The saying “Anything can happen in the playoffs” may be the Packers biggest advantage this time around. Now that every game is potentially the last, there would be no better time for a few things to bounce the Packers’ way instead of in the opposite direction.
Now, I know none of us want this Packers team to have to rely on things to just randomly bounce their way but this year, it seems like that may be necessary. It is unfortunate how beat up this team is and while the defense is playing well, the offense has continued to struggle on pretty much all fronts.
It seems that even the successful “Hail Mary” attempt against the Lions in week “lucky” thirteen did not jump start the offense and now in the playoffs the teams are better and the stakes are higher. Aaron Rodgers talked about maybe letting the ball fly a little bit more from now on and this can backfire just as easily as it helps. My personal opinion (I shared yesterday) is that if the Packers start slinging the ball around it will be a disaster unless they do it against the backdrop of a running game that the defense has been forced to respect. But the prospect of seeing what Rodgers can do if he is a little less conservative certainly can’t be much worse than some of what we have seen so far.
We may need an early “bounce” like unto Richard Rodgers’ catch against the Lions in week 13 to jump start the offense and give it the confidence it needs to beat a good Washington team.
This offense is a very timing oriented affair and having a beat up offensive line up against guys like Ryan Kerrigan will be no walk in the park. But a big play…sometimes just one big play…can make a difference in momentum and confidence. Time is running out for sure. The Packers have another 60 minutes to prove that they deserve another game on top of that and I think they do.
Anything certainly can happen, and that has not been kind to the Packers of late. Perhaps this team can have the ball bounce their way a little bit in this contest and get their feet back under them. Having to travel, while it may not generally be the best thing for most teams, may be just the ticket for the Packers who can hopefully stay focused on the job at hand and not the past (or the current criticisms) in the days preceding the game.
With a little confidence on the offensive side of the ball, this Packers team could yet make a splash in the 2015 playoffs. What do you think their chances are of taking this one? Let us know in the comments below or back on the Facebook Fanpage.
Go Pack!
Your dreaming if you think they are able to run the ball…….
They don’t need bounces just a swift kick in the butt to Mc Carthy the play caller( joke)
You could be right Bill…I may be dreaming. But I think a bounce or two our way is more likely than anyone giving McCarthy a swift kick in the butt. At this point, I would be content to see some consistent individual wins that add up to an extended drive. 😀
Realistically, Washington hasn’t beaten a team with a winning record all season. I may be underestimating their talent, but my opinion is that they’re the weakest playoff team of both conferences. Their offense is decent, especially if Cousins is allowed to get into a rhythm and they have serious speed at WR. Their front 4 on D is good, but their secondary is full of holes.
If Rodgers is to get on a roll, this is the team to do it against. Our passing game has responded well late in games against much better Ds than this with no run game. I still think we’ll struggle to run the ball with a banged up O-line and Lacy’s sore ribs. I would never suggest we don’t run at all, but running on 1st and 2nd down and consecutive 1st downs has hurt us all year long. I’d like to see a 75/25 pass/run ratio – including a few runs by Rodgers.
So my best guess is that it comes down to 5 keys:
Consistent pressure on Cousins
Turnovers
McCarthy’s play calling getting Rodgers into rhythm early with some timing routes and screens to RBs
Not calling too many run plays which plays to the strength of Redskins’ D
Rodgers playing well.
I didn’t list our O-line playing well because Rodgers can overcome most of that when performing like he’s capable, and frankly, I’d prefer to see him tuck it and run to slow down the pass rush a bit. Go Pack go!