Packers Running game will determine Packers’ fate

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The calendar has turned to December and soon the mercury will drop and the tundra will be frozen. The ball will be hard and slippery, the track will be torn up and the winds will be howling.

It’s the stretch run, time to separate the contenders from the pretenders and play physical football. It’s time to break out the long dormant running game and Mike McCarthy and the Packers were able to do just that Sunday in their 23-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Maybe they were inspired by the incomparable Adrian Peterson, who was gashing the defense for huge runs. Maybe McCarthy realized the offense will benefit from a better commitment to the running game as I wrote last week.

Whatever the reason, the Packers ran the football. The Packers rushed the ball 36 times for 152 yards and produced their third rushing touchdown of the season.

James Starks ran the ball 15 times and Alex Green had 12 rushes. It seems as if McCarthy is trying to establish a two-headed monster in the running game which should benefit both players for the stretch run.

Starks durability has been his biggest obstacle throughout his collegiate and professional career and Green is just one year removed from major knee surgery. McCarthy also gave John Kuhn a few rushing attempts and also a handful of plays in the backfield for Randall Cobb.

And when all else failed in the passing game, Aaron Rodgers was able to scramble 4 times for 15 yards.

We are now 12 games into the 2012 season and this is not your record breaking Packers offense of 2011. This can still be a very good, and I think, even more productive offense when it matters most in the playoffs, if McCarthy continues to commit to the running game and can build off of play action passes, throw shorter passes to the tight ends and slot receivers.

Maybe losing Jordy Nelson to a hamstring injury and having a rusty Greg Jennings will force McCarthy to really commit to the running game and use the four tight ends he has on the roster. I’d love to see three tight end sets and some smash mouth, physical football.

I can’t think of a better opponent or night to start than this Sunday against the hated front four of the Detroit Lions on national TV.

PackStat of the Week: The Packers have a 10 game NFC North winning streak.

Prediction of the Week: Aaron Rodgers had to apologize for the Packers’ performance against the Giants on ‘Sunday Night Football’ two weeks ago. He will be motivated and locked in like he was against the Texans on ‘SNF’ earlier in the year and I expect a big game from him and the Packers will win 35-17.

Source: JSOnline.com
 

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