing time in order to get in 343 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: their careers where they want to go. I'm just saying 344 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: I think that's a part of this too. You know, 345 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: he's a great example that as Jire Alexander too. Because 346 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: I was talking with Jyre about that this year because 347 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: of Truman Williams. Truman Williams is the gold standard for 348 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: preserving your body. I mean, whether or not you're a 349 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: pro athlete. I think just is a thirty six, thirty 350 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: seven year old human being. You just got to respect 351 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 1: the way that that he approaches a thing question. And 352 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: Jyre mentioned to me this year when one of our conversations, 353 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: I mean how much he said, like, okay, his rookie year. Yeah, 354 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 1: we got treumon there. That's cool. It's funny. He's like, 355 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: I'm not really sure how much I really took from 356 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,199 Speaker 1: him in terms of him independently going out trying to 357 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,880 Speaker 1: use him as a resource, but seeing him this year 358 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: in his preparation, I mean, Jire started doing yoga this year, 359 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: things that he wasn't doing at least regularly in the 360 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: hask and starts all sixteen games, plays at a high 361 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: level all season long. It's those type of investments that 362 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: players have to make. And it's not when you're thirty six, 363 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: it's when you're twenty two or twenty three too. Uh, 364 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: understanding that you get you tear your hamstring, you have 365 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: a soft tissue injury that doesn't just heal like where 366 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: it's like, Okay, you never have to deal with it again. 367 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: That muscle is less now because you tore it the 368 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: first time. It's only going to recover to a certain extent. 369 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,159 Speaker 1: The more you preserve yourself, the better it's gonna be 370 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 1: you for the long run. Injuries happen, though, they will happen. 371 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,679 Speaker 1: I mean, there's certain things that Nick Perry dealt with 372 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: in Green Bay. He just was snake bitten by it. 373 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 1: He just he there's nothing he could have prepared for 374 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 1: to break his thumb or like, you know, to broken 375 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,239 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, that's that's the stuff. I mean 376 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: when you're talking about when you're talking about things like 377 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: broken bones, concussions, those types of injuries, those fall in 378 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: a completely different category than you know, the pulled hamstring, 379 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: the groin muscle, the calf muscle, I mean, all all 380 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: of those kinds of things. Those are completely different categories. 381 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: And and yeah, the Packers were a healthy team in 382 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, and for the most part they took advantage 383 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: of it. Unfortunately, you know, they wanted to win at 384 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: least one more game. Yeah, So getting back to my 385 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: original point and all this much like We're going to 386 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: see how the Packers respond to adversity next year with 387 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: this locker room scene, if they can keep this up, 388 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: and seeing if they can keep that trend because the 389 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 1: outside looking in and nobody ever wants to talk about 390 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: because one you don't want to give away any secrets 391 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 1: and two you don't want to jinx yourself. But there 392 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 1: the Packers were exceedingly healthy this year and it helped 393 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: in terms of how this team was built and how 394 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: they were able to build throughout the course of the season. Yeah, well, 395 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: we will not most likely here from Matt Lafleur until 396 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: the NFL scouting combine, um, so may not have too 397 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: much to to unpack between now and then, but we 398 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: shall see. And we are going to hear from general 399 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 1: manager Brian Gouda Kunst on Friday this week, So on 400 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,199 Speaker 1: Friday show we will try to analyze and dissect what 401 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: he has to say. Yeah, it's gonna be great. I'm 402 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: I think it's just gonna be really fun because you know, 403 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: Brian has been accessible, but he doesn't have like weekly 404 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: and daily press conferences like Matt does. So just seeing 405 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: what his impressions were of this roster and where they 406 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: got to and what he learned from this season. One 407 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: thing is just I've loved since the day he walked 408 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: into the door, at least in terms of the new 409 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: GM role. Is that he he stated that was January seven, 410 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: two thousand and eighteen or whatever it was, he stated 411 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: they were going to leave no stone on turn with 412 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: free agency. They're going to be in every conversation they did. 413 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: That that's would enabled them to get not one but 414 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 1: two Smiths last year. Uh. You look at them being 415 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 1: able to claim Jared Valdere and Tyler Irvin and finding 416 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: some of the answers they did during the season, which 417 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: is the most difficult time to be able to put 418 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 1: a band aid on things. It was a fantastic year 419 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 1: for Brian Goodkins in a great opportunity now for him 420 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: going into year two with expediting this whole process to 421 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: continue to try to fill some holes there to get 422 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: that team back to a Super Bowl. Yeah. I'll look 423 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: forward to that conversation on Friday, but for now, we're 424 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: going to call it a wrap on this edition of 425 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: Packers Unscripted. Be sure to continue following all of our 426 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: coverage of the team on Packers dot com. You can 427 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: subscribe to us, like us on iTunes and other podcast services, 428 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 1: and there's all kinds of great video content out there 429 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: on the Packers YouTube channel for WES, I'm Mike. Thanks 430 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: for tuning in, everybody, See you next time.