January 7, 2025 • 32 mins
Mike and Wes discuss the state of the Packers’ health heading into the postseason (1:36) and the team’s outlook heading to Philadelphia (6:22). They also break down the Eagles (13:23), look back at the Week 1 matchup in Brazil (18:07) and highlight the running games of the two teams (23:38).
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
Hi, everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com.
I and Mike Spafford, joined as always by my trusted
colleague Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you hear from our
studios at lambeau Field and Wes. It is wildcard playoff
week for the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, they are heading
into this wild card weekend coming off of a loss,
(00:38):
a second straight loss. This one, twenty four to twenty
two is the final score at home against the Chicago Bears.
A walk off field goal wins it for the Bears.
No other way to say it other than a disappointing
defeat and a disappointing way for green Bay to be
entering the postseason.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Which fans sometimes ask us about, Hey, you know, these
guys are getting paid. Hey, you know, there's very little
to play for at the end of the season other
than a seed or two. Go to that Packers' locker
room afterwards. Feel the vibes that we felt in there.
These guys were legitimately disappointed. They wanted to win that
football game. Yes it was to keep the streak going
against the Chicago Bears. Yes it was to end the
(01:17):
Bears seasons with eleven straight losses. Yes, it was to
potentially make a run at that sixth seed, but let's
be honest, Michael, it's the competition of these guys, the
drive that these guys have. They wanted to go into
the playoffs with that feeling of victory, with that momentum
on their side. As Jordan Love said afterwards, they don't
have that now. But who cares? The big key to
(01:39):
this game? For me, the part that was the hardest
for me to leave the building with on Sunday night
was the fact that you did lose Christian Watson. It
was a fact that Jordan Love did get nicked up.
You don't want to see anyone get injured at any time,
but obviously a regular season finale with very little on
the line that always hurts the most, and unfortunately for
Christian toughed it out. He went out there. Romeo Dobbs
(02:01):
catches a bug, Christian tries to go out there and
then ultimately ends up with the with the acl tear.
That being said, the Packers have to march on. They
have to continue this trek through the postseason and try
to learn from what they can from that lost to Chicago.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, Unfortunately, it's been some bad news on the health
front a couple weeks in a row now here for
the Packers. A week ago we find out that JayR
Alexander would not be coming back for the postseason, and
now Christian Watson suffers an ACL tear that obviously will
put the beginning of the twenty twenty five season and
possibly a good portion of the twenty twenty five season
(02:37):
in jeopardy for him. You mentioned Romeo Dobbs had come
down with an illness. It sounds like he is doing
better here as as the Packers begin their preparations for Philadelphia.
Jordan Love banged his elbow on the ground. Sounded like
kind of a funny bone nerve type of issue. He
left the game. Sounded like if it was absolutely necessar there,
(03:00):
he could have gone back in. The Packers played the
high side of caution there and kept Love out, although
he was getting ready to go in because late in
the game, Malik Willis ended up kind of banging his thumb.
I believe it was on the long pass to Malik
Heath down the field that set up the touchdown in
the fourth quarter. So there was some question as to
(03:22):
whether Willis was going to be able to finish the game.
It sounds like both of those guys are going to
be okay with regard to those injuries and getting ready
for the game in Philadelphia. But as Matt Lafuer said,
it's also can't necessarily guarantee anything that the reps won't
be limited in some respect. You know, It's one of
those wait and see things until Wednesday's practice. Elsewhere, on
(03:46):
the health front, safety Zane Anderson as of now, still
remains in the concussion protocol, Linebacker Kuway Walker safety Evan Williams,
both of whom have missed some time with injuries. Those
guys have not yet returned to practice. There is some
optimism that they might be available for the wild card
game in Philadelphia, but again Matt LeFleur was saying, it's
(04:07):
it's wait and see as far as Wednesday's practice, Thursday's practice.
Can they get back out there? How do they look?
Hopefully come Wednesday Thursday, when the team is back on
the practice field, maybe there'll finally be some good news
in the health department coming Green Bay's way.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I tip my cap to katan Oladappo. He ended up
playing his most extensive playing time against Chicago didn't technically start.
Chavon Bullard started, but then Bullard went back down into
the slot of the sub packages, and that's where Aladappo entered,
a guy that spent most of the off season program
in a boot on a cart because he was coming
off that broken toad. I think he suffered at the
(04:43):
NFL scouting combine. So because of that, Zavier McKinney is
now lined up next to everybody on the active roster
at the safety position. But I think you and I
both know Mike and obviously there's the Russ factor. But
with what the Packers have to work with, the end
of last week we found out that jyr alexand not
going to probably be back this season. He went on
injured reserve. I think you and I pretty much can
(05:05):
stand in agreement at this point in time. When you
look at a Nickel subpackage, the Packers preferred lineup now
would be Evan Williams on the back end with Xavier McKinney.
Kyshawn Nixon tip your cap to him has basically become
CB number one now. Carrington Valentine has stepped up on
the other perimeter spot and it's Javon Bullard ben in
the nickel, which was where Keyshawn started the season. You
(05:28):
wrote about it last week. We'll wait and see if
they can actually get that group together. But defensively, it
appears that Green Bay is getting closer to having that
full unit together. And the thing that was the most
funny to me. As disappointing as this loss was, and
obviously they wanted to win it, but you do have
to consider Jordan Love didn't re enter the game. Josh
Jacobs had six or seven carries, six carries, Gorda's ninth touchdown.
(05:50):
It was it eight games or nine touchdowns in a row.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Eight eight games in a row with a rushing touchdown,
new franchise record, surpassing Paul Hornings streak of seven back
in nineteen sixty.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Thank you for using words for me. You did that
very well. It's okay he leaves the game. They still
run the ball pretty well, but they were making some
business decisions there in the second half. Still, you want
to win, you want to be able to get through
this thing. I just feel like for the green Bay
finishing fifth and total offense fifth and total defense sixth
in scoring defense, Like there's so much good that is
(06:24):
still with this team. I know it sucks to be
on a two game losing streak entering the playoffs, but
like you and I both did our Insider Inbox column,
then man a life like people are acting like the
sky is falling. Like I'm not saying this was a
preseason game by any means. The Packers, up until the
last thirty seconds of that game between Washington and Dallas,
still had a lot to play for with the sixth seed.
But you know, the comment I made an Insider Inbox
(06:46):
on Thursday was the Packers shocked the football world last year?
Why can't they do it again? You and I will
get into previewing Philadelphia in a little bit, But for
Green Bay, what I felt in that locker room, what
I heard from Xavier mckinne, and it sounds like McKinney
and Rashaun Gary both had some pretty strong words afterwards
trying to kind of rally the troops a little bit
going into the playoffs. I feel like this team has
(07:08):
leadership where it needs it, it has experience where it's needed,
and it still has a lot of youth. And I
think sometimes like last year, as much as they wrote
a hot streak in I also think when they got
to Dallas it was not even knowing what they were
supposed to know. Yet they played free. They played like
they were, you know, had a poker chip that just
allowed them to sit down at any table. Yeah, and
(07:28):
we'll see again now if they can do that against
the Eagles.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah. I was kind of fired up when I heard
about the kind of the postgame locker room, seeing where
some of these team leaders like Xavier McKinney and Rashaun
Gary had some words for their teammates. And what I
kind of walked away after Sunday night thinking is I
don't know if I don't know if those a if
those words are even said, but b if those words
(07:53):
even carry a whole lot of weight if the Packers
somehow had won the game.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
They don't, And McKinnie said that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And and the so in a lot of ways, I mean,
and I don't want to perseverate on the loss. I mean,
Matt Lafleur took the blame for using the time out
when the Packers kicked the go ahead field goal, and
the clock management there wasn't where it needed to be,
and the defensive call on the Bear's last play before
the walk off field goal.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
The Packers botched it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
They they botched it in multiple ways, and they and
they came away with a loss. I don't know if
that was necessarily the worst thing in the world, because
it was a game they didn't play well, they didn't
really deserve to win regardless, and maybe the message from
guys like Gary and McKinney in the locker room afterward,
(08:43):
maybe it, you know, it carries more and has more
impact because of because of the loss. Call it a
wake up call if you want to, I don't know
whatever phrase you want to use. But the Packers of
you know, they were in a good spot. I thought,
you know, the win on Thanksgiving night over Miami, followed
(09:04):
by a really hard, fought, tough, you know, down to
the wire loss to the Detroit Lions, the best team
in the NFC, on the road on a Thursday night
with you know, a crazy Detroit crowd. Then you go
on the road to Seattle, the team playing for everything,
trying to win a division title and get into the playoffs,
and the Packers quite frankly dominate the game, other than
(09:25):
a couple of mistakes that got Seattle back into it,
but the Packers finish it off and get the win.
I thought the Packers were headed for that strong finish
to the regular season. The New Orleans game, you know,
thirty four or nothing. What can you do? The Saints
weren't even like a real team that night. But then
these last two games against the two division opponents, Minnesota
and Chicago, the Packers didn't play well. And I even
(09:49):
questioned whether the comeback against Minnesota in the last nine
minutes of the fourth quarter if that might have actually
in some ways done more harm than good, because the
Packers came very close to pulling out a miracle comeback
against Minnesota. But then it becomes too easy to forget
that for fifty out of the sixty minutes, you didn't
play well against a team that against one of your
(10:10):
biggest division rivals and a team that you're trying to beat,
and a game that was really important as a playoff
tune up. So all of that big picture says that
the Packers have a lot to flush and to move
on and to just say hey, all right, let's you know,
it's it's go time now. And the way they have
(10:32):
played the last couple of weeks is not going to
cut it. And the fact that they lost to a
team that had lost ten in a row, that had
lost eleven in a row in the Packers Bears All
Time series was you know, maybe the final straw to say,
this isn't this isn't going to get it done, This
(10:53):
isn't going to cut it in the postseason, and now
it's time to get ready for a darn good Philadelphia team.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Absolutely, and I love what Matt Lafleur's message was when
you know he's looking and reflecting on this loss. I mean,
is it is March Madness time, like anything can happen.
There's fourteen teams that have a shot at this thing. Yes,
Detroit has a little bit of advantage there. You know,
Kansas City has an obvious advantage there having the buys,
But overall, anybody can take a crack at this thing.
(11:21):
Green Bay proved it last year becoming the first number
seven to beat in number two. And we're leading the
number one seed well into the fourth quarter at San
Francisco with a chance to get to the NFC Title Game.
And I go back to last year. Green Bay finished
this regular season eleven and six. Do you know who
was eleven and six last year, entering the playoffs, the
eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas Kansas
(11:41):
City Chiefs team that went four and four after its
bye week. I understand they won back to back going
into the playoffs, but they lost to Green Bay. They
lost to the Las Vegas Raiders. It isn't always about
heyn how many games in a row can you win
before you make a run. I'll be honest with you too.
I think as much as the Minnesota Vikings would have
loved to have had that number one seed, in love
to have won the North, if they enter the playoffs
(12:04):
on a ten game winning streak or whatever, that's a
tough thing to keep winning that entire time. It's like,
what kind of lessons can you learn to be able
to better you and put you in the best situation possible.
Entering the new season, Green Bay has had in back
to back weeks a real look in the mirror moment.
Minnesota didn't do enough to get the job done. You
lost on their field, yep, last week against Chicago. Yes,
(12:27):
you're missing some guys, Yes, some guys were down shifting
a little bit. You still did not like the way
you played well, what are you going to do about it?
This is your shot. As I put an insider inbox,
the lessons are over, the classes are done, You've gone
through the entire course at this point, this is the
final test. Can you pass it? Can you take everything
(12:47):
you've learned in these first eighteen weeks of the regular
season and now channel that towards a championship? And that's
what Green Bay is going to find out on Sunday
afternoon in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah, well, I want to get to talking about the
Eagles here in just a minute, but I'll take care
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(13:17):
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All right. The Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley two thousand and
five rushing yards sat out Week eighteen to rest up
for the playoffs rather than go for the one hundred
and one yards he would have needed to break Eric
(13:38):
Dickerson's single season rushing record in the NFL. I totally
understand what the Eagles and coach Siriani and Barkley did there.
But Barkley's had a season for the ages. We'll see
how things go with regard to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
He's been in the concussion protocol. The expectation, I think
(14:01):
is that he will be cleared in time to play
in this game, but nothing official has been announced in
that regard yet. That offense, which also includes obviously receivers
like AJ Brown DeVante Smith, is backed up by a
defense that finished first in the league in yards allowed
and second in the league in points allowed. This is
(14:23):
a complete football team. They can run it, they can
throw it, they can shut you down on defense. This
is a this is a huge test and and this
is an Eagles team quite frankly, other than a guy
like Barkley who was the you know, the free agent
signing and whatnot, but this is an Eagles team that
(14:44):
that ended its last season on an absolutely terrible note.
They were in great position, went into a huge slump
at the end of the season, they were one and
done in the playoffs. They're back where they believe they
should have been last year, and and they're just fine
with all the attention being on Minnesota and Detroit and
everything that was going on there for the number one seed.
(15:06):
The Eagles are. The Eagles are waiting to make their run.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I mean, I have so much respect for Howie Roseman,
the way he's built this thing up, just starting on
the offensive side of the thing. The only thing they
were missing was the running back, and they found him
and to be able to take him from a division rival,
not only did you improve your rushing offense and just
an incredible fashion, you robbed the New York Giants of
(15:30):
really any semblance of hope this season in what do
you do? You put him behind one of the best
offensive lines in football? I mean, how many teams Mike
could lose? Jason Kelsey and Cam Jurgens ends up going
in at center has a Pro Bowl season, right. Makai Beckton,
who we watched him in the practices here with the
Jets a number of years ago, did not work out
(15:51):
for him. First round pick as a tackle in New
York doesn't come together. He goes to Philadelphia. He's been
their starting right guard all year. Lane Johnson's been doing
this longer than anybody. Jordan Malata, I mean, like so
many Landon Dickerson, you have this ready made offensive line
and you pair one of the best running backs of
his generation behind it. They do so many things well.
(16:14):
Devonte Smith, I mean, aj Brown was the steal of
the century a number of years ago for them. Dallas
Goddard now is back that. They are just so complete
offensively and defensively, you can't say enough. I mean, Jalen
Carter's one of the most exciting interior defensive tackles in
the league. Everybody knows what Quinnon Mitchell has done this year.
Cooper dejen that Zach Brawn signs there on a modest
(16:37):
contract ends up having a Pro Bowl season. The dangers
are everywhere with this Philadelphia Eagles team. Now that being said,
I actually think green Bay does match up okay with them.
Green Bay's rushing offense is at strength. The one area
where Philadelphia isn't completely dominant is it's rushing defense. I
think they're a very respectable tenth. They have the number
one rank pass defense in the National Football League. Which
(17:00):
started with the performance that they put together against Jordan
Love in this offense in Brazil. Yeah. So as Vic Fang,
you I thought, really proved this season. Whatever the narrative
was coming out of Miami last year, this guy still
very much has it him Dom Caper's. The principles that
they put together were their defense. This thing has been
as ready made to be able to be as functional
(17:23):
and as adaptable as any scheme that we've seen in
the last thirty thirty five years, and really that was
the missing piece for Philadelphia this season.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it's interesting to statistically because of that. When you
look at that number one ranking in fewest yards allowed,
the Eagles allowed more than five hundred fewer yards than
anybody else.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
In the league.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It's astounding to see the difference in the total yardage
between the top ranked defense in the league and number two,
which happened to be Tennessee this year. And then when
you look at the points allowed, only one team in
the league allowed fewer points and that was the LA Chargers.
They allowed only two fewer points than the Eaglesbugles at
three to zho three the Chargers at three oh one.
(18:06):
Here's the question I want to throw at you. You
mentioned Week one in Brazil. It feels like a lifetime ago,
and in NFL terms, in a lot of ways, it
is a lifetime again because because teams are so different
in January than they are in September. Is there anything
big picture, little picture that you think the Packers take
(18:30):
out of that game that becomes applicable to Sunday at
Lincoln financially finish drives.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
That was they got off to a fast start, they
didn't finish dry right in Philadelphia, and then obviously had
a couple of things go against them, and then certainly
the last play of the game with Jordan Love getting
injured sort of set the tone for the first half
of the season. But so many times, Michael and you
heard Zavier McKinney talk about it afterwards, I think everybody
pretty much touched on it. This game is about situational
(19:00):
aspects and how do you perform in the red zone,
how do you perform on third downs? We're seeing more
and more how you handle fourth downs in the National
Football League is becoming critical, and Green Bay in that
game did not do a good enough job on once
it punched the ball inside the twenty. It's the hardest
area of the field to score in, but you gotta
find ways to get six or seven points out of it.
(19:21):
And I feel like green Bay playing on that surface,
having to go down there make the travel that they did.
Both teams had to do it, but that is a
very difficult way to start a season. But I thought
at the same time, it taught them some very important
lessons that sort of carried through the games where green
Bay has been dominant this year. The games in which
they've been successful is when they are limiting the penalties.
(19:43):
It's when they are getting off to fast starts, it's
when they are converting on those those third down situations
and red zone opportunities. All those things have to happen
against Philadelphia because if you don't, I mean this offense,
the way that they're structured, they are going to put
up points. How do you counter that.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Said about the red zone, I think speaks volumes for
how these big time, important games unfold. Just look at
that regular season finale Sunday Night Football between the Lions
and the Vikings playing for the number one seed in
the NFC and a first round by yep, the loser
is going to drop all the way to the five seed,
the Vikings, I believe it has had eleven goal to
(20:21):
go plays, eleven goal to go plays and did not
get a touchdown in that game. That's astounding. And yes,
the final score is thirty one to nine, and it
goes in the books as a blowout for the Detroit Lions,
but the Vikings had ample opportunity to be right there
and even take the lead at certain times in that game.
(20:43):
But when you can't finish drives, especially against good teams,
it becomes very difficult to make up for those opportunities, right.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
So, and the other thing.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That I take from the week one game back in Brazil,
and this sort of goes without saying, of course, when
it comes to a playoff game and it's the best
of the best you know for the season going head
to head, But what happened in Brazil speaks to how
facing teams like this, it is always going to be
a four quarter game. Because when I think back to
(21:15):
we're watching that game at Arena Corinthians, we had talked
all week long about, Okay, the Packers need to contain
Saquon Barkley in this debut that he's making for the
Philadelphia Eagles, and we had seen a couple years prior
how Jalen Hurts and you know, as a running threat
at quarterback can hurt the Packers with his legs and
(21:36):
you need to contain the quarterback and whatever. And quite frankly,
for three quarters in Brazil, the Packers did a pretty
good job on Saquon Barkley, and they did a pretty
good job not letting Jalen Hurts beat them with his legs.
But then look at what happened in the fourth quarter.
Barkley got out, Hurts got out the long whatever was
seventeen eighteen play drive when it's a two point game,
(21:59):
but they put together a seventeen eighteen play drive that
kills like the back half of the fourth quarter and
left the Packers without a realistic chance. Yeah, playing the
playing a full four quarters is what it's going to take.
And that was shown to Green Bay against this team
right away in Week one.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
One hundred percent. And it was funny to me too
because the Saquon game, remember telling you this, It almost
was we were watching the Giants game all over again
from December of twenty three, where it was they took
a really good job against Saquon and then he started
breaking them down. But it's not just about, Okay, how
the Packers are defending him. That's what Saquon does. He
will hit you with jabs until he finally finds that
(22:43):
opening to hit you with the knockout blow, to get
you right across and hit you with that shot that
you don't see coming. That's what Green Bay has to
curb against in this thing. And you're not asking me
for keys the victory right now. But the Packers, somehow,
some way have to be the better running football team.
They have to be better in the trenches than Philadelphia
because Jalen hurts. You know, hopefully everything's good with him physically, psychologically,
(23:05):
everything that comes along with having a concussion and missing
as much time as he did. But that being said,
he's been on the ice here for a little bit.
He's been on the sideline a little bit. You wouldn't
anticipate he's gonna come back and be his prime peak self.
You don't want to give him the rushing attack that
allows him to get comfortable in those ways. Saquon Barkley
has been a very difficult puzzle for the National Football
(23:27):
League to solve this but this season. But if the
Packers are to continue playing if they are going to
find their way in Detroit for the divisional round, that
is the number one thing on the checklist that must
be taken care of.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, this is what I think is so interesting about
this matchup, And we'll be talking about it throughout the week.
We'll have stuff on the website and whatnot. But this
running back matchup Saquon Barkley Josh Jacobs. Barkley obviously the
NFL's leading rusher. I didn't see exactly where Jacob's the.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
End of finishing fifth. Was it fit because of how
many guys ended up playing and how he.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Right exactly, And that was the whole thing going into
the final game. You know, Jacobs maybe had a chance
to climb as high as third, but we knew he
wasn't necessarily going to play the whole game against the Bears.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Michael I apologize. Jonathan Taylor also got up there. So
it was Barkley, Henry b John Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Jamier Gibbs,
and then.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Oh so so Gibbs ended up jumping. Well, yeah, Gibbs
had the big.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Gibbs got to fourteen hundred yards this year. Yeah, fourteen
hundred and twelve.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Yeah, so Gibbs ended up jumping ahead of Jacobs as well.
But you're talking about two of the premier backs in
this league kind of in a head to head thing.
But here's what's really interesting to me about it, Wes.
The Packers have become the twenty twenty four Green Bay
Packers have very much become a run the ball, stop
the run football. Yes, this is the best rushing offense
(24:49):
the Packers have had in over twenty years. You have
to go back to two thousand and three when a
mon Green had the eighteen hundred plus yards for the
last time the Packers had a rushing offense this good.
And when is the last time we talked about Probably
you go back to two thousand and nine, Dom Caper's
first season here, twenty nine and ten, those first two
years when the Packers were very much a stop the
(25:12):
run defense, and there have been a lot of a
lot of troubles in that area since then. This is
the first time I can remember in my time here,
and this is my nineteenth season with Packers dot Com
where we're talking about the Packers going into the postseason
as a run the ball, stop the run ball team.
(25:32):
I think the Packers have done an exemplary job against
the run in the back half of the season. You
look at the running backs that they have shut down.
Really the only what I would consider the only poor
performance against the run in the back half of the
season was maybe that first game in Chicago when when
the combination of Swift and Williams and that kind of,
(25:53):
you know, jolted the Packers run defense into shape in
a lot of ways. Because since then, I think they've
done a really good job and we've seen the consistency
with the rushing offense, obviously led by Jacobs, but the
Packers ran the ball pretty darn well without Jacobs in
this last game with Chris Brooks and Emmanuel Wilson. It's
a this is a different type of Green Bay football
(26:17):
team that is entering the playoffs here, and it's just
interesting to me that they are a run the ball,
stop the run team in a playoff matchup where the
other team has the number one running back in the league.
It's sort of like you can't make it up, right.
There's there's a little bit of a little bit of
Hollywood to this in a sense, and I think it
(26:38):
makes for a great matchup Sunday afternoon early evening in Philly.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
The biggest about face that the Green Bay Packers have
made in year Oneerner Jeff Halfley, is their run defense.
And it's not just about Okay, they finished fifth or
whatever it was or seventh. Actually it's the fact that
they've finished third in yards per carry aloud. Yeah, it's
the first time I believe since twenty oh nine that
they fish under allowing four yards per carry three point
(27:03):
nine to six. They're best in the National Football League.
In Michael, the amount of buy in that is involved
with that, getting guys like Kenny Clark, Rashawn Gary, who
I think everybody agrees had his bettest run stopping season
in his career. No question, everybody wants to rush the passer.
Everybody wants to get sacks, and the Packers got plenty
of those this season, But like Philadelphia, they did it
(27:24):
as sort of an a la carte, everybody contributing to it.
Philadelphia's leading sackers, Josh Swat, I think he had eight
sacks this season. Packers it was seven and a half
with Rashawn Yeah, but they understood the bigger picture. That's
how you get to be a top ten defense. That's
how you get to be a top five defense, which
Green Bay did. They were a few yards away from
being a top three defense this season. So you need
(27:46):
to take what you've done well and you need to
build off of that. And I think being able to
have linebackers as well with Eddrin Cooper getting involved in
this thing, seeing what he has brought to the table
as a run defender and being able to shoot gaps
and get that guys down for TFLs. TJ. Slayton, I
thought came alive in the second half of the season
kind of trading into the backfield. That has been a
catalyst to what Green Bay has accomplished. So yeah, this is,
(28:09):
you know, the immovable object in the unstoppable force here
kind of coming together and seeing who prevails. But there's
a reason why they put this game at three point
thirty in that spotlight and that slot on Sunday afternoon.
This is a matchup that I think everybody wants to
see and it's going to take all sixty minutes are
to prevail.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yeah, I think you mentioned the guys that are the
biggest difference in the Packers' run defense from early in
the season to where they are now. It's Rashaan Gary
having his best season of his career against the run.
It's TJ. Slayton coming on in the second half of
the season in the middle there, and it's the presence
of Edger and Cooper, who was barely playing early in
(28:48):
the season then obviously dealt with injuries and has been
a force against the run down the stretch here. And
I think you know, there's not a lot in terms
of how Barkley ran the ball against the Packers back
in Week one in Brazil that necessarily is going to
apply to this game, because this is a different Packers
run defense now that they've got four months of games
(29:09):
under Jeff Haffley and his scheme and the way they
want to do it. That being said, you're not gonna
be able to win this game just by stopping the run,
just by stopping Saquon Barkley, because the Philadelphia Eagles are
much more complete than that. But the Packers are. The
Packers are in a position to where as you said
at the beginning of this, they can shock the football
(29:31):
world because of how they're built, because they are run
the ball, stop the run football team. And I'll take
that into the postseason anytime.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Yeah, And like I'm going to talk up the Eagles.
You win fourteen games, you have the season that they did,
you give that respect. Yeah, But I also don't want
to paint the image here that this is some unbeatable opponent, right.
Jalen Hurts had a very rough twenty twenty three. He
bounced back for the most part this season, but you know,
he still didn't have a three thousand yard passing season.
(30:01):
You know, obviously was the number two back running you know,
producer to Saquon Barkley this year with a few more
yards than Kenneth Gainwell, and protected the ball much better.
That's why they got to where they got to this
year and why they were able to be more consistent
areas that they weren't last season. But ultimately, you know,
with DeVante Smith, the threat that he provides, it's not
(30:22):
like this offense is a is an overall jugger, not
that you cannot find ways to stop. And I think
that's the lesson and sort of the message that has
to get preached this week with Jeff Haffleys. We got
the guys we need to contend with any offense in
the National Football League and realistically, if you want to
make a run, much like the Packers did in twenty ten,
(30:42):
this is the type of opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles,
that you're going to have to find a way to beat.
And I will say this one last time, Michael. I
understand the Packers lost six games. I understand five of
those that came against the division. I understand they had
two shots against Dallas and excuse me, Detroit and Minnesota,
and they didn't take advantage of it. Right, But if
you're going to set the table and change the narrative
(31:05):
and get things going in your direction, improving that this
truly is a new season, coming back and closing the
gap against Philadelphia after they beat you in Brazil in
the opener, I think there is no better tone setter
for Green Bay than that.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, I agree, and can't wait for Sunday to get here.
We'll have more to talk about with regard to the
Packers and Eagles on our next show. We'll also take
a look at the entire Wildcard slate around the NFL. Saturday,
Sunday Monday, It's going to be three days of some
tremendous playoff football.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Eighteen teams, Michael are done fourteen. Teams are still playing
football right now. The Green Bay Packers are one of those.
At this point, it no longer matters how you got here.
It certainly didn't matter in twenty ten with the Packers.
This time, this moment, this opportunity. If you want to
show that you took those strides that everybody wanted to
see in year two with Jordan Love under center, with
(31:57):
as young of a football team as the Packers have,
this is that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
And with that I will just remind folks to be
among the thousands of football fans cheering on their team's
NFL picks by joining us April twenty four through April
twenty six of twenty twenty five to for the NFL Draft.
Visit green Bay dot com slash Draft twenty five for
more information and we'll call it a rap on this
edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of
(32:24):
our coverage of the team. We'll be back in a
couple of days to continue all of the wild card
preview Packers and Eagles. It is set for the link
at three point thirty pm Central Time on Sunday for
Wes I Am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody.
We will see you next time.
Hi, everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com.
I and Mike Spafford, joined as always by my trusted
colleague Weston Hodkowitz. We're coming to you hear from our
studios at lambeau Field and Wes. It is wildcard playoff
week for the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, they are heading
into this wild card weekend coming off of a loss,
(00:38):
a second straight loss. This one, twenty four to twenty
two is the final score at home against the Chicago Bears.
A walk off field goal wins it for the Bears.
No other way to say it other than a disappointing
defeat and a disappointing way for green Bay to be
entering the postseason.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Which fans sometimes ask us about, Hey, you know, these
guys are getting paid. Hey, you know, there's very little
to play for at the end of the season other
than a seed or two. Go to that Packers' locker
room afterwards. Feel the vibes that we felt in there.
These guys were legitimately disappointed. They wanted to win that
football game. Yes it was to keep the streak going
against the Chicago Bears. Yes it was to end the
(01:17):
Bears seasons with eleven straight losses. Yes, it was to
potentially make a run at that sixth seed, but let's
be honest, Michael, it's the competition of these guys, the
drive that these guys have. They wanted to go into
the playoffs with that feeling of victory, with that momentum
on their side. As Jordan Love said afterwards, they don't
have that now. But who cares? The big key to
(01:39):
this game? For me, the part that was the hardest
for me to leave the building with on Sunday night
was the fact that you did lose Christian Watson. It
was a fact that Jordan Love did get nicked up.
You don't want to see anyone get injured at any time,
but obviously a regular season finale with very little on
the line that always hurts the most, and unfortunately for
Christian toughed it out. He went out there. Romeo Dobbs
(02:01):
catches a bug, Christian tries to go out there and
then ultimately ends up with the with the acl tear.
That being said, the Packers have to march on. They
have to continue this trek through the postseason and try
to learn from what they can from that lost to Chicago.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, Unfortunately, it's been some bad news on the health
front a couple weeks in a row now here for
the Packers. A week ago we find out that JayR
Alexander would not be coming back for the postseason, and
now Christian Watson suffers an ACL tear that obviously will
put the beginning of the twenty twenty five season and
possibly a good portion of the twenty twenty five season
(02:37):
in jeopardy for him. You mentioned Romeo Dobbs had come
down with an illness. It sounds like he is doing
better here as as the Packers begin their preparations for Philadelphia.
Jordan Love banged his elbow on the ground. Sounded like
kind of a funny bone nerve type of issue. He
left the game. Sounded like if it was absolutely necessar there,
(03:00):
he could have gone back in. The Packers played the
high side of caution there and kept Love out, although
he was getting ready to go in because late in
the game, Malik Willis ended up kind of banging his thumb.
I believe it was on the long pass to Malik
Heath down the field that set up the touchdown in
the fourth quarter. So there was some question as to
(03:22):
whether Willis was going to be able to finish the game.
It sounds like both of those guys are going to
be okay with regard to those injuries and getting ready
for the game in Philadelphia. But as Matt Lafuer said,
it's also can't necessarily guarantee anything that the reps won't
be limited in some respect. You know, It's one of
those wait and see things until Wednesday's practice. Elsewhere, on
(03:46):
the health front, safety Zane Anderson as of now, still
remains in the concussion protocol, Linebacker Kuway Walker safety Evan Williams,
both of whom have missed some time with injuries. Those
guys have not yet returned to practice. There is some
optimism that they might be available for the wild card
game in Philadelphia, but again Matt LeFleur was saying, it's
(04:07):
it's wait and see as far as Wednesday's practice, Thursday's practice.
Can they get back out there? How do they look?
Hopefully come Wednesday Thursday, when the team is back on
the practice field, maybe there'll finally be some good news
in the health department coming Green Bay's way.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
I tip my cap to katan Oladappo. He ended up
playing his most extensive playing time against Chicago didn't technically start.
Chavon Bullard started, but then Bullard went back down into
the slot of the sub packages, and that's where Aladappo entered,
a guy that spent most of the off season program
in a boot on a cart because he was coming
off that broken toad. I think he suffered at the
(04:43):
NFL scouting combine. So because of that, Zavier McKinney is
now lined up next to everybody on the active roster
at the safety position. But I think you and I
both know Mike and obviously there's the Russ factor. But
with what the Packers have to work with, the end
of last week we found out that jyr alexand not
going to probably be back this season. He went on
injured reserve. I think you and I pretty much can
(05:05):
stand in agreement at this point in time. When you
look at a Nickel subpackage, the Packers preferred lineup now
would be Evan Williams on the back end with Xavier McKinney.
Kyshawn Nixon tip your cap to him has basically become
CB number one now. Carrington Valentine has stepped up on
the other perimeter spot and it's Javon Bullard ben in
the nickel, which was where Keyshawn started the season. You
(05:28):
wrote about it last week. We'll wait and see if
they can actually get that group together. But defensively, it
appears that Green Bay is getting closer to having that
full unit together. And the thing that was the most
funny to me. As disappointing as this loss was, and
obviously they wanted to win it, but you do have
to consider Jordan Love didn't re enter the game. Josh
Jacobs had six or seven carries, six carries, Gorda's ninth touchdown.
(05:50):
It was it eight games or nine touchdowns in a row.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Eight eight games in a row with a rushing touchdown,
new franchise record, surpassing Paul Hornings streak of seven back
in nineteen sixty.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Thank you for using words for me. You did that
very well. It's okay he leaves the game. They still
run the ball pretty well, but they were making some
business decisions there in the second half. Still, you want
to win, you want to be able to get through
this thing. I just feel like for the green Bay
finishing fifth and total offense fifth and total defense sixth
in scoring defense, Like there's so much good that is
(06:24):
still with this team. I know it sucks to be
on a two game losing streak entering the playoffs, but
like you and I both did our Insider Inbox column,
then man a life like people are acting like the
sky is falling. Like I'm not saying this was a
preseason game by any means. The Packers, up until the
last thirty seconds of that game between Washington and Dallas,
still had a lot to play for with the sixth seed.
But you know, the comment I made an Insider Inbox
(06:46):
on Thursday was the Packers shocked the football world last year?
Why can't they do it again? You and I will
get into previewing Philadelphia in a little bit, But for
Green Bay, what I felt in that locker room, what
I heard from Xavier mckinne, and it sounds like McKinney
and Rashaun Gary both had some pretty strong words afterwards
trying to kind of rally the troops a little bit
going into the playoffs. I feel like this team has
(07:08):
leadership where it needs it, it has experience where it's needed,
and it still has a lot of youth. And I
think sometimes like last year, as much as they wrote
a hot streak in I also think when they got
to Dallas it was not even knowing what they were
supposed to know. Yet they played free. They played like
they were, you know, had a poker chip that just
allowed them to sit down at any table. Yeah, and
(07:28):
we'll see again now if they can do that against
the Eagles.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah. I was kind of fired up when I heard
about the kind of the postgame locker room, seeing where
some of these team leaders like Xavier McKinney and Rashaun
Gary had some words for their teammates. And what I
kind of walked away after Sunday night thinking is I
don't know if I don't know if those a if
those words are even said, but b if those words
(07:53):
even carry a whole lot of weight if the Packers
somehow had won the game.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
They don't, And McKinnie said that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And and the so in a lot of ways, I mean,
and I don't want to perseverate on the loss. I mean,
Matt Lafleur took the blame for using the time out
when the Packers kicked the go ahead field goal, and
the clock management there wasn't where it needed to be,
and the defensive call on the Bear's last play before
the walk off field goal.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
The Packers botched it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
They they botched it in multiple ways, and they and
they came away with a loss. I don't know if
that was necessarily the worst thing in the world, because
it was a game they didn't play well, they didn't
really deserve to win regardless, and maybe the message from
guys like Gary and McKinney in the locker room afterward,
(08:43):
maybe it, you know, it carries more and has more
impact because of because of the loss. Call it a
wake up call if you want to, I don't know
whatever phrase you want to use. But the Packers of
you know, they were in a good spot. I thought,
you know, the win on Thanksgiving night over Miami, followed
(09:04):
by a really hard, fought, tough, you know, down to
the wire loss to the Detroit Lions, the best team
in the NFC, on the road on a Thursday night
with you know, a crazy Detroit crowd. Then you go
on the road to Seattle, the team playing for everything,
trying to win a division title and get into the playoffs,
and the Packers quite frankly dominate the game, other than
(09:25):
a couple of mistakes that got Seattle back into it,
but the Packers finish it off and get the win.
I thought the Packers were headed for that strong finish
to the regular season. The New Orleans game, you know,
thirty four or nothing. What can you do? The Saints
weren't even like a real team that night. But then
these last two games against the two division opponents, Minnesota
and Chicago, the Packers didn't play well. And I even
(09:49):
questioned whether the comeback against Minnesota in the last nine
minutes of the fourth quarter if that might have actually
in some ways done more harm than good, because the
Packers came very close to pulling out a miracle comeback
against Minnesota. But then it becomes too easy to forget
that for fifty out of the sixty minutes, you didn't
play well against a team that against one of your
(10:10):
biggest division rivals and a team that you're trying to beat,
and a game that was really important as a playoff
tune up. So all of that big picture says that
the Packers have a lot to flush and to move
on and to just say hey, all right, let's you know,
it's it's go time now. And the way they have
(10:32):
played the last couple of weeks is not going to
cut it. And the fact that they lost to a
team that had lost ten in a row, that had
lost eleven in a row in the Packers Bears All
Time series was you know, maybe the final straw to say,
this isn't this isn't going to get it done, This
(10:53):
isn't going to cut it in the postseason, and now
it's time to get ready for a darn good Philadelphia team.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Absolutely, and I love what Matt Lafleur's message was when
you know he's looking and reflecting on this loss. I mean,
is it is March Madness time, like anything can happen.
There's fourteen teams that have a shot at this thing. Yes,
Detroit has a little bit of advantage there. You know,
Kansas City has an obvious advantage there having the buys,
But overall, anybody can take a crack at this thing.
(11:21):
Green Bay proved it last year becoming the first number
seven to beat in number two. And we're leading the
number one seed well into the fourth quarter at San
Francisco with a chance to get to the NFC Title Game.
And I go back to last year. Green Bay finished
this regular season eleven and six. Do you know who
was eleven and six last year, entering the playoffs, the
eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas Kansas
(11:41):
City Chiefs team that went four and four after its
bye week. I understand they won back to back going
into the playoffs, but they lost to Green Bay. They
lost to the Las Vegas Raiders. It isn't always about
heyn how many games in a row can you win
before you make a run. I'll be honest with you too.
I think as much as the Minnesota Vikings would have
loved to have had that number one seed, in love
to have won the North, if they enter the playoffs
(12:04):
on a ten game winning streak or whatever, that's a
tough thing to keep winning that entire time. It's like,
what kind of lessons can you learn to be able
to better you and put you in the best situation possible.
Entering the new season, Green Bay has had in back
to back weeks a real look in the mirror moment.
Minnesota didn't do enough to get the job done. You
lost on their field, yep, last week against Chicago. Yes,
(12:27):
you're missing some guys, Yes, some guys were down shifting
a little bit. You still did not like the way
you played well, what are you going to do about it?
This is your shot. As I put an insider inbox,
the lessons are over, the classes are done, You've gone
through the entire course at this point, this is the
final test. Can you pass it? Can you take everything
(12:47):
you've learned in these first eighteen weeks of the regular
season and now channel that towards a championship? And that's
what Green Bay is going to find out on Sunday
afternoon in Philadelphia.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah, well, I want to get to talking about the
Eagles here in just a minute, but I'll take care
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(13:17):
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All right. The Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley two thousand and
five rushing yards sat out Week eighteen to rest up
for the playoffs rather than go for the one hundred
and one yards he would have needed to break Eric
(13:38):
Dickerson's single season rushing record in the NFL. I totally
understand what the Eagles and coach Siriani and Barkley did there.
But Barkley's had a season for the ages. We'll see
how things go with regard to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
He's been in the concussion protocol. The expectation, I think
(14:01):
is that he will be cleared in time to play
in this game, but nothing official has been announced in
that regard yet. That offense, which also includes obviously receivers
like AJ Brown DeVante Smith, is backed up by a
defense that finished first in the league in yards allowed
and second in the league in points allowed. This is
(14:23):
a complete football team. They can run it, they can
throw it, they can shut you down on defense. This
is a this is a huge test and and this
is an Eagles team quite frankly, other than a guy
like Barkley who was the you know, the free agent
signing and whatnot, but this is an Eagles team that
(14:44):
that ended its last season on an absolutely terrible note.
They were in great position, went into a huge slump
at the end of the season, they were one and
done in the playoffs. They're back where they believe they
should have been last year, and and they're just fine
with all the attention being on Minnesota and Detroit and
everything that was going on there for the number one seed.
(15:06):
The Eagles are. The Eagles are waiting to make their run.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I mean, I have so much respect for Howie Roseman,
the way he's built this thing up, just starting on
the offensive side of the thing. The only thing they
were missing was the running back, and they found him
and to be able to take him from a division rival,
not only did you improve your rushing offense and just
an incredible fashion, you robbed the New York Giants of
(15:30):
really any semblance of hope this season in what do
you do? You put him behind one of the best
offensive lines in football? I mean, how many teams Mike
could lose? Jason Kelsey and Cam Jurgens ends up going
in at center has a Pro Bowl season, right. Makai Beckton,
who we watched him in the practices here with the
Jets a number of years ago, did not work out
(15:51):
for him. First round pick as a tackle in New
York doesn't come together. He goes to Philadelphia. He's been
their starting right guard all year. Lane Johnson's been doing
this longer than anybody. Jordan Malata, I mean, like so
many Landon Dickerson, you have this ready made offensive line
and you pair one of the best running backs of
his generation behind it. They do so many things well.
(16:14):
Devonte Smith, I mean, aj Brown was the steal of
the century a number of years ago for them. Dallas
Goddard now is back that. They are just so complete
offensively and defensively, you can't say enough. I mean, Jalen
Carter's one of the most exciting interior defensive tackles in
the league. Everybody knows what Quinnon Mitchell has done this year.
Cooper dejen that Zach Brawn signs there on a modest
(16:37):
contract ends up having a Pro Bowl season. The dangers
are everywhere with this Philadelphia Eagles team. Now that being said,
I actually think green Bay does match up okay with them.
Green Bay's rushing offense is at strength. The one area
where Philadelphia isn't completely dominant is it's rushing defense. I
think they're a very respectable tenth. They have the number
one rank pass defense in the National Football League. Which
(17:00):
started with the performance that they put together against Jordan
Love in this offense in Brazil. Yeah. So as Vic Fang,
you I thought, really proved this season. Whatever the narrative
was coming out of Miami last year, this guy still
very much has it him Dom Caper's. The principles that
they put together were their defense. This thing has been
as ready made to be able to be as functional
(17:23):
and as adaptable as any scheme that we've seen in
the last thirty thirty five years, and really that was
the missing piece for Philadelphia this season.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, it's interesting to statistically because of that. When you
look at that number one ranking in fewest yards allowed,
the Eagles allowed more than five hundred fewer yards than
anybody else.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
In the league.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
It's astounding to see the difference in the total yardage
between the top ranked defense in the league and number two,
which happened to be Tennessee this year. And then when
you look at the points allowed, only one team in
the league allowed fewer points and that was the LA Chargers.
They allowed only two fewer points than the Eaglesbugles at
three to zho three the Chargers at three oh one.
(18:06):
Here's the question I want to throw at you. You
mentioned Week one in Brazil. It feels like a lifetime ago,
and in NFL terms, in a lot of ways, it
is a lifetime again because because teams are so different
in January than they are in September. Is there anything
big picture, little picture that you think the Packers take
(18:30):
out of that game that becomes applicable to Sunday at
Lincoln financially finish drives.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
That was they got off to a fast start, they
didn't finish dry right in Philadelphia, and then obviously had
a couple of things go against them, and then certainly
the last play of the game with Jordan Love getting
injured sort of set the tone for the first half
of the season. But so many times, Michael and you
heard Zavier McKinney talk about it afterwards, I think everybody
pretty much touched on it. This game is about situational
(19:00):
aspects and how do you perform in the red zone,
how do you perform on third downs? We're seeing more
and more how you handle fourth downs in the National
Football League is becoming critical, and Green Bay in that
game did not do a good enough job on once
it punched the ball inside the twenty. It's the hardest
area of the field to score in, but you gotta
find ways to get six or seven points out of it.
(19:21):
And I feel like green Bay playing on that surface,
having to go down there make the travel that they did.
Both teams had to do it, but that is a
very difficult way to start a season. But I thought
at the same time, it taught them some very important
lessons that sort of carried through the games where green
Bay has been dominant this year. The games in which
they've been successful is when they are limiting the penalties.
(19:43):
It's when they are getting off to fast starts, it's
when they are converting on those those third down situations
and red zone opportunities. All those things have to happen
against Philadelphia because if you don't, I mean this offense,
the way that they're structured, they are going to put
up points. How do you counter that.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Said about the red zone, I think speaks volumes for
how these big time, important games unfold. Just look at
that regular season finale Sunday Night Football between the Lions
and the Vikings playing for the number one seed in
the NFC and a first round by yep, the loser
is going to drop all the way to the five seed,
the Vikings, I believe it has had eleven goal to
(20:21):
go plays, eleven goal to go plays and did not
get a touchdown in that game. That's astounding. And yes,
the final score is thirty one to nine, and it
goes in the books as a blowout for the Detroit Lions,
but the Vikings had ample opportunity to be right there
and even take the lead at certain times in that game.
(20:43):
But when you can't finish drives, especially against good teams,
it becomes very difficult to make up for those opportunities, right.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
So, and the other thing.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
That I take from the week one game back in Brazil,
and this sort of goes without saying, of course, when
it comes to a playoff game and it's the best
of the best you know for the season going head
to head, But what happened in Brazil speaks to how
facing teams like this, it is always going to be
a four quarter game. Because when I think back to
(21:15):
we're watching that game at Arena Corinthians, we had talked
all week long about, Okay, the Packers need to contain
Saquon Barkley in this debut that he's making for the
Philadelphia Eagles, and we had seen a couple years prior
how Jalen Hurts and you know, as a running threat
at quarterback can hurt the Packers with his legs and
(21:36):
you need to contain the quarterback and whatever. And quite frankly,
for three quarters in Brazil, the Packers did a pretty
good job on Saquon Barkley, and they did a pretty
good job not letting Jalen Hurts beat them with his legs.
But then look at what happened in the fourth quarter.
Barkley got out, Hurts got out the long whatever was
seventeen eighteen play drive when it's a two point game,
(21:59):
but they put together a seventeen eighteen play drive that
kills like the back half of the fourth quarter and
left the Packers without a realistic chance. Yeah, playing the
playing a full four quarters is what it's going to take.
And that was shown to Green Bay against this team
right away in Week one.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
One hundred percent. And it was funny to me too
because the Saquon game, remember telling you this, It almost
was we were watching the Giants game all over again
from December of twenty three, where it was they took
a really good job against Saquon and then he started
breaking them down. But it's not just about, Okay, how
the Packers are defending him. That's what Saquon does. He
will hit you with jabs until he finally finds that
(22:43):
opening to hit you with the knockout blow, to get
you right across and hit you with that shot that
you don't see coming. That's what Green Bay has to
curb against in this thing. And you're not asking me
for keys the victory right now. But the Packers, somehow,
some way have to be the better running football team.
They have to be better in the trenches than Philadelphia
because Jalen hurts. You know, hopefully everything's good with him physically, psychologically,
(23:05):
everything that comes along with having a concussion and missing
as much time as he did. But that being said,
he's been on the ice here for a little bit.
He's been on the sideline a little bit. You wouldn't
anticipate he's gonna come back and be his prime peak self.
You don't want to give him the rushing attack that
allows him to get comfortable in those ways. Saquon Barkley
has been a very difficult puzzle for the National Football
(23:27):
League to solve this but this season. But if the
Packers are to continue playing if they are going to
find their way in Detroit for the divisional round, that
is the number one thing on the checklist that must
be taken care of.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, this is what I think is so interesting about
this matchup, And we'll be talking about it throughout the week.
We'll have stuff on the website and whatnot. But this
running back matchup Saquon Barkley Josh Jacobs. Barkley obviously the
NFL's leading rusher. I didn't see exactly where Jacob's the.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
End of finishing fifth. Was it fit because of how
many guys ended up playing and how he.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Right exactly, And that was the whole thing going into
the final game. You know, Jacobs maybe had a chance
to climb as high as third, but we knew he
wasn't necessarily going to play the whole game against the Bears.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Michael I apologize. Jonathan Taylor also got up there. So
it was Barkley, Henry b John Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Jamier Gibbs,
and then.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Oh so so Gibbs ended up jumping. Well, yeah, Gibbs
had the big.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Gibbs got to fourteen hundred yards this year. Yeah, fourteen
hundred and twelve.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
Yeah, so Gibbs ended up jumping ahead of Jacobs as well.
But you're talking about two of the premier backs in
this league kind of in a head to head thing.
But here's what's really interesting to me about it, Wes.
The Packers have become the twenty twenty four Green Bay
Packers have very much become a run the ball, stop
the run football. Yes, this is the best rushing offense
(24:49):
the Packers have had in over twenty years. You have
to go back to two thousand and three when a
mon Green had the eighteen hundred plus yards for the
last time the Packers had a rushing offense this good.
And when is the last time we talked about Probably
you go back to two thousand and nine, Dom Caper's
first season here, twenty nine and ten, those first two
years when the Packers were very much a stop the
(25:12):
run defense, and there have been a lot of a
lot of troubles in that area since then. This is
the first time I can remember in my time here,
and this is my nineteenth season with Packers dot Com
where we're talking about the Packers going into the postseason
as a run the ball, stop the run ball team.
(25:32):
I think the Packers have done an exemplary job against
the run in the back half of the season. You
look at the running backs that they have shut down.
Really the only what I would consider the only poor
performance against the run in the back half of the
season was maybe that first game in Chicago when when
the combination of Swift and Williams and that kind of,
(25:53):
you know, jolted the Packers run defense into shape in
a lot of ways. Because since then, I think they've
done a really good job and we've seen the consistency
with the rushing offense, obviously led by Jacobs, but the
Packers ran the ball pretty darn well without Jacobs in
this last game with Chris Brooks and Emmanuel Wilson. It's
a this is a different type of Green Bay football
(26:17):
team that is entering the playoffs here, and it's just
interesting to me that they are a run the ball,
stop the run team in a playoff matchup where the
other team has the number one running back in the league.
It's sort of like you can't make it up, right.
There's there's a little bit of a little bit of
Hollywood to this in a sense, and I think it
(26:38):
makes for a great matchup Sunday afternoon early evening in Philly.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
The biggest about face that the Green Bay Packers have
made in year Oneerner Jeff Halfley, is their run defense.
And it's not just about Okay, they finished fifth or
whatever it was or seventh. Actually it's the fact that
they've finished third in yards per carry aloud. Yeah, it's
the first time I believe since twenty oh nine that
they fish under allowing four yards per carry three point
(27:03):
nine to six. They're best in the National Football League.
In Michael, the amount of buy in that is involved
with that, getting guys like Kenny Clark, Rashawn Gary, who
I think everybody agrees had his bettest run stopping season
in his career. No question, everybody wants to rush the passer.
Everybody wants to get sacks, and the Packers got plenty
of those this season, But like Philadelphia, they did it
(27:24):
as sort of an a la carte, everybody contributing to it.
Philadelphia's leading sackers, Josh Swat, I think he had eight
sacks this season. Packers it was seven and a half
with Rashawn Yeah, but they understood the bigger picture. That's
how you get to be a top ten defense. That's
how you get to be a top five defense, which
Green Bay did. They were a few yards away from
being a top three defense this season. So you need
(27:46):
to take what you've done well and you need to
build off of that. And I think being able to
have linebackers as well with Eddrin Cooper getting involved in
this thing, seeing what he has brought to the table
as a run defender and being able to shoot gaps
and get that guys down for TFLs. TJ. Slayton, I
thought came alive in the second half of the season
kind of trading into the backfield. That has been a
catalyst to what Green Bay has accomplished. So yeah, this is,
(28:09):
you know, the immovable object in the unstoppable force here
kind of coming together and seeing who prevails. But there's
a reason why they put this game at three point
thirty in that spotlight and that slot on Sunday afternoon.
This is a matchup that I think everybody wants to
see and it's going to take all sixty minutes are
to prevail.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
Yeah, I think you mentioned the guys that are the
biggest difference in the Packers' run defense from early in
the season to where they are now. It's Rashaan Gary
having his best season of his career against the run.
It's TJ. Slayton coming on in the second half of
the season in the middle there, and it's the presence
of Edger and Cooper, who was barely playing early in
(28:48):
the season then obviously dealt with injuries and has been
a force against the run down the stretch here. And
I think you know, there's not a lot in terms
of how Barkley ran the ball against the Packers back
in Week one in Brazil that necessarily is going to
apply to this game, because this is a different Packers
run defense now that they've got four months of games
(29:09):
under Jeff Haffley and his scheme and the way they
want to do it. That being said, you're not gonna
be able to win this game just by stopping the run,
just by stopping Saquon Barkley, because the Philadelphia Eagles are
much more complete than that. But the Packers are. The
Packers are in a position to where as you said
at the beginning of this, they can shock the football
(29:31):
world because of how they're built, because they are run
the ball, stop the run football team. And I'll take
that into the postseason anytime.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Yeah, And like I'm going to talk up the Eagles.
You win fourteen games, you have the season that they did,
you give that respect. Yeah, But I also don't want
to paint the image here that this is some unbeatable opponent, right.
Jalen Hurts had a very rough twenty twenty three. He
bounced back for the most part this season, but you know,
he still didn't have a three thousand yard passing season.
(30:01):
You know, obviously was the number two back running you know,
producer to Saquon Barkley this year with a few more
yards than Kenneth Gainwell, and protected the ball much better.
That's why they got to where they got to this
year and why they were able to be more consistent
areas that they weren't last season. But ultimately, you know,
with DeVante Smith, the threat that he provides, it's not
(30:22):
like this offense is a is an overall jugger, not
that you cannot find ways to stop. And I think
that's the lesson and sort of the message that has
to get preached this week with Jeff Haffleys. We got
the guys we need to contend with any offense in
the National Football League and realistically, if you want to
make a run, much like the Packers did in twenty ten,
(30:42):
this is the type of opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles,
that you're going to have to find a way to beat.
And I will say this one last time, Michael. I
understand the Packers lost six games. I understand five of
those that came against the division. I understand they had
two shots against Dallas and excuse me, Detroit and Minnesota,
and they didn't take advantage of it. Right, But if
you're going to set the table and change the narrative
(31:05):
and get things going in your direction, improving that this
truly is a new season, coming back and closing the
gap against Philadelphia after they beat you in Brazil in
the opener, I think there is no better tone setter
for Green Bay than that.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, I agree, and can't wait for Sunday to get here.
We'll have more to talk about with regard to the
Packers and Eagles on our next show. We'll also take
a look at the entire Wildcard slate around the NFL. Saturday,
Sunday Monday, It's going to be three days of some
tremendous playoff football.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Eighteen teams, Michael are done fourteen. Teams are still playing
football right now. The Green Bay Packers are one of those.
At this point, it no longer matters how you got here.
It certainly didn't matter in twenty ten with the Packers.
This time, this moment, this opportunity. If you want to
show that you took those strides that everybody wanted to
see in year two with Jordan Love under center, with
(31:57):
as young of a football team as the Packers have,
this is that opportunity.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
And with that I will just remind folks to be
among the thousands of football fans cheering on their team's
NFL picks by joining us April twenty four through April
twenty six of twenty twenty five to for the NFL Draft.
Visit green Bay dot com slash Draft twenty five for
more information and we'll call it a rap on this
edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of
(32:24):
our coverage of the team. We'll be back in a
couple of days to continue all of the wild card
preview Packers and Eagles. It is set for the link
at three point thirty pm Central Time on Sunday for
Wes I Am Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody.
We will see you next time.
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