WEBVTT - #464 Packers Unscripted: Heading west 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:20.279 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.360 --> 0:00:23.480 I am Mike Spofford sitting next to my trusted colleague 0:00:23.520 --> 0:00:25.920 West Hodku. It's we're coming to you here from our 0:00:25.960 --> 0:00:29.000 studios at lambeau Field and West. It is Wednesday, which 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:32.599 for us means opponent breakdown day, and the next opponent 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:36.320 for the Green Bay Packers will be the Los Angeles 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:42.040 Chargers on Sunday afternoon inside a soccer stadium whose name 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:44.479 escapes me at the moment, but I'm still struggling with 0:00:44.520 --> 0:00:47.640 saying Los Angeles Charges instead of San Diego. So there 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:51.560 with me here as we us something like that. It 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:53.480 used to be called the stub Hub Center, but then 0:00:53.600 --> 0:01:00.560 it changed its names. Thousand seat capacity that I talked 0:01:00.600 --> 0:01:04.360 with Mark Murphy yesterday. Actually I was doing a um 0:01:04.400 --> 0:01:07.679 a sort of conference call for one of our friend 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:11.120 Haley's fan clubs, and Mark Murphy was on the conference 0:01:11.200 --> 0:01:15.160 call with fans and he was saying that he's predicting 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:20.640 that about seventy of that seven thousand um seat stadium 0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:23.400 is going to be Packer fans um Sunday. It's going 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:25.679 to be interesting. Yeah, the other how this shakes out 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:28.119 and then there's gonna be about other twenty fans, percent 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:30.080 of fans that probably aren't fans for either team, and 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:33.160 maybe like five percent that were there for the Chargers. Uh. 0:01:33.200 --> 0:01:36.840 It's incredible, and it's been a tough situation for the 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.399 Chargers this year. I think there's been some comments and 0:01:39.440 --> 0:01:42.880 remarks made. Now, this is gonna be a pretty very 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:45.440 pro Packers crowd, just based on how they travel. There's 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:47.280 a reason why this game is being played in l 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:51.520 A as opposed to shipping it overseas. But it's actually funny. 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:53.760 I think, you know, you listen to some of these 0:01:53.760 --> 0:01:55.960 comments the Charges players have made, it's almost like every 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:57.560 game has sort of been a road game for them 0:01:57.560 --> 0:02:00.520 this season. Yeah, they played a primetime game at home. 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:02.560 I believe it was a Sunday night game earlier this 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:06.840 year against Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Steeler fans took over 0:02:06.880 --> 0:02:08.399 the place. I mean it was it was a home 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:12.600 game for the Steelers, more than two thousand miles from home, 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:15.880 and it sounds like Sunday afternoon could very much be 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:17.960 the same way for the Packers. You know, and this 0:02:18.040 --> 0:02:19.799 is one that I guess, you know, I'm gonna say, 0:02:19.800 --> 0:02:21.880 I really don't have a whole lot of sympathy for them. 0:02:21.960 --> 0:02:24.360 I mean, you could have easily had this game go overseas, 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:25.840 and not saying that there would have been a ton 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:27.720 of Packer fans there too, but you might have had 0:02:27.760 --> 0:02:30.480 a better chance to have Charger fans. I just I 0:02:30.560 --> 0:02:32.799 go back to that game last year, Mike against the Rams. 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.760 Oh yeah, ninety thousand seat l a Colosseum, and there's 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:38.880 go Pack go chance during the entire game, and they're 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:41.640 filled to the top of the building and it just 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:45.600 and the Rams were undefeated at the time, and I 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:48.840 would say that that was about as close to a 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.440 fifty fifty split as I have ever seen at a 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:54.400 true road game. I mean, it really was. I believe 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:57.360 the announced attendance that day was around eighty thousand because 0:02:57.400 --> 0:02:59.840 it wasn't a sell out at the Colosseum, but of 0:02:59.840 --> 0:03:02.280 the was eighty thousand, I bet it was forty thousand 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:04.840 each side. Yeah, So needless to say, I think this 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:07.239 game on Sunday is gonna be very interesting to watch 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:10.639 from that perspective. Also, twenty seven thousand seed stadium that 0:03:10.680 --> 0:03:14.480 I think fits thirty thousand for football, so a very 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:17.480 different environment than you and me are really you know, 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.120 used to covering well. When you look at the Chargers season, 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:26.200 here in the record says they're three and five, but 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:29.160 if you look at how these games are gone there, 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:32.799 their record, quite frankly, west could be absolutely anything at 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:36.920 this point. They won in overtime in week one, uh 0:03:37.720 --> 0:03:42.240 there other than one victory that they had by a 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:46.000 considerable margin. Their other victory was against the Bears this 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:49.000 past weekend when the Bears missed a kick on the 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.000 mr field goal on the final play of the game. 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:56.000 All five of the Chargers losses are one score defeats 0:03:56.040 --> 0:03:58.280 that they were in those games all the way up 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:02.000 until the end. Probably the most heartbreaking of the bunch 0:04:03.360 --> 0:04:07.480 was the road game at Tennessee where right at the 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:10.640 end of the game they're down by three. They actually 0:04:10.920 --> 0:04:14.560 twice the officials call a touchdown in the final minute 0:04:14.600 --> 0:04:16.880 of the game and they think they've won the game, 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:22.120 replay the automatic review of the score. Twice those replay 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:24.600 reviews placed the ball inside the one yard line, and 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:28.240 then after the second nullified touchdown, Melvin Gordon fumbles the 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:31.880 ball at Titan's recover and the Chargers take another loss. 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:36.520 So they've they've had They've had about his wild, crazy 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:39.200 down to the wire every week up and down season 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:42.880 as you could possibly have. The bottom line, though, is 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:46.080 that they have five losses. They're kind of on the 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:49.080 on the brink here, coming off of a playoff season 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:52.000 when they were twelve and four a year ago. They're 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:54.200 on the brink here, falling out of contention if they 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:56.080 don't get the ship right at it. Yeah, and this 0:04:56.120 --> 0:04:57.800 is not a team you can mess with either, because 0:04:57.880 --> 0:05:00.600 the firepower is there. They had Super Bowl asked oprations 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:03.120 going into this season, and all the reasons why the 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:07.200 Melvin Gordon holdout sort of complicated everything. It was funny, though, 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:10.440 might because as difficult and demoralizing as that Tennessee game was, 0:05:10.520 --> 0:05:13.080 that was right after the game against Pittsburgh at home, 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:15.640 whereas you were talking about a very pro stealers crowd 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:17.960 in the Charges played about as poorly as you could 0:05:18.000 --> 0:05:20.920 play in all three phases of the game in that venue. 0:05:21.480 --> 0:05:23.840 But they got they got. You know, something went right 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.600 for them last week. Uh, they played tooth and nail 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:28.760 with the Bears. You know, Philip Rivers didn't have his 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:31.720 best game, but ultimately at the end of it, they 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:33.400 had a little bit of good fortune with the miss 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:35.920 forty one yard field goal from any Pinero. And here 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:37.719 they are with three and four. But as you said, 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:40.680 they're only blowout this year was that thirty to ten 0:05:40.760 --> 0:05:44.480 win over Miami. Otherwise the Colts overtime win, and all 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:47.000 those losses that were within a score. It's been a 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.279 very down to the wire season for the Chargers and 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:51.839 much like my fantasy football team, just haven't been able 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:53.920 to find the wins well. And this is when I 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:56.520 was looking them up and writing some things in Insider 0:05:56.560 --> 0:06:00.160 Inbox about the Chargers. Really you compare this seas and 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.640 for them to last year. Last year they had seven 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:07.039 of their sixteen games in the regular season were decided 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:09.240 by one score, and they were six and one in 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:11.680 those seven games. Just look at their record in the 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:14.479 one score games this year. It's it's what's happening in 0:06:14.520 --> 0:06:17.800 the fourth quarter where they're not able to get it 0:06:17.880 --> 0:06:20.120 together and pull these things out at the end. That's 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:23.000 the difference between them being twelve and four a year 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:25.760 ago and UH and kind of teetering on the edge 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:29.479 of falling out of contention halfway through nineteen. It's a 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:31.480 fine line in this league, as we talk about all 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:35.880 the time. But that being said, as you said, there 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.120 are explosive weapons on this team. There is a savvy 0:06:39.200 --> 0:06:42.120 veteran quarterback who has been there and done that. Do 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:44.599 not sleep on the l A Chargers. Well, and the 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:46.839 thing that actually confused me the most. For all the 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:50.120 ups and downs that the Charges have had, they are 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:52.159 coming off a win and then that's when they decided 0:06:52.200 --> 0:06:55.000 to make the change of offensive coordinator with Ken wizzen Hunt. Right, 0:06:55.040 --> 0:06:57.320 I mean that they make a change there. It seemed 0:06:57.320 --> 0:06:59.760 like an interesting time to do it. Wizzen Hunt had 0:06:59.760 --> 0:07:01.479 been there for a number of years at this point. 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:04.720 But they're just looking for some kind of spark. Let's 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:07.080 be honest, though, Mike. In the good years the bad years, 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:09.560 this team has gone as Philip Rivers has gone, and 0:07:09.640 --> 0:07:11.720 unfortunately for them, he's just not been at his peak 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.120 this season. Last year I really thought he was, Oh 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:16.520 he was put especially down the stretch. I thought he 0:07:16.560 --> 0:07:19.560 was playing tremendous football. I mean they went in in 0:07:19.600 --> 0:07:23.640 a primetime game into Arrowhead Stadium and knocked off the Chiefs, 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:25.480 who ended up being the number one seed in the 0:07:25.520 --> 0:07:27.600 a f C in the playoffs year. Yeah, and it's 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:30.160 one of these things where you know, you look at 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:33.200 him and how he plays even this season, I mean 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:35.760 the games in which he's been down. You think of Denver, 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:39.679 you think about Pittsburgh, the loss against Detroit, he hasn't 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:41.640 played well. It's kind of weird because then you look 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:44.000 at like what Atlanta is going through with Matt Ryan 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:46.680 the last two years. Matt Ryan's passer rating, all the 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:49.800 statistics look great, they just aren't winning football games. With 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:52.000 the Chargers, it really does need to be the Philip 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:54.040 Rivers show, especially early in the season when they didn't 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:57.360 have Melvin Gordon. He's come back but hasn't quite found 0:07:57.400 --> 0:08:00.920 his rhythm yet. Austin Ekeler has had his months. But 0:08:01.480 --> 0:08:04.880 the dangerous thing about this Chargers offenses, Philip Rivers and 0:08:04.920 --> 0:08:07.280 Keenan Allen have been doing this for a long time now. 0:08:07.560 --> 0:08:10.720 Allen again six yards I think already on the season. 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:13.360 He's a type of difference maker that you have to 0:08:13.400 --> 0:08:15.760 account for at all times and a big play threat 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:18.040 that can put points on the board at a given moment. Yeah, 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:20.960 I mean Keenan Allen is uh is certainly a big 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:24.320 play threat. And Mike Williams, the number two on his team, 0:08:24.320 --> 0:08:27.040 has made some big plays down the field as well. 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:29.880 I believe Williams average you've got it in front of 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:32.760 you per catch, Yeah, I mean sixteen yards per catch. 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:34.960 This guy has been a pretty big play guy. And 0:08:34.960 --> 0:08:38.959 you mentioned Austin Ekeler, who essentially became the number one 0:08:39.040 --> 0:08:41.160 running back at the start of the season because of 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:45.800 Melvin Gordon's long holdout. He's a guy that now is 0:08:45.960 --> 0:08:49.120 very regularly being worked into not only the rotation to 0:08:49.240 --> 0:08:51.880 run the ball, but to catch passes out of the backfield. 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:55.280 He's racked up five hundred yards receiving in five touchdowns 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:59.400 as a pass catcher already this year for umum for 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:02.880 you know, smaller shifty running back. So that's definitely a 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:05.000 weapon to keep an eye on. But I'm with you 0:09:05.040 --> 0:09:09.600 that this team really does go as as Philip Rivers goes, 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:13.240 and the change that offensive coordinator will we'll have to see. Obviously, 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:16.520 it's being done to to provide some kind of a spark, 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:18.720 to light some kind of a fire under an offense 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:23.720 that head coach Anthony Lynn Fields is underperforming. And um, 0:09:23.760 --> 0:09:26.080 you know we've seen it West. These things can go 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:27.920 one of two ways. Sometimes it can take a while 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:30.360 to adjust to the new voices in the room and 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:32.680 the new types of game plans. Other times it really 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:34.920 does provide a spark and then and suddenly a team 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:37.320 takes off. Yeah. I mean the biggest example that that 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:39.200 I can recall is really, you know, the Jim Bob 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:42.440 Cooder era in Detroit. Yeah, after Joe Lombardi had been 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:44.440 let go. It seemed like that was a galvanizing moment 0:09:44.520 --> 0:09:47.760 for that offense and Matthew Stafford. This is interesting though, 0:09:47.800 --> 0:09:50.520 because as you mentioned, with Eckler, uh, it's fifty one 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:53.199 catches already on the air. He's tied with Keen Allen 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:55.599 for the most on the Chargers roster, putting him on 0:09:55.640 --> 0:09:59.240 pace for over a hundred this season. Melvin Gordon is 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:01.800 back in additionally has been their bell cub. But I 0:10:01.880 --> 0:10:04.400 think the one thing they learned in those whatever it 0:10:04.480 --> 0:10:06.400 was five six weeks that they didn't have Gordon is 0:10:06.720 --> 0:10:08.480 Eckler is a guy that you can turn to, you 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:10.160 can rely on, and he does seem to have some 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:14.520 chemistry there with you know, Philip Rivers. And let's be honest, 0:10:14.559 --> 0:10:16.440 when the Packers have had issues this year, it's with 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:19.040 those type of shiftier type players and open space in 0:10:19.080 --> 0:10:21.560 teams that have tight ends and you know the Chargers 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:24.080 have tight ends to Hunter Henry is a guy that 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:26.320 can make you heard at times, and in Dontrell Inman 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:28.120 has quite a few big plays this season, even though 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:30.280 he maybe doesn't have the ton of catches that you 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:33.079 look for from like guys that really jump off the radar. 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:35.720 So yeah, I think you have to pressure Philip Rivers. 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:37.120 I think you need to be able to stop the run, 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:38.400 and you've got to make sure you can limit those 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:41.240 big places because there are multiple threats there. The only 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.040 thing that will be interesting though, is if things kind 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:46.520 of crazy and Charges have to switch switch to like 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:49.720 a silent count in their own stadium. That's gonna be 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:51.400 one thing to watch because that definitely will challenge the 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:54.200 communication of that unit. Yeah, but that's also something that 0:10:54.240 --> 0:10:56.520 they've already had to do. And you know, they took 0:10:56.520 --> 0:10:59.480 their lumps against the Pittsburgh Steelers with that that pro 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:03.240 Pittsburgh crowd, so they've been through that once before. UM 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:07.240 quickly here West Select Cousin Subs locations are now offering delivery. 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:10.079 Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, They're delivering 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:13.240 right to you when you order online. At Cousin Subs 0:11:13.320 --> 0:11:17.280 dot com Cousin Subs, we believe in better all right 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:19.440 on the defensive side of the ball for the Chargers, 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:23.160 reigning a f C Defensive Player of the Week is 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:26.680 Joey Bosa. Not only did he have two sacks in 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:30.600 the seventeen to sixteen victory for the Chargers over the 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:34.880 Bears on Sunday, he had two additional tackles for loss 0:11:34.920 --> 0:11:38.199 in that game. And this is also the second consecutive 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:41.120 game now that Joey Bosa has had multiple sacks. So 0:11:41.840 --> 0:11:44.480 um a lot of attention going to his younger brother 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:47.079 out in San Francisco, and for good reason, because Nick 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:50.720 Bosa is also a defensive Player of the Week this week. 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:53.680 But Joey Bosa, he's been doing it for a little 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:55.600 bit longer than his younger brother. I believe this is 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.360 his fourth year in the league. And uh, this is 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:01.720 one of those guys that know Matt Lafleur, Nathaniel Hack 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:04.360 at that offensive staff. You go into a game building 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:07.320 a game plan against this defense, Joey Bosa is the 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.440 guy with the target on his back, do you I'm 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:10.959 trying I was trying to think of this before the show. 0:12:11.000 --> 0:12:12.320 I wonder if this is the first time that him 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:14.160 and Jake Kumer are going to be playing each other, 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.319 because there are first cousins for those people who yes, 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:20.040 you're right, and that is one little storyline. When we're 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:21.680 all done with this, we're sitting back at our desk 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:23.600 and trying to like plot out the week. That's be 0:12:23.640 --> 0:12:26.640 one thing that's interesting to follow. But Bosa, obviously his 0:12:26.679 --> 0:12:28.800 brother Nick, two of the pre eminent pass rushers in 0:12:28.800 --> 0:12:30.760 the league. I saw that stat last week that they 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:33.960 actually beat the Watt Brothers record for most sacks in 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:37.080 a single week by Brothers five. So you can jot 0:12:37.160 --> 0:12:39.520 that one down in your little notebook. Um, but no, 0:12:39.720 --> 0:12:42.839 Joey is a fantastic football player. For four sacks the 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:46.160 last two weeks, um thirty five and a half already 0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:48.840 in three plus seasons. I mean, how quickly the time goes, 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.000 not even his twenty fifth birthday yet. And yeah, I 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:53.760 mean they need him to be a difference maker. They're 0:12:53.760 --> 0:12:56.480 really relying on it. They do have real solid playmakers here. 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:59.600 I'm sure we'll talk about Casey Hayward here in a second. Um, 0:12:59.640 --> 0:13:03.040 Thomas Davis is still in the NFL. I mean that's incredible. 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:06.680 That's that he's still he's still going strong. He's not 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:09.360 just playing, he's playing well. Yeah, and I mean Desmond King, 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:10.840 I mean, there's there's a lot of names on this 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:12.640 defense that kind of jump off the page to you. 0:13:12.640 --> 0:13:15.319 And then certain Melvin Ingram when he's healthy is has 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:16.880 been one of the top guys in this league as 0:13:16.920 --> 0:13:19.480 well at times. So yeah, but both say is the guy. 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:21.680 I mean, they draft him to be the guy and 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:23.880 and certainly he's lived up to that reputation over the 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:28.400 last few seasons. Yeah, this this Chargers defense a unit 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:30.840 that's had its ups and downs. But you know, for 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:33.720 the most part, I mean, granted the Bears, they've had 0:13:33.760 --> 0:13:37.200 their struggles offensively with Mitchell Robinsky and everything. The Bears 0:13:37.280 --> 0:13:40.120 really struggled to to put points on the board against 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:43.280 this unit. It's there really isn't a game this year 0:13:43.280 --> 0:13:46.480 that you look at this Chargers defense kind of getting 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:50.360 blown out of the water everything. The biggest reason, frankly, 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:53.360 that the Charges have played so many close games and 0:13:53.400 --> 0:13:56.600 have really been in every game that they've played, is 0:13:56.640 --> 0:13:59.719 because their defense is just solid. It's not spectacular, it's 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:02.960 not to knock you over, it's it's not that fearsome 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:06.839 type of defense that um that that you know, takes 0:14:06.840 --> 0:14:09.280 the ball away all the time or just buries the quarterback. 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:12.400 But it's a really really solid unit. And you know, 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.400 Casey Hayward, the former Packers certainly one of those guys 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:18.599 in the back end you mentioned Melvin Ingram is the 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:22.080 tandem guy on on the other edge. As far as 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:25.200 a pass rusher with Joey Bosa, this is a this 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:29.320 is a solid group that is not necessarily going to 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:31.400 be easy to score. Again, it is funny though there 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:33.240 are now this I would say this is a better 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:36.040 defense than Kansas City, but there are parallels there though, 0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:39.200 right I mean defensively with their run front, there's gonna 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:41.840 be opportunities there for Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams again 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:43.600 this week. I think they're in the twenties as far 0:14:43.640 --> 0:14:46.040 as their total run defenses here, but there are top 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:49.160 ten past you know, unit against that in twelfth overall 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:52.240 in total yards. Uh. Certainly a team that is that 0:14:52.480 --> 0:14:55.240 is difficult to be messed with. And Casey Hayward, I'd 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:56.680 be ever missed if I didn't just talk about the 0:14:56.960 --> 0:14:59.480 career that he's had out there. Um in the last 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:02.040 four seas, and I mean has become an all pro cornerback. 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:04.800 I know every time you bring up the c H 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:08.520 word packer fans get enraged. Um, it is what it is. 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:11.200 I mean. I the reason I guess I probably have 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:14.720 this like this perspective is I always valued Hayward as 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:16.840 the top of the line cornerback. I just thought he was. 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:19.440 I thought he caught some bad breaks with the hamstrings, 0:15:19.440 --> 0:15:21.960 but I thought he was a leader in an important 0:15:22.040 --> 0:15:24.720 voice in that room, especially in two thousand and fifteen 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:27.960 when you know they started to you know, there weren't 0:15:27.960 --> 0:15:30.080 there wasn't that Sam Shields guy in there anymore more. 0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:32.520 You know, there was different type of you know, makeup. 0:15:32.520 --> 0:15:34.440 You needed someone that talked, You need someone that lad 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:37.080 and Casey Haywards that guy, Um, and I have a 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.240 really high amount of respect for him and how he's 0:15:39.280 --> 0:15:42.080 carried himself and how he's bounced back from adversity in 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:44.720 his life to become the player that he has been. 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:48.080 And there are big time playmakers in this defense. So, um, 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:50.080 this is gonna be another one of those battles where 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:52.040 it's gonna be yards, it's gonna be time of possession, 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:55.880 It's gonna be takeaways. The Chargers definitely are a team 0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:59.000 that can take the football away. Their third down defense 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:01.920 has hurt them at time times this season. But as 0:16:01.920 --> 0:16:04.320 you said, Mike, there's a reason why there's been so 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.080 many gut wrenching losses for l A this year, and 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:10.240 it's because they've been in every game they've played. Yeah, So, 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:12.880 I mean that's when you go through nine games, when 0:16:12.880 --> 0:16:14.360 you get to this point in the season into your 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:17.240 ninth game and you've played that many close ones, you 0:16:17.320 --> 0:16:19.440 expect to get at least those and they just haven't 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:22.400 been able to do that. Yeah. Yeah, that's it's really been, uh, 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:25.960 some late game failures that have been some some major regrets, 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:28.600 and they're looking at obviously, as you said, they caught 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:30.960 a break. The Bears missed the kick on the final play, 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.000 So they finally get one of those late game situations 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:36.960 to go their way and they're hoping that that begins 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:40.080 the turnaround for them to get back on track and 0:16:40.120 --> 0:16:43.600 back into playoff contention. On the special team side of things, 0:16:43.640 --> 0:16:46.000 I actually want to talk about the Packers because we 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:50.240 have some roster news there to discuss. The Packers have 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:55.480 brought Traymont Smith back up to the active roster from 0:16:55.680 --> 0:16:59.680 the practice squad and have released undrafted rookie wide receiver 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:03.560 and her man Darius Shepherd. So we saw a little 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:05.720 bit of a shake up with the return game. Shepherd 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:08.480 was replaced on kickoffs by Channon Sullivan, but Shepherd was 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:12.520 still returning punts against Kansas City. Now the shake up 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.880 is essentially complete. The Packers really looking for some kind 0:17:15.880 --> 0:17:18.679 of a spark in the return game because both with 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:22.320 what opponents have done on returns and the lack of 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.200 explosive plays in terms of what the Packers have done 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:27.720 with their returns, the Packers have been losing the field 0:17:27.760 --> 0:17:30.480 position battle this season and that's one area that Matt 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:32.880 Lafleur really wants to change. Yeah, and that's why when 0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:35.080 you look at the offense, the four minute offense, the 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:37.800 ability to sustain drives have been so critical and important 0:17:37.840 --> 0:17:39.399 because a lot of times they have been having to 0:17:39.400 --> 0:17:41.480 go the full distance of the field. They want to 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:43.280 find a spark play. They want to be able to 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:46.879 turn that around and you know, and find some success there. Um, 0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:48.440 I'm I'm very curious see what they do with Trey 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:51.280 Smith here. Uh. Certainly we already talked about it at 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:53.480 nausea months ago. I mean, this is a guy that 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:55.560 is the top of the line kickoff returner. He was 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:57.199 one of the best in the business last year, made 0:17:57.240 --> 0:17:59.560 the p f A w A All Rookie team in 0:17:59.600 --> 0:18:02.840 that compa City. But he hasn't really returned punt since college. 0:18:02.880 --> 0:18:05.240 So do you look at him to handle those duties 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:08.440 because realistically, that is the one when you were talking 0:18:08.440 --> 0:18:11.879 about you know, Shepherds still being back there against Kansas City. 0:18:11.920 --> 0:18:13.639 Packers don't have a lot of like guys with a 0:18:13.640 --> 0:18:15.440 lot of pelts on the wall and regards to punt 0:18:15.440 --> 0:18:17.840 returns right now. Truman Williams did it in a pinch 0:18:17.920 --> 0:18:20.320 last year, But I don't think that's your that's your 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:22.840 prime option. That's more of an you know, break the 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:25.400 glass in case of emergency. Yeah, we've and we've seen 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:28.560 in training camp, preseason, we've seen Jay Year Alexander dabble 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:31.640 in punt returns a little bit. But again, that's your 0:18:32.160 --> 0:18:34.280 you know, one of your top cornerbacks. I don't know. 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:36.480 I don't know. At the end of the defensive series, 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:38.879 when he might be tired and the defense is getting 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:41.120 off the field, do you send is that the guy 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:43.159 you send back their return upon I don't know what 0:18:43.240 --> 0:18:45.320 the Packers are going to do here, frankly, and we 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:48.520 may not find out until Sunday afternoon because there was 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:51.760 no indication there was There was no reveal from the 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:54.159 coaching staff or from anybody in the locker room that 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:56.760 there was a change being made at kickoff return until 0:18:56.800 --> 0:18:59.520 the beginning of Sunday night's game when we saw Sullivan back. Yeah, 0:18:59.560 --> 0:19:01.679 and Sullivan said, I mean, you know, he'd taken you know, 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:04.160 kickoff returns here and there, and he caught some balls. 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:06.480 But it wasn't until that week that Sean Menninger finally 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:08.600 told him, Okay, you're the guy, and he went in 0:19:08.640 --> 0:19:10.400 there and you know, he did the job. But as 0:19:10.440 --> 0:19:12.600 you know, my kickoff returns and punter turns, there's such 0:19:12.640 --> 0:19:15.400 different animals. And I'm not trying to put punt returners 0:19:15.440 --> 0:19:17.800