MintBaconDrivel
12 years ago

GREEN BAY — On a night full of unforgettable moments, it is still the most goosebump-creating, spine-tingling sequence of them all. Nick Collins' interception return for a touchdown, Greg Jennings' clutch third-down catch, any one of Aaron Rodgers' pinpoint throws — they all combined to deliver the Lombardi Trophy to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

But it is in the minutes between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter, in the exchange between outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene and outside linebacker Clay Matthews, and on the first play of the final quarter, when Matthews wallops Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall to force a tide-turning turnover, that the game may very well have been decided.

After all, a 21-3 lead had gone up in smoke, the team's emotional defensive leader, Charles Woodson, had been lost to a broken collarbone, and the Packers were on the ropes.

"Everybody looks up to 'Wood' as a leader. He is gone," Greene can be heard exhorting Matthews. "Nobody's (expletive) standing up and (expletive) rallying the troops. It … is … time. It is time."

Packers fans know full well what happened next: On second-and-2 from the Packers' 33-yard line, Matthews read the play pre-snap, came up and drilled Mendenhall, forcing a fumble that Desmond Bishop recovered. The Packers took the ball and pushed their lead to 28-17 with a touchdown drive, and while there were still tense moments to come, the Packers were back in control. (The sequence occurs at roughly the 38-minute mark in the NFL Network broadcast of America's Game below.)

YOUTUBE

"In my opinion, it ranks as the most important play in the Super Bowl," Rodgers says in the documentary.

Fast forward to today, and Greene's words again ring true. "Wood" is once again gone, having been released by the team on Feb. 15. The Packers defense, having been thoroughly dominated in surrendering a stunning 579 yards to Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers in a season-ending NFC Divisional Playoff loss, are again looking for someone who will stand up and rally the troops.

Matthews was only a second-year player at the time of his Super Bowl-turning play. Now, he's entering his fifth NFL season, just signed a five-year, $66 million extension and is the defense's unquestioned star.

It … is … time … for Matthews to be that leader again.

"I think it's just the natural progression of leadership on this team. Obviously the more comfortable I am in this scheme and the longer I'm here, the longer tenured I am, the more I have to take that leadership opportunity. Especially in light of all that has happened in the offseason with Charles Woodson departing, the new contract," Matthews said. "(With the Packers) showing trust in my leadership and ability on the field, you're going to see that. Especially in light of the last few years our defense. We're trying to turn it around and get this thing back to where we were when we had a Super Bowl run."

Matthews missed four games last season — the Packers went 3-1 in those games, beating Detroit (twice) and Minnesota while losing to the New York Giants — with the chronic hamstring problem that has plagued him since he entered the league. But before last year, he'd missed just two games because of the hamstring; when he pulled it against Arizona on Nov. 4, however, it was more severe than previous instances. The coaches also appeared to take a calculated risk and wait longer to bring him back than maybe they would have at a different point in the schedule.

Nevertheless, Matthews still finished fifth in the NFL in regular-season sacks (13.0), and in 877 total snaps (including playoffs), he finished with 72 tackles, 16 sacks, five pass breakups, two fumbles forced and a fumble recovery. Now, the Packers need him not only to be even more productive, but to stay healthy enough to play all 16 games against a much more challenging regular-season schedule while also picking up that leadership mantle from Woodson, who's now in Oakland.

"You get more comfortable within the system being a leader. A lot of these young guys look up to you, especially having some personal success myself," Matthews said. "Kind of being appointed that guy — or at least self-appointed — I'm going to do everything I can to help this defense get to where we need to go and if that means being a little more vocal, running around having some fun then hopefully these guys follow."

Matthews certainly wasn't perfect last season — while now-departed Erik Walden looked the worst against the 49ers and their read-option scheme, Matthews didn't exactly drape himself in glory with his performance that night, either — but he's the one player on the defense that tilts the field in the Packers' favor. As the team looks to develop other players who do that, Matthews is the player the Packers defense simply cannot live without, regardless of that 3-1 record while he was sidelined last year.

Jason Wilde  wrote:


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DoddPower
12 years ago
So who's number 2?
texaspackerbacker
12 years ago

So who's number 2?

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 



Yeah, you beat me to saying it. Also, who was #4?


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Bigbyfan
12 years ago

So who's number 2?

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 



Jarrett Bush


blank
nerdmann
12 years ago

So who's number 2?

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 



Number 2 is Aaron.

Number 1 is Mike.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
OlHoss1884
12 years ago

Yeah, you beat me to saying it. Also, who was #4?

Originally Posted by: texaspackerbacker 




#4 was Tim Masthay. Will he be able to stand there cold all season with no kicking to do but still hold up as holder for 100 PAT attempts?


"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits" --Albert Einstein
beast
12 years ago

So who's number 2?

Originally Posted by: DoddPower 



Bulaga
(unless they've already named him)

Somebody has to protect Rodgers blindside.


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Zero2Cool
12 years ago

Bulaga
(unless they've already named him)

Somebody has to protect Rodgers blindside.

Originally Posted by: beast 



You been talking to MintBaconDrivel, eh?

No. 2: Bryan Bulaga, LT




I think Clay Matthews III being #3 is too high. I don't see his value to the Packers team being higher than 5.
UserPostedImage
yooperfan
12 years ago

You been talking to MintBaconDrivel, eh?

No. 2: Bryan Bulaga, LT




I think Clay Matthews III being #3 is too high. I don't see his value to the Packers team being higher than 5.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 



You gotta be shittin me!

DoddPower
12 years ago

You been talking to MintBaconDrivel, eh?

No. 2: Bryan Bulaga, LT




I think Clay Matthews III being #3 is too high. I don't see his value to the Packers team being higher than 5.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 



I would have guessed that, but I thought Bulaga had already been on the list. Perhaps I'm thinking about that one article that I was slamming for lacking substance. I'm obviously too lazy to go look through the list.

Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (32m) : That is fair by me.
buckeyepackfan (34m) : Kenny Clark is the player, 2 1st rnd picks
Zero2Cool (40m) : umm... what?
wpr (52m) : I am stunned
Mucky Tundra (55m) : RICKEY SCOOPS WAS RIGHT AGAIN!!!
Mucky Tundra (55m) : ITS HAPPENING
buckeyepackfan (56m) : DEAL IS DONE
buckeyepackfan (58m) : MICAH IS COMING TO GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!
wpr (7h) : Me do-ed it gooderly,
Zero2Cool (21h) : Bahah, I was like WTF why isn't anyone posting on PP.com ... oops no one has permissions
dfosterf (23h) : tell her I reckon
dfosterf (23h) : 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
TheKanataThrilla (27-Aug) : Per Bill Huber, the Packers will not be bringing back Taylor Elgersma or Sean Clifford on the practice squad, so a new third quarterback
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Schefter must have deleted his tweet
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Hopefully Jerry reaches under the seat cushions and ashtrays of his jet and scrapes up the 45 million apr and spares us further nonsense
dfosterf (27-Aug) : Have to admit the PO'd Cowboy fan videos would be fun to watch. Problem with draft picks is half their fanbase barely knows what that is
beast (27-Aug) : I think Cowboys fans are ready to get their pitch forks and burning sticks if Jerry were to trade Micah
dfosterf (27-Aug) : If Jerry traded Micah to GB, here in northern Va. they would have to quick build yet another data center to handle the internet hate traffic
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : its signing and trades that you don't hear about, other then announced
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : If you hear rumors about Packers sign or trade, won't happen. Not how they work
dfosterf (27-Aug) : 19 players in a contract year. Jones called loss to us worst loss in Cowboy history. Forget Parsons trade. Not happenin' Cap'n
packerfanoutwest (27-Aug) : The Packers, meanwhile, are the youngest team in the league for the third consecutive year.
dfosterf (27-Aug) : That it was darkest before the dawn in Bengals and Commanders before they got deals done
Zero2Cool (27-Aug) : what is Schefter saying?
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He was getting Dorito infusion therapy
dfosterf (27-Aug) : He's outta shape. Why, just the other day I saw him splayed out on the trainers table
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Parsons has followed Rasheed Walker on Twitter. Quite the choice
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : Kuhn is a former player who works for the team, if somethings going down, he would be close to it
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : @kuhnj30 Micah Freaking Parsons
Mucky Tundra (27-Aug) : A LOT of buzz on the Bird App regarding Parsons; even Schefter is saying it's serious
dfosterf (26-Aug) : *Orzech*
dfosterf (26-Aug) : Orzich long snapper 3 yr extension
Zero2Cool (26-Aug) : Packers signed someone for three year deal
Zero2Cool (26-Aug) : lol i know it's insane ... sign up for the waiver wire then you'll know
wpr (26-Aug) : YES!!!!!!
Mucky Tundra (26-Aug) : WE WANT THE LIST! WE WANT THE LIST!
Zero2Cool (26-Aug) : @JJLahey · 2m Holy crap, Packers, where the heck is the list?
Zero2Cool (26-Aug) : haha folks on Tweeter every year this time ... 'where is list Packers!!" hahaha
wpr (26-Aug) : He played pretty good.
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