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Green Bay Packers: Stymying Julio Jones’ sidekicks

By Ralph Mancini

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Climbing Mount Everest and forging peace in the Middle East may seem like child’s play next to keeping a rocket-fueled Falcons offense to under 30 points considering how this 800-pound gorilla has averaged 34.6 points over the past three months and 38 points per game in its last five contests.

While Dom Capers and his Packers’ defense drew up an effective blueprint in neutralizing Julio Jones in Green Bay’s 33-32 loss to the Dirty Birds, it wasn’t enough to thwart No. 11’s supporting cast members, who will be joined by second-year back Tevin Coleman this time around.

In particular, Mohamed Sanu had his best game of the season in that October 30 game with 10 receptions for 85 yards and a game-deciding 11-yard touchdown catch at the expense of Jake Ryan, who was his closest defender.

The New Jersey-born starting receiver benefited from the bracket coverage applied to Jones, who was held to 29 yards on three grabs. Free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was undoubtedly one of the Packers’ standouts that afternoon, who provided support to Jones’ cover man Ladarius Gunter.

Capers would be foolish to veer away from that strategy in dealing with the four-time Pro Bowler, which would probably leave Damarious Randall the task of shadowing Sanu, who is big and physical—and not to mention versatile (see 25 career carries and five pass attempts)—at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds.

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Randall has taken his fair share of heat lately—and justifiably so—for his reluctance to add a much-needed dose of physicality to his game.

In pass coverage, the 2015 first-round pick often resorts to letting his man cleanly get off the line proceeding to then afford his opponent enough cushion to secure uncontested throws.

Is Randall simply following the orders of his defensive coordinator in an effort to prevent the big play? I wonder.

But the fact that the struggling back-end defender is routinely adopting a passive approach in engaging receivers speaks to just how misguided it was for Ted Thompson to squander a Day 1 selection on the former Arizona State Sun Devil, who has been accused of “coasting” by on his natural talent.

The young corner’s dilemmas in run support is just as baffling, as he’s been guilty of getting caught inside on several plays this season and failing to set the edge against oncoming ball carriers.

By my count, Randall has two quality performances on his game log (a Week 1 win at Jacksonville and a Week 14 victory versus Seattle), so to expect him to reduce Sanu to being a non-factor Sunday is probably too much to ask.

But impeding the ex-Bengal from converting third downs and keeping him out of the end zone would go a long way towards preventing the NFC South Champs from generating their typical—and expected—point totals.

Can Randall remember what it’s like to play with confidence and be the aggressor? Stay tuned.

The other pass-catching weapon the Packers will need to account for is the 5-foot-7 1/2, 165 pound Taylor Gabriel, who has been nothing short of a revelation in the regular season by averaging over 40 yards on his seven touchdowns (six receiving and one rushing) with only one of those scores coming from under 10 yards out.

Though the 25-year-old speed merchant can be seen lining up at a variety of positions, his exceptional change-of-direction skills are best suited in the slot where he has extra room to elude defensive backs with his lateral agility.

Unlike other players with his characteristics, Gabriel doesn’t let his 4.4 speed preclude him from tracking deep balls demonstrating great body control while accelerating downfield.

My best guess regarding who will be burdened with chasing the game breaker Cleveland previously had no use for (yes, that’s why they’re the Browns) is Green Bay’s man of many hats, Micah Hyde.

Unlike Randall, the cagey veteran is a far more aggressive defender that won’t have any reservations in jamming the smaller Gabriel to—at minimum—throw his timing off.

To their credit, the Packers haven’t allowed slot players to go off in recent weeks with Cole Beasley and Sterling Shepard each held to four receptions and under 65 yards.

But given the offense Gabriel plays in and how adept  offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is at motioning his array of weapons open pre-snap, Hyde’s best chance of denying the big play is with the aid of a relentless pass rush.

But another component that has played a vital role in the Falcons averaging more yards per play (6.5) than any team since the 2000 Mike Martz-led St. Louis Rams is the devastating one-two punch provided by the running-back duo of Devonta Freeman and (Tevin) Coleman.

In last week’s win over Seattle, the backfield pair combined for 102 rushing yards on 25 carries and seven receptions for 102 yards, including two touchdowns.

While Freeman is the smaller, shiftier runner that has the ability to start and stop on a dime, Coleman is a one-cut, downhill hammer with 4.39 speed.

Seahawks’ linebacker K.J. Wright has recently gone on record to claim how both backs are the best twosome he’s faced—ever.

The multiplicity of routes they execute from jailbreak screens to vertical patterns are a nightmare for linebackers to defend.

Between Joe Thomas, (Jake) Ryan and Blake Martinez, the Packers don’t have anyone among their inside linebackers that has the physical tools to cover either runner, especially Coleman, who takes great pleasure in torching a number of a bigger and slower second-level defenders.

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The hope here is for Morgan Burnett to quickly recover from his groin injury that forced to leave last week’s divisional round matchup.

Burnett’s versatility to play inside linebacker against the run and pass make him a key chess piece that can drop back and cover both running backs or tight ends with greater facility than any of the aforementioned members of Green Bay’s linebacker trio.

In addition, the 28-year-old team leader has the knowledge and instincts to diagnose the action in front of him and properly line up his teammates in the back seven when necessary.

Overall, the amount of playmakers the visiting’s squad’s defensive unit will have to contend with is enough to make any honest and objective Packer Backer’s head spin.

There’s no doubt that the pass rush will need to be a major part of the equation if the Packers—or any team—hopes to hold this Atlanta juggernaut to subpar levels of offensive production.

But even constant pressure offers no guarantees against Matt Ryan, who is ridding himself of the ball with the quickness of a gun-slinging outlaw.

What the Packers News contingent will need to aim for if they have any realistic designs on advancing to the Super Bowl in two weeks is producing those one or two turnovers that will give their prolific offense an opportunity to gain an edge in what should be a back-and-forth fireworks show where the first team to 40 points may end up clinching the conference title.

Next: Packers vs Falcons: Tale of the tape

Sit back and fasten your seat belts for this game promises to be one of heck of a roller coaster ride.

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