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Packers Defense Throttles Bucs with 7 Sacks

When it was over the Green Bay Packers had qualified for the playoffs again under Mike McCarthy by stifling the Tampa Bay Bucs 20 – 3. In the process the Packers found a ferocious defense that is beginning to come together at just the right time and the Bucs found out that an ailing Aaron Rodgers on one leg is better than any other QB on two healthy legs.

It was a good old fashioned defense dominated performance that carried the Pack. This time it wasn’t all Aaron all the time. QB Aaron Rodgers was nursing a calf strain that severely limited his mobility and even throwing motion. For the game Rodgers’ numbers were on par with a typical Rodgers day: 31/ 40, 318 but only 1 TD and a passer rating of 108.1. Not bad numbers but Rodgers clearly lacked zip on his throws and did not move as nimbly as usual. He was seen in the 3^rd quarter trying to stretch out his calf and at one point backup Matt Flynn was seen loosening up.

Afterwards Rodgers revealed he hurt his left calf early in the contest. "I'll be OK for next week. I hurt my calf pretty good, but the training staff helped me kind of get through it," Rodgers said. "It got really tight about halftime. Came in and got a little treatment, it loosened up just a tad, but it was still pretty tight. ... I was able to move in short segments in the pocket, which was all I needed to do today."

It didn’t help matters that Rodgers had come down with the flu earlier in the week either. "I battled the flu the past couple of days pretty bad, and that's why I was surprised I hurt my calf because I hydrated like no other (week)," Rodgers said. "I was drinking a ton of water before the game. Unfortunately, the calf kind of gave up on me there. But it was a good win for us. The defense played great. Offensively, it wasn't pretty, but we had enough points to win."

These Packers have become a resilient bunch on the way to an 11 – 4 record. With next week’s NFC North Showdown for the Crown winner-take-all at home against Detroit McCarthy likes where his Packers are right now. The defense had a stranglehold on Tampa Bay all game and refused to let go. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a much needed win. "We've won six out of seven games, so I'd like to classify that as playing a lot of solid football, that's for sure," McCarthy said. "We'll clean this game up tomorrow; we'll be on it. We'll also start on Detroit. I like where we're at, and I really like this football team. ... I feel good about the offense, defense and special teams."

Since going limp against Atlanta in the second half 3 weeks ago the Packers defense has clearly ramped up their game. Granted neither the Falcons, Bills nor Bucs have a fearsome offense. But then fact of the matter remains they are still in the business of trying to bring the Pack down. Buffalo managed to do it last week but then followed that up by bombing against the Raiders. QB Josh McCown felt the wrath of a Packer defense that is now beginning to gel and come together as a cohesive unit. If the Packers D took the 2^nd half off against Atlanta they were certainly in attendance against the Bills and against the Bucs they were a robust pack of dogs.

The Bucs began the game with five consecutive three-and-outs.  LB Julius Peppers had two of Green Bay's seven sacks and forced a fumble while LB Clay Matthews had 2½ sacks, pushing his season total to double digits once again. The Mikes - Neal and Daniels – also added some spike to the punch with sacks. Matthews has been playing some of his best football of the season of late and has become an inside/ outside terror and has also laid the lumber with QB pressures and hits. In all the Packers sacked McCown 7 times and had him on his back more often than he was upright.

The Packers D did not limit itself to merely gaudy sack totals. The rush defense – the much maligned and at times invisible rush defense – was stout against the Bucs’ Doug Martin. Martin was held to a miniscule 17 yards on 10 attempts good for 1.7 yards/ carry. As a team the Bucs were held to a paltry 109 yards, 40 of which came on a long pass to Vince Jackson that set up the Bucs lone field goal. Gifted rookie WR Mike Evans was a nothing factor and held in check all afternoon. Most telling were the three and outs. At a time when defense becomes a premium the stars are beginning to shine and none too soon.

Next week the new-look Lions come to Lambeau for the showdown that everyone had circled in red as soon as the schedule was released. Forget the Bears; their season has been an implosion surpassed only by the meltdown in San Francisco. The Lions are no longer wild, impulsive bunch pf petulant juvenile delinquents. Under Jim Caldwell the Lions have managed to forge a new identity. It is one of grit and toughness that has replaced most of the self-inflicted stupidity under Jim Schwartz’s regime.

That doesn’t mean the Lions have suddenly taken to wearing halos and choir robes. C Dominic Raiola has heard immediately from the league offices about his Ndamukong Suh inspired stomp on the back of Bears lineman Ego Ferguson’s leg on Sunday. No doubt it will draw a hefty 5 figure fine and given the Lions history he has been suspended by the league for the game against Green Bay for his idiotic actions. The Lions can ill afford to lose the key member of their offensive line even if his actions warrant it.

Even though Rodgers was limited in mobility and he did not display the usual zip he has on the ball that did not prevent Randall Cobb from having a career day. With 11 receptions for 131 yards Cobb put up the best day of his career and he and Jordy Nelson have become a terrific 1 -2 knockout punch combo. With Rodgers firing the missiles Cobb and Nelson have both put up 1,000 + yards and 10+ TD’s this year. Rookie Davante Adams is coming along but has not yet completely adjusted to how fast Rodgers’ rockets reach the destination. Twice yesterday Adams was caught with his pants down dropping relatively easy uncontested throws. The Pack can ill afford for Adams to go into the tank now.

McCarthy named the playoff captains for the rest of the year and on Saturday night prior to the Bucs game there was a player’s only meeting with the new appointees and the rest of the team. It will come as no shock that Rodgers, Nelson, Cobb, Julius Peppers, Morgan Burnett and Jarret Bush will serve as the leaders the rest of the way. Burnett has truly earned his ‘C’ this year. After a season where the play of the safeties was raked over more often than newly planted sod Burnett has quietly put together an outstanding year. His presence in the box has boosted his tackle totals and he along with Micah Hyde and rookie Ha Ha Clinton Dix have combined to shore up a weakness and convert it into a strength.

The Packers defense has not given up a TD in the last two games. In the process the balance McCarthy is looking for is coming when it will be needed most. Eddie Lacy surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for the second time in his 2 years in Green Bay with 99 yards against the Bucs that included a powerful blast that saw Lacy rumble 44 yards for a TD against Tampa Bay. Nelson chipped in with his 13th TD of the year in the 4^th quarter to ice the game. Granted the D has not faced a top flight offense but these are the types of games that help build momentum.

Now Detroit, a dome team, will have to come to Lambeau and face a Packers team ready to claim its’ 4^th straight divisional crown. Detroit would like nothing more than to send the Pack packing and into a Wild Card spot. Detroit has flirted with disaster all season and the question that they will have to answer is are they for real or will the bill finally come due for all the times they could have lost but didn’t. The NFL mavens have moved the game to the optimal slot at 4:30 to give a national  audience to the event that will be the game of the week.

The Packers have not fired on all cylinders over the course of the past 2 ½ games offensively. They haven’t had to their loss to the Bills aside. Rodgers insists his calf will be fine and the effects of the flu won’t slow him down. This is the same Rodgers that told Packer Nation to R-E-L-A-X earlier this year and although we all hate to see the season go this is the one game that has been looming for the Pack since week 3. There will be no love lost between these teams and the table is now set for another finale. It should be a doozy, and just like Christmas it is something the entire league has been waiting for all year.

We can’t wait.