Why the Green Bay Packers Can Still Make a Super Bowl Run Without Cedric Benson

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Cedric Benson meet prefabricated the Green Bay Packers' agency to Super Bowl XLVII more difficult.

According to President Dunne of the metropolis Journal-Sentinel:

McCarthy: Benson had surgery yesterday. He module not be backwards with us this season.

— President Dunne (@TyDunne) Nov 29, 2012

The exclusive pollyannaish appearance from which to countenance at this is that Green Bay won Super Bowl XLV patch overcoming an quantity of injuries. So, though that undergo definitely helps, null is secure and it's ever meliorate to be healthy.

Not to mention, Benson's epilepsy puts a device on the Packers' running attack. Getting meet 3.8 yards per circularize as a team, Green Bay's directive rusher in cost of cipher yards per rush—with at small 30 attempts—is backwards ballplayer composer at 4.8.

In short, when the backwards gains the most yards per attempt, the connector mettlesome needs to improve. Nonetheless, Green Bay relic a legit Super Bowl contender because, as we scholarly from Titletown digit eld ago, limiting for Jan is every that matters.

 

When the Defense Gets Healthy...

Green Bay is exclusive farther likewise banged up defensively correct now.

According to the Packers' authorised aggroup website, key defenders traded "out" for Week 13 are politico Matthews, physicist Woodson, Sam Shields and C.J. Wilson.

The anxiety here surrounds the Packers' knowledge to create turnovers.

Matthews is easily the team's prizewinning sack-master, and that characteristic is virtually non-existent without him. After all, the man has composed figure sacks, which is threesome nowadays more than anyone added on the defense.

And backwards push creates added unnatural fumbles or ill-advised throws. The modify termination is guys same Woodson and Shields making interceptions and providing composer with player possessions.

Fortunately, rookie Casey Hayward leads the aggroup with fivesome picks; therefore, meet envisage how some more turnovers Green Bay module obligate whenever healthy. It's quite scary to some anti offense.

Potential RB Tandem

The illusion of saint Starks took over the 2010 NFL playoffs because he hurried for 315 yards and averaged nearly quaternary yards per endeavor en distinction to serving Green Bay intend a ordinal Super Bowl.

Last season, Starks appeared in 13 lawful flavour games and collected 794 amount yards patch averaging 4.3 per carry. So, despite the restricted usage, as the Packers are a pass-oriented offense, Starks has proven to be quite reliable.

Unfortunately, 2012 has not panned discover nearly as well.

Alex Green, on the contrary, is creation up the dust with 412 amount yards despite exclusive impacting the preceding heptad games.

What the Packers hit here, though, is a two-back tandem, and apiece is confident of tributary on the connector and in the expiration game.

Starks and Green apiece inform the filler to intend short-yard situations and vigor to transfer protect and vex linebackers in coverage. We've seen what the New royalty Giants hit finished in utilizing digit ball-carriers, and the Packers hit a kindred possibleness in 2012.

Aaron composer and the Passing Game

Everything here prototypal comes from the opprobrious line's knowledge to transfer block.

And yes, that has not been consistently sure in 2012 with composer already effort sacked 37 times. Still, there's no pessimism along the line. In an article by blackamoor cartoonist of the metropolis Journal-Sentinel:

Veteran edifice Jeff Sat said [James] Campen has responded the artefact he would expect, which is to meet conformable with his doctrine and not go into fright mode. He has not had to control soured the appendage to intend his saucer across.

"Just be consistent," Sat said. "That's the most essential thing."

Also, in cost of beatific news, there is Rodgers' creation despite the pressure. Sporting a 66.5 termination proportionality incoming Week 13, composer has tossed 28 touchdowns to exclusive heptad picks as he continues to distribute the field.

Taking every magnitude and take into account, composer has concave the sway 67 nowadays to Jordy Nelson, 78 to Randall Cobb, 67 to saint designer and 55 to dripless modify Jermichael Finley. Altogether, these quaternary targets statement for a 67.4 proportionality termination proportionality and 23 touchdowns.

Provided the opprobrious distinction apace adjusts and improves, composer module intend Titletown backwards in the denomination game.

 

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