WEBVTT - Drive Time: Packers Perspective with Wes Hodkiewicz 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.080 To on the move, going deep speedways Peace do hell 0:00:04.440 --> 0:00:07.280 Peas from the Baptist Health Studio. 0:00:07.400 --> 0:00:10.400 This inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:18.040 This is Drivetime with Travis Wingfield. He's got my add 0:00:18.079 --> 0:00:19.400 hands in the playoffs. 0:00:24.640 --> 0:00:28.880 What is up Dolphins and welcome to the Draft Time Podcast. 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:31.720 I am your host, Travis Wingfield. And on today's show, 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:36.040 a short and sweet holiday episode of the Draft Time Podcast. 0:00:36.120 --> 0:00:39.320 Is my guest today, Wes Hodgwitch Frompackers dot Com, who 0:00:39.479 --> 0:00:42.960 might be my favorite team employee, my favorite person in 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:46.080 the NFL in general, joins us today to talk about 0:00:46.080 --> 0:00:49.400 this very fun matchup on Thanksgiving night Dolphins and Packers. 0:00:49.600 --> 0:00:52.280 He will give us the perspective from Green Bay. I'll 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:55.360 also make the week thirteen picks and that will be it, 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:57.840 and they'll have the preview show tomorrow for you guys. 0:00:57.840 --> 0:01:00.080 But for now, for the meantime, from the bat this 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:03.520 Hell Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:09.919 the Draft Time Podcast. Joining me today is a senior 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:12.200 writer for Packers dot Com. You can follow him at 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:13.800 wes hot He's Wes Hodwitz. 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:14.920 Wes. Welcome back, man. 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:17.760 I feel like usually these NFC games don't happen for 0:01:17.880 --> 0:01:19.560 like several years apart. But we just had you guys 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:20.880 a couple of years ago, and here you are again, 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:21.280 my friend. 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:23.679 Yeah, I'd love that I'm sharing all of our holidays 0:01:23.680 --> 0:01:26.120 with you here, Travis. We got to do Christmas in 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:29.080 Miami two years ago, and now here we are Thanksgiving 0:01:29.160 --> 0:01:31.440 in Green Bay. Uh, maybe you can get back together 0:01:31.440 --> 0:01:32.600 for Easter or something. 0:01:33.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Little draft party. 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:35.440 I mean, is it is in Green Bay this year 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:38.200 or is that could make something happen for that Maybe 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:39.760 we'll come your way and do some content up in 0:01:39.800 --> 0:01:40.640 the Great White North. 0:01:40.640 --> 0:01:42.080 That's not the Great White North, that's the what am 0:01:42.120 --> 0:01:45.160 I talking about? Close enough? 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:47.080 I was just telling Wes we had the short weak 0:01:47.120 --> 0:01:49.480 gives us like a day to get three days worth 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:50.000 of work done. 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:52.600 So we are cruising right along on this podcast. 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:52.840 West. 0:01:52.880 --> 0:01:55.640 Let's go ahead and talk about this matchup that it's 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:57.400 kind of gonna say if the Thanksgiving Day slate. In 0:01:57.440 --> 0:01:59.240 my opinion, I think that the Lion should be able 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:00.800 to take care of business aginst the Bears and then 0:02:00.840 --> 0:02:02.760 the Cowboys and Giants are going in the wrong direction 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:06.200 right now, and Packers and Dolphins. Man, this looks like 0:02:06.280 --> 0:02:08.720 a fun matchup. I mean, this is for us. I mean, 0:02:08.760 --> 0:02:10.079 I'm sure you know this, like this is like the 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:12.680 narrative killing game for the Dolphins. How are the Packers 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:15.760 viewing this one as your sandwich between the Niners on Sunday. 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:18.120 I'll be at a banged up Niners and a huge 0:02:18.120 --> 0:02:20.640 game next thursdaygainst the Lions as well. Well. 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:22.079 This is a huge one for Green Bay. 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:23.760 And I think if you know anything about Matt Laflour 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:26.000 in his history with Mike McDaniel, I mean, he has 0:02:26.000 --> 0:02:28.160 so much respect for him, the program that he's put 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.320 together in Miami, and really just the various threats that 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:35.200 they have throughout both the offense and defense. Certainly Joe Barry, 0:02:35.280 --> 0:02:39.320 the Packer excuse me, the Dolphins linebackers coach now was 0:02:39.360 --> 0:02:41.360 the defensive coordinator here the last three years. 0:02:41.400 --> 0:02:45.040 Matt and him are credibly close. That was a difficult decision. 0:02:44.720 --> 0:02:46.880 You know, moving on and going in a different direction there, 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:49.400 but so much respect for him inside this building. 0:02:49.560 --> 0:02:50.640 Yeah, I think you said it. 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:53.200 I think this is going to be the primetime matchup 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:56.760 everybody wanted to see on Thanksgiving. I have some mixed 0:02:56.760 --> 0:02:59.960 feelings about non conference games and holiday slates. 0:03:00.200 --> 0:03:01.160 I typically like. 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:04.720 More of the rivalries and the you know, the Bears, 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:07.920 the Lions, and obviously all the things that the Dolphins 0:03:07.919 --> 0:03:10.119 have going for them as well. But you know, all 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:15.400 things considered, just an overall athleticism standpoint, quality of teams standpoint, 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:17.240 I still view the Miami Dolphins is one of the 0:03:17.240 --> 0:03:19.680 best teams in the NFL. When two is on the field, 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:20.800 I think it should be really exciting. 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:22.480 I'm looking forward to it for that reason. 0:03:22.560 --> 0:03:25.840 And the Dolphins offense has really found this different approach 0:03:25.919 --> 0:03:28.359 to scoring points. I mean, the results are the same 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:30.240 as they were last year when the Dolphins were going 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:32.720 up and down the field with some more explosives, and 0:03:32.760 --> 0:03:34.600 this year they've kind of earned that through their shorter 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.119 passing game, an intermediate passing game, and while the run 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:38.720 game hasn't been in the last couple of weeks, it 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:40.960 has been a big focal point of the entire offense. 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:43.160 But I guess where I want to go now, Wes 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:46.480 is every time McDaniel takes to the podium before a game, 0:03:46.520 --> 0:03:48.320 I'm like, how can I ask him about the opposing team? 0:03:48.320 --> 0:03:50.080 And I'm like, well, he had familiarity with this coach, 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:52.520 And I'm like, that's every week in this league for 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:55.280 coach McDaniel and for coach Lafleur as well. I'm curious 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:58.880 if you asked coach Lafleur that, And how do you 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:01.000 think the fact that these guys have you know, similar 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:03.880 offensive backgrounds, the fact that you mentioned Joe Barry was 0:04:03.920 --> 0:04:06.160 the defensive coording to their last year linebackers coach here 0:04:06.160 --> 0:04:08.880 for the Dolphins, you know, there's so much familiarity there. 0:04:09.000 --> 0:04:12.400 How do you think that makes the matchup different, better, 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:13.800 worse for a Thursday game. 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:16.000 Well, I think it definitely adds to almost more of 0:04:16.040 --> 0:04:18.760 the common opponent. You know, we always hear about Thursday 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:20.800 night football games. That's what makes it so difficult when 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:22.960 you face these teams that aren't from your division. Is 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:25.280 trying to scheme them up, trying to plan for them, 0:04:25.320 --> 0:04:29.800 and there's so many parallels offensively, especially between these two programs. 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:32.000 One of the reasons why you know, Packers, one of 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:36.080 the reserve running backs, Chris Brooks, was with the Miami Dolphins, 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:37.839 as you know, for you know, one and a half years, 0:04:38.120 --> 0:04:39.600 and they felt like one of the reasons why he 0:04:39.640 --> 0:04:41.560 got so up to speed as fast as he did 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:44.280 in this offense is because of that background. So they 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:47.039 do things differently. Everybody always says that, you know, things 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:49.480 are called a little bit differently. But I think overall 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.080 the bases and the foundation there, whether it stems from 0:04:52.120 --> 0:04:54.680 the Shanahan tree or if it's just their own personal 0:04:54.680 --> 0:04:57.360 preferences with what they've brought to the table, I think 0:04:57.400 --> 0:05:01.120 there definitely is more familiarity there. The Christmas game, you know, 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:03.400 two years ago now almost I thought that was a 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:07.040 fantastic entertaining game all around, and I feel like this 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:10.320 one especially, it's gonna be a little colder, but you know, 0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:12.679 all around it, I think it has the real makings 0:05:12.720 --> 0:05:14.320 for a very friendly matchup. 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:14.839 Yeah. 0:05:14.839 --> 0:05:18.520 Absolutely, It's you mentioned earlier. The you know, the move 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:20.960 at DC and going to Jeff Hafley was one of 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:24.119 the more interesting things that really happened across the NFL 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:26.040 landscape and the college football landscape. 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:27.640 And as a Washington. 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:29.400 State grad, I am happy to see people leave the 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:31.359 college game and come to our great league where the 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:35.240 football is much better, and leave that stuff behind, because 0:05:35.320 --> 0:05:38.080 I too, am very bitter about the current landscape of 0:05:38.120 --> 0:05:41.080 college football. But we'll leave my personal fillings aside. But 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:43.440 I feel like Jeff Hafley felt the same way with 0:05:43.480 --> 0:05:45.680 regards to, you know, being a head coach at Boston College, 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:47.840 a major program, and he's like, I don't want anything 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:49.600 to do with this, you know, nil business. Maybe that's 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:51.120 not what he thought, but that's that's the sense that 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:53.160 I get to jump to the league and then take 0:05:53.200 --> 0:05:55.720 over a defense and really put his flavor on it. 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:57.240 Can you talk about that? 0:05:57.320 --> 0:05:59.760 But also just his impact on this Packers defense this 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:00.839 year well. 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:02.520 And that I think when we go back to his 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:06.480 introductory press conference and everything him talking earlier in the spring, 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:08.400 that's really was a big part of it, is that 0:06:08.480 --> 0:06:10.880 he wanted in some ways to just get back to 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:12.560 coaching again. You know, he felt like there was so 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:14.760 much time that was tied into the NIL thing and 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:16.840 making sure you recruit your own guys and keep your 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:20.040 own program together. That this allowed him to be able 0:06:20.120 --> 0:06:22.960 to sort of find his passion for football again. And 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.920 you know, and Joe Barry did some tremendous stuff here 0:06:26.200 --> 0:06:30.040 and me personally, I'd give a kidney for Joe. I mean, 0:06:30.080 --> 0:06:31.760 he is one of the most salt of the earth, 0:06:31.800 --> 0:06:34.360 tremendous human beings that I've ever come across in this sport. 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:36.920 But the Packers wanted to make a change, not only 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.160 just at the defensive coordinator but scheme. I mean, when 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:40.800 Jeff Haffley came in here, he brought in a four 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:42.960 to three scheme, a little bit more of a vision 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:47.000 based attacking front, and I think it's really given Green Bay. 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:49.680 What they wanted so far. I mean, their twenty. 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:52.880 Two takeaways this year is already well past what they 0:06:52.880 --> 0:06:55.880 had last season. I think there's, you know, bringing in 0:06:55.920 --> 0:06:59.279 a guy like Xavier McKinney has felt so well into 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.200 the roles that that you know, Halfley had it envisioned 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:04.000 for him and what the Packers thought they were getting 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:05.480 when they signed him as a twenty four year old 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:07.279 unrestricted free agent out. 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:07.640 Of New York. 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:12.720 They're just it is more complementary, I feel like in 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:14.960 terms of just the all around scheme of what they 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:17.400 want to do and where they want to go. It's 0:07:17.440 --> 0:07:20.560 allowed the inside linebackers to use some of their athleticism, 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:24.800 getting involved in the blitz packages, the pressure packages, and 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:27.240 despite not having you know, Jay r Alexander for various 0:07:27.240 --> 0:07:30.320 points at this season, they've still managed to sort of 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:32.440 stem the tide and keep this thing going and are 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:34.200 just on the fringe of a top ten defense. So 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.280 I think Halfley's philosophy and just the way he coaches 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:40.680 and sort of the energy he brings is really resonated 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:41.440 with this locker room. 0:07:41.680 --> 0:07:43.040 Yeah, you hit a lot of the points that I 0:07:43.040 --> 0:07:45.120 wanted to ask you about individually with this defense. Because 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:48.000 number one, Xavier McKinney, I'll ever forget. My first assignment 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:50.040 with the Dolphins was right before COVID happened. So my 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:52.160 first year I was hired like two weeks before COVID 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:55.080 shut the entire world down for you know, for six 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:57.080 months was the Combine, And I had a chance to 0:07:57.080 --> 0:07:59.560 ask Xavier McKinney about practicing against two a tongue of 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:01.520 II looan. He was like, he is a master at 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:04.320 looking guys off and holding defenses with his eyes. But 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:06.000 I kind of feel like McKinney's the same way on 0:08:06.040 --> 0:08:08.560 the defensive side with how he can bait guys. And 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:10.760 you touch on the turnovers they've they've gotten that year 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:13.880 this year, and I saw on SVP he showed the 0:08:13.920 --> 0:08:17.200 stat that the Packers have had fourteen points or more 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.880 off of turnovers in four plus or four games this year, 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:22.239 and that's the most in the NFL. So That's gonna 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:23.240 be one of my big key when I do my 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.160 preview episode tomorrow is taking a look at how the 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:27.640 Dolphins can protect the football and hopefully, you know, get 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:30.320 the win that way. But with regards to how they 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.240 get the takeaways, what exactly are they doing to to 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:35.280 create those situations? Because I saw on Twitter someone was 0:08:35.280 --> 0:08:37.760 talking about how they've kind of simplified I think it 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:40.800 was Ben fel Fanelle, who does great work for NFL 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:42.600 films and I think he works in CBS as well, 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:45.079 but he was talking about some more simplified coverages that 0:08:45.120 --> 0:08:47.320 give the Packers a little bit more defined rules with 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:49.280 how they can you know, bait and jump those players. 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:51.240 You're seeing that from the defense and how have they 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.600 kind of gotten that these massive takeaway numbers? 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:57.360 Yeah, And I think like any big marquee free agent 0:08:57.400 --> 0:09:00.160 doesn't matter if it's offense or defense. When you bring 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:02.520 those guys in, you're kind of looking to build around 0:09:02.640 --> 0:09:05.360 them and kind of tailoring your scheme to them. And 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:08.520 I feel like the Packers took everything that Xavier McKinney 0:09:08.520 --> 0:09:10.720 does really well and have just sort of amplified it 0:09:10.800 --> 0:09:13.400 and given him opportunities to sort of roam a little bit. 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:16.520 He's mostly been back for most of the year. He's 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:18.880 been playing the center field spot. They like to go 0:09:18.920 --> 0:09:20.920 single high if they can, you know, being able to 0:09:20.960 --> 0:09:24.320 move around their rookies. Both Javon Bullard and Evan Williams 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:27.920 have played that spot alongside McKinney. And I just feel 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:30.160 like so many times you've been hearing guys talk this 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:32.960 season about just being able to play more free and 0:09:33.080 --> 0:09:36.520 just understanding what their roles are and not having to 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:38.839 think about all the contingency plans to it. I feel 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:41.400 like the less thinking that has been involved this year, 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:43.440 it's been better for Green Bay, both upfront with their 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:46.120 defensive pass rush, but then also on that back end 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:49.520 as well. So, yeah, McKinney is such a heady player, man. 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:51.439 And like you were saying with Tua, I mean, when 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:54.400 you can you know, this game requires so much from 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:56.760 an athlete, but when you can go above and beyond 0:09:56.760 --> 0:09:59.439 that in the intellectual level, I feel like that's where 0:09:59.440 --> 0:10:01.040 a lot of times you gain and edge. And I 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:03.400 can't speak to Tua's habits, but one thing that I 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:06.840 know definitely was instilled in Xavier, and maybe it's just 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:09.120 part of his makeup. Maybe it's coming from Alabama, but 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:12.360 he is an absolute film junkie. He looks for every 0:10:12.360 --> 0:10:15.200 potential advantage he can see on the film and on 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:16.880 the tape, and he uses that. And I think there's 0:10:16.880 --> 0:10:18.800 been numerous times this season where he's talked about his 0:10:18.840 --> 0:10:23.280 interceptions being products of that. So last year, not enough takeaways, 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:25.360 too many, and that wasn't just a scheme. I mean, 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.400 there's too many times where guys drop passes, you know, 0:10:28.480 --> 0:10:30.959 knock on wood from Green Bay standpoint, But that hasn't 0:10:30.960 --> 0:10:32.840 really happened at all with McKinney, and in a few 0:10:32.880 --> 0:10:35.760 cases the defense as a whole. So I just think 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:37.960 guys have been opportunistic, and as you said, they've been 0:10:38.000 --> 0:10:39.440 able to punch those into the end zone or at 0:10:39.480 --> 0:10:41.680 least get points off of him. Last week, three second 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:43.680 half takeaways they got twenty one points and that's what 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:47.040 really allowed them to roll in what looked like a 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.000 very dominant win over the San Francisco forty nine ers. 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:51.040 Really put that thing out of reach. 0:10:51.520 --> 0:10:53.800 That film prep comment you made is exactly why that 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:55.680 matchup with he and Tua is going to be so 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:58.360 so good because Tua, I mean, I feel like it's 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:00.000 almost a bad word to hit us about a corp. 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.640 But he knows where the ball's going before the snap 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:04.240 most of the time. But it's not because he's pre 0:11:04.280 --> 0:11:06.600 determining that, reez, because he knows what's going to happen 0:11:06.880 --> 0:11:09.240 to the defensive rotation. And McKinney's gonna do his best 0:11:09.240 --> 0:11:12.000 to make sure he can, you know, kind of spoil 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:13.880 the punch bowl, as it were. Let's take a really 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:15.760 quick break right here, come back on the other side 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:18.160 and talk about this Packers offense. I love their quarterback 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:20.120 and I want to ask Wes about him more. Next 0:11:20.160 --> 0:11:22.800 Draft Time Podcast, my guest is a Wes Hodgwitz. Draft 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:29.280 Time podcast brought to you by Auto Nation. Back here 0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:31.319 with my guest today, Wes Hodwitz on the Draft Time 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:35.199 Podcast talking about Dolphins and Packers on Thursday night, Thanksgiving Night. 0:11:35.600 --> 0:11:36.880 Huge game for the Dolphins. 0:11:36.920 --> 0:11:39.000 I think the Packers have a little bit more leeway 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:41.520 for margin for air. But if Dolphins get this one, 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:44.480 the run is officially on. So we're looking forward to 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:47.200 a great matchup with two good quarterbacks, two good coaches, 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:48.120 two fun schemes. 0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:50.720 Everything you want on a cold night in Green Bay. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:52.680 And let's go ahead and talk about that quarterback on 0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:55.200 the Packers' side West because this is a guy that 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.240 I was in love with at Utah State, and I 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:01.079 love the way the Packers managed his career and developed 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:02.679 him on the bench and then brought him into the 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:04.559 lineup and he just breaks out in a big way 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:07.360 in his first full year starting. What's been because I've 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.439 seen like kind of to talk about some turnovers and 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.720 maybe some regression at times this year, but they're still 0:12:11.760 --> 0:12:14.000 like winning games and he's posting big stats. How has 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:16.680 the second year evolution been for Jordan Love in his 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:18.000 second year starting, I should. 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:20.280 Say yeah, when he's healthy, it's been really good. 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:22.480 I think one thing that hurt him is he ended up, 0:12:22.720 --> 0:12:24.560 you know, sustaining the knee injury at the end of 0:12:24.559 --> 0:12:28.040 the game in Brazil against Philly that cost him two starts, 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:30.000 and then he comes back and he has the groin injury. 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:32.760 He's finally off the injury report, and I think there's 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:35.200 no it's not a coincidence that last week was where 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:38.640 he finally snapped that turnover streak in the win over 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:42.480 the forty nine ers. So he has every tool you 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:44.520 can look for. And I think you've talked about a 0:12:44.559 --> 0:12:47.400 time and time again. I mean that twenty twenty draft 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:50.559 class of quarterbacks and potentially where that group could go 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:53.040 over the next five to ten years. I mean, you 0:12:53.120 --> 0:12:56.160 might be looking at that collection of guys being the 0:12:56.160 --> 0:12:58.400 ones that sort of usher in the next era of 0:12:58.600 --> 0:13:01.480 NFL football. And you know, for Jordan, there's no right 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.960 or wrong way to develop a quarterback. Miami went through 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:07.240 it itself, but I think that process has worked here 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.000 in Green Bay. I feel like watching Jordan being able to, 0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:12.640 you know, have that time with Aaron Rodgers and figure 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:14.800 out the things that Aaron did well that he wanted 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:17.280 to incorporate into his game. I think one thing you'll notice, 0:13:17.360 --> 0:13:18.880 or at least they're going to try for in this 0:13:18.960 --> 0:13:21.360 game is you know, trying to catch the defense with 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:23.800 too many men on the field, trying to you know, 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:25.920 gain those type of free plays. That's one thing that 0:13:26.040 --> 0:13:28.680 Jordan has sort of amplified this year and taken to 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:32.360 the next level. But just from a pure makeup standpoint, 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:34.560 this guy at you know, six foot four, he stands 0:13:34.600 --> 0:13:36.679 tall in the pocket, he does not wilt under pressure, 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:40.120 can make every throw on the field. The Packers made 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:42.240 him one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the National 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:44.560 Football League for that very reason is that they felt 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:47.520 like that first year and what he showed, especially during 0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:50.960 that second half of last season, really you know, bode 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.280 well for what his long term potential is going to be. 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:55.719 Definitely still has some stuff to clean up as a 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:59.160 twenty six year old quarterback. Definitely has to curtail the turnovers, 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:02.040 but you know he's gonna take some chances with the ball. 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:05.520 The thing that they need to eliminate was some of 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:08.360 these pick sixes that happened this year, which were trying 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:10.560 to make something happen at the very last minute and 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:12.840 it ends up, you know, resulting in a big play 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:13.760 in the opposite direction. 0:14:14.320 --> 0:14:15.560 Have to get that under control. 0:14:15.600 --> 0:14:17.880 But buying large Jordan love and just seeing the way 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:20.880 he's grown as a leader with this locker room, you 0:14:20.920 --> 0:14:22.160 really can't say enough about it. 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:24.360 I feel like the same way about the McKinney and 0:14:24.440 --> 0:14:27.640 TUA matchup, where Anthony Weaver has been awesome this year 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:29.080 for us, and I cannot wait to watch the way 0:14:29.120 --> 0:14:31.520 he tries to, you know, confuse Jordan and create some 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:33.720 of those mistakes that he's had and Jordan doing what 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:35.760 he can to create off script to make the plays 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:36.960 that he does every single week as well. 0:14:37.000 --> 0:14:39.120 This is a game full of fun matchups. 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:41.640 Real quick, I have one last question, but real quick, 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:43.040 can you just kind of give me the ranking and 0:14:43.080 --> 0:14:46.360 the hierarchy the Packers eligibles because they you guys have 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:49.240 like seven guys that are great players and I'm having 0:14:49.240 --> 0:14:50.200 a hard time figuring. 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:52.080 Out who is the like the pecking order there. 0:14:52.480 --> 0:14:54.720 Well, first off, I mean, Josh Shacobs has been a 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:57.320 godsend for these guys and being able to control the 0:14:57.400 --> 0:14:59.480 run game. Last week became the first one hundred yard 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:01.400 rusher agains the San Francisco forty nine ers I think 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:04.760 in fifty four regular season matchups, if you conclude the postseason, 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:06.480 I think it was Aaron Jones actually had the other 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:08.080 one when he was still here in Green Bay. So 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:10.840 Jacob's grabbing that baton and taking it forward I think 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:12.320 has really been huge for them. But as far as 0:15:12.320 --> 0:15:14.360 receivers go, I mean, it can be any guy at 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:16.480 any given week. I think Jayden Reid's probably the one 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:18.240 you'll see more of the offense running through. 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:20.320 They motion him, they orbit him, He'll carry the ball 0:15:20.360 --> 0:15:21.280 every once in a while. 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:24.360 He's sort of become that Deebo Samuel type playmaker, all 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.960 around Swiss Army Knight for this offense. Christian Watson unfortunately 0:15:27.960 --> 0:15:29.800 had a big drop at the end of the first 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:31.680 half against San Francisco, could have been a forty nine 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:34.120 yard touchdown, but a week earlier had a career Highe 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.920 hundred and fifty receiving yards, six foot four, can run 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.640 in the four threes, fast as lightning. I mean, that 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:43.240 guy when he's available, he brings it. Unfortunately for Green Bay, 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.520 Romeo Dobbs did sustain a concussion in that law in 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:50.480 the win over San Francisco, so losing him potentially not 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:52.600 having him on the field. That's one of the main 0:15:52.680 --> 0:15:54.920 guys that Jordan Love often looks for, especially in the 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:58.360 moving the sticks kind of first down moments. So a 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:00.440 lot of different options, a lot of different players, and 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:02.600 obviously a tight end Tucker Craft is broken out this 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:04.520 year as well as a team high six touchdowns. So 0:16:05.000 --> 0:16:07.040 that's the beauty of the offense. That's what Matt Lafleur, 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:08.800 that's how he likes to run. It can go a 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:10.840 number of different ways, and for Jordan Love that gives 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.000 him so many different outlets to be able to unleash. 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:13.760 The football West. 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:15.400 I apologize if you see me just smiling on the 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:17.360 call over here, because the Packers are kind of like 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:18.080 my NFC team. 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:18.200 Man. 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:20.480 I love the way they're a bill, I love the quarterback, 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:22.200 I love the skill spots, I love the system. 0:16:22.240 --> 0:16:24.040 I just it's such a fun team and it makes 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:24.800 for such a fun game. 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:26.440 And you and I get so giddy about these types 0:16:26.480 --> 0:16:28.640