Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on Green Bay Packers No. 52 OLB Clay Matthews
By Jeremy Klump
The NFL Spin Zone ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ series continues with 52 days until kickoff, profiling Green Bay Packers Outside Linebacker, No. 52 Clay Matthews.
Today is July 18th, 2016, which means there are exactly 52 days until the NFL season kicks off.
That kickoff will be a rematch between the two teams that battled for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50. The Denver Broncos will look to show that as defending champions, they are still legitimate threat in 2016 while Cam Newton and his Carolina Panthers will look for revenge early in the new year.
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However, as exciting as it sounds for football to be back, we still need to wait 52 days.
As we wait for the two teams to kickoff the NFL season, the team at NFL Spin Zone has decided to profile a player whose number is associated with the amount of days until that first kickoff.
With that in mind, there are 52 days until football, so I will profile Green Bay Packers outside linebacker, No. 52 Clay Matthews.
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Looking back at Super Bowl 50, the Broncos dominated the game because of their pass rush. Their outside linebacker, Von Miller, had a huge game. He sacked Newton two and half times, forcing a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the Broncos for a touchdown on one of them, all on his way to earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
The offseason was an interesting one for Miller, as he fought the Broncos to get a deal done. The deal got done and Miller will be back playing for the Broncos this season, but the player who represents No. 52 on our ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ series has had an interesting last few months as well.
Matthews played middle linebacker full-time in 2015, which is out of his normal position (outside linebacker). He still had a great year, compiling six and a half sacks on his way to his sixth Pro Bowl appearance.
He is the ultimate teammate by switching positions for his team, doing whatever is necessary to win the game. However, the Packers have finally moved him back to his natural position of outside linebacker.
At outside linebacker, negating 2015 (6.5 sacks), Matthews has 61 sacks at his natural position. In 2010, Matthews had 13.5 sacks, earning First-Team All-Pro honors. He had another great year in 2012, ending the season with 13 total sacks and earning Second-Team All-Pro honors as well.
After playing last season at middle linebacker, he will finally be able to do what he does best in 2016: rush the passer.
Expectations are always high in Green Bay, but they are almost always warranted. The Packers could easily win the Super Bowl this season, especially behind the arm of Aaron Rodgers. They could also have the NFL defensive player of the year in 2016 with Matthews. One thing is for sure, expect to see lots of opposing quarterbacks getting sacked by No. 52 from the team wearing green and yellow.
The Countdown Continues: No. 53. Navorro Bowman
As we wait 52 days for football season, No. 52 is surely just as excited to get back after the quarterback and play his eighth NFL season.