First of all…I have to toot my own horn this morning. Before the Jacksonville game, I predicted in no uncertain terms that the first play from scrimmage would be Eddie Lacy running right off Lane Taylor’s hip. Bingo! I knew that Mike McCarthy and the Packers coaching staff would not only want to prove to Packer Nation that the line was going to be fine without Josh Sitton, but also (and more importantly) would want to build Taylor’s confidence out of the gate. I’m not going to say that Lane Taylor is an upgrade from Josh Sitton (still scratching my head about that one a bit) but Taylor and the offensive line passed a tough test on Sunday and another one is on the way.
Aaron Rodgers has said, “It all starts up front”, and that is true. Going into the game against Jacksonville, the Packers were already starting a new (not so new) center in JC Tretter and the unexpected exit of Sitton put Lane Taylor into a starting left guard role without warning. I was impressed by Taylor as an intelligent big guy who looked like a hard to move guard. He fit the bill but only play would tell if Taylor could hold up in the “real” NFL world. Add to that, Taylor would be going up against Jacksonville’s latest free-agent addition Malik Jackson which would be a tough test.
Taylor looks custom made to be a run-blocking guard but what a lot of us in Packer Nation were wondering is whether or not he would be able to protect Aaron Rodgers against Jackson who was brought on to add to the pass rush up front. Taylor and the whole line performed well in the run game though Eddie Lacy had only 61 yards total rushing. Lacy would have had more had the Packers been able to use him to run out the clock but the situation and some communication issues made that impossible.
But on passing downs, the Packers line was so stout that the Jaguars had to bring pressure. This is telling and in a pre-game discussion I called Aaron Rodgers “The Executioner” because no one is
better at picking apart a defense that brings pressure than Aaron. Once the Jags were forced to blitz, Aaron went to work and no play illustrated that more than the touchdown pass to Davante Adams just before the half. It all starts up front…credit the O-line.
So the Packers offensive line is off to a good start with another tough test ahead in the Minnesota Vikings. They gave up one sack but against the Jags, that is a pretty good number. Jacksonville’s defense is similar to the defense they will face in the Vikings. The Jags defense had a lot of new parts though, and the Vikings defense has played together for the most part. Here’s to a good test and a good start to the year, and here’s to a big win against the Vikings Sunday night!
Go Pack!