#569 Packers Unscripted: Digging in on Detroit

throwing this at us. The Detroit Lions have been shuffling around their offensive weapons, running backs, wide receivers and what not due to injury throughout the year. Can you give us the latest on exactly where Matthew Stafford's collection his supporting cast stands here heading into Sunday. Yeah, it's really interesting when you get down because it seems like no matter what year it is, there's always some difference. There's always a change with the backfield. And this year everybody

just figured, Okay, DeAndre Swift, he's the draft pick. They're gonna run with this guy, and unfortunately he's had some injuries. Well, then lo and behold, it's not Carrie on Johnson. It's not some of these other running backs that have come through. It's Adrian Peterson, of all people, has emerged as his primary running back. Now we got to see what Swift's

availability is going to be this week. He was limited on practice on Wednesday, so maybe he's back in the cards of former high school teammate of Packers rookie guard John Runyon. But if not, Adrian Peterson has been the guy in the backfield for Detroit. And it's funny that it works out like this too, because it was was talking with Jerry Montgomery, the Packers defensive line coach on Wednesday night. He even said, he's like, if you look

at him, he looks like he has juice. Again. He looks like, if you didn't know, you would think he was a second or third year player in this league just based on the way he's running. But the other aspect of this is the the skill position players for Detroit, and this year you've seen t. J. Hockenson really become, uh the number one target, the big receiver, reliable player in this Detroit Lions offense amidst all the injuries with Kenny Galladay, who at the time in which we're taping

this still as yet to practice. And then obviously Marvin Jones Jr. Daniel Mendola. There are weapons there on the perimeter, but it's really Ben Hockinson, the former first round pick that has emerged is really the big playmaker in this offense from Matthew Stafford. Yeah, Hockinson definitely seems to have have come on here in his second season, a former top ten draft pick, and this offense, the passing offense

definitely looks different without Kenny Golladay out there. And he's been out for quite a while now for the Lions. He's he's been he was developing into such a reliable deep threat for Matthew Stafford, the guy who could take the top off the defense. Now we'll have to see if Detroit is going to get him back on Sunday or by the end of the season, but that offense

has definitely missed him. Going back to Peterson, though, I tell you, if you just if you just turn on the film of that game winning touchdown at Soldier Field last week when he ran it in from about the five yard line, that really did look like the Adrian Peterson of old. That was like the high knees the power like you know, get out of my way kind of Adrian Peterson run that gave gave the Lions that

big victory in Chicago. So well with regard to this, uh, this Lions offense, Let's get right into the keys to victory for the Packers on the defensive side. What's it going to take? What are the keys for Green Bay to notch win number ten in Detroit on Sunday? It starts with Matthew Stafford. And I think when you look at the ups and downs that Detroit has had this season, a lot of it is tied into how Stafford has played and if he's been able to get them out

of certain predicaments. I think, but you know, Daryl Bevel taking over this offense now, obviously a guy with former ties not only to the Packers but also University of Wisconsin. UM, there seems to be a little bit more energy now

that typically does happen with with inter raim coaches. But last week, if that's any indication, they were not afraid to sling the ball and and Stayford has the capability at any given time to go off for fourner and two passing yards like he did last week, and the other aspect of this too is how quickly he gets

the ball out green Bay. You know when when you face these type of quarterbacks that that are kind of those quick gun slingers, uh, that that can generate a lot of power, a lot of speed at at a short time frame. Green Bay has had trouble with them in the past. We talked about, you know, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. And it's not just the current incarnation of this defense, it's going back to the Dom Caper's

era too. So being able to pressure Stafford, being able to get the ball out quickly and probably generate a turnover two I think is critical in this because, like I mentioned before, whether it's Hawkinson who has put up a lot of yards recently, but it's actually been five or six weeks since he's had a touchdown. Marvin Jones Jr. You know the history of him between with the Packers

over the last four or five years. Um, there are guys that that definitely can still hurt you, and and packers need to be aware of that and make sure that, um they don't allow Stafford to get comfortable. They had seven sacks last week. You got to keep that pressure up this week. Yeah. Absolutely. Well, you know, we know we've seen Matthew Stafford plenty over the years, and I have a lot of respect for him as a quarterback.

But if there's the one way that you can get him off his game, it is to put pressure on him, because he becomes a risk taker. When he's under pressure. He will try to force things, he will try to make things happen. And sometimes he makes some incredible throws and some great plays that you know, your your jaw kind of hits the floor. Other times he pays for taking those risks and and they come back to bite him.

And that's why he's, you know, throwing the number of interceptions that he has in his career because he likes to take chances, and so you you get him to take chances by putting him under duress, especially in third down situations. So the other thing I would say with regard to the Packers defense, anytime you face Matthew Stafford, you have to be ready to play four quarters. And

just ask the Chicago Bears. Stafford put together a nineties six yard touchdown drive with less than four minutes to go last week at Soldier Field to start that comeback for the Lions to come back and beat the Bears. Matthew staff for just never considers himself out of a game. He's always he's going to come at you for four quarters.

And and we've seen the Packer defense. You know, yes, they were up big, and we had talked about all that, but there were a couple of letdowns in the in the Bears game late there was the letdown on the

fourth and eight teen against the Eagles. Those are the kinds of the setbacks in the fourth quarter that you can't afford to have those against Matthew Stafford because because then that is what gets him going and gets him in a rhythm, and then and you know, the next thing, you know, you're back is against the wall trying to stop him from getting the game winning touched down. Yeah, it is a very interesting thing that the Packers find themselves in a situation that they find themselves in right

now because there have been those lapses. But at the same time, you know, the pass rush generating as much pressure as they did early on in that game, responding at an appropriate time to where you look at it, and Philadelphia is able to get down to the thirty yard line. There I believe was in the first half they get back to back sacks and force them to end up hunting. Darniell Savage has three picks in the

last two games. They have the trio of a your Alexander, Kevin King and Shandon Sullivan all available now, which is you know, they had to do some juggling. So there's been these really stark differences between when Greenby's offense or defense has really looked dominant in moments where they they've had difficulty getting those stops, particularly on third down. So that's where Stafford is gonna challenge you, and honestly, that's also where Peterson is gonna challenge the Packers. Can't be

in a lot of third and short situations. That's been a bad recipe for them this year. That's been a bad formula. You look at their statistics when it's third and six, third and seven and on. They've actually performed pretty uh, you know, pretty well this season throughout the course of the year. But it's in those third and three unless where they've had a hard time kind of holding the fort. But you look at the performance Dean

Lawry had last week. Kenny clark Um the the inside linebackers I think get more comfortable as they've gotten healthier, and also the infusion of Rashawn Gary in to this defense. You're seeing what this group is going to look like down the stretch and potentially what the pieces are going

to be in place for a postseason run. King's Leakiki having another two sack performance last week, But you need to dring it together consistently, so that starts with the run game and making sure that Adrian Peterson is held in check, and beyond that, not allowing Matthew Stafford to make those big connections downfield. Yeah, you mentioned the third and long. I think statistically, if you look at third and seven plus, the Packers had one rough game in

that category this year, was that Indianapolis. But even including that third and seven plus, the Packers are are one of the top, if not the top defense in the NFL in terms of in terms of getting those those third down stops. So on the offensive side of the ball, this is the highest scoring offense in the NFL and the Green Bay Packers against one of the highest scoring

defenses in the NFL. That Detroit has really struggled on the defensive side of the ball and when I see that big a disparity heading into a matchup like this, the first thing that always comes to my mind is then just protect the football. Because the way the way this Detroit Lions defense, you know, can swing the game and to and to get Green Bay out of its

own rhythm offensively is to turn the ball over. The Packers have to protect the football, and I think if they do that, West, I think this Packers offense should be able to score enough points to win this game at Ford Field. Yeah. And and then the second there has just been such an issue for them this season, the Lions that is, and and you know Darius Slay there there for so many years they're shutdown cornerback, while as we saw last week, now he's with the Philadelphia Eagles.

And you know, Jeff Akuda was supposed to be the guy that's gonna be the one picking up that torch. He's had his own struggles this year and now dealing with the shoulder injury. He didn't practice on Wednesday. So there's just been a lot of different maschinations of this defense. You know, Tray Flowers that signing hasn't in that same offseason,

and the Packers got the Smiths. The trade Flowers signing hasn't really been the same productive tool in terms of pass rush that that the that the Lions wanted, and he's dealt with injuries now too, So Green Bays standpoint is, you just got to focus on what's in front of you here. Davante Adams is on a historic streak. He has an opportunity to break a tie right now with Don Hudson before I even tell you what that's for.

Anytime you're talking about break a tie with Don Hudson, you're talking about all time great streaks here in Packers history. He's looking for his eighth receiving touchdown and consecutive game, which would be a franchise record. He's already over a thousand yards of this season. With all the questions that Detroit has in the secondary, and a lot of these same questions lingered in Week two as well, I just think that this is a game where Aaron Rodgers really shines.

The Packers offensive line has allowed thirteen sacks this season through twelve games, on pace for the fewest during Rogers tenure as a starting quarterback. You give him time, you get the running game going, you start off fast and continue that streak of really powerful second quarter performances. The Packers are outscoring their opposition two to one in the second quarter this season. I just think there are so many different snowballs that could really build up for Green Bay.

But before we get away with just canning them that tenth win of the season, Davante Adams, a lot of these guys talked about it. They've been in some knockdown drag wars in Detroit here over the last five years. Doesn't matter what the what the records say, doesn't even matter what that The situation is. They've had to find ways to win these games late. So you have to be ready to play that type of ballgame, especially for a Lions team that you know, seems to have a

little bit more pepping at step with Daryl Bevo running things. Yeah, Matt Lafleur has has simply been pointing to his three games thus far as the head coach of the Packers against the Lions in terms of in terms of what the Packers have had to deal with. It had to come from behind every time, even in what turned into a runaway victory in Week two earlier this year, the Packers were down fourteen to three after the first quarter.

The offense, you know, was starting a little bit slow, the defense was starting slow and uh and you had you had to rally there. And we all know last year the Packers never had the lead with any time on the clock in either of those games, kicking a walk off field goal to UH to emerge victorious in both of the matchups with the Lions in twenty nineteen. So I'll throw in another note with regard to the

Davante Adams streak you mentioned. He's tied right now with Don Hudson for a touchdown reset option in seven straight games. There are only two other players in franchise history who have a touchdown rushing or receiving in seven consecutive games, which is the team record, and you're talking about amand Green and Paul Hornig and Hudson obviously, So Davante Adams, now tied with all those guys, could could put himself

in first place on that list. And I've got a bunch of other, you know, potential milestones for Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers that I posted on on our website in a story on on Wednesday evening. So if you want to check that out a lot of things to follow here over the last four games of the regular

season for for these two offensive superstars for Green Bay. Yeah, and and and if you throw on robertsani in the street that he's on and I touched on an insider inbox on Thursday, the fact that you know he's a few touchdowns away now from matching Paul Kaufman's franchise record for touchdowns in a season by tight end that's thirty seven years old. There are so many different things, and that's how you know you're having a special season when those type of accolades start to mount up and really

start to come to the forefront of things. Rogers, there's still a number of marks that he's chasing this season, in addition to now I believe being the only quarterback with five seasons of at least thirty five touchdown passes. Just some incredible marks and Mike, before we pivot over to some of these matchups this weekend, one off the field mark that the Packers also added Corey Linsley, this year's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Congratulations to

uh to Corey, him and his wife Anna. They have done some fantastic work in the community over the last few years. And if you look at the list of guys who have been up for that award in the last six season, some really high character, high value people, and uh, Corey gets at his name to that list as well. Yeah, absolutely, congratulations to Corey and and his wife. Unfortunately, Corey on injured reserve right now. The Packers hoping to get him back before the end of the season and

uh and get him back in action. But uh, but certainly that that's you know that Walter Payton Man of the Year. Every team nominates one and then the league selects uh some finalists and then one winner when it's all said and done. But even within an individual team, if if there's an off the field award that that the players really do pay attention to it, it's that one. And and hats off to uh to Lindsley there um well.

With regard to the rest of the slate in the NFL in Week fourteen and how it impacts the Packers, the official scenario is this, the Packers can clinch the NFC North with a victory and with a loss by the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers also can clinch a playoff spot with a victory and either a loss by the Rams, a lost by the Cardinals, or strangely enough, a victory

by the Seattle Seahawks. Now, I have not figured out exactly where that I mean, and I don't like to admit when I can't figure the stuff out West, You know that, Like I dig into the numbers, and I I haven't had the time nor the energy to really try to understand how a Packers win and a Seahawks win actually clinches a playoff spot for the Jets. Jets. It has something to do obviously with that NFC West and those three teams that are bunched so closely in

in in the NFC West. But anyway, I would still in my path the playoffs. I'm not advising Packers fans to root for the Seahawks to win, because we're going to be talking about the seeding positions. I think in the playoffs and the Seahawks getting losses is what's going to help the Packers with the with the seeding of things. But with that, we'll start with right away the Thursday night game. The Patriots are at the Rams. The Rams looking to keep the pressure on those Seattle Seahawks in

the race for the for the NFC West title. So that one has an impact on on Green Bay right away here Thursday night. Yeah, it's typically I'll be honest with you, Thursday evenings if I'm not writing or working or taking care of my son, I personally just like to kind of get away from football those nights. This one will be a point in viewing for me, though. I think you're looking at two teams that, while their records do seem different, they're both chasing a very similar

goal and they've gone about it the same way. Um. The Patriots have been up and down, there's no question about it. But I think when you look at the way they've sort of overachieved in some people's eyes this year, it's it's pretty underrated what they've been able to accomplish and in being able to at least get to this spot. I know there's some even some overtures right now out of the New England area that Bill Belichick should be up for Coach of the Year. Too bad, that guy

never gets enough credit for what he does in the league. Um, But looking at the rams side of things, this is a critical game. You're seeing them right there, not only just for this, you know, the playoff spot, trying to get back in the postseason, but they're in the running now for a division title if they can make this thing happen in a tough opponent that they have to go up against, in a New England Patriots team that I thought last week really proved this isn't just about

passing anymore. They can win in a lot of different ways. Yeah. Well, as far as the games on Sunday in the NFC that will affect Green Bay and its playoffs standing, Minnesota is at Tampa Bay. Um obviously the Vikings trying to trying to stay alive in the division race, but also in the wild card race in general in the NFC S and Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, as far as the NFC South is concerned, is kind of in the same

position as Minnesota. The Buccaneers are three games behind the New Orleans Saints with four left to play, so their chances for the division title don't look good, but the Buccaneers wanting to be right in that wild card race as well. You have Arizona at the New York Giants. I mentioned an Arizona loss, would you know potentially help Green Bay clinch a playoffs spot. The Giants a team

on the rise right now. They're looking to get rook that not rookie but second year quarterback Daniel Jones uh back from injury, and uh the Giants looking to try to win that NFC East And then late afternoon Sunday going on at the same time as Packers Lions will be the Saints at the Eagles. The Eagles going with Jalen Hurts. It's been announced that that Carson Wentz will be on the bench and the young quarterback for Philadelphia

will get his first NFL start. And UH, the Saints right now with the top record in the NFC one game ahead of the green Bay Packers, the Packers hoping to get a win, have the Saints get a loss, and then green Bay would be tied for that top spot and have the head to head tiebreaker over New Orleans. Yeah, if green Bay can keep that to a two team race here down the stretch, that works to their advantage. This the thing that you look at these the way this lays out right now in the NFC, there are

two very different paths right now. If not no pun intended to your pass to the playoffs, but you have Green Bay. You want to talk about why it's so important on December tenth, the time we're taking taping this to be at nine wins, just look at how the rest of the NFC is sort of shaped out right now. There is a handful of teams between five and seven victories right now, you talk about Minnesota and Tampa Bay that very well could end up being for a playoff

spot for one of those teams. Because you have Detroit that's still in the thick of this thing, even though weird as that says, You have Washington had five wins, you have New York Giants at five wins. There are teams here that can work themselves back into a playoff picture here because of the seven seeds and the fact that nine wins quite possibly could get you into the postseason this year, regardless of all the different scenarios and whether or not the Seattle Seahawks can beat the you know,

the winless New York Jets. But the other thing to keep an eye on two is how these type of games go. Jalen Hurts, you saw him in the second half against that game against Green Bay. How does he look now against the New Orlands Saints, the defense that they present. You get him on your own floor, you get them out to your own field. But that's a big test that Doug Peterson is asking his rookie quarterback to endure. But you have to figure out what you

have in him. Right now is the Eagles look to be pivoting towards next season, and for Green Bay Packer fans, it's all about the New Orleans Saints right now, and you know, kind of keeping tabs on them and where they're at, hoping that the Packers continue to take care of their own business and seeing exactly where the Saints end up here. Yeah, there'll be a lot of scoreboard watching by Packers fans in the early part of Sunday

with how the Vikings and the Cardinals are doing. And then later on on Sunday while the Packers are playing, keeping an eye on that Saints game. I'm gonna throw out a bunch of a f C games West and just get some quick thoughts for you. Kansas City is at my Ami, an interesting one there Sunday Night football.

Pittsburgh is at Buffalo Monday night football. Baltimore is that Cleveland some really interesting a f C matchups here that are going to have an impact on on playoff spots and or playoff seeding when this is all said and done. Huge gut check for Buffalo. They they've had some highs and they've they've had some lows throughout the course this year. Now they're going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers team that has a couple of questions to answer themselves after they

dropped last week. Now, in the long run, I think they'll probably end up benefiting the Steelers. They can focus more on trying to win a Super Bowl, trying to make a playoff run here after the missing it last year, instead of having this conversation about, Okay, are you gonna play your starters in Week seventeen, even though it may they may have the one seed locked up. All things we have to figure out. But Buffalo has shown that they can play with anybody in this league when the

offense is right, defensively very competitive. Baltimore Ravens versus the Cleveland Browns, though, is a matchup I have my eye on. Cleveland seems to have found their offensive rhythm here. Baker Mayfield has recaptured some of them that magic that he sort of alluded to his rookie season in Baltimore. Is that a crossroads? So this is going to be one of those type of matchups that I think. But at

the end of the day, both of these teams. I still think Baltimore is a playoff team, but they weren't looking to be a playoff team in two thousand twenty. They were looking to win a super Bowl. They were

looking to take the next step. And it's a very competitive competitive race right now in the a f C. And they gotta go against Cleveland Browns team that by all intensive purposes, has finally arrived after years and years and decades of just not really being able to to find the quarterback and find the right foundation to build a winning culture around. Yeah. Well, it's a really good slate of games in Week four team in the NFL. I think things are just going to get better and

better here as December rolls along. But for now we have to sign off on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and all of our coverage of Sunday's game from Detroit. It'll all be on Packers dot Com for wes I Am Mike, Oh, you know what, almost a sponsored business and again forgotten again. I think I'm gonna have to start reading the sponsorship. Maybe maybe I have to maybe I have to give that to you, all right, Well serious.

X M NFL Radio channel is the only radio outlet dedicated to the National Football League seven days a week, three sixty five days a year, and Packers fans score up to five dollars for your devotion to the pack when you open a Packers checking account from Associated Bank. Learn more at Associated bank dot com. Backslash Packers. You know what the key is moving forward? When you forget, I'm just gonna interrupt everything. I'm gonna go, Mike, you

gotta do the thing. Do the thing. It's all. It's going back to the it's going back to the zoom thing. And you know, I trying to have the conversation this way instead, you know. Yeah, So any we're just trying to keep the operation above water here. Yeah, but with that, we're calling it a rap. Thanks for tuning in, everybody. We'll see you next time.