Packers-Vikings recap pt.3

There were four points I made that would ensure a Packer victory this past Saturday over the Vikings. Let’s take a look at them and break down how the Packers did.

1. Pressure Joe Webb under control:

• Outside of a few early runs and an over-pursue by linebacker Erik Walden, the Packers did a great job containing Joe Webb and forcing him into a lot of horrid passes. The Packers also recorded three sacks. 
• B+

2. First Contact on Adrian Peterson:

• Adrian Peterson absolutely bulled over the Packers in two regular season games but the Packers pursuit at the line of scrimmage was phenomenal. AP had a long of 18 yards which came in the fourth quarter and overall 99 yards on 22 carries. An average back running for 99 yards is great but for AP that’s a huge win for the defense. 
• A

3. Full health at WR:

• It was nice seeing the big four at wide-out and Jermichael Finley all on the field at once for the first time since week four vs. New Orleans. None of these guys had huge games, but all had big catches at some point in the game. It was easy to see the respect the Vikings had for all these guys, which allowed running back DuJuan Harris to reel in 5 catches for 53 yards. 
• B

4. DuJuan Harris:

• Harris didn’t have the flashiest average in the world on Saturday night, (17 for 47) but had 53 yards receiving and a touchdown on the ground to keep the Vikings defense honest. Harris will have to be big again this Saturday night against the 49ers and their front seven who are aggressive and like to hit. 
• B

The hits started well before the game.

Vikings players weren’t the only ones feeling the sting of hard hits last night. A TV reporter for Minneapolis’ NBC affiliate got run over well before the game even started. She was fine doing her report until her camera man did his best AP impression and completely knocked her on her ass. She took the hit like a champ and laughed it off, but it is worth a view.

 

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/minneapolis-reporter-gets-tackled-live-shot-video-164811417–nfl.html

Keys to a Packers Wild Card win.

With news just breaking of no Christian Ponder tonight it’s got my keys to a win tonight a bit different. Let’s get to the keys to a victory tonight!

 

1. Pressure Joe Webb but under control:

• With Ponder not staring, the Vikings turn to Joe Webb who has not thrown a pass all season. Webb has great athleticism so if the Pack bring some pressure, be ready for Webb to step up or go outside and break a long run. Bring some heat but be sure to go under control and don’t over-pursue. 

2. First contact on AP:

• The Packers made contact with Adrian Peterson quite a bit at the line of scrimmage last week but unfortunately for the Pack, Peterson was able to break arm tackles and gain valuable yards after contact. It’s difficult to limit AP but being able to contain his yards after contact will be key to a victory tonight. 

3. Full health at WR:

• This is the first time since week 4 that the Packers have had Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, and Randall Cobb. Combine these four with the quiet second half of the season tight end Jermichael Finley put together and the Vikings secondary will be on their heels all night. Aaron Rodgers has to be happy with this late Christmas gift. 

4. DuJuan Harris:

• The Packers haven’t had a running back run as hard as Harris since Ahman Green. He averaged five yards a carry last week and will be key tonight to keep the Vikings defense honest. If he has success again on the ground, look for the play-action passing game to be on cue. 

 

NFL Wild Card picks.

Time for the second season and I am going nuts waiting for the Packers-Vikings kick-off at 7! To help calm myself a bit here are my Wild Card predictions.

1. Cincinnati Bengals at Houston:

• This is a rematch from last year’s Wild Card round with Houston coming out on top in a big way, winning 31-10. TJ Yates led that Texans team who relied heavily on Arian Foster and a dominating defense. Cincy was led by rookie QB Andy Dalton who has another year under his belt and a good run game with BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Houston has been struggling of late and need to pull their heads out of you know where. They are at home and should rely on Foster to get them to the next round. The Bengals will be a much bigger hurdle this year though. 
• Texans- 27-23

2. Minnesota at Green Bay:

• The Pack better feel the need to wrap up Adrian Peterson at the line otherwise it will be another 200 plus day for All Day. Christian Ponder looked flawless last week inside the Metrodome but things are going to be much different in the 20 degree climate of Lambeau Field. Also there are reports of his elbow giving him problems so look for Joe Webb to get some action tonight. Aaron Rodgers has been untouchable the last three games, throwing for almost a thousand yards and 10 touchdown and zero picks. He also has a rushing touchdown. Look for little known back DuJuan Harris to get the tough yards and Rodgers gets it done through the air. 
• Packers 31-27

3. Indianapolis at Baltimore:

• The Colts have been one of the most impressive teams because of what they have accomplished with so many rookies and young players. Andrew Luck has turned the ball over too much but has still found ways to win close games. They will have their hands full today with Ray squared. Ray Rice should get as many touches as he pleases and Ray Lewis announced he will be retiring once this season is done. Look for an extremely motivated Baltimore team to give their star one last hurrah. 
• Baltimore- 30-20

4. Seattle at Washington:

• It’s a battle between two rookie QB’s who have phenomenal running games to help them along. Seattle might have the upper hand with a dominant defense who isn’t afraid to hit and can get after the quarterback. Russell Wilson is going up against one of the worst pass defenses in the league and Marshawn Lynch will be looking for his next playoff highlight run. Washington was one of the surprises of the season and might have a running back for years to come in Alfred Morris. A sixth round pick, Morris did nothing but run for 200 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season finale to cap a phenomenal regular season. However Seattle’s defense proves to be too much. 
• Seahawks- 23-17

Packers-Vikings recap pt. 2.

Well the Packers win streak against division foes will end at 13 in a row with yesterday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The defense wasn’t up to par but the offense looked very 2011ish. So let’s get to what I saw in yesterday’s game.

1. Secondary communication:

• Our local newspaper just did a story about how the communication on the defense was so much better this season, but at the end of the game, Ponder found a wide open receiver on a 3rd and long that allowed the Peterson long run and eventual game winning field goal. This is where I think Charles Woodson will made a difference if he is on the field next week. 

2. Aaron Rodgers:

• Imagine the numbers he could put up if he had an above average o-line. Rodgers was sacked another five times yesterday but still managed to put up 365 yards passing and four touchdowns but did have a fumble. What the guy has done in the past two years (84 passing touchdowns to 14 picks). This team will go as far as Rodgers is able to stand on his feet.

3. Run defense:

• I realize Adrian Peterson is an absolute beast, but you can’t keep letting the guy rack up 200 yards on you. The defense needs to wrap up and gang tackle a guy like Peterson. 

Round 3 is this Saturday night at 7pm at Lambeau! Get your long johns and cheeseheads on and get loud Packer nation!

NFL Picks week 17

And just like that we are at the end of the 2012 regular season. It feels like the season just started and there were sunny blue skies which have no given away to over a foot of snow on the ground here in Green Bay. I trail my opponent and friend Josh Brewer by two games so I need to make up some ground in the final week!

1. Baltimore at Cincinnati:

• The Ravens have a chance to move into the third spot with a win over the Bengals and a New England loss to Miami. The Bengals have been one of the hottest teams to end the year but will fall short to Baltimore. 
• Ravens- 23-20

2. Houston at Indianapolis:

• Houston can still achieve home-field advantage throughout the playoffs while Indy is locked in at the five spot. Houston needs to find some momentum going into the playoffs and with Arian Foster good to go they should. 
• Texans- 31-27

3. St. Louis at Seattle:

• The Rams have been a nice surprise this season but go to Seattle to square off against the red hot (cue motley crue) Seahawks and the twelfth man. i think the Rams will put up a good fight and Steven Jackson should be looking to put on a heck of a show but Seattle will be too much. 
• Seahawks- 27-20

4. Green Bay at Minnesota:

• Let me go on record and say AP will not get the record. I have all the respect in the world for him but the Packer defense is healthier this time around as is the offense. So I don’t see the Packers struggling as much to score points which will force the Vikings to rely on second year man Christian Ponder and his arm. 
• Packers- 30-20

5. Dallas at Washington:

• The Redskins have been on a tear and RG3 has dominated the NFC East this season. Dallas and Tony Romo haven’t figured out how to win a big game. Dez Bryant is playing out of his mind but watch for Washington to give a big dose of Alfred Morris to dominate the clock. 
• Redskins- 34-28

NFL Picks week 16.

With just two weeks to go and down by three games to my buddy Josh Brewer week 16 is crucial for me to make up some ground. Check out Josh’s blog at alwaysbrewing.blogspot.com. Time to get to the picks!

1. Tennessee at Green Bay:

• Last week Green Bay locked up the NFC North with a division win over rival Chicago. The Pack are getting guys back healthy at the right time and might have found a legit running game. Tennessee will be looking to play spoiler so look for CJ2K to get a lot of carries as he gives the Titans their best chance to get the upset. However Tennessee isn’t that good and Green Bay is. 
• Packers- 34-20

2. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh:

• Pittsburgh lost a heart-breaking game last week which also put them in a hole to make the playoffs. The good and bad news is they play the Cincinnati Bengals this week. With a win the Steelers are right back in the thick of things but a loss can eliminate them from the playoffs. The Bengals have been one of the most impressive teams the second half of the season while the Steelers are fluttering. Going with the youthful bunch in this one. 
• Bengals- 23-17

3. Minnesota at Houston:

• If the Vikings are going to win this game it will be because of Adrian Peterson and his bio-mechanical legs. Peterson is just under 300 yards shy of beating the NFL rushing record for a single season and will be relied on heavily to pull off an upset. However the Texans are a very balanced team and should have no problem making the Vikings one-dimensional. Texans put a dent into the Vikings playoff hopes. 
• Texans- 30-20

4. NY Giants at Baltimore:

• Will the real Giants and Ravens please stand up? These have to be the two most Jeckyl and Hyde teams in the NFL. The Giants got spanked by first place Atlanta while Baltimore lost a key AFC match-up to Denver. I think the light in the tunnel is dimming for the Giants so I am going with Baltimore on this one. 
• Ravens- 27-24

5. San Francisco at Seattle:

• This division isn’t wrapped up yet but could be by tomorrow night. The 49ers take a trip north to square off against rookie Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. I expect a lot of running and hard hits in this game. However one team does a bit more hitting and makes a few more plays so watch the 49ers lock up the division. 
• 49ers- 23-16

 

NFL Picks week 14.

I had an abysmal week 13 only going 2-3 and falling another game behind my friend and opponent Josh Brewer. With the abundance of great match-ups and meaningful games this weekend we have decided to do four additional games outside of Baltimore and GB games instead of the usual three. Let’s get to the week 14 picks!

1. Dallas at Cincinnati:

• Cincinnati has played some impressive football after a slow start to the season. Andy Dalton has gotten his act together and has Cincy on the verge of sneaking into the playoffs. They need a bit of help in the division but are definitely playing good football at the right time. Dallas isn’t out of the picture yet at 6-6. A Cowboy win and a Giants loss will make the last few weeks very interesting. They need to take care of business outside of the conference this Sunday to keep the heat on. However Cincy gets it done at home.
• Bengals- 26-24

2. Chicago at Minnesota:

• Chicago’s defense is getting banged up with the losses of Brian Urlacher and Charles “Peanut” Tillman. However Jay Cutler gets a few weapons back this week in Alshon Jeffery and Devin Hester. He will need them to make up for the losses on defense. Minnesota wasted a 210 yard day on the ground from Adrian Peterson last week to the Packers. Christian Ponder is floundering down the stretch and can’t seem to hit an open receiver. No Percy Harvin= no win for the Vikings.
• Bears- 27-17

3. Baltimore at Washington:

• I was shocked to see the Ravens gave up 27 points to a Charlie Batch led team last Sunday. The loss of Terrell Suggs to another injury leaves a lot of questions on this defense again. The Ravens need to get Ray Rice another 20+ touches. Hell the guy picked up a 4th and 29 on a check-down! RG3 has to be licking his chops after seeing what Batch did last week. Washington can see the light of a possible wild card spot. However it gets a bit darker for them.
• Ravens- 24-23

4. New Orleans at NY Giants:

• New Orleans are close to getting the door shut in their face but a win over the Giants will keep the NFC Wild Card chase interesting. Drew Brees threw five picks against Atlanta so any chance of a division run is gone. New Orleans needs to regroup and play smart football to go anywhere. The Giants are having their usual identity crisis with a demolishing of the Packers and a loss to the Redskins on MNF. If the Giants want to win the division a victory over the Saints will go a long way.
• Giants- 34-31

5. Detroit Lions at Green Bay:

• The Pack got a key win last week over the Vikings to go 3-0 in the division and a Bears loss put them back on top of the division. The Pack’s running game showed signs of life last week and if it does indeed snow like a mother tomorrow that running game will be instrumental for any run this team makes. The Lions are out of contention but would love to play spoiler to a team who has bullied them at Lambeau since 1991. I still worry about Calvin Johnson even though he does not have a legit threat across from him. However the losses at Lambeau continue for the Lions.
• Packers- 27-23

6. Houston at New England:

• This could be the game of the season and a win will put the Texans in a very comfortable spot for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Houston hasn’t been the same on defense since Brian Cushing got hurt and are still without 2011 second round pick Brooks Reed. New England still doesn’t have Rob Gronkowski and didn’t look like the offensive juggernaut of the past few seasons without him. However the game is in New England and I don’t see Tom Brady having back to back bland games. 
• New England- 31-27

Packers-Vikings recap.

Well this one caused a bit more nail-biting and a few more curse words being yelled at the television than I thought. However at the end of the day the Packers came out with the win and move to 8-4 overall and 3-0 in the division. Let’s get to what I observed in yesterday’s game!

 

1. Morgan Burnett:

• I have been waiting for Morgan to take that next step and become the leader in the secondary. Since Charles Woodson has been out with a broken collarbone this kid has stepped his game up to a whole new level. Burnett has 92 tackles and 2 sacks to go along with the 2 interceptions he posted yesterday against the Vikings. I am not willing to say he is an elite safety, but he is on his way to becoming a very good player. 

2. Running game:

• I was impressed with the way Alex Green and James Starks ran yesterday. Both guys ran probably the hardest they had all season and fought for those extra yards. Green had 13 touches for a combined 70 yards while Starks had 82 overall yards on 18 touches. If these guys keep this up, the Packers will be a tough team to face the rest of the way. 

3. 3rd and 1:

• While the Packers looked great running the ball yesterday, they are still not able to consistently pick up 3rd and 1’s. Remember the days with Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport where 3rd and 1 could have been converted in their sleep? I miss those days. Seeing John Kuhn get a draw in shotgun to me makes absolutely no sense. Put Kuhn in front of one of the backs and pound the ball. 

4. Injuries:

• Two more players went down with injuries yesterday. Jordy Nelson tweaked a hamstring again and might not be ready for Sunday night vs. the Lions. Also T.J. Lang who has been forced to play right tackle also went down with an ankle injury. Undrafted rookie Don Barclay played solid in his first ever NFL action and got a nice confidence boost as a lot of runs went to his side. 

While it wasn’t the prettiest game in the world, it was a huge win for the Packers. Being 3-0 in the division at the moment gives the Packers a bit of breathing room but with three games left in the division they don’t have too much room for error.

 

 

Keys to a Packer victory over Minnesota.

The Packers definitely did not look like themselves last Sunday night against the G-men. Today’s game against the Vikings begins a three week stretch of games against divisional opponents. Let’s get to what the Pack must do to come out with the victory today!

1. Short passing game:

• I have no idea what happened to the plethora of slants this team used to run but it needs to return for several reasons. One of them is the overall production they used to get and the ability to pick up key first downs. A second and more important reason is to get the ball out of Rodgers’ hand quick before he ends up on the turf. 

2. Give up the yards, not TD’s:

• The Packers had this mentality against the Lions. They gave up a decent amount of yards, but when it came down to the Red Zone, the Pack bolted down and made the Lions settle for field goals. Adrian Peterson can run for his yards but if they keep him out of the end zone I will take that as a win. 

3. Protect:

• I am really tired of writing this about every week for the offensive line to protect. They need to dig deep and play better. There isn’t a guy sitting on the couch who can come in and shore up this line, so it comes down to the five guys who start. It’s simple, play better. Play tougher. 

I would also like to wish a happy birthday to my mother who can now get her ARP card! She has a great sense of humor so I know she won’t be offended by that. She actually told me she is getting excited to buy meals off the senior citizen menu at restaurants. Also a happy b-day to Aaron Rodgers. A great present to yourself will be to demolish the Vikings today.