How the refs can influence the outcome of Packers vs. Cowboys

What’s been the common theme whenever Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers’ offense struggles?

Sometimes pass protection breaks down. Sometimes Rodgers holds the ball too long. Sometimes Mike McCarthy gets pass-happy. Sometimes the Packers lose the turnover battle.

All of those things happen…sometimes. But the one thing that always seems to happen when the Packers’ offense stumbles is the inability of the wide receivers to overcome a physical secondary. And by “physical,” I mean a secondary that tugs, grabs, chucks, holds, and pushes receivers before, during and after routes — straddling the always-blurry line that separates illegal contact, defensive holding and pass interference from plain old good defense.

That line often seems to shift in a direction that favors the clutchers and the grabbers in the postseason. Once January arrives, the general sentiment is usually “let ’em play.” Nobody wants to see “officials decide the game,” even if that means the officials alter what they call in the postseason compared to the regular season.

When the officials allow defenders a little extra leeway, it often throws off the Packers receivers. They’re used to running free and catching perfectly placed passes from Rodgers, then scampering forward for additional yards. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams are a talented group, but physicality isn’t necessarily their strongest suit. You can rattle them by pushing them around and getting away with it.

If any Cowboys fans are reading this, I’m not making pre-excuses and blaming the refs if the Packers lose on Sunday. There’s a reason illegal contact, defensive holding and pass interference are judgment calls. Sometimes the refs judge not to call them, and the players impacted by that judgment need to adjust.

The Packers often don’t adjust when the other team gets physical with its receivers. Instead of calling more short passes, screens, or turning to the running game, McCarthy keeps chucking it and Rodgers continues looking downfield. Instead of making tight throws that might force an official to call pass interference, Rodgers holds onto the ball and becomes hesitant.

I don’t believe there’s a blueprint for how to slow down the Packers offense, but if there was, getting physical with the wide receivers would be on the first page. If I’m Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli on Sunday, I’m telling my defensive backs to bully Nelson/Cobb/Adams as much possible. The refs won’t throw a flag every play, and Dallas will probably get the benefit of the doubt more often than not since it’s a divisional playoff game.

After all, what’s the alternative? Play in fear of a flag and let the Packers’ receivers run around untouched? Marinelli knows he doesn’t have the players to make that strategy work. Getting mean is the only way to go.

On paper, the Cowboys’ defense shouldn’t be much of a match for the Packers’ offense. But Dallas can make it more of a battle by pushing the boundaries of what is or is not a penalty in pass coverage.

If the officials “let ’em play,” it’ll be up to the Packers’ receivers and their entire offense to adjust and overcome.