00:00:07
Speaker 1: Hi everybody, welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers.com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by my partner in everything Packers, Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here from the Pottawatomie Sportsbook studio inside the walls of Lambeau Field. And Wes, next up for the Green Bay Packers, Sunday night football at Lambeau against the Dallas Cowboys. They will come in with a 2-3 record and a little bit of extra rest coming off of a Thursday night game from a week ago, but A Thursday night game that did not go their way, they dropped a home game to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But as I said on our Three Things video after practice on Wednesday, if anybody thinks that that game a week ago Thursday night against the Buccaneers is representative of what this Cowboys team is about, you're sorely mistaken because this is a better team than that one.
00:01:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, Mike, it's a... The problem for the Cowboys right now that they're running into is they are a good football team that has been highly inconsistent, and highly inconsistent in multiple different phases. But when you look at their overall output offensively, when Dak Prescott is healthy, Dak Prescott is dangerous, and he has weapons to utilize within that offense to be able to put points on the board. So I think going through the locker room on Wednesday and listening to guys talk about it, Jordan Love also mentioned it, The Packers understand they're going to need to put up some points here. I don't think you can necessarily go into this game expecting Jonathan Gannon's defense to hold the Cowboys to seven points. Sure. The Packers understand that in some ways this could be a track race. And you go back to last season, Marshawn Lloyd, a guy that didn't play in that game, but he was asked for his recollections of it, and he's like, two really good offensive teams. And I think that was one of the things that kind of got lost in how Green Bay let that thing get away from them is the fact that the Packers were putting up points and the Cowboys were putting up points. It ended up being the second highest scoring tie in NFL history. So, yeah, this is going to be a marathon and the Packers have to be ready for it.
00:02:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, you look at that group of weapons, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens on the outside, Jake Ferguson, the former Wisconsin Badger at tight end, Javante Williams at running back. They haven't done very well running the ball, but Williams has six rushing touchdowns. So when they get down in there close, they know how to punch it in. And I know they only scored the 16 points against the Buccaneers a week ago Thursday, but you look back, the three games prior to that, they scored 102 points total over those three games. They went 2-1 during that stretch, playing high-scoring games. Their defense giving up points, but their offense also putting a lot on the board. In my opinion, this is the biggest challenge so far this year. for Jonathan Gannon's defense. I know the Minnesota Vikings certainly have a bunch of weapons, but when it was Kyler Murray's first game and then Carson Wentz coming off the bench, that's not the same as Dak Prescott, you know, a guy who's as experienced and as accomplished as he is. So big time challenge. And as far as the pass defense goes, we'll have to see how the rest of the week plays out. But as of now, when we're taping our show, Keyshawn Nixon, Benjamin St. Juice, two of the Packers' top four cornerbacks, both missed practice on Wednesday. Nixon with a groin injury, St. Juice with a hamstring. So hopefully those guys are on the quick mend here because I think the Packers are going to need all hands on deck in the secondary in this one.
00:03:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, the Cowboys are fascinating when you really break it down. Now, unfortunately for them, they have been one of the worst rushing offenses in the league this season, as you illustrated. They're 30th right now in rushing offense. But Dak Prescott, they've been in the sprint mode where, yeah, they've put up a lot of yards. I think they're fifth in passing yards. Their time of possession has been very poor this year because they haven't been able to establish the run. But when they are inside the red zone, it's the second most potent red zone offense in the National Football League this season. So they know how to punch it in. Jake Ferguson's stats aren't going to wall you, but then you see the three touchdown catches, right? They have guys, whether it's through the pass or whether it is Williams, that can get into the end zone. So Yeah, for the Packers, we're going to have to see what all this means. It was one of the more surprising injury reports. I mean, you obviously went to practice, so you had that inkling beforehand, but when you see the totality of the injuries that Green Bay had coming out of that game, this is the way it usually ends up going. You have guys that play through stuff that we never know about, and then afterwards they're feeling it. So whether it's Keyshawn, who in all of his time with the Packers, has very rarely ever popped up on an injury report, let alone missed a game. I mean, there's a consecutive game streak there now that he's had that he maintained even last year because he played in that finale against Minnesota at his own behest. So this is a guy that does not miss time. So that is one big name. Defensive line-wise, we know Javon Hargrave is out right now. He's going to miss the rest of the season with the Achilles. Jonathan Ford did not practice on Wednesday. you do have a Jordan Riley come back to practice. He's on PUP and he has a window now to return, but he's coming off an Achilles. So yeah, Green Bay defensively, a lot of question marks there. And this is a very dangerous opponent to be having to face those with. Yeah.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: And the Packers, as we saw last week, when they went about replacing Edger and Cooper with kind of this tag team of Isaiah McDuffie and Tyron Hopper, well now, you know, that's on film and now the Cowboys know, you know, what, uh, what the Packers are doing there with Cooper not in the lineup. Um, So we'll have to see. Switching to the other side of the ball, as we've mentioned, the Cowboys' defense is struggling. Former Packers assistant coach Christian Parker is the defensive coordinator. The Cowboys now have just brought in former Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettin as a consultant for Parker as they try to get that defense straightened out. A couple of familiar faces, of course, on that side of the ball. Kenny Clark in the interior of that D-line next to Quinn and Williams. and Rashawn Gary on the edge for Dallas. So an interesting matchup here from that standpoint. But with the way the Packers got the explosive plays going against the Chicago Bears and with a struggling Dallas defense coming into Lambeau, I think you have to kind of prepare for the Cowboys to do everything they can to take away the shots down the field. And the Packers are going to need to run the ball. They're going to need to use the short game. They're going to have to execute All that stuff really close to the line of scrimmage to earn their opportunities to take their shots. That's how this one feels to me.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: What 1,000%, Mike. And yeah, I mean, right now the Cowboys are looking for something to hang their hat on. You mentioned Christian Parker. Well, now actually Mike Pettin being back, right? Him being hired onto that staff as an assistant, as a consultant. They're trying to find something to get their defensive front going right now. Only five sacks on the season. Only, I think it was like 19 quarterback hits. I mean, they've just had, they have struggled mightily to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. And then you factor in the, you know, the fact that they've struggled as much as they have against the run now. Yeah. Marshawn Lloyd and Matt LaFleur, everybody was very complimentary of what they have done defensively and that maybe the numbers aren't exactly indicative of the type of unit that Christian Parker has there and some of the early growing pains. But the fact of the matter is, and the thing I will continue to keep pointing out, is the Packers, for coming off that loss to the Falcons, struggling to stop Bijan Robinson... They came out the following weekend, and they held Bucky Irving under seven yards for his longest carry.
00:07:22
Speaker 1: Right.
00:07:23
Speaker 2: Against the Cowboys, Bucky Irving averaged 7.9 yards per carry.
00:07:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, he busted off, what was it, a 70-plus or something in that game, but was awfully productive.
00:07:31
Speaker 2: In that ballgame. And again, you call it what you want. It's still a run. It's still on film. And again, we'll get into keys of victories here momentarily, but for Green Bay's rushing offense that has struggled, 32nd league in productivity, double digits down from the 32nd ranked team or the 31st ranked team in terms of average per game. I mean, the Packers have a lot of ground to make up there, but they're also going up against the run defense from Dallas. They're giving up over 160 yards per game.
00:07:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, it's three and two Packers, the two and three Cowboys. Packers trying to win their third in a row and keep climbing this ladder as they've been digging out of the early one and two hole that they dug for themselves. The Cowboys are going to come in, I would say, borderline desperate. You don't want to fall to 2-4 at this stage of the season. They need to get themselves back to. 500. So let's just dive right into it. Keys to victory. I'll toss it over to you first. What rises to the top of the list for you as we break down this matchup?
00:08:31
Speaker 2: Winning on first down. When you go back to that game on Sunday against the Bears, that's where the Packers broke them down on both sides of the ball. They won on first down. When it came to the running offense, they finally started getting those four or five-yard carries against lighter boxes that made the Chicago Bears make a decision with how they want to use their safeties. They have to do that again in this matchup. They have to be able to break the opportunities there when they're presented. And I think Marshawn Lloyd has a responsibility in that. I think Caleb Johnson has a responsibility in that. The former third-round pick of the Steelers, whom the Packers acquired, struggled with some fumbles here early on, but we've seen the home run element that he provides. He has some big runs and a very limited amount of work so far this season. In Marshawn, as he's talked about, you know, the idea of, you know, running behind his pads more, being more decisive, not always trying to dance around guys, trying to make people miss, understand that he can use his body to make people miss physically. They got to get those guys going. I think it was a step in the You have to build that momentum. And conversely, you can't allow Dak Prescott to get in second and third and manageable because that's when that offense is going to hit full tilt. CeeDee Lamb, Packers have had some good games against him, but they also can see how quickly he can change the whole circumference, the whole scene of what the Packers are going to be facing. So George Pickens, another very talented guy, they have invested heavily into their offense. You look at the offense, line, they don't give up a lot of sacks. They don't give up a ton of quarterback hits either. So the Packers have to win early on to control the game.
00:10:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Prescott's only been sacked six times this year, which is pretty impressive considering how often they throw the football. So yeah, you got to give them Got to give them credit there. It's not going to be easy to generate pressure, and Prescott may not be the scrambler that he was earlier in his career, but he can be awfully manipulative with that footwork back there in the pocket. I'm with you 100% on the offensive side of the ball for the Packers. I think this is the game that the Packers have to get their running game going. They have to get to the point where they've established something on the ground. because I think the Cowboys are going to be very focused on taking away the explosive play. They're going to try to make the Packers drive the ball 10, 12, 13 plays down the field and count on some kind of a mistake, a holding penalty, some other, you know, a drop pass, whatever it might be. They're going to try to make the Packers go the long way. And that goes back to just what you said of winning on first down. Packers can't be running the ball and then be in second and 10. You need to be in second and six or second and five, right? Um, And if the running game is still a struggle, then Matt LaFleur and the offensive staff, they need to have the answers to the short, quick passes, the high completion percentage stuff that can function as a running game to bring that Dallas defense up so that then you can pick your spots of when you want to go deep. This is, as I said before, I think this is about executing the little things for Green Bay because it's going to be very hard unless you make Dallas play you honest, it's going to be very hard to take shots downfield. This is going to be a really, really interesting test for Green Bay's offense. Can they do the little things right?
00:11:55
Speaker 2: And when teams have beaten Dallas this season, and also going back to last season, it's when they have those body blows that lead to the explosive plays. I mean, Deron Bland... I think has in some ways righted the ship a little bit this year, but there has still been some critique about his ability of giving up the explosive, for giving up the big play. Packers have to take advantage of that. And then conversely, another point that I made in one of the stories I wrote this week, I can't remember which one it was, but maybe it was inbox. You go back to these last seven games, Dak Prescott has one win over the Packers. That includes playoffs. He's thrown 10 interceptions. in those games. I mean, this is going to be critical for the Packers right now to be able to find those opportunities. Prescott is so darn good, and he gets the ball out, and he throws in rhythm, and you can just tell when he is ticking and everything's clicking, it is going to be a long afternoon. But every once in a while, he will put one up there. He'll put a 50-50 ball on somebody that leads, kind of tilts towards the defense. Can Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams... Brandon sees it. Can those guys maximize those chances?
00:12:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's what Eben Williams was talking about in the locker room on Wednesday, and I wrote a story about this matchup of the Packers' defense against this really explosive Dallas offense. You can check that out on Packers.com. You've got a story about Marshawn Lloyd and the running game, so check that out as well. Williams and McKinney as well, I was talking to those guys about the whole disguise element, right? With the way the Packers like to disguise their coverages in the secondary, you know, right up until the snap and try to get the quarterback thinking or not being quite sure what kind of a coverage they're in. Now that's a lot harder to do that against Dak Prescott versus Tyson Bajan and Jalen Daniels and these other younger quarterbacks that Packers have faced. But McKinney said, you know, even if you, even if you're only going to get him like a couple of times, But you have to stick with it. You still have to keep trying to disguise, hold it as long as you can up until the snap without compromising where you need to be and what you have to get into. And then it can be those couple of times, as you just said, where then the ball is up in the air and he's made a throw when maybe it wasn't the right coverage for him to make that throw. And then one of the safeties needs to swoop over and make the play. This trio of safeties... And it's really not fair to call Javon Bullard a safety, although he can certainly play that, but you're talking Bullard in the slot and then McKinney and Williams as safeties. The way those guys kind of move around almost like a triangle or like a semi-circle type of thing on the field, the way they rotate and shift, I mean, that's where the Packers build in their disguise to try to not give away to the quarterback what kind of coverage they're in. And If you can catch Prescott maybe once or twice in this game, then perhaps that's the opportunity for a turnover.
00:14:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's fun when you watch how the game has evolved, right? Because, you know, Jonathan Gannon, he came out of that tree with, you know, Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, right? And Zimmer, we always talk so much, I always talk so much about the double A gap, you know, blitzes and things like that and where that pressure is going to come from. But then you think of like Harrison Smith and the fact that the times where he's mugging up on the offensive line or the line of scrimmage, then he pulls back into a free safety position. I mean, the number of ways that you can manipulate things on the defensive side of the ball, it's what Green Bay was so successful against with Tyson Bajent. And then to be able to do that now against a veteran, that's a different level and a different challenge. Prescott has been out there for 10 years now. He has seen it all. He has done it all. He's going to have to be able to, you're going to have to be able to roll with the punches with an opponent like that. That being said, um, I just, I love the groove that this defense is in right now. And one of my main takeaways from Sunday's win over the Bears was, okay, you don't have Edger and Cooper. Micah Parsons isn't there yet to save everything in the eyes of some fans. Who's going to be the people that step up? And that's where Xavier McKinney ends up with two interceptions. That's where Brandon Ceci on back-to-back plays ends a drive, right? Zaire Franklin, we've talked so much about Adrian Cooper. Well, there's Zaire Franklin sniffing out run schemes and getting third-and-one stops. You need all of that to be a good defense, and Green Bay's getting it right now.
00:16:18
Speaker 1: Absolutely. Well, we'll take a quick break to pay some bills and hear a quick word from our sponsors. Sirius XM NFL Radio delivers hard-hitting analysis and up-to-the-minute NFL news that true football fanatics need 24-7, 365. Did you know Lambeau Field is just one of our state's many wonders? Start making unforgettable memories on your next vacation. Discover Granddad Bluff and more at TravelWisconsin.com slash wonders. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Quick look around the league week six, Wes. Not a whole lot going on in the NFC North because both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions have an early week six buy. The Chicago Bears are at the Atlanta Falcons. An interesting matchup here because I think the expectation is Caleb Williams will be back at quarterback for the Bears. It doesn't seem 100% yet, but things are leaning that way. And the Falcons coming off of, I mean, Falcons were playing some really, really good football with, you know, their win here at Lambeau on that Thursday night. And then, you know, they just steamrolled the Saints on Monday night football. But then they lost a tough one to a backup quarterback in Snoop Huntley with Baltimore. That was a big win for the Ravens on Sunday night football in overtime. Michael Penix ended up leaving that game with a rib injury. I'm not sure what his status is.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: Sounds like it might be positive for this week. Yeah.
00:17:44
Speaker 1: I mean, and, you know.
00:17:45
Speaker 2: Tua did not do him any favors.
00:17:47
Speaker 1: No, Tua came in and threw the interception in overtime that ended that game, so I'm sure the Falcons really want to get Penix back. But this is an interesting one for both teams, and obviously it has major implications in the NFC North with where the Bears are at 3-2 tied with Green Bay.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. And I think for Atlanta, this is a new test too because this Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson thing they have going is going to be what carries them throughout this season because I just don't know at this point if you can count on Penix. Week in and week out being available, it just seems like there's always a nick, there's always a cut. Not to say it's an extremely tough game, but the way he plays the position, it kind of feels like a Jackson Dart sort of light situation. And I don't think Tua is going to be the guy to really get that team on track if Pennix isn't out there. I thought you saw the growth in Pennix in the game against Green Bay and the game against New Orleans.
00:18:39
Speaker 1: No doubt.
00:18:39
Speaker 2: They need more of that going forward. For Chicago, big gut check. This is a tough week. Yeah. You know, Caleb Williams is back, but there was a lot of other things that went awry for them in that game against Green Bay, including the defense and being able to stop the aerial passing attack. Now you shift the focus to that offensive line and trying to find a way to solve the Robinson problem. But it's a much different Falcons team than it was. And I think as difficult as that loss was, you have to imagine the back of their heads. They're thinking, OK, well, if Penix is still out there down the stretch, do you get that win?
00:19:10
Speaker 1: And again, the Bears are on the road. And I talked about this last week going into the matchup. There is a huge difference in how the Chicago Bears defense plays at Soldier Field versus on the roads. Statistically now for the last season and a half, it's about a two touchdown difference. It's like a 12 to 13 point difference in their points allowed at home versus on the road. And they're going into the dome there down in Atlanta. I'll throw a few other games at you. And just to get your thoughts, Seattle at Denver Thursday night football coming up later tonight. I'm just, I'll say this. I'm curious if the defending Superbowl champions are going to get tagged with their third loss by the middle of October. I think that part of it is interesting with what the 49ers are doing. And Seattle, I mean, if they take a third loss right now, you know, and they've already lost the first head-to-head matchup with the 49ers, that puts them in a tough spot.
00:20:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Sean Payton, you know, matching wits with Mike McDonald is going to be fun, too. Two of the best coaching minds on their respective side of the ball is going to be cool. Just, I mean, honestly, it's about one thing tonight.
00:20:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly.
00:20:18
Speaker 2: And I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now. Oh, my God.
00:20:21
Speaker 1: Just trying to get through the day. But I'll throw a couple others at you on Sunday. Carolina at Philadelphia. The Eagles, they've got some stuff to figure out and get things back on track. And then I think an interesting one in the AFC is Buffalo at the Raiders. With the Raiders coming really close to beating the Chiefs and staying undefeated a couple weeks ago, but that didn't go their way. And Buffalo with another tough road test. Now, I believe after the Monday night game against the Rams out in LA. Buffalo stayed out on the West Coast.
00:20:56
Speaker 2: Oh, really?
00:20:57
Speaker 1: To now play Las Vegas.
00:20:58
Speaker 2: I did not see that.
00:20:59
Speaker 1: They did not fly all the way back to Buffalo. They stayed out on the West Coast, and then they're going to play in Vegas against the Raiders and then head home after that. So that one, I think, is a really interesting AFC matchup here.
00:21:12
Speaker 2: Contender-pretender time for the Raiders. That was sort of the narrative going into that thing. I think there was a big emotional dump losing that game to Kansas City. Kirk Cousins, already some questions there. You hear the Mendoza stuff. It's weird that they're in this position, that they've actually been a lot more competitive than I think people thought they would be. Absolutely. But when you have the number one overall pick, obviously people are going to be calling for that. I love the point you made, though. When you look at just how that AFC West is shaping up right now, so much has happened in that division that I just did not expect. I mean, Davis Webb was the bell of the ball this offseason. People talking about, hey, Is Peyton going to have to give up the play calling in order to keep him if he's going to get another opportunity? Jim Harbaugh is, for the first time ever, really, think about it. Maybe going back to San Diego State, I don't know how the first... He's in a lurch right now. They are way below. 500, and they're taking on an undefeated Kansas City Chiefs team. I mean, this could absolutely be the backbreaker for the Chargers. I mean, watching those videos come out of there, those press conferences, it is not looking positive for L.A., and then... Obviously, Kansas City, they get Mahomes back from the ACL, and they just, they're them again. Yeah.
00:22:23
Speaker 1: You think Carolina goes into Philly and knocks off the Eagles?
00:22:26
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:22:26
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:22:27
Speaker 2: I think, and you know, Carolina's coming off the bye.
00:22:30
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:22:31
Speaker 2: I think Bryce Young is just in a rhythm, man. He's in a flow state.
00:22:34
Speaker 1: I think that offense of Carolina's is starting to look scary.
00:22:37
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:22:38
Speaker 1: Because Bryce Young is settling into his own, I mean, Ted McMillan is a guy that is proving that He can show up week in and week out and be a really, really consistent weapon. And, yeah, I think, you know, we're going to see that Carolina offense at Lambeau Field here shortly enough. And that team is looking like one that is definitely on the rise.
00:22:59
Speaker 2: The other thing I love, too, like Chuba Hubbard is literally– I was trying to think of a comparison of this. He almost reminds me of, like, the Panthers' Edgar Bennett because it's like he– They've had all these different guys, right? Dowdle came in, looked really good. They've been wanting and praying Jonathan Brooks to be the guy and he just cannot stay healthy. I mean, you talk about the things that Marshawn Lloyd has overcome in Green Bay. I mean, what Brooks has gone through and it just doesn't look like it's going to work out. And Hubbard is always the constant. He's the guy that they have in that offense. And now they've added McMillan. They have more explosiveness to it. For a team that three years ago I thought looked rather hopeless because it just didn't look like it was going to work out with Bryce Young, for them to kind of get their mojo back a little bit, this is a big game. They can go into Philly and knock off the Eagles, and with all the questions that the Eagles fans have right now about Hurts and the structure of the offense and whether or not this is a fit for him, there's a lot there for the Panthers to grab onto.
00:23:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think an intriguing game there in the NFC, but With that, we'll call it a wrap on this edition.
00:24:02
Speaker 2: We're not even going to do it? We're not even going to do it?
00:24:04
Speaker 1: It's up to you.
00:24:05
Speaker 2: It's a big day at Lambeau Field. And Mike Spofford's birthday, I wanted a graphic on X. I wanted a graphic on IG. I still have not seen one on Packers Social. There's still plenty of time at the time we're shooting this. But Mike Spofford, I wish you the deepest and the most sincere happy birthdays ever. I want to get this on camera. Because I do never count the chickens before they hatch, but I cannot think of any better way to celebrate Mike Spofford's 32nd birthday than a Brewers victory tonight in L.A. that would catapult them to the World Series.
00:24:42
Speaker 1: To me?
00:24:44
Speaker 2: That sounds like destiny.
00:24:45
Speaker 1: That would be the ultimate birthday present. Absolutely. I thank you. I was trying to get off the air before we had to mention my birthday, but yeah, I figured.
00:24:54
Speaker 2: I would have stormed out of the studio before I let that happen.
00:24:58
Speaker 1: Well, with that, we will now call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and everything. of Sunday night's game from Lambeau Field against the Cowboys. We'll have it all for you on Packers.com. For Wes, I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in, everybody, and we will see you next time.
00:25:15
Speaker 2: Happy birthday, Scott.
Speaker 1: Hi everybody, welcome to another edition of Packers Unscripted from Packers.com. I am Mike Spofford, joined by my partner in everything Packers, Wes Hodkowitz. We're coming to you here from the Pottawatomie Sportsbook studio inside the walls of Lambeau Field. And Wes, next up for the Green Bay Packers, Sunday night football at Lambeau against the Dallas Cowboys. They will come in with a 2-3 record and a little bit of extra rest coming off of a Thursday night game from a week ago, but A Thursday night game that did not go their way, they dropped a home game to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But as I said on our Three Things video after practice on Wednesday, if anybody thinks that that game a week ago Thursday night against the Buccaneers is representative of what this Cowboys team is about, you're sorely mistaken because this is a better team than that one.
00:01:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, Mike, it's a... The problem for the Cowboys right now that they're running into is they are a good football team that has been highly inconsistent, and highly inconsistent in multiple different phases. But when you look at their overall output offensively, when Dak Prescott is healthy, Dak Prescott is dangerous, and he has weapons to utilize within that offense to be able to put points on the board. So I think going through the locker room on Wednesday and listening to guys talk about it, Jordan Love also mentioned it, The Packers understand they're going to need to put up some points here. I don't think you can necessarily go into this game expecting Jonathan Gannon's defense to hold the Cowboys to seven points. Sure. The Packers understand that in some ways this could be a track race. And you go back to last season, Marshawn Lloyd, a guy that didn't play in that game, but he was asked for his recollections of it, and he's like, two really good offensive teams. And I think that was one of the things that kind of got lost in how Green Bay let that thing get away from them is the fact that the Packers were putting up points and the Cowboys were putting up points. It ended up being the second highest scoring tie in NFL history. So, yeah, this is going to be a marathon and the Packers have to be ready for it.
00:02:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, you look at that group of weapons, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens on the outside, Jake Ferguson, the former Wisconsin Badger at tight end, Javante Williams at running back. They haven't done very well running the ball, but Williams has six rushing touchdowns. So when they get down in there close, they know how to punch it in. And I know they only scored the 16 points against the Buccaneers a week ago Thursday, but you look back, the three games prior to that, they scored 102 points total over those three games. They went 2-1 during that stretch, playing high-scoring games. Their defense giving up points, but their offense also putting a lot on the board. In my opinion, this is the biggest challenge so far this year. for Jonathan Gannon's defense. I know the Minnesota Vikings certainly have a bunch of weapons, but when it was Kyler Murray's first game and then Carson Wentz coming off the bench, that's not the same as Dak Prescott, you know, a guy who's as experienced and as accomplished as he is. So big time challenge. And as far as the pass defense goes, we'll have to see how the rest of the week plays out. But as of now, when we're taping our show, Keyshawn Nixon, Benjamin St. Juice, two of the Packers' top four cornerbacks, both missed practice on Wednesday. Nixon with a groin injury, St. Juice with a hamstring. So hopefully those guys are on the quick mend here because I think the Packers are going to need all hands on deck in the secondary in this one.
00:03:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, the Cowboys are fascinating when you really break it down. Now, unfortunately for them, they have been one of the worst rushing offenses in the league this season, as you illustrated. They're 30th right now in rushing offense. But Dak Prescott, they've been in the sprint mode where, yeah, they've put up a lot of yards. I think they're fifth in passing yards. Their time of possession has been very poor this year because they haven't been able to establish the run. But when they are inside the red zone, it's the second most potent red zone offense in the National Football League this season. So they know how to punch it in. Jake Ferguson's stats aren't going to wall you, but then you see the three touchdown catches, right? They have guys, whether it's through the pass or whether it is Williams, that can get into the end zone. So Yeah, for the Packers, we're going to have to see what all this means. It was one of the more surprising injury reports. I mean, you obviously went to practice, so you had that inkling beforehand, but when you see the totality of the injuries that Green Bay had coming out of that game, this is the way it usually ends up going. You have guys that play through stuff that we never know about, and then afterwards they're feeling it. So whether it's Keyshawn, who in all of his time with the Packers, has very rarely ever popped up on an injury report, let alone missed a game. I mean, there's a consecutive game streak there now that he's had that he maintained even last year because he played in that finale against Minnesota at his own behest. So this is a guy that does not miss time. So that is one big name. Defensive line-wise, we know Javon Hargrave is out right now. He's going to miss the rest of the season with the Achilles. Jonathan Ford did not practice on Wednesday. you do have a Jordan Riley come back to practice. He's on PUP and he has a window now to return, but he's coming off an Achilles. So yeah, Green Bay defensively, a lot of question marks there. And this is a very dangerous opponent to be having to face those with. Yeah.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: And the Packers, as we saw last week, when they went about replacing Edger and Cooper with kind of this tag team of Isaiah McDuffie and Tyron Hopper, well now, you know, that's on film and now the Cowboys know, you know, what, uh, what the Packers are doing there with Cooper not in the lineup. Um, So we'll have to see. Switching to the other side of the ball, as we've mentioned, the Cowboys' defense is struggling. Former Packers assistant coach Christian Parker is the defensive coordinator. The Cowboys now have just brought in former Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettin as a consultant for Parker as they try to get that defense straightened out. A couple of familiar faces, of course, on that side of the ball. Kenny Clark in the interior of that D-line next to Quinn and Williams. and Rashawn Gary on the edge for Dallas. So an interesting matchup here from that standpoint. But with the way the Packers got the explosive plays going against the Chicago Bears and with a struggling Dallas defense coming into Lambeau, I think you have to kind of prepare for the Cowboys to do everything they can to take away the shots down the field. And the Packers are going to need to run the ball. They're going to need to use the short game. They're going to have to execute All that stuff really close to the line of scrimmage to earn their opportunities to take their shots. That's how this one feels to me.
00:06:24
Speaker 2: What 1,000%, Mike. And yeah, I mean, right now the Cowboys are looking for something to hang their hat on. You mentioned Christian Parker. Well, now actually Mike Pettin being back, right? Him being hired onto that staff as an assistant, as a consultant. They're trying to find something to get their defensive front going right now. Only five sacks on the season. Only, I think it was like 19 quarterback hits. I mean, they've just had, they have struggled mightily to get pressure on the opposing quarterback. And then you factor in the, you know, the fact that they've struggled as much as they have against the run now. Yeah. Marshawn Lloyd and Matt LaFleur, everybody was very complimentary of what they have done defensively and that maybe the numbers aren't exactly indicative of the type of unit that Christian Parker has there and some of the early growing pains. But the fact of the matter is, and the thing I will continue to keep pointing out, is the Packers, for coming off that loss to the Falcons, struggling to stop Bijan Robinson... They came out the following weekend, and they held Bucky Irving under seven yards for his longest carry.
00:07:22
Speaker 1: Right.
00:07:23
Speaker 2: Against the Cowboys, Bucky Irving averaged 7.9 yards per carry.
00:07:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, he busted off, what was it, a 70-plus or something in that game, but was awfully productive.
00:07:31
Speaker 2: In that ballgame. And again, you call it what you want. It's still a run. It's still on film. And again, we'll get into keys of victories here momentarily, but for Green Bay's rushing offense that has struggled, 32nd league in productivity, double digits down from the 32nd ranked team or the 31st ranked team in terms of average per game. I mean, the Packers have a lot of ground to make up there, but they're also going up against the run defense from Dallas. They're giving up over 160 yards per game.
00:07:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, it's three and two Packers, the two and three Cowboys. Packers trying to win their third in a row and keep climbing this ladder as they've been digging out of the early one and two hole that they dug for themselves. The Cowboys are going to come in, I would say, borderline desperate. You don't want to fall to 2-4 at this stage of the season. They need to get themselves back to. 500. So let's just dive right into it. Keys to victory. I'll toss it over to you first. What rises to the top of the list for you as we break down this matchup?
00:08:31
Speaker 2: Winning on first down. When you go back to that game on Sunday against the Bears, that's where the Packers broke them down on both sides of the ball. They won on first down. When it came to the running offense, they finally started getting those four or five-yard carries against lighter boxes that made the Chicago Bears make a decision with how they want to use their safeties. They have to do that again in this matchup. They have to be able to break the opportunities there when they're presented. And I think Marshawn Lloyd has a responsibility in that. I think Caleb Johnson has a responsibility in that. The former third-round pick of the Steelers, whom the Packers acquired, struggled with some fumbles here early on, but we've seen the home run element that he provides. He has some big runs and a very limited amount of work so far this season. In Marshawn, as he's talked about, you know, the idea of, you know, running behind his pads more, being more decisive, not always trying to dance around guys, trying to make people miss, understand that he can use his body to make people miss physically. They got to get those guys going. I think it was a step in the You have to build that momentum. And conversely, you can't allow Dak Prescott to get in second and third and manageable because that's when that offense is going to hit full tilt. CeeDee Lamb, Packers have had some good games against him, but they also can see how quickly he can change the whole circumference, the whole scene of what the Packers are going to be facing. So George Pickens, another very talented guy, they have invested heavily into their offense. You look at the offense, line, they don't give up a lot of sacks. They don't give up a ton of quarterback hits either. So the Packers have to win early on to control the game.
00:10:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think Prescott's only been sacked six times this year, which is pretty impressive considering how often they throw the football. So yeah, you got to give them Got to give them credit there. It's not going to be easy to generate pressure, and Prescott may not be the scrambler that he was earlier in his career, but he can be awfully manipulative with that footwork back there in the pocket. I'm with you 100% on the offensive side of the ball for the Packers. I think this is the game that the Packers have to get their running game going. They have to get to the point where they've established something on the ground. because I think the Cowboys are going to be very focused on taking away the explosive play. They're going to try to make the Packers drive the ball 10, 12, 13 plays down the field and count on some kind of a mistake, a holding penalty, some other, you know, a drop pass, whatever it might be. They're going to try to make the Packers go the long way. And that goes back to just what you said of winning on first down. Packers can't be running the ball and then be in second and 10. You need to be in second and six or second and five, right? Um, And if the running game is still a struggle, then Matt LaFleur and the offensive staff, they need to have the answers to the short, quick passes, the high completion percentage stuff that can function as a running game to bring that Dallas defense up so that then you can pick your spots of when you want to go deep. This is, as I said before, I think this is about executing the little things for Green Bay because it's going to be very hard unless you make Dallas play you honest, it's going to be very hard to take shots downfield. This is going to be a really, really interesting test for Green Bay's offense. Can they do the little things right?
00:11:55
Speaker 2: And when teams have beaten Dallas this season, and also going back to last season, it's when they have those body blows that lead to the explosive plays. I mean, Deron Bland... I think has in some ways righted the ship a little bit this year, but there has still been some critique about his ability of giving up the explosive, for giving up the big play. Packers have to take advantage of that. And then conversely, another point that I made in one of the stories I wrote this week, I can't remember which one it was, but maybe it was inbox. You go back to these last seven games, Dak Prescott has one win over the Packers. That includes playoffs. He's thrown 10 interceptions. in those games. I mean, this is going to be critical for the Packers right now to be able to find those opportunities. Prescott is so darn good, and he gets the ball out, and he throws in rhythm, and you can just tell when he is ticking and everything's clicking, it is going to be a long afternoon. But every once in a while, he will put one up there. He'll put a 50-50 ball on somebody that leads, kind of tilts towards the defense. Can Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams... Brandon sees it. Can those guys maximize those chances?
00:12:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's what Eben Williams was talking about in the locker room on Wednesday, and I wrote a story about this matchup of the Packers' defense against this really explosive Dallas offense. You can check that out on Packers.com. You've got a story about Marshawn Lloyd and the running game, so check that out as well. Williams and McKinney as well, I was talking to those guys about the whole disguise element, right? With the way the Packers like to disguise their coverages in the secondary, you know, right up until the snap and try to get the quarterback thinking or not being quite sure what kind of a coverage they're in. Now that's a lot harder to do that against Dak Prescott versus Tyson Bajan and Jalen Daniels and these other younger quarterbacks that Packers have faced. But McKinney said, you know, even if you, even if you're only going to get him like a couple of times, But you have to stick with it. You still have to keep trying to disguise, hold it as long as you can up until the snap without compromising where you need to be and what you have to get into. And then it can be those couple of times, as you just said, where then the ball is up in the air and he's made a throw when maybe it wasn't the right coverage for him to make that throw. And then one of the safeties needs to swoop over and make the play. This trio of safeties... And it's really not fair to call Javon Bullard a safety, although he can certainly play that, but you're talking Bullard in the slot and then McKinney and Williams as safeties. The way those guys kind of move around almost like a triangle or like a semi-circle type of thing on the field, the way they rotate and shift, I mean, that's where the Packers build in their disguise to try to not give away to the quarterback what kind of coverage they're in. And If you can catch Prescott maybe once or twice in this game, then perhaps that's the opportunity for a turnover.
00:14:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's fun when you watch how the game has evolved, right? Because, you know, Jonathan Gannon, he came out of that tree with, you know, Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, right? And Zimmer, we always talk so much, I always talk so much about the double A gap, you know, blitzes and things like that and where that pressure is going to come from. But then you think of like Harrison Smith and the fact that the times where he's mugging up on the offensive line or the line of scrimmage, then he pulls back into a free safety position. I mean, the number of ways that you can manipulate things on the defensive side of the ball, it's what Green Bay was so successful against with Tyson Bajent. And then to be able to do that now against a veteran, that's a different level and a different challenge. Prescott has been out there for 10 years now. He has seen it all. He has done it all. He's going to have to be able to, you're going to have to be able to roll with the punches with an opponent like that. That being said, um, I just, I love the groove that this defense is in right now. And one of my main takeaways from Sunday's win over the Bears was, okay, you don't have Edger and Cooper. Micah Parsons isn't there yet to save everything in the eyes of some fans. Who's going to be the people that step up? And that's where Xavier McKinney ends up with two interceptions. That's where Brandon Ceci on back-to-back plays ends a drive, right? Zaire Franklin, we've talked so much about Adrian Cooper. Well, there's Zaire Franklin sniffing out run schemes and getting third-and-one stops. You need all of that to be a good defense, and Green Bay's getting it right now.
00:16:18
Speaker 1: Absolutely. Well, we'll take a quick break to pay some bills and hear a quick word from our sponsors. Sirius XM NFL Radio delivers hard-hitting analysis and up-to-the-minute NFL news that true football fanatics need 24-7, 365. Did you know Lambeau Field is just one of our state's many wonders? Start making unforgettable memories on your next vacation. Discover Granddad Bluff and more at TravelWisconsin.com slash wonders. Welcome back to Packers Unscripted. Quick look around the league week six, Wes. Not a whole lot going on in the NFC North because both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions have an early week six buy. The Chicago Bears are at the Atlanta Falcons. An interesting matchup here because I think the expectation is Caleb Williams will be back at quarterback for the Bears. It doesn't seem 100% yet, but things are leaning that way. And the Falcons coming off of, I mean, Falcons were playing some really, really good football with, you know, their win here at Lambeau on that Thursday night. And then, you know, they just steamrolled the Saints on Monday night football. But then they lost a tough one to a backup quarterback in Snoop Huntley with Baltimore. That was a big win for the Ravens on Sunday night football in overtime. Michael Penix ended up leaving that game with a rib injury. I'm not sure what his status is.
00:17:41
Speaker 2: Sounds like it might be positive for this week. Yeah.
00:17:44
Speaker 1: I mean, and, you know.
00:17:45
Speaker 2: Tua did not do him any favors.
00:17:47
Speaker 1: No, Tua came in and threw the interception in overtime that ended that game, so I'm sure the Falcons really want to get Penix back. But this is an interesting one for both teams, and obviously it has major implications in the NFC North with where the Bears are at 3-2 tied with Green Bay.
00:18:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. And I think for Atlanta, this is a new test too because this Bijan Robinson, Brian Robinson thing they have going is going to be what carries them throughout this season because I just don't know at this point if you can count on Penix. Week in and week out being available, it just seems like there's always a nick, there's always a cut. Not to say it's an extremely tough game, but the way he plays the position, it kind of feels like a Jackson Dart sort of light situation. And I don't think Tua is going to be the guy to really get that team on track if Pennix isn't out there. I thought you saw the growth in Pennix in the game against Green Bay and the game against New Orleans.
00:18:39
Speaker 1: No doubt.
00:18:39
Speaker 2: They need more of that going forward. For Chicago, big gut check. This is a tough week. Yeah. You know, Caleb Williams is back, but there was a lot of other things that went awry for them in that game against Green Bay, including the defense and being able to stop the aerial passing attack. Now you shift the focus to that offensive line and trying to find a way to solve the Robinson problem. But it's a much different Falcons team than it was. And I think as difficult as that loss was, you have to imagine the back of their heads. They're thinking, OK, well, if Penix is still out there down the stretch, do you get that win?
00:19:10
Speaker 1: And again, the Bears are on the road. And I talked about this last week going into the matchup. There is a huge difference in how the Chicago Bears defense plays at Soldier Field versus on the roads. Statistically now for the last season and a half, it's about a two touchdown difference. It's like a 12 to 13 point difference in their points allowed at home versus on the road. And they're going into the dome there down in Atlanta. I'll throw a few other games at you. And just to get your thoughts, Seattle at Denver Thursday night football coming up later tonight. I'm just, I'll say this. I'm curious if the defending Superbowl champions are going to get tagged with their third loss by the middle of October. I think that part of it is interesting with what the 49ers are doing. And Seattle, I mean, if they take a third loss right now, you know, and they've already lost the first head-to-head matchup with the 49ers, that puts them in a tough spot.
00:20:06
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Sean Payton, you know, matching wits with Mike McDonald is going to be fun, too. Two of the best coaching minds on their respective side of the ball is going to be cool. Just, I mean, honestly, it's about one thing tonight.
00:20:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly.
00:20:18
Speaker 2: And I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now. Oh, my God.
00:20:21
Speaker 1: Just trying to get through the day. But I'll throw a couple others at you on Sunday. Carolina at Philadelphia. The Eagles, they've got some stuff to figure out and get things back on track. And then I think an interesting one in the AFC is Buffalo at the Raiders. With the Raiders coming really close to beating the Chiefs and staying undefeated a couple weeks ago, but that didn't go their way. And Buffalo with another tough road test. Now, I believe after the Monday night game against the Rams out in LA. Buffalo stayed out on the West Coast.
00:20:56
Speaker 2: Oh, really?
00:20:57
Speaker 1: To now play Las Vegas.
00:20:58
Speaker 2: I did not see that.
00:20:59
Speaker 1: They did not fly all the way back to Buffalo. They stayed out on the West Coast, and then they're going to play in Vegas against the Raiders and then head home after that. So that one, I think, is a really interesting AFC matchup here.
00:21:12
Speaker 2: Contender-pretender time for the Raiders. That was sort of the narrative going into that thing. I think there was a big emotional dump losing that game to Kansas City. Kirk Cousins, already some questions there. You hear the Mendoza stuff. It's weird that they're in this position, that they've actually been a lot more competitive than I think people thought they would be. Absolutely. But when you have the number one overall pick, obviously people are going to be calling for that. I love the point you made, though. When you look at just how that AFC West is shaping up right now, so much has happened in that division that I just did not expect. I mean, Davis Webb was the bell of the ball this offseason. People talking about, hey, Is Peyton going to have to give up the play calling in order to keep him if he's going to get another opportunity? Jim Harbaugh is, for the first time ever, really, think about it. Maybe going back to San Diego State, I don't know how the first... He's in a lurch right now. They are way below. 500, and they're taking on an undefeated Kansas City Chiefs team. I mean, this could absolutely be the backbreaker for the Chargers. I mean, watching those videos come out of there, those press conferences, it is not looking positive for L.A., and then... Obviously, Kansas City, they get Mahomes back from the ACL, and they just, they're them again. Yeah.
00:22:23
Speaker 1: You think Carolina goes into Philly and knocks off the Eagles?
00:22:26
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:22:26
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:22:27
Speaker 2: I think, and you know, Carolina's coming off the bye.
00:22:30
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:22:31
Speaker 2: I think Bryce Young is just in a rhythm, man. He's in a flow state.
00:22:34
Speaker 1: I think that offense of Carolina's is starting to look scary.
00:22:37
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:22:38
Speaker 1: Because Bryce Young is settling into his own, I mean, Ted McMillan is a guy that is proving that He can show up week in and week out and be a really, really consistent weapon. And, yeah, I think, you know, we're going to see that Carolina offense at Lambeau Field here shortly enough. And that team is looking like one that is definitely on the rise.
00:22:59
Speaker 2: The other thing I love, too, like Chuba Hubbard is literally– I was trying to think of a comparison of this. He almost reminds me of, like, the Panthers' Edgar Bennett because it's like he– They've had all these different guys, right? Dowdle came in, looked really good. They've been wanting and praying Jonathan Brooks to be the guy and he just cannot stay healthy. I mean, you talk about the things that Marshawn Lloyd has overcome in Green Bay. I mean, what Brooks has gone through and it just doesn't look like it's going to work out. And Hubbard is always the constant. He's the guy that they have in that offense. And now they've added McMillan. They have more explosiveness to it. For a team that three years ago I thought looked rather hopeless because it just didn't look like it was going to work out with Bryce Young, for them to kind of get their mojo back a little bit, this is a big game. They can go into Philly and knock off the Eagles, and with all the questions that the Eagles fans have right now about Hurts and the structure of the offense and whether or not this is a fit for him, there's a lot there for the Panthers to grab onto.
00:23:55
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think an intriguing game there in the NFC, but With that, we'll call it a wrap on this edition.
00:24:02
Speaker 2: We're not even going to do it? We're not even going to do it?
00:24:04
Speaker 1: It's up to you.
00:24:05
Speaker 2: It's a big day at Lambeau Field. And Mike Spofford's birthday, I wanted a graphic on X. I wanted a graphic on IG. I still have not seen one on Packers Social. There's still plenty of time at the time we're shooting this. But Mike Spofford, I wish you the deepest and the most sincere happy birthdays ever. I want to get this on camera. Because I do never count the chickens before they hatch, but I cannot think of any better way to celebrate Mike Spofford's 32nd birthday than a Brewers victory tonight in L.A. that would catapult them to the World Series.
00:24:42
Speaker 1: To me?
00:24:44
Speaker 2: That sounds like destiny.
00:24:45
Speaker 1: That would be the ultimate birthday present. Absolutely. I thank you. I was trying to get off the air before we had to mention my birthday, but yeah, I figured.
00:24:54
Speaker 2: I would have stormed out of the studio before I let that happen.
00:24:58
Speaker 1: Well, with that, we will now call it a wrap on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to follow all of our coverage of the team and everything. of Sunday night's game from Lambeau Field against the Cowboys. We'll have it all for you on Packers.com. For Wes, I am Mike. Thank you for tuning in, everybody, and we will see you next time.
00:25:15
Speaker 2: Happy birthday, Scott.
