Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews (right) runs back an intercepted pass thrown by Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Credit: Mark Hoffman

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Green Bay — Over the course of his career, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has faced double-team blocks, chipping tight ends and running backs, and designed circumvention from opposing offenses.

Through it all, he has still managed to be the defense's biggest game-changer, racking up 50 sacks, four interceptions, 10 forced fumbles and 221 tackles in 69 regular-season games.

It's possible, however, that teams have found a way to minimize the havoc Matthews creates with his hit-now-ask-questions-later style of play.

This season, he has just one sack, which is his lowest total in his first six games since he entered the NFL in 2009, and he is coming off a game against the Miami Dolphins in which the only statistic he registered was a pass breakup.

It was the first time he had gone without a tackle since Nov. 4, 2012, when he was forced out in the second half against Arizona because of a hamstring injury. He has just 18 tackles this season, which is his lowest total over a six-game period to start a season since '09, when he didn't become a starter until Week 4.

"I mean, I can always get better," Matthews said Wednesday. "That goes without saying."

But there is a caveat that Matthews is quick to point out and may not be completely off base given what the Packers (4-2) have faced this season.

In three of their six games, they've seen a heavy dose of the read-option scheme, which most people around these parts associate with San Francisco and the confounding talents of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Dating to their playoff loss to the 49ers in January 2013, the Packers have stumbled all over the scheme, and this season it has tripped them up at inopportune times.

The most recent was the second half of the 27-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins when quarterback Ryan Tannehill sparked a comeback with a 40-yard run on the second play from scrimmage.

It was a play designed with Matthews in mind. Run at him, Matthews had to decide whether to crash down on the running back or stay in place and play the quarterback. He crashed down and Tannehill ran around him for a huge gain.

"I know (people) are looking for someone to blame," Matthews said. "That's kind of how the zone-read works, is kind of forcing them into one way or another and having those players react off it.

"It's not, 'one guy is to blame.' It's having responsibilities to it. It's hard to explain."

Matthews said defensive coordinator Dom Capers is working on things that will make the decisions the players have to make black and white because Sunday they're going to be facing a dangerous read-option quarterback in Carolina's Cam Newton, who rushed a career-high 17 times for 107 yards against Cincinnati last Sunday.

The way the Packers have been playing it has allowed opposing offenses to take away Matthews' best attribute, which is his relentless pursuit of the ball. Matthews has been a terrific run stopper as well as pass rusher, but he has sacrificed scheme integrity at times to make plays.

He can do it because the reward is usually worthy of the risk. But his aggressiveness can lead him to lose containment and allow quarterbacks and running backs to get around him.

The read-option takes advantage of those who aren't disciplined. Teams study how Matthews reacts to certain plays and scheme against him, so that he's not able to always play with unbridled fury.

And when that happens, a team has taken away his best attribute.

"It's difficult," Matthews said. "That's what last week was. You're playing so much into this zone-read offense that you're always reading the quarterback and the running back and seeing what they're throwing.

"Your eyes are continually in the backfield. When you have those opportunities, they're few and far between to get after the quarterback (where) you're focused on one thing. It presents problems. It's not just me, it's really the front seven. But I think it's a trend leaguewide."

Newton was not going to concede that Matthews would be easy to avoid Sunday given the film the Panthers have of other read-option quarterbacks scheming him and the Packers' other outside linebackers. He said Matthews was on their radar despite the fact he has just one sack.

"Well, statistically, that can be jaded to a degree," Newton said in a conference call. "You watch him on film, he's still disrupting the run game as well as the passing game by getting to the quarterback. No matter if he gets the sack or tackle, his presence is certainly felt."

The read-option effect can't be ignored, but it doesn't speak to the numerous times Matthews has been able to rush without hesitation on third downs. Early in the season, Capers was having Matthews drop into coverage more than he ever had, but in the last couple of games Matthews has gotten plenty of rush opportunities.

Against Minnesota, for example, he rushed 18 of the first 24 times the Vikings attempted to throw the ball.

Sacks have come in bunches for him over the course of his career — he has 12 games in which he has had two or more — and the streaks have occurred early and late in seasons. As far as the team, the Packers rank tied for 15th with 13 sacks with nine players totaling at least a half.

The most notable number in their favor is a total of 39 quarterback knockdowns (including sacks), which ranks third in the NFL behind Houston (47) and Detroit (45). That's a sign they are producing pressure and getting in the quarterback's face.

Matthews ranks third on the team behind Julius Peppers (eight) and Mike Daniels (six) with five knockdowns. He knows there's pressure on him to produce bigger numbers than he has.

He claims the groin injury that sidelined him at the end of the Detroit game and landed him on the injury report for two weeks is not a factor.

"As a competitor, of course, I'd love to have 10 tackles, 10 sacks," Matthews said. "It doesn't matter what it is. I'd love to be on the board by making that impact.

"But at the same time, yeah, you know how it is: sacks come in bunches and they'll come for me. I've proven over the years that when I'm on the field, I'll make my plays. That'll happen."