#629 Packers Unscripted: Matchup in Minnesota

far a four and five football team. But those are honestly the last numbers that I look at because a lot of things we've heard about this team. I'll give you a little bit of a rundown on how their season has gone. One is that they have had at least a seven point lead at some point in every ballgame they have played this season. They've only had one of their nine games decided by more than seven points.

They have three walkoff losses to walk off victories, and of those five games decided on the last play, three of them have been in overtime. So make of that what you will. To what I take from it is that whatever that one lost record is for the Minnesota Vikings. This team strikes me as one that literally is capable of beating anybody in the NFL at any given time, and that's what the Packers are going up against on Sunday.

I just love the phrase walkoff loss. I mean, that is the true You talk about walkoffs, that is a walk off and you drop it at at this time expires. But no, I said it earlier this week, Mike, you

had to edit it. The Minnesota Viking scare the living daylights out of me, because if you take away the records and you say, okay, the leading seven times in in nine games, or leading by seven and nine different games, you know the fact that they've had this inconsistency, the fact they've had these games right down to the wire. If you just showed me their offensive statistics, if you just showed me what they've done defensively, I'd be like, Yeah, this is a seven and two, six and three type

ball club. Kirk Cousins is having a remarkable season sixty eight percent completion percentage. And we know, Mike, we've seen enough of Kirk Cousins over the last ten years. When his touchdowns are at eighteen and his interceptions are at two that's when you know he's playing Captain Kirk type football, and he has remarkable offensive weapons to work off of right now. I mean the triad there of Delvin Cook and Adam Feeling and obviously Justin Jefferson, who's going to

be the best of that bunch. From that really talent to two thousand, twenty receivers class, that has given him an incredible opportunity in terms of being able to direct

this Vikings offense. But at the same time, they are four and five, they are in a position again where their backs are kind of against the wall in week eleven, and while it very easily is going to be a conference in which you're going to see an eight and nine team make the playoffs, the Minnesota Vikings are still trying to state their case as far as being one of the conference's best teams. So the Green Bay Packers cannot take yeah. Absolutely, and and this is what I've

said an inbox as well. This game as far as the as far as the NFC North and particularly the Minnesota Vikings are concerned, this game determines whether Minnesota has a realistic path to to a division championship, to catching the Packers in the North or will the Vikings just be relegated the rest of the season to fighting for a wild card spot. That's really what it comes down to.

The Packers are three and a half games up. If the Packers win this game, they would go four and a half up on Minnesota with only six to play. The math isn't too hard to figure out there. But if the Vikings win, they suddenly get within two and a half of the Packers, and from Minnesota's perspective, they start looking at it like, Okay, well, then if we win when the Packers are on there by, we pick

up another half. That puts a set to if we pick up one game somewhere else, that gets us to one and then we're coming to lambeau Field on January two. They could steal the division. Champe like, that's what I'm talking about. The path. The path is there for Minnesota in a lot of ways. But they have to win this game in order to try to create that pack. Yeah, and the Packers have to play whack a mole. I mean, they're lack of Viking. They come up here, you have

to be able to knock them back down. Now, this is not going to be easy. They're not going to be going into those friendly complines that they were last year when it was a completely empty you know, US Bank Stadium and the you know, the people over at the Vikings. They couldn't actually pipe in the noise because there were no fans to actually make it look like they were the ones generating it. Be that as it may. I digress now, I I kid, I kid, but nobody,

that crowd is going to be energized. They are going to want to be able to push their football team. And it is the biggest rival that they've had in the last you know, ten twenty years now. So I expect an enthusiastic game and energetic game. And from the Packers perspective offensively, you know, this is going to be a tough one. They have to be able to get this thing going in that environment despite probably not having Aaron Jones and you know, potentially Aaron Rogers playing in

this game without practice this week. Yeah, and when you look at when you look at all the very impressive things Matt Lafleur has done in two and a half seasons. Obviously, the Packers getting a win last week and once again avoiding a two game losing streak um for the duration of Matt Lafleur's tenure as head coach probably ranks as

the number one most impressive thing. But the next one on the list for me is the fact that he's only lost one division game thus far as head coach of the Packers, and that one loss was just a shade over a year ago early November last season, when Minnesota came into lambeau Field, Dalvin Cook went crazy two six yards combined rushing and receiving four touchdowns and the Vikings got a victory there. So you know, the Packers defense, they know everything there is to know about Dalvin Cook

and how important he is. But then when, as you pointed out, Kirk Cousins through nine games has only two interceptions on the season. He's playing maybe some of the best football of his career, if if not overall, even maybe even better than uh than in Washington when he led Washington to a playoff berth there. So um and as you said, on the offensive side of the ball for the Packers, still trying to figure some things out.

The Packers are gonna have to deal with, presumably the absence of Aaron Jones here at least in the short term and Aaron Rodgers as of Wednesday not practicing because of because of the toe injury, and the Packers took, as we talked about on our last show, took really until the fourth quarter before the offense really started to find its rhythm and and be able to finish the drives that that it got going. This Uh, this Packers offense went into US Bank Stadium last year and really

lit the place up. And but as you said, the crowd is gonna be there. This is gonna be a much bigger challenge in that regard for Green Bay's offense with all of that noise. Um, this is uh, this is this is an exciting one. This is an exciting one to look forward to here because of the the intensity and what's on line and also seeing, you know, the biggest thing and you kind of touched on a little bit in your story this week on Packers dot Com is the contrast between Aaron Rodgers taking out a

Mike Zimmer defense. Now we have to see exactly where things were at with Anthony Barrow was doing some quick research here to see if he actually was practicing. He was limited on Wednesday after he missed last week's game with that persistent knee injury he's basically dealt with since the beginning of the season. You know, Daniel Hunter already went down there, like there are some some hits that

they've taken. But you know, if Harrison Smith is back and he's feeling okay coming off the COVID list, Eric Kendricks is by far one of the most underrated productive inside backers in this league. There are so many weapons still at Zimmer's disposal, but that as much as we talk about this offense and the improvements that they've made and the playmakers that they have available to them, it really does come down to this defense and how Aaron

Rodgers counteracts that. Now, Rodgers has had a fair amount of success during Zimmer's time in Minnesota, but certainly these guys have a long history going up against each other, so seeing kind of one of my biggest things to look at. I don't know if i'd exactly call it a key to victory, but it's just the double a gap stuff that Zimmer always likes to run. You know, we'll have to see what happens with David box tr He didn't practice on Wednesday, He didn't practice last Friday.

So if Elton Jenkins has to go at left tackle again, then it's John Runyon, it's Lucas Patrick, and it's Roy Snuman. Are going to kind of be the guys responsible for defending against that double a gap looks, understanding their responsibilities, their discipline, and not allowing Minnesota to play those games. That's gonna be a pretty big cat and most type game that, especially if Elton Jenkins isn't involved there, they have to be cognizant of where those linebackers are going

to be. Yeah, Rogers numbers over the course of his career against Mike zimmer defenses. It's it's pretty interesting because it started out. Rodgers was oh and two against zimmer defenses when Zimmer was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati. The Bengals beat the Packers in both two thousand nine and two thousand thirteen. Rogers had passer ratings sub eight five

in both of those losses. But then Mike Zimmer gets the head coaching job in Minnesota in team and since then, Aaron Rodgers has twenty four touchdown passes and just three interceptions against Zimmer's defenses. Now, Minnesota hat still has four wins and a tie in that time frame. But Rogers, Rogers has performed pretty well overall for as challenging as Zimmer's defenses are. And the guys were talking. Davante Adams talked about it, Rogers talked about it, Lafleur talked about it.

The um Harrison Smith and what he means to that Minnesota defense just in terms of trying to decipher, Okay, where is where is he and what is he doing? And it's easier said than done because because there there are times that it's just really hard to figure out exactly what Smith is up to out there on the field. Well, and this isn't the Xavier Rhodes type defense anymore. You know, Trey Waynes has gone on and they've had a lot of turnover at the cornerback spots and unfortunately for them,

also some misdraft picks as well. The constant through all of that, including the station next to Harrison Smith, has been you know, the multiple time Pro Bowl veteran there. Uh, Xavier Woods is incredibly talented safety. I've been high on him since he came out in college. I thought that was a really savvy pick up for them. He's kind of solidified that spot next to Uh, next to Smith.

But those corners and how they're excuse me, those safeties and how they're able to utilize them, I think have really helped kind of keep things a little bit more simple for what they've done at the cornerback position. Bashad Berylan, former Packer, was signed this offseason, but he's been dealing with some injury stuff. So Smith, if he's back, I mean, that is such a big thing for this defense and how they're able to kind of operate. Yeah, it's interesting.

So I almost like to draw the analogy with regard to a baseball team where defensively always look okay, how does the team look up the middle, shortstop, second base, center field. You look at Minnesota up the middle and it's Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, and Harrison Smith. And those are the guys who have been there for for a

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sub in a bowl. Cousin subs. We believe in better all right, So down to the brass tacks here West keys to victory for the Packers on Sunday in Minneapolis. Where does it start for you? Last week, Mike, the Packers were able to turn over the football against the team that doesn't turn over the football. I think that is gonna be a very similar game plan for them

going up against Minnesota. So easily it would be easy to talk about the explosive plays, minimizing the big games, especially in the run game, with the way that they can gas you there. But I do believe if you look back and the matchups they've had against Kirk Cousins, when they're able to get some turnovers, when they're able to get some interceptions, that has been to what has set the table for them offensively. You hope that Green Bay is going to be able to figure this thing out.

You hope that with another week in the books, even if they aren't able to be on the practice field together, Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams in that backfield are going to be able to push the ball down field. But defensively, it's been what they set the tone for green Bay the last couple of weeks. Obviously did that against Seattle and you know, one of their best performances of the

past decade. I feel like, if you're able to generate pressure, and obviously you know this is a different type of quarterback, you're not You're no longer facing Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray. You're you're facing Kirk Cousins. Was a little bit more of a stationary object. But still he's very savvy, can get the ball out and he likes the high percentage opportunities. Get pressure on him, get a takeaway or two. I think green Bay is able to escape there with a victory. Yeah.

And I think offensively, even though you don't have Aaron Jones, a j Dillon, Patrick Taylor being the one to I think I think the Packers still need to especially with the noise and everything in that building, the Packers need to stay committed two running the offense through the run backs.

And that doesn't necessarily mean they have to run the ball thirty times or whatever, but it's it's using Dylan and Taylor in the passing game and keeping that defense, honest with the run and just and and staying as balanced as possible. We you know what it's like. I mean, all the games that I covered that I covered Packers Vikings in the Metrodome and now in in US Bank Stadium.

The last place you want to be against the Minnesota Vikings in their place is you know, third and six or worse right, because that's when that's when the noise gets crazy. They're gonna come after you. Your playbook is limited because they know you're not handing the ball off that that's where the running backs are the ones who need to set the tone here for Green Bay to

keep that Minnesota defense on us. And I'm excited to see it too because a lot of times, you know, and God bless him, it's been fun to watch Aaron Jones a lot over the years. He's pay a lot of huge plays for this offense. But this isn't gonna be the Aaron Jones and a J. Dillon type offense. This is gonna be thunder and thunder. I mean, you have a J. Dillon who really brings that at six. But Patrick Taylor is a big guy himself, six to

two twenty. I mean, he packs a punch. I thought, once you saw him get right with the ankle and he was able to get through a couple of soft tissue injuries, the guy really showed a lot during camp Kylan. It was just sort of a great situation for Green Baby, because I thought Kylan Hill came in improved that this guy had a lot more than just being a seventh round pick. But through the first two weeks a camp, I thought Patrick Taylor might actually have a real chance

at being that number three back. A couple of fumbles happened during the preseason, but overall, I think if you see Patrick Taylor for five ten carries in this game, you're gonna be kind of impressed by what you see because there's a lot there. And if it hadn't been for that injury at at Memphis that basically sidetracked two years for him, I think this is a guy that

definitely had the pedigree to get drafted. Yeah. Absolutely. You look at to me, I look at Patrick Taylor, and we've seen you know, they're they're all running backs of all shapes and sizes in the NFL, right, and the Packers have Aaron Jones who's a certain style and type and you have a j Dillon who's another style and type. If you were just to you know, punch into a computer what an NFL running back is supposed to look like.

Patrick Taylor is what physically that guy looks like. And I'm excited to see six ft two and then he put a pair of klats on him. He's an imposing game. I'm excited to see what what he might be able to do with this opportunity. As much as the Packers obviously want Aaron Jones back in this offense as soon as possible elsewhere around the league West, I'll just do a quick rundown here and then I'm gonna get to the game. I know that you want to talk about. UM.

The Chicago Bears coming off of their bye week. I believe they are hosting the Baltimore Ravens, so an interesting cross conference matchup there. UM Arizona is at Seattle for those who want to pay attention to that other team that's at eight and two atop the NFC with Green Bay Tampa. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don't play until Monday night.

They'll be hosting the New York Giants. Really interesting one with Dallas playing at Kansas City, especially with the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes offensively kind of waking up last week the big forty point performance against the Raiders. But the game, I know you've got your eye on west and it

is the Detroit Lions at the Cleveland Browns. If if former Packers backup quarterback Tim Boyle does get the start, if Jared goff In that oblique injury um prevents him from playing, Tim Boyle will get his first NFL start for Detroit. And I know you're excited about it. I would never wish injury upon anyone, first and foremost. Fortunately for golf, it's just snow bleak. It sound like it

was a significant, long term deal. But when I saw the report pop out, I think Kyle Miniki, a lot of the beat writers from Detroit, we're talking about how Boyle is going to get the first team reps this week. I'll tell you what, Mike. The only thing I'm asking

for for Tim Boyle's an opportunity. And the reason I say that is because the guy had the most disastrous college career you've bay sicily he could ever have, and after it, he still wanted to play professional football and in his three years with the Green Bay Packers, he proved that he has what it takes to compete at this level. I love the fact he's been able to rewrite his story and if he gets that opportunity, I've said this since the beginning. I understand why they did

the trade. I understand why they got Jared Golf back as a compensation. But when they signed Tim Boyle and Jamal Williams, I said to you from that day, those are two really smart signings for them because as the li Lions embark upon another rebuild, you're getting two consummate professionals who can can contribute in different ways. I really feel like, if Tim Boyle gets the opportunity, you're gonna

see why. Michael Cohen, Andy Hermson, Herman, myself, we all were talking about the Laser Show for the last three years. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if the Lions are gonna win. Maybe Boyle could get Dan Campbell's first career of victory, but it's going to be exciting. He plays exciting football, and if it happens, we'll have to see. Maybe this will be all for not but the fact that he's coming back off the

thumb injury. I think could be a really unique opportunity for that That to me, To me, I mean, Tim Boyle's story is remarkable. As you said, he had a dumpster fire, so to speak of a college career. You look at you look at what he did in college and you're like, how in the world would this guy

ever even get a look in the NFL? Right and now here he is potentially and again we don't know, perhaps Jared Golf will be healthy enough to play, but now he potentially has a chance to get Dan Campbell his first victory as an NFL head coach, UM before a quarterback who has played in a Super Bowl gets that first victory with UM, the Lions having only a tie UM thus far aside from all the losses, they tied the Pittsburgh Steelers UM at Hines Field last week. So I just I think it would be I think

it would be really really cool. He's fearless. If if Tim Boyle were able to do that, you're You're right, You're absolutely right. And to come from where he's come from to where he is now, you have to be fearless and in the sense of you have to be able to you have to be able to absolutely ignore everybody who has said everything about you, like how is this? How why even give this guy a chance? Right? And

and here he is? I it would be the the only the only negative from our perspective is that the Lions and the Browns will be going on at the same time as Packers vikings, so we won't actually be able to find a way to watch the game. If if boil is indeed, I'd still find a way, all right, well, I might find a way to be able to check out something, but no, Yeah, unfortunately it's at the same time. It's too bad. This could have been the bye week,

but you know, be that as it may. Again an interesting matchup and you've got to have storylines, especially with the Lions are trying to find something right now. Honestly, even if even if they clear golf, I don't think it would hurt them to still give to him a look. Yeah, why why not? Why not give him a shot? Right?

I mean, we'll see, But anyway, something will definitely be scoreboard watching at a minimum during during Packers vikings on Sunday, but the bulk of our attention will be on US Bank Stadium and a big game in the NFC North. With that, we're going to call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and everything going on at Sunday's game. Will have it all for you on

Packers dot com. For West, I'm Mike. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, Well, see you next time.