WEBVTT - #567 Packers Unscripted: Focus up front 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:14.360 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:14.360 --> 0:00:17.799 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:17.840 --> 0:00:20.959 by my trusted colleague West had Kowitz. I'm coming to 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:23.639 you from our studio at lambeau Field West is across 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:29.120 the hall as we continue our zoom oriented shows here West. 0:00:29.400 --> 0:00:34.040 Sunday afternoon, three pm Central time kickoff, the Philadelphia Eagles 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:37.560 will take on the green Bay Packers at lambeau Field. 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:40.320 Green Bay is eight and three, trying to get to 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:44.800 nine and three at the three quarter pole of the 0:00:45.640 --> 0:00:48.360 regular season. So let's get right into it. What is 0:00:48.400 --> 0:00:50.760 it going to take? What are the keys to victory 0:00:50.840 --> 0:00:53.519 here for green Bay against Philly. Well, I like that 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:55.520 you said three quarter pole. We always do the first 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:57.880 quarter pole, and it seems like we always abandoned it. 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:01.720 I did that just for your benefit. Thank you. I 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:04.520 appreciate that. Um, you know, for the green Bay Packers, 0:01:04.600 --> 0:01:06.560 I look at this matchup a lot. In a lot 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:08.800 of ways, Mike, is very similar to last week's game 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:10.880 against the Chicago Bears and what they need to do 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:15.039 and what has to happen now. The interesting thing about 0:01:15.120 --> 0:01:18.400 Philadelphia is for is up and down as their seasons 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.640 has been. For as many injuries as they've had, specifically 0:01:21.640 --> 0:01:23.280 on the offensive side of the ball and even more 0:01:23.319 --> 0:01:26.720 specifically on the offensive line, they've kind of been in 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.039 the front running spot of the division for most of 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.840 the season. Now they finally fall out of that. So 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:33.920 you can look at the records, you can talk about 0:01:33.920 --> 0:01:35.560 the records in the NFC East. The truth of the 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:39.440 matter is that the standpoint of where we're talking, there's 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:42.880 still very much in the playoff hunts. So I think 0:01:42.920 --> 0:01:45.240 green Bay in this matchup, it really comes down to 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:48.560 again establishing the run, being able to get yards off 0:01:48.600 --> 0:01:51.120 of a Philadelphia defense that is you wrote about, you know, 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.120 has still been playing pretty well this year. Doug Peterson 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:56.640 even mentioned during his conference called with Green Bay media 0:01:56.640 --> 0:01:58.680 on Wednesday that, you know a lot of ways they've 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:00.440 been the ones that have sort of paced this year 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:04.639 when you talk about playing you know, full complete football. Uh, 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:07.000 it has really been that the defense that has set 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:09.480 the tone. But for green Bay, I just thought they 0:02:09.520 --> 0:02:12.040 really set the blueprint last week. You start out fast, 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:14.720 you you'd be efficient with the ball, you protect the football, 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:16.440 you get a couple of takeaways. Greenby has had at 0:02:16.520 --> 0:02:19.200 least one now in the last four games a total. 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:22.600 During that time, Carson Wentz has been turning over the 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:25.920 ball at a pretty prolific rate for two thousand and twenty. 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:28.160 There's so many things in this matchup that I think 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:30.840 all signs point to Green Bay, but you actually have 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:32.440 to go out there and execute that the way they 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.480 did against the Bears in order to take that a reality. Yeah, 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:37.880 it's interesting that you draw the parallel with the Bears 0:02:37.919 --> 0:02:40.799 game because I see that as well from the standpoint 0:02:40.840 --> 0:02:44.359 that this Philadelphia Eagles team has a legit top ten 0:02:44.440 --> 0:02:48.200 defense and the Chicago Bears at last week, the strength 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:50.480 of their team in trying to stay in the playoff 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:53.720 fronto the NFC has been their defense. On the flip side, 0:02:54.320 --> 0:02:57.280 it's an offense that has struggled in Philadelphia. They haven't 0:02:57.280 --> 0:03:00.000 really found their footing. You know, you mentioned the injury 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:03.359 reason on the offensive line. They've also just in terms 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:05.760 of establishing who are the really who are the go 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:09.959 to guys for Carson Wentz um as the quarterback of 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:13.720 this Eagle's offense, they haven't really found that. And you know, 0:03:13.800 --> 0:03:17.200 much like the Bears have been struggling on offense for 0:03:17.240 --> 0:03:20.160 the bulk of the season. When I look at this game, 0:03:20.200 --> 0:03:23.200 I look at a couple of statistics that jump out 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:26.440 at me. One is that Carson Wentz has been sacked 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:29.720 forty six times this year, which leads the NFL. The 0:03:29.800 --> 0:03:33.800 other is that the Philadelphia Eagles defensively have thirty six sacks, 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:37.760 which is tied for second in the NFL. So, as 0:03:37.800 --> 0:03:40.920 I mentioned on our Three Things video yesterday, this game 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:42.840 just kind of kind of jumps out at me from 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:47.040 a matchup perspective, as protect your quarterback, get after the 0:03:47.080 --> 0:03:50.400 other guy's quarterback. That that's what That's what this game, 0:03:50.560 --> 0:03:52.760 you know, kind of screams at you. And you know, 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:55.320 I like the Packers chances in that respect because we've 0:03:55.320 --> 0:03:59.880 seen Green Bay's offensive line handle injuries, position, shuffling, everything 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:03.600 else throughout the course of the season, and Philly's offensive 0:04:03.640 --> 0:04:06.360 line has has not handled that nearly as well. I 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.680 think the Packers have a big edge in the in 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:12.640 the trenches in terms of the offensive lines in this matchup, 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:15.200 and I think that's really what should what should hopefully 0:04:15.240 --> 0:04:17.880 carry green madea victory well, and this is what hurts 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:20.000 for for the Eagles too, is that Mike, you know 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:23.120 you and I mentioned There's a lot of different shuffling 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:25.320 and injuries that have happened with the line this year, 0:04:25.320 --> 0:04:27.520 but for the most part, they've been able to get 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:30.599 most guys back. Lane Taylor obviously was lost for the 0:04:30.600 --> 0:04:34.120 season to his knee injury in Week one, but you know, 0:04:34.160 --> 0:04:35.840 as David Bactieri was out of the line up for 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:39.000 a little bit, Billy Turner missed a game. Now you're 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:42.240 dealing with Corey Linsley and the knee injury, but again 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:44.359 the Packers are hopeful that he won't be done for 0:04:44.400 --> 0:04:47.279 the season. For the Eagles, they have been so fortunate. 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:50.240 Now they just lost Lane Johnson again. And the other 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:53.120 side of things too. You go back to Andre Dillard 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:56.679 missing time. I mean, Brandon Brooks has been out still 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.960 on pup hasn't played this season. That those are three 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.480 big components of their line that they've not had throw 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:06.360 and Zach Ertz and these other issues. But that the statistics, Mike, 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:08.279 when they when you look at them, they just their 0:05:08.320 --> 0:05:11.039 mind boggling for the Eagles this season. I mean, you 0:05:11.120 --> 0:05:14.000 have Carson Wentz at forty six sacks. I think the 0:05:14.040 --> 0:05:18.320 next closest is Brussel Wilson with maybe thirty five the 0:05:18.400 --> 0:05:22.040 takeaway numbers fifteen interceptions, there's three other quarterbacks that are 0:05:22.080 --> 0:05:26.600 tied with eleven. Uh. You know, from Doug Peterson's perspective, 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:28.599 he boiled it down to three things. It comes down 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.360 to takeaways, there's been too many of them. He comes 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:33.320 down to injuries, and then he mentions it's just the 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:36.159 overall execution. When they have protected the football, they just 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.360 haven't produced enough. So seeing exactly what this game plan 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:41.000 is gonna look like for them, you know, do you 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:43.520 see Jalen Hurts in this matchup? Are they more committed 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:46.600 to Miles Sanders in this game? And they get Travis 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:50.000 Fulham going again after he had an impressive part of 0:05:50.000 --> 0:05:52.680 the season. But it's kind of gotten quiet here. There's 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.160 so many different things that play into this, but ultimately 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:57.240 it's going to come down to the turnover margin and 0:05:57.240 --> 0:05:59.479 whether or not Green they can keep their takeaways coming 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:02.360 and also prevent take you know, giving up the ball 0:06:02.680 --> 0:06:06.800 to a very talented Philadelphia and experience. Yeah, and the 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:09.680 other thing when you talk about injuries. Now, at the 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:12.440 time we're taping this episode on Thursday morning, we don't 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.920 really know a whole heck of a lot. But Fletcher 0:06:14.960 --> 0:06:18.000 Cox in the middle of that defensive line for the Eagles. 0:06:18.040 --> 0:06:20.359 He missed practice on Wednesday. He cropped up on the 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:23.120 injury report with a neck injury. Not a whole lot 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:25.400 of information right now is to how serious. It is 0:06:25.760 --> 0:06:28.359 not entirely unusual for a team coming off of a 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.320 Monday night game to add some guys to the injury report, 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:33.360 and maybe they won't practice until later in the week, 0:06:33.440 --> 0:06:36.599 so we'll see what happens. But you know, the Packers 0:06:36.640 --> 0:06:39.160 caught a break when a Chem Hicks was not available 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:42.480 due to his hamstring injury for the Chicago game. If 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:47.360 Fletcher Cox is not available for the Philadelphia Eagles, you know, 0:06:47.440 --> 0:06:50.599 that's that's another potential stroke of good fortune here. Now 0:06:50.880 --> 0:06:54.159 that being said, I think, you know, Philadelphia certainly has 0:06:54.200 --> 0:06:58.000 the edge rushers with Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett. You know, 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:00.800 Javonna Hargrave is the other defensive tackle in the middle 0:07:00.800 --> 0:07:03.440 of that front four. Those guys are no slouches either. 0:07:03.480 --> 0:07:06.520 But again, the you know, the Bears have a heck 0:07:06.560 --> 0:07:09.880 of a front four, and when a Chem Hicks was missing, 0:07:10.120 --> 0:07:12.160 the Chicago Bears just didn't look the same. And you 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:15.240 wonder if Fletcher Cox is unable to go. How much 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:18.400 of a change to this Philly defense, which is ninth 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:21.120 in the league in total yards, which is fifth in 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:23.240 the league I believe, or tied for fifth and third 0:07:23.240 --> 0:07:26.080 down defense. You wonder how much that would change things 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:28.800 based on what we saw with Chicago last week. And 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:30.720 there's just no way to replace him that. That's the 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:33.040 other thing with Hicks, you know, there's just there's there's 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:35.760 no guys that played the position the way that Fletcher 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.280 Cox plays it. I'm not talking about in Philadelphia, I'm 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:40.880 talking the National Football League right now. He is among 0:07:41.400 --> 0:07:44.400 a handful of defensive tackles that can not only stop 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:46.360 the run, but can also get after the past or two. 0:07:46.800 --> 0:07:49.200 Remember Mike exactly where he is on sacks for them 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:51.960 this season? Yeah, he he has five and a half. 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:54.840 He's second right now behind Brandon Graham and sacks. I mean, 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:57.440 that's the dimension he brings to this thing. He is 0:07:57.480 --> 0:07:59.880 just such a force in the middle of that defense. 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.440 As you said to neck injuries are so weird when 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:04.720 they pop up on the injury report because they can 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:07.440 be you know, your basic stingers or those type of 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:09.480 things where guys just take a day off. I think 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:12.400 Kamal Martin had a neck injury on the Packers injury report. 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:14.600 Not a big deal, or it can be something that 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:18.200 crops up like Daniel Hunter did, where at first they're thinking, Okay, 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:20.120 maybe this is something they can play through. Next thing 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:22.880 you know, they're talking about fusion surgery. So it's so 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:25.360 vague and ambiguous. We don't know when we're talking about 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:27.040 this right now, exactly what the week is going to 0:08:27.120 --> 0:08:29.640 forecast for him, but certainly Cox being on there. It 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:32.040 was a short injury report for the Eagles, but a 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:36.160 lot of guys on that list that are their premier players. Yeah, well, 0:08:36.240 --> 0:08:39.840 quickly here West before I forget some sponsored business. Serious 0:08:40.080 --> 0:08:44.080 x M NFL Radio channel is the only radio outlet 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:46.960 dedicated to the National Football League seven days a week, 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:50.760 three hundred sixty five days a year, and Packers fans 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:54.080 score up to five hundred dollars for your devotion to 0:08:54.120 --> 0:08:56.880 the pack when you open a Packers checking account from 0:08:56.920 --> 0:09:00.559 Associated Bank. Learn more at Associated bank dot com. Um 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:04.600 backslash Packers. All right, another thing we we should uh 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:06.880 talk about here before we move on to the rest 0:09:06.960 --> 0:09:10.600 of the schedule in the NFL. For this week, Packers 0:09:10.640 --> 0:09:14.400 have a new addition to their offense, and I'm talking 0:09:14.400 --> 0:09:18.160 about wide receiver Tavon Austin. Packers have signed him, brought 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.000 him into the mix. He did a zoom call with 0:09:21.120 --> 0:09:26.600 reporters on Wednesday after practice. This is an interesting addition 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:30.000 here West because much like last year, at this time, 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:32.360 the Packers are looking for some kind of a boost 0:09:32.400 --> 0:09:34.880 on special teams, some kind of a spark for the 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:37.959 return game, because the Packers just had not been able 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:41.200 to uh, you know, to bust any explosive you know, 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.840 impactful returns so far this year. And we saw last 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:47.960 year when Tyler Irvin was the guy who came in 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:51.400 and early December and provided that Matt Lafleur wasted no 0:09:51.559 --> 0:09:54.800 time whatsoever in getting him involved in the offense and 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:59.240 the jet motions and having some packages for for Irvin 0:09:59.600 --> 0:10:03.480 down stretch in um this green Bay offense. So what 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:05.640 are your thoughts, I guess at this point on Tavon 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:10.040 Austin and perhaps what we might see not only potentially 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:12.480 on Sunday, but as the month of December rolls on 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:14.560 here for green Bay. Yeah. I like the move for 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:16.160 green Bay and I like the time in which they 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:19.040 made the move because right now Mike. The Packers are 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:22.480 actually been relatively healthy. It looks like al Lazard got 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:24.120 through whatever that issue was at the end of the 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:26.320 game after that hit he took from Jalen Johnson. He 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:28.680 was limited on Wednesday with the Corean troum, but nothing 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:31.600 new on that. Cleared to return, he just didn't because 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:34.520 of the game situation. Appears like Mark Wesveld is scantling 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:36.960 after a little scare with the achilles appears to be okay, 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:40.400 Ecunimia st Brown is getting healthier, and Tyler Irvin certainly 0:10:40.400 --> 0:10:42.120 coming back from the rib injury. Is something we have 0:10:42.160 --> 0:10:45.240 to continue to monitor. But all things considered, the Packers 0:10:45.360 --> 0:10:47.760 offense is if the skill positions is as healthy as 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:50.760 it's been all season long. So what is guy like 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:54.600 Tavan Austin add to this unit? He adds another option. 0:10:55.120 --> 0:10:56.800 He adds a guy that not only can help you 0:10:56.840 --> 0:10:59.960 potentially on returns, specifically punt returns. He's done it every 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:02.200 year he's been in the National Football League, but he 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:05.160 also could potentially fit into this Matt Lafleur scheme. It's 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:07.720 sort of that motion guy, the pre snap guy coming 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:10.439 across the line. He joked about he did not run 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:13.400 a forty during his workout with Packers, but still feels 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:16.280 like he can run a four three. Now, all those 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:19.920 things being said, him learning this offense and understanding the 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:22.240 nuances of it, that's going to be a big challenge here. 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:24.800 But you look at what Tyler Irvin did last season, 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:29.960 coming in late getting claim from the waivers from Jacksonville. 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:32.880 He brought a lot and by the time the season 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:34.400 was over, he not only had been the guy that 0:11:34.440 --> 0:11:37.480 helped rejuvenate the return units, he also become kind of 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:40.160 an interesting gadget player in this offense. I think with 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:42.640 having a guy like Austin in the fold now with 0:11:42.720 --> 0:11:45.120 his experience and also having some of those, you know, 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.400 those traits that Irvin has, it's another guy that's in 0:11:48.440 --> 0:11:50.520 this equation for Matt Lafleur to play with during the 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:53.320 final stretch of the season and if injuries crop up 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:56.320 down the stretch or in the playoffs, here's another veteran 0:11:56.360 --> 0:11:58.160 presence that you have too potential to be able to 0:11:58.160 --> 0:12:01.439 take the workload off some young guys. Yeah, Austin a 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:04.840 guy who he's dealt with some injuries the last few 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:07.600 years and kind of derailed his career a little bit. 0:12:07.640 --> 0:12:10.560 Now he does have some experience obviously with with Matt 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:13.840 Lafleur when la Fleur was the offensive coordinator with the Rams, 0:12:13.880 --> 0:12:17.360 also with with Ben Sermons, the Packers running backs coach. 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:21.200 Um has some experience with him as well. Um, I'll 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:23.800 be interested to see just just what he brings to 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:28.000 the table, because you know, all the athletic ability is there. Maybe, 0:12:28.040 --> 0:12:30.080 as he said, maybe he's not a four two guy 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:32.400 in the forty anymore, but he thinks he can still 0:12:32.480 --> 0:12:34.960 run a four three. But this is a guy, this 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:36.679 is a guy with a lot of talent, came into 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:38.400 the league with a lot of pedigree as a top 0:12:38.440 --> 0:12:42.160 ten pick, and quite frankly, he's looking for the restart 0:12:42.280 --> 0:12:44.640 in a sense to his career. He's he's he's looking 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:47.760 to get things back on track. And maybe Green Bay 0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:51.200 is uh is just the right opportunity with an offense 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:53.880 like Matt Lafleur's well, and that's where my battle Fleur 0:12:53.880 --> 0:12:56.160 has had. This might as touch Mike for finding these 0:12:56.160 --> 0:12:59.319 types of players and being able to find a niche 0:12:59.320 --> 0:13:01.480 for them in the offensive role. And that was something 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:04.680 that Aaron Rodgers kind of alluded to during his conference 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.560 call with the reporters on Wednesday. The fact that, yeah, 0:13:07.559 --> 0:13:09.280 I mean, is Tavon Austin gonna be a guy that 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:12.640 is gonna be playing sixties snaps offensively a game. Probably not, 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:15.920 not at least right away. But if you can find 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:18.760 something that he does well and build packages off of it. 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:21.880 You saw what Tyler Irvin adds to this unit, especially 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:25.080 when he's been healthy here. I just that's the intriguing 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:27.840 aspect to me with this whole thing. You look at 0:13:27.880 --> 0:13:29.760 the body types that the Green Bay Packers have on 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:32.120 the offensive side of the ball. You have your Mercedes 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:35.680 Lewis is of the world, just amazing physical specimens, Uh, 0:13:35.880 --> 0:13:38.800 Robert Tany in the tall tight end, tall receivers, and 0:13:38.840 --> 0:13:40.360 now some of these guys that fit on the other 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:43.120 side of the spectrum. When you look at it in 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:45.319 your game planning, you're creating these types of things for 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:48.480 opposing defenses. That's another thing that they have to think about. 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:50.920 But first things first, he has to get healthy here. 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:52.800 He has to get back in football shape, as he said, 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:56.280 and show that when that opportunity comes he's still very 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:59.040 much that first round pick that he was seven years ago. Yeah, 0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:02.360 that's definitely his objective. No, question about it. Well, I 0:14:02.400 --> 0:14:04.760 want to get your thoughts West on a handful of 0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:08.679 games across the league. UM, in the NFL here as 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:10.800 we head into the weekend, because there there are some 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:14.000 interesting matchups. First right in the NFC North, the Detroit 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:17.440 Lions at the Chicago Bears. UM. Some are calling this 0:14:17.600 --> 0:14:19.840 the you know, the last stand for the Bears to 0:14:19.840 --> 0:14:21.960 to say, you know, hey, we are going to be 0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:24.040 a contender. We're going to be in this thing down 0:14:24.040 --> 0:14:26.920 the stretch. They're facing a Detroit Lions team that now 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:30.840 has an interim head coach, the former Wisconsin Badgers Rolls 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:35.160 Bowl winning quarterback former Packers assistant coach Daryl Bevil now 0:14:35.200 --> 0:14:37.280 taking the reins in Detroit. What are your thoughts on 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.440 this NFC North matchup? Must win game for the Bears, Uh, 0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:43.280 in so many different ways. First off, to be six 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.720 and six and still keep yourself in the outside, you know, 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:48.240 part of the division equation, the playoff equation, you have 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:51.120 to get this win. But more importantly, Mike, this slide 0:14:51.120 --> 0:14:53.560 that they've been on here. Uh, you know, now five 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:56.520 and six and this losing streak and not being able 0:14:56.560 --> 0:14:58.520 to really right the ship, and they thought that maybe 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:01.280 they had the answer with Nick full and obviously he 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:04.680 led him back in that one game. But the you know, 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.920 kind of the downfall here in the month of November. Uh, 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:11.280 it has them really reeling here and seeing exactly where 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:13.280 they're going to be able to fit and if Matt 0:15:13.360 --> 0:15:16.440 Nage can kind of corral the horses here and get 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:18.640 this thing turned back in the right direction, because on 0:15:18.680 --> 0:15:21.880 the other sideline that's gonna be at your own home field, 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:24.560 you're seeing a Detroit Lions team that just went through 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:27.560 an incredible amount of upheaval. Now we've covered enough of 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:29.560 these interim coaches, Mike, We've seen it enough in the 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:32.640 National Football League. These things go one of two ways. 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:36.560 Either teams come together or they fall apart. Very rarely 0:15:36.720 --> 0:15:38.920 is it somewhere in the middle. It's a big gut 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:41.360 check for both of these squads, but especially the Bears, 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:44.040 who still want to be in that conversation for a 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:48.760 playoffs about here in two thousand. Well, speaking of interim coaches, 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:52.200 the Atlanta Falcons will be hosting the New Orleans Saints 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.880 this weekend. And now the Falcons under Raheem Morris, who 0:15:54.920 --> 0:15:59.840 took over for Dan Quinn if Todd Gurley falls down 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:03.400 the one yard line against the Detroit Lions, the Falcons 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.480 would be five and one under Raheem Morris. And now 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:08.960 this is a Saints team that is a top the 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:11.920 NFC nine and two, one game ahead of the Packers 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.480 in the Seahawks for the best record in the conference. 0:16:14.480 --> 0:16:17.080 But the Saints do not have Drew Brees back yet 0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:21.040 at quarterback. The Falcons coming off of a blowout win 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:25.360 over the Raiders last week, with many people pegging the 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:27.720 Raiders as a playoff contender in the a f C, 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:30.960 having beaten the Chiefs earlier near and taking the Chiefs 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:34.720 to the wire in the rematch. So an interesting one 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:38.360 year with the Saints trying to stay in that top 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:43.120 spot in the NFC against a division rival without Drew Brees. Yeah, 0:16:43.160 --> 0:16:45.920 and that's the biggest question here, Taysom Hill. Now that 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:47.560 teams have had a chance to get a couple of 0:16:47.560 --> 0:16:49.560 weeks of film on him, how are they going to 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:52.520 defend him? Because I always think it's too simplistic to say, well, 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:55.120 if someone's been figured out, if a guy is good enough, 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:56.680 he're not going to be able to figure him out. 0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:59.480 He's gonna be able to pivot and do other things. Differently, 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:01.960 but last week was certainly a little bit more adversity 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:04.439 than what he'll had grown accustomed to facing, specifically as 0:17:04.440 --> 0:17:07.080 a passer. So how does he fare in a matchup 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:09.560 like this against an Atlanta Falcons team that whose defense 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.240 you know, still is what it is, but now seems 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:14.120 to have a little bit more of its own swagger back. 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:17.000 And they have this game and at home in their 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.200 own dome. So, uh, this is gonna be one of 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.400 these teams down the stretch. I think with the Falcons 0:17:22.440 --> 0:17:25.560 that the record might not indicate that they are obviously 0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:27.119 going to be in the playoffs or they're even a 0:17:27.119 --> 0:17:30.960 contender at this point, but with Matt Ryan, with those weapons, 0:17:31.160 --> 0:17:33.879 it still makes you think a little bit. So the 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:36.160 New Orleans Saints have had some ups and they've had 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:38.600 some downs this season, but seeing how they're able to 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:41.720 stem this tide to win Drew Brees gets back in 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:44.320 the lineup, that's gonna be their ultimate test and squarely 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:47.280 that's gonna fall on the shoulders of Payom Hill. One 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:49.240 more in the NFC I want to get your thoughts on. 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:52.119 Then also one in the a f C. The Rams 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:56.000 are at the Cardinals, now just a couple of weeks ago, 0:17:56.400 --> 0:17:59.320 the Cardinals win a big game over Buffalo on a 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:03.080 hail Mary. They're riding high. The Rams get a big 0:18:03.080 --> 0:18:05.960 win over the Seahawks. They're riding high. But now since 0:18:06.160 --> 0:18:09.320 those wins, both of these teams kind of starting to 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:12.040 head in the wrong direction a little bit. But yet 0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:15.320 they're both still very much in playoff contention in the NFC, 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:17.240 And you know, you don't want to say it's a 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.040 must win for both teams, so to speak, at this stage. 0:18:20.080 --> 0:18:21.639 I think that's a little bit of a stretch. But 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:25.399 this is an important game in uh in the NFC West, 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:28.320 with Seattle sitting on top and both of these teams 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:31.120 trying to stay within striking distance of the Seahawks. Yeah, 0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:33.600 it's really interesting kind of paradox that those two teams 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:37.040 find themselves in because from the airline the Arizona Cardinals perspective, 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:38.520 this is a team that I think is going to 0:18:38.560 --> 0:18:40.159 be good, and I think they are going to be 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:41.920 a team. If I'm the Green of Packers, I meany 0:18:41.920 --> 0:18:43.680 of these squads. I don't want to see the Cardinals 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:46.679 in the playoffs, just because it has a lot of 0:18:46.680 --> 0:18:49.600 that two thousand nine sort of feel to them where 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:52.440 they can put up points against anybody, but they still 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:55.439 haven't quite reached that upper echelon where it's like, okay, 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:57.520 every single week you can count on them for these 0:18:57.560 --> 0:19:01.400 points for this production to be favor Uh, there's still 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:03.760 sort of in many ways, especially with Kyler Murge still 0:19:03.840 --> 0:19:07.080 learning how to win at this level. Then you look 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:09.320 at the Rams, who very much felt like last year 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:11.680 they could have needed for a title, and this year 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:13.919 they still feel like they're built to heat, you know, 0:19:13.920 --> 0:19:15.520 even though they've had to make a few changes on 0:19:15.600 --> 0:19:17.840 both sides of the ball. This is another one of 0:19:17.880 --> 0:19:19.320 those games Mike that if you look at it from 0:19:19.400 --> 0:19:23.200 l A's perspective, they're going into Arizona's home field. Can 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:24.840 they find a way to get that eighth win of 0:19:24.880 --> 0:19:27.159