WEBVTT - #822 Packers Unscripted: Playoff prep

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com.

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<v Speaker 2>I and Mike Spafford, joined as always by my trusted

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<v Speaker 2>colleague Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you hear from our

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<v Speaker 2>studios at lambeau Field and Wes. It is wildcard playoff

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<v Speaker 2>week for the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, they are heading

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<v Speaker 2>into this wild card weekend coming off of a loss,

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<v Speaker 2>a second straight loss. This one, twenty four to twenty

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<v Speaker 2>two is the final score at home against the Chicago Bears.

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<v Speaker 2>A walk off field goal wins it for the Bears.

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<v Speaker 2>No other way to say it other than a disappointing

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<v Speaker 2>defeat and a disappointing way for green Bay to be

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<v Speaker 2>entering the postseason.

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<v Speaker 1>Which fans sometimes ask us about, Hey, you know, these

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<v Speaker 1>guys are getting paid. Hey, you know, there's very little

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<v Speaker 1>to play for at the end of the season other

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<v Speaker 1>than a seed or two. Go to that Packers' locker

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<v Speaker 1>room afterwards. Feel the vibes that we felt in there.

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<v Speaker 1>These guys were legitimately disappointed. They wanted to win that

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<v Speaker 1>football game. Yes it was to keep the streak going

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<v Speaker 1>against the Chicago Bears. Yes it was to end the

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<v Speaker 1>Bears seasons with eleven straight losses. Yes, it was to

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<v Speaker 1>potentially make a run at that sixth seed, but let's

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<v Speaker 1>be honest, Michael, it's the competition of these guys, the

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<v Speaker 1>drive that these guys have. They wanted to go into

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<v Speaker 1>the playoffs with that feeling of victory, with that momentum

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<v Speaker 1>on their side. As Jordan Love said afterwards, they don't

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<v Speaker 1>have that now. But who cares? The big key to

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<v Speaker 1>this game? For me, the part that was the hardest

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<v Speaker 1>for me to leave the building with on Sunday night

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<v Speaker 1>was the fact that you did lose Christian Watson. It

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<v Speaker 1>was a fact that Jordan Love did get nicked up.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't want to see anyone get injured at any time,

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<v Speaker 1>but obviously a regular season finale with very little on

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<v Speaker 1>the line that always hurts the most, and unfortunately for

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<v Speaker 1>Christian toughed it out. He went out there. Romeo Dobbs

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<v Speaker 1>catches a bug, Christian tries to go out there and

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<v Speaker 1>then ultimately ends up with the with the acl tear.

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<v Speaker 1>That being said, the Packers have to march on. They

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<v Speaker 1>have to continue this trek through the postseason and try

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<v Speaker 1>to learn from what they can from that lost to Chicago.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Unfortunately, it's been some bad news on the health

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<v Speaker 2>front a couple weeks in a row now here for

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<v Speaker 2>the Packers. A week ago we find out that JayR

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<v Speaker 2>Alexander would not be coming back for the postseason, and

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<v Speaker 2>now Christian Watson suffers an ACL tear that obviously will

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<v Speaker 2>put the beginning of the twenty twenty five season and

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<v Speaker 2>possibly a good portion of the twenty twenty five season

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<v Speaker 2>in jeopardy for him. You mentioned Romeo Dobbs had come

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<v Speaker 2>down with an illness. It sounds like he is doing

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<v Speaker 2>better here as as the Packers begin their preparations for Philadelphia.

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<v Speaker 2>Jordan Love banged his elbow on the ground. Sounded like

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<v Speaker 2>kind of a funny bone nerve type of issue. He

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<v Speaker 2>left the game. Sounded like if it was absolutely necessar there,

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<v Speaker 2>he could have gone back in. The Packers played the

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<v Speaker 2>high side of caution there and kept Love out, although

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<v Speaker 2>he was getting ready to go in because late in

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<v Speaker 2>the game, Malik Willis ended up kind of banging his thumb.

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<v Speaker 2>I believe it was on the long pass to Malik

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<v Speaker 2>Heath down the field that set up the touchdown in

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<v Speaker 2>the fourth quarter. So there was some question as to

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<v Speaker 2>whether Willis was going to be able to finish the game.

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<v Speaker 2>It sounds like both of those guys are going to

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<v Speaker 2>be okay with regard to those injuries and getting ready

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<v Speaker 2>for the game in Philadelphia. But as Matt Lafuer said,

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<v Speaker 2>it's also can't necessarily guarantee anything that the reps won't

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<v Speaker 2>be limited in some respect. You know, It's one of

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<v Speaker 2>those wait and see things until Wednesday's practice. Elsewhere, on

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<v Speaker 2>the health front, safety Zane Anderson as of now, still

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<v Speaker 2>remains in the concussion protocol, Linebacker Kuway Walker safety Evan Williams,

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<v Speaker 2>both of whom have missed some time with injuries. Those

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<v Speaker 2>guys have not yet returned to practice. There is some

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<v Speaker 2>optimism that they might be available for the wild card

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<v Speaker 2>game in Philadelphia, but again Matt LeFleur was saying, it's

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<v Speaker 2>it's wait and see as far as Wednesday's practice, Thursday's practice.

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<v Speaker 2>Can they get back out there? How do they look?

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<v Speaker 2>Hopefully come Wednesday Thursday, when the team is back on

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<v Speaker 2>the practice field, maybe there'll finally be some good news

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<v Speaker 2>in the health department coming Green Bay's way.

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<v Speaker 1>I tip my cap to katan Oladappo. He ended up

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<v Speaker 1>playing his most extensive playing time against Chicago didn't technically start.

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<v Speaker 1>Chavon Bullard started, but then Bullard went back down into

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<v Speaker 1>the slot of the sub packages, and that's where Aladappo entered,

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<v Speaker 1>a guy that spent most of the off season program

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<v Speaker 1>in a boot on a cart because he was coming

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<v Speaker 1>off that broken toad. I think he suffered at the

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<v Speaker 1>NFL scouting combine. So because of that, Zavier McKinney is

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<v Speaker 1>now lined up next to everybody on the active roster

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<v Speaker 1>at the safety position. But I think you and I

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<v Speaker 1>both know Mike and obviously there's the Russ factor. But

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<v Speaker 1>with what the Packers have to work with, the end

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<v Speaker 1>of last week we found out that jyr alexand not

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<v Speaker 1>going to probably be back this season. He went on

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<v Speaker 1>injured reserve. I think you and I pretty much can

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<v Speaker 1>stand in agreement at this point in time. When you

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<v Speaker 1>look at a Nickel subpackage, the Packers preferred lineup now

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<v Speaker 1>would be Evan Williams on the back end with Xavier McKinney.

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<v Speaker 1>Kyshawn Nixon tip your cap to him has basically become

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<v Speaker 1>CB number one now. Carrington Valentine has stepped up on

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<v Speaker 1>the other perimeter spot and it's Javon Bullard ben in

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<v Speaker 1>the nickel, which was where Keyshawn started the season. You

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<v Speaker 1>wrote about it last week. We'll wait and see if

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<v Speaker 1>they can actually get that group together. But defensively, it

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<v Speaker 1>appears that Green Bay is getting closer to having that

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<v Speaker 1>full unit together. And the thing that was the most

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<v Speaker 1>funny to me. As disappointing as this loss was, and

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<v Speaker 1>obviously they wanted to win it, but you do have

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<v Speaker 1>to consider Jordan Love didn't re enter the game. Josh

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<v Speaker 1>Jacobs had six or seven carries, six carries, Gorda's ninth touchdown.

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<v Speaker 1>It was it eight games or nine touchdowns in a row.

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<v Speaker 2>Eight eight games in a row with a rushing touchdown,

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<v Speaker 2>new franchise record, surpassing Paul Hornings streak of seven back

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<v Speaker 2>in nineteen sixty.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for using words for me. You did that

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<v Speaker 1>very well. It's okay he leaves the game. They still

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<v Speaker 1>run the ball pretty well, but they were making some

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<v Speaker 1>business decisions there in the second half. Still, you want

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<v Speaker 1>to win, you want to be able to get through

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<v Speaker 1>this thing. I just feel like for the green Bay

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<v Speaker 1>finishing fifth and total offense fifth and total defense sixth

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<v Speaker 1>in scoring defense, Like there's so much good that is

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<v Speaker 1>still with this team. I know it sucks to be

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<v Speaker 1>on a two game losing streak entering the playoffs, but

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<v Speaker 1>like you and I both did our Insider Inbox column,

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<v Speaker 1>then man a life like people are acting like the

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<v Speaker 1>sky is falling. Like I'm not saying this was a

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<v Speaker 1>preseason game by any means. The Packers, up until the

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<v Speaker 1>last thirty seconds of that game between Washington and Dallas,

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<v Speaker 1>still had a lot to play for with the sixth seed.

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<v Speaker 1>But you know, the comment I made an Insider Inbox

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<v Speaker 1>on Thursday was the Packers shocked the football world last year?

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<v Speaker 1>Why can't they do it again? You and I will

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<v Speaker 1>get into previewing Philadelphia in a little bit, But for

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<v Speaker 1>Green Bay, what I felt in that locker room, what

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<v Speaker 1>I heard from Xavier mckinne, and it sounds like McKinney

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<v Speaker 1>and Rashaun Gary both had some pretty strong words afterwards

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<v Speaker 1>trying to kind of rally the troops a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>going into the playoffs. I feel like this team has

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<v Speaker 1>leadership where it needs it, it has experience where it's needed,

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<v Speaker 1>and it still has a lot of youth. And I

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<v Speaker 1>think sometimes like last year, as much as they wrote

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<v Speaker 1>a hot streak in I also think when they got

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<v Speaker 1>to Dallas it was not even knowing what they were

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<v Speaker 1>supposed to know. Yet they played free. They played like

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<v Speaker 1>they were, you know, had a poker chip that just

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<v Speaker 1>allowed them to sit down at any table. Yeah, and

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<v Speaker 1>we'll see again now if they can do that against

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<v Speaker 1>the Eagles.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I was kind of fired up when I heard

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<v Speaker 2>about the kind of the postgame locker room, seeing where

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<v Speaker 2>some of these team leaders like Xavier McKinney and Rashaun

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<v Speaker 2>Gary had some words for their teammates. And what I

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<v Speaker 2>kind of walked away after Sunday night thinking is I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know if I don't know if those a if

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<v Speaker 2>those words are even said, but b if those words

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<v Speaker 2>even carry a whole lot of weight if the Packers

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<v Speaker 2>somehow had won the game.

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<v Speaker 1>They don't, And McKinnie said that, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>And and the so in a lot of ways, I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>and I don't want to perseverate on the loss. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>Matt Lafleur took the blame for using the time out

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<v Speaker 2>when the Packers kicked the go ahead field goal, and

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<v Speaker 2>the clock management there wasn't where it needed to be,

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<v Speaker 2>and the defensive call on the Bear's last play before

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<v Speaker 2>the walk off field goal.

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<v Speaker 1>The Packers botched it.

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<v Speaker 2>They they botched it in multiple ways, and they and

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<v Speaker 2>they came away with a loss. I don't know if

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<v Speaker 2>that was necessarily the worst thing in the world, because

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<v Speaker 2>it was a game they didn't play well, they didn't

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<v Speaker 2>really deserve to win regardless, and maybe the message from

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<v Speaker 2>guys like Gary and McKinney in the locker room afterward,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe it, you know, it carries more and has more

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<v Speaker 2>impact because of because of the loss. Call it a

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<v Speaker 2>wake up call if you want to, I don't know

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<v Speaker 2>whatever phrase you want to use. But the Packers of

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<v Speaker 2>you know, they were in a good spot. I thought,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, the win on Thanksgiving night over Miami, followed

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<v Speaker 2>by a really hard, fought, tough, you know, down to

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<v Speaker 2>the wire loss to the Detroit Lions, the best team

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<v Speaker 2>in the NFC, on the road on a Thursday night

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<v Speaker 2>with you know, a crazy Detroit crowd. Then you go

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<v Speaker 2>on the road to Seattle, the team playing for everything,

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<v Speaker 2>trying to win a division title and get into the playoffs,

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<v Speaker 2>and the Packers quite frankly dominate the game, other than

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<v Speaker 2>a couple of mistakes that got Seattle back into it,

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<v Speaker 2>but the Packers finish it off and get the win.

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<v Speaker 2>I thought the Packers were headed for that strong finish

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<v Speaker 2>to the regular season. The New Orleans game, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>thirty four or nothing. What can you do? The Saints

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<v Speaker 2>weren't even like a real team that night. But then

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<v Speaker 2>these last two games against the two division opponents, Minnesota

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<v Speaker 2>and Chicago, the Packers didn't play well. And I even

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<v Speaker 2>questioned whether the comeback against Minnesota in the last nine

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<v Speaker 2>minutes of the fourth quarter if that might have actually

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<v Speaker 2>in some ways done more harm than good, because the

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<v Speaker 2>Packers came very close to pulling out a miracle comeback

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<v Speaker 2>against Minnesota. But then it becomes too easy to forget

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<v Speaker 2>that for fifty out of the sixty minutes, you didn't

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<v Speaker 2>play well against a team that against one of your

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<v Speaker 2>biggest division rivals and a team that you're trying to beat,

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<v Speaker 2>and a game that was really important as a playoff

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<v Speaker 2>tune up. So all of that big picture says that

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<v Speaker 2>the Packers have a lot to flush and to move

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<v Speaker 2>on and to just say hey, all right, let's you know,

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<v Speaker 2>it's it's go time now. And the way they have

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<v Speaker 2>played the last couple of weeks is not going to

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<v Speaker 2>cut it. And the fact that they lost to a

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<v Speaker 2>team that had lost ten in a row, that had

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<v Speaker 2>lost eleven in a row in the Packers Bears All

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<v Speaker 2>Time series was you know, maybe the final straw to say,

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<v Speaker 2>this isn't this isn't going to get it done, This

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<v Speaker 2>isn't going to cut it in the postseason, and now

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<v Speaker 2>it's time to get ready for a darn good Philadelphia team.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely, and I love what Matt Lafleur's message was when

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<v Speaker 1>you know he's looking and reflecting on this loss. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>is it is March Madness time, like anything can happen.

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<v Speaker 1>There's fourteen teams that have a shot at this thing. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>Detroit has a little bit of advantage there. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>Kansas City has an obvious advantage there having the buys,

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<v Speaker 1>But overall, anybody can take a crack at this thing.

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<v Speaker 1>Green Bay proved it last year becoming the first number

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<v Speaker 1>seven to beat in number two. And we're leading the

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<v Speaker 1>number one seed well into the fourth quarter at San

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<v Speaker 1>Francisco with a chance to get to the NFC Title Game.

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<v Speaker 1>And I go back to last year. Green Bay finished

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<v Speaker 1>this regular season eleven and six. Do you know who

0:11:36.240 --> 0:11:38.319
<v Speaker 1>was eleven and six last year, entering the playoffs, the

0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:41.439
<v Speaker 1>eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas Kansas

0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:43.640
<v Speaker 1>City Chiefs team that went four and four after its

0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:46.360
<v Speaker 1>bye week. I understand they won back to back going

0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:48.360
<v Speaker 1>into the playoffs, but they lost to Green Bay. They

0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:52.240
<v Speaker 1>lost to the Las Vegas Raiders. It isn't always about

0:11:52.280 --> 0:11:54.360
<v Speaker 1>heyn how many games in a row can you win

0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:56.959
<v Speaker 1>before you make a run. I'll be honest with you too.

0:11:57.120 --> 0:11:59.160
<v Speaker 1>I think as much as the Minnesota Vikings would have

0:11:59.240 --> 0:12:01.199
<v Speaker 1>loved to have had that number one seed, in love

0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.959
<v Speaker 1>to have won the North, if they enter the playoffs

0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:06.000
<v Speaker 1>on a ten game winning streak or whatever, that's a

0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:08.360
<v Speaker 1>tough thing to keep winning that entire time. It's like,

0:12:08.440 --> 0:12:11.280
<v Speaker 1>what kind of lessons can you learn to be able

0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:14.000
<v Speaker 1>to better you and put you in the best situation possible.

0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:17.400
<v Speaker 1>Entering the new season, Green Bay has had in back

0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.400
<v Speaker 1>to back weeks a real look in the mirror moment.

0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:23.400
<v Speaker 1>Minnesota didn't do enough to get the job done. You

0:12:23.480 --> 0:12:27.080
<v Speaker 1>lost on their field, yep, last week against Chicago. Yes,

0:12:27.080 --> 0:12:29.440
<v Speaker 1>you're missing some guys, Yes, some guys were down shifting

0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:31.520
<v Speaker 1>a little bit. You still did not like the way

0:12:31.520 --> 0:12:33.679
<v Speaker 1>you played well, what are you going to do about it?

0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:37.320
<v Speaker 1>This is your shot. As I put an insider inbox,

0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:41.319
<v Speaker 1>the lessons are over, the classes are done, You've gone

0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:43.720
<v Speaker 1>through the entire course at this point, this is the

0:12:43.760 --> 0:12:47.800
<v Speaker 1>final test. Can you pass it? Can you take everything

0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.120
<v Speaker 1>you've learned in these first eighteen weeks of the regular

0:12:50.160 --> 0:12:53.920
<v Speaker 1>season and now channel that towards a championship? And that's

0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:55.439
<v Speaker 1>what Green Bay is going to find out on Sunday

0:12:55.480 --> 0:12:57.000
<v Speaker 1>afternoon in Philadelphia.

0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.280
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well, I want to get to talking about the

0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:01.719
<v Speaker 2>Eagles here in just a minute, but I'll take care

0:13:01.720 --> 0:13:05.160
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0:13:05.200 --> 0:13:07.800
<v Speaker 2>hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news

0:13:08.120 --> 0:13:11.160
<v Speaker 2>that true football fanatics need twenty four to seven, three

0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:13.560
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0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:19.480
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0:13:19.559 --> 0:13:23.800
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0:13:24.280 --> 0:13:29.200
<v Speaker 2>All right. The Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley two thousand and

0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.360
<v Speaker 2>five rushing yards sat out Week eighteen to rest up

0:13:32.360 --> 0:13:35.360
<v Speaker 2>for the playoffs rather than go for the one hundred

0:13:35.360 --> 0:13:38.000
<v Speaker 2>and one yards he would have needed to break Eric

0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:42.440
<v Speaker 2>Dickerson's single season rushing record in the NFL. I totally

0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:47.079
<v Speaker 2>understand what the Eagles and coach Siriani and Barkley did there.

0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:52.560
<v Speaker 2>But Barkley's had a season for the ages. We'll see

0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.920
<v Speaker 2>how things go with regard to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

0:13:56.000 --> 0:14:01.440
<v Speaker 2>He's been in the concussion protocol. The expectation, I think

0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:03.880
<v Speaker 2>is that he will be cleared in time to play

0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:07.040
<v Speaker 2>in this game, but nothing official has been announced in

0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:12.040
<v Speaker 2>that regard yet. That offense, which also includes obviously receivers

0:14:12.080 --> 0:14:14.680
<v Speaker 2>like AJ Brown DeVante Smith, is backed up by a

0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:19.640
<v Speaker 2>defense that finished first in the league in yards allowed

0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:23.520
<v Speaker 2>and second in the league in points allowed. This is

0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.920
<v Speaker 2>a complete football team. They can run it, they can

0:14:26.960 --> 0:14:30.920
<v Speaker 2>throw it, they can shut you down on defense. This

0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:35.160
<v Speaker 2>is a this is a huge test and and this

0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:37.680
<v Speaker 2>is an Eagles team quite frankly, other than a guy

0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:40.160
<v Speaker 2>like Barkley who was the you know, the free agent

0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:44.280
<v Speaker 2>signing and whatnot, but this is an Eagles team that

0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:48.920
<v Speaker 2>that ended its last season on an absolutely terrible note.

0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:52.480
<v Speaker 2>They were in great position, went into a huge slump

0:14:52.480 --> 0:14:53.960
<v Speaker 2>at the end of the season, they were one and

0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:57.040
<v Speaker 2>done in the playoffs. They're back where they believe they

0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.600
<v Speaker 2>should have been last year, and and they're just fine

0:15:00.680 --> 0:15:03.680
<v Speaker 2>with all the attention being on Minnesota and Detroit and

0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:06.120
<v Speaker 2>everything that was going on there for the number one seed.

0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:09.320
<v Speaker 2>The Eagles are. The Eagles are waiting to make their run.

0:15:09.520 --> 0:15:11.480
<v Speaker 1>I mean, I have so much respect for Howie Roseman,

0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.560
<v Speaker 1>the way he's built this thing up, just starting on

0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:16.800
<v Speaker 1>the offensive side of the thing. The only thing they

0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:19.200
<v Speaker 1>were missing was the running back, and they found him

0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:21.960
<v Speaker 1>and to be able to take him from a division rival,

0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:26.040
<v Speaker 1>not only did you improve your rushing offense and just

0:15:26.200 --> 0:15:30.520
<v Speaker 1>an incredible fashion, you robbed the New York Giants of

0:15:30.560 --> 0:15:33.440
<v Speaker 1>really any semblance of hope this season in what do

0:15:33.480 --> 0:15:35.000
<v Speaker 1>you do? You put him behind one of the best

0:15:35.000 --> 0:15:39.080
<v Speaker 1>offensive lines in football? I mean, how many teams Mike

0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:42.520
<v Speaker 1>could lose? Jason Kelsey and Cam Jurgens ends up going

0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:46.200
<v Speaker 1>in at center has a Pro Bowl season, right. Makai Beckton,

0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:48.680
<v Speaker 1>who we watched him in the practices here with the

0:15:48.760 --> 0:15:51.160
<v Speaker 1>Jets a number of years ago, did not work out

0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:54.160
<v Speaker 1>for him. First round pick as a tackle in New

0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:58.160
<v Speaker 1>York doesn't come together. He goes to Philadelphia. He's been

0:15:58.200 --> 0:16:01.200
<v Speaker 1>their starting right guard all year. Lane Johnson's been doing

0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:04.600
<v Speaker 1>this longer than anybody. Jordan Malata, I mean, like so

0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:09.080
<v Speaker 1>many Landon Dickerson, you have this ready made offensive line

0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:11.040
<v Speaker 1>and you pair one of the best running backs of

0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:14.800
<v Speaker 1>his generation behind it. They do so many things well.

0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:17.800
<v Speaker 1>Devonte Smith, I mean, aj Brown was the steal of

0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:20.720
<v Speaker 1>the century a number of years ago for them. Dallas

0:16:20.720 --> 0:16:24.000
<v Speaker 1>Goddard now is back that. They are just so complete

0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:27.720
<v Speaker 1>offensively and defensively, you can't say enough. I mean, Jalen

0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:30.320
<v Speaker 1>Carter's one of the most exciting interior defensive tackles in

0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.240
<v Speaker 1>the league. Everybody knows what Quinnon Mitchell has done this year.

0:16:33.280 --> 0:16:37.960
<v Speaker 1>Cooper dejen that Zach Brawn signs there on a modest

0:16:37.960 --> 0:16:41.400
<v Speaker 1>contract ends up having a Pro Bowl season. The dangers

0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:45.600
<v Speaker 1>are everywhere with this Philadelphia Eagles team. Now that being said,

0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:48.400
<v Speaker 1>I actually think green Bay does match up okay with them.

0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:51.720
<v Speaker 1>Green Bay's rushing offense is at strength. The one area

0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:55.080
<v Speaker 1>where Philadelphia isn't completely dominant is it's rushing defense. I

0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.840
<v Speaker 1>think they're a very respectable tenth. They have the number

0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:00.240
<v Speaker 1>one rank pass defense in the National Football League. Which

0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:02.560
<v Speaker 1>started with the performance that they put together against Jordan

0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:07.520
<v Speaker 1>Love in this offense in Brazil. Yeah. So as Vic Fang,

0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:10.600
<v Speaker 1>you I thought, really proved this season. Whatever the narrative

0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:13.160
<v Speaker 1>was coming out of Miami last year, this guy still

0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:16.960
<v Speaker 1>very much has it him Dom Caper's. The principles that

0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:20.240
<v Speaker 1>they put together were their defense. This thing has been

0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:23.560
<v Speaker 1>as ready made to be able to be as functional

0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:25.800
<v Speaker 1>and as adaptable as any scheme that we've seen in

0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:29.040
<v Speaker 1>the last thirty thirty five years, and really that was

0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:31.000
<v Speaker 1>the missing piece for Philadelphia this season.

0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:34.879
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's interesting to statistically because of that. When you

0:17:34.920 --> 0:17:38.320
<v Speaker 2>look at that number one ranking in fewest yards allowed,

0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:43.000
<v Speaker 2>the Eagles allowed more than five hundred fewer yards than

0:17:43.040 --> 0:17:44.040
<v Speaker 2>anybody else.

0:17:43.840 --> 0:17:44.359
<v Speaker 1>In the league.

0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:48.680
<v Speaker 2>It's astounding to see the difference in the total yardage

0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.840
<v Speaker 2>between the top ranked defense in the league and number two,

0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:53.919
<v Speaker 2>which happened to be Tennessee this year. And then when

0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:56.200
<v Speaker 2>you look at the points allowed, only one team in

0:17:56.240 --> 0:17:59.160
<v Speaker 2>the league allowed fewer points and that was the LA Chargers.

0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:02.479
<v Speaker 2>They allowed only two fewer points than the Eaglesbugles at

0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:05.480
<v Speaker 2>three to zho three the Chargers at three oh one.

0:18:06.080 --> 0:18:09.119
<v Speaker 2>Here's the question I want to throw at you. You

0:18:09.200 --> 0:18:13.680
<v Speaker 2>mentioned Week one in Brazil. It feels like a lifetime ago,

0:18:15.080 --> 0:18:17.439
<v Speaker 2>and in NFL terms, in a lot of ways, it

0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:20.520
<v Speaker 2>is a lifetime again because because teams are so different

0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:24.760
<v Speaker 2>in January than they are in September. Is there anything

0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:30.120
<v Speaker 2>big picture, little picture that you think the Packers take

0:18:30.200 --> 0:18:37.400
<v Speaker 2>out of that game that becomes applicable to Sunday at

0:18:37.440 --> 0:18:39.040
<v Speaker 2>Lincoln financially finish drives.

0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:41.520
<v Speaker 1>That was they got off to a fast start, they

0:18:41.560 --> 0:18:45.000
<v Speaker 1>didn't finish dry right in Philadelphia, and then obviously had

0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:47.520
<v Speaker 1>a couple of things go against them, and then certainly

0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:49.520
<v Speaker 1>the last play of the game with Jordan Love getting

0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:51.360
<v Speaker 1>injured sort of set the tone for the first half

0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:55.199
<v Speaker 1>of the season. But so many times, Michael and you

0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:57.560
<v Speaker 1>heard Zavier McKinney talk about it afterwards, I think everybody

0:18:57.600 --> 0:19:00.720
<v Speaker 1>pretty much touched on it. This game is about situational

0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:03.360
<v Speaker 1>aspects and how do you perform in the red zone,

0:19:03.359 --> 0:19:05.440
<v Speaker 1>how do you perform on third downs? We're seeing more

0:19:05.440 --> 0:19:07.680
<v Speaker 1>and more how you handle fourth downs in the National

0:19:07.680 --> 0:19:10.920
<v Speaker 1>Football League is becoming critical, and Green Bay in that

0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:13.640
<v Speaker 1>game did not do a good enough job on once

0:19:13.680 --> 0:19:16.440
<v Speaker 1>it punched the ball inside the twenty. It's the hardest

0:19:16.440 --> 0:19:18.080
<v Speaker 1>area of the field to score in, but you gotta

0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:20.399
<v Speaker 1>find ways to get six or seven points out of it.

0:19:21.160 --> 0:19:24.960
<v Speaker 1>And I feel like green Bay playing on that surface,

0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:27.320
<v Speaker 1>having to go down there make the travel that they did.

0:19:27.400 --> 0:19:30.959
<v Speaker 1>Both teams had to do it, but that is a

0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:33.880
<v Speaker 1>very difficult way to start a season. But I thought

0:19:33.880 --> 0:19:36.000
<v Speaker 1>at the same time, it taught them some very important

0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:38.720
<v Speaker 1>lessons that sort of carried through the games where green

0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:40.800
<v Speaker 1>Bay has been dominant this year. The games in which

0:19:40.800 --> 0:19:43.720
<v Speaker 1>they've been successful is when they are limiting the penalties.

0:19:43.760 --> 0:19:45.639
<v Speaker 1>It's when they are getting off to fast starts, it's

0:19:45.640 --> 0:19:49.439
<v Speaker 1>when they are converting on those those third down situations

0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.400
<v Speaker 1>and red zone opportunities. All those things have to happen

0:19:52.400 --> 0:19:55.240
<v Speaker 1>against Philadelphia because if you don't, I mean this offense,

0:19:55.280 --> 0:19:57.040
<v Speaker 1>the way that they're structured, they are going to put

0:19:57.080 --> 0:19:58.800
<v Speaker 1>up points. How do you counter that.

0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:04.040
<v Speaker 2>Said about the red zone, I think speaks volumes for

0:20:04.520 --> 0:20:08.160
<v Speaker 2>how these big time, important games unfold. Just look at

0:20:08.200 --> 0:20:11.520
<v Speaker 2>that regular season finale Sunday Night Football between the Lions

0:20:11.520 --> 0:20:13.639
<v Speaker 2>and the Vikings playing for the number one seed in

0:20:13.680 --> 0:20:16.080
<v Speaker 2>the NFC and a first round by yep, the loser

0:20:16.160 --> 0:20:18.040
<v Speaker 2>is going to drop all the way to the five seed,

0:20:18.600 --> 0:20:21.600
<v Speaker 2>the Vikings, I believe it has had eleven goal to

0:20:21.680 --> 0:20:25.199
<v Speaker 2>go plays, eleven goal to go plays and did not

0:20:25.280 --> 0:20:29.440
<v Speaker 2>get a touchdown in that game. That's astounding. And yes,

0:20:29.480 --> 0:20:32.040
<v Speaker 2>the final score is thirty one to nine, and it

0:20:32.080 --> 0:20:34.720
<v Speaker 2>goes in the books as a blowout for the Detroit Lions,

0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:40.040
<v Speaker 2>but the Vikings had ample opportunity to be right there

0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.879
<v Speaker 2>and even take the lead at certain times in that game.

0:20:43.520 --> 0:20:46.880
<v Speaker 2>But when you can't finish drives, especially against good teams,

0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:51.120
<v Speaker 2>it becomes very difficult to make up for those opportunities, right.

0:20:51.240 --> 0:20:53.320
<v Speaker 1>So, and the other thing.

0:20:53.440 --> 0:20:56.920
<v Speaker 2>That I take from the week one game back in Brazil,

0:20:57.080 --> 0:20:59.080
<v Speaker 2>and this sort of goes without saying, of course, when

0:20:59.080 --> 0:21:01.320
<v Speaker 2>it comes to a playoff game and it's the best

0:21:01.320 --> 0:21:03.840
<v Speaker 2>of the best you know for the season going head

0:21:03.840 --> 0:21:08.600
<v Speaker 2>to head, But what happened in Brazil speaks to how

0:21:09.040 --> 0:21:11.879
<v Speaker 2>facing teams like this, it is always going to be

0:21:12.040 --> 0:21:14.840
<v Speaker 2>a four quarter game. Because when I think back to

0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:18.280
<v Speaker 2>we're watching that game at Arena Corinthians, we had talked

0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:21.639
<v Speaker 2>all week long about, Okay, the Packers need to contain

0:21:21.680 --> 0:21:24.359
<v Speaker 2>Saquon Barkley in this debut that he's making for the

0:21:24.400 --> 0:21:28.760
<v Speaker 2>Philadelphia Eagles, and we had seen a couple years prior

0:21:29.440 --> 0:21:33.600
<v Speaker 2>how Jalen Hurts and you know, as a running threat

0:21:33.640 --> 0:21:36.359
<v Speaker 2>at quarterback can hurt the Packers with his legs and

0:21:36.400 --> 0:21:40.120
<v Speaker 2>you need to contain the quarterback and whatever. And quite frankly,

0:21:40.160 --> 0:21:42.960
<v Speaker 2>for three quarters in Brazil, the Packers did a pretty

0:21:42.960 --> 0:21:45.600
<v Speaker 2>good job on Saquon Barkley, and they did a pretty

0:21:45.640 --> 0:21:48.879
<v Speaker 2>good job not letting Jalen Hurts beat them with his legs.

0:21:49.280 --> 0:21:51.240
<v Speaker 2>But then look at what happened in the fourth quarter.

0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:55.439
<v Speaker 2>Barkley got out, Hurts got out the long whatever was

0:21:55.520 --> 0:21:59.320
<v Speaker 2>seventeen eighteen play drive when it's a two point game,

0:21:59.760 --> 0:22:02.399
<v Speaker 2>but they put together a seventeen eighteen play drive that

0:22:02.560 --> 0:22:05.040
<v Speaker 2>kills like the back half of the fourth quarter and

0:22:05.200 --> 0:22:11.760
<v Speaker 2>left the Packers without a realistic chance. Yeah, playing the

0:22:11.800 --> 0:22:15.200
<v Speaker 2>playing a full four quarters is what it's going to take.

0:22:15.480 --> 0:22:18.440
<v Speaker 2>And that was shown to Green Bay against this team

0:22:19.040 --> 0:22:20.560
<v Speaker 2>right away in Week one.

0:22:20.440 --> 0:22:22.560
<v Speaker 1>One hundred percent. And it was funny to me too

0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:25.240
<v Speaker 1>because the Saquon game, remember telling you this, It almost

0:22:25.400 --> 0:22:28.040
<v Speaker 1>was we were watching the Giants game all over again

0:22:28.080 --> 0:22:31.359
<v Speaker 1>from December of twenty three, where it was they took

0:22:31.400 --> 0:22:34.159
<v Speaker 1>a really good job against Saquon and then he started

0:22:34.200 --> 0:22:37.119
<v Speaker 1>breaking them down. But it's not just about, Okay, how

0:22:37.160 --> 0:22:40.360
<v Speaker 1>the Packers are defending him. That's what Saquon does. He

0:22:40.440 --> 0:22:43.080
<v Speaker 1>will hit you with jabs until he finally finds that

0:22:43.200 --> 0:22:45.640
<v Speaker 1>opening to hit you with the knockout blow, to get

0:22:45.680 --> 0:22:47.800
<v Speaker 1>you right across and hit you with that shot that

0:22:47.880 --> 0:22:50.760
<v Speaker 1>you don't see coming. That's what Green Bay has to

0:22:50.800 --> 0:22:52.879
<v Speaker 1>curb against in this thing. And you're not asking me

0:22:52.920 --> 0:22:55.080
<v Speaker 1>for keys the victory right now. But the Packers, somehow,

0:22:55.080 --> 0:22:57.400
<v Speaker 1>some way have to be the better running football team.

0:22:57.400 --> 0:23:00.000
<v Speaker 1>They have to be better in the trenches than Philadelphia

0:23:00.080 --> 0:23:05.560
<v Speaker 1>because Jalen hurts. You know, hopefully everything's good with him physically, psychologically,

0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:07.640
<v Speaker 1>everything that comes along with having a concussion and missing

0:23:07.680 --> 0:23:10.000
<v Speaker 1>as much time as he did. But that being said,

0:23:10.040 --> 0:23:11.760
<v Speaker 1>he's been on the ice here for a little bit.

0:23:11.840 --> 0:23:13.879
<v Speaker 1>He's been on the sideline a little bit. You wouldn't

0:23:13.920 --> 0:23:17.959
<v Speaker 1>anticipate he's gonna come back and be his prime peak self.

0:23:18.840 --> 0:23:21.040
<v Speaker 1>You don't want to give him the rushing attack that

0:23:21.119 --> 0:23:25.320
<v Speaker 1>allows him to get comfortable in those ways. Saquon Barkley

0:23:25.359 --> 0:23:27.639
<v Speaker 1>has been a very difficult puzzle for the National Football

0:23:27.720 --> 0:23:30.359
<v Speaker 1>League to solve this but this season. But if the

0:23:30.400 --> 0:23:33.000
<v Speaker 1>Packers are to continue playing if they are going to

0:23:33.040 --> 0:23:36.239
<v Speaker 1>find their way in Detroit for the divisional round, that

0:23:36.520 --> 0:23:38.720
<v Speaker 1>is the number one thing on the checklist that must

0:23:38.720 --> 0:23:39.399
<v Speaker 1>be taken care of.

0:23:39.600 --> 0:23:41.840
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, this is what I think is so interesting about

0:23:41.840 --> 0:23:44.200
<v Speaker 2>this matchup, And we'll be talking about it throughout the week.

0:23:44.240 --> 0:23:47.439
<v Speaker 2>We'll have stuff on the website and whatnot. But this

0:23:47.560 --> 0:23:51.680
<v Speaker 2>running back matchup Saquon Barkley Josh Jacobs. Barkley obviously the

0:23:51.800 --> 0:23:55.040
<v Speaker 2>NFL's leading rusher. I didn't see exactly where Jacob's the.

0:23:55.240 --> 0:23:57.800
<v Speaker 1>End of finishing fifth. Was it fit because of how

0:23:57.800 --> 0:23:59.920
<v Speaker 1>many guys ended up playing and how he.

0:24:00.480 --> 0:24:03.280
<v Speaker 2>Right exactly, And that was the whole thing going into

0:24:03.280 --> 0:24:06.200
<v Speaker 2>the final game. You know, Jacobs maybe had a chance

0:24:06.240 --> 0:24:08.359
<v Speaker 2>to climb as high as third, but we knew he

0:24:08.480 --> 0:24:11.000
<v Speaker 2>wasn't necessarily going to play the whole game against the Bears.

0:24:11.640 --> 0:24:14.040
<v Speaker 1>Michael I apologize. Jonathan Taylor also got up there. So

0:24:14.080 --> 0:24:18.000
<v Speaker 1>it was Barkley, Henry b John Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Jamier Gibbs,

0:24:18.040 --> 0:24:18.480
<v Speaker 1>and then.

0:24:18.520 --> 0:24:21.520
<v Speaker 2>Oh so so Gibbs ended up jumping. Well, yeah, Gibbs

0:24:21.560 --> 0:24:22.160
<v Speaker 2>had the big.

0:24:22.040 --> 0:24:24.800
<v Speaker 1>Gibbs got to fourteen hundred yards this year. Yeah, fourteen

0:24:24.840 --> 0:24:25.439
<v Speaker 1>hundred and twelve.

0:24:25.560 --> 0:24:28.920
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so Gibbs ended up jumping ahead of Jacobs as well.

0:24:29.080 --> 0:24:31.840
<v Speaker 2>But you're talking about two of the premier backs in

0:24:31.920 --> 0:24:35.200
<v Speaker 2>this league kind of in a head to head thing.

0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:37.480
<v Speaker 2>But here's what's really interesting to me about it, Wes.

0:24:38.680 --> 0:24:41.760
<v Speaker 2>The Packers have become the twenty twenty four Green Bay

0:24:41.800 --> 0:24:44.840
<v Speaker 2>Packers have very much become a run the ball, stop

0:24:44.920 --> 0:24:49.640
<v Speaker 2>the run football. Yes, this is the best rushing offense

0:24:49.680 --> 0:24:51.679
<v Speaker 2>the Packers have had in over twenty years. You have

0:24:51.720 --> 0:24:53.359
<v Speaker 2>to go back to two thousand and three when a

0:24:53.440 --> 0:24:56.560
<v Speaker 2>mon Green had the eighteen hundred plus yards for the

0:24:56.640 --> 0:24:59.200
<v Speaker 2>last time the Packers had a rushing offense this good.

0:25:00.160 --> 0:25:03.680
<v Speaker 2>And when is the last time we talked about Probably

0:25:03.680 --> 0:25:06.400
<v Speaker 2>you go back to two thousand and nine, Dom Caper's

0:25:06.480 --> 0:25:09.520
<v Speaker 2>first season here, twenty nine and ten, those first two

0:25:09.600 --> 0:25:12.240
<v Speaker 2>years when the Packers were very much a stop the

0:25:12.320 --> 0:25:15.879
<v Speaker 2>run defense, and there have been a lot of a

0:25:15.880 --> 0:25:19.359
<v Speaker 2>lot of troubles in that area since then. This is

0:25:19.400 --> 0:25:22.360
<v Speaker 2>the first time I can remember in my time here,

0:25:22.359 --> 0:25:24.959
<v Speaker 2>and this is my nineteenth season with Packers dot Com

0:25:25.400 --> 0:25:28.360
<v Speaker 2>where we're talking about the Packers going into the postseason

0:25:28.480 --> 0:25:32.040
<v Speaker 2>as a run the ball, stop the run ball team.

0:25:32.480 --> 0:25:35.359
<v Speaker 2>I think the Packers have done an exemplary job against

0:25:35.359 --> 0:25:37.879
<v Speaker 2>the run in the back half of the season. You

0:25:37.920 --> 0:25:40.520
<v Speaker 2>look at the running backs that they have shut down.

0:25:40.560 --> 0:25:43.280
<v Speaker 2>Really the only what I would consider the only poor

0:25:43.320 --> 0:25:46.040
<v Speaker 2>performance against the run in the back half of the

0:25:46.040 --> 0:25:49.160
<v Speaker 2>season was maybe that first game in Chicago when when

0:25:49.960 --> 0:25:53.560
<v Speaker 2>the combination of Swift and Williams and that kind of,

0:25:53.680 --> 0:25:57.240
<v Speaker 2>you know, jolted the Packers run defense into shape in

0:25:57.280 --> 0:25:59.520
<v Speaker 2>a lot of ways. Because since then, I think they've

0:25:59.520 --> 0:26:02.160
<v Speaker 2>done a really good job and we've seen the consistency

0:26:02.200 --> 0:26:05.359
<v Speaker 2>with the rushing offense, obviously led by Jacobs, but the

0:26:05.400 --> 0:26:08.600
<v Speaker 2>Packers ran the ball pretty darn well without Jacobs in

0:26:08.680 --> 0:26:13.360
<v Speaker 2>this last game with Chris Brooks and Emmanuel Wilson. It's

0:26:13.400 --> 0:26:17.480
<v Speaker 2>a this is a different type of Green Bay football

0:26:17.480 --> 0:26:19.679
<v Speaker 2>team that is entering the playoffs here, and it's just

0:26:19.800 --> 0:26:21.720
<v Speaker 2>interesting to me that they are a run the ball,

0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:25.840
<v Speaker 2>stop the run team in a playoff matchup where the

0:26:26.000 --> 0:26:29.920
<v Speaker 2>other team has the number one running back in the league.

0:26:30.240 --> 0:26:32.880
<v Speaker 2>It's sort of like you can't make it up, right.

0:26:32.960 --> 0:26:35.439
<v Speaker 2>There's there's a little bit of a little bit of

0:26:35.440 --> 0:26:37.959
<v Speaker 2>Hollywood to this in a sense, and I think it

0:26:38.000 --> 0:26:41.679
<v Speaker 2>makes for a great matchup Sunday afternoon early evening in Philly.

0:26:41.800 --> 0:26:44.159
<v Speaker 1>The biggest about face that the Green Bay Packers have

0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:47.160
<v Speaker 1>made in year Oneerner Jeff Halfley, is their run defense.

0:26:47.200 --> 0:26:50.240
<v Speaker 1>And it's not just about Okay, they finished fifth or

0:26:50.280 --> 0:26:52.960
<v Speaker 1>whatever it was or seventh. Actually it's the fact that

0:26:52.960 --> 0:26:55.920
<v Speaker 1>they've finished third in yards per carry aloud. Yeah, it's

0:26:55.920 --> 0:26:59.639
<v Speaker 1>the first time I believe since twenty oh nine that

0:26:59.680 --> 0:27:03.440
<v Speaker 1>they fish under allowing four yards per carry three point

0:27:03.520 --> 0:27:06.000
<v Speaker 1>nine to six. They're best in the National Football League.

0:27:06.359 --> 0:27:08.960
<v Speaker 1>In Michael, the amount of buy in that is involved

0:27:09.000 --> 0:27:13.040
<v Speaker 1>with that, getting guys like Kenny Clark, Rashawn Gary, who

0:27:13.119 --> 0:27:15.919
<v Speaker 1>I think everybody agrees had his bettest run stopping season

0:27:15.920 --> 0:27:19.800
<v Speaker 1>in his career. No question, everybody wants to rush the passer.

0:27:19.800 --> 0:27:22.000
<v Speaker 1>Everybody wants to get sacks, and the Packers got plenty

0:27:22.000 --> 0:27:24.639
<v Speaker 1>of those this season, But like Philadelphia, they did it

0:27:24.640 --> 0:27:27.520
<v Speaker 1>as sort of an a la carte, everybody contributing to it.

0:27:27.560 --> 0:27:31.320
<v Speaker 1>Philadelphia's leading sackers, Josh Swat, I think he had eight

0:27:31.359 --> 0:27:33.760
<v Speaker 1>sacks this season. Packers it was seven and a half

0:27:33.760 --> 0:27:37.240
<v Speaker 1>with Rashawn Yeah, but they understood the bigger picture. That's

0:27:37.320 --> 0:27:38.840
<v Speaker 1>how you get to be a top ten defense. That's

0:27:38.880 --> 0:27:40.720
<v Speaker 1>how you get to be a top five defense, which

0:27:40.760 --> 0:27:43.320
<v Speaker 1>Green Bay did. They were a few yards away from

0:27:43.320 --> 0:27:46.679
<v Speaker 1>being a top three defense this season. So you need

0:27:46.720 --> 0:27:48.199
<v Speaker 1>to take what you've done well and you need to

0:27:48.240 --> 0:27:50.359
<v Speaker 1>build off of that. And I think being able to

0:27:50.400 --> 0:27:53.040
<v Speaker 1>have linebackers as well with Eddrin Cooper getting involved in

0:27:53.080 --> 0:27:55.640
<v Speaker 1>this thing, seeing what he has brought to the table

0:27:55.880 --> 0:27:58.000
<v Speaker 1>as a run defender and being able to shoot gaps

0:27:58.000 --> 0:28:01.240
<v Speaker 1>and get that guys down for TFLs. TJ. Slayton, I

0:28:01.240 --> 0:28:03.159
<v Speaker 1>thought came alive in the second half of the season

0:28:03.320 --> 0:28:06.439
<v Speaker 1>kind of trading into the backfield. That has been a

0:28:06.480 --> 0:28:08.960
<v Speaker 1>catalyst to what Green Bay has accomplished. So yeah, this is,

0:28:09.600 --> 0:28:12.800
<v Speaker 1>you know, the immovable object in the unstoppable force here

0:28:12.880 --> 0:28:16.160
<v Speaker 1>kind of coming together and seeing who prevails. But there's

0:28:16.160 --> 0:28:18.120
<v Speaker 1>a reason why they put this game at three point

0:28:18.119 --> 0:28:21.600
<v Speaker 1>thirty in that spotlight and that slot on Sunday afternoon.

0:28:21.600 --> 0:28:23.439
<v Speaker 1>This is a matchup that I think everybody wants to

0:28:23.480 --> 0:28:26.400
<v Speaker 1>see and it's going to take all sixty minutes are

0:28:26.440 --> 0:28:26.919
<v Speaker 1>to prevail.

0:28:27.119 --> 0:28:29.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think you mentioned the guys that are the

0:28:29.840 --> 0:28:33.639
<v Speaker 2>biggest difference in the Packers' run defense from early in

0:28:33.720 --> 0:28:37.439
<v Speaker 2>the season to where they are now. It's Rashaan Gary

0:28:37.520 --> 0:28:39.880
<v Speaker 2>having his best season of his career against the run.

0:28:40.160 --> 0:28:42.760
<v Speaker 2>It's TJ. Slayton coming on in the second half of

0:28:42.800 --> 0:28:45.520
<v Speaker 2>the season in the middle there, and it's the presence

0:28:45.520 --> 0:28:48.520
<v Speaker 2>of Edger and Cooper, who was barely playing early in

0:28:48.560 --> 0:28:51.240
<v Speaker 2>the season then obviously dealt with injuries and has been

0:28:51.440 --> 0:28:54.280
<v Speaker 2>a force against the run down the stretch here. And

0:28:54.800 --> 0:28:57.800
<v Speaker 2>I think you know, there's not a lot in terms

0:28:57.840 --> 0:29:01.240
<v Speaker 2>of how Barkley ran the ball against the Packers back

0:29:01.280 --> 0:29:03.600
<v Speaker 2>in Week one in Brazil that necessarily is going to

0:29:03.640 --> 0:29:06.680
<v Speaker 2>apply to this game, because this is a different Packers

0:29:06.800 --> 0:29:09.800
<v Speaker 2>run defense now that they've got four months of games

0:29:09.880 --> 0:29:12.600
<v Speaker 2>under Jeff Haffley and his scheme and the way they

0:29:12.600 --> 0:29:14.640
<v Speaker 2>want to do it. That being said, you're not gonna

0:29:14.640 --> 0:29:16.440
<v Speaker 2>be able to win this game just by stopping the run,

0:29:16.560 --> 0:29:19.440
<v Speaker 2>just by stopping Saquon Barkley, because the Philadelphia Eagles are

0:29:19.520 --> 0:29:24.400
<v Speaker 2>much more complete than that. But the Packers are. The

0:29:24.400 --> 0:29:29.000
<v Speaker 2>Packers are in a position to where as you said

0:29:29.000 --> 0:29:31.320
<v Speaker 2>at the beginning of this, they can shock the football

0:29:31.400 --> 0:29:35.000
<v Speaker 2>world because of how they're built, because they are run

0:29:35.040 --> 0:29:38.000
<v Speaker 2>the ball, stop the run football team. And I'll take

0:29:38.000 --> 0:29:39.520
<v Speaker 2>that into the postseason anytime.

0:29:39.640 --> 0:29:43.360
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, And like I'm going to talk up the Eagles.

0:29:43.400 --> 0:29:45.680
<v Speaker 1>You win fourteen games, you have the season that they did,

0:29:46.400 --> 0:29:49.640
<v Speaker 1>you give that respect. Yeah, But I also don't want

0:29:49.680 --> 0:29:52.760
<v Speaker 1>to paint the image here that this is some unbeatable opponent, right.

0:29:53.080 --> 0:29:55.560
<v Speaker 1>Jalen Hurts had a very rough twenty twenty three. He

0:29:55.640 --> 0:29:58.120
<v Speaker 1>bounced back for the most part this season, but you know,

0:29:58.120 --> 0:30:00.400
<v Speaker 1>he still didn't have a three thousand yard passing season.

0:30:01.080 --> 0:30:04.400
<v Speaker 1>You know, obviously was the number two back running you know,

0:30:04.640 --> 0:30:07.880
<v Speaker 1>producer to Saquon Barkley this year with a few more

0:30:07.920 --> 0:30:11.400
<v Speaker 1>yards than Kenneth Gainwell, and protected the ball much better.

0:30:11.440 --> 0:30:13.040
<v Speaker 1>That's why they got to where they got to this

0:30:13.160 --> 0:30:15.520
<v Speaker 1>year and why they were able to be more consistent

0:30:15.600 --> 0:30:19.600
<v Speaker 1>areas that they weren't last season. But ultimately, you know,

0:30:19.680 --> 0:30:22.360
<v Speaker 1>with DeVante Smith, the threat that he provides, it's not

0:30:22.600 --> 0:30:25.640
<v Speaker 1>like this offense is a is an overall jugger, not

0:30:25.760 --> 0:30:28.360
<v Speaker 1>that you cannot find ways to stop. And I think

0:30:28.400 --> 0:30:31.160
<v Speaker 1>that's the lesson and sort of the message that has

0:30:31.200 --> 0:30:33.360
<v Speaker 1>to get preached this week with Jeff Haffleys. We got

0:30:33.360 --> 0:30:36.520
<v Speaker 1>the guys we need to contend with any offense in

0:30:36.520 --> 0:30:40.240
<v Speaker 1>the National Football League and realistically, if you want to

0:30:40.240 --> 0:30:42.440
<v Speaker 1>make a run, much like the Packers did in twenty ten,

0:30:42.920 --> 0:30:45.280
<v Speaker 1>this is the type of opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles,

0:30:45.280 --> 0:30:47.360
<v Speaker 1>that you're going to have to find a way to beat.

0:30:47.840 --> 0:30:51.120
<v Speaker 1>And I will say this one last time, Michael. I

0:30:51.200 --> 0:30:53.520
<v Speaker 1>understand the Packers lost six games. I understand five of

0:30:53.520 --> 0:30:55.479
<v Speaker 1>those that came against the division. I understand they had

0:30:55.480 --> 0:30:58.680
<v Speaker 1>two shots against Dallas and excuse me, Detroit and Minnesota,

0:30:58.760 --> 0:31:01.320
<v Speaker 1>and they didn't take advantage of it. Right, But if

0:31:01.400 --> 0:31:04.640
<v Speaker 1>you're going to set the table and change the narrative

0:31:05.040 --> 0:31:07.680
<v Speaker 1>and get things going in your direction, improving that this

0:31:07.720 --> 0:31:11.720
<v Speaker 1>truly is a new season, coming back and closing the

0:31:11.720 --> 0:31:14.160
<v Speaker 1>gap against Philadelphia after they beat you in Brazil in

0:31:14.200 --> 0:31:16.920
<v Speaker 1>the opener, I think there is no better tone setter

0:31:16.960 --> 0:31:18.080
<v Speaker 1>for Green Bay than that.

0:31:18.520 --> 0:31:22.240
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I agree, and can't wait for Sunday to get here.

0:31:22.280 --> 0:31:24.440
<v Speaker 2>We'll have more to talk about with regard to the

0:31:24.480 --> 0:31:26.920
<v Speaker 2>Packers and Eagles on our next show. We'll also take

0:31:26.920 --> 0:31:31.920
<v Speaker 2>a look at the entire Wildcard slate around the NFL. Saturday,

0:31:31.960 --> 0:31:34.760
<v Speaker 2>Sunday Monday, It's going to be three days of some

0:31:34.800 --> 0:31:36.040
<v Speaker 2>tremendous playoff football.

0:31:36.200 --> 0:31:40.240
<v Speaker 1>Eighteen teams, Michael are done fourteen. Teams are still playing

0:31:40.280 --> 0:31:43.120
<v Speaker 1>football right now. The Green Bay Packers are one of those.

0:31:43.560 --> 0:31:46.000
<v Speaker 1>At this point, it no longer matters how you got here.

0:31:46.040 --> 0:31:48.560
<v Speaker 1>It certainly didn't matter in twenty ten with the Packers.

0:31:49.240 --> 0:31:52.720
<v Speaker 1>This time, this moment, this opportunity. If you want to

0:31:52.720 --> 0:31:55.040
<v Speaker 1>show that you took those strides that everybody wanted to

0:31:55.040 --> 0:31:57.480
<v Speaker 1>see in year two with Jordan Love under center, with

0:31:57.560 --> 0:31:59.280
<v Speaker 1>as young of a football team as the Packers have,

0:32:00.360 --> 0:32:01.720
<v Speaker 1>this is that opportunity.

0:32:03.000 --> 0:32:06.480
<v Speaker 2>And with that I will just remind folks to be

0:32:06.520 --> 0:32:09.080
<v Speaker 2>among the thousands of football fans cheering on their team's

0:32:09.120 --> 0:32:12.320
<v Speaker 2>NFL picks by joining us April twenty four through April

0:32:12.320 --> 0:32:15.360
<v Speaker 2>twenty six of twenty twenty five to for the NFL Draft.

0:32:15.680 --> 0:32:19.120
<v Speaker 2>Visit green Bay dot com slash Draft twenty five for

0:32:19.240 --> 0:32:22.040
<v Speaker 2>more information and we'll call it a rap on this

0:32:22.200 --> 0:32:24.840
<v Speaker 2>edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of

0:32:24.840 --> 0:32:26.840
<v Speaker 2>our coverage of the team. We'll be back in a

0:32:26.880 --> 0:32:29.600
<v Speaker 2>couple of days to continue all of the wild card

0:32:29.680 --> 0:32:32.720
<v Speaker 2>preview Packers and Eagles. It is set for the link

0:32:32.840 --> 0:32:35.280
<v Speaker 2>at three point thirty pm Central Time on Sunday for

0:32:35.400 --> 0:32:38.000
<v Speaker 2>Wes I Am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody.

0:32:38.120 --> 0:32:39.760
<v Speaker 2>We will see you next time.