WEBVTT - #563 Packers Unscripted: Big showdown 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:14.600 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from 0:00:14.600 --> 0:00:18.799 Packers dot Com. I am Mike Spofford, sitting alongside my 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:21.840 partner in crime, Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here 0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:25.960 from our studio at lambeau Field and West. About as 0:00:25.960 --> 0:00:28.680 big a regular season game in week eleven as you 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:31.800 might find here in the NFL. The NFC North leading 0:00:31.800 --> 0:00:35.360 Green Bay Packers traveling to face the a f C 0:00:35.600 --> 0:00:39.520 South co leading Indianapolis Colts, although I guess they would 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:41.560 technically be in first place because they have the head 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:44.800 to head over Tennessee at the moment, so we can 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:48.040 call them a division leader as well. Seven and two 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:52.240 verses six and three are the records, and hey, let's 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:54.280 get right into it. What is it going to take 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:57.440 for the Packers to come out victorious here? What are 0:00:57.480 --> 0:00:59.440 the keys to victory? I didn't even realize this, Mike. 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:01.680 Tennessee would be out of the playoffs right now if 0:01:01.680 --> 0:01:04.679 the playoffs started kids six and three record, Yeah, So 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:07.640 keep that in mind. For the Indianapolis Colts, there's a 0:01:07.640 --> 0:01:09.560 lot for them to play for right now in a 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:13.320 very top heavy a f C conference right now. As 0:01:13.360 --> 0:01:15.720 you mentioned in terms of Not only is it a 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:19.559 huge matchup. Obviously it got flex the three Central time, 0:01:20.040 --> 0:01:23.720 but it's the stakes. And I know a lot of 0:01:23.720 --> 0:01:26.600 guys in their conference calls and even the coaches they 0:01:26.680 --> 0:01:28.399 kind of played this down as far as being a 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:32.040 measuring stick game. But I thought there was one comment 0:01:32.160 --> 0:01:35.320 that Frank Reich made in his conference call with Green 0:01:35.319 --> 0:01:38.520 Bay reporters that really spoke to the you know, the 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:40.720 gravity of this thing and how much is on the line, 0:01:40.720 --> 0:01:42.880 and he said, this is the biggest test to date 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:45.280 for our defense. So much of the focus all week 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.040 long has been on the Packers offense going up against 0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:50.360 the top rank defense. But you also got to look 0:01:50.360 --> 0:01:53.040 at it from the Colts perspective. They're seeing Aaron Rodgers, 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:55.520 who they're guaranteed a match up with it once every 0:01:55.560 --> 0:01:59.279 four years at a critical juncture in their season. Because 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:01.040 this is a Colts team that, while they are six 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:04.040 and three, hasn't been on like a big five game 0:02:04.040 --> 0:02:07.320 winning streak. At any point. They've lost, they've won, a couple, 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:10.200 they've lost. So this is their opportunity, coming off a 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.960 big moral victory in Nashville, to to put down the 0:02:13.960 --> 0:02:16.639 Titans a little bit, to to potentially try to leap 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:19.680 frog and push themselves into the final quarter of the season. Well, 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:22.160 it was interesting because a lot of questions suddenly were 0:02:22.200 --> 0:02:25.120 raised about the Colts when they got beat by the 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.440 Baltimore Ravens a couple of weeks ago. Now, there's no 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:30.120 shame in losing to the Ravens, but the Colts were 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:32.200 kind of sloppy and doing it that. You know, Rivers 0:02:32.240 --> 0:02:34.520 had an interception I think that got run back, and 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:37.480 Jonathan Taylor had a fumble that got run back. It 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:39.960 was for for a big game. It was not a 0:02:39.960 --> 0:02:42.480 good performance for the Indianapolis Colts. So there were all 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:44.480 kinds of questions. And then it's like, oh, they're on 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:46.520 a short week and they got to play Tennessee on 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:49.800 the road on a Thursday night. What happens, Well, you know, 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:52.000 both those teams kind of slug it out for the 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:54.440 first half, and then in the second half that Colts 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:57.240 defense shut him out. Right, He shut out the Titans 0:02:57.240 --> 0:02:59.240 in the second half to come away with a huge 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:02.560 row victory in the a f C South. And now 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:04.760 they've had their mini buy a little bit of extra 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:06.840 rest and whatnot, and now they're back home to face 0:03:06.919 --> 0:03:10.480 the Packers in a big a f C versus NFC showdown, 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:14.280 and you know, the marquee matchup, as I wrote about 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:17.360 on our website, is the Packers offense against the Colts defense, 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:19.720 and I think it is the biggest test of the 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:24.200 season for both units to this point. From the Packers perspective, 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:27.079 I feel like I say this, so I don't want 0:03:27.080 --> 0:03:28.800 to sound like a broken record, but I feel like 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:31.280 I say this anytime the Packers are going up against 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:34.800 a really formidable, highly ranked defense. In terms of the 0:03:34.880 --> 0:03:37.800 key to the game, quite frankly, it's you just you 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.640 have to play clean football. You have to avoid the 0:03:40.680 --> 0:03:43.880 penalties and avoid the negative plays, whether they be sacks 0:03:43.960 --> 0:03:47.120 or TFLs. The things that are gonna put you behind 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:49.920 the sticks, put you in the bad down and distance situations, 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:53.520 which is when when and where good defenses thrive on 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.760 getting after the quarterback, on creating turnovers. You have to 0:03:56.800 --> 0:03:59.880 stay out of those situations. Now, from the Packers perspective, 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:03.040 they were in third and three a whole bunch last 0:04:03.040 --> 0:04:07.080 week against Jacksonville and weren't very efficient in in converting 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:11.080 those So you have to get yourself into those situations 0:04:11.120 --> 0:04:13.120 first of all, which is a big challenge against the Colts. 0:04:13.120 --> 0:04:15.280 But then the Packers also have to get more efficient 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:17.400 at moving the chains compared to what they did a 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.040 week ago. Without a doubt. It's actually kind of interesting. 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:23.320 We were talking with Adam Stenovitch, the Packers offensive line coach, 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.240 on Wednesday evening, and he mentioned too he thinks one 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:28.280 thing that can really help him in those situations moving 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:30.440 forward is the fact that the offensive line finally is 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:33.640 as healthy as it's going to be. The line I've 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:35.880 kept writing this week is this is the first time 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:38.200 in the two thousand twenty season where the projected started 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:40.720 five on the dope sheet on Tuesday are actually all 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:44.480 together on Sunday as they get some of that cohesiveness. 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:47.080 If you get Alan Lazard back in this lineup, that's 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:48.960 where you open things up a little bit more, because 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:51.599 you know, let's be honest, whether it is the Aaron 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:54.400 Rodgers sneak that everyone has been talking about this week, 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:57.320 or a power run or just some of these other things, 0:04:57.720 --> 0:05:00.840 you have to be able to find those yards. Because 0:05:01.120 --> 0:05:03.240 early in this season, when the Packers got off to 0:05:03.279 --> 0:05:05.320 the start they did offensively, what was the one thing 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:08.880 they were doing really consistently converting on third downs. It 0:05:08.880 --> 0:05:11.000 didn't matter if it was third and two or even 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:13.719 third and ten. In some instances, they were having guys 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:16.240 step up and keep moving the sticks. That's where they 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:18.080 got to get back to. It was the reason why 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:20.640 they fell short. And you saw that eight game streak 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:22.680 of you know, being able to score on the opening 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:25.400 possession fall against the Jaguars, And to be honest, I 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:27.640 think that's probably okay that it finally did that, that 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:29.680 you can move past that stat Now you want to 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:31.720 score every single drive, but it's not always going to 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:34.160 work out that way for you. But the bigger thing 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:36.880 is is avoiding the three and outs, making sure that 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:39.480 you can control field position, because when the Packers got 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:41.520 off to the start they did this season, that's the 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:44.000 thing that they were really excelling in. Yeah, and if 0:05:44.440 --> 0:05:46.680 it's always easier said than done, of course, but I 0:05:46.720 --> 0:05:48.760 think the thing that I'll be watching for in this 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:52.919 game is in the first quarter if the Packers can 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:56.560 establish some kind of a rhythm offensively, because and that 0:05:56.640 --> 0:05:58.960 doesn't necessarily mean they have to score two touchdowns in 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:01.640 the first quarter and score four teen points, but have 0:06:01.800 --> 0:06:03.839 some kind of a rhythm offensively, because if you look 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:06.200 back to the Tampa Bay game, which was the best 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:10.080 defense the Packers have faced up until now. Even though 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.240 the Packers and we had talked about this. They scored 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.080 on their first two drives in that game, got a 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:16.960 touchdown in the field goal, had ten points, but there 0:06:17.040 --> 0:06:19.200 was a lot of off schedule stuff. There was no 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:24.240 rhythm to the offense, and so without really establishing any 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:26.680 kind of a rhythm anything to hang your hat on 0:06:26.720 --> 0:06:29.480 early in that game, it just completely fell apart for 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:32.839 Green Bay over over the final three quarters. So you 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:35.719 have to watch for this because if if Aaron Rodgers 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:38.560 is going to be forced to to improv and go 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:41.920 off schedule and everything all day long because there isn't 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:44.479 any rhythm developing to the offense, that's going to be 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:46.440 a bad You can get away with that against a 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:48.680 lesser defense, you're not going to get away with that 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:51.080 for four quarters against a really good defense. Because that's 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:53.880 what the Packers found out against the Buccaneer. And and 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:55.720 it's funny too, because as much as this will be 0:06:55.760 --> 0:06:58.359 made out of Aaron Rodgers versus the top ranked defense, 0:06:58.760 --> 0:07:01.640 my key to victory and we'll talk about this even 0:07:01.640 --> 0:07:04.760 in more in depth during final thoughts is who wins 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:08.640 on the ground. You have a Packers rushing offense that, 0:07:08.920 --> 0:07:11.560 while it does have Aaron Jones back now Jamal Williams 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:14.720 has obviously been a staple this season. They're going up 0:07:14.760 --> 0:07:17.200 against a unit that doesn't give up big games. You 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:18.680 have to chip away at them. You look at that 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:21.440 game for Tennessee. They did give up a hundred fifty 0:07:21.480 --> 0:07:23.800 seven rushing yards, but there wasn't a carry of more 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:27.120 than twenty yards there. It was just Derrick Henry just come, 0:07:27.280 --> 0:07:30.480 you know, play after play banging at them. And unfortunately 0:07:30.520 --> 0:07:33.080 for the Titans, they didn't get the offensive passing production 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:34.800 that they needed to be able to compliment that and 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.600 finish drives Green Bay's perspective though, then you're looking over 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:40.840 across the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of 0:07:40.840 --> 0:07:43.240 the ball to a Colts rushing game that still really 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:46.120 doesn't have an identity. Marlon Mack goes down with the 0:07:46.120 --> 0:07:47.840 a c L. At the beginning of last season, there 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:51.760 reigning thousand yard rusher. They drafted Jonathan Taylor, but Jonathan 0:07:51.800 --> 0:07:54.520 Taylor was the third most used running back in that 0:07:54.600 --> 0:07:57.560 game against Tennessee. You know they have high and stepping 0:07:57.600 --> 0:07:59.840 up he's proving that he's more than a third down back. 0:08:00.160 --> 0:08:03.160 And then obviously, um, what is it Wilson? Is there 0:08:03.280 --> 0:08:06.800 other guy? He's on my fantasy team. Wilkins, I apologize, 0:08:08.120 --> 0:08:10.480 is another option there too. But I think when they 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.680 drafted Jonathan Taylor, everybody expected him to be the face 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:15.720 of this thing. He has the body for it, he 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:20.200 has the you know, pass catching abilities. But Green Bay's perspective, 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.560 you can't allow them to get going with that running game. 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:25.880 You have to make this about Philip Rivers. You have 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:30.560 to pressure him. So seeing which team prevails in that capacity, 0:08:30.760 --> 0:08:32.040 I think it's going to go a long way at 0:08:32.040 --> 0:08:34.319 which team leaves Lucas Oil with a victory. Yeah, and 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:37.199 talking about the Packers defense here you mentioned it with 0:08:37.200 --> 0:08:40.199 with getting pressure on Philip Rivers and whatnot. You look 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:42.440 at the statistics this year. He hasn't been sacked a 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:44.560 whole lot. They have a really good offensive line. He 0:08:44.600 --> 0:08:48.280 gets the ball out of his hands quickly. Philip Rivers 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:52.400 is going to take whatever shallow short route is there 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:54.960 if you know, once any pressure is coming at him, 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:57.600 which is why I think one of the biggest keys, 0:08:57.640 --> 0:09:01.000 if not the biggest thing for the package defensive tackle. 0:09:01.679 --> 0:09:04.480 You can't let these guys, I mean, you can't let 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:06.600 them take four and five yard passes and get ten 0:09:06.600 --> 0:09:08.960 and twelve yard gains out of it because of miss tackles. 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.160 The Packers have to be on point with their tackling 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:15.760 in this game in Lucas Oil Stadium, because you're not 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:18.319 going to sack Philip Rivers five or six times. It's 0:09:18.360 --> 0:09:21.320 just here. It's it's not going to happen. And I 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.319 do think the Packers run defenses. I talked about it 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:25.959 on our last show. They took a step forward in 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.240 the second half against Jacksonville. You need to build on 0:09:28.280 --> 0:09:32.120 that and take that into Indianapolis. But they're going to 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:35.679 see they're going to see the swing passes to the flat, 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:38.080 the screen passes, the shallow crosses, a lot of the 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:41.040 same kind of stuff that that the Packers run offensively 0:09:41.080 --> 0:09:44.080 as well. The Packers defense needs to tackle well in 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.120 this game. And if it's a five yard pass, it 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:48.120 can't be more than a five or six yard game 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:50.360 or it's gonna end up just being a really, really 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:54.120 frustrating day trying to get these guys into into tough 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:56.600 third down situation. Yeah, and and that's why you could, 0:09:56.640 --> 0:09:59.280 you could see the Smith Bros. You could see Rashawn Gary, 0:09:59.320 --> 0:10:01.120 all have really all of games and maybe it's not 0:10:01.200 --> 0:10:04.360 reflected on a statuet because of how quickly Philip Rivers 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:05.760 gets the ball up. But you go back to that 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:08.360 game against the Chargers last year, where did Green Bay 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:11.080 get beaten? It was beaten on yards after catch. It 0:10:11.200 --> 0:10:13.600 was played that they ended up creating and they weren't 0:10:13.640 --> 0:10:15.720 able to find an answer for it. So that's why 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.040 for me, I really look at Kenny Clark the pressure 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:23.319 from inside. I retweeted uh Larry mccarren's wonderful Rock Report 0:10:23.400 --> 0:10:26.840 yesterday looking at that final series against the Jaguars and 0:10:26.840 --> 0:10:29.400 why they were so successful. It was Kenny Clark sniffing 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:31.319 out the screen on first down. It was him taking 0:10:31.320 --> 0:10:34.839 on double teams, push that pocket, not allow Philip Rivers 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.480 that extra time to throw step into his throws. That's 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:41.160 gonna be critical. And also linebacker playing this game. I 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:43.240 don't know who's gonna be starting an inside linebacker for 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:45.560 the Packers. It's just been some sort of this moving 0:10:45.800 --> 0:10:49.280 target with injuries and in COVID and whatnot. But they 0:10:49.280 --> 0:10:51.400 are going to throw a lot to their running backs. 0:10:51.440 --> 0:10:53.679 It's just the way that this offensive structure, t Y 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.440 Hilton hasn't been the t Y Hilton that we all 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:58.960 remember from a few years ago. It's been a lot 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:02.400 of making yards with your backs. They can allow Hines 0:11:02.480 --> 0:11:05.400 and Taylor and these guys to be able to do that. Yeah. Absolutely, 0:11:05.760 --> 0:11:08.199 One other thing I want to bring up as a 0:11:08.200 --> 0:11:10.160 as a potential key to this game because I looked 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:12.520 up the stat and I hadn't looked it up until 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:15.920 last night, actually, But here's another one. West This game 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:18.200 could be one or lost in the red zone. And 0:11:18.240 --> 0:11:22.840 I say that for this simple reason. Offensively, the Packers 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:25.360 are fourth in the league in red zone offense seventy 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:28.840 three point five percent touchdowns. The Indianapolis Colts are twenty 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:31.560 five in the league offensively in red zone offense only 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:34.760 fifty five point nine percent touchdowns. Now, without getting into 0:11:34.800 --> 0:11:38.320 all kinds of math, what I mean is this could 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:41.000 come down to Harvard many red zone possessions each each 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:44.600 team gets if the Packers, if the Packers win in 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:47.679 the red zone on one more possession, that could be 0:11:47.760 --> 0:11:51.600 the four points seven verses three, The four points that 0:11:51.640 --> 0:11:54.880 could be the difference in a close game like this Defensively, 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:57.880 neither of these teams has been great in the red zone. Statistically, 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:01.439 the Colts are nineteenth the Packers are but offensively there 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:04.480 is a big difference in the efficiency in the red zone. 0:12:04.679 --> 0:12:06.480 I think that could end up playing a big factor 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:09.320 in this game, especially if you if you get you know, 0:12:09.400 --> 0:12:11.560 into these scoring situations in the fourth quarter. Well, and 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:13.680 especially if Jack Doyle still isn't able to go with 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.160 the concussion that he's been dealing with. He's been obviously 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:19.120 one of the most reliable offensive skill position players for 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:21.720 a number of years now with the Colts that that's 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:24.319 a big one for them. Although Pascal has had some touchdowns, 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:26.840 I think Hines actually has four this year too, so, 0:12:26.880 --> 0:12:28.280 I mean they've been able to find it, but they 0:12:28.280 --> 0:12:31.040 haven't had that big like standout that has sort of 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:34.200 come to the foreground in those situations. That's one area 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:36.440 where Green Bay really has thrived. Davante Adams is just 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:38.640 a magnet to the ball, especially in the red area 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:40.880 or the gold area I guess as they call it 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:43.240 here in Green Bay. Uh. You know, if if again, 0:12:43.280 --> 0:12:46.280 if Alan Lazart is in this game, that changes everything 0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:48.600 for the Packers, not only just from the standpoint of 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:51.439 having a reliable possession receiver as your number two. Again, 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:53.920 but just from the standpoint that he's a run blocker, 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:55.720 he can you know, he fits well with some of 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:59.160 the Bunch formations that Matt Lafleur likes to run. All 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:01.520 those type of things has helped the Packers out and 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:06.199 again is the Packers hope to improve defensively in that area. Offensively, 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:08.160 they've been pretty much on par all season with being 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:10.040 able to finish drives along with a little bit of 0:13:10.040 --> 0:13:13.280 aggressiveness too when it gets down to those fourth down situations. 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:14.840 All right, one other thing I want to get to 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:16.920 with regard to this matchup before we talk about some 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:20.920 other games around the NFL this week. But first serious 0:13:21.120 --> 0:13:24.400 x M NFL Radio Channel eight is the only radio 0:13:24.440 --> 0:13:27.280 outlet dedicated to the National Football League seven days a week, 0:13:27.679 --> 0:13:31.640 three sixty five days a year, and Packers fans gear 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.160 up four game day, open a Packers checking account from 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:37.600 Associated Bank and score a fifty dollar Packers Pro Shop 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:41.640 gift card. Learn more at Associated bank dot com. Backslash Packers. 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:43.800 All Right, the other thing we have to talk about 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:47.120 with regard to this game West as special teams, this 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:50.160 is a Colts team. They are coming off of that 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:52.760 third in that Thursday night victory over Tennessee we've been 0:13:52.760 --> 0:13:55.360 talking about, they blocked a punt for a touchdown. Was 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:58.200 a huge moment in that game. Earlier this season, the 0:13:58.240 --> 0:14:01.720 Colts ran a kickoff back for a to down. We 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:04.120 have a Packer special teams unit that is coming off 0:14:04.160 --> 0:14:07.480 of a rough game feel position wise, the Packers lost 0:14:07.520 --> 0:14:09.960 that battle and then obviously they had the big breakdown 0:14:09.960 --> 0:14:13.040 on the long punt return for a touchdown. Special teams 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:15.400 could play a big factor in this game. This is 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:18.440 this is one where the Packers. The Packers cannot allow 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:21.080 themselves to get beat on special teams the way they 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:23.840 were last week, or it's going to be really, really 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.240 hard to come out on top. Well, and it's funny too, 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.360 because you go back and think about the draft process, 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:30.880 and I always joke around with you with Alvin Kamara 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:32.720 right back and all that. Well, one of the guys 0:14:32.720 --> 0:14:35.920 that I sort of took a liking to was Isaiah Rodgers, 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:38.200 the the U mass receiver who has become their their 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:41.360 kickoff return specialist, the guy that was responsible for that 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:43.560 that touchdown return. I believe it was a hundred and 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:45.240 one yards or it was it was the length of 0:14:45.240 --> 0:14:48.280 the field for sure. And again you go back to 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:51.200 four years ago, the Packers have bad memories, some of 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:54.240 these still in that game at lambou Field the last 0:14:54.240 --> 0:14:56.200 time I think there was a kickoff return for a touchdown. 0:14:56.280 --> 0:14:58.960 So it's a it's a huge emphasis this week. You 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:01.280 gotta imagine in certainly it's going to be in all 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:03.640 facets of the game. The one thing that I think 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:06.240 does play into their favor this is actually in a dome. 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:09.360 There's been so many wild, wacky things that have happened 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.680 at lambeau Field with the wind in the in all 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:15.240 these different areas. You go back to that game against 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:17.080 the Vikings. That's still the one of the more bizarre 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:20.080 games I've ever covered, especially when guys were kicking to 0:15:20.120 --> 0:15:23.160 that south end zone this particular game. I just think 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:25.440 if if J. K. Scott can get back into his rhythm, 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:28.080 we've all seen the leg if he can get some 0:15:28.120 --> 0:15:31.400 confidence there, that would be huge for him. Mason Crosby 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.920 continues to get a little healthier after dealing with the 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:36.360 calf injuring whatnot if he can at some point retake 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:39.360 over the kickoff. Uh, you know, duties. He's obviously been 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:43.280 exceptional at that for fifteen years now. So that's where 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:45.600 it starts for me. Where the ball is into guys 0:15:45.640 --> 0:15:48.000 getting down and converging on it. And as the Packers 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.280 get healthy in these other areas, Mike, whether it be 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:53.600 offense or defense, that gives you more assets, that gives 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:56.280 you less fewer practice squad players that are coming up 0:15:56.280 --> 0:15:58.800 and having to play coverage roles. You need your OAR 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:01.640 and berks Is. Unfortunately they lost John Lovett, who had 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:04.560 been a really solid special teams player for him to 0:16:04.680 --> 0:16:07.760 this point. Will Redmond has been dealing with injuries. So 0:16:08.520 --> 0:16:10.200 as they get healthier and you get some of those 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:12.280 vets back on those units, I just think that that's 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:14.480 going to be really critical here for the Packers down 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:18.280 the stretch and the phase that is often forgotten. Yeah. Absolutely, Well, 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.360 it's an interesting week eleven in the NFL. I want 0:16:21.400 --> 0:16:23.240 to get your thoughts on a few games. First, a 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:25.320 couple of a f C games, because we don't always 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:26.720 talk about the a f C, but there are a 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:30.680 couple of interesting matchups here. On Sunday, Tennessee is at Baltimore. 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:35.120 In Kansas City is at Las Vegas. Now, obviously, as 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:37.800 we've talked about Tennessee in Baltimore, but the lad they've 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:41.560 played the Colts here in in recent weeks, Tennessee trying 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:44.480 to bounce back from that loss. And then with regard 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:46.520 to the Chiefs, the Raiders is the only team to 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:48.800 beat the Chiefs this year. But now the Raiders are 0:16:48.800 --> 0:16:51.360 going into the rematch with pretty much their entire starting 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:55.440 defense on the COVID list because of high risk close contact, 0:16:55.560 --> 0:16:58.240 you know, and all all of those issues. They're hoping 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:02.080 that everybody gets clear on Saturday and they can play. 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:03.800 I'm not sure how you go out and take the 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:07.359 field against Patrick Mahomes when you haven't practiced defensively all week. 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:10.480 I think that becomes a huge challenge. But anyway, your 0:17:10.480 --> 0:17:12.760 thoughts on those two big games in the a f 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:15.119 C here well, and and let's just you know, starting 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:17.200 off with with this Kansas City situation. I mean it, 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:19.440 it is one of these deals where you know, earlier 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:21.639 this season, you know, so much was made out of 0:17:21.680 --> 0:17:23.720 Tennessee and that they were going to be on a 0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:26.359 short week and they didn't have enough guys because of 0:17:26.400 --> 0:17:28.639 the COVID issue and their outbreak or whatnot, and they 0:17:28.720 --> 0:17:30.400 end up winning a game. So you never can really 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:33.679 count a team out in these circumstances, but certainly Kansas 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:36.119 City's the that's the boss at the end of the 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:38.840 video game. I mean, you're trying to to be able to, 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:40.440 you know, topple one of the best and one of 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:42.960 the most you know, versatile and deep teams in the 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:45.000 National Football League and doing its shorthand it it's gonna 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:48.760 be really difficult. But but again these way that these 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:51.080 situations break down. The race in the a f C 0:17:51.280 --> 0:17:53.880 is so tight right now, we talked about the NFC 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:55.760 and the Packers. Right now at the season ended there 0:17:55.800 --> 0:17:58.680 the number one seed. No team has really just kind 0:17:58.720 --> 0:18:01.479 of grabbed it and just with it. Everybody's had their 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.640 lay ups. And then in the a f C, it's 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:07.159 pretty well defined who the top four teams are and 0:18:07.200 --> 0:18:09.960 they all have you know, six, seven, eight, nine wins 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:13.560 to prove it. So seeing how these teams respond to 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:15.960 it's going to be interesting. And then also Baltimore, which 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.320 is had to do some soul searching itself this season, 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:22.040 trying to replicate some of the offensive successes they've had 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.560 in the past in different ways, and they're they're coming 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:27.480 off of a primetime loss to the Patriots, a game 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:29.560 that that a lot of people really didn't think they 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:32.320 they were going to or should have lost, but but 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:35.000 they did. And don't ask me why, but for whatever reason, 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.040 it just always seems to work out this way. I'm 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:39.960 sure Tennessee in Indianapolis it's going to go right back 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:42.480 down to week seventeen again in that couple flex like 0:18:42.520 --> 0:18:44.200