Plankton
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Going into the 2016 NFL Playoffs, it was setting up as the beginning of the redemption tour for the Dallas Cowboys.
The question was, which vintage of redemption – circa 2007 or 2014?
With the Packers routing the Giants today, 38-13, the answer is 2014, and the fragrance is one that still lingers two years later.
In football, it’s all about matchups. There are teams that match up well with one team, but horribly against others. The Giants, for the 2016 season at least, had been a difficult matchup for the Cowboys, with their ability to stop the inside run with a seven-man front, and to man up outside. For the Giants, though, the Packers were not a good matchup, with their ability to spread the field and pass protect. While it didn’t appear to be so for the majority of the first half, once Aaron Rodgers hit Davante Adams down the right sideline with a perfectly thrown fade route, the Packers took control of the game. Their ability to put pressure on the Giant defense, and their ability to completely neutralize Olivier Vernon and the Steve Spagnuolo blitz package put the Giant defensive backs on the defensive. Missing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giant corners were worked over by crossing routes, and had their backs broken at the end of the first half with a Hail Mary from Rodgers to Randall Cobb, extending the Packer lead to 14-6, and reversing what the Giants had done to them back in the 2011 playoffs at the end of the first half of that game.
Rodgers was positively surgical from that point onward, throwing for 362 yards and four touchdowns, and leading the Packers to the next round, where they will have a return meeting in the Divisional Round of the playoffs with the Cowboys.
The question now is whether the Packers matchup well with the Cowboys, or the other way around.
The Cowboys went into Lambeau field earlier this year, and beat the Packers convincingly, 30-16 in the game that was the breakout party on the national stage for the Dallas Dynamic Duo, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. Both rookies shone in an environment that had proved to be vexing to many Cowboy players in the past, but it was a game that showed what this team was truly capable of – a withering, dominant running game bolstered by a precise, efficient passing game and a bend, but don’t break defense. Interestingly enough, the defensive revelation of the last quarter of the season, David Irving, had his initial breakout performance in that game, forcing three fumbles.
Many would argue that this Packer team is different, that Rodgers has hit his stride, playing like the best quarterback in the league this side of Matt Ryan, and they have located a running game with Ty Montgomery.
That being said, this isn’t the same Cowboy team either.
Prescott continued to rack up strong performance after strong performance following the win at Lambeau. Elliott continued to serve as the fulcrum of the offense, leading the league in rushing, and likely cementing Rookie of the Year honors in the process.
Even more than that, the defense upped its game as the season went on. Despite a gaudy yardage total allowed against the Commanders on Thanksgiving, the defense continued to be stingy in the red zone, and created 11 of their 20 turnovers from that point forward. They weathered injuries to their secondary (Morris Claiborne, Barry Church and Orlando Scandrick all missed time with various injuries) and an inconsistent pass rush to finish 5th in the league in scoring defense. As the season progressed, they emerged as less of a perceived burden, and a real contributing factor to the success of the Cowboys.
In this game coming up, the Cowboys should be as healthy as they have been since the first game against the Eagles, and the Packers, coming off of a physical game today, will drag some wounded players into the game. What will be key for the Cowboys is to not allow Rodgers to break the pocket on passing downs. He was positively lethal to the Giants today when he broke contain. This may limit the many twists and games played by Rod Marinelli up front, but keeping Rodgers within their rush lanes is the best way to keep the Packer passing game under wraps.
Where this game is going to be won or lost, though, will be on the backs of the Cowboy offense, more specifically, the offensive line. In the October matchup, the line absolutely dominated the Packer front, clearing the way for 191 yards on the ground, and 424 yards of total offense. There’s no reason to believe that they won’t do the same this time around. With two weeks off to heal, Tyron Smith and Ron Leary should be in good condition coming into this game, and should be able to clear holes as they did in the first game.
The Packers like to play the run with six to seven men up front, allowing them to mask their injury plagued secondary in a Cover Two shell. Where they will have a problem, though, is being able to slow the Cowboy rushing attack without moving a safety into the box. For them, it will either be a slow death via the run, or a quicker death via the pass, with their banged up secondary unable to hang with Dez Bryant (who didn’t play in the first matchup), Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. This is one side of the ball where the Packers have no answer.
When it comes to matchups, as the Giants were bad for the Cowboys, and the Packers were bad for the Giants, the Cowboys are bad for the Packers.
And, the redemption tour of a magical season will continue with another win.
The question was, which vintage of redemption – circa 2007 or 2014?
With the Packers routing the Giants today, 38-13, the answer is 2014, and the fragrance is one that still lingers two years later.
In football, it’s all about matchups. There are teams that match up well with one team, but horribly against others. The Giants, for the 2016 season at least, had been a difficult matchup for the Cowboys, with their ability to stop the inside run with a seven-man front, and to man up outside. For the Giants, though, the Packers were not a good matchup, with their ability to spread the field and pass protect. While it didn’t appear to be so for the majority of the first half, once Aaron Rodgers hit Davante Adams down the right sideline with a perfectly thrown fade route, the Packers took control of the game. Their ability to put pressure on the Giant defense, and their ability to completely neutralize Olivier Vernon and the Steve Spagnuolo blitz package put the Giant defensive backs on the defensive. Missing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giant corners were worked over by crossing routes, and had their backs broken at the end of the first half with a Hail Mary from Rodgers to Randall Cobb, extending the Packer lead to 14-6, and reversing what the Giants had done to them back in the 2011 playoffs at the end of the first half of that game.
Rodgers was positively surgical from that point onward, throwing for 362 yards and four touchdowns, and leading the Packers to the next round, where they will have a return meeting in the Divisional Round of the playoffs with the Cowboys.
The question now is whether the Packers matchup well with the Cowboys, or the other way around.
The Cowboys went into Lambeau field earlier this year, and beat the Packers convincingly, 30-16 in the game that was the breakout party on the national stage for the Dallas Dynamic Duo, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. Both rookies shone in an environment that had proved to be vexing to many Cowboy players in the past, but it was a game that showed what this team was truly capable of – a withering, dominant running game bolstered by a precise, efficient passing game and a bend, but don’t break defense. Interestingly enough, the defensive revelation of the last quarter of the season, David Irving, had his initial breakout performance in that game, forcing three fumbles.
Many would argue that this Packer team is different, that Rodgers has hit his stride, playing like the best quarterback in the league this side of Matt Ryan, and they have located a running game with Ty Montgomery.
That being said, this isn’t the same Cowboy team either.
Prescott continued to rack up strong performance after strong performance following the win at Lambeau. Elliott continued to serve as the fulcrum of the offense, leading the league in rushing, and likely cementing Rookie of the Year honors in the process.
Even more than that, the defense upped its game as the season went on. Despite a gaudy yardage total allowed against the Commanders on Thanksgiving, the defense continued to be stingy in the red zone, and created 11 of their 20 turnovers from that point forward. They weathered injuries to their secondary (Morris Claiborne, Barry Church and Orlando Scandrick all missed time with various injuries) and an inconsistent pass rush to finish 5th in the league in scoring defense. As the season progressed, they emerged as less of a perceived burden, and a real contributing factor to the success of the Cowboys.
In this game coming up, the Cowboys should be as healthy as they have been since the first game against the Eagles, and the Packers, coming off of a physical game today, will drag some wounded players into the game. What will be key for the Cowboys is to not allow Rodgers to break the pocket on passing downs. He was positively lethal to the Giants today when he broke contain. This may limit the many twists and games played by Rod Marinelli up front, but keeping Rodgers within their rush lanes is the best way to keep the Packer passing game under wraps.
Where this game is going to be won or lost, though, will be on the backs of the Cowboy offense, more specifically, the offensive line. In the October matchup, the line absolutely dominated the Packer front, clearing the way for 191 yards on the ground, and 424 yards of total offense. There’s no reason to believe that they won’t do the same this time around. With two weeks off to heal, Tyron Smith and Ron Leary should be in good condition coming into this game, and should be able to clear holes as they did in the first game.
The Packers like to play the run with six to seven men up front, allowing them to mask their injury plagued secondary in a Cover Two shell. Where they will have a problem, though, is being able to slow the Cowboy rushing attack without moving a safety into the box. For them, it will either be a slow death via the run, or a quicker death via the pass, with their banged up secondary unable to hang with Dez Bryant (who didn’t play in the first matchup), Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. This is one side of the ball where the Packers have no answer.
When it comes to matchups, as the Giants were bad for the Cowboys, and the Packers were bad for the Giants, the Cowboys are bad for the Packers.
And, the redemption tour of a magical season will continue with another win.
