#347 Packers Unscripted: What it'll take

at lambeau Field West. It's our final show of the week here leading up to Packers Rams on Sunday afternoon from Los Angeles the Colosseum PM Central time kickoff and on our final show of the week, we always focus on the keys to victory now, but the Packers at three, two and one and the Rams at seven and Oh, the Packers have to do a lot of things well in order to come away with a big road victory. Here. Where do you want to start? Throw the records out

of it? Okay, that's the first thing you gotta do. Uh, it has to be zero and zero first, zero zero. You can't look at what the Rams have done, the stats, everything that you've seen so far, the defensive player of the year, the offensive player of the year, the production, all of that. It's all about one game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and being the better team on

that day. That has to be the focus. I thought in our final our final thoughts video not to give anyway any spoilers, but you made such a great point. Aaron Rodgers needs to be the best player on the field that day. I think the Packers need to win the early first and down, second down situations. Offensively, get yourself in second and manageable get yourself into third and short in those instances, and defensively, you have to be

able to stop Todd Gurley. That's where it starts. They're gonna get their place, they're gonna get their production, and they'll probably get their points, but you have to be able to contain him. The more he goes off as a pass catcher as a runner, the harder and longer that day is going to be. But it all starts, in my opinion, Michael, with not looking at underdog, not looking at you know, lines, looking at the opponent that's in front of you, in figuring out a way to

beat them over the span of folk. Yeah, I think what you say about the early downs really is important on both sides of the ball here, because when you look at what Todd Gurley does for this offense. We've heard all week long about all of the misdirection and keeping your eyes in the right place and all of these kinds of things. As far as defensively, how you try to contain this Rams team, Well, that all starts with the way Todd Gurley runs the ball and how

they set up play action off of that running game. So, as you said, if you can win the early downs and get them into more of a drop back passing team as opposed to a play action passing team, that gives your defense at least a little bit more of an advantage to try to stay with those weapons, try to get after Jared Goffin and disrupt him a little bit, maybe get him get his timing um a little bit disrupted.

On the other side of the ball. With the Packers, we mentioned it earlier this week because Aaron Rodgers brought it up. The inordinate number of third and longs, the third and eleven plus is the third and fifteen plus is that the Packers have been in Hey. That all comes down to again winning on first and second down. It's about getting the running game going. It's about cutting down on the penalties, it's about cutting down on the sacks.

Whatever the negative plays that have happened that have put the Packers in those situations, those are the things that that that have to be cleaned up, because, boy, I tell you this pass rush Aaron Donald four sacks you know, as part of a seven sack effort against the San Francisco forty Niners. You don't want to be in third and eleven plus against anybody, but against this pass rush, in this defense and on the road, that's a that's

a potential recipe, recipe for disaster. You don't want to let Aaron Donald, you don't want to let Sue be able to jet rush up the medal. You have to be able to keep them honest. You can't let them just jumping off the snap of the ball and trying to get in the backfield. That is the recipe for success. When you look at their defense and how they're able to affect the quarterback and honestly, Mike kind of affect

the running game two of the opposing team. I think that's what makes them pretty special is that they are disciplined, they are explosive, and they don't get out of their gaps and and the the one thing I do think about a lot when I go into this game, when I was looking more and more at the matchup, is the fact that I do believe it does start with the run for the Packers, not only because Mike McCarthy has been talking all week about the need to get

more touches of the backs, but also when you look at the rams, I mean, the teams that have been able to have success at least in terms of moving the ball, have been able to win those early down situations. Their twelve right now in total run against the run, everything else they do is top ten in those major statistical categories. So they have to be able to Packers have to be able to to move the ball a little bit and ease the burden on Aaron Rodgers in

those tackles. Because I think with this game one of the other things that really a lot of people are talking about And I could end up being completely wrong on this, and if I am in the press box, you can tell me I'm an idiot on game day. But I think there's a good chance this could be a road home road game for the Packers. Oh, they're gonna be a lot of Packers fans there, there's no question people I've talked to it's an eight five venue.

I heard a lot of stuff Mike on secondary market, people talking about how the week earlier in the week after at the policy and those tickets are going for anywhere from like thirty bucks to ninety they're well into the three figures for this matchup with the Packers. There's a lot of cheeseheads out on the West Coast, and there's a lot of guys out there in gals as well that don't get to watch them play a lot.

So if that environment, if you can get that on your side early on, whether it's the run, whether it's the past, whether it's just some good stops early on, there's a chance to really ride some momentum. Because when I look at those games so far in Washington and Detroit, those crowds were able to get into it early, and that is not a good thing when you're going on

the road trying to you know, pull the upset. Yeah, and as much as I agree with you about what the Packers need to do with their running game and easing the burden as much as they can on Aaron Rodgers, I still think it does come down to Aaron Rodgers

being the best player on the field on Sunday. We've seen We've seen these types of games before West where whether it's against a division rival like the Minnesota Vikings, where a guy like Adrian Peterson or a guy like Harrison Smith on defense has clearly been the best player on the field that day, the guy who tilts the field.

We've seen it with the Packers and Aaron Rodgers when you know, as we brought up earlier this week, the two thousand twelve game at Houston when Houston had J. J. Watt and that defense, and Arian Foster was the league's leading rusher at the time, and the Texans were five and oh and Aaron Rodgers went in and through six touchdown passes and was hands down the best player on

the football field that night in Houston. The Packers need Aaron Rodgers to be that guy that tilts the field in this game because Aaron Donald is the reigning defensive player of the Year and he's tied currently for the league leading sex. Todd Gurley is the reigning offensive player of the year. He is currently the league's leading rusher. Jared Goff has a passer rating right now that is above a hundred and ten. He's in the m v

P conversation. In this mid season uh stretch here with the Rams being undefeated, Aaron Rodgers has to be that guy who gets it done for the Packers on Sunday. And if he's got all of his weapons on offense, if the Packers are in better shape on defense in the secondary, as we talked about on our last show, with the injuries and hopefully healthwise things coming around, this is going to give their Packers. Give the Packers their

best shot. Yeah, and another thing that they'll be able to do regardless of what the game plan is, regardless of how on things unfold. But if you're able to get Aaron Rodgers going, if you get him comfortable earlier, you get them moving the ball offensively, what's the number one thing that happens to the Rams defense? It's right up there. They start thinking, yeah, and the Packers they

have a checkered past here with Wade Phillips. You look back to what happened against Dallas in two thousand and ten, that was the last game he coached for the Cowboys. Then you look at what happened I believe it was two thousand and fifteen, and that that performance that he had with the Denver Broncos, what he was able to do in that game. Both sides have won in this

rivalry with him. He's one of the brightest, one of the most longest tendered defensive minds in this game, and he's found a way to make those pieces fit in with the rams they've had. You go back, Mike, what they're doing offensively, this is relatively new. There was a lot of years where they were struggling to get points. There's a lot of years where they're struggling to move the ball down field. But defensively they've always had some playmakers.

I think what Wade Phillips has brought to them is a vision of where they need to be in what they can do with these guys. How can Aaron Aaron Donald take over football games? What can he do to make the entire team better? And they felt like Sue was obviously a part of that. Michael Brocker's he has a role in that defense. He knows what his job,

duty and his responsibilities are. They play well within the scheme and it's gonna be on the Packers when you look at it, going out there and trying to set the tone early to make those defenders start to think, because I think that's where they've had success in these matchups lately. They started making the fort think in that matchup, during that rally, they started making the Chicago Bears think when they go back to that opener and what they were able to do, you can't let them get into

a groove. Yeah, and let's see here with with Los Angeles Rams. They are seven and oh yes they've won some close games, but have they had to come from behind? Have they Have they played from seven points down or ten points down at any point in a ballgame? You know, the Packers have been talking about can they get out can they get out to a fast start? You flip the script a little bit on an undefeated team that that is rolling and is winning in a certain way.

If you get them out of there, get them out of their game just a little bit, then you know, suddenly in the fourth quarter, there you are with a shot for the upset. It's a great point, Mike. And the other thing you can't dismiss either. Jared Goff is playing some good football right now, but he's still a third year quarterback. You look at what Denver did to him, completion percentage, had a turnover, got sacked five times. There

is a blueprint there. But the thing you have to make sure you do and I've discussed this all week. You can't forsake defending Todd Gurley to do that, because girl is the guy who won that game. Is the guy that won that game. That's the allens, and that's the challenge, and that's the chess match going into the Colisseum on Sunday afternoon, no question about it. Well, quickly, a little sponsored business here, West, It's time to enter

the Cousins Subs Best Seats in the House promotion. You and a guest could win a chance 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. Enter daily now through December sixteen by completing the entry form and submitting. For complete rules and eligibility, go to Packers dot com slash Best Seats Cousins Subs. We believe in Better. Okay, we talked about it at the top of the show.

Here the Los Angeles Memorial Colisseum. I've done a little bit of research this week West on the Packers history with some help from team historian Cliff Crystal, who has covered some games at the Los Angeles I never have and uh, and you never have been Disneyland out there, but I haven't. Okay. The Packers have not been to the l A Colisseum since when they played a game against the then l A Ray Leaders there. They have not played the Rams. They have not played the Rams.

They haven't played the Rams at the coliseum in forty years was the last time. Here's an interesting piece of the history here of the Packers at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and it's not a good one. West. The Packers have played thirty games there in their history. Back through the forties and fifties they played out there, and through most of the sixties they played out there every year.

The Rams were in what was then the Western Conference before the whole alignment into divisions, so the Packers had a game at the Colisseum every year. The Packers have only won two games in their history at the Colisseum when they're not coached by Vince Lombardi. Yeah, Vince Lombardi went seven two and one, including Super Bowl One, the big victory over the Chiefs at the l A Colisseum. Vince Lombardi went seven too and one in ten games

at the Colosseum. The Packers have played twenty other games at the Colosseum with other coaches to and eighteen. Yes, it's ugly. I'm gonna counter with one thing, Okay, So then that was what that was before nine in after nineteen seventy, right, So there's there, You're you're you're absolutely you're absolutely right, You're absolutely right. But it's it's what when you look at when you look at it statistically,

you're just like, what in the world? And was Lynda and Fante bringing him out there a day early to get acclimated it away in Fante he actually won the game against the Raiders in that was that was the that was that was the last time the Packers were in that building. That was the second victory by a non Lombardi coached Packers team out there. It's impressive. Well, you know, I missed that in my American history class and when I was at Bayport. But what is impressive

though about this going back? I don't know how you feel about it, but I really am big on sports history and in being able to get to all these stadiums, and I think it is pretty cool that we get to check it off at least my bucket list. In terms of and what very well could be within building that massive state, and it end up might be in the last and only time we get an opportunity to

do that. Um. But it was interesting you worked on the story, but it was interesting hearing some of these guys discuss it this week that have played there, like Kenny Clark saying sort of has a medieval vibe to it a little bit with the clock and the old school sort of architecture, and Clay Matthews Nick Perry certainly

have a long storied history there as well. It's a different type of venue and it's going to be interesting to see exactly how the Packers react to it, because I really, honestly, Mike, there isn't too many that are like in the NFL in terms of how it's built and how it's structured. Yeah, well, here's a positive turn to the history there because Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers actually played a rather memorable game in that building. If you

go back to two thousand and four. There was a piece in the l A Times this week because I think the reporters there got Rogers on a conference call and they asked him about it. Back in two thousand four. Rodgers is the quarterback. I think they did. I think they did. We didn't get anybody. We got Sean McVeigh. But the Cal Bears were ranked seventh in the country. They were going into the coliseum to play number one ranked and defending national champion USC and unfortunately, Aaron Rodgers

and Cal did not pull out the victory. But Rogers actually completed twenty three consecutive passes in that game, which at the time not only set a Cal school record, but tied the n c A record at the time for consecutive completions. And at one point in that game West he was and this is according to the l A Time story I read, he was twenty nine of thirty one and the two incompletions were throwaways when he

had to get out of the pocket. Now the game came down to Rogers ended up driving the Bears down. I believe they got into a gold ghost situation right in the final moments. They were down by six points and then there was a sack and a play where Rogers primary receiver like slipped in the end zone when he was trying to make a cut to get open and uh and it threw off the timing and the past was incomplete and the number one ranked USC Trojans

escaped with with a six point victory. But um, Aaron Rodgers, he was quoted in that l A time story. He remembers that game and you know his memory, he was going through play by play and all this talking to those reporters and um um, so he's going to have a certain memory I think when even though it was fourteen years ago, when he walks into that building on Sunday, it would be interesting to see how he performed. Yeah, it will be. And and certainly there's a lot of

matchups there with the pack. Was that the Pack ten at the time or that wasn't the twelve yet, wasn't I don't even add that that part of the timeline. I'm not sure, but they might have been the Pack

twelve in two thousand four. But you know what, how what those rivalries are like in California, Kenny Clark was talking about it too, you know, with u C. L A and what they were trying to build there, and in that s C is always kind of seen as one of the big dogs and and and sort of being everyone else is kind of trying to be the under what they're offering to the table and Rogers. That doesn't surprise me at all. That's complete news to me.

I don't recall that story, but the fact that he was as accurate as he was and as effective as he was, And I know there was some some you know, challenges they're trying to to lift up California during that time, but you know, you look at the quarterback he's become and where he's taken his game from there. It's always interesting when you can look back and see the signs

of that kind of success. Certainly, there's adjustments you have to make in refinements to a game to succeed at this level, but in the end, you always kind of are who you are and and for him to have a performance like that and be as accurate as he is, it does kind of really speak to his level of consistency and what he's brought to Green Bay now for the last fourteen years. Yeah, well, it's uh, it's going

to be a historic day for the Packers. First time back in that building in uh in quite some time. And as you said, you and I get to kind of chalk another state. I mean, this is a stadium that you know, has hosted Olympic games and all kinds

of other things. You know, historic as a sports venue, not just as a as a football stadium, but you know the USC U c l A matchups that have taken place there and and uh, you know that just the history of the USC football program and and some of the things that have that have gone on there aside from the Rams and the Raiders and and when they've played so uh um and as you said, probably the last the last opportunity because they're building a what

sounds like absolutely amazing new stadium for both the Rams and the Chargers out in Los Angeles, and uh and with the Packers not necessarily playing those teams on a regular basis, this is probably probably the one opportunity for us, you would think so, And that's why I thought it was kind of neat, especially ushering in this new era of having football back in Los Angeles, uh and being able to to go out there and and cover some games. I mean, it's it's really interesting Mike, because you and

I both know what this is. Like. We go to Washington what four times in the span of three years, and you sort of get to know these areas and where we're at, but used to it Los Angeles. I honest to goodness, I've been there twice and three times now in my lifetime. I you know, I don't know it very well, so it's always neat to be able to get a new experience and and for me personally now, Mike, I think I'm down to Energy. I think that's the

only stadium I haven't been at. I haven't covered a game yet at Lucas Oil, but I've not been to Energy at all, So, um, what is that going to be two more years? I'll check that one off? Would we would go to Houston there? So I I've actually I don't think and maybe my parents would correct me on this, depending on travel as a youth, but I don't think I've actually ever been to Los Angeles except for going through the airport like changing planes kind of thing.

It's actually a city that I've never visited. So I'm looking forward to just not only for what sounds like eighty degree weather, but just getting out and walking around and checking it out. The city itself is incredible. Talking to some people who live down there, they basically say, you have to pick out an area where you want to live and that's kind of your community because you're not going to be able to get anywhere else in a you know, a meaningful time, you know, time sensitive fashion.

So but but it's cool and it's it's knee to be able to have that experience. And I'll be honest with you, Mike, and there'll be a moment or two I'll take before the kickoff on Sunday to sort of appreciate what we're looking at. And in the fact that with that storied history you were discussing, you know, that

might be the final chapter with them at the Coliseum. Yeah, all right, Well with that, we will call it a rap on this edition and this week of Packers Unscript would be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and of Sunday's game from Beautiful l A on Packers dot com on Twitter, He's at West Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody. We'll see you next time.