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Transcript

Green and Gold Brothers Episode 11 · Green and Gold Brothers

0:04
SPEAKER_02: Hello and welcome to the Green and Gold Brothers Podcast, the place for all things Packers related.
0:10
SPEAKER_02: You can find us on X at GRNGLD Bros, on Facebook at Green and Gold Brothers, and anywhere you get your favorite podcasts.
0:23
SPEAKER_00: What a time to be a Wisconsin sports fan.
0:26
SPEAKER_00: First of all, happy victory Monday to everybody that celebrates.
0:30
SPEAKER_00: We have the Brewers who are 2-0 in their playoff series against the Padres.
0:36
SPEAKER_00: The Badgers are looking pretty good right now.
0:38
SPEAKER_00: Badgers football, probably sitting outside the top 25, 4-1 on the season.
0:44
SPEAKER_00: But the team that we're here to talk about are the boys in green, green and gold, the Packers.
0:49
SPEAKER_00: Just took down Tampa Bay 17-14.
0:53
SPEAKER_00: Got our second win of the season.
0:55
SPEAKER_00: Things are starting to slowly look up in Green Bay.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: I would agree with that.
1:00
SPEAKER_02: The score was less indicative of what they looked like.
1:04
SPEAKER_02: I think it was 17-14, as you said, but definitely could have been more.
1:10
SPEAKER_02: I think they left quite a few points out on the board.
1:13
SPEAKER_02: Obviously, the couple late turnovers inside the red zone that were, you know, pretty much I don't want to say guarantee to be points, but you assume if you don't turn the ball over, unfortunately, but if if you can hang on to the ball, you assume you're going to get at least field goals in those situations.
1:29
SPEAKER_02: And then also a little bit earlier on, uh, Bo Melton had a drop.
1:34
SPEAKER_02: It was like their second drive, I think.
1:36
SPEAKER_02: Maybe even his first drive.
1:38
SPEAKER_00: I think it was the first drive.
1:39
SPEAKER_02: It was perfect throw from Jordan up the seam.
1:42
SPEAKER_00: Third down.
1:44
SPEAKER_00: We needed it, and it was a big explosive.
1:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm thinking we probably would have scored a touchdown on that drive just based off of how things were going.
1:51
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's a big, big chunk of momentum to start the game early there on a big play like that.
1:56
SPEAKER_02: That would have put him, I think, inside the 20, or at least close to it.
1:59
SPEAKER_02: So yeah, you're talking red zone, scoring zone already, so there's points left on the board again.
2:07
SPEAKER_00: Then I don't know if you mentioned the late interception by Jordan Love there in the fourth quarter.
2:11
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: It was a really good play by the defensive back on the Buccaneers.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: Jordan did the right thing there.
2:19
SPEAKER_00: I think the player just made a hell of a play.
2:22
SPEAKER_00: He probably could have flattened the throw a little bit and maybe maybe had a different option.
2:27
SPEAKER_00: I guess I didn't really watch the whole rest of the playback afterwards.
2:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I didn't I didn't re-watch it either.
2:33
SPEAKER_02: I don't think he was necessarily predetermined that he was going to golden.
2:37
SPEAKER_02: Uh the corner definitely assumed that.
2:39
SPEAKER_02: Again, I don't think that's what actually happened, but he he took a chance and and he was right.
2:45
SPEAKER_02: If Jordan pumps or holds it for another beat, he's got John With wide open for a touchdown.
2:51
SPEAKER_02: But it's a rhythm timing throw.
2:54
SPEAKER_02: It's it's not necessarily something that anybody really did wrong.
2:57
SPEAKER_02: It was just a very nice play from the defender on that one.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, overall, we left a lot of points out there.
3:04
SPEAKER_00: Not the not the pretty pretty exciting win.
3:09
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it I kind of predicted it when we talked about that last episode.
3:12
SPEAKER_00: I figured it was going to be ugly.
3:14
SPEAKER_00: I was thinking 17-14 in my head, but I I'm not throwing predictions out there right now at this point in the year.
3:20
SPEAKER_00: It there's there's a lot to be desired, but the things that needed to get cleaned up are slowly getting cleaned up.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: Offensive line in particular, I think.
3:31
SPEAKER_00: I thought they looked good.
3:32
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
3:32
SPEAKER_00: They only one pressure on the day.
3:35
SPEAKER_00: Or sorry, six pressures, only one hit on Jordan Love.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: Kept him clean, not a single sack.
3:40
SPEAKER_02: You could tell when he started to feel more comfortable too.
3:44
SPEAKER_02: Like you could see the time he had in the pocket, and he was, you know, two or three strap, three-step, five-step drop, back foot, boom, and he was hitting it.
3:53
SPEAKER_02: It was just it looked a lot better.
3:56
SPEAKER_02: So it was 17-14, it was a little ugly.
4:01
SPEAKER_02: But honestly, it feels probably the best so far coming out of this week.
4:08
SPEAKER_02: I think there's there's the most positives coming out of this one.
4:12
SPEAKER_02: Uh at least from uh a playing and I guess ability, maybe not ability, but just sort of they're they're kind of hitting their stride, hopefully, moving forward here.
4:24
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the run game was the most effective it's been all year.
4:28
SPEAKER_00: Uh you had mentioned already, just getting the ball out of Love's hands quicker.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: I think he had his highest completion percentage on the season.
4:36
SPEAKER_00: At there were certain points where the offense was looking good, and I could kind of see, you know, glimpses of last year getting things figured out again, kind of getting in a rhythm.
4:45
SPEAKER_00: And it's been the case for us for a while now.
4:49
SPEAKER_00: We get in our own way with pre-snap penalties, turnovers, dropped passes.
4:55
SPEAKER_00: Those are the things they need to clean up.
4:56
SPEAKER_00: And if they clean them up, I'm really excited for where this team's gonna go.
5:00
SPEAKER_02: They've had a good offense under Matt LaFleur.
5:03
SPEAKER_02: I don't think they finished outside the top ten as an offense.
5:06
SPEAKER_02: So it's there.
5:07
SPEAKER_02: The ability is there, the the playbook, the everything is it's there.
5:11
SPEAKER_02: The formula they have.
5:12
SPEAKER_02: So it's just comes it comes down to the cohesiveness, both on the offensive line and just the offense in general, and then you know, making plays when they're there and stop shooting yourself in the foot, like you said, the the penalties and a couple turnovers that just kill you.
5:30
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you can't have that against good teams.
5:33
SPEAKER_02: Tampa's now 0-4, so you can't really argue that the game that the Packers played would have been able to beat a better team.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
5:43
SPEAKER_00: Um, I guess we'll hop into some injuries here right away.
5:47
SPEAKER_00: I think everybody knows at this point.
5:50
SPEAKER_00: Our boy Edrin Cooper, done for the season with the ruptured Achilles.
5:55
SPEAKER_00: This one hurts.
5:56
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's I know I know losing Micah last year hurt, and we're gonna get him back here in a couple weeks.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, this is the second most important player on our defense.
6:06
SPEAKER_00: When Mike is out there, Micah's number one.
6:08
SPEAKER_00: Edrin Cooper, in my opinion, number two, his ability just to do so many things at such a high level and such a young player, it's a devastating injury.
6:19
SPEAKER_02: You you could see the difference last year in the playoff game when he went out.
6:22
SPEAKER_00: You could see the difference yesterday when he went out too.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: True.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: Tampa started moving the ball a little more.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: I think that's when they scored their second touchdown after he went out.
6:31
SPEAKER_02: And it's just, yeah, he he does so much for the defense that doesn't necessarily show up on the stat sheet, even though a lot of it does.
6:38
SPEAKER_02: There's he's not the the signal caller, he doesn't have the green dot, but he just knows where to be.
6:44
SPEAKER_02: And with him knowing where to be, everybody else plays off of that, and it's it's gonna be a tough one to overcome.
6:51
SPEAKER_02: I think they hopefully can.
6:54
SPEAKER_02: I mean, again, it's it's gonna be hard, but they've got McDuffie who has played a lot of football for the Packers.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: He used to be a starter for us, and he's had over a hundred tackles in a season.
7:05
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm I'm confident that he's gonna he's gonna do the right things.
7:10
SPEAKER_00: I don't think you're gonna get the extra stuff like you get out of Cooper.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: That's a lot to ask out of a guy like Isaiah McDuffie.
7:17
SPEAKER_00: And then you got Tyrone Hopper, former third-round pick.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: I think the staff, the coaching staff, they're super excited about him.
7:24
SPEAKER_02: Matt LaFleur gave him a ton of praise today.
7:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
7:26
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I I missed the question.
7:28
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if they asked him about it or if it was unprompted, but either way, he was very complimentary and almost excited about getting Hopp on the field.
7:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he says he's been doing all the the right things the last few years here, the fundamentals, just understanding the game.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: You know, things are slowing down for him.
7:44
SPEAKER_00: So I guess we'll look for him to be more involved.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: He's gonna have to be at this point.
7:50
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
7:51
SPEAKER_02: I think that was one of the questions they asked, you know, what what has he done to improve his game?
7:56
SPEAKER_02: And Matt kind of looked at him and he's like, everything.
7:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, he li listed off like five key traits.
8:02
SPEAKER_02: Basically, from the time that he got here, he's a different player, is what he said, I think.
8:06
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, that one hurts.
8:08
SPEAKER_00: Just gutted for him.
8:10
SPEAKER_00: And I know it's only four weeks into the season, but he was trending to be all pro.
8:17
SPEAKER_00: The numbers he threw out just in the first four weeks.
8:20
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he had a huge pick yesterday.
8:22
SPEAKER_00: You do the math on it.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: I mean, and I know every week you can't just throw out the same stats and say this guy's only put this up every week, but in my opinion, he was definitely trending towards Pro Bowl, all pro and we'll s we'll see next year.
8:38
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully he comes back, and that's a tough injury to overcome too as a middle linebacker.
8:42
SPEAKER_00: As a player in general.
8:44
SPEAKER_00: It is.
8:44
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I was just talking about this with a coworker today, actually, that it's very interesting.
8:51
SPEAKER_02: In the past, it's felt like you know, guys used to get, and I'm talking like, I don't know, 10, maybe even 15 years ago, there were like five, maybe it felt like Achilles injuries a year, and sometimes almost more often than not, they were career enders.
9:09
SPEAKER_02: Now you're getting five almost every other week.
9:13
SPEAKER_02: You know, that it's becoming a much more common injury, but I do think it's a little bit easier to come back from.
9:21
SPEAKER_02: Uh Kirk Cousins has come back from it, Aaron Rodgers has come back from it, and these are guys, you know, at the end of their careers that this has happened, that they've come back.
9:28
SPEAKER_02: Uh Dre Greenlaw is another one that comes to mind, same position as Coop that it happened to him, and he's been a solid player.
9:36
SPEAKER_02: It maybe took a bit, and it might with Coop, but we'll see.
9:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I got high hopes for him.
9:42
SPEAKER_00: I think he's motivated and young enough.
9:45
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
9:45
SPEAKER_00: That helps.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: Uh Brandon CSA will talk about.
9:48
SPEAKER_00: He kind of went down with a goofy little injury.
9:50
SPEAKER_00: I assumed it was a concussion, but it sure looked like it.
9:53
SPEAKER_00: Sounds like he cleared protocol instantly almost.
9:56
SPEAKER_00: They took him to the locker room.
9:58
SPEAKER_00: Maybe a neck stinger, something to the neck.
10:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm thinking, like you said, a stinger.
10:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh they did say that today that it was his neck and not not a concussion.
10:08
SPEAKER_02: He's not in protocol, as you said.
10:10
SPEAKER_02: So uh Matt also did say that it doesn't very short term.
10:13
SPEAKER_02: Doesn't appear to be long term at all.
10:15
SPEAKER_02: So yeah, hopefully that does just mean, you know, maybe he got took a knee to the neck or something, and that hurts at the time, but hopefully it's kind of just a bruise or something like that.
10:25
SPEAKER_00: Chris Brooks as well went down pretty early, I think in the first half.
10:29
SPEAKER_00: Ankle injury from what I was reading.
10:31
SPEAKER_00: He looked good, so that one kind of hurt, but Yeah, and Matt kind of threw it out there today that they're still doing some testing, and we'll probably have an answer later in the week.
10:41
SPEAKER_00: I'm hoping maybe ankle sprain, high ankle sprain, two I hope it's not a high ankle sprain.
10:47
SPEAKER_00: That could be a while.
10:48
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, just a normal But you're right, something minimal rather than, you know, I think it was a Taekwond Thornton for the Chiefs yesterday with the that's just a dislocated ankle, that's all they said.
10:59
SPEAKER_00: He caught the pass for first down and stood up to celebrate and fell down because his foot was facing the wrong way.
11:04
SPEAKER_00: It wasn't funny, but it kind of made me crack up later on watching it back.
11:08
SPEAKER_00: The offensive lineman ran down.
11:10
SPEAKER_00: I think it was an offensive lineman or maybe a tight end, was down the field with him celebrating, like wondering why he went down, and then the offensive lineman looked down to his ankle and he popped up instantly, looked to the sideline, and started waving medical staff over.
11:21
SPEAKER_00: Like, holy crap, his ankle is facing the wrong way.
11:24
SPEAKER_00: And then Devontae Wyatt, he ended up coming back in the game.
11:27
SPEAKER_00: Uh ankle, he kind of went down pretty hard there for a second.
11:32
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I think he might have got rolled up on from what we saw.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: And that's a big man going down.
11:38
SPEAKER_00: I thought he was down for the count, but he got back up and ended up coming back in the game, so it sounds like nothing serious there.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: Um, so we'll do some studs and duds here right away, unless there's something else I'm missing.
11:55
SPEAKER_00: I think we're just about through what we wanted to cover so far.
11:59
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, some studs and duds.
12:01
SPEAKER_00: I'll throw out a guy, Cody throws out a guy, we'll do the studs first.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: I'll throw out Evan Evan Williams.
12:06
SPEAKER_00: I know earlier when we played the Jets, we had said that that was probably his best game as a pro.
12:11
SPEAKER_00: Well, I think this was actually his best game as a pro.
12:14
SPEAKER_02: I don't think there's much question about that, regardless of the pick.
12:17
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he was everywhere.
12:19
SPEAKER_02: And yeah, I think the guy that hopefully, you know, is is the most equipped and probably the best uh has the best ability to to pick up some of that slack from missing edrin cooper, I think can be Evan Williams.
12:37
SPEAKER_02: And now I think it it it can be easy for for Jonathan Gannon to sort of lean into that.
12:43
SPEAKER_02: You know, last last week and so far this season he's been a a very nice compliment, but now maybe out of necessity, obviously out of necessity, but if if he can step up and and just be consistent, and you know, he doesn't have to be Superman every game, but if he can take that step, that year three step that he so far has shown, uh I think that definitely can be a a big pick pick me up for this defense.
13:08
SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
13:09
SPEAKER_00: Just his ability to to do every same as Hedron Cooper.
13:13
SPEAKER_00: He does everything right.
13:15
SPEAKER_00: He's solid in the in the run game.
13:18
SPEAKER_00: The interception he had was phenomenal.
13:20
SPEAKER_00: You see, he didn't even think he caught it.
13:22
SPEAKER_02: I did not see the I saw I think his in his interview yesterday that he he threw the ball down because he thought he was out of bounce, and then he saw the highlight and he's like, Oh no, I was in.
13:31
SPEAKER_02: That's funny.
13:32
SPEAKER_00: Um, his ability just as a pass rusher, too, late in the game there.
13:36
SPEAKER_00: He blitzed him in three straight plays on that last drive.
13:38
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan Gannon was not afraid to send him, and I loved his his effort there to end the game.
13:45
SPEAKER_00: Uh obviously you had him by the ankles, but the quarterback had no option there.
13:50
SPEAKER_00: He had no platform to throw on.
13:52
SPEAKER_00: He just kept him wrapped up, kind of had his legs hog tied there, you know.
13:56
SPEAKER_00: One leg was out and just relentless.
13:59
SPEAKER_02: So many times, especially from athletic quarterbacks like that, you see those guys step out of those tackles.
14:04
SPEAKER_02: So absolutely I agree with you on that.
14:06
SPEAKER_02: Where he, you know, he he had his ankle and he was holding on for dear life and wasn't letting him go.
14:10
SPEAKER_00: I loved it.
14:11
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, just looking for him to keep trending up, and I know he will.
14:14
SPEAKER_00: He's gotta step up now.
14:16
SPEAKER_02: I mean, the whole defense does, but I think if they can keep feeding into his confidence like that, uh, with what he said about feeling really good that Jonathan Gannon had the confidence in him to send him three times in a row on that last drive, and then obviously he delivered on two of the three plays.
14:32
SPEAKER_02: Actually, it was three, he flushed the quarterback on the I think the first play.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: Uh, he almost had a sack too.
14:38
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, if he can get that sort of uh a production and then just the boost from from the coaching staff, I think that can go a long way.
14:47
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: And then uh my stud, or one of my studs, I guess we got a couple so far for today.
14:53
SPEAKER_02: This guy, we just can't keep him off this list.
14:56
SPEAKER_02: He didn't have any flashy numbers yesterday uh or this Sunday, but Lucas Van Esse, he was incredibly solid.
15:05
SPEAKER_02: He was very good in the run game, he held the edge, he had a few pressures, forced quarterback out of the pocket a couple times.
15:12
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's just the the maturation that we were hoping to see from him and just the continued uh sort of confidence and and improvement from him from what we've seen in the past has been a very welcome sight and love to see it.
15:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I agree with you a hundred percent.
15:34
SPEAKER_00: He was in on every play in the backfield.
15:37
SPEAKER_00: You know, if we were getting a stop behind the line of scrimmage, or even even if the running back was getting upfield five to seven yards, I felt like he was either chasing in pursuit or he was the guy that was wrapping him up.
15:49
SPEAKER_00: He's relentless, he's doing everything right.
15:52
SPEAKER_00: This is what they were hoping for when they drafted him.
15:54
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's finally coming together.
15:56
SPEAKER_00: It's the injuries, we've talked about it a hundred times, and I hope to keep seeing him on this list.
16:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
16:03
SPEAKER_02: Especially, you know, you have to start calling it the LVN list.
16:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love it.
16:07
SPEAKER_00: Uh Jonathan Gannon is one of my studs.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: I'll pick a coach here instead of a player.
16:12
SPEAKER_00: Overall, especially down the stretch in the fourth quarter there, just dialing up those pressures.
16:19
SPEAKER_00: I like the safety blitzes that he has in his um his scheme.
16:24
SPEAKER_00: Uh X had a sack yesterday.
16:26
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that was uh on the Cooper play.
16:29
SPEAKER_02: I think both of us, um, neither of us actually saw McKinney sack him because we both saw Cooper go down right away and we our eyes were glued on him.
16:40
SPEAKER_00: Please get up.
16:41
SPEAKER_00: It went to commercial and I asked out loud, did we stop him on that play?
16:45
SPEAKER_00: We did.
16:46
SPEAKER_00: I don't don't care about I I cared about what happened.
16:49
SPEAKER_00: I'm glad we got a sack, but yeah, I was very fixated on what was going on with Edrin Cooper.
16:56
SPEAKER_02: I neither of us saw the play.
16:58
SPEAKER_00: But Gannon's doing all the right things.
16:59
SPEAKER_00: I know Atlanta last week was kind of a it was one of those games I don't think we're gonna see that very often.
17:06
SPEAKER_02: I think we ran into a superstar running back and then a quarterback getting back on his feet, and it just sort of was the perfect storm of rough.
17:15
SPEAKER_02: Um but yes, I I'm with you there.
17:17
SPEAKER_02: Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.
17:18
SPEAKER_02: No, you're good.
17:19
SPEAKER_02: I do think Gannon has the right mindset, and yeah, the the way that he has been calling games um is is a very refreshing thing to see.
17:30
SPEAKER_02: Not that Halfly was bad, but I I think I feel more comfortable this year with Gannon.
17:37
SPEAKER_00: So far through four weeks, I'm the same.
17:38
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it it it feels good to, you know, have that sort of late lead that we didn't give up.
17:45
SPEAKER_02: And I understand rookie quarterback, bad offense, they're 0-4.
17:48
SPEAKER_02: I I understand that.
17:50
SPEAKER_02: But at the end of the day, to be able to get it, to get that stop, and be able to rely on your defense is gonna go a long way in November and December, where maybe you are playing a good team and they have a good defense, and now your defense or your offense can't, you know, get anything going, and you need your defense to step up.
18:14
SPEAKER_02: I I feel comf comfortable and confident that they hopefully more times than not are gonna be able to do it.
18:20
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
18:21
SPEAKER_00: And the two turnovers we had this last week, hopefully that becomes contagious.
18:25
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully it keeps happening.
18:27
SPEAKER_00: This defense has the the playmakers to you know snag a few interceptions.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to see us force a few more fumbles, but that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
18:37
SPEAKER_00: I'll take picks all day.
18:38
SPEAKER_00: I'll take any turnover we can get.
18:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, one one last thing I wanted to mention here on Gannon.
18:43
SPEAKER_00: Today in Matt LaFleur's press conference, they I can't remember the exact question, but they had asked him, you know, down the stretch in the fourth quarter on that last drive there.
18:52
SPEAKER_00: When you heard the play call, when when you heard Jonathan Gannon's play call come through the headset, what was your reaction?
18:58
SPEAKER_00: And Matt smiled and just said, Yes.
19:00
SPEAKER_00: I loved it.
19:01
SPEAKER_00: I'm here for it, I love it.
19:03
SPEAKER_00: So just that relationship they have, you know, Gannon's allowed to do his thing, and that's how most defensive coordinators are.
19:10
SPEAKER_00: You do your thing, Matt's gonna handle the offense, but just the confidence he has and just the the good uh the back and forth that they have, I think we're we're in good hands with Jonathan Gannon, and I'm excited for the rest of the season.
19:23
SPEAKER_02: I know we did mention it before the season.
19:25
SPEAKER_02: We we brought him up as uh the hire, and then how we felt about it.
19:29
SPEAKER_02: I feel even more strongly about it.
19:32
SPEAKER_02: I think the names that were out there that we could have hired and even guys that we did interview, uh honestly, so far, I feel the best about our pick.
19:42
SPEAKER_02: I mean, Jim Leonard looks the Buffalo's defense looks fine.
19:46
SPEAKER_02: They gave up a lot of points to the Pats this weekend.
19:48
SPEAKER_02: I think they gave up quite a bit to um I forget who it was, but I think week two they gave up a bunch to Houston.
19:55
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that one was they won in the last minute.
19:58
SPEAKER_02: So I mean week one, actually.
20:01
SPEAKER_02: Maybe it was.
20:02
SPEAKER_02: It doesn't mean that he's bad, but I just I feel better that we have a former head coach, a guy that's done it, and you know, has had success.
20:11
SPEAKER_02: And as much as I wanted Jim Leonard and would have been pumped, and maybe someday it does happen one way or another, it would still be great.
20:20
SPEAKER_02: But I I am very happy with with how that has progressed so far.
20:24
SPEAKER_00: Agreed.
20:25
SPEAKER_00: So Jonathan Gannon, if you're listening, keep up the good work.
20:28
SPEAKER_00: We appreciate it.
20:30
SPEAKER_02: And then one final stud, uh mine is I was kind of torn.
20:36
SPEAKER_02: There were a couple guys um we can give a quick honorable mention to Lakin Tomlinson.
20:40
SPEAKER_02: I think just what he did as far as his experience, and you know, he didn't do anything earth-shattering, uh, but he definitely helped bring the unit together.
20:51
SPEAKER_02: But my actual stud was Travis Glover.
20:53
SPEAKER_02: I thought he went from wait, who are we starting?
20:57
SPEAKER_02: To hey, this guy actually looks pretty good.
21:00
SPEAKER_02: Uh he I know he had to play in the playoff game last year and it did not go well.
21:04
SPEAKER_00: Was it last year or two years ago against Philly?
21:06
SPEAKER_00: I know he came in.
21:06
SPEAKER_02: Maybe maybe it was.
21:07
SPEAKER_00: I think it was Philly.
21:08
SPEAKER_00: He came in and it was not good.
21:11
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I know that I saw that get mentioned today at Matt's uh press conference, and I didn't specify so.
21:16
SPEAKER_02: It might have been last year.
21:17
SPEAKER_02: Maybe I was wrong on that.
21:18
SPEAKER_02: But either way, he's he has had to play in the past and in big gotta have it moments, and it it hasn't looked good.
21:25
SPEAKER_02: So for him to be able to step in and play like he did, uh, he actually he did not give up a pressure, according to the early numbers at least.
21:33
SPEAKER_02: Um he didn't give up any pressure.
21:35
SPEAKER_02: Uh they ran the ball behind him.
21:37
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he again, he didn't do anything that's all pro worthy, but he looked good.
21:44
SPEAKER_02: And his reward for that is probably gonna be finding a spot on the bench because I think uh Kevin Zeitler's probably gonna be ready next week.
21:53
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I don't see Glover.
21:57
SPEAKER_00: I don't want to say I'm trying to think of the best way to say.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: This.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: He played well, and as fans, we should we should feel a little more comfortable knowing that we have depth piece at right guard that we can plug and play if needed.
22:11
SPEAKER_00: If injuries happen, it's Kevin Zeitler's job, and I'm assuming he's gonna be out there for the Bears this weekend.
22:16
SPEAKER_02: 100%.
22:17
SPEAKER_00: But hats off to Travis Glover.
22:19
SPEAKER_00: It's it's been our offensive line has been under a microscope the last four weeks.
22:23
SPEAKER_00: Well, a long time here, this whole offseason, but it's been on film the last four weeks, and there haven't really been any bright spots.
22:31
SPEAKER_00: And he came in and did his job very well, so hats off to him.
22:36
SPEAKER_02: We could even say, you know, go a step further and say the entire offensive line as a stud.
22:41
SPEAKER_02: Again, it wasn't perfect.
22:42
SPEAKER_02: There's still a lot to clean up, still, you know, had too many pre-snap penalties, and and there were, yes, absolutely issues.
22:50
SPEAKER_02: But the fact that Jordan didn't get hit, okay, sure, you can argue Tampa's pass rush is the worst in the league, it which it is.
22:57
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that that's just a fact.
23:00
SPEAKER_02: But they also ran for almost 100 yards, and Tampa's got a top 10 run defense.
23:05
SPEAKER_02: So for them to have virtually no running game so far this season to almost have 100 yards on the ground, again, not crazy numbers, but very much improved.
23:15
SPEAKER_02: They didn't didn't have that many yards coming into the game on the season.
23:19
SPEAKER_02: So they almost doubled, they more than doubled their output for the year.
23:23
SPEAKER_02: So that is definitely a step in the right direction.
23:26
SPEAKER_02: And yeah, good job going on the road in sort of a tough environment with that heat and you know, hostile environment on the road, like I said, and they look good.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'll just throw one thing out here on the O-line quick.
23:42
SPEAKER_00: What we saw through the first four weeks was a historically bad offensive line.
23:46
SPEAKER_00: Like you can point to all the numbers and run it through your machine and say this is one of the worst units that's probably been put out there in the last a long time.
23:55
SPEAKER_00: 10, 15 years.
23:57
SPEAKER_00: And I had mentioned it last week.
24:00
SPEAKER_00: Just get back to the basics.
24:01
SPEAKER_00: We gotta just find little things to get better at.
24:04
SPEAKER_00: They still gotta clean up the pre-snap penalties, but let's just be happy that Jordan Love didn't get sacked, and we are trending in the right direction.
24:13
SPEAKER_00: Like you said, with as historically bad as they've been.
24:17
SPEAKER_00: It's impossible to just go from it's a night and day difference, and it's impossible.
24:21
SPEAKER_00: You can't go from historically bad to all of a sudden you have the best offensive line in the league.
24:25
SPEAKER_02: Correct.
24:25
SPEAKER_02: All we're hoping for, and the goal right now should be to just be a bad offensive line.
24:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that'll be an improvement.
24:33
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
24:34
SPEAKER_00: We'll touch on some duds here, a couple couple things that just didn't look good out there.
24:41
SPEAKER_00: Bo Melton just gonna throw it out there.
24:44
SPEAKER_00: That drop was inexcusable.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: And it was he did have to lay out for it, but you gotta come up with it.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: It should have been caught.
24:51
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
24:52
SPEAKER_00: I don't think he came back.
24:54
SPEAKER_00: I don't think he was a huge part of the offense after that drop.
24:57
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if Matt kind of did a soft benching or if he just wasn't part of the personnel game plan that Matt had in mind the rest of the game, but I think a guy like Melton, I mean, you gotta you gotta make that catch.
25:13
SPEAKER_00: You gotta capitalize on that.
25:15
SPEAKER_02: He he went to the ground.
25:17
SPEAKER_02: It's not like he had to lay out and it was a fingertip, like it hit him in the arms, basically in the numbers, I guess.
25:23
SPEAKER_02: If you want to say it that way, he was kind of running away, but it was right in right in a breadbasket.
25:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, like it was a perfect throw from Jordan, and yeah, you gotta catch that.
25:32
SPEAKER_02: If you're gonna be a receiver in the NFL, it's gotta be caught.
25:34
SPEAKER_00: And we're at that point with this team.
25:36
SPEAKER_00: Jaden Reed's out for season.
25:38
SPEAKER_00: That position, that slot wide receiver position is wide open.
25:42
SPEAKER_00: You've got J.
25:43
SPEAKER_00: Michael Sturdivant, Sky Moore, Bull Melton.
25:46
SPEAKER_00: Bull Melton didn't do himself any favors.
25:48
SPEAKER_02: No, and I especially I think Savion is on track to be back this week.
25:52
SPEAKER_02: I'm thinking he'll be back.
25:54
SPEAKER_02: So, I mean, like you said, that job is is wide open.
25:57
SPEAKER_02: He's not necessarily your typical slot body, but that doesn't mean he can't do it.
26:02
SPEAKER_02: Oh, and he and sometimes getting big bodies in the slot is a mismatch.
26:05
SPEAKER_00: I think he was in the slot on that rep.
26:08
SPEAKER_00: I'd have to watch it back, but I'm fairly confident he was in the slot on that.
26:12
SPEAKER_02: I'm talking Savion.
26:13
SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry, I'm talking about Bo Melton.
26:15
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
26:15
SPEAKER_02: I'm saying Savion is a big body to play the slot.
26:19
SPEAKER_02: Gotcha.
26:19
SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry.
26:20
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry.
26:20
SPEAKER_02: But that can be a mismatch.
26:22
SPEAKER_00: Miscommunication.
26:23
SPEAKER_02: At least occasionally.
26:24
SPEAKER_02: You know, it doesn't have to be every time, but you can we saw what Christian Watson did the first couple weeks running out of the slot.
26:31
SPEAKER_02: He put up big numbers, and that's he's a big dude.
26:33
SPEAKER_02: So it's definitely a a thing that we can, you know, maybe hope for or at least play around with.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
26:39
SPEAKER_00: Overall on Melton, just expect a little more out of you.
26:42
SPEAKER_00: You're a veteran.
26:43
SPEAKER_00: You know, this team's struggling with drops as it is, and you're not helping.
26:47
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he knew.
26:48
SPEAKER_02: Like you they the camera showed him on the sideline.
26:50
SPEAKER_02: He he knew these guys all know that stuff's gotta be better.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
26:55
SPEAKER_02: It's not like they're trying to screw up and they're trying to have penalties, and they're it it's not that at all.
27:01
SPEAKER_02: It's just it comes down to focus.
27:02
SPEAKER_02: It was kind of all it is.
27:04
SPEAKER_00: Kind of a reach on a dud, but yeah, I think I just expect a little more out of him, and that was kind of the one big negative was the drop by him.
27:15
SPEAKER_00: It was such a crucial drive to get points on the board early on a third down, and we struggle to get out of our own way sometimes, and it's just it stuck with me.
27:26
SPEAKER_02: So that's totally fair, and that yeah, it it's gotta be caught, it's gotta be better.
27:31
SPEAKER_02: Uh we I'm we're getting tired of talking about it.
27:34
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
27:35
SPEAKER_02: So I think that's uh you know something to to maybe pay attention to.
27:40
SPEAKER_02: I did, I did like, and like you said, maybe it was just how they were running their plays and whatnot, but it did feel like there was some accountability there.
27:51
SPEAKER_02: And for people who get on Matt LaFleur about being, you know, too soft or whatever, if he's gonna hold guys accountable like that.
27:58
SPEAKER_02: And then even his comment about Caleb Johnson that they asked him about how do you fix the fumbling, and he said, Well, I think the bench could be a good motivator.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, to have some accountability like that.
28:08
SPEAKER_02: Your team will see that and they'll follow along.
28:11
SPEAKER_02: And the captains, and it's it trickles down from the top.
28:15
SPEAKER_02: So that was good to see.
28:16
SPEAKER_02: I did like that, and maybe we'll we'll see some more of it.
28:20
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
28:21
SPEAKER_02: Uh my duds, the officials.
28:25
SPEAKER_02: And this isn't blaming the officials saying that they missed like we should have won by more, or we didn't score enough points because of not at all.
28:34
SPEAKER_02: This is sort of a an umbrella.
28:36
SPEAKER_02: It's a leap here.
28:38
SPEAKER_02: It's a leader.
28:38
SPEAKER_02: It has been bad in the league all year.
28:41
SPEAKER_02: I mean, there were there were at least three pass interference calls, and one went for us.
28:46
SPEAKER_02: That absolutely should not have been.
28:48
SPEAKER_02: Uh, there was a PI that Tampa had on Matthew Golden on a third and goal.
28:53
SPEAKER_02: He ran a slant.
28:54
SPEAKER_02: The corner ran the route for him and broke up the play, and they threw a flag and yeah, gave us a first and goal, and we scored, I think, the next play, or maybe second and whatever.
29:04
SPEAKER_02: We scored.
29:05
SPEAKER_02: We shouldn't have had the ball.
29:06
SPEAKER_02: No.
29:07
SPEAKER_02: It should have been a fourth and goal after that.
29:08
SPEAKER_02: That was a big miss.
29:10
SPEAKER_02: And then there was the offensive pass interference on Christian Watson.
29:13
SPEAKER_00: That one drove me nuts.
29:14
SPEAKER_02: Was just terrible.
29:17
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he barely touched him.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: He Watson got flagged for offensive pass interference for just being an athlete.
29:24
SPEAKER_02: We were talking about this before we came on the mic here, and you put it perfectly.
29:28
SPEAKER_02: He, I mean, he he made the corner look bad.
29:31
SPEAKER_02: He had him flat footed.
29:32
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the corner was stuck flat footed, and he didn't know which direction Watson was going.
29:37
SPEAKER_00: Watson cut to the outside and he just did a little swim move over him, didn't push off.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: And that that corner He didn't know where he was.
29:46
SPEAKER_00: And Watson made the catch, got upfield.
29:49
SPEAKER_00: What do you know?
29:50
SPEAKER_00: Flag.
29:50
SPEAKER_00: So that that one really irritated me.
29:52
SPEAKER_02: That was basically a 30-ish plus yard play or penalty because it was a it was a 20-yard gain.
29:59
SPEAKER_00: It killed the drive.
30:00
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and then that would have been a big first down.
30:03
SPEAKER_02: They were close to midfield at that point.
30:06
SPEAKER_00: Ended up punting.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: And it went from get having the ball first and ten in midfield to a 10-yard penalty, and now you got first and 20 from your own 10.
30:13
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that one really bothered me.
30:15
SPEAKER_00: There was another one too, I think Keyshawn Nixon got flagged for a pretty ticky tack one in the third quarter, I think it was.
30:21
SPEAKER_02: And you've heard how we've talked about Keyshawn Nixon, so for us to be like, you know, that probably wasn't a penalty, I don't think it was, you know, too hard to see that it that it shouldn't have been.
30:31
SPEAKER_00: You had mentioned too, there's multiple officials that got suspended after this last weekend, yeah.
30:36
SPEAKER_00: Which is kind of crazy.
30:38
SPEAKER_00: You don't see that very often.
30:39
SPEAKER_02: I feel like they they got their uh their CBA done with the officials in the NFL.
30:45
SPEAKER_02: They they agreed on a contract and then they just decided to, you know, flex their muscles or something.
30:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
30:53
SPEAKER_00: The old Aaron Bank, or uh Aaron Banks signs a big contract and decides to get it.
30:57
SPEAKER_00: Got my money and now I'm done trying.
30:59
SPEAKER_00: Decides when he wants to play.
31:01
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, overall the drops, too.
31:03
SPEAKER_00: That's just something that we gotta fix.
31:05
SPEAKER_00: That's just an issue.
31:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna keep hammering.
31:08
SPEAKER_00: Ball security, you need to be smart with it.
31:11
SPEAKER_00: Fumbles happen, but you you gotta carry the ball.
31:14
SPEAKER_00: Like it means the world to you.
31:16
SPEAKER_00: Hold it tight.
31:17
SPEAKER_00: I I'm not a coach, I don't know the the fundamentals of everything, but it it's gotta stop.
31:23
SPEAKER_00: There's been too many fumble issues and drops and just clean it up, please.
31:27
SPEAKER_00: I'm begging you.
31:28
SPEAKER_00: Agreed.
31:29
SPEAKER_02: So, yes, the the officials, but you know, they're they're not the Packers, so I guess if you want to get more technical, it would just sort of be the team as a whole, like you said, just some of the the little attention to detail type stuff.
31:46
SPEAKER_02: And I mean, you can harp on it all you want and say that it comes down to coaching and and to a to a point it does, but at the end of the day, it still falls on the players.
31:58
SPEAKER_02: I mean, you gotta be able to hold on to the ball and know your assignment.
32:01
SPEAKER_02: And and again, so there were let's say two ticky-tac, you know, flags that were thrown on us.
32:08
SPEAKER_02: So even if you take those away, we still had six, I think.
32:11
SPEAKER_02: Um that's still too many.
32:13
SPEAKER_02: You know, doesn't need to be zero every week.
32:16
SPEAKER_02: I get it, it's gonna happen.
32:17
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes hand gets up in a face mask, the player goes the wrong way when you're you're thinking he's going the other, you get a hold.
32:25
SPEAKER_02: It stuff happens, all right?
32:26
SPEAKER_02: It's not gonna be zero every week, but it's it's gotta be cleaner.
32:30
SPEAKER_00: It seems like it just happens in the most crucial times for us too.
32:33
SPEAKER_00: That's the big thing.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: They were looking okay.
32:35
SPEAKER_00: A big play down the field.
32:37
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
32:37
SPEAKER_00: Even to start the game, that was kind of ridiculous.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: Right.
32:40
SPEAKER_00: Opening kickoff, we kick off to Tampa, and there's a flag in illegal alignment.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: They just they moved before they touched the ball.
32:48
SPEAKER_02: I feel like they got the number wrong.
32:50
SPEAKER_02: We never actually went back and looked.
32:51
SPEAKER_02: They called it on Devontae Wyatt.
32:53
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I don't think he's on kick coverage.
32:55
SPEAKER_00: I don't think our defensive tackle is playing kick coverage.
32:58
SPEAKER_00: And if he is, good for him, I guess.
33:00
SPEAKER_00: Right.
33:00
SPEAKER_00: But uh yeah, we'll hop into some bear stuff now.
33:03
SPEAKER_00: We got big uh big rivalry week.
33:06
SPEAKER_00: Looking forward to this game for a long time.
33:09
SPEAKER_00: I wish our team was playing better.
33:11
SPEAKER_02: You are?
33:12
SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm a little uh hesitant on looking forward to it.
33:16
SPEAKER_00: I guess I was in the offseason kind of looking forward to this matchup, thinking that Micah might be back.
33:22
SPEAKER_00: It's lost a lot of steam.
33:23
SPEAKER_02: No Micah, no Coop.
33:25
SPEAKER_02: Sounds pretty sure that Caleb Williams isn't gonna play.
33:29
SPEAKER_02: Uh Ben Johnson came out today and said that Tyson Bajant is gonna be the starter.
33:34
SPEAKER_02: Uh, you had mentioned as we were, you know, making our notes for this episode that maybe he's just having some gamanship here.
33:41
SPEAKER_00: Monday is a little early to announce your starting backup quarterback.
33:46
SPEAKER_02: Especially a guy that has been out with a you know short, shorter window expectation for an injury.
33:52
SPEAKER_00: Well, you had mentioned it too.
33:54
SPEAKER_00: You think if he's gonna miss four weeks, they at least put him on IR to start.
33:57
SPEAKER_00: You know, last week they would have put him on IR.
33:59
SPEAKER_00: They didn't.
34:00
SPEAKER_00: And maybe that's just because there's some cloudiness there with the injury.
34:06
SPEAKER_00: They don't know for sure what's going on, and they just want to be safe.
34:10
SPEAKER_02: That's my guess.
34:11
SPEAKER_02: I think they were maybe hopeful that it could have been like two weeks or even three.
34:15
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but now we're going on to this will be well, this will be the third week.
34:20
SPEAKER_02: So either way, I guess if he comes back next week, then you know what we're talking about doesn't make any sense because he wouldn't have needed an IR stint anyway.
34:29
SPEAKER_02: But even to to kind of protect Caleb from himself, like he's he's a competitor and very driven, and Ben Johnson has even said that you know, don't count him out, and that's totally fair.
34:44
SPEAKER_02: So I guess you know, best case scenario, he comes back early, but but he is a guy that you're you're sort of hitching your wagon to, and you would hate for him to get hurt or to re-injure it, I guess.
34:58
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
34:59
SPEAKER_00: Um two and a half point favorites.
35:02
SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, I mentioned this game got flexed recently from 325 to to noon kickoff.
35:07
SPEAKER_00: Correct.
35:08
SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of that is Caleb's out.
35:11
SPEAKER_00: Uh Packers aren't playing great right now, but I think most of it is I don't want to say the matchup lost a lot of steam.
35:18
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's what I was getting at.
35:20
SPEAKER_00: Bears open up as two two and a half point favorites at Lambeau, which is kind of crazy to me.
35:24
SPEAKER_02: But it's the first time they've been favored at Lambeau, I think, in over 20 years.
35:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's insane to me.
35:30
SPEAKER_00: It makes sense, just the matchup in general, just not what everybody was kind of anticipating.
35:36
SPEAKER_00: You know, their star quarterbacks out.
35:38
SPEAKER_00: We're starting the season two and two, but overall it it doesn't bother me like it does some people.
35:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm just excited to get to watch them.
35:47
SPEAKER_00: I like noon games.
35:49
SPEAKER_00: I yeah, I really like watching noon games.
35:51
SPEAKER_00: You can get some stuff done in the morning, watch a football team, and watch the Brewers like we did yesterday.
35:56
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if there's a chance they could be playing at the same time, so we'll see.
36:01
SPEAKER_00: Uh the Bears defense has looked much better than I had thought.
36:06
SPEAKER_00: I know they're getting some turnovers.
36:08
SPEAKER_00: They haven't really played any high-powered offenses, but they they've been leaning on that run game heavy.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: Case Keenum did some pretty good, pretty cool things two weeks ago.
36:20
SPEAKER_00: I I'm not looking forward to this game.
36:24
SPEAKER_00: I don't know why I said I was.
36:25
SPEAKER_02: They lead the league in in yard rush yards per game.
36:28
SPEAKER_02: Uh, a lot of that had to do with week one against Carolina, where they ran for about 700.
36:34
SPEAKER_02: Um, so that you know, that's gonna help.
36:36
SPEAKER_02: It wasn't actually 700, but it was, I believe, three as a team.
36:40
SPEAKER_02: They were they were right around 300 as a team, so that's gonna help your average uh right off the bat.
36:45
SPEAKER_02: Um, but they do run the ball well.
36:47
SPEAKER_02: That's gonna definitely be an emphasis for for Green Bay.
36:51
SPEAKER_02: And honestly, you you're gonna have to just kind of hang with them.
36:56
SPEAKER_02: I think I think the uglier this game is, maybe the better.
37:00
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I think it favors us if it gets ugly.
37:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
37:03
SPEAKER_02: Uh I think their their offense has looked, you know, maybe better.
37:07
SPEAKER_02: It's definitely better than us so far.
37:09
SPEAKER_02: And Ben Johnson is a heck of a coach and and play caller and play designer.
37:13
SPEAKER_02: So, yes, if it's if it's ugly, if it's lots of three and outs, or even one first down and out, like that does favor the Packers.
37:22
SPEAKER_00: Look at their game against the Vikings a few weeks ago.
37:24
SPEAKER_00: I know there was a monsoon in Chicago, but that game got ugly.
37:28
SPEAKER_00: It was a lot of punting.
37:29
SPEAKER_00: I think the Vikings ended up winning nine to three.
37:32
SPEAKER_00: I think so.
37:34
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, I think the uglier it is, if there's a lot of penalties, hopefully on the Bears, not us, or you know, if we can force Tyson Bajent to throw an interception, or if we can potentially punch out a few we can get a few fumbles in in our direction, you know.
37:51
SPEAKER_00: Even one.
37:52
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
37:52
SPEAKER_00: I think we have a chance.
37:54
SPEAKER_00: Our O-line needs to hold up, I think, with Zeitler being the starter this week.
37:58
SPEAKER_00: And I'm more than likely.
38:00
SPEAKER_00: I'm assuming he will be.
38:01
SPEAKER_00: That's gonna help.
38:02
SPEAKER_00: Maybe we can start building some continuity with the guys that are gonna be out there the rest of the season.
38:07
SPEAKER_02: If they play like they played this week, they will definitely have a chance to more than be in the game, they'll they will have a chance to win it.
38:14
SPEAKER_00: I like the game plan last week.
38:16
SPEAKER_00: I think it was pretty obvious.
38:18
SPEAKER_00: Matt wanted Jordan to get the ball out of his hands quick.
38:21
SPEAKER_00: He was very decisive with his throws.
38:23
SPEAKER_00: We had mentioned this already.
38:24
SPEAKER_00: And I think if that game plan, if if you can implement that this week against the Bears, I think it's gonna it's gonna help out a lot.
38:32
SPEAKER_02: Especially if you can eliminate some of the drops and you know, maybe maybe not a phantom pass interference on a big play where it's gonna be a little bit more fluid.
38:43
SPEAKER_02: Uh the the game should be a little bit easier to to move the ball.
38:47
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I think the weather's gonna be nice, as far as I know, at least extended.
38:52
SPEAKER_02: It can change, obviously, but as of right now, I think it's you know, warm, unseasonably warm almost, but dry.
38:59
SPEAKER_02: So definitely chance for some some high-powered offense going on.
39:04
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, win the turnover battle.
39:05
SPEAKER_00: I think you win the turnover battle if you can slow down their run game, and if like going back to the turnover battle, if we can get an interception off of Tyson, I think we have a good chance.
39:18
SPEAKER_00: You have to give your you have to give your team the most opportunities, and getting the ball back certainly helps.
39:24
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
39:25
SPEAKER_02: And it feels like across the league, you know, doesn't matter who's playing, in these division games, turnover battle is almost always your your key indicator.
39:34
SPEAKER_02: If if a team can win the turnover battle, and that goes, I mean, that goes for every game, but especially your division games, because the teams know each other, and usually you're just playing tennis.
39:45
SPEAKER_02: Like you're you're back and forth all the time because you know what what you're gonna get.
39:50
SPEAKER_02: So it's that big momentum play.
39:52
SPEAKER_02: It's a huge sack on third down, it's a it's a pick, a tip ball, a big penalty, you know, a a big punt return.
39:59
SPEAKER_02: There's usually a play or two where the game swings on one of those.
40:07
SPEAKER_02: So if we can maybe reverse course here and and have one of those go in our favor, then we we should be alright.
40:15
SPEAKER_02: We are at home.
40:17
SPEAKER_02: We're coming off granted, as ugly as it was, maybe our best performance of the season so far.
40:23
SPEAKER_00: I would say it's definitely the best.
40:25
SPEAKER_00: Overall, they fix a lot of things.
40:28
SPEAKER_00: If you can keep stepping in the right direction here against a tough opponent, if we can keep it close, I'll be happy.
40:34
SPEAKER_00: I I hate to do this.
40:36
SPEAKER_00: I d I don't think we win this game.
40:39
SPEAKER_00: Just where we're at right now as a team and just how ugly it has been.
40:46
SPEAKER_00: I think Chicago's the better team right now.
40:49
SPEAKER_00: And I I I I hope we can win.
40:52
SPEAKER_00: I really want to win.
40:53
SPEAKER_00: It's gonna drive me nuts because we're not gonna see him for another 12 weeks.
41:00
SPEAKER_00: I believe that math is right.
41:02
SPEAKER_00: Weeks pretty close.
41:03
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Christmas Day we see him again.
41:05
SPEAKER_00: So it's gonna just gonna leave a a bad taste in my mouth if we lose.
41:10
SPEAKER_00: And I believe that we can win this, but uh that's just my prediction, I think.
41:14
SPEAKER_00: So many things are going right for Chicago right now, and there's just too many things that are going wrong.
41:19
SPEAKER_00: But prove me wrong, please.
41:21
SPEAKER_00: Make me happy on Sunday, beat the Bears.
41:23
SPEAKER_00: That's fair.
41:24
SPEAKER_02: Uh I we had it as a win initially.
41:27
SPEAKER_02: Uh we did have them splitting.
41:29
SPEAKER_02: Uh that still could happen.
41:31
SPEAKER_02: It could go the other way.
41:32
SPEAKER_02: You know, we could be playing a heck of a lot better by Christmas time than we are right now.
41:36
SPEAKER_02: In fact, I'd be willing to bet that, uh, regardless of of what happens.
41:42
SPEAKER_02: But I think I think we have the formula, or at least the the the sort of blueprint, I should say, to be able to do it.
41:55
SPEAKER_02: Uh like we were just talking, I think the uglier the better.
41:58
SPEAKER_02: Unfortunately, that's not really hasn't really been our style.
42:01
SPEAKER_02: Usually the the Packers need to play clean and get the the score running up and and have it be a shootout.
42:08
SPEAKER_02: Like a shootout would probably I don't know, maybe favor us too, I guess.
42:14
SPEAKER_02: Uh maybe not favor, but I think just with Chicago having a backup quarterback and then having them need to throw the ball.
42:21
SPEAKER_02: If they can get a lead and run it and lean on that offensive line in their their run game that again is number one in the league right now, yeah, it could be a long day.
42:31
SPEAKER_02: And I I hope it's not, and I hope we can figure something out.
42:36
SPEAKER_02: The key is gonna be to get a lead.
42:38
SPEAKER_02: If we can get a lead and like I said, make them have to to throw the ball and score with us, then I think you're talking a little bit more favorable, but I'm kind of with you.
42:50
SPEAKER_02: I uh this game does worry me uh just because of where the teams are at right now.
42:56
SPEAKER_02: Again, we are technically coming off our best game of the season, so that's at least encouraging.
43:02
SPEAKER_02: But it very easily could have been a fluke, it could be something that flips now all of a sudden week the first week without Edrin Cooper.
43:11
SPEAKER_02: Um, there's a whole lot of variables going on here, probably more than even we expected.
43:16
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
43:17
SPEAKER_02: There there usually is.
43:18
SPEAKER_02: You know, the later you get in the season, injuries pile up, and you know, this was maybe uh an early target for Micah to be back.
43:26
SPEAKER_02: That's obviously not gonna happen, and there's just a lot of stuff that could go either way.
43:32
SPEAKER_02: So I'm with you.
43:33
SPEAKER_02: I don't feel great about it.
43:35
SPEAKER_02: We did have it as a win.
43:36
SPEAKER_02: I think I'm gonna stick with that.
43:38
SPEAKER_02: I think I think if they win, it's gonna be it'll be twenty to seventeen if they win.
43:50
SPEAKER_02: If i if it gets into a track meet, I'm maybe less confident, but i if it's gonna be a win, it's gonna be ugly and yeah, maybe.
44:00
SPEAKER_02: Trey Smack drilling from midfield again.
44:02
SPEAKER_00: I hate it.
44:03
SPEAKER_00: I hate that I'm picking us through the Bears, but I just I totally see where you're coming from, though.
44:09
SPEAKER_02: And it's it's hard to talk about this way.
44:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you just look at everything that's been put out there from both teams.
44:16
SPEAKER_00: And I've watched every single Bears game this season.
44:19
SPEAKER_00: Just because they're a competition, they're the team that I despise the most in the division.
44:24
SPEAKER_00: I want to see how they're playing, what they're doing, you know, what are they doing right?
44:27
SPEAKER_00: What are they doing wrong?
44:28
SPEAKER_00: And they're not doing a ton of things, they're not doing a lot of things wrong right now.
44:32
SPEAKER_02: That's fair.
44:33
SPEAKER_02: I don't know that they're necessarily doing a ton super great.
44:37
SPEAKER_00: No, I I'll agree with that, but we're struggling with penalties.
44:41
SPEAKER_00: The little things.
44:42
SPEAKER_00: We're struggling with blocking up front.
44:44
SPEAKER_00: We're struggling with just the mental aspect of it.
44:47
SPEAKER_00: And this is one of those games where things could get out of hand quick.
44:50
SPEAKER_00: Like, I hate to say it, but like look for Keyshawn Nixon to do something stupid in this game and get a flag thrown on him.
44:56
SPEAKER_00: I Yeah, that's probably gonna happen.
44:59
SPEAKER_00: And that's just gonna set me up.
45:00
SPEAKER_00: And maybe not him specifically, but it's a high-leverage game.
45:05
SPEAKER_00: Emotions are gonna be high.
45:07
SPEAKER_00: Last time we saw this team, they were bouncing us out of the playoffs last year, and then they've been running their mouths all season.
45:13
SPEAKER_00: The players, the fans, there's just so much on the line right now, and I just don't I'm just not used to things going our way here recently.
45:21
SPEAKER_02: So Yeah, this is this has been tough.
45:24
SPEAKER_02: I mean, this isn't what we're used to.
45:26
SPEAKER_02: I do think because it's not necessarily what we're used to, that it will change.
45:34
SPEAKER_02: Maybe that sounds weird, but I I don't think this is what the product is.
45:39
SPEAKER_02: I do think this is a little bit of just early on.
45:43
SPEAKER_02: I mean, we did play in the preseason.
45:45
SPEAKER_02: There the starters played.
45:47
SPEAKER_02: Uh, I think I don't know how many times I've said it, but the the continuity on the offensive line is has been non existent.
45:55
SPEAKER_02: So I think uh moving forward, if we can roll out Morgan Tomlinson, Ryan, Zeitler, and Belton consistently, and I'm sorry, like Aaron Banks, you're watching and only coming in in an emergency from now on.
46:11
SPEAKER_02: If it if it's me, I understand the money we're paying him and whatnot, but again, continuity, continuity, continuity.
46:18
SPEAKER_02: Lakin Tomlinson looked absolutely fine, and if they can get that kind of production every week, they're going to be fine.
46:26
SPEAKER_02: So to get those guys playing together is gonna be more important than what their contract looks like.
46:34
SPEAKER_00: If we were playing the Bears two weeks from now, I'd feel much better.
46:36
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I it's hard to say that, but that's a good point.
46:39
SPEAKER_02: I I would agree with that.
46:40
SPEAKER_00: I think we're starting to figure things out, and I just think we're it's gonna be too not too little, too late, but it's there we're playing them before we've got our system down.
46:55
SPEAKER_00: Or how we have too many flaws right now and we're fixing the flaws, but if we played them in two weeks from now, I'd be very confident that you know we're doing more of the little things right.
47:04
SPEAKER_02: That's a good point.
47:05
SPEAKER_02: Uh I will say, just for everybody who is sort of you know not feeling great, and maybe we're kind of included in that to an extent, but I try to be positive, but we we did mention that we definitely are glass half full.
47:19
SPEAKER_00: I'm struggling with that.
47:19
SPEAKER_02: I will throw this out there.
47:20
SPEAKER_02: I didn't tell you this, I'm sure you saw it, but the Packers have started two and two or better for the last 20 years.
47:29
SPEAKER_02: So they're right on track.
47:31
SPEAKER_02: They're they're right where they have been, right where kind of right where we need to be.
47:35
SPEAKER_02: I mean, two and two, the the NFC is struggling.
47:39
SPEAKER_02: I mean, there's a couple good teams, even Minnesota at 4-0, their offense doesn't look that good.
47:45
SPEAKER_02: So they they have some holes and you know there's some opportunity there.
47:50
SPEAKER_02: So to sit at 2-2, you're in the middle of the pack.
47:52
SPEAKER_02: I understand we're technically last in the division right now.
47:56
SPEAKER_02: There's a long way to go.
47:58
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, as as tough as it has been, and and maybe as negative as it has felt, if if you didn't watch and you just looked at the results, we're two and two.
48:12
SPEAKER_02: And we're hopefully trending in the right direction, coming off of probably our best game.
48:18
SPEAKER_02: And now now we really get into to the meat of the season.
48:22
SPEAKER_02: You typically judge it per quarter.
48:25
SPEAKER_02: And right now we're through the first quarter, we're 500.
48:28
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's that's a win.
48:30
SPEAKER_02: So now you just take the next four games and you know you split them up that way.
48:35
SPEAKER_02: So hopefully we can keep moving in the right direction and and things will turn around.
48:40
SPEAKER_02: Uh, we do have some reinforcements coming soon.
48:43
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think Josh Jacobs is gonna be back at some point.
48:46
SPEAKER_02: Uh Micah, he will be back, I promise.
48:49
SPEAKER_02: He's coming back.
48:50
SPEAKER_02: And for all the people out there who, oh well, you know, he's gonna see this team and decide not to he's signed a monster contract.
48:58
SPEAKER_02: He's got no incentive to decide not to play this year.
49:01
SPEAKER_00: He's been putting in the work with the rehab.
49:04
SPEAKER_00: You can see him on the sidelines, but he's coming back soon.
49:10
SPEAKER_00: LaFleurin mentioned today that there is kind of the same as last week.
49:16
SPEAKER_00: There are no setbacks.
49:18
SPEAKER_00: They hit the nine-month mark last week, and Mike had originally said nine months probably.
49:25
SPEAKER_00: He's n he's fine.
49:26
SPEAKER_00: There's no setback.
49:28
SPEAKER_00: He's working his butt off.
49:29
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that's exactly what Matt said.
49:31
SPEAKER_00: He's the things he's done in the last week here, they're trending in the right direction.
49:35
SPEAKER_00: I'm guessing probably next week he starts practicing.
49:39
SPEAKER_00: I don't want to say for sure, but I could see that.
49:42
SPEAKER_02: And then it'll probably be a solid three weeks.
49:45
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
49:45
SPEAKER_02: So I think he said November, which again is only three more weeks.
49:51
SPEAKER_02: If if he doesn't play this week, then it's only three more weeks of October anyway.
49:55
SPEAKER_02: So that's pretty pretty right on track.
49:57
SPEAKER_02: I mean, that would be Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, probably not Carolina on a short week on a Thursday night.
50:03
SPEAKER_02: Looking at New England, New England, which I think you did say that right at the the jump.
50:07
SPEAKER_00: So if that's accurate, yeah, New England is kind of what it's looking like.
50:12
SPEAKER_00: And we'll see.
50:13
SPEAKER_00: Maybe he starts practicing next week, and maybe he's ready to go by Detroit or Carolina.
50:18
SPEAKER_02: Or maybe, yeah, maybe the goal, he sets the goal as Carolina.
50:22
SPEAKER_02: And then then you get a long week to recover.
50:24
SPEAKER_02: So we could see it go that way too.
50:27
SPEAKER_02: There's a lot of wait and see.
50:29
SPEAKER_02: Speaking of that, I had this thought, or we had this thought collectively.
50:33
SPEAKER_02: It was mostly you.
50:34
SPEAKER_02: I think you said I I think you're right.
50:36
SPEAKER_00: You did say you brought it up, and I think I was talking like a sausage, and just emotions were high during the game against Tampa, and I had thrown an idea out there and you ran with it, but it's it's mostly yours.
50:46
SPEAKER_00: Let's hear it.
50:47
SPEAKER_02: Alright, so where we're going with that.
50:49
SPEAKER_02: When Micah does come back, we obviously lost Edrin Cooper.
50:53
SPEAKER_02: That was confirmed today.
50:54
SPEAKER_02: He tore his Achilles, so he's out for the year.
50:57
SPEAKER_02: Uh Micah Parsons, I understand he's been an edge rusher now for the last at least two years, full-time exclusive edge rusher.
51:05
SPEAKER_02: He was drafted by the Cowboys as an off ball linebacker.
51:09
SPEAKER_02: He did it in college, and the reason he got drafted so high be was because of what he did in college as an off-ball linebacker that flew around the field sideline to sideline and then rushed the passer.
51:21
SPEAKER_02: So he did all of it at an extremely high level.
51:25
SPEAKER_02: I would be curious, at least would be interested if a conversation has been had.
51:30
SPEAKER_02: The thought is fun.
51:31
SPEAKER_02: It really is.
51:32
SPEAKER_02: If they think about having Micah replace Cooper in that role.
51:36
SPEAKER_02: And Cooper, I mean, he had two and a half sacks already.
51:39
SPEAKER_02: Like he was coming after the quarterback anyway.
51:42
SPEAKER_02: So if you get a little bit more out of some of those young edge rushers right now, Baron Sorrell has been fine.
51:49
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he needs to step it up a little bit, but uh DDS, same thing, fine, you know, but he's getting his feet wet.
51:57
SPEAKER_02: Cox has honestly probably looked the best.
51:59
SPEAKER_00: I think he's looked really good.
52:00
SPEAKER_02: So if you can get any one of those guys, or even collectively, if you can get them to step up a little bit more with LVN, then I mean if you have Micah coming from the middle and playing playing the field and in cover, like it's it's exciting to think about.
52:16
SPEAKER_02: I don't necessarily think it's going to happen, but it is very exciting.
52:22
SPEAKER_02: And think about what they did with Clay Matthews.
52:24
SPEAKER_02: I understand that it is not even a fraction there, there's no coaches left from the team that did that.
52:31
SPEAKER_02: But Clay Matthews was a similar kind of guy.
52:33
SPEAKER_02: It was out of necessity, which this would be as well, but they moved Clay Matthews the middle linebacker, and he had a Pro Bowl season.
52:40
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
52:41
SPEAKER_02: I mean, he was the difference maker on a defense that needed a spark because they didn't have anybody.
52:47
SPEAKER_02: He moved to the middle, and honestly, he regained form from what he had been before.
52:53
SPEAKER_02: He sort of dropped off a little bit and then they moved him to the middle and he really took off again.
52:59
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
53:00
SPEAKER_00: I the more we talk about it, I mean, the more I want to see it.
53:05
SPEAKER_00: And I don't, I don't know, it'd be interesting.
53:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm sure I'm I'm hoping conversations happened.
53:11
SPEAKER_02: Maybe at least some packages.
53:13
SPEAKER_02: Not saying he has to be all of a sudden the new starting offball linebacker, and that's where he plays exclusively.
53:18
SPEAKER_00: And they might have some stuff worked into you know the play calls where you know he he is off the ball.
53:26
SPEAKER_00: He's kind of playing that off ball role and maybe a play or two a game.
53:32
SPEAKER_02: They've already gotten pretty creative with their formations, and you know, your your obvious passing situations where they have some of their big ends playing inside and their small ends playing outside, and they have pass rushers all over the field.
53:44
SPEAKER_02: So I trust Jonathan Gannon to figure it out.
53:47
SPEAKER_02: I'd think that it is an intriguing idea.
53:50
SPEAKER_02: It's a very fun idea.
53:51
SPEAKER_02: I don't expect it to happen, but it sure would be cool if it did.
53:56
SPEAKER_00: I might go home and play a game of Madden and put him at middle linebacker and just see what happens.
54:02
SPEAKER_02: 200 tackles on the season.
54:05
SPEAKER_00: I think that pretty much wraps it up, though.
54:07
SPEAKER_00: Uh Bears Bears this weekend.
54:11
SPEAKER_00: Let's get a win.
54:12
SPEAKER_00: Let's clean up some of the let's continue to clean up some of the smaller things that we've been struggling with.
54:17
SPEAKER_00: Let's let's go win the game.
54:19
SPEAKER_02: I I I I I feel a lot better moving forward if we can pull this one out.
54:23
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I would too.
54:24
SPEAKER_00: So thanks for listening and GoPad go.