#262 Packers Unscripted: Playoffs and Pro Bowl

is official and that announcement is out there. And we know all of Mike McCarthy's assistant coaches before we get into discussions of them. So that being said, I want to start today with a bit of Packers news that's happened since the last time we, uh we sat down here, and that is that wide receiver Davante Adams has earned his first Pro Bowl bid. He will be headed to Orlando for the Pro Bowl as an injury substitute for Atlanta's Julio Jones. Hats off to Davante Adams a well

deserved honor. Yeah, and it's actually when I saw this

news kind of pop up earlier this week. You feel good because obviously, certainly in you know, he earned this opportunity, but the way the season ended, I thought kind of, you know, robbed some of the uh, I don't want to say momentum, but some of the luster of this year for him, because it truly was another breakout season for him, and for him not to get the chance to go for a thousand yards again and having to sit on the sideline those last two weeks after the

hit from Thomas Davis, I thought, you know that that was unfair to him in the year that he had. But now to be able to kind of end it on a high note with him obviously he cleared the concussion protocol at the end of the season, he did the final locker room interviews with the media, So now the chance for him to actually go through this process get to the Pro Bowl for the first time a really good honor for him and also um as Ted

Thompson moves on to his next stage's career. I also thought it was fitting for all the second round success he had in the draft, one more guy before he steps into that new role getting a chance to go to the Pro Bowl with the likes of Greg Jennings, Jordie Nelson, Randall Cobb, the litany of guys that have made the Pro Bowl after being second round draft picks with the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, and here's an interesting statistic, excuse me that I looked up the other day. Davante Adams.

Despite missing those couple of games at the end of the season, he obviously also took the big hit from Chicago's Danny Trevathan early in the year, and he bounced back very quickly from that. He hit double digit touchdowns for the second year in a row. Do you know the last Packers receiver to actually get double digit touchdowns in the regular season in back to back years, back

to back seasons. I don't want to just sit here and wait and sit on this for two hours, so I'm gonna talk very long and and find ways extended. I'll go with Antonio Freeman, very good you hit. Yes, it is, and just surprising that for all the for all the accomplishments of Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, uh uh, you know, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, all of these guys,

and they've all had their double digit touchdown seasons. But yeah, James Jones as well, you have to go all the way back to Freeman to find somebody who actually did that in back to back years. So I thought that was kind of interesting and and and also too. Now the Packers have two players going to the Pro Bowl, and Mike Daniels and Davante Adams, and it's the first

Pro Bowl for both guys. That's kind of special. It is special, Mike, And I think it's interesting too that you bring that up because one of the big storylines this year for the Atlanta Falcons was the fact that Julio Jones end up only having I think it was one touchdown, three touchdowns somewhere in that area. This whole season. He's seen as one of the top receivers in the league. It's just not always a given that those guys are going to be able to score in the red zone.

And I think that says a lot about Adams that not only can he be the big play target, a guy that you know breaks a big forty sixty yard touchdown, but he's also really effective inside the red zone. Uh, And I think that's one of the big benefits to his game when you look at where he stands out the most on the field. And to continue this trajectory too with you know, you've seen George Nelson had the

success there. Randall Cobbs certainly put himself in that conversation, but now to extend that, uh, just it's it's something that I think, I don't know. At no point this year can I ever recall Davanta Adams saying I want to be a Pro bowl er, that's my goal for the season. But you can just tell the way he reacted to it on social media, excitement of his teammates. This was an honor. I think a lot of people

were excited for him to receive. Yeah, is there one particular catch, one particular play from seen that you felt was Davante adams best or that maybe sticks out in your memory the most, man, there were so many, um that off the top of my head, it's kind of hard to pinpoint one. I still think for his career, the one in Philadelphia year ago is still I think that shows exactly what he can be as Yeah, I would agree, I thought that. I still think that's his

best career game. And I think when you tie in every single element that that play encapsulated it. And maybe maybe you can think of one off of this season but the one. The ones that stand out to me were the finish in Cleveland with the with the the touchdown in the last thirty seconds and then also getting the overtime touchdown when he spins away from the defense and runs up the tunnel. Kept the Packers alive at

that point. As far as a catch where you know, my jaw kind of hit the floor type of play, it's one A lot of people are forgotten about it, but it was in Atlanta in week two that one down the sideline to the pylon. I didn't think he had a you know, a snowball's chance and you know where of coming down with that thing, and he grabbed that for a touchdown. I know the Packers lost that game and and all that, but that was that was one heck of a play and I'll certainly remember that

one in the memory bank. And then the one to to kind of show where he's developed as a receiver on the back shoulder connection with Aaron Rodgers, um that they had that play scouted out, mapped up. Rogers doesn't put it where he needs it to. Adams goes back, basically stares him down and just throw a better ball.

Throws the back shoulder higher one inas and that was a play too that It's it's funny because the guy's only twenty four years old at that time and he's staring down as two time MP, two time challenging him, the most accurate pastor in NFL history, challenging to throw a better ball. Rogers comes through and Adams makes the play, and again, it's just he can run the whole row tree. Here, Joe Witt talk a lot about that, the value of

a receiver that can run the whole rowd tree. Davante Adams is that guy, and it's the main reason why the Packers made sure to take care of him extend him before it ever came to free agency, because he's a big part of this offensive future. Yeah, and kudos to Daniels and Adams both making the Pro Bowl. I know when the Pro Bowl UH rosters first came out, the Packers didn't have anybody on it. We're hearing from everybody in insider inbox. This is such an indictment of

the Packers roster and everything. And you know, I pointed out, hey, back in where Aaron Rodgers missed half the year, the Packers didn't have any Pro Bowlers then either David bak tr and Uh and Eddie Lacy both ended up going as alternate. So it's not as though the Packers didn't have any Pro Bowlers. And again, a couple of alternates they get they get their opportunity here. Yeah, and that's

something people sound the alarm on. But then you also have to understand the way that the Pro Bowl works and how many alternates fall out either because of the Super Bowl or injuries. You're gonna get your chance if you're a top alternate. Now you know Davante Adams getting his opportunity as well, no doubt with that. We'll toss to a break back with more on Packers Unscripted right

after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford in this chair, West Hodkowitz and that one and West we haven't talked on the show yet based on our new production schedule. Here about the divisional playoff weekend that finished in Minneapolis, the shootout between two of the best defenses in the league in Pittsburgh. I don't know where you want to start, but it was it was quite a

weekend of NFL playoff football. I think I have to start with Jacksonville because I've been, you know, talking a lot of snack about them the last two weeks um and let's be honest. I mean, one of the things I said going into this game is Blake Bortles needed to pitch a shutout. And what I meant by that is he needed to not turn over the football and he protected the football. He managed how we needed to manage.

You have Leonard for net, and I thought, even though he's dealing with that ankle injury, I know it's been bothering him the last two months of the year. They put the offensive game plan on his back, and they asked their defense to make place. Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh. They have a lot of weapons, so it didn't surprise me in the least that they made the run and rally back that they did. I saw it was one thing

on Twitter. I don't know who exactly said it. I apologies for not crediting them, but basically saying at halftime, one of these two teams is really gonna stew over this loss, either Pittsburgh getting down as much as they

did or Jacksonville letting go of that lead. I think ultimately the better team won Jacksonville already had gone in there and you know, really, you know, punched the Steelers in Roethlisberger in the face earlier the season, held on for the victory again though, And I don't want to keep bringing up this caveat, but they're gonna have to

play better now against the New England Patriots. We'll talk more about that shortly, but um, I thought for them to go in there and do that again to Pittsburgh, it's not an easy place to win, and and the fact that the Jaguars did it speaks I think a lot to that defense and a lot to their offense being able to manage that game effectively. Yeah, I think the absence of Ryan Shazer clearly showed up for Pittsburgh

because we had talked about that going in that. You know, we felt Pittsburgh was probably the most well rounded team of the final eight in the in the NFL playoff field, but not having Shazier really changed change the outlook for them.

You look at that The game in Philadelphia Atlanta against the Eagles reminded me a lot of the NFC Championship from a handful of years back, when Matt Ryan had goal to go against the San Francisco forty Niners and the NFC title game to send his team to the Super Bowl, and the forty Niners defense stood up and stopped him. And Uh, that game in Philadelphia reminded me of that because it just looked like the Falcons had all the momentum. You're thinking, they're gonna score here, they're

gonna win this game. And then Philadelphia's defense rises up and makes a couple of plays, Julio Jones slips on fourth down, all of that, and uh and the Atlanta Falcons, you know, go home and are unable to defend their NFC title. Yeah. And I want to make one more point with this Jacksonville game too, because I saw a lot of this on Twitter about well, why don't why don't everybody just do what the Jaguars did. They spent all this money, they guaranteed all this money of these

veterans on defense. The reason the Jaguars were able to do that is because they had like a hundred million dollars in cap room as like two years ago, so they were able to go out and get Clias Campbell and a j boy who has been a phenomenal signing a lot of times people throw out big money to

these free agents and it doesn't always work out. I give Jacksonville's front office a lot of credit for seeing the talent and boy and realizing that wasn't a one hit wonder that year he had with Houston text that he was gonna be able to build on that. So we'll see if they can carry him, you know, the rest of the way here. Because now that you're getting

into this next round. Yeah, the defense of the New England Patriots hasn't been what it need has been in the past, but you still have Tom Brady who has been the X factor. Yeah, alright, Well, Minneapolis finish for the Ages and uh, you know, just an amazing game. And because Minnesota's defense had Drew Brees really flustered the entire first half. Then Drew Brees kind of finds his rhythm, gets it go in the middle of the third quarter and suddenly the number one defense in the league cannot

stop the Saints. Drew Brees was doing whatever he wanted to do, brings them back. I mean, they score twenty four points in what was it, a span of like sixteen seventeen minutes there and uh, and then you think the Saints have pulled off this amazing comeback on the road, down seventeen nothing, They've got a twenty four to twenty

three lead. The Minnesota Vikings are sixty one yards from the end zone there at least twenty five yards from a reasonable field goal attempt with ten seconds on the clock and no time outs, and Stefan Diggs gets into the end zone when Marcus Williams misses the tackle. I I don't know how, I don't know how it happens, but all you can say is that's the NFL. Yeah.

And I'll say this, whenever the season ends, if the Minnesota Vikings can find a way to keep winning here, that horseshoe that case Keenum has right now this season needs to go in Pro Football Hall of Fame. This has been a phenomenal year for him. And I'll say this, Mike, I was watching this game. I watched the entire thing, and even when it was third and ten and they

were down to ten seconds on the clock. For whatever reason, if I was a New mean I'm watching this thing as an unbiased observer, just you know, watching it for the sake of a good football game. But if I was in New England, New Orleans Saints fan, I didn't feel comfortable, and I don't know why. I just felt like something was bound to break. And it was interesting in that ultimately it was the two areas here where it was the Minnesota Vikings offense in New Orleans Saints defense.

Because they were talking about the matchup between the Saints offense and Vikings defense. It came down to basically the number two with the plan b's on both sides, and the Vikings offense, as they've done all season, found a

way to do it. Marcus Williams had a nice rookie season for interception seventy some tackles, had a big interception as part of the comeback in the second half, and of course everybody's going to forget about that because of of the one final play, which there's no excuse for completely withing the way that he did, and he's he's he's got to live with that one and the Saints fans have to live with that one, as as difficult

as that is. But we're talking about a really tantled a player who could be headed to a great career, and now he's going to be remembered for something like this. For a long time, and it just shows you sometimes Mike too, that safety spot you really need experience. And I'm not saying they did the wrong thing. I mean, he's he's a great young player and I think he has a bright future in this league if you can

put this behind him. But that's the type of play that it's like, Okay, if you have Morgan Burnett in that situation, or you know Kenny Vaccaro that's playing in that spot, you have to understand where the field is. You can let him catch that ball. You can't even push him out of bounds. Don't give up the big play because you're in zero. You know, there's no one

else behind you. Because even because even if even obviously you'd like to keep him in bounds and then the clock runs out, but even if he does catch it and get out of bounds, the field goal is still fifty plus yards. That's no gimme. Four Bath had just hit a fifty plus yard or not that long before, but still any fifty plus yard or with that kind of pressure, even doors is no gimmeon at least at least you still would have had a chance to win the game. And uh, and yeah, I mean the Saints

let it get away. I thought the Saints were going to the Super Bowl. I thought the Saints were gonna win the Super Bowl. I thought I thought between the Saints and the Steelers, and now both of them are out. To my point, this is the why it's a beautiful game. It's it's demoralizing in some ways, but it shows you the small margin for error at this level, and unfortunately, the New Orleans Saints found that out the most difficult,

heartbreaking way. Possibly, yeah, no question about it. With that, we'll go to a breakback with more on Packers Unscripted right after this. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Mike Spofford. Here, West Hodko wits over there West too. Conference championship games now coming up on Sunday. You have the Jaguars traveling to Foxborough to face the Patriots in the a f C and the Minnesota Vikings traveling to face the Philadelphia

Eagles in the NFC. Let's start with the a f C. I know you talked a lot about the Jaguars in the last segment. Obviously, the New England Patriots are the favorites. One thing I'll say about the Jaguars because you brought up, obviously, what they did in free agency and how they had all that cap room and they built around it. The other thing I looked it up this week. I don't want to say they're all starters, but I would say

players that are playing prominent roles on this team. They have eight players drafted within the top forty picks of the draft over the last four drafts that are key players on this team. And this is this is exactly what they've been building for. They've been drafting very high in the draft for a number of years, so you're getting high first round and high second round picks. You have a whole bunch of those those guys. They've supplemented

it with some significant spending in free agency. You're getting the best play out of order quarterback Blake Bortles that that you've ever gotten. This is a huge opportunity for the Jacksonville Jaguars, enormous and it does remind me in some ways of how the Packers different situations obviously, but how the Packers sort of built their Super Bowl team in two thousand and ten because they did draft some

really good defensive players. B j Rajie, Clay Matthews, The list goes on and on of guys they had in house that's stepped up, but they also had those Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett type guys. And I just think that the additions that they've made defensively have really nicely complimented all the other weapons that they have. And I made this comment on Twitter going back to the Buffalo game that they played about Jalen Ramsey and just how

incredible he is as a cornerback. Someone said, oh, I wish, I wish the Packers had someone like that. Well, the Packers weren't picking fourth that year. I mean, there's a reason why Jalen Ramsey was picked the way he was. Again, you give credit to the Jaguars front office for finding the talent that they needed to find when you are picking that high in the draft. Yeah. As far as the Patriots, now, they're in the a f C Championship Game for what is it the seventh year in a row,

Just an incredible run. Bill Bell checked Tom Brady trying for their sixth Super Bowl title here and uh, well, and it would be there? Would it be their ninth appearance in the Super Bowl together? I think I think that's what it would be obviously Tom Brady running the show on offense for the New England Patriots. But a lot of questions about the Patriots defense where they ranked this year, some you know, some question marks as far as uh um, you know, can this defense do enough

in the postseason. I'm sure they're glad in a lot of ways. Maybe that that, at least from that side of the ball that they're facing the Jaguars offense and Blake Bortles and not Ben Roethlisberger and lady On Bell and Antonio Brown. But that being said, this Jaguars defense is gonna have something to say about Tom Brady. So interested to see that battle between what the Jaguars do defensively in the game that Tom Brady tries to play weekend and week out. And you've got the Tom Coughlin factor.

Do his experience with the Giants and beating the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl with those style of defenses. It's really intriguing matchup, it is. And I don't know how much Tom Coughlin gets involved with those sort of things with Doug Morown, but I mean he's in a unique position in that organization right now. I'm really interested to see what the Patriots bring offensively in this game.

The reason I say that, Mike, is because they did have tough matchups against tough defenses Pittsburgh, Denver, but within their own division. Offensively, they played six games against defenses that ranked in the bottom half of the league. So how do you do against this unit? And can you be effective with their running backs? Is there enough left besides Gronkowski perimeter wise to be effective? I think it's

gonna be a really intriguing matchup. It might not be the one that gets a million viewers, you know, in every market in the country, but it is gonna be really interesting to see how that chess match plays out. Yeah, all right, and before we go to a break, I want to take care of some sponsor business. Today is a perfect day to fill up with some new Campbell's Chunky Max Soup. Chunky Max is loaded with more meat than you can handle, a lot more. We're talking more

than a comparable Chunky soup. So go on, Philip with new Campbell's Chunky Max Soup. Campbell's Chunky Soup the official sup partner of the Green Bay Packers back with more on Packers Unscripted right after this Welcome Back to Packers unscripted Mike Spofford alongside West, Hodkowitz and West quickly before

we go the NFC title game, Minnesota at Philadelphia. I'm not sure how you see this one, but I think if Philadelphia is going to win, the Eagles will have to win a game just like they did against the Falcons. It's gonna have to be low scoring. I think if I think if Minnesota can put sixteen seventeen points on the board, I think they win this game. Because I'm not sure Nick Foles against that Vikings defense, He's not Drew Brees, and Drew Brees only scored twenty four because

he got shut out for an entire first half. I'm not sure Nick Foles can put up seventeen against this defense. The the Eagles have got The Eagles defense has got to to clamp down on Keenum and Latavius Murray and Stefon Diggs and all those guys. You remember geometry, I think the additive inverse they always talked about that. I think it was geometry at least. This is what this

matchup is. Now, you're taking on one of the league's elite defenses in an offense that is somewhat suspect without Carson Wentz running the show because they don't have the proven running backs. They try to use them. They have success at times. J Ji he has really helped that unit. But they are in Alvin Kamara and mark Ingram. No, they don't have I mean they have obviously al Sean Jeffrey. But can Nick Foles get him the football defensively? Can the Eagles put this game on their back and win it.

Foles did what he had to do in that game against the Falcons, played efficient, turnover free football. It's a lot more difficult though, to do that against Mike Zimmers group. Yeah, and when you look at the matchups here, you're gonna have Xavier Rhodes on al Shan Jeffrey, two guys familiar with each other, with Jeffrey his years in Chicago. Obviously, Rhods I thought, you know, came as close as you can come to taking Michael Thomas out of the game

for the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees was trying to force him the ball at times, and Rhodes was just all over it. Nick Foles is going to have to find some other weapons. I don't know if the Eagles are going to have enough other weapons. If Xavier Rhodes is on his game, I think Nick Foles is going to have a really tough time in the pocket. And then, obviously the other element to this, to the fact that case Keenum nick Foles were they were there together in St. Louis,

good friends. Between the two of them, they have a little bit of a bond. I think they even said. I think it was Keenum that said it's one of season as one of his best friends. Which one of these guys, which one of these replacements can step up, can make those plays, is going to be probably the determining factor in this because you know defensively what both of these teams can do. Yeah, your prediction for a Super Bowl matchup, I think it's still gonna be Minnesota,

but we'll see against New England. Okay, yeah, I think it's Patriots Vikings too. But we've got to call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Sure to follow all of our coverage of the team on Packers dot Com, on Twitter, at west hod At, Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, We'll see you next time H