Before the Falcons do anything on offense against the Green Bay Packers, they must find linebacker Clay Matthews.
The Green Bay Packers move Matthews around like a knight in a chess match. He’s the X-Factor for Monday night’s game in Lambeau Field.
He strictly was an outside linebacker, until the Packers crafted a plan over the offseason to move him around.
“(We are) just trying to play as many combinations of players that we can,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “After the bye week, we felt like getting into some packages that we hadn’t used yet.”
Matthews, a four-time Pro Bowler, is playing inside on running downs and outside in passing situations in coordiantros Dom Capers’ 3-4 scheme.
“They make it hard to find him because he doesn’t stay in one spot,” Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “He’s what we call a spinner.”
Matthews has taken to his new role.
“What it does is create matchups where you can’t necessarily always block him with a lineman,” Koetter said. “Sometimes you’re going to have to block him with a back or a tight end. They are creating matchups. They are basically playing offense with the defense.”
In addition to Matthews, the Packers signed former Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears standout Julius Peppers this offseason. He leads the Packers in sacks, with five.
“They’ve got other guys that are good pass rushers besides Matthews, most notably Peppers,” Koetter said.
The pass protection will be tested against the Packers.
“Most teams are lucky to have one, but they’ve got two elite pass rushers,” Koetter said.
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