#617 Packers Unscripted: On to Cincinnati

team has accomplished so far this season. The victory over Pittsburgh on the road at Hines Field probably the most notable, but also a couple of down to the wire walk off wins overtime against Minnesota and then last Thursday night against Jacksonville. This is a team that's gotten some things done in crunch time. I love the Cincinnati Bengals. They're one of my favorite teams to watch and and it's

been that way for a number of years. Although they've been in kind of a depression for a few years after you know that the latter half of the Marvin Lewis era. But when the Cincinnative Bengals are playing good football, they're fun team, you know, and I enjoy that fan base I love everything about them, and Joe Burrow has infused I think a new enthusiasm that was badly needed.

I mean, they needed to turn a corner. Things, no question about it, had kind of taken a dive at the end of the Andy Dalton Lewis era and they suffered a lot of losing for a couple of seasons. But Burrow, even though there was the knee injury last year, there was so much enthusiasm about the way he plays and what he was going to mean to this offense. And for him to come back and be off to the start that he is, I've said a time and

time again. I mean he has the intangibles, Mike, he has good downfield accuracy, he has the poise in the pocket, he doesn't get jittery, he knows how to create plays. But what I like about him the most is he is a consummate winner. And I thought you saw that it was a very short sample size at l s U,

but he can will teams to victory. And when you look at this three and one start for the Bengals, I think, in addition to some really create of play calling from Zach Taylor, I feel like it's a lot of us come down to Joe Burrow just kind of wanting it more in finding ways to get a victory. Hundred and thirteen pass rating completion percentage and still having four interceptions. The kid can play. Yeah, absolutely that. There are certain statistics that jump out. Obviously, one is Joe

burrow se completions so far this year. Another one for me is seeing that Jamaar Chase, his star wide receiver from l s U. The two college stars reunited now in Cincinnati. Jamaar Chase averaging seventeen and a half yards per catch and has four of Joe Burrows touchdown passes already this season. And another thing that sticks out to me about this team third quarter West coming out of halftime. These guys have outscored their opponents thirty four to seven

in the third quarter. This is something the Packers are going to have to be ready for, is that potential surge after the halftime break. Because this Bengals team, they're three and one. They're the only team in the a f C North that did not make the postseason last year, and they were the team that was sort of they were completely under the radar because everybody's talking about Okay,

what's going on with Big Ben in Pittsburgh. And you have Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns are a team on the rise. Well, Cincinnati Bengals are saying hello, here we are. We're three in one. And I think their motivation for this game the back to back thirteen win Green Bay Packers are

coming into Cincinnati. This is the Cincinnati Bengals opportunity to make a little bit of a statement here and to say, you know, here we are NFL world, We're we're contenders. I think the motivation for the Bengals for this game is absolutely sky high. Well, and if you watch at all some of these games that the Bengals have played this so far this year, and I don't want to um,

you know, there's strategy involved, no question about it. As I said, I really like the version of Taylor's offense that's kind of come out of that Shanahan, McVeigh, Lafleur, t E. I like some of the little changes he's made with that and kind of brought into his own he can tell it fits Joe Burrow really well. But they've also kind of played like they're operating with house

money a little bit. I mean, some of the fourth downs that they've gone for, some of the plays that they've they've kind of drawn up, they're they're just loose. They're free, and I think there's a certain mindset there that certainly they want to compete and they are expecting to compete for a championship this year, but they're also I think Taylor has done a really excellent job of

just letting these guys have fun. They they're they're playing stress free football right now, and I think that's allowing the talent to show up. The one thing we're gonna have to monitor throughout this week, though, is Joe Mixon, because when you talk about them coming out to the fast start that they've done in the second half, I think there's two things that play there, and necessarily neither one is you know, all about Joe Burrow and those receivers.

I think it's Joe Mixon wearing teams down in the first half, and I think it's their defense playing really tight and concise football. Mix in who didn't practice on Wednesday. We don't know what is out looks going to be at the time in which we're taping this, But he's the bell cow right now. Joe Bonni Bernard is in Tampa Bay. They have some a G. P. Ryan, but Mixing is the guy. I mean, it's sort of old school smash mouth football. This is our running back. We're

gonna keep hitting you with him. Yeah, you look at the statistics. I think he has about eight percent of Cincinnati's rushing attempts on the season. Yeah, so if he's not involved here, that does change the script a little bit. But I just feel like with what he's brought in the consistency that he's had these past few seasons, it starts with him and everything kind of grows off there for what the Bengals have done offensively. Yeah, and you

alluded to the Cincinnati defense too. You're not talking about a whole bunch of household names or a whole bunch of guys that you know, have Pro Bowl accolades and all that. But just look at the numbers. This defense through four weeks of the regular season, seventh in the league in yards allowed, eighth in the league and points allowed. This is a very sound unit. Nobody's had any kind of a big monster breakout game against these guys, So far this year, and the Packers are going to have

to be ready for it. We'll get to obviously some of the injuries and what's going on with the Packers on the defensive side of the ball. This Packers offense needs two needs to put together a really really efficient game against a tough unit to also compensate for for

defensively Green Bay being shorthanded. Well, what I like about what Cincinnati did this offseason is for a long time people have talked about them is sort of being the team where guys aren't necessarily being paid, right, they aren't big you know, movers and free agency. This year, they were really smart about it. They knew they had to add talent to this team. There just wasn't enough of

it last year, burrows knee injury notwithstanding. And they went and kind of invested sort of as I mentioned in our pre production meeting, kind of like in what the Packers did in two thousand nineteen in finding younger talent that's coming off of the rookie contracts that is still on the incline. And I think Trey hender Xon is the guy that perfectly embodies that. Again, kind of a one year guy with what New Orleans did last year, but what a season it was. Thirteen and a half sacks.

Really felt his presence in that defense, and he's off to a good start. They go six seven defensive linemen deep with their front and you know b J. Hill is leading them in sacks. He's not even a listed starter. I mean, they are able to throw a lot of different looks at you. And as Matt Lafleur referenced on Wednesday, it's that kind of versatility and aggressiveness that I think has allowed them to sort of set the tone defensively

with what they've done so far this season. Yeah, absolutely, I think it's been a pretty uh, a pretty impressive unit. That is that's providing a really nice backbone to a to an up and coming young quarterback that that definitely has all the looks of a franchise guy. Uh. Shoutouts

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just yet on Jaire Alexander. The latest word from Matt Lafleur is the Packers are hoping that Alexander does not need surgery on his injured injured shoulder. They're looking at some you know, different opinions, different paths forward. If he ultimately does need surgery on the shoulder, his season is most likely over. The Packers have not made that determination yet, so still up in the air. I guess you say

he's out indefinitely at this point. The Packers signing a veteran cornerback where Sul Douglas off of was it Arizona's practice squad. Um, So there's a piece of um reinforcement. They're coming into the Packers secondary as well as Kevin king back at practice and working his way through the concussion protocol. So hoping that um that the Packers will at least be a tad healthier even without Alexander in

the in the defensive back. Yeah, the two big things, Mike, I mean, they can sign guys, they can claim, guys, we can have a lot of conversation about that, but at the end of the day, there are two big things here that have to happen, in which this time, whatever this is where Jr. Alexander is not available, it's going to be Kevin King outside, and it's going to be the versatility of Adrian Amos. I think that's what this ultimately boils down to, because you saw last week

without King, without jaw. The next move was moving Amos back into the box and dime, which required second year safety Henry Black to be on the back end. That's sort of been the counter move for Green Band a lot of ways is utilizing that versatility with Amos because you know we can play inside outside. There's a reason why Mike, you and I have been talking for months now about this isn't Eric Stokes versus Kevin King. This isn't going to be okay. This is the set depth

chart and it's not going to be changed. You've seen King play different spots, You've see Stokes being different predicaments. This point in time, the Green Bay Packers need both of those guys, and King coming back off with concussion, still working his way through the protocol, but was at practice on Wednesday. He's an important piece, man, He's been an important piece for four years and they need him healthy and for them to have King and Stokes on

the outside, that's the recipe to get through this. Losing a guy like Joy Alexander is not a one player replacement. It was my lead for Insider Inbox. There's a reason why they talk about it taking all eleven. There are so many different adjustments that are gonna have to to be made without having John the field. But it really does start with King, and it starts with those cornerbacks stepping up. And this is a very tough task to come out of the gates against with what you know, the different

variations and challenges that the Bengals can present. Yeah, absolutely, I mean, you want to see Kevin King back healthy. You want to see the twenty nine team Kevin King that led this Packer's defense and interceptions. The spotlight gets even bigger and brighter on Eric Stokes, the first round draft pick whose role and responsibilities were already increasing before

Alexander's injury. Well, now that that that role and responsibility goes up, you know yet another notch and uh and you know Shannon Sullivan, who has played a heck of a lot of football here for the Packers over the last few years. With the emergence of Stokes, some of his snaps being reduced, while Sullivan is going to be

back on the field quite a bit. And uh and you know Jerry Gray, the defensive backs coach, Joe Barry, the defensive coordinat they're going to count on a veteran like Jannon Sullivan to to hold his own and come through here. In terms of the starting defense, I still think Green Bay is in a really good spot. It's just about okay. Now we're starting to see the reserves.

We're starting to see some of these you know, rotational guys having to be in big moments, right and then you know, if anything else happens, that's where you need the Key Adams, you know, it's where you need Douglas and obviously you know someone like Schumar John Charles to really step up up. But that being said, I think Chandon is a very smart guy. He understands what his role is, he understands where he's come from. This wasn't

a first round pick. This is a guy that really, you know, scratch and Claude to get that nickel spot last year, and if he's gonna want to step up

and really prove himself again in that role. More than anything though, Mike, the one area where Green Bay set is those safeties, and I think with Amos and with darniell Savage playing the way he is right now, a lot is going to be on those guys as well too, not necessarily just from a matchup perspective, but just the leadership back there, the communication When Jr. Alexander's on the field, that is one spot that is probably thirty three percent

of the field you really don't have to think about. He's out on an island. That's that's not the same situation because there's only about a handful of guys in the league that can give you that kind of you know, closure in your mind. So it's gonna be a difficult, difficult stretch here. But in terms of as far as his injury is concerned, Packers still holding out hope they can get them back and and ultimately seeing what they

can do. In the past, there's Ben shoulder injuries. I think back to Devon House in two thousand twelve had the shoulder subplxation. I think he missed two or three weeks and he played the rest of the season with the harness. Charles Woodson has done it. We don't know. Every injury is different. Yeah, but that's why the Green Bay Packers are taking this time here talking to the specials figuring out what exactly the best course of action is going to be for Alexander in two thousand one

and also beyond. Yeah. Absolutely well, another potential acquisition at the time we're taping this episode, it is not official. It could be official very soon, but media reports saying that Jalen Smith, the linebacker veteran linebacker released by the Dallas Cowboys, coming to Green Bay and will be interesting here.

Obviously a depth signing for the Packers. But you wonder with you know, with Zadarius Smith being out, you know, long term here for a while and some other things that are going on, you know, are are the Packers gonna try to find a little nitt l for Jalen Smith to maybe help off the edge, not necessarily play you know, his traditional inside linebacker. I don't know. I think this is a this is a very curious I'm very curious to see exact where Joe Barry wants to

use a guy like this. Yeah, and and that's the big question with him even coming about back, you know, in the draft five years ago, in addition to the fact he was coming back from that knee injury, a lot of people wondering, Okay, this guy can do it all. He can play in a three four or four three inside outside, where do you want to put him. He had a lot of success, you know in the four three defense that they were running in in Dallas for

a number of years. And you know, I actually really like, you know, if this all ends up working out, what what this change could mean for him at twenty six years old getting a look at a new defense, A guy that, while he did have the knee injury, has played in sixty eight consecutive games since then, hasn't been an injury issue with him. So uh so many different things to figure out, But it was interesting listening to, you know, Aaron Rodgers talking about some of the positive

interactions he's had with him in the past. Obviously left a positive impression on him in their three meetings. He did have a sack of Rogers two years ago in that game down in Dallas, and then also Matt Matt Lafleur. I mean this is he coached. He didn't coach him position for position, but he was in you know, North, he was at an Order Dame when Jalen Smith was just coming into his own there as a really big playmaker and got a chance to see exactly the physical

specimen that he is. So it's a different time, it's a different opportunity. But but certainly if you can add anytime, you can add a player like that, in the middle of the run or in the middle of a season. Brian Goodkin said from day one, he wants to make sure that he turns those stones over and figures out if there's a fit. Yeah. Well, noon Central time, kickoff Packers Bengals on Sunday from Paul Brown Stadium. Keys to victory here for the Packers West, what stands out to you?

What do the Packers have to do to come back to green Bay four and one? A couple of things. One, uh, if mix and plays you have to find an answer for him. Green Bay's held the last two teams under seventy total yards of rushing, which has been a big step forward after what we saw in Week one against New Orleans where it didn't matter if it was you know, Tony Jones Jr. Or Kamara, they were having trouble stopping either of them. They've really battened down the hatches in

that regarding. They've done it despite you know, losing you know, Chris Barnes for the last one and a half game with the concussion, and Tyler Lancasters and the other aspect of this I think is important. As I mentioned, Earli on Burrow has thrown four picks this year, about a three point six percent interception ratio so far rate for the season. He's gonna throw for some yards. There's gonna

be a couple of big plays. But when he gives you an opportunity to secondary or maybe even the linebackers have to be ready for because I think there's gonna be a chance or two for them to turn over this game. That's gonna be critical because if we've learned anything about the Bengals for the first month of this season, they're aggressive. They're gonna take chances, even if it is fourth down, even if they're at their own thirty seven. They're gonna make those you know, try to make those

things happen. But They're also incredibly explosive, and Green May can't let that happen. It can't let it happen consistently for four quarters. Yeah, and I think, uh, for me. On the defensive side of the ball, you mentioned there are gonna be some big place but the Packers have to limit those. I mean, the reason Joe Burrow has a passer rating north of a hundred and ten despite having four inners options in four games is because of

the chunk plays. It's because of the twenty and twenty five yard he's got, you know, a fifty yard touchdown. I believe to Chase, Packers have to be able to limit those explosive plays defensively and on offense. As I said before, I think I think this is about the Packers need to try to put together. They're their most really their most efficient, consistent offensive performance of the season.

With the way the Cincinnati defense is playing, with the way the Packers are going to have to adjust things defensively now without Alexander, the fact that you're playing on the road against a good team, it's going to be a difficult environment. And as I said before, a fired up Cincinnati team and a fired up Cincinnati crowd considering um, you know, the attention that that they could get by

knocking off a team like the Packers. This is where Aaron Rodgers, the running game, the passing game, all of the balance, the ball control, all of it really needs to come together. I think for the Packers to be able to win what I believe is going to be a four quarter fight all the way to the end. Yeah.

And and the other thing to keep in mind, depending on what Cincinnati wants to do with those corners, depending on how they want to defend a Fonte Adams last week, it opened up opportunities for Randall cob and a J. Dillon. This week, it could be Robert Tonyan, It could be Alan Lazard, it could be Aaron Jones bouncing back with a big game. You just never know. But if that attention is going to be drawn to number seventeen, green Bay has to find a way consistently to make a

defense pay for that. Yeah. Absolutely, Well quickly, before we go looking around at some other key games in the NFC North, you have Detroit at Minnesota, Detroit now at oh and four, Minnesota at one in three. Uh, you know the the vikings here, I was asked an insider inbox this week, who's the Packers biggest threat in the NFC North after you know, a quarter of the season here.

I still think it's the Vikings because I you know, they've been playing pretty well defensively even without Anthony Barr and eventually they're going to get him back. And I think of the other teams in the NFC North, the Vikings have the most blosive offense potentially. But now here, this is this is where I mean Minnesota. If they lose this and fall to one and four, you really start to wonder what's going on there in Minneapolis. Whereas Dan Campbell and the Lions they're still looking for that

that first victory. And they you know, they tried to have a big comeback against the Chicago Bears. They were down twenty one nothing, They got team, but they couldn't finish the deal with the big second half rally. Campbell still looking first first win for the Lions. I'm glad, you know, in terms of a Packers perspective, the Packers have the Lions in the rearview here until the season finale, because I think they're at one point here. I don't know if it's this week, it might be next week.

At some point, Detroit's gonna come out and they're gonna be pushing the pace. They're just wired that way. I can't see them being an O N sixteen type or I'm sorry, O N seventeen type team. They're gonna give one of these teams and they've given some good run for the money already, but they're gonna come out and punch somebody in the face at some point. And that's why when I look at Minnesota's perspective, and you know what Mike Zimmer is looking at this week, they have

to be up on themselves here. Yes, you got that one win against Seattle, but you've had some really tight letdowns as well. How are you going to respond against an O one four team that, if you are who you think you are, and if it is the team that is probably the next in contention to really challenge Green Bay for the top of the division. This is a team you have to beat. You just gotta get it done, absolutely, But I just don't think Detroit it's gonna be a team that's willing to roll over. Yeah,

two other ones. I want to get your thoughts on quickly in the out in the NFC West San Francisco is at Arizona, the Arizona Cardinals four and oh coming off of a shellacking you might say, of the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco forty Niners here suddenly have lost a couple in a row after a two and oh start. They're looking to avoid going to two and three in a very very competitive division. I think

that's an interesting one. And then the Sunday night game Buffalo at Kansas City, a rematch of last year's a f C championship and with the Packers kicking off at noon West. If we get our work done soon enough, we might actually get to watch Sunday night football, like might actually peacefully, you know, like you know, with a beverage and maybe something to eat. So so any I think, you know, obviously a rematch of the a f C title game from a year ago. A lot of eyeballs

will be on that. One really fun slate of games this weekend. I just want to quickly touch on Arizona called them the little brother last week against Arizona or against the Rams. They most certainly are not that. I think what you've seen now is you you know, Cliff Kingsbury. Arizona has a defense now and they can control the tempo games and offensively, they're gonna be a really difficult team to stop. You talked about this upcoming stretch of

games for green Bay, They're gonna be very difficult. You cannot look ahead, but that Thursday night game down in Arizona is looking more and more daunting by the week, just based on what the situation is going to be and how difficult that opponent is going to be. That's a really good, talented West Division and you're gonna have another great game, you know with with Seattle and the Rams. The Rams have been to bounce back going to Century

Link whatever it's called now. Um that being said, this is going to be something where you want to see the West beat up on themselves because ultimately that's where the green Bay Packers could potentially gain some separation in that chase for the only buy in the NFC. This is why you got to win these games right now. That's really it's a long season, but that goal does not change. Green Bay got through that first quarter and as Aaron Rodgers said, with the changes to the new instential,

time starts with the energy. You know, alterations that are gonna be made just by having an earlier game. There's a lot of stuff that green Bay has to stay up on. And if you continue to take care of your own business. You've got Chicago going and facing Vegas. You've got these a NFC West matchups. Huge opportunity here for green Bay to get some separation. If you know you can, you can rile up some more wins. Yeah. Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense almost unstoppable since that

Week one loss to the Steelers. Do they keep it rolling in Arrowhead? When? I think? I think they do because I think Kansas City is super talented yet, but they've shown that they have some flaws this year, particularly with that defense. I think there's gonna be an opportunity or two. And the other thing I like about Buffalo they're starting to realize more and more that as talented as Josh Allen is, they have a really good running back in Devin Singletary and they're starting to feed him

a little bit more. Yeah. All right, Well, 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 as well as all of the coverage of Sunday's game from Cincinnati. Will have it all for you on Packers dot Com for West, I'm Mike. Thank you for tuning in everybody. We'll see you next time, yeah,