GoPackGo
10-05-2006, 12:27 PM
courtesy of sporting news
Why To Watch
Two first-year coaches square off in this NFC matchup, but one coach is looking to the playoffs while the other is just looking to survive the season. Coach Scott Linehan has his Rams playing inspired football, but coach Mike McCarthy and his Packers are limping through the season.
The Packers are off to a troubled start, and "The Streak" could end Sunday. Quarterback Brett Favre has started 228 consecutive games, but he injured his shoulder and neck late in Monday’s loss at Philadelphia. Favre always shows the ability to bounce back and get ready to play, but the season is in dire straits. Do McCarthy, G.M. Ted Thompson and the medical staff have the guts to sit Favre and begin the Aaron Rodgers era?
Rams Keys For Success
1. Run up the middle. Running back Steven Jackson is a workhorse who can move the pile. He runs hard and tough. The Packers start smallish Cullen Jenkins and Rams castoff Ryan Pickett at defensive tackle, and middle linebacker Nick Barnett is light. The Rams should use former Pro Bowl guard Adam Timmerman to stalemate Pickett or Jenkins and have fullback Madison Hedgecock lead the way for Jackson through the center/guard gap and directly at Barnett.
2. Use Kevin Curtis to abuse the nickel back. The Packers' nickel and dime defenses are a mess. Nickel back Ahmad Carroll was cut Tuesday. Fourth-round pick Will Blackmon, if healthy, undrafted rookie Jarrett Bush, practice-squad promotion Patrick Dendy or some guy the Packers sign off the street this week will get the dreaded assignment of trying to stick with Curtis -- who would start for almost any other team. Good luck. Curtis should have a breakout game.
3. Use an up-tempo game plan. When playing on the road, especially a place as noisy as Lambeau Field, the Rams can take the crowd out of the game with a no-huddle offense and use wristbands and signals to call plays. Quarterback Marc Bulger is calm under pressure and can use hand gestures to get wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt on the same page. The Rams also can keep the Packers from substituting and wear down the young defense.
Packers Keys For Success
1. Start Rodgers. Blasphemy, you say. Favre is a future Hall of Famer, you say. That said, Favre showed countless times the past two seasons that he no longer is an elite quarterback. This is a young team and playing Rodgers now will allow it to build for the future. Rodgers might have thrown the same interceptions Favre did Monday at Philadelphia, but Favre has no future in Green Bay.
2. Feature wide receiver Greg Jennings. Jennings, a second-round pick this year, has had a big play or two in each game and already has surpassed Donald Driver as the team's go-to guy. By throwing deep to Jennings, the Packers can loosen up the defense and take advantage of the physical but slow cornerback Fakhir Brown. Jennings runs good routes, is tough at the line and tracks the ball well in the air. Deep throws will open up the intermediate passing game for others.
3. Blitz at will. The Packers have talent on defense but are young and undersized. To compensate, defensive coordinator Bob Sanders should employ an all-out blitzing game plan. Veteran cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris can hold up against Holt and Bruce, so the Packers should blitz Barnett and rookie A.J. Hawk up the middle against Rams center Richie Incognito.
Injuries at a glance
Rams injuries
10/4/06 Paul Smith RB Concussion Doubtful for Week 5
10/3/06 Pisa Tinoisamoa LB Elbow dislocation Will play through pain
9/11/06 Andy McCollum C Knee Out for the season
Packers injuries
10/4/06 Donald Lee TE Knee Questionable for Week 5
10/4/06 Donald Driver WR Hip/ribs Questionable for Week 5
10/4/06 Robert Ferguson WR Foot Doubtful for Week 5
10/4/06 Brett Favre QB Head/shoulder Probable for Week 5
» Full injury report
The Bottom Line
The Rams are solid, especially on offense, and will be too much for the Packers' raw defense. Favre and/or Rodgers will struggle against an aggressive Jim Haslett-choreographed defense, and the Rams will beat an NFC North opponent for the second consecutive week.
Pick: Rams 24, Packers 14
Why To Watch
Two first-year coaches square off in this NFC matchup, but one coach is looking to the playoffs while the other is just looking to survive the season. Coach Scott Linehan has his Rams playing inspired football, but coach Mike McCarthy and his Packers are limping through the season.
The Packers are off to a troubled start, and "The Streak" could end Sunday. Quarterback Brett Favre has started 228 consecutive games, but he injured his shoulder and neck late in Monday’s loss at Philadelphia. Favre always shows the ability to bounce back and get ready to play, but the season is in dire straits. Do McCarthy, G.M. Ted Thompson and the medical staff have the guts to sit Favre and begin the Aaron Rodgers era?
Rams Keys For Success
1. Run up the middle. Running back Steven Jackson is a workhorse who can move the pile. He runs hard and tough. The Packers start smallish Cullen Jenkins and Rams castoff Ryan Pickett at defensive tackle, and middle linebacker Nick Barnett is light. The Rams should use former Pro Bowl guard Adam Timmerman to stalemate Pickett or Jenkins and have fullback Madison Hedgecock lead the way for Jackson through the center/guard gap and directly at Barnett.
2. Use Kevin Curtis to abuse the nickel back. The Packers' nickel and dime defenses are a mess. Nickel back Ahmad Carroll was cut Tuesday. Fourth-round pick Will Blackmon, if healthy, undrafted rookie Jarrett Bush, practice-squad promotion Patrick Dendy or some guy the Packers sign off the street this week will get the dreaded assignment of trying to stick with Curtis -- who would start for almost any other team. Good luck. Curtis should have a breakout game.
3. Use an up-tempo game plan. When playing on the road, especially a place as noisy as Lambeau Field, the Rams can take the crowd out of the game with a no-huddle offense and use wristbands and signals to call plays. Quarterback Marc Bulger is calm under pressure and can use hand gestures to get wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt on the same page. The Rams also can keep the Packers from substituting and wear down the young defense.
Packers Keys For Success
1. Start Rodgers. Blasphemy, you say. Favre is a future Hall of Famer, you say. That said, Favre showed countless times the past two seasons that he no longer is an elite quarterback. This is a young team and playing Rodgers now will allow it to build for the future. Rodgers might have thrown the same interceptions Favre did Monday at Philadelphia, but Favre has no future in Green Bay.
2. Feature wide receiver Greg Jennings. Jennings, a second-round pick this year, has had a big play or two in each game and already has surpassed Donald Driver as the team's go-to guy. By throwing deep to Jennings, the Packers can loosen up the defense and take advantage of the physical but slow cornerback Fakhir Brown. Jennings runs good routes, is tough at the line and tracks the ball well in the air. Deep throws will open up the intermediate passing game for others.
3. Blitz at will. The Packers have talent on defense but are young and undersized. To compensate, defensive coordinator Bob Sanders should employ an all-out blitzing game plan. Veteran cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris can hold up against Holt and Bruce, so the Packers should blitz Barnett and rookie A.J. Hawk up the middle against Rams center Richie Incognito.
Injuries at a glance
Rams injuries
10/4/06 Paul Smith RB Concussion Doubtful for Week 5
10/3/06 Pisa Tinoisamoa LB Elbow dislocation Will play through pain
9/11/06 Andy McCollum C Knee Out for the season
Packers injuries
10/4/06 Donald Lee TE Knee Questionable for Week 5
10/4/06 Donald Driver WR Hip/ribs Questionable for Week 5
10/4/06 Robert Ferguson WR Foot Doubtful for Week 5
10/4/06 Brett Favre QB Head/shoulder Probable for Week 5
» Full injury report
The Bottom Line
The Rams are solid, especially on offense, and will be too much for the Packers' raw defense. Favre and/or Rodgers will struggle against an aggressive Jim Haslett-choreographed defense, and the Rams will beat an NFC North opponent for the second consecutive week.
Pick: Rams 24, Packers 14