Here is what you need to know on this Saturday, February 23, 61 days before the NFL Draft.
Packers back to school to stop read option
The Packers will be going back to school in an attempt to learn how to win a few of the games on their 2013 schedule, including their meeting with the Redskins and, if he’s healthy, Robert Griffin III.
Mike McCarthy watched his team give up 579 yards to Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers in a 45-31 loss in their divisional playoff game last month. Kaepernick set an NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game with 181. Green Bay will play the 49ers in the regular season this year along with Griffin and the Redskins and the Eagles, who will be operating under new coach Chip Kelly’s wide-open offensive attack.
So McCarthy is sending his defensive coaches back to school. The will visit Texas A&M this offseason to get some pointers on stopping the read option and similar attacks with their roots in college ball.
“Five hundred seventy-nine, that’s a number that will stick in our focus as a defense throughout the offseason. We’re studying the read option, the teams that are doing it in the NFL,” McCarthy said. “We’re even going to the college ranks, we’ll have a couple college coaches come in, spend some time with our staff. Actually, our defensive staff is going to take a trip to Texas A&M, Kevin Sumlin is someone I have great respect for and with his ability to share from both the offensive side and the defensive side his experience in the read option. It’s something from an education, preparation standpoint that we will grow as a staff and be better prepared for in the future.”
Sumlin just finished his first year with the Aggies so he and his staff did not face Baylor with RG3. Because for some reason the NCAA counts yards lost when a quarterback is sacked against his rushing total, it’s hard to get much from a QB’s rushing stats. For what it’s worth, in three games against A&M, Griffin rushed 44 times for 163 yards and a touchdown.
Pending Griffin’s health, we will see if the Packers picked up anything useful when the Redskins travel to Green Bay in the fall.
Andrews optimistic
In case you missed it
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- Do the Redskins need to upgrade at wide receiver?
- Playmaking TEs available in draft
- The Redskins will finally get something in exchange for Albert
Days until: Start of NFL league year 17; OTA’s start 81; Training camp 152
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