Aaron Rodgers believes this year’s Green Bay Packers team is hungrier than those of year’s past thanks to some stinging one-and-done playoff games.
Break out the cheese and chowder, because Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are hungry. At least that’s what the Pro Bowl quarterback is saying in advance of the team’s home divisional playoff game. After three straight disappointing playoff campaigns, Rodgers believes the team is using that disappointment to fuel their preparation for the visiting Dallas Cowboys.
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“It’s a different team, every year is different,” Rodgers said per the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “This group seems to be a little hungrier. We’re a few years now removed from the Super Bowl and there’s a lot of guys who weren’t a part of that run who are big contributors for us. It’s fun to see those guys and their hunger to get there.”
After an improbable Super Bowl run as the sixth seed in the NFC in 2010, highlighted by the stellar play from Rodgers down the stretch, the Packers have won one playoff game in the following three seasons while seeing Rodgers’ numbers slip in that stretch.
While the quarterback is hardly the problem for this team, both he and the team will need more than they’ve gotten in the past few years if they’re going to beat one of the most balanced teams in the NFL.
Much of that starts with the Green Bay defense, which started slow, but has improved throughout the season to finish in the middle of the pack in points and yards per game allowed. That’s been plenty for a team that sported the highest-scoring offense in the league.
The biggest matchup for the Packers on defense will likely be that of its front seven against the Dallas running game, which was the best in the league. The Packers gave up roughly 120 yards per game this season and in a January game at Lambeau Field, nothing makes life easier for an offense than a good running game.
Since Aaron Rodgers will be the focus for the Dallas Cowboys defense, it’s important that Green Bay running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks also have big games against a similarly ranked Cowboys front.
So it’s no surprise that Rodgers turns to his team days before this game. He’ll need every one of them if the Packers are going to shake off their recent disappointments and get back to the NFC Conference Championship.
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