By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

For a Green Bay Packers team known less for running and more for gunning, Sunday’s gameplan in the NFL’s Wildcard playoff round deviated from the usual script.

Two backs … three backs … a full house backfield at times. 32 rushes to only 27 passes. A smashmouth philosophy. The Packers saw an undersized Philadelphia defense and not only surprised it, but bullied it.

It was the type of game Quinn Johnson thrives in.

The former West St. John and LSU standout is Green Bay’s true blocking fullback. While a more wide-open gameplan might not leave many opportunities for the second-year pro to get onto the field – last season’s 51-45 first round playoff loss to Arizona, a prime example – Sunday’s was right up Johnson’s alley.

“It definitely felt great,” said Johnson during a brief period of free time this week – he and the Packers were preparing for today’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in a Divisional Playoff matchup in the Georgia Dome. “For me to have a chance to give everything I can give to help us win … to be a part of it and to be able to help out, it was a wonderful feeling.”

Like many of the Packers, it was the first time Johnson had tasted victory in the playoffs, this being only his second crack at it. But if a fullback can be judged on the damage done in the running game, few can argue his impact on the outcome: Green Bay rushed for 138 yards on 32 carries, 123 of those coming on the legs of James Starks, a late-emerging rookie who had never before rushed for 100 yards (he had only 101 rushing yards total over three career games entering Sunday). He averaged 5.3 yards per carry.

“I had kind of an idea it would be like that,” said Johnson of the run-heavy gameplan. “It wasn’t anything the coaches came out and said or anything, but we had a lot more run plays in there than normal. So it wasn’t a shock.”

Johnson said the victory was special but that he knew quickly there was no time to dwell on it. After Green Bay’s Tramon Williams intercepted Michael Vick late in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory for the Packers, his thoughts were not along the lines of “job well done”. Or done at all.

“When it happened, honestly, I just thought, ‘Who’s next?’ he said. “We’re trying to get to the (Super) Bowl. This was one step.”

Johnson’s used to that attitude, probably because he’s won so much. While at West St. John, he helped lead the Rams to state championships in 2003 and 2004, playing on both sides of the ball and making a two-way impact. At LSU his winning ways continued; he converted from linebacker to fullback as a sophomore and helped pave the way for the Tigers running game and a BCS National Championship season, capped by a win over Ohio State.

West St. John was well represented in the Wildcard round in fact. Aside from Johnson, former Rams and Tigers teammate Tyson Jackson also participated, as he made his first playoff appearance with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City fell to Baltimore, though, leaving Johnson to represent Edgard going forward.

Today’s game against Atlanta is a rematch of the clash between the teams on Nov. 28, a 20-17 Falcons win in Atlanta.

Unlike this past Sunday, Green Bay struggled to run the ball in that game, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and failing to crack 100 yards.

But things could be different this time around, Johnson believes.

“We played them before and lost by three. Our run game wasn’t going as well early as it is now,” said Johnson. “I feel like we’ve got a good chance. We just have to go out there and do it.

“A lot of people talk about how we have a high-powered offense, and talk about how we’ve got a lot of talented people, but we still have to go out and perform. We have to stay humble.”