WEBVTT - #310 Packers Unscripted: Big-play bonanza 0:00:00.600 --> 0:00:20.520 Hi, everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:24.360 I am Mike Spofford. He is my trusted colleague West Hodkuits. 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:26.680 We're coming to you here from our studios at lambeau 0:00:26.720 --> 0:00:29.720 Field and West we have another preseason game to talk about, 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:33.400 and I'm talking about reviewing Green Bay's fifty one to 0:00:33.520 --> 0:00:36.519 thirty four victory last Thursday night at lambeau Field over 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:40.600 the Pittsburgh Steelers. And uh, I guess we'll start right 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:43.559 where it started, which is with a pick six by 0:00:43.600 --> 0:00:47.440 Tremont Williams on the opening offensive play of the game. 0:00:47.440 --> 0:00:49.720 And not only do the Packers start the game that way, 0:00:50.320 --> 0:00:52.960 they start the second half that way with Josh Jackson 0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:55.480 getting a pick six. So a couple of really big 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:57.560 plays by the defense. And it's also interesting, Mike, that 0:00:57.640 --> 0:00:59.720 it was those two individuals because if you know anything 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:03.080 about the story from this offseason, Trumon Williams actually sort 0:01:03.080 --> 0:01:05.119 of taking Josh Jackson under his wing a little bit. 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:07.800 So the mentor protege sort of angle as well to 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:12.759 that scenario, starting first on Truman Williams. What an individual 0:01:12.880 --> 0:01:16.319 this guy is. And and I don't have the you know, Mike, 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:19.959 Spofford Stats Info Department at my my fingertips like you do. 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:23.600 But you tell me right now, Michael, how many thirty 0:01:23.640 --> 0:01:26.240 five year old boundary cornerbacks there are in the NFL 0:01:26.280 --> 0:01:28.800 that are playing at the level that Truman Williams is 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:31.640 playing at. And it's interesting too because you've seen, and 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:33.480 with all due respect to him, the Darrell Reeva's is 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:36.000 the world and some of these individuals that were Pro 0:01:36.080 --> 0:01:39.320 Bowl are all pro type cornerbacks. In Williams time start 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:42.080 to fade away, and yet here's Trumon Williams still looking 0:01:42.120 --> 0:01:45.120 like a twenty five year old kid out there in savvy. 0:01:45.440 --> 0:01:47.600 I mean, I don't know if there's very many smarter 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:50.440 football players right now in the NFL than Truman Williams. 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:55.120 A rookie quarterback in Mason Rudolph his first professional throw, 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:59.360 and Williams, who's lining up against Darius Heyward Bay by 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:02.320 the way, too, one of the fastest receivers in the league. Uh, 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:05.360 just shoots the stopper out there and brings it in 0:02:05.400 --> 0:02:07.760 for the touchdown. UH. And it was interesting. I asked 0:02:07.800 --> 0:02:10.040 to meet your goodson about this afterwards. And you know, 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:11.880 the beginning of the game, guys are still trying to 0:02:11.919 --> 0:02:13.880 get their you know, bearings a little bit, trying to 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:15.960 figure out where they're gonna watch from. It was almost 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:17.920 before anyone could even react to it, he already has 0:02:17.960 --> 0:02:19.520 six points up on the board. I mean, that's what 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:21.640 Tremon Williams does. Yeah, I think the only thing that 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:24.040 would have been kind of cooler. I would have liked 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:27.000 to have seen the Davante Adams Cleveland thing. You know, 0:02:27.160 --> 0:02:29.560 just run into the end zone and it's a preseason game. 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:31.200 I'm done for the night and go up the tunnel. 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:33.120 I've I've done my job on one play. He did 0:02:33.160 --> 0:02:36.560 go out there and play some more after that. But 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:39.160 but fast forwarding then to the start of the second half, 0:02:39.639 --> 0:02:43.680 as easy as Tremont Williams made his pick six, look, uh, 0:02:43.880 --> 0:02:47.080 Josh Jackson. He put his athleticism on display there with 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:49.840 that one, not only to make that catch kind of 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:53.320 extending his body to snag that ball cleanly, but then 0:02:53.400 --> 0:02:56.320 keeping his balance, staying in bounds, you know, uh, tight 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:58.359 roping the sideline just a little bit there to make 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:00.600 sure that he could get into the end zone. And 0:03:00.680 --> 0:03:03.120 a pretty exciting play. And it's interesting too, Mike, because 0:03:03.320 --> 0:03:05.880 you know, and with you we'll see with jire Alexander, 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:08.400 he has a lot of ability to. I don't know though, 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:10.520 if I've seen a rookie come in and look the 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:13.520 part as fast as Josh Jackson does. He just looks 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:16.440 like an NFL cornerback. And the exciting thing is after 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.880 he was a playmaking eight interception boundary cornerback last year 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:22.560 for Iowa. I think there's some versatility there the packer's 0:03:22.600 --> 0:03:24.960 plan to use with him people and I mentioned this 0:03:25.040 --> 0:03:27.640 last week, they really pigeonheld him to just being a 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:31.639 boundary cornerback. Packers are really excited about his versatility now 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:34.920 that specific play he makes it outside, kept his feet 0:03:34.920 --> 0:03:36.440 and bounds and was able to bring it back for 0:03:36.440 --> 0:03:38.880 the touchdown. He also mentioned it was his mother, Vanessa's 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:41.880 birthday that day. He told her he was gonna try. 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:45.640 I appreciated this. He didn't make the the overblown line 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:47.600 of I'm gonna get you an interception today. It was 0:03:47.640 --> 0:03:50.560 I'm gonna try to get you a pick six today 0:03:50.560 --> 0:03:53.480 for your birthday. He accomplished that goal. He also mentioned 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:55.560 afterwards he was asked why he didn't do it. Lambole 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:59.040 Leap same thinking as Marquez Valdes scantling a week earlier. 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:01.320 It's a priest season game. He wants to save that 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:04.000 moment for a meaningful regular season setting. But a really 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:07.160 nice play from Jackson to very similar to what Williams did, 0:04:07.600 --> 0:04:09.960 but really out of the extra layer of difficulty with 0:04:10.000 --> 0:04:12.880 being along the sidelines and making sure he state in bounds. Yeah. Now, 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:15.560 there were also some struggles on defense. We can't ignore 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:18.480 that the Steelers did score thirty four points. They were 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:22.280 using basically their third and fourth string quarterbacks because Ben 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:26.760 Roethlisberger and Landry Jones did not play. One series in particular, 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:30.120 I think was troublesome for the Packers defense. James Conner, 0:04:30.160 --> 0:04:32.320 the running back, big running back from the University of 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:37.440 Pittsburgh from the combine combined, Yeah that when he was 0:04:37.480 --> 0:04:41.479 coming out, he um he was tough to tackle, and 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:44.040 the Packers missed way too many tackles on him on 0:04:44.040 --> 0:04:46.919 one particular drive. The Steelers kind of got some things 0:04:46.960 --> 0:04:50.080 going there and and got themselves back into the game 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:53.080 very quickly from a scoreboard standpoint. So a lot of 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:55.440 guys in the locker room, as excited as they were 0:04:55.480 --> 0:04:58.320 about the pick sixes and making those big plays and 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:00.400 and as Mike McCarthy says all the time, you have 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:02.760 to have big play production in this league in order 0:05:02.800 --> 0:05:05.800 to win. UM there are some things that that the 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.000 Packers need to clean up, and they had some film 0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:10.280 to look at that that they didn't like. Yeah, Mike 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:12.040 Petton will be talking this week. I'll be interested to 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:14.480 see what he what his interpretation of things were, because 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:17.719 if you're looking from the positive aspect, packers want to 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:19.719 see that kind of performance out of their cornerbacks. I 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.760 thought Divine was also played really well. Mike McCarthy went 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:24.520 out of his way to commend that whole group, and 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:26.600 that was the group that's coming off you know, the 0:05:26.680 --> 0:05:29.200 kind of uh, you know, troublesome turbulence season from a 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:32.159 year ago with all the injuries they had. Conversely, though, 0:05:32.240 --> 0:05:35.200 it was between really the hashes where the Packers I 0:05:35.200 --> 0:05:37.480 think we're trying to get their footing a little bit, 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:39.240 and that was one of the sturdier areas of the 0:05:39.279 --> 0:05:41.760 defensive year ago. So it just shows you that moving target. 0:05:42.120 --> 0:05:44.920 It's the preseason. Obviously, we've talked about it last week. 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:46.840 The Vanilla looks in that, but it also comes down 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:49.800 to basic execution fundamentals and I'm sure, that's gonna be 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:51.960 one of the big messages they'll be preaching this week 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:54.599 with guys missed, with the miss tackles with being in 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.440 the right place at the right time, and and trying 0:05:56.520 --> 0:05:59.320 to put a better performance together now going into Oakland 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:01.080 this week. Yeah, there was a play there where I 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.240 think there are only ten guys on the field and 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:06.160 just you know, some miscommunication things that hopefully you get 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:08.440 them ironed out in the preseason obviously, but you might 0:06:08.560 --> 0:06:10.800 one benefit if I can mention to the Packers those 0:06:10.839 --> 0:06:13.080 first three series basically had the same defense on the 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:16.280 field the whole time too, So with the safeties, the linebackers, 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:18.960 outside backers a chance to really create some continuity there. 0:06:19.279 --> 0:06:21.080 And I think in the long run, you would hope 0:06:21.080 --> 0:06:22.760 if those guys stay healthy, that's what gives you a 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:24.880 chance of really improving that communication. Yeah, I get some 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:27.280 things ironed out here. In the month of August you 0:06:27.320 --> 0:06:30.159 mentioned Mike McCarthy said the cornerbacks were kind of the 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:33.200 standout group on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:36.280 it was the tight ends and boy, you just the 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:39.680 numbers themselves jump off the stat sheet of the collection 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:43.720 of Packers tight ends combined for nine catches. I believe 0:06:43.760 --> 0:06:46.800 it's a hundred and six yards with two touchdowns. The 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:48.760 other thing that I found when I looked a little 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:52.000 bit more closely at it, you look at those nine receptions, 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:55.080 seven of those nine receptions produced either a first down 0:06:55.200 --> 0:06:57.680 or a touchdown. There were third down catches that were 0:06:57.680 --> 0:07:00.320 moving the chains. Obviously the two scores by jim one 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:03.800 by Jimmy Graham won by Robert tani In this tight 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:06.720 end group, they're going to be some difficult roster decisions 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:08.799 when it comes right down to it, because you can't 0:07:08.880 --> 0:07:13.080 keep everybody but um but Mike McCarthy really likes what 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:16.120 this group is doing collectively. Right now. We talked so much, 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.240 Mike with the receivers and okay, you drafted three rookies. 0:07:19.320 --> 0:07:21.640 Jake Kumera, what is he thinking, you know, being on 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:24.120 the practice squad last year. I think it's sort of 0:07:24.200 --> 0:07:27.200 understated right now what these young tight ends have thought. 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:29.920 A guy like Robert tani in a converted receiver, a 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:32.880 guy like Emmanuel Bird who finished the season last year 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:35.680 on the active roster. I think having those three vets 0:07:35.680 --> 0:07:37.280 in there has really brought out the best in those 0:07:37.320 --> 0:07:41.440 two individuals. As well. I think Tanyan specifically this last week, 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:44.080 whether it's been in practice or those preseason games, has 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:47.720 looked really sharp, big bodied kids six ft five right 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:50.080 around tuner and forty pounds. I was talking to him 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:52.120 after the game and I was asking him about how 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:54.840 difficult that that switch was, moving it and going from 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:57.800 receiver originally a quarterback to receiver to tight end, and 0:07:57.800 --> 0:07:59.440 he said, yeah, there was a lot of five thousand, 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:03.160 six thous and calorie days back then. Because it's not 0:08:03.240 --> 0:08:06.080 just putting on weight. You and I were aficiados and 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:07.760 being able to put on weight. We can do it 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:10.000 if we need to. Yeah, you have to do it though, 0:08:10.400 --> 0:08:12.600 with good weight, and that's not always easy to do 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.080 when you're a skill position players, something Tanian's had to do. 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:17.720 I like Emmanuel Bird as well. He gives you that 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:22.480 h BAC kind of look, similar to what Lance Kendricks does. Hey, listen, Mike. 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:24.240 They got five guys right now and then also a 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:26.880 couple other undrafted rookies that I think are all in 0:08:26.960 --> 0:08:28.760 that hunt. So it's gonna be fun to see how 0:08:28.840 --> 0:08:32.000 these next two three weeks play out. Because Graham, Lewis 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:35.280 and Kendricks are all different type veteran tight ends. But 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:37.760 it's history has shown at that position, Mike, if a 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:40.720 guy can prove themselves worthy, they will go four or 0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:42.760 five deep there. But again, it all comes down to 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:44.400 how those numbers bear out when you're cutting down to 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:46.600 the final fifty three. Yeah. A couple other points to 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:49.120 make with regards to what happened in Thursday night's game. 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:52.520 I think Jimmy Graham might have set a new standard 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:56.959 in terms of a veteran player getting excited over a touchdown. 0:08:57.080 --> 0:08:59.600 I mean, I've never seen this guy was fired up. 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:01.840 I mean, he did the lambo leap into the stands. 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:04.199 He was doing the chest bump type of stuff with 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:06.520 his teammates and knocking him over. He was so he 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:10.080 was so excited and just just a reflection of of 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:13.000 the anticipation, the excitement of working with Aaron Rodgers. It 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:16.440 was a classic, you know, Jimmy Graham type of touchdown 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:19.280 where the ball is thrown high, six ft six and 0:09:19.280 --> 0:09:21.160 a half whatever he is, he goes up and and 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:23.400 snags There's nobody else who's gonna be able to catch 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:27.679 that pass, so he brings that in Marcedes Lewis. Then 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.920 later in the game twenty plus yard passed down the field. 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:34.120 Mike McCarthy talked to the day after the game about 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:37.000 how obviously they really like what Lewis does in the 0:09:37.040 --> 0:09:40.280 blocking aspect of things, and he's picking off some guys 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.880 on the backside blocks where the running backs haven't maybe 0:09:42.920 --> 0:09:46.200 hit those cutback lanes just yet. But McCarthy really likes 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:49.240 what what Lewis is doing in that respect. But then, boy, 0:09:49.240 --> 0:09:51.640 when you throw in you know that leaping catch over 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:54.280 the middle to convert on I believe it was on 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:56.280 third down anyway, it moved the chains because it was 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:59.720 it was three yards. Um, I think there was a 0:09:59.720 --> 0:10:02.520 pen he added on to it. Maybe a questionable call there, 0:10:02.760 --> 0:10:06.680 but regardless, Um, if Marcedes Lewis can do that kind 0:10:06.679 --> 0:10:09.040 of thing for this offense when he's in there, you know, 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:10.959 all the more power to him. And then you mentioned 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:13.600 Kendricks being another veteran player. He makes a couple of catches, 0:10:13.679 --> 0:10:15.720 moves the chains a couple of times, just a ton 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:18.240 of production from that group. Well, first off, Lance Kendricks 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:20.520 fits the system perfectly. There were some ups and downs 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:22.160 in his first year in Green Bay. But you talk 0:10:22.200 --> 0:10:24.280 about Mike McCarthy and how much he really likes to 0:10:24.360 --> 0:10:27.400 use that h back tight end. Lance Kendricks is that 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:30.800 the prototype for it with his athleticism and his ability 0:10:30.800 --> 0:10:33.520 to play that spot. Started the game in that spot 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:35.440 with the with the two tight end package that they 0:10:35.440 --> 0:10:38.280 were running. But getting back to lewis the one thing 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:40.680 that's exciting about him, Mike, in addition to the fact 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:42.800 that he's probably the best blocking tight ends since maybe 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:45.319 Bubba Frank's in the mid two thousands, I guess you 0:10:45.360 --> 0:10:49.440 could say. He mentioned in his first interview with Green 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:52.400 Bay Media that Yeah, that's what everybody knows me for. 0:10:52.559 --> 0:10:55.240 And I'm an inline guy. I'm your traditional big tight end, 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.800 but if you sleep on me, I'm gonna make you pay. 0:10:57.840 --> 0:11:00.120 And I think that was one of those plays and 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:02.800 not necessarily saying that Pittsburgh just completely just took him 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:05.000 out of the equation, but he shows you that there 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:07.320 is still that big play production there with him and 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:09.520 it was great to see him make that catch. Whatever 0:11:09.559 --> 0:11:11.520 you want to make of that call on it, he 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:13.800 has to make that catch. Yeah, you gotta you gotta 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:16.320 bring that ball down, and he did it. So if 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:18.240 you can get both of those guys rolling and then 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:19.760 see what you have with these young guys as well, 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:22.480 to compliment Jimmy Graham will be interesting to watch. But yeah, 0:11:22.520 --> 0:11:24.640 as you said too, I don't think I've seen undrafted 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:27.480 rookies who have played, you know, no games past the 0:11:27.720 --> 0:11:31.440 preseason then more excited about a touchdown than what Jimmy 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:34.839 Graham was there because I think for him mentally, it's 0:11:34.840 --> 0:11:37.800 showing him what's possible in this offense, and exactly with 0:11:37.840 --> 0:11:39.760 a guy like Aaron Rodgers that can put the ball 0:11:39.800 --> 0:11:44.000 exactly where you want it, that that's that's ultimately what's 0:11:44.000 --> 0:11:46.400 gonna come to pass here if those two can get 0:11:46.400 --> 0:11:48.400 on the same page. And early signs are is that 0:11:48.440 --> 0:11:50.280 they're they've been able to do that. Yeah. I mentioned 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.080 this in our Insider Inbox column that you look at 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:55.640 the last two regular seasons, the Packers have had a 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:59.440 grand total of five touchdown receptions from tight ends over 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:04.040 the regular seasons. In that's going to change with these guys, 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:06.880 not only just with Jimmy Graham, but but Lewis and 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:08.920 Kendricks and you know, maybe if they keep one or 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.040 two of these other young guys too and stayed that 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:13.920 deep at the position. Yeah, and Louis was so consistent 0:12:14.040 --> 0:12:15.880 in his time in Jackson. I know there's only that 0:12:15.920 --> 0:12:17.640 one Pro Bowl from two thousand and ten, but if 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.080 you look at his career stats and how things played out, 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:22.920 he was durable and he really gave you a consistent presence. 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:24.960 And now he has Aaron Rodgers throwing him the football 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:27.120 when it happens. Yeah, all right, Well, we've got more 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:29.840 to talk about West, but a little bit of sponsored business. 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:31.760 First at home or here in the stands. We all 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:33.560 know that Green Bay fans give it their all and 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:36.000 that takes a lot of energy. So grab a warm 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:38.679 bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup. It's meaty goodness fuels the 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:42.439 greatness of Packers fans everywhere. Try the delicious classic chicken 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.160 Noodle soup. Just to visit your local supermarket and ask 0:12:45.200 --> 0:12:48.240 for Campbell's Chunky Sup Official Sup partner of the Green 0:12:48.240 --> 0:12:51.199 Bay Packers. Okay, going back to our last show, when 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.600 we were previewing preseason game number two, we talked about 0:12:54.600 --> 0:12:56.640 it on Final Thoughts, we talked about it on this show. 0:12:56.760 --> 0:13:01.440 I used the phrase do it again to speaking about 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:03.640 these young guys who made an impression in the first 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:06.640 preseason game. Okay, so here's another game, So go out 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:10.679 and do it again. Jake Kumero did it again. Eighty 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:14.400 two yards west. I mean a great throw by Deshaun Kaiser, 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:17.079 a simple out route to the sideline, a long throw 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:19.199 from either middle of the field or right hash I 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:20.920 don't remember, but over to the all the way to 0:13:20.960 --> 0:13:23.880 the left sideline. He makes the catch, stays in bounds, 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:27.160 and then just makes a move to the inside, gets 0:13:27.160 --> 0:13:29.200 the safety turned around, and he's off to the races 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:31.840 and it's an eighty two yard touchdown. This guy a 0:13:31.920 --> 0:13:34.600 fifty two yard and an eighty two yard touchdown. Now 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:36.760 in the first two preseason games. What more can you 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:38.720 ask for? Michael, I want you to actually look onto 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:41.199 my screen. Here done three D some episodes. First time. 0:13:41.200 --> 0:13:44.079 I'm inviting you to look at my screen. NFL. All 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:47.480 the leaders passing yards, receiving, yards, receiving all that. Who's 0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:50.679 the receiving yard leader right now in the NFL. Jake 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:54.439 Kumero by twenty three yards and it's the big play production. 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:56.440 And I think he made a great point there and 0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.040 was one of the big underlying storylines and narratives going 0:13:59.080 --> 0:14:02.360 into this contest. Do it again, do it and show 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:05.440 it that you can be consistent, not necessarily always just 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:08.400 making a fifty yard touchdown catch, but being able to 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:10.920 be a contributor in this offense and be an impact 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:13.320 player on a consistent basis. And even before that eighty 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:16.600 two yard touchdown, Kumarro was making those catches that you 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:18.719 wanted to see him make again. I mean there were 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:21.080 three of them all told, and obviously that was the 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:24.960 one everyone looks at. But his consistency and his ability 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:27.800 to run routes. I really zoned in and isolated on 0:14:27.880 --> 0:14:29.600 him and his route running, even on plays in which 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:32.160 he didn't catch the ball, and he's so crisp and 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:34.000 it's so important to be able to do that because 0:14:34.040 --> 0:14:37.120 that's what negates the speed factor, that's what negates the 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:43.400 you know, the quickness, explosion, athleticism. Kumarro has those attributes, 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:47.200 but if you don't have them, it doesn't matter. Well, 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:48.760 if you don't have the route running aspect of it 0:14:48.800 --> 0:14:51.080 doesn't matter what you will otherwise bring to the table. 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:53.280 And I just think these last two two and a 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:55.800 half years have really helped him get to this point 0:14:56.280 --> 0:14:59.400 and for him. First off, Deshaun Kaiser makes a phenomenal 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:02.640 pass on at play alongside that that out route there 0:15:02.640 --> 0:15:05.840 to get him basically, you know, covered by the cornerback 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:07.640 cornerbacks trying to even sort of cut it off a 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:09.920 little bit. Showed some arm strength there for sure, and 0:15:09.960 --> 0:15:12.280 then for Kumarro to be able to get up field, 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:15.520 beat the safety, get into the end zone. Um, certainly there. 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:17.680 There's a question there now with the shoulder. Making sure 0:15:17.680 --> 0:15:19.560 everything's okay with him there, And we'll have to see 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.640 how this next week or so plays out. But everything 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:27.920 he's done Mike from July to August now, it's been 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:31.680 incredible to watch and see him not stumble but just 0:15:31.760 --> 0:15:36.120 continue a pretty consistent progression. Yeah. And another guy, and 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:38.240 our producer, Marvin's gonna get mad at me because I 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:40.880 didn't put him on the list to get the highlights ready. 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:44.360 But along this topic of do it again, Reggie Gilbert. 0:15:44.880 --> 0:15:47.240 We talked about him after the first game against the Titans. 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.320 He was a presence, maybe not so much statistically, but 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:53.840 he was a presence in the backfield um against Tennessee, 0:15:53.920 --> 0:15:57.360 but then against the Pittsburgh Steelers two and a half sacks, 0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:01.120 one of those a strip sack. Unfortunately the Packers were 0:16:01.120 --> 0:16:04.600 not able to recover it for a turnover. But um, 0:16:04.640 --> 0:16:07.040 you know, as I said in uh in one of 0:16:07.040 --> 0:16:10.240 our Insider Inbox columns, this is the guy who's raising 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:13.440 his hand and saying, you know, okay, you're looking for 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:16.560 the number three outside linebacker on this team behind Clay 0:16:16.640 --> 0:16:19.800 Matthews and Nick Perry, I'm your guy. And there's absolutely 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:22.880 no question right now as the roster is currently constructed 0:16:22.880 --> 0:16:24.920 and what is going on in these preseason games, he 0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:26.800 is that guy well. And the ultimate tip in the 0:16:26.840 --> 0:16:28.840 cap to him as the fact that he starts opposite 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:31.640 Clay Matthews in this game. And that's so important because one, 0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:33.720 we don't know what Nick Perry's schedule is going to be, 0:16:33.800 --> 0:16:35.680 like we'll talk about in a second him getting activated 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:38.640 from PUP, but what is availability in the preseason is 0:16:38.680 --> 0:16:40.440 going to be, like, We're not sure. So this is 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:42.440 an opportunity for Gilbert to go out there and do 0:16:42.520 --> 0:16:46.160 this against starting level caliber talent, regardless of how long 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:47.960 he plays. If you can get those first two series 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:50.720 and make an impact, that's a big confidence boost for 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:53.640 him as well. What impresses me so much about Gilbert 0:16:53.720 --> 0:16:55.720 is just how consistent he's been. We we talked about 0:16:55.720 --> 0:16:57.280 that with Cumbro and being able to do a game 0:16:57.320 --> 0:16:59.800 after game, week after week. Gilbert has been doing this 0:16:59.880 --> 0:17:03.000 for two years in Green Bay and has been kised since, 0:17:03.080 --> 0:17:06.760 consistently proving himself. And even when last year, you know, 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:08.760 he doesn't make the roster he thought he was going to, 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:12.080 he didn't let that kind of derail his momentum. He 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:14.639 sat on the practice squad for fifteen weeks, he bided 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:16.680 his time, and when he got that chance to show 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:19.640 himself again, he went out there and proved it. It's 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:21.159 just funny to me now and that I don't want 0:17:21.160 --> 0:17:23.000 to get ahead of myself or put the car before 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:25.600 the horse. But after so much drama these first two 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.400 years for him, on cut down day, it's becoming pretty 0:17:28.440 --> 0:17:30.560 clear cut. He's making the roster. Now. The question is 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:31.840 going to be what kind of role could he have 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:34.000 going forward? In talking to Nick Perry a little bit 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:37.600 on Monday on Sunday, excuse me, uh, they're expecting this 0:17:37.640 --> 0:17:41.240 guy to contribute this season. They're expecting rotation. Yeah, no 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:46.119 question about a combination of both patients and dedication on 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:48.800 the Gilbert to get where he is right now. Because 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:50.800 you mentioned all the time that he spent on the 0:17:50.840 --> 0:17:54.159 practice squad, then when he does get into his first 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:56.679 games as an active roster player at the end of 0:17:56.760 --> 0:17:59.800 last season and behold, look at that, you know, number ninety. 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:02.080 He is in there making an impact in in games. 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:04.280 I know the Packers at that stage of the season, 0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:07.280 we're not going to the playoffs, but those games, those 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:10.119 those snaps, those reps were huge for a guy like 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:12.760 Reggie Gilbert, and you know it propelled him, I think 0:18:12.800 --> 0:18:15.880 from a confident standpoint, from a belief that he belongs 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.920 in this league standpoint, to come into this third year 0:18:19.000 --> 0:18:20.679 and now do what he's doing right now. And you're 0:18:20.720 --> 0:18:23.080 a big racquetball player, right, Mike, I tried to be 0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:25.399 go out to the y m c A. You finish 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:27.480 up pretty well, you start, you know, have kind of 0:18:27.480 --> 0:18:30.080 a positive you know, sweet taste your mouth, you get 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:32.240 done with, you feel good the next week up until 0:18:32.240 --> 0:18:34.800 the next time you play racquetball. I think that's what 0:18:35.119 --> 0:18:37.920 really Gilbert did, is think about what that does for 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:39.880