Packers at Bears NFC Championship Release.indd - NFL.com

PACKERS TEAM NOTESSTINGY AGAINST THE PASSGreen Bay had its most productive pass-defense season of Head CoachMike McCarthy’s tenure, finishing near the top of the league in severalcategories.The Packers finished the season ranked No. 5 in the league in passdefense, allowing their opponents just 194.2 yards per game. Thattopped the best mark under McCarthy, ahead of the 201.1 passing yardsper game allowed in 2009, and was the best since 2005 (167.5).After Washington QB Donovan McNabb passed for 357 yards againstGreen Bay in Week 5, the Packers allowed opposing QBs to pass forjust 185.9 yards per contest in the final 11 games, No. 3 in the NFL overthat span.The defense limited opposing signal-callers to a passer rating of just67.2 this season, which ranked No. 1 in the NFL. That rating is thebest by Green Bay since 1997 (59.0).The Packers recorded 24 interceptions, good for No. 2 in the league, andopposing quarterbacks completed 56.2 percent of their passes (No. 4).Green Bay gave up only 16 TD passes this season, which ranked No. 4in the NFL, after allowing 29 TDs through the air in 2009. The 16 passingTDs were the fewest given up by Green Bay since 2001 (14).In Week 15 at New England, the defense limited Patriots QB Tom Bradyto just 163 yards through the air on 15-of-24 passing. Entering thegame, Brady had eclipsed the 300-yard mark in four of the previous fivegames, averaging 314.4 yards per contest over that span.Bears QB Jay Cutler came into the Week 17 game with a 104.6 passerrating in his previous five games, but Green Bay’s defense held him tojust a 43.5 rating on 21-of-39 passing for 168 yards and no touchdownswith two interceptions.In Saturday night’s win at Atlanta, the defense limited Falcons Pro BowlQB Matt Ryan to just a 69.0 passer rating, well below his season averageof 91.0. Green Bay held Eagles Pro Bowl QB Michael Vick (100.2 for theseason) to a 79.9 rating in the Packers’ Wild Card win.PRODUCTION APLENTY INSIDE THE 20After strong showings in 2008 and 2009, Green Bay once again found itselfamong the most efficient teams in the league in the red zone this season.The Packers scored touchdowns on 32 of 53 trips inside the opponent’s20. That 60.4 percent touchdown rate was No. 6 in the NFL and No. 2 inthe NFC, and the 32 TDs ranked No. 6.Green Bay’s 260 points in the red zone this season (32 touchdowns, 12field goals) were good for No. 8 in the league, and its average of 4.91points per red-zone trip ranked No. 8 in the NFL as well.The Packers posted their finest performance of the season in Week 16against the Giants, scoring on 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) red-zone chances.That percentage was their best in the regular season (min. three opportunities).Green Bay topped that showing at Philadelphia, posting touchdowns onall three trips inside the 20 in the 21-16 Wild Card win.In Saturday night’s 48-21 win at Atlanta in the Divisional contest, thePackers scored touchdowns on 4-of-6 red-zone chances, posting fieldgoals on the other two. That brings their red-zone touchdown percentagein the playoffs to 77.8 (7-of-9).The Packers’ production this season came in fewer opportunities than2009, as they finished tied for No. 10 in the league with the 53 red-zonepossessions. Last season, Green Bay finished No. 6 in the league with62 red-zone drives.Green Bay matched its highest red-zone conversion mark under HeadCoach Mike McCarthy, when the Packers ranked No. 6 in the NFLwith a 60.4 percent touchdown rate in 2008. The previous high markcame in 2003 when the Packers finished No. 2 in the NFL with a 65.4conversion rate.Some of Green Bay’s success in the red zone has to be attributed to theplay of QB Aaron Rodgers, who has been one of the more efficientsignal-callers in the league inside the 20 since taking over as the starterin 2008.In Week 7 against Minnesota, Rodgers threw a red-zone interception forthe only time in his 47 career starts to date. Since 2008, he has registereda 107.4 rating on 132-of-213 passing (62.0 percent) for 818 yardsand 55 touchdowns with one interception in the red zone.According to STATS, Rodgers connected on 47-of-71 passes (66.2 percent)for 280 yards and 19 TDs with one INT in the red zone in 2010 fora 107.4 passer rating (No. 3 in the NFL, min. 50 attempts).PLAYOFF CAPTAINS ELECTEDDuring the regular season, the Packers rotate game captains each week.One player is selected to represent the offense, defense and special teamsas a captain for a particular game.But for the playoffs, the team votes on its captains for the duration ofthe postseason -- selecting two players from each of the three phases.Players voted for their captains early last week.This year Green Bay’s playoff captains are WR Greg Jennings andQB Aaron Rodgers (offense), LB A.J. Hawk and CB CharlesWoodson (defense), and CB/S Jarrett Bush and K Mason Crosby(special teams). Rodgers and Woodson were both playoff captains last year. Woodsonand Jennings were selected to the NFC Pro Bowl squad this year, whileRodgers and Hawk are Pro Bowl alternates.Rodgers posted his second consecutive season with a passer ratingabove 100 (101.2), Woodson set career highs in both tackles (105) andforced fumbles (five) this season, Jennings tied his career high with 12TDs, and Hawk led the team in tackles (134) for the third time in fiveyears and set a career high with three INTs. Bush tied for second on theteam with 12 special teams tackles, and he also had a forced fumble thatresulted in a TD and a fumble recovery on the coverage units. Crosbytopped 100 points for the fourth consecutive year.All six players sported a special ‘C’ sewn onto their jerseys for the firsttwo playoff games, and they will continue to wear the ‘C’ this Sundayand for the Super Bowl should the Packers advance.FIRST TIME IS THE CHARMRookie RB James Starks made a splash in his regular-season debut inWeek 13 after missing the first 11 games, but he made an even greatercontribution in his first career playoff game.In Green Bay’s 21-16 Wild Card win at Philadelphia, Starks led the teamwith 123 rushing yards on 23 carries (5.3 avg.), including a 27-yardrun on his first carry. His 123 yards set a rookie franchise postseasonrecord, eclipsing RB Travis Williams’ 88-yard mark on 18 carries vs. theLos Angeles Rams on Dec. 23, 1967.Starks’ 123-yard day on the ground also ranks No. 3 in franchise postseasonannals behind only Ryan Grant (201, vs. Seattle, Jan. 12, 2008)and Ahman Green (156, at Philadelphia, Jan. 11, 2004).In Saturday’s Divisional playoff win at Atlanta, Starks led the offense with66 yards on 25 carries (2.6 avg.). Starks’ 189 yards on 48 carries (3.9avg.) lead the NFL this postseason.After missing nearly two years due to injuries, Starks carried the ball 18times for 73 yards (4.1 avg.) in his pro debut vs. San Francisco in Week13. The 18 carries matched the single-game high during the regularseason to that point for a Packers RB (Brandon Jackson, Week 1).Starks’ 73 rushing yards were the most by a rookie Packers RB in hisfirst game since Ralph Earhart posted 78 yards in his debut at Bostonon Sept. 17, 1948.The 23-year-old Starks was drafted in the sixth round this past springout of the University at Buffalo, but he spent the opening nine games ofthe season on the physically unable to perform list due to a hamstringinjury suffered at the start of training camp.Starks also was sidelined for his entire senior season at Buffalo due to ashoulder injury that required surgery but still ranks No. 1 in school historyin career rushing yards (3,140) and rushing TDs (34).Prior to his NFL debut in Week 13, Starks’ last game action came vs.Connecticut on Jan. 3, 2009, in the International Bowl in Toronto.99