#581 Packers Unscripted: What it'll take

let's get right into it. Whether you want to talk to Aaron Rodgers versus Tom Brady, Packers offense against those inside linebackers for Tampa Bay, whatever the matchup is, what do you feel is the biggest key to victory for Green Bay in this football game? Well, you hit on it right there, Mike. For me, it is the Packers offense versus this linebacker in it and also Todd Bowls. I mean one of the stats. And I'm sure you've got a chance to read in Cider inbox. You have

to edit me. Uh. One of the things I found really interesting is Rogers was exceptional against the Blitz all season hundred and twenty five passer rating in the fifteen games other than Tampa Bay when he sees pressure in his face, sixty seven completion percentage yards passing, seventeen touchdowns to two interceptions. Then you look at the seventeen attempts he had against the Buccaneers the first time, and he had a seven passer rating. They got the two picks

on him the only through for sixty three yards. They came up with a great adjustment that first time around. You tip your cap to them. But as Matt Lafleur said, and as also Aaron Rodgers has talked about this week, that's week six, that's not today, seeing what the next move is for both the offense and seeing exactly how Bowls uses those linebackers this time around, I think it's gonna be really telling because Green Bay needs to be able to run the football. It's the top rank run

defense the National Football League. But they got to make their job easy. They have to find ways to keep themselves and in manageable second and third down situations, and from there it's up to Rogers. It's up to the National Football League's likely m v P this season coming through and being able to solve this defense, Todd Bowls is as good as it gets. Mike I have long admired his defense is going back to his time in

Arizona and even before that. I mean, for him to be able to dial up and adjust and as Rogers even said, kind of on the cutting edge, and having these two really exceptional inside linebackers to work with Devin White doing things traditional inside backers don't do. Almost sort of reminds me a little bit of those Ryan Schizier linebackers that sort of penetrated through the league, you know, five six years ago. Dynamic players that aren't just coverage,

they aren't just run stoppers. They can blitz to. Seeing how Green Bay adjust to that is going to be a real telltale sign, I think on who ultimately comes out on top. Yeah, I mean, I think we saw over the course of this season how good the Packers offensive line was and what it has done along with the running backs, the tight ends picking up the blitzes and stuff. They had a bad day against Tampa Bay back in Week six. That was that was the anomaly.

Because the protection of this unit has been has been really really strong all season long. But on the other side of that, you you hinted at it as well. I think this game, maybe more than any other this season, is going to test the Packers true commitment to the running game, because this Tampa Bay defense is the best in the league against the run statistically, and we've seen it west. We saw in the second half about a month ago against Carolina when the Packers got away from

that commitment to the run. They were trying to force things, you know, certain ways, and things didn't go well. And since that game, the Packers of the offensively, Matt Lafleur, Aaron Rodgers, everybody, they've recommitted to the run. And you saw Green Bay ran all over the Tennessee Titans, they

ran all over the Los Angeles Rams. When this is the game because of this Tampa Bay defense and how it's constructed, this is a game that is going to test that commitment to the run on It may not be shiny and flashy to get three and four yard carries all the time when you're handing off on first or second down, but the Packers are going to have to stick with it because that's the only way you're going to keep Todd Bowl's defense honest and not let him just dial up and scheme up whatever he wants

and have his guys pin their ears back, as they say, and come after the quarterback. You've got to stay committed to the run to keep that defense guessing a little bit. And I think if the Packers can do that, they can find some efficiency against a really, really good defense. Yeah, and that's why I love being able to see, you know, a J. Dillon be back at practice on Wednesday, and well, obviously that's just one practice. Where's two more to go. At the time in which we're taping this, you have

to see if he'll be available for Sunday. But if he is, the different versions of that backfield that they can deploy is going to be really essential. I feel against Tampa Bay. For starters, you know this is an outside zone team. There are a wide zone team. That's what Green Bay wants to do. But you and I both know when you have linebackers that can play sideline to sideline, like both Lavonte David and Devin White can

that challenges that. But think back to some of the runs the Green Bay Packers did have in that game against Tampa Bay that we're successful. It was running north and south, it was Jamal Williams breaking into the second level and making guys pay, dipping his shoulder and really laying into some defenders. And that's what they did last

week very well against the Los Angeles Rams. I'm not saying the Packers have to get outside of themselves, but if you're able to kind of plow forward with Williams and Dylan, find ways to get Aaron Jones open in space, whether it's with the passing game or finding ways to get him the ball as a runner, that's going to be critical because that's what allows Green Bay to not only protect the football, manage the down and distance in time of possession in this game. Green Bay this year

has been so good at shortening ball games. They need to do that today or I should say, on Sunday against this opponent, because you saw last week they ran early. It wasn't big runs, was it. It was a sixty yard or after halftime, But before that it was fourteen fifteen carries, gritty yards, seven many you know yards early on and then the dam broke. So I feel like that's the number one thing that's gonna help set up Aaron Rodgers Davante Adams in the passing game is coming

out and imposing that will. But I have to mention Vita Vea changes this a little bit. If there wasn't a via Veta question question question mark earlier this week, if he was still not designated to return, I think it's a lot easier to do that. But when you put a three pound defensive tackle out there, it's going to be a challenge in Green Bay has to be

ready for it. Yeah, I'm really curious what's going to happen with Vita Vea with him having been out really upwards of three months now and the fact that he is just now being designated to return from i R. That's only three practices after three months away and essentially the you know, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said on Wednesday, all they really had was was a walkthrough having played late in the day on Sunday. So, um, I'm I'm

Vita Via may play and and and they may activate it. Right, how many how many snaps is he really going to be able to play after a three month layoff and hardly any time on the practice this field, We'll see. This is the NFC Championship. This is not a mid October game where you're looking at you know, getting a guy back for the long haul and all that. So some of the conventional thinking maybe goes out the window.

But I am curious just exactly how that's going to play out and and what impact that will have on the Packers running game and the Buccaneers ability to stop the running. Yeah, and I don't know Arians and Bowl's philosophy either with guys coming off injured reserve. Certainly Green Bay has done it both ways. There's been times where guys have been activated. I think Alan las Art and then he used the full twenty one day window before

he returned to the roster. At the same time, I can think of other guys that have come up, and I think Kamal Martin being one of them that just practice that week and then played. So there is an adjustment there. But certainly, I mean when you look at Jason Pierre Paul and a Dominican Sue, I mean, this defense is just name after name, and in Green Bay, you know this is gonna be a challenge. You know.

The way I laid it out was they were able to in the five things story I did, they were able to beat the league's top ranked scoring defense, the top ranked total defense and in the top rank passing defense. Now you get the run defense. Can you find a way to solve that? Yeah? Absolutely, And of course on the offensive side of the ball. Will repeat what we said on our last show, which is that the Packers have to protect the football, because look, the bottom line

for me is this West. I don't think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints last week if the Saints protect the ball. You look at that game, the Saints were already down one nothing in turnovers, but had a seven point lead in the second half, and we're headed for a two score lead even being down one to zero and turnovers. Then the second turnover happened and it was like everything was all downhill for the Buccaneers from there, and the Saints were fighting uphill and

they just and and they couldn't overcome it. I'm not saying the Packers have to win the turnover battle. I honestly think if this game is zero zero and turnovers like last week week was against the Rams, I think if you're the Packers, you take that. I think that puts you in a really, really good position to win, without question, Mike. I mean that's why green Bay one

last week. They didn't turn over the football, they didn't give the Rams any chances to kind of seize the field position and that matchup, and you saw when it just came pushed, came to shove Remy Packers have assumed to be three time m v P quarterback, they have a four time Pro Bowl receiver, and they had weapons galore that we're able to matriculate the ball down the field.

So I mean for them to be able now to come out and do that again, that's going to be the ultimate key in this, Mike, because Tampa Bay is really, really good. I said this to a buddy mine last night in attacks. These are the two top teams in the NFC. I firmly believe that the cream has risen to the top here at the end of the season. Two very complete units, not flawless, but have earned their

way to this opportunity. And then, Mike, first and foremost lastly, I have to say, this game is being played at Lambeau Field. This is not Raymond James Stadium. Could be in two weeks, but it's not Raymond James Stadium today. Green Bay needs to use that their advantage. They know this field they know these weather conditions, and there's it's undeniable, Mike. When you play in the environment like this, it's going

to slow the game down. That works to Green Bay's benefit. Yeah, and it sounds like there is snow in the forecast for Saturday night into Sunday morning. Maybe the snow will have stopped by the time kickoff rolls around. We will just have to see. But again, when you can win a playoff game in the NFL by fourteen points, when the turnovers are zero zero, that tells you you don't have to take the ball away to win. The Packers don't have to do that. They just have to protect

it like they did last week quickly. Here West Series x M, NFL Radio Channel eighty eight is the only radio outlet dedicated to the National Football League seven days a week, three hundred sixty five days a year. All right, Well, as we know, the Packers are trying to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade. The Buccaneers as a franchise trying to get to the back to the Super Bowl for the first time in eighteen years. Defensive side of the ball, here Mike Patton's

crew against Tom Brady and company. What do you see as the keys on in this scenario for for the Pas to keep the edge in this ball game. Remember when you you got your kids to learn how to ride a bicycle, Mike, Remember those days. The great thing about that is that every day's improvement. Right. You might be at uncertain the first time you get on there, maybe take your knicks and your bumps and bruises, but it all leads into eventually being able to kind of

just push them off and let them go. You don't work your way backwards for green Bay's defense, don't work their way backwards. This is a much better defense than it was in week six. It's a much better defense than it was in week twelve. I feel like Green Bay needs to keep the ball rolling on that side of the ball. If you were looking at from a swag rating, like if if Matt Irvin could put up like a swag graphic. Green Bay's at its at its

peak right now. I mean, they have serious confidence heading into this game, and rightfully so, Mike. They've gone now to almost two full months of playing really high level defense in exceptional run defense, and they haven't ruptured. You can't rupture you can't allow them to have those big plays. And I feel like that does start up front. Ronald Jones. It was a very good performance, but it's not the

type where you're you're gonna remember five years from now. Man, do you remember when Ronald Jones gash Green Bay in Week six? No, it was just a really consistent twenty kerry twenty yard day and Green Bay didn't have a consistent answer for him in that game. And that's what you talk about the turnover battle. That's what allowed Tampa Bay to control the tempo of that game. They got takeaways, they got solid field position, and they ran the ball

really really well. That's where Green Bay has to start this thing. You're gonna see both Jones, and you're gonna see Leonard for Net. For Net has looked better the last couple of weeks and and it's allowed him to get more snaps. That's the one to punch. Yes there's Brady, Yes there's Mike Evans, all these other weapons that they have grounk, but being able to continue to play solid run defense is going to be critical. And from there, Mike,

you and I have seen it. We've seen it for two years now and We've really noticed that the last few weeks. When you get to third and seven plus, this defense is different. There is just a look in their eye that is just a feeling that not only are we going to get a stop here, but we could potentially get a takeaway. We could potentially get a sack that takes away ten more yards. That's where this defense is at right now. It's as good as it's

been all season. Gotta keep that going, yeah, absolutely, And I think when it comes to obviously you've got you've got, you've got to stop the run, you can't. You can't let Tampa Bay dictate things with that running game with Ronald Jones and Leonard Fournette because they they've they've discovered something here, you know, the whole playoff lennything that's going on with with four Nett and what he's been able

to produce in the postseason. While Ronald Jones has not quite been a hundred percent with that with that leg injury, but it's developed into a pretty good one to punch, and the Packers can't let that ground game dictate things when it comes to Tom Brady passing the ball. It's been the age old story as far as I'm concerned.

When you can pressure Tom Brady in his face, when you can get pressure on the interior, that's what can really disrupt Tom Brady's rhythm and disrupt his accuracy and all those things that that you know his He's made a Hall of Fame career out of doing and so to me, a lot of that falls on Kenny Clarke. He's the packer's best interior rusher. But also when it comes to passing situations, We've seen Zadarius Smith move inside

as a rusher. So then Preston Smith and Rashawn Gary are on the edges and Zadarius Smith got a sack of Jared Goff last week right up the middle, you know, coming up with the interior pressure, that's where the packers have to have to get at Brady. He can he can sidestep the edge guys, he can step up in the pocket if there's room there. When if the edge guys are winning, he doesn't have as far, doesn't have those kind of options when that pressure is in his face.

And that's how teams have beaten Tom Brady in big games in the past. Yeah, they really have Mike and and that's why I really do look at this matchup like, yeah, I mean, it's gonna matter. You've got to make sure that you know that the edge of shures have to still hold, you know, hold there, you know edges and whatnot. You can't let guys get stretched outside. You have to be cognizant of all that. You need a lot of

the traditional type defensive success in this game. But ultimately, I just think this game is one between the hashes. I really do, Mike. I think it's gonna be stopping them when they're trying to plow forward. You mentioned with

for net and playoff Lenny and everything like that. It honestly reminds me a lot of La Garrett Blunt when and maybe that's just the Tom Brady comparisons with the success they had with Blunt in New England, but just the guy that Okay, you might look at his regular season statistics and not be wild, but none of that matters in the playoffs. If you can't stop him, if you can't hold them to three yard two yard games,

it's gonna be a long afternoon. And that's what gets Brady into a rhythm that game, the way he bounced back. You want to talk about mental toughness you want to

talk about resolve. That game could really have not had started much worse for the Buccaneers absent take a giveaway in the early going there against the Saints, but they got that sneak as I talked about earlier this week, and after that they started throwing the ball better in their throw pass set up the run and it was just this snowball that just kept rolling and rolling and rolling until the next thing you knew it really wasn't that close of a game. So yeah, Brady upfront, Kenny Clark,

exceptional performance last week. So Darius Smith, if they do some more of the Rover stuff with him hovering over the top of the center knifing through. Those are all the looks I want to see from this defense. Because the other thing to talk about quickly, everybody practiced on Wednesday, will see what Thursday looks like. But the fact that everybody was back out there. Kingsley Kiki limited participant after missing three weeks here with the concussion. It's all right

there for Green Bay. This is as healthy as they've been all season. You have to make sure that you get your players out there, get them feeling good, and you get after that quarterback. Yeah. One other thing I want to ask you about with regard to the defensive side of the ball. We saw last week when the Los Angeles Rams kind of went to the up tempo, the no huddle, muddle huddle type of stuff. That's when

Jared Goff kind of got into a rhythm. Now was a lot of short passes, it was dinking and dunking, but that's when the Rams were moving down the field successfully. I know the weather could have a factor here, whether it's snowing, you know, ten plus degrees colder than it was last Saturday in Green Bay. But do you think the Packers defense has to be prepared for Bruce Arians and Tom Brady maybe trying to replicate some of what the Rams and Golf did with that up tempo stuff

to keep Green Bay's defense on its heels. Is that's something you have to be prepared for the Rams and Golf, I mean Trubisky and the Bears the week earlier. I mean, the completion percentage has been really high here. I mean now, again, credit to Green Bay's defense. They haven't let those things rupture. Guys have tackled to the ball, They've minimized those those things you look at that I have mentioned you, uh Mooney.

I think it was against the Bears had the fifty four yard catch still was held underneath the hundred yards even though he had nine catches for the game. So green Bay has done a good job of that. But I mean that's ultimately I think what arians in environ Leftwich and and Brady are looking at this week. Okay, this is the way it lines up for us. How can we find ways to get the ball down the field in an opposing venue that's going to be somewhat hostile.

I mean there's gonna be nine thou and people in there again, and and they're gonna be playing in that environment in the cold. It's a different situation. So what's the thing that allows you to get into a groove. It's the underneath passing game. It's being able to get Grounk involved. It's being able to find ways to get Mike Evans the ball. Last week, Evans was pretty much held in check. What will his success look like this week?

Potentially seeing Jaire Alexander. All of those things play into it. But yeah, you're absolutely right. I mean green Bay can't let Brady get into that groove because when he does, it's gonna be a long night and they and they hurry up offense. It was a good adjustment. The one thing I think Green Bay is gonna have maybe a better opportunity with is I don't think they're gonna get

caught in the base look as much. That was one of the issues there when when the Rams went hurry up, they still had their base personnel on there and they couldn't get them off before they could get Christian Kirksey and the Nickel back out there. I think you're probably gonna see more Nickel in this matchup, so that probably behooves Green Bay a little bit. But certainly, Mike, when you have that on the film, you know you have to be able to come out and show that, yeah,

we have an answer for it. We're gonna be able to get a stop because once they did, once they got that in completion against Golf, then they were having a harder time getting that going again. Yeah. Absolutely, Well, before we go, I'll just get your thoughts quickly on the a f C Championship game. You got the Buffalo Bills at the Kansas City Chiefs. The top two seeds in the A f C number two traveling to number one.

Interestingly here, obviously, last year the Chiefs broke a fifty year drought for their franchise in terms of getting to the Super Bowl. Not only did they get there, obviously they wanted. The Buffalo Bills now trying to break a twenty seven year drought absence from the Super Bowl. What

do you think of this one? I said from the beginning of the playoffs, to me, I just felt like if there was one team in the a f C that would have a chance to knock off the Chiefs, who have been the clear favorite, and they've been the best team in that conference all season long, if there was one team that had a chance to do it, it was gonna be the Buffalo Bills. This is their chance. I'm not saying that they're going to do it, but to me, I I wouldn't be shocked if this game

goes their direction. The Chiefs may hold Serve, but if the Bills go into Kansas City, go into Arrowhead and win this game, I will not be blown off my chair by any stretch of the imagination. You know, you have a few more years on me, so maybe you'll remember this clearer than I do, And if I say this and sound foolish, I apologize in advance. But I was still alive in the mid nineties and I remember what felt like with the Packers. This Bill's team kind

of reminds me of the Packers a little bit. Now. The question is can they be the unit? Obviously not number one ranked defense, not all that stuff, but the way they win it kind of reminds me of those mid nineties Packers one. They've changed the narrative. They're no longer just the laughing stock. They are respectable again, and they're making, as you said, a really good argument to be back in the super Bowl for the first time

in you know, almost thirty years. Now, that being said, can the defense answer the call against Kansas City's offense? I really want to see I hope, first and foremost, Patrick Mahomes is fine. With the head injuries the biggest thing from a human standpoint, you hope everything checks out there. But I really do hope he plays in this game. I want to see Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. The

playoffs are better with him on the field. He's he's one of the most marketable, brandable players when you think of the National Football League. Now you think of Patrick Mahomes, so I want to see him be able to be out there and if he is, can the Bills answer that? And Offensively, Josh Allen is one of the most exciting young players in the league. I love the way he plays the game. He is the straw that stirs that drink. Offensively, Stefon Diggs was a great addition for him. They have weapons,

they play to their weapons. Cold Beasley as the slot option leading the league and slot yardage this year. There's just so many things that they do well. It's the matchup. Much like how I felt Green Bay and in Tampa Bay is the best two teams in the NFC as good as the a f C was this year. This is the way you wanted to see it work out. This is how you wanted to see that matchup play out. Yeah.

I think if there's one thing that there's one thing that helps the Bills in their effort to pull the upset here, it's that they faced the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season. This isn't going to be a case of the defense, the coaching staff, everybody not really, you know, there there's something about that Patrick Mahomes offense, and Tyreek Hill and his speed, and Travis Kelsey and the things that he brings as a tight end that

that other guys can't replicate. When you're seeing that, when you're going up against that site unseen, that can be a really, really tough ad judgments adjustment to make. The Bills have seen it. They played against it this year, and it was a pretty close game. If I remember, I think it ended up being just a three three point game, one score game. If if I recall so the fact that Buffalo and Buffalo played Kansas City already, I think that works too. Uh. I think that works

to Buffalo's advantage as the underdog going into Arrowhead. Oh no, I was. I got so close. I was so confident in six to seventeen Kansas City won that game. But no, I guess, so, I guess it was two scores. It was not, it was nine points. It definitely felt well in the XFL they would have been that would actually on a one score game. But alright, so you're you're partially right. Uh No, again, it's a great matchup. I love what Kansas City has built, and and and Mike

the storylines right now, right themselves. You can't have any bad matchup in the Super Bowl. I mean, I guess for Packer fans you could, but but no, I mean, all these things are great. Whether it's Buffalo trying to end that drought, whether it's Kansas City making their own run at a dynasty, now Tampa Bay and Tom Brady trying to make that run to a super Bowl with a new team in his first year, and in the

Buccaneers trying to play in their home stadium. And then Aaron Rodgers, in my opinion, the best quarterback that's ever played the game, the most intelligent, the most complete five to a player we've ever seen at the position, trying to get back to the Promised Land. It's Thursday morning, and the time in which we're taking this Yesterday was Wednesday, the day before that was Tuesday. All of these Mike, I've been on my seat just waiting to get to

Sunday afternoon. It is going to be an exceptional weekend. I hope Packer fans out there enjoy it because these opportunities don't come around often and enjoy that run. Yeah. Absolutely, it's it's gonna be. It's gonna be a whale of a Sunday Championship Sunday in the NFL. With that, we'll call it a wrap on this edition of Packers on Script and be sure to follow all of our coverage of the big game Sunday. We'll have it all for you on Packers dot com for West, I'm Mike. Thanks

for tuning in everybody. Let's see you next time.