Charles Woodson (toe) will be a game-time decision

[Lurker64]

Sit him. Need him for Dallas.

Really, beating Detroit is more important than beating Dallas.

[Partial]

I respectfully disagree with you.[/i]

[Lurker64]

I respectfully disagree with you.[/i]

"Wins in division" > "Wins in conference" for tiebreakers. Doesn't matter if we have the head to head tiebreak against Dallas if the Vikings win the division.

[boiga]

C-Wood's great and all, but Al is the better bump and run corner.

I respectfully disagree that Al followed the #1 all the time. Not as much as the year before.

Also, you can't bump TO. He's way too big. He'll burn you.

You can, and Al did a couple of times. In that last Dallas game he put TO on his ass once while he waited too long at the line. And like I said, if that "forward motion" fumble had been called properly, people would remember that game differently.

The Dallas offensive scheme did admittedly work around Harris' strengths. They used more stop-fade routes which are hard to defend against. They put TO in motion to make it more difficult for Al to slow him at the line. They knew that Al wouldn't have any safety help because of our lack of experience on the other side with Woodson gone. Al's only one guy, but he did his part that game. They successfully schemed around him.

But heck, even Cowboys know he's the man. Check this quote 3irty1 posted last week:

"When I was in college, I used to look at [Charles] Woodson and Deion [Sanders] and Darrell Green and guys like that," Newman said. "You always look at Al Harris because he's the best press corner in the game right now. You take little bits and pieces of all their games and use what they have to make you better."

Newman, who enters his sixth NFL season, was impressed at how Sanders used his speed to catch up to receivers who got some distance on him. Newman watched as Harris used his hands to hold off receivers in man-to-man coverage.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...e.1f9bda5.html

You guys seriously don't give Al the respect he merits.

[BobDobbs]

I think Harris was a little too juiced for the Dallas game last year. Both him and Favre were playing a little out of their skulls that game. If he settles in a little more and plays the game and not the man I think he'll have a better game against TO.
As far as I can tell the Packers still try to put him on whoever they feel is the most dangerous(in the Lions case Roy Williams). Which corner is more important to the defense is a pretty good debate. I'd go with Harris for all the one on one against the number one. But I can't discount Woodson's superior play making ability or run support.

One other thing. I hope Pat Lee does not see the field. From what I saw in the preseason he is lost out there. The physicality is there, but he can't cover NFL receivers yet.

[cpk1994]

Pat Lee was inactive against the Vikes right?


Maybe he will get a chance this week.

I've heard almost nothing about him during pre-season.

I almost forgot we did spend a 2d round pick on him

Pat Lee was a 3rd round pick.

EDIT: Nope, I m wrong. He is a second.

[falco]

a week ago i would have said Woodson > T-Will > Harris

Harris looked back to form last week - if he can keep that up I would say he has a slight edge over T-Will

Woodson is still our best corner IMO

T-Will would be starting on at least 1/2 if not more of the teams out there

[Partial]

I respectfully disagree with you.[/i]

"Wins in division" > "Wins in conference" for tiebreakers. Doesn't matter if we have the head to head tiebreak against Dallas if the Vikings win the division.

I agree, and thats good and nice, but I have a hunch we're competing with Dallas again for the #1 spot. We're going to mop the floor with Detroit. I'm not at all worried about that game.

[Scott Campbell]

We're going to mop the floor with Detroit. I'm not at all worried about that game.

You are going to jinx us with that kind of talk.

[Tony Oday]

Last year we didnt play man in Dallas. This year put Al of TO and have a saftey on cloud coverage and it will work.

[vince]

I have a hunch we're competing with Dallas again for the #1 spot. We're going to mop the floor with Detroit. I'm not at all worried about that game.

This amazes me. It sure didn't take long to dive head first back on the bandwagon. Just three weeks ago, hot off your Thompson bashing spree, you were predicting 6-10 because he so foolishly held our star to a team standard and placed confidence in an inexperienced but team-oriented QB.

Maybe football really is a team game after all.

[pbmax]

Here is what we should do. Tap the wisdom of the crowd. Ever hear the theory that while individuals will make wild and unpredictable guesses about events they witness, that taken as a whole and averaged, the guesses form a curve and the median numbers are usually close to the actual answer?

Easiest example is the "Guess how many gumballs in the jar" carnival game. If you have enough people guessing, the average of their guesses usually gets close, often closer than the winning guess.

So some enterprising soul should go back and average the Rats picks for a season ending record. If I had been smart, I would have done this prior to the season and bet the farm. This individual may not be that smart.

[Partial]

I have a hunch we're competing with Dallas again for the #1 spot. We're going to mop the floor with Detroit. I'm not at all worried about that game.

This amazes me. It sure didn't take long to dive head first back on the bandwagon. Just three weeks ago, hot off your Thompson bashing spree, you were predicting 6-10 because he so foolishly held our star to a team standard and placed confidence in an inexperienced but team-oriented QB.

Maybe football really is a team game after all.

I changed it to 8-8 or 9-7. Don't remember which. We look pretty good so far. Dallas plays in the big nasty NFC east. My guess is they drop 5-6 games this year as well. It'll be close. We've got the benefits of a very easy division. Minnesota would be 5th in the NFC East!!!!!

[bobblehead]

i think harris making the pro bowl last year rather than woodson was ridiculous.

I disagree. The difference is that last year, opposing offenses had to scheme around Harris. He'd line up against the opposing team's number one receiver no matter where they were on the field, and he consistently took that receiver out of the game.

According to Football Outsiders, the Packers were 3rd in the league against other teams #1 receivers last year. That was ALL Harris. He was on an island with those guys and consistently made his presence felt.

Woodson had flashier numbers though because opposing offenses sent more his way to avoid Harris. He also spends more time in the slot out of preference and had better opportunities to interrupt short passes. So, his more opportunities for interceptions led to more interceptions. Also, Al has a bad reputation for being dirty, so the refs pick on him a bit (1st PI call on monday.) If he hadn't been robbed on that "forward progress" call last year in Dallas, we'd have had a shot at winning that game and his detractors would be many fewer.

C-Wood's great and all, but Al is the better bump and run corner.

QFT...fantastic post.

[Partial]

It's a well thought out post. We need more of that around here! I disagree with it, though. But thats what makes a forum great.