Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked me to answer a few questions on the Seahawks for a weekly feature on his blog, so I had him return the favor and provide a little insight on the Packers heading into Sunday’s NFC championship Game.
Q: Aaron Rodgers obviously put up big numbers while hobbled last week, but just how limited is is game if he can’t move around like he normally does?
That’s the concern. All season, you figured that whenever the Packers would be back in Seattle, against this defense, they’d need one of those ridiculous games out of Rodgers. One of those games where he escapes the pocket, throws on the run, fits passes into impossible windows. He’s still been a MVP quarterback these last games on the calf, but he hasn’t played a defense quite like the one the Seahawks have. The offensive line —- which has been much improved since Week 1 and won’t have Derek Sherrod on the field —- will need to hold up for an extra second. And, somehow, those receivers will need to leak free on the best secondary in the NFL. Tough assignment.
Q: Some of Rodgers’ biggest pass plays to Jordy Nelson have been down the right sideline but that’s obviously not something they tried in the last meeting. Do you think we’ll see any Richard Sherman on Nelson matchups assuming Sherman stays on his side of the field? And regardless of what receiver lines up where, do you think Sherman will be targeted some this time around?
You’re right, Jordy Nelson operates mostly on that right sideline but he has shown the ability to move around in the past. When Randall Cobb went down last year with his leg injury, Nelson was actually the team’s slot receiver and he can pose problems in there at his size (6-3, 217). He’s a competitor, too. He’ll want to go against Sherman at some point. But, yeah, for the most part it’ll be Davante Adams vs. Sherman, I’d imagine. Not a great match-up for Green Bay, but Adams is a very skilled route runner and strong at the top of his route. They used to call him “Baby Megatron” back at Fresno State. I’d expect Rodgers to challenge Sherman at least a few times, whoever’s out there.
Q: The Packers’ numbers in the running game has improved since midseason. What led to the change?
Eddie Lacy snapped out of whatever funk he was in, first. A tad hesitant in the backfield, he didn’t always see the right holes through September. And this offensive line is pretty nasty; they’ll roll up their sleeves in this environment. T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton have kind of put it on their shoulders to change the national perception of the Packers as a “soft” team, and so now they’ll actually run it on third and 1 and get the first down. In the past, Mike McCarthy was more apt to spread you out and throw in those situations. Heck, remember 2012? Cedric Benson had two carries in the first half, as Rodgers was sacked eight times. Green Bay is perfectly OK running the ball now.
Q: Just how committed will the Packers be to the run game if Lacy doesn’t get going early? Will they continue to try to get him going, or abandon it and go to the air?
They’ll do everything they can to lean on Lacy in this one. With Rodgers hobbling, with that decibel level reaching insane levels, the Packers absolutely must get three, four yards out of Lacy at a time. Imagine you’ll see some of James Starks, too. They still like his slashing style, which actually might be a better fit against Seattle’s attacking defense. The players around Rodgers must elevate their games in this one. As much as McCarthy likes to poke fun at us reporters for counting the number of passes and throws in a game, it was Sitton himself (on his radio show) who pointed to the number of carries in Green Bay’s loss at Buffalo. Everyone knows how important a steady run game is.
Q: Aside from the big names like Lacy, Nelson and Cobb, who are some weapons Seahawks fans should be aware of Sunday?
Starks could be a factor, but also this tight end group has improved. There’s no Jermichael Finley threat down the seam anymore, no athletic specimen you have to account for. But Andrew Quarless and Richard Rodgers have been catching everything thrown to them. Both made critical catches against Dallas last week and will need to find room in Seattle. Rodgers is very, very slow. He ran a 4.87 at the combine. But he’s got the size to box out a linebacker. Quarless has the experience and can do damage after the catch. Tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot has absolutely maximized what he has here.
Q: What is your prediction and why?
Let’s go Seahawks 33, Packers 20. The Rodgers injury is a biggie. He might need to take a few more chances into tight coverage than he’d like to confined in the pocket. And being around the Seahawks this week, man, they are one supremely confident group.
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