#615 Packers Unscripted: Prepping for Pittsburgh

three games. A very impressive road victory in Week one over the Buffalo Bills, the a f C runner up from a year ago, but then back to back home losses to the Raiders and the a f C North Division rival Bengals, the one against Cincinnati kind of being a clunker of a performance for Pittsburgh, especially in front of their home crowd. What do you make of this Steelers team so far? Well, I think the big thing is is that's gonna be a really competitive division, was

my main takeaway. I look at we talked so much about green Bay start to this season and how difficult this gauntlet is going to be for green Bay, and throughout the course of the season, Obviously our eyes have been turned in November as well, understanding what's gonna be coming down the pipe. But this has been a really difficult start for Pittsburgh. I mean, to be able to get that win against Buffalo, I'm guessing they would have thought that that's gonna be their most problematic game in

that first month of the season. Ye, playing it on the road. Yeah, So then you come right back and you've got a very game Joe Burrows team obviously the Ravens, and and now you're coming into Green Bay and you're gonna take on Aaron Rodgers in this offense coming off of two really nice back to back performances here. So it's a big challenge for them. And realistically, I think this is gonna come down to Ben Roethlisberger and what Ben Roethlisberger are we gonna see? Is it going to

be the big Ben of older? Is it going to be this guy that's been under a lot of pressure here this early part of the season, has had a couple of turnovers as well. Yeah. The biggest thing that surprises me not that we watch a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers football all but to look at the statistics through through three games, and yes it's a small sample size, but Pittsburgh has not been able to run the football.

But you know they invested that high draft pick and naj Harris, yet as a team they have just a hundred and fifty three rushing yards through three games, which is surprising. You mentioned the pressure the turnovers with Roethlisberger. He's got three interceptions with just three touchdown passes so far, and he's been sacked eight times. That's not the kind of thing you're accustomed to seeing from a Pittsburgh Steelers offense.

So this is the other thing that really stood out to me though, and I bring it up because of what we talked a lot about last week with regard to the Packers. The Pittsburgh Steelers through three games have

yet to score a point in the first quarter. So I think the Packers need to be prepared for a team that is going to be hell bent, if I'm allowed to say that on our show here, to to get off to a fast start, like we were talking about with the Packers, to to get things going early offensively, because they're scored by quarters right now, west none in the first quarter. They have scored fifty total points in three games. Thirty of those fifty have been in the

fourth quarter. This is a team that has not been able to find an offensive rhythm until late in ball games based on the statistics, and the Packers have to be ready for an early Haymaker in coming out of the gate to right. I mean zero points in the first quarter, six in the third. It's not like they're getting off to these fast starts of the third quarter either. The point I made an insider in boxes that the Pittsburgh Steelers are down right now. The Packers can't let

them get back up. They need to be able to assert their will, especially being at home. You're gonna have an energized crowd. It's gonna be a mid afternoon game. I mean, that is pretty much picture perfect in terms of weather, in terms of conditions for the groom a. Packers really to have a nice home field advantage. But the thing that surprises me the most with Harris is that he is a prototypical bell cow back six ft pounds.

He's been a factor in the past the game. He actually has more receiving first downs right now than rushing first downs. But they've just not been able to get those wheels turning for him in this run game. And I feel like green Bay coming off the performance they had last week. Now, that was a beaten up unit against San Francisco, but Mike, we've seen them use a multitude of running backs against green Bay over the years.

The fact that they were able to stop Trey Sherman get San Francisco out of their rhythm, I'll say a time and time again. I feel like the blueprint is very much the same going into this game against Pittsburgh. Not allowing Harris to get that confidence early on, making sure you clog up those holes. That was a telling performance by the Packers defensive front last week, one of

the better games we've seen out of Kenny Clark. I feel like that's really the focal point going into this game, is asserting your will and not allowing them to catch their feet. Yeah. Absolutely. And on the injury front, the Steelers dealing with some missues. Ben Roethlisberger did not practice on Wednesday. We'll see what happens with that as the week goes along. T J. Watt, their star pass rusher, he missed last week's game. I believe he was a

limited participant in practice on Wednesday for them. You look at them again, statistically, they have five sacks as a defense through three weeks. T J. Watt has three of those five. They're not getting a whole lot of pressure from anybody other than t J. Watt. So they need him back. They're hoping to get him back this week. Again, We'll just have to have to wait and see there. I think you mentioned the blueprint for the Packers being

being similar defensively. I think there's a lot of similarities offensively in terms of with the way these games have gone for the Steelers so far. If the Packers can get off to another fast start offensively, I think you can. I think you can really, you know, put some pressure on Roethlisberger if he gets down a couple of scores, that that this Packer defense can turn itself loose a

little bit. Now, this guy is a Hall of Fame quarterback, and he's brought teams, he's brought his Pittsburgh Steelers back from big deficits before home away. All that he's done at all. But this, as I said, I think Pittsburgh is gonna come out and try to punch the Packers in the mouth like early in this game. I think that's gonna be Mike Tomlin's message to his team based on how they've started the first three weeks. The Packers have to be ready to take that punch and response. Yeah,

And I mean they have really good weapons. I mean, you know throughout. I mean, these are guys, are players that can hurt you. And obviously the investment to Harris Benny Snell has been there for a number of years now. They are going to try to challenge green Bay early on in this game. And and as you said, Roethlisberger, there is a good track record there for him against green Bay and heck, I think Mason Rudolph won a game against green Bay two. If that's the way this

thing has to go, There's so many different things. When you look at Pittsburgh, it is it's a weird deal, right because the sample size is small, three games is small. It is enough to change up the waiver wire order though, I mean it is enough that you start to take stock as some of these things. That's why I think you're gonna see a Steelers team that's really hungry in this one and trying to show that okay, we still are. There's a reason I Ben Roethlisberger came back. They wanted

to make one more run at this thing. They feel like they did have the tools and while they did lose some pieces, they were able to draft the highest top ranked running back in this year's draft, So that that part's gonna be interesting. We'll get into it more with the defense, but the injuries are probably the biggest question mark I have with where the Steelers are going

to be at who's available, who's not. The The bench is really short at outside linebacker, probably shorter than I've ever seen with the Steelers team, at least in this modern three four era. Uh So, Yeah, questions are gonna have to be answered by Green baby man. They got the momentum on their side. They're riding it into this matchup. You've been able to put points up back to back weeks.

You have to find a way to keep that stretch going. Yeah, and Pittsburgh really really wants to avoid a one and three starters you talked about in that division. With what the Ravens are doing, with what the Browns are doing, the Bengals look like an up and coming team, getting their young quarterback back and getting some things going there. So um one and three in that division could be a a big hole for the Steelers to have to climb out of if the Packers can put them there.

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Cousin Subs, we believe in better injury update for the Green Bay Packers you want to give the fans where things stand, We found out that Kevin King, who missed last Sunday's game with an illness, he actually was diagnosed with a concussion. The reason it wasn't labeled a concussion for missing the game against San Francisco is because it

wasn't medically confirmed yet. He wasn't feeling well on Sunday morning later was diagnosed with the concussion, so he is in the protocol, has not did not practice on Wednesday, and the Packers also have um inside linebacker Chris Barnes in the concussion protocol as well. Yeah, and I want to tip my cap to Kevin King. I don't Kevin's probably not an avid viewer of Packers Unscripted, but I have a lot of respect for him in what he did on Sunday. I know there's things people are wondering,

what is that game day, guys dropping out listen. I think if anything we've learned about head injuries over the last fifteen twenty years, is not every well. First off, not every situation is the same. You know, people handle these things differently. Aaron Rodgers even touched on that after the game when he was talking about Davante Adams. But the other thing is too, if you're not feeling well, it doesn't do anybody any good to put yourself through it.

He did the right thing, going and telling the trainers and the team doctors, yeah, something isn't quite right here. And unfortunately they're out in San Francisco. They don't have all the resources they have here in terms of being able to diagnose him and treat them and things like that. But they knew something was off. Hats off to everybody involved by allowing the young man just to Okay, let's get back to Green Bay let's see what's going on

and hopefully he progresses through concussion protocol. No long term issues there. I know in the past he's had a couple of the concussions too. In terms of the game though, the way the Packers responded to the pieces they were missing. First off, Eric Stokes going in making his first NFL start, playing pretty darn good for a guy that is seventy

defensive snaps fourteen days earlier, he's playing eight. I mean, just the seeing that, the revving that up and being able to push those those you know, those buttons when you lose Chan and Solivan for a little bit, when you have some other injuries. He was something you did not have to worry about out there inside backer. As you mentioned Chris Barnes, pretty scary little incident there, coming on the slant pattern, he stops the receiver. I forget

who that was exactly. He's down for a minute. So one you bring in Tye Summers playing in the base packages. You bring in Rain Burks, who I I wrote this an inbox Mike, I'm gonna keep saying it. I think this is the perfect utilization for Burkes. He is your traditional will type linebacker in a nickel package, and the Packers are playing a lot more of it this season. I liked what I saw on the half sack. I like what I saw with his aggression. We've seen a

different Oren Burks in that way this season. But more than anything, Devandre Campbell. You can see him every single week. He's a six year player, but he's getting more comfortable with this defense. He's the guy now responsible for relaying the play calls from Joe Barry. This is a guy, people, that wasn't here a hundred days ago. He came in the last week of the off season program, and now he's responsible to be your signal caller. I love the

way he plays the position. He got another takeaway Again, despite losing Barnes, who was such a pivotal piece for them a year ago, they were able to keep the ship afloat, and a lot of that credit goes to Devandre Campbell. Yeah. Absolutely, the I think what we've seen from Campbell, the way he has settled in for a guy, as you mentioned, he didn't show up until the last week of the off season program, a guy who was a victim frankly, of of the salary cap punch around

the league. This is the guy who would have gotten a much nicer contract in normal circumstances. I sure he was disappointed at the offers that were out there, whatever, but at some point, you just have to take the best one available, right, and that was the Packers. And I think he's I think he's happy with his choice at this point because he's playing a major role in this defense and he's producing. Um, he's a he's a key piece now and as you said, wearing the communication

helmet as well. So this is a this is a veteran player now in the middle of the defense the Packers are really relying on. Yeah, And he said it back in June two. He wanted to sign before the

offseason program. He wanted to make sure he got his hands on a playbook, to have those six you know, sit five six weeks to understand the defensive system that he was moving into and that game more than anything, Mike, whether it's it's those guys, whether it's Al Lazard stepping up on special teams or you know, yash Naiman, you know, becoming their left tackle when when you know they didn't know that they well they didn't know, but they didn't

have Elton Jenkins available to hit an offensive line playing with four guys that didn't even start an NFL game up until the open or three weeks ago. Right, the hats off to the team and being able to actually make those adjustments. And realistically, we've learned it time and time again, Mike, You're gonna have amazing years where nobody

gets hurt. You keep your starting five offensive line in the whole year, you keep your core defensive unit, and you're gonna have years where you need guys to step up. And through the first three games, Packers haven't had a lot of injuries, but where they have been missing people, guys have responded. Yeah. As of Wednesday afternoon, Elton Jenkins not back at practice yet. We will see again how that UM evolves or progressive throughout the rest of this week.

And Marcos Velde Scantling not at practice Wednesday due to the hamstring injury that he sustained in the second half at San Francisco. So again, UM one of those things that that will probably take the whole week. We may not know for sure until Sunday afternoon exactly what's going on there. And that goes both ways, because while I expect you know t J. Watt coming back to Wisconsin, the Pewaukee, you would imagine t J. Watt's going to be out there on Sunday, regardless of all the groin

is feeling. But dude, I mean he also got all it's high Smith. He was limited dealing with a groin as well. I mean they had issues. Uh, And Melvin Gordon, Melvin mcgordon, Melvin Gordon, Melvin Melvin Melvin Ingram the third is the only other outside backer on their depth chat right now. Now, they have a lot of versatility, kind of like the old school Don Caper's defenses. You can

move those inside backers around too. But this is a really interesting matchup for both Green Bay in Pittsburgh because I think there's gonna be a lot of eyes on what that injury report with the designations looks like on Friday, in exactly ninety minutes before the game on Sunday, who's all going to be available? Yeah? All right, well let's get down to it here, keys to victory here for the Packers on Sunday. What's the first thing that comes

to mind for you? Four sacks they had last week, Mike, and I actually was the guy that was sitting there trumpeting that San Francisco is not the type of team that you're gonna be able to get a lot of sacks against. But why did that happen? Because they stopped the run and they were able to start pinning their ears back more. Preston Smith played out of this world in that game, as Arenie mentioned, with Kenny Clark continually

pushing the pocket. Got credit this week for that sack that ended up resulting in the fumble that Devandre Campbell did recover. Nice play there for the nose tackle. Packers need to put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. God bless him. He's been doing this thing for a long time, but he's a thirty eight year old quarterback. This is the type of game in which you need to apply that pressure. You need to stop the run first, get after the quarterback.

He's gonna throw three interceptions the first three games. Make sure you turn that into the fourth and fourth. That is going to be the primary objective if you can get him off his spot. Green Bay Packers. Again, assuming it's Roethlisberger, I guess we can see if it's Rudolph, But whoever's back there that the Packers got to get

after that individual. Yeah, And for me, aside from what I already said, which is to be to be ready for ready for a big punch from the Steelers early based on how they have struggled struggled early in games, and how this Packers offense wants to continue to start fast. This is the blueprint for this game based on how

the Packers a play, how the Steelers have played. Is for the Packers to start fast, to get up early and let that defense, the Green Bay defense, play with the lead and and do the things that you're talking about. The other thing I will say though, for the Packers offensively is to stay balanced because for some of the struggles that Pittsburgh has had defensively, it's it's not quite.

We haven't seen quite the Steelers defense that maybe we're accustomed to, but they're not giving up a whole heck of a lot on the ground. It it has been difficult for teams to run the ball against the Steelers, and the Packers can't lose sight of being balanced on offense because if it just becomes you know, if if you give up on the run and you just try to go drop back pass and T. J. Watt is coming after you on every play, even if his groin isn't fully healthy. T J Watt. T J Watt can

wreck things, and and and the Packers have to. I think staying balanced on offense is how you neutralize a guy like t J Watt. No question, huge assignment coming up for Billy Turner and all those guys in terms of when you're gonna see what. But for me again, it goes back to the fact that at the Greenbay Packers last week, they ran the ball times for a hundred yards with Dylan and Jones. None of those carries went for more than twelve, but they were consistent with

it against a darn good defensive front, agassive front. It's gonna happen at some point. You can mark this down, put it in your you know, crop it. Aaron Jones is gonna have a major, big time carry at some point. We have an ad R game breaker at some point. But the more that they're able to have those games where they don't have the big explosive play but they still surpass a hundred yards, just keep churning them, that's the ticket. And I thought they did that really well

against San Francis. Yeah, absolutely well before we go a quick look around the league because there are some other interesting matchups. I want to start with the NFC North because we're seeing another division game, which is Detroit against Chicago that will be at Soldier Field. And then Minnesota coming off of that big victory against Seattle, the Vikings now hosting the Cleveland Browns, obviously a team that everyone you know, the Bears have already seen them. Everyone else

in the NFC North going to see the Browns this year. Um, those are a couple interesting matchup the Bear The Bears are figuring out exactly what's going on at quarterback with their injury situation, and Detroit fighting hard every week for Dan Campbell, looking for that first win for their new

head coach. Yeah, and this is really going to test their moxie, you know, going to this one if you can bounce back after some really tough, gut breaking kind of games, trying to be the Chicago Bears team that is also reeling that at this point in time, doesn't really know who their quarterback is gonna be, doesn't know where fields is going to be at health wise. So that's a marquee game. It's kind of gonna be the one that Okay, who's gonna still be in this race here?

Who's gonna be one of the front runners in this division to be able to actually compete? Uh this season? Cleveland Minnesota is a fascinating game because they're getting Kevin Stefanski going up against Mike Zimmer, the former offensive coordinator against the long time defensive mind. That's gonna be a great game to watch and for for Minnesota. Kind of like what I was just saying about Pittsburgh, this gauntlet doesn't get any easier for them either. This isn't the

Cleveland brown from four years ago. This is a game offensively driven football team and Stefanski is one of the smarter guys in this league when it comes to play calling. I think he's been a perfect fit for what the Browns are doing. Yeah, really interesting matchup there in terms of that history with Stefanski. A big Sunday West in the n f C West, and we we've talked about how tough this division is. Well there playing two division

games there. Arizona is at the Rams with the Rams coming off of that big impressive victory over the Buccaneers, and then Seattle having lost to the Vikings, traveling to San Francisco, the Niners coming off the loss to the Packers. It's a it's a really interesting week in the NFC West with all these with all four of those teams going a head to head now and in terms of in terms of early season, that's about as big as it gets for a division. With all due respect Arizona,

they've been the little brother of that division for six years. Now, can they find a way to really, you know, put their flag in the ground and say we're we're coming for this thing. They're gonna do it against the hottest team in football. The Rams have figured this thing out. There were questions, you wonder what happens if cam Akers is available, but Matthew Stafford has just taken the reins of the thing said all right, follow me. We're gonna go.

Uh Kyler Murray's exciting. It's gonna be fun to see him in that offense against that defense. And then for San Francisco and Seattle, man, that's gonna be a really we're talking about the gut kind of check games. That's it is. San Francisco gonna get this thing back on the tracks despite the injuries, or Seattle gonna bounce back

after a tough loss against Minnesota. Yeah. One other one I want to mention because regardless of who wins, there's going to be there's going to be a new I guess, maybe a new Darling of the NFC because Carolina at three and oh is at Dallas, Dallas being two and one. I don't understand why the league would schedule two teams where Carolina is coming off a Thursday night game and Dallas is coming off a Monday night game. That seems

a little unfair. But that aside, whoever wins this game, if Carolina goes to four and oh or if Dallas gets to three and one, suddenly there's going to be a lot of attention on the winner of that football game. I think, well, and for two different reasons right because Dallas, it's just about you know, competency in that division right now. If Dallas can just win nine games, they have a real shot at this thing. Caroline is in a really

tough division. Every team, every single win is gonna matter here when you're looking at teams like New Orleans and Tampa Bay. Uh. I think Matt rules team has called a lot of people by surprise. You're not gonna have Christian McCaffrey. That's gonna be a big question mark. But you know, I think defensively, they've shown that they can compete and they're gonna be a team that is gonna be uh kind of keeping their nose in this thing

throughout the course of the season. All right, Well, with that, we will call it a rap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and of Sunday's Packers Steelers game at lambau Field. Will have it all for you on Packers dot com. For West, I'm Mike, Thank you for tuning, and everybody, we'll see you next time.