Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling takes over as Clubhouse Live co-host

Marquez Valdes-Scantling's sprinter speed was on display during his 75-yard dash to the end zone during the Green Bay Packers' 34-31 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The fourth-year wideout knows a thing or two about sprints and speed given the accomplishments he earned as a standout track athlete during his prep days at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he was a member of a 400-meter relay team that won the Class 2A state championship as a senior and helped lead the Spartans to the state team title that same season.

So securing the baton and taking off is no big deal for MVS, who has agreed to do just that as our new Clubhouse Live co-host.

Fellow Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard had been hosting USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin's live weekly football show, but he had to step away due to the NFL's COVID-19 protocols.

"I guess we've got to just wait and find out," Valdes-Scantling said with a smile during Monday's appearance when asked what he has planned for the show and its fans. "I'm not really one to speak on things in the future. I just like to live in the moment."

Clubhouse Live can be seen live at The Clubhouse Sports Pub & Grill in downtown Appleton or on any of our USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Facebook pages or websites, including clubhouselive.com. It can also be seen on our YouTube channel.

Here are select and edited answers from the interview with MVS:

REPLAY:  Watch Clubhouse Live with Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Q: How would you describe what went down during Sunday's setback? It was a back-and-forth emotional game, especially in the fourth quarter.

Valdes-Scantling: Yeah, it was definitely an emotional roller coaster. It was a good game, man. They're a good football team. All their games have been won or lost by seven points or so. So it's not like they've been getting blown out and have a terrible record. They're a good football team, and they play hard. Obviously, going on the road is always going to be tough, especially against a divisional opponent. But we just kind of fell a little short. We had a lot of opportunities to go out and kind of take that game and turn it into our favor, and we just didn't make enough plays. 

Q: Offensively, you got off to a slow start again before you found a rhythm in the second half. You scored touchdowns on all three of your second-half drives and TDs on your final four drives when you exclude the kneel-down to end the first half. What changed? Why did things start to click?

Valdes-Scantling: We definitely didn't start the way we wanted to start. I think we had a field goal on our first possession, and then we kind of stalled out for the remainder of the half. But we've got a lot of playmakers, and we just kept finding a way to get them the ball. And I think that was kind of the biggest thing. For the past few weeks, we've been like up and down and all over the place trying to figure out what we want to do offensively. But we started just getting guys the ball, and it kind of helped us out.

Q: You put up 467 yards and 31 points in a hostile environment against a fierce division rival despite being ravaged with injuries. Does that speak to the depth and overall talent of your roster?

Valdes-Scantling: I think that's kind of what it has been all year - on both sides of the ball. Because we've had injuries from two All-Pros going down on the defensive side to losing all kind of guys, and we've been able to kind of just keep winning games. I think that just shows the resiliency that we have as a team and who we are as our standard. Next man up mentality.

Q: Speaking of all the adversity you guys have faced as a team, what gives you the confidence that you have the make up to - despite the injuries - not only reach the playoffs but make a deep postseason run?

Valdes-Scantling: We're just super resilient. We've got a great team, a great mindset. A lot of teams - everyone has great players. But they don't have a championship mindset to go out and think they can win every single game. And I think we've got a great leader in each and every room in each one of those positions. Even if they're not a household name, they're still a great leader in that room. And I think that's the biggest part because every team doesn't have that. And I think that's what makes our team so special is that the standard is set for everybody - not just one guy.

Obviously, having a Hall of Fame quarterback in there - but he sets that standard for that entire room. And obviously having Davante (Adams) in our room, he sets that standard. And then Aaron Jones in that room, and then obviously Marcedes Lewis and then David Bakhtiari. So on the offensive side, every single person in that room has a standard that they have to play at. 

Contact Brett Christopherson at (920) 993-7117 or bchristopherson@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PCBrettC.