The Packers’ defense held Marshawn Lynch to 41 yards last Sunday night. And the challenge will continue as Jamaal Charles comes to Lambeau for another primetime meeting Monday night. Charles had 125 yards on 21 carries for a 6.0 yard per carry average in the recent loss to the Denver Broncos, but Charles also had two critical fumbles in that game and the team eventually lost. The Packers’ defense is going to have a bead on Charles in this contest, knowing that even moreso than the Seahawks, the Chiefs’ offense requires a more than serviceable running game to be successful…in fact, it is built on a successful running game.
A great defense and running game is the Chiefs’ formula for winning football games. Alex Smith, former first overall draft choice of the 49’ers in 2005 (familiar?…thought so!) is 38 of 58 in passing for 434 yards and a 65.5% completion percentage with 3 touchdowns in the first two games of the season. This is serviceable but Smith is not the kind of quarterback that can take the whole team on his shoulders and carry them to victory. He’s no Aaron Rodgers. The Chiefs are going to rely on the run game as a very big part of their formula once again. They may try to throw over the box to loosen Green Bay up at times but they need Charles to be successful to win.
So the question is…can the Packers defense take another step in becoming a dominant defense against the run? The game against Seattle was a great team effort but up against the Chicago game one has to wonder which identity defines the Packers run defense? Again I will say that part of the success of the Bears’ run game lies in the fact that Matt Forte is the most underrated running back in the league and can do it all. Lynch cannot. So that said, what kind of a day will Jamaal Charles have against the Packers defense? Let the world know what you think in the poll below: