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Packers, McCarthy Look to Keep Rolling vs. Kansas City

 

After opening the season at 2- 0 and knocking off divisional rival Chicago and gaining a small measure of redemption against the Seattle Seahawks in game 2 the Green Bay Packers are poised for a monumental letdown against Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. It only stands to reason – after all didn’t the Packers simmer and stew after watching Seattle come from behind last year and then whoop the Hawks convincingly last week? Naturally a letdown is in order.

Or is it?

Mike McCarthy has become a true master of preparation and situational challenges for his squad. He has preached “Open fast” all off season and has continued the talk into the early part of the year. One big reason for emphasizing “open fast” is McCarthy knowing he has a tough early grind on the schedule. He kept the Pack from peeking ahead when facing the Bears, de-emphasized the importance of the Seattle game so keeping his team focused for KC and their scary corps of linebackers heading into Lambeau Monday is this weeks objective.

And focused the Pack needs to be. Kansas City sports two terrifying bookends OLB’s in Tamba Hali

and Justin Houston. Houston has already opened fast with 3 sacks after just 2 games. ILB Derrick Johnson gives Kansas City as good a set of LB’s in the NFL as anybody. Both Hall and Hali are smart, quick and relentless pursuers of the ball and the Chiefs defense feeds off Houston’s infectious high motor. Up front Kansas has workmanlike lunch pail groups who do the grunt work for the stars in Mike DeVito, Jaye Howard, and Allen Bailey and if that isn’t enough Dontari Poe can come off the bench without the defense giving any talent away.

S Eric Berry has been a welcome sight and the entire league is hoping he can come all the way back from last year’s bout with lymphoma cancer that cost him the season. Coach Andy Reid has not rushed Berry back into the lineup and is allowing one of the league’s elite safeties to work his way back in as he builds up his strength and stamina. Rookie CB Marcus Peters (#18 overall) has exploded in his first 2 NFL games with 2 INT’s and has hung Peyton Manning’s pelt on his wall as he picked Peyton for a 55 yard TD. Peters has build, size, speed, great hands and great anticipation that belies his lack of professional experience.

Peters will find out very quickly an arm weary, near-the-end-of-the-line Manning is very different from Aaron Rodgers who is at the apex of his powers. Rodgers is only adding to his burgeoning body of work with a near perfect start and has been lights out in crunch time in the 4^th quarter. Rodgers stats in the 4^th against Seattle last week were 9 completions in 9 attempts for 91 yards and a TD. Considering Rodgers has been working without his #1 target in IR’d Jordy Nelson it speaks volumes as to Rodgers’ abilities. Seattle didn’t even bother to blitz Rodgers last week and relied on a 4 man rush almost exclusively, and picked their poison by trying to defense the pass. Kansas City will bring the entire battalion and hope they can rattle Rodgers.

Seattle's attempt came up woefully short. Rodgers went right after Richard Sherman and burnt him

for a TD as well as embarrassing DE Michael Bennett by drawing him offside on the play. Perhaps Sherman deserves the benefit of the doubt and relaxed when he saw the flag. Maybe he didn’t think James “Leadfoot” Jones would blow past his as easily as he did.

 

Or maybe Rodgers, he of the largest chip on his shoulder the NFL has ever seen, was making his own statement as well. Yeah – you guys got us last year. And I was hurt. No complaints but let’s play this when I’m healthy. Last year was last year. This is a whole new ball game. And seeing Smith, the QB taken in front of him Rodgers may have a little something extra courtesy of that chip.

Kansas City is poised to flourish in the AFC West. Oakland is light years away from being a contender while San Diego can join Miami and Detroit  as the perpetual 8 -8 squads that are always good but never quite good enough to advance and Denver’s star is beginning to descend. KC once was a part of that illustriously average group but has drafted well and Reid has a team on the rise.

Not only has KC drafted well they have supplemented the draft with key imports. When Colin Kaepernick soared up the depth chart former #1 overall QB Alex Smith fell out of favor with Jim Harbaugh. Now Harbaugh has worn out his welcome, Kaepernick’s 49ers are reeling and Smith lands in Kansas City with QB savvy Reid. Smith has ridden a veritable merry-go-round since entering the NFL. While he watched the ‘other’ QB languish in the green room on draft day and then see him ride the pine behind Brett Favre and then see Aaron Rodgers become simply the best players in the game Smith has had to endure leaky lines, the Jim Harbaugh fun house and literally no receivers in Kansas City. Last year Smith ended up in the record book in dubious fashion. For the first time in NFL history Smith went an entire season without completing a single TD to a wide receiver.

With that Reid dispatched disgruntled WR Derrick Bowe to Cleveland and imported WRs Jeremy

Maclin and Jason Avant from his old nest in Philly. Maclin and Avant team up with Albert Wilson and promising TE Travis Kelce to at least give Smith more targets. Former #1 overall LT Eric Fisher has been demoted to RT has he never settled into the blind side protector’s role at the next level.

When discussing Kansas City’s offense every conversation begins not with the pass but with RB Jamal Charles. For the 3^rd straight week to open the season the Packers defense has to find a way to bottle up yet another elite back. Charles is faster than Forte but lacks Lynch’s licks and bruising nature. Charles is a slashing, explosive back who finds a hole and just as quickly can find the end zone. He’ll put pressure on the interior to plug the holes and force over commitments on the outside. Against Lynch Green Bay kept their gaps and set the edges and found themselves in position to make plays. Mike Neal’s one man stand your ground 1 on 1 with Russell Wilson ended up in a 3 yard sack/ loss simply by not overcommitting and wrapping up,.

To counter the Packers will have to adjust again. Last week the preparation was obvious as Green Bay devoured Lynch and neutralizing his effectiveness. Forte made the Pack’s run defense look pedestrian in game 1 and Charles is a true home run threat every time he touches the ball Dom Capers will no doubt emphasize not just hitting but wrapping up and tackling Charles and not letting him get to the next level.

On the Pack’s side of the ball questions still surround Eddie Lacy and his ability to play after rolling an ankle. James Starks stepped in and put up a healthy 95 yard night and McCarthy may be forced to dress rookie UDFA Alonzo Harris if Lacy can’t go. Davante Adams went out with an ankle injury but did manage to return. He did, however, limp noticeably after returning. With Adams’ ability limited Rodgers turned to rookie Ty Montgomery who showed great hands, balance and an unexpected toughness in his 4 targets. Most impressive was Montgomery’s catch, spin, and run that saw him shake off 3 different tacklers for a first down.

Another UDFA may have earned himself more playing time. After his 1 INT/ 1 forced fumble game

last week Jayrone Elliott might get some reps as the game wears on. The Pack lost Josh Boyd for the year in another ankle injury and DL Letroy Guion won’t be back till next week so the pressure will be put on the LB’s to make plays.

Kansas City is coming off a tough loss to Denver in a game Charles blamed himself for the loss with his late fumble. The Chiefs didn’t exactly look great in their opener against Houston, a far cry from the cream of the NFL’s crop. Playing away from their raucous Arrowhead Stadium they’ll find themselves in the lion’s den in a raucous Lambeau Field.

For Green Bay this is a statement game. The offense will have to play against what is expected to be a ferocious pass rush and KC won’t make Rodgers’ job easy. It’s on the offensive line to give Rodgers enough time and Rodgers will get his chances. The defense has to show that last week was not a fluke. If the D shows up and can bottle up Jamal Charles and force Smith to try to beat them with the pass the game tips considerably in Green Bay’s favor.

Just as long as there isn’t a letdown.

 

 

  

  GREEN BAY 29    

 

  




   Kansas City  13