The Green Bay Packers defied all odds on Sunday by coming out victorious in a hard-fought battle at the New Meadowlands Stadium. Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby booted three field goals en route to a 9-0 victory. The New York Jets’ defense was good, but not as good as their counterparts in the Packers’ defense.
The shut-out marked the first time the Packers have held an opponent scoreless on the road since 1991. Tramon Williams, Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews all came up big when it counted. Could the recent surge of the defensive unit save the Packers’ season from the injury bug?
By: Nick Grays
The main story in Green Bay this season has been the plethora of injuries, including a league-high ten players placed on IR. That’s why it’s even more surprising how the Packers have persevered to a 5-3 record and held their last four opponents to an average of 15.7 points per game.
A big question coming into Sunday’s match-up was how the Packers would deal with the Jets’ league-leading turnover ratio of +10. They had no problem with that aspect of the game as the defense induced three New York turnovers while the Green Bay offense held their own and did an excellent job of avoiding the big mistake.
Two of the Packers three turnovers were stripped balls which resulted in interception calls for Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Williams also recovered a fumble in the game. The Packers’ defense wouldn’t be where they are today without the leadership and experience which Woodson and Williams bring to the team. Head Coach Mark McCarthy couldn’t agree more.
“I think that speaks volumes about our defensive secondary, they’re an instinctive bunch. Frankly, if we weren’t so good at receiver, I’d play some of those guys on offense. The ball skills of our secondary players with Charles [Woodson] and Nick [Collins] and Tramon [Williams] and all the way through, they are an instinctive bunch,” said McCarthy.
Williams and Woodson weren’t the only defensive standouts this past weekend as Clay Matthews continued his dominance in the pass-rush by recording yet another sack. The Pro-Bowler from a year ago now has a league-leading 9.5 sacks on the season.
Even though it won’t show up in the box score, fourth-string defensive back Charlie Peprah’s clutch hit to break up an important third-down conversion in the second-half may be the most important Packers’ play of the game. Overall, the Packers’ defense should get an A+ for the game.
Even more impressive than the Packers’ defense was the play of rookie punter Tim Masthay. Masthay accumulated eight punts and placed an astonishing five of them inside the 20 yard line. Not only did he average 44 yards per punt, but also held the ball for Crosby during his three field goals.
When asked about his rookie punter, McCarthy had nothing but good things to say.
“Well, Tim is a young man; he’s young in experience also in this league and you can see him getting better and better. You could see him getting better and better and it really started through training camp when he was in the competition and I feel that he is improving as the games go on. There is no lack of talent, he has exceptional leg strength and he has very good mechanics, very good fundamentals and he was huge for us today,” added McCarthy.
Next up for the Packers is a match-up with the atrocious Dallas Cowboys who have stumbled to a 1-6 record. At first place in the NFC North, the Packers are looking to ride their wave of momentum into a much-needed bye in week ten.
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