Cheesehead TV Matchup: Week Nine

OFFENSE:

• Do Not Abandon the Running Game

I’ve been overboard in my calls for the return of the Big Five formation, but only because I love it. In reality, we’ll most likely see it on only 4 or 5 plays from scrimmage. (If we see it at all…) What I think WILL happen quite a bit is McCarthy calling first down pass plays and using second downs to attack off-tackle and outside with Ryan Grant much like he did last year in the second game against the Vikings. McCarthy wants nothing to do with Haynesworth inside, obviously, and has a great group of stretch and toss plays that can be effective against the Titans, especially if he chooses to attack Jevon Kearse on the offense’s right side (again - away from Haynesworth) That said - don’t be surprised if you see the occasional draw/delay play run right at the monstrous defensive tackle. The Colts tried this Monday night but got terrible blocking on Haynesworth’s running mate in the middle, Tony Brown. But it’s a good idea, using Haynesworth’s aggressiveness against him. If Spitz can get a seal on Brown (no certain thing, but it can be done) the Packers could take advantage of the middle on one or two occasions, much like they did against the Williams boys in the opening Monday nighter against the Vikings.

• Don’t Get Frustrated

The Titan defense is no joke. All 11 players fly to the ball and are there to hit, not just jump on the pile. They lead the NFL with 12.4 points allowed per game. The Packers are not going to walk into Nashville and put up 30 points and they are not going to move the ball at will. But there are plays to be made against this defense, especially in the passing game. The return of James Jones could not come at a better time and his presence will prove a major advantage against a young Titan secondary. A great matchup to watch is when Greg Jennings goes up against Cortland Finnegan, the Titans second year starter at right corner. Again, patience will be the key. Finnegan is a talent and will win a good deal of matchups with any receiver. But Jennings will make more than his fair share of plays against the young corner - it will be a great sideshow to the main event. But the main point is - the Packers offense needs to be patient. Plays will come. They can not press or they will make mistakes. Rodgers did a fantastic job against the Colts taking what the defense gave him and he’ll need to continue that trend on Sunday.

DEFENSE:

• Run Blitz Poppinga and Barnett On First Downs.

Last year against the San Diego Chargers, Bob Sanders sent Bray Poppinga, Nick Barnett or both firing into the Charger offensive line on a majority of the Chargers first down snaps, causing all sorts of problems for the San Diego offensive line and enabling A.J. Hawk and Atari Bigby to pick through the trash and make the tackle on Landian Tomlinson. He should take a similar approach on Sunday. Too many times this year Sanders has sat his linebackers back in a base set on first down and trusted his defensive line to control the gaps at the line of scrimmage. Well, that hasn’t worked. At all. He needs to create havoc at the point of attack. The danger, of course, is having Chris Johnson escape to the outside, where he can do unbelievable damage. That’s why it is imperative for Aaron Kampman, Michael Montgomery and Jeremy Thompson to set the edges each and every snap, funneling Johnson inside for Hawk, Bigby and Collins to take him down. But more than anything else - the Packer defense must win first down. Giving this Titan team favorable down and distance is a recipe for disaster, as they will simply pound away until the game is over.

• Put Chillar On Bo Scaife and Collins On Alge Crumpler
  

Scaife is an above average talent and Titan quarterback Kerry Collins’ number one target. Brandon Chillar, who did yeoman’s work against Dallas Clark two weeks ago, is more than up to the task of blanketing Scaife. This will necessitate Sanders inserting Chillar in for Hawk even on ‘Base’ downs, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it more than a few times. As McCarthy stated - you have to utilize your personnel. They could even go to a 4-4 Cover 1 as their base.  The reason they can do this? The unholy trinity of receivers Brandon Jones, Justin Gage, and Justin McCareins will be almost completely negated by Al Harris, Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams (when the Titans are dumb or desperate enough to use three receivers), leaving Collins free to take Crumpler and not worry too much about help over the top on the receivers. All in all, this game actually matches up well for the Packers on the back end - it will be up to Sanders to use his personnel well on early downs to create favorable down and distances where the Packers should be able to completely negate the Titan passing game.

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