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Geregistreerd op: 31 Jul 2019
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 Geplaatst: 07-01-2020 04:05:07 Onderwerp: The NFC North is a division stacked with talent. |
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| From Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense in Green Bay to Khalil Mack and the Bears’ defense in Chicago http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-ray-nitschke-jersey , no team is without an explosive, game-changing playmaker. For the Detroit Lions, that game changer could be rookie running back Kerryon Johnson.As the Lions’ second-overall pick in the 2018 draft, the former Auburn standout has a smooth and patient running style that has been compared to stars like Le’Veon Bell. Johnson used his natural ability to have an explosive college career, earning the SEC player of the year award in 2017 after rushing for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns. Now, it seems Johnson is having success translating his standout skills in college into the NFL. After a slow start to the season, the Lions finally snapped a five-year long streak of not having a game with 100 rushing yards thanks to Johnson. The standout rookie rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries and propelled Detroit to a 26-10 victory over New England for their only win of the season. In an ironic twist, the Lions traded up with the Patriots to draft Johnson with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2018 draft. It’s also important to note that New England is the second-worst in the NFL against the run. Nonetheless, following Johnson’s breakout game against the Patriots Womens Lane Taylor Jersey , it’s looking like he could become one of Detroit’s biggest offensive weapons on a team that has struggled on the ground for years. Much like the Packers’ rushing woes of previous seasons, the Lions have had a difficult time developing a sustainable ground attack. Under Lions’ first-year head coach Matt Patricia, Detroit has made an increased effort to build a much-needed impactful ground game to help relieve some of the pressure on veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Through the last three seasons, the Lions have ranked in the bottom five for overall rushing offense, with last year being their worst performance on the ground yet. In 2017, Detroit ranked dead last in the league, averaging just 76.3 yards per game and totaling only ten rushing touchdowns on the season with the bulk of the carries being completed by third-year running back Ameer Abdullah. Detroit also stacked up 61 runs for negative yards to make them the 10th worst in the league. However, through the first quarter of the season the Lions have already seen a significant bump on the run. Detroit currently ranks 20th in rushing yards and seventh in yards per carry (4.6), much of that thanks to Johnson and despite having only one touchdown on the season, he could prove to be the Packers’ biggest rushing challenge to date.It’s no secret the Packers’ defense was absolutely dominant against Buffalo rookie quarterback Josh Allen http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-clay-matthews-jersey , but it’s also necessary to point out that the Packers did an excellent job of stifling running back LeSean McCoy who rushed for just 24 yards on five carries. Being able to stop McCoy was even more notable following the Packers’ inabilities to contain Adrian Peterson the week prior. Peterson rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Through four weeks, the Packers rank 16th for rushing defense and have allowed an average of 4.5 yards per carry. On the flip side, Detroit has faced defenses similar to the Packers, with the Jets sitting at 17th overall, the 49ers at 15th and Detroit sitting at 13th against the run. If the Packers hope to continue their defensive hot streak into week five, much of the focus will need to be on stopping Johnson on the ground. Going on the road against a divisional opponent always adds extra weight and Matt Patricia has made it clear that he’s dedicated to using Johnson as much as he can. With the Packers’ previous struggles against Peterson and the Redskins, it could be a weakness he’ll look to exploit even more. If Green Bay can push past Kerryon Johnson and the Lions this week and a banged-up San Francisco 49ers team the week after, they’ll be sitting at a comfortable 4-1-1 in a tough NFC North division going into their week seven bye. CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North and helped knock Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers out of playoff contention.They could not have asked for a sweeter scenario.Mitchell Trubisky threw for two touchdowns, Eddie Jackson ended Rodgers’ NFL-record streak without an interception and Chicago clinched the division with a 24-17 victory over the Packers on Sunday.Article continues below ...The Bears (10-4) secured their first playoff appearance since the 2010 team won the NFC North. And even better for them, they did it with a rare victory over their heated rivals.“We’ve accomplished a lot Geronimo Allison Jersey ,” Trubisky said. “But I think I’m most proud of just the type of guy that we have in our locker room, the culture that we’ve kind of created. We know that nobody really believed in us on the outside in the preseason — or even throughout the season. But we knew what type of team we had. And we knew we were just gonna keep getting better every single week.”The loss coupled with Minnesota’s 41-17 victory over Miami keeps the Packers out of the postseason for the second year in a row.Chicago had dropped nine of 10 against Green Bay (5-8-1). But the Bears secured their first trip to the playoffs in eight years with their seventh win in eight games .For a team that came into the season with four straight last-place finishes, it’s quite a turnaround. But with the hiring of coach Matt Nagy and trade for Khalil Mack in a busy offseason, the Bears made a huge jump.“You could feel it all year long that we knew we had the talent,” Nagy said.The Bears blew a 20-point lead in a season-opening loss at Green Bay, with an injured Rodgers rallying the Packers. But they’ve been climbing since.Trubisky gave the Bears a 21-14 lead early in the fourth quarter with a 13-yard pass to Trey Burton in the left side of the end zone.After stopping the Packers, Tarik Cohen returned a punt 44 yards to the 15. But he stepped out of bounds a yard short on a third-and-5 at the 10 when he easily could have gotten the first down.That forced the Bears to settle for a field goal by Cody Parkey, making it 24-14 with 6:43 remaining.The Packers then drove to the 9, but on third down, Jackson picked off Rodgers Kevin King Jersey White , ending his streak at 402 passes.The throw over the middle was intended for Jimmy Graham near the goal line. But the ball got tipped to Jackson, who had to be helped off the field with a sprained right ankle after his leg bent awkwardly as he tried to slide on the return. The interception was his sixth of the season.Mason Crosby kicked a field goal in the closing seconds to make it a seven-point game. But Chicago recovered the onside kick.The Packers are 1-1 since offensive coordinator Joe Philbin replaced fired coach Mike McCarthy on an interim basis.“The expectation is competing for championships,” Rodgers said. “It’s a good football team. But like I told some of the guys, I look forward to the battles over the years. I like our chances in this division moving forward.”WORST TO FIRSTThe Bears, who finished in fourth place in the NFC North last season, completed a turnaround that make for 15 of the past 16 seasons with at least one NFL team finishing in first place in its division the season after finishing in last or tied for last place.And Nagy became the Bears’ first rookie coach with 10 wins since George Halas in 1920, the inaugural season for a franchise then known as the Decatur Staleys.LEADING BEARSMack had 2½ sacks and Leonard Floyd added two. The defense came through with another strong effort after the Monsters of the Midway shut down Jared Goff and the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams the previous week.Trubisky was 20 of 28 for 235 yards with a 120.4 rating. It was a big improvement over the previous week when he matched a career high with three interceptions after missing back-to-back games because of a right shoulder injury.Cohen caught a touchdown pass. Jordan Howard ran for a TD, and the Bears improved to 7-1 at home for the first time since 2005.“Guys grinded, gritted it out, especially toward the end http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-quinten-rollins-jersey ,” Mack said. “We just want to keep this feeling going.”RODGERS CONTAINEDRodgers said his groin tightened on him at the end of the first half. He finished 25 of 42 for 274 yards with his second interception of the season and failed to throw a touchdown for the first time this year.Davante Adams had eight receptions for 119 yards.The Packers fell to 0-7 on the road with their ninth straight loss away from home, and their eight-game win streak at Soldier Field, counting the postseason, came to an end.“Nobody anticipated this happening,” Clay Matthews said. “In reality, we’re not getting blown out every week. I’m trying to find a silver lining, that’s all you can do at this point of the season.”INJURIES:Packers: RT Bryan Bulaga (knee) missed his second game in a row, while DL Kenny Clark sat out with an elbow injury. … RB Aaron Jones left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter. … WR Randall Cobb was evaluated for a concussion following a hard hit by Jackson late in the game.Bears: LB Aaron Lynch left with an elbow injury in the third quarter.UP NEXTPackers: Visit New York Jets on Dec. 23.Bears: Visit San Francisco on Dec. 23. |
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