Packers Strive to Surprise in NFC North with New Strategies

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00:00Hey, how about the Packers to win the North plus 275?

00:05What's the story at Lambeau and Green Bay?

00:08Yeah, and I like the drafting of Matthew Golden.

00:10They need someone who could run, but he's not really a true number one receiver.

00:14I know the Packer fans are looking for one.

00:16Christian Watson, who is their most explosive receiver, is coming off a tour in ACL.

00:21But they're still going to be very deep in receiver and tight end.

00:24The one issue I have with Matt LaFleur is he's too married to the run game.

00:29When you've got two really good tight ends, by the way, and a deep receiver core,

00:33you've got to throw the ball more.

00:34They're too married to the running game.

00:35And defensively, they've got talent.

00:39There's something that seems to happen to LaFleur who's got a losing record in the playoffs.

00:42There's just something not there.

00:44He's got to take the team to the next level.

00:46Be more aggressive.

00:47Let Jordan Love throw the football.

00:49He's too married to being balanced.

00:51They're going to be good.

00:52And by the way, their 9.5 win total, which I agree with the over there, the over is minus 120.

00:56I like them in about 10 wins.

00:58The under is plus 100.

01:00To win the North, as you mentioned, they're plus 275.

01:03The issue for me on their defense, it was a corner.

01:05Remember, they cut Jair Alexander.

01:08What about that?

01:09Did you think that was a mistake?

01:12Cutting Alexander?

01:14Well, he's the most pounded corner.

01:16No, I didn't because I know they didn't trust him.

01:18They wanted to cut his pay.

01:19They didn't think he was worth it.

01:20By the way, he signed for a very low-end deal with the Ravens, where he gets a chance to be reunited with his college teammate, Lamar Jackson.

01:29But the bottom line is they're not very good at corner.

01:31Although I do like the signing of Nate Hobbs, formerly of the Raiders, who could play nickel or he could play outside.

01:37But he's going to play outside for them mostly.

01:39He's a good football player.

01:40But Alexander's more talented.

01:42All right.

01:43Let's move to the Vikings and what O'Connell's doing in Minneapolis.

01:47And here we go now with the quarterback situation.

01:53And Kevin O'Connell's phenomenal.

01:54He calls the plays.

01:56And you look at the situation of quarterback.

02:00He did an unbelievable job with Sam Darnold, right?

02:03One of the all-time jobs.

02:04Sam Darnold was given up for dead by most people.

02:07He got a nice free agent deal with Seattle.

02:09So when you look at that, J.J. McCarthy's their first-year starter.

02:13Remember, he didn't start in the regular season.

02:14He only started the one preseason game before he tore his meniscus.

02:18Jordan Mason, I love this move.

02:19They made the trade with the Niners.

02:20I like that.

02:21Donovan Jackson will play guard, the first-round pick.

02:23Ryan Kelly's their new center, comes over from the Colts.

02:26They're revamping their front line on defense.

02:30With Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, they're older.

02:33Let's face it.

02:34They're older on the defensive line.

02:35But this is a talented team.

02:37But McCarthy is a first-year starter.

02:39The over, the over is plus 105.

02:42I actually like the over.

02:43I like them at 10 wins.

02:44See, when you look at the Packers and the Lions and the Vikings, they're all going to

02:49be sort of sandwiched together.

02:51I do agree with the odds makers there.

02:53I mean, the Vikings win a lot of games and then they fail in the playoffs.

02:58So I actually believe in O'Connell and McCarthy.

03:02We'll see if they can get it done.

03:05I think they'll win games again and be better than people think.

03:09What about the Bears in the Windy City with Mr. Johnson that we talked about?

03:13Yeah, I love Ben Johnson being there.

03:15And as someone who used to work with him told me, you're going to know very early on if the

03:20players are buying in because he coaches hard.

03:23He coaches his quarterbacks hard.

03:24He makes players accountable.

03:26He holds his coaches accountable.

03:28This is what they need.

03:29They need better discipline with their football operation, particularly with the coaches.

03:34So I look forward to seeing kind of what happens here with Ben Johnson.

03:36By the way, their over-under totals is the eight and a half.

03:40The over is plus 110.

03:42The under is 135.

03:44I see them around eight or nine wins.

03:45I could agree with that.

03:46But they are absolutely loaded on offense.

03:49Luther Byrne, the second-round receiver out of Missouri, was terrific in college.

03:52Colston Loveland, a first-round tight end where they already have Cole Komet.

03:57They're really deep at receiver.

03:59They're deep at tight end.

04:00Ben Johnson can run a lot of 11 personnel, a lot of 12 personnel.

04:03They're going to have a brand-new interior of their offensive line,

04:05two new starting guards, a new center, and Drew Dolman coming over from Atlanta.

04:09The issue for them is really not their offense,

04:11other than getting Caleb Williams to take a big jump in year two.

04:14Where is the pass rush, Scott?

04:16Same issue last season.

04:18And Dennis Allen will run a 43 front, the former Saints head coach.

04:22Thanks.

04:22.

04:26We're safe.

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