Something in the air at Lambeau
Packers open up offense despite conditions, climb back into contention
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Steadily falling snow and treacherous footing once meant base personnel, a muscle back steamrolling through the opposition, and another dominating victory for the Green Bay Packers.
That wasn’t the picture Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, but at this point in the season, little matters beyond the final score.
Ever resourceful, the Packers trio of coach Mike McCarthy, defensive coordinator Dom Capers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers made adjustment after adjustment and, in the end, repulsed the equally determined Texans 21-13 in a game that was vital for both.
“This is our time of year now,” said McCarthy. “December football. Obviously, we know what our record is, too. These games are the hardest of the year.”
Both sides schlepped out of the snowy stadium carrying .500 records and with similar hopes of catching fire over the last quarter of the season to forge a berth in the postseason.
Looking like old selves
Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby expressed confidence in the manner in which the Packers, a 4-6 mess eight days ago following a fourth straight setback, disposed of Philadelphia on the road and a division leader at home.
“We are where we are, but we’re doing the right things these last two weeks,” said Crosby, whose 10 years of seniority rank second on the roster to Rodgers. “In any adverse situations, we just bounced back and made plays the last two weeks. That’s really been prevalent in this team.
“All three phases are making some plays. We’ve committed to doing a little bit more. It’s showing.”
For much of McCarthy’s first decade on the sidelines, he had a bruising back to saddle through the snow, slush and slipperiness of Lambeau.
There was Ahman Green for that first season in 2006, Ryan Grant for three seasons, and Eddie Lacy for three more. When the Packers won the Super Bowl six years ago, James Starks hammered people in the playoffs.
The Texans took a major hit on Saturday, when it was announced that Jadeveon Clowney, a disruptive edgesetter and penetrator against the run, wouldn’t make the trip because of an elbow injury. They already were missing the great J.J. Watt from their front seven.
Given those absences, McCarthy surely would have made this an Eddie Lacy kind of day because the snowfall (about two inches by game’s end) presumably would make fancy football problematic.
“It (footing) was terrible,” Texans tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz said. “There was a lot of snow on the field. It was bad.”
McCarthy tried Starks for the first two series, but when he danced and came close to fumbling for minus-3 yards on third-and-1, he was pulled and ex-Seahawk Christine Michael entered.
The score was tied 7-7 midway through the third quarter when McCarthy sent out Aaron Ripkowski as the lone setback on fourth-and-2. Short yardage had held back the Packers all day, and it did again when the Texans stacked up the fullback a foot short.
The Texans gained one first down before, at a critical juncture in the game, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins dropped what would have been a 10yard pass for a first down near the Green Bay 25.
“He (Capers) does a great job of mixing it up defensively,” said Texans tackle Duane Brown. “Different looks, blitzing from all over. He takes advantage of the (personnel) that he has.
“You’ve got to really communicate. We did a good job, for the most part. The plays we didn’t, they definitely capitalized off them.”
When Shane Lechler’s punt was downed at the 2, McCarthy inserted Ty Montgomery in the backfield. That generally was the look as the Packers followed a remarkable 98-yard touchdown drive with another measuring 89.
“We’re trying to find what personnel group is going to give us that jolt,” said Rodgers. “It turned out to be our three-receiver set with Ty that gave us that jolt. Every game is different.”
Home-field advantage
Some older fans in the crowd of 77,867 might have found it hard to identify with Green Bay’s wide-open style of offense in the winter weather. About 80 percent of their plays started with a shotgun snap from Corey Linsley, and the vast majority featured three and four receivers arrayed wide.
“When other teams come here, they think we can’t do it, but they (the Packers) know they can,” said Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith, a 12-year veteran. “They get snow games here every year. They’ve been here so many times, they know the right footing.
“He (Rodgers) knows he can still spread it out. He’s good enough to do that in snow.”
Rodgers didn’t play well in the first half, fumbling away a center exchange at the Texans’ 2-yard line in the first quarter and making a pair of inaccurate throws on third downs near midfield in the second quarter. But with the game begging to be won, Rodgers carved the Texans up in the fourth quarter.
“Obviously, you have a Hall of Fame quarterback. That will always give them a chance,” said Brown.
Green Bay wide receiver Jordy Nelson’s big day (eight catches, 118 yards) gave him 42 receptions for 551 yards (13.1) in Games 7-12, compared to 27 for 321 (11.9) in Games 1-6.
“I think everyone would agree that Jordy is back,” said McCarthy.
Now the question becomes, is the Pack back?
“They’ve got the potential to be good,” said Smith, who earned a Super Bowl ring with Denver in February.
The Packers have climbed back to respectability. They’d become a viable contender in a week with a victory over Seattle.