#613 Packers Unscripted: West Coast challenge

partner in crime, Wes Hodkuwitz. Were coming to hear from our studios at lambeau Field West just a few days away now on this short week Sunday night football from San Francisco, Santa Clara, California, Levi Stadium, the Packers will be visiting the forty Niners important game here in week three, and UH wanted to get your thoughts initially on this team that is too and oh with victories over the Lions and the Eagles, and uh, I guess in short, this is a Niners team that is looking a lot

more like the one from two years ago as opposed to the one from last year that was just ravaged by injuries. Yeah, I mean they're more complete. I mean other than the backfield, which ye right now, the running backs they've they've got an injury situation there for sure. But but as Matt Lafleur even said during his news conference on Wednesday, much like it's been underneath Kyle Shanahan, they still find ways to move the football regardless of

really who's in that backfield. You know, Jimmy Garoppolo I thought, has played really good, high percentage football here early on. We obviously saw Trey Lance have that touchdown pass in the opener. That's going to continue to be a storyline for them. But let's be honest, since the very beginning, since the day that they really started becoming more of a power in the NFC, it's been based around their defense. It's been based around, you know, protecting the football. And

I think they've gotten back to those principles now. Certainly they have, you know, one of the top three, maybe top two pass rushers in the game right now in Nick Bosa. There's a lot of guys that they can turn to in addition to a defensive scheme that they still have a lot of confidence in. Despite the fact Robert Salom moved on to New York so last year, I think that they largely view that as an anomaly. Everything that happened. They basically had the kitchen sink thrown

at them from an injury standpoint. This year, they're hoping that other than that backfield situation which has been in flux, that that they're back to, uh, you know, having their their main weapons offensively. Yeah, and one of those is tight end George Kittle, who was one of those guys going down with an injury last season and uh Packers obviously know that regular season game out there in twenty nineteen, George Kittle was a big difference maker, big time playmaker.

He's one of the top tight ends in this game. And statistically so far this year, Deebo Samuel through two games, fifteen catches, two two yards, including a seventy nine yard touchdown. Those are pretty good numbers for the first quarter of a season, and he's got that through two weeks here. So he is definitely another go to guy there in

the passing game for San Francisco. And and when they drafted him, Mike, I think that the general consensus was is that this guy is gonna be a perfect fit for the type of offense that Shanahan likes to run. And and as you've seen, a mean the ways that they can use him. How explosive he is, um he's not.

You know, he's still a six ft receiver too. I mean, I don't want to throw comparisons into like the Davante Adams Is of the world, but you can see how he just He's so well rounded that I think it's really going to make him a dangerous weapon in this offense for years to come. And certainly Jimmy Garoppolo, as you mentioned with the seventy nine yard touchdown pass, has

found that comfort zone with him. And that's been important, right because, as you said, Kittle, uh for being right up there in the conversation, is the top two, top three tight end in this league. You know, has been off to a slower start with some of his stats. Do you lose Raheem Mostert Now you have Elijah Mitchell's

dealing with the shoulder injury. Samuel has been the constant for them right now offensively, and as I mentioned as well, the fact that Garoppolo, for everything that has happened, for all the conversations about Trey Lance or you know these multituded you know quarterbacks that might be looking at this offseason, Garoppolo has kept it very simply. He stayed very focused and obviously has found a really good offensive weapon for himself. Yeah,

and on the defensive side for the forty Niners. Really, other than the last what would you say, six minutes of that Week one game against Detroit, this has been a defense that that has played pretty darn well through the first two weeks of the season. The Lions did not do much offensively until very late in the game. The Philadelphia Eagles never really got their offense going against

the Niners last week. Now they're actually at home for the first time in one This will be their home opener coming off of two road victories, and on the Packers side of things up front, the Packers have some questions here to answer on the offensive line because Elton Jenkins he missed Wednesday's practice with an ankle injury. Now, obviously the injury cropped up on Monday night, um Wednesday getting back on the practice field on a short week,

it's not unusual for guys to have missed there. But we just have to see how the rest of the week plays out, if Jenkins is going to be able to go at left tackle or if the Packers have to make adjustments. And then they're still deciding on what to do at left guard as well, whether you go with John Onion or Lucas Patrick. And you have the two rookies Josh Meyers and Royce Newman who will be

playing really essentially their first crowd noise game in the NFL. Now, these guys are not strangers to crowd noise, having come from the big time power conferences in in college football. But still this will be an adjustment, another one of those steps along the way for rookies. On the offensive line for the Packers, there's a lot to There's a lot to sort out up front to to get this offense where it needs to be to beat this well.

And this is this first week after we notice on Wednesday that Elton Jenkins was the only one not practicing. It's the first time there really has been any questions at left tackle for Green Bay and that is a remarkable luxury considering you lost a five time All Pro and David bok tr for the first six games of season. As he comes back from the a c L. Jenkins

has been that darn good. He hasn't been without flaw, but for a guy that is a left guard by trade, the transition he's made in some of the pass rushers he's seen these first two weeks, you have to tip your cap to him and the job that he's done. That being said, beyond Jenkins, there are a lot of questions there. I mean, yosh Niman is a guy that has been here now for two going on three years, but has been a real long term developmental project for them. Physically,

has all the tools you look for. I thought at the left tackle position really benefited for how many reps he took this offseason, but still has really never played in an NFL game extensively beyond some some snaps at the end. You also have Dennis Kelly available. He had the knee injury at the end of camp. He's had some traditional experience at left tackle, though he's played mostly on the right side. Played on the right side last

year for Tennessee and seventeen starts. There are options, But when you're going from talking about all pros and Pro Bowlers that this is a scenario which Packers were really lucky that a lot of other teams aren't. That you've been able to look into Elton Jenkins. So we have to see how the week goes there. That being said, the different packages, you know, Bosa, Fred Warner, the amount

of playmakers that are on the San Francisco defense. Mike, I've been covering the Packers for nine years now full time on a basis knows my tenth season, every single gosh, darn year. They have had linebackers, they've had pass rushers, they have had different coordinators, and yet they've been able to maintain that standard. Damiko Ryan's is doing that now with this defense. Still a lot of the same principles you see from Robert Sala, but they're getting after it, man,

and they have some pretty talented guys to do it with. Yeah, so let's get down to business here. What are the keys to victory for the Packers and what is going to be a very challenging road game. Let's start on the offensive side of the ball. What's it going to take here for the Packers to emerge victorious. You're going back to the Bay Area. I think you got to get in the red zone quick, and I think you gotta put up some points. Uh. You know. Defensively, you

hope that the Packers have turned a corner. You saw the adjustments they made in the second half against the Lions, being able to get a little bit more pressure on Jared Goff. I think they found something with Eric Stokes. I don't know what the plan is going to be moving forward with how you get him on the field more, but he played well on the perimeter. I thought it

was a really good option across from Jayrell Exander. But at the same time, this is about offensive football, and when you go on the road, you need your offense to set the tone. You talked about the crowd noise. You need to be able to take the crowd out of it what is probably gonna be a very energetic atmosphere inside Levi Stadium. That's where I think it's on Aaron Rodgers. I think it's on this Packers run game.

It's on Davante Adams last week. I mean, even though it wasn't a picture perfect start, the fact that they came out with that eleven play drive for seventy five yards and got in the end zone. I really feel like that's what allowed Green Bay to stem that tide early on defensively and then ultimately take the momentum from there. I'm looking for points early, I'm looking for production early, and I'm looking for the Packers to shorten up this

football game. Yeah, I'm with you. I think I think a fast start offensively, I mean, even after the Monday night victory over the Lions, Matt Lafleur said it, Aaron Rodgers said it, a fast start really on both sides of the ball, but particularly offensively. I think the Packers feel like they have to come out and set some kind of a tone on offense. They know they've got to get the ball to the playmakers, starting with Aaron Jones and Advante Adams, and then you work in the

other complimentary pieces Robert Tunyan mvs. Al Lazard, whoever that might be a J. Dillon getting some opportunities when Aaron Jones needs a breather. But it starts with thirty three and seventeen with with twelve at the controls, and it really feels like the Packers cannot afford to go one or two possessions at the start of this game without getting some points on the board, because otherwise it feels like it could turn into a really long night. It

really does. And and that's where if you look at San Francisco, while they did obviously give up some production laid against Detroit, that's been the commonality here in these early games. It's just how they've set the tone with what they've done defensively and kind of allowed the offense to find its rhythm from there. And and realistically, I mean, I'll say it again, Mike, I really love what San

Francisco has done with their defense. In some ways, it kind of reminds me of Seattle from a number of years ago, where Okay, you know where you have your big three four, big playmate kers, but they augment that you have a DeFord in there now as a rotational guy, you know, Eric Armstead, Josh Norman's on this football team.

I mean, they they have depth, inexperienced depth, depth positions in addition to the guys that are really your headline makers, the guys that are that are helping you with you know, kind of cultivate a really strong defensive presence. That to me, for green Bay, I think you got to find a way to break that. You have to find a way

to do it. At the times in which Green Bay has been successful against San Francisco over the last half dozen years, it's been when offensively they've been able to put thirty points on the board, you know, and if the defense steps up and they get off to a fast start this week for green Bay, fantastic. But offensively, you know, when you're going on the road and you're playing in front of seventy thou people, I think that's

what's required in order to to really set your own tempo. Yeah. Absolutely. On the defensive side of the ball, some some fascinating matchups and decisions and what not to watch here. As far as how Green Bay handles this game, you mentioned already with Stokes. What are the Packers going to do with Stokes? What role is he going to have now that he went from just playing a handful of snaps in the opener against the Saints to playing forty plus snaps and having a much bigger role in the defense

in week two. So there's that. Do you just match up toyear Alexander on Deebo Samuel for the entire game? Do you do you match there? Or you know, do you have Alexander play sides again? Another question that will have to see how they answer it. And then what do you do against George Kittle? Because Juwan Johnson for the Saints at tight end two touchdown receptions in week one.

T J. Hockenson, who really is the key target for the Lions in in their passing game, didn't have any huge monster plays over the top or anything like that, but a very productive game and he got in the end zone as well for Detroit. So the Packers have given up some tight end production and now here comes George Kittle into the mix. And uh, you know, you can certainly play a bracket coverage type of thing on Kittle with a linebacker in front and a safety behind.

We saw the Packers doing that in some instances a against Hackinson. But if you do that, obviously you're sacrificing somewhere else defensively. And uh, and those are the decisions you have to make. Where where can you sacrifice if you want to try to take take George Kittle out of things, or at least limit his production. It's an excellent point you raise. And you know Green Bay they want to get more from their pass rush, right. That's been sort of the statement here the first couple of weeks.

Green Bay could have a really strong pass rushing performance in this game. It still might not be enough, just based on how San Francisco's offensive line is built. I mean, they have too of probably the best at their positions in the last decade in Trent Williams at left tackle, Alex mckets center, you have Mike mcglenchy at right tackle. I mean obviously um Lake and Thompinson's a guy too that has been in the league for a long time. They've only given up one sack this year on Garoppolo,

So what does that mean. That means that you're hoping for the best from the pass rush, but you may need to cover, you may need to plaster. You mentioned the two biggest question marks I think for green Bay heading into this game, beginning with Kittle, because to me, this reminded me of the old Morgan Burnett games where it's like, take Morgan Burnett, you put him on the you put him on the tight end, and you give him some help occasionally, but that's going to be his

assignment for this game. We called it the hybrid Nitro. Whatever you want to that. That was the thing. Maybe this is a game where you see either a Savage or an Amos matching up with him. Maybe you do have Devandry Campbell with some cloud coverage over him, with the safety help. Those are all things you have to think about. But as you mentioned, with the bracket looks, that's where Samuel can hurt you. That's where these running backs can hurt you. You can only have so much

attention devoted to one player. The Gire Alexander matching up thing, I'll believe it when I see it. It still hasn't been a thing. They just like leaving him on his spot and you basically take away that side of the field. It's the old Richard Sherman kind of project, right. That being said, that is always something they have in the back of their hand. I think Alexander could be an

elite star nickel slot corner this league. He just so also happens to be an absolute demon as a boundary corner as well, so all things Green Bay has to consider. But but certainly, I think this is a big game for coverage, Mike. I think this is where the cornerback, the linebackers, the safeties are going to earn their paychecks because you just can't be guaranteed anything against this offense

in the way and how quickly they get that ball out. Yeah, and you mentioned the pass rush, and that'll that will certainly be a key here as well. We saw how things change so much first half to second half against the Detroit Lions on Monday night as far as um not only not only the pressure the Packers were able to generate on Jared Goff, but but also the different ways in which they were doing it. There were there

were there were more changeups, there were more surprises. It wasn't it wasn't just the the standard looks, I guess, so to speak. So it'll be interesting to see how many other how many other wrinkles and changeups do you throw there. But again, as as you know, and as I just mentioned with Kittle, if you send, if you send a fifth rusher, right that, you know you're you're you're one guy down in coverage. I mean, it's it's a numbers game at the end of the day. It's

eleven on eleven. If you send, if you send a fifth guy, you better make sure somebody gets home and somebody speeds up the quarterbacks clock because you're down one in the in the back end to try to take

away a potential big play. So this, this is really this is really really an interesting game because because it it feels like the forty Niners in a lot of ways have already other than the running back situation, but it feels like the forty Niners have already kind of figured out who they are after going through all the

injuries they did last year. Now it feels like they kind of have their band back together and and they're back to be in those and the Packers with a new defensive coordinator and they're working in a rookie first round pick at cornerback. They've got two rookies on the offensive line, some other questions up front, like we talked about, the Packers are still trying to kind of figure things out here, and uh and this is this is a really really tough road match up here in Green Bay

for Green Bay in week three. Well, and just to give some credit to these backs too, because as you mentioned, there's a lot of scenarios. You saw this happen in Baltimore where eighteen different running backs go down and they had to make the moves that they did. What has always impressed with San Francisco is they find these guys and and you know, Matt Brita and Jeff Wilson and obviously Raheem Moster was the one they sort of finally

settled on as their back. They run, so they run so much misdirection and so much of the window dressing and everything they get. They try to get defenses to essentially focus on the wrong thing. They try to distract your eyes, they try to get you looking in the wrong spots and then all of a sudden, some running back you've never heard of is slashing you for a fifteen yard game and you're like, where did that come from? It's like, well, it's because they they're really good at

the distraction game. They really are. So even though you lose most are and then you have you know, whether it's Trace Sermon is a guy that you know, I think he's coming back out of the the concussion protocol. I believe, you know, you know, Ja Michael Hasty. I mean, they

have guys Mike that just you can't guarantee. You know, there's so many times where it's like, okay, well they're down three backs arounder the fourth guy that was elevated off the practice squad, we feel pretty good about stopping the run. You never feel that way against the forty Niners. No, you don't. They're they're going to be able to throw multiple looks at you, and they have guys that can hurt you outside. It's a brilliant offensive scheme defensively, that

blueprint has been put out there for years now. What they're looking to accomplish. Davante Adams even talked about it, where you know they aren't gonna see probably as many too high looks this week because those defenders are confident with what packages they have that whatever they see, they're going to be able to adjust to it. So it's gonna be a great game. It's gonna be great Sunday

night football television. And certainly for Green Bays perspective, need to go and get this win on the road here because they're really looking at what for their next six is gonna be um you know, taking place outside of Lambo. Yeah, absolutely well, a little bit of sponsored business here West Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fonetics

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across the border fascinating. You obviously have the Packers playing the forty Niners on the road. The Chicago Bears the Justin Fields era, which we knew was inevitable, but it's starting a little earlier than probably everyone thought. The Bears will be on the road at Cleveland taking on a Browns team that certainly feels like it should be too. And oh because they had the Kansas City Chiefs on the ropes in Week one, but we're not able to

pull that game out. Baltimore is traveling to Detroit, and Seattle is traveling to Minnesota. So after Week one, the NFC North was a little bit of a laughing stock with everybody losing. The division was oh and four. Okay, so you've got the Niners, the Browns, the Ravens, and

the Seahawks as the divisions four opponents this week. If the NFC North wants to make any kind of a statement that you know, they aren't they aren't some run of the mill division, this is a week to start to try to get some notice, right, this is the week to do it. I just on that fast track at Ford Field. I wonder what that defense is going to have for Lamar Jacks. That could be a long

football game. You Kansas City has had a really good scheme here for a number of years since the you know, Andy Read basically committed themselves to rebuilding that defense about three years ago, four years ago, and Jackson's running all over the place on them and for for for Detroit, they do have some linebackers there, but with how banged

up they are, that's gonna be an interesting one. Chicago is the one that, to me, that is going to be the headline making game because I think everybody pretty much agrees that Cleveland's going to be a contender again in a really good, you know, a f C North Division that they're a team to watch. Okay, so what is Chicago going to be able to do with this here? You come out of the gate, things don't go well. You you bounce back. I don't know what you thought

of Fields last week. Um. I think he's incredibly talented. I think he's gonna be a good quarterback. I see everything that Ryan Pace saw on him to draft him where they did. I just it seems like Bears fans are running to this young man and Savior I was kind of the one from the beginning going there's a reason you have Andy Dalton there. Yeah. Now I will go back and I will tell you when they drafted Mitchell Robinsky, I was like, let that guy sit all year long. I think we could tell that he was

far away. Fields seems a lot more NFL ready than Rabinsky, but he still got a ways to go, so you could you could see. I mean he he made a potentially just killer mistake in the fourth quarter that they had their their defense had pretty much put that game away against the Bengals, and Fields turns the ball over and and gives the Bengals a shot to get to get back in that. You can't make mistakes like that.

The Bears offense really just didn't do much with Justin Fields, um at the controls now with Andy Dalton being hurt now he's taking all the reps in practice and everything like that. So um, those those kinds of things changed the equation. But going to be a very tough road game, I think for the Bears going to Cleveland with with a interesting matchup though that Bears defense against a Brown's offense that that's that's put up some points. And then

Minnesota playing at home. This will be the home opener for the Vikings, but they're looking to avoid oh and three, and they've got to take on a Seattle Seahawks team that is, uh, you know, stung a little bit by by the fourth quarter um come back by the Tennessee Titans, and Tennessee ended up stealing that game in overtime in

Seattle last week. But but the Seahawks still in a very tough NFC West, Like we talked about, Seahawks are still very much a contender and and Minnesota gonna do whatever it takes to try to avoid oh and three. This is kind of a stretch on a comparison here because they're different types of coaches. There were different types of success before they hit a kind of a skid. But what Minnesota is going through right now really reminds me of like what the New Orleans Saints did in

like that early part of the two thousand tens. And what I mean by that is they just it's just it's such a grind for them to win football games right now. Now. Obviously the Saints, they'd want a Super Bowl. Sean Paynton was so celebrated still is, so everybody was willing to wait through it to see if they what

they can get. On the other side, you look at it where Minnesota is at, it just seems like every single week, it doesn't matter if they're playing the top team in the NFL or the last they're just in a barn burner and there's just one or two things that don't go their way. And here they are at Owen two. I mean, Mike Zimmer is an excellent coach.

I'll put them up there. Mike, honestly, outside of what the Packers have offered, is probably the best guy the NFC North has produced from a head coaching perspective the last what fifteen years? Conservative, But their defense, it's been They've They've been trying to rebuild this thing. Offensively, Kirk

Cousins looks great. It doesn't look good, looks great. The consistency factor outside of Delvin Cook has been the big question mark for them, and they are not going to have an easy opponent against the Seattle Seahawks coming into

their house. It's a crazy thing about this league. You mentioned it, the VI the Vikings are O and two, but they are They were this close in each of those games from winning them against the Bank Thills and the Cardinals, you know, so close to being too and oh yet there oh and two, and they have a really really tough game for their home opener in week three to UH to try to avoid that oh and three start. Um. But a big week overall for the NFC North with these matchups against NFC West and a

f C North team. Yeah, and if I can see this too, I mean, it's a great week if you're if you're agreement Packers you can get a win. I mean, you have the Buccaneers beating up on the Rams. I mean, there's a lot of Eagles in the the Cowboys. Only one of those teams is gonna walk out with the Dubs. So I mean it's a good opportunity if you can find a way to get this win in San Francisco.

With the NFC North facing these oppositions, some of these NFC NFC teams kind of beating up on each other, you start to find a way to kind of pull away from the pack here in the first quarter of the season. It's as good of a weekend as any. Yeah, definitely a chance to UH to make some noise. So with that we'll call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and everything With Sunday Nights Big

Game from San Francisco. Will have it all for you on Packers dot com for West, I'm Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody. We will see you next time. M HM.