Why They Won: Green Bay Runs Down Dallas
By Kenn Korb
Dec 13, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jeff Janis (83) celebrates following a tackle during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Special Teams Coverage
With this game staying pretty close for most of the day, all it would take is one big play here or there to maybe completely flip the fortunes of the contest.
The area that has a likely chance to provide those plays would be the special teams groups.
It is a spot that gets routinely undervalued and overlooked…except when a mistake is made.
Also a possible worry was that Dallas has made some good returns already this year — particularly their returner Lucky Whitehead.
Luckily for Green Bay, their guys were on top of things.
In all, there were 6 punts and 5 kicks.
The return results of the punts: -2 yards, -2 yards, touchback, fair catch, fair catch, -2 yards.
The kicks: 4 touchbacks and one return to only the Dallas 16.
If there was a chance to break a play somewhere along the way, the coverage guys snuffed it out quick.
Jeff Janis was especially great on that front. He may have truly found his calling on this team as not just a returner but also a gunner. It was Janis who was in on those negative returns, and his tenacity probably helped influence at least one of those fair catches.
With the work of Janis and his fellow special teams’ players on the coverage unit, there wasn’t anything negative given up to Dallas.
After the way the special teams performed last season, this is definitely a welcome outcome.
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