#250 Packers Unscripted: One final push

side of the ball for the Packers. So what do you got, I mean, Alex Van Pelt, in a joking manner, said during his Thursday news conference when the assistant coaches were available, I mean, Bred Hunley's back on the road. He's been hot on the road, so you hope that that continues. Certainly, He did reiterate that you think that's that's kind of a fluke, the that the stats have turned out this year. Hunley's road passerating though you can't

argue with it. It's like and he has had a lot of fair share of success, particularly late in ball games when he's away from lambeau Field. So um, while the Packers believe that he can win games at home and believe he can throw touchdowns, at home. Um, they they're fine with riding the hot hand at Ford Field. And this is an interesting ball game, Mike, because after last week I was kind of you know, I said one of the keys of victories, I didn't anticipate they

throw more than thirty five times. They end up throwing for forty times in that weather not exactly ideal. Well, now you're in the temperate, you know, dome. So I'm really interested to see how this plays out. Its back to back years, the Packers finishing the season in Detroit, much different scenario than a year ago, where there's a lot of different while they both were in the playoffs, there's a lot of different things on the line in

terms of seating. So it'll be interesting to watch. But Hunley, definitely it starts with him and protecting the football. Yeah, And I don't know how to explain his home versus road statistics. It's it to me. I don't think it's It doesn't make a whole lot of sense because it's not as though the games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, those

road games where these pristine conditions. I mean, they were very similar, not like Minnesota last Saturday night, where it was very very cold, but he's played road games in the Chili conditions and a little bit of wind and things like that. So the difference between the home and the road statistics, to me, I'm not going to try to try to provide an explanation, but what I will say about what the Packers need to do to win this game. For me, it just comes down to making

the plays that are there. Because there were plays to be made against the Minnesota Vikings that could have put pressure on Minnesota that would have kept the Packers in the game. It was about a half a dozen drop passes, all of them would have been for first downs, would have kept drives going, would have developed some rhythm and momentum for your young quarterback, and the Packers just dropped the ball too many times. And I know there's some

accuracy issues with Brett Hunley. There were some deep balls late in the game that weren't on target, other things like that that happened. But when he does make the throw, the Packers have got to catch the ball and they've got to help out their young or back to to develop some of that rhythm and momentum. That's what they

need to do. Indoors on Sunday afternoon. Yeah, and it's gonna be an interesting matchup for the Packers here because they already know they're not gonna have Davante Adams, they won't have Jordy Nelson, Jarry Evans has been rolled out of this one. They're starting right guard for four teen games this season. So it's gonna be a lot of young guys playing in this ball game. And obviously Gerano Allison is another guy to keep an eye on two

from that regard dealing with his illness this week. So whether it is Michael Clark or Trevor Davis, um, you know, even a guy like Davante Mays, if he gets in there in the backfield, they need to make sure that that they have that chance, that they're focused in on

it and trying to make the most of it. I think back to that play and you and I discussed this of you know, it takes two to tango and Bred Hunley through a heck of a ball in that deep pass to Trevor Davis last week against Minnesota, Davis doesn't get his arms out, could have potentially with his speed, been a you know, a catch and run for a touchdown.

Didn't work. Out that way though, and then that's the small kind of room for error that you have to do with when even when you know Hunley throws a perfect ball, it doesn't mean the big play is going to happen. So it takes receivers, it takes the quarterbacks being on the same page and they look to develop another one of them against Detroit. The one thing I'll add though, he has had a lot of comfort level

with these guys. He's thrown a lot of passes the Jeff Janis and you know Michael Clark over the past, you know, three or four months, and these scout teams and in preseason, so he does have that to fall back on. Yeah, and I'm not sure the play with Davis that you talked about, I don't know if he lost the ball in the lights or just didn't see it or what happened there, because it was just really strange to see him not only not try to die for it, but didn't even really put his arms out

for it. I thought that was one of the more accurate, one of the better deep ball throws that we've seen from Brett Hunley, you know, really since the Pittsburgh game, probably in terms of really trying to take a shot down field, and whatever the circumstances were, it didn't work out. Those are the opportunities that the Packers simply can't let slip away here because hey, this uh, this Detroit Lions offense.

As we'll talk about in the next segment with the Keys to Victory on defense, this Lions offense came into Lambeau Field and kind of lit up the Packers defense last time. The Packers are going to need to score some points on Sunday in order to win this game. Try to finish the season at eight and eight. When you have an opportunity to make a play, you can't let it get away. Yeah. And I don't want to sit here and make this like I'm trying to rip

on Trevor Davis or anything like that. It's just I think it really shows you why this game, in my opinion, is so beautiful, because it takes more than one player at times to make a big play happen. Absolutely. Think even in that back shoulder throw um you can look at the Michael Clark one, you know where it didn't work out there, But think back, you know till last year when Aaron Rodgers was trying to connect with Davante Adams on that in the end zone. It's not easy.

Sometimes it takes a redo to make those things happen, and sometimes you're not afforded that opportunity. So it's time. It's things that these guys are going to develop. You know, in the more reps they get, the faster they're going to play, the better it's going to be for them. In the long run. That depth chart is going to be really deep going into the off season for the

Packers that receiver. So it's gonna take, you know, these small moments in time to really allow guys like Michael Clark or you know, Trevor Davis to really cement themselves in this line up. Yeah, trying to finish on a high note. But with that, we'll toss to a breakback with more and Packers Unscripted right after this, Welcome back

to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford in this chair, Wes hodkouhits in that one in West, continuing our discussion of keys to victory, but shifting gears to the defensive side of the ball for the Green Bay Packers heading into Ford Field against Matthew Stafford and that Lions offense. What are you thinking. I think it starts with getting pressure on

Matthew Stafford in that Lion's offense. I mean, you look at his stats and I don't have them all up in front of me right now, Mike, but I will say, much like a lot of NFL quarterbacks, but I think specifically with Stafford, the more pressure you get on him, the better chances your defense is going to have, because sometimes that's where he forsakes the fundamentals. I think that's sort of been the book on him over the years. The arm, the football start coming outside arm, he'll start

throwing off his back foot a little bit more. So that's gonna be really important. And I think one of the reasons why that feeds so much into it is because of what he has outside with Marvin Jones Jr. We've seen what he's done when he's been able to really get that rhythm and time. And going with Stafford against this Packers defense, Golden Tate is a guy that has been there for a number of years, one of

the most effective, you know, possession receivers in the game. Um, I look at this Packers defense now again, as I mentioned, you're not gonna have Nick Perry in this contest claim Matthews, dealing with the hamstring injury, will have to see what he can give them. But you look at Kenny Clark inside coming off his two sack performance. You have Mike Daniels there sounds like he'll be a full go despite the shoulder injury. He stayed sustained in practice this week.

If you can get that interior pressure, that's what's gonna allow that stuff to open up a little bit more for those guys outside. Yeah, when I look at the first meeting this season between the Packers and the Lions, I think it's safe to say that Matthew Stafford got into a rhythm and the Packers never got him out

of it. And when you talk about pressure, whether it's just getting him off the spot, disrupting that passing game somehow, And it just seemed like whatever the Packers tried on that Monday night game back in November, whether it was a slot blitz, whether it was you know, the cross dog in the middle, anything they did to try to disrupt Stafford, it was like he had his guys ready, they picked everything up. He was getting the ball out on time. The Packers just never got that rhythm disrupted.

So whatever it takes, you can't let him settle in because playing at home, you know, it's going to be even more difficult to uh to hold that offense down. And this Packers defense, as I said earlier this week, I think I think they're out there. They're out playing for a little bit of pride because to me, when I look at the entire the entirety of this season, Aaron Rodgers or no, Aaron Rodgers or whatever, I think that defensive performance against the Lions on Monday night was

maybe the most disappointing one of the entire season. I think this Packers defense wants to make up for it. Yeah, I agree, Mike. And the thing that's kind of interesting too, and you go back and look at, you know, the history there against Matthew Stafford and really recently this Lions offense. It's a little bit different than most weeks because you and I will sit here at times and say, hey,

you want to try to make them one dimensional? The Lions, for better or worse, inherently are one Dimensional's been one dimensional all year long. They have this thirty second ranked rushing offense in the league. They have not had a hundred yard rusher. You know in now I think too three seasons whatever it is, spanning sixty games. I'm not saying you can take them for granted on the ground. That's not what I'm saying. They could come out and

have a good game. We talked about their new options in the backfield earlier this week, but you know where the point of emphasis is going to be. It's going to be on Matthew Stafford's arm. It's gonna be on those receivers. Eric Ebron has become a very capable tight end in the middle of the field as well, so that is where you have to be looking. The cornerbacks.

Will see again if you can get to Marius Randall out there this week with the knee injury and missed last week, with potentially match him up with with Marvin Jones Jr. You have Morgan Burnett potentially being able to go up against either Ebrun or maybe Golden Tate. They are healthier in the secondary, as strange as it sounds, it seems like going into this contest, so I think that can be a big plus for them and allow those guys up front to be able to do the

work that they need to do. Yeah, another thing you have to watch out for now with Matthew Stafford is his ability to, much like Aaron Rodgers does, to catch the defense with twelve on the field, to catch you in the middle of a substitution. And it was funny.

I asked Mike McCarthy about this just briefly in his Friday press conference and and he said, hey, don't forget about t J. Lang, sort of suggesting that it might have been Land that shared some of the secrets with Stafford as to the mechanics of it, like how you do this, what you watch for a code word? You know, all these all these things that the Packers have done over the years with Rogers to catch twelve on the field.

And I remember watching the Thanksgiving game against the Minnesota Vikings this year in Detroit, and Stafford ends up throwing like a forty yard touchdown pass on a play where he had a free play with twelve guys on the field. The twelve defender actually didn't leave the field and provided

double coverage and he completed the passwords just down anyway. Yeah, Terrence Newman, So you gotta watch out for that, because this this is just another area where Matthew Stafford has taken his game to another level compared to where he was a couple of years ago. And yes, the Lions aren't going to the playoffs this year. They've had a disappointing season. There's a lot of talk about whether Jim

Calledwell will be back as head coach or not. But Matthew Stafford is the constant with this team and I I just see him. He continues to add things to his game every time the Packers see him. Yeah, and absolutely a beautiful pass going back to that Thanksgiving game. I believe it was to Marvin Jones Jr. I think, I think you're correct. And Terrence Newman actually, a lot of Packer fans we get this a lot of inbox saying, well, if you get caught for twelvemen on the field, why

don't they just stay on the field. That's what Terrence yea, he was trying. He was trying to run off and then when the snap was made, he just turned up the sideline and ran with the wide receiver for double coverage and they completed it for a touchdown and still got it there. But that is the dynamic he adds and I mean keep in mind now. I mean Matthew Stafford is a veteran now for a number of years, he was the little brother kind of in this division.

He's eight years into this thing. He's a Pro Bowl type quarterback. He's had his ups and downs, but on any given week and go off in terms of that passing game. Packers have to be very sure about that. The one thing that I think helps screen big going into this, as strange as it sounds, the ability to play some of those young guys last week, like Reggie Gilbert, Lindsay Pipkins if he's called upon again. Those guys have some work now, they have some reps, and they produced

when they got the chance. So fresh legs to fresh legs. So we'll see again. Maybe it's Matthews, maybe it's on Modd Brooks, and maybe it looks more like the usual core pass rushers. But they know that they have Reggie Gilbert there too if they need him. All right, with that, let's toss to another breakback with more and Packers Unscripted

right after this, Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford here, Wes hodkoit's over there, and I want to talk about a little bit of a milestone that's being reached in the media world this weekend. No, it's actually not for us.

Not for us, but on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit, from the Packers Radio Network, Wayne Larvy and Larry McCarron, we'll call their three game regular season and postseason combined for the Packers Radio Network, and that is actually going to tie Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most games on the Packers Radio network as a duo. I think that's pretty cool. I mean, I grew up listening to Jim Erwin and Max McGee on the radio. Loved what they do. I love what Wayne and Larry do.

Um the fact that the Packers in essence, and I know Larry was kind of a bridge because there was a three man booth there for a while and he was a bridge, you know, to Wayne then coming in as the play by play man. But I think it's pretty neat that the pack Is now have gone all the way back to nine seventy nine when Jim Erwin and Max McGee started that they've essentially had just two radio teams going going all the way back to the

late nineteen seventies. That's pretty neat. It is neat, Mike, because I mean you even look at like with the Brewers and obviously Bob Yuker in the run he's been on, but he's had a lot of guys with them, you know, to have two guys together, that's such a special run. And I've said this, you know, many times before, and I'm sure Larry will probably get mad at me if I said it. I really hope people appreciate Larry McCarron and what he's brought, not only on the radio, but

you know, the the other avenues. I think he's one of the greatest ambassadors enfranchise history of Packers football. Um. And you know he hears so much about Bob Yuker and rightfully so one of the greatest ever do it. A multi platform type personality, I mean, I see Larry has a lot of that with the Packers though too. And for him and Wayne to have this run together, um, after that, that tremendous run over when a McGhee you

mentioned listen to them growing up. I listened to Wayne and Larry growing up as a kid, so uh that that's just the way this thing goes. And to have that, I think it connects everybody. It's the voice and how often do you see it to Mike that you and I'll answer inbox and they'll people ask or they'll mention who the court you know the announcers are for a particular game, and no disrespect to them, but they say, you know, we turned that down and we listen to

Wayne and Larry. It's it happens every week. Yeah, And I talked with Wayne and Larry for a piece I'm doing my one Last Look column that will be posted Saturday on the website is about this milestone of theirs and matching Jim and Max. And a comment that Larry made to me was really interesting. He said he really credits Jim and Max for all of those people who do exactly what you said, which is they turned down the volume on their television and they listened to the

Packers Radio Network broadcast. Because people did that with Jim Erwhen and Max McGee, they've continued it with Wayne Larvy and Larry McCarn and just to give folks the breakdown on the numbers, Jim and Max nine through game two regular season plus sixteen postseason, Wayne and Larry together beginning in nine through now this will be their three game two D eighty eight regular season and twenty four post season.

A lot more success overall for the franchise with with Wayne and Larry and uh Wayne actually told me that that's actually helped them in the sense that they didn't need to develop sort of the homespun humor that the down home folksy type of broadcast that Jim and Max did, which is what which is what really entertained people when the team was not doing so well. Wayne and Larry have covered a lot of very successful teams. They've been very much more of a hardcore XS and OS type

of team. Just interesting the way it's evolved. But but you know, hats off to to both teams for for what they've done over the years. For the Packers, It's funny you bring that up too, because I know, talking to my dad in the past two about Irwin and McGee about how that was almost kind of one of the comical things about listening to the Packers, specifically for

him in the eighties. Yeah, during some of the lean years there the fact that those guys always found a way to still keep it entertaining, keep it light and obviously, um, you know, keep you set on everything else that that's going on almost away from the field. But yeah, from from Wayne and Larry's perspective, an amazing run. They've been on some tremendous games they've been able to cover, and

certainly you know a lot more to come. Yeah, And I think we can all remember hearing those radio calls from Jim and Max back in when the Packers won the NFC Championship and we're going to the super Bowl. The joy, the unbridled joy in their voice, all those seasons that they had been through and to get there. That they really personified what Packers fans were about at that time. They did, and I recorded that too. I still have that recording on a cassette tape. I actually

paid it. Good for you there the entire time. I used to be big into that kind of stuff. That's neat. That' s neat. Well, before we go to a break west picture this, you and a friend are sitting V I P and plush leather recliners watching the Packers on the fifty yard line at lambau Field. Nice picture, isn't it. Well. If you enter Cousin Subs Best Seats in the House promotion, you and a guest could win it has to kick

back on the fifty yard line in style. Two pairs of lucky Packers fans will be chosen prior to each home game for this v I P experience. For complete rules and eligibility, go to Packers dot com, slash Best Seats, cousin subs, we believe in Better, Back with more and Packers Unscripted. Right after this, Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford alongside West, Hodkowitz and West. Here our final segment heading into Week seventeen, the playoff picture. Some spots

still to be decided in both conferences. In the NFC, You've got one spot available between the Falcons and the Seahawks. The Falcons host the Panthers. If they win it, they get it. If they lose, Seattle can get it with a victory over the Arizona Cardinals. You've got a prediction. How you think this is gonna fall. It's kind of like family few, you know, or anything. You're like, you know, it's either you get it or they have a chance to steal um. You know, I'll be honest with them.

Hoping the Falcons win this um, I think they're going to I think they're going to find a way to win at home. That Caroline is a good team. I think Atlanta finds a way to win at home and get back with a chance to defend their NFC crown. Yeah and everything. I mean, you look at the way that this conference and everything is set up right now. I just want to see the Falcons have another chance at it. I'm not saying they're gonna get on a run.

I'm not saying they're gonna have a chance to redeem themselves after last year, but it would be I think it would just be more interesting to see them have a chance to get in the playoffs and see what they can do from there. To me, Seattle, even if they win this, they're a broken team. They're they're riding

Russell Wilson right now, the defense is banged up. A lot of questions across the board there, so um and that's I'm not trying to rip on see how I'm just saying, I just don't know how compelling they would be in a playoffs scenario. I think Atlanta could make for some really interesting matchups if you get all three of those NFC sell teams in the in the big race. Yeah,

I agree with you. And on the a f C side, you have four teams right now competing for two spots, the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills, the Tennessee Titans, and the Los Angeles Chargers. Baltimore is the team in the driver's seat. They can win and get in. They can also get in fairly easily if just one of the other teams loses. Essentially, I don't know exactly the entire scenario, but I think Baltimore is going to get one of

those spots. Who gets the other one is a very interesting question because I think Tennessee is the next one with control. But they've only won like one football game in the last month or a month and a half. Yeah, they've they've slid, They've slid down. Los Angeles, the Chargers, they were hot for a while, they kind of cooled off. They lost, you know, a big game in Kansas City where they were in the hunt for that a f C West title, and then the Buffalo Bills have just

kind of hung around. They haven't been all that impressive, but they haven't fallen off the face of the earth either. Do you have any prediction here? What do you think it is interesting because I know I've read some stuff out there saying if they wouldn't have really benched tailor not to say they would have won that game, but basically the Peter the main game could end up being the one that ultimately tilts the season for them. Yeah.

Five interceptions in the first half. Yeah, whether or not that they make the playoffs here, I actually think the biggest game is probably Jacksonville and Tennessee. Tennessee is trying to squeak in. Jacksonville needs to regain himself here. I mean, they got lit up by Jimmy Garofolo, so I mean that's gonna be key. I think for them to try win this game, get themselves in the playoffs, and feel good about where they're at. Uh. To me, I've said it all along, Mike, I think Baltimore is a better

team that people give them credit for. I don't know, it's wide open. A part of me, I think would like to see Buffalo make it just because it's been so long, and think it's the longest skid right now in the NFL, right and more the Cleveland dating back to this century, they have not been to the playoffs, and their defense has played well at times. Michael Hayde obviously a Pro Bowl safety there, So I'm I think

that's the team I'm kind of looking for right now. Okay, well, it should be an interesting Week seventeen for sure, But with that we will call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot com on Twitter, you can still find him at s hod I am At, Mike Spofford at Packers for the team count. Thanks for tuning in everybody. We will see you next year. M Yeah.