Zero2Cool
14 years ago
Source Link 

Nobody was thinking about Minnesota when the Green Bay Packers took Clay Matthews in the first round of the draft in April.

And Matthews certainly had no inkling he'd be chasing quarterback Brett Favre when he was sidelined with a hamstring injury just days into his first summer practices.

But on the threshold of the biggest game of the year for Green Bay, the Packers will need something out of all their outside linebackers to apply pressure on Favre. And fortunately for them, Matthews' injury is a long and forgotten issue.

Make no mistake about it: Packers general manager Ted Thompson traded up to the first round for the first time in 10 drafts to get Matthews for big plays in big games just like the Packers at Minnesota showdown Monday night.

Versatile, smart and athletic as much as he is young and new to these sort of monster NFL games, Matthews' role this week is relatively simple: Rush Favre.

In April, scouts told the Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn that Matthews ranked as a top-five pure pass rusher in a draft that had a lot of them.

In three games this season, Matthews has done OK. With Brady Poppinga starting at right outside linebacker, Matthews comes in on sub packages and has been playing about 50% of the downs. He showed his potential against Cincinnati when he put a quick spin move on left tackle Andrew Whitworth to chase down Carson Palmer for a sack.

Matthews has shown his speed in games, though he had zero pressures in St. Louis against Rams left tackle Alex Barron.

The Packers may prefer to have Poppinga on the field for obvious running downs to defend running back Adrian Peterson, which means Matthews likely would be on the field mostly when backup running back Chester Taylor is in the lineup. No matter - Favre, Peterson or Taylor - the Packers will require Matthews to have that explosiveness to complement the outside rush they'll need on Favre's left and from Aaron Kampman on Favre's right.

That Matthews is available at all may be a combination of good fortune and wise caution.

When the Packers gave up a second-round and two third-round draft choices to draft Matthews, the expectation was that the rookie would start. But he hurt his hamstring in off-season practices and then reinjured it in August, and he's probably lucky he's not dealing with it now.

Running back Ryan Grant hurt his hamstring in training camp last year and, although he rushed for 1,203 yards, he admitted it nagged him for almost the entire 2008 season.

"A football player with a hamstring - can't do it," said Grant. "It's like a pitcher who can't throw.

"You've got to fight through some injuries, or you try to, but a hamstring is more frustrating because you can't do as much as you want to. You may want to try and fight through, but you just can't run."

Defensive tackle Ryan Picket can testify to that. He suffered a hamstring injury early in his career.

"Once you do it you know right away, the pain is instant. It's horrible," he said. "And the bad thing about a hamstring is, it don't just go away. It might take two, four weeks and after that you might be able to play, but it's still there and you're always scared to open up because it's so easy to pull it again.

"It's the hardest thing. If you pull a hamstring during the year - it's pretty much going to be there the whole season."

Pickett said it took two to three months before he could run at top speed again.

Matthews could afford to take the time to heal in the summer, though it cost him valuable practice time with everyone anxious to see him in action.

"It is a frustrating injury; these guys are locked up in contact," said strength and conditioning coordinator Dave Redding. "There's a lot of pressure on these guys to get their (butts) back on the field. It is tough."

Redding said the Packers use caution with hamstring injuries. They look at the player's history with them and then determine a plan for rehabilitation, whether it is expected to be a short three weeks or something that drags on for months.

"It's a very sensitive thing to try to train and rehab and how far you want to take it, meaning how far you want to fatigue it," said Redding. "It's hard to simulate a release and then a dead sprint at game speed in a rehab program. What you don't want to do is keep reinjuring it, reinjuring it, reinjuring it."

That was the plan for Matthews, but the hamstring acted up on him again in late summer.

"I really to this day have no idea why because I was getting my sleep, eating properly, hydrating, I was more flexible than I've ever been," said Matthews. "I was actually thinking I was being proactive. I might have pushed it, coming back too early, and just kind of delayed the process, and then the training staff wanted to make sure this was not a recurring issue."

Matthews said the off-season rehabilitation is paying off. His timing couldn't be better.

"You could play through it, but you won't be at full speed, and that's where you hurt not only yourself but your team," said Matthews. "You have to make sure when you come back with a leg injury . . . it's 100%. And I feel good right now."


UserPostedImage
tromadz
14 years ago
bozz_2006
14 years ago
I like him too.
UserPostedImage
Pack93z
14 years ago
In the opener, I was impressed with how well he set the edge of the run defense more so than anything he has shown to date in terms of pass rushing.. not to discount his rush ability, but for a young player the awareness not the get caught inside was impressive. Career is off to a very solid start.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
PackFanWithTwins
14 years ago
Hope Clay doesn't read this.

Because if AD is in the game, "Just Rush Brett" is not what I want him to be doing or we will see Peterson with 3 or 400 yards. Also watch for Taylor. If the back field is empty, let him go for it. Control is the key the rest of the time.
The world needs ditch diggers too Danny!!!
RashaanSalaami
14 years ago
Almost all game I'd prefer to have Matthews. This is the week we need our elite athletes on the field as much as possible. Poppinga has looked kinda crappy out on the field, while Matthews has been nothing but impressive. I'd trust his instincts and athleticism, give him the start, and rotate Poppinga in an out. I really hope our entire team is out there and fired up. I know Favre will get the Vikings fired up and I'm afraid that their best in the trenches is better than ours, even though it's not what they've had the last two years.
blank
Fan Shout
dfosterf (8h) : Maybe
Mucky Tundra (8h) : Yes
Zero2Cool (10h) : No.
Mucky Tundra (12h) : End of a Degu-era
dhazer (12h) : Steelers sign Patterson because of new kickoff rule interesting
Zero2Cool (15h) : Former #Packers TE Josiah Deguara is signing a 1-year deal with the Jaguars, per source.
Zero2Cool (16h) : They do not do it for "content sake".
dfosterf (28-Mar) : For the record, I enjoy Beast and Mucky drafts
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Haha
Mucky Tundra (27-Mar) : No time for talking! Back to work beast!
beast (27-Mar) : You saw only 4,201 of my mocks? 🥺 I think that means you missed more than half of them 😢
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Does anyone know what Lambeau field improvements got put on hold? My guess would be for the 2025 draft
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : It's like listen, you made 4,201 mocks, no shit.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Cuz during the draft "I had them mocked there!" as if it's amazing.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : They're fun to do once in awhile. It's people who think they are "content" that annoy me.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Against tbd
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Answer to your question is yes, it's a Thursday, will be the Chiefs aga
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Luckily for all concerned, I don't post them. I did one, but that was like 25 mocks ago
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : NFL 2024 gonna start Sept 5th isn't it???
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Ugh... kids these days!
dfosterf (27-Mar) : I'm gonna go do some more mock draft hell instead 🤪
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Did we do one of those prediction threads yet for 2024 season?
dfosterf (27-Mar) : In my city, they are playing the nimby game, in order to keep some railroad tracks vs. 2 professional sports teams and a concert venue.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : And/Or a city council, of which I haven't seen a good one in a very long time
dfosterf (27-Mar) : That sounds like a Mayor, not a city.
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers halt scheduled 80mil upgrade of stadium until lease agreement talks are restarted
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : City of Green Bay puts Packers' Lambeau Field lease talks on hold
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers 1 of 3 teams to vote no on new kickoff rule.
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Packers sign another Kicker
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Lengthy explanation at PFF if you click the link
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Kickoff rules officially changed.ngthy explan
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : lol
Cheesey (26-Mar) : 2009? No thanks! One open heart surgery is enough!
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Good for you!
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Yes. That's the one.
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Is that "Lady Dugan" per chance?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Crystal?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Please refresh my memory
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Alan posts. Crystal back in my life. It's 2009 all over again! Lol
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : BAH GAWD! THAT'S CHEESEYS MUSIC!
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Gutekunst said early stages of Jordan Love contract being discussed.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Shouldn't be penalized cuz official screwed up
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Yeah, challenge until you are incorrect twice.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Fining them is the goal, per the people who made the rule anyway.
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still waiting on the kickoff rule changes. Did hear yesterday that the touchback proposal will now be the 30 yard line, not the 35
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Probably speed of game issues with your proposal
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Hopefully the refs don't get in the habit of throwing flags on this
beast (25-Mar) : I think when it comes to Challenges should get two strikes, so unlimited challenges as long as they keep winning them, but 2 wrong then done
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still subject to the fines etc
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Yes, I should have been more specific. Also, they are now saying it would be a 15 yard penalty. That makes more sense .
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2023 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 10 @ 3:25 PM
Bears
Sunday, Sep 17 @ 12:00 PM
Falcons
Sunday, Sep 24 @ 12:00 PM
SAINTS
Thursday, Sep 28 @ 7:15 PM
LIONS
Monday, Oct 9 @ 7:15 PM
Raiders
Sunday, Oct 22 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Sunday, Oct 29 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Sunday, Nov 5 @ 12:00 PM
RAMS
Sunday, Nov 12 @ 12:00 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 19 @ 12:00 PM
CHARGERS
Thursday, Nov 23 @ 11:30 AM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 3 @ 7:20 PM
CHIEFS
Monday, Dec 11 @ 7:15 PM
Giants
Sunday, Dec 17 @ 12:00 PM
BUCCANEERS
Sunday, Dec 24 @ 12:00 PM
Panthers
Sunday, Dec 31 @ 7:20 PM
Vikings
Sunday, Jan 7 @ 3:25 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Jan 14 @ 3:30 PM
Cowboys
Saturday, Jan 20 @ 7:15 PM
49ers
Recent Topics
3h / Around The NFL / beast

8h / Green Bay Packers Talk / buckeyepackfan

28-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

28-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

27-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Mar / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

27-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

26-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

26-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

26-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

25-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

25-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

24-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

24-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

22-Mar / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2024 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.