Harris Will Be Put To the Test

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Harris Will Be Put To the Test

Nov 25, 2007

3 comments

This Thursday, Al Harris will earn his paycheck, and then some. He will no doubt be given the assignment of covering one Terrell Owens. The conventional wisdom is that Harris will be the most physical corner Owens has faced all year, and that Harris has a good chance at 'neutralizing' Owens.

Please.

I'm not sure about my fellow Cheeseheads, but I seem to recall the last match-up between these two players, and it wasn't pretty for Harris or the Packers. Owens, then a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, run roughshod all over Harris, burning him repeatedly in a thrashing of the Mike Sherman-coached Packers. It got so bad, that Harris started talking junk after breaking up a pass intended for Owens. In the 4th quarter. In a game that had long been decided. It wasn't pretty.

Now, granted, that was a different team. Harris didn't have much, if any, help at the safety position, and his defensive coordinator was one Mr. Robert Slowik. (Who still holds the mantle of 'Worst Defensive Coordinator CheeseheadTv Has Ever Seen') The Packers need Rouse or Collins to be over the top at all times, much like the Pack used to play Sharper over Moss on the majority of the snaps he was on the field.

It will be a good match-up, but don't expect Harris to 'neutralize' Owens. It just won't happen.

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Comments (3)

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OFF

November 28, 2007 at 01:46 pm

One quibble: Owens didn't run roughshod over Harris: he ran roughshod over the zone defense that Slowik inexplicably installed on game day, after the Packers had practiced man-to-man all week. Harris was on him only some of the time. And you can't expect a defense to hold up against someone like him when you drastically change your game plan at the last second.

PackerAaron

November 28, 2007 at 02:32 pm

Chuck,

Agreed. I remember well how Sherman and Slowik tried to "surprise" the Eagles by switching to zone. What a disaster. However, even when Harris was bumping Owens, he was getting off the jam pretty well and making plays. Like I said in the post, I think he's got much better support this time and will have a much better game against Owens, but I still don't see him shutting him down, like he does other WR #1s like Williams last week.