Cheesehead TV Matchup Week 14

OFFENSE:

  • Start Fast

McCarthy took the training wheels off Aaron Rodgers and the offense in the second half during the loss to the Carolina Panthers. It was symbolic of the entire season, with McCarthty playing things incredibly safe on offense until the game started to slip away. All of the sudden, he starts running verticals, he sends out an array of multiple receiver sets, and lo and behold, the offense moves the ball up and down the field. Too often McCarthy has come out with an ultra conservative opening sequence of plays that has produced three games that have started with two three and outs. While this is going on, of course, the defense is busy giving up both big, quick strike scores and long, grind-it-out drives for scores. Either way, the pattern is set for McCarthy to start opening things up later in the game. That needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. I'm not saying he needs to come out in Big Five, but it does mean that on 2nd and 3, rather than calling a 4 yard slant with an 8 yard curl backside, he needs to start opening with a 15 yard In with a Fly pattern on the backside - get those defensive backs working and thinking and get those safeties back from the line of scrimmage, because right now, teams are squatting on the Packers big-time at the opening of games and it is killing them. The Packers need to get their defense a lead for a change. Notice how dominate this defense looked against the Colts and Bears when they had even a two score advantage. McCarthy stressed this week the importance of each unit needing to lift the other units up when they are struggling - this would be a prefect way to put those words into action.

  • Get Brandon Jackson Involved On Early Downs

McCarthy has unequivocally stated that Ryan Grant is the starter, despite Brandon Jackson's excellent performance in relief of an injured Grant last week. But it seems pretty clear that Jackson is the best back on the team right now. He is more explosive, has better hands and is better in pass protection (who thought THAT would ever be said of Jackson) - the only area where Grant MAY have an advantage is in his raw power but that doesn't do him much good when he is getting tripped up at the ankles the few times he is making into the defensive secondary. Jackson needs to see the ball early and often, (provided, of course, that he plays. He was listed on the injury report early in the week but was a full participant in yesterday's practice...) not just on obvious 3rd down situations where the entire stadium knows he's either going to catch a screen pass or stay in to pass protect. The Texans have one of the best defensive ends in the league in Mario Williams and a very good middle linebacker in Demco Ryans but most of the rest of the Texan defense is pedestrian (save for perhaps Dunta Robinson, who is a talent, but is still rounding into shape after his knee injury) - McCarthy should use a combination of Grant and Jackson to keep this defense off balance and take advantage of a pretty weak safety position. Once Wilson and/or Ferguson are up trying to stop the run - Jennings and Driver will make the Texans look foolish.

DEFENSE:

  • Don't Forget About Owen Daniels

All the previews for this game will no doubt feature the Packers need to focus on and stop Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton and this, of course, is true. But defensive coordinator Bob Sanders would be wise to remind his squad that when Texan quarterback Matt Schaub, who returns this week, is starting for the Texans, he has made tight end Owen Daniels, all but forgoten when backup Sage Rosenfelds was in for the Texans, one of the teams most dangerous weapons. Even with Schaub missing several games, Daniels is currently ranked 4th in the league in recieving yards for tight ends. That does not bode well for the Packers defense. Now throw this little nugget into the conversation - Brandon Chillar, not just the best cover man in the linebacking corps and the player most likely to cover Daniels, but also the ONLY linebacker with any coverage ability whatsoever - will be a gametime decision. Great.

  • Blitz

Hey, a boy can dream, can't he?

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

__________________________

0 points
 

Comments (9)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Ron La Canne's picture

December 06, 2008 at 11:14 am

Game plan for this game is simple. MM stands up and tells them your play to date has been substandard. You have blown any reasonable chance of getting to the playoffs. You are all playing for a rooster spot next year. If you don't perform the remainder of the yhear, look for your name on the waiver wire the day after the Lion game.

0 points
0
0
DaveK's picture

December 07, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Chillar and Bigby are inactive today. So is Thompson.

0 points
0
0
Aaron Rogders's picture

December 07, 2008 at 12:31 pm

There must be somewhere in Grant's contract that McCarthy gets commission. And since Grants contract is performance based.... That is the only logical reasoning I can think of for starting Grant and not Jackson. Jackson has proved to be better all year long.

That part with the word "power" and "Grant" in one sentence was halarious. He has been tackled with too many pinkie and shoe-lace tackles to be doing that...

0 points
0
0
Aaron Rogders's picture

December 07, 2008 at 01:16 pm

wtf collins? is the field made of ice?

get woodson back at corner!! harris or woodson would of made the easy interception..

rodgers is off today. were screwed.

0 points
0
0
packerwatch's picture

December 07, 2008 at 02:05 pm

detroit's winning and green bay just tied it!! the season is not quite over yet. let's pull this game out packers...

0 points
0
0
Ron La Canne's picture

December 07, 2008 at 04:40 pm

The season was over after the loss to NO. It was then that they no longer controlled their own destiny. This team is not ready to play an NFL game. The defense gives up close to 600 yards today. That is pathetic S@#t. Inexcusable!

Ladies and gentlemen this is not a good team. It is populated with low cost, llow talent TT draft picks. They need to completely overhaul both lines, LB's and Special Teams. And with TT as the GM you'll not be seeing any Free Agency action. More low level draft picks with overblown credentials is the best we can expect.

0 points
0
0
scrumptrulesent's picture

December 11, 2008 at 02:37 pm

I disagree on the subject of Grant/Jackson.

Career stats
Grant: 49 targets/39 receptions
Jackson: 59 targets/45 receptions

How is Jackson so much better than Grant?

Grant looked pretty explosive to me this past week against Houston.

0 points
0
0
PackerAaron's picture

December 11, 2008 at 02:50 pm

"How is Jackson so much better than Grant?" Did you see the Panther game?

0 points
0
0
Aaron Rogders's picture

December 11, 2008 at 07:24 pm

I think you need your glasses checked scrumptrulesent.....

I haven't seen anyone this year before actually defend Grant without saying "And I am not just saying this because he is on my fantasy team"..

0 points
0
0