WEBVTT - #582 Packers Unscripted: Abrupt ending

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

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<v Speaker 1>Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always

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<v Speaker 1>by my trusted colleague West Hodkowitz. Were coming to you

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<v Speaker 1>here from socially distant locations at lambeau Field and West. Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 1>we are discussing yet another loss in an NFC championship

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<v Speaker 1>game for the Green Bay Packers, this one twenty six

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<v Speaker 1>to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at lambeau Field. And compared

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<v Speaker 1>to the other two that you and I have covered

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<v Speaker 1>together here on with Packers dot Com, I know we

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<v Speaker 1>also both covered the one in Seattle six years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>Um in uh when you had a different job. But um,

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<v Speaker 1>this one, this one hurts. This one, Uh, this one

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<v Speaker 1>really hurts everybody in the organization because it was all

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<v Speaker 1>lined up. The Packers got the first on by the

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<v Speaker 1>only team to get one. They're playing in January at home.

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<v Speaker 1>It's everything that they wanted and the combination of too

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<v Speaker 1>many mistakes early, not quite enough of a comeback late,

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<v Speaker 1>and they come up short once again. Yeah, it was

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<v Speaker 1>really frustrating game on so many levels. And I think

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<v Speaker 1>you can ask anybody in the locker room. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>We heard a lot of guys talk about it after

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<v Speaker 1>the game, just how disappointing this was, because this was

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<v Speaker 1>as as Taylor made and set up for green Bay

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<v Speaker 1>to make a Super Bowl run as any season that

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<v Speaker 1>I've covered, certainly you were there for two thousand ten

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<v Speaker 1>and and also seeing the run in two thousand and seven,

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<v Speaker 1>the last hurrah there Brett Farve. And it's difficult because, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>in fourteen, green Bay got off to a good start.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't finish drives, but they did get off to

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<v Speaker 1>good start, got all those picks off of Russell Wilson.

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<v Speaker 1>But the Seahawks were the lead dog. They were the

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<v Speaker 1>team that was sort of the team to beat, especially

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<v Speaker 1>in that stadium where they had been on a big

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<v Speaker 1>undefeated streaks, so there was sort of that aura around it.

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<v Speaker 1>Six team was run the table was really fun, a

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<v Speaker 1>huge emotional victory against the Dallas Cowboys that got them there.

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<v Speaker 1>But once they got there, they had so many injuries.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, Jordy Nelson playing with a flak jacket on.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, like those it was just a bizarre game

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<v Speaker 1>San Francisco they lost to him earlier in the season.

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<v Speaker 1>They went back pretty much the same recipe really weren't

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<v Speaker 1>in that game. This game, they were in it until

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<v Speaker 1>the bitter end. And that's what makes these losses difficult.

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<v Speaker 1>And the fact that you know, and you and I

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<v Speaker 1>talked about it, Mike, more than we could ever uh

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<v Speaker 1>really describe. They had to play clean football. They didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>They couldn't turn over the football. They need to run

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<v Speaker 1>the football. That there were all these things that needed

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<v Speaker 1>to happen. They need to pressure Tom Brady, and it

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<v Speaker 1>just didn't happen consistently enough. And you know, there's there's

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<v Speaker 1>when you have a loss like this and there's so

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<v Speaker 1>many eyeballs on it, people point to specific coaches and

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<v Speaker 1>specific players and they try to make scapegoats, but the

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<v Speaker 1>reality is the Packers didn't do enough as a football

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<v Speaker 1>team to win this game and unfortunately for them, for

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<v Speaker 1>the fourth straight time falling in an NFC Championship matchup. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think the thing that gets the most frustrating when

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<v Speaker 1>you look at it, and when you look at it

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<v Speaker 1>in the larger context of these last couple of trips

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<v Speaker 1>to the NFC Championship game is in two thousand sixteen,

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<v Speaker 1>when the Atlanta Falcons were the better team, they played

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<v Speaker 1>like it in two thousand and nineteen when the San

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<v Speaker 1>Francisco forty Niners were the better team, they played like it.

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<v Speaker 1>I believe the Green Bay Packers were the better team

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<v Speaker 1>going into Sunday. I think the Packers are a better

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<v Speaker 1>team than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the Packers didn't

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<v Speaker 1>play like it. And you have to play like it

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<v Speaker 1>to do that to to win it. And we had

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<v Speaker 1>talked heading into the postseason West this was all about

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<v Speaker 1>for the Green Bay Packers, this was all about b

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<v Speaker 1>who you are right, And they did that against the

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<v Speaker 1>Los Angeles Ramps because they converted on third down, they

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<v Speaker 1>converted in the red zone, they didn't turn the ball over.

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<v Speaker 1>All of those things. Well, what happened against the Tampa

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<v Speaker 1>Bay Buccaneers gold to go possessions that came up short.

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<v Speaker 1>You had a couple of turnovers that led to fourteen points.

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<v Speaker 1>The other way, they didn't stay balanced on offense. Matt

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<v Speaker 1>Lafleur admitted to getting away from the running game at

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<v Speaker 1>some at some crucial moments, you know in goal to

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<v Speaker 1>go after Jayre Alexander got a couple interceptions that were

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<v Speaker 1>part of the comeback. Just all these things that you

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<v Speaker 1>point to and say, you know, the Packers didn't follow

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<v Speaker 1>the be who you are mantra in in order to

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<v Speaker 1>win the game. And uh and unfortunately that's that's what happens.

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<v Speaker 1>It was looking like they might pull off a miracle

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<v Speaker 1>comeback down to ten early third quarter after the second

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<v Speaker 1>turnover gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers another touchdown. The Packers

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<v Speaker 1>get back within five points three possessions in the fourth quarter,

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<v Speaker 1>two of them down by five, another one down by eight,

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<v Speaker 1>three possessions needing a touchdown, couldn't get it. And uh

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<v Speaker 1>and unfortunately it's the second straight year where where the

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<v Speaker 1>Packers and and Matt Lafleur in his very successful tenure

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<v Speaker 1>here early on as the Green Bay Packers head coach,

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<v Speaker 1>it ends at the same painful stage. Yeah. And it

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<v Speaker 1>was funny to the games in which Tampa Bay won

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<v Speaker 1>this year, it was what fourteen of them or something

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<v Speaker 1>like that, something crazy. Uh. Tom Brady had thrown three

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<v Speaker 1>interceptions in those games. He throws three interceptions in this

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<v Speaker 1>game alone, all in the second half. And if you

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<v Speaker 1>would have told me back to back to back interceptions

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<v Speaker 1>by Amos by jyr Alexander, by jyr Alexander again. Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>and in Green Bay would still come up on the

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<v Speaker 1>losing end. I don't know if I would have believed you,

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<v Speaker 1>But you know, the biggest moment there one they got

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<v Speaker 1>off to a slow start again, um, which was actually

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<v Speaker 1>kind of turned on its head from the first matchup

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<v Speaker 1>with Tampa Bay where they actually got off to pretty

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<v Speaker 1>fast start, but then the second quarter was was a grind.

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<v Speaker 1>And then I mean, ultimately, Mike, you can get takeaways,

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<v Speaker 1>you can get turnovers, but when the Buccaneers get two

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<v Speaker 1>of them and convert those into fourteen points and Green

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<v Speaker 1>Bake gets three and only gets six out of it,

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<v Speaker 1>that ultimately was the difference in this game. And and and

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<v Speaker 1>I tweeted it when they got the ball back with

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<v Speaker 1>too fourteen, I believe it us who are to seventeen

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<v Speaker 1>to go in the in the half, I'm like, well,

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<v Speaker 1>this is their chance to double up, and unfortunately, through

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<v Speaker 1>a series of events there it ends up being the

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<v Speaker 1>Buccaneers who doubled up on them, and and we're able

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<v Speaker 1>to to get that eight team point lead that wasn't insurmountable.

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<v Speaker 1>I was saying that the entire time I saw Aaron

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<v Speaker 1>Eagler mentioned it too. There was a lot of ballgame left.

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<v Speaker 1>There's a lot of time left. There's twenty seven minutes

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<v Speaker 1>left at that point. Uh, and Green Bay did get

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<v Speaker 1>their offense back on the tracks a little bit. But

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<v Speaker 1>with a game like this, it's the NFC title game,

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<v Speaker 1>you're playing a really good competition, regardless of how they

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<v Speaker 1>got there. Uh. Yeah, you can't put yourself in those positions.

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<v Speaker 1>And for good to Green Bay Packers, it was just

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<v Speaker 1>enough of uh, you know, I don't want to not errors,

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<v Speaker 1>but I mean it just it was enough mistakes that

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<v Speaker 1>ultimately lead to them coming up one game short of

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<v Speaker 1>of their ultimate goal. Yeah. I mean, you couldn't ask

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<v Speaker 1>for more of a nightmare sequence than what happened at

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<v Speaker 1>the end of the first half and beginning of the

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<v Speaker 1>second half. As you mentioned, the Packers win the coin

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<v Speaker 1>toss and her because you like to have that opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>to potentially double up, well, it ends up backfiring twice

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<v Speaker 1>on them because the Buccaneers take the opening kickoff, go

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<v Speaker 1>down and score and have a lead. Um. But then

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<v Speaker 1>when you do have the chance to double up on

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<v Speaker 1>either side a halftime it it it burns you both

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<v Speaker 1>ways because Rogers throws an interception. Unfortunately, then the Buccaneers

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<v Speaker 1>hit the touchdown over the top on the last play

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<v Speaker 1>of the first half, than Aaron Jones fumbles and they

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<v Speaker 1>get a goal to ghost situation and they and they

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<v Speaker 1>punch it in. I believe it was only about seventy

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<v Speaker 1>five seconds of clock time between those two touchdowns. And uh.

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<v Speaker 1>And when a team gets fourteen points off of two

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<v Speaker 1>turnovers that quickly and you end up losing the game

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<v Speaker 1>by five, that just that just makes it that much

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<v Speaker 1>harder to swallow. It really does. Yeah, And it's that

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<v Speaker 1>and again getting back to my original premise when we

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<v Speaker 1>open the show, it's it isn't just one specific player.

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<v Speaker 1>All the eyes are gonna be on Scottie Miller's touchdown,

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<v Speaker 1>the ridge that was involved with that, Kevin King being

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<v Speaker 1>in in in coverage against him. But you also think

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<v Speaker 1>about a couple of plays earlier where Will Redman has

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<v Speaker 1>a chance at you know, just a lob ball that

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<v Speaker 1>Brady throws and could have easily been picked off. It

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<v Speaker 1>looked like you see the replay, would have been picked

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<v Speaker 1>off and it goes through his hands. It's that decision

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<v Speaker 1>from the buck side, because there are two teams on

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<v Speaker 1>the field. It's the decision for the Bucks to go

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<v Speaker 1>back to the sideline and decide, you know what, we're

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<v Speaker 1>gonna try for this thing. Um. And then certainly coming

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<v Speaker 1>out of the second half, the hit that Jordan Whitehead

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<v Speaker 1>laid on Aaron Jones legal hit, good hit, Uh, pops

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<v Speaker 1>the ball out. Jones unfortunately gets injured on the play.

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<v Speaker 1>They get the ball at the eight yard line, and

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<v Speaker 1>you just I I just kept going back through my

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<v Speaker 1>head over and over again that it's like that was

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<v Speaker 1>fourteen points. Uh, those two instances in a game in

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<v Speaker 1>which um, the Buccaneers only ended up scoring thirty one.

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<v Speaker 1>So uh again, It's just it's a disappointing end to

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<v Speaker 1>a special year. And I think that's what makes these

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<v Speaker 1>more and more difficult. When you put together a team

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<v Speaker 1>like they did. And obviously there were a lot more

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<v Speaker 1>injuries this year than there were in but you have

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<v Speaker 1>a team that you feel can compete for Super Bowl.

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<v Speaker 1>I know the New Orleans Saints had teams like that

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<v Speaker 1>the past few years, Minnesota Vikings, There's been some good squads,

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<v Speaker 1>but that margin for error, that that thin line of

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<v Speaker 1>greatness is so so thin. And for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a huge opportunity that they have now going up

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<v Speaker 1>against Kansas City for the Super Bowl Championship. Actually, but

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<v Speaker 1>that one too, um serious. X M NFL Radio channel

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<v Speaker 1>is the only radio outlet dedicated to the National Football

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<v Speaker 1>League seven days a week, three d sixty five days

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<v Speaker 1>a year. Um. Well, it wouldn't be a an NFL

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<v Speaker 1>playoff game and a close game without some controversy involved,

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<v Speaker 1>and we're gonna go there. Huh Well, I'll just I'll

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<v Speaker 1>just say there's there's been there's a lot of discussion

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<v Speaker 1>obviously about the past interference call at end when it

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<v Speaker 1>looks like the Packers are going to get a defensive

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<v Speaker 1>stop and Rodgers is maybe going to get another shot

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<v Speaker 1>down by five points, the flag comes out for d

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<v Speaker 1>p I when lots of stuff had been let go

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<v Speaker 1>throughout the course of the game, including on the ball

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<v Speaker 1>that what that Um Murphy bunting for the Buccaneers intercepted

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<v Speaker 1>Um where it looked like he had held Alan Lazard.

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<v Speaker 1>The Bucaneers get an interception which then they turned into

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<v Speaker 1>the Scotty Miller touchdown. So you have all of that,

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<v Speaker 1>you have, um, the discussion about Matt Lafleur's decision on

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<v Speaker 1>fourth and goal to kick the field goal and send

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<v Speaker 1>his defense back out there rather than go for it

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<v Speaker 1>on fourth and eight. There was some miscommunication or I

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<v Speaker 1>should say more of an opportunity an opportunity a lack

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<v Speaker 1>of opportunity to communicate between the quarterback and the head

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<v Speaker 1>coach there, because they were clearly on different pages in

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<v Speaker 1>terms of what the decision was going to be UM

0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:01.720
<v Speaker 1>in that situation. And uh and and you know, Packers

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<v Speaker 1>kind of get caught because yeah, it'd be great to

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<v Speaker 1>call time out and think about it, but then you

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<v Speaker 1>want your time outs for when you go back on defense.

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<v Speaker 1>So all of that, you know, ultimately lead to Packers

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<v Speaker 1>put their defense back on the field, and it looked

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<v Speaker 1>like the strategy was going to work. UM, But then

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<v Speaker 1>the flag comes out. UM. The only other than the

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<v Speaker 1>I believe, other than the helmet shot on Davante Adams,

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<v Speaker 1>that was the only flag on anybody in a defensive

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<v Speaker 1>secondary the entire game. And it comes with it. It

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<v Speaker 1>comes with a minute and a half, a minute and

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<v Speaker 1>a half left in the game. And look, I'm I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not one to say I'm just gonna say this. You

0:11:43.559 --> 0:11:47.040
<v Speaker 1>look at you look at the replay. It was a penalty. UM,

0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:49.240
<v Speaker 1>But it was the type of penalty that hadn't been

0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:51.679
<v Speaker 1>called all game long. And I think that's what makes it,

0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.640
<v Speaker 1>that's what makes it tough from from the Green Bay side.

0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:57.280
<v Speaker 1>And that's why you saw Matt Lafleur as upset as

0:11:57.320 --> 0:11:59.840
<v Speaker 1>he was. That's why you heard what Aaron Rodgers said

0:12:00.000 --> 0:12:02.640
<v Speaker 1>after the game, just just said, Hey, the way the

0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:04.640
<v Speaker 1>game had been, the way the game had been called,

0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:08.560
<v Speaker 1>you know, they were letting them play. But as we

0:12:08.679 --> 0:12:11.400
<v Speaker 1>as we always say, the Packers shouldn't have let it

0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:13.760
<v Speaker 1>come down to that. And uh, and you know, you

0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:16.320
<v Speaker 1>put the game in the referees hands and and you

0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:19.040
<v Speaker 1>just have to you have to take whatever is delivered.

0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:21.600
<v Speaker 1>And the Packers didn't like what was delivered. Yeah, that's

0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:23.040
<v Speaker 1>a good way of putting it, Mike. And and it's

0:12:23.280 --> 0:12:26.400
<v Speaker 1>I hate talking about officiating because there you can't you

0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:29.160
<v Speaker 1>can't win because you know, we're wearing g's and everything.

0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:31.559
<v Speaker 1>We sound like Homer's and you know, and and so

0:12:31.679 --> 0:12:33.400
<v Speaker 1>our grapes and whatnot. But I mean, I can tell

0:12:33.440 --> 0:12:35.400
<v Speaker 1>you it was a poorly officiated game. I can tell

0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:37.520
<v Speaker 1>you that clip Blakman's crew. I don't think at any

0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:39.720
<v Speaker 1>point in that game had any real command over the

0:12:39.720 --> 0:12:43.640
<v Speaker 1>action on the field. UH six to go on the

0:12:43.679 --> 0:12:46.480
<v Speaker 1>third quarter was the first time a flag was thrown

0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:50.120
<v Speaker 1>the Lazard play. Alan did everything right. When he talked

0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:52.640
<v Speaker 1>to the media on Monday, did not say one thing

0:12:52.720 --> 0:12:55.400
<v Speaker 1>I owed about it. I think the closest we came

0:12:55.440 --> 0:12:59.160
<v Speaker 1>to someone actually discussing it was just Kenny Clark saying, well,

0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:01.920
<v Speaker 1>whether you're great with it or don't agree with it,

0:13:01.920 --> 0:13:04.480
<v Speaker 1>it was the call in the field. And then for

0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:07.280
<v Speaker 1>Paul Pleas Lusni or whatever that back judge's name was

0:13:07.559 --> 0:13:15.040
<v Speaker 1>um whatever, Perry Paganelli. Yeah, um, I mean take a picture.

0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:18.280
<v Speaker 1>I'll last longer and it's just way twelve minutes and

0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:20.760
<v Speaker 1>then throw the flag. It is what is. You could

0:13:20.800 --> 0:13:22.160
<v Speaker 1>have made your job a lot easier, You could have

0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:23.720
<v Speaker 1>made everything a lot easier on you if you just

0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:26.640
<v Speaker 1>instantaneously react to it. Was the only flag to this day,

0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:29.319
<v Speaker 1>I still think that was thrown on that play. He

0:13:29.400 --> 0:13:32.439
<v Speaker 1>missed the call earlier in the game. What I felt

0:13:32.520 --> 0:13:34.719
<v Speaker 1>was probably defensive holding on Lazard ends up being a

0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:37.400
<v Speaker 1>pivotal moment because not only does Murphy Bunting get the pick,

0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:40.520
<v Speaker 1>it ultimately is what sets up the past. To Scottie Miller,

0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.720
<v Speaker 1>all that being said, the Green Bay Packers had countless

0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:46.000
<v Speaker 1>opportunities to win this game. They had countless opportunities to

0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:48.840
<v Speaker 1>bounce back from it. They didn't do that. But in

0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:51.840
<v Speaker 1>that juncture, after calling it the way that they did

0:13:51.920 --> 0:13:55.440
<v Speaker 1>the entire game, that is a difficult moment on a

0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:58.520
<v Speaker 1>third down to make the decision that now is the

0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:02.600
<v Speaker 1>time to do my job it. Yeah. Well, and you

0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:04.679
<v Speaker 1>could hear after the game, and not just in the

0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:07.040
<v Speaker 1>comments about the officiating. We can move on from that,

0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:10.960
<v Speaker 1>but whether you're talking about, um, Matt Lafleur's voice, Aaron

0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:16.160
<v Speaker 1>Rodgers voice, the the pain, the disappointment, UM, the shock

0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:18.400
<v Speaker 1>in a lot of ways, not that the Packers, not

0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:21.440
<v Speaker 1>that anybody was assuming, Um, you know, the Packers are

0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:23.120
<v Speaker 1>gonna win the game. They were just gonna, you know,

0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.280
<v Speaker 1>go out there and win because it was at lambeau Field.

0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:27.760
<v Speaker 1>But when you're having the type of season the Packers

0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:30.240
<v Speaker 1>are having and things are falling into place, you are

0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:32.840
<v Speaker 1>planning on winning that game, and you are planning on

0:14:32.960 --> 0:14:36.200
<v Speaker 1>going to the super Bowl, and um, the you know,

0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:39.960
<v Speaker 1>as Rogers said, the suddenness, the abruptness of the ending

0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:42.440
<v Speaker 1>like that. When when that's the mindset that you're in

0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:45.120
<v Speaker 1>and even when you're down eighteen points and you start

0:14:45.200 --> 0:14:48.520
<v Speaker 1>rallying that whole sideline believe they were coming back to

0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.320
<v Speaker 1>win that game. They they believe they had it and

0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.880
<v Speaker 1>they had the opportunities to do it. Um, it's a

0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.320
<v Speaker 1>it's it's difficult, it's gonna make it's gonna make for

0:14:58.360 --> 0:15:01.720
<v Speaker 1>a long off season or for everybody involved, it's going

0:15:01.760 --> 0:15:04.320
<v Speaker 1>to be, you know, scrutinized up one side and down

0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:07.800
<v Speaker 1>the other, just like everything with Seattle was six years ago.

0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:10.920
<v Speaker 1>But um, but at the end of the day, the

0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.360
<v Speaker 1>Packers have had back to back trips to the NFC

0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:15.760
<v Speaker 1>Title Game. There's a lot to hang your hat on there,

0:15:15.880 --> 0:15:19.520
<v Speaker 1>and unfortunately you're just gonna have to keep waiting and

0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:22.400
<v Speaker 1>keep fighting to try to get back to a super Bowl. Yeah,

0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:24.440
<v Speaker 1>no question, And that is the tough thing because it's

0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:26.640
<v Speaker 1>not just exclusive to the Packers. There's a lot of questions.

0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:28.880
<v Speaker 1>I know Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills have had

0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:31.320
<v Speaker 1>an answer this week. It always happens this week this way.

0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.200
<v Speaker 1>I mean, whoever loses in the Super Bowl is going

0:15:33.240 --> 0:15:35.760
<v Speaker 1>to have a lot of questions and lingering things that

0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:38.440
<v Speaker 1>they're gonna have to address. But I'm guessing just listening

0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:40.320
<v Speaker 1>to Matt Lafloor and the hurt and his voice on

0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.240
<v Speaker 1>Sunday night, it really is going to come back to

0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:45.120
<v Speaker 1>not running the ball enough down the stretch. You get

0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.640
<v Speaker 1>the two takeaways, it just leads to three straight passes

0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:51.520
<v Speaker 1>and in two three and notes and then getting down

0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:54.280
<v Speaker 1>to the four you know, between um that to the

0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:57.480
<v Speaker 1>eight yard line. Obviously the decision to go for two

0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:00.400
<v Speaker 1>same Brown not being able to catch that ball, and

0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.880
<v Speaker 1>then maybe that ultimately affected the way they approached the

0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:05.960
<v Speaker 1>end of that drive where they get down to the

0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:07.400
<v Speaker 1>eight yard line. But Mike, you and I have seen

0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:10.000
<v Speaker 1>it so much. We saw it, especially in the Rams

0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:12.600
<v Speaker 1>game when they get inside the tent, how you can

0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:14.760
<v Speaker 1>kind of chip away with the run. Jamal Williams did

0:16:14.760 --> 0:16:16.960
<v Speaker 1>a really solid job of that against the Rams down

0:16:16.960 --> 0:16:19.840
<v Speaker 1>the stretch. Uh, they didn't, they didn't. They didn't go

0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:23.280
<v Speaker 1>that direction here, they went with the passes. It is

0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:26.320
<v Speaker 1>what it is, and ultimately made the decision go for

0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:28.040
<v Speaker 1>the field goal. I think if you saw the statistics

0:16:28.040 --> 0:16:31.360
<v Speaker 1>I've seen a lot of the analysts mentioning, you know,

0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:33.840
<v Speaker 1>might have been ten percent either way in terms of

0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:36.320
<v Speaker 1>win probability there. It's just it's a difficult spot to

0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:38.920
<v Speaker 1>be in. Things will be questioned. But at the end

0:16:38.920 --> 0:16:41.480
<v Speaker 1>of the day, the Green Bay Packers, which just came

0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:44.280
<v Speaker 1>up five points short there of of being able to

0:16:44.760 --> 0:16:48.080
<v Speaker 1>figure out a way to way back down to Tampa. Yeah,

0:16:48.200 --> 0:16:50.240
<v Speaker 1>it's interesting, I think, and I think you and I

0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:52.480
<v Speaker 1>share the same perspective and that you know, we we

0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:55.080
<v Speaker 1>watch everything that goes on with this team. We we

0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:59.400
<v Speaker 1>remember moments and games and and you know, seasons, especially

0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:01.360
<v Speaker 1>when you're in the midst to them. You remember all

0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:04.119
<v Speaker 1>kinds of things inside and out. And you could just

0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:07.679
<v Speaker 1>tell certainly as as that first half was unfolding, and

0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:09.560
<v Speaker 1>certainly the way the first half ended, in the way

0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.919
<v Speaker 1>the second half began, it just felt like this completely

0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:15.400
<v Speaker 1>out of character game for the Green Bay Packers. It's

0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:17.760
<v Speaker 1>like the Packers are not This is not the two

0:17:17.840 --> 0:17:20.960
<v Speaker 1>thousand twenty Packers we're seeing out there. And it can

0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:23.600
<v Speaker 1>happen to anybody at any time. But when you get

0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.200
<v Speaker 1>into that out of character type of game in the playoffs,

0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:28.280
<v Speaker 1>when it's a do or die, you know, win or

0:17:28.280 --> 0:17:32.400
<v Speaker 1>go home situation, it's really really hard to It's it's

0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:36.160
<v Speaker 1>hard to recover from that, and the Packers tried, uh,

0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:38.960
<v Speaker 1>they fought, I mean to to be down eighteen points

0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:43.200
<v Speaker 1>against Tom Brady and intercept three passes and get a

0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:45.960
<v Speaker 1>couple of touchdowns and and keep that a one score

0:17:46.040 --> 0:17:48.439
<v Speaker 1>game throughout the fourth quarter and give yourself a chance.

0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:51.080
<v Speaker 1>It doesn't make it, it doesn't make it any easier,

0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:53.800
<v Speaker 1>but it's it's just an even greater reflection in my

0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:56.840
<v Speaker 1>mind of how out of character so many other things

0:17:56.880 --> 0:17:59.679
<v Speaker 1>were that we're going on. Whether it's whether it is

0:17:59.760 --> 0:18:03.000
<v Speaker 1>a ending run, you know, not staying balanced on offense

0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:05.600
<v Speaker 1>when you know when you're in gold go or when

0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:07.719
<v Speaker 1>you have a when you have a chance to settle

0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:11.399
<v Speaker 1>the game down. Just all of those things that the

0:18:11.440 --> 0:18:14.200
<v Speaker 1>Packers didn't look like the Packers in in a game

0:18:14.280 --> 0:18:16.560
<v Speaker 1>that that you need to be. You need to be

0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:19.320
<v Speaker 1>playing your best, and unfortunately they just they just didn't

0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:21.680
<v Speaker 1>bring their best on Sunday Now, And you feel for

0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:23.359
<v Speaker 1>the guys in the locker room, is is Aaron Rodgers

0:18:23.359 --> 0:18:26.040
<v Speaker 1>said afterwards. You feel for Mercedes Lewis and and these

0:18:26.040 --> 0:18:27.760
<v Speaker 1>guys that were trying to make a run at this thing,

0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:29.320
<v Speaker 1>make a run of the ring, make a run at

0:18:29.320 --> 0:18:31.119
<v Speaker 1>playing in a Super Bowl. I mean even you know

0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:34.000
<v Speaker 1>Corey Linsley mentioned on Monday when he spoke to the media.

0:18:34.040 --> 0:18:36.040
<v Speaker 1>You know, him and David Baktari have talked for six

0:18:36.040 --> 0:18:38.840
<v Speaker 1>seven years now about wanting to to be able to

0:18:38.840 --> 0:18:41.000
<v Speaker 1>go to a Super Bowl together and and be part

0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:45.639
<v Speaker 1>of an offensive line that plays in that environment. And also, uh,

0:18:45.800 --> 0:18:49.879
<v Speaker 1>you do feel for the fan base because Wisconsin sport fans,

0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:52.640
<v Speaker 1>like you've seen a lot of those graphics here, They've

0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:55.480
<v Speaker 1>had a lot of heartache the last ten years, especially

0:18:55.520 --> 0:18:58.600
<v Speaker 1>since the Packers won Super Bowl forty five, and whether

0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:00.920
<v Speaker 1>it was the Brewers, whether it's of Bucks two years ago,

0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:03.880
<v Speaker 1>what there was a Bucks last year, um in the semifinals.

0:19:03.920 --> 0:19:08.800
<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's just it hurts for these moments because

0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:11.920
<v Speaker 1>there's so much emotion involved and it's been building up

0:19:11.960 --> 0:19:15.480
<v Speaker 1>now after a lot of disappointments. So all you can

0:19:15.480 --> 0:19:17.840
<v Speaker 1>do is point to the future, point to the fact

0:19:17.880 --> 0:19:20.880
<v Speaker 1>that on February seven, the sixth, they're going to crown

0:19:20.920 --> 0:19:23.320
<v Speaker 1>a new Super Bowl champion. The seventh, everything swings back

0:19:23.400 --> 0:19:26.840
<v Speaker 1>over and Hope springs eternal and the Green Bay Packers

0:19:26.840 --> 0:19:29.320
<v Speaker 1>will put their best foot forward and trying to finally

0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:32.480
<v Speaker 1>bring that elusive championship back home in this an upcoming season.

0:19:32.720 --> 0:19:37.720
<v Speaker 1>Yeah alrighty well, we'll uh perhaps talk about the Super

0:19:37.720 --> 0:19:40.440
<v Speaker 1>Bowl fifty five matchup on our next show, but for now,

0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:42.320
<v Speaker 1>we're going to call it a wrap on this edition

0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:45.159
<v Speaker 1>of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to continue following all of

0:19:45.200 --> 0:19:48.400
<v Speaker 1>our coverage of the team here on Packers dot com.

0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.200
<v Speaker 1>For Wes, I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody.

0:19:51.280 --> 0:19:52.600
<v Speaker 1>We will see you next time.