The Cobra
01-21-2011, 06:02 PM
As per TSN
Burning questions heading into the NFL's Conference Championships:
1) Can the Bears' defence contain Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers?
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday, January 23 - 3pm et/Noon pt
Soldier Field - Chicago, Illinois
Since missing a game due to a concussion in Week 15, Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers has been performing an aerial attack on Green Bay's opponents. Rodgers is playing some of the best football of his young career, and the Bears will need to slow him down if they are going to move on to Super Bowl XLV.
While Chicago's rush defence ranked second in the league during the regular season, their pass defence was 20th. The Bears will call upon defensive ends Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije - both of whom had eight sacks on the year - to provide a pass rush capable of disrupting Rodgers in the pocket.
Rodgers is the first quarterback to post a 120 passer rating with 10 touchdowns in his first three playoff games. If the Bears aren't able to get to Rodgers, it will be a tough afternoon for the fans at Soldier Field.
2) What will defensive mastermind Dom Capers do to scheme against offensive guru Mike Martz?
Since arriving in Green Bay, Capers has revamped the Packers' defence and turned it into one of the better units in the league. The next task will be stopping a Bears offence that put up 35 points against the Seattle Seahawks last week.
Bears' QB Jay Cutler will have his hands full dealing with the imposing Packers squad. Green Bay's defence boasts three Pro Bowl players: LB Clay Matthews, CB Charles Woodson and CB Tramon Williams, all of whom helped the team rank fifth against the pass.
If Cutler can escape the pass rush of Matthews, he will then have to throw past the coverage of two of the league's better corners in the emerging Williams and the veteran Woodson.
After some early struggles, Martz helped the Bears' offence find its rhythm and the team has posted more than 35 points in three of its last four games. The only blemish during that stretch came against the Packers in Week 17, when Green Bay held the Bears to three points, something the Packers are hoping they can do again.
3) Who will be able to force more turnovers, the Jets or Steelers?
New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, January 23 - 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt
Heinz Field - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Two of the NFL's best defences will be on the field Sunday afternoon, as the Steelers' defence led by defensive co-ordinator Dick Lebeau collides with Rex Ryan's Jets.
With two teams as evenly matched as the Steelers and Jets, the result of the game could come down to which offence can protect the ball better. During the season, the Steelers made a living creating turnovers, coming up with 45 takeways (21 interceptions, 24 fumbles), while the Jets had 29 turnovers (12 interceptions, 17 fumbles) of their own.
While the slight edge goes to the Steelers, the Jets were able to break Tom Brady's interception-less streak and, by doing so, broke the hearts of Patriots fans. All it takes is a tip or a quick punch to the ball to completely swing momentum the other way and the Jets have become experts at capitalizing on such moments.
4) Can Ben Roethlisberger do what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady couldn't and put the Jets out of the post-season?
In consecutive weeks, the Jets have faced two of the best quarterbacks in the game and left them both on the side of the road.
Roethlisberger comes just as decorated as Manning and Brady, with two Super Bowl rings of his own, and has been a big reason why the Steelers have been in four AFC title games since “Big Ben” took over under centre.
Roethlisberger has shown an ability to escape the clutches of oncoming defenders and often makes plays outside of the pocket. Being able to create on the fly will require his receivers to get open downfield, something that could be difficult against the likes of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Let the games begin.
Burning questions heading into the NFL's Conference Championships:
1) Can the Bears' defence contain Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers?
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
Sunday, January 23 - 3pm et/Noon pt
Soldier Field - Chicago, Illinois
Since missing a game due to a concussion in Week 15, Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers has been performing an aerial attack on Green Bay's opponents. Rodgers is playing some of the best football of his young career, and the Bears will need to slow him down if they are going to move on to Super Bowl XLV.
While Chicago's rush defence ranked second in the league during the regular season, their pass defence was 20th. The Bears will call upon defensive ends Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije - both of whom had eight sacks on the year - to provide a pass rush capable of disrupting Rodgers in the pocket.
Rodgers is the first quarterback to post a 120 passer rating with 10 touchdowns in his first three playoff games. If the Bears aren't able to get to Rodgers, it will be a tough afternoon for the fans at Soldier Field.
2) What will defensive mastermind Dom Capers do to scheme against offensive guru Mike Martz?
Since arriving in Green Bay, Capers has revamped the Packers' defence and turned it into one of the better units in the league. The next task will be stopping a Bears offence that put up 35 points against the Seattle Seahawks last week.
Bears' QB Jay Cutler will have his hands full dealing with the imposing Packers squad. Green Bay's defence boasts three Pro Bowl players: LB Clay Matthews, CB Charles Woodson and CB Tramon Williams, all of whom helped the team rank fifth against the pass.
If Cutler can escape the pass rush of Matthews, he will then have to throw past the coverage of two of the league's better corners in the emerging Williams and the veteran Woodson.
After some early struggles, Martz helped the Bears' offence find its rhythm and the team has posted more than 35 points in three of its last four games. The only blemish during that stretch came against the Packers in Week 17, when Green Bay held the Bears to three points, something the Packers are hoping they can do again.
3) Who will be able to force more turnovers, the Jets or Steelers?
New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, January 23 - 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt
Heinz Field - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Two of the NFL's best defences will be on the field Sunday afternoon, as the Steelers' defence led by defensive co-ordinator Dick Lebeau collides with Rex Ryan's Jets.
With two teams as evenly matched as the Steelers and Jets, the result of the game could come down to which offence can protect the ball better. During the season, the Steelers made a living creating turnovers, coming up with 45 takeways (21 interceptions, 24 fumbles), while the Jets had 29 turnovers (12 interceptions, 17 fumbles) of their own.
While the slight edge goes to the Steelers, the Jets were able to break Tom Brady's interception-less streak and, by doing so, broke the hearts of Patriots fans. All it takes is a tip or a quick punch to the ball to completely swing momentum the other way and the Jets have become experts at capitalizing on such moments.
4) Can Ben Roethlisberger do what Peyton Manning and Tom Brady couldn't and put the Jets out of the post-season?
In consecutive weeks, the Jets have faced two of the best quarterbacks in the game and left them both on the side of the road.
Roethlisberger comes just as decorated as Manning and Brady, with two Super Bowl rings of his own, and has been a big reason why the Steelers have been in four AFC title games since “Big Ben” took over under centre.
Roethlisberger has shown an ability to escape the clutches of oncoming defenders and often makes plays outside of the pocket. Being able to create on the fly will require his receivers to get open downfield, something that could be difficult against the likes of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Let the games begin.