WEBVTT - #906 Packers Unscripted: Jets in Jersey 0:00:06.160 --> 0:00:10.340 Hi, everybody. Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers.com. 0:00:10.500 --> 0:00:13.160 I am Mike Spofford, joined by the one and only 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:16.410 Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here from the Pottawatomie 0:00:16.450 --> 0:00:20.009 Sportsbook studio inside the walls of Lambeau Field, getting ready 0:00:20.070 --> 0:00:22.930 for week two, Wes, and that matchup will be against 0:00:23.010 --> 0:00:25.930 the New York Jets. This is a 1-0 football team 0:00:26.010 --> 0:00:29.910 coming off of a 23-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans that, 0:00:29.970 --> 0:00:33.450 quite frankly, is wasn't really that close because when you 0:00:33.479 --> 0:00:37.089 talk about the 2026 New York Jets, it absolutely positively 0:00:37.170 --> 0:00:42.150 starts with their defense. And they had held Tennessee and 0:00:42.270 --> 0:00:45.379 former number one overall pick Cam Ward to just three 0:00:45.450 --> 0:00:47.740 points until it was essentially garbage time in that game. 0:00:47.820 --> 0:00:50.220 Yeah. And it obviously led to, you know, there's a 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.940 lot of, excitement and anticipation for Tennessee this season. Obviously, 0:00:53.990 --> 0:00:55.540 Robert Sala goes there. I think there's a lot of 0:00:55.580 --> 0:00:57.680 people thinking the way that Cam Ward finished last year, 0:00:57.720 --> 0:00:59.200 he's just going to kind of go into this season 0:00:59.220 --> 0:01:01.320 and start really looking at that number one overall pick. 0:01:01.940 --> 0:01:06.080 And the Jets said, no, we'll have a word about that. Okay, 0:01:06.110 --> 0:01:08.990 so what we expected is, okay, first and foremost, what 0:01:09.030 --> 0:01:11.290 I liked about what the Jets did last year, they 0:01:12.110 --> 0:01:14.510 understood what they were going to be. And Aaron Glenn 0:01:14.650 --> 0:01:17.179 coming in, that was going to be a long-term project, 0:01:17.220 --> 0:01:19.780 almost kind of like where Jeff Halfley's at right now 0:01:19.860 --> 0:01:22.640 with the Miami Dolphins, right? You're going to just have 0:01:22.660 --> 0:01:24.820 to sort of feel your way through this, try to 0:01:24.880 --> 0:01:27.780 find some moral victories along the way, but ultimately they're 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:32.069 trying to redevelop their roster. They're trying to turn a corner. 0:01:32.870 --> 0:01:34.690 But with Aaron Glenn going there, you knew it was 0:01:34.730 --> 0:01:38.930 going to be a defensive-orientated scheme, that they're going to 0:01:39.010 --> 0:01:42.350 build their team around a solid defense. And my goodness, 0:01:42.410 --> 0:01:44.590 I think when you look at the pieces they already 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:47.289 had A few of the moves they made this offseason, 0:01:47.430 --> 0:01:51.110 JJ and Iqbari being among them, it was creating depth, 0:01:51.250 --> 0:01:55.330 it was creating combinations, and I just felt like the 0:01:55.370 --> 0:01:58.130 Jets showed everybody, one, there are going to be no 0:01:58.190 --> 0:02:01.130 cakewalk this season, and two, there is a difference in 0:02:01.210 --> 0:02:03.210 level of where they feel like they're going to be 0:02:03.270 --> 0:02:05.410 at this season in a team like the Titans who 0:02:05.450 --> 0:02:07.740 are still... kind of also trying to find their own 0:02:07.780 --> 0:02:09.100 way in terms of a talent perspective. 0:02:09.220 --> 0:02:12.720 Yeah. I mean, statistically in that week, one game against Tennessee, 0:02:12.930 --> 0:02:18.090 the Jets allowed just 11 first downs, 195 total yards, um, 0:02:18.169 --> 0:02:20.389 had three sacks of Cam Ward in the game. You 0:02:20.430 --> 0:02:23.750 mentioned JJ Anagbari, the former Packer. He had one of those. Um, 0:02:24.169 --> 0:02:26.490 this is not a defense that has a bunch of 0:02:26.830 --> 0:02:29.250 household names and what, I mean, you know, sauce gardeners 0:02:29.310 --> 0:02:33.869 not there anymore. Um, You know, Leonard Williams isn't there anymore. 0:02:33.889 --> 0:02:35.810 Quinton Williams. Sorry, Quinton Williams. 0:02:36.190 --> 0:02:36.609 My bad. 0:02:37.370 --> 0:02:41.170 But they spent a really high draft pick on the linebacker, Bailey. 0:02:42.190 --> 0:02:46.179 And as you said, it's been, they're kind of reworking 0:02:46.220 --> 0:02:49.900 the whole thing. And they're off to a heck of 0:02:49.940 --> 0:02:53.700 a start. With Aaron Glenn having been, obviously, the former 0:02:53.740 --> 0:02:57.970 defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, Matt LaFleur, this Packers offense, 0:02:57.990 --> 0:03:01.829 they have a lot of familiarity with schematically with how 0:03:01.950 --> 0:03:04.590 Aaron Glenn likes to play. But of course, he has 0:03:04.660 --> 0:03:07.579 a whole different cast of characters now. And then he's 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:10.639 also got the film from last week against Minnesota, and 0:03:10.660 --> 0:03:13.080 he saw what Brian Flores did and how the Vikings 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:18.810 defense had success late in that game. So there's kind 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:22.450 of this whole potpourri of storylines getting tossed in here 0:03:23.210 --> 0:03:26.640 in week two, and the Packers need to need to 0:03:26.660 --> 0:03:28.040 go in there and play their game, be able to 0:03:28.060 --> 0:03:29.079 do it for four quarters. 0:03:29.120 --> 0:03:30.660 Yeah. What I really liked. And again, I didn't get 0:03:30.680 --> 0:03:32.720 a chance to actually go back and watch this game, 0:03:32.780 --> 0:03:36.180 but I did dive into the statistics quite a bit. 0:03:36.280 --> 0:03:37.960 And the one thing that really stuck out to me 0:03:38.000 --> 0:03:39.860 about what the jets and what I'm guessing the Packers 0:03:39.900 --> 0:03:42.710 will be seeing this weekend is how they rotated through 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:45.830 their edge rushers. So in Igbari technically is starting Bailey 0:03:45.850 --> 0:03:49.810 didn't start, but that's kind of their franchise piece, right? 0:03:49.970 --> 0:03:51.110 He ended up, if you look at the, how the 0:03:51.130 --> 0:03:55.410 breakdowns went in this game, Bailey played 35 snaps. JJ 0:03:55.450 --> 0:03:58.290 played 33. They only were on the field for 50 0:03:58.290 --> 0:03:59.410 defensive snaps total. 0:04:00.260 --> 0:04:02.080 That's a good way to hold a team to a 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:04.060 low point total as well. 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:06.640 But, you know, Will McDonald, the fourth, only 25 snaps. 0:04:06.660 --> 0:04:09.540 I mean, they were cycling guys in this game. And 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:11.980 the thing that Iqbari brings, too, is he's obviously, it 0:04:12.020 --> 0:04:13.860 makes sense why he would be starting in this defense. 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.349 He is a very solid, very stout run defender. And 0:04:17.370 --> 0:04:19.230 Bailey's still kind of rounding out his game here in 0:04:19.250 --> 0:04:21.930 the early portion of his career. So, yeah, an encouraging 0:04:21.970 --> 0:04:25.029 effort from them. And then when you mix that with 0:04:25.070 --> 0:04:27.469 an offense that I think feels rejuvenated now with Geno 0:04:27.670 --> 0:04:32.349 Smith at the controls of it, it's a feisty bunch. 0:04:32.570 --> 0:04:35.120 And I still look at it, and again, we'll get 0:04:35.130 --> 0:04:36.780 to keys of victory and all that stuff down the road, 0:04:36.820 --> 0:04:39.100 but I think the Packers, pound for pound, are a 0:04:39.100 --> 0:04:41.760 more talented team. But the Jets have a lot of 0:04:41.940 --> 0:04:43.940 different pieces in place that can give you trouble. 0:04:44.510 --> 0:04:47.290 Well, you mentioned Geno Smith at quarterback. On the offense, 0:04:47.310 --> 0:04:49.770 there are some more, I guess you'd say, household names 0:04:49.850 --> 0:04:53.419 on that side of the ball. Smith, the veteran quarterback, 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.159 you have kind of a one-two punch at running back, 0:04:56.240 --> 0:05:00.520 Brees Hall and the former Wisconsin Badger, Braylon Allen. Hall 0:05:00.580 --> 0:05:04.470 is definitely the primary back, though. He had 22 carries, 0:05:04.470 --> 0:05:08.010 102 yards, and a touchdown against Tennessee. And I think 0:05:08.070 --> 0:05:11.930 worth pointing out with him cracking that 100-yard barrier in 0:05:11.990 --> 0:05:15.089 week one, his longest carry was 13 yards. So he 0:05:15.130 --> 0:05:17.690 didn't have one of those 30, 40, 50 yard runs 0:05:17.750 --> 0:05:21.410 that helped him leapfrog that hundred yard mark. He got 0:05:21.410 --> 0:05:24.990 102 yards, 22 carries, and he was just steadily, consistently 0:05:25.089 --> 0:05:27.770 churning out yards throughout the course of the game. And 0:05:27.790 --> 0:05:31.270 then of course the big weapon on the perimeter, Garrett Wilson, 0:05:31.730 --> 0:05:34.190 the former first round pick wide receiver. He starts the 0:05:34.230 --> 0:05:38.490 season with six catches for 79 yards. Dangerous, dangerous player, 0:05:38.550 --> 0:05:41.250 both in terms of possibly taking the top off the 0:05:41.310 --> 0:05:44.200 defense and or taking the underneath stuff and getting all 0:05:44.220 --> 0:05:46.150 the yards after the catch. This is a young wide 0:05:46.170 --> 0:05:51.270 receiver who's really starting to come into his own, hasn't had, 0:05:51.290 --> 0:05:57.120 I guess when you consider the struggles Aaron Rodgers had 0:05:57.140 --> 0:06:00.560 with the Jets, Garrett Wilson hasn't had that all-pro quarterback 0:06:01.620 --> 0:06:04.730 to be able to play with. But this is a 0:06:04.750 --> 0:06:07.089 young receiver who's going to be a big name in 0:06:07.110 --> 0:06:07.470 this league. 0:06:07.510 --> 0:06:10.350 Well, and I think if he proved anything in that 0:06:10.390 --> 0:06:12.529 game in week one is he's back. I mean, the 0:06:12.550 --> 0:06:14.150 knee injury that kind of sidelined him at the end 0:06:14.210 --> 0:06:16.680 of last season, he came out of the gates looking 0:06:16.760 --> 0:06:18.979 like Garrett Wilson, the way that everybody felt like he 0:06:19.020 --> 0:06:22.460 was going to affect this team, affect this league. You know, overall, 0:06:22.500 --> 0:06:24.339 the one thing that stood out to me about that 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:26.260 game for the Jets is it's not like they won 0:06:26.300 --> 0:06:29.970 with all these litany of explosive plays. I mean... Wilson, 0:06:29.990 --> 0:06:34.210 a very economical, efficient six catches for 79 yards. His 0:06:34.270 --> 0:06:37.790 long was 31. Brees Hall didn't have a carry longer 0:06:37.810 --> 0:06:42.770 than 13 yards, but averaged 4.5 yards of carry. That 0:06:42.890 --> 0:06:44.810 shows you they were staying in front of the sticks. 0:06:45.310 --> 0:06:47.589 When you do that with a quarterback like Geno Smith, 0:06:48.089 --> 0:06:51.299 it's going to set everything up for you. They don't 0:06:51.330 --> 0:06:53.240 have to find themselves in the situation the Packers did 0:06:53.260 --> 0:06:55.520 in the final portion of that game where you're going one-dimensional, 0:06:55.540 --> 0:06:57.760 where you're having to throw the ball When Geno has 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:00.290 had success in his career at all these various stops 0:07:00.310 --> 0:07:03.120 he's been at now, it's been when he can control it, 0:07:03.170 --> 0:07:05.070 when he's in third and manageable, when he doesn't have 0:07:05.089 --> 0:07:07.729 to necessarily have to go into gunslinger mode. How you 0:07:07.750 --> 0:07:09.670 win against him is when he does shift to that, 0:07:10.030 --> 0:07:11.870 when you can get the takeaways. A lot of that 0:07:11.890 --> 0:07:13.900 was the issues that he struggled with early on last 0:07:13.940 --> 0:07:16.800 season with the Raiders. But one thing that he has 0:07:16.860 --> 0:07:18.920 to his benefit in New York that he did not 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:21.960 have in Vegas last year is a very, very good 0:07:22.160 --> 0:07:25.590 offensive line. a unit that they have invested heavily into. 0:07:25.610 --> 0:07:27.650 With the fact that Josh Myers, whom they signed from 0:07:27.690 --> 0:07:30.110 Green Bay a year ago, four of their five starters 0:07:30.150 --> 0:07:32.430 were all drafted within, I think, the top 60 picks 0:07:32.710 --> 0:07:36.340 in their respective year. The one that wasn't, that they 0:07:36.380 --> 0:07:41.230 signed this offseason in Dylan Parnham, he was a third 0:07:41.270 --> 0:07:43.670 round pick. So like there is a pedigree there with 0:07:43.690 --> 0:07:46.060 the type of, of linemen that they have, and they're 0:07:46.070 --> 0:07:47.960 going to run behind them. They're going to pass behind them. 0:07:48.000 --> 0:07:51.300 And I think when you're looking to rebuild your football team, yeah, 0:07:51.440 --> 0:07:53.240 it's great to have the Garrett Wilsons of the world 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:56.000 and obviously use high picks on guys like, like Hall, 0:07:56.020 --> 0:07:58.060 but you also need to be able to protect, you 0:07:58.100 --> 0:07:59.400 need to be able to run the football. And then 0:07:59.420 --> 0:08:01.320 the Jets have seemingly put that in place. 0:08:01.480 --> 0:08:03.980 Yeah, I would agree with you. Well, let's dive right 0:08:04.020 --> 0:08:06.550 into it. Keys to victory for the Green Bay Packers. 0:08:06.620 --> 0:08:09.350 To me, The thing that rises to the top of 0:08:09.370 --> 0:08:12.110 the list, and for now I'm setting aside the whole 0:08:12.250 --> 0:08:14.750 fourth quarter thing. I think that sort of goes without 0:08:14.830 --> 0:08:16.890 saying with where the Packers are and what they need 0:08:16.910 --> 0:08:23.370 to do. For me, it's the red zone. This Packers offense, 0:08:23.490 --> 0:08:28.680 so many explosive plays, so much production offensively, yet at 0:08:28.710 --> 0:08:31.160 the end of the day last week in Minnesota, you 0:08:31.200 --> 0:08:34.040 only had 22 points on the board. And with as 0:08:34.140 --> 0:08:39.250 dangerous and explosive as this offense is, was last week 0:08:39.470 --> 0:08:43.620 and can be going forward, 22 points is not, is 0:08:43.720 --> 0:08:47.319 not their best day. So, um, it's about finishing drives. 0:08:47.380 --> 0:08:50.040 It's about taking advantage of your opportunities. We talked on 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.660 our last show about the drive that started at the 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:56.130 plus 36 yard line, but then because of penalties, they 0:08:56.170 --> 0:08:57.850 back up and have to punt and the Packers don't 0:08:57.870 --> 0:09:00.550 get any points out of that drive at all. Those 0:09:00.630 --> 0:09:03.630 are the opportunities you can't get away, can't let get away. 0:09:04.010 --> 0:09:06.010 It's one thing if a drive stalls at the 28 0:09:06.010 --> 0:09:08.790 or the 25-yard line and you end up kicking a 0:09:08.809 --> 0:09:12.870 long field goal. You get to first and goal, if 0:09:12.910 --> 0:09:16.089 the defense ends up stopping you and forcing a field goal, 0:09:16.110 --> 0:09:18.650 that becomes a win for the defense. The momentum actually 0:09:18.750 --> 0:09:21.530 shifts to the other side when you can't finish a 0:09:21.570 --> 0:09:23.950 drive when you get in that close, and that's what 0:09:23.970 --> 0:09:24.870 the Packers need to do. 0:09:25.490 --> 0:09:31.000 Talking to Sam DeLaPaz and Carson Denley, our two interns outside, 0:09:32.360 --> 0:09:34.780 Their key to victory is setting down Kenyon Sadiq in 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:38.790 this one. Carson's obviously biased as an Oregon guy. I 0:09:39.809 --> 0:09:42.270 think Sam, that's his pick, though. He's looking at Sadiq 0:09:42.330 --> 0:09:43.510 as being a guy. Maybe he has him on his 0:09:43.530 --> 0:09:46.470 fantasy team. I don't know. But I will say this. 0:09:46.510 --> 0:09:48.550 I think there actually is some truth in that because 0:09:50.130 --> 0:09:51.690 the Jets, the way they're structured right now, they don't 0:09:51.730 --> 0:09:53.890 have to just go four wide and throw it. They 0:09:53.929 --> 0:09:56.590 can go two tight ends easy. And they have their 0:09:56.610 --> 0:09:58.349 backs to do it. If they control the tempo of 0:09:58.370 --> 0:09:59.970 this game, it's going to be difficult to stop Sadiq. 0:10:00.100 --> 0:10:02.380 I think for Green Bay, as much as the finish 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:04.179 component is still there, and it's going to be there 0:10:04.220 --> 0:10:06.579 until the Packers prove otherwise, I think they need to 0:10:06.620 --> 0:10:09.700 replicate the fast start that they had last week against Minnesota. 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:10.900 I think they need to be able to punch the 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:12.270 ball in the end zone. But if you look at it, 0:10:12.580 --> 0:10:15.260 that first quarter really pretty much went exactly according to 0:10:15.300 --> 0:10:17.100 plan for Green Bay in terms of the ability to 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:21.020 pressure the quarterback, take the football away, and create explosive plays. 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:24.070 I mean, Christian Watson doesn't end up with 300, or 0:10:24.210 --> 0:10:27.030 excuse me, 131 receiving yards at halftime by accident. It 0:10:27.050 --> 0:10:29.109 was him getting the ball in space and being able 0:10:29.150 --> 0:10:32.010 to maximize it with his natural traits. And Jordan Love 0:10:32.050 --> 0:10:34.600 was exceptional in that game against Minnesota. It's just too 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:36.400 bad it ended the way it did. But I mean... 0:10:36.929 --> 0:10:40.240 between him and Tucker Kraft and Watson and then even 0:10:40.270 --> 0:10:42.840 the sprinkling of Matthew Golden throughout that game with some 0:10:42.880 --> 0:10:46.120 pretty clutch catches, Green Bay got the explosive plays they wanted. 0:10:46.140 --> 0:10:49.020 They didn't have enough protection, they didn't have enough production, 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:51.640 and they didn't have enough points. But if you can 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:53.719 turn that on its head a little bit, finish in 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.590 the red zone, that's what's going to make things easier 0:10:56.690 --> 0:10:59.170 once you get to the fourth quarter. So I think 0:10:59.210 --> 0:11:00.830 for the Jets, they're going to come in here looking 0:11:00.850 --> 0:11:04.810 to kind of slow the game down, establish haul, pressure love, 0:11:05.170 --> 0:11:07.870 If the Packers can turn that back against them, very 0:11:08.030 --> 0:11:11.630 winnable game, very winnable road game to start your 2026 season. Yeah. 0:11:11.710 --> 0:11:14.150 And you know me, I don't like to oversimplify things, 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:17.420 but when I look at the two things that really 0:11:17.460 --> 0:11:19.980 hurt the Packers last week in Minnesota, it was the 0:11:20.020 --> 0:11:24.739 pass protection and it was the red zone failures. There 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:28.550 is one thing that can help both of those items 0:11:28.850 --> 0:11:31.230 tremendously in my mind, and it's the running game. The 0:11:31.250 --> 0:11:33.939 Packers need to run the ball better. Yes, there were 0:11:33.980 --> 0:11:37.200 two explosive runs in that bunch, one each by Marshawn 0:11:37.220 --> 0:11:40.240 Lloyd and Chris Brooks, but they didn't have enough production. 0:11:40.260 --> 0:11:42.540 They didn't have enough consistency with the running game. If 0:11:42.580 --> 0:11:45.210 you run the ball better, that helps your pass protection. 0:11:45.830 --> 0:11:48.670 The best red zone offenses in this league are teams 0:11:48.710 --> 0:11:50.950 that can run the ball in the red zone because 0:11:50.990 --> 0:11:52.910 then that sets up everything else. And all you have 0:11:52.950 --> 0:11:56.569 to do is look at the two goal-to-go situations that 0:11:56.610 --> 0:11:59.770 the Packers had in Minnesota. On the first one, at 0:11:59.809 --> 0:12:01.709 the end of the first half, they had first and 0:12:01.730 --> 0:12:04.000 goal on the 7th. And on the first play, Chris 0:12:04.020 --> 0:12:06.560 Brooks ran five yards up the gut, got down to 0:12:06.580 --> 0:12:10.160 the two-yard line. And what's the next play? Play action, bootleg, 0:12:10.210 --> 0:12:12.640 Christian Watson's wide open in the corner for a touchdown. 0:12:13.090 --> 0:12:15.110 In the second half, they had first and goal from 0:12:15.130 --> 0:12:18.050 the seven after the big play by Jonu Smith. What 0:12:18.110 --> 0:12:21.569 happens on first down, Marshawn Lloyd loses a yard. Now 0:12:21.610 --> 0:12:24.709 you're second and goal from the eight, two incomplete passes later, 0:12:24.790 --> 0:12:27.270 and you're kicking a field goal. Running the ball in 0:12:27.290 --> 0:12:30.230 the red zone is how you become efficient in the 0:12:30.290 --> 0:12:33.720 red zone because it sets up your whole red zone 0:12:33.750 --> 0:12:36.720 playbook opens up when you can run the ball and 0:12:36.980 --> 0:12:40.240 be in the advantageous position where the defense doesn't know 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:42.679 when you're at the 5 or the 8 or the 0:12:42.700 --> 0:12:44.880 12-yard line, and the defense does not know if you're 0:12:44.900 --> 0:12:45.679 going to run or pass. 0:12:45.780 --> 0:12:47.950 And that's ultimately why Green Bay was so successful. When 0:12:47.970 --> 0:12:51.449 you go back to the early LeFleur era, it wasn't 0:12:51.490 --> 0:12:53.150 a power back. It was a guy like Aaron Jones 0:12:53.190 --> 0:12:54.970 that knew how to knife through holes, and it was 0:12:55.010 --> 0:12:57.790 someone like Devontae Adams that could win those 50-50 balls, 0:12:57.840 --> 0:13:00.059 could win his one-on-one, get that first step, and Rodgers 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:03.950 could deliver it. Even more recently, in 2024, why were 0:13:03.970 --> 0:13:06.150 the Packers so good in the red zone in those instances? 0:13:06.470 --> 0:13:08.920 Josh Jacobs could get you the yard. Didn't matter if 0:13:08.929 --> 0:13:10.580 they know it was coming. He could find the yard. 0:13:10.620 --> 0:13:12.200 Green Bay is trying to find that right now. They 0:13:12.220 --> 0:13:14.579 have to keep searching for it. And it is paramount 0:13:14.640 --> 0:13:16.740 this week. When you look at that game against Tennessee, 0:13:17.059 --> 0:13:18.920 it's not like the Titans just couldn't run the ball. 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:21.160 The problem was Pollard and Spears carried the ball 10 times. 0:13:22.250 --> 0:13:24.589 The air got completely taken out of the ball there 0:13:24.650 --> 0:13:26.949 by the New York Jets. They had double the time 0:13:26.970 --> 0:13:29.150 of possession and ran the ball almost three times as 0:13:29.170 --> 0:13:32.130 many times as what Tennessee did. So if there was 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:33.939 ever a week that Green Bay needs to come in 0:13:33.980 --> 0:13:36.020 and establish this early on and show, okay, this is 0:13:36.080 --> 0:13:38.260 what we're going to be about. This is that opponent. 0:13:38.540 --> 0:13:41.940 And we'll see. Last week it was Chris Brooks and 0:13:41.960 --> 0:13:44.420 Marshawn Lloyd. We'll see if Caleb Johnson gets worked into 0:13:44.460 --> 0:13:46.090 the mix now that he's been here for a couple 0:13:46.110 --> 0:13:47.950 of weeks. I don't know what the plans are for 0:13:47.970 --> 0:13:50.959 the coaches or where they feel. Caleb Johnson is, but 0:13:51.500 --> 0:13:55.030 he's another option that they may turn to here sooner 0:13:55.090 --> 0:13:57.980 than later. to try to find some consistency in that 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:00.300 running game until the Packers get Josh Jacobs back. 0:14:00.380 --> 0:14:02.720 And Chris Brooks did his job last week. They needed 0:14:02.780 --> 0:14:04.520 him in that instance with what they were going to 0:14:04.540 --> 0:14:06.199 be facing with the pressure that they saw. 0:14:06.460 --> 0:14:09.489 The pass pro was a big reason for that. 0:14:09.750 --> 0:14:12.010 And it's not just about, okay, well, the offensive line 0:14:12.050 --> 0:14:14.870 is good. No, I mean, it's having someone that's cognizant 0:14:14.890 --> 0:14:16.410 of where the free runner is going to come from. 0:14:16.510 --> 0:14:18.630 That is why Brooks was so important there. And it's 0:14:18.690 --> 0:14:20.230 not to say that the Jets aren't going to blitz, 0:14:20.250 --> 0:14:22.910 but they're not going to face a hellfire like they 0:14:22.930 --> 0:14:25.890 saw against Minnesota. So maybe that's how you can integrate 0:14:25.930 --> 0:14:28.290 and be able to bring in and introduce a running 0:14:28.310 --> 0:14:30.290 back like Caleb Johnson, who's been here now for two 0:14:30.330 --> 0:14:32.960 and a half weeks with his skillset, with what he 0:14:32.980 --> 0:14:34.720 can bring to the table that he can potentially offer 0:14:34.750 --> 0:14:35.840 you something as well. Yeah. 0:14:36.380 --> 0:14:38.920 Well, on the defensive side, as far as keys to victory, 0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:43.440 to me, it comes down to not giving the Jets 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:47.620 any short fields because here's the thing. I mean, for 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:50.360 everything that went wrong late in the game in Minnesota, 0:14:51.700 --> 0:14:55.180 When that game was 22-10, and yes, unfortunately, the Packers 0:14:55.220 --> 0:14:57.650 had kicked a field goal when they were up 19-10, 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:00.380 could have extended the lead more, but you get to 22-10, 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:03.720 what happens? That's when the long kickoff return happens, and 0:15:03.740 --> 0:15:06.290 then Minnesota only has to go 28 yards to get 0:15:06.330 --> 0:15:10.570 a touchdown, and it's 22-17. Up until that point, the 0:15:10.610 --> 0:15:13.170 only touchdown the Packers defense had given up in that 0:15:13.210 --> 0:15:15.810 game was a free play because of Lucas Van Ness 0:15:15.830 --> 0:15:19.120 jumping off sides and Wentz threw it up to Justin Jefferson, 0:15:19.300 --> 0:15:23.500 and Of course, he makes a great catch for a touchdown. 0:15:23.980 --> 0:15:26.820 That was the only score, that free play was the 0:15:26.940 --> 0:15:29.380 only touchdown the Packers had given up the entire game 0:15:30.180 --> 0:15:33.830 until the Vikings had that short field. And then that's 0:15:33.870 --> 0:15:36.010 when the momentum of the game and all that started 0:15:36.050 --> 0:15:41.290 to switch. So if the Packers consistently with the special 0:15:41.310 --> 0:15:43.960 teams and winning field position and whatnot can make Geno 0:15:44.010 --> 0:15:48.430 Smith have to go 75 yards to get touchdowns, I 0:15:48.470 --> 0:15:50.770 like where this Packers defense sits in this matchup. 0:15:50.910 --> 0:15:52.630 Yeah, and I will get back to the key to 0:15:52.650 --> 0:15:54.390 victory here, but I want to talk quickly about that 0:15:54.410 --> 0:15:57.150 because we had a really interesting discussion with Keyshawn Nixon 0:15:57.190 --> 0:15:59.880 at his locker on Wednesday, and he was asked quite 0:15:59.890 --> 0:16:01.500 a bit about Brandon Cisse, and this is a guy 0:16:01.510 --> 0:16:03.820 you go back and remember when he got drafted. Nixon 0:16:03.860 --> 0:16:05.400 was one of the first people to reach out to 0:16:05.440 --> 0:16:06.840 him to welcome him to Green Bay. 0:16:07.080 --> 0:16:08.360 South Carolina Gamecocks. 0:16:08.580 --> 0:16:13.540 They got that bond together. He said to him, you know, 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:15.040 after the game he talked to him about, it's like, 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:17.240 this is what it's all about. This is, you're not, 0:16:17.320 --> 0:16:20.670 you didn't see Justin Jefferson in the SEC at that 0:16:20.730 --> 0:16:21.410 particular time. 0:16:21.450 --> 0:16:21.630 Yeah. 0:16:21.810 --> 0:16:23.710 But I mean, you don't face those type of receivers 0:16:23.750 --> 0:16:25.870 down in and down out. The mistake he made, it 0:16:25.910 --> 0:16:27.710 had nothing to do with Jefferson. I mean, it's the 0:16:27.750 --> 0:16:29.510 fact that it could be any receiver out there. That's 0:16:29.530 --> 0:16:31.630 the level that you're playing at, where your body's turning 0:16:32.030 --> 0:16:35.820 one small movement, what the domino effect of that could be. Now, obviously, again, 0:16:35.860 --> 0:16:37.700 it was a tough situation that he's put into because 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:39.260 it's a free play and that ball's going deep and 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:41.400 you're guarding the best receiver in National Football League. 0:16:41.420 --> 0:16:42.760 Yeah, one-on-one with no help. 0:16:43.000 --> 0:16:44.950 Which is going to be a tough assignment for anybody. 0:16:45.330 --> 0:16:47.770 But being able to flush that, forget about it, and 0:16:47.810 --> 0:16:50.710 move forward is what defines a cornerback. And I'll tell 0:16:50.750 --> 0:16:52.710 you what, Keyshawn Nixon, I don't know what, he's in 0:16:52.730 --> 0:16:54.550 year eight. I think he still has many more years 0:16:54.590 --> 0:16:56.750 to go here. I wrote a story on Packers.com kind 0:16:56.770 --> 0:16:58.670 of talking about what's sort of driving him and what 0:16:58.710 --> 0:17:00.310 has made him the type of player that he's become. 0:17:00.830 --> 0:17:02.840 But whenever this thing's finally over for him, I think 0:17:02.860 --> 0:17:05.379 this dude would be an exceptional football coach because his 0:17:05.460 --> 0:17:08.280 temperament is solid. It is exactly what you need for 0:17:08.300 --> 0:17:11.919 the cornerback position, being able to believe in yourself and 0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:14.540 also understand, okay, there's going to be times where you 0:17:14.580 --> 0:17:16.960 get beat. Unfortunately, it all kind of came to a 0:17:16.980 --> 0:17:19.430 head on that particular play for Cisse, but there's a 0:17:19.510 --> 0:17:21.270 reason he's out there, and there's a reason why he 0:17:21.310 --> 0:17:22.830 took as many snaps as he did with the number 0:17:22.890 --> 0:17:25.429 one defense throughout training camp. because the Packers believe in him, 0:17:25.710 --> 0:17:27.689 and because he has a natural ability to affect the 0:17:27.710 --> 0:17:28.210 football game. 0:17:28.350 --> 0:17:30.780 It's the only play from that entire game that we're 0:17:30.820 --> 0:17:33.980 talking about Brandon Cisse, so that tells you something as well, 0:17:34.100 --> 0:17:37.440 because he was out there doing his job. The free 0:17:37.460 --> 0:17:40.080 play didn't go his way. And unfortunately, yeah, it happened 0:17:40.100 --> 0:17:42.629 to be against, you know, arguably the best receiver on 0:17:42.650 --> 0:17:43.470 the planet right now. 0:17:43.630 --> 0:17:45.970 So on Tuesday, I talked about how if I'm the Packers, 0:17:46.010 --> 0:17:48.389 I forget that the Minnesota game happened because of all 0:17:48.430 --> 0:17:50.560 the things that you and I have talked about, expounded 0:17:50.660 --> 0:17:53.520 on so many times now, mostly relating to officiating. So 0:17:53.540 --> 0:17:55.550 we're going to move beyond that. But my key to 0:17:55.590 --> 0:17:57.490 victory for the Packers on the defensive side of the 0:17:57.510 --> 0:18:01.030 ball is remembering exactly everything they did right against Minnesota. 0:18:01.530 --> 0:18:03.469 There were a couple instances there where they did not 0:18:03.510 --> 0:18:06.990 respond in the sudden change situations very late in the game. 0:18:07.470 --> 0:18:08.859 But man, when I went back and looked at the 0:18:08.910 --> 0:18:11.300 box score afterwards and you see what the total passing 0:18:11.340 --> 0:18:14.260 yards were when you mix in the sacks, when you 0:18:14.280 --> 0:18:17.790 see that 15 first downs, Was it 19 first downs 0:18:17.830 --> 0:18:20.950 for Minnesota, five were aided by penalty. When you look 0:18:20.990 --> 0:18:22.649 at the fact that I think they only gave up 0:18:22.670 --> 0:18:26.389 maybe 239 yards of total offense, Green Bay's defense did 0:18:26.410 --> 0:18:28.409 a lot of things well in that game. And I 0:18:28.450 --> 0:18:30.590 think Jonathan Gannon kind of reflected that when he was 0:18:30.950 --> 0:18:33.810 addressing the media on Tuesday. They need to keep up 0:18:33.850 --> 0:18:36.170 that same mentality. You need to take away the football early. 0:18:36.190 --> 0:18:37.690