#680 Packers Unscripted: Washington woes

Washington against the Commanders. And uh, this one started out in good shape for green Bay, a touchdown, a pick six, a fourteen to three lead, but then twenty straight points by the Commanders over a stretch of about two and a half quarters that nothing really went right on either side of the ball for the Packers, and then a late comeback just came up short. Yeah. I mean, if they want to start playing these games for thirty minutes, that's what everybody was asking after London, and uh, yeah,

that's not how it's played. However, No, it isn't. And it's the stretches of like scoring that are that have been the most concerning. I think when you look at what the Giants did to rally back from ten point deficit at halftime this game, the Packers are up to fourteen to three again and by and large, Mike, the main things that you and I hit on last week, we're kind of ringing true. I mean, the Packers were

controlling the line of scrimmage defensively, uh, Taylor. Heineke started off with more passes batted down than he had actual completions, and it just seemed like from the moment that he started to be able to scramble a little bit and start making some plays with his feet and moving the chains.

I mean, that's been the biggest um common thread through all this is Green Bay starts off really strong with their third down defense over three, over four, did it against the Giants too, and then they struggle whether it's third and short or third and long to find an answer.

And it just seemed like once Heineke started being able to extend plays a little bit, Terry McLaurin made some adjustments to be able to himself up from Gerry Alexander's coverage and the attention the Packers were giving him, it

all kind of started to boil down from there. Yeah, it was one of those things the way I looked at it, and I didn't necessarily realize that as much watching the game, but then going back and watching rewatching the film on Monday, Heineck making his first start of the year, and quite frankly, he wasn't very good in the first half, but the Packers simply didn't take advantage of the plays that were there. Campbell did have the

pick six. Unfortunately, the Packers had the fumble return for a touchdown called back on a penalty, which was a Heineke fumble when he got hit on a scramble by Rashawn Gary. But aside from those two plays, the Packers had you could argue four other pretty legitimate chances for interceptions in that first half, um when Heineke was simply not really throwing the ball all that well. But the Packers didn't make those grabs. In the second half, Washington,

in particular Terry mclauren did. And then when you look at the way the comeback unfolded, the Packers get or down ten, you get a touchdown, it's one. You need to get a stop. Washington is still in its own territory.

Third and nine, there's plenty of time on the clock and Heineke, under pressure kind of throws up a prayer quite frankly, towards the sideline, but throwing it towards his best receiver, and Terry McLaren And you know you talked about the third down conversions, This was probably the biggest one of the game. Third nine. McLaurin happened to see the ball before Alexander did, was able to go and attack it by the sideline and got it um and converted the third nine with a twelve yard pickup and

uh and that was essentially the ball game. Packers defense couldn't get off the field on third down in the second half, and a lot of that, as we'll talk about here in a minute, also had to do with the fact that they were just on the field too much throughout the game, even in the first half when

the Packers were winning. I thought the third and nine play was actually a really good embodiment of really that entire game for Green Bay's defense, because I saw that stat about how Green Bay had like twenty nine pressures from Pro Football Focus but only one sack, and you know, short of being actually physically shot out of a cannon, I don't know what Kenny Clark could have done to get to the quarterback any faster than he did. Yeah, Clark was all over Heineke on that on that third nine,

but you know, Heineke got rid of the ball. Give him credit in nine times out of ten. Those are the type of plays. I'm not saying this would have turned into a pick six or anything, but when a quarterback is under that much duress and a defender of Calark's caliber is in his face like that, those are typically the plays that you end up seeing the guy throw a terrible ball that ends up being an interception. And McLaurin just made the plays that needed to be

made in this game. I just felt like, you know, for the Packers, it goes back to that first half defensively. We'll talk about the offense here in a second, but when you get your hands on passes. My headline for Saritay's inboxes, they just have to capitalize, and I get it. It's easier said than done. But you know, Rasul Douglas has three passes defense in this game. Jr. Alexander came incredibly close to a pick on the first target that McClaren got. Um. Yeah, that was that was flat out

of bad throw over the middle behind his receiver. Wasn't even catchable for me. It wasn't it wasn't catchable for McLaurin. Was very catchable for Alexander and he just couldn't quite come up with it. You have to make those plays. And then I mean, I want to not get too much in the officiating because it can be a slippery slope there for everybody involved. And there's really nothing you

can gain out of getting upset about anything. But you know, if they do finally force to turn over, Rasul Douglass picks up the ball, appears to run it back for the touchdown, and then there's the illegal contact penalty over on Washington sideline. It is what it is. The Packers have to play above those things. You can't have thirty

eight rushing yards, two hundred sixty six rushing yards. You can't be over six and third downs when the opposition has converted more third downs than you've even attempted, and

that this is the end result. Yeah, And we've we've talked about how in the during this three game losing streak now that's dropped the Packers to three and four, how the defense has started out pretty well in all the games but then has faded as the game has gone on this one in particular, when you look when you look back at it, the Packers defense was just on the field too much in the first half, and I think that's what contributed to wearing down in the

second half. Now, there was a back to back possessions, obviously because of the pick six by Devandre Campbell. So you take that right, that's a touchdown. Your defense put seven points on the board, but they have to be out there for back to back possessions. But before that, there's another back to back possessions because Amari Rodgers muff

to punt. The defense gets to stop, but then the punk gets muffed, so Washington's offense is right back on the field and the defense gets the stop in the red zone forces the field goal, which is a big win after a turnover like that. But yet again, those are the those are the snaps, the plays that that add up to a defense not being necessarily at full strength or having enough in the tank down the stretch

to stop a third nine. When if you get that stop and get the ball back to Aaron Rodgers, maybe

you escape Washington with a winning field goal three. But my point is that everything from the early stages of the game, even when the Packers are winning, it's adding up to the problems that they're seeing later on when they can't figure out how to come away with a victor, and you know, you lose Rashan Gary at the end of that game to the concussion, and you know, Gary and Preston Smith I make, I think, make up such a good combination because Gary is more of the hair

on fire get after the quarterback guy where pressing is the traditional out three or four outside linebacker in this defense where he's going to give you some whish, she's gonna give me some pressure. But he's also incredibly assignment

sure against the run. And when you lose Gary like that in a situation, in those two minute situations where you haven't you want to have a guy that is going to be able to get after the quarterback when you know Washington, you know, especially if they get shut down in first down, isn't necessarily gonna be looking to run the ball a lot um and you don't have him available. And I mean, you give Taylor Heineke a lot of a lot of credit, Mike last week, you and I said it over and over and over again.

I mean, this young man may not end up being a starting quarterback for a team that you know week one that's gonna be our guy. But this is what you do to be a productive back up in this league is that when Carson Wentz breaks his finger and it's gonna be out for a month, you get called upon. And he won his eighth game for Ron Rivera in Washington and for Green Bay. I think it goes back

to the takeaways. It goes back to too many turnovers and not enough takeaways, and in this game in particular, not to lay it all at Marie's feet, but when they had that fumble, and give credit to the defense Dom Caper's the old adversity defense phrase, it stepped up. They held him to a field goal there. But realistically, that was the only real charge that Washington mounted in

the first half, and it came off a turnover. And when you have turnovers and you don't get enough takeaways, that the hill gets taller and taller in terms of what you're trying to climb. Yeah, the Packers just they weren't able to take advantage of Heineke's poor throws in

the first half. And then Heineke kind of settled in and started to make the throws he needed to make in the second half, which is why Washington converted so many third downs in in the second half, he got going when the Packers could have made his life absolutely miserable by being able to snag some of those really poor throws early on. Yeah. Absolutely, And you saw why Curtis Samuel too is gonna end up having a ten

year career in this league. I mean, I don't know how many thousand yards seasons he's gonna have, but those gadget type players, it almost kind of reminds me in a way what Ted Gin became later in his career in terms of the guy that is going to be a acountable. They're gonna use them in different ways, and he's going to be able to help them move the chains and stay in third and favor rolls. Washington had an excellent game plan for how they attacked Green Bay.

It took while to get into it, but once they did get into their rhythm in the second half, it was a winnable formula for them to not only be able to extend the lead, get the twenty unanswered, but then also it's four minute defense wise, being able to

really step up. Yeah. The other the other thing too, that I wanted to say with regard to and this just speaks to This speaks to the offensive struggles Um with regard to with regard to the Packers defense being on the field so much in the first half after after the back to back where Um Campbell gets the pick six, the defense has to go right back out there. Washington does march down and get a touchdown. A couple of missed interception opportunities on that drive, but Washington gets

the touchdown. So the defense has been on the field a heck of a lot over the over that stretch of the game. But then the Packers get the ball back on off fense, they lose six yards on a first down running play, they get called for holding on a second down running play when they're just trying to get back on track and give themselves a chance on third down. So then you're in third and forever and it ends up being ends up being a three and out and the defense has to go right back out

there again. I mean it was. It was practically a back to back to back in the sense of in the sense of how much the defense had to had to play, and the Packers are just the Packers are in a rut offensively. Um there were once again much like the Jets game, there were penalties that put them in long yardage situations that were negative negative yardage plays. Not the sacks this time, because the game plan was get the ball out of Aaron Rodgers hands quickly, which

for the most part was accomplished. But too many dropped passes, some passes that were off target, um and uh, and just breakdowns fundamentally on offense, illegal formations, guys not lining up properly, you know, breakdowns in the in the fundamental all aspect that just that just made it impossible to get any kind of a flow or rhythm going on

offense at all. And it wasn't until you know, Rogers makes the great, really the great off schedule play, the late touchdown to Aaron Jones on on an extended play kind of a scramble drill that that the offense showed any kinds of life from the second quarter on. Yeah, and Rodgers making just an incredible throw on that play with Aaron Jones being able to take his route from the flat up the sideline on a wheel option. They've

done that time and time again. It's becoming one of the the real go twos and must have situations for Green Bay. But to get to that point again, it goes back to the consistency piece, and um, you go over six. I think that was the first time they did not convert a third down since if I remember that right. Yeah, the only third down conversions for the Packers were due to some penalties by Washington and getting behind the sticks early I think was the main culprit

for that. Certainly there were some third and mandable that Green Bay didn't convert on, but there were too many times where it was thirty third and nine plus that they're trying to convert. And it's just not a winnable formula, especially when you're playing two high safeties, especially when you're rushing for Washington wasn't taking a lot of chances. They were going to keep the ball in front of them and trust their defensive backs and their guys at the

second level to tackle for green Bay. It's such a difficult thing because I know so many people, especially from a national level, we're trying to dog on the fact the Packers I think, and only had what was a twelve carries. Yeah, that was that. That was kind of a statistical thing based on the way the you know,

we can kind of just so fans understand. Where we're sitting in the press box at FedEx Field, we're actually sort of near where the official statisticians are, and so as every play is happening, we're sort of hearing them kind of talking and barking to each other as they're punching things into their computers. And and you know these sideways pitches to Aaron Jone, which which are running plays in every sense of the word, the way the packers

are blocking the flow of the play and everything. And they were saying that those pitches were forwards, so they were calling those forward passes. There were at least three or four of those. So the run pass ratio, if you just look at the final statistics, it was it was out of whack and I think quite frankly inaccurate. Um. But that's just the way that particular statistical couldn't decided

to chart the game. We're gonna sorry for the side no, but on Wednesday, depending on when you're we're going to get the NFL's updated statistics too. So the NFL take a look at and see if there's any modifications there be that as it may, as Matt Lafleur said, it as podium and his press conference on Monday. It wasn't necessarily a problem they didn't run the ball enough, or they didn't get the ball there and Jones enough. It was just they didn't run enough plays. There wasn't enough

synergy tote was I mean, what was of offensive? I mean, that's a that's a discrepancy that's really really hard to overcomet seven oh seven to fifty three. If you talked about those time of possession since for the last three years, you are and you have to bet your savings on it. You're taking the Packers as being the ones with thirty seven. That's just the way they've offensively played under Matt Lafleur.

This was not Matt Lafleur football. And for the Packers it's a difficult position they're in because al Lazard now has a shoulder injury. We saw him in the locker room with the with the sling on his arm. We're gonna see exactly what this week holds for him. Um, he is the guy in this offense and you hate to see that happen with him. I give him a lot of credit. He came out of the game, he tried to go back in the game had to come

out again. They don't have Randall Cobb right now. Christian Watson, you know you would hope it's gonna be back here. He has never placed on injured reserve, so he makes that makes you think they felt he was on the early side of the four week um. You know limited would have ben if you would have went on the injured list. Green Bay needs playmakers to step up. It's not just about getting the ball to Aaron Jones and a J. Dillon, although that is two of their big

primary playmakers. It's about guys taking care of their opportunities on the perimeter. Once again, too many drop passes. Aaron Jones even put that on himself. There was a screen pass that he had that he wasn't able to bring in. It was a third and long. But still it's those plays where guys know they can catch the ball. It's it's it isn't like they're trying to catch a hundred fifty fastball from Aaron Rodgers. It's being out in the space and trying to look up field and not securing

that ball. It comes back to fundamentals. People don't want to hear about it. It gets tiring. I know, but as you wrote an inbox on Monday, then I reiterated on Tuesday, it's a game of basic execution. The Packers are not getting enough of that right now. Yeah, you mentioned the injuries. The Packers are dealing with a wide receiver Lazard. Lazard goes out his status right now certainly very much in doubt. Randall Cobb is currently on injury reserve.

The Packers got Sammy Watkins back, but Christian Watson is not back yet from uh from his hamstring injury. So a lot of things in flux with regard to what exactly the wide receiver corps will be for this week's upcoming road trip to Buffalo. And then the Packers are also trying to figure some things out on the offensive line. They spent the week with a with a reconfigured line that had Josh and i'man taking over at right tackle.

Elton Jenkins was moved from right tackle to his more traditional position of left guard, where he was a pro bowler a couple of years ago. John Runyon was flipped from left guard over to right guard. Josh Myers obviously stayed at center, but then at the eleventh hour, David Baktiers knee was not feeling up to par, and a pregame workout um at the stadium a couple hours before the game wasn't good enough for bok tr to be

able to go. So rookie fourth round pick from Wake Forest, Zach Tom ended up starting at left tackle, getting his his first NFL start on the road. Difficult situation, obviously, and the Packers went with it that way because rather than you know, flip Josh and Iiman back to left tackle and and ad just because that was the way they had practiced all week as far as those first three guys that I had mentioned, So they plugged in

Zack Tom at left tackle. Now, certainly the performance of the offensive line was better than it was against the Jets. The game plan in terms of a lot of quick throws, three step drop, get rid of the ball, not a lot of not a lot of uh um, you know, seven step drop and and extended route concepts and all of that. Not a whole lot of that in the game plan. So that helped from a past protection standpoint, and there certainly was some some production in the ground game.

But yet there you know, they're still this is this is a group and whether or not box Tr is going to be back next week or if they're they're gonna have to ride with Tom for a while. This is the group that the Packers are gonna go with. Here, this this alignment, health permitting and uh and try to make it work. It wasn't. It wasn't at its best,

I don't think in the first outing. But there were some encouraging signs and we'll see if this group can sort of come together and develop the cohesion that you hope for. Yeah, and and that was the big idea with all this is that you're getting you know, John Running who's worked for the basically a bulk of the past year with yosh Naim, and you move both of

them over the right side. You allow Elton to go back to the position he was a pro bowler at josh Meyer's in the middle as your stationary, and then bok Tr is at left tackle. The one interesting thing about all this is bok Tr even before there was the he was added with the game designation on Saturday. He was always on the injury report with the name, but the he got added with the game designation, it's questionable. He was still limited during practice so Zach Tom was

the one spelling him. So the idea being is that not only is it about letting elk or I should say Yosh get comfortable at the right tackle spot, it's the fact that if you did push Josh over to left tackle, well now you don't have anyone that's really taken reps at right tackle this week. So that's the perplection that they were kind of presented. With that being said,

I like the adjustments they made. They used a little bit more, you know, they shaded you know, Mercedes Lewis over to that side with Tom, which he appreciated being able to work with Jenkins. He felt comfortable in that role. And Mike I've said it time and time again. I mean everybody the more recent media, which is cool. Everyone has their own proclivities. But they talked a lot about him and Elton. You know all that Tom moves around

like Elton. My big thing for the bulk of the last few months has been he reminds me a lot more of J. C. Treader and that he's a guy that was, you know, a left tackle at in college. You know, maybe not the biggest guy at that spot. Maybe you project him to be inside, whether it be a center spot or a guard spot. But he can hold his own out there. And I thought, you know, Tom showed incredible footwork during training camp. I think he's a really smart kid and and he survived just fine.

The big question for the Packers is, as Matt Lafleur reiterated on Monday, this line is better when David bak tr is better. The run offense is better when David Bakti is out there. That's where we have to monitor this thing because it isn't just about David Bakti being on the field. It's about David Botr, the five time All Pro, the guy we're talking about being a potential Pro Football Hall of Famer. That's the guy you need back.

And whether it's they're gonna have to do some adjustments with his practice, scheduling practice all last week, whatever it is. Um if the Packers are going to get this thing turned around, offensively is a big part of that. So they're gonna allow the rest that line to settle in. If Dave isn't able to go, I would imagine you're gonna see more Zack Tom at left tackle. They want to give Yash that opportunity at right tackle. Now that's

how that's how I see it unfolded. And now if now the real question becomes if Botr is back, but you gotta do the rotation, then what do you do. They'll figure that out on a different day. But ultimately this was the path forward for Green Bay. And as first impressions go, considering all of the adjustments they made without the benefit of a bye week or any huge, you know, time off, and then a major change at the eleventh hour, I felt like it went pretty well

for them. And yeah, it went it. Uh, it certainly was um, it certainly was an improvement over where the offensive line was against the Jets, and I think I think there's at least some comfort level with the changes that have been made. But as you said, they would love to get David Batieri back at left tackle as as that anchor, because because the offense just you know, it functions better with a player like that on the field.

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of better. All right, I want to throw out a whole bunch of stuff at you with regard to what happened in Week seven in the NFL, and I'll let you comment on what you what you think is worth comment and see what I take care. The New York Giants are six and one after yet another fourth quarter comeback. The Dallas Cowboys are five and two, and that defense looks every bit as real as it was potentially as it was projected to be. In the a f c Um Joe Burrow and the Bengals might have found something

and hit their stride. Meanwhile, there's a quarterback change going on in Indianapolis, Um. And then back in the NFC, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco forty Niners, and now Chicago Bears are all three and four, just like the Packers are. That's sort of my laundry list of Week seven in the NFL, So go ahead. I think it's another reminder again that you can't just take a look at what the schedule is. You can't look at, oh, well, how's the strength of schedule gonna line up? You know,

because so much changes. And you look at a team like Carolina that they start a fire sale there on what their third string quarterback. I doubt anybody gave them a chance. And in a lot of ways, I think people viewed that game for the Buccaneers a lot like they viewed this game for the Packers against the Commanders. It's an interim interim head coach in Carolina, interim head coach, um, and they handed it to him. Uh, you know it's this is gonna be one of those years, Mike, and

I think we're learning something about Daniel Jones and the Giants. Um. I think we've learned something about that defense too with New York. I mean, when you when you are the when you are the best team, when you are the best team in the fourth quarter every single week, you're gonna win a lot of games. What the Giants are doing, quite frankly, and this is this kind of just occurred to me. What the Giants are doing, quite frankly, reminds

me a lot of the Packers under Matt Lafleur. In nineteens first year as head coach, they were not a dominant team. They had a lot of attractive pieces, a lot of things that looked really interesting. They were in every game, just about every game. There were a couple of hiccups, but they were in just about every game, and every game they were in they were more likely than not the better team in the fourth quarter making

the plays late in the game. And that's how that's how a not impressive statistically, you know, team like the Packers in nineteen ended up with thirteen victories. The New York Giants are looking very much, in my opinion, like that kind of team. Very different personnel, very different style of play, but in terms of those parameters, that's what it feels like to me. And there's so much good coaching going on, not just in New York but throughout the league. I mean, you look at what Brian Dabbles

has put together for Daniel Jones. I mean, there's a reason why the Giants have been so devoted to him the last three years is because they felt like talent was there. He maybe is going to have to do it in kind of a gamer, you know, kind of man's mindset. But whether it's the the ability to scrambles, just making plays and clutch moments. I mean, he's proven to have the mental toughness for it. I mean Geno Smith is doing very similar stuff in Seattle right now.

But Seattle Seahawks are four and three. Who would have Who would have thought? Nobody the supposed rebuild that Pete Carroll and that crew was was going through. Everybody was signing them up for you know, one A, one B with the Texans as far as the first pick for next year, and it just shows you all these different directions things can go for Green Bay. I think it's

another reminder. You look at Chicago UM and what teams in the National Football League was saying about the Bears after those first few weeks, and you know, I I commend Luke Getsy and the offensive coaching staff and with the Bears to be able to it seemed like develop a little bit more friendly game plan for their young quarterback in that game and allowed him to do use his feet a little bit more. It can all turn around in one week, is the moral of the story here.

I feel like you kind of create your own narrative in these mount moments, and that's why this week for the Packers. You and I are going to talk about it on Thursday. It's gonna be a challenging week. We already know what the point spread looks like. It's going to be an underdog type mentality. But if you're going to drop one to the Commanders, I mean, you could say what you want about the Giants at six and one, you can say what you want about the Jets. So

now they lose Breeese Hall. Now, yeah, Jets are Jets are five and two, but yeah they lost. They lost their biggest playmaker on offense. Both of those teams I think are a lot better than everybody, myself included gave them credit for me to Washington was a little bit more that one where you get that feeling that it's like you lose two close games, you lose a game at LAMB, but you do not expect to lose to

the Jets. You kind of have that quote unquote letdown, and everybody was guarding against that when last week, but it happened. Well, if you want to be able to get yourself back in this thing, if you want to put yourself back in that quote unquote play off hunt, when people start talking about that stuff. It has to start against the New York excuse me, A Buffalo Bills team that not a lot of people are giving you

a chance against. Yeah, and a Buffalo Bills team that will be coming off of by they have just one loss on the season, a team that that has been thinking nothing but super Bowl since uh since you know, really um disappointing playoff endings for them the last couple of years, especially last year the way they let the game at the at Arrowhead against the Chiefs get away

so um. As Aaron Rodgers said after the game, you know, maybe this is the best thing for the Packers because all they're going to hear, whether they want to listen to it or not, all they're going to hear is how they have no chance going into Buffalo in primetime on Sunday night football. Everybody that has watched the success of this team over the last however many years, you

want to say, the organization has been successful. People, what people want to put a nail in the coffin on the season for the Green Bay Packers if if they get their fifth loss in in Buffalo on Sunday night and uh, and it's up to the it's up to the Packers to see how they respond to this situation. You know. The crazy thing about this will preview the game on Thursday. We'll get to it then. But what

an incredibly lazy narrative that's going to be. We haven't even heard it yet, but you can see it coming down the Yeah, that's that's that's why I said it.

You know, you know that that's with this game being in prime time, you know, Sunday night football, all the all the talk all week is going to be is going to be that that this is, you know, is going to be some sort of this is the end of you know, this Packers era and the passing of the torch and all this kind of stuff, and you know, it's like it's like, hey, you know, regardless of what happens in Buffalo on Sunday night, there's still gonna be

nine more games left in the regular season. And the other thing that's kind of weird about this is if, okay, if the Packers were five and two, Green may matches up really well with Buffalo, Like if you think about it, like, yes, the Bills are incredibly explosive, they have an incredible quarterback, they have weapons on the perimeter. They don't run the ball, and that's been one of the things that have hurt

the Packers at this point. Now, maybe they'll switch their colors and Devin single Terry, I'll get a bunch of carries, but they don't this This Bill's team is a lot like the Packers in two thousand eleven and how they

operate offensively. So it's funny that people aren't giving them a chance because Green Bay, despite their record, with their past defense and in some of the options they actually do match up with them, all right, But you know, because of where they are and losing three straight, that's

the reason everybody is going to be doubting them. Yeah, there's the three straight, there's the injuries, there's there's just and and it's not just losing three straight, but it's it's playing a level of football that's just that the Packers are not accustomed to. And uh and and they've got they've got to get things straightened out and turned around and and we'll see if they can do it. But we will talk more about the Buffalo Bills on

our next show. For now, we'll call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Own Script, And be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team West, and I have all kinds of content for you on packers dot com. For West, I'm Mike. Thank you for tuning in, everybody, See you next time.