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OPE Season 3 Episode 30 Packers vs Lions part 2
43 Plays1 month ago
Aloha and welcome to another episode of OPE! on this episode we take a look at the Thursday night rematch vs the Detroit lions! We break down the matchups, give some predictions and talk a little smack.
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Transcript
Intro
Introduction and Game Overview
00:00:20
Speaker
Aloha and welcome back to another episode of the Ohana Packers Edition podcast. Today we go over the Packers we fourteen week up It's another Thursday night game. this time the Packers are, despite it being a Thursday night game, they're playing on quote unquote standard break between the games because they played on Thanksgiving last week. So the team was able to pack in a shifted standard week of practice, but we'll see how they're ready to go. have, you know, this one's a big one because while the division is, I think they're only got like a 5% chance of winning the division.
Season Progress and Playoff Implications
00:01:00
Speaker
you've got to win this game to have any sort of realistic shot. So Joe with table set that way, how are you feeling tonight? I was just sitting here and thinking how the season is almost done.
00:01:13
Speaker
And I can't believe it's that late. And I was just talking to the guy at work that, uh, there's no Hawkeye game this weekend. So the college season is pretty much done the, I mean, you'll have to play off friends and stuff like that, but we're on week 14. So there's only four more games after that, not including the playoffs. So it's just, it's amazing how this is flying by, but it it's Detroit.
00:01:43
Speaker
I think this game should have been the last week game. You might as well just have made it the the a Thanksgiving game and called it good, but it is what it is.
Injury Updates and Defensive Strategies
00:01:57
Speaker
Both teams are coming off wins. Packers is a little bit bigger win than what Detroit's was, but you got to wonder if Detroit has peaked too soon because they Barely pulled it out against the the bears this last week so Yeah, you got to wonder if they're starting to kind of come back to earth a little bit and I was looking at the injury report which we'll get into a little bit and it's not as bad as it seemed like it was going to be after watching that that Lions game because it seemed like every other minute another person was going out of the game because of of an injury so
00:02:42
Speaker
It's not as extensive as you would think, but it's still got some names on there. Yeah. So, I mean, we'll just start off the bat with that. the packers
00:02:57
Speaker
Alexander, two starters. And one more almost starter is Edge Cooper, who's out this week. And then Special Teams Ace, so Corey Ballantyne is out as well. I do think that for the team, it's the right move to just get Jair as right as he's going to be. I know there's some consternation because he was a limited, limited, and then today he was a DNP, but I do think if you read into what Leflore was saying in yesterday's press conference, I know we don't take too much at face value, but
00:03:29
Speaker
he was saying that they're comparing his practice film and they're taking looks to see like how he's moving around and stuff so I do think this is all part of the process and I don't believe there was a setback I think this is just a matter of okay let's see how he's moving let's see how he's moving is he favoring it is he you know is he overcompensating for it yes no and the big tell will be if he practices next week, Wednesday. was hoping we were going to have good news about Dobbs this week, but honestly, it's one of those you just can't rush a concussion. you know Just for a point of reference, none of these are the alike, but Kwe did miss a game earlier this season with a concussion, and then he was back.
00:04:11
Speaker
the following Sunday. But you know just to so keep track of that, you know he didn't pass protocol for the first game after the concussion and then the next game was the following Sunday. So by that track, Dobbs, hypothetically, if he was on the same track, he would have made it if this game was on Sunday.
00:04:30
Speaker
kind of fell and you know there's probably some whiplash involved and stuff so you hope he's okay he comes out the other side of this thing all right and then Valentine I guess it's good that he's not on IR hopefully it's just a hyper extension of his knee and they're just kind of taking it week to week with his injury and then Cooper no real update until he starts to practice on it you know rookie's not gonna go without any practice during the week so that's the status for the Packers and then for the Lions, the big the one that everyone's pointing at is Taylor Decker is out. But honestly, the ones that I'm looking more at are the defensive losses for the Lions, which are
00:05:10
Speaker
Levi Omuzarike, Josh Pascal, and oh shoot, of course now I'm blanking on the last one. DJ Reader. Yeah, DJ Reader. So basically the tweet I saw is that the the Lions are down to one of their projected starters, projected week one starters on their D-line. And that is Aleem,
00:05:36
Speaker
ah li mcneil shoot I'm getting all these names, back but suffice it to say, so they're four down linemen, only one of their starter, projected starters is playing this week. And so where that gets in for the Packers is run the ball. And, you know, we talked about this before the first matchup, you know, you want to meet their physicality and,
00:05:58
Speaker
Pascal is one of their starting readers, one of the defensive tackles. McNeil is the starting the other starting defensive tackle. And then old friend Zadarius Smith is the other end. So in all honesty, run it at Zadarius. We know how that worked when he was with the Packers. Do the same thing back to him. Now he's on the lines. you know Detroit brought him in to juice their pass rush, but take his legs. I'm not saying that in a dirty manner, but lean on him pound on him in the run game take the juice out of his legs you know he's in his mid 30s now at this point so make him play the run and yeah just take away his stamina and just
00:06:42
Speaker
attack this Lions defense and you know I'm sure that they're gonna do something similar to what they did in the Thanksgiving game last year where you know the first play was a shot to Christian Watson but i I'm hoping this is a game where you just run you just run this ball at them you know 40 50 times on so tomorrow night or tonight when you're listening to this but yeah any any objecting thoughts for you Joe?
Offensive Opportunities against Lions
00:07:12
Speaker
Well, there's a couple other concerns. Packer wise, ah Josh Jacobs is listed with a calf and he was limited. So you got to hope that he's going to be all right. Uh, then the rest of them pretty much are the normal ones that have been on there for awhile. But the one that's kind of weird for me is they have Aaron Mosby listed and it says game day concussion protocol evaluation. And then.
00:07:39
Speaker
He was a full participant, participant Monday, and then he didn't practice Tuesday or Wednesday. So, I mean, I get it. He's not like this big name player, but with the way that they kind of run their rotation with the the defensive ends, it kind of hurts not having him, especially since he has shown some burst when given the opportunity to be out there.
00:08:10
Speaker
But I just thought it was weird that it has him listed as a game day concussion protocol evaluation. So at some point he also got concussed, but I think, I think this is, I know you wanted, you said that you would like to see him run, run, run, but I think this is a game you're going to have to be balanced with because not only are they looking injured on the defensive line front, but they've got,
00:08:38
Speaker
two of their defensive backs listed as, uh, on the injury report with knee and hamstring issues. So they're also not healthy there. So I think you got to have a good balance of, all right, run it when we need to, then make sure we hit the throws when we have to. And it just, I don't know. It.
00:09:04
Speaker
You got to think that some of the, some other guys are, are kind of banged up just like I said, because it seemed like every other second they were going out with injury during the Thanksgiving game against the bears. So you got to think there's some of them that aren't even listed on here that maybe they're not needing an injury, a declaration, but they are not 100%.
00:09:32
Speaker
Yeah, so, and obviously I'm not saying just only run the ball, but, you know, just try to, you know, the floor always wants to control the pace of the game and, you know, control the the amount of possessions, all that kind of stuff. But yeah, especially with love Jordan Love healthier, able to play more from under center, expecting to see this run game activated a little more and hopefully a bit more play action looks and stuff like that. So,
00:10:02
Speaker
just more variety to the offense but one thing I wanted to pick your brain on was I can't remember if I heard it or I read it somewhere but they I think it was LeFlore he noted that the Packers have gotten into this mindset that if they win the toss, they're going to take the ball in the first half. And it's a way to like try to score and stuff. And i I wanted to know what you thought of that, where, you know, most of the league goes to defer and you set the tone with your defense and stuff like that. But how do you like the floor's newfound aggression in terms of trying to take the ball first when it's if he wins the toss?
00:10:44
Speaker
I'll be honest with you, I'm used to it because that's exactly what Kirk Farron started doing with Iowa for the longest time was that he wanted to get his offense out there and have them set the tone for the game, which obviously the last few years it didn't work. But you know, if that's what they've got to do to get a jolt out of, and you know, maybe that that's the spark the defense needs is to see the offense go out there and, you know,
00:11:12
Speaker
push the field and you know, that, that'll boost the morale a little bit for the defense either. I mean, I understand the game. It is the, you know, you defer that way. You can have it in the second half, but really doesn't matter. I mean, in all honesty, doesn't really matter one way or the other, you know, you're going to get the ball to start or you're not going to get it to start.
00:11:40
Speaker
And the only time it really matters is if who has the last possession of the half. And, but in in my mind, I don't even, it doesn't even matter to me who does what with the kickoff. It's got to the point where nobody's kicking to Kishan Nixon anyways. So what what's the point of of them taking it first or taking it in the second half?
00:12:09
Speaker
Yeah, if anything, just don't go through and out or don't turn the ball over as long as you don't do that, you're fine. So yeah. Right. and But then on the other end of it, you know, you don't want your defense to go out there and, you know, give up a first possession, uh, touchdown either. So, I mean, it's, uh, that's why I said it doesn't matter either way, because it's a damned if you do damned, if you don't type type thing that, you know, okay, well,
00:12:37
Speaker
The offense is going to go out there. There's, what, four or five outcomes that can happen. Interception, touchdown, turnover on downs, fumble, you know, whatever. Or on the other side, it's cause them a three and out, get an interception right off the bat, fumble on that side, or you do give up the touchdown. So like I said, it's a damned if you do damned if you don't, it, it's,
00:13:07
Speaker
I think I would prefer it against Detroit just to try to get in there and set the tone, get a long drive out there, get some points off the first drive, you know cause that defense to wear down, make the offense set a ah while, but it's not going to buy. I know it's probably not the answer that you really want out of it, but kickoffs anymore really don't matter.
00:13:31
Speaker
No, honestly, more just trying to see how you felt about it. Yeah, ah like I said, my main thing is just don't have any bone brain mistakes either way. That's just the thing. I know that sounds like a cop out answer, but really, whatever whichever way you go, like you said, it doesn't really matter because yeah if you just get dog walked on defense, like you're down 7-0 kind of thing.
00:13:53
Speaker
that side of it doesn't work out either. So yeah, I mean, I at least appreciate that Lafleur is going into it with like, you know, the way he's looking at is like, yes, um know, Cobra Kai strike first, no mercy kind of thing and stuff. So I'll take it. But yeah, I mean,
00:14:10
Speaker
if you can get love going by taking the ball first, all that kind of stuff, establish your run game. So be it, but, you know, don't squander red zone chances. They've done better the past couple of weeks in terms of, you know, especially after they came out just so boneheaded against the the bears of all teams and, you know, love had the overthrow and then they turned it over on downs in the red zone. It's been really nice the past two weeks that they've been converting a lot better in the red zone opportunities.
00:14:38
Speaker
So you want to see that continue against this Lions team, especially like you said with them having either just guys flat out missing from their defensive line position or guys who are playing hobbled or injured, you know, in the back end. So got to take advantage there and then defensively.
00:14:55
Speaker
you know you want the our two boy you know our two our two pet projects Quay and Lucas to continue their you know continue their upswing you know Quay's newfound style of play and Lucas's know just the the confidence that
00:15:13
Speaker
that because
00:15:15
Speaker
Your success does sort of mimic how the team is doing. you know If Kwe is playing well, that means the center the middle of your defense is more solidified. And if Lucas is playing well, that generally means that the rest of your pass rush is playing up as well. so want to see those two continue to have success, but you know let's hopefully this this our front can take advantage of a you know a hobbled offensive line for the Lions. Goff has had a strong season again, but even though it's not out in the elements, we know how he does how he handles pressure. He doesn't handle pressure very well.
00:15:54
Speaker
historically so you know it was good to see Kenny having his first sack of the season last week where Sean is heating up Lucas looks to have turned a literal corner and hopefully Devontae you know being another week removed from his injury is just you know back to the form he was earlier in the season.
00:16:12
Speaker
especially that interior pressure. If you can get that interior pressure, that really screws up Goss how well he plays as a quarterback. So just want to see if the team can take advantage of that. And like I said, get pressure on him because he does not stand up well to that when opportunities have been available, you know, provided
Team Rankings and Matchup Analysis
00:16:35
Speaker
for him. So yeah, let's let's see where the Packers can go with this one.
00:16:42
Speaker
And really, this is as close in rankings as you're going to get and between two teams. Because just looking off team rankings, points scored per game, Packers are eighth, Detroit's first, points allowed per game, Packers are ninth, Detroit's second. Takeaway differential, Packers are sixth, Detroit's seventh. Pass yards per game, Packers are eighth, Detroit's fifth. Rush yards, fifth.
00:17:10
Speaker
for Packers, Detroit's fourth, then defensive pass yards per game. Packers are 17th and Detroit's 25th and defensive rushing yards per game. Packers are eight, Detroit's fifth. So, I mean, this is going to be an extremely tight game. I know we talked about this the last time a couple of weeks ago when they played in Green Bay, that you wonder the if the reason why the the Detroit's passing yards per game allowed is hires just because of the junk time. But you know then you got to take advantage of it. just That's why I said, I know you wanted to see them run, run, run a little bit more. But I think seeing those stats and seeing those rankings, I might push the envelope a little bit. you know Of course, you do want to feed Jacobs. You do want to feed those guys. But let's get a little cutesy with things. Let's draw up some plays. you know
00:18:09
Speaker
but let's get Let's dig into the old playbook and you know let's see if Flea Flicker or a Statue of Liberty type play or how the annexation of Puerto Rico, for those of you who are holding old enough to know. That's sad that you have to put it in that term.
00:18:31
Speaker
you know it's This is off topic, but what's so funny and the reason why it brought to my mind is I was kind of scrolling through TikTok And one of the clips from that movie popped on and it was when the, one of the cowboys was picking on the little kid and in the middle of the game and the little guy's like, don't you be talking about my mama.
00:19:00
Speaker
And so yeah, it brought it to my mind, but whatever. Anyway. back to the point, you know, that's why I said you really got to, you got to get kind of the cutesy with it. You, this is the type of game where you go into it and you take those plays that you saved from earlier in the season and you start bringing those out, you know, the ones that you didn't want to run because you didn't want to put it on film yet. This is the time to start using it because that's the type of opponent that you're kind of facing right now. So again,
00:19:35
Speaker
yeah With the way Detroit's kind of played after last week is This kind of their spiral, you know, we've hit their peak now. They're kind of coming back down to earth Who knows but if it is then you've really got a you know to use the metaphor you've really got a step on the throat for that there, you know step on the throat and really put the pressure on them, but let's hope the pass rush steps up like I did last week against the Dolphins and and that'll that'll set the tone for
Strategies to Pressure Lions' Offense
00:20:08
Speaker
everything. If the Packers can come out of this game with ah another five sack game, the then there's no doubt that they could win this game.
00:20:17
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, that's a good way to put it. Like you said, I don't even know if peaking is the right word, but I do think, you know, one of the the commendable parts of what Campbell has brought to them, you know, is the edge that he has them play with in terms of they're always, you know, every down is they they treat every down like it's the last and they play with.
00:20:40
Speaker
hyper intensity all the time and stuff and you know are they meeting their physical load so to speak and you know is that like is that toll to you know are are they are you seeing the result of that toll being taken on them so yeah we'll we'll see what happens with with that side of it you know are we on the back side of the crest of the wave and all the you know all those sorts of epithets and stuff so um I don't have, we know it's a Toyota thought in season. So, you know, we know Jordan loves going to just rake from here on out. So we got to hope that the tightest kind of coming down for the lions. I mean, we've joked about it all season, but holy shit. Like, well, one of these two teams in front of us lose while we keep winning. So, it's.
00:21:29
Speaker
It's about that time where you really hope like, come on guys, like we're, you know, like I said, most importantly, the Packers have to take care of their business this week, go win this game, whatever means necessary. Obviously you don't want any more injuries, but kind of to the point you were making too about like,
00:21:48
Speaker
you know, things that, you know, unscouted looks and things that, you know, the floor is kept in his back pocket. I do feel like there's a bunch that he didn't get to use in the first matchup, whether because of how the game went or...
00:22:01
Speaker
because of Love's injury, you know, that handicapped his ability to call certain plays because Love, you know, at the time was not just dealing with the knee, but also the groin injury. So was, you know, double compromised in a sense. So, know, the past two or three weeks we've seen him play a lot more from under center, a lot more hard play action looks and stuff. So I do wonder if, you know, that different look really ah ah positively affects Green Bay's output. And yeah,
00:22:30
Speaker
Just most importantly, just play a clean, good game if you're the Packers. And just put your best foot forward. like they that's that's At the end of the day, that's why they lost the first two games, against you know the division games against Lions and the Vikings. They just made way too many mental mistakes, too many physical mistakes, but really the mental ones, the drops, the bad throws, the brain fart interceptions, all, you know, put it all in a bag and they did them all the first time around. So, you know, not, I don't, I don't really like to play them. Like if you just don't make this mistake, but realistically, like if love doesn't throw that pick six, it's, you know, only a three point or a four point game going into the half or whatever. And if you don't do a couple other things, maybe it's a one score game and stuff. So.
00:23:21
Speaker
you know just play a clean game and yeah like you said you know some people are saying like oh it's unfortunate that Detroit's injured like love was injured the first time these two teams played Jair still isn't playing it's not like we're not missing players too this time around so
00:23:39
Speaker
You know, the only people who are going to feel sorry about it either way are fans of the the team that are, you know, missing guys. So it is what it is. Just go win the damn game and, you know, get get to double digit wins. That should be the the the marching cry this week is, you know, you know, that that's an accomplishment for love. I know that technically two and a half of them aren't really to his name because he didn't start the games, but still like If you win this week, you're in position to get to double digit wins yourself if you're Jordan. you know It's not an individual game, but you know that stuff means something for a young quarterback and stuff to say. like Yeah, you let a team to double digit wins, contended for the division after a rough start to the season, yada, yada, yada. So just keep swinging.
00:24:25
Speaker
you know and
00:24:27
Speaker
to take a, you know, to take a lion out of Campbell's own, you know, his own vernacular, go bite some kneecaps, goddamn it, like, they're, you know, like I said, you're not 100% healthy either, but the lions are they're there're there are, they're hurting at the, you know, at the lines of scrimmage, so take a bat to them and beat them over the head first, because you know they'll do that to you if you don't do it, so.
00:24:53
Speaker
Strike first, no mercy. to that So within the rules, though, obviously. But Joe, I turn it over to you. Over unders for tomorrow or tonight. is outside the norm of what I normally do. It is going to involve Josh Jacobs, but I'm going to go over under
00:25:16
Speaker
forty and a half receiving yards I am going to go I'm going to go under just slightly just cuz I think I think you have the receivers to like, that's the thing is their secondary is not that good. It's all based on the pressure they create up front. That's why. Well, I'm going to go the opposite way that I I'm going to go over. But and the reason is is, I think because now everybody's getting a little bit more comfortable in this, and you know, with each other and in the system. Josh has been getting a lot more involved in the passing game.
00:26:01
Speaker
And, you know, I, so I could see another one, like last week where it was a, you know, a dump off to him and he takes it for, you know, what was it 30 some yards or 40 some yards. And.
00:26:16
Speaker
So I can see him doing that and getting a couple of dump offs again on it. So I'm going to go over on that one. I do wonder if they run that rollout throwback screen to Jacobs ever, like the one that they ran to Jones a couple of times last year. So it'll be interesting to see if they utilize that, but yeah, definitely could see it happening.
00:26:38
Speaker
Let's do ah an old standby and go over and under two and a half sacks for the Packers defense. I'm going to go over. I think you combine the fact that Decker is out along with how that group rushed Goth last year inside the dome. I think the turf and conditions play up for the packers actually in a weird way.
00:27:01
Speaker
I'm sitting here trying to think of it. I'm looking over through all the stats. I want to say over, but I also got to... ah ah Here's where I'm thinking. I think there's going to be a ton of hits. I think there's going to be a ton of pressures. But I'm wondering if that holds back the sacks because like right now, QB hits, Roshan's got 11, Devontae, Wyatt's got six, Enigbarri's got five, Van Ness, Cooper, Nixon, so on, so on, all you have four. And then tackles for loss, Quay's got eight, Wilson's got seven, Wyatt's got six, Van Ness has got six,
00:27:41
Speaker
So they're getting in the backfield. I'm hoping that it will translate, but this lines offensive line, even without Decker is one of the best offensive lines in football. I'm going to go over, but I think there's going to be a ton of, uh,
00:28:04
Speaker
My head is going to say over just because I'm hoping I'm thinking that they kind of turned the corner last week and we'll get a, you know, the past rush will really start coming in. But my gut tells me there's going to be a lot of close calls, but they're not going to get home, but they are going to cause disruptions.
00:28:22
Speaker
Fair enough, yeah. I'll do one more, but I'm.
00:28:29
Speaker
I'm flip-flopping here. I don't want to do the interception one because that's kind of played out at the moment.
00:28:37
Speaker
Well, let's do Jordan Love over under two and a half passing TDs. Let's go over. Screw it. Go big or go home. That's what I'm thinking. and It's more hope than anything for it, but I gotta think that they'll start through. They'll just... The floor's having a hell of a year playing play calling. but That's just plain and simple. Yeah, there's a lot of things that we can sit here and look at and like, well, what the hell was he thinking here? Or I've heard some guys calling out like, okay, why are we doing the second and 10 run when we need to get some chunk yardages here? and
00:29:19
Speaker
shit like that but I gotta think that with the division like you've you've kind of pushed the division is pretty much on the line right now each and every week you can't hold back anymore you've just got to give everything out there I'm gonna go over just because I'm hoping it happens Yeah, and like I said, also going hand in hand with that is love is healthy. And because of because of his health, the floor is able to use more of the playbook, you know, and that includes a lot of the play action, the movement throws, all that kind of stuff. So all that sort of improvement, you know, just helps the Packers, you know, that helps their offense overall. And
00:30:07
Speaker
Also, more passing touchdowns, more sacks on defense, so hand in hand, here we go. All right, so that's over under. Anything for your favorite segment this week? Nah, it's it's been quiet, yeah. It's been quiet, and I've said this before, I haven't been over on the Elon machine, so I haven't really been able to see the bad takes over there at the moment.
00:30:36
Speaker
and There are some things I could probably call out, but it might be... One of the dogs farted.
00:30:45
Speaker
there's There's some things I could call out, but I think I'll save it. Good deals. Yeah, like, I honestly think we haven't seen most of the outlandish stuff because I think the outlandish stuff is being used on everyone's just being so like,
00:31:01
Speaker
Like, just... I don't even know what the right term is, but just like despondent because of how like Minnesota and the Lions seem to be infallible, despite how bad they play versus how good their opponent plays for 80, 90% of the game. And then they just snatch victory from the jaws of defeat every time or their opponent does the opposite. So I know it's, it's just so irritating honestly, because you're kind of like, okay, like they're down and out and fuck.
00:31:31
Speaker
Like there they are still with only one in two losses on the season. So like I said, that's why the only thing that I heard today and I really haven't been able to keep up with a lot of podcasts and takes and that at the moment was I was watching the freezer podcast with, you know, friends of show Sanjay and friend Matt.
Speculation on Trades and Playoff Chances
00:31:53
Speaker
And one of their topics of conversation was possibly trading Jair in the off season. And I,
00:32:02
Speaker
that ah ah to me is kind of a bad take at the moment. And yeah, so I could easily call that one out and do a moment on that. But Well, we'll keep with the positive vibes for right now. Yeah. All I'll say on the Jair stuff is I'm like, it goes into the whole like, okay, you're trying to, I get it. It sucks that Jair has been so banged up the past few years. You know, I do hate the like, oh, you paid another guy you paid and now he does shit kind of thing. i'm
00:32:38
Speaker
to grow the fuck up and get over yourselves. like It's a freak injury. And like I said, you feel however you want, but I know you and I are choosing to feel fortunate that he's that this season is even in the possibility of return, as opposed to the people just choosing to be so despondently negative and pessimistic about it. like He didn't choose to misstep and hurt his knee out there. Like it's, you know, it's not like he got, you know, it's not the, it's not the same pulled muscle. It's not, that's the thing with Jair is like all his injuries are different, which, you know, some people will, they're random yeah, but it's like you get the shoulder one from getting run the fuck over by Najee Harris in 2021.
00:33:23
Speaker
you get, you know, he dealt with some minor things in 2022. Last year he was dealing with some soft tissue injuries and stuff. And this year he did a little bit as well, but they weren't the same ones from last year. And then it, you know, culminates in the knee injury. He suffered at Jacksonville, but you know, my whole thing with cutting him or trading him is like, okay, but are you definitely getting ah as good player?
00:33:49
Speaker
Like, you know, that's the whole thing. And, you know, everyone's like, oh, you're going to draft them. Yeah. And I do agree with the ones that are like, Goot should have done more at corner this offseason. And at the same time, he did fix a bunch of other spots. So it's like, you know, he had to completely remake the safety room.
00:34:08
Speaker
had to invest that linebacker, you know, just, and then continue to invest in the O-line and so and he shifted around the running back room. So it's like, you can only make so many, you can only change so many seats on the deck chairs in one off season. You can't just, you know, this isn't the NBA where you can just wipe your whole roster clean every off season if you wanted to kind of thing. So, well, now see, this is,
00:34:33
Speaker
We might as well get into it because we're already talking about it. So to me, it's a shut the fuck up moment just because it's for one. Who are you going to replace him with? And they were kind of talking about it on the show before the whole trade thing came up was, you know, it's one of the harder positions to develop in the NFL is cornerback. So it's not like you can just go out and draft a guy and there's your replacement.
00:35:02
Speaker
So if you trade Jair, who are you replacing him with? Stokes is most likely, if he's back, it's on a cheapest contract. Nixon is going to Nixon. He's not a number one corner at all. Valentine is kind of going through his sophomore slump right now. There's nobody on roster you can say, that's my guy to replace him with.
00:35:28
Speaker
Now they do have some money. They do have the ability to go out and sign somebody in free agency. Uh, and I just lost Mike, so he'll be back in a minute. I think one of the names was like a Sante Samuel junior or something. That's great if you can get him, but it's just because he's a potential free agent doesn't mean you can, you can go out and sign him, you know,
00:35:57
Speaker
Just because over the cap or sport track says that they're a potential free agent next year, doesn't mean they're, they're signable because one, a lot of teams will show loyalty to the team that drafted them to, if they don't, then they're going to go for the max money that they, that they can get out of a contract. So that kind of hurts the Packers in the way, because if you trade.
00:36:26
Speaker
Jair, you still got some dead money. That's going to be sitting on the table. And then you're going to go give this huge ass contract to an incoming free agent that could end up playing worse than Jair or missing more games than Jair. So, you know, it's a 50 50 shot with that. And then if you draft a guy, you don't know how they're going to do until they start playing.
00:36:47
Speaker
So it's not an easy thing to just say, Oh yeah, we'll just trade them. Now, the one thing that I do agree with them. is now this kind of causes some 2020 hindsight, 2020 stuff. Should they have still taken Jordan Morgan in the first round this year? Because now, and this doesn't even have to do with the injury. Now he doesn't have a spot unless you're thinking Meyers isn't back next year. So you slot Elton in its center move.
00:37:21
Speaker
and put Jordan Morgan as left guard or you'd have to move Sean Ryan over to left guard and slot Morgan in at right guard. Because right now it doesn't look like he's going to get either of the tackle spots. I i really don't think he could play center as much as they like to say that he he could play all five positions. And then you got the two guard spots and The only way Elton's given up his guard spot is if center is open. And right now with the way Sean Ryan's playing, the only way he's given it up is the same reason center's open. So Elton has to move over and Sean has to slot into his spot. So this is where the hindsight kind of comes in. It's like, okay, well, maybe the, the Morgan pick should have been something else. They could have traded down. They could have.
00:38:14
Speaker
They were throwing out Cooper DeGene, but I just don't think, and this is coming from an Iowa guy. I don't think Cooper would have worked in the Packer system right now because the only reason he's having success right now is he was playing, he's playing the slot. Yeah. And if they, if they took him, then you know, they wouldn't take Bullard because they're not going to double up like that.
00:38:39
Speaker
Yeah, or they don't take Williams later or something. So yeah, it's it it muddles up other spots. And and the other then and then the side of the 2020 they're not talking about is like, okay, if they don't take Morgan, let's say they take Cooper and you know whether he's at, like you said, it's you know you can have your doubts if he'd be as successful with Green Bay as he is with the Eagles and stuff. But there's a world where you don't take Morgan And then Ryan doesn't pan out this way kind of thing. And you're like, well, shit, we're short of guard. And you're starting like a Donovan Jennings who, you know, had his moments in the preseason, but he's still an undrafted free agent for a reason kind of thing and stuff. Or you're, you know, you see, here's where I can argue with you on that. Because if they skip taking Morgan in the first round and let's say, let's say it's not even Cooper DeGene that they take in the first round. It's some other corner or whatever. I can't even think who was on the board at that time. that
00:39:36
Speaker
the Packers were picking, but let's say they don't even take Morgan and they, yeah okay, we'll we'll throw Cooper out there.
00:39:43
Speaker
That means whatever spot that they had, let's say Bullard, you know, Bullard's not the pick in the second round because they're taking Cooper in the first round. So they're not going to double up on a slot corner. That's possibly going to be your other safety. So what's your next pick?
00:40:01
Speaker
It's probably going to be the offensive lineman at that point. Now it could have been Morgan. Who knows? You know, cause I know that he was more talked about as a second round guy than a, than a first round guy. So, I mean, we could still have that rookie offensive lineman, but he just wasn't the first round pig.
00:40:24
Speaker
But even there, then you wonder, like do they take more of just a safety safety in the second round? cut like And that's why I do think like you can you can try to make singular replacements and stuff, but he still had to remake the safety room. He still had to address linebacker and, you know, how many, you know, the, you know, the butterfly effect and how far do you want to go on it? So that's why it's like, it's unfortunate that he couldn't, he didn't do more this season, but also, you know, the gambles that they made just didn't work out, unfortunately. And that's really all I'm going to leave it at. And
00:41:03
Speaker
it's a better draft this cycle for cornerbacks. So, know, obviously you'd love to have answers right now, but I just crossed my fingers that Jair is another week closer to returning that and that, you know, you get your top corner back. And that's why I do think that they, you have them uh, trying to just get him healthy. because you're like 90% likely to make the playoffs. So at this point, it's like, just get as many of your top, your, your top chip players healthy for the playoff run and the playoff push kind of things. So, that's where I'm at with that. And, see an overall improvement in the defensive side of the ball. So you just, you know, just
00:41:47
Speaker
And this is where the defensive line getting more pressure helps mitigate the issues at corner. The more pressure you can get, more comfortable la floor or that is at being aggressive in his coverage because he's like, okay, like these aren't the guys I want necessarily playing coverage. But if I'm getting more pressure from my front, then I can you know play more aggressive in coverage because we're getting pressure, we're attacking the quarterback so that we can, you know even if you know potentially we might have a guy get beat and stuff, you know you're you're forcing the quarterback into mistakes of some sort with your pass rush. So, you know it all goes hand in hand, but at this point, the Packers have set themselves up. Yeah, they're probably not gonna win the division, but at least they've set themselves up in a position that they're going to make the playoff more likely than not. so
00:42:42
Speaker
Just, I'm just here for the ride. Like you said, there's only five games left of the regular season and we'll see where we land, um know, in just over a month's time. So Joe, you got anything else for today or just ready for tomorrow night to cut or tonight to come rolling around at this point?
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:43:01
Speaker
And I guess just ready for it to happen because we pretty much talked it to death. Cause you know, it's, it's the second game.
00:43:10
Speaker
We just played them a month ago. Yeah, right. So there's not much different other than some injuries happening. So yeah, I mean, it is what it is. And we'll see what happens tomorrow night.
00:43:25
Speaker
Yep, so the usual, we thank you for joining us on this opponent preview. Please check out the website, ohanapackers.org. Support the channel by buying merch. We still have our initiatives going on, so please, please support by buying whatever merch you can. Coffee mugs, sweaters, hats, t-shirts, the whole gamut we've got it, coffee.
00:43:51
Speaker
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00:44:19
Speaker
Packers look for their 10th win of the season and to get within one win or one game in the lost column of the Detroit Lions that starts on Thursday night football. And we kind of touched on it, but they're in the perfect scenario to just lay it all on the line this week because you play this Thursday night game And not only do you have the mini buy, but you have one more day because the next game on in week 15 is a Monday night game. Yes, you're traveling, but still you have an extra 24 hours to recover from this. So.
00:44:53
Speaker
go balls to the wall, pedal to the metal, whatever cliche you like to use, but go get this win if you're the Packers, get to 10 wins on the season, and you know put the pressure on Detroit to continue. you know I know they've been almost perfect this whole season to this point, but like you said, attrition is starting to hit them a little bit. you know Even their not injured guys are getting dinged up as well. so put the pressure on turn the heat up and let's see you know who who makes diamonds and who crumbles so that's Iowa Joe I might go pack gold and a low