Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons: Packers’ Keys to Victory
Nov 30, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy (27) runs for a first down before being tackled by New England Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
2. 30+ rushing attempts.
Now that we’ve looked at how the Falcons could beat the Green Bay Packers, let’s look at what the Packers’ need to do on offense. On Monday night, the Green Bay Packers must aim to run the football 30 times. Minimum.
Granted, the flow of the game can change this in an instant, but a dedication to the ground game will accomplish several things for the Packers. Primarily, this strategy will wear down a Falcons defensive line that is already amongst the worst in football, which will work to keep Aaron Rodgers even better protected when he does drop back to pass.
The Falcons defense struggles to create penetration along the defensive line, which is an absolutely perfect matchup for Eddie Lacy. Lacy can be neutralized if a team reaches him in the backfield, because he does take longer than many to reach his top speed and lower his pads to an ideal level. Once Lacy is allowed to reach the line, however, look out. This could result in him having repeated isolation against linebackers and the Falcons’ very small secondary.
Involving James Starks with 5-8 carries could be an added bonus on Monday, as the veteran backup received just one of the 29 rushing attempts last week against the New England Patriots. Starks is a proven cold-weather runner whose value to the Green Bay Packers will grow each week as the playoffs approach.
Finally, the Packers’ running game must begin to set up the passing game, instead of it being the other way around. As the playoffs near, secondaries will become stronger and strategize to eliminate Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb from game plans. When this happens, a steady dose of Lacy and Starks could open up play-action passes for Aaron Rodgers.