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LambeauLegs
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I am not sure if the Dallas defense is similar to any of the past defenses that Rodgers had gone against but I guess we can hope it is!
Packers-Cowboys: Aaron Rodgers has dominated Rod Marinelli defenses - CBSSports.com
Not only is this weekend's Packers-Cowboys game the first time the two teams have squared off in a playoff game at Lambeau Field since the Ice Bowl in 1967, it is also a chance for Aaron Rodgers to once again face a defense coached by Rod Marinelli. The former Lions coach and Bears assistant head coach and defensive coordinator is now the defensive coordinator in Dallas.
From 2008 through 2012, Rodgers faced a Marinelli-coached defense 10 times in the regular season and once in the playoffs, acquitting himself very nicely, to say the least.
(Pro-Football-Reference) Total dominance. Despite facing defenses that, on average, ranked in the top-third of the NFL by Football Outsiders' DVOA, Rodgers completed more than two-thirds of his passes for over 8.0 yards per attempt, and had a passer rating that would rank as the second-best all-time for quarterbacks who have thrown at least 500 passes in their career.
If we isolate just the seven games from the three seasons Marinelli coordinated a top-four defense with the Bears, Rodgers had a 6-1 record, completed 164-of-238 passes (68.91 percent) for 1,879 yards (7.89 per attempt; 268.4 per game), 16 touchdowns and six picks, all of which was good for a 101.5 passer rating. That is still all-time great production.
Looking ahead to Sunday, this season's Dallas defense is much closer to that 2009 Bears unit than it is to any of the three teams that succeeded it. The Cowboys finished the 2014 season ranked 22nd in defensive DVOA, and also 22nd against the pass. That Bears squad, which finished 21st in overall defense DVOA, was 22nd against the pass as well.
The major difference between those two Marinelli defenses comes when you dig deeper into the passing DVOA numbers. The 2009 Bears ranked 20th in pass DVOA against No. 1 receivers, 22nd against No. 2's, 16th against slot receivers, 10th against tight ends and 22nd against running backs coming out of the backfield. This season's Cowboys were similarly weak against No. 1's (15th), No. 2's (29th), tight ends (10th) and running backs (13th), but they were very, very strong against slot receivers, ranking third in pass defense DVOA.
Orlando Scandrick and Sterling Moore handled the majority of the snaps in the slot for the Cowboys, who allowed a quarterback rating of just 82.2 on passes to the slot. They'll have their hands full against the Packers, though, because Randall Cobb might just be the best slot receiver in the NFL. No wideout in the league had more catches (75), yards (1,067) or touchdowns (12) out of the slot than Cobb.
Packers-Cowboys: Aaron Rodgers has dominated Rod Marinelli defenses - CBSSports.com
Not only is this weekend's Packers-Cowboys game the first time the two teams have squared off in a playoff game at Lambeau Field since the Ice Bowl in 1967, it is also a chance for Aaron Rodgers to once again face a defense coached by Rod Marinelli. The former Lions coach and Bears assistant head coach and defensive coordinator is now the defensive coordinator in Dallas.
From 2008 through 2012, Rodgers faced a Marinelli-coached defense 10 times in the regular season and once in the playoffs, acquitting himself very nicely, to say the least.
(Pro-Football-Reference) Total dominance. Despite facing defenses that, on average, ranked in the top-third of the NFL by Football Outsiders' DVOA, Rodgers completed more than two-thirds of his passes for over 8.0 yards per attempt, and had a passer rating that would rank as the second-best all-time for quarterbacks who have thrown at least 500 passes in their career.
If we isolate just the seven games from the three seasons Marinelli coordinated a top-four defense with the Bears, Rodgers had a 6-1 record, completed 164-of-238 passes (68.91 percent) for 1,879 yards (7.89 per attempt; 268.4 per game), 16 touchdowns and six picks, all of which was good for a 101.5 passer rating. That is still all-time great production.
Looking ahead to Sunday, this season's Dallas defense is much closer to that 2009 Bears unit than it is to any of the three teams that succeeded it. The Cowboys finished the 2014 season ranked 22nd in defensive DVOA, and also 22nd against the pass. That Bears squad, which finished 21st in overall defense DVOA, was 22nd against the pass as well.
The major difference between those two Marinelli defenses comes when you dig deeper into the passing DVOA numbers. The 2009 Bears ranked 20th in pass DVOA against No. 1 receivers, 22nd against No. 2's, 16th against slot receivers, 10th against tight ends and 22nd against running backs coming out of the backfield. This season's Cowboys were similarly weak against No. 1's (15th), No. 2's (29th), tight ends (10th) and running backs (13th), but they were very, very strong against slot receivers, ranking third in pass defense DVOA.
Orlando Scandrick and Sterling Moore handled the majority of the snaps in the slot for the Cowboys, who allowed a quarterback rating of just 82.2 on passes to the slot. They'll have their hands full against the Packers, though, because Randall Cobb might just be the best slot receiver in the NFL. No wideout in the league had more catches (75), yards (1,067) or touchdowns (12) out of the slot than Cobb.