KIDWCKED
01-09-2011, 05:15 PM
c/p from foxsports by John Czarneckie
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The best performing quarterback wins this wild-card game. The Eagles’ Michael Vick is less than 100 percent with a bruised quad muscle, plus he’s been sacked 34 times this season, six of them coming in the upset loss to the Vikings.
On the flip side, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has suffered two concussions this season, but he put the Packers in the playoffs with a blow-out win against the New York Giants.
The Packers figure to blitz Vick just like Minnesota did because cornerback Charles Woodson is adept at disguising his intentions and continues to be a great playmaker on defense. Containment off the edges will be imperative if the Packers decide to liberally blitz Vick, who ran for 103 yards and passed for 175 in the Week 1 game when the Packers gave Kevin Kolb a concussion.
Vick loves to throw off of bootlegs and extend plays with his feet.
Powerful running back LeSean McCoy, who led all runners with 78 receptions this season, could be the key to the game, especially if Todd Herremans and Jason Peters can handle Green Bay’s front. If McCoy can find some running room, it should help Vick immensely to work play-action and find tight end Brent Celek in the deep middle.
The Packers’ defense will be improved up front with the return of versatile Cullen Jenkins, who has great pass rush techniques. Nose tackle B.J. Raji has been a load and is powerful enough to dominate Eagles center Mike McGlynn.
Those two help take the heat off outside linebacker Clay Matthews, the game’s most versatile pass rusher. He can work any edge and also the middle. The Packers were solid in coverage in that season opener against DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, who had a combined eight catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers have received some solid defensive play lately from unlikely sources like Erik Walden, who had three sacks and 16 tackles against the Bears last Sunday. Also, many believe cornerback Tramon Williams has the ability to stick with Jackson one-on-one. One would think that Green Bay might try to run the ball against a Philadelphia defense that most-assuredly will have to blitz Rodgers in order to contain him.
But head coach/play-caller Mike McCarthy will stick with his bread-and-butter passing game against Philadelphia’s pressure-based, gambling defense.
The Eagles’ are shaky in the secondary with Dimitri Patterson struggling and Asante Samuel bothered by a knee strain that caused him to miss three starts down the stretch. Also, rookie Kurt Coleman is starting at free safety after Nate Allen was lost for the season.
You can look for Rodgers to use quick throws on short to intermediate pass patterns to maintain possession and then look deep to Greg Jennings, who has 12 receptions of 25-plus yards and six touchdowns in his last seven games.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The best performing quarterback wins this wild-card game. The Eagles’ Michael Vick is less than 100 percent with a bruised quad muscle, plus he’s been sacked 34 times this season, six of them coming in the upset loss to the Vikings.
On the flip side, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has suffered two concussions this season, but he put the Packers in the playoffs with a blow-out win against the New York Giants.
The Packers figure to blitz Vick just like Minnesota did because cornerback Charles Woodson is adept at disguising his intentions and continues to be a great playmaker on defense. Containment off the edges will be imperative if the Packers decide to liberally blitz Vick, who ran for 103 yards and passed for 175 in the Week 1 game when the Packers gave Kevin Kolb a concussion.
Vick loves to throw off of bootlegs and extend plays with his feet.
Powerful running back LeSean McCoy, who led all runners with 78 receptions this season, could be the key to the game, especially if Todd Herremans and Jason Peters can handle Green Bay’s front. If McCoy can find some running room, it should help Vick immensely to work play-action and find tight end Brent Celek in the deep middle.
The Packers’ defense will be improved up front with the return of versatile Cullen Jenkins, who has great pass rush techniques. Nose tackle B.J. Raji has been a load and is powerful enough to dominate Eagles center Mike McGlynn.
Those two help take the heat off outside linebacker Clay Matthews, the game’s most versatile pass rusher. He can work any edge and also the middle. The Packers were solid in coverage in that season opener against DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, who had a combined eight catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers have received some solid defensive play lately from unlikely sources like Erik Walden, who had three sacks and 16 tackles against the Bears last Sunday. Also, many believe cornerback Tramon Williams has the ability to stick with Jackson one-on-one. One would think that Green Bay might try to run the ball against a Philadelphia defense that most-assuredly will have to blitz Rodgers in order to contain him.
But head coach/play-caller Mike McCarthy will stick with his bread-and-butter passing game against Philadelphia’s pressure-based, gambling defense.
The Eagles’ are shaky in the secondary with Dimitri Patterson struggling and Asante Samuel bothered by a knee strain that caused him to miss three starts down the stretch. Also, rookie Kurt Coleman is starting at free safety after Nate Allen was lost for the season.
You can look for Rodgers to use quick throws on short to intermediate pass patterns to maintain possession and then look deep to Greg Jennings, who has 12 receptions of 25-plus yards and six touchdowns in his last seven games.