Coming out of the bye week, the Green Bay Packers appeared to completely confuse the Chicago Bears by moving their best pass rusher to middle linebacker.
Matt Forte, the Bears’ running back who put up 122 yards on 23 carries in the the teams’ first game, was limited to just 54 in the second meeting.
A week later against the Philadelphia Eagles, Matthews playing middle linebacker — really roaming everywhere in the defense depending on the situation — no longer had the novelty of surprise.
It still worked.
The Packers’ defense, which just a few weeks ago was ranked as the worst rushing defense in the league, held running back LeSean McCoy to 88 yards on 23 carries.
Two weeks ago, the Packers were giving up 153.5 yards rushing per game.
Taking the best pass rusher — one paid a premium to go after quarterbacks — off the edge is not an obvious or easy call. Dom Capers deserves credit for thinking outside the box to solve the defense’s biggest weakness.
Matthews deserves credit for making it work. He’s had two of his most productive weeks of the season, including a sack in each game.
The defense’s recent rise should be credited to more than just Matthews, though.
Free agent outside linebacker Julius Peppers has been every bit of the playmaker Packers general manager Ted Thompson thought he would be.
Defensive tackle Letroy Guion, a free agent pickup from the Minnesota Vikings who was thrust into a starting job when B.J. Raji tore his biceps in training camp, has consistently improved this season. In recent weeks he’s been the disruptive force up front the Packers were hoping Raji would be this season.
Also helping is the play of safety Micah Hyde. A converted cornerback, Hyde has taken on more slot corner responsibilities in recent weeks. He’s playing the position well enough to hold off both Casey Hayward and Tramon Williams, who have both spent time in the slot in the past.
The Packers’ offense has been potent all throughout the Aaron Rodgers era. The Packers show no signs of slowing down on that side of the ball.
The defense, which began to struggle in 2011 following the Super Bowl season, appears to have put the last piece of the puzzle together in the Matthews move.
The Packers will have to prove the improvement is real over the next few weeks, but already there are believers. The Packers are climbing the power rankings (ranked No. 3 by the Associated Press). Bovada Sportsbook gives the Packers the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl behind the New England Patriots (the Packers’ opponent in two weeks).
What a difference a defense makes.
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