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Packers Preseason Highlights: Victory Against the Colts
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In this episode of Ohana: Packers Edition, we dive into the thrilling victory of the Green Bay Packers over the Colts during preseason game number 2. Join us as we analyze what went right for the Packers, from standout performances to crucial plays, and discuss what could have been improved.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:01
Speaker
Aloha and welcome back to another episode of the Ahana Packers Edition podcast. The podcast where two dudes, Iowa Joe and me, Mike, recap everything going on with the Green Bay Packers.
00:00:12
Speaker
Joe, they've done it.
00:00:15
Speaker
And now Mike just froze.
A Day in the Life of Mike
00:00:18
Speaker
I'm a mess today. It's all a mess today. Had a flat tire going to the North Shore. Found out it's not just this. I can't plug it. There's a hole in the sidewall and stuff. It's been a day, but. Sidewall, then somebody's after you, because that's usually a.
00:00:35
Speaker
I think you was slow leaking through where the nail went. And then I think the nail fell out. So it like rapid depressure and cut the side or something like that because the cuts on the inside sidewall. So yeah, no, no mafia hit squad or a very discreet mafia hit squad. But either way, we are here to talk about the Packers.
Packers' Preseason Win Debate
00:00:54
Speaker
Joe, for the first time in 2025, we have seen this team win a football game. And, I know it's the preseason. It doesn't count to some people, but I mean, that was about as exciting as you could get for a preseason football game in terms of how the thing went down at the end.
00:01:11
Speaker
ah ah Yeah, I mean, know there's still a lot of division over it because was it a catch? Wasn't it a catch? You know, all that stuff. And yeah, it's just a preseason game, but it was a weird way for a preseason game to end.
00:01:25
Speaker
You know, if that was a regular season game or even a playoff game, I think there'd be a lot more going on than what there is. But I mean, I could see it both ways, but it did look like he didn't complete the catch. It was kind of one of them Des Bryant moments where, you know, he may have got the two feet, but as he was going down, the ball started rolling loose. And then when he hit the ground, the ball rolled.
00:01:49
Speaker
So, I mean, I'll take it as a Packer fan saying it was a no catch, but if we were on the end of that other end of that, I would fully call it a catch. But yeah, it was,
00:02:01
Speaker
and really was a better second half than a first half that that's for sure the first half they definitely came back out like last week and just looked flat the second half they started playing a little bit better and i know people are going to say oh well but indy was playing their starters and the packers weren't playing everybody it's like yeah but you kind of hope your backups can play just as well against the starters because those are the guys that you got to put in if there's an injury or you know something else so you want to see them be able to perform you know just as well as a as a backup as as a uh starter would so it yeah i don't get it i i mean again it's i'm glad this stuff is happening in the preseason more than it is in season but
00:02:56
Speaker
least it looked a little bit better in the second half than in the first half.
00:03:01
Speaker
And
Technical Difficulties and Game Following
00:03:01
Speaker
I think I lost Mike again.
00:03:03
Speaker
Okay, my USB ports are being touchy, so touchy today. So I'm going to try not to shake the table, look at the table or do anything. But agree.
00:03:15
Speaker
I had to rewatch it because I was like kind of following it during the day. only got to see the first quarter. Like you said, the first half can be summed up in Matt LaFleur looking like basically all he wanted to do was fight Anthony Belton coming off the field for just so many boneheaded mistakes. And...
00:03:34
Speaker
Honestly, like, yes, a lot of Belton stuff was bad, but it did feel like that was like a, Belton, you're taking one for the whole team because everyone was kind of just taking a dump behind the
Coach LaFleur's Aggressive Strategy
00:03:45
Speaker
shed kind of thing. Because, I mean, you had the Emmanuel Wilson fumble, you had a missed field goal, you just woeful tackling from 70-year veterans and all kinds of things that you're just like,
00:04:00
Speaker
like we were talking about last week where it's like things you don't want to see at this point of a preseason where it's like, you know, you don't mind mistakes from young guys where they're like not in a position they played in college or, you know, they're learning the playbook and you make, you know, those kind of mental mistakes. But,
00:04:19
Speaker
you know, we can't line up correctly. You get after the whistle penalties, you fumble on a tackle, all that kind of stuff. And those are the ones that, you know, and, you know, some people will say like, is it blovating by LaFleur? And I appreciate that he's treating preseason with a certain edge this year, because I think he, you know, he's not on the hot seat, but I think he senses the urgency where, you know, we brought it up last week where,
00:04:44
Speaker
They're playing Detroit week one it's like Detroit is going to be ready for us. You know, they may have lost some because both their coordinators left for head coaching jobs and this and that and all, but that's still the best team in the division by my book.
00:04:59
Speaker
got to knock them off before you can say otherwise in terms of where the Packers stand with them. And I agree with kind of what LaFleur is pushing here that what the team has done so far, it ain't going to work come week one. Like, you you're not going to luck your way into a win week one. So I appreciated seeing what we saw out of LaFleur.
00:05:21
Speaker
But yeah, it was almost like Dudley do right manner of getting the win this game. But like you said, they did buckle down in the second half. We saw some pretty solid performances from a lot of guys who are battling for those lower tier roster spots.
Player Performances and Injuries
00:05:40
Speaker
um um And And i guess who is your highlight of the game, Joe?
00:05:46
Speaker
Offensive wise, I got to say, i'm just going to put the running backs in there because, you know, Manuel Wilson looked pretty good.
00:05:55
Speaker
Marshawn Lloyd prior to the injury looked pretty good. Blanking Abby Konda looked pretty good. And then Amar Johnson looked pretty good. So I got to give it to those guys.
00:06:13
Speaker
somewhat some of the receivers because even though i didn't get to watch the first part of it because i've tried to ah ah i think something is trying to keep me from going to wisconsin tomorrow because first it's my car goes and does its thing then this past week i started feeling like getting a sinus infection so i i had to go do a walk-in clinic uh yesterday just to get something to take care of, you know, help me through.
00:06:41
Speaker
And so I was dealing with that and I didn't get home until like halfway through the first quarter or whatever. So I tried to listen to as much of it as I could. And it sounded like Julian Hicks. I think that's what his name is, was playing well and made a heck a catch, but it ended up,
00:06:57
Speaker
being out of bounds or something like that. um was a catch, but it got negated by a holding penalty. That's it. That's it. And then your boy Cornelius Johnson was looking pretty good on some things.
00:07:09
Speaker
So, I mean, to give it to them, but I think I'm just going to round it out and say the running backs because they seem to be doing the best out of them all time. they you know emmanuel emmanuel wilson was running hard you could see the speed out of him abby conda i'm gonna say his name like a hundred different ways just because it's a weird last name uh not weird just a lot of syllables lot of syllables uh you know he showed something and i'm one of these days i'm gonna if he makes the roster i'm gonna to pull out my notebook again and go through this my uh report on him from
00:07:46
Speaker
a couple of years ago for the draft stuff uh because from what i remember he had speed but he was also that bruiser style back and he showed it with a lot of his running that he was dragging guys you know the pile with him uh what was it he scored two touchdowns and both of them were hard-earned touchdowns and and uh let's look at the stats real quick Yeah, two touchdowns over one each game.
00:08:16
Speaker
Okay, yeah, he had one touchdown, but he had 12 carries. Like you said, he's either broken tackles or pulled guys into the end zone to get him. Yeah. And averaged 3.6 on 12 carries for 43 yards, so that's pretty good.
00:08:30
Speaker
So, yeah, I really got to say them. Marshawn Lloyd sounded like he was doing good up until that route. And I...
00:08:39
Speaker
don't want to blame the defender on it so much but it did remind me of kind of like a hip drop tackle and so like i said i i don't want to say that's what it was but just in the heat of the moment it looked like it was one of them hip drops and it's like oh This is not what he needs. Yeah. It sucks because believe it's the same hamstring he's been dealing with all of the training camp because he's had one that's kind of been a... I think that's why he missed earlier parts of training camp.
00:09:09
Speaker
And I rewatched it a couple times because I couldn't tell if he heard it... got hit, or if it's because of how the guy kind of came in and took his legs out from behind him.
00:09:20
Speaker
And yeah, it's not a hip drop in the traditional sense of what they're trying to take out of the game kind of thing, but it's the guy tripped after...
00:09:30
Speaker
Lloyd was trying to avoid the safety coming over from the middle of the field. And then the guy behind him was just trying to dive to take his ankles out. But because Lloyd stopped, he ended up going into the back of Lloyd's knees. And honestly, like some people are like doing the whole, oh, injury prone. And I know we can talk a lot about people moaning about injury prone and stuff like... There's one I definitely wanted to call out before the end of the We'll do that later.
00:09:54
Speaker
But that one, honestly, i i I know that a lot of people are going be like, oh, you're just defending. But, like, I'm kind of glad he only got out of there with the hamstring injury. I feel like it could have been a couple – like, he could have had what happened to the Colts tackle who broke his ankle.
00:10:10
Speaker
could have blown a knee out kind of thing. So, like, it's not great that he's missing more time and LeFleur's kind of mum on if he'll be ready for week one. Honestly, if it's the same – I haven't been able to confirm it, but if it's the same hamstring that – Oh, no, that's what it was. He had a groin and then a hamstring.
00:10:28
Speaker
But I don't know if it's the same hamstring that knocked him out of last year. But just let him get healthy and stuff. But yeah, I think people need to recalibrate how they label people as being injury prone and stuff. But like you said, it was good to see that out of him because that will wrap. only thing got to say is Lloyd is starting to teeter on end. He's starting to, yeah. Because it seems to be the same end.
00:10:53
Speaker
The only thing that you can count against... Can't count against it is the appendicitis. Because that's just a freak in in incident. But it's starting to be the same type of things. Yeah.
Defensive Evaluations and Roster Depth
00:11:05
Speaker
And like I said, this one... I'm kind of... It's not great. Like you said, it's not great that it's another tick on his track record.
00:11:13
Speaker
But also, like I said... The way he got crumpled up after that catch, I was like, something was going to happen to him. And it's not great that it's a soft tissue injury, but I'd rather it be that than a broken something that's harder back.
00:11:29
Speaker
But yeah do agree with where you're coming from, that he's kind of getting into that territory. But it was still great to see that play from him. agree with you. Abane Kanda has been really good this preseason. Just you everything you want to see from one of those, like...
00:11:43
Speaker
bottom of the roster running backs where it's like he's not getting necessarily the best blocking from the shuffled old lines and stuff like that, but he's making his own magic happen. It's to make decisions a lot harder. a lot harder.
00:11:56
Speaker
And Wilson, like, he had the bad fumble, but then he comes back on the very next drive and catches that swing pass, takes it 32 yards. Still... His fumble is one of those, like, yeah yeah it's one of those where it happens because he's such a hard guy to tackle and he doesn't go down on first contact kind of thing.
00:12:16
Speaker
You still can't fumble in the pile like that. But it's one of those where I'm like, It's not quite pitchers giving home runs in up in training camp kind of thing, but it's sort of in that area where it's like, okay, like, try push yourself in the preseason, see what you can do kind of thing.
00:12:33
Speaker
But also, like, you don't want to get build up a reputation of being a fumbler. And then... I'm going to do it. You brought him up first. But my guy Cornelius Johnson had a few really nice catches.
00:12:45
Speaker
None bigger than the fourth down conversion he had on the second to last scoring drive. then, yeah, Hicks, you can that I know it was just one play. But with Hicks, you can see why they touted him and kept him around for as long as they have, because they keep kind of saying like there's something there. You know, there's the makings of a solid receiver.
00:13:08
Speaker
And you kind of hope that they can get a little more out of him. Defensively, thought that in kind of limited opportunities, Bo Melton had another solid game.
00:13:21
Speaker
Your boy Christian Welch had solid game. had had a so You know, second on the team in tackles, pass defense. I thought he's always solid in coverage. I do think that's one of the benefits of him being 6'4 and like kind of blocky in terms of his build. The thing about him in coverage, though, is kind of reminds me of A.J. Hawk in a way.
00:13:45
Speaker
where they always seem to cut short the coverage and then do that stupid ass leap in the air like they're going to block something. It's like, just continue running and you probably would have blocked a lot better. And I do think that unlike AJ, I think with Welch, it's more of a he's still young and hasn't gotten to play enough where I think AJ knew like I'm toast either way.
00:14:06
Speaker
going to just see if I can get lucky here with Welch. I think that he still has another level to be for, like you said, for a coach to be like, dude, just keep, you know, it's, it's the whole, like you're running after a fly ball. If you think about jumping, don't just keep running. Jumping should be the last thing on your mind. and my Am I, am I foot in foot with this guy?
00:14:26
Speaker
Yes. Is the ball in the air? Yes. Can I put up my hand on it without leaving my feet? Yes. There's your answer. Just put your hand out. Yeah. Unforced jumping never goes unpunished in football. It's like the wide receivers that do the unnecessary jump in the air for a pass when it's going to hit them square in the chest anyway. And they drop it every time.
00:14:51
Speaker
But, Otherwise, you had Alessandre having a sack. um um And a few pressures. He had a pretty decent game.
00:15:03
Speaker
Stackhouse. Stackhouse was pretty good. He even had the pass reflection. He's made the roster. he doesn't make the roster, there's some kind of off-the-field incident we don't know about. That's honestly...
00:15:13
Speaker
And I thought Oladapo had a solid game. I know he only had one tackle, but I thought his pass breakup on Tyler Warren was a really nice play. Undercut a crossing route. Doesn't use his off arm to pull the tight end. He just kind of does the thing where you shoulder tug. Not tug, but you like...
00:15:32
Speaker
You kind of place your hand on the one shoulder and then you come around with the other hand to bat the ball. He did it pretty well on that play. Same with Bo on his pass breakup. So some good stuff from some of the DBEs.
00:15:44
Speaker
And then we'll get into the rest of them when we get into our next segment. but I was trying to find it again. I should have done better to prepare for this, but I've been busy packing and doing other things. And trying not it to to be felled by signal infections. But somebody...
00:15:59
Speaker
posted on blue sky that they're probably not going to keep both brinson and stackhouse it's like why wouldn't they they need the depth at at d-line anyway and they're both playing solidly who who is going to take their spot because yeah if you look at it this way you've got clark Wyatt, Brooks.
00:16:25
Speaker
Wooden and Brooks. And so, like, I think of those four, Clark, Wyatt, and Brooks are the three that are, like, pretty good to surefire locks in terms of making the roster.
00:16:38
Speaker
And then, you know, depending on what happens at Edge, you've got Wooden, Stackhouse, and Brinson. And I do think Wooden's played well, but I don't think he's done anything that Brinson and...
00:16:51
Speaker
stack house haven't done if that makes like we haven't seen and not that you'd really you know you can't really say that like a preseason breakout game matter because we've seen a lot of vixotos and you know guys like that right big preseason games but either way not gonna say it's impossible that they can't bring one of them back on the practice squad but i think it's gonna be a lot harder to get one of them through than, you know, like a wooden or, or somebody like that. Yeah.
00:17:22
Speaker
Yeah.
Linebacker Concerns and Roster Decisions
00:17:22
Speaker
i i agree. So I, It really just comes down to what happens at the other positions. But honestly, think there were a lot of reasons made to keep more D linemen in this game than there were some of the back seven players. And that's where I was going to go with my um my um stinky cheese this week is or stale or just stinky cheese. Yeah, we'll get into that the regular season.
00:17:47
Speaker
Yeah. But um we were doing a regular season pod, Isaiah Simmons, like, we're seeing why you haven't found a home. And, you know, like, when you're seven years into an NFL career, the light usually just doesn't come on. But I was hoping that with Halfley being the kind of imaginative and inventive guy that he could, you know, craft a role kind of thing for him and stuff.
00:18:09
Speaker
And I know that Simmons had the interception in practice since and, you know, the Instagram page and the highlights had it in all the highlight packages and stuff, but...
00:18:20
Speaker
It was just another week, another game where it's just like, I can't, like, the one good play I saw from Simmons was he made us a tackle in coverage four yards down the field. and it's like, you had the first play for the Colts where Simmons is like slow to read a crossing route out of the waggle, doesn't attack the receiver and gets like hedge blocked by the other receiver from upfield.
00:18:43
Speaker
He doesn't get out in coverage on another route. And if Daniel Jones put the ball on Tyler Warren, it might've been a walk-in touchdown because Simmons was toast by like four or five yards on the play.
00:18:56
Speaker
Missed tackles where he had guys at the line of scrimmage and stuff. And, you know, some people are like, oh, but his special teams, to me,
00:19:07
Speaker
What does he do on special teams that Welch can't when Welch shows you there's some upside at his listed defensive position? And I joked about it on Twitter that, like, Rich doesn't get any more of those, like, I need this guys.
00:19:24
Speaker
We dealt with two years of Dallin Leavitt, and that was enough of – that was the end of his hall pass cards. And we've still been dealing with Zane Anderson. Yeah. who at least has an interception to his, like he has an actual positive play to his record. But I mean, yeah, i there can't be any more of those special teams only guys outside of the three specialists on this roster.
00:19:50
Speaker
Like guys have to have some glimpse of upside at their natural position at this point. And so I curtail that into saying, you know, some people were saying like, there's a chance they could keep five or six linebackers.
00:20:03
Speaker
They're probably keeping for Quay, not probably. They're definitely keeping for Quay, Edge, McDuffie, Hopper, who I forgot to add. Hopper I thought looked solid his snap. I need to go back and watch him a little closer, but I thought his range was pretty good. I thought he struck downhill pretty decently, and made some good cleanup plays when other guys missed tackles in coverage.
00:20:27
Speaker
And then after that, if you're really looking for a fifth linebacker, and this isn't to toot your horn, but I'm like, dude, just take Welch at this point because we've at least seen him play passable defense. And the way that I do think Kuey is going to be healthy, and he, for the most part, has been healthy other than when he boloed his ankle last year.
00:20:47
Speaker
Edge missed time with the hamstring and soft tissues. Hopper wasn't healthy all of last year. at the very least, you have a guy who can be tall in the middle of the field. And I know that sounds really harsh, and Welch definitely does more than that, but it's like, I don't need another guy who's still running to Mississauga at this point in time in Simmons where it's like, dude, you have the hook zone and you ran to the deep third kind of thing and stuff. I will just say this.
00:21:17
Speaker
If they keep Simmons over Welch like they kept Wilson over Welch last year, They cannot scout linebackers worth a damn there. Yeah.
00:21:28
Speaker
And at least with Wilson, what i gave them the benefit of the doubt there – At the very least, I thought he was worthy of being like a special teams captain, like level of special teams player kind of thing.
00:21:42
Speaker
With Simmons, it's like, oh, but he's so athletic. But I'm like, but he is he actually good at special teams? Like, it's that like that. That's the one discrepancy I have between the two of them. And was like, at least Wilson was a good special teams player kind of thing. Like, uh,
00:21:58
Speaker
It's the whole like in theory versus reality thing. You know, it's that whole discussion with Isaiah Simmons. And then on the offensive line, rough day for Donovan Jennings.
Offensive Line Struggles
00:22:09
Speaker
Rough day for Anthony Belton. Belton had a list of penalties so long that Santa's naughty list was given a run for its money. And LeFore was going to break his neck right there on going halftime.
00:22:24
Speaker
Well, yeah, and and especially because the last illegal formation, he got nullified a touchdown, and that might have been – Was that Hicks? I got to look who it... No, no, no. I think it was Fitzpatrick.
00:22:35
Speaker
But, yeah. If you ever thought you would see an NFL coach want to RKO one of their players, that was about as close to it as you're going to get there. But who were your unstellar performers from yesterday's game? Well, I think you mentioned most of them.
00:22:51
Speaker
Maybe add Jacob Monk in there because he seems to be having a rough last two games. Yeah. Defensive side outside of maybe Melton, which is funny to say, considering, you know, he's just making the transition corner.
00:23:13
Speaker
have not been very impressed with the guys that they've been throwing out at corner. Now, I haven't been playing close attention, but it just felt like, especially at the first half of this game,
00:23:28
Speaker
that they were doing the whole let it play out in front of you thing. You know, we're going to let them make the catch, but then we're just going tackle them, you know, whether they get five or six yards or whatever, instead of actually playing like a man, defense like we've seen half way. Yeah, often than not.
00:23:49
Speaker
And just it didn't look good. So got to throw that out there just because I mean, even though Melton has been playing good, it makes you wonder, is he playing good because everybody else is playing bad is he actually playing good and you know, go from there. But I think that's where I kind of stand on didn't want to take all the bites off the riblet before you went, but I agree with you. Like, Hayden, for as much of the... i don't want to say they touted him, but as much as, like, the coaching staff has kind of talked him up and they obviously kept him around almost ah ah all of last season on the practice squad, he's...
00:24:26
Speaker
He's had a rough go. You know, I agree with you. Like, on one hand, you can tell, like, in terms of coverage, they're, you know, they're, they are doing some pre-snap games where they're having safeties come down. They're rotating the back-end coverage and things like that. But they're not playing a lot of tight. The best plays were the ones where guys were in, like, some kind of, know, Melton's pass breakup, Oladopo's pass breakup, both in man coverage or at least in a man-match zone setup where they're tracking a guy.
00:24:54
Speaker
you know, Like Hayden was allowing guys to get in back of him. I know a couple were second reaction plays, but still like you don't want to see your corner running with his back to the line of scrimmage.
00:25:05
Speaker
And then you compound it with so many penalties. And I did have a bone to pick with the way this game was officiated. I thought that um um our first drive, especially, they were letting a lot of stuff go to the point where...
00:25:20
Speaker
Even the Colts, we got the Colts broadcast on our NFL feed and network feed. And it was funny because the Colts broadcast, they started off very, and like, they were good. Like they were, it it's the acceptable Homerism from a home team. Of course going to talk their guys up, but they were also giving kudos to like, oh, like Malik looks so much Malik Willis looks so much better than when he played for the Titans and stuff like that. But it was funny hearing them go,
00:25:44
Speaker
that's a great play by Le Mans, their number 38, their backup slot or whatever. And then as the game progressed, you can hear them going, our guys have been a little handsy, but they're getting away with it so far. And then when they finally got called for one, they're like, finally got their hand caught in the cookie jar. on So it was funny that even they were kind of like, you could feel the Colts uh broadcasters like as the game went on like oh like we've definitely been given the long leash on this one and stuff and and not that any of the calls on green bay were wrong but if you go back and just watch that first drive especially the the throws to heath on the sideline you're kind of like all right his shoulder pad is on is on is ungarnered it doesn't just get that way then but yeah i i agree with you that
00:26:34
Speaker
And watching Milton play, there's definitely some technique stuff he has to get with. one The biggest one I saw is you watch the nine-yard completion he gave up when Richardson throws the out route.
00:26:46
Speaker
Melton gave that up because got caught doing one of the Cardinals things for a defensive back, and that was he shuffling, like he's taking a lead to go steal second base kind of thing. It's like you can't hop step as as a cornerback. You've got to either be backpedaling or you have to flip your hips open and run.
00:27:02
Speaker
But because he was like in midair, like he had shuffle stepped and he's in midair as the ball gets thrown, he had no chance to come downhill and break on that path. And he still ends up, you know, coming in to help make the tackle. But it kind of shows like if his footwork was a little cleaner, maybe he breaks that up or maybe he undercuts it and can, you know, pick that thing off.
00:27:21
Speaker
But, I agree with you that it's a little bit like, is it just that he's the one that's okay and everyone else is bad? But I do want to throw Melton a bone and say, like, no, he's actually playing some solid to
Defensive Backs and Young Talent
00:27:34
Speaker
good corner. And, like, you can tell that, like, his athleticism does play up there, which is really weird because when...
00:27:42
Speaker
you know, you go from wide receiver to playing DB, you go from your whole life is played in forward or drive, and now you have to shift between reverse drive. And that's where you're like, you, that's why you don't see a lot of the, that conversion going that way is because guys just don't get the footwork down. And the fact that you can see he's improving in it and he still ha, but he still has some strides to make, and yet he's still making plays.
00:28:06
Speaker
That's really encouraging for where he could be a little bit later down the season. Like, know, I, I don't want to throw the name around lightly, but you could have like a, by the end of the season, a Sam Shields ish kind impact where it's like, he's kind of out there on instinct, but the athleticism is going to play up.
00:28:24
Speaker
And, and the most important thing to me is that the physicality, you see it out of Melton. And I think that's really important for, any player playing that position. So I, I really like seeing that out of him.
00:28:34
Speaker
And to kind of. cover you that way we don't have them come after you because you just were talking about melton's athleticism over his ability it kind of comparing him with simmons is a lot different you know they're they're two different things melton has the athleticism but he's been able to show the ability simmons has the athleticism and hasn't been able to show the ability so they're two different types of people we can be okay with Melton's athleticism because of his showing he potential, whereas Simmons, just because he has ah ah athleticism, he's not showing he has the ability. Yeah.
00:29:15
Speaker
There's no way to compare him. And think one thing that helps him is he went from playing the position that his new position is going against. So he kind of understands what routes look like.
00:29:26
Speaker
But I think the other thing I'm really pleased with is you're not seeing him get burned on double moves. He's not over gambling and being like, oh, this is a three-step route. It's a hitch or it's a slant, so I'm going to jump this all day kind of thing. You're seeing him...
00:29:39
Speaker
I don't want to say play it, but he is like playing to, he's playing discipline and playing to like his keys and stuff. And he's not just like, it's just all inst, like I joke that it's all instinct, but it's not just him gambling and being like, oh, this has to be a hitch. And then it's like, oh, that guy's gone, like behind me kind of thing and stuff. So I agree with you. Like you can see there's semblance of understanding on his part where with Simmons, it's like,
00:30:06
Speaker
If he's told – he's one of those guys where, like, you got to give him one role and tell him what to do kind of thing. And even then, I feel like it's kind of hit or miss. Like, because the – the one I forgot to mention is was a punt coverage play where the punt returner stumbles, drops the ball, and Simmons gets outflanked to the corner. And luckily, Welch is the one who comes from the middle of the field and cleans up the play.
00:30:30
Speaker
But that was one where like, you're supposed to be a super athlete. And you got – juked out of your socks by a guy who dropped the football like. I'm just like my eyes. I think one of his problems and you know, obviously I'm not an expert by any means, I think he's trying to play linebacker with the safety mindset and he needs to get out of the safety mindset and try to get his mind into being a linebacker.
00:30:58
Speaker
And I think that's his biggest issue because he plays like he's not needing the over the top help or he's playing like he's not needing to stick with a guy or whatever.
00:31:09
Speaker
So if somehow they can make that like click in his head, you're not a safety anymore. you're not a safety anymore. You are a linebacker. Then maybe, you know, potentially.
00:31:23
Speaker
But i just, I don't think it's going to happen. He's one of those where, like, at this point, and I know that practice counts for something. You know, it's not that you can just junk everything that he does in practice, especially when some of his highlights were in the inter-squad practice.
00:31:39
Speaker
But I was like, I'd be fine if they cut him and he somehow signs back to the practice squad. I don't know how the... I don't think he has eligibility issues because he's never been on the practice squad.
00:31:51
Speaker
But that's one of those where I'm like, I just can't give him a 53-man spot at this point because if he's going to be up on game days, I need to like... you know welch may have a ceiling but at least he's gonna be in relatively the right spots and he's gonna tackle well kind of thing with simmons it's like he might come and make a screaming tackle for lost one play and then be like who's supposed to be in that zone the next two plays kind of thing and then the two guys there are completely different because welch and melton have no more eligibility as far as i know yeah so if you're gonna make it bring it down to a decision between
00:32:31
Speaker
those three and i know melton plays a completely different position but if it comes down and you need to cut one of them are you going to cut the guy that has possibly eligibility for the practice squad are you going to cut the guys that doesn't have eligibility anymore I'm going so far as to say that I think Melted's safe at this point. I think he's making this Honestly, because there's no other depth right now.
Roster Decisions and Injuries
00:32:59
Speaker
That's the main issue. Because, okay, the relative locks are Nixon, Hobbs, Valentine.
00:33:07
Speaker
And after that, I think Melton's been the best of the rest. I think... King has been all right. I don't want to take anything away from him. He's been all right. My thing with King is just that you see the limitations hurt him on the field. You see his lack of height and length hurt him at times. And you see his lack of long speed hurt. He gave up one pass where... can't really fault him for it. The ball just went right over the top of him kind of thing. And he had another one where...
00:33:33
Speaker
I don't want to say he was beat, but it was kind of one of those throws where it's in like a handoff between the zones kind of thing. And he just wasn't athletic enough to catch up to the receiver and the ball kind of thing and stuff. So I agree with you. Like, he's a good... Like, you can see that he understands what he's supposed to do on a given play. He's a good, heady player. But I'm just kind of like...
00:33:54
Speaker
I just want a little more bang for my buck with you guy making the roster. I do think Robinson has played decently well, and I think that he gets the goot artificial bump by being a draft pick from this season kind of thing.
00:34:08
Speaker
i you do see his explosiveness and athleticism when he plays. It'll be really interesting, but I think Melton is the fourth best corner on this roster right now. And like you said...
00:34:19
Speaker
I don't know how much to jump up and down in celebration about that, but I mean, the think he's safe at this point. The big thing about King for me, and this is going to sound wild when I say this, he has so much of Micah Hyde to him because they followed a lot of the same trajectory.
00:34:38
Speaker
Their junior year, they were touted as a you top first, maybe not top, but first round pick, maybe second round pick. uh you know great corner everything else they decide to come back for another year didn't work out quite as well coming back that next year going to combine really blow it at the combine and you know you're taken late if he can kind of fall into that tweener between safety corner i think he would be all right
00:35:11
Speaker
But if they're going to rely on him as a pure corner, then I don't think he's going to be as good. But Robinson, yeah, I think he's going to have the newness factor to him that's going to help.
00:35:26
Speaker
And I think the other thing that helps him is he went to a smaller school compared to the other guys. So there's going to be a little bit of a learning curve for him.
00:35:35
Speaker
And then last note I have on the DBs is just hope that Omar Brown is okay. I'm not even sure what p play he got hurt on, but he's being evaluated for some kind of chest injury, possibly a collapsed lung or something of that regard. And I think he's still in Indy.
00:35:53
Speaker
So hopefully... i know they said it was going to be at least 24 hours. So... you know, you just hope that he's okay and that, you know, they can fully diagnose what exactly happened to it Because, yeah, like I said, I couldn't tell if... I know he missed a tackle on one play, and I couldn't tell if he got hurt there or if he came... I thought he was back in the game later.
00:36:13
Speaker
So it's hard to say what really happened or where he got injured, but you just hope that the dude's okay because, you know, he's had a really great family night, and he's made some plays here and there and stuff. And...
00:36:25
Speaker
I know that they have, you know, they've got a bunch of guys in that safety room that they have, you know, obviously Xavier is far and away the front runner, but they've got two guys with, they've got high hopes on in Bullard and Evan Williams. And then Oladapo, like I said, has come on pretty solidly this preseason after, you know, lagging behind because of injuries last preseason. So just really.
00:36:50
Speaker
um as we get into the slap happy portion of the episode and I start clicking on bookmark tabs on accident, Joe, any any um last thoughts regarding the know you said that you were listening to it more than watching it. And I know you're getting ready to head up to Wisconsin, but any last thoughts on what we had?
00:37:08
Speaker
ah ah Other than I don't think this Irish kicker is going to do so well. I know he kind of redeemed himself later on, but guess afterwards either. Yeah.
00:37:22
Speaker
Yeah. As long as he, you know, and maybe if he's young enough and they can slap that international tag on him, maybe see if he can, I think that's his only chance right now. Yeah. Yeah.
00:37:34
Speaker
And it sucks in a way. Cause I'm, I know everybody is all grateful for, McManus, but I still am not a big fan of his because of his off the field shit. Yep.
00:37:46
Speaker
And I wish they would be able to find somebody who could who could perform better than him and is a better person than him. But it definitely doesn't seem like this McNamee is going to be be that guy unless for some reason this next game he goes off for like five for five with a 70 yard bomb or something. I just I don't think it's going to happen.
00:38:09
Speaker
He is the international player, so I do think that's a worthy um worthy um use of that spot. Unless you find some, like, you know, oh, I can't even think of his name right now. they had the first year they had the international player, where it's like you just find this uber-athlete that you're like, yeah, let's see him if he can learn to football kind of thing.
00:38:27
Speaker
I was thinking more of that Moritz Boringer from few years back. Oh, my goodness. That's a blast from the past. But one other thing that I will... So, you know, I give credit to LeFleur for, like, lighting into Belton and some other players and stuff.
00:38:43
Speaker
I also would like to praise um being an ethical hooper and not going for the tie late in the game, you know, going for that fourth and whatever when they were down three. Like, it's the preseason.
00:38:55
Speaker
We don't want... I know they wouldn't go to overtime in a preseason game, but I appreciate that he was like, we're going to win or lose. Not necessarily on this play because they were still on, like, the 30-yard line kind thing, but...
00:39:05
Speaker
I appreciate it. He's like, no, like I'm not, I'm not, I've seen the, well, I'm sure part of it was I've seen the kicker kicking off today, but I appreciate that. He was like, let's not go for a tie. Let's go for, let's go for the win kind of thing. I'm still surprised they haven't given Daniel Wheeling a chance at it because he's got the experience doing it.
00:39:25
Speaker
Right. And I guess the one hesitation they have is he can't hold the ball for himself. Or he can't catch the snap for himself. So I think that's the... Drop kick.
00:39:35
Speaker
Drop kick.
00:39:39
Speaker
That's true. Maybe he'll have to drop kick it. And hey, I would trust the Celtic Cannon for anything at this point. But other than that, the Packers are going to close out the preseason. oh Seattle. Thank you. Seattle.
00:39:53
Speaker
Thank you. Because they'll have joint practice Thursday with them and then they play them. Was it Saturday? So good. So yeah, in Lambeau, they'll play. And if anybody's wondering, I probably will not. I will be in Green Bay, but I don't think I'm going to to the game because they're calling for like 80% chance rain. And...
00:40:10
Speaker
ah Now, if it was like a regular season game or like a playoff game, yeah, but if it's just going to be a preseason game, I'm not going to get soaked in the stands. Especially not the last game when you're watching the six stringers of each team's.
00:40:24
Speaker
And knowing them, if it comes down too bad, they'll just cancel the game anyway. You don't want to see the six stringers play like rock'em, sock'em robots out there in the rain.
00:40:36
Speaker
But I'm glad that they're doing more inner squad practices. I always do like the opportunity to play against, you know, not just yourselves. And we don't have to do the, oh, is Rashawn and Lucas looking good because Morgan sucks kind of thing and stuff. So I'm glad we get to, you know, and...
00:40:56
Speaker
Completely forgot. Jordan Morgan, another clean sheet sheet um as the left tackle. roll I know tackle. roll I know that... And this week, the Colts did start their starters. And I know that the Colts don't have like a uber-athlete edge or anything like that. But it is nice to see Morgan stack a couple games together with no pressures allowed, no penalties, didn't look overwhelmed physically.
00:41:21
Speaker
You know, I do still have have concerns, you know, with, you know, maybe Lucas is just going to turn out to be a 15-sack player and everyone pump the brakes.
00:41:33
Speaker
I need people to understand what a breakout season for Lucas looks like. A breakout season can be six to eight sacks for Lucas. Like, everyone needs to understand that Rashawn's breakout season was his second year and he had five in the regular season and then he had a couple more in the playoffs.
00:41:49
Speaker
But, like, everyone needs... Because I know that... we're all, and he does look so much better in the practices, the pre last week's preseason game. You do see the mental and physical improvements he's made, but when he doesn't have a sack for like three games and people are like, Oh my God, we were lied to. And he's still like, like no,
00:42:09
Speaker
You either, you either, um, um, uh, fudge, what's his name? Uh, what, what was, um, the, the Mormon that we had recently? Um, Um, Oh, yeah. Kyler Fackrell. Yeah. Fackrell.
00:42:22
Speaker
Yeah. Fackrell. That lucked his way into a double digit sack season. Like, the, the most inauspicious multiple three sack in three sack game in a season player ever seen on this, this earth.
00:42:36
Speaker
that, you know, It's the guys who are the freaks at the position. And Lucas may turn into one, but I need Packers fans to understand that if Lucas has a six-sack season, that's a good season for where he's coming from.
00:42:50
Speaker
um But suffice it to say... We've heard Morgan has had trouble with Rashawn and Lucas in practice, and I would like to see him play against someone of that style of play in one of these games just to see, you know, it's different in a one-on-one. You have different responsibilities. It's not just the, like, I have to beat that guy and that guy is just trying to beat me kind of thing.
00:43:13
Speaker
um So I do want to see Morgan face one of those kind of athlete physical specimens, but... Kudos to Jordan for, you know, know, um I don't want say he's proved us wrong because it's still preseason, but it's good to see that he's not just completely overmatched out that that would have have been the to worst possible outcome, obviously.
00:43:33
Speaker
And honestly, I never said that he was going to be a bad player. I just never understood the pick because it's like they're trying to replace a guy that they already had on the roster that was playing well enough. But anyway, before we go, I do want to call this out. I didn't get the audio clip for it.
00:43:49
Speaker
teed you up earlier in that episode. Yeah, this guy, I don't know what the hell is going on over there, but saw the clip from ESPN Milwaukee from good old Kyle Lewis again that you know he called Jordan Love injury prone.
00:44:09
Speaker
I love me some me some kyle or Jordan Love, but he's injury prone. And if you can't say that he's injury prone, then you don't know what you're talking about. I think I do know a little bit of what I'm talking about.
00:44:20
Speaker
He's not injury prone. how how Yes, he got injured last year with the knee. Okay, back. he got He hit his hand on a helmet.
00:44:33
Speaker
on his non-throwing hand if this was in season he wouldn't even have the surgery he would have just put a glove on it he clearly said it yes thank you so there's there's no reason to label him injury from did you call brett farb injury prone did you call aaron rogers injury prone and this is how i know that he's that this kyle lewis is is is an issue He said he's been with the team three years and two out of the three years he's been injured.
00:45:06
Speaker
He's been with the team a lot longer than three years, buddy.
00:45:11
Speaker
He's only been starting for three years, but he's been with the team a lot longer than three years. So now will give you credit. That could have been just a slip in your mind. You could have meant that he'd only been starting for three years.
00:45:24
Speaker
But it's a pretty big, it's a pretty big mistake to make. Like, and yeah, like it's such a weird hill to want to die on. Like, just say you don't like the guy, like.
00:45:39
Speaker
Or just so you don't know what the hell you're talking about. You're just throwing shit out there so people react to it. But yeah, and like the way I came at it is I'm like, Aaron Rodgers was injury prone through his first season started because he was getting hurt when he wasn't even the starter.
00:45:53
Speaker
He had the broken foot. He had the hamstring that knocked him out of the... They had to sign Craig Nall back to the roster because Rodgers got hurt late in one of those seasons.
00:46:03
Speaker
so so And then he had the separated shoulder in 2008 kind of thing and stuff. And not to mention the collarbones, my knee, and all that kind of stuff. And he had the thumb issue his last year as a starter and all.
00:46:17
Speaker
The calf issue, the knee yeah The ankle issue. And I forget who it was, but I know it wasn't just one person, but I want to say it was Tundra Vision who said, like...
00:46:30
Speaker
Brett totally recalibrated what what play you know injury prone is for. And we can't even take that at face value because dude was a Vicodin addict. Like how much of that was truly natural and how much of that was opioids driven being on the era where you're just concussed all the time kind of thing.
00:46:51
Speaker
I mean, far did the injuries, what the Patriots and the Chiefs have done with Super Bowls. Everybody thinks that, You know, they should just play through it. And, you know, it's just that easy to do.
00:47:02
Speaker
The symbolism of Favre's starting experience the one where he got concussed against the Giants, went out of the game, came back to throw a touchdown, and then went out of the game.
00:47:14
Speaker
They thought he was sitting on the bench. Yeah. So like, excuse us for like, and so many people
Injury-prone Players Debate and Farewell
00:47:23
Speaker
are saying it. Like, I forget who, there's a bunch of like, and you know, it's bad when like Schneidman and stuff are like, get a load of this what tweet And then you have like Mina Kimes and um who else? There's a couple of like the national reporters who are like,
00:47:41
Speaker
The quarterback, everyone gets hurt, especially as they keep tacking games onto the season kind of thing. Everyone's getting hurt at this point. And And um it's like, you look at the starting, the starting, the started game started list. It's like Favre and then a big chunk to Eli Manning.
00:47:59
Speaker
And then I think Phillip Rivers is like somewhere relatively on his heels. And then... Yeah, like, then the list drops off by like 100 games or something like that.
00:48:10
Speaker
And so, and and like I said, at the very root of said, he hit a hand on a helmet. First off, that fucking hurts. Second off, it wasn't his throwing hand.
00:48:22
Speaker
And then before we were even, like, this was even being discussed... You know, on Thursday when they have the inner squad scrimmage, what does love come out? Oh, yeah, this was the middle of the regular season, would have just shot it up and wrapped it and played with it kind of thing. Put it in the glove.
00:48:38
Speaker
You have splint. It's not like he's throwing with that hand. And I appreciate that Jordan is at the point where he has the wherewithal to just kind of laugh at it and take it in stride kind of thing and all. But I know, like, I appreciate that everyone with common sense and something between, some sort of resistance between their ears is like,
00:48:58
Speaker
this What are we doing here? All I got to say is shut the fuck up. That's all I got to And on that note, I will say, please support the channel.
00:49:11
Speaker
Check out the website, ohanapackers.org. Buy some merch. You know, the season's coming in upon us. That means Joe's going to be thinking up some new merch as the season goes along, as we have new heroes and guys, you know, stamp their case for how they represent the Packers. I'm sure we'll come up with new stickers, decals, and stuff.
00:49:32
Speaker
um Check out all of the articles. Carlos has ah um been on a rampant pace of late. Granted, there's a lot more things to talk about because we have real football, but Carlos has been putting them up and putting them down, and we really appreciate all the work he's doing there.
00:49:47
Speaker
Cheese Head TV, or Cheese...
00:49:51
Speaker
It's still the preseason. Yes, thank you. Cheese Talk Pod. It's on there as well. Sorry, Brian. and Sorry, Brian. and Check us out on all the social medias on Twitter at Ohana underscore Packers, Instagram at Ohana Packers edition.
00:50:09
Speaker
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00:50:37
Speaker
But until next time, that's Iowa Joe. I'm Mike. Go Pack Go and Aloha.