#383 Packers Unscripted: One last chance

you want to start with? But make it real easy for you, Michael, Okay, The Green Bay Packers need to stop Sam Donald. They need to pressure Sam Donald. They need to be able to take away the football from Sam Donald. The big reason why year one, he's a rookie quarterback. That's what the game's like in the NFL. Even these guys that are going to have really bright careers, we know how difficult it is making that jump from

the college level to the NFL. Donald's numbers are pretty distinctly different when you look at the games in which they won with him as a starting quarterback. They are three and one right now with him if he's gone over an ad passer rating, they are o N six with him as a starting quarterback when they fall beneath that.

Fourteen touchdowns, fifteen interceptions on the season, fifty six point seven accuracy on his passes, so it's been a trying season for him as they try to find themselves offensively. They obviously already lost Isaiah Kwel for the season. He's out um. Offensively, they're trying to find themselves in as an identity. It seems like they're getting back home with Robby Anderson and being able to get him going again. But at the end of the day, the numbers are

what they are. They don't lie. The Packers need to be able to take away the football from Sam Donald. Yeah, and I think the Packers have to be careful in the sense of we've been talking all week long about the Packers motivations and wanting to finish strong and guys wanting to be the pros that they are. I think the Packers have to be careful not to us underestimated

just how motivated this Jets tea could possibly be. Because when you talk about Sam Donald, this is a rookie quarterback who no matter what the Jets record is, he is taking the field every single time to prove I am the future of the franchise. I am the leader of the franchise. I need to live up to what this organization has invested in me with that very very high draft pick from last spring. And we saw last

week the Houston Texans fell asleep a little bit. They got they got a sizeable lead, couple score lead, fell off the pace, so to speak. The Jets came all the way back on them and took the lead. Now that that was potentially a loss that would that would damage Houston's you know, playoff seating, playoff picture and everything. They got their act together in time to still and

come back and win the game. But these rookie quarterbacks, and I don't care if you're talking about Josh Rosen and Arizona who the Packers saw a few weeks ago, or Sam Donald. Here with the Jets, this is going to be a motivated club, even though all the writing is on the wall that their head coach is probably out the door. Um the Jets are. The Jets are out to play every week, and they're out to beat you because because they are playing for the future with

this quarterback. Well, and this is what I'm most interested to see. What Donald going into this game is a fact that statistically he's coming off a good performance against the Texans thirty eight passing for two fifty three, two touchdowns, no turnovers in that ball game for him, that's a real solid effort against a playoff team. Yeah, that was only the third time this year he's not had a

turnover in a game, So that that's a great performance. Now, how do you follow that up after you lose that game? Does that further motivate you to be able to come out now you're you know, defend your home turf after you gave one up last week? Or is that kind of a backbreaker. You can see those things go either

way for them. Definitely the big thing that they're going to have to do that they lacked last week because they they have to be able to establish a running game and they've just not been able to do that without Crowel. So for the Packers perspective, you're coming off a really solid performance despite not having Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels and all your the rest of your starters on that defensive line. They did a really solid job against Jordan Howard and company. They have to build upon that.

So I think that seeing that specific, we can talk until we're blue in the face about Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams and what this offense could do against their defense. But I think this game ultimately will be decided and how Mike Petton making his return to New York, how

his unit really stands up to what the Jets offer offensively. Yeah, and when I look at this from a bigger picture perspective, and you know, we've talked about obviously the Packers trying to get their first road win of the year, not end the season winless on the road, and all of that and what that can mean for the young guys, especially the rookie class. In the locker room, we discussed all of that. You know, really for the Packers, it comes down to avoiding those lulls in the game, those

those down spots. Now, every game is gonna have its ups and downs, but the whole key is is to not let those, you know, those down moments for the team affect you too much. And all you have to do is look at last week's game against Chicago, late second quarter the scores seven to three. The Packers have

the ball. They have second and three deep in their own territory, looking to get a first down and then go into two minute mode and potentially get you know, either a touchdown and take the lead by half or maybe get a field goal get it to seven to six. From second and three. You have an incomplete pass and a run on third and three that comes up short. You pump the ball back to the Bears, and then at the same time the offense is just let you down.

The defense lets you down and allows a touchdown drive. So instead of seven to six, you're down fourteen to three at the half. The same thing happened in the fourth quarter. The Packers get the turnover, it's a tie game, but the offense goes three and out a huge letdown. Well, then the defense also has a letdown right after that as well and allows to go ahead touchdown drive. And so it's it's these it's these lulls in things that last for just a few minutes, one possession here or there,

but they kind of end up becoming connected. And then that's how the Packers always find themselves behind, playing with their backs against the wall, so to speak on the road. You've got to find a way to stem the tide in those situations, whether it's converting on that third down on offense to keep the ball, or if the offense goes three and out, the defense has got to go out there and get the three and out and get

the ball right back. And those are the kinds of things that have just that have plagued this team away from lambeau Field all season long. You'd like to see them get through a road game without having one of these significant dips in play where the momentum just completely shifts to the other team. Yeah, And I mean you said, Mike, you can take a number of different examples from this season with the Packers and when they've struggled with this.

But I mean, I really do go back to that third quarter against Chicago and that you know, they just were able to get up, They had an answer, They looked good where things were heading after that Mason Crosby field goal, get some points after the half, and then you know, and then you also get the Jamal Williams touchdown. But then you get into the fourth quarter and things start to get away from you a little bit. You

start to stall out a little bit. You get back to back three and notes and you saw how that change the course and the tide to that football game for the Packers and then conversely where the Bears were able to really separate. And to further my point, when you have the second three and out on offense, then your special teams lets you down and allows the long punt return that sets up more points for the Bears.

It just seems like it seems like the letdowns, the letdowns compound themselves because they happen in multiple phases at the same time, and that's how the other team seizes it and uh, and it's really the biggest reason the Packers have not been able to win a road game.

Davante Adams talked about it after the game too. There's just something about in that third quarter sometimes early fourth where you know, even though they had some really big comebacks earlier in the season, during those times the second half of the season, it's just been a grind for them. So yeah, if you're able to maintain that, I think that's gonna be really pivotal for the Packers in this matchup.

And also the standpoint of it, I'm not taking anything away from the Jets, but they know what their season is, they know what their record says, So there is a gut check on their sideline as well to see exactly how much they're going to be up for this game, knowing some of the questions that may linger with their own coaching staff. So I think in this specific instance that this third quarter, some of those stalls, some of those those momentum swings, could really be tied to just

simply which team once it more. And the Packers they they've outlined it, they've talked about it. They know where they're coming up short. They have to execute better on it. They have two more chances to do so at this game and then Detroit. Yeah, the and as we've talked about also all year long, this is a Packers team. I can't I can't remember a Packers team I've covered that didn't win two games in a row at so point during a season. And these last two games now

are the last opportunity to do that. This team has not been able to put together a winning streak of any kind. Um, you know, a solid, fairly solid record at home, your five five, one and one at lant Field, right, Um, and we all know that one loss was it was an inexcusable one. But this team has one its share of games at home. But when you can't went on the road, you're not gonna be able to put together a winning streak. So you definitely like to see that

um before this one wraps up. Um. You mentioned the just quickly eyeballing it. It looked like two thousand five was the last time they didn't and that was and that was a four and twelve season, which also was was the last time the Packers changed head coaches. So um, so that's yeah. You mentioned the Packers young defensive line and what it did against Chicago, especially against the run game.

We had talked earlier this week. There were really only two running players that has had that kind of that kind of got away from him all the other all the other running plays the Bears attempted in that game, and the Packers really stood up to them. I think this game, as you alluded to earlier, because the Jets have struggled so much to get any kind of a run game going, this one kind of does come down

to getting after the quarterback. Doesn't You've you've you've got to you've got to hurry Darnald you've got to get him off the spot, as they say. Now, he's athletic, he can run, he can he can make plays on the run, get out of the pocket and throw the ball. But um, I don't see the Jets necessarily being able to establish a real reliable run game the way the Packers are playing run defense right now, this game really

is going to fall into Donald's hands. And then what the Packers do upfront to disrupt him, Well, I just looking quickly the last two games for the Jets, So two weeks ago two point eight yards per carry that actually ended up being in a win for them over the Bills. Uh. And then last week only two point nine on the ground. Uh. McGuire with only two point three yards per carry on eighteen attempts for forty two yards. Donald, like I mentioned before, he has some scrambling ability to

he can he can sprinkle that in there. But I don't think it's the same level that Josh Allen has. I think it's more out of you know, having to do so when the play breaks down, as opposed to Alan who uses as a legitimate arsenal and his his uh you know, array of weapons. So yeah, it's gonna be an interesting match for the Packers, certainly, when I think when you drafted, at least when I drafted my fantasy football, they get to be in the year everybody

thought it was Kroll. Well, I thought it was gonna be Ballal Powell hasn't worked out for them. They've had to go through a litany of injuries and different things here. So Yeah, to be honest with you, I don't know much about McGuire, but that's been their guy here the last couple of weeks, only averaging three point three yards per carry on the season. Uh So still looking for a breakout there, Packers hoping they can hold him off

for another week. Yeah, Packers run game. On the flip side of things, Jamal Williams looks like he'll be the bell cow guy, the number one guy here, which is a role that he performed in a year when he was called upon. Had some really solid performances against Pittsburgh. I remember on the road the home game against Tampa Bay was very solid, very productive there. Um one of his backups. An interesting story to uh to tell here.

The Packers recently claiming Capri Bibbs, if I'm saying that correctly, off waivers from Washington, a running back from the Chicago area, went to a couple of junior colleges, ended up at Colorado State University, made his way into the NFL's an undrafted player. The Packers now his third NFL team, but um not a Bears fan growing up in Chicago, a Packers fan. Tell us the story that you got from him in the locker room this week, Yeah, pretty interesting one.

That's also kind of cool as uh, Bibbs actually has a Super Bowl ring too. He ended up getting one with the practice squad most of that season, but did manage to get one. And he's this is actually his fifth NFL season, only three in terms of you know, a crude seasons, but he's been in the league since two thousand and fourteen, and this year had been pretty effective with Washington, had been you know, over I believe it was over two hundred total yards on in four touchdowns.

So you know, he was obviously disappointed. And when last week they told him he was going to be getting his release, they wanted to go another direction with their running game and exposed him to waivers. As it turns out, the Green Bay Packers claimed him, and if she just getting a chance to talk to Bibbs. I knew some other beat writers that covered him, and they talked very glowingly about him and just how extroverted he is and

how much of a conversation is he is. But I mean him going into his background with the Green Bay Packers, to be honest with you, Mike, and eight years doing this, I don't know if I've covered anyone that's been as big of a Packers fan as this guy is. And yeah, I mean this is a kid who was as a teenager, as a as a grade schooler, even was walking the streets of Chicago wearing his Packers game. I mean it

takes some guts. Yeah, a mile and a half going to school every day, he said, wearing a Packers because his mom the first game she ever went to was a Packers game. She became a Packers fan, raised him as a Packers fan, and he told this amazing story. You know, he was a huge Brett Farve love that whole era. He was a little bit after Super Bowl thirty one, but he knows of the allure of Farve.

So two thousand seven comes around, this is like his first big chance that you know, then making the Super Bowl and he's sitting in their house on that night, January two thousand and eight, and he's watching this game. And he's a big football player. He loves football, and he's like, you know what, I want to feel what

the players feel. So what does he do? He shuts off the family's heat, opens up the windows, takes his shirt off and sitting there and shorts in front of the television, embracing the moment like the Packers had to embrace it in a negative one degree kickoff here at lambeau Field. Just an amazing story. He did mention his family was not too pleased about that, but he told him it's time to cheer for the Packers. That's what

I'm gonna do. But it's amazing listening to him because I mean, he talks so fervently about Sam Shields and Nick Collins and you know, and how he wanted to go up to Clay Matthews after the game in Washington asked for his jersey and didn't really have the guts

to do it. Hesitated, and then Matthews was gone. His two favorite quarterbacks of all time are far Vin Rogers, and it was interesting for a guy that has won a Super Bowl, has been in the locker room with Peyton Manning and and has really became good friends with Adrian Peterson this year, Vaughan Miller. The list goes on and on of these all pro Hall of Fame type

players he's played with. And it's not nothing against Clay Matthews and a Rogers, but these are the guys that really have him with his jaw on the floor and uh yeah, Now now he knows there's a big opportunity here. He has a number twenty two jersey. He finally has his first Packers jersey with his name on it, and he knows what's on the line here the next two weeks. Jamal Williams is the featured back. He knows it's his job to spell him, but that's it. Danny Vitally, the fullback,

is the other guy. Otherwise, if they need to change the pace, it's Bibbs and Bibbs who's going to be a free agent at the end of the season. He said he's ready for the opportunity if it presents itself. Yeah, you can't help but smile and laugh a little bit. Thinking back to that two thousand seven and FC Championship against the New York Giants. The windshills are in the minus twenties. Here at lambeau Field, the the enduring image

is that red face of Tom Coughlin, you know. And when I think about that, and here this teenage Packer fan fan, how old teenage Packer fans sitting in Chicago without a shirt on, with the windows open and the heat shut off in the house. And what did you say? You? You looked it up on in Chicago that night. So a touch warmer than it was in Green Bay, but not a whole heck of a lot. What would mon Possofford have done if you would have did that back

in the day. Um, yeah, you'd have been watching the game outside on the radio or listening to the instant the instant the heat would have been shut off. It would have been turned right back. Here's the part of it that I love. Though he didn't turn off the heat, he opened up the wind. So it's like, not only do you for you give up the heat that you had in the house, You're you're just letting it out. Yeah.

Exactly a really fun story, but just a really interesting guy and and very motivated to show he belongs, he knows that this was a big year for him. He knows what comes after this in terms of free agency. He was looking up places where he could potentially go. He was hoping it would be Green Bay, and as it turned out, they gave him a two weekhead start. Alrighty, well, before we go here, West, let's take a quick look at what else is going on around the NFL here

in week sixteen. Actually in the a f C, A really interesting game on Saturday night that will beyond the TV when we're in our hotel rooms in I'll be in New York City with the Oh you're gonna be partying it up on down and times I gotta go. I have to. I've only been there twice and I blew it the first time we were there. Ahead, but that that Chargers versus Ravens Saturday night UM game with a lot of playoff implications in the a f C. Looking at things in the NFC coming up this weekend.

UM New Orleans Saints trying to hang onto that number one seed. They've got a big one at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers. You don't see the Packers obviously playing the Jets. You don't see a whole lot of these cross conference games this late in the year, but Pittsburgh against New Orleans in week sixteen is definitely one to

to keep an eye on. And then um by the same token Sunday night Kansas Kansas City at Seattle, another cross conference game between two teams jockeying for playoff position and their respective conferences. Some really interesting games on the slate this weekend in the NFL. Well, first off, how difficult was the Steelers schedule this year? I mean, my goodness.

They had to go through the gauntlet to get to eight five and one, and then they end up dropping that one two weeks ago everyone thought they should win. They bounced back, and now you've got to go down. So you have to go to the super Dome in New Orleans, so the House of the Rising Sun. They're seeing if Ben Roethlisberg can work some magic. Uh. To be being honest, though, the game that intrigues me the

most as Seattle, because they've been on this run. They were able mostly been able to get on this run since that law, since beating the Packers, but they stumbled, stumbled big time last week in Francisco, lost to the forty Niners for the first time in five years, and now suddenly, you know, two weeks to go, they're not exactly secure exactly they want to be. And now you've got Kansas City who's coming off of a loss. They're looking to avenge that and get some of their momentum back.

I think those two games are gonna be really interesting. And then also you know seeing these other teams, these fringe teams, Mike, the Philadelphia hosting Houston, can they do something there? Can get trying to hang in with Nick Foles coming off of that big road win in prime time out in Los Angeles against the Rams. The Nick Foles magic is they're trying to crank it up again, and you're going up against one of the hottest teams in the league right now. And then Washington traveling down

with Josh Johnson trying to keep their playoffs alive. So yeah, just the very intriguing slate of games to see how this all shuffles out. It Actually it's kind of weird, Mike, and that basically I was looking at the schedule or today. I mean, with a few exceptions like the Rams and Cardinals, Denver in the in the Raiders, a lot of these are like all these are paired up pretty well in terms of like the playoff in locations, division title implications.

As these postseasons tries to seat itself out well, I have a feeling as we go into next week, we're going to be talking about, especially in the NFC, with those two wild card spots, we could really be talking about some crazy, you know, out of this world scenarios with multiple teams still involved. But we'll have to see what happens this weekend and where everybody stands with one game to go. Yeah, and then the other thing you wonder too is like, you know, look at that Pittsburgh game.

Pittsburgh's trying to claud its way in there. If you can go and beat New Orleans at home, what does that do to New Orleans? What does that do for you? I think sometimes that narrative gets overblown in terms of like peeking at the right time everything. It just matters how you play in that first playoff game, then you determine where you're going to go from That decides whether

you're kind of rolling or not. But at the same time, the fewer questions that you have in the back of your mind going into the playoffs, I think a lot of times helps you with in terms of confidence and being able to play to what level you feel you're capable of. Yeah, I would agree with that. For now, we're going to call it a wrap on this edition of Packer Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and of Sunday's game against the

Jets on Packers dot com. On Twitter, you can follow him at west hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, See you next time.