Oct 29, 2026 · 44 min
Packers’ offense faces an identity test as NFC stakes rise
Hour 2: What should the Packers identity be on offense?
The episode connects Green Bay’s offensive questions and Chicago’s defensive upgrade to a wider weekend of playoff-defining NFL matchups.
- 1Green Bay must clarify its offensive identity while Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs navigate injuries around them.
- 2Chicago’s acquisition of Jeffrey Simmons reshapes expectations for its defense before a revealing Monday night test in Seattle.
- 3The panel weighs Jared Goff’s MVP case, quarterback reliability, and which small-market team could win the next title.
Don't miss
The panel’s debate over whether the Brewers represent the year’s most improbable champion provides the episode’s sharpest turn beyond the weekend previews.
The brief
The show opens with Chicago’s acquisition of Jeffrey Simmons, then asks whether the defensive upgrade can change the Bears’ standing in a crowded NFC North.
Green Bay’s meeting with Carolina centers on Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, offensive-line injuries, and a basic question: what should the Packers’ offense be?
The Lions–Vikings showdown becomes a test of Jared Goff’s MVP case against Brian Flores’ defense, while other AFC and NFC matchups raise quarterback questions.
Chicago’s Monday night trip to Seattle turns on Sam Darnold’s pressure response, Caleb Williams’ ball security and mobility, and the coaching duel between Ben Johnson and Mike Macdonald.
The panel closes by celebrating the Brewers’ championship, debating fourth-quarter trust in Deshaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers, and naming Jacksonville as a future small-market contender.
Books & mentions
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.