packers11
11-30-2007, 11:24 PM
Forgettable five
Plays that hurt Packers vs. Cowboys
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 30, 2007
The Green Bay Packers lost, 37-27, to the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night, but the game could have been quite different had any of the following plays gone the other way. Each affected the Packers' chances in the battle of the NFC's top two teams:
1.DEEP TO DRIVER
Situation: Third and 1 at the Dallas 29. Time: First quarter, 11 minutes, 43 seconds to go. Score: 0-0.
Play: Quarterback Brett Favre throws an incomplete pass deep down the left sideline intended for Donald Driver.
Summary: Coach Mike McCarthy specifically hoped for this short-yardage matchup, with Driver locked up one-on-one with cornerback Terence Newman. Driver has a half step, but Newman sticks out his arm to shield him from the ball. If Favre had gone to his second read, he would have seen that tight end Donald Lee had beaten linebacker Bradie James down the middle of the field.
Result: The Packers settle for a field goal instead of a first down and the chance for a possible touchdown that would have gotten them off to a great start.
Explanation: "It was a good matchup, a good decision," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said in defense of the call. "Donald Lee was open down the middle of the field as well, but Donald beat his guy off the line. That was a pretty good ball, too."
2. DEEP TO JENNINGS
Situation: First and 10 at the Green Bay 24. Time: First quarter, 3:08 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 6-3.
Play: Favre takes a seven-step drop and looks for receiver Greg Jennings running a post route off the right side.
Summary: As part of the strategy to stretch out the Cowboys' defense, McCarthy gives Favre the opportunity to throw deep. There is a corner underneath and a safety trying to stay on top, and Favre chooses to throw it deep. Just as he's stepping up to throw, Favre gets hit by end Stephen Bowen and throws the ball short.
Result: Favre's underthrown pass is intercepted by safety Ken Hamlin and returned 18 yards to the Packers' 41. Two plays later, the Cowboys score to make it 13-3.
Explanation: "That play is very similar to the play he and Donald Driver made against Kansas City, where he threw it down the field and Donald made a catch with two guys on him," quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said. "Greg was behind the safety and then he (Favre) just got hit and the ball didn't go where he wanted it to go."
3. ONSIDES KICK THAT WASN'T
Situation: Packers kicking off. Time: First quarter, 0:01 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 13-10.
Play: Kicker Mason Crosby hits a perfect onside kick, catching the Cowboys by surprise. But officials rule that the ball touched fullback John Kuhn before reaching the 40-yard line and penalize the Packers 5 yards for illegal touch.
Summary: The ball rolls forward the necessary 10 yards and Crosby recovers after it nicks Kuhn in the arm. Had the Packers gotten the ball back, it would have presented a huge shift in momentum coming on the heels of Ryan Grant's 62-yard touchdown run.
Result: Instead of having the ball at their 42, the Packers have to kickoff from their own 25 after the penalty and give the ball back to Dallas.
Explanation: "It took a funny bounce and hit him," special teams coach Mike Stock said of Kuhn. "He knows where the ball is going to go, since he's on the side where the hole was. He tried to avoid the thing. It's unfortunate, because the play was there. The chance for another possession gives you a tremendous upside."
4. FAVRE'S FATEFUL FOUL-UP
Situation: Second and 12 at the Green Bay 43. Time: Second quarter, 10:18 left. Score: Cowboys lead, 20-10.
Play: McCarthy is trying to keep the drive alive with a short pass off a three-step drop and gives Favre the option of Ruvell Martin, Koren Robinson and Driver running short routes on the left side or Jennings across the middle.
Summary: Favre doesn't notice that cornerback Nathan Jones is about to blitz off the back side and does not change the blocking scheme to account for him. He pump fakes to influence a safety.
Result: Favre gets pounded by Jones as he throws. The ball is intercepted and Favre is knocked out of the game with elbow and shoulder injuries. The Cowboys score three plays later to make it 27-10.
Explanation: "He missed that guy . . . that guy was his," Clements said of Jones. "If you have five blockers and they bring another guy in your count, you have to change the protection or throw hot. That's what happened."
5. CRAYTON'S CORNER CATCH
Situation: Third and 19 at the Cowboys 11. Time: Third quarter, 3:11 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 27-24.
Play: Quarterback Tony Romo completes a 35-yard pass to receiver Patrick Crayton on a corner route for a first down.
Summary: The Packers have the Cowboys pinned in their own end. Momentum is on the Packers' side, and If they hold, they probably get the ball back close to midfield. Terrell Owens and Crayton line up next to each other on the left side and run a combination route. Owens motions and goes inside, where he's picked up by nickel back Frank Walker, and Al Harris goes outside, to play the flat against Crayton.
Result: Harris gets caught watching Romo's eyes and freezes instead of following Crayton downfield, leaving the Cowboys receiver wide open.
Explanation: "Al should have been a lot deeper on that play;" McCarthy said. Added cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington: "I'm not certain why he did that. I haven't had a chance to review it with him. It was a technique error, the way he played it."
Plays that hurt Packers vs. Cowboys
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Nov. 30, 2007
The Green Bay Packers lost, 37-27, to the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night, but the game could have been quite different had any of the following plays gone the other way. Each affected the Packers' chances in the battle of the NFC's top two teams:
1.DEEP TO DRIVER
Situation: Third and 1 at the Dallas 29. Time: First quarter, 11 minutes, 43 seconds to go. Score: 0-0.
Play: Quarterback Brett Favre throws an incomplete pass deep down the left sideline intended for Donald Driver.
Summary: Coach Mike McCarthy specifically hoped for this short-yardage matchup, with Driver locked up one-on-one with cornerback Terence Newman. Driver has a half step, but Newman sticks out his arm to shield him from the ball. If Favre had gone to his second read, he would have seen that tight end Donald Lee had beaten linebacker Bradie James down the middle of the field.
Result: The Packers settle for a field goal instead of a first down and the chance for a possible touchdown that would have gotten them off to a great start.
Explanation: "It was a good matchup, a good decision," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said in defense of the call. "Donald Lee was open down the middle of the field as well, but Donald beat his guy off the line. That was a pretty good ball, too."
2. DEEP TO JENNINGS
Situation: First and 10 at the Green Bay 24. Time: First quarter, 3:08 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 6-3.
Play: Favre takes a seven-step drop and looks for receiver Greg Jennings running a post route off the right side.
Summary: As part of the strategy to stretch out the Cowboys' defense, McCarthy gives Favre the opportunity to throw deep. There is a corner underneath and a safety trying to stay on top, and Favre chooses to throw it deep. Just as he's stepping up to throw, Favre gets hit by end Stephen Bowen and throws the ball short.
Result: Favre's underthrown pass is intercepted by safety Ken Hamlin and returned 18 yards to the Packers' 41. Two plays later, the Cowboys score to make it 13-3.
Explanation: "That play is very similar to the play he and Donald Driver made against Kansas City, where he threw it down the field and Donald made a catch with two guys on him," quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said. "Greg was behind the safety and then he (Favre) just got hit and the ball didn't go where he wanted it to go."
3. ONSIDES KICK THAT WASN'T
Situation: Packers kicking off. Time: First quarter, 0:01 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 13-10.
Play: Kicker Mason Crosby hits a perfect onside kick, catching the Cowboys by surprise. But officials rule that the ball touched fullback John Kuhn before reaching the 40-yard line and penalize the Packers 5 yards for illegal touch.
Summary: The ball rolls forward the necessary 10 yards and Crosby recovers after it nicks Kuhn in the arm. Had the Packers gotten the ball back, it would have presented a huge shift in momentum coming on the heels of Ryan Grant's 62-yard touchdown run.
Result: Instead of having the ball at their 42, the Packers have to kickoff from their own 25 after the penalty and give the ball back to Dallas.
Explanation: "It took a funny bounce and hit him," special teams coach Mike Stock said of Kuhn. "He knows where the ball is going to go, since he's on the side where the hole was. He tried to avoid the thing. It's unfortunate, because the play was there. The chance for another possession gives you a tremendous upside."
4. FAVRE'S FATEFUL FOUL-UP
Situation: Second and 12 at the Green Bay 43. Time: Second quarter, 10:18 left. Score: Cowboys lead, 20-10.
Play: McCarthy is trying to keep the drive alive with a short pass off a three-step drop and gives Favre the option of Ruvell Martin, Koren Robinson and Driver running short routes on the left side or Jennings across the middle.
Summary: Favre doesn't notice that cornerback Nathan Jones is about to blitz off the back side and does not change the blocking scheme to account for him. He pump fakes to influence a safety.
Result: Favre gets pounded by Jones as he throws. The ball is intercepted and Favre is knocked out of the game with elbow and shoulder injuries. The Cowboys score three plays later to make it 27-10.
Explanation: "He missed that guy . . . that guy was his," Clements said of Jones. "If you have five blockers and they bring another guy in your count, you have to change the protection or throw hot. That's what happened."
5. CRAYTON'S CORNER CATCH
Situation: Third and 19 at the Cowboys 11. Time: Third quarter, 3:11 to go. Score: Cowboys lead, 27-24.
Play: Quarterback Tony Romo completes a 35-yard pass to receiver Patrick Crayton on a corner route for a first down.
Summary: The Packers have the Cowboys pinned in their own end. Momentum is on the Packers' side, and If they hold, they probably get the ball back close to midfield. Terrell Owens and Crayton line up next to each other on the left side and run a combination route. Owens motions and goes inside, where he's picked up by nickel back Frank Walker, and Al Harris goes outside, to play the flat against Crayton.
Result: Harris gets caught watching Romo's eyes and freezes instead of following Crayton downfield, leaving the Cowboys receiver wide open.
Explanation: "Al should have been a lot deeper on that play;" McCarthy said. Added cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington: "I'm not certain why he did that. I haven't had a chance to review it with him. It was a technique error, the way he played it."