#348 Packers Unscripted: Heartbreak out West

make the plays at crunch time. You can't make mistakes at crunch time. The Packers made too many. Yeah, And you know, it was interesting the way you brought that up, because it is. It's the most difficult loss this season. Because in some regard, Mike, I think you could say this might have been the Packers best game of the year in terms of what they were able to in spurts and not to be able to come up victorious.

But the main takeaway from this, Mike is that when you're playing a team like the Los Angeles Rams at seven and oh that has done so many things so well and can beat you in so many different ways, you have to be able to keep your foot on the pedal. Mike Daniel said it afterwards, speaking specifically about the defense. They had them on the ropes earlier, and when you have Mike Tyson on the ropes, you have to knock them out if you're going to be able

to get out of there with the victory. They were not able to do that, and really they weren't able to do it in all three phases. So that is really where I think the disappointment lies. You. I made three points last week, and I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but I thought all these were valid points. They had to win the early downs, they had to be able to contain Todd Gurley, and really Mike, I thought the biggest thing was they had to be able to control the tempo of that game.

They did all three of those things at different intervals. They got the crowd in it in their favor, Aaron Rodgers was able to get the offense moving the ball early, They made the rams punt on their first five possessions. Everything was going their way until ultimately it wasn't. Yeah, And while I agree with what you're saying that and what Mike Daniels said, for example, that the Packers had

the opportunity to knock him out. I will say this though, the Rams are undefeated for a reason, and it's because teams like that don't get knocked out. And what that. What I'm trying to say is that no matter how the first fifty fifty six minutes of the game go, you have to be able to make the plays when the game is on the line to beat a team like that. And the Packers gave up a sack on a crucial third down when they had the ball and

a one point lead. Their rookie punter had his worst punt of the season at the wrong time, which gave the other team a short field and time Montgomery fumbles the kickoff. When you're gonna give Aaron Rodgers the ball with two minutes to go, needing a field goal to win,

and he doesn't get that opportunity. Those are the mistakes that, Yeah, you can look back at the safety and some breakdowns on defense and some opportunities that were missed on offense, only two for nine on third down offensively, if you're gonna beat a team like this, you're not gonna beat him with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter. You have to beat him at the end of the game, and the Packers didn't do it. No, that's right, Mike, and I think you gotta give a lot of credit

to the Rams. I got a new found respect for Jared Goff. Mike Pett had a phenomenal game plan prepared for him, being able to pressure him, get him off the spot early, but he showed a lot of resiliency for a third year quarterback and be able to lead that offense down the stretch. But ultimately the biggest factor that is Todd Gurley and what he presents. Packers were able to bottle him up early, but then he gets

the third yard catch right before halftime. He starts to wear them down in the second half, ends up having a hundred yard day on the ground. And defensively, they have Aaron Donald, and we know what Aaron Donald presents and what he can potentially do and the mismatches that he helps create for them. Defensively, there are a lot of weapons there and a lot of very skilled guys that can hurt you. The Packers, I thought, did a relatively good job of navigate eating that for the most part.

But to your point, in the critical moments of that game when you need to need to put things away. They just weren't able to get the job done. Yeah, we talked all last week about Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley, and it's interesting how this unfolded because for the most part, I thought the Packers did a really good job on

Aaron Donald. Then you look at the stat sheet at the end of the game and he's got two sacks, and one of those at crunch time when the Rams needed the football back, and he got the job done. I thought the Packers defended Todd Gurley very well. They didn't let him loose for big runs. They got a lot of tackles at or near the line of scrimmage.

You look up at the end of the day and he's got a hundred ninety five yards from scrimmage, a hundred fourteen on the ground, eighty one through the air, the juggling catch down the sideline you mentioned he got loose in the second half on kind of a drag route across the middle of the Packers dropped the coverage there and he ends up going for a thirty yard touchdown.

The rushing yards had a twenty three yard run and a sixteen seventeen yard run basically forty of those yards right towards the end of the fourth quarter of the Packers on the verge of you know, holding him well under a hundred yards, but the twenty three yard runs sets up the uh, the go ahead field goal. They're just you know, that's that's what the difference making players

do in this league. You can you can feel like you've done the job against them, and then at the end of the day, they still made the plays that make a difference. And the frustrating thing for the Packers is they had their guy, Aaron Rodgers with the opportunity to be the difference maker at the end of the game, and a mistake on special teams cost him the opportunity.

Yeah dead. And and the thing that's interesting too about Rogers and how he performed, just how comfortable he looked right from the get go, and maybe the crowd had something to do with that, but just seeing the way the weapons worked, I mean, Aaron Jones had a phenomenal performance at thirty three yard touchdown that they really needed in the third quarter to be able to you know, get back in it. After the Rams had responded. Davante

Adams you mentioned two of nine on third down. Both of the conversions were on forty yard reception by Davante Adams, who now at this point in the season almost at gets seven receiving yards, becoming not only just a Pro Bowl type player, but looking like an all pro top of the shelf receiver in this league. Marquis Veldes Scantling

has a forty yard touchdown catch. Clay Matthews had arguably one of his maybe his best performance of the year, had a huge sack at a critical moment to get the ball back to the offense when they had a

seven to six lead. Kenny Clark, JOYR Alexander five p b U S. I think that's what makes us the hardest to swallow for the Packers is as we talked about some of the things that the Rams did well, there was a lot of really solid individual performances from the Packers perspective, but it is a game of mistakes, and in the end, I think when you look at what the way the Rams played, they just made enough plays and the Packers just had a few too many mistakes to be able to walk out of the Colisseum

with the w Yeah. Well, Mike McCarthy said after the game he was asked about the time montgomery kick off return with two oh five on the clock. He said the plan was to stay in the end zone and give the ball to Aaron Rodgers time. Montgomery did not speak with reporters after the game. We don't necessarily know as perspective here, but it sounds like a player simply didn't follow the coaching staff's instructions ended up being a

fatal mistake. I don't want to dwell on that here, but what I will say West is that the special special teams in this game is really what ended up being the difference. I thought offensively and defensively, both teams really showed who they are. Um there were big plays on both sides. There were some breakdowns on both sides, but that's what good teams do. They get you to to make some mistakes as game, as the game goes along.

But on special teams, the rams, they pinned the Packers at the four yard line with a punt, they pinned them at the one yard line and got a safety. I mentioned the bad punt by J. K. Scott at the end. You have the you have the fumble. On special teams the Packers. They didn't make any glaring errors on special teams until the very end. But what was a what was an edge for the Rams on special teams became the decided edge with the mistakes at the end. Yeah,

it's a good point you raised. And what actually stood out to me as I was walking out of the stadium getting onto the bus, getting ready to write, was that you could make a huge argument right here that the Rams have the three best players in their phase in the league right now with where you look at what Todd Gurley does on offense, Aaron Donald does on defense given his position, and also Johnny Hecker as a punter. Uh, he comes as advertised, and then Greg's oline is no

joke as the leg. He's got that nickname for a reason now that he's back healthy. Absolutely, And the thing was that I thought was interesting about Hecker. They got off to sort of a rough start. There was some high snaps, he was having a hard time some line drive type punts, but the way they battled back and with his arm. Kevin King was talking about it after the game. He's their number three quarterback for a reason. That isn't just the hype, you know, joke or just

a stance. No, he has an arm and the Packers knew they were gonna have to be ready for that. Uh. Fortunately for the Packers, after he did have that twelve yard completion to Sam Shields, the defense came back and got a three and out right away. But again, Hecker came back, had a beauty of a punt to put them pin the Packers back at their own one yard line.

Work in tandem with with Sam Shields, and then that ends up being sort of a turning point in this game with them being able to get the safety you need to get those type of players out of special teams. And for the Rams, who are often considered one of the trickiest, most skilled units in the league. You know,

Jim Jim Fossils guys, they really stepped up. Well, that's where I think the Rams proved that they are the best team in the NFL right now in that throughout the majority of that first half, the Packers had the Rams defense on their heels a little bit. The Packers defense had Jared Goff a little discombobulated in the pocket with the sacks and the different third down pressures and everything the offense and the defense for the Rams were scuffling,

their special teams picked them up. And that's what the best teams in the league have. You always have one phase that is going to bail you out, that is going to keep you where you need to be and give you a chance to win until everybody else gets going like they're used to. Because you're undefeated for a reason. You you've won all these games because you're offense and defense can get the job done. And once the Rams offense and defense started a roll, we saw it. I

mean the game went from ten to nothing Packers to thirteen. Rams. There's a stretch there where the Rams outscored the Packers twenty three to three. They played a stretch of that game like they expected to. I give the Packers credit to thirteen in the second half, not a lot going

their way. They kept throwing punches. They came back with a couple of touchdown drives there, especially the big play to Davante Adams on third down when the Packers it only converted one third down all day up until that point. Roger sits Adams for the big third down, the draw play to Aaron Jones. You get a touchdown, Suddenly you're

right back in it. And then you put together another touchdown drive after that with a great inside move by the rookie Marquez Velde scantling on the one on one coverage on the outside, he makes the inside move, gets open, Aaron Rodgers puts the ball right on the money. His speed takes care of the rest of the pylon for the Packers to come back with two touchdowns there after. The way that game was going I thought was really really impressive because the Rams were starting to impose their will,

so to speak, in the game. And uh, and the Packers responded. Unfortunately, it just wasn't quite enough. Yeah, getting back to my original point, Uh, John Fossil, Sorry, I said Jim there to correct, make sure you get the right fossil. But um, I think one of the things

you bring up is really interesting. And when you look at Davante Adams those plays that he made, specifically, if the Packers do find a way to win this, I thought that this was one of the shining moments in Davante adams career because you know how badly they needed both of those third down conversions, specifically that second one. They needed something to go their way because it was one of the more bizarre games I've covered in the

standpoint of You're right they did. The Rams did get on a big rally there and they were able to come back and grab the lead, but it wasn't like okay, they cut it to ten to eight, and then they came on at the second half and just ran down the field and scored again. The Packers got a three and out and then and added a field goal, and then the Rams finally got going after that. So for the Packers, they needed a response. They needed young guys

to emerge. They needed a guy like Davante Adams to emerge. He did that, and I think when you look at Aaron Jones, how consistent he was throughout the course of this game. I think he's averaging right now I don't have in front of me. I think it might be like seven yards of carry. Now. At this point, the package featured him a little bit more. He rewarded them for those snaps and then I mean, what can you

say about Marquis Valdo Scandling. I asked him this question after the game and in talking with them in the tunnel at the Colosseum. The fact that they did get Geronimo Allison and Randall cob Back, and by no means, I'm sure they had them on a rep column. They wanted to be, you know, safe with them in the hamstring. But the fact the Packers were that confident in Valdis Scandling and Equinimius st. Brown. They ran packages where it

was just those two young receivers out there. They didn't have the veterans they felt Mike McCarthy this offensive coaches have, they felt confident enough of what those rookies had done to this point to keep them on the field. When they got their veteran options back, the Packers got a rally back. They're gonna have a tough opponent next Sun Night.

But offensively, the emergence that with young players like this emerging in the offense, it allows them to open up the playbook more and allows them be less predictable, and I think obviously that had a big impact in what they were able to do in terms of turning the tide to that game against what a lot of people consider to be the best team in football right now. Yeah, well, before I forget amidst this discussion of a really entertaining football game, I want to take care of this West

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the official soup partner of the Green Bay Packers. Okay, West, Another thing we definitely have to touch on here in the aftermath of this game, the l A Coliseum was

lambeau Field Westable, Holy cow. I believe the announced attendance was seventy five thousand plus and uh, if it wasn't fifty fifty Packers Rams fans, it was somewhere awfully close to that, because you could hear it right from the beginning when when the Packers got their first sack on defense, when they scored the first touchdown, Actually the roar was pretty loud for Jimmy Graham when that was originally ruled a touchdown, and then they got the touchdown later after

the reversal put the ball inside the one yard line. But um, but boy, right from the get go, the Packers fans made their presence felt, and they could be heard all game long. There were more go Pack go chance and during that game in l A. Than maybe I've heard at a game at lambeau Field in quite some time. That the fans, the fans, the fans showed up. I give him credit. And and uh, as I said, my the the headline for my insider inbox on Monday

morning was they deserved one more possession. And some fans that I see in the inbox have misinterpreted that saying that I'm thinking the Packers deserved one more and they gave that possession away. I totally agree. My my line there was that the fans who showed up and really supported the Packers in that game, they deserved one more possession to see if Aaron Rodgers could pull this game out. Yea.

And I think there are even some sentiments from the Rams side that I mean, certainly they want to win the game, but that did kind of take the drama out of it at the end, based on how well that game had been played up to that point by both teams. Uh, it was just a fun atmosphere to be a part of in some regard to kind of

reminded me a little bit. Hear me out on this a little bit of the Metrodome as far as the reporters were concerned, because the way that the press box works there, it's sort of old school, and that you're it isn't It's basically right on the side of the field, but you know mid level, which you don't get kind of mezzanine level and all of we had basically shutter type windows that just opened and closed, and the crowds

just right in front of you. It reminded me of the Metrodome in that regard that you could hear what the fans were saying, you could feel the energy of the crowd. It was a really cool atmosphere. I don't know what it's been like for the Rams this year.

I know they're trying to recultivate that fan base, but in terms of just a natural football game, was really fun to be a part of because it almost reminded me in some regards with like high school, because you had, like the Packers fans when the Rams are on the field, they were getting loud, and then you still had the Rams contingent that weren't quite as loud when the Packers around the field, but sort of going back and forth, it was. It was fun to be a part of.

But but I think the tough part for the Packers is that they did have at least a fifty fifty crowd there on the road. You don't usually get an opportunity like that. You just weren't able to turn it quite into a victory. But as far as we will probably end up being the only game I cover at the Coliseum, it was interesting to be a part of. Yeah. Well, as far as moving forward here for the Packers, you

said it, I said it. I do think this was certainly given the opponent, this was the Packers best performance of I think in order for this to mean something west because there are no moral victories in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers said after the game, you don't get momentum

from a loss. It doesn't happen. But where this becomes meaningful is if this now is the new standard play for the two thousand eight teen Packers, if they play like this more often, because we haven't, we haven't seen an offensive and defensive complementary effort for four quarters like we saw on Sunday. If that continues, I think victories are going to follow. I think the Rams had a lot to do with the fact that the Packers did not win this game. They are eight no at the

midway point of the season. But that's where if this doesn't become the Packers new standard of play, then this is just another crappy loss. Yeah, and Clay Matthews basically said the same thing and so many words afterwards when he was asked about you know, if this is something you can build on and basically said it better be better be something that we can leap frog from, because there were a lot of positives to draw from. The Packers put together a pretty good plan offensively and defensively

for how to attack the Rams. And we've seen it. You know, they played a tight game against Seattle. This team is just not this impenetrable force has just been running through everybody, but they're finding ways to win. The Packers did put together a good plan to attack that, but weren't able to pull it off. This stretch doesn't get any easier though. You get New England, then you get to come home against a team like Miami that you know they're not pushovers. And you are on your

own turf. But then you have a three day turnaround, four day turnaround to go out to Seattle to play the same team that's starting to feel it. You can you can tell, you can tell. The December slate lines up well for the Packers, but they got to take care of business in November to set themselves up for a run here. This has to be something you learned from. It has to be something that motivates you and can really propel you into that third quarter of the season,

because there it really was. If you step back, you take the emotion of it, there were a lot of positive to draw from. It's just that you didn't get the W. Yeah, and this is where the Packers stand in the NFC North. A lot of people are going to say, well, the Packers are in third place. There also were the one final possession potentially from being in first place if they pull out the game. Because the

Bears are four and three. The Vikings are four three and one after a home lost to the New Orleans Saints, who have not lost since Week one and are looking just as good, perhaps if not better than the Rams. And we're going to find out because they're going to play each other here very soon. The Packers now three three and one and the Detroit Lions are three and four. You look at you look at where this is west.

The Vikings, Bears, and Lions have not played each other at all this season, So there's a lot of infighting in the NFC North that still has to take place amongst those teams. The Bears still have to play the Rams, the Vikings still have to play at New England and at Seattle, just like the Packers do. So there's a heck of a lot here left to be decided. I know, I know Packers fans aren't happy with three three and one, and this was a huge opportunity on Sunday in Los

Angeles that got away. But all you do is, you know, lace up the shoelaces, as they say, and go from here. Absolutely, And if you're Mike McCarthy, I mean you just look at what this team has done in the result and see it's shown in the past, being able to work through some of that early season adversity, to be able to to put yourself in a position to win a division title, to have a high, you know seed in the playoffs and try to you know, Chase another one

of those Lombardi trophies. Like I just mentioned in my last answer, it comes back down though, to try and to put this on film and breaking it down and understanding what you need to do better. Mike Daniels and one of the other things he said is that, you know, we did a lot of good things well, but it just you know, it wasn't quite enough. We have to be better in different areas. We have to be better, We have to tighten things up, and then maybe we'll

see this team again down the road. There were a lot of guys that are very similar sentiment. Sharon Williams said the same thing. These guys want another crack at them and they don't mind if it ends up being in the coliseum again. They feel like they can play with anybody. And there's been ups and downs at this point in the season, the first eight weeks, but Packers

still feel good about where they're at. It's just ultimately going to be about changing the tone and picking up some victories and instead of just trying to find some moral victories. Yeah, all right, Well, with that, we've got to go. We'll 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, He's at west Hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, See

you next time. H