THE NEXT MAN UP

Battered Pack Prepares to Battle Browns

The depth, resolve, and creativity of the Green Bay Packers will be tested over the course of the next several weeks. The staggering number of injuries may even leave the Packers shorthanded as they prepare to face the rebuilding Cleveland Browns. Head Coach Mike McCarthy has his hands full in even finding enough healthy bodies to put a full 46 man game day roster together. The injury list is expanding faster than Andy Reid’s waistline.

Among those out or injured are WR Randall Cobb (broken leg), WR James Jones (knee PCL strain), RB James Starks (knee), RB DuJuan Harris (knee), TE Ryan Taylor (knee), G Greg Van Roten (Knee), OLB Clay Matthews (broken thumb), OLB Nick Perry (broken foot), OLB/DE Mike Neal (shoulder), CB/S Jarrett Bush (hamstring) and ILB Brad Jones (hamstring). CB Casey Hayward (another hamstring) has yet to take the field and his return cannot come soon enough. S Morgan Burnett’s return helped to stabilize a shaky Safety group and Hayward’s ball hawking skills have been sorely missed as the Packers’ interception rate is among the league’s lowest and their turnover differential, a category the Packers have typically been ranked very high, is a meager -3.

McCarthy remains calm and humorously resolute during the current siege. At a team

meeting this week McCarthy had am sign displayed that read “Keep Calm and Carry On”. The idea for the sign came from McCarthy’s wife Jessica and is a taken right form the history pages. “You historians probably appreciate that,” McCarthy said earlier this week. “In 1939, (posters were) issued by the British government right before World War II in anticipation of the bombing of major cities.”

The message had an immediate impact on the players, some of whom were a bit shocked when McCarthy pulled back the curtain and gave the outside world a peek into the inner workings of the Packers. “He showed us that sign that’s in his house,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “It’s a good message, very good message. Don’t panic. I said it last year before the Houston game, I don’t care what’s going on outside the facility. Inside the facility we have to stay focused on the things that we can control.”

 

ILB A.J. Hawk is coming off his career best game in Baltimore where he registered 3 sacks,

10 tackles and is tied for the team lead in tackles as well as leading the D in sacks with 5. Hawk said “I think we all know how fiery he (McCarthy) is and how he doesn’t seem like he wants to be calm very often. So we respect that and we love it. I love all of his messages. I eat those things up, man. I love it. I think it’s a good. 

“It’s true, too” Hawk continued. “And also I think it has a little undertone of just don’t ever panic. This league is crazy. Things happen week in and week out. You can’t ever panic. You just got to keep doing your thing.”

Things do happen but the injury rate s Green Bay has become the most unwelcome of visitors. The Bug seems to have found a home in Titletown and annually spends its’ autumns just hanging around the Packers. But form every injury, the ugly fact of life in the NFL, there is opportunity. Now some unknowns will get their shot and they will have to make the most of it. GM Ted Thompson likes to keep what he calls “Jars on the shelves” in referring to a well-stocked backup system and the players on the practice squad. Around Packers parts it is simply known as ‘The Next Man Up’.

And the ‘Next Man Up’ saying has taken a new life in Green Bay as those on the outside will suddenly find themselves thrust into the crucible with the highest of expectations. With Cobb and Jones likely to miss the Cleveland contest the Next Man – Men, actually – Up will be Jarrett Boykin and Myles White, a Practice Squad call up who will likely see time on the field Sunday.

Boykin had an auspicious showing in Baltimore. QB Aaron Rodgers missed Boykin badly

on several throws in the first half and Boykin compounded the felony by dropping two more. Boykin was not alone in that category as both the reliable Jordy Nelson and the mercurial Jermichael Finley also had drops. But Boykin showed some flash later in the game when he took Rodgers’ screen pass and converted it into a drive extending 43 yard gain.

Boykin possess great hands but clearly does not yet have the precision timing down necessary to play with Rodgers. In some instances it appeared that Rodgers threw to where he expected Boykin to be while there were others that even Rodgers looked as if he was hurrying his throws while under duress from the Baltimore Ravens fearsome pass rush.

By going with unproven commodities you can bet there was a lot of extra time put in between Rodgers, Boykin and White.  The Packers pass game is not the razzle dazzle it has been in years past. It doesn’t need to be though. With Eddie Lacy pounding the rock the Pack has a bona fide running game and stud in Lacy. No longer can defenses drop both safeties back into coverage ignoring the run game and daring Rodgers to beat them over the top. Lacy’s addition has been a piece that could help to weather the storm as the pass catchers keep dropping.

In keeping a few more jars on the shelves after White was called up Thompson immediately resigned camp standout Tyrone Walker to the PS for a little insurance. Walker was the camp rookie WR standout who led the team in preseason receptions and was bitterly disappointed when his name was not among those that made the cut. Even more surprising was Walker not being kept on the practice squad. But a preseason fumble and his lack of size worked to his detriment. Walker joined the Seahawks for a few weeks but was cut loose and now finds himself right back where he started in trying to grab a roster spot.

Losing Cobb is a devastating blow to the offense as Cobb does so many things well. The addition of Cobb has been a Godsend for McCarthy. McCarthy has conjured up very inventive ways at deploying Cobb. The loss of Cobb will no doubt lighten the Packers Playbook by several pages. But it also offers the opportunity for McCarthy to challenge his expansive offensive play creations.

Jermichael Finley is listed as a tight end but the reality is Finley is a wide receiver in a tight

ends body. White was not the only player called up from the PS. TE Jake Stoneburner was also added to keep McCarthy’s tight end complement full at 4 TE’s. This could indicate McCarthy plans to be very creative in how he uses and targets Finley. Expect to see Finley in more wideout sets with Andrew Quarless and Bryan Bostick filling in the 2 TE blocking spots. This could be a huge size mismatch as Finley will be able to go high for a Rodgers jump ball pass. Finley will also most likely be put into a slot position to take advantage of his speed against the Browns linebackers.

Finley has long been labeled a mismatch nightmare. Now is the time for Finley to show up and make hay. He is already in a contract year and his performance over the next 4 – 6 games will play a huge role in determining his worth. The stars show up to shine on the biggest stage when the spotlight burns the brightest. Finley must now answer the call and step to center stage and deliver.

The loss of Perry is equally as large a blow to the defense as Cobb’s is to the offense. Clay Matthews is sidelined with a broken thumb and Perry was moved to his spot against the Ravens. Perry had been playing beyond expectation and whatever reserve the Packer brass had about losing Matthews was quickly allayed as Perry not only filled the position but was huge against the Ravens. His strip sack of Joe Flacco late in the first that was grabbed and returned by rookie DE Datone Jones gave Mason Crosby a second shot at a chip shot field goal. How important was Perry’s strip of the ball? Consider that had Flacco been merely sacked time would have wound down and assuming the game played out as it did the Pack would have been looking at the wrong end of a 17 – 16 final score.

The little plays add up to huge impacts that cannot be appreciated until the contest is long over. And those plays can have a double edged sword as well. In causing the fumbled Perry also broke a bone in his foot and now he is sidelined. Joining Perry in having a far better year than expected is converted DE Mike Neal who is rounding into a key player at the hybrid OLB/ DFE slot. The experiment failed badly at first with Aaron Kampman when Dom Capers first arrived in Green Bay but Neal has shined this year. Injuries and slow progress made many more than restless but Neal’s play of late is paying dividends for the coaches that remained both patient and loyal.

But the black cloud to the silver lining is Neal also bruised his shoulder in the Raven tilt. Neal and WR James Jones are both iffy for Sunday’s battle with the Brownies. If McCarthy feels he can win without them he may do just that. With Perry and Neal out the OLB jobs now fall to Jamari Lattimore and rookie Nate Palmer, the last 2 healthy OLB’s on the roster.

Morgan Burnett’s return has brought stability back to the pass coverages but the

safety slot is far from ideal. M.D. Jennings has been serviceable without shining while Jerron MacMillian has a tendency to look lost at times. Against the Ravens as Flacco drove Baltimore on two last minute drives MacMillian was burnt twice as Flacco went to the hurry up offense. As the Ravens scrambled to get back to the line MacMillian was not getting the defensive play calls and was the missing link on the uncovered catch over the middle that tightened the score late in Baltimore.

Starting S Sean Richardson had neck fusion surgery similar to that of Peyton Manning’s and retired S Nick Collins but the extent of his ability to play has a much higher degree of being able to return that Collins’ injury was. He has yet to dress this year.

One area untouched by injury (tap on wood here) is the defensive line. B.J. Raji has been reborn in his contract year and has been a consistent thorn in the side of opposing linemen. The staring unit of Raji, Ryan Pickett and C. J. Wilson has been complemented nicely by Mike Daniels, rookie Josh Boyd and improving first year first round pick Datone Jones.

But some familiar names have begun to resume practicing. DE Jerel Worthy has begun to test the knee he blew last year against Minnesota and former 1^st round pick Derrick Sherrod is also in pads. Sherrod, Worthy, Richardson and OL J.C. Tretter have all been on the PUP list and are now eligible to resume practicing. McCarthy doesn’t have to make a decision on any of them for at least 3 weeks but no longer than 5 weeks.

Worthy may present the largest headache. With the defensive line playing as well as they

have as a unit inserting another player, even one as good as Worthy may be messing with the chemistry the current group has developed. Sherrod may be the guy to replace van Roten as he has looked good in practice - if 4 days work counts for much. Sherrod has a long way to go to get back into football shape but the early returns look promising. Tretter will, in all likelihood, be IR’d till next year.

If there is any upbeat note in preparations it is the fact that the Pack hits the soft part of their schedule while the medical team is pulling triple duty. 5 of the next 6 games are against opponents with losing records. Da Bears loom large in 3 weeks and the Pack takes on the woeful Minnesota Vikings twice in that stretch. These are the same Vikings Greg Jennings felt comfortable enough to bash his former QB. Now he has his 3^rd QB this year in Josh Freeman and G. Jennings has not exactly set the world on fire. Perhaps Jennings sister will take to the Twitter airwaves once more to complain about the QB not targeting her bro’.

The Browns are clearly in rebuilding mode. QB Brandon Weeden had been displaced by Brian Hoyer who came in relief and showed more promise until he was nicked up. The Browns also dealt former #3 overall pick RB Trent Richardson to the Colts and are quietly stockpiling draft picks. Under Rob Chudzinski the Browns are going for a massive overhaul and looking for talent. The Browns defense has some late game holes in it.

The Browns are among the worst teams in the NFL in 3^rd down percentages. The Browns opponents convert 3^rd downs at a 44% rate clip, a fact that annoys Browns Defensive coordinator Ray Horton. The Browns led the Detroit Lions by 10 points at the half last week only to fall 31 – 17 as the defense crumbled in the second half. “There’s a number of things we do well, and if you look at the third down by half, we’re extremely good in the first half,” Horton said. “Its’ really the second half of games and what’s going on there.

“I’ve broken them down to see what I’m doing, what they’re doing. There’s a great balance

of zone and pressure on every down. Typically, on third-and-one, you get more man in the NFL, just because you can’t allow them to catch a one-yard pass. The game plan’s pretty balanced in what we’re doing. There’s been a little more error in the second half than the first half.”

A “little more error” is a gross understatement. The Browns have some talent in key spots (LT Joe Thomas is among the league’s best and C Alex Mack is up there with him) but Cleveland no name, dawg pound D is still very raw. The Browns have been unable to contain teams and sustain momentum defensively all year a fact not lost on McCarthy. While the Pack got a warm up in AFC North-style street brawling football the Browns will still be overmatched even by a depleted Packers team. Eddie Lacy WILL pound the ball repeatedly in this one. By the end of the 3^rd Rodgers and the Pack will be pulling away.

The Next Men Up will get their shot to make an impression. And some unfamiliar names will be heard on Sunday.  It will be with bumps and hiccups along the way but the Packers still have far more talent on their side of the ball.

 

 

 

 

GREEN BAY 31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland 13