LOS ANGELES — If Clay Matthews is rushing the quarterback from one side of the Green Bay Packers defense and Julius Peppers from the other, who will opponents double team?
Matthews thinks he knows the answer — and it's not him, which would be a welcome change given the largely forgettable cast of pass rushers he has teamed with over the past five years.
"This guy's (6-7), 290. I'm 6-4 on a good day and 255," Matthews told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday night during a break from a commercial shoot at his alma mater, USC.
"They're going to double the big guy, and that leaves plenty of opportunities for me. I haven't had too many one-on-one opportunities, and when you do, you're expected to win — at least in our locker room — the majority of the time, because that's supposed to be a mismatch."
MATT FLYNN: Sticks as Pack's backup QB
Matthews, 27, has 50 sacks through five NFL seasons. Peppers, 34, has 118½ sacks in 12 seasons, making him easily the most accomplished pass rusher Matthews has played with since Aaron Kampman blew out a knee back in 2009.
The plan is for Peppers to be a hybrid player in Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers' scheme, and that's fine with Matthews, who has no plans to ease back into action after a 2013 season disrupted and ultimately ended by two surgeries on his right thumb.
In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Matthews also discussed his place in the record books, Kevin Greene's departure from the coaching staff, being excited about starting the offseason program next week and why nobody should compare his thumb injury to Brett Favre's.
PHOTOS: Old NFL faces in new places
LOS ANGELES — If Clay Matthews is rushing the quarterback from one side of the Green Bay Packers defense and Julius Peppers from the other, who will opponents double team?
Matthews thinks he knows the answer — and it's not him, which would be a welcome change given the largely forgettable cast of pass rushers he has teamed with over the past five years.
"This guy's (6-7), 290. I'm 6-4 on a good day and 255," Matthews told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday night during a break from a commercial shoot at his alma mater, USC.
"They're going to double the big guy, and that leaves plenty of opportunities for me. I haven't had too many one-on-one opportunities, and when you do, you're expected to win — at least in our locker room — the majority of the time, because that's supposed to be a mismatch."
MATT FLYNN: Sticks as Pack's backup QB
Matthews, 27, has 50 sacks through five NFL seasons. Peppers, 34, has 118½ sacks in 12 seasons, making him easily the most accomplished pass rusher Matthews has played with since Aaron Kampman blew out a knee back in 2009.
The plan is for Peppers to be a hybrid player in Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers' scheme, and that's fine with Matthews, who has no plans to ease back into action after a 2013 season disrupted and ultimately ended by two surgeries on his right thumb.
In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Matthews also discussed his place in the record books, Kevin Greene's departure from the coaching staff, being excited about starting the offseason program next week and why nobody should compare his thumb injury to Brett Favre's.
PHOTOS: Old NFL faces in new places
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