Packers-Titans family affair for Matthews' brood

December 21, 2012

 
Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews (52) celebrates after sacking Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) in the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. The Packers won 21-13 to clinch the NFC North title.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bruce Matthews watches Green Bay film first as an uncle. Then he hits replay and studies the defense in his role as Tennessee's offensive line coach. Each time, he's watching the same Packers linebacker.

"He's a great player," Bruce said of his nephew, Clay Matthews. "It isn't like he's just some guy out there. He definitely is the guy who makes things happen on their defense, and he's a guy we really have to make a pointed effort to account for him, which we're doing."

The Packers linebacker is just the best-known member of the third generation carrying on the Matthews' NFL tradition, and this is the latest family football showdown. Bruce, a Hall of Fame lineman, spent 19 years with the Houston-Tennessee franchise and played against brother Clay, a 19-year linebacker with Cleveland and Atlanta, 23 times.

Clay Matthews Sr. got it all started with his four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.

For Clay III, he said Thursday that his family's NFL success added to his motivation. He went from a walk-on at Southern California to being drafted in the first round — just like his father and uncle — by Green Bay 2009.

"Obviously, growing up in a football family where — you're right, not only my father played but my uncle and grandfather, played, that's what I wanted to do," the Packers linebacker said. "Fortunately I was healthy enough and blessed to fall into the situation I'm in right now, but they were absolutely instrumental role models in getting me where I'm at today."

Titans coach Mike Munchak had a close view of the Matthews' brothers' rivalry in the old AFC Central as a teammate of Bruce's for years. Munchak said it's exciting for his offensive line coach to watch film knowing his job is to stop his nephew from having a good day.

So no pressure there.

"Hopefully, he'll reach out to him during the week and tell him we have all types of plans for him to kind of discourage him a little bit, maybe slow him down," Munchak said. "It's a great challenge."

Clay Matthews has 11 sacks so far this season for the Packers, so watching him play is a bit different from what Bruce Matthews saw when he studied his brother during the 1980s and 1990s. Even so, he says his nephew reminds him very much of his brother, a four-time Pro Bowler.

"He can cover. He can play against the run, and obviously he can rush the passer," the Titans' assistant said. "It's just a matter of what they're asking him to do as to some point in the game he does all three, and obviously, he isn't a one-dimensional guy. He plays with passion, so it's fun to watch guys like that, especially when you count him as a family member."

This game was set to be even more of a family affair until Bruce's son, Kevin, sprained his right ankle Monday night against the Jets. He had started two straight games at center, but now may wind up on injured reserve if the Titans need an extra healthy player.

Kevin said he had been waiting for this game for both the chance to play at Lambeau Field and against his cousin. They text often, and Kevin said Clay had asked him to give up some plays to help him against the Titans.

"I told him he doesn't need any help from us," Kevin said. "He's doing a good job this year."

This could be a preview of coming attractions. Clay's brother, Casey, is a linebacker with the Eagles, while Bruce's son, Jake, is a junior offensive lineman at Texas A&M and considered a top draft candidate.

For now, the focus is on Sunday and family bragging rights with the Titans (5-9) already are eliminated from playoff contention and the Packers (10-4) honing their game for the postseason. With the Titans in the AFC and the Packers in the NFC, these teams hadn't played in the regular season since 2008.

"It's one of those things you think about, but you never think it's going to come to fruition ..." Clay said. "It'll be something to look back on and talk about. But it'll be more interesting when Sunday rolls around to see what he's going to do."

He will line up opposite Titans left tackle Michael Roos, the lone starter left on a patched-up offensive line. How much help Roos gets from his position coach against Clay remains to be seen. Uncle Bruce is giving nothing away before kickoff.

"I don't know that we all anticipated the kind of success and kind of rock star quality he has right now, but it's really fun to watch and I'm very proud of him. But like I've always said, I love to see him do well, just not this week."

NOTES: The Titans practiced indoors Thursday due to a soggy field. Winds gusting to 40 mph kept the bubble over the field swaying, and Munchak said his key was just not looking up. ... Rookie WR Kendall Wright (ribs) did not practice, though WR Damian Williams (hamstring) practiced fully. LB Colin McCarthy (concussion) also practiced fully.


NFL Capsule: Titans at Packers

TENNESSEE (5-9) At GREEN BAY (10-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

OPENING LINE — Packers by 10½

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Tennessee 6-8, Green Bay 8-6

SERIES RECORD — Titans lead 6-4

AP PRO32 RANKING — Titans No. 25; Packers No. 6

LAST MEETING — Titans beat Packers 19-16 OT, Nov. 2, 2008

LAST WEEK — Titans beat Jets 14-10; Packers beat Bears 21-13

TITANS OFFENSE — OVERALL (23), RUSH (19), PASS (21)

TITANS DEFENSE — OVERALL (23), RUSH (25), PASS (19)

PACKERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (17), RUSH (20), PASS (13)

PACKERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (14T), RUSH (14), PASS (16)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Titans have won three straight against Packers and four of six. ... Titans 29-14 against NFC since 2002, 1-2 this season. ... Jake Locker threw for career-high 378 yards with two TDs and no interceptions with 113 passer rating in last game vs. NFC team. Locker ran for first TD of season in last game. ... Chris Johnson ran for 122 yards in last week's win over Jets, including franchise-record 94-yard TD run. He has five 100-yard games this season, and six career TD runs of 80 yards or longer are most in NFL history. ... Kendall Wright leads NFL rookies with 62 catches. ... Linebacker Akeem Ayers leads Titans with 90 tackles. ... Rookie linebacker Zach Brown had career-high two sacks and recovered fumble against New York. ... Jason McCourty and Michael Griffin each had two interceptions against New York. ... Packers have won 19 of last 20 home games at Lambeau, 25 of last 27. ... Packers have clinched second straight NFC North title. ... Aaron Rodgers 174 of 272 for 2,234 yards with 25 TDs and three interceptions with 115.7 passer rating in past eight games against AFC. ... Packers 26-0 when Rodgers starts and has 115 or better passer rating. Rodgers has won 24 of past 26 starts at home, and has 64 TDs, 17 interceptions and 110 rating in those games. ... Ryan Grant ran for 86 yards in last game with Titans. ... Randall Cobb, Tennessee native, had career-high 115 yards receiving last week. With 892 yards receiving and 964 yards on kick returns, he can become first player in NFL history with at least 1,000 yards on kick returns and 1,000 yards or more receiving. ... With 2,241 all-purpose yards, Cobb is 9 shy of matching Ahman Green's franchise record, set in 2003. ... James Jones has career-best 12 TD catches, best in NFL. He had three TD catches last week. ... Clay Matthews had two sacks last week, his first game since Nov. 4. He has 10 in 14 games against AFC teams. ... Casey Hayward, who played at Vanderbilt, leads rookies with six interceptions. ... Packers allowed 107 yards passing last week.

 

 

 

Associated Press