WEBVTT - #451 Packers Unscripted: The lowdown on Motown 0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:20.560 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:23.880 I am Mike Spofford. He is Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming 0:00:23.880 --> 0:00:26.920 to you here from our studios at lambeau Field as 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:31.520 the Packers West begin preparing for Monday Night football at 0:00:31.600 --> 0:00:35.800 lambeau Field, coming up against the Detroit Lions. Now, the 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:37.600 week is all kind of screwed up. I'm not even 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:40.320 sure what day it is. We've had a different schedule 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:43.400 with Packers Unscripted this week. But I think it's time 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:47.320 to talk about the opponents. So let's focus this episode 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:50.280 on the Detroit Lions, who are to one and one. 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:55.920 They've played one fewer game then the Packers coming off 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:59.640 their bye week now, and I don't know what you think. 0:00:59.680 --> 0:01:02.800 To me, the Detroit Lions in twenty nineteen are the 0:01:02.880 --> 0:01:07.679 quintessential NFL team in that you look at their record, 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:11.480 you look at their games, they could very easily be 0:01:11.640 --> 0:01:15.240 four and oh. They also very easily could be oh 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:19.360 and four. I mean they've they've played close, tight football 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:22.000 games all the way along. They blew a lead and 0:01:22.040 --> 0:01:25.240 got a tie, they caught a couple of breaks to 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:27.640 win a couple of close games. Then they had some 0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:30.959 breaks go against them in losing a close game at 0:01:31.000 --> 0:01:33.720 home to a good Kansas City team. The bottom line 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:35.880 is there to one and one after four games, and 0:01:35.920 --> 0:01:37.839 they are right in the mix in the NFC North 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:40.280 and this is a big division game here coming up 0:01:40.280 --> 0:01:41.920 at Lambo. Yeah. It's a great point you make, Mike. 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:43.960 It's similar to my fantasy football team right now. I 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:46.640 could be four and one, but instead I'm two and 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:50.640 three because I lost by one or point zero point 0:01:50.680 --> 0:01:52.680 one two weeks ago, and then I lost by seven 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:55.200 rushing yards last week. We could talk about that on 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:58.080 a different episode. But the end of the day, this 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:00.520 is what the league's all about. Though, right before, Oh, 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:03.520 you could be going for split the difference or two 0:02:03.520 --> 0:02:06.360 one and one. Here's the thing where I'm kind of 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:10.560 torn on Detroit right now because when you cover the 0:02:10.680 --> 0:02:13.000 NFL long enough, and you probably got to this point 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:15.240 three or four years ago, when when looking at the Lions, 0:02:16.480 --> 0:02:19.560 it seems like there's been so many like resurgences of 0:02:19.639 --> 0:02:23.040 the Lions and it doesn't stick. It's you know, it's 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:25.280 the roller coaster. Yeah, well, I think that's part of it. 0:02:25.320 --> 0:02:28.880 They the years that they have made the postseason, they 0:02:28.880 --> 0:02:31.360 haven't been able to win a postseason game and really 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.040 establish anything, and then the next year they can't get 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:36.000 back to the playoffs to try to build on what 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.400 they did. So you're right, it is it is an 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:41.600 instance of Okay, here come the Lions, but then it's 0:02:41.639 --> 0:02:44.720 it's one good year and then they're kind of retooling again. 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:46.280 So as much as I want to say, you know, 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:48.799 Daryl Bevil seems to be the right fit for this 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:51.520 team and for Matthew Stafford, I said the same thing 0:02:51.560 --> 0:02:54.880 about Jim Bob Couer when he replaced Lombardi a number 0:02:54.880 --> 0:02:57.000 of years ago. Yeah, that's where things that's where things 0:02:57.040 --> 0:02:59.239 were headed. You thought you thought Couder was going to 0:02:59.320 --> 0:03:01.280 be the guy that to stick around for a while. Yeah. 0:03:01.280 --> 0:03:04.280 So I mean, this is the situation now where I 0:03:04.400 --> 0:03:06.040 just look at it for what it is. They were 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.120 at home against one of the best teams in football 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:10.240 in Kansas City, and they played him tough. They got 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:13.320 Carrie on Johnson going. I think kenned out. Galaday is 0:03:13.360 --> 0:03:16.640 a emerging, you know, star in this league, and he 0:03:16.680 --> 0:03:19.600 seems to have that rapport with Matthew Stafford. Stafford's playing 0:03:19.600 --> 0:03:23.240 well and on schedule, but the biggest thing that's jumping 0:03:23.280 --> 0:03:25.280 off the page is just the way that Detroit's defense 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:27.280 has probably played a little bit better than I expected 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:29.560 them to early on. I mean, they've invested heavily into 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:33.000 their defensive front um, and you know, they're probably the 0:03:33.000 --> 0:03:35.000 sack numbers aren't exactly where they want them to be 0:03:35.080 --> 0:03:37.240 yet with Trey Flowers and some of those players, but 0:03:37.600 --> 0:03:40.760 they can pressure the quarterback in when you look at it, 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:42.960 you know, I wouldn't say their defense is as good 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.360 as as Chicago. I wouldn't say their offense on papers 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:49.080 as good as what Green Bay could potentially be, but 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.080 they're doing just enough of the right things to be 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:53.400 in a position where they're contending here for the top 0:03:53.440 --> 0:03:55.760 of the division. Well, it strikes me as a team 0:03:55.800 --> 0:03:59.920 that is getting comfortable. I'm not sure if that's the 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:03.640 right word, but get getting comfortable, getting accustomed to the 0:04:03.640 --> 0:04:07.200 type of team Matt Patricia wants in his second year 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.440 as the head coach, coming over from the New England Patriots. 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:14.400 And I still say, you know, it starts with Stafford here, 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:16.000 and when you look at what he's done through the 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:18.479 first four games, he's got a triple digit passer rating, 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:22.160 he's he's up over a hundred UM. And the thing 0:04:22.200 --> 0:04:24.640 that sticks out to me when you look at, Okay, 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:28.679 what is their offense doing right, It's that through four games, 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:32.159 Stafford has only been sacked seven times, which would actually 0:04:32.240 --> 0:04:35.479 put him on pace to be sacked the fewest times 0:04:35.480 --> 0:04:38.080 in about the last six years. UM. When you look 0:04:38.120 --> 0:04:40.920 at his career numbers and how things have gone year 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:45.800 by year for the Lions. So nothing overly flashy or 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:50.239 explosive necessarily on offense. I think Kenny Golladay's twelve point 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:53.360 eight yards per catch as their number one wide receiver, 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.720 I think that's a really misleading number going into this 0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:59.560 game against the Packers because with the big plays the 0:04:59.560 --> 0:05:02.760 Packers gave up last week against the Cowboys, and with 0:05:02.960 --> 0:05:06.560 the challenge that Gala Day presents and how Stafford does 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:08.440 like to send him down the field, I think I 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:11.440 think they're going to test the Packers in that respect 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:13.600 on Monday, absolutely, Mike, and they're gonna look at that 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:15.800 film and what Dallas did with Marie Cooper and even 0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:17.839 to some extent, Michael Gallup, and they're gonna want to, 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:20.400 you know, really stress them in that capacity. We're gonna 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:22.480 have to see exactly where the week takes them. With 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:24.479 with t J. Hockenson coming on the bye week, he 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:27.520 appears to be okay, you know, after having a you know, 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:30.760 pretty scary concussion there right before in that game against 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:33.479 Kansas City, So seeing exactly you know what his you know, 0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:36.360 potential impact could be. And they also signed Jesse James 0:05:36.400 --> 0:05:38.039 in the off season, so I mean that's another guy 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:41.640 too that they've built up their resources and their weapons 0:05:42.040 --> 0:05:44.800 for Matthew Stafford, and Stafford I think is having a 0:05:44.800 --> 0:05:46.479 good time with it. Marvin Jones has been there for 0:05:46.480 --> 0:05:48.800 a number of years now. Um you look at you know, 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:52.120 Dan Danny Amondola coming in here. You know, Bob Quinn 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:54.799 has sort of had you know that bringing a few 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.279 patriots here and there that they feel like fit the 0:05:57.760 --> 0:06:00.240 you know, fit the void, and you know, well, we'll 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:02.760 see exactly where that takes him. The thing I'm curious 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:06.040 to see though, is that with Green Bay's defense kind 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:07.960 of stepping up to the challenge with Zeke Elliott and 0:06:08.000 --> 0:06:10.279 Zeke's you know, yards per carry were still pretty decent. 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:12.719 You know, they got out of their rhythm because they're 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:14.160 playing from behind, but you know, for the most part, 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:16.680 they didn't give any big runs up to Zeke Elliott. Well, 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:19.720 now you're taking on, you know, Carrie on Johnson, who 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:22.520 even though he had a hundred and thirties some yards 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:24.280 last week, that was as much as he had had 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:26.000 the first three games of the season. They had a 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.440 really difficult time. I think. I think he's only averaging 0:06:29.520 --> 0:06:32.040 like three point four yards to carry on the season 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:36.159 so far, which is definitely down there expecting more. And 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:38.839 I'm sure from their perspective, what he was able to 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:42.120 do against the Chiefs is maybe the breakout moment that 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:44.000 that they've been expecting for well, and I think that's 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:45.320 one of the reasons they were able to stay up 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.200 in that game for as long as they did, is that, 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.680 you know, he had his longest carrying that matchup was 0:06:49.680 --> 0:06:52.120 fourteen yards, which I think, yeah, that's as longest to 0:06:52.200 --> 0:06:54.279 the season at this point. So they were just able 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:56.400 to consistently move the chains and then got enough big 0:06:56.440 --> 0:06:59.080 plays from their receivers in the red zone to make 0:06:59.120 --> 0:07:01.760 that a really compelled, editive game in which they almost won. 0:07:02.480 --> 0:07:04.839 But let's be real, Mike, I mean, Carrie on Johnson, 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:07.120 the reason that they have dedicated themselves to him and 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:08.880 the run game is they have a vision for where 0:07:08.920 --> 0:07:11.920 they want to take that thing. It's been decades now 0:07:11.960 --> 0:07:14.120 where you know, the lines just have not been able 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:16.040 to find a consistent run game. They feel like this 0:07:16.120 --> 0:07:18.480 is the guy that could potentially get them there. But 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:20.800 you know, as well as that offensive line has done, 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:23.160 you know, with the pass and you know where their 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:26.600 weapons are there, Um, it's still been tough sledding for 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:28.720 them with the with getting the rushing offense going and 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:30.800 seeing how the Packers, you know, we're trying to change 0:07:30.840 --> 0:07:33.400 their fortunes a little bit in that capacity are able 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:34.760 to do so in this game is gonna be something 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:36.880 to watch. Yeah, Well, when you look at the Lions 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:40.600 through the first four games, they're just the style of games, 0:07:40.640 --> 0:07:44.000 the way their games have gone. They've been these games 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:48.360 with wild swings of momentum, um turnovers back and forth. 0:07:48.440 --> 0:07:50.320 I know was a big part of the Kansas City 0:07:50.360 --> 0:07:53.920 Chiefs game, the fumble that was returned a hundred yards 0:07:53.960 --> 0:07:56.120 for a touchdown when most of the players on the 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:58.800 field thought the play was dead and the Chiefs end 0:07:58.840 --> 0:08:01.880 up getting a huge play there. The Lions ran a 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:04.320 kickoff back a hundred yards for a touchdown against the 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:07.200 Philadelphia Eagles. That was a big momentum shift in that game. 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:10.080 The Chargers when they played them back in Week two, 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:12.360 they were missing their kicker. They were trying their punter 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:15.040 on field goals. He missed a couple of kicks and 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:17.120 then the Chargers had to go for a fourth down 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.680 late in the game. They've had, they've just had a 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:22.880 lot of kind of weird, crazy things that have happened 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:26.880 throughout their games. And you know, they've had their bye week. 0:08:26.920 --> 0:08:29.920 Now they kind of they kind of get their opportunity 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:33.480 to reset and get geared up for a division game 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:37.240 on the road at lambeau Field, a place that for 0:08:37.280 --> 0:08:40.560 about a quarter century they couldn't win in the state 0:08:40.559 --> 0:08:43.440 of Wisconsin. But the last couple of years now some 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:46.360 of the games with Aaron Rodgers being out for different reasons. 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:48.680 But over the last couple of years, the Lions have 0:08:48.760 --> 0:08:51.240 turned the tide in this rivalry and they they've they've 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.280 kind of owned Green Bay for the last few seasons. 0:08:53.320 --> 0:08:55.520 Matt Patricia hasn't lost to the Packers yet. He's four 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.400 and oh went into this matchup really quickly. I want 0:08:58.400 --> 0:08:59.680 to touch on this because I don't know we're gonna 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:01.240 get a chance to pivot back to a Jamal egg 0:09:01.240 --> 0:09:03.480 New is one of the top returners in this league. 0:09:03.520 --> 0:09:05.520 When you talked about the kickoff return that he had, 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:08.280 Packers have had problems and kickoff coverage right now, I mean, 0:09:08.440 --> 0:09:10.720 make Mason Crosby making sure that they can pin them 0:09:10.760 --> 0:09:13.200 back as much as they can. It's gonna be critical 0:09:13.240 --> 0:09:15.280 in this one, but that's what I kind of respect 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:18.080 about what Patricia has done. I mean, I think one 0:09:18.080 --> 0:09:19.760 of the reasons why we talked about the ebb and 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:22.320 flow that the lines have kind of experienced over the years. 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:24.640 They just haven't been good enough in all three phases. 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:26.960 I mean, you look at the you know, the Jim Schwartzerer, 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:29.240 they just weren't disciplined enough. They had really good offensive 0:09:29.240 --> 0:09:32.200 football schemes. Calvin Johnson was at the peak of his powers, 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:34.680 but they just shot themselves in the footway too often. 0:09:35.000 --> 0:09:37.240 And then Jim Calvill comes in and changes the culture. 0:09:37.280 --> 0:09:40.240 But then you just didn't have enough explosivity to that offense. 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.680 And defensively you saw it kind of a road and 0:09:42.720 --> 0:09:45.640 get a little older um and some decisions they had 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:48.199 to make, some things just didn't work out for them. Well. Now, 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:50.240 you're seeing kind of this perfect marriage. I think when 0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:51.920 you look at all three phases, if you can get 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:55.680 Matthew Stafford performing consistently, you know, he has nine touchdowns 0:09:55.679 --> 0:09:59.160 already in four games. He only had twenty one last year. Um, 0:09:59.200 --> 0:10:01.680 he's actually I thought this was really interesting too. You 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:04.600 talked about the triple digits for a pass rating. He's 0:10:04.640 --> 0:10:07.320 never had a triple digit passer rating in his NFL 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:09.920 career for a full season, for a full season, exactly. Yeah, 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:12.600 to actually finish the year with it, so, Um, getting 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.120 him to play at an optimal level and just being 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:17.880 consistent enough in defense and special teams, that's what's gonna 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:20.120 make this thing a really interesting race to follow in 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:23.640 the NFC North because I think you legitimately have four 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:27.439 good teams, but not everybody can make the playoffs, and 0:10:27.559 --> 0:10:29.920 not everybody can even have a winning record sometimes. So 0:10:30.520 --> 0:10:32.440 this matchup for the Packers and a lot of players 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:34.559 were asked about it in the locker room on Tuesday. 0:10:34.679 --> 0:10:36.960 To start a season three and oh, to go through 0:10:36.960 --> 0:10:38.720 the quick slate and get a win over every team 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:40.240 in the division right off the bat in the first 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:42.640 six weeks, that is exactly how you draw it. Up 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:46.120 when you're trying to put together a playoff type team 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:48.440 that can really contend going into January. Yeah. I mean, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:50.920 when you look at it from the big picture perspective, 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:54.600 you have to hold serve at home against your division opponents. 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:56.360 I mean, right now, what is the difference in the 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:59.160 NFC North the fact that the Packers won on the 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:02.679 road at Soldier Field. It was back in Week one, 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:04.560 but right now, when you look at the first five 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:06.920 weeks of the season, that's the game that has tipped 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:09.600 the balance in favor of Green Bay. The Packers can't 0:11:09.600 --> 0:11:12.440 give up that advantage now by losing a division game 0:11:12.520 --> 0:11:15.800 at home. This is a huge opportunity for the Lions obviously, 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:17.920 to try to tilt things in their direction. And I 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:19.679 want to mention this too because last week we we 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:21.720 sort of one of the big narratives for that is, Okay, 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:24.560 the Dallas clubs haven't really played anybody. You know, they 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:26.240 have a good record, but you know when they had 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:28.280 their first big tests against New Orleans, that an't rise 0:11:28.320 --> 0:11:31.600 to the occasion. Detroit has played good football teams and 0:11:31.640 --> 0:11:33.400 there to one and one on the other side of it. 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:35.400 I mean, you don't do that by accident. The performance 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.040 they had against Philadelphia, being able to find a way 0:11:38.080 --> 0:11:41.400 to win that football game. I thought they really, especially 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:44.319 in my particular case, raised a lot of eyebrows when 0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:46.679 they came out and they picked apart of you know, 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:48.760 Chargers team, I think a lot of people are expecting 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:50.079 to be one of the best in the a f C, 0:11:50.679 --> 0:11:53.080 and they were able to hold serve against them as well. 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:54.800 And then you know, you look at it, you're within 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.640 an eyelash year of you know, that game against Arizona 0:11:57.679 --> 0:11:59.760 where you're up and then you lose it. So it 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.040 just a lot of different aspects to this, which I 0:12:03.040 --> 0:12:04.840 think what makes it a really compelling matchup with the 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:06.520 Lions coming back in here and the Packers trying to 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.439 reverse their fortunes after losing two and straight here now 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:13.680 against Detroit at home. Yeah, with regard to Detroit's defense, 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:18.360 some injuries they're dealing with their Mike Daniels, the former Packer, 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:22.080 he's been on the injured list. I believe Damon Harrison 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:25.880 Snacks Harrison as he's called another guy plugger in the 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:29.360 interior that defensive line. He's not healthy at the moment, 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:33.320 but it sounds like they are getting cornerback Darius slay Back. 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:36.559 I you know, we've talked about him obviously in years 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:38.599 passed on the show. I think Darius Slay is a 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.480 is a premier talent at cornerback in this league. And 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.280 he's called big play Slay for a reason. He's one 0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:48.080 of those guys that even if you feel like maybe 0:12:48.160 --> 0:12:50.160 you're you know, you're getting the best of him here 0:12:50.160 --> 0:12:52.200 and there throughout the course of a game, he can 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:53.760 jump up and make a play on you in the 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:57.400 fourth quarter and and turn the tide. So if Darius 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.320 slay is back for the Lions, that's a huge boost 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:02.480 for that defense. Yeah, he's one of the best in 0:13:02.520 --> 0:13:05.319 the entire league. And the Packers see him twice a year. Um, 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:08.319 we we're shooting this before practice on Thursday, so we'll 0:13:08.360 --> 0:13:10.600 have to see, you know, if Davanta Adams if he 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:12.760 has a chance this week or not, you know, coming 0:13:12.800 --> 0:13:15.360 off of his you know, the the ankle injury, their 0:13:15.360 --> 0:13:17.360 foot injury he's dealing with and some of the other 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.040 things the Packers are working through. But Slay is such 0:13:20.080 --> 0:13:22.400 a you know, he's a he's a great phenomenal player. 0:13:22.400 --> 0:13:24.360 He's really fun to watch and we've been able to 0:13:24.360 --> 0:13:26.200 watch him now for a number of years and see 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:29.040 him and and how he's developed from just a pure 0:13:29.120 --> 0:13:31.360 talent to you know, one of the league's all around 0:13:31.360 --> 0:13:34.439 best cornerbacks. And you know, his role I would even 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:36.040 argue has changed here a little bit in the last 0:13:36.080 --> 0:13:37.560 few years, because for a while, you did have a 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:39.280 lot of veterans there. You think of Glover Quinn, the 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:42.000 number of years that he ended up playing in Detroit, Um, 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:43.640 there were a lot of guys that were the quote 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:46.840 unquote leaders of that defense. We dre Is Slave very 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.480 simply put is now. I think he's twenty eight years old. 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:51.920 He's at the peak of his powers. And you know, 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:55.280 as as much as resources they've did, you know, invested 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:57.600 in that defensive front, trade Flowers is you know, we 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:00.400 talked about Zadarius Smith and Presses Smith. Tradeful hours was 0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:03.640 right up there with being the pre eminent free agent 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:05.800 pass rushers this offseason. Yeah, he was one of the 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:08.839 quick signings exactly last on the market. Didn't last on 0:14:08.880 --> 0:14:11.400 the market for long. Yeah, And with all those resources 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:13.200 they put up front, that's all well and good, and 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:14.800 you know, you need to build, you need to marry 0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:17.840 the two together. But the second area and having Darius 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:19.640 slay Is, you know, it's sort of your go to 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:22.960 there for a shutdown cornerback is really the identity of 0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:25.720 this defense and it continues to be. Well, it's a 0:14:25.760 --> 0:14:28.000 matchup game, West, So I want to ask you before 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:33.160 we go here today, what are the individual matchups Packers 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:36.800 defense versus their offense or vice versa. What are the 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:39.720 matchups that you're looking at that that intrigue you the 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:41.840 most in terms of how they might play out on 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:44.840 the field. Aaron Jones seeing exactly you know, you put 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.920 that on film last week. Two yards of total offense, 0:14:48.400 --> 0:14:52.280 four touchdowns, seven catches, seventy eight yards or whatever. He 0:14:52.560 --> 0:14:55.680 had a career day in so many different ways. I'm 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:57.920 very interested to see what the plan of attack is 0:14:57.960 --> 0:15:00.440 for Detroit and how they defend him. You know, a 0:15:00.480 --> 0:15:03.000 pretty deep, you know, linebacking corps that they have their 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:05.000 you know, Jared Davis is you know, kind of been 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:06.920 the guy in the middle of that defense here the 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.800 last few seasons. Um, you know, if if you leak 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:11.840 him out now and depending on how the Packers want 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:15.440 to attack the middle of the field, that's where you know, 0:15:15.560 --> 0:15:19.360 Aaron Jones, Danny VITALI can be really dynamic, and you know, 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:21.360 you wrote about it this week and we've talked about 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:23.760 it with you know that the tight end position and 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:25.880 some of the production that they're getting there from that 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:28.520 spot now with Marcedes Lewis and Jimmy Graham these last 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:32.080 few weeks. I think as long as Davante Adams, whether 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:33.840 he plays or not, as long as he's dealing with 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:36.480 this foot, you know, turf toe deal, you need to 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:38.440 be able to penetrate the middle of the field and 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:41.680 challenge defenses there. Aaron Jones is a big part of that. 0:15:41.760 --> 0:15:43.040 The tight ends are a big part of it. And 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:47.280 seeing exactly how you know, the Lions try to defend 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.720 that after seeing what basically the Dallas Cowboys did wrong 0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:54.640 with two premier inside linebackers, is going to be I 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:56.960 think one of the biggest keys to victory for either 0:15:57.000 --> 0:15:59.320 one of these teams, depending on who prevails. Yeah, for me, 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:03.720 and an interesting matchup here is Hockinson, the rookie tight 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:07.160 end from Iowa the Lions drafted and with the number 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.720 eight overall pick. And I remember the stats at draft 0:16:10.720 --> 0:16:12.880 time and they're not with me right now, but it 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:14.880 has been a long time since the tight end, if 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:17.520 I recall had been taken that high. I think it's 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:20.240 going back to Jeremy Shocky or yeah, something that somebody has. 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:23.080 Somebody like that. It had been a while, so they 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:26.640 spent a premium draft pick on t J. Hockenson, and 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:29.800 so far they certainly like what they've gotten out of him. 0:16:29.800 --> 0:16:32.680 And I think this is a really interesting match up 0:16:32.720 --> 0:16:36.760 here for the Packers because going back two weeks when 0:16:37.360 --> 0:16:40.000 the Eagles had their running game going and we're kind 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:43.640 of staying ahead of the chains and everything offensively, zach 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:45.920 Ertz was the guy in the passing game who really 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:47.960 hurt the Packers. He was kind of the move the 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:51.760 chains guy. You saw Mike Petton try a bunch of 0:16:51.800 --> 0:16:55.440 different matchups. It wasn't just one guy had responsibility for 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:57.800 Earth's you know, throughout the game. It wasn't with those 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:00.000 kind of you know, match and follow type of things, 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:04.320 which isn't normally what you do with a tight end. 0:17:04.920 --> 0:17:07.280 You know, depending on your package and your personnel on 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:08.840 the field at a given time, you're going to have 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:11.560 different guys matching up with that tight end. And I'm 0:17:11.600 --> 0:17:14.639 curious to see just who is going to be called 0:17:14.720 --> 0:17:18.439 upon at various times to try to contain Hockinson on 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:20.480 Monday night. So a few things to this one, just 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:22.960 to make sure be my own personal budsman here. It 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:25.080 was the highest the tight end been taken since Vernon 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:30.000 Davis thousand six. He was taking six overall. Kellen Winzel 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:32.720 was in two thousand four, also six, and then you 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:34.639 know Eric Ebrint was a guy that they took tenth 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:37.000 overall a number of years ago. That's been a big 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:39.400 position that they've been trying to build up through various 0:17:39.400 --> 0:17:42.240 regimes with the Lions, and it does look as you 0:17:42.320 --> 0:17:44.960 have a good one in Hockinson. This is what's going 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:47.080 to be interesting in terms of how they challenge him, 0:17:47.200 --> 0:17:50.359 right because you have Darnell Savage dealing with his ankle. 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:54.119 So let's say he's either compromise or can't go on 0:17:54.160 --> 0:17:55.679 this one. Well, then there's probably a little bit more 0:17:55.680 --> 0:17:57.680 of an emphasis to have Adrian Aame is playing back 0:17:58.119 --> 0:17:59.800 and maybe not in the box as much as he 0:17:59.800 --> 0:18:01.879 did the last couple of weeks. So then what's the 0:18:01.960 --> 0:18:04.600 chess piece that you move there? I think as long 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:06.639 as the packers are dealing with this, you're gonna be 0:18:06.680 --> 0:18:10.040 seeing them, you know, use more that hybrid dime personnel. 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:12.960 But could a guy like Orn Burke's, now that he's 0:18:13.000 --> 0:18:15.520 back in the rotation, can he help you in coverage 0:18:15.520 --> 0:18:17.680 in that way? Can you use a guy like Josh 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:20.200 Jackson who's been kind of sitting on the bleachers here 0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:23.680 waiting to get an opportunity to get back in there. 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:27.240 Will Redmond has been thrown in there. The Packers invested 0:18:27.680 --> 0:18:30.880 resources to the defensive side of the ball, but they 0:18:30.920 --> 0:18:34.720