Losing the Safety Net: Why Benson’s injury may not be all bad for Green Bay

It’s never easy to see a key player get injured, but you have to feel a little extra for Benson. After 8 years and 3 teams, he’s been treated like a disposable camera through out his career. His past run ins with the law and the NFL haven’t helped his case, but he was continuously asked to carry the ball at an above average rate then let go as teams felt he was used up.

Let’s also not sugar coat what this means for the team. This is bad. Benson brought a balance and a tenacity, which I mentioned before, to a team that didn’t have that traditionally at running back. He may not have struck fear, but teams knew he was an established back who could run for power and grind you down as the game went on. But it may not be all bad.

Rodgers hasn’t exactly been himself this year. While his numbers aren’t terrible, it can’t be ignored that he hasn’t played at an MVP caliber like in the past. He’s been holding the ball too long, missing throws and that edge that drove him in past years is missing.

In those past years, Aaron Rodgers knew he was the guy. There was no running game to lean on and he was going to have to carry the load himself. Yet this year, it was clear that Benson could be a threat in the run game. Rodgers was still the man, but he was no longer the only guy.

I’m not going to say that this is the reason Rodgers hasn’t been on point this year. I’m just saying that in the past years the offense was all Aaron Rodgers and there was no real running game. So when Green Bay got one, its possible Aaron realized he didn’t have to be superman anymore.

But now Green bay needs their Superman back and they need him more than ever. Sometimes when you take away the safety net, you have no choice but not to fall.