Winners and Losers - Championship Edition

[MJZiggy]

By Deputy Nutz

Well I simply don’t know about the rest of the Titletown faithful, but this household is going to need to find some way of repairing...READ THE REST

[Bretsky]

Agree on everything but the OL being winners.

I thought they were dominated at the line of scrimmage against the run. From being at the game the main difference I saw was the Giants were pushing our DL two yards back while the Packers OL was getting absolutely no push whatsoever in the running game. Grant had no chance and MM then decided to give up on the run.

I don't understand some of MM's strategies; he was often keeping the Tight Ends in to block again on passing downs. On one play I counted two WR's out in pass patterns and five guys were covering them. Evenybody else was held back to pass block. That absolutely sickened me. I didn't think they had the depth to cover our five WR package. The rotations were also confusing. On a key third and 10 play when Ruvell Martin dropped the key pass both Jennings and Driver were on the sideline.

You could certainly put MM and our puzzled Defensive Coordinator on the losers list as well. But if we got nitpicky I think we could add most of the team there.

Bottom line is GB got their asses handed to them and today they were soft on both sides of the ball.

Poppinga also seemed to play a decent game.

[The Leaper]

I don't understand some of MM's strategies; he was often keeping the Tight Ends in to block again on passing downs. On one play I counted two WR's out in pass patterns and five guys were covering them. Evenybody else was held back to pass block. That absolutely sickened me. I didn't think they had the depth to cover our five WR package. The rotations were also confusing. On a key third and 10 play when Ruvell Martin dropped the key pass both Jennings and Driver were on the sideline.

Yep. It was 2005/2006 all over again.

You will NEVER win in the NFL by sending 2 guys out for a pass if you can't run the ball. Never.

[Deputy Nutz]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

[The Leaper]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

I was shocked they did not try to spread out the Giants with 4 WRs and run the ball. When they did run, they usually did so out of a power set...and there were too many bodies. The Giants also were disciplined and maintained their lanes to prevent cutbacks.

[Deputy Nutz]

Running the ball was a significant part of the Packers offense in the last half of the season and the coaching staff just shit canned it. In the second half I saw a lot more opportunities there to run the ball, but nothing.

I was shocked they did not try to spread out the Giants with 4 WRs and run the ball. When they did run, they usually did so out of a power set...and there were too many bodies. The Giants also were disciplined and maintained their lanes to prevent cutbacks.

Lack of patience all the way around, what does that tell ya?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Nutz's article is right on. Bretsky's observations are right on as well.

I think MM bought into the reputation of the Giants pass rush. Witness the first couple of roll-out plays, the flare passes to Robinson, the screen plays that went no where all night long, the two fullbacks and TE's kept in to block... I think he was gambling that with protection and time, the WR's could beat the NY secondary and Farve could hit them. Problem was the WR's were double and triple covered and the weather kept Farve from his game. The result: bad loss.

The thing I don't understand is that there didn't seem to be any adjustments throughout the game. Just kept beating away at the same game plan with no success.

At half-time MM was quoted as saying that the offense left many opportunities to score on the field. I suppose with that MM figured let's stay with the game plan and the opportunities will be converted. Problem is the opportunities just got less and less as the weather took its toll.

On defense, MM was quoted as saying he was going to stop the run and make Manning beat them. Problem is, Manning did!

I still say pressure is the key to any NFL defense. A pro QB with time will kill you, especially if Harris is playing man all night and consistently getting beat by Burris. All Manning did was wait for Burris to lose Harris.

On the other hand, Farve had all kinds of time, but MM's game plan took all but a couple of receivers out of picture. Giants double-teamed and Farve had no one to throw to. I would have done exactly the opposite: flooded the secondary with receivers and bet Farve could find an open man quickly. That's New England's game.

All in all a sad game. MM's game plan was reactive, not proactive. It didn't put the players in a position to be successful. When you don't dance with what got you there, you lose. Simple as that.

[Deputy Nutz]

The Packers also never even put Manning on his back on consecutive plays. He literally had no pass rush to worry about and the fastest way especially Manning to rattle a QB is to hit him consistantly. It didn't happen. Kampman was missing in action, Jenkins was terrible, nothing from the middle.

Blitzes didn't work because they could block our front four with one on one blocks so there were always enough blockers for the blitz.

[Maxie the Taxi]

The Packers also never even put Manning on his back on consecutive plays. He literally had no pass rush to worry about and the fastest way especially Manning to rattle a QB is to hit him consistantly. It didn't happen. Kampman was missing in action, Jenkins was terrible, nothing from the middle.

Blitzes didn't work because they could block our front four with one on one blocks so there were always enough blockers for the blitz.

One time I'd like to see our defense bring just about everyone on a blitz. They don't have that many blockers

I like the way Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and NY play defense. They may not get the QB everytime but they pressure every time. (Maybe NY doesn't count cause they got all-pro d-line.)

[BallHawk]

As many have said, the front four couldn't get enough pressure.

Cullen Jenkins has been a huge disappointment this season.

[Bossman641]

Terrible game all around. How does Grant only get 6 carries in the second half? They didn't even try to keep the defense honest. The defense was on the field the entire game, they didn't help themselves out any by failing to stop the Giants on 3rd down but the offense left them out to dry. Take away DD's 90 yard pass and there was absolutely no offense. 1-10 on 3rd downs. 22 minutes of possession. 1 catch for Jennings. There was nothing. No short passing game at all, everything was either a RB screen, WR screen, or throw 15+ yards downfield. Where was the short passing game? Curls, slants, outs, ins. It's like they weren't trying to get into manageable down and distances at all. The only time we saw passes under 10 yards was on 3rd and long when the Giants would give up the short stuff.

1st down - incomplete pass
2nd down - incomplete pass or short run
3rd and long - short pass

What was with all the wide receiver screens? The Giants weren't even getting that much pressure, Favre had a nice pocket to step into nearly every pass. I feel sick.

No pass rush at all. Kampman looked dead out there. Jenkins has been MIA all year.

Does the Harris-Plaxico matchup remind anyone of the Harris-TO matchup from earlier this year? It's like he gets himself tooo into the game. It was Dallas all over again. He gets caught up in these fights, talking shit play after play, getting into scuffles after every down.

What a terrible way to end a great season.

[Deputy Nutz]

One other point, where the hell was Greg Jennings last night? Where was James Jones? Talk about disappearing in crunch time.

[Partial]

I think I remember seeing Jones drop a pass. Ruvell dropped a key pass as well. Jennings only had like 3 balls come his way if I remember correctly. They certainly did not exploit the ailing Giants secondary, that is for sure!

[MJZiggy]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

[BallHawk]

I kinda remember Jones having 2 drops and Ruvell had a big one. How many drops did Jennings have?

There was one late in the game, but it wasn't a great past and Jennings almost managed to one-hand it. Actually, I wouldn't call it a drop.

The WRa came to play, but the coaches sure as hell didn't.