#640 Packers Unscripted: Rivalry rematch

that plays a lot of close games. They win some, they lose some. They're right around five hundred. Well, here we are with two weeks to go in the regular season, and the Vikings haven't changed. They still play a lot of close games. And whether they lose on the last play of the game to the Detroit Lions or whether they nearly blow a twenty nine to nothing lead to the Pittsburgh Steelers but barely hang on for the victory, it seems like this is still the same Minnesota Vikings team.

This has been their m O all season long. Yeah, And unfortunately for the Vikings, the past few seasons have kind of followed this similar trend. Uh, And let's be honest, Mike, it's not an anomaly when it happens at often. They're inconsistent. They're extremely talented. They have the best young receiver in the game, Kirk Cousins can look like an All Pro at times, and certainly, as we've talked about time and time again, Mike Delvin Cook is a real threat in

the run game. But defensively, there's been some erosion there in the past few seasons, and when they need to come up with clutch performances or beat teams that they should beat to be a playoff contender, they just haven't been able to do it. All that being said, this is not a team you can take for granted at seven and eight coming in here at lambeau Field. They're

very dangerous. They're very dynamic on both sides of the ball, and as they Grimy Packers saw at US Bank Stadium, if you don't capitalize on your opportunities against Cousins and company, you are going to find a way to lose that football game. Yeah. Absolutely, I mean, these two teams played a doubt at US Bank Stadium back in November. I don't know, in single digit temperatures, if we're going to see the same type of offensive fireworks come Sunday night.

But for the Minnesota Vikings, and this is what I've been saying in in following them most of the season, they're an extremely dangerous offense when they've had their big three as far as their offensive weapons healthy and able to play. And I'm talking about Dalvin Cook, justin Jefferson and Adam Theland. Now they just put Adam Theland on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Apparently he had to undergo surgery after reaggravating an ankle injury in the Vikings

previous games. So they don't have the big three. They have Jefferson, they have Cook. It just seems to me that offensively they haven't been the same when one of those three guys has been missing. Yeah, as you said, I mean, Jefferson is really becoming a dynamic force in this league and unfortunate for the Packers gonna have to deal with them for some time in the NFC North's much like the Packers of the late nineties and two thousand's had to deal with Randy Moss in the NFC Central.

It's just the reality of it. But as you said, the problem beyond, Jefferson has been getting Feeling and Cook both healthy and available. You saw it last week with Feeling, how frustrated he was, how frustrating this year has been for him. Because when when he has been healthy, he has been really good in this offense. So the Packers saw some of that. But to lose him now with this ankle injury, which you know in the long run

will help him, you know, get him back. Have is there bigger aspirations out there for the Vikings in two? I would think so. But to not have him on Sunday is going to be really interesting because he is as big play uh Born is Jefferson in terms of his ability to generate, you know, game explosive type moments. Feeling is the guy that moves the chains for them, and I think could be a real force in this game at lambeau Field and colder temperatures, the running game.

We know what they can do. You've seen it with Cook and you've seen it with Madson too, when when he's been available, you know, and he's had to be the guy he's been able to play up to that. Now his numbers aren't as extraordinary as Cooks are, but

he's consistent. So I feel like those two elements are going to be really interesting to track here, as we'll talk about with the Packers, I mean A J. Jones, A J. Dillon and Aaron Jones, the same problem that the Vikings in the issues that they've had defensively, they're going to have to contend with. But I still think Jefferson is going to be a guy the Green Bay is gonna have to keep an eye on and could

potentially be a game breaker here. But if you can't contain Cook and he goes off in a similar fashion like you know this past week, what what happened with Nick Chubb, it's going to be a long evening at

lambeau Field. Yeah, absolutely, the Packers. The Packers know what this Viking offense looks like when Dalvin Cook gets rolling and and this Packers defense is trying to figure out, um, exactly what it needs to do to start amping down on the run after what has happened the past couple of weeks, particularly with Chubb on the defensive side of the ball for Minnesota really hard to figure out in some respects because this is a unit that has forty four sacks on the season, which is tied for first.

I believe in the NFC with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have five guys on their team, not all of them active, some of them are injured and not they have, but they have five. They have five guys who have recorded five or more sacks this year. That's not easy to do. And as much as you have the old mainstays in the middle of this defense in Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith, there's just been so much up and down, inconsistent play elsewhere, particularly in the

coverage aspect of things. At cornerback. They're playing with young cornerbacks. There was some sort of a blow up with Bashad Breland and the coaches and practice a couple of weeks ago, and they just flat out released him. This is it's It doesn't look like a Mike Zimmer defense except for those occasions, and we saw last week against the Rams. Except for those occasions when an Anthony Barr or an Eric Kendricks or Harrison Smith is making a big play

that can suddenly change a game. And that's how the Vikings stayed in it against the Rams last week. The interceptions they got against Matthew Stafford with the with their main guys. But but if those guys aren't stepping up and making big plays, this just strikes me as a very ordinary defense. I've said it time and time again. I really respect Rick Spielman. I love what they've built there in Minnesota. I don't think him and Zimmer get nearly enough credit for how competitive this team has been

for the better part of a decade now. But what happened in the secondary, and obviously, more specifically the cornerback position. Harrison Smith is still one of the best in the game. I'm a huge fan of Xavier Woods, and he made some big plays for them this season. But I don't know what you think about this, but I kind of look at their cornerback scenario is sort of where the Packers were in two thousand thirteen with their safeties. They made it a big, abrupt shift, but the plan hasn't

really come together, so to speak. Now, some of that's out of their control, you know, Jeff Gladney, these issues they've had, You know, with some of these draft picks, they did what was best for their team moving forward. But the fact of the matter is you still didn't hit on those positions. And and Xavier Rhodes is a different type of player at this time. Trey Wayne's different type of player. I understood their reasons for the direction they win, but if you're gonna go that direction, what's

the next plan, what's the next step. That's where they've been lacking. And as good as they are in the linebacker unit, as good as they are on the back end with their safeties, the issues of trying to figure out what their defensive front is gonna look like and what the cornerbacks are gonna look like. I think it's been one of the undoings from Minnesota for these last two seasons. Well as far as the Packers are concerned.

The questions that are lingering out here for this game mostly hinge on where things are with the COVID list, right because the Packers of over the last week week plus they put a bunch of guys on the reserve COVID Night Team list. But the NFL has changed the protocols and the return to play rules in terms of um the length of time that that players need to

be out after they test positive. All this and I'm gonna confess West, the rules have changed like so much it's hard for me to keep track of exactly how this is gonna work. But one area I think that's that's worth talking about here, that that the Packers are entering this game, I think with a lot of uncertainty is on special teams. Because you have both a Mari Rodgers who has been your primary return man, and Corey Bojorke as your punter and your holder for Mason Crosby.

Both of those those guys are on the COVID list. Now it's possible that they could come back and be able to play on Sunday night. It's also possible that they won't UM. And this is just at the time when the Packers special teams that have gone through obviously a lot of struggles throughout the course of the years, seemed to be finally maybe settling down a little bit UM. But now you have this uncertainty with your personnel to

deal with. So many times in this business we have to just kind of read the tea leaves right and at the time in which we're taping this, this could change in an hour. But at the time in which we're taping this, the Packers have not made a move at punter. They do not have a backup punter right now, at this point in time, the holding situation, well the backup holders, Randall Coup He's not available either. Does that mean that would be Jordan's Love? Could that be jj

Molson the backup kicker. You just don't know. But the fact that Green Bay at this very moment on Thursday which we're taking this, have not made a move at Punter would make you believe that there might be some hope there that Corey bojork has will be available for Sunday. Reportedly he would fit inside that timeline to be allowed

to play on Sunday. It still is a challenge. And the other thing that I think so so many times gets lost is we automatically shift to well, it's five days, it's ten days, they'll be ready, they'll be good to go.

Then you listen to what Kenny Clark had to say on Wednesday about how rough his boat with COVID was, because the question was kind of asked to him like, hey, could you have you know, potentially played with this new thing, and Kenny's an answer wasn't whether or not he was going to play, it was yeah, I had three days where I felt really bad and I had a bad cough and all these things. We got to think about

the player. We have to think about the person though first and and ultimately that's where this is going to come down to, to have fifteen guys with the COVID reserve list. People were kind of writing at me about, you know, Jire Alexander. It's very exciting that Jire Alexander

was activated on Wednesday. And I didn't want to be Debbie Downer to everybody, but it's like, listen, guys, that was the last day of his window, and the Packers presently have nine spots open on their fifty three man roster. JayR Alexander was going to get activated, so we already saw Colvy and Landon has been promoted for this week as a COVID replacement. We might see even more potential. You know, practice squad players have to be called upon two.

It's the nature of the beast. As far as the returners, as were as the sounds, I don't really have a ton of concern there because we've seen multiple times from multiple seasons Chandon Sullivan can step in, whether it be kickoffs or punt returns. He's done both now for Green Bay in a pinch, not just what he did a couple of weeks ago, but even going back to seasons, so they have Sullivan. Patrick Taylor could be called upon there too, So I think they're okay in that regard.

The big thing is going to be a horc as though, as a holder, as a punter, as a Pro Bowl alternate. That the guys brought a lot to Green Bay and it would be really hurt this football team not to have him. Yeah. Absolutely, well, I want to get to our keys to victory for this game, but first wes

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another win. It's it's stating the obvious, but based on what happened last week, we sat here and talked about how you can't let Nick Chubb dictate the tempo and and and control the game and give the Browns the opportunity to score as many points as they did. It's the same thing here. And I know Justin Jefferson is better than any wide receiver that Cleveland Browns put on

the field on Christmas Day at Lambeo. But it still has to start with containing Dalvin Cook because if he is in command out there, that's going to make for a really, really tough day for green Bay's defense. That's what interesting. What's interesting what you said though, is about not allowing you know, Nick Chubb to dictate the terms of the game. Nick Chubb didn't dictate the terms of the game. Now, how much of that was on Cleveland and their game plan? How much of that was on

green Bay. The reason why green Bay got off to the start I did in that game was because of how that first half played out in the unwillingness for the Browns to commit to Chub for whatever reason. That's not going to be the case on Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings are going to try to run this thing through Cook and at times Madison too, so that that will be pivotal. But to me, Mike, it's very simple. You're talking about this, and you're writing about this, but this

is going to be a really cold game. Barring some kind of crazy front that moves in, we're all anticipating it's gonna be one of the coldest in this series. The Packers play at lambeau Field. They are undefeated in the month of December at lambeau Field underneath Matt Lafleur, the Minnesota Vikings playing a dome. They won their game at us Bank Stadium, partially based upon the fact that they were at home. Green Bay needs to defend its turf.

The Packers are one game up right now in the conference. They have two divisional games against the Minnesota Vikings in the Detroit Lions. If we were back in Week one, maybe even after that loss to New Orleans, and we said this is the scenario that's gonna play out for you this season. This is the optimal scenario for green Bay, no question about it. You have to defend your place.

And if it's zero degrees, if it's minus ten degrees, if there's no even you know, water in the stadium available, you have to be able to be able to cultivate harness that ability and come out victorious. I think that's what it comes down to. So yes, a lot of it's the run, but a lot of it's how they play defensively. A lot of it is what kind of energy do you have left in the fourth quarter when you don't want to be out there anymore. That's gonna

be the real challenge for this matchup. You have to imagine the Minnesota Vikings. They're gonna do everything they can to try to replicate these elements this week, but you're not gonna be able to do it. It's Sunday. Is gonna be too much of a different animal? Yeah? Absolutely. And I'm very curious to see because we we've seen the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has played in plenty of these games. He's played in the cold, He's played in the cold without some of his best weapons on offense, and and

the Packers of function very well offensively. I'm curious to see what Kirk Cousins and this Vikings passing offense. Assuming the Packers can do enough against Cook to make to make the Vikings have to throw the ball in key situations, what's this Vikings passing off It's gonna look like in

single degree temperatures. Because I remember before the first meeting this season, we were talking about how going into that game, Kirk Cousins had thrown only two interceptions all season long, and in the controlled climate of US Bank Stadium indoors, the Packers legitimately had opportunities for four interceptions in that game, right, including one right at the very end that could have turned the tide. And and uh and given the Packers a walk off victory instead of a walk off defeat.

If the if the weather has the impact on the passing game that I think it could have for the Vikings, I think the Packers are going to get some opportunities against Kirk Cousins, and you've got to take advantage of you have to catch the ball. You have to make him pay for his bad passes. Because Kirk Cousins was going to be the goat at US Stadium back in November with the number of balls he put in range for the Packers to intercept, and he ended up he ended up being the hero. And I and I think

and I think that's uh. I think that's something that the Packers have to turn the tables in that regard in this game. Absolutely, and in the other aspect of this, and I'm really I'm just curious to see how it plays out. I don't know if it's a key to victory. I don't know. What we're going to see is like how much cover too, is there going to be out there, because yes, a lot of teams want to do that.

A lot of teams want to give more coverage to Davante Adams, and maybe they still will, but you would think the strong safety will be creeping in the box a little bit more in this game. And furthermore, this is the perfect West Coast offense type of game too. And you obviously have Kubiak there now and in Minnesota the sun and then certainly what Matt Laflour does. This seems to be a game to where you could get

back to some of those principles Marquis Veldes. Scantlin could be back as he works his way back off the COVID list, he could still end up being a home

run threat. It's weird when you get to teams that are going to have an entire entire week to prepare for single digit temperatures to try to figure out what is going to be the best game plan for their office in the elements and then to close on this really quickly, How neat is it to Mike and you've covered so many you know, sunsets and you've seen so

many seasons now for the Packers. How cool is it when you get to the point where now we are talking about, well, this game, this defense could look different with Rashawn Gary on the field after he wasn't there last month, a guy that had seven sacks first two seasons was playing thirty of the defensive snaps. Now he becomes a core player for Green Bay. It hurts this defense not having him on the field last month in that matchup against the Vikings where they could have trouble

getting a Kirk Cousins. Well he's back now. Preston Smith has six sacks and six games. Again it's Packers Vikings that the rivalry sells itself. The narratives are right there to be had, The storylines are all over the place. But what these two teams are going to bring on the field on Sunday night makes it a really compelling matchup.

To me, well, have a read portions of things aside looking at the playoff picture, there's there, there are scenarios that are important to both teams here, starting with Green Bay. As we touched on on our last episode, if the Dallas Cowboys lose late Sunday afternoon to the Arizona Cardinals, the Packers will take the field Sunday night with a chance to lock up the number one seed and clinch

it with one week left to go. If the Cowboys win, the Packers need to win to maintain their advantage, because if the Cowboys win and the Packers lose, and those two teams are tied for the best record, the Cowboys are the ones um with the tiebreaker. From Minnesota's point of view, the Vikings are seven and eight. There within a group of five or six teams that are fighting for the last two wild card spots, the six and seven spots in the NFC the scoreboard watching that the

Vikings fans will be doing. Houston is at San Francisco, Philadelphia is at Washington. If the four party Niners and the Eagles both win, the Vikings are essentially playing for their season on Sunday night, they would have to beat the Packers. If the Niners and the Eagles both win, the Vikings would have to beat the Packers in order to stay alive in that wild card chase heading into

Week eighteen. So if San Francisco in Philadelphia win, regardless of what happens with Dallas, the Packers could be in a position to end their NFC North Rivals season and knock them out for good. In so some interesting scenarios to ponder with the game being at night and everything else that happens during the day, you know, will lead to Okay, what exactly is on the line at seven

twenty when the ball kicks off. Yeah, And as we talked about earlier this week on on our first show, the fact that you have Dallas in Arizona, two teams who are heading in very different directions. Right now, Dallas is feeling like, you know, it's the king of the world with with how this that matchup played out against Washington. Washington which at a time looked like they could potentially be a kind of an underdog playoff hopeful too, you know,

they're they're basically out of it. And then the other side of things, you have Arizona that needs to be able to get some momentum back here if it's really going to be able to put together a playoff bid. Green Bay sitting in the driver's seat here at twelve and three. They're in a good spot because they don't

have to worry about all that. If you do take care of business in the North, you do get the first round by you are the number one seed in a much different looking playoff scenario than it was a year ago when fans were just getting reintroduced, especially in Green Bay, back into stadiums. I think that can be a huge catalyst for them, a huge push for them. For Minnesota. The thing that I have to imagine Mike Zimmer's message is going to be this week is you

guys have actually played in these games. Nobody wants to see the Minnesota Vikings in January because they know in any given week they can be anybody in that NFC field. So yeah, that the stakes are really high. You almost wishing away. You know, this is gonna be the fifth year out of six that they're gonna be playing Detroit

in the finale. Um you almost wonder why the NFL is just not why they have really haven't tried to incorporate the Vikings more into those last week scenarios, because this this could have been really interesting theater if they'd just switched things around. But be that as it may, the Packers just have to take care of business and the conference is there's. Yeah, one last thought before we go.

I know we don't talk much about the a f C on on this show and some of those matchups, but the other show I have to I have to just get your thoughts on what I think is a really intriguing a f C match up here on Sunday. I think believe it's in the early time slot. Kansas City at Cincinnati Joe Burrow five passing yards last week. The Bengals will have that offense at home, going against the Kansas City Chiefs team that has won what is

it seven or eight in a row. I think whatever Their winning streak is a um where the Chiefs have gone from actually being below five hundred at three and four when the Packers visited Arrowhead Stadium to now the Chiefs are the ones in the driver's seat for the number one seed in the bye in the a f C. This is a really interesting uh and a potential playoff preview type of game. And getting back to what we were talking about before with teams that nobody wants to

face right now, Kansas City is as hot as it comes. Yeah. The thing is, I don't think anyone was in or any disillusions. I mean, you understand how good Patrick Mahomes is and how much he's going to affect the game. But they were going through a rough spot and they figured it out. It happens to win eight in a row. Now, to put themselves in this spot is great. And I'll tell you what Man Between Borrow between what to has done in Miami to bring back the Dolphins and actually

give them some playoff hopes. Now that that rookie class from a year ago, you're seeing the maturation with it, you know, justin Herbert. They had a bad loss last week, but I mean certainly appears to be the answer there for the Chargers long term. Baltimore, who was right up there with everyone, Well, now they've fallen off and now

they're on you know, the outside looking in. That The real interesting test for for Cincinnati is how much have they grown from the team that I think everybody thought was going to be a real darling this year to a team that can you go and knock off the two time defending you know AFC champion. That's the Ultimate Tests, and with all due respect to Burrow, I mean this is going to be a much different type of defense

than what he saw a week ago. Is feeling a lot better about itself right now than where the Ravens are at. Soh yeah, it's I I. We won't be able to watch it, but it'll be fun to actually just see exactly how that thing plays out. Yeah, all right, Well, with that, we will call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscript and be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and everything with Sunday Nights game. We'll have it all for you on Packers

dot com. For West, I'm Mike. Thanks for tuning in everybody. Happy New Year. We'll see you next time.