WEBVTT - #692 Packers Unscripted: Ready for the Rams 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:11.039 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:11.080 --> 0:00:14.400 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by my 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:17.400 partner in crime, Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here 0:00:17.440 --> 0:00:21.200 from our studios at lambeau Field talking Packers Rams. It'll 0:00:21.239 --> 0:00:25.640 be Monday night football at lambeau Field and West. When 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:28.560 the Packers came back from the bye weekend hit the 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:32.640 practice field on Tuesday. There is still the issue of 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:36.360 David baktr you, recovering from the appendectomy. We don't really 0:00:36.400 --> 0:00:38.320 know what his status is going to be here in 0:00:38.360 --> 0:00:41.199 the coming weeks moving forward, but the rest of this 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:44.400 team is looking pretty healthy. If the Packers are going 0:00:44.440 --> 0:00:46.960 to make a run at this, they're at least getting 0:00:47.320 --> 0:00:49.559 the bulk of their horses in the race, so to speak. Yeah, 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:51.960 they're getting, you know, pretty much the full arsenal. Uh 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:54.640 even so, I mean even look at Caleb Jones was 0:00:54.680 --> 0:00:58.160 activated off the non football illness list. Uh So, the 0:00:58.160 --> 0:01:01.160 Packers roster is back at fifty three players. Now finally 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.120 to other reinforcement for the offensive line. Another reinforcement for 0:01:04.160 --> 0:01:07.319 the offensive line. But most importantly, you look at the 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:10.520 offensive side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers was practicing on 0:01:10.560 --> 0:01:14.840 Tuesday and it's now. Keep in mind it's a light practice. 0:01:14.880 --> 0:01:16.640 They're only going for an hour, but he didn't have 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:20.039 tape on that thumb. He told Pat McAfee during his 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:23.360 weekly appearance that he's feeling much better with that ribs, 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:26.280 hopefully feeling better here. You hope that you have Aaron 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:30.080 Rodgers back towards maybe not you know, I don't want 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:32.640 to put the percentage on it, but feeling more like 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.319 himself again. The big thing though, is the fact that 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:38.800 Aaron Jones no lingering after effects from that shin injury 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:42.080 in Chicago, and Romeo Dobbs continuing to practice. He said 0:01:42.120 --> 0:01:45.200 afterwards in the locker room, really commended the team and 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:49.320 himself for the decision they made. As difficult as it 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:51.480 was for him not to play against Chicago, he feels 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:53.640 like that extra two weeks put him in a position 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:55.360 to feel back to where he wanted to be, being 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:58.800 able to cut run full speed again. And Mike, we've 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:00.960 talked about it for a week now, but we're finally 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:03.680 getting closer to seeing Christian Watson and Romeo Dobbs on 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:06.720 the field together. Yeah, and and it's not even not 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:10.160 even just just those two. It has been a long 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.760 time since the Packers have had the the five receivers. 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:16.160 They went into the season with feeling like we're gonna 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:18.120 be their top five, whatever order you want to put 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:23.480 them in. Lazard, Watson, Dobbs, Cobb, Watkins, those five guys. 0:02:23.520 --> 0:02:26.840 I think it was Week two against Chicago was the 0:02:26.880 --> 0:02:29.640 only time that the Packers actually had all five of 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:33.760 those players available. And you're right. The exciting thing is 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:37.079 that is with the two rookies, Watson the second rounder, 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:40.600 Dobbs the fourth rounder, they played very They've been on 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:43.960 the field together for very few snaps over the course 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:47.359 of their of their rookie season. And this is this 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:49.960 is kind of the exciting and interesting thing, not just 0:02:50.040 --> 0:02:52.080 from the standpoint of what can the Packers do in 0:02:52.120 --> 0:02:56.279 these last four games down the stretch, but um, regardless 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:59.040 of what happens elsewhere on the roster in the off season, 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:02.040 this is the future of the Packers passing game. Here. 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:05.200 These two guys, they were drafted where they were drafted 0:03:05.240 --> 0:03:08.920 because they're going to be long term fixtures at that position. 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.320 It's a chance to see what it looks like with 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.680 both of them out there together. You know, you had 0:03:13.720 --> 0:03:17.240 to edit it. I wrote it uh the Insider Inbox 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:21.639 column on Thursday. I was trying to think of the 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:24.320 last time the Packers have had two receivers in the 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:28.160 same draft class that were as highly acclaimed as the 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:31.000 two that they have in Watson and Dobbs, and I 0:03:31.040 --> 0:03:33.280 really couldn't think of them. They've doubled up before, they've 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:36.440 taken multiple guys in specific years, but to have two 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:40.040 guys that have shown real potential to be difference makers 0:03:40.080 --> 0:03:42.720 every down players in this offense that came out of 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:44.680 the same draft class, it doesn't happen a lot. And 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:47.600 talking with Watson a little bit this year, talking with 0:03:47.720 --> 0:03:51.320 Dobbs again this past week, you could tell the affinity 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:53.320 all these guys have for each other, the fact that 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:57.200 they went through the same process alongside each other, earning 0:03:57.240 --> 0:04:00.000 the trust of Aaron Rodgers, earning their place in this offense, 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:02.600 going back to meeting each other at the Senior Boat 0:04:02.800 --> 0:04:05.920 in Mobile, Alabama as well back in January, and their 0:04:05.960 --> 0:04:09.200 skill sets complement each other perfectly. And if you throw 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:12.200 Samori too Ray into that as well, another guy that 0:04:12.240 --> 0:04:15.160 could potentially be a playmaker for this team down the line, 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:17.839 it is a very exciting time for the Packers receiving 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:20.520 corn finally, regardless of how these last four weeks go, 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:23.400 finally getting a chance to see what really that future 0:04:23.440 --> 0:04:25.039 of the perimeter game is going to look like in 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:28.160 Green Bay. While the perimeter game for the Los Angeles 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:31.200 Rams certainly looks very different than the one the Packers 0:04:31.279 --> 0:04:34.960 faced late in the season last year at lambeau Field. 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:37.400 And it's not just obviously the change at quarterback with 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:43.719 Baker Mayfield now taking over for Matthew Stafford, but the 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:47.000 guy who led the NFL last year in receptions, in 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:50.280 receiving yards, and in touchdowns, Cooper Cup is not on 0:04:50.320 --> 0:04:54.400 the field for the Rams. Give me your assessment of 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:58.680 just where the Rams are with their with their perimeter weapons. 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:02.080 I mean, we saw Van Jefferson get the game winning 0:05:02.080 --> 0:05:06.080 touchdown on the Thursday night football game against the Raiders. 0:05:06.360 --> 0:05:08.159 You know, heck of a play, one on one, great 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:11.360 throw by uh Baker Mayfield for the touchdown there. But 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:14.040 then you look at Van jefferson statistics for the season 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:16.680 and you're sort of like, well, where has this guy been? All? Yeah, right, 0:05:16.720 --> 0:05:21.400 so I'm not I'm not sure exactly. You know, you 0:05:21.720 --> 0:05:24.120 take Cooper Cup out of the mix and and tight 0:05:24.240 --> 0:05:27.920 end Tyler Higbee is is is one of the biggest 0:05:27.960 --> 0:05:30.200 weapons that the Rams have here in the passing game 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:33.640 moving forward. Yeah, I mean the dearth of playmakers in 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:35.320 this offense. I think it's kind of what has hurt 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:37.120 them in addition to the fact they've had like five 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:40.160 different quarterbacks this season. I mean, honestly, it kind of 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:42.120 reminds you when you look at the box scored almost 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:45.120 looks like those the strike years in eight seven, where 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:47.000 there's just like where all these guys coming from that 0:05:47.000 --> 0:05:49.960 we're playing quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams. Unfortunately, now 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:52.920 they get Baker Mayfield off of waivers. But it has 0:05:52.960 --> 0:05:58.000 been a grind, a relentless grind um with with Matthew Stafford, 0:05:58.080 --> 0:06:00.240 you know, and you wish the best for him. I mean, 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:02.160 it seems like he's dealing with kind of a scary 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:06.919 um sort of you know, incident. But losing Cooper Cup 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:10.680 everybody knew the offense ran through him, but then Allen 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:14.360 Robinson goes down for the season. Um, they've had to 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:17.960 rely on guys that were more complimentary pieces in this 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:22.600 offense now as the go toos. And furthermore, you know, 0:06:22.720 --> 0:06:26.520 some some really interesting decisions. You know, Darrel Henderson gets 0:06:26.640 --> 0:06:30.200 cut mid season, so you know, cam Akers hasn't really 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:32.360 been as effective as I think they were hoping for, 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:35.760 you know, when they drafted him. Injury, his aside, they 0:06:35.800 --> 0:06:37.320 just haven't had a lot to hang their head. And 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:40.279 now that being said, Mike, you look at Van Jefferson. 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:41.839 He was a guy that was brought in a number 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.440 of years ago. He was kind of picked as the 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:47.760 prospect to develop with all these other guys. You know, 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.560 when you go back to Robert Woods being there, he 0:06:50.640 --> 0:06:52.320 was kind of seen as that next guy. And then 0:06:52.360 --> 0:06:55.000 you know Ben's you know Scarronic. I mean, they have 0:06:55.760 --> 0:06:58.800 players that can hurt you. It's just when you look 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:02.159 at the Rams right now, they aren't the same team 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:05.160 as they were before. When it's okay, how are we 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:08.320 going to address Cooper Cup and what's the domino effect 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:11.040 of that defense on the rest of you know, how 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:15.200 you attack ELL's offense. Well, with regard to the quarterbacks 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.000 switched to Baker Mayfield, I have to issue a correction 0:07:18.120 --> 0:07:21.480 from our last show because I said the last time 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:24.800 the Packers had faced a quarterback and back to back 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:29.119 seasons for different teams as the starter was Philip Rivers 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:32.320 with the Chargers in the Colts, and that is actually 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:35.680 not correct. I opened my mouth before I finished my research, 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:40.480 and because I had forgotten. When I got to the 0:07:40.560 --> 0:07:43.800 end of my research, I discovered that I had forgotten 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:48.440 about the Jared Goff Matthew Stafford quarterback switch between the 0:07:48.560 --> 0:07:51.760 Rams and the Lions. And the Packers faced Jared Goff 0:07:51.920 --> 0:07:55.480 as the Rams quarterback in the playoffs and then as 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:59.200 the Lions quarterback in and then of course they faced 0:07:59.240 --> 0:08:03.320 Matthew Stafford as the Lions quarterback in and then as 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:07.320 the Rams quarterback in the regular season when the Packers 0:08:07.320 --> 0:08:11.160 and Rams met in. So um, this whole back to 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:14.320 back with different quarterbacks thing is is somewhat starting to 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:18.080 get old hat for um. For Matt Lafleur, this situation 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.600 is very different though, in that we talked about on 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:25.720 our last show, how there's only three quarters of Baker 0:08:25.760 --> 0:08:28.440 Mayfield Los Angeles Rams film to go off of here. 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:30.679 This isn't you can't look at, you know, the nine 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:34.040 games that Philip Rivers played with the Colts before, um, 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:36.800 you know, before he ended up facing the Packers as 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:41.480 an example, So a real challenge, a real challenge for 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:45.760 the UH for the Packers defense here, and I think 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:49.320 I think if there's one, if there's one area, well, 0:08:49.720 --> 0:08:53.960 I guess I would say two areas. Defensively, the Packers 0:08:54.040 --> 0:08:58.240 need to get more stout against the run. They can't 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:00.679 have any more of these games like what happened against 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:03.640 the UH the Philadelphia Eagles. And I thought we saw 0:09:04.160 --> 0:09:07.280 some signs of the run defense stepping up against Chicago, 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:10.560 certainly down the stretch. The way the defense played to 0:09:10.679 --> 0:09:13.440 allow that fourth quarter comeback, that was a good sign there. 0:09:13.760 --> 0:09:15.760 But the Packers also have got to find some pass 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:19.560 rush from somewhere because they've had a hard time getting 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:22.440 after quarterbacks since Rashaan Gary went down. You lose your 0:09:22.440 --> 0:09:25.520 best pass rusher, you know, those guys don't grow on trees. 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.560 As they say. Justin Hollins has come in off off 0:09:28.600 --> 0:09:32.920 of waivers from the Rams and provided UH some depth there. 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:37.240 But uh um. But I'm curious if this bye week 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:39.200 and when the coaches have a little bit more time 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:41.719 to study things and think about things, if we might 0:09:41.760 --> 0:09:44.440 start seeing a little bit more creativity in terms of 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:47.680 getting after quarterbacks. Because the Packers can't, They're not going 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:49.400 to be able to make a run in this last 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:51.679 month when you you don't have Shawn Gary, he's not 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:54.360 gonna show up. He's not gonna Willis read it coming 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:57.360 out of the tunnel. So you've got to get pass 0:09:57.400 --> 0:10:00.160 rush from somewhere for this defense to play the way 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:02.199 the Packers needed to play down the Street. Yeah, I 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:05.800 mean that's what's tough, because the defensive front and the 0:10:05.840 --> 0:10:08.280 way the attack the quarterback was kind of built off 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:11.280 of Rashaan Gary. Really, I mean, you know you're gonna 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:12.679 see a lot of Gary this season. You knew you're 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:14.400 gonna see a lot of Preston Smith, but it was 0:10:14.440 --> 0:10:16.280 almost like they were going to try to recreate what 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:18.760 they did in nineteen with the Smith Bros. But just 0:10:18.880 --> 0:10:21.439 kind of subbing in Gary into that formula. Well, when 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.960 you lose Gary, uh six sacks on the season, you know, 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:27.240 still the team leader, I believe at this point in time, 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:29.160 despite the fact he's been out for a month already. 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:31.280 It just shows you the change you have to make 0:10:31.320 --> 0:10:34.520 with your defensive front. You say that, you know, pass 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:36.840 rushers don't grow on trees. I'm always reminded of the 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:39.720 old ron Zook adage of yeah, they don't come out 0:10:39.720 --> 0:10:41.880 of the womb, you know, rushing the passer, come on 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:45.920 the room, returning punts. Um. But it is true. I mean, 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.240 it's it's so difficult to replace those players. I took 0:10:48.280 --> 0:10:50.600 my cap to kingsleyanding Barie. I feel like he stepped 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:52.600 up in a lot of ways. Certainly Justin Hollins has 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:54.920 come in and already has a sack. I mean been that. 0:10:55.040 --> 0:10:58.880 But it's not just about one player or one position 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:01.760 group pulling the the Packers forward in that. It's about 0:11:01.800 --> 0:11:04.000 the defensive front as a whole. It's about you know, 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:06.480 calls that Joe Berry makes to potentially get the blitz 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:09.200 going a little bit more. Maybe get Dave Andre Campbell 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:11.280 and you get a guy like Kay Walker in vault. 0:11:11.520 --> 0:11:14.240 Packers got to get creative with it to to branch 0:11:14.559 --> 0:11:16.640 off of what your argument was, if I may, because 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:18.400 you make a good point about the run defense. This 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:20.640 is not the week you can allow the l. A. 0:11:20.760 --> 0:11:23.360 Rams to to start running the football. No, this this 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:26.000 is this is an offense. This Rams offense has struggled 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:27.800 to run the ball all year and the Packers have 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.120 to keep it that way. Yeah, and it's not just 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:33.080 about the run game. It's about what Baker Mayfield could 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:35.200 do because last week, I mean it, if you look 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:37.040 at it, like the fact that they were able to 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:38.920 win the head game over the Raiders, if you look 0:11:38.960 --> 0:11:41.720 at a box score, it's pretty astonishing. I mean, that 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:44.720 game for fifty five minutes kind of was going to 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:47.120 play out the way the way it was supposed to well. 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:50.160 And and what's really crazy about it too, Statistically, even 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:54.800 after that fourth quarter comeback against the Raiders, the Rams 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:58.360 have still been outscored by forty nine points in the 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:02.120 fourth quarter this year, so that total was over sixty points. 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:05.280 They've been outscored in the fourth quarter until Mayfield lad 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:07.840 that come back in the last five six minutes on 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:10.360 on Thursday night. This isn't a team, this isn't a 0:12:10.360 --> 0:12:14.160 team that has finished well. Suddenly Baker Mayfield changes changes 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:16.760 that narrative. And I'm sure they'd like to get their 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:19.360 run game going to help out Mayfield, who still is 0:12:19.440 --> 0:12:22.199 only going to have a portion of the playbook to 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:24.120 be able to run when he takes the field at Lamb. 0:12:25.040 --> 0:12:27.560 And that's why, by stopping the run, you put this 0:12:27.640 --> 0:12:29.720 game back in Baker Mayfield's hands a little bit more. 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:32.800 And Mayfield is an accomplished, guy's former number one overall pick. 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:34.920 But the Packers have seen him, they've intercepted him, they 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:36.640 made plays off of them, and you need to make 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.400 him look like the guy that got signed three minutes ago, 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:42.439 you know, our claimed three minutes ago. Right. That's the 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:45.920 key to victory for the Packers. You can't let the Rams, 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:49.800 especially on what appears to be probably a pretty darn 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:53.440 cold night at lambeau Field, allowing them to feel comfortable 0:12:53.440 --> 0:12:56.200 in this venue. Yeah, I think generating some turnovers for 0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:58.679 this defense, and and especially if you can get if 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:01.160 you can get Mayfield to throw you an interception too, 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:04.120 I think that, uh, that really changes the out look 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:06.280 of this game. I did look up some statistics on 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:08.760 Baker Mayfield that I'll share with you West, because we've 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:12.320 seen him. He's, you know to me, and this is 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:14.480 what I said an insider inbox, He's he's a flip 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:17.199 flip the coin quarterback. You you don't know what you're 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:19.520 gonna get from game to game. Here's the thing. In 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:22.520 game games he has started in his career where Baker 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:25.520 Mayfield is not thrown an interception, He's eighteen and eight 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:28.920 games in which he has thrown two or more interceptions, 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:34.079 he's three and thirteen. I mean, Alo, you know what, 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:36.599 what are you? What are you gonna get? But but 0:13:36.600 --> 0:13:38.600 but if you can force him, if you can force 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:41.560 him into a couple of mistakes, he's proven over the 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.800 course of his career he's not necessarily going to be 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:47.040 able to overcome those mistakes to uh to get a victory. 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:50.120 So I think that that ranks up there the other one. 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:52.160 That's a key to victory for me. And I say 0:13:52.280 --> 0:13:55.280 this not just in this game, but if the Packers 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:57.120 are going to make a run here over the final 0:13:57.160 --> 0:14:00.120 month and put together a winning streak, the Packers have 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:02.439 to start playing from ahead. They have to start getting 0:14:02.520 --> 0:14:05.080 leads early in games. I think I think that does 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:07.079 a couple of things. I think it provides a boost 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:09.840 to the offense when you can start fast, get some 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:11.960 points on the board early, and play from in front. 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.880 And it helps a defense to be playing with a lead, 0:14:14.960 --> 0:14:18.839 as opposed to um playing from behind and then saying, oh, 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:20.600 we just got to hold him here, you know, hold 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:22.560 him here, give the offense a chance to come back. 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:25.520 I look back at the two thousand sixteen run the 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:28.360 table West, the last six games of the regular season 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:30.160 when the Packers had to win all six of those 0:14:30.200 --> 0:14:33.000 to get to the playoffs. Every single one of those 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.960 games started out Green May seven, opponent zero. The Packers 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:39.680 got the first touchdown of the game six games in 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:42.280 a row as part of that six game winning streak. 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:44.800 I think that's something that you have that this team 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:48.280 needs to play from in front and stop trying to 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:51.720 you know, scramble in the fourth quarter to be able 0:14:51.760 --> 0:14:53.840 to come back and pull out these close victims. That's 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:56.360 probably the thing I missed the most this season compared 0:14:56.400 --> 0:14:59.320 to especially the last two years, was Green Bay had 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:03.920 so many good opening drives, uh, lengthy drives you know, 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:06.600 eight to twelve play series that would end up in 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:09.440 the end zone. Um, that wasn't always like that. They 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:11.560 struggled with that even in Matt Lafleur's first season. I 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:13.000 mean there were times where it didn't work out. But 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.800 I think it was before this game against Chicago was 0:15:15.840 --> 0:15:18.440 it something like was it seventh straight first quarter drives 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:20.920 where they weren't able to get points? I mean, it 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.840 really does. It sets the tempo for a football game. 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:27.400 And I think also, you know, I was asked the 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:29.760 question again about the deferring people always like to ask 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:32.320 about that. You know, if you win the coin toss, 0:15:32.360 --> 0:15:35.280 do you defer? I always do, just because I feel 0:15:35.320 --> 0:15:38.120 like the advantage is still so strong there. But if 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:40.320 that's what you're doing, that means the defense has to 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:41.800 come out and set the tone. That means that if 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:43.680 the defense gets you a three and out, the offense 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:45.760 needs to set the tone. And it comes back to 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:48.000 the number one narrative that you and I have talked 0:15:48.040 --> 0:15:50.520 about all season. People can talk about players, they can 0:15:50.560 --> 0:15:53.400 talk about positions, they can talk about coordinators, but it 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:56.560 comes down to complimentary football. When the Packers play together 0:15:56.600 --> 0:15:58.920 and they play together with a lead early. That's how 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:01.480 Matt Lafleur became the any coach in NFL history through 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:03.240 his first three seasons. Yeah, and that's the type of 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:04.920 football they need to play down the strap and you 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:07.560 you bring up the deferring thing to another another thing 0:16:07.600 --> 0:16:11.080 that I looked up, and I'm I'm generally I like 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:13.760 to defer and and take the ball at the start 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:15.520 of the second half because the first half is so 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:17.640 much of a feeling out process. Here's the thing though 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:22.440 about the two Packers this season. The Packers have had 0:16:22.480 --> 0:16:27.480 the opening possession of the third quarter nine times. They've 0:16:27.520 --> 0:16:30.240 only scored three out of those nine. Six of the 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:34.200 nine have been either a punter or turnover. The strategy 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:36.280 of deferring and taking the ball at the start of 0:16:36.280 --> 0:16:39.360 the second half hasn't really helped them. They haven't been 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:41.680 able to come out of the locker room and and 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:43.680 take the ball down the field and score. It just 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:45.880 makes me wonder. You know, you get a bye week, 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:48.280 you think about things, the coaches study all these things. 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.680 We'll just see and obviously if you lose the toss, 0:16:50.720 --> 0:16:53.320 it's not your call anyway, right, but we'll just see 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:57.000 if if there are any any strategies perhaps that that 0:16:57.080 --> 0:17:00.760 change up here, because because Mike McCarthy in the two 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.360 thousand sixteen when the team was four and six, he 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:05.639 did start taking the ball when he won the toss 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:08.000 instead of deferring to the second half, and they got 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:09.920 a seven and nothing lead. As I said, in all 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:12.280 six of those games. It's so hard to predict the 0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:15.520 right though, because like Chicago wins the toss, the Bears 0:17:15.560 --> 0:17:18.040 take the ball right, they start off super fast, and 0:17:18.040 --> 0:17:20.240 then they can't do anything else the rest of the 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.439 game off right. So it's it's yeah, it's it's a 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.160 weird Yeah. There there are no there are no guarantees. 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:27.600 There are no guarantees regardless. It's just when you get 0:17:27.760 --> 0:17:29.399 when you get this late in the season and you 0:17:29.440 --> 0:17:31.399 see what you've tried and what has worked and what 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:33.920 hasn't worked, you just wonder if if there may be 0:17:34.040 --> 0:17:36.600 some changeups coming down the pike. You just gotta get 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:38.439 back to losing the coin toss every week like they 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:41.040 did last season. Yeah, that that worked. That worked. That 0:17:41.080 --> 0:17:43.840 worked pretty well. Packers didn't need to win the toss 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.280 to to win games. To win games last year, they 0:17:46.320 --> 0:17:47.960 left the choice up to the opponent and they just 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:51.320 rolled with it. So um some sponsor business here. West 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:54.480 Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:57.520 up to the NFL news that true football fanatics need 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:01.720 seven three and its and subs. We have something for everyone, 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.760 like our Wisconsin Cheese cards, mac and Cheese, golden fries, 0:18:04.760 --> 0:18:07.320 and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:13.399 sub in a bowl. Cousin Subs fifty years of better. Alright, 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:15.359 I want to take a look at some other games 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:19.960 going on around the NFL and actually starting with Thursday 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:23.080 Night Football a game that has some implications for the Packers. 0:18:23.119 --> 0:18:26.320 It's the uh, the brock Purty forty Niners, although he's 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.560 listed as questionable on the injury report, but the Niners 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:33.360 are at Seattle. Um if he doesn't pay pay, I 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:37.800 I don't know. Christian McCaffrey gonna play wildcat quarterback for 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:39.960 the game. Again. You know, they don't even have Deebo 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:42.600 Samuel that takes some snaps in the wildcat because he's 0:18:42.600 --> 0:18:47.680 injured now. So um, but a big Thursday night game, UM, Niners, 0:18:47.960 --> 0:18:51.520 Niners and Seahawks, UM, big implications in that division as 0:18:51.520 --> 0:18:54.880 far as and also in the in the wild card race. Oh, 0:18:55.000 --> 0:18:57.719 Josh Johnson is the guy forgot they signed Josh Johnson. 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:02.119 Josh Johnson is NER's now. Okay, So a couple of 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:04.320 things to this game. Sounds like Keneth Walker is gonna play. 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:06.879 Uh that that's the number one thing here people will 0:19:06.920 --> 0:19:09.200 talk about pretty that's that's a that's a big boost 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:11.200 for the Seahawks. And the Seahawks were not the same 0:19:11.200 --> 0:19:13.320 team without him last week. Gino Smith is not the 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:15.600 same quarterback without him. He has to do more, which 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:17.879 leads to more, you know, interceptions, at least That's what 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.040 it's looked like so far. Kenneth Walker has been the 0:19:20.119 --> 0:19:22.000 running back that they've been looking for for so many 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:25.359 years now. So seeing how he performs and how Gino 0:19:25.440 --> 0:19:28.240 performs against that defense is really the biggest thing here, 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:30.439 as much as we want to make about Purty, And 0:19:30.520 --> 0:19:33.600 certainly it was funny listening to Alan Lazard rant and right, 0:19:33.680 --> 0:19:35.840 not rant, but rave about him because you know, the 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:38.520 Iowa state connection, the fact that the Packers really do 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:40.399 need this young man to play well down the stretch 0:19:40.440 --> 0:19:43.440