Green Bay Packers: 3 Matchups to Watch in NFC Championship

Matt LaFleur vs. Buccaneers’ Linebackers

The combination of Devin White and Lavonte David in the middle of the Tampa Bay defense can absolutely shut down an opponent’s run game, as we all saw in October. The play fast, downhill, and seem to be everywhere on the field.

The best way to neutralize them is to counter by giving them things to look at and think about. If they’re processing lots of movements, they’re not playing fast. LaFleur is one of the best in the league at making linebackers think twice with extra motion, so he should be able to scheme up some way to make them freeze for the extra half-second needed to get past them.

There’s more than just motion that can get these guys on their heels, though. Having pass options for Rodgers on runs is a big way to get them to not cheat up too far. If they know there’s a Davante Adams slant coming right behind them, and the ball could get thrown right past their ear, they won’t be playing downhill as much.

Play action should also be a huge part of the gameplan this week, as there should be some holes in the middle of the field behind these guys when they try to creep up to the line of scrimmage. It also comes down to the offensive line executing the gameplan, which was an utter failure the first time around.

They need to be more crisp on blitz pickups, and they’ll likely keep a back or tight end in to block often. Expect to see a lot of Jamaal Williams on the field, as he’s the best pass blocker of the three-headed monster and runs between the tackles well, which the Packers should be doing a lot of this week.

So, with a Super Bowl trip on the line, what do you think are the most important matchups for the Green Bay Packers to win this week? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter @DairylandXpress.