Hi, everybody.

Welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com.

I am Mike Spoffor, joined by my partner Everything Packers, Wes Hodkowitz.

Coming to you hear from our studios at Lambeufield, and we'll start by apologizing for not having our Tuesday, our normal Tuesday episode this week yet again, an unexpected cancelation of an episode.

We will try to make up for it.

We will try to make up for it today.

So to mulligans, h Mulligan.

Yeah, now we don't have any more can't can't miss anymore Tuesdays, can miss anymore Tuesdays or Thursdays at work?

Well, so let's try to cover it all here as best we can, rushing through perhaps a little bit.

Twenty seven to twenty was the final score against the Giants out in New Jersey.

And this was a This was kind of a just a chaos type of game in a way the way it unfolded west not only with the Giants having Jamis Winston and various substitutes at key positions for them, but then the Packers were dealing with Jordan Love Goes out with the shoulder injury.

Milik Willis comes in leads a touchdown drive.

Josh Jacobs leads the game with a knee injury, Emmanuel Wilson has to take over, and it all came down to an interception by Evan Williams after the Packers dropped numerous interceptions throughout the course.

Of the day.

But they got a victory that they absolutely desperately needed after the two straight losses at home.

They got themselves to six three and one.

And for all the warts in this game, A, it was a victory and B there were still some pretty good performances out there across the board.

But I mean, you don't win this game without how that last five minutes went, and looking specifically at I have to say it, I mean Christian Watson.

It was my story after the game for the locker Room report.

He made four catches in this game, and I think the Packers needed every single one of them to win it.

When you go back to his one yard touchdown catch from Malik Willis, the time in which the Packers were reeling right, They're down seven to nothing the Giants for the first time the season.

I believe the defense allowed a touchdown on the opening drive for Green Bay it was the.

First time the defense allowed a touchdown in the first quarter of the season period for Green Bay.

So that Booye's my point.

No, But and then you know, Christian comes up with a really good concentration, strong hands catch.

He has two third down catches to ignite both of the next two scoring drives.

Yeah.

And then when the Chips are down double covered, Jordan Love throws a magnificent pass to him.

The go ahead score twenty to twenty seven to twenty puts Green Bay up.

At the time, the Packers struggled with drops of this game, and they struggled with pulling down interceptions.

Yeah, and it was two specific players, Watson on the offensive side of the ball and Evan Williams on the defensive side of the ball that made them right.

Because Jamis Winston does lead New York down the field, they are threatening the Packers end zone again, and Evan Williams, as we've seen this emerging playmaker, this fourth round fine from a year ago, become more and more of a general back there plays.

It perfectly comes down with the interception.

The defense responds stripsack from Micah Parson's and next thing, you know, the Green Bay Packers are six to three and one.

Yeah, the way that game unfolded, Yes, the Packers.

The Packers had drops on offense that led to the sloppiness.

The presnat penalties went away, thankfully, but then suddenly the drop passes come back.

So you're still dealing with dealing with some frustrating issues there on the defensive side of the ball.

The Giants were able to control the clock and control the game very much, played their type of game, limited possessions and all of that.

Because they were able to run the ball, they were able to move the chains.

They were converting on fourth downs multiple times.

This to me, it was it was frustrating watching the defense struggle to get off the field.

But then after the game, all I could think about was boy, I mean, there were there when you look at when you look at four potential interceptions that the Packers did not come up with in the game and throw in the third and long screen pass where Edrin Cooper has the play blown up, but at least from what I saw in the film, it looked like he went a little bit too much for the ball instead of securing the taco which would have been like a five yard loss and forced them to punt those five played.

I mean, if any one of those five plays, if the defense makes any one of those five, the whole defensive performance, I think looks different and the game unfolds completely differently.

So the Packers just had too many missed opportunities on that side of the ball, and they've got a cash in on those.

I thought.

Two other guys that I will point out as if you want to call him unsung heroes or whatever, but they rank up there in this game.

For me.

One was Saveon Williams we all saw on Twitter and everywhere else on social media getting off the bus at MetLife Stadium in a walking boot when he arrived for the game.

He did go out there and play as the kick returner, and then, as luck would have it, he's on the field for a crucial third and ten on what turned out to be the game winning touchdown drive the second touchdown by Christian Watson late in the game.

There and Williams is essentially one on one coverage.

The play goes off schedule, the pass protection holds up incredibly well a lot of it, thanks to Chris Brooks picking up the blitzing linebacker and blocking him until next Sunday, Jordan Love kind of signals for Savion to go deep, like you know, just go and he throws it up there for him knowing it's one on one, it's a fifty to fifty ball, and Saveon Williams comes down with it for a thirty three yard perception, converts the third and ten, sets up the touchdown to Watson.

Just an incredible play with everything that that has been dealing with with his his foot injury, to start the day in a walking boot and to then do that.

The other one then is punter Daniel Wheelan that punt at the end of the game after the Packers were trying to run out the clock, they didn't get a first down, they had to punt in the final minute and give the ball back to the Giants.

I believe it was officially a sixty one yard punt.

With the wind and the way and everything that was going on.

He absolutely he hit as perfect a punt as you could hit.

And the Giants returner actually did an incredible job to make a play on the ball and get up field and get some yardage.

Because Wheeland not only punted at sixty one yards in those conditions, but it was right over by the boundary.

It was a very difficult punt for anybody to return, and Daniel Wheeling got a game ball from the head coach afterward.

I thought, I thought, very well deserved.

Those were some tough conditions.

Those conditions contributed to two missed extra points, and there were other issues with the snapping and the operation all that, but Daniel Wheelan came through.

And I hope for this young man's sake, we know he's still getting better, but I hope some recognition starts to come his way on the national scene for what he is doing at his position.

Yeah.

I actually thought he had a chance at NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, and then I saw what the Rams punter did.

I think he had was at four puns forty eight yards, like two of them inside the twenty, so I mean.

I guess, and one of the Rams one it literally bounced out of bounds, like inside the one yard line, like right by the pylon.

So it was a big time highlight play for LA.

Yeah, so kudos of that man.

Packers know what they got.

Daniel Wheeland, though a very talented young punter and obviously becoming a real weapon for them.

I mean, Matt Lafleur said it in the postgame scrum celebration.

I mean a field tilter, guy that is turning the field in this game for Green Bay.

I will also say this too about Savion Williams.

The energy and the enthusiasm that young man showed after that catch.

You could tell there was so much that he wanted to express in that moment, so much just internal instinctive reaction.

These are the type of things that he's been looking for this season.

Unfortunately, there's been a lot of nicks and bruises, and you know, it's not the first time we've seen a guy in the middle of the week been dealing with the boot and then playing in games.

But I don't know if I've actually seen it with the foot before.

Typically it's an ankle related injury.

So I mean the fact that he's tough in this thing out and being available for them on the kickoff return.

You're going to keep in mind Packers are already in a way kind of down to their third string punt returner and Romeo Dobbs.

I mean, Romeo wasn't a plan to have him returning punts, but that's the way this season has gone.

To still have cevi Na available in that capacity.

Oh and then, by the way, when the time comes to make a big play on the ball, him, Matthew Golden.

Both of those guys, assuming they can stay healthy.

Matthew's also dealing with the shoulder, They're going to be pivotal for the Packers during this final stretch.

Yeah.

Absolutely, And it's worth pointing out Golden did have one explosive catchdown the field and then also drew a defensive pass interference down by the goal line, which ended up being an explosive play in terms of the penalty yard setting up a touchdown for the Packers there.

And we'd be remiss before we move on to not mention you mentioned the play at the end of the game, Micah Parsons getting the strip sack.

Micah Parson's getting the sack on the fourth down in the end of a sixteen play drive.

The Giants are just grinding it out, grinding it out, controlling the clock and everything.

They're down.

The Giants are down by six points at that stage, and instead of trying to kick another field goal in those crazy wins, they decided to go for it on fourth down in the red zone and Micah Parsons.

The word I used in Insider Inbox on Monday was relentlessness.

I mean, you know, I don't know how somebody, now I don't know if he was out there for all sixteen plays, but I don't know how somebody at the end of a sixteen play drive for the defense can do what he did on that play.

I mean when you look at the film and what he had to do in order to get to Winston and to get a hold of him so that Isaiah McDuffie could come in and help finish off, you know, for the split sack.

Just an incredible play by Parsons, and it's it's one that sort of gets forgotten because of the way the game ended.

But that was a big time fourth down stop and that's why Micah Parsons is getting paid what he's getting paid.

Yeah, I mean he is John Cena man, never give up, and that guy just keeps coming.

He can't see him.

I mean, for him, we heard about this.

I mean it's probably the number one attribute he had coming out of Penn State, right.

He has this relentless motor and honestly give credit to him a conditioning regimen that keeps him in these games.

Unbelievabire.

This is not a guy that is a rotational pass rusher.

When he is right, when he knows the system, when he's healthy, he's playing seventy five eighty percent of the defensive snaps.

Yeah, and they can use him everywhere.

This is one of those games again of why you brought him in, the type of difference maker he is, and now to be at eight sacks on the season, all these pressures, all these quarterback kids, I just think it's very apropos for how he plays the game that just quietly these stats just they just bundle up in the appear right, because it's the moment Arizona, it's the games like this, it's Pittsburgh.

The guy just makes plays and then you see the totality of it at the end of the season.

So again, I was talking to him in the locker room afterwards, a bunch of us were he wasn't completely pleased with the defensive performance.

He felt like this was a game where the offense picked up the defense.

But let's be honest, Mike.

We've said it since the beginning of the year.

If the defense keeps the opponent to twenty or fewer points if they keep three touchdowns off the board, Yep, the Packer.

Well in this case they didn't because the extra point.

But if they are able to play that type of game, the Packers are going to win.

And this was another example of that.

Yeah, it was good to see.

It was certainly good to see the offense be able to put together those drives.

I mean in a limited possession game.

I'm essentially eight possessions, the Packers got four touchdowns.

That's not a bad day's work.

We do need to shift gears though, to the Minnesota Vikings.

They are coming into lambeau Field this Sunday.

It is a noon Central time kickoff.

Minnesota four and six on the season.

All sorts of talk about JJ McCarthy, the second year quarterback who's essentially in his first year after his rookie year was a washout due to injury, all the growing pains that he is going through.

We know all the weapons that the Vikings have on offense.

Justin Jefferson Addison.

I'm trying to remember Jordan Addison.

I was forgetting his first name.

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ.

Hockinson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason a whole bunch of offensive weapons around JJ McCarthy, and I'll just I'll start the discussion by saying this West for all of the growing pains that JJ McCarthy is going through, he has a road victory at Soldier Field, and he has a road victory at Ford Field in the division.

Now he's coming to Lambeau Field.

That's the JJ McCarthy that the Packers have to expect on Sunday, and the Vikings are going to give the Packers absolutely everything they can handle.

People went and took this thing about the nine comment and they've sort of it's taken on a life of its own.

Him saying that he turns into nine.

He does, though, Dude, Yeah, I mean, this is a gamer.

This is a guy that when he was at Michigan all he did was win.

When he was in high school, all he did was win.

And the thing I love about him, I think that's what's gonna booie him and help him throughout his career.

Here is he kind of has a really short memory.

Now he needs to get some of the turnovers under control.

Here is yet to get through a game with all throwing the ball to the opposition.

At the NFL level.

But he is going to for all four quarters give you everything he's got.

And let's be honest.

The game against the Bears last week, that was the perfect example of the league's leader in net differential for giveaways, takeaways and turnover margin and the team that's thirty first, right now, that was the difference.

It's not like Caleb Williams really outplayed JJ McCarthy.

Caleb Williams didn't have a turnover, he didn't throw an interception.

McCarthy did.

The Bears, once again, as they've been all season, been very opportunistic.

It's not it's just the difference in a nineteen to seventeen winner loss.

It's the difference between the Bears being seven and three and the Vikings being four and six.

Right amongst a myriad of injuries.

Now, Minnesota is healthier now.

Their injury report this week is pretty much a third of what Green Bays is.

But that being said, McCarthy is at this weird point where I'm sure if you talk to Kevin O'Connell and the coaches over there, they want him to protect the ball more.

But he also has two legitimate Pro Bowl All Pro type receivers to throw to, and the Vikings have just been in these type of games that have required him to be thrown in the fourth quarter.

So it's not going to be easy.

Like I think that's the main thing.

I mean, the Packers are six three and one, They've done a good job in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings have not losing three of their last four.

But this is going to be a big time feel, big time playoff atmosphere type game.

Yeah, no question is.

On the other side of the ball, you've got Brian Flores and his blitz crazy defense and all the different looks and fronts and bluffs and different ways that that Brian Flores wants these guys to attack.

You know, He's got Andrew van Ginkel and Jonathan Gernard on the edges.

He has Josh Mattelis and Harrison Smith at safety.

He just he has all these you know, iven pace, that linebacker Eric Wilson, the former pack Up, former Viking now back with the Vikings again.

He's got all these different pieces on defense that that he can come at you from all these different angles.

I mean, this is a this is a game that will be that will be very much about about you know, the communication on the offensive line being on your p's and q's, with the blitz pick up, who's got who, you know, all that kind of stuff.

I will say this though, last season, when the Packers went to US Bank Stadium late in the year for that big game against the Vikings, I thought Flora's defense really, you know, kind of had their way with Green Bay's offense for a good portion of the day, and it seemed like it felt like Green Bay's offense in the passing game was struggling with the man coverage that the Vikings that were playing.

What we've seen so far this year from the Packers offense is we've seen a passing offense that almost wants man coverage more often.

There's there's been there's been a shift in terms of, you know, the explosive plays that the Packers have been able to get.

They like man coverage.

They're going to take their chances with man coverage.

I think it just creates with where the Packers offense is now compared to where it was last December or January whenever that was that that Green Bay went to Minneapolis.

I think it creates a very interesting chess match because Flores is not necessarily going to be able to use the same game plan that he used late last season against this version of Green Bay's offense because some things have changed.

The way honestly, the Vikings are playing this year almost reminds me more of what Jeff Hafley's defense looked like last year, where yes, they're blitzing, but they're having to get production in terms of pressuring the quarterback from really everybody.

Eric Wilson's second in sacks right now on this defense three and a half on the year.

I mean, Andrew van Ginkel only has four quarterback hits, only has three sacks.

But you know you have Javon Hargrove that's been contributing to this thing.

Jalen Raymond is involved in this.

I think currently leads them in sacks, but they're having to facilitate it a little bit more.

And they only have three picks on the year.

So this is an opportunistic bunch.

It's a bunch that's going to throw a lot at you, and they rank in the top ten in total yards.

But it's not the same type of defense is what I saw last year when they were going up against it.

In addition to that, getting back to your original point, I think there's been an evolution with Jordan Love.

I think there's been an evolution with some of these pass catchers that they can find ways to win differently this year than last.

Where I think there was a pretty big blueprint for when green Bay was gonna have success in the downfield passing game in when they were going to struggle.

I think those lines have blurred a little bit, and on both sides there's opportunities that I think green Bay still has to take more advantage of too when they do get manned.

But that being said, I like where green Bay is at for the struggles they've had this season.

I think mentally they've crossed some bridges here.

They've crossed some hurdles because they've had to learn how to win with not necessarily always having Josh Jacobs being their main producer.

They got to be more consistent with it.

But particularly in the second halfs here the last couple of weeks, I just think Jordan Love is starting to find his stroke again like he does in these second halfs and this is gonna be an ultimate test for that against Flores.

All right, well, let's dive right into the keys to victory for Green Bay.

I'm going to start with this one because shifting the attention back to JJ McCarthy, one thing the Packers defense has done really well all season, whether they've you know, been stout against the run or had some leaks against the run, whether they're taking the ball away or not taking the ball away, this Packer's defense has hung its hat on not giving up explosives, and I think that becomes that's something that needs to continue in this game because for all of the growing pains and everything that JJ McCarthy is going through, but also what happens when he sort of morphs into that nine, that superman kind of guy.

Big plays can do that for a young quarterback, and the Packers can't allow those explosive plays to happen that are going to fuel the energy and the confidence and everything that JJ McCarthy could have in what should be a very difficult road game for him.

So that's where I start.

There's levels to this, and I agree with you on where you stand, and when we do our final thoughts for you tomorrow, I'm gonna actually have to pair this down to what I actually think the Packers win if yeah, because there's a number of things here.

One is in the most obvious.

This is I mean, anyone could walk in the studio and say the same thing.

They have to protect the football and you have to take the football away.

That's the reason why the Vikings are four and seven.

They only have three picks.

One of them was a pick six though in eighty seven yard pick sick by pick six by Rodgers.

But they've struggled to take the ball away.

They have thirteen interceptions this year if you count in also what was happening with Carson Wentz before he went down for the season.

So Green Bay has to do a better job with that.

I love the banter you and I have been going back and forth with the Insider inbox this week because I think the run defense right now is this very interesting sort of prism to look through in where they're at, and I think this Vikings rush offense is actually gonna test that because they've not had a lot of explosives this year, but they know how to drain yards, they know how to leak yards.

Jordan Mason does it really well.

It's what allowed him to emerge in San Francisco.

I don't need to really talk about Aaron Jones.

Everybody knows whether he's twenty five or thirty one, the type of threat that he is.

He's dealing with some injuries again, but when he's been out there, he's been very good for them this season.

Green Bay's run defense against the Giants was really interesting because they only allowed one big explosive play.

If they would have allowed more, it would have looked really bad on the stat sheet, but because they did hold their ground, it was manageable.

They were able to win ultimately because they didn't give up those explosives.

That being said, they.

Were not in a third and eight very often, they were not in third in line, third and long very often.

The Giants were able to half those yards the way they want to with their run game.

They were able to get into second and five, third and two, and then that's when you saw some of the downfield opportunities present themselves for Jameis Winston in the passing game.

Green Bay cannot allow that to happen against this particular opponent.

And the last thing I'll say, the Justin Jefferson effect.

We were talking with Keishawn Nixon about this in the locker room on Wednesday.

This guy is at the DeVante Adams level.

Now you can run the entire passing game through him, and they're doing that.

When JJ McCarthy needs a target, when they need yards, it's going that direction.

Even though Addison is a big threat to Jefferson is right on the cusp of being the best receiver in this league and McCarthy knows it.

Yeah.

Absolutely, I'm gonna say one more thing in terms of a key to victory here because I'm going to I'm gonna put this one on the Packers fans at Lambeau Field.

The crowd on Sunday needs to bring it.

This is a Vikings team that has played two consecutive home games and had fourteen false starts on offense eight two weeks ago, six last week.

Fourteen false starts in two games.

If this Packers Lambeau crowd can bring it on Sunday, you can have an impact on this game.

This offensive line, you know, and all the growing pains with JJ McCarthy.

The fans can have an impact on this one, and I'll be interested to see if indeed that can happen.

Thirty four sacks allowed too from that offensive line this season, so a big opportunity there I love that one, though you should you should have saved that for final thought.

Maybe what's that one?

Back up?

We'll pretend that people don't listen or don't watch both of them.

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Welcome back, to Packers.

Unscripted quickly, Wes will take a look around the rest of the league.

Week twelve, where things stand in the NFC North.

The Bears are seven and three, the Packers are six three and one, the Lions are six and four.

Aside from Packers Vikings the other games on the docket, the Pittsburgh Steelers are traveling to Chicago, and of course, all the attention right now is on Ken Aaron Rodgers protect that injured left wrist and be able to function well enough to be able to play against the Bears, and we'll just have to wait and see in that regard.

But this Steelers Bears game should be an interesting one.

The Lions are at home against the Giants.

The Lions coming off of a tough loss on Sunday Night Football in Philadelphia, a low scoring affair the much like the game against the Eagles at Lambeau the previous week.

But the Bears are the team sitting in first place in the NFC North right now.

The last time the Bears were in first place this late in the season was in twenty eighteen, which was the last time they won the division.

It was when Matt Nagy was winning coach of the year when Mitch Trubisky was their starting quarterback and when their season ended on the double doink in the playoffs.

But it is the Bears that are on top right now, and there will be a lot of attention on this Pittsburgh Chicago game on Sunday.

It's a great opportunity for Pittsburgh to get a quality win.

You know, That's the one thing when I was diving into it this week.

And again, you respect every opponent.

You respect every team's ability to win against the opponents that are against them.

The Bears strength of schedule is about as weak as it is in the NFL.

There's strength of victory, I believe is the weakest in the NFL right now.

So they've won the games that they've supposed to and that's why they're seven and three.

For Pittsburgh, this is a critical game.

I mean, the people are gonna make They're gonna make this about Aaron Rodgers and him and I own you and all that.

I thought Rogers did a tremendous job a diffusing that when he talked to the media on Wednesday.

But the bigger picture is Pittsburgh is at the top right now.

But they got this Baltimore Ravens team that is just surged back into the qu and the conversation.

Oh In meanwhile, they're right on the cusp also of the wildcard chase.

So this thing is wide open, as it seems right now in the North in the NFC between Pittsburgh, it's a two horse race as far as the division, but there's a chance for both of those teams to be in the wildcard conversation too.

What Aaron Rodgers does, how this goes, I don't know.

Certainly.

I would love from the narrative and the storytelling standpoint, for Rogers to get another crack at play in the Bears at Soldier Field.

I think it just makes good theater, oh, no doubt.

But that's not an easy injury to deal with.

And I don't know what kind of modifications even if he does play, you have to make to an offense in addition to just what he has to do.

Yeah, to get through that, yeah they're talking about, he needs to both be able to protect it but also be functional enough with whatever protection would be on the left wrist.

So that will be an ongoing storyline all the way up until kickoff on Sunday.

I want to get your thoughts.

No, go ahead, the Lions play whatever opponent the Packers played right the previous week.

Yeah, I said this in last week's show, but it happened again.

I didn'tven realize that the Giants were next.

Time, So the Giants are the Giants are next.

I did look it up and it actually happened earlier in the year where the Packers played the Bengals right after the Lions had played.

It was like in the reverse because that that was when the Bengals made the quarterback shift to Joe Flacco after the Lions just completely destroyed them with with Jake Browning at quarterbacks.

And then it's been it's just been a weird.

It's been a weird season.

And the Lions played the Browns after the Packers played.

Right, So this is the third time now the Browns, the Eagles, and the Giants have all been on the Lions schedule the very week after the Packers have played those those teams.

OK, No, that's all right.

One AFC game I want to get your thoughts on, and then I want to shift back to the NFC.

The Kansas City Chiefs, they actually had a late lead against the Denver Broncos.

Let it get away.

They lose to the Broncos, their chances of keeping that AFC West Division winning street going are very much in jeopardy.

But now they've also reached the point where their season is kind of on the line, and they've got to play the Indianapolis Colts, who have one of the top records in the AFC.

The Colts are coming off their bye week, I believe, an interesting game at Arrowhead Stadium because there's a lot on the line here for a team that I mean, Patrick Mahomes has never not played in the AFC Championship game, and right now we're talking about a Kansas City Chiefs team that is kind of up against it in terms of just staying in the playoff race at all.

This is why I've always said, you just have to beat the teams that are in front of you.

Man, Like the Chiefs, they haven't lost a bad game.

I mean, even the Jacksonville Jaguars are a respectable team that going down to the wire.

But it doesn't get any easier.

Man, look at this.

They got the Colts this week, then they go to Dallas.

I mean the Packers saw it.

I mean Dallas I mean they bring a little bit too close to five hundred.

They can beat anybody.

You have the Chargers still on the schedule, you have to face the Broncos again to try to They just got to get wins.

Yeah, it is about the division and everything like that.

But I think there is this element that if you can get Patrick Mahomes into the playoffs, anything can happen.

But they're struggling to get over that Mendoza mark right now.

And I don't know if there's a more confident team in the National Football League right now than the Indianapolis Colts, because the one thing the Colts have done this season is they've proven time and time age anybody can win a game for them, whether it's Daniel Jones, whether they have to lean on Jonathan Taylor.

I think they have a defense they can hang its hat on.

This season.

Very tricky opponent for the Kansas City Chiefs, and if you don't get it done at home against the Colts, now you're reeling.

Now you're almost in the run the table territory.

Yeah, absolutely, that's where that's where Kansas City is potentially hitting the danger zone.

Couple last thoughts on the NFC before we sign off Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers have lost too straight now against good teams.

They just most recently lost a shootout in Buffalo.

Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen were going at it and the Buffalo Bill's got too late touchdowns to be able to win a high scoring affair there.

But Tampa Bay now goes to La to play the Rams.

The Rams are coming off of a big victory in the NFC West over the Seahawks.

They intercepted Sam Darnold four times.

The Seahawks statistically dominated that game with the exception of turnovers, and because of the turnovers, the Rams were able to pull it out and get a big win there.

And the reason I mentioned this one is because here's the really interesting thing, Wes.

If the Rams at home, hold Serve at home, and beat the Buccaneers, then on Monday Night, Carolina is going to San Francisco with a chance to take over first place in the NFC South if the Buccaneers lose a game.

If the Buccaneers lose this week, the Carolina Panthers are playing for first place on Monday Night football.

So anyway, just curious your thoughts on that.

Well, my first thought is, and I I love him as a player.

I still don't know what the heck to make out of Bryce Young.

There's one week where it looks like he can't get over one hundred passing yards.

Last week it looked like he couldn't be stopped.

Ever, Yeah, what four hundred and forty something or whatever that he.

Had NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

I mean, and he's got some talent.

Great test for him against Robert Sala's defense.

Can't wait to see how that plays out.

I actually think independent of the divisional race with the NFC South, I think there's a lot of wild card ramifications.

I think San Francisco Carolina.

I don't know if both of them are getting into the playoffs a month from now.

I think this is a game that when you go back and look at how the season unfolds, it's probably gonna have a lot to do with where things are.

Could end up being one of those head to head tiebreaker things in the wild card picture as well.

So yeah, I'm with you there and Tampa.

This is a big challenge.

I think the Rams right now know who they are.

They've weathered injuries.

I got a hilarious kick out of DeVante Adams line last week where it was one catch on eight targets, but it was a touchdown and I think it was this thousand.

One thousand career reception.

Yeah.

Yeah, So when DeVante hits a thousand, he hits it with authority.

But this is this is a big one for Tampa and I don't know if they're going to have the traditional home field advantage a lot of teams have playing at so far, So.

Yeah, that's a that's a long way for Buccaneers fans.

I mean usually at so far when you're talking the West Coast teams, you know, San Francisco, Seattle, like, they'll all make that trip down to LA and and cheer on their team.

But Tampa Bay, that's you know, was that a five and a half hour flight or something like that, you know there.

And here's here's the other thing I'll say too, because I know we're going to talk about this more as the season goes along.

Even though the Rams are not on the Packers regular season schedule, all the you know, focus is always on fantasy football and offense.

And with the Rams you got Matthew Stafford and DeVante Adams and all that.

The Rams defense man like that is that is a unit that is a unit that that takes no prisoners like that.

The Rams have had some shaky games on offense this year, but their defense has always shown up.

And Sean mcvay's got something going on there with that defense and what they've put together personnel wise and what they're doing scheme wise, that's really been, in my opinion, that's been the story of the Rams leading the NFC West.

I think the Rams the other thing that's been great about them, And obviously Chris Shula is the coordinator there now, but when you think in the Matt Lefflor's brother Mike is the offensive coordinator.

But when you think defensively what they've done, they haven't had a lot of picks over the years, right, Let's need traded a lot of future equity to bring in players.

About two years ago they sort of.

Reset on all that and they've been hitting on those picks when they've been getting some of these high rounders I mean versus I think is probably one of the up and comers in this entire league, and.

Heck of a heck of a young pass rusher.

So for as few shots as they have had at the Apple has few mini bites that they've had the Apple, they've found superstar type talent that they've built their defenses around.

I think you're kind of seeing that again.

In addition to the fact to your point about the Seattle game, with someone like Matthew Stafford at this junction in his career, thirty seven years young, he can control a game and understand that, Okay, if my defense is going to help us win this, if Darnald is making mistakes, we can play that game too.

I just I think Sean mcvay's teams are so well coached, and they made a massive reset about three years ago and ever since then, it's like they've been on the second climb again and it has him at the top of the NFC.

Yeah, it's been Uh, it's going to be interesting to watch how it unfolds.

But with that we will call it a rap on this edition of Packers unscripted'd be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and all of our coverage of Sunday's big home game against the Vikings.

We'll have it all for you on Packers dot com for Wes Iammike, thank you for tuning in.

Everybody, we will.

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