Sunday, November 9, 2008

Run and Done

The Vikings are in of the same mold as the Bears and Titans (who happen to square off today). Good defense, good running, and cover-your-eyes awful passing. And when they do pass, they more often-than-not seek out their tight end (1920s jazzman Bo Scaife for the Titans, Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark for the Bears, and Visanthe Shiancoe for the Vikings). AS the Vikings appear to be the weakest of the three (Rex Grossman notwithstanding) I fully expect the Packers to take care of business today after a close OT loss to the Titans last week. The keys are as follows:

1. Stop Adrian Peterson

I don't mean this in the generic TV analyst context, where it is intimated that their is some extra power that players can tap into (like Hulk Hogan just when you thought he might lose) to stop the other team's star. What I do mean is that the Packers have to be able to devote and extra defender to the run, and just like last week, the Packers are well-suited to this task with their cover corners.

2. The other key is to shut down the emerging Shiancoe, who isn't actually that good, but is much better than everyone thought. Here, the onus is on the linebackers. (By the way, speaking of linebackers, is anyone else perplexed as to why Brandon Chillar (who I'm a fan of) is taking snaps away from AJ Hawk (who I'm also a fan of) and not Brady Poppinga (who I consider to be "just OK")? Am I missing something with Hawk? He still seems to have good burst and provides good pursuit, at least in my opinion.)

3. Offensively, the key is to not screw up. If the Viking defense can score points, they are difficult to beat. The standard conservative Packer game plan is probably, one again, well suited for this matchup. The other key is to keep Aaron Rodgers' legs away from Jared Allen, who should have been suspended for two low hits on Matt Schaub last week.

Now it's time for me to head over to Will's to get a good seat. Enjoy the game. Go Pack!

70 comments:

  1. If you're in Boston, stop by the Draft. I'll be the drunk guy.

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  2. Lesson 1. Get to Wills earlier for packer games than for badger games. Some people have reservations at the bar.

    Lesson 2. You can escape the crowd by standing under a tv, if you don't mind people staring at you.

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  3. Driver Rocks!

    as is Woodson, who saved mccarthy's ass from more poor playcalling.

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  4. Oh yeah, Grant sucks. No excuse for a Running Back being stood up by a DB.

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  5. Kampmann making himself known with a stop. Nice to see Peterson not going badly nuts. Hmm... Jolly getting his name called too.

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  6. Updates on starting lineup, Jared Allen is out. AJ Hawk has a chest injury. I'm unclear if he's playing or not, haven't heard his name called.

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  7. are the vikings the most penalized team ever? seems like it this game.

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  8. What Jared Allen is in the game? Bob McGinn was wrong.

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  9. Rodgers is pulling a Favre imitation? Maybe Favre's actions weren't so unusual, just more effective

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  10. Jolly and Kampmann on the stop again. did the defensse stiffen with enough time for some offense? one minute

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  11. two fucking safetys in a game?

    Time to google up how often Favre had a safety scored on him

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  12. The first safety was bs. Who cares about favre safety stats? Safeties are basically random.

    On the plus side, being down by 4 after that shit is encouraging.

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  13. hmm... Jets have scored 40 agaist the RAms. and chester teylor humiliated the packers secondary. something grant is incapable of doing against the viking secondary.

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  14. Packers offensive line and play calling suck. And a delay of game penalty.

    Packer penalties are getting ridiculous

    And favre safety stats are important. Because in 90 years of service i don't recall any two safety games. Rodgers had one in his first year of service.

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  15. Well done TT, that Frost guy is clearly a better punter than the 40+ yard punter we did have.

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  16. at least teh titans are winning

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  17. wow, i didn't think longwell ever missed in domes

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  18. No, it's not. Both of those safeties are on the line. The jets are winning because of the rams, not because of favre. He only has one garbage time td. That game is all thomas jones. Our punter does suck, however.

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  19. Ryan Grant. See previous entries

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  20. ya know I don't ever remember a qb surrendering two safeties. Clearly that means Rodgers is the worst quarterback in the history of football.

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  21. I feel like were playing the patriots with all these flags on the pack.

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  22. i didn't say the Jets are winning because of Favre.

    I have the Jets defense on my fantasy team and am well aware why the Jets are winning. The 40 points is still damn impressive

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  23. ESK i see hyperbole is still your forte.

    The seconday is is doing its best to carry this team.

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  24. Seriously, has anybody written a _moneyball_ for football? I'm on page 119 and it's frigging amazing

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  25. who said Rodgers is teh worst QB in history? um, you did. Idiocy and hyperbole were apparently having sex in your driver's seat.

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  26. This is a flagtastic game.

    I also should mention that the taylor td was capitalizing on barnett' absence.

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  27. a viking screen pass on 3 and 20? that's a packer play call.

    Will Blackmon! see previous entry regarding packers secondary.

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  28. Eric, check out michael lewis's followup, The Blind Side. Holy shit, who needs an offense.

    Oh, and read football outsiders.

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  29. The Packers may have watched the Waterboy. Maybe they can win by keeping their defense on the field

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  30. i'll do that. Thank Paul. I like baseball. I love football.

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  31. Is AJ Hawk playing? I'd rather have him slide over to middle, not have desmond bishop as middle.

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  32. okay offense. Ryan Grant has been pathetic. the line has been pathetic. What playcalling will take advantage of this?

    tosses, pitches, draws. Pretty much any misdirection to take advantage of viking agressiveness.

    A screen pass to brandon jackson might be useful if there's enough time to pull it off. i'm not confident

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  33. okay offense. Ryan Grant has been pathetic. the line has been pathetic. What playcalling will take advantage of this?

    tosses, pitches, draws. Pretty much any misdirection to take advantage of viking agressiveness.

    A screen pass to brandon jackson might be useful if there's enough time to pull it off. i'm not confident

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  34. Titans block a kick. They lead 21-7. Jets have scored 47.

    Rodgers has thrown a ball away.

    It's all good.

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  35. Ditto that lb sentiment. Mlb is hawk's natural position. Believe it or not, I'm more of a footballer myself, its just that math is easier in baseball. There's also a good football chapter in The Wisdom Of Crowds about coaches not going for it enough on 4th down.

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  36. That was a nice pass Mr Rodgers. more like that play.

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  37. Gregg Eastebrook makes some pretty convincing arguments about going for it on 4th down. I'd only do it regularly if i was beyond the 50.

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  38. Packers really really really need to take advantage of Viking agressiveness. Go with hard counts if necessary. Quick slants seem to be effective.

    First the defense has to hold.

    Again

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  39. Also, the primary subject of The Blind Side, michael oher, is a left tackle at ol' miss, likely to be a top 5 pick in the next draft.

    Why did I not get to see a replay if the last sideline play? Nice punt though.

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  40. Bears have scored but are still losing. there no huddle seems to be effective. this could be a template to defeat the titans.

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  41. They're going? Wow, that was dumb. I'm in a bar, what's going on?

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  42. nice stop! THank you brad childress! whatever gripes i have with Mccarthy i'm glad you're not my coach.

    'Cept mccarthy could be the Ned Yost of football. better than most but not great.

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  43. only go for it when you're past the 50. childress is a dumb ass and i'm glad.

    looks like there was a fumble on the 4th down play. Only the fumbling player ccan advance the ball so they were stopped.

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  44. Our o-line is far too undisciplined.

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  45. Field goal may not be enough. Defense must hold. yet. again.

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  46. do you think it's discipline?

    I wonder if they're just not confident in the zone scheme.

    Is Campen still the line coach?

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  47. Hawk is playing. Please coach make him the middle linebacker

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  48. It's discipline. Who cares if they believe in it, pay attention to the fucking snap count!

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  49. if the o line isn't confident they may be hesitant in who they pick up.

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  50. A challenge?

    okay Holmgren. Do you let them score so you can get teh ball back?

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  51. God damn it.what a dumb fucking challenge.

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  52. return to the 40. Let's get close

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  53. Driver is Rodger's Sterling Sharpe

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  54. fucking play calling. fucking offensive line. fucking running back

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  55. I hate it when we lose because we're stupid.

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  56. Whoops. That was the wife's profile. Still, losing because we're not as good I'm OK with. This should have been a win. I echo Eric's sentiments that short quick-passing was the way to go. If they do that all game they probably break a few.

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