If the Packers’ offensive line holds up, Aaron Rodgers and his (finally) healthy wide receivers should be able to score at least 30 points against the Vikings on Saturday night.
If the Packers put up 30, do we really think the Vikings — with Christian Ponder at quarterback — can once again score more than 30 and beat the Packers in a shootout for the second consecutive week? This time on the road, outside, on grass, in freezing temperatures?
I doubt it. Even if Adrian Peterson goes off again, it’s still going to take another strong game from Ponder for the Vikings to top 30 points.
But back to the Packers’ offensive line. We didn’t hear Marshall Newhouse’s or Jared Allen’s name called often during Sunday’s game. That’s because Newhouse was quietly doing a good job blocking Allen.
Newhouse has had his bad moments this season, but for the most part, he’s been decent. If what he did on Sunday against Allen is any indication of how he will perform in the playoffs, the outlook for the Packers’ offense is bright.
Don Barclay has boosted the Packers’ running game since taking over at right tackle. Pass protection has been a different story, especially on Sunday when Everson Griffen and Brian Robinson got around Barclay for sacks.
With three sacks, a hit, and a hurry allowed (to go along with two penalites) Pro Football Focus gave Barclay a -3.1 grade, the lone Packers’ lineman to grade out negatively. Barclay also had a -3.1 grade in week 13 against Minnesota.
If Newhouse holds up on the left side, and the pass protection can be shifted to focus on helping Barclay, that should go a long way in keeping Rodgers upright and giving him time to play pitch-and-catch with his healthy receivers against an outmanned Vikings’ secondary.
But if the Vikings’ front four gets to Rodgers and gets to him early, we could see a repeat of what happened against the Giants in last season’s divisional round: an outmanned Giants’ secondary bolstered by a pass rush that overwhelmed the Packers’ offensive line and rattled Rodgers.
To me, it all hinges on Newhouse. Newhouse is no longer the inexperienced guy on the line who is trying to find his way and doing his best to survive. That guy is now Barclay (and Evan Dietrich-Smith, I suppose).
If Newhouse can block Allen one-on-one, that means guys like John Kuhn and whoever is at tight tend can chip and help Barclay on pass plays.
Barclay looks best when he’s going after guys aggressively in the run game. He looks a little timid in pass protection, likely because the game is somewhat fast for him right now and he knows he’s a little undersized. He’s probably thinking too much about what he has to do to overcome these shortcomings.
Perhaps if he knows he has some help, he’ll be more aggressive pass blocking and do a better job of not letting guys get their hands on him or dip underneath him and get leverage.
Good things are going to happen for this Packers’ offense if Newhouse plays like he did Sunday throughout the entire postseason.
Is the second-year starter up to the challenge? Or is he not quite there yet? Saturday night will go a long way in answering that question.
——————
Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
——————
Our line is playing fairly well-what is needed is that the offensive strategy be play action on first down, throw short and medium length passes (with yards after the catch) and keep moving the chains-not throwing deep balls on second and third down with 3 yards to go-this also is the best formula to keep Peterson from lots of yards, keep him off the field-I would like to see Rodgers set up a couple yards deeper too-
On defense, it is time to change: use a four man line of Neal and Wilson at ends with Raji and Pickett in the middle-put Clay Mathews at MLB-with Jones and Hawk flanking him-Have Woodson and Barnett at safety-with Hayward and Williams at CB. Bring in House or Shields and take out Hawk in the nickle and Dime subgroups-and tackle well.
If a pass, Mathews could blitz from the middle-and Woodson from the edge or middle-Go Pack!
In 1972, the Redskins did this to the Pack when all the Pack had was Brockington and Lane, and a good defense that created good field positon. George Allen, then coach of the Skins went to a five man line and shut the Pack down-they were not expecting a five man defensive line-Scott Hunter, the QB, was stopped cold too-and the Pack lost.
6 sacks last week is not good. It is terrible. Luckily AR is able to perform in spite of the inept play up front. You can say that possibly 2 of the sacks were coverage sacks and AR should have dumped the ball. That still leaves 4 on the line.
But, thanks to AR they scored 34 points. Enough to win the game easily if the damn D didn’t go “Soft” again.
Newhouse shutting the door on Allen would be a nice addition to the beating we put on the Vikes today.