#621 Packers Unscripted: Washington week

Packers are five and one. I wrote this Wednesday evening, posted it on our website looking at this Washington defense, and I lead the story with a simple line that something just doesn't compute, because defensively, this is a unit that was last last season, was second in the league in yards allowed, fourth in the league and points allowed.

Led Washington to a playoff spot with a backup quarterback actually actually third string quarterback, nearly got a victory in the first round of the playoffs over Tampa Bay, who eventually won the Super Bowl, of course. But yet with the bulk of that personnel back on defense, Suddenly after six games, this Washington team is thirty one in the league in yards allowed and last in the league in

points allowed. It's just a lot of it just doesn't make sense because because the talent is there on that side of the ball without question. It is kind of funny that, you know, a few weeks ago we're talking about the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Bengals have really come on right with a lot of guys that I don't think, you know, your family members at the kitchen table really

know who they are. Washington, it's not that problem. I mean, Chase Young, Montez Sweat, John Bostick is a linebacker for them. You know, Jamaine Davis has been a steady middle linebacker in this league. Kendall Fuller, William Jackson, the third Landon Collins. I mean they have names, you know, Matti and ITAs. I mean, they have guys that you know who these people are in fast year, I think Rogers even mentioned

Aaron Rodgers talked about it. You know, they won a lot of games last year playing to their defense, I mean, being able to, you know, strategically sort of win games, allow them to manage things offensively because of what their defense was doing. Well this year, that floodgate is sort of broken a little bit. Now. The real interesting thing about Washington is they still are dangerous they're giving up a ton of yards forner and twenty three yards per game.

As you mentioned the scoring defense, but they can get after the quarterback, they can find ways to take away the football. It's just the big picture sort of statistics that everybody talks about when you break down total defense, total scoring. They're really coming up short in that area. Yeah, something,

something just hasn't come together. Because even just last week's game, they were beating Kansas City thirteen to ten at halftime, and then Kansas City runs away with it in the second half, and and Washington is not even competitive in the final two quarters after playing a really really solid first two quarters. So defense of Lee, it starts with that defensive front. With this unit, you're talking about four

first round picks. They used a first round pick in every draft four years in a row, nineteen and twenty to get Jonathan Allen Deron Payne. The two inside guys were first, then Montes Sweat and Chase Young the two edge guys. Now, those edge guys haven't racked up a whole bunch of numbers yet this year. But Chase Young, he has just two sacks, but those two sacks have come in the last two games, so that maybe the NFL defensive rookie of the year starting to heat up

a little bit. The two inside guys are really interesting though, because Payne and Alan they rank they both rank in the top seven amongst defensive tackles interior defensive lineman in terms of total pressures on the quarterback. Kenny Clark is in that top seven as well, in uh in a tie for fourth place, but uh, um, but I believe it's Alan is third and Pain is tied for even um on that chart. So this is uh. You know, the Packers have faced really good defensive fronts for several

weeks now, starting with San Francisco in week three. Um, obviously, and we talked about we talked about Pittsburgh and then and then Cincinnati and then last week with Chicago, and this is this is another big challenge up front, and you know, the Packers are still dealing with some injuries

on the offensive line as they navigate them. Yeah, and they were fortunate enough as we kind of you know, prognosticated projected earlier this week with Matt Lafleur that David Bock terror by back at practice, which he was on Wednesday. But you know, I don't think you can necessarily count

on him being back this this Sunday. It's mostly about getting that window opening, getting some practice reps underneath his belt the way I described as maybe simulating a little bit of a mini training camp, if you will, after he's had ten months off. But then you lose Josh Myers as well, So that means likely Lucas Patrick going into that center spot. Good news is Elton Jenkins all

good on that front. Was removed completely from the injury report on Wednesday with the ankle injury after missing three games. But the fact of the matter is, Mike, you know that unit has put together so many strong games this year. This is probably one of the stiffest tests they faced

all season. Um, while you know Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack and everybody that you know, Chicago presents in what is statistically one of the better units in the league, I still think that this Washington unit stands right there with them. Chase Young, you mentioned he only has two sacks, but this is a guy that can go off at any time. I mean those two sacks can become five

sacks on the season real quick. And you know, with sweat sweat has been one of my favorite I loved him coming out of the draft, I believe, but I don't want to be misquote staking here. I believe it was the heart condition or that there was some kind of medical red flag that that allowed him to kind of fall a little bit that he felt he fell towards the end of the first round. I believe he ended up being taken twenty six in the draft was a remarkable fine for Washington as long as the medicals

checked out. This guy was a bona fide top ten, top fifteen type talent. He had that ability and he's been a really productive player for them. Nine sacks last season, I believe, and even this year, yes he only has three, but he's been able to hit the quarterback the pressure status you outlined in your story on packers dot Com. Like, we focus so much about stats, so many stats on sacks, but it really is about how you affect the quarterback,

and as Matt Lafloor said, this group definitely accomplishes that. Yeah. Well on on the offensive side of the ball for Washington, the Taylor Heineke I give. I give this young man all the credit in the world. When you I remember watching that playoff game that when the Packers had the

first round buy in the playoffs last year. And obviously Alex Smith, who had as a quarterback, had come off the bench and completed his remarkable recovery from injury and had led Washington to that division championship in the NFC East. But then he was not healthy enough to play in the playoffs. So Taylor Heineke gets thrown in there and and uh and did a whale of a job. And as I said before, they almost pulled the upset against Tampa Bay. That game was that game was still in

the balance with five six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Um. But when I look at you look at statistically where Washington is on offense this year, Taylor Heineke does not get sacked a lot. He can run around, he can scramble. He's actually the second leading rusher UM for Washington behind uh the number one back Antonio Gibson. But uh, but when you look at it statistically, there's there's a there's an explosive element to the passing game that's just missing.

They don't Yes, they've had they've had some big explosive plays, but on a consistent basis, this is not a passing game that's been able to produce the five yard completions to get those big chunks of yardage to get drives going, and uh and and as a result, it's it's an offense that that that's gotten bogged down because it's just it's it's been forced to grind things out, you know, more than they would like. Yes, And I think you

make some excellent points there. While there's a bigger question mark with what's going on right now with the Washington defense and why it hasn't all clicked, I think there's a lot more understanding of where Washington is at offensively right now. They made a big shift obviously, a lot of a lot of changes with the quarterback position. I mean the fact that you had Heineke, who was brought in last December on the practice squad was the only

quarterback I think they retained throughout their off season. That that that's one and obviously you know Alex Smith retired, But that shows you the seismic shift you saw with Washington's personnel. I like Heineke a lot, though I still do. I mean, this guy is a grinder. He's sort of reminds you of some of these quarterbacks of yesteryear in the two thousands and two thousand tents, that guys just who kind of come out of obscurity and find a

way to make plays. But to your original point that you presented the start and stop right now, this Washington offense, I think you're seeing that in Terry mclaurin's stats this season. McLaurin had a huge game against Atlanta hundred and twenty some yards, two touchdowns. The last two weeks I think eight catches total sixty eight yards. I mean, it's been a difficult kind of sledding there. And unfortunately for their backfield situation now, Antonio Gibson is dealing with a shin injury.

He did not practice Wednesday. You don't know what his status is going to be. They do have j D. Mckissic, who's been a veteran that's been around this league, but he was more of a past catching option for them. I I don't know if that's going to be their bell cow back if Gibson can't go in this thing. Yeah, that's not really a role that mckissic has had in

his career. He's been more of he's been more of that that change up back receiver out of the backfield type of guy, and been very productive in that role. But he hasn't really been a twenty five carrier game type running exactly, and just overall this is just a really beat up unit there. Tight end position has been just hampered by injuries. McLaurin even is also dealing with a hamstring. He miss practice on Wednesday. So mclauren is

an impressive receiver though. He incredible, He really is. He's a He's a he's a dynamic He's a dynamic guy who can, as I said, even though some of the explosive players have been missing, this guy can explode on you as well as be it also be a possession guy to move the chains. He's a young receiver who really can do it all. He's kind of in that, you know, sort of six ft six one range that Davante Adams falls into. Two very different type of players.

But you know, for so long everybody had this idea that it's just you gotta be Megatron, right, you gotta be six five. You just gotta tell her over people, you gotta run a four four. There's a kind of the shiftier, sort of hybrid type receiver that's developed in recent years. I think McLaurin is the perfect example that because he wasn't a highly touted guy coming out of college.

I think he was a third round pick if my memory serves me correctly, and he has just stepped in from day one and been a playmaker for Washington and a badly needed playmaker too, for an offense that has had a lot of changes in their backfield, has not had a lot of stable personnel from year to year, and and certainly Heineke has developed that rapport with them. The Packers main key, though, is going to be making sure that they don't allow him to get back on

the tracks this week. They got to delay that impending storm one more game. Yeah. Well, I want to get to some more of those keys to victory for the Packers here. But first a shout out to our sponsors. Serious x M NFL Radio delivers hard hitting analysis and up to the minute NFL news that true football fanatics need.

Seven three and at Cousin Subs, we have something for everyone like our Wisconsin Cheese Kurds, mac and Cheese, golden fries, and creamy shakes, all paired with your favorite sub or sub in a bowl, Cousin subs we believe in better all right, keys to victory here for Green Bay. I just want to throw this one out there, because you know, when the Packers get on a winning streak like they are now they've won five in a row, you start to take for granted sometimes how well this team offensively

protects the football. And this is one of those games. In my opinion, I think the Packers are the better team. You're playing at home, you know, back at home after a couple of weeks on the road and all that. This is definitely a game the Packers should win. Do not give Washington those turnover opportunities that can really start to swing a game, and give that give that underdog team on the road the belief that they can steal a victory. Um for from you, the Packers have to

continue to protect the football the way they have. Yeah, And and for me, it's just pressuring Heineke. I mean, there's no coincidence, Mike that the games in which Heineke has played the best, those are the two games that Washington has won this year. The games from which he's had big passing days are the days in which Washington has won especially if Gibson can't go in this one. You know, there's still sounds like there's still some tests they're doing on the ship. I think that's an injury

he's been dealing with before. But they're gonna be really restricted in terms of what they're going to be able to do offensively. I think in those instances, you look at Ron Rivere and what he's done throughout his coaching career, that's where he's going to adapt. And in Heineke is a big part of that. His scrambling ability is a big part of it. Last week, they did such a great job of rushing to contain Justin Field's not allowing him to burn you, uh and you know, kind of

break your ankles and put on some bad film. Green Bay played very discipline. They played very discipline and the penalties side of things as well. You have to keep that momentum building in this game. In first and foremost, you're five and one. The Washington football team is two and four. Right now, you have to play like a five and one football team at your own home field at noon start time. Everything working in your favorite on a five game winning streak. Be who everybody thinks that

you are. Yeah, I agree, And when I especially when I look at the offensive side of the ball for the Packers, and we've talked over the weeks about all the shuffling on the offensive line and the injuries they're dealing with, but with this string of tough defensive fronts that they have faced, Matt Lafleur, Nathaniel Hackett, Luke Getzi, Adam Stanovitch, the coaching staff, Aaron Rodgers and company. Out in the field, there's they're they're developing. They're developing an

offense that uh, that travels, so to speak. And what I mean by that is is you know you can line it up against a lot of different opponents. Because over these weeks here, with with facing these defensive fronts, the injuries on the offensive line, the Packers have they they've they've gone to sometimes a quit game with the passing game, get the ball out of rogers handily. They've relied on the running backs. They've let Aaron Jones and

a J. Dillon grind out yards. They've used those running backs in the passing game to keep those linebackers, keep the pass rushers honest, because they have to honor whatever and wherever those running backs are going to go schematically. Schematically, the Packers are are developing an offense that they can take up against almost any opponent and and and also

reflexively deal with whatever injuries up front. Now you're hoping in the coming weeks here that this Packer's offensive line is going to eventually look like the one that that you thought it would be at the beginning of the season, or you know, aside from box trs injury obviously, but I like what Green Bay is doing on offense, and as you said, just be who you are, keep keep this up, keep developing what you're doing with this balanced

offensive attack and making defenses play you, honestly, because when you produce on the ground and with the just just the skills and the masterful mind of Aaron Rodgers and how he gets this offense into the right play at the right time, with the right checks and adjustments, the Packers are on their way to, you know, to the offense that they want to have. They've been doing it more and more, and Mike too, whether it's the way they protected the football, the way the defense has taken

the ball away. Even last week, you know, a big uptick for Green Bay in the in their own you know, with their offensive red zone, you know, being able to actually get scores and all four of those trips getting touchdowns on three of them. That's the recipe. It was

the recipe last year, controlling the time of possession. I just feel like Green Bay, you know, Aaron Rodgers was talked about this upcoming slate of games that came that's coming up, and people talk about trap games, and I really enjoyed Rogers perspective on that when he mentioned that. He's like, of course, we know what the schedule is. You have to know what the schedule is, but you're not gonna say some cliche about you know, it's all

about washing all of our focuses on Washington. That's the fact. It has to be about Washington this week, because otherwise, if you're five and two and you just lost to a previously two and four team and now you're taking on our probably the best team in football in a short week, you're not really setting yourself up for success very well. Everybody in that locker room understands where Green Bay is at. They understand this is the one little oasis here at home before they get back out on

the road again. You have to make it count. And I think for the most part, as long as you protect the football, control the possessions, Green Bay knows the recipe here what it's going to take to be the team like Washington that's gonna come out with nothing to lose. Yeah, quick thought before we talk about the rest of the NFC North Um. The nineteen fifties classic uniforms will be on display Sunday at lambeau Field. From the pictures, we've

only seen pictures really, but what do you think? Pretty shnazzy. Yeah. I liked them, you know, and especially it was a change of pace, right. I mean, as much as I really do hate not being able to wear the ACME Packers stuff on camera was like my favorite. But you like wearing all that blue, the blue and gold stuff. You were You've been big into that. Love it. I'm still trying to work on it when the days in

which we don't have to be on camera. But I will say when the uniforms got announced, with our wonderful video department Adam Howell Heinrich and his team Tyler Geiski, they put together some amazing packages. It did get you excited for it because the other thing I like too, is the NFL finally in addition to relaxing a lot of different things, Um, they relaxed the helmet stuff. You know, they got to a point there where they're saying no

changes with the helmets. Well, now the Packers are gonna be able to go without the logo, give it a real clean look. Altogether, I'm just really excited for it. And the fact of the matter is the the inspiration of it. I think they came up with a pretty cool design. You don't see many versions and variations from such a traditional football team. Why would you. The Yankees aren't going to go out and neon you know, green

and blue anytime soon. But it still holds true to the feeling of the Packers, but also give you a kind of a new vibe as well. Yeah, it's I think. I think the uniforms look really sharp. Um, I'm I'm interested to see just really out on the field in a game what the green pants look like, because it's just not something we've seen the Packers where it's always been the gold pants except for the color rush the white when when they've had the white pants and what's that, Well,

we haven't had color Russia they haven't. They haven't. I mean this uniform in a sense is because it's green jersey with green pants, you know, so there is there is kind of a color rush element to it. But uh yeah, Well elsewhere in the NFC North, actually, with the Packers two games up on both the Bears and the Vikings, Chicago Minnesota both three and three, Minnesota's on its by Chicago, a really tough assignment. A road game at Tampa Bay. So if you're the Packers here, you're

you're at home against Washington. If Tampa Bay holds, serve at home against the Bears, and with Minnesota on the bye week, you can come out of this week with a two and a half game lead on Minnesota. Any three game lead on the Bears through seven games, that'd be a nice spot to be, but obviously you got

to take care of business at home. Your thoughts on Bears Buccaneers, Yeah, a really difficult test for for Chicago because offensively, I think, uh, I think Tampa is going to give them a lot of problems with what the scheme that they run, how fast those linebackers are. That's gonna be an uphill battle. I actually will be really interested to watch that Bears defense. Well, we'll see whether or not Robert Quinn is going to be in the concussion product or not concussion the COVID protocol or not

if he's available. But even still, you know, Khalil mac against that line. And but it also looked like a chem Hicks reinjured that growing against the Packers when he had that when he had that one. Yeah, so maybe it won't be as formidable as I was forecasting just a second ago. But be that as it may. You know, two of the best inside backers in the league in that game. It's gonna be it'll be a fun matchup and certainly for Green Bay, uh you know, some potential

distance there. And then you know, the Detroit Lions gonna have to go to l A against the five and one. The storyline there obviously the swap of the quarterbacks Jared Goff Matthew Stafford changing places. There's been you know, the sides of you know, express some regrets about kind of how things went down from a communication standpoint, and maybe

some bad feelings and whatever. But now it's yeah, I mean the rams are the rams are you know up at the top of arguably the you know, the toughest division, topped a bottom in the NFC and uh and the Detroit Lions still looking for that first victory after after some real kick in the gut losses for Dan Campbell. The Lions knew what they were doing when they were trading Matthew Stafford. They understood that this was okay, we're putting the flag up. This is officially a rebuild now.

But man, I don't think they were thinking they end up having this matchup at Owen six and in Jared Goff's you know, yards per tempt being where they're at. As far as the Rams are concerned, though, they're a fun football team to watch, Mike. Between them in Arizona, I mean that NFC West, there are some really competitive You talk about the NFL in two thousand twenty one and the offensive Revolution and people wanted to watch exciting football.

There's probably no two better teams that really exemplify that right now than the Rams and the Cardinals. Yeah, and the Rams, as we talked about on our last show, the Rams only lost this year is to the Cardinals, and the Cardinals on top of that division, but the ram Ms al right on their heels. Any other games from this week slate that the Texans being fed to the Cardinals. Oh my god, good luck. Um No, but it is interesting there there are some pretty interesting battles.

I mean, a two and four Patriots team is going up against the Jets. Just you know, the Patriots trying to find a way here after that really difficult loss against Dallas. Was a tough one they took. They took Dallas all the way overtime last week. You know so much. I just want to touch on this really fast and we'll get out of here. So many people, including you know, our own media court, which is fine. I'm not ripping on anybody, but everybody's talking about that Kansas City matchup.

I understand. The Packers have a really tough schedule. Kansas City has had a really tough goal of it this year, and now they're taking on a Tennessee team that's four and two. Kansas City goes in three and three. It's been an uphill battle for them as well. So as far as the league is concerned, I don't know how many marquee matchups there are this week, but some pretty interesting.

There are six teams on a buy too, so there are just a lot fewer, a lot fewer games this week than we've seen, but it's a measuring stick week to see some of these teams that are pretty impressive record wise, if they can do what the records seem to indicate they should. Yeah, absolutely well, it'll be a good one at lambeau Field Sunday at noon and we will have all the coverage for you on Packers dot com for Wes, I am Mike. That's a wrap on

this edition of Packers Unscripted. Thanks for tuning in everybody. We'll see you next time.