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Packers' defense is strong up front
by: Matt Williamson
posted: Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Packers' defensive line is a big reason why they have reached the NFC Championship Game, and at least some of the credit should go to the coaching staff for doing a tremendous job of rotating big bodies in and out of the game.

Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins start at defensive end and are a formidable duo. Kampman is one of the best defensive ends in the league and is headed to the Pro Bowl this season. He is a master technician who uses his hands extremely well and never gives up on a play. He runs well and gets off the ball low with explosiveness and power. Kampman is an exceptional two-way end and truly one of the best defensive players in the league today. Jenkins is heavy for a defensive end but is a fine all-around player. He is strong, quick and aggressive and has really come into his own this season. He shows great versatility and brings very good penetration as an interior rusher in passing situations.

Plus, pass-rush specialist Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who normally comes in on throwing downs, puts the Packers in a terrific position at defensive end. He impacts the game with his pure speed, array of pass-rush moves and lightning-quick first step. Gbaja-Biamila isn't able to handle the rigors of being an every-down player, but this rotation keeps him fresh, which gives the Packers the best results all around.

On the interior, DTs Ryan Pickett and Corey Williams are the starters and both are bigger players who clog up running lanes, show good quickness and get off the ball quickly when fresh. With the presence of Johnny Jolly, Justin Harrell and Colin Cole, and Jenkins' ability to move inside, Pickett and Williams have stayed spry all season and still have a lot of excellent football ahead of them. Jolly and Cole are now on injured reserve, but few teams in the league have such a deep group of defensive tackles they can count on to play valuable snaps. Pickett can have stamina issues if left on the field too long, but that hasn't been a problem with the wealth of defensive talent that Green Bay had at its disposal this season. The depth inside isn't as good as it once was, but considering the Packers have only two more games at most, they are still in exceptional shape up front.


It is apparent that Green Bay's front office values defensive linemen a great deal. Without any massive needs on draft day in 2007, the Packers selected Harrell with the 16th overall selection. Harrell was widely regarded as a talented player and had a very good junior season but was coming off a major injury and wasn't able to properly show his abilities in his final season at Tennessee. Green Bay knew that he would be a project and this has more or less been a redshirt season for Harrell.

Whether or not Harrell develops into a productive lineman is anyone's guess at this point, but it goes to show that the Packers' philosophy is that you can never have enough talented defensive linemen. That philosophy is paying off and it wouldn't be shocking if Green Bay pulls the trigger on another talented defensive lineman early in the 2008 draft.

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Giants RB Brandon Jacobs vs. Packers LB Nick Barnett

Barnett
JacobsJacobs is a big, powerful running back who can wear down defenses and will be counted on to help take the pressure off QB Eli Manning. He will be utilized heavily in the Giants' inside zone-running game. Barnett is the key clog in the middle in the Packers' 4-3 defense. He can cover a lot of ground within the box and is also an effective tackler out in space.

Giants WR Plaxico Burress vs. Packers CB Charles Woodson

Woodson
BurressBurress is easily the Giants No. 1 wideout and Manning's favorite downfield target. He is a dangerous receiver with size, long arms and the ability to outleap any defender in the NFL in the Giants' vertical passing attack. Woodson is an experienced corner who has played at a very high level throughout the season. He is a good bump-and-run corner who can be physical and has good man-to-man coverage skills.

RDE Osi Umenyiora vs. LT Chad Clifton

Clifton
UmenyioraUmenyiora is a dynamic pass-rusher who must be accounted for on every snap. He is very explosive off the ball with exceptional speed and the quickness to bend the edge and close on the QB Brett Favre. Clifton is an experienced player who is a better pass-blocker than run-blocker. He must do a great job in protecting Favre's backside in critical passing situations.
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

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Why To Watch
Packers QB Brett Favre is one step away from another Super Bowl, and the Giants are peaking at just the right time, having won nine consecutive road games. A Manning has reached the conference championship bracket and, surprisingly, his name isn't Peyton. This is a rematch of these teams' Week 2 meeting, in which the Giants were crushed at the Meadowlands.

New York offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will continue to strike a balance while trying to take pressure off QB Eli Manning. Expect Green Bay defensive coordinator Bob Sanders to load up the box and force Manning to beat his defense through the air. Packers coach Mike McCarthy, for his part, figures to attack with RB Ryan Grant to set up a quick, controlled passing game and slow the Giants' explosive pass rush.

Before the season, few would have believed either of these teams had a shot at playing in the Super Bowl. Giants coach Tom Coughlin was on the hot seat and considered at risk of losing his job by midseason, and many questioned whether Favre should still be playing, but both have proved their critics wrong.

When the Giants have the ball
Rushing: Gilbride has done a great job of mixing the run and the pass while exploiting play-action within the structure of the offense and easing the burden on Manning. Expect the Giants to lean heavily on RB Brandon Jacobs again against a Packers run defense that slipped in the second half of the season. FB Madison Hedgecock has been very effective as a lead blocker in New York's standard two-back offense, and he will lead the way for Jacobs. Hedgecock is extremely well-built with great lower-body strength and is an explosive lead blocker at the point of contact. The Giants' offensive line averages more than 315 pounds and must be effective controlling the interior of Green Bay's defense.

Sanders has shown a knack for using multiple fronts and attacking blocking patterns with run-blitz schemes based on opposing personnel groupings and down-and-distance. The line is a sturdy group, and RDE Cullen Jenkins has been particularly tough against the run. Leading a very effective linebacker corps are MLB Nick Barnett and WLB A.J. Hawk, who have outstanding instincts and playmaking skills. Expect Sanders to align SS Atari Bigby near the line of scrimmage on downs with heavy run tendencies in an effort to put Manning in less manageable passing situations.

Passing: Manning has a great combination of size, athleticism and arm strength, and he has been very efficient in recent weeks. Taking what defenses give him while eliminating mistakes and turnovers, he has thrown four touchdowns and no interceptions in the playoffs. Manning can make any throw and fit the ball into small windows, but his timing and accuracy are inconsistent. The Giants have scaled back on the complexity of their movement and shifts, which has helped Manning in his pre-snap reads. New York will spread the field with multiple groupings and attack different levels with WRs Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Steve Smith, based on their individual matchups. He must continue to play at a high level against a good Green Bay secondary, led by CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris.

The Packers play a lot of quarter-coverage schemes on the back end, allowing their corners to match up in bump-and-run coverage and expanding the linebackers' underneath zones. With excellent speed at linebacker, the defense can close a lot of windows quickly, forcing Manning to squeeze throws into tight spots. Sanders will rely mostly on a four-man rush, mixing in occasional zone dogs and overload blitz pressures to attack the right side of the Giants' offensive line.

When the Packers have the ball
Rushing: The foundation of McCarthy's game plan will be setting up Green Bay's passing attack and slowing New York's pass rush with a strong ground game. Last week, Grant carried 27 times for 201 yards, a franchise postseason rushing record. Expect the Packers to continue relying on outside stretch plays while mixing in inside zone runs to keep the Giants honest. Green Bay's offensive linemen are athletic and understand angles and body position when creating space. C Scott Wells has developed into a solid player and has stabilized the once-suspect interior line. He won't blow anyone off the ball, but he's consistent. He'll need to be against New York's upfield-attacking 4-3 scheme.

DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora leave the Giants' defense light on the edges, which places a lot of pressure on MLB Antonio Pierce. Though he won't meet running backs in head-on collisions at the line, Pierce has the instincts and range within the box to be extremely effective. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will try to disrupt the flow and rhythm of the Packers' running game by incorporating run dogs with his linebackers on likely rushing downs.

Passing: This will be a great matchup between Green Bay's multilayered passing attack and New York's relentless pass rush. Given his age and the relative youth surrounding him, Favre has been nothing short of amazing this season. In the past, Favre might have pressed and committed game-changing mistakes on a team with a similar makeup. However, he has trusted McCarthy's system, getting the ball to his playmakers on the perimeter. The challenge this week: making the right protection calls to give Favre enough time in the pocket to exploit an average Giants secondary. Favre will want to attack New York's back end with short throws that get the ball into the hands of his playmakers (WRs Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and James Jones) outside and allow them space to run after the catch.

Spagnuolo's blitz-happy scheme will create a lot of one-on-one edge matchups for Strahan and Umenyiora. Green Bay will counter with multiple personnel groupings and some spread formations, while frequently placing a tight end on the right side to help RT Mark Tauscher on Strahan and offsetting a back on Umenyiora's side. But handling the Giants' pressure won't be easy, and Favre must make quick, accurate coverage reads.

Special Teams

The Packers' coverage units played well against the Seahawks in blizzard conditions this past week, and kicker Mason Crosby gave the kickoff team enough time to get downfield and make plays. If weather conditions are similar Sunday, Green Bay will have an edge over New York in this area. Giants punt returner R.W. McQuarters had a key return against the Cowboys, a good sign heading into a matchup in which field position will be crucial. These teams' return men aren't particularly explosive, but both teams have a number of good core players who know how to tackle.

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Quarterback:
Giants :
Even though Green Bay has a huge advantage based on Brett Favre's experience and level of play this season, New York's Eli Manning never has been sharper or appeared more comfortable as a pro than he has in the last few weeks. Manning has been very efficient, taking what defenses give him and virtually eliminating mistakes. He has a great combination of size, athleticism and arm strength, is able to spot the ball into tight windows, and can make all the throws required of an NFL quarterback. But inconsistency -- specifically in his timing and accuracy -- has plagued him. A physical Packers secondary is led by CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris, who will match up with opposing receivers anywhere in the formation. It will be up to Manning to make savvy pre-snap reads to put the Giants in position to attack the Packers' defensive schemes, especially on the back end.
Packers :
This should be a very good matchup: Brett Favre, Green Bay's old gunslinger, versus New York's up-and-comer Eli Manning. In three playoff games combined this season, neither Favre nor Manning has committed a turnover. Saturday's Packers win over Seattle was vintage Favre: After his club fell behind by 14 points early, Favre calmed his teammates and coolly led them back. There is no panic in him, and the rest of the Packers take their cues from that. A marginal, banged-up Giants secondary appears to be a favorable matchup for Favre, but that group has played quite effectively in the postseason, especially when it counts. Of course, here's the flip side: Tampa Bay's Jeff Garcia and Dallas' Tony Romo are no Favre. If New York can't create pressure up front, Green Bay's passing game will be in for a big day. Manning is playing well right now, but he can't win simply trading blows with one of the game's best ever.

Running back:
Giants :
Expect New York to continue riding the run game, specifically RB Brandon Jacobs, against a Green Bay front seven that allowed a middling 102.9 rushing yards per game in the regular season. The Giants must control the clock and have success on the ground to take pressure off Manning. Jacobs is a huge, powerful back who is very effective attacking downhill, between the tackles. Backup RB Ahmad Bradshaw has been a productive change-of-pace runner to complement Jacobs. FB Madison Hedgecock is an effective lead blocker in the Giants' base two-back scheme. MLB Nick Barnett and WLB AJ Hawk are physical, instinctive playmakers who highlight Green Bay's outstanding linebacker corps. Hedgecock must fluidly adjust his blocking angles on the second level to create space for Jacobs.
Packers :
Judging strictly by the numbers at season's end, the Giants seemingly have an advantage here. But in the playoffs it's one-and-done, and all that matters is here and now. Bottom line: There isn't a back left in the playoffs running as well as the Packers' Ryan Grant. Over the last eight games of the regular season, only San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson had more rushing yards than Grant. He can't afford any more lapses in ball security (two fumbles against the Seahawks), but it's probably a non-issue. Considering Grant fumbled just once in 218 carries during the regular season, Saturday's turnovers are probably a fluke. Grant shows excellent vision and very good explosiveness to and through the hole. He has deceptive speed and quickness, and can make defenders miss in space. The Giants were knocked around a bit by Cowboys RB Marion Barber Sunday; they'll have to be more physical and efficient on early downs against the Packers. Jacobs turned in a productive season, but Grant is on his way to Hawaii (and a Pro Bowl) if he's Green Bay's starter from Day One. Give Grant the edge.

Wide receivers:
Giants :
Hard as it may be to believe, one of the best things that could have happened to New York's passing attack was losing TE Jeremy Shockey. The result: Manning has been forced to read through his progressions and hasn't been compelled to force throws to Shockey, who usually was double-covered. The Giants will want to get WR Plaxico Burress involved on deep vertical throws early, but he likely will be mirrored by Woodson. With the attention given to Burress, WRs Amani Toomer and Steve Smith will need to step forward to win their individual matchups. Toomer, who remains a productive possession receiver, has the best hands and field awareness on the team. Smith, for his part, has begun to develop a strong chemistry with Manning during the playoffs.

Packers :
Both the Packers and Giants are loaded with talent here, but a bit more overall consistency puts Green Bay's receivers over the top. New York's Plaxico Burress may be the most dynamic playmaker in this game, but he's creaky right now (ankle) and was a non-factor Sunday in Dallas. Packers Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and rookie James Jones are a more disciplined group, and together rank among the league's best wideout trios. All three can play the X, Z and slot positions, which puts all kinds of pressure on opposing defenses. All run very good routes and know how to separate from coverage. And in a Green Bay offense based on precision and timing, Favre and his receivers very rarely aren't on the same page. For the Packers, success in the passing game boils down to whether or not their pass protection holds up on the edges. If the Giants can't get to Favre or at least flush him from the pocket, he and his receivers will dominate -- and the Packers will be on their way to Glendale.

Tight end:
Giants :
The Packers have a decisive edge here. Losing Shockey for the season was a huge blow for the Giants, though rookie fifth-round selection Kevin Boss at least has been consistent. He's a decent point-of-attack blocker who has some functional strength. He's a big, inviting target in the short underneath areas and knows how to use his size to shield defenders from the ball. He has above-average hands and is athletic enough to make tough catches in traffic. But expect Boss to be heavily involved in the protection schemes against Packers DEs Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, whose speed and relentlessness pose a lot of problems on the edge.

Packers :
If Shockey were playing, the Giants might have earned the nod at this position. But now Donald Lee and Bubba Franks give the Packers superior talent and depth at this position. Lee, a solid receiving threat, has the speed to stretch the field and greatly benefits from regularly drawing single coverage. Because Green Bay has three legitimate threats at wideout, opposing safeties often are needed to help on two of the three against three-receiver sets, leaving Lee to be covered primarily by a linebacker. New York's linebackers are solid against the run, but none of them are particularly fast or fluid, which means Lee usually will enjoy a mismatch on Sunday.

Offensive line:
Giants :
A New York offensive line that averages more than 315 pounds deserves a slight advantage over Green Bay's front five. The Giants must be effective controlling the interior of the Packers' defense. C Shaun O'Hara, the leader of this unit, doesn't provide a huge push, but he has enough functional strength to gain position to create inside lanes. The right side of the offensive line is its strength. RG Chris Snee is an excellent drive blocker, and RT Kareem McKenzie is physical in the run game. Though the Packers faltered against the run somewhat down the stretch, a deep line rotation keeps the front four fresh and at least ensures they won't be worn down late in the game. But the strength of the front seven is the linebackers, a speedy, instinctive group that will consistently make stops if Barnett and Hawk are kept clean. If the Giants are going to pull off the upset, they must control the trenches.

Packers :
The offensive and defensive lines are the two closest calls in a comparison of these teams' respective units. Instead of breaking down these groups player by player, we incorporated the matchups -- and for that reason the Giants get the nod here. The Packers' inside trio of C Scott Wells and Gs Daryn Colledge and Jason Spitz have saved their best football for the end of the season. Wells, in particular, is quickly developing into one of the game's best young centers. Surprisingly, Green Bay's weakness is at the tackle position; LT Chad Clifton and RT Mark Tauscher are starting to slow down. They appear as skilled as ever some weeks, but in others they struggle -- usually against quality edge speed. They caught a break Sunday against an explosive Seattle front when a wet, snow-covered field kept the Seahawks' linemen from finding their footing. New York's elite edge rushers -- DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora -- can win with speed and power, which by itself would cause matchup problems for Clifton and Tauscher. (Throw in Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's blitzing, and things get really hairy.) Both offensive lines are very good, and both face high-quality defensive fronts on the other side. The team that wins more battles at the line of scrimmage earns a decisive edge.

Defensive line:
Giants :
Another interesting position battle. Give the Giants the edge, thanks to an explosive pass rush led by DEs Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan. Much of New York's success is owed to its ability to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and this is an area the Giants simply must take the upper hand to have a chance. Umenyiora can explode off the line, bend the edge and close on a quarterback, and Strahan continues to play at a Pro Bowl level. Both must be accounted for by Green Bay's protection schemes. DE Justin Tuck can be very disruptive when brought onto the field at tackle to attack the interior pocket in nickel situations. Because Favre isn't very mobile, the Giants can rely on their four-man rush and drop seven into coverage (where the defense will need the most help). And in an effort to disrupt the flow of the Packers' running game, expect Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to use a lot of movement along the front four to attack gaps upfield.

Packers :
The Packers are a little deeper across the defensive line, but the Giants have three studs in Strahan, Umenyiora and DE Justin Tuck. Green Bay counters with a similarly potent group in DE Aaron Kampman, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and DT Cullen Jenkins. Both units are very good, but New York's rates a notch better because of its superior pass-rushing prowess and ability to wreck an offense in so many ways. The Packers benefit from better depth, though, and are more likely to avoid being worn down over the course of the game. Both teams' offensive tackles will be under immense pressure and the team that has more success holding off the opposing pass rush should parlay that protection into more big plays in the passing game.

Linebackers:
Giants :
Green Bay gets the nod here, though New York has an excellent leader and on-field contributor in MLB Antonio Pierce. SLB Reggie Torbor is a first- and second-down player, while WLB Kawika Mitchell is a converted middle man who offers size and power outside. Coverage had been his strength, which has helped ease his transition to a position that generally requires more range and athleticism than muscle. Expect the Packers to feature the outside stretch play to RB Ryan Grant (now a staple of the offense) while keeping the Giants' defense honest with occasional inside zone runs. An athletic Green Bay offensive line that understands angles and body position is beginning to master the scheme, and Strahan and Umenyiora provide New York's defense little size on the edges. That puts a lot of pressure on the Giants' linebackers.

Packers :
With far superior speed, Green Bay's linebackers make more plays and afford the defense more versatility than their New York counterparts. Neither unit gets quite the credit it deserves, particularly the Giants' underrated group. (Against Dallas, for instance, WLB Kawika Mitchell was all over the field.) What sets the Packers' linebackers apart, though, is the key member of the unit: MLB Nick Barnett. He's athletic, fast and aggressive, and can be a difference-maker in this matchup. The Giants' interior offensive linemen are very good, but they'll have to beat Barnett to spots at the second level and lock on to keep Barnett from slipping blocks, stuffing gaps and running down ball carriers to make stops.

Defensive backs:
Giants :
The Giants' pass defense ranked 11th in the NFL in the regular season, but that finish was due largely to the explosive pass rush. Complicating matters for New York are injuries to CBs Sam Madison, Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery, who may be inactive or hobbled on Sunday. Still, this unit has fared better lately (particularly CB Corey Webster), and SS James Butler and FS Gibril Wilson are reliable deep defenders. Ross has a knack for being around the ball, and Webster has made more plays and fewer mistakes in recent weeks. That said, Favre will attack the Giants' back end with quick passes that get the ball outside to his playmakers (WRs Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and James Jones), allowing them enough space to run after the catch.

Packers :
An easy call: Green Bay unquestionably has the more gifted secondary, with CBs Charles Woodson and Al Harris able to match-up with the NFL's best receivers. The Packers also have received a huge lift from FS Atari Bigby, who is a force against the run but also has improved by leaps and bounds in coverage late in the season. The Giants' defensive backs are playing as well as they have at any time this season -- and this despite the absence of two starters (and a dime cornerback). But here's the litmus test: If neither team creates a lick of pressure on the opposing quarterback, whose secondary holds up better? It's Green Bay's, and it isn't close. If Umenyiora, Strahan and Tuck aren't squeezing the pocket, as they did Sunday against the Cowboys' Tony Romo, the Giants' secondary becomes average at best -- and Favre picks it apart all day. The Packers' secondary, on the other hand, will survive -- and possibly thrive -- regardless of what happens up front.

Special teams:
Giants :
The Giants coverage units are pretty good with WR David Tyree still playing the role of the special team's demon. They are able to cause turnovers on the coverage units which are huge in the playoffs. The Giants are tackling well on special teams which translate into preventing the big play return. The Giants have some work to do in improving their return phases for the playoff run in order to give Manning a shorter field.

Packers :
Kicker Mason Crosby has been a good performer for the Packers special teams units, showing the ability to kickoff deep with good hang time, which gives the Green Bay special teams core players like DB Tramon Williams and Corner Aaron Rouse enough time to get downfield and disrupt the return. The Packers aren't gaining great yards in their return phases but they aren't hurting the team either. The Packers' strength is the coverage units going against returner R.W. McQuarters and the Giants' punt return team. The Packers should be able to contain McQuarters and they get the special teams edge.

Coaching:
Giants :
Packers coach Mike McCarthy has pushed all the right buttons this season, but don't underestimate Tom Coughlin's playoff experience or the talents of his assistants. Spagnuolo has deftly deployed pressure schemes, involving his linebackers, safeties and corners. Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has maintained balance within the structure of the system to keep things manageable for Manning. All three coaches must be well-prepared, manage the game effectively and be on the ball in their play selection.

Packers :
How did Green Bay's Mike McCarthy fare in his first postseason appearance as a head coach? If we're assigning letter grades, give Saturday's effort against Seattle an A-plus. McCarthy helped keep his team from unraveling after the Packers fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter. He stuck with Grant despite his fumbles on two of his first three touches, and was rewarded with a 201-yard, three-TD performance. Coughlin has been equally impressive in two solid, unexpected postseason wins -- and his coordinators have been phenomenal. Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride have pushed all the right buttons. Both staffs are overlooked, but the Giants get a slim edge because New York isn't playing this week without back-to-back remarkable coaching efforts when the pressure is at its highest.