WEBVTT - #683 Packers Unscripted: Diving into Detroit 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:10.600 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:14.120 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.200 --> 0:00:18.680 by the one the only Western Hodkowitz. Were coming to 0:00:18.760 --> 0:00:22.239 you hear from our studios at lambeau Field talking about 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:27.319 Packers Lions, which will take place at Ford Field in 0:00:27.400 --> 0:00:31.720 Detroit on Sunday. It's a noon Central Time kickoff and west. 0:00:31.760 --> 0:00:35.240 When you look at this one and six Lions team, 0:00:35.240 --> 0:00:39.720 there's one statistic that absolutely jumps off the page. In 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:43.159 four home games, the Lions have scored a hundred and 0:00:43.240 --> 0:00:46.920 forty three points nearly thirty six per game. In three 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:51.200 road games, they've scored just thirty points, only ten per game. Well, 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:53.760 this game is at Ford Field, the Lions are at home, 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:56.720 and that is the explosive offense that the Packers are 0:00:56.720 --> 0:01:04.319 preparing for the greatest show on turf. But nowhere else. Listen, 0:01:04.640 --> 0:01:07.720 UM in that very spot over there. I know Justin 0:01:07.800 --> 0:01:10.840 and Marvin can't pan over there right now, but Larry 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:13.400 McKern and I did our three Things video on Wednesday 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:17.720 evening and Larry put it out there bluntly. You can't 0:01:17.720 --> 0:01:21.480 take this Lions team lightly. For that reason, UM to 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:24.640 also quote Larry, their defense is the pits. I mean 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:30.160 they are basically bottom of everything. But offensively, uh, particularly 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:33.080 as you illustrated when they're at Ford Field, this team 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:35.440 can play with anybody. And Kenny Clark was kind of 0:01:35.440 --> 0:01:38.399 outlining this a little bit for him. He thought it 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:41.039 starts a lot with their offensive line, a lot of 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:44.240 resources they've invested there that has helped their run game 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:47.400 improve over the last few years. Certainly back that is 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:51.279 as stable and consistent as Jamal Williams. That has given 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:54.400 them sort of a foundation to build their offense. And 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:56.279 if you go back and look at Jared Goff throughout 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:58.960 his career, that is when he really has excelled when 0:01:58.960 --> 0:02:01.320 he's had a back that he can play off of 0:02:01.320 --> 0:02:04.560 and create downfield opportunities. Now, amandros st Brown has been 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:06.840 banged up here for them as of late. They just 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:10.160 traded t J. Hockenson, so it's gonna be interesting to 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:13.240 see which playmakers step up for them, especially with DeAndre 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:18.040 Swift still missing practices. But you can't overlook this Lions 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:20.600 team there one in six. But there's a lot of 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:25.040 dangerous looking statistics in that statue. Yeah, you mentioned Jared 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:28.040 Goff and I think that the thing and and coupled 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.920 with that running game, Jared Goff so far this season 0:02:30.919 --> 0:02:33.720 through seven games has a ninety three point to passer rating. 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:36.840 That is his best passer rating since two thousand and eighteen. 0:02:37.480 --> 0:02:41.080 For all of the um uh, you know, all all 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:44.800 of the uh you know gruff he's taken from fans 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:46.960 for for not living up to that you know, to 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:50.080 his draft status over the course of his career, Jared 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.360 Goff is putting together his best season in in quite 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:57.200 a while. They did get DeAndre Swift back last week 0:02:57.320 --> 0:03:01.119 in a limited role um per. Perhaps he's still going 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:04.200 to be available this week. Don't know, but DeAndre Swift 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:07.000 in limited action this year because of injuries, is averaging 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:09.840 seven point four yards per carry. I mean, this is 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:13.160 a guy who's taking chunks of the field when he 0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:17.559 gets an opportunity. You mentioned Jamal Williams eight rushing touchdowns, 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:21.440 which ranks second in the league. UM in rushing touchdowns, 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:24.600 I believe it's Chubb from Cleveland with ten is on 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:27.960 top of the league. Jamal Williams has eight, but no 0:03:28.080 --> 0:03:31.079 t J. Hockenson because of the trade to the Minnesota Vikings. 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:35.600 I'm curious to see if a whole lot really changes 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:39.600 with regard to Detroit's offense, or if it's just okay, 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:43.080 Hockinson is not available, so you put in a tight 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:46.600 end to you know, it's it's are they just gonna 0:03:46.640 --> 0:03:49.080 do a plug and play type of thing and try 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:52.000 to try to continue that or is there going to 0:03:52.080 --> 0:03:55.080 be a little bit more of a radical or wholesale 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:57.680 change because you don't have T. J. Hockenson in the 0:03:57.680 --> 0:03:59.480 mix anymore. I'm not sure which way they're going to 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.280 go especial really on short notice. Well, Mike, I'm gonna 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:04.520 have to be a hundred honest with you. I have 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:08.040 no idea who brock Wright and James Mitchell are. I 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:10.640 don't either, which is why I didn't even bring up 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.640 the names, but you called him up on your surface tablets. 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:15.960 Here's the thing, though, I have paid a lot of 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:18.920 attention to Hawkinson this year, the huge game he had 0:04:18.960 --> 0:04:22.200 a few weeks ago being the primary target for Jared 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:25.000 Goff three ninety five yards so far this season, that 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:27.480 was that was tops on the Lions. Now, I mean 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:30.200 a monros st Brown and Josh Reynolds both over three 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:33.919 hundred yards as well, but yardage wise, Hockinson was number 0:04:33.920 --> 0:04:36.120 one on their lists. Yeah, and in golf. I mean, 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:38.880 you just watched the games. Mike when he needed a receiver, 0:04:38.920 --> 0:04:42.200 when he needed to go to guy, it was Hockinson. 0:04:42.320 --> 0:04:45.760 So I'm very interested to see who steps up in 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:49.280 that spot for them right now, because as difficult as 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:53.440 things have been offensive or defensively for them, offensively is 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:54.880 why they've been able to stay in a lot of 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:57.360 these games. And you know, you look at the fact 0:04:57.440 --> 0:05:01.200 that they went, you know, up the thirty five with 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:03.520 the Philadelphia Eagles in Week one, a game that I 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:06.120 thought everybody was probably overlooking at the beginning of the 0:05:06.200 --> 0:05:08.440 season because it's like, Okay, how good are the Eagles 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:10.680 gonna be this year? But doesn't really matter they're going 0:05:10.760 --> 0:05:14.160 up against the Lions. And then suddenly the Lions kind 0:05:14.160 --> 0:05:15.920 of opened some eyes, and I think if you win 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:18.720 through those first second or third weeks of the season, 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:22.560 people actually really like, you know, Detroit's chances this year 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:26.039 in the second year under Dan Campbell. But games have 0:05:26.120 --> 0:05:28.080 gotten away from them. As you said, on the road, 0:05:28.120 --> 0:05:31.640 they've really struggled, and defensively across the board, they haven't 0:05:31.640 --> 0:05:35.200 been able to stop anybody. So how this offense reacts 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:37.400 is what I'm really interested to see because I know 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:39.960 the quotes out this week from Brad Holmes about their 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:42.240 general manager. You know, we would have done this trade 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:45.200 if we were six and one two. I beg to 0:05:45.440 --> 0:05:48.800 disagree with that. I mean, second and you know, fifth 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.799 round picks. Whatever it ended up being. It's good equity. 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:53.800 I get it. But t J. Hockenson was the eighth 0:05:53.839 --> 0:05:55.880 overall pick a couple of years ago. He was a 0:05:55.920 --> 0:06:00.440 guy that was showing, in my opinion, legitimate playmaking Pro 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:02.880 Bowl potential when he's been healthy, when he hasn't had 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:05.359 some you know, there's been some concussions and stuff to 0:06:05.440 --> 0:06:08.039 take him away from this offense now, I just I'm 0:06:08.120 --> 0:06:11.679 just very curious how the Lions respond to that, because 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:13.919 that's a pretty vivid message that you're sending to your 0:06:14.000 --> 0:06:17.239 organization that not only are we probably going to continue 0:06:17.279 --> 0:06:19.679 this rebuild when you take away a guy that's twenty 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:22.520 five years old or whatever, Hockinson, is that that that 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:24.240 kind of tells you that we still feel like we're 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:26.440 a lot farther away than maybe we were hoping at 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:28.680 the beginning of the season. Yeah, it was a curious move, 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:30.200 and you make and you make a good point as 0:06:30.240 --> 0:06:32.320 far as how how is the locker room, how are 0:06:32.360 --> 0:06:36.120 the players going to react to that seeing a major 0:06:36.160 --> 0:06:39.080 piece even though they're one and there, one and six. 0:06:39.200 --> 0:06:41.680 But they've been right in a lot of games. They've 0:06:41.720 --> 0:06:44.200 lost three shootouts at home. You know the game you 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:46.400 mentioned with the Eagles, the score was in the thirties. 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:51.480 They lost to the Seahawks at home. They lost UM 0:06:51.720 --> 0:06:54.640 just last week at home to Miami thirty one to 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:57.480 twenty seven, when they had jumped out to a fourteen 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:00.839 nothing lead, but their defense fault and through the second 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:05.159 and third quarters and Miami really got rolling. That defense 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:10.680 is thirty second last in the league in both yards 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:13.760 and points allowed. That being said, there one win this 0:07:13.840 --> 0:07:16.840 year was sort of a shootout at home against the 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:21.200 Washington Commanders, a high scoring game that that UM that 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:26.240 they were able to pull out. So the other response 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:29.080 I think to see what happens here with regard to 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:32.800 the Lions is they just uh fired their defensive backs 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:36.240 coach this week Aubrey pleasant Um Aaron Glenn, the defensive 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:39.040 coordinator who is a defensive back by trade and made 0:07:39.080 --> 0:07:43.040 his way to the to the coordinator position through the secondary. 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:47.360 So to speak, just they decided to move on from 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:50.000 Aubrey Pleasant. So then with all of the problems that 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:52.280 they've had with their past defense, you know, are they 0:07:52.520 --> 0:07:54.200 are they going to change something? Are they going to 0:07:54.280 --> 0:07:58.000 try something new? I think you know that change at 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:00.880 defensive backs coach. And also the trade aid for Hackinson 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:03.640 makes this a challenge this week in some respects for 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:06.760 the Packers in terms of preparing and studying film because 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:10.480 you don't know what changes they're going to make based 0:08:10.520 --> 0:08:13.680 on um, based on these moves that just happened within 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:15.840 the last few days. Well, and how drastic are they 0:08:15.840 --> 0:08:18.320 gonna be? Are they going to really try some different 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:20.560 type of stuff there? Because you're kind of getting to 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:22.960 this point where let me just read off some of 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:24.920 these statistics really quickly. If you don't mind, I know 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:27.240 you're usually the stat guy. I'm gonna wear that hat 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:29.240 here for a couple of minutes. Sure, they're giving up 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:32.040 thirty two point one points per game. As much as 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:34.880 we put this on Pleasant in the passing game, then 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:37.760 being against the past this season is actually one of 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:40.599 their better statistics. Right now, they are thirty second and 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:43.040 totally yards, giving up fourner and twenty one yards per game. 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.679 They are thirty against the run, giving up a hundred 0:08:45.679 --> 0:08:48.800 and fifty four yards per game interceptions, they only have 0:08:49.000 --> 0:08:51.920 to this season third down defense, they are dead last 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:54.560 in the National Football League fifty point six percent of 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:58.240 the time not being able to get stopped. So I 0:08:58.400 --> 0:09:02.160 look at this right now from Detroit's perspective, is Okay, 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:04.360 we have Aidan Hutchinson. He looks like he's going to 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:06.440 be pretty good four and a half sacks on the season. 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:08.800 But I don't know what else there is to really 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:11.160 hang their hat on. Right hutch Hutchinson has the four 0:09:11.200 --> 0:09:13.040 and a half sacks to lead the team. Nobody else 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:14.560 on the team has more than one and a half. 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:17.120 I mean, he he is sort of the crux of 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:19.760 their defense. What I wonder about in terms of, you know, 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:22.280 I know it's short notice in terms of making changes 0:09:23.920 --> 0:09:26.679 from a schematic standpoint or whatever you want to call it. 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:29.480 But at the same time, they're one and six at 0:09:29.480 --> 0:09:31.560 some point at some point here, I mean, we've seen 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:34.280 we've seen Dan Campbell. He loves to go for it 0:09:34.320 --> 0:09:36.520 on fourth down. He likes to fake punts, he likes 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:39.320 to onside kick, he he likes to he likes to 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:43.040 pull out all the stops and so to to a 0:09:43.080 --> 0:09:46.120 certain extent. Now now that they're one and six, nearing 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:49.679 the midway point of their season, at some point it's 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:51.839 gonna be like, hey, we got we got nothing to lose. 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:55.040 Let's just let's let's let's let's try whatever and and 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:57.480 see if we can beat you know, a struggling Green 0:09:57.480 --> 0:09:59.960 Bay Packers team coming in with a four game los 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:02.600 and for green Bay, I mean, this is this is 0:10:02.640 --> 0:10:06.160 the perfect elixir. There's a lot of you know, kind 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:08.200 of some pressure on the Packers here, coming off a 0:10:08.240 --> 0:10:10.760 four game losing streak to still be favored in this game, 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:13.720 to try to get it up. Twenty five first downs 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:16.160 a game, right now, that's one and a half more 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:19.199 than the next team. That's crazy. Six six per quarters, 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:23.560 I mean six first downs per quarters. So for the Packers, 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:26.160 a team that offensively has been struggling to find itself 0:10:26.200 --> 0:10:29.440 at times, been trying to find perimeter weapons to step up. 0:10:30.480 --> 0:10:32.640 Aaron Rodgers was asked, are you prepared to go to 0:10:32.679 --> 0:10:35.120 a shootout in this one? He's like yeah, he said, 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:37.160 he said, we better be better, you know, I mean 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:41.520 that's the way this thing is put together right now. 0:10:41.559 --> 0:10:44.040 For the Packers. So the guys in the locker room 0:10:44.120 --> 0:10:45.920 understand that urgency and one of the points I made 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:47.920 in our insider inbox column, and it kind of goes 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:49.920 off dovetailing off. What a lot of the guys said 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:53.400 in the locker room was, this isn't about getting style points. 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.240 You don't need to, you know, finesse on them. You 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:58.840 don't need to have a blowout. Packers need to win 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:01.439 right now, and they need to win before they come 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:04.720 back home and face a good Dallas team, a very 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:09.240 dangerous Tennessee Titans team. Yeah, the Packers. The Packers are 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:11.199 going to come off this game in Detroit and then 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:13.319 have two home games in a span of five days. 0:11:13.679 --> 0:11:15.720 You get a win, you all of a sudden start, 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:17.800 you know, maybe to feel a little bit better about yourself, 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:21.079 generate some kind of momentum to home games in five 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.679 days against at Lambeau, against very very good teams. But 0:11:25.080 --> 0:11:27.280 this is I mean right here, this is it a 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:29.840 road game at Detroit, a team that's only won one game, 0:11:30.080 --> 0:11:32.280 and then two home games in a span of five days. 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:34.000 If the Packers are going to turn their season around, 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:36.160 it's gonna be now. Because if I'm Matt Lafleur in 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:39.040 that locker room. Obviously, it would never be a speech 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:41.199 with him because they're not looking to pass the front opponent. 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:44.640 But fourteen games, fourteen days from now, the Packers could 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:47.120 be a game above five if you play your cards 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:49.560 right over these next two weeks. The good thing for 0:11:49.640 --> 0:11:52.760 green Bay coming out of Wednesday we saw Allen Lazard 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:55.040 returned back to practice. That would be a huge gift 0:11:55.160 --> 0:11:58.200 for them with this offense. You know, Christian Watson, we 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:00.520 don't know what the prognosis is going to be for him, 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:02.920 but at the very least, it seems like he's doing okay. 0:12:02.960 --> 0:12:04.880 I think he was out there. You were at practice. Yeah, 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:08.000 he wasn't stretching, he wasn't going through the drills on 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:10.280 the field, but he was present at practice. He was 0:12:10.360 --> 0:12:13.520 going through the team stretch at the beginning of practice, 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.280 which is a good sign because some in certain stages 0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:18.280 of the protocol, like you don't even see the player 0:12:18.400 --> 0:12:21.040 down by the field at all. So again, we don't 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:23.560 know how this is gonna shake out for Watson as 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:25.480 the rest of the week unfolds, but that was a 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:27.840 really good sign just to see him with his teammates 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.280 on Wednesday, and as Rogers said too, you know, and 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:31.839 hopefully here in a couple of weeks they can get 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:35.080 Randall cobback. So the Packers, we saw it happen with 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:37.120 the trading deadline and when when everybody, and I know 0:12:37.160 --> 0:12:39.160 that's such a big point of contention right now amongst 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.880 fan base, but the reality is, no matter what would 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:44.480 have happened there, the Packers had to rely on Romeo Dobbs, 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:48.080 Samory Too re Christian Watson to improve, and they needed 0:12:48.240 --> 0:12:51.640 guys like al Lazar, Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins to 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:55.880 lead with this group early on. It's been tough, there's 0:12:55.920 --> 0:12:57.520 no question about it. But I think if you look 0:12:57.520 --> 0:12:59.599 at that game against Buffalo again, a team that was 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:02.880 that are it is considered a Super Bowl favorite. Packers 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:05.280 did a lot of positive things in there. Now is 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:08.319 the time to build on that, learn from your mistakes, 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:10.679 and go and impose your will against the lines. All right, 0:13:10.720 --> 0:13:13.840 I want us to specifically call our keys to victory 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:15.560 in a minute here, but first I'll take care of 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:19.480 some sponsor business. Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard 0:13:19.559 --> 0:13:22.720 hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that 0:13:22.760 --> 0:13:27.800 true football fanatics need. Seven three six and at Cousin Subs, 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.800 we have something for everyone like our Wisconsin cheese curds, 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:33.760 mac and cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:36.360 with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. Cousin 0:13:36.440 --> 0:13:40.800 Subs fifty years of better. All right, the keys to 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:46.520 victory here we will see. Aaron Rodgers sounded uh, sounded positive, 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:50.960 optimistic about the prospect of David Baktier and Elton Jenkins 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.360 playing side by side on the left side of the 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:57.079 offensive line this week, even though both of them um 0:13:57.240 --> 0:14:01.079 did not practice on Wednesday. You mentioned the the situation 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:04.240 going on with the receivers. I think if the Packers 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:08.880 based on what we saw from this offensive line, certainly 0:14:08.880 --> 0:14:11.319 in the running game with the two plus yards against 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:14.360 the Buffalo Bills last week, with the changes that have 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:17.320 been made, yosh Niman's noutright tackle John Runnion has been 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:20.720 flipped over to right guard. You're trying to get Jenkins 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.840 back in there at left guard, and box are played 0:14:22.840 --> 0:14:26.080 the entire game last week at left tackle. If this 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:30.280 unit settles in, obviously, Aaron Rodgers is the captain, he's 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:32.160 the lead, he's the you know, the leader of the 0:14:32.160 --> 0:14:34.840 whole thing. But if if that's your starting five on 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:37.120 the offensive line, and if that group can settle in 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:40.680 and start to play every game every week on a 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:44.600 consistent basis and have some continuity and reliability there, that's 0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:46.720 the unit, in my opinion, that's going to lead this 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:50.600 Packers offense back to to the productive level that they're 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.280 hoping for and that they're counting on. So um I 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:55.440 would like to see. I I really would like to 0:14:55.480 --> 0:15:00.520 see obviously that that starting five going against the bottom 0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:03.320 rank defense in the entire league, and that starting five 0:15:03.520 --> 0:15:06.200 control this football game. I agree, Mike, because the thing is, 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:08.720 it's not just about Jenkins and box tr it's the 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:11.720 fact that you know, you look at yash Nieman being 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:14.600 able to get three weeks now at right tackle, and 0:15:14.640 --> 0:15:16.600 that's that's your spot. You don't have to worry about 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:18.440 a rotation, you don't have to worry if something's going 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:21.240 to happen. You're going to concentrate on this and we'll 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.440 we'll deal with whatever happens on the left side as 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:27.480 it happens. Being able to develop that comfort last week, 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:29.200 it was a little bit of a grind early on 0:15:29.280 --> 0:15:31.960 with the pass pro, but they made some adjustments there. 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:35.880 I thought for the most part, the run blocking was exceptional, uh, 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:40.560 particularly from the skill the skill positions. Um, Josie Deguara 0:15:40.680 --> 0:15:42.760 made some good blocks, you know, near the line of 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:46.280 scrimmage outside. You see these guys given second effort there. 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:48.560 That's the key to break in this thing. Sammy Watkins 0:15:48.600 --> 0:15:53.520 talked about it last week. They know what Aaron Jones 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:55.680 is capable of. If you get him to the second level, 0:15:57.000 --> 0:15:58.960 it's up to the receivers to kind of give them 0:15:59.000 --> 0:16:02.280 that second block, yeah, to be able to spring him 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:04.560 for a touchdown. That's one thing they've been missing so 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:06.200 far because he has gotten to the second and third 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.360 level pretty easily this season. But the big thing for 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:12.400 me really comes back to Aaron Rodgers in this game. 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:15.320 I feel like, you know, he he mentioned it to, 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:17.440 you know, wanting to get the most out of himself, 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:21.520 rising to the challenge himself. Um. This offense, you know, 0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:24.080 the guys are gonna drop passes, there's going to be 0:16:24.200 --> 0:16:27.760 mistakes made, but so much of this is riding on 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:31.880 the quarterback. And I just felt like one positive it 0:16:31.960 --> 0:16:33.880 was very small, and I get that it was in 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:36.200 a two minute type format, so it's not really within 0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:40.160 the traditional scheme of the offense. But the Packers when 0:16:40.160 --> 0:16:43.280 they had to turn back to the past against Buffalo 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:47.720 after three quarters of running it, They've made some big plays. 0:16:47.880 --> 0:16:50.840 Romeo Dobbs made some big play, Samari two Ray made 0:16:50.880 --> 0:16:55.920 some big plays. Now you're going up against Detroit Lions 0:16:55.960 --> 0:16:57.680 secondary that I'm going to just say it is not 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:01.440 overly talented. They aren't that deep. Ye, they haven't gotten 0:17:01.440 --> 0:17:03.080 the job done and they haven't been able to take 0:17:03.080 --> 0:17:05.879 away the football right. The key to victory for me 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:10.760 and this one Mike, is being able to penetrate that secondary, 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:14.560 get touchdowns and win the turnover battle. That's kind of 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:16.439 for me. What it all comes back to. Yeah, on 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.440 the on the defensive side of the ball, and I'm 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:20.960 gonna be writing about this for for my One Last 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:25.440 Look column on Saturday, on the defensive side of the 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:27.680 ball as as much as Aaron Rodgers. He was asked 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:29.760 the question, Hey, you know, are you guys prepared to 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:31.760 go win a shootout? And he says, yeah, we better be. 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:35.119 I think it's it's on the Packers defense to not 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:39.080 let this game become a shootout. This this is where 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:42.119 we we've been talking about it week after week, every 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:45.119 single game, there are stretches where this Packers defense plays 0:17:45.160 --> 0:17:48.000 really well. But what has happened in this four game 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:50.240 losing streak and when I'm outlining in my up in 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:53.920 my upcoming column, each of the last four games, there 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.119 has been a stretch of at least three and in 0:17:56.119 --> 0:17:59.360 a couple of cases five possessions where the opponent has 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:04.560 scored consecutively. You know, five straight possessions against the Giants 0:18:04.560 --> 0:18:08.840 in London, five straight possessions last week against Buffalo. It 0:18:08.920 --> 0:18:12.719 was stretches of three consecutive possessions against both the Jets 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:18.119 and the Commanders. This Packers defense, you're not gonna go 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:20.640 out there and pitch shutouts. You're not gonna hold everybody 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:23.399 to ten or twelve points. That's not how it works 0:18:23.440 --> 0:18:26.439 in this league. But what this Packers defense has to 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:29.719 do is when the other team starts to make some plays, 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:32.359 when they start to get something rolling, they've got to 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:34.200 find a way to stop the bleeding. They've got to 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:37.560 find a way to undercut that momentum so that the 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:40.879 snowball doesn't just get running downhill out of control to 0:18:40.920 --> 0:18:44.200 where suddenly the other team has put seventeen or twenty 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:46.160 or twenty seven points on the board in the span 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.399 of a quarter and a half or two quarters, and 0:18:48.440 --> 0:18:52.320 then the whole team is reeling. Detroit. As we talked 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:54.120 about at the top of the show, they have an 0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:57.320 offense that is capable of getting rolling and putting up 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:00.840 some big points on that fast track at Ford Field. 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:04.160 This Packers defense, bottom line for me, they cannot let 0:19:04.200 --> 0:19:06.280 this game become a shootout. They have they have to 0:19:06.320 --> 0:19:09.800 do their job and not force the Packers offense. As 0:19:09.840 --> 0:19:13.240 poor as Detroit's defense is, they can't force the Packers 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:15.399 offense say hey, you gotta go score thirty five and 0:19:15.440 --> 0:19:18.520 win this game. That that's not going to bode well 0:19:19.160 --> 0:19:21.160 in the big picture for trying to turn this thing 0:19:21.160 --> 0:19:23.359 around for Green Bay. I agree, Mike, and and the 0:19:23.400 --> 0:19:26.000 other thing just to tie into that is I think 0:19:26.000 --> 0:19:29.240 that's why they amonras st Brown equation gets gets included 0:19:29.280 --> 0:19:31.439 in this because the one takeaway I had from that 0:19:31.480 --> 0:19:33.880 week a team game, there wasn't a lot to draw 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.440 from it, but it did show you that this kid, 0:19:36.520 --> 0:19:38.440 in terms of a possession receiver, in terms of a 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:40.600 guy that's gonna be able to move the first down marker, 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:43.280 this kid's gonna get it done and when you mac 0:19:43.359 --> 0:19:45.359 when you add in a running back, regardless of what 0:19:45.359 --> 0:19:47.800 happens with Swift, but somebody like Jamal Williams that's going 0:19:47.840 --> 0:19:52.320 to run hard for his yards. When Detroit's able to 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:54.520 get into that rhythm, much like the Packers, much like 0:19:54.560 --> 0:19:56.320 a lot of teams, when you're able to start moving 0:19:56.320 --> 0:19:59.200 those first downs one after another, that's when it does 0:19:59.240 --> 0:20:01.679 get demoralizing for a defense. That's when it hard sometimes 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:03.520 is hard to get that stop in the midst of 0:20:03.520 --> 0:20:05.760