MintBaconDrivel
11 years ago

GREEN BAY — Although it would be a gross oversimplification to say that the Green Bay Packers didn't miss Clay Matthews last season just because they went 3-1 in the four games he missed with a pulled hamstring, the world did not in fact end, either.

So while it's incredibly inconvenient — to use one of coach Mike McCarthy's favorite words — that Matthews will apparently miss at least a month, and probably more, after undergoing surgery Monday to repair his fractured thumb, the Packers could survive without him if Mike Neal and Nick Perry play the way they did during Sunday's 22-9 victory over the Detroit Lions.

Neal, who has been playing both outside linebacker and defensive end after shedding some 20 pounds in the offseason to become a hybrid player, finished with a sack and six tackles and had what coach Mike McCarthy called "one of Mike's better performances in his career." Perry, the team's 2012 first-round pick last year, finished with two sacks and five tackles.

Perry, who suffered a wrist injury in last year's season opener and played six games before undergoing surgery that ended his season, was actually replaced in the starting lineup by Neal Sunday. Now, they'll both start at defending Super Bowl-champion Baltimore this week.

"I think you saw him play his best game yesterday, I think you saw Nick Perry play his best game yesterday," defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. "Not knowing (Matthews') status and what's going to go on there, we need for Mike Neal and Nick Perry to be ready to play next week the way they played this week. Because they played their best football this week."

When Matthews suffered a hamstring injury last Nov. 4 against Arizona, he missed the next four games: at Detroit, at the New York Giants, at home against Minnesota and at home against the Lions. With Perry already on injured reserve at that point, the Packers started undrafted rookie free agent Dezman Moses and veteran Erik Walden at outside linebacker. Walden had two sacks and Moses one in the Packers victory in Detroit, and Moses had another sack the following week in their loss to the Giants. They were credited with a combined 13 quarterback hits during those four games.

After Perry and Neal, the Packers have undrafted rookie free agent Andy Mulumba and sixth-round pick Nate Palmer.

"I guess when a guy gets to his second year, you say he's a veteran around here, but we have guys that have experience, played games for us," McCarthy said of Neal and Perry, who have a combined 37 games of NFL experience between them. "I thought Andy did some good things even on the special teams, (and) we've got our young guy Palmer, he'll get an opportunity. So we feel good."

Jason Wilde  wrote:


Pack93z
11 years ago
Personally and honestly.. Matthews being down may be a blessing in disguise, prior to last Sunday we were missing an element in the pass rush from the edge. With Matthews down.. it is going to force Capers, Greene and the backers on the field to adjust to him being down.

Guys are going to have to step up.. and the scheme is going to have to adjust to assist in this process in place of just hoping Matthews beats a double team from the edge.

I trust that they are going to gain some confidence and the coaching staff may learn a couple things that we can leverage later in the season.

Good thing with had exceptional depth in the line backing corp though.. it will be tested.

And I think the silver lining is we will become better overall late in the season for it.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Fan Shout
wpr (5h) : yooper
Zero2Cool (5h) : next is create topic from headline
Zero2Cool (5h) : new site has recent topics and headlines now
buckeyepackfan (6h) : Micah wearing #1, Packers offered it to him. Curly only one to wear #1
Zero2Cool (7h) : Micah said he told Rasheed he's gonna get some practice. LT1 yeah?
Zero2Cool (7h) : Patriots release Jabrill Peppers Before 2025 Season
Mucky Tundra (8h) : yooper!
Zero2Cool (9h) : Never. But gonna be looking different in few days :D
yooperfan (10h) : Whew, I got it back. I was afraid that I lost this site for good.
Zero2Cool (10h) : Harrisburg Packers
Mucky Tundra (10h) : Yes
Zero2Cool (11h) : No.
dfosterf (11h) : The man carried us a lot of the time
dfosterf (11h) : I think a Kenny Clark tribute is in order
Zero2Cool (19h) : new site, text editor gooder even on phone
beast (20h) : Oh yes, sometimes they make using a cellphone tough. I just wanted to make sure it was the correct article, & thank you for pointing it out.
jdlax (21h) : I can't believe one of my teams went out and wablammo just up and acquired one of the best players in the world overnight
dfosterf (29-Aug) : I do very much appreciate when Beast and others pick up my slack 😊
dfosterf (29-Aug) : I accept Beast's admonishment regarding my failure to link stuff I reference. I simply never learned to link from my cell phone.
beast (29-Aug) : That's not what your she said 😌, she said keep going 😏
Mucky Tundra (29-Aug) : Anything over 4 hours means he needs to get to the hospital
Mucky Tundra (29-Aug) : Someone might want to check on Hafley and make sure his erection has gone down
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : LaFleur texts "bleep me I cannot sit down"
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : YouTube has had me last hour or two lol
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : Ugh this trade happened right as my shift started and it's killing me
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Parsons wore 23 in high school.
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Packers just cost Lions more money with Hutchinson too huh
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : That is fair by me.
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : Kenny Clark is the player, 2 1st rnd picks
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : umm... what?
wpr (28-Aug) : I am stunned
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : RICKEY SCOOPS WAS RIGHT AGAIN!!!
Mucky Tundra (28-Aug) : ITS HAPPENING
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : DEAL IS DONE
buckeyepackfan (28-Aug) : MICAH IS COMING TO GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!
wpr (28-Aug) : Me do-ed it gooderly,
Zero2Cool (28-Aug) : Bahah, I was like WTF why isn't anyone posting on PP.com ... oops no one has permissions
dfosterf (27-Aug) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Micah Robinson cut. Probable PS player tomorrow. Has to call mom back and t
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : New site so much better. Might make switch and deal with it.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Mecole Hardman to our practice squad
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Nick Nieman from Texans our 5th linebacker. Special teams signing
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Looks like we signed Clayton Tune as QB3
wpr (27-Aug) : TKT people lose their minds over QB3. Point is almost none of them are ready that's why they are on the PS and other teams don't take them.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Unfortunately he doesn't seem ready to be an emergency QB.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : As a Canadian and a follower of Canadian University football. I am rooting for him
dfosterf (27-Aug) : I bet a lot of us will follow the Taylor Elgersma journey with interest. Personally, got a Kurt Warner vibe goin' on. I like him
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Not sure if either will be claimed though.
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Tune or Hooker would make sense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Clayton Tune cut by the Cards? Don't know if that's the guy, we shall see
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
5h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dhazer

5h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

8h / Random Babble / dfosterf

14h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

17h / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

29-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

28-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

28-Aug / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Fantasy Sports Talk / Zero2Cool

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

27-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Cheesey

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

26-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.