WEBVTT - #689 Packers Unscripted: Bracing for the Bears 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:10.640 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:14.080 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.080 --> 0:00:17.000 by my trusted colleague Weston Hodgo. It's keeping my distance 0:00:17.079 --> 0:00:19.279 because I am a little bit under the weather. I 0:00:19.360 --> 0:00:21.720 apologize for my voice. I will try to fight through 0:00:21.760 --> 0:00:25.680 this today for the episode as best I can. Wes, 0:00:25.680 --> 0:00:30.160 we are here to talk about Packers Bears Soldier Field Sunday. 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:34.920 It will be a noon Central Time kickoff. The overarching 0:00:35.040 --> 0:00:39.640 story is the winner of this game has the most 0:00:39.960 --> 0:00:43.400 wins of any franchise in NFL history. Those teams are 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:49.360 deadlocked with seven and eighty six victories if I have 0:00:49.479 --> 0:00:53.640 the number right. The more internal story is what is 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:56.560 going on with the quarterbacks because the Bears are hoping 0:00:56.600 --> 0:00:59.520 to get Justin Fields back in action after he missed 0:00:59.560 --> 0:01:03.240 last week with a shoulder injury. Packers at this point 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:07.720 counting on Aaron Rodgers being able to play despite the 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:11.160 rib injury that is now on top of the broken 0:01:11.200 --> 0:01:15.920 thumb that continues to heal. So very interesting quarterback storyline 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:19.760 here heading into Chicago on Sunday. First, and foremost incredible 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:22.759 that hunt for seven eight seven that both of these 0:01:22.800 --> 0:01:25.120 teams have kind of been on here for a number 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:28.160 of weeks. Now. From the green Bay Packers perspective, again, 0:01:28.319 --> 0:01:30.720 I think you tip your cap to Brat Farve. To 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:34.320 Aaron Rodgers, the fact that the Packers not only were 0:01:34.319 --> 0:01:36.200 able to pull out in front of the Bears and 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:38.800 the all time series between the two teams, but are 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:42.039 now in a position to potentially overtake Chicago for all 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:45.120 time wins in NFL history. That's a tremendous achievement for 0:01:45.160 --> 0:01:48.800 all the Packers teams, the quarterbacks, coaches, everybody that contributed 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:50.920 to that surge for green Bay considering where they were 0:01:50.920 --> 0:01:54.160 at the eighties. Yeah, for sure, that being said, talking 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:57.160 about quarterbacks and two thousand and twenty two, what an 0:01:57.200 --> 0:01:59.880 interesting decision here for both of these squads. Now for 0:01:59.920 --> 0:02:02.440 the green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers, he he sliced it 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.560 down kind of like this. He's feeling better. He did 0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:08.560 his rehab work on Wednesday. His goal is to be 0:02:08.639 --> 0:02:12.840 ready to go on Sunday once again. The Chicago Bears, 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:15.160 I feel like this is such a tricky decision for 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:18.720 them though, because as much as you want justin fields 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:20.919 out there, as much as you want him playing against 0:02:20.960 --> 0:02:23.120 the Green Bay Packers. As much as you want him 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:25.480 out in front of your fans to energize that base 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:29.600 heading into two thousand twenty three, you also do kind 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:31.760 of need to think about two thousand twenty three. You 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:34.840 don't want to make that shoulder injury any worse. And 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:37.079 I'm very interested to see what the week takes here. 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:40.440 We saw our good friend, former Green Bay Packer Tim 0:02:40.480 --> 0:02:43.640 Boyle was signed off the practice squad from the Detroit 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:48.120 Lions as a potential backup because of Trevor Simeons injury. Certainly, 0:02:49.000 --> 0:02:51.680 you know there's a lot of different moving parts right 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:54.760 now for the Bears, but I'll be very interested to 0:02:54.760 --> 0:02:57.720 see what the strategy is here with that, because justin 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:00.000 fields Man, one thing we've learned over the last two 0:03:00.040 --> 0:03:03.359 weeks two months. I should say they're using him the 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:06.600 right way, but it is a physical way of using him, 0:03:06.639 --> 0:03:08.320 and you're going to be putting him out there for 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:10.880 contact if he plays the game the way he's been 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.359 playing it. Yeah, absolutely, this is This is a very 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:17.480 different Um Bears team from the one that the Packers 0:03:17.520 --> 0:03:19.840 saw in Week two at lambeau Field in a lot 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:22.639 of different ways, starting on the offensive side of the 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:26.720 ball that game back in Week two the Bears. The 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:30.160 Bears were intent on running the football in that game, 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:33.000 but it wasn't about justin Fields running the football. It 0:03:33.040 --> 0:03:38.080 was about Montgomery and Herbert pounding away. Now that backfield tandem, 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:41.160 give those guys some credit. They've combined for one thousand, 0:03:41.160 --> 0:03:45.200 two d and twenty three rushing yards in twelve games 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:51.120 with seven touchdowns. But what we've seen since Week two, 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.560 I guess I would say, you know, maybe as as 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:57.520 the season got into like mid October and beyond, we've 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:01.320 seen justin Fields take over this Bears offense in terms 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:05.960 of his decision making and not only the improvised running, 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:10.240 but then also the um the schemed running plays for 0:04:10.360 --> 0:04:14.120 the quarterback. And he leads all NFL quarterbacks in rushing 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:17.679 yards with eight hundred and thirty four, also has seven 0:04:17.760 --> 0:04:21.960 rushing touchdowns. So that whole combination, the two running backs 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:25.279 and the quarterback, this is the number one rushing offense 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:28.840 in the NFL. And of course it's the way this 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:31.479 league works. Right west, the Packers are coming off of 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:35.120 allowing three hundred and sixty three rushing yards, where the 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:38.600 Philadelphia Eagles running backs and their quarterbacks piled up a 0:04:38.640 --> 0:04:40.840 bunch of rushing yards. So who's next down the list, 0:04:40.920 --> 0:04:44.480 the number one rushing offense in the league if Justin 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:47.080 Fields plays. And again, at this point, all we know 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:49.159 at the time we're taping this is that Fields was 0:04:49.200 --> 0:04:52.839 a limited participant in Wednesday's practice for the Bears. We 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:55.560 don't really know what the rest of the week holds there. 0:04:55.600 --> 0:05:00.440 But um, but Justin Fields, the way the way he 0:05:00.560 --> 0:05:05.000 runs the ball, he is I'm not sure of exactly 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:08.560 the right adjectives. He is. He is slippery, he is elusive, 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:12.279 he is dangerous. Um just asked the Miami Dolphins, who 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:14.320 have one of the best records in the a f C, 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:19.040 and Justin Fields almost single handedly beat the Miami Dolphins 0:05:19.080 --> 0:05:22.640 down South earlier this season. And he's decisive. That's the 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:25.440 other aspect to this too. Yeah, there's no no hesitation 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:28.200 what he's doing out Sometimes when you get these young quarterbacks, 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:30.400 it's because they can't figure out what they want to do. 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:32.960 Are they throwing? Are they running? Do they want to 0:05:33.040 --> 0:05:36.320 run and then throw? Justin Fields when he does something, 0:05:36.360 --> 0:05:38.760 he commits to it, and that's the biggest difference I've 0:05:38.760 --> 0:05:41.599 seen watching him over the last month. Compared to even 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:43.839 where where the he was at in Week two against 0:05:43.839 --> 0:05:47.279 Green Bay. Now the fascinating part of this thing for 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:49.640 the Green Bay Packers, and I do not cover the 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:53.880 Chicago Bears. Maybe the statistics are available, maybe someone's already 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:56.880 looked into it, but you're right, Bears are the number 0:05:56.920 --> 0:05:59.600 one ranked rushing offense of the National Football League. They 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:04.080 are dead last in passing offense. Though we're talking about 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:06.920 throwbacks and and things like that inside or inbox this week. 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:09.240 The Bears are a throwback right now. I think they're 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:12.039 out rushing their past game by about fifty or sixty 0:06:12.120 --> 0:06:15.480 yards right now a game. It's because of this dimension 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:19.159 that they've added with fields. But he's comfortable in that setting. 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:23.240 He's effective in that setting. And also I think with 0:06:23.240 --> 0:06:26.760 Havin Juice, Herbert get more immersed in this offense. He's 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:29.000 kind of been this running back that's sort of always 0:06:29.000 --> 0:06:30.799 been there that it seems like the last few years, 0:06:31.279 --> 0:06:33.440 but it was really only the break the glass in 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:36.960 case of emergency that something happens with David Montgomery. They're 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:40.640 using them more in tandem this season or more specifically 0:06:40.640 --> 0:06:42.680 the second half of the year, and I think that's 0:06:42.680 --> 0:06:45.440 worked out very well for them. Now this has all 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:48.000 come at a cost to you know, Darnel Mooney stats. 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:50.120 After his breakout year, he hasn't had that type of 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.039 season again, Cole commet probably from a lot of people 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:54.919 that were hoping he'd be a big fantasy stud. This 0:06:55.000 --> 0:06:58.960 year hasn't quite reached that level. But the Chicago Bears 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:01.159 were looking to win games, they were looking to be 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:03.640 more effective, they were looking for something to hang their 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:06.560 hat on in Over these last few weeks, even if 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:09.440 the winds haven't always been there, I think they definitely 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:12.520 have found their identity underneath their young quarterback. Yeah, the winds, 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:14.480 the winds haven't been there, but you look at their 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:16.600 game by game there's I mean, they've you know, they 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:19.280 lost by three points to the Falcons, they lost one 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:21.720 point to the Lions. They you know, yeah, they they 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:24.000 ended up getting blown out by the Cowboys. They had 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.640 one comeback and then the Cowboys pulled away. Yeah, but three, 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:31.560 you know, three or four of Chicago's recent losses have 0:07:31.640 --> 0:07:34.559 been one score games and and sometimes even a field 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:38.760 goal or less. So excuse me. They've definitely been in 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:41.920 a lot of games personnel wise. You mentioned Darnell Mooney, 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:45.480 at wide receiver. He's now on injured reserve. UM. Chase 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:48.560 Claypool was a wide receiver the Bears picked up via 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:53.840 trade and other personnel changes. More significant ones in a 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:55.880 lot of ways have occurred on the defensive side of 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:58.480 the ball in terms of what the Packers saw back 0:07:58.480 --> 0:08:00.960 in Week two. Because Robert Quick in the pass rusher, 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:05.080 Roquan Smith the star inside linebacker. Both of those guys 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:08.600 have been traded and now star safety Eddie Jackson has 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:10.760 landed on injured reserve and he is out for the 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:17.280 rest of the year. Chicago's biggest problem during the five 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:19.960 game losing streak that has that has dropped them to 0:08:20.080 --> 0:08:24.080 three and nine on the year is the defense. The 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:28.000 fewest points they have allowed in this five game losing 0:08:28.040 --> 0:08:30.680 streak is twenty seven. All the other games have been 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:34.480 thirty or more. UM. This is a defense that is 0:08:34.520 --> 0:08:36.760 that is struggling flat out west And when you look, 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:40.160 when you look at the Packers, and yes, Aaron Rodgers 0:08:40.200 --> 0:08:43.520 is going to be managing some pain, managing his injuries. 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:46.520 But we've you know, we're seeing this big emergence of 0:08:46.600 --> 0:08:50.240 Christian Watson. Romeo Dobbs was back at practice on Wednesday, 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:53.360 so potentially, after missing the last three games from his 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:56.240 injury and ankle injury in Detroit, Romeo Dobbs might get 0:08:56.240 --> 0:08:58.720 back on the field for the Packers. You look at 0:08:58.760 --> 0:09:01.320 Green Bay's offense the last three games, and I know 0:09:01.360 --> 0:09:03.400 the Packers have only won one of those three. They 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:06.720 lost to both both Tennessee and Philadelphia. But in the 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.560 last three games, the Packers offensively have really only had 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:12.839 like one bad quarter, and it was the fourth quarter 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.920 against Tennessee, which was crucial and cost them a chance 0:09:15.960 --> 0:09:18.760 to win that game. But they scored twenty eight points 0:09:18.760 --> 0:09:21.960 in regulation against the Cowboys, added a field goal in overtime. 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:24.640 You had seventeen points in the first three quarters against 0:09:24.679 --> 0:09:27.560 a pretty good Tennessee Titans defense, but then the fourth 0:09:27.640 --> 0:09:31.920 quarter things kind of crumbled on you offensively. Then between 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:34.520 Aaron Rodgers and Jordan's Love, you put up thirty three 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:38.440 points against Philadelphia against a pretty darn good defense that 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:42.200 you know that's uh leading the number one seed in 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:45.720 the NFC right now. So Packers have had one bad 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:48.600 quarter in the last three weeks, and now they're heading 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:51.680 into facing a defense that that's really trying to find 0:09:51.760 --> 0:09:54.640 itself and really struggling Packers have to keep doing what 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:58.280 they've been doing offensively, and it's weird is this is 0:09:58.280 --> 0:10:00.880 going to sound that there are still positives on the 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:03.280 defensive side that Green Bay is gonna need to hang 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:06.359 his hat And I'll get to that in a moment. Offensively, 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:10.400 this is a huge opportunity. There are some great stories 0:10:10.640 --> 0:10:15.040 with the Bears defense. Certainly Jack Sandborn, the Lake Zurich native, 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:20.560 the undrafted free agent, former Wisconsin Badger. He's been one 0:10:20.600 --> 0:10:23.640 of these guys that's emerged for them. They've had before 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:26.320 the liszt Frank injury. Eddie Jackson had sort of a 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:29.440 resurgent year for them. Unfortunately now they lost him as well. 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:35.320 But they have been highly ineffective at pressuring the quarterback 0:10:35.400 --> 0:10:39.840 even before the trade of Robert Quinn. Quinn, as we've seen, 0:10:39.840 --> 0:10:42.360 has been kind of a streaky pass rushing throughout his career, 0:10:42.920 --> 0:10:45.800 eighteen sacks. Last year he had one through I think 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:47.920 it was whatever it was, six or seven games and 0:10:48.000 --> 0:10:51.400 to the point in which they traded him, sixteen sacks 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:57.400 right now for the Chicago Bears, conversely, they've allowed forty one. 0:10:58.480 --> 0:11:02.640 Justin fields has eaten forty of those. When you have 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:08.119 a minus in the sack differential, not saying it's like turnovers, 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:10.040 not saying it's like time of possession or any other 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:13.720 stats you want to use, but that is a jarring figure. 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:17.559 That's significant because if you're not getting to the quarterback, 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:20.200 you've got to make sure you're protecting yours and the 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:22.640 Bears just haven't been able to win that equation this year. 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:25.079 I think a lot of that is from the standpoint 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:27.960 that it is a really young defense. Aaron Rodgers was 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.640 talking about that on Wednesday. There's a lot of new 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:33.880 faces there as far as the Packers are concerned, though, 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:38.760 thirty three points last week against Philadelphia, being able to 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:42.360 have three straight games now with Christian Watson scoring at 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:46.200 least one touchdown, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:51.280 for November after a terrific stretch of games. Hats off 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:54.280 to Watson for that. Just as a quick sidebar, first 0:11:54.600 --> 0:11:58.240 Packers rookie to win that award in nine years, first 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:02.320 offensive offensive when that Damerius Randall also got it in fifteen, 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:05.160 but the first one since Eddie Lacy, first first offensive, 0:12:05.520 --> 0:12:08.520 first offensive rookie since Eddie Lacy and then Sam Kangato 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:13.000 before that, but all that being said Green Bay, I 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:15.280 look at Aaron Jones in this game. I look at 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:17.880 A J. Dillon. I look at this as an opportunity. 0:12:18.000 --> 0:12:20.120 You know, we don't know whether or not Romeo Dobbs 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:22.800 will be back or not. He was able to practice 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:25.760 on Wednesday, appears to be making strides with his ankle injury. 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:29.400 But the stars are a line there for the Packers 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:32.880 pieces offensively and in this on all different sides of it. 0:12:32.920 --> 0:12:34.880 You don't even have to add in the storyline with 0:12:34.960 --> 0:12:37.560 Rogers and the Bears at Soldier Field. This is the 0:12:37.559 --> 0:12:39.720 type of game the Green Bay Packers, no matter how 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:42.559 this season has gone, should expect to win. Yeah, you 0:12:42.640 --> 0:12:45.720 absolutely expect to win this one. And you have to 0:12:45.720 --> 0:12:48.959 win this one. I you know, we like to get 0:12:49.000 --> 0:12:51.160 into our keys to victory. I think I already said it. 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:53.360 As far as the Packers offense, I think it's I 0:12:53.400 --> 0:12:55.600 think it's just continue to do what you're doing. Because 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:58.840 you're facing a defensive unit that is struggling. Your offense 0:12:58.920 --> 0:13:01.280 is starting to find itself. I thought the combination of 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.600 run and pass last week against Philly, what Aaron Jones 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:09.040 and a J. Dillon were doing, what Christian Watson Randall 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:11.920 Cobb and company were doing in the passing game. I 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:14.400 really liked the I really like the balance in the 0:13:14.400 --> 0:13:16.680 back and forth there. Hopefully the Packers can keep that 0:13:16.760 --> 0:13:20.880 going defensively. To me, this game comes down to one thing, 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:25.560 and it's make Justin Fields throw the football now. And 0:13:25.600 --> 0:13:27.720 I say that not as some sort of a rip 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:30.440 on the guy that that he can't throw or that 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:32.000 he can't move the ball through the air. But you 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:34.439 said it West. These guys are ranked last in the 0:13:34.520 --> 0:13:37.920 league offense, their first in the league in rushing offense. 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:40.280 And whether they're gonna whether they're gonna run the ball 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:42.520 with Fields or with those two those two backs who 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:46.319 have been so productive for them during the season, you 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:48.640 have to make the Chicago Bears throw the football because 0:13:48.679 --> 0:13:53.040 if you don't, if you if you don't, they they 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:55.880 are going to. They are going to use that rushing 0:13:55.880 --> 0:14:00.440 offensive their's to wear you down. I mean, trust me, 0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:03.319 they they have. They have gone over every inch of 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.120 videotape of that game in Philadelphia, of the all the 0:14:06.160 --> 0:14:09.160 tackles that the Packers missed, where the holes were with 0:14:09.400 --> 0:14:11.840 you know how Jalen Hurts was able to get out 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:16.520 so many times and run Miles Sanders and and Kenneth Gainwell, 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:18.800 and what those guys are doing running between the tackles. 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:21.240 They have dissected all of that, and they are going 0:14:21.280 --> 0:14:24.240 to come at the Packers with everything they've got with 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:26.560 their running game, and the Packers are going to have 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:29.920 to make justin Fields throw the football to to be 0:14:29.960 --> 0:14:32.240 able to be able to have a good day defensively. 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:35.400 And it's an excellent point you raised, because you're right 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:37.480 and how you approach Fields and in not trying to 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:40.240 disrespect any other aspects of his game. But I've heard 0:14:40.320 --> 0:14:43.320 so many times from you. I mean, the things you 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.920 can do on a grill, right, you we've talked about, 0:14:45.960 --> 0:14:48.560 you know, your steaks, your chicken, things like that. I've 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:51.800 never heard you break about your risotto. Just because you 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:54.200 know you're you're a world class chef, doesn't mean you've 0:14:54.280 --> 0:14:57.960 mastered every single dish here, Right, That's how this goes. 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:00.400 You like that? You like that, That's how this goes 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:02.400 with Fields. You want to take him out of his 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:06.920 comfort zone here, because the blueprint for victory is so clear. 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.920 They've seen it two or three times now against this 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:13.120 young man. Matt Lafleur still has yet to lose to 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:17.160 the Chicago Bears became the head coach. So the other 0:15:17.200 --> 0:15:21.120 aspect of this for me is one of the early 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:24.960 tipping points that sort of signaled some potential turbulent waters 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:27.880 for the Packers. Run defense kind of started against Chicago 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:30.520 because David Montgomery had one of his best games of 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:33.800 the season in Week two. If I look for a 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:36.600 defensive key to victory in this thing, it's going to 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:39.080 be making sure you do not let him and Juice 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:43.000 Herbert get going in the run game. Because as volatile 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:47.640 as Jalen Hurts was, as volatile as fields can be, 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:52.800 it was as you mentioned, Miles Sanders having a hundred 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.720 yard rushing day. It's what Herbert in Montgomery could do 0:15:56.760 --> 0:15:59.680 in this game to be the number one ranked rushing 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:01.480 off it in the league. It's not just because you 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:03.480 have a scrambling quarterback. You have to have some good 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:05.960 backs that are helping them out as well. That's what 0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:08.600 the Bears have. And you have to imagine a guy 0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:11.840 like Luke Getsy that has as much experience in this system, 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:15.640 many different versions of it here in Green Bay. You 0:16:15.720 --> 0:16:17.920 know he's going to have his pencil going this week 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:20.800 trying to come up with some ideas, some thoughts, some theories, 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:24.080 because this is still a young coaching staff, It's still 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:26.280 a coaching staff that feels like they have the right 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:29.360 pieces in place to guide themselves into the future. Where 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:31.600 the Detroit Lions were at at the end of last 0:16:31.640 --> 0:16:34.640 season in terms of how they felt about their football team, 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:37.760 that's kind of the area that the Bears are kind 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:41.920 of gravitating towards right now. So from my perspective, I 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:44.040 think it really starts with that ground game and making 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:47.040 sure that the Packers defensively shore up some of the 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.040 things that they were lacking last week in Philly. Yeah. Well, 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.200 and you mentioned the fact that Justin Fields has been 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:55.120 sacked forty times this year. I honestly hope the Packers 0:16:55.160 --> 0:16:57.600 don't even pay attention to that number because because this 0:16:57.640 --> 0:16:59.840 game is not going to come down to how many 0:17:00.000 --> 0:17:02.640 times you can sack Justin Fields. You know, the Packers 0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:05.840 got off to such a bad start against Philadelphia because 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:10.160 they were a little bit too over zealous, over aggressive 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:13.240 early on with trying to rush Justin Fields. They thought 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:17.439 with with having with having a spy um I'm sorry, 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:20.600 with with Jalen Hurts last week, they thought with having 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:23.639 a spy that they could that they could contain his scrambling. Well, 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:26.840 what happened in the first quarter. Jalen Hurts rushes for 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:30.280 over a hundred yards and the Eagles have two quick 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:33.680 touchdowns on the board right or early in the ballgame. Now, 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:36.600 the rest of the Packers definitely adjusted from there because 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:39.600 the rest of the game, Jalen Hurts only had roughly 0:17:39.680 --> 0:17:41.800 fifty yards rushing. And if you had said, Okay, Jalen 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:43.680 Hurts is only gonna rush for fifty yards from the 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:46.840 second through the fourth quarter, you take that. But it 0:17:46.880 --> 0:17:48.879 was but it was a bad start in the first quarter, 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:52.720 and the and the Packers can't afford to get into 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:58.119 that over zealous, over aggressive mode going after Justin Fields because, um, 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:00.399 you know, as I said, they will have watched everything 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:02.280 with regard to Philadelphia. They're going to try to take 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:05.919 advantage of every of every breakdown that the Packers had 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:10.040 in that game and get them into those situations again. Um. 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:11.880 So to me, it's like, at the end of this game, 0:18:11.920 --> 0:18:14.200 I'm not going to be looking at how many times 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:16.919 did Justin Fields get sacked. I'm gonna be looking at 0:18:16.960 --> 0:18:19.919 how many how many pass attempts does justin fields have 0:18:20.000 --> 0:18:22.240 because if that number is high enough, I think the 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:24.720 Packers win the football game. If that number is too low, 0:18:25.240 --> 0:18:27.480 that means they're running the ball too well and the 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:29.399 Packers are gonna have their hands full. And if he 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:31.360 has to throw a lout, what else does that tell you? 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:33.720 It tells you the Packers are playing with the lead. 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:37.040 And that's been one thing absent that week to game 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:39.399 against the Bears, Green Bay has not really had the 0:18:39.440 --> 0:18:41.800 benefit of at this point in the season. The other 0:18:41.880 --> 0:18:43.879 name to keep an eye on is going to be 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:47.000 Devondre Campbell too. In this equation, Yes, Screen Bay has 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:51.080 not had their full allotment of inside linebackers available really 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:54.040 all season, so there's a lot of things he can 0:18:54.040 --> 0:18:56.080 do there. Chris Barnes I think has made some nice 0:18:56.080 --> 0:18:58.840 plays this season. But when you talk about being able 0:18:58.880 --> 0:19:02.080 to spy her, you know, hurts and those type of quarterbacks, 0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:05.120 I know that probably isn't the word that Devandre loves 0:19:05.160 --> 0:19:07.440 to hear, but it is something he's very proficient at 0:19:07.520 --> 0:19:10.119 and they definitely have missed him in those situations and 0:19:10.160 --> 0:19:13.280 could really be extremely valuable. He was limited on Wednesday, 0:19:13.560 --> 0:19:16.720 returned to practice last Friday. If he's available on Sunday. 0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:19.359 Another guy that can help in that assignment. Yeah, that changes, 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:21.880 That changes the equation in terms of how the Packers 0:19:21.960 --> 0:19:25.119 match up and and schematically, maybe we'll go about things 0:19:25.480 --> 0:19:28.320 against Chicago. So a little bit of sponsor business here. 0:19:28.320 --> 0:19:31.520 West Serious x M. NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:34.120 and up to the minute NFL news that true football 0:19:34.160 --> 0:19:38.280 fanatics need. Seven three and at Cousin Subs, we have 0:19:38.320 --> 0:19:41.040 something for everyone like our Wisconsin Cheese Kurts, mac and cheese, 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:44.199 golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite 0:19:44.240 --> 0:19:48.199 sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years 0:19:48.240 --> 0:19:53.240 of better. Alright, Week thirteen in the NFL, a really 0:19:53.280 --> 0:19:57.960 really interesting slate of games actually starting Thursday night, UM 0:19:58.440 --> 0:20:00.640 Thursday night football Big game in the a FC East 0:20:00.640 --> 0:20:04.560 Buffalo is that New England. But the ones that the 0:20:04.600 --> 0:20:07.520 ones that really jump out at me. There's a trio 0:20:07.920 --> 0:20:11.879 of a f C versus NFC games on the slate 0:20:11.960 --> 0:20:16.320 this week that I think all have a an elevated 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:18.919 level of intrigue. And I'm talking about the Jets playing 0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:25.160 at Minnesota, Tennessee is playing at Philadelphia, and Miami perhaps 0:20:25.880 --> 0:20:28.880 maybe the most explosive offense in the NFL right now 0:20:29.000 --> 0:20:32.040 is at San Francisco, going against the team playing probably 0:20:32.080 --> 0:20:35.160 the best defense in the NFL right now. Those three 0:20:35.280 --> 0:20:40.600 cross conference games Jets, Vikings, Titans, Eagles, Dolphins, Niners, those 0:20:40.640 --> 0:20:43.880 are all really really interesting. Less it's extremely interesting from 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:46.280 the Miami standpoint of now the Packers have to kind 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:49.199 of start paying attention to them. Obviously, the coaches have 0:20:49.320 --> 0:20:52.000 their you know, their plans in place already. It's not 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:53.480 like they're just gonna go in cold here in a 0:20:53.480 --> 0:20:56.880 couple of weeks. But now the Dolphins game in Christmas 0:20:56.880 --> 0:20:59.960 is actually right around the corner and going up again 0:21:00.040 --> 0:21:02.919 San Francisco. That's a very interesting opponent in terms of 0:21:02.960 --> 0:21:06.560 the contrast there that the styles and the similarities on 0:21:06.640 --> 0:21:08.560 both sides of the ball. It's gonna be fascinating to 0:21:08.560 --> 0:21:12.240 watch that. I also really look at that Jets game too, 0:21:12.440 --> 0:21:14.719 you know, the Mike White thing. I made a lot 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:17.560