WEBVTT - #481 Packers Unscripted: Snowy success 0:00:01.240 --> 0:00:20.800 Hi, everybody. Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:24.200 I am Mike Spofford, sitting next to my trusted colleague 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:26.720 West Hodkuwitz. Were coming to you here from our studios 0:00:26.720 --> 0:00:29.400 at lambeau Field. We are back from New Jersey, a 0:00:29.520 --> 0:00:34.360 snowy and rainy New Jersey. About that fresh off at 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:38.440 victory for the Packers over the Giants, one of those 0:00:39.000 --> 0:00:42.279 December football games that was fun to watch. I'm sure 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:44.199 it was a little bit fun to play in, but 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:47.840 also somewhat difficult to play and it was a challenging 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:51.080 weather day in East brother first, so this was really interesting. Afterwards, 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:53.760 Tremont Williams was talking with the media and he mentioned 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:56.240 for him, you know, thirty six years old, however long 0:00:56.280 --> 0:00:58.320 he's playing this league now, he'd never been a part 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:00.400 of a game quite like that. In terms of you 0:01:00.440 --> 0:01:02.600 and I were doing the periscope before the game. It's 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.640 sort of like hailing on us. It was rain, to hail, 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:07.880 back to rain, to snow, and then it ended in rain. 0:01:07.959 --> 0:01:10.640 As we were leaving the stadium, it was like, yeah, 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:13.200 it was pouring in Jersey as week as we were 0:01:13.200 --> 0:01:15.200 getting on the buses to go to the airport. But 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:17.680 it was also you know, it's a unique playing surface 0:01:17.720 --> 0:01:19.920 though too right, because it's a turf field that it's 0:01:19.920 --> 0:01:23.360 an outdoor turf field, so unlike Lambeau Field, if there's 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:25.600 snow that falls, it just stays there. They have to 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:29.000 shovel it off. And I mean, I actually got to 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.040 be thankful that they didn't get more snow because then 0:01:31.080 --> 0:01:34.240 they would have really had problems. Um, but yeah, take 0:01:34.280 --> 0:01:36.920 that all away. A very fun game to watch in 0:01:37.040 --> 0:01:40.039 terms of adding an additional element to it to kind 0:01:40.040 --> 0:01:43.759 of ramp up some of the excitement. Well, it wasn't 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:46.440 the prettiest victory by any means for the Packers, and 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:48.960 it was tight for a while. It was seventeen to 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:53.400 thirteen late into the third quarter, but the Packers got 0:01:53.440 --> 0:01:56.760 the drive that they needed and uh, as I wrote 0:01:56.800 --> 0:01:59.720 about in my postgame editorial on the plane coming back, 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:02.320 it's a little bit of Aaron Rodgers magic that the 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:06.080 Packers needed to get that touched on drive seventeen to thirteen, 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:10.359 you need a fourth and ten conversion to Geronimo Allison 0:02:10.400 --> 0:02:13.799 with Marcus Golden bearing down on Aaron Rodgers, he gets 0:02:13.840 --> 0:02:16.280 to pass away for the completion and the first down 0:02:16.760 --> 0:02:19.600 and then a first and goal at the one turns 0:02:19.639 --> 0:02:23.000 into third and goal from the seventeen after a couple 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:25.720 of tackles for loss and a penalty in there, and 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:29.000 Aaron Rodgers catches the Giants with twelve men on the field, 0:02:29.040 --> 0:02:32.160 catches him in a substitution, gets the free play. Davante 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:35.359 Adams is open in the end zone, touchdown, and the 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:37.280 Packers are back up by two scores, and they were 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:39.280 in control the rest of the way. So this is 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:41.400 what you know. Sometimes we'll sit here and we'll talk 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:43.960 about an incredible throw. Aaron Rodgers made you think of 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.160 the Aaron Jones one earlier this season. You think of 0:02:46.280 --> 0:02:49.239 Jake Kumero along the sideline, You think of all these 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:54.000 different moments that he's had. The reason that Geronimo Allison 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:55.600 place stands out to me, though it's not like he 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:59.480 made the world's greatest throw, but his vision and his 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:02.400 ability to see Allison come open in the middle of 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:06.240 the field a critical fourth and tent situation. The Packers 0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:09.160 they actually were pretty good on third downs, and it 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:11.960 was because, you know, in some cases they did have 0:03:12.000 --> 0:03:15.040 favorable down and distance. In other cases, Aaron Rodgers just 0:03:15.080 --> 0:03:18.280 made it work. Uh. I think one of the DeVante 0:03:18.400 --> 0:03:20.280 catches was in that they converted on a couple of 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:24.440 defensive pass interference penalties. But with the running game kind 0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:26.840 of being held in check against the Giants, and the Giants, 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:29.600 if you watched the way those inside linebackers are playing, 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:32.040 they were selling out to stop the run, especially up 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:36.200 the middle. Yeah, that defensive front came as advertised against 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:38.720 the run. They shut down the run, but they didn't 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:42.720 get a whole lot of pressure on Rogers, and Rogers 0:03:42.760 --> 0:03:45.080 was very well protected. The offensive line had a really 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:47.400 good day in past protection, but they did struggle to 0:03:48.040 --> 0:03:49.880 generate some things up front and the running game. So 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:52.120 if you don't if the running game isn't consistently moving, 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:55.040 the pylon isn't consistently moving the sticks for you, you 0:03:55.080 --> 0:03:56.920 have to be able to throw the ball. And although 0:03:56.920 --> 0:04:00.520 it was not advantageous conditions for that, Rogers made at work. 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:02.960 Al Lazard comes out forty three yard catch right off 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.440 the beginning of the game. In Lazard had two of 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:07.920 those catches in this game, like both in the first quarter, 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.360 the ones where I say I always I call those 0:04:11.440 --> 0:04:15.800 the you verse you catches where there he's completely wide 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:18.760 open It's like the Randall Cobb catch against the Bears 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:22.000 back in thirteen. Yeah, nobody's defending you. There is no 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:25.160 threat of imminent danger from a safety. You just have 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:27.680 to make the play in Lazard did that on the 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:29.760 forty three yarder. He also did on the thirty seven 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:32.920 yard touchdown, ends up resulting in his first hundred yard game. 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:35.720 I am so thankful. If there was anything that I 0:04:35.760 --> 0:04:38.080 was so pleased about with this game, Davante Adams had 0:04:38.120 --> 0:04:41.960 two touchdowns, So we can throw out this terrible narrative about, oh, 0:04:41.960 --> 0:04:46.000 he doesn't have any touchdowns at all. Okay, Davante Adams has. 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:48.480 He has thirty se in his career. Now at this point, 0:04:48.480 --> 0:04:51.720 I mean, he's gonna score touchdowns. Just fill your columns 0:04:51.720 --> 0:04:53.760 the way you need to fill them. But the time's 0:04:53.800 --> 0:04:55.799 gonna end there that that that that's gonna go away. 0:04:56.160 --> 0:04:59.600 Adams played well, Alison made. It was just those two catches, 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.880 but they were credible important the one on fourth and ten, 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:05.479 the one on third and five. The receiver stepped up 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:08.040 and then, certainly, as Roger said after the game, a 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:10.520 meaningful touchdown, a special touchdown, being able to get his 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:14.440 first connection with with Mercedes Lewis and the end zone 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:16.880 his thirty eight different receiver now to catch a touchdown 0:05:16.920 --> 0:05:19.840 from Rogers. They lifted him when they needed to be lifted. Yeah. 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:21.560 I mean, the reason I keep going back to that 0:05:21.720 --> 0:05:24.200 drive that spanned the end of the third beginning of 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:27.040 the fourth quarter is you know, if you don't convert 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:29.760 the fourth and ten to Allison, the Giants are getting 0:05:29.760 --> 0:05:32.720 the ball back at seventeen. If you don't get the 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.080 touchdown on third and goal from the seventeen and you 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:37.840 tack on three, it's still a one score game. It's 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:40.000 twenty to thirteen and the Giants are getting the ball 0:05:40.040 --> 0:05:43.280 back only down by seven. That drive, that drive was 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:48.640 so critical. And then after that the Packers came back defensively. 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:50.800 On the next two possessions back to back, they get 0:05:50.880 --> 0:05:53.960 interceptions of rookie quarterback Daniel Jones the second and third 0:05:54.040 --> 0:05:56.240 picks of the game. Kevin King had one in the 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:59.880 first half. Then Darnell Savage and Tremont Williams get the 0:06:00.000 --> 0:06:03.440 airs in the second half. And I had talked about 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:05.440 this last week West and I don't remember if it 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:07.719 was on this show or on Final Thoughts or which 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:12.520 one of our video productions it was, but now we're 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:16.000 up to four times this season that the Packers defense 0:06:16.160 --> 0:06:19.560 has not generated a turnover in a game. San Francisco 0:06:19.720 --> 0:06:21.920 was the fourth time that had happened, and now all 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:25.280 four times the next game when the Packers have not 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:30.200 had a turnover, they've had multiple takeaways. Defensively, this defense 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:32.440 has its issues. Again. They gave up a few too 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:35.480 many big plays, especially to a rookie quarterback. In my opinion, 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:38.040 they did hold see Kwan Barkley pretty well in check 0:06:38.400 --> 0:06:44.719 given those conditions. But this defense, it's it's there. They're 0:06:44.720 --> 0:06:47.320 a takeaway defense. West, I think, I think you know 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:49.880 they are what they are at this point. And when 0:06:49.920 --> 0:06:52.000 they can make those kinds of plays when they can 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:55.240 force a bad throw from a quarterback with pressure. Packers 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:57.680 didn't get any sacks, but the pressure led to at 0:06:57.760 --> 0:07:00.880 least a couple of those three interceptions. Sure, when they 0:07:00.960 --> 0:07:05.000 can make plays like that, the Packers become a complimentary team. 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:08.160 You know, the defense does it's part, The offense does 0:07:08.240 --> 0:07:11.400 its part when the defense doesn't make those plays, because 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:14.520 they're going to give up plays. They've shown the pattern 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.320 now for a long time. They're going to give up 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:19.200 plays and and some things like that are going to happen. 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:21.800 But if they don't make those plays going the other way, 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.320 then it just all sort of falls on Aaron Rodgers 0:07:24.400 --> 0:07:26.440 and then the Packers are in trouble, right And there's 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.560 a couple of key points to this. The first one 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:32.000 is there have been times in recent weeks where the 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:35.360 Packers could stop drives with an interception. They haven't been 0:07:35.360 --> 0:07:38.280 able to catch those balls where they were inches away 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:41.160 from making a play. Kyler Facral had an opportunity at 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:44.640 a strip sack late in That ball would take like 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:47.960 ninety total yards off of the Giants total if he's 0:07:47.960 --> 0:07:50.400 able to make it, But be that as it may, 0:07:50.520 --> 0:07:53.880 missed it by an eyelash. Kevin King and Darnell Savage 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.280 had again give me interceptions where the ball is thrown 0:07:57.320 --> 0:08:00.840 directly to you. The pressure was in Neil Jones face. 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:03.160 It forces the rookie quarterback into making a mistake, and 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:05.760 they made him. Tremon Williams I tweeted this during the game, 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:09.559 that interception he made. That is is close to those 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:13.600 defensive back pass catching drills that they run during training camp. 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:16.800 You have the two defensive backs going against each other 0:08:17.080 --> 0:08:18.440 and the guy just has to go up and high 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:20.560 point the ball down the sign like Truman Williams did 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:23.520 that to exactly the point that he should have. The 0:08:23.960 --> 0:08:26.640 remark was made afterwards about his leaping ability, his vertical 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:30.600 all of that is still relatively intact for a veteran 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:33.880 defensive back, but Trumon Williams absolutely high pointed it where 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:36.760 he needed to be to get that ball. The three takeaways, 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:38.599 as you said, that is the bread and butter of 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:40.880 Green Bay. You and I. One of our big emphasis 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:42.839 going into this game was being able to take the 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:44.880 ball away against an offense that has given it away 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:47.000 as much as they have this season, a rookie quarterback 0:08:47.040 --> 0:08:50.160 who's had trouble protecting the ball. That's been Daniel Jones's 0:08:50.200 --> 0:08:53.000 biggest problem as a rookie, and he fumbled again one 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:56.640 after they boarded play. And here's the deal, Mike, you 0:08:56.720 --> 0:08:58.640 can flash it back if Marvin wants to bring it 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.320 up by all means go ahead. From final thoughts when 0:09:01.360 --> 0:09:04.360 we talked about this on Friday, the Packers need to stop, 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:07.040 say Kwon Barkley. They mostly did. He did not have 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:09.240 an explosive gain on the on the ground. He only 0:09:09.280 --> 0:09:11.959 averaged four point four carry you'll take that against q 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:14.839 qu especially on a day on a day like that, 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.319 and if you're going to give up yards, okay, be 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:21.640 that as it may, but that makes the common denominator 0:09:21.720 --> 0:09:24.640 in all this takeaways and Aaron Rodgers is not going 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:27.040 to give the ball away. The Packers protected the football 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:29.559 and those elements and the Giants had three of them, 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:31.400 and if you look at the final score and the 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:34.199 way that the passer ratings worked out, that was the difference. Yeah, 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:36.199 that was the difference in the game. I don't want 0:09:36.200 --> 0:09:38.560 to forget here. Were so a little bit sponsor business. 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:43.319 Select Cousin Subs locations are now offering delivery. 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He gets his first career hundred yard game. 0:10:12.320 --> 0:10:14.319 Turns out, I guess I was a week early on 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:17.080 Alan Lazard because coming out of the bye week, if 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:19.559 you recall, I wrote about him on the website, I 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:21.720 talked about him on this show, I talked about him 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:23.680 on Final Thoughts. I called him my player to watch. 0:10:24.080 --> 0:10:26.200 I really felt heading into the bye week that Alan 0:10:26.280 --> 0:10:30.199 Lazard was showing that he he is evolving into the 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:35.320 number two receiver in this offense. And yesterday against the Giants, 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:37.439 it didn't happen for him in San Francisco. I was 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:39.439 a week early in all of my hype for him, 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.440 but he came up with his second really really big 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:47.520 performance of the season. Um and uh against the Giants. 0:10:47.600 --> 0:10:49.840 He was the guy really that that got the Packers 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:53.800 going early and uh. I have to believe after a 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:57.640 performance like that that he the snaps the opportunities he 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:01.400 really is going to merge. I think as as the 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:03.880 number two option behind Davante Adams, as far as the 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.040 wide receivers are considered. Yeah, I agree with you. I'm 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:07.760 just trying to look quickly to see how he played 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:11.120 thirty seven of the sixty seven snaps forty two for Toronto, 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:13.839 Allison and obviously DeVante leading that group with fifty two. 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:16.200 So yeah, he's playing more and more and you want 0:11:16.240 --> 0:11:17.880 to see that just because of what he offers and 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:19.679 what he brings to the table. The thing that I 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:22.839 continue to be completely awe struck by is that this 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:26.120 guy went undrafted. I mean, Iowa State is not the 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:28.600 Iowa State of ten years ago. Remind you he did 0:11:28.679 --> 0:11:30.280 go through some losing years, but he was a part 0:11:30.360 --> 0:11:33.000 of the uptick over there. And you know, there were 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:35.319 so many people that got fixated on his speed and 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:37.280 as I mentioned to you last week, even in San 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:39.560 Francisco on the end a round, he had the second 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:43.760 fastest next gen speed that was timed. Now he's made 0:11:43.760 --> 0:11:45.719 a series of changes with his diet. I think that's 0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:47.800 enabled him to be able to pull that out of himself. 0:11:47.880 --> 0:11:51.120 But six ft five, this is a prototype receiver in 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:53.160 terms of what you want to have in what he 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.120 offers to an offense. And Aaron Rodgers picked up on 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:59.000 that really early in camp uh when we're all the 0:11:59.080 --> 0:12:01.960 discussion was still on the three rookies from last year 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:04.680 and in Coumero and everybody else, and rightfully so, they 0:12:04.720 --> 0:12:07.760 all had their moments. Alan Lazard was the most consistent 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:11.480 throughout that entire summer and it enabled him to. I mean, 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.840 you gotta remember this guy was cut on final cuts, 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:16.400 but he came right back much like Geran wo Allison 0:12:16.480 --> 0:12:20.160 did in sixteen and has just been, uh, you know, 0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:23.200 a godsend for this offense and and what he's been 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:26.400 asked to do. So I just the thing that stands 0:12:26.440 --> 0:12:28.520 out to me from the very beginning with him is, 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:31.160 and Roger spoke on this two weeks ago, there isn't 0:12:31.160 --> 0:12:33.360 a deer in the headlights thing with him. He doesn't 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:35.160 care that he was undrafted. He doesn't care that he 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:37.040 spent last year on a practice squad, he doesn't care 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:39.599 that he started this year on a practice squad. He 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:42.600 just wants to play football. And if you put him 0:12:42.600 --> 0:12:45.400 in that predicament, if he gets himself open downfield, he's 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:47.719 not going to drop the ball. He is going to 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.199 be up for it. And the amount of big plays 0:12:50.240 --> 0:12:52.679 that he's made this year averaging fifteen yards of catch. 0:12:52.800 --> 0:12:56.680 Right now, Alan Lazard is a problem man, and offenses 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:58.360 are gonna have to start scheming for him because it 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:00.599 isn't just Davante Adams. And Adams said he said this 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:02.880 to guys in the huddle, you know, and I wrote 0:13:02.880 --> 0:13:05.079 about this in the game notes. So many years it 0:13:05.160 --> 0:13:08.199 was Jordy Nelson, Cobb and then Adams or and or 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:12.640 James Jones. Pick your your poison. That the last year, 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:16.600 it's showing that this when this offense is at its maximum, 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:19.400 there are multiple guys that you have to account for 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:21.480 because any of them can step up at a given time. Now, 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:23.760 are you gonna put any of them right now in 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:26.559 the category of Nelson and Cobb. No, But when you 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:29.559 have that many different guys that after that many different skills, 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:32.719 it is what enables you in any given week for 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:35.120 it to be Al Lazard's day. You picked last week. 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:37.240 The main reason you picked last week is because you 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:40.360 can't just dictate and predict that he's gonna play sixty 0:13:40.400 --> 0:13:44.240 snaps and have ten targets. This was Alan Lazard's game. 0:13:44.280 --> 0:13:46.400 It was his chance to make an impact early. He did. 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:48.360 The Packers got the fast start they needed, they got 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:50.880 a three and out on defense, and while it was 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:53.960 tight there for a time, the momentum in this entire 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:56.880 contest was in Green Bay's favor. Yeah, well, Aaron Rodgers 0:13:56.960 --> 0:13:59.760 ends up with four touchdown passes. You do that, you 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:03.360 up pass rating in those kind of conditions that that 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:05.600 that's a heck of a day. The fourth touchdown pass 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:09.480 goes to Marcedes Lewis, the big dog at tight end. 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:12.040 He gets his first touchdown as a member of the Packers. 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:15.600 Aaron Rodgers gets to add another player to his list 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:20.160 of guys on the receiving end of his touchdown passes, 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:23.560 and it sounds like Rogers might have to come up 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:25.680 with another nickname for him, at least at the line 0:14:25.720 --> 0:14:28.960 of scrimmage, because he he called his shot apparently, UM. 0:14:29.080 --> 0:14:31.640 The TV mikes picking up the big dog, big dog 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:35.760 call right before the one yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis, 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:38.840 UM a fun one. Rogers enjoyed it, celebrating it. Heck 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:40.960 of a play by Rogers to actually get that throw 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:44.520 off and make it accurately with with that pass rusher 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:48.120 draped on his shoulder at the time, but it becomes 0:14:48.240 --> 0:14:50.880 the one that caps the scoring for green Bay, puts 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:53.400 him up by three scores and put this one to bed. 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:55.920 You know what's great about that play and really this 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:58.960 entire season from Marcedes Lewis, and this speaks a lot 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:03.640 to Lewis and his character. Mercedes Lewis thirteen years ago 0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:05.960 as a first round pick, and he was a pro 0:15:06.080 --> 0:15:09.160 bowler in two thousand and ten. He's been to the 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:15.320 highs and for guys, it's not always easy. In years eleven, twelve, 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.080 and thirteen, you see a lot of guys just retired 0:15:17.080 --> 0:15:19.800 because they don't want to accept a secondary role. And 0:15:19.920 --> 0:15:22.720 he was close to retire, and he was close, but 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.200 it wasn't because of a lack of production. It was 0:15:25.240 --> 0:15:27.080 just a question in his mind, like, hey, do I 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:29.680 still want to do this? And he did because of 0:15:29.720 --> 0:15:31.520 the idea of team and the fact that he enjoyed 0:15:31.520 --> 0:15:34.160 the relationship he has with Jimmy Graham and Rodgers in 0:15:34.240 --> 0:15:38.440 this offense, for Louis to be willing to accept the 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:40.320 role that he's been in the last two years, and 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.400 you heard Rogers talk about it al Lazard. I was 0:15:42.400 --> 0:15:45.840 asking him about it after the game. It is incredible 0:15:45.960 --> 0:15:48.720 to see the selflessness that's involved with that because he 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.280 knows he's mostly there for blocking. He knows he's mostly 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:54.480 there for type packages. And then there's the external threat 0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:56.680 this year that he can still catch the ball. They've 0:15:56.800 --> 0:15:58.560 used that more and I think that's helped make him 0:15:58.560 --> 0:16:00.440 a little bit less predictable when he's on the field. 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:04.120 The best part about looking back at that play was 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:06.560 just how adamant Rogers was. And you can talk about 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:08.640 the words and you're right, big dog, big dog, big dog, 0:16:08.720 --> 0:16:11.920 that's a giveaway. But once that ball was was was 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:15.000 you know, snapped. Does that not remind you of like 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:17.960 the kid in school that's like, I gotta get the 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:22.000 ball to my buddy over the the hop and the 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:24.840 skip and everything else. In Rogers that was just I mean, 0:16:24.880 --> 0:16:27.200 he's dipping his shoulder trying to stay elude the rush. 0:16:27.560 --> 0:16:30.640 He was getting that ball to Mercedes Lewis. They're able 0:16:30.680 --> 0:16:32.560 to connect on it. And as Rogers talked about it 0:16:32.560 --> 0:16:34.840 and Lewis talked about it too, this goes beyond football 0:16:34.880 --> 0:16:37.160 for those two. You don't see a lot of the 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:39.640 impact that Mercedes Lewis has had on this locker room. 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:42.200 A lot of it is within those doors. But this 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:45.280 is a beloved player. He's an emotional he's a verbal leader, 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:50.000 a vocal leader. And there's a reason why Lewis plays 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:52.160 as much as he does, the accountability that he has 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:54.760 and just being able to make the impact that he's 0:16:54.760 --> 0:16:57.000 had in a very short time here in Green Bay. Yeah, Well, 0:16:57.080 --> 0:16:59.720 with the wind, the Packers get to nine and three, 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:03.720 they temporarily move into sole possession of first place in 0:17:03.760 --> 0:17:06.200 the NFC North the Minnesota Vikings at eight and three. 0:17:06.240 --> 0:17:10.800 They're playing Monday night football in Seattle. So we'll talk 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.680 about the whole picture and where things stand and all 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:17.040 the other results from week thirteen in the NFL on 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:20.560 tomorrow's show, because then the Seahawks Vikings game will be 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:22.520 in the bank and we'll we'll really have a sense 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:26.439 of where everything is. So we'll delay that discussion for tomorrow, 0:17:26.520 --> 0:17:29.840 but before we go today, we definitely do need to 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:34.840 talk about Packers kicker Mason Crosby and the game that 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:40.280 he had. Finding out on Friday morning, I believe it 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:45.840 was that his sister in law, Brittany, his brother Reese's wife, 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:51.760 passed away after a battle with ovarian cancer. And um, 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:55.680 you wrote a story on this, a great story on 0:17:55.760 --> 0:17:58.760 our website a while back west as Um, the Crosby's 0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:03.040 were going through this and Mason Crosby's wife, Molly also 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:08.719 had a medical situation UM this past summer as well. UM, 0:18:09.640 --> 0:18:12.360 this is this has been this has been some year 0:18:13.000 --> 0:18:16.840 in the Crosby family and uh boy, for for Mason 0:18:16.960 --> 0:18:19.520 to go out and do what he did on Sunday afternoon, 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:24.200 making making all of his kicks, including a big forty 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:26.400 seven yard or when actually the snow was at its 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:29.040 worst at that point, and he drills that forty seven 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:32.240 yard field goal when uh, to give the Packers three 0:18:32.320 --> 0:18:34.879 points there in the first half. Just a just a 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:39.080 tremendous effort by a veteran kicker, the franchises all time 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:43.040 leading score and one of the most respected and beloved 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.399 players in that locker room. Yeah. First off, I mean, 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:48.080 you gotta hit your captain, Mason. So they find out 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:50.800 about this on Friday morning, him and Molly and his family. 0:18:50.840 --> 0:18:54.880 They fly down to Austin, Texas, get to Georgetown where 0:18:55.320 --> 0:18:58.400 you know recent and they're all from where Brittany was. Yeah, 0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:01.360 that's that's uh, that's Mason Crosby's hometown for those who 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:04.399 don't know, Georgetown, Texas. So he goes down there, he 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:07.560 spends the day with them, He flies in on Saturday 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:13.320 to New York, does his whole pregame preparation and then, um, 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:17.520 I mean it's incredible you look at it for him 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:19.040 to step up the way he has and he's done 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:21.399 it before. But you know, he said he's having a 0:19:21.480 --> 0:19:23.960 career year in spite of everything that happened with Molly 0:19:24.080 --> 0:19:26.119 during training camp. He's in a battle with Sam Ficken 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:29.320 for the kicking job. She undergoes surgery. At the end 0:19:29.400 --> 0:19:32.840 of August. When she has a surgery, Reese and Brittany 0:19:32.920 --> 0:19:35.600 come up to spend the week with her, while Mason 0:19:35.680 --> 0:19:37.840 is getting ready for the first, you know, game of 0:19:37.920 --> 0:19:40.240 the year and finding out if he still has his 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:46.200 job with the Packers, and for him to do what 0:19:46.400 --> 0:19:49.920 he's done. I think it speaks volumes about Mason. I 0:19:49.960 --> 0:19:53.879 think it speaks volumees about their family. And you know, 0:19:55.280 --> 0:19:57.280 if you were introduced to brittany story at all, and 0:19:57.359 --> 0:19:58.920 it doesn't matter if you read my story, if you 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.000 read Matt Sneidman's, Rob Amowsky's, Tom Silverstein, a number of 0:20:03.080 --> 0:20:07.480 people have covered this topic, you are being welcomed into 0:20:08.520 --> 0:20:13.000 the world of a truly amazing person. And I wrote 0:20:13.520 --> 0:20:18.000