Kony Ealy: Key Player against Packers?

Kony Ealy may be the most important player on the Panthers defense on Sunday when the Panthers play the Green Bay Packers. As the Denver Broncos proved, a pass rush that limits Aaron Rodgers’ options is the way to shut down the Packers offense. Ealy will be the guy to watch.

Why specifically Ealy? If you were the Packers offensive line, who do you account for first? First guy would have to be Kawann Short in the middle. On the outside, the Packers are well familiar with Jared Allen from his years with Minnesota and Chicago. Star Lotulelei would be next, next to Short. That would leave Ealy as the most likely rusher to be overlooked by the Packers.

Overlooking Ealy is a bit dangerous. He has enough speed and strength to get the job done. He has not made the leap to make the Panthers forget Charles Johnson yet, but he was the insurance plan when it seemed the Panthers would lose Greg Hardy in some fashion. As a result, he has seen a good bit of the field so far this year and last.

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Ealy has only one sack on the season, but he got it in style to drag down Andrew Luck in the last game with the Colts. He also has twenty-three tackles on the season. He is due for a breakout game.
Rodgers was sacked three times by the Broncos and threw for less than a hundred yards in that game.

That was only part of the story with the pressure. The Panthers saw what Rodgers can do when he is free to choose where the ball can go last year. That Panthers defense had yet to do the facelift that occurred in the middle of season.

Next: Panthers: Takeaways from Broncos-Packers

Rodgers threw for 19 of 22 for 255 and a strike to Jordy Nelson against the Panthers last year. That cannot be replicated for the Panthers to be successful. The Panthers even had two sacks in that game, including one from Charles Johnson (currently injured). The Panthers lost that game by twenty. They have shown better comeback ability this season, but you don’t want the Panthers to have to run down somebody.

So we return to Kony Ealy and keeping the pressure on. The Packers will bet that Ealy can’t beat them. Let’s make them lose that bet.