WEBVTT - #640 Packers Unscripted: Rivalry rematch 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:10.800 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:14.080 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, joined as always 0:00:14.080 --> 0:00:16.959 by my partner in crime, Weston the Hodcowits were coming 0:00:17.000 --> 0:00:20.079 to here from our studios at lambeau Field West. It 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:23.640 will be a Sunday night football kickoff in prime time 0:00:23.760 --> 0:00:26.600 at lambeau Field. It's going to be cold. They're talking 0:00:26.760 --> 0:00:32.440 single digit temperatures at kickoff. But rewind a little over 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:35.600 a month and we were talking about a Vikings team 0:00:35.640 --> 0:00:38.880 that plays a lot of close games. They win some, 0:00:39.080 --> 0:00:42.440 they lose some. They're right around five hundred. Well, here 0:00:42.479 --> 0:00:44.520 we are with two weeks to go in the regular season, 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:48.280 and the Vikings haven't changed. They still play a lot 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:51.200 of close games. And whether they lose on the last 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:53.840 play of the game to the Detroit Lions or whether 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:56.720 they nearly blow a twenty nine to nothing lead to 0:00:56.720 --> 0:00:59.760 the Pittsburgh Steelers but barely hang on for the victory, 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:04.039 it seems like this is still the same Minnesota Vikings team. 0:01:04.040 --> 0:01:06.399 This has been their m O all season long. Yeah, 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:08.760 And unfortunately for the Vikings, the past few seasons have 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:12.640 kind of followed this similar trend. Uh, And let's be honest, Mike, 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:16.120 it's not an anomaly when it happens at often. They're inconsistent. 0:01:16.200 --> 0:01:19.080 They're extremely talented. They have the best young receiver in 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:21.440 the game, Kirk Cousins can look like an All Pro 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:24.560 at times, and certainly, as we've talked about time and 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.040 time again, Mike Delvin Cook is a real threat in 0:01:27.080 --> 0:01:30.320 the run game. But defensively, there's been some erosion there 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:33.000 in the past few seasons, and when they need to 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:35.520 come up with clutch performances or beat teams that they 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:38.240 should beat to be a playoff contender, they just haven't 0:01:38.240 --> 0:01:41.119 been able to do it. All that being said, this 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:42.920 is not a team you can take for granted at 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:45.360 seven and eight coming in here at lambeau Field. They're 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:48.080 very dangerous. They're very dynamic on both sides of the ball, 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:51.160 and as they Grimy Packers saw at US Bank Stadium, 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:54.920 if you don't capitalize on your opportunities against Cousins and company, 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:56.640 you are going to find a way to lose that 0:01:56.680 --> 0:01:59.559 football game. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean, these two teams played 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:03.400 a doubt at US Bank Stadium back in November. I 0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:05.880 don't know, in single digit temperatures, if we're going to 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:10.720 see the same type of offensive fireworks come Sunday night. 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.359 But for the Minnesota Vikings, and this is what I've 0:02:13.360 --> 0:02:16.120 been saying in in following them most of the season, 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:20.680 they're an extremely dangerous offense when they've had their big 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:24.680 three as far as their offensive weapons healthy and able 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:27.280 to play. And I'm talking about Dalvin Cook, justin Jefferson 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.720 and Adam Theland. Now they just put Adam Theland on 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:33.200 injured reserve with an ankle injury. Apparently he had to 0:02:33.280 --> 0:02:38.720 undergo surgery after reaggravating an ankle injury in the Vikings 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.480 previous games. So they don't have the big three. They 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:44.760 have Jefferson, they have Cook. It just seems to me 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:50.200 that offensively they haven't been the same when one of 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:53.560 those three guys has been missing. Yeah, as you said, 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:57.520 I mean, Jefferson is really becoming a dynamic force in 0:02:57.560 --> 0:03:00.400 this league and unfortunate for the Packers gonna have to 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:02.560 deal with them for some time in the NFC North's 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:04.880 much like the Packers of the late nineties and two 0:03:04.960 --> 0:03:07.880 thousand's had to deal with Randy Moss in the NFC Central. 0:03:08.480 --> 0:03:11.280 It's just the reality of it. But as you said, 0:03:11.320 --> 0:03:15.360 the problem beyond, Jefferson has been getting Feeling and Cook 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:19.120 both healthy and available. You saw it last week with Feeling, 0:03:19.160 --> 0:03:21.760 how frustrated he was, how frustrating this year has been 0:03:21.800 --> 0:03:23.560 for him. Because when when he has been healthy, he 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:25.560 has been really good in this offense. So the Packers 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:28.560 saw some of that. But to lose him now with 0:03:28.639 --> 0:03:30.880 this ankle injury, which you know in the long run 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:34.120 will help him, you know, get him back. Have is 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:37.280 there bigger aspirations out there for the Vikings in two? 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:39.840 I would think so. But to not have him on 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:42.080 Sunday is going to be really interesting because he is 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:47.120 as big play uh Born is Jefferson in terms of 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:50.800 his ability to generate, you know, game explosive type moments. 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:53.880 Feeling is the guy that moves the chains for them, 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.119 and I think could be a real force in this 0:03:56.160 --> 0:04:00.240 game at lambeau Field and colder temperatures, the running game. 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.520 We know what they can do. You've seen it with 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:04.760 Cook and you've seen it with Madson too, when when 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:07.320 he's been available, you know, and he's had to be 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:09.600 the guy he's been able to play up to that. 0:04:09.680 --> 0:04:12.600 Now his numbers aren't as extraordinary as Cooks are, but 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:16.920 he's consistent. So I feel like those two elements are 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:19.960 going to be really interesting to track here, as we'll 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:22.080 talk about with the Packers, I mean A J. Jones, 0:04:22.400 --> 0:04:24.919 A J. Dillon and Aaron Jones, the same problem that 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:27.800 the Vikings in the issues that they've had defensively, they're 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:31.279 going to have to contend with. But I still think 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.440 Jefferson is going to be a guy the Green Bay 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:35.040 is gonna have to keep an eye on and could 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:38.159 potentially be a game breaker here. But if you can't 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:41.160 contain Cook and he goes off in a similar fashion 0:04:41.279 --> 0:04:44.320 like you know this past week, what what happened with 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:46.920 Nick Chubb, it's going to be a long evening at 0:04:47.000 --> 0:04:49.919 lambeau Field. Yeah, absolutely, the Packers. The Packers know what 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:54.160 this Viking offense looks like when Dalvin Cook gets rolling 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:58.080 and and this Packers defense is trying to figure out, um, 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:00.520 exactly what it needs to do to start amping down 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:03.080 on the run after what has happened the past couple 0:05:03.080 --> 0:05:06.039 of weeks, particularly with Chubb on the defensive side of 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:09.800 the ball for Minnesota really hard to figure out in 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:12.599 some respects because this is a unit that has forty 0:05:12.640 --> 0:05:15.119 four sacks on the season, which is tied for first. 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:18.840 I believe in the NFC with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 0:05:18.880 --> 0:05:21.359 They have five guys on their team, not all of 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:25.200 them active, some of them are injured and not they have, 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:27.120 but they have five. They have five guys who have 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:29.960 recorded five or more sacks this year. That's not easy 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:33.960 to do. And as much as you have the old 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:37.480 mainstays in the middle of this defense in Eric Kendricks 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:40.919 and Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith, there's just been so 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:45.599 much up and down, inconsistent play elsewhere, particularly in the 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:49.240 coverage aspect of things. At cornerback. They're playing with young cornerbacks. 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:51.320 There was some sort of a blow up with Bashad 0:05:51.400 --> 0:05:54.000 Breland and the coaches and practice a couple of weeks ago, 0:05:54.040 --> 0:05:58.360 and they just flat out released him. This is it's 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:02.600 It doesn't look like a Mike Zimmer defense except for 0:06:02.640 --> 0:06:06.080 those occasions, and we saw last week against the Rams. 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:09.160 Except for those occasions when an Anthony Barr or an 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:12.360 Eric Kendricks or Harrison Smith is making a big play 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:14.640 that can suddenly change a game. And that's how the 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:17.719 Vikings stayed in it against the Rams last week. The 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:21.840 interceptions they got against Matthew Stafford with the with their 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:25.480 main guys. But but if those guys aren't stepping up 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:27.920 and making big plays, this just strikes me as a 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:31.400 very ordinary defense. I've said it time and time again. 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:35.320 I really respect Rick Spielman. I love what they've built 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:37.680 there in Minnesota. I don't think him and Zimmer get 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:40.360 nearly enough credit for how competitive this team has been 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:43.560 for the better part of a decade now. But what 0:06:43.760 --> 0:06:47.520 happened in the secondary, and obviously, more specifically the cornerback position. 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:49.200 Harrison Smith is still one of the best in the game. 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:51.520 I'm a huge fan of Xavier Woods, and he made 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:53.960 some big plays for them this season. But I don't 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:55.920 know what you think about this, but I kind of 0:06:55.920 --> 0:06:58.279 look at their cornerback scenario is sort of where the 0:06:58.279 --> 0:07:01.400 Packers were in two thousand thirteen with their safeties. They 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:05.720 made it a big, abrupt shift, but the plan hasn't 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:09.480 really come together, so to speak. Now, some of that's 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:12.200 out of their control, you know, Jeff Gladney, these issues 0:07:12.240 --> 0:07:14.040 they've had, You know, with some of these draft picks, 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:17.040 they did what was best for their team moving forward. 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:19.360 But the fact of the matter is you still didn't 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:21.800 hit on those positions. And and Xavier Rhodes is a 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:24.560 different type of player at this time. Trey Wayne's different 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:27.040 type of player. I understood their reasons for the direction 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:30.160 they win, but if you're gonna go that direction, what's 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:33.080 the next plan, what's the next step. That's where they've 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:35.920 been lacking. And as good as they are in the 0:07:35.960 --> 0:07:38.000 linebacker unit, as good as they are on the back 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:40.960 end with their safeties, the issues of trying to figure 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:43.120 out what their defensive front is gonna look like and 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:45.120 what the cornerbacks are gonna look like. I think it's 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:47.520 been one of the undoings from Minnesota for these last 0:07:47.520 --> 0:07:50.560 two seasons. Well as far as the Packers are concerned. 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:54.520 The questions that are lingering out here for this game 0:07:55.080 --> 0:07:58.160 mostly hinge on where things are with the COVID list, 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:01.360 right because the Packers of over the last week week 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:04.560 plus they put a bunch of guys on the reserve 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:07.680 COVID Night Team list. But the NFL has changed the 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:10.800 protocols and the return to play rules in terms of 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:14.560 um the length of time that that players need to 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.560 be out after they test positive. All this and I'm 0:08:18.600 --> 0:08:21.320 gonna confess West, the rules have changed like so much 0:08:21.360 --> 0:08:23.360 it's hard for me to keep track of exactly how 0:08:23.360 --> 0:08:25.800 this is gonna work. But one area I think that's 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:29.880 that's worth talking about here, that that the Packers are 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:32.120 entering this game, I think with a lot of uncertainty 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:34.360 is on special teams. Because you have both a Mari 0:08:34.559 --> 0:08:37.600 Rodgers who has been your primary return man, and Corey 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:41.000 Bojorke as your punter and your holder for Mason Crosby. 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:43.200 Both of those those guys are on the COVID list. 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:46.000 Now it's possible that they could come back and be 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:48.800 able to play on Sunday night. It's also possible that 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:52.319 they won't UM. And this is just at the time 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:55.520 when the Packers special teams that have gone through obviously 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.400 a lot of struggles throughout the course of the years, 0:08:57.360 --> 0:09:02.120 seemed to be finally maybe settling down a little bit UM. 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:04.840 But now you have this uncertainty with your personnel to 0:09:04.880 --> 0:09:07.240 deal with. So many times in this business we have 0:09:07.280 --> 0:09:09.280 to just kind of read the tea leaves right and 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:11.200 at the time in which we're taping this, this could 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.480 change in an hour. But at the time in which 0:09:13.520 --> 0:09:15.439 we're taping this, the Packers have not made a move 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:19.120 at punter. They do not have a backup punter right now, 0:09:19.160 --> 0:09:22.560 at this point in time, the holding situation, well the 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.960 backup holders, Randall Coup He's not available either. Does that 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.360 mean that would be Jordan's Love? Could that be jj 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:32.000 Molson the backup kicker. You just don't know. But the 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:35.439 fact that Green Bay at this very moment on Thursday 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:37.200 which we're taking this, have not made a move at 0:09:37.200 --> 0:09:41.880 Punter would make you believe that there might be some 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:45.559 hope there that Corey bojork has will be available for Sunday. 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:48.840 Reportedly he would fit inside that timeline to be allowed 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:53.080 to play on Sunday. It still is a challenge. And 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:54.920 the other thing that I think so so many times 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:58.880 gets lost is we automatically shift to well, it's five days, 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:01.080 it's ten days, they'll be ready, they'll be good to go. 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:03.280 Then you listen to what Kenny Clark had to say 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:06.080 on Wednesday about how rough his boat with COVID was, 0:10:06.120 --> 0:10:08.360 because the question was kind of asked to him like, hey, 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:10.360 could you have you know, potentially played with this new thing, 0:10:10.720 --> 0:10:12.920 and Kenny's an answer wasn't whether or not he was 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:15.120 going to play, it was yeah, I had three days 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:16.920 where I felt really bad and I had a bad 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:18.960 cough and all these things. We got to think about 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:20.800 the player. We have to think about the person though 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:23.559 first and and ultimately that's where this is going to 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:26.120 come down to, to have fifteen guys with the COVID 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:29.280 reserve list. People were kind of writing at me about, 0:10:29.720 --> 0:10:32.320 you know, Jire Alexander. It's very exciting that Jire Alexander 0:10:32.360 --> 0:10:35.000 was activated on Wednesday. And I didn't want to be 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:38.080 Debbie Downer to everybody, but it's like, listen, guys, that 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:40.360 was the last day of his window, and the Packers 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:43.559 presently have nine spots open on their fifty three man roster. 0:10:43.920 --> 0:10:47.480 JayR Alexander was going to get activated, so we already 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:49.520 saw Colvy and Landon has been promoted for this week 0:10:49.559 --> 0:10:52.520 as a COVID replacement. We might see even more potential. 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:55.480 You know, practice squad players have to be called upon two. 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:58.959 It's the nature of the beast. As far as the returners, 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:01.360 as were as the sounds, I don't really have a 0:11:01.360 --> 0:11:04.640 ton of concern there because we've seen multiple times from 0:11:04.720 --> 0:11:07.760 multiple seasons Chandon Sullivan can step in, whether it be 0:11:07.840 --> 0:11:10.720 kickoffs or punt returns. He's done both now for Green 0:11:10.720 --> 0:11:12.040 Bay in a pinch, not just what he did a 0:11:12.080 --> 0:11:13.960 couple of weeks ago, but even going back to seasons, 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:17.000 so they have Sullivan. Patrick Taylor could be called upon 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:18.920 there too, So I think they're okay in that regard. 0:11:19.240 --> 0:11:21.160 The big thing is going to be a horc as though, 0:11:21.559 --> 0:11:24.199 as a holder, as a punter, as a Pro Bowl alternate. 0:11:24.559 --> 0:11:26.040 That the guys brought a lot to Green Bay and 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:27.760 it would be really hurt this football team not to 0:11:27.800 --> 0:11:30.160 have him. Yeah. Absolutely, well, I want to get to 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.440 our keys to victory for this game, but first wes 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:36.200 a little bit of sponsor business. Serious x M NFL 0:11:36.320 --> 0:11:38.959 Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:44.320 NFL news that true football fanatics need seven three and 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:47.080 at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone like our 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:50.840 Wisconsin Cheese curds, mac and Cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, 0:11:50.840 --> 0:11:53.160 all paired with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl. 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:58.360 Cousin Subs, we believe in better keys to victory here 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:03.400 for the Packers to emerge from Sunday Night Football with 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:07.400 another win. It's it's stating the obvious, but based on 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:10.080 what happened last week, we sat here and talked about 0:12:10.360 --> 0:12:14.760 how you can't let Nick Chubb dictate the tempo and 0:12:14.760 --> 0:12:18.120 and and control the game and give the Browns the 0:12:18.160 --> 0:12:21.960 opportunity to score as many points as they did. It's 0:12:21.960 --> 0:12:24.280 the same thing here. And I know Justin Jefferson is 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:27.160 better than any wide receiver that Cleveland Browns put on 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:31.360 the field on Christmas Day at Lambeo. But it still 0:12:31.400 --> 0:12:34.120 has to start with containing Dalvin Cook because if he 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:37.960 is in command out there, that's going to make for 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:40.719 a really, really tough day for green Bay's defense. That's 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.040 what interesting. What's interesting what you said though, is about 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:45.760 not allowing you know, Nick Chubb to dictate the terms 0:12:45.760 --> 0:12:48.760 of the game. Nick Chubb didn't dictate the terms of 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:50.760 the game. Now, how much of that was on Cleveland 0:12:50.800 --> 0:12:52.280 and their game plan? How much of that was on 0:12:52.320 --> 0:12:54.520 green Bay. The reason why green Bay got off to 0:12:54.559 --> 0:12:56.320 the start I did in that game was because of 0:12:56.320 --> 0:12:59.400 how that first half played out in the unwillingness for 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:02.360 the Browns to commit to Chub for whatever reason. That's 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.760 not going to be the case on Sunday. The Minnesota 0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:07.560 Vikings are going to try to run this thing through 0:13:07.559 --> 0:13:10.720 Cook and at times Madison too, so that that will 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:14.600 be pivotal. But to me, Mike, it's very simple. You're 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:17.800 talking about this, and you're writing about this, but this 0:13:17.880 --> 0:13:20.559 is going to be a really cold game. Barring some 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:24.040 kind of crazy front that moves in, we're all anticipating 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:26.120 it's gonna be one of the coldest in this series. 0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:30.599 The Packers play at lambeau Field. They are undefeated in 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:34.240 the month of December at lambeau Field underneath Matt Lafleur, 0:13:34.679 --> 0:13:39.040 the Minnesota Vikings playing a dome. They won their game 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:42.120 at us Bank Stadium, partially based upon the fact that 0:13:42.160 --> 0:13:45.360 they were at home. Green Bay needs to defend its turf. 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:48.520 The Packers are one game up right now in the conference. 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:52.440 They have two divisional games against the Minnesota Vikings in 0:13:52.480 --> 0:13:55.400 the Detroit Lions. If we were back in Week one, 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.520 maybe even after that loss to New Orleans, and we 0:13:58.600 --> 0:14:01.000 said this is the scenario that's gonna play out for 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:05.160 you this season. This is the optimal scenario for green Bay, 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:08.680 no question about it. You have to defend your place. 0:14:09.160 --> 0:14:12.320 And if it's zero degrees, if it's minus ten degrees, 0:14:12.720 --> 0:14:17.360 if there's no even you know, water in the stadium available, 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:20.320 you have to be able to be able to cultivate 0:14:20.800 --> 0:14:24.240 harness that ability and come out victorious. I think that's 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:26.000 what it comes down to. So yes, a lot of 0:14:26.040 --> 0:14:27.680 it's the run, but a lot of it's how they 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:29.480 play defensively. A lot of it is what kind of 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:31.360 energy do you have left in the fourth quarter when 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:34.080 you don't want to be out there anymore. That's gonna 0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:36.200 be the real challenge for this matchup. You have to 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.920 imagine the Minnesota Vikings. They're gonna do everything they can 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.160 to try to replicate these elements this week, but you're 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:42.680 not gonna be able to do it. It's Sunday. Is 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:44.840 gonna be too much of a different animal? Yeah? Absolutely. 0:14:44.840 --> 0:14:47.000 And I'm very curious to see because we we've seen 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:49.640 the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has played in plenty of these games. 0:14:49.640 --> 0:14:51.840 He's played in the cold, He's played in the cold 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.960 without some of his best weapons on offense, and and 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:58.400 the Packers of function very well offensively. I'm curious to 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:02.000 see what Kirk Cousins and this Vikings passing offense. Assuming 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:05.520 the Packers can do enough against Cook to make to 0:15:05.640 --> 0:15:08.360 make the Vikings have to throw the ball in key situations, 0:15:08.920 --> 0:15:11.200 what's this Vikings passing off It's gonna look like in 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:15.040 single degree temperatures. Because I remember before the first meeting 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:17.400 this season, we were talking about how going into that game, 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.760 Kirk Cousins had thrown only two interceptions all season long, 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:25.760 and in the controlled climate of US Bank Stadium indoors, 0:15:26.080 --> 0:15:31.480 the Packers legitimately had opportunities for four interceptions in that game, right, 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:34.080 including one right at the very end that could have 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.080 turned the tide. And and uh and given the Packers 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:39.960 a walk off victory instead of a walk off defeat. 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:43.600 If the if the weather has the impact on the 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:46.560 passing game that I think it could have for the Vikings, 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.640 I think the Packers are going to get some opportunities 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:52.320 against Kirk Cousins, and you've got to take advantage of 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:54.560 you have to catch the ball. You have to make 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:58.000 him pay for his bad passes. Because Kirk Cousins was 0:15:58.040 --> 0:16:00.760 going to be the goat at US Stadium back in 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:04.040 November with the number of balls he put in range 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:06.600 for the Packers to intercept, and he ended up he 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:09.800 ended up being the hero. And I and I think 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:12.480 and I think that's uh. I think that's something that 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:15.000 the Packers have to turn the tables in that regard 0:16:15.040 --> 0:16:17.720 in this game. Absolutely, and in the other aspect of this, 0:16:17.760 --> 0:16:20.080 and I'm really I'm just curious to see how it 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:21.800 plays out. I don't know if it's a key to victory. 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:24.360 I don't know. What we're going to see is like 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:26.760 how much cover too, is there going to be out there, 0:16:26.800 --> 0:16:28.600 because yes, a lot of teams want to do that. 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:30.240 A lot of teams want to give more coverage to 0:16:30.280 --> 0:16:33.320 Davante Adams, and maybe they still will, but you would 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:35.360 think the strong safety will be creeping in the box 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:38.320 a little bit more in this game. And furthermore, this 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:40.920 is the perfect West Coast offense type of game too. 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.680 And you obviously have Kubiak there now and in Minnesota 0:16:44.760 --> 0:16:47.960 the sun and then certainly what Matt Laflour does. This 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:49.640 seems to be a game to where you could get 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:52.880 back to some of those principles Marquis Veldes. Scantlin could 0:16:52.920 --> 0:16:54.680 be back as he works his way back off the 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.000 COVID list, he could still end up being a home 0:16:57.080 --> 0:17:00.480 run threat. It's weird when you get to teams that 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:02.840 are going to have an entire entire week to prepare 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.919 for single digit temperatures to try to figure out what 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:08.040 is going to be the best game plan for their 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:10.679 office in the elements and then to close on this 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:13.320 really quickly, How neat is it to Mike and you've 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:15.639 covered so many you know, sunsets and you've seen so 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:18.240 many seasons now for the Packers. How cool is it 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:20.760 when you get to the point where now we are 0:17:20.800 --> 0:17:23.359 talking about, well, this game, this defense could look different 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.840 with Rashawn Gary on the field after he wasn't there 0:17:25.920 --> 0:17:28.520 last month, a guy that had seven sacks first two 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.600 seasons was playing thirty of the defensive snaps. Now he 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:34.240 becomes a core player for Green Bay. It hurts this 0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:37.159 defense not having him on the field last month in 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:40.160 that matchup against the Vikings where they could have trouble 0:17:40.160 --> 0:17:43.440 getting a Kirk Cousins. Well he's back now. Preston Smith 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:47.240 has six sacks and six games. Again it's Packers Vikings 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:50.440 that the rivalry sells itself. The narratives are right there 0:17:50.480 --> 0:17:52.320 to be had, The storylines are all over the place. 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:54.760 But what these two teams are going to bring on 0:17:54.880 --> 0:17:58.040 the field on Sunday night makes it a really compelling matchup. 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:01.960 To me, well, have a read portions of things aside 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:06.480 looking at the playoff picture, there's there, there are scenarios 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:09.480 that are important to both teams here, starting with Green Bay. 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:13.399 As we touched on on our last episode, if the 0:18:13.480 --> 0:18:17.800 Dallas Cowboys lose late Sunday afternoon to the Arizona Cardinals, 0:18:17.840 --> 0:18:20.600 the Packers will take the field Sunday night with a 0:18:20.720 --> 0:18:23.760 chance to lock up the number one seed and clinch 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:26.760 it with one week left to go. If the Cowboys win, 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:30.119 the Packers need to win to maintain their advantage, because 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.359 if the Cowboys win and the Packers lose, and those 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.639 two teams are tied for the best record, the Cowboys 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:39.840 are the ones um with the tiebreaker. From Minnesota's point 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:43.920 of view, the Vikings are seven and eight. There within 0:18:44.000 --> 0:18:46.520 a group of five or six teams that are fighting 0:18:46.560 --> 0:18:48.960 for the last two wild card spots, the six and 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:53.639 seven spots in the NFC the scoreboard watching that the 0:18:53.720 --> 0:18:56.439 Vikings fans will be doing. Houston is at San Francisco, 0:18:56.480 --> 0:19:01.040 Philadelphia is at Washington. If the four party Niners and 0:19:01.160 --> 0:19:05.840 the Eagles both win, the Vikings are essentially playing for 0:19:05.880 --> 0:19:08.520 their season on Sunday night, they would have to beat 0:19:08.560 --> 0:19:10.960 the Packers. If the Niners and the Eagles both win, 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:14.080 the Vikings would have to beat the Packers in order 0:19:14.440 --> 0:19:18.160 to stay alive in that wild card chase heading into 0:19:18.200 --> 0:19:22.280 Week eighteen. So if San Francisco in Philadelphia win, regardless 0:19:22.280 --> 0:19:25.920 of what happens with Dallas, the Packers could be in 0:19:25.920 --> 0:19:29.960 a position to end their NFC North Rivals season and 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:33.879 knock them out for good. In so some interesting scenarios 0:19:33.920 --> 0:19:36.600 to ponder with the game being at night and everything 0:19:36.600 --> 0:19:39.480 else that happens during the day, you know, will lead 0:19:39.480 --> 0:19:42.160 to Okay, what exactly is on the line at seven 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:44.080 twenty when the ball kicks off. Yeah, And as we 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:46.399 talked about earlier this week on on our first show, 0:19:46.880 --> 0:19:49.720 the fact that you have Dallas in Arizona, two teams 0:19:49.760 --> 0:19:52.639 who are heading in very different directions. Right now, Dallas 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:54.200 is feeling like, you know, it's the king of the 0:19:54.240 --> 0:19:57.840 world with with how this that matchup played out against Washington. 0:19:57.920 --> 0:20:00.720 Washington which at a time looked like they could potentially 0:20:00.720 --> 0:20:03.679 be a kind of an underdog playoff hopeful too, you know, 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:06.480 they're they're basically out of it. And then the other 0:20:06.520 --> 0:20:08.600