The Playmaker Before The Claymaker

The Playmaker

I don't know if any of you Johnny Come Lately Packer Backers remember there was a face of the defense that wasn't William "Claymaker" Matthews III, who during his brief 7-year stay with the Green and Gold was better than Clay Matthews has been and probably ever will be.

 

His name is Charles Woodson and Sunday when the Packers invade the "Black Hole" Aaron Rodgers and company will face him again as the starting strong safety for the Oakland Raiders. He is the oldest defensive player in the NFL at 39 years of age and is currently tied for 4th in the NFL with 5 interceptions.

 

During his time with the Packers Woodson (2006-2012) was as good as they come culminating in him being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year, something Claymaker has yet to achieve, and finished his time in America's Vacation Land tied for fourth on the Packers all-time interceptions list with 38 behind safety Bobby Dillon with 52 (1952-59), strong safety Willie Wood with 48 (1960-71), cornerback Herb Adderley with 39 (1961-69) and tied with strong safety LeRoy Butler (1990-01).

Heisman Trophy

He was taken in the 1998 draft as the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Raiders after being the first and only defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy after leading Michigan to the national championship in 1997. The only players still "active" in the NFL from that draft are Peyton Manning and Matt Hasselbeck, who are both injured at the moment. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after interception 5 passes and returning one for a TD.

 

Woodson is also currently tied with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper as the all-time leader in defensive TDs with 13 and is second along with Sharper behind Woodson's 12 in interceptions returned for a TD with 11. He hasn't returned an interception for a TD since 2011 with the Packers, but tied Woodson and Sharper when he returned a fumble for a TD against the Chargers on Oct. 6, 2013. In fact, all but 2 of his 13 defensive TDs were with the Packers.

 

After starting all 16 games his first four seasons with the Silver and Black a broken shoulder cost him 5 games and a broken leg 3 games in 2002. He missed the final game of 2004 and then missed 3 games in 2005 with a knee injury. His final season with the Raiders missed the final 10 games of the season after being put on injured reserve with a broken leg.

 

He finished his first stint with the Men in Black with 17 interceptions in eight seasons with 5.5 sacks, 25 passes defensed and 2 TDs.

 

Woodson came to the Packers as an unwanted free agent after eight seasons as the starting left corner and the right corner his last two seasons for the Raiders with the reputation as being injury prone. He had no other offers, including from the Raiders, and signed reluctantly with the Pack and the rest is history.

 

Woodson stated when he signed with the Packers that he wanted to shake being thought of as injury prone and he was true to his word started 100 of 112 regular season games for the Packers only missing game 13 and 17 in 2007 with a toe injury, the second half of the Super Bowl with a broken collarbone, game 17 in 2011.

 

Super Bowl Trophy

However he missed the last nine games of the 2012 regular season with another broken collarbone, but started the 2 playoff games. In fact, he started all 10 playoff games for the Packers. I'm guessing if he hadn't missed those nine games he would finished third all-time on the Packers list.

 

He had been moved from his normal slot corner position to free safety in 2012 and that move wasn't going well when he broke his collarbone. The Packers were having its normal Dom Capers' defensive problems and his return was highly anticipated, but he was beaten badly during the two playoff games and I guess that sealed his fate. He was released with the thought being he was two-steps slower and probably injury prone again as well as being too expensive for an old man playing a younger man's game.

 

Woodson is currently in the third year of his second Raiders' stint and has 10 interceptions, 3 sacks, 20 passes defensed and 1 TD.

 

Down But Not Out

To prove a point about Charles Woodson and the guts he has to play this younger man's game this season he suffered a dislocated shoulder against the Bengals in the first game of the year and hasn't missed a snap since. So much for being a brittle washed up old man. More power to him.

 

A certain Hall of Famer when he finally decides to hang it up Woodson ranks fifth all-time with 65 interceptions behind Paul Krause's 81 interceptions (1964-1979), Emlen Tunnel's 79 (1948-1961), Rod Woodson's 71 (1987-2003) and Dick "Night Train" Lane's 68 (1952-1965).

 

Back With the Black

Sadly when the yellow Hall of Fame jackets are handed out and his bust is enshrined his number will be his Raiders #24 instead of his Packers #21 because he stated he will retired with the team he is with last.