Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie had every reason to be surprised that nose tackle B.J. Raji was in coverage on the play in which Raji pulled off a game-changing interception.
Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers told Yahoo’s Michael Silver it was the first time he called the play all year.
The coverage — called “Right Cat” — calls for Raji to draw a blocker quickly before dropping into coverage and looking for a crossing route. Hanie never knew what hit him.
“It was a rare call,” linebacker Desmond Bishop told Silver. “When they sent it in, I kind of went, ‘Hmmmmmmmm.’ ”
Raji picked off the pass, doing the defensive backs on the team proud. Even if he nearly celebrated too early.
“We were like, ‘Oh, he caught it,’ ” safety Nick Collins told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “And then were like, ‘Oh! He might SCORE!’ That was awesome, a pick six by a nose tackle.”
Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson are the big names on the Packers defense, but it has been guys like Raji, Cullen Jenkins, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, and Bishop that have led the way in the playoffs.
With a little help from the right play calls at the right time.
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