#502 Packers Unscripted: Due recognition

Field West. I know I ended yesterday's show by saying we were going to discuss wild Card weekend and all four of the games coming up here, and we will certainly do that, but a couple of pieces of Packers got news to take care of first, and we'll begin with a hearty congratulations to Packers veteran left tackle David Baktari, who, for the fourth year in a row, was named to the Associated Press All Pro Team. He gets a second team honor, this time the third time in the four

years he's been a second team selection. He was a first team selection a year ago, and as we talked about on yesterday's show, early in the season, some uncharacteristic performances from him, but second half of the year in particular, he has been the rock solid left tackle, blindside protector as well as a heck of a run blocker. This year. I think too that Matt Lafleur and Aaron Rodgers and everybody associated with that offense has come to count on well.

I think when you actually break it down and when this thing is all said and done, you're gonna remember David Bacteria not only for being one of the best linemen in Packer's history, but also being one of the most athletic too. And I think over the last two three seasons he's been able to show more and more of that and get comfortable in those different aspects of the game. So congratulations to him. Ronnie Stanley had a fantastic year for Baltimore. He was the first team winner,

and then box Tr Kiman on the second team. You can't say enough about David what he played through um second consecutive year He's played in all sixteen games, was only one snap behind Billy Turner for the most offensive snaps played in two thousand nineteen, the fifth time and seven years that he played in every game for Green Bay. Has been an important piece of this offense and and obviously very valued member that locker room. And the first time for him that the Pro Bowl and the All

Pro recognition they kind of match up. Finally things are things are finally straightening out here for box Tr When it comes to the awards, and honor. Well, you know, he was able to get in in sixteen as a first alter his first year as All Pro. But last year he gets first team All Pro. Yeah. Not a Pro Bowler is what it is. But that's the way the process works. Unfortunately for David obviously getting the accolades this season. Yeah. Well, another big piece of news that

we found out late in the day on Thursday. And I know you're very happy about this. I'm happy about it as well, but I know you have a special place in your heart for this one. What I'm talking about, of course, is that former Packers safety Leroy Butler, for the first time, has advanced to the finalist stage. After three cracks at these in the semifinalist arena, so to speak, he is now finally advanced to the finalist stage for

the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is one of the fifteen Modern era finalists that will be whittled down to a maximum sized class of five when the selection committee meets over Super Bowl weekend. And uh, this is this is just fantastic. The process is finally starting to work in Butler's favor and this is good for him. Who knows if it will be this year, any other year or whatever. But he's gotten to the next step and hopefully at some point here he will take that

final step and get into Canna. Well, you can go back and we we we talked about it. I obviously was very passionate, emotional about it. And again I wasn't sitting here trying to push this down to people's throats, like Leroy Butler needs to be in the Hall of Fame right now. This is a travesty, this is injustice and well, I mean I certainly believe he is will

is capable worthy of the honor. Yeah, I just wanted to see him in this final fifteen because for people at home that don't know how this works, all this balloting up to this point is just done amongst the voters wherever they are. Yeah, it's checking out, checking off boxes, making your picks, and sending him in. Yeah. So it isn't until this final fifteen where these guys will actually get to end. Ladies, excuse me, we'll all get together and debate present cases for why these guys should be

in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Fourteen years now into his eligibility, Leroy Butler has never had that opportunity to have Pete Doherty or Cliff Crystal, whoever it is, kind of state his case for the Hall of Fame.

I just feel like it's a really important message to hear because if you hear it, I think people are gonna understand what this guy meant to Green Bay, what he meant to Friz Shermer's defense, and how he was doing a lot of things before those things were really cool, when when people still viewed the safety and more of the archaic sense of well, they're just not good enough

to be cornerbacks. No, it's bigger than that, and if you know why Leroy Butler ended up going to safety and the decisions that played into that, you would understand. So I just I'm really happy that he gets this opportunity now for Pete Doherty to stand in front of the room the day before the Super Bowl and state, Okay, this is why this guy is year and this is why he deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall

of Fame, and I hope he gets in. But I'm just saying, just to be able to have that conversation is very important. Yeah, I agree. I think for those who have followed have followed the story and are obviously hoping for Butler to get in. Regardless of what happens

on Super Bowl weekend. You know, don't be discouraged if he doesn't make it, because what he did now this year getting to the finalist stage is a is a huge step in the right direction because just as an example, another safety who's a finalist, John Lynch, this is his seventh time as a finalist and he has yet to get in. I'm not saying that Butler is going to be a finalist that many times. Where it's going to

take that long, I really don't know. But just if if he doesn't get in this first time being a finalist, don't think like, oh, all hope is lost. It's never going to happen. He's He's taken another step in this process that is very important. And I'll just say, well, you and I were talking about it yesterday when we got the news. There are four safeties now that are finalists in this group of fifteen. John Lynch, Steve Atwater,

Troy Paula Malo is a first ballot. This is his first year to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. He's a finalist as well as Butler, So the fact that there are four safeties out of the fifteen that probably doesn't bode well necessarily for Butler's chances this year. And we're even talking also when you look at next year, a few first ballot guys across the league, Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson are all going to be eligible

for the first time in one. That's gonna be a tough modern era class of five to crack if all three of those guys get in on the first ballot. But the fact that Butler has gotten to this stage now it bodes well for these last Essentially he's got about a decade now where he'll still be in this modern day process before he would have to resort to the Senior Committee. And the fact that he's got this ten years now where he's made finalist for the first

time is is a really good size. Yeah. And for people that don't really know what this means at home, you get twenty five years after the time in which you've played to have a window to be a modern era candidate, So years from when you're eligible five years which is five years retirement. Yeah, So there I am making things even making muddy water hard. It is hard to keep track of all the numbers though. But this is why it's kind of important as it relates to Butler,

because this is year fourteen for him. He has eleven more years to get in as a modern era finalists. So one goes back to a conversation I've had with him several times. He knows he feels like he'll get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at some point. The question was whether it can be in that twenty five year window, or if it would be as a

senior nominee down the line. This, at least in my mind, based on the precedence that the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters typically have um this at least I think puts him in that in this next eleven years he

could he could really make it. I think he could too, because I think this is this is fantastic news that he's that he's gotten this far, and as I say, he's got that a whole decade to continue in this modern error process to get a shot, because as you said, next year, there's gonna be a lot of first ballot Hall of Famers. How many exactly will find that out then, but that will eat into the five this year isn't

like that. I think you're going to see a couple of these guys that have been in the log jam get that opportunity to slide through, and every year is going to be different. So for le Roy to at least be in that fifteen now it opens up that window. I think it makes his visibility a lot better. And again, if he's on that list once, it makes it a lot more likely that he makes it again. He went

ten years without being a semifinalist. Once he made semifinals, he went three years without being a finalist, and now he is being able to crack that top fifteen. It's a it's a ladder, it's a process, and fortunately for le Roy, it seems like he's one step closer. Yeah, And to his credit, he's he's showed plenty of confidence, plenty of patients. He he really believes his day is coming.

And I think that's fantastic that he's able to take that approach and that attitude to something that is that is so important and really the pinnacle of recogniztion and of your career. Yeah, and he's a pitting me a class. Talking to NFL Network on Thursday night after they interviewed him when this was announced, and he said he's up against three other safeties, and he said, they're not only amazing players, they're amazing people. I mean, Steve Atwater, you

can talk to anybody in Denver. I mean, he's held in such highest steam out there. Certainly John Lynch, you know his character. And Troy Paulamalo, who's I think one of the favorites for this year's class. A lot of Plamalo being a defensive Player of the Year in the year that Clay Matthews was runner up when those two teams, Packers and Steelers were playing in the Super Bowl. Yeah, so there is a competition there, but there's also a

mutual respect. And you know, as I said the last time we had this debate on the show, Mike, I hope they all get in. I hope Atwater and I do too. I just wanted Butler to be seen on an equal playing field with them, and this year I feel like he's getting that chance. Yeah, I think so. Alright, quickly, we' 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 Calm Cousin subs. We believe in better. Okay, wild Card weekend is upon us. The two a f C games are Saturday, the two NFC games are Sunday. Real quickly, just to outline again for Packers fans. If the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans will be

coming to lambeau Field. If the Minnesota Vikings knock off the Saints down in the Superdome, the Packers will get the winner of the Seahawks Eagles game. But starting with Saturday, the two a f C games, you have Buffalo traveling to Houston and Tennessee traveling to Foxborough to take on the Patriots. What are your initial thoughts here on these first two a f C playoff games. My initial thoughts is,

I'm going to be busy on Saturday afternoon. It's my wife's birthday, So I don't know if I'm actually going to be a birthday CA. Yeah, I love you. UM, I don't know if I'm actually gonna be able to watch that one. Um, but that second one is actually my that's my favorite one of this weekend. I I'm really interested to see how Tennessee looks in this. You've had to read about it and in box this week

when you've been editing me. I just think the way that Tannehill has performed this year, how consistent he's been. Derrick Henry is an absolute beast, and I really since the very beginning of this season, I like Mike Vrabel's defensive scheme a lot. I think it's one of the best in the NFL right now. And we've we've seen we've seen these coaches from the Belichick tree at certain times get the best of Bill Belichick's Patriots. Matt Patricia's Lions.

Did it, Brian Florence did it last week? Yeah, exactly. I mean so that that's that's another intriguing thing here. But I am totally with you on Derrick Henry because I looked this up and put this in inbox this morning. For all of the top high rankings that the Patriots defense has, and that unit has a bunch of them, there's one that sticks out that's not in the top ten, and it's average yards per carry allowed to opposing running games. They're like fourteenth, which isn't bad, but all of their

other defensive rankings their first in this and fifth. I think they're sixth and total rushing yards allowed, but that fourteen in yards per carry. It just to me, it seems if if Tennessee can stay in this game, because the Patriots, they've they put up they put up points, they've had their share of blowout wins. They get teams

that aren't going to run the ball that much. So but if Tennessee can stay in this game and get Derrick Henry going, you know, and make it, make it a four quarter game where they get to feed Derrick Henry for four quarters, I think Tennessee has a great chance to to knock off the Patriots on the road here. Yeah, and then the Patriots. This is why it's a compelling matchup for me, is the Patriots. This is a gut

check for them. That is a demoralizing loss. I mean, you and I were talking earlier this week about the difference between the Packers playing Detroit down to the wire and what happened with New England ultimately losing that game. The Patriots are playing this week. The Packers are resting themselves. So this is this is a difficult situation to be in, right now and seeing how Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and

the rest of that team rebounds from it. It's gonna be interesting because if you look at the statistics since last year when Matt Lafleur's offensive coordinator turned the keys to the backfield over to Derrick Henry, the production has been there for this offense, and now that Tannehill is the one that's actually behind center, it's been a big difference. Yeah, do you think this is the year that Buffalo chalks up a playoff victory? They've had, you know, a couple

of playoff appearances here off and on. Do you think they think they go into Houston and get and get the W? Well, this is the other side of it too, right, I Mean the big thing with Houston has been they've they've been able to make these playoff runs, but they haven't been able to go very far. So there's a lot on the line for both of these teams. I really like Josh Allen. I'm a big fan of his. I think the way that he plays the game, Buffalo

understands his strengths and they play to that. I think, you know, with the emergence this year with that backfield and and being able to mix things up with Singletary a little bit. I see him as kind of a building block for the future. I do like it. The question is, though, is which Texans team are you gonna get J. J. Watt coming off of injured reserve and all of that, you know, to to help out with

their defense. And and I I really I saw Buffalo essentially two games this year, the Thanksgiving game that they had at Dallas and then that Sunday night game they had at Pittsburgh. I thought they were really for row for you know, road contest. I thought they were really really impressive and pulling out both of those victories. So they're not gonna be They're not gonna shy away from being on the road in a noisy place and all that in Houston. Yeah, And like I said, I would

watch it if I could. I'm just gonna be a little busy. But I mean, you know, Micah Hyde, the defensive players that they have there. It's a good defense that Sean McDermott has as well, and seeing who pulls through it, that's gonna be interesting to watch, all right, Sunday Vikings at Saints and then Seahawks at Eagles. Obviously, these are the games that will determine Green Bay's opponent.

What do you think of Minnesota going into the Super an interesting playoff rivalry Here we go back to the two thousand nine NFC title game at the Superdome and then that divisional round game a couple of years ago at US Bank Stadium. UM one going to over time, the other one coming down to the miracle play on the on the last play of the fourth quarter. So these two teams meet again in January. Here we go. It's like honorary division rivals almost the way that this

has worked out with those two. The angle I love about this game is that Mike Zimmer said it earlier this week. Everybody's just giving the Vikings no chance to win this game. Yeah, the narrative is the same. There's no there's no way they can go into New Orleans and beat the Saints. But teams have this year, and some pretty average teams have done it. So and Minnesota is a team that they rested their guys, they took

Week seventeen as a bye week. They're trying to get healthy, obviously with some key guys Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, all of that. UM, I think This is going to be a really really interesting football game. Yeah, And I just the one chance I think Minnesota really has in this thing is if their defense plays well, they limit the underneath passing game and and don't allow Elvin Kamar to

get going early. And then defensively, you know, all right, say offensively on their set of things, how does Kirk Cousins look against the Saints defense? Because you know, I think Delvin Cook is good enough even against a good run front, He's going to be able to get his yards. What do they do off of that? Can they get the play action going? Can they do that inside the super Dome? There's a lot to like about that matchup. Yeah.

When I think about the Minnesota defense, we saw them get worn down in the second half against the Packers in that Monday night game in Week sixteen. They do have a lot of guys on that defense who have been around a while. They're not young players anymore. But they were able to kind of take the week off in Week seventeen, you know, rest up, recharge. I think Minnesota's defense will, Uh, they're counting on looking like the defense they planned on being all along Seattle at Philadelphia.

This is actually a regular season rematch Seattle one at Lincoln Financial Field earlier this season. I think both teams in a way, kind of in a different place right now, though certainly the Eagles are with the way they finished the regular season knocking off the Cowboys than getting the Week seventeen victory they needed to it into the postseason, and the Eagles at nine and seven, they're that team. We're saying, hey, it is a brand new slate. Here we go. Let's see if we can make another run

like they did a couple of years ago. And it has to be on Russell Russell Wilson's shoulders. It really does. Watching all of that San Francisco game and seeing what they're dealing with right now in their backfield, I think Homer has a little bit explosiveness that can help them. Certainly, Marshawn Lynch showed he still had some hops on the

goal line. But let's be honest, Mike, this is going to be up to Russell Wilson, a guy this team, as long as they can go with the injuries that they've had a weather and how this season has played out for them, it has to be him. He has to play well for them to go far in this postseason. As far as the Eagles are concerned, it's funny. I think Carson Wentz is about as underrated as you can

get for a guy that was a top pick. Yeah, I just feel like he doesn't quite get the respect he deserves for how he's really pulled Philadelphia through this season. And and this is interesting because he wasn't a part of the playoff run from a couple of years ago. Obviously this is all so this is this is Carson went introducing himself to the playoff world, so to speak. And it's and that, like I said, with Wilson having a kind of guide Seattle through the injuries they've had

Carson Wentz. I mean, the Eagles offense has had as bad a luck as any team in the NFL this season, specifically at the receiver position. Jordan Howard sounds like he's getting healthy again. Thought could be potentially in the cards for them. I thought before his injury he was playing really well, was getting into a groove, had sort of solidified himself as the number one back. Certainly Miles Sanders

is there as well. It's gonna be a good matchup because I think it's gonna be tough for both of these teams to mount a big run because of just how banged up they've been. But I think they both showed a lot of grit these last weeks of the season to put themselves in a position right now to

have this opportunity. Well, I will be sitting there at my house on Sunday with my computer open, because if New Orleans wins, I'll be quickly writing something to put up on our site that the Saints are coming to lambeau Field. And if the Vikings win, then I'll be ready for when the Seahawks Eagles game ends to get that story up on the website as to h the Packers next opponent it but it should be a fun weekend of football. Hey, what's up with the a f

C on Saturday and NFC on Sunday? People have been asking me about that. Yeah, I I answered. I answered a question. I answered a question in inbox about this. I think it started. I think it kind of started with the fact that because the league knew the NFC West loser from that Sunday night game in week seventeen was going to have to travel cross country essentially to Philadelphia,

they gave Philadelphia the late Sunday afternoon slot. They gave him the latest possible slot to be fair to those two NFC West teams that got flexed into that Sunday

night game. So from you know, but then from there, I think it's kind of I think a lot of it just has to do with with aiming for the ratings and whatnot, and so they wanted the way the way things fell with the Saints, the Saints not getting the first round by and playing in the opening round that then they wanted the Patriots in the Saturday night slot for for the ratings and whatnot. I think that's I think that's just kind of how it happened, but

it is. It is a little odd to do to have the conferences on separate days instead of kind of the mix and match deal. Keep it fun, Yeah, it'll be a fun weekend, ye all right. Well, with that, we will 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. You can subscribe to us like us on iTunes and other podcast services, and there's all kinds of great video content out there

on the Packers YouTube channel. For wes I am Mike, Thanks for tuning in everybody, We'll see you next time.