DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Jerry Gilbert
Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers dominated on defense and won the Super Bowl. This season they are facing elimination from playoff contention already. One of the reasons for the difference is the absence of safety Troy Polamalu. Without his consistently disruptive presence, the Steelers are a good but not great NFL defense. The loss of tight end Owen Daniels has weakened a once high-flying Houston offense. Chicago is less of a threat without middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Offensive and defensive schemes are important. Tampa Bay has no identity having fired or demoted the coordinators who began the season. Coaches are very important. However, the best plans become irrelevant if players do not carry them out, and the worst plan can be saved by a great individual effort. Stated in another way, players make plays, and a few players make a disproportionate number of plays that affect the out come of a game. We call them difference makers.

For the Green Bay Packers this season the number one and uncontested difference maker has been Charles Woodson. He begins as a dependable coverage corner who also makes every tackle. To this he adds a practiced talent for stripping the ball for the offensive player. Woodson is also the most feared blitzer and best pass interceptor on the squad.

The Dallas victory may have been a loss without Woodson stripping the ball from Roy Williams after the longest gain of the day by the Dallas offense. Detroit is historically a challenge on Thanksgiving Day. Woodson individually dominated the Lions with two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, one sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was honored as Defensive Player of the Month in both October and November. A second difference maker on defense is rookie linebacker Clay Matthews. From the first game of the season in which he wrestled the ball from all pro running back Adrian Peterson we knew we had a potential playmaker. Last week against the Ravens, he was the leagues Player of the Week as he registered a personal best six tackles, matched his season high with two sacks, and added a forced fumble in the first quarter that Nick Collins recovered inside the Green Bay 20 to prevent a potential momentum changing score.

Although not as consistently dominant, some other defensive players emerge from time to time. A.J. Hawk had the athletic interception against the Ravens and has plugged the hole on several short yardage stops. It is also worth mentioning that when Hawk and Nick Barnett blitz up the middle together, Barnett either does or does not get home depending on whether Hawk takes out the interference. Making a difference can be less than dramatic. Take for example the passes knocked down, particularly by tackle Johnny Jolly. Consider that the nose tackle Ryan Pickett is almost never moved off the all and that end Cullen Jenkins is regularly in the backfield. Both Jolly and Jenkins have registered a career first pass interception this season. Such disruption challenges the opposing offense.

By design, a quarterback will be a difference maker on offense, and Aaron Rodgers has stepped up. More than one game has been won because he kept plays and drives alive either with an improvised pass or by running for the first down and more. Rodgers leads all quarterbacks in rushing yardage and his successful quarter back sneaks energize his blockers. However, it is his talent as a disciplined and accurate passer that makes the offense feared by defensive coordinators around the league. He can throw any pass, whether it is the bullet squeezed into tight coverage or the fade to a tall tight end for a touchdown. His league leading record for success on third down tells it all.

Another offensive difference maker is that tall tight end, Jermichael Finley. This season, one can almost tally the wins and losses depending on whether Finley was a factor in the game. When he was out of the lineup, it totally changed the passing game. The two tight end alignment is one of Green Bay's most effective formations, and it depends on both the blocking and pass catching of Jermichael Finley. Spencer Havner is a great story and a valuable member of the team, but he cannot consistently produce a first down like Finley can.

Wide receiver Donald Driver still gets open and makes one handed and other difficult catches. He also gets into the endzone when the opportunity presents itself. James Jones is emerging as the guy who breaks open on third and long to move the chains. Tailback Ahman Green has provided a hard charging example that seems to have inspired the younger backs to run through some tackles as he does. A dependable Mark Tauscher at right tackle is one reason Aaron Rodgers has the time he needs. There are many ways to make a difference.

Finally, a difference maker label goes to Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers. Many critics have said that installing a three four defense is a slow process. Particularly in the two early games against Minnesota and in the loss to Tampa Bay, the critics seemed to be right. However, as the season has progressed, Capers has recognized what his players can do well and has employed ever changing formations and tactics. The Packers are now statistically one of the top defenses in the league, and Capers deserves much of the credit. His judgment and creativity will be important in determining how far this team goes.

As they emerge from a good home victory against the Ravens, Green Bay is an upper echelon but not great team. To get somewhere in the playoffs, many players will need to make a difference. Rodgers and Woodson cannot do it alone