Green Bay Packers: 3 Matchups to watch in Week Four
By Kenny Jilek
Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Falcons Safeties
This Falcons defense has been straight-up bad in their first three games this season, especially their secondary. They’ve given up 1051 passing yards in three games, an average of 350 yards per game. They are also 29th in the league in explosive pass play percentage. Their defense allows an explosive play on 11 percent of passes. Meanwhile, Green Bay has been taking more deep shots and being more efficient on them this year with 11 percent of their passes turning into explosive plays. That adds up to a big week for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Green Bay Packers’ resident big-play threat.
With other receivers injured, he’ll have to step up and be the guy this week. Against the Saints, Lazard did everything, being both their possession receiver and their deep threat, while Valdes-Scantling had just one catch for five yards. Now, that will have to change and he needs to show that he is a more complete receiver. He’s had issues with drops, especially early this season and this is his chance to show he’s improved and deserves to be a featured guy.
Regardless of whether Valdes-Scantling can be the featured number one receiver this week, he’ll have to make a big play or two down the field. This comes down to multiple things. First, Matt Lafleur will have to scheme something up, probably off of play-action, for Scantling to get deep and behind the defense. Then, he can use his 4.37 speed to burn their safeties and finally he’ll have to haul in the ball.
All three of the Falcons safeties have a severe speed disadvantage to Valdes-Scantling. Damontae Kazee is the fastest with a 4.54 40-time and Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal’s times are 4.61 and 4.62, respectively. Even when these guys are lined up way off the ball, there will always be the threat of a blow by and even that threat could create a lot for others underneath.
Hopefully, Valdes-Scantling can get a big play early that keeps the safeties second-guessing themselves any time they think about jumping an underneath route. My prediction is that Valdes-Scantling will generate two plays of 30 yards or more and one of them for a touchdown.