Look For Mike To Spread \'Em Out

Watching the Titans-Colts game last night, three things become readily apparent:

  1. This is a Titans team that can be beat
  2. This is a Titans team that can be beat by the Packers
  3. This is a Titans team that can be beat by the Packers passing game

With the expected return of James Jones, McCarthy will have his full arsenal of receiving weapons at this disposal for the first time since the opening Monday night game against the Vikings. Look for more than one or two offensive snaps in the Big Five formation, which, judging by last night, should find several favorable matchups for the Packers. (Why the Colts insisted on keeping Gonzalez on the sideline for a good portion of the night last night, I'll never know...)

On the other side of the ball, the task is indeed a tough one. Stopping Chris Johnson and Lendale White will not be easy, but one thing working in the Packers favor is the absolute non-threat represented by the Titans receivers. What a bunch of stiffs. This may actually be the perfect game for Al Harris to get his sea-legs back, because goodness knows he won't be up against much of a challenge. And Woodson can take anyone on this team in his sleep.

Which, of course, means Sanders will bring Atari Bigby down into the box to help against the run, which, of course, means Mike Heimerdinger will throw often on first down to get the safety out of the box, rinse and repeat...

Sometimes this is a simple game.

 

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Comments (8)

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Andrew's picture

October 28, 2008 at 10:32 am

Welcome back to our human missile, Atari Bigby.

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Holly's picture

October 28, 2008 at 10:56 am

You should know that I rely on you two to keep me from getting frazzled about this game. I can't decide what I'm more excited to see, Bigby blowing it up and making the RBs hesitate, or the Titans DBs scrambling to cover 5 receivers downfield.

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PackerAaron's picture

October 28, 2008 at 11:00 am

Holly- I'll do my best :) (I admit, I was much more worried before I watched them last night - that is a VERY beatable team)

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Keith's picture

October 28, 2008 at 12:19 pm

Here is my concern: the Titans are a VERY PHYSICAL TEAM.

We dominated Indy because they're one of the few teams around softer than us. I hate saying that, but it's true, the Packers are not very tough.

Of course the Titans are very beatable in theory, but doing it is a different story altogether.

Take a gander at the Titans schedule. Who are the teams that played them close? It's not the spread 'em out teams. It was the smash mouth, "we're not afraid to get nasty" Jags and Ravens.

That Titans defense is flat out nasty. All 11 guys fly to the ball and they bring the lumber.

So yeah, from a game planning perspective, yeah, they're beatable. The question is this: do the Packers have the fortitude to go toe to toe with an aggressive, physical, and nasty Titans team.

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PackerAaron's picture

October 28, 2008 at 12:35 pm

I believe they do Keith, not so much in a bar-brawl sense, but I think a fully healthy Packer team with a good game plan is a better team than the Titan team we saw last night. Yes, they are physical, and yes they've played close games with other physical teams. But I think the Packers have more talent across the board and should be able to beat them. And I think McCarthy could surprise us all with a Falcon and Rhino exhibition where he sends Grant off-tackle to set up the Rodgers bootleg, which takes advantage of the "all 11 flying to the ball" mentality. It will be a great chess match...

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Keith's picture

October 28, 2008 at 12:45 pm

I hope you're right. But when I look at the games where we struggled/lost over the last two seasons, they're against physical teams that take it to us: Bears, Giants, Bucs, Falcons, Cowboys.

In each of these games I was left with the feeling that we just got "out-physicaled" (to use a ridiculous, made up, analyst word.)

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PackerAaron's picture

October 28, 2008 at 01:03 pm

You are preaching to the choir here my friend... (from September)

I’ve said it over and over, and I’ll keep writing it until I’m blue in the face: The Packers need to develop some nastiness and overall toughness, because right now they are a finesse team. And they have the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans still to come on the schedule, not to mention next weeks date with the Buccaneers. All these teams will hit the Packers in the mouth worse than they were last night.

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Keith's picture

October 28, 2008 at 01:06 pm

Oh, I remember sir. Why do you think I have belabored the point? Just wanted you to remember ;)

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