#422 Packers Unscripted: Next game up

that will still be without Aaron Jones. He will be sidelines, still being very precautionary with the tightness and his hamstring. But Matt Lafleur and his offense with Aaron Rodgers at the controls, the aginst An opponent will be the debut here. And what are you looking for? I'm looking for excitement, I'm looking for enthusiasm. I'm looking for efficiency. I thought your story outlining some of the three things that that

Aaron Rodgers was looking for in this game. He talked about, you know, the efficiency side of it, you know, getting out of this thing hopefully healthy, and then also just the natural competitiveness of being able to be back out there with these guys. Um that that's gonna be the biggest thing. If you can get through healthy and be efficient what you want to accomplish realistically, I think that's all you can hope for this year, are really in

any preseason and be quite honest with you. The other thing of it, too, is that this is the first big matchup I felt like for the backup quarterbacks, and it was something that some of the guys have talked about in the locker room. Baltimore throws a lot of different blitz packages at you, a lot of different variation with that, so well, last week might have been sort of the beginner's course, kind of get yourself reacclimated things.

The Ravens, even in preseason settings, do historically turn it up a little bit. Was what was interesting to me and talking to some players in the locker room after Tuesday's practices. There not expecting the Ravens to play this as you would normally expect a preseason game across the league. And I'm talking schematically in terms of you know, vanilla and keeping things pretty simple and just working on the basics.

They're really expecting the Ravens to throw some unconventional looks at them, to work on some of their uh you know, more exotic packages and and see what those look like in a game setting. And it sounds like the Packers are actually kind of looking forward to it, looking forward to the challenge. As you said, I think it becomes a really interesting challenge for the Packers backup quarterbacks if

they indeed face uh those kinds of looks. Because I thought both the Shaun Kaiser and Tim Boyle got the preseason off to a good start. Nothing spectacular for either one. Nobody's lighting it up, so to speak, but they both gave themselves something to build on. But now they're going to have to build on it against a better defensive unit, no doubt. Also, it's communication competitiveness. Sorry, I got my seas mixed up there as far as what Rogers was

looking for. But as it relates to the backup quarterbacks in this particular matchup last week, I remember talking with Tim Boyle a little bit after the game, and you know, he said, you pretty much knew they were gonna throw four, maybe five rushers at you at the same time, and they felt confident about their five against our five, and it wasn't gonna be that big of a discrepancy with the Ravens. You're not sure. Maybe it could end up being six. Maybe they could send an extra free blitzer.

And that's where it's gonna be. On the offensive line. It's gonna be on the quarterbacks to pick up those things. And it's also gonna be on a guy like Tommy Bohannan who just comes in now and now he potentially could be in the backfield, the fullback that played last season with Jacksonville. So the big thing for the Packers here is if you can get through this healthy, if you can feel good about where you're at right now with this offense, whether it's the first, second, or third team,

that's gonna be what really propels you forward. Because honestly, we'll see what happens in Canada. We know this starters won't play against Kansas City. This second preseason game for probably the last three or four years, has been sort of that big barometer for the offense in the starting unit,

seeing what they can put out on the field. Yeah, but you mentioned the new fullback Tony Tommy excuse me, Bohannon, I want to talk about him for just a minute, because this is an interesting signing here for the Packers. You had both Danny Vitelli and Malcolm Johnson, the two fullbacks on the roster our sideline with injuries at the moment, and the Packers found it wasn't just you know, some undrafted rookie who you know, was trying to find his way.

They found a veteran guy who's been with a few different teams but also been in and out of the league, so to speak. Tell us Bohannon's. Yeah, so it's interesting. Bohanon's actually in the six NFL season already. I mean to quote my old friend Pete Doherty. He's vested at this point in the league, but he's had like two

different halves to his career. Where he started, he was a seventh round pick from the Jets in two thousand and thirteen, go way back then, played a few seasons for them, didn't make the final cut in two thousand sixteen, was out of the league entirely that year. Was pouring

concrete for his family's business. He was training some kids off to the side, and then they had that veteran combine, the second one in Arizona and two thought March of two thousand seventeen, Jacksonville saw him, they signed him, He made the roster, and he played in thirty two straight games for them, playing for current Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

So a couple different layers to this one. Brian Goodkin said, it's not like there was this bevy of fullbacks available, especially ones that are veterans that they could come in and play right away. They had some young guys they liked, but not anyone quite like Bohannon. In Bohanon's perspective, he's kind of just been sitting on the shelf. You're waiting for that opportunity. But as he pointed out, with some of the things he had to do as a fullback previously,

you know his patience has already been tested. Yeah. Well, on the defensive side of the ball for the Packers here heading to Baltimore, the ones will get. As Matt Lafleur said about a quarter or so, an interesting challenge he in quarterback Lamar Jackson, not your conventional NFL drop back quarterback. That being said, though, I just wonder how much the Ravens are really gonna expose Jackson to taking

any hits and whatnot. They may be telling him, they may be calling plays in this preseason game that he's supposed to sit in the pocket and get rid of the ball because that's probably the part of his game that they want to work on the most. Right, So we may not really see the Lamar Jackson of September, October, November here in August, but nonetheless it will be the first look at the full first unit for the Green Bay Packers. Defensively, for my money, Lamar Jackson the most

exciting young quarterback in this league right now. I love watching the Baltimore Ravens play. It's unconventional. The receivers have to be somewhat unselfish because you're not going to get traditional seventy receptions over a year if you start. They're trying to change the narrative there in terms of what it takes to get to the playoffs and what kind of quarterback you need because this guy is different and

the offense they run is different. Well, and it's kind of like presidencies, right, not to get political, but when you when you have one president, typically the next one is just completely different. Right. They had Joe Flacco, who was this pocket, big arm quarterback, and then they switch over to Jackson, which is not to question his arm strength, but his you know, there's questions where he's gonna play quarterback in the NFL. Right there are fundans outer that

we're wondering about it. The Ravens never had any doubt, but it is a very run heavy offense. It gave they get their running backs involved, they get Jackson involved. It is going to be meshing that together in the regular season. That's gonna say how far the Ravens truly go in this setting, though I really don't know what to expect. I know, I'm not sure what they're gonna run. I don't think he's gonna be running that much. I'm

guessing they're gonna do some passing. But it's also not like he's gonna He's not a three step quarterback and you know, throw thirty yards downfield. So if I'm Mike Petton and I'm talking with Sadarius Smith, who has, you know, going back to Baltimore, Preston Smith, this defense, you know,

my basic thing is tackle. You know, whether it is Jackson or whether it is the unning backs, this offensive unit is to make sure you're sure up the tackling, because that was the one thing that was missing from that game against the Texas. Yeah, Matt la Fleur had pointed out during the week when he went back through the film, he counted twenty four miss tackles on the

part of the defense. Now, granted, a lot of the number one guys didn't play and a lot of the young guys, as we had talked about, they played an inordinate number of snaps when you think about it for a first preseason game in terms of getting into football shape and all of that kind of stuff. But yes, that is the biggest thing defensively the Packers want to clean up here is the tackling. He cut down on

the miss tackles. Don't make this the narrative of Mike Patton's second year defense that suddenly tackling is an issue. So we'll be watching to see if that gets shored up. The other thing, certainly that that Matt Lafleur would like to see cleaned up as the penalties twelve penalties for a little over a hundred yards against the Houston Texans. And we saw some of those points of emphasis from the officials. We saw the holding calls, We saw a

blindside block call. Those are the kinds of things that they're gonna They're definitely gonna call it in the preseason and try to get these guys accustomed to how it's going to be called in the regular season with these points of emphasis. One of the points emphasis, though, that surprised me from the first game that didn't get called much was the past interference. I actually thought we were

going to see a lot of flags. I and I actually even though I think if you look by the tried and true definition of the rule, it wasn't past interference on Al Lazard and that one in zone throw that Tim Boyle through. But I liked the rationale behind why La Fleur wanted to challenge it. Yeah, I just thought we were going to get more of those. I thought the reps would be a little bit more um, you know, liberal with what they wanted to throw out there.

Maybe get some of those things, uh down Because a lot of times you're right, Mike, the blindside black I think is here to stay in terms of the emphasis on it, I think that isn't gonna dwindle at all. But other times there are certain defensive holding and offensive past afference where it's like, Okay, we're gonna hammer this in the preseason, but once you get to week one, you know, we'll all make our hands go to different directions and everyone knows the real rules in which we're

playing with. So that did surprise me, and I am very gonna gonna be very curious, especially Aaron Rodgers is testing the Ravens deep early in this game, is if we are going to see a little bit more laundry out on the field, because I just think with the offensive past interference rules now being what they are, in adding the challenge element to this, that's gonna be a big sublot, you know, subtitle to this whole season. But in terms of the other stuff, You're absolutely right, there's

no excuse for it. Matt Floor wants to clean it up, and we'll see how they respond to it. And I do think that there's a good chance maybe in at least once in each of the four preseason games we see the Packers challenge of past interference or a non passage. I would, yeah, exactly to work through some of the mechanics of that and then see, Okay, what did they

see and and what is their decision based on? Uh, you know, is it clear and obvious, which is how the rule is written, and is is that how they're going to call it. You want to try to get a feel for all that before the games are real. And you know, there are some fine gentlemen out there that help out the packers with they're officiating during the prese during training camp, but the NFL officials this is

a learning process. And we even heard it from the gentleman that came in last week talking about how, yeah, it is some of the stuff that happens on the field, but it's also the conversations that they have in the locker room with the team and making sure that you understand all that. You can preach points of emphasis until

you're read in the face. But we saw with the Clay Matthews sacks last year and the quarterback hits and the unnecessary roughness, how quickly all that can go out the door if it's not officiated in the manner that everybody believes it's going to be. Yeah, for sure, and the NFL absolutely does not want another controversy like the don't need to be roughing the passer stuff that was going on last September. Um quickly with some sponsored business

select Cousin Subs locations are now offering delivery. Whether you're ordering catering or your favorite sub, they're delivering right to you when you order online at Cousin Subs dot com. Cousin Subs we believe in better. Okay. Another note on the defensive side of the ball here that will certainly be watching or in Burke's exited the first preseason game against Houston very early with a chest injury. Now General manager Brian Goodacunts gave a bit of an update the

other day. The news is not doesn't sound like it's as bad on or in Burke's as maybe everybody feared that Gudacunst is hoping as they continue to gather more information that this is not necessarily a long term injury for Burks and that he could be back. He didn't give a timeline on that, however, So in the meantime, whether we're talking a few weeks or several weeks, or whatever the case might be, the Packers will be looking for that second inside linebacker to pair with Blake Martinez.

And as we talked about on the last show, Curtis Bolton Tye Summers are probably the two leading candidates right now. James Crawford, Brady Sheldon also in that mix at inside linebacker. But that's going to be a position to watch here, especially with the ones taking the field for the first time defensively and uh. And then for a guy like Ty Summers who had the ted tackles and a few miss tackles against Houston, can he build on what he

did uh in his rookie first preseason game. Yeah, And this is gonna be the biggest change for the Packers this year. As we mentioned, I think on our previous show on Monday, when there was a big injury there with the shoulder too, Burke's last year, they went out and got Antonio Morrison pretty much right away. They have not done that at this juncture. So one, you hope that that bodes well for Burke's in his long term future here. Certainly he looked like, you know, it really

made some nice strides prior to this chest injury. But on the other side of it, I think it also speaks to what they feel like the confidence level is like with those inside linebackers and also with some of those safeties that could potentially be filling that box roll next to Blake Martinez as well. One of the things I outlined an insider in box was it is very important to step up in this time, whether it's Curtis Bolton,

whether it's James Crawford, or whether it's Ties Summers. But I still really like the reps that Summers is getting with the twos right now as the lead communicator, because here's the thing. Packers have been blessed and fortunate that Blake Martinez has been healthy as an OX here the last two Season's been able to stay on the field. He is a key cog for this defense, and as long as Burke's is out, that is one less guy

that they have behind Martinez. As it relates to those dime packages, were Martinez is the only guy in the field in the interim. The main thing that Bolton, Summers, Crawford and also throw Brady Shelton in there. They're trying to buy for that first down, second down roll against the run, putting your head down, being able to stand up to contact, and being able to tackle guys in the open field. I thought, again early on, Summers did

that really well against Houston. Whatever happened in the second half happened, But I think you saw when he has a full gas tank, what this young man is capable of, especially being the seventh round pick. Bolton is the guy that just has kind of come out of nowhere for me because I didn't know much about him coming at Oklahoma. I learned a lot from him from your story and

what he's dealt with to get to this point. Just a one year starter, a fifth year senior starter at Oklahoma and had been a essentially a backup, a special teams guy, and then a dealt with an injury prior to that, and now here he is in the NFL with a chance to become a starter for the Green Bay Packer. And this is the main reason why I wanted to point to that, because sometimes it isn't about the guy who played five years at these big power

five conference schools. Sometimes it's the Curtis Boltons of the world that's people start to just let fly under the radar because either there was an injury or he wasn't starting, and then suddenly, boom, here he is. This is just gonna be such an important stretch here for that young man as he's trying to not only make this team but also show that okay, if it works out this way in week one, you need somebody next to Blake Martinez,

I'm your guy. Yeah, alright, Well, as we as we wrap up today's show here previewing this Baltimore preseason game West, anybody else that comes to mind that we haven't mentioned yet that is a particular player you might have your eye on from the press box in Baltimore. The number one guy that And I couldn't write it again this week because I already wrote it last week, But I actually feel like the number one guy we've seen in this year's training camp. And I'm putting this above Jake Kumero.

By the way, a lot of people might have thought it was gonna say, Jay Kumarro is Robert Tayan. If you watch these practices, Robert Tayan is going to be a part of this offense in two thousand nineteen. Last year, he was behind those three veterans. He didn't get a whole lot of playing time. They started to mix them in a little bit, but realistically his biggest contribution was

the special teams. Every single practice, he is making a play, he is being where he needs to be, and Aaron Rodgers has developed a confidence in this young man We also saw Jimmy Graham come and get a thirty two yard touchdown near the end of practice actually the second to last team period, I believe in practice at a two minute drill, looking really good over the top of the defense. We've talked so much about the receiver position,

and rightfully so. There's a lot of jobs at stakes and they're starting jobs at stake, but tight end is going to be the position, and I feel like with Matt Lafleur's scheme is going to get the biggest shine put on it in Robert Tanian with what he's been able to learn from Marcedes Lewis and what he's learned from Jimmy Graham, mixed in with the fact that this is a hungry guy that wants to prove he belongs

in this league. He's going to be the number one guy have my eye on because I think there's a legitimate chance he actually does get some reps with Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night. Yeah, I don't know if you listen to Aaron Rodgers interview with Sirius XM Radio that he did. I believe it was yesterday on Tuesday. We're

taping this on Wednesday. Um, about a fifteen minute interview, and there was a segment in there where he was talking about Robert Tanya and he certainly said plenty of positive things that his locker talking to the vocal media on a regular basis. What he said on that Sirius XM radio show about Robert Tannian absolutely convinces me that this guy is going to be a part of the offense in nine. There's just no doubt about it. The confidence that Aaron Rodgers has in this young man at

that position, it definitely is is starting to show. Here's the thing though about Tany that I like the most. We hear so much time, so much about just trusting a guy confidence. It gets the point where where it seems like we're overstating it. Robert Twian has confidence in himself and that might seem like a small thing, but you gotta understand, this is a guy who played at Indiana State. I think they had one guy in the last fifteen years that has played in the league out

of Indiana State. And he wasn't playing tight end there. And he wasn't playing tight end. He was a quarterback. He was a receiver. If you know anything about Robert Tannian story. Most of his football career has been told, Yeah, this isn't the position for you. You're not quite good enough. Tight End is this guy's position, Michael, And much like Jake Kumero, I will bring it all back together against

get it into a nice degree circle. Much like Kumarro, both of these guys a year ago they were playing their butts off trying to make a roster. This year they're trying to be in this rotation, and I think there's a real good chance that both of them are going to do it. Yeah, well quickly, I'm gonna rattle off a couple other guys that I'm gonna have my eye on number one. I think the Packers still have

a lot they're trying to sort out at backup offensive tackles. Sure, we're going to be the backups to David back tr and Brian Blaga. You've got Alex Light, You've got Yosh Naiman and um Chart. You're hard to bear. I was forgetting the third one in that mix. Watch those guys, watch those offensive tackles after the starters leave the game on Thursday night. Because the Packers have some pecking order

with their offensive line to figure out. The other thing I will say is I always try to look for a guy who made a splash in a preseason game, and then can he build on it? Can he show that he can continue to do it and not just make it a one time thing. And that guy for me is Cadar Holman, the sixth round draft pickout of Toledo, had a great interception against the Houston Texans. That's something to build on. He needs. He needs to build on it and continue to keep that arrow pointing up here

as the preseason goes along. First, I want to just talk quickly about the offensive line. You're absolutely right, Alex light Niman. These guys have to show themselves. They need to prove that they're worthy of a roster spot. I will also point out when Brian Blaga was sitting last week, Billy Turner looks like a real fine for this offensive line because by all intents and purposes, you'll be starting at right guard here for the Packers at the beginning

of the season. But I think he's also the type of guy with his experience and the way he takes approach to the game. He also can fill in at a tackle spot if absolutely necessary to be called upon the cornerback position. You hit it out of the park with Holman, and for one major reason, the Packers need to have five players at that position. And I mean I'm not saying they need to keep five. I'm saying they need to have five guys at at any given time you can put them in an NFL regular season

football game and feel like you can win. Packers are back in the business of winning football. Okay, all the credit in the world of Ladarius Gunter, I salute him. He did a phenomenal job against terrible circumstances in two thousand and sixteen. This situation at quarterback has completely changed, though. We're talking about guys now that running the four threes right with Holman, with Tony Brown, as you wrote about, these are the guys now that are that next guard.

If you don't have Kevin King, if you don't have Gyr Alexander at any given time, if you're going to survive an entire season and play potentially nineteen games to win a Lombardi Trophy, you have to have options. I've been really impressed so far by how Holman has stepped right in and not look like a six round rookie. Yep,

I agree with you there. With that, we're going to call it a wrap on this edition of Packers on Script and be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and of Thursday night's preseason game from Baltimore. Will both be there on Packers dot com. Subscribe to us, like us on iTunes and other podcast services if you will. 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.