Green Bay Packers: 5 Bold predictions vs. Buccaneers in NFC Championship
4. Kenny Clark takes down Brady multiple times
After adding Tristan Wirfs in the first round of this past year’s NFL Draft, the Buccaneers offensive line has been one of their undeniable strengths. That does not necessarily bode well for a Green Bay defense that has largely found success with getting after opposing quarterbacks thanks to a front-seven that they’ve revamped in recent years.
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In the Divisional Round win over the Rams last week, the Packers’ ability to generate pressure and force mistakes was on full display. They finished the game with four sacks coming from three different players, including 1.5 from standout defensive tackle Kenny Clark. But that type of performance stands in stark contrast to what happened against Tampa in Week 6.
Simply put, the Buccaneers were able to stonewall the Green Bay pass rush on all fronts in that matchup. Tom Brady wasn’t sacked on the day and, though the Bucs weren’t relying heavily on the passing attack, they were never threatened there. However, with the potential to rely more heavily on Brady’s arm, that will open up Green Bay to try and make headway in this department.
If there’s one area of the offensive line that Tampa Bay struggles, it’s at right guard with Aaron Stinnie as the starter. Expect Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to try and match him up favorably with Clark throughout this game to generate interior pressure. In doing so, the big-time defensive tackle will get multiple sacks on the day to help set the tone.