Packers @ Patriots - Preview

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Bruschi/Reiss Podcast: Patriots, Packers & more

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[jmt57]

Devin McCourty, Tom Brady Return to Practice, Four Missing From Defensive Line - NESN.com - Jeff Howe

It was good news all around at the Patriots' Thursday practice.
Cornerback Devin McCourty (rib) and quarterback Tom Brady (right foot) returned to the field after missing Wednesday's session. This could be a good sign for McCourty's status Sunday against the Packers.

However, the Patriots remained thin along the defensive line. Gerard Warren (knee), Ron Brace (concussion), Myron Pryor (back) and Mike Wright (concussion) all missed Thursday's session, which was held in sweats and shells in some much nicer weather than Wednesday's freezing practice.

 

[neuronet]

I hope we have another blowout, just shut down Green Bay and score 70 points. I'm sick of hearing we can't beat their defense.

 

[MassPats38]

I hope we have another blowout, just shut down Green Bay and score 70 points. I'm sick of hearing we can't beat their defense.

Who is saying we can't beat their defense? Last I checked, Vegas has the Pats favored by 11. That doesn't sound like shutout to me.

They have a good D, but so do Pitt and Chicago. I doubt many would jump in at this point and claim the Packers are worlds better than those defenses.

 

[jmt57]

Bruschi's Breakdown: Rodgers is the key in Pats-Packers

In the accompanying video, Mike Reiss says the three keys is containing Aaron Rodgers - mentally and physically; blocking Clay Matthews; and balance on offense, and getting the run game against the Packers 2-4 that they have used recently.

Tedy: You look at the offense and conceptually you would categorize it as a West Coast offense -- rhythmic passing with slant routes. It is an up-tempo type of system. But they have a down-the-field element. Rodgers likes to take shots down the field, and that's not truly indicative of a West Coast team. Maybe when you get to midfield a West Coast offense will take those shots, but Rodgers will take them on a regular basis. I think that's what sets them apart from other West Coast teams.

Mike: Bill Belichick likes both Packers corners, with Tramon Williams starting opposite Charles Woodson, saying they are as good as the team will face from an all-around perspective. How would you sum up this overall Packers 3-4 scheme compared with the Patriots' 3-4 defense?

Tedy: There is a lot more movement. The Patriots are asked to two-gap on a consistent basis -- first, second and sometimes third down, depending on the down and distance. There isn't as much movement. The Packers have movement from everywhere -- they like linebackers coming in from one side, dropping linebackers out from the other side, safeties coming in. There is a lot more movement, pressure-based schemes, some zone blitzes. Think of the old Blitz-burgh, where the zone blitz originated, and I think that's what Dom Capers brings with him. Some might look at the game plan the Patriots used against the Steelers -- spreading them out and making them cover -- and think it would be effective in this game. But the personnel involved changes that -- the Steelers' weakness was cornerback, while the Packers' strength is cornerback. If you go with the same concepts as the Steelers' game, you may be playing right into their hands. It will be nice to watch, seeing how Bill O'Brien and the offensive staff adjust.

Shalise's 3 keys to beating the Packers - Extra Points - Boston.com

1. The Patriots need to keep playing well in cold and snowy weather
2. Capitalize on the defensive advantage if Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is out of the game
3. Continue to be efficient and win the turnover battle

 

[jmt57]

Sounds like the writers in Green bay are already throwing in the towel on this game, and looking ahead to wildcard tiebreaker scenarios.

Green Bay Press Gazette | Even with loss to Pats, Packers can make the playoffs

Conventional wisdom, for what it’s worth, says the Packers will lose to the New England Patriots this weekend, and the Chicago Bears will beat the quarterback-challenged Minnesota Vikings.

That will hand the Bears the NFC North title no matter what happens in the final two weeks of the season. But it doesn’t eliminate the Packers from a playoff berth. Here is a reasonable scenario that would allow the Packers to qualify for the playoffs as a wild-card team, even after losing to the Patriots.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Hernandez misses practice and I hope it is not for anything to do with the league's office

 

[BrewCity Cheesehead]

Sounds like the writers in Green bay are already throwing in the towel on this game, and looking ahead to wildcard tiebreaker scenarios.

Green Bay Press Gazette | Even with loss to Pats, Packers can make the playoffs

One thing I've learned about sports writers is they often cheer for the story and not for the team. With that said, conventional wisdom among Packer fans is also that the Packers will lose this game as most people at the start of the season had this game marked down as a projected loss, and given that Matt Flynn will be getting his first NFL start and the Patriots are looking like their 2007 form, that pre-season projection isn't changing. That doesn't mean that we don't think our team CAN win as the Packers have the talent to beat any team that takes the field regardless of who's behind center (they're definitely better than the Jets or Browns who beat you guys), but that we know the Patriots are heavy favorites. I participate in a confidence pool at work and as a rule, I never pick against the Packers (even if it could cost me money), but I will put only 1 point on the Packers if they're facing a tough team. This week I put 1 point on the Packers.

Now how everyone is viewing this game is another story. Frankly, this game is the least important of their remaining games being a non-conference game, and is probably the only remaining game they can afford to lose and still make the playoffs. We'll all be watching the Vikings-Bears game on Monday night very closely, because a Vikings win will put the Packers back in control of their own destiny for the division regardless of whether they beat the Patriots or not (Packers-Bears play at Lambeau week 17). If the Bears win, they would have the division tie-breaker, but if the Vikings win, the Packers will have either the Conference record tiebreaker or the strength of victory tiebreaker.

 

[reflexblue]

I hope we have another blowout, just shut down Green Bay and score 70 points. I'm sick of hearing we can't beat their defense.

Who's been saying that we can't beat the packs defense?

 

[jmt57]

One thing I've learned about sports writers is they often cheer for the story and not for the team. With that said, conventional wisdom among Packer fans is also that the Packers will lose this game as most people at the start of the season had this game marked down as a projected loss, and given that Matt Flynn will be getting his first NFL start and the Patriots are looking like their 2007 form, that pre-season projection isn't changing. That doesn't mean that we don't think our team CAN win as the Packers have the talent to beat any team that takes the field regardless of who's behind center (they're definitely better than the Jets or Browns who beat you guys), but that we know the Patriots are heavy favorites. I participate in a confidence pool at work and as a rule, I never pick against the Packers (even if it could cost me money), but I will put only 1 point on the Packers if they're facing a tough team. This week I put 1 point on the Packers.

Now how everyone is viewing this game is another story. Frankly, this game is the least important of their remaining games being a non-conference game, and is probably the only remaining game they can afford to lose and still make the playoffs. We'll all be watching the Vikings-Bears game on Monday night very closely, because a Vikings win will put the Packers back in control of their own destiny for the division regardless of whether they beat the Patriots or not (Packers-Bears play at Lambeau week 17). If the Bears win, they would have the division tie-breaker, but if the Vikings win, the Packers will have either the Conference record tiebreaker or the strength of victory tiebreaker.

It's interesting that you mention that many GB fans thought the Pats would win this game before the season started. At that time many, if not most Pats fans thought the Packers would win this game; the reasoning being that the Packers' passing game (very good) versus the Patriots' pass defense (a lot of question marks) appeared to be a huge mismatch.

I can't help but wonder how much the loss of Ryan Grant has had a trickle down effect; has it made the Green Bay passing game less effective because the Packer's offense is more predictable?

I understand completely in regards to the importance of this game. A few weeks ago, as well as even now, we were aware of the importance of winning division games and conference games in comparison to non-conference games. Those last two games are far more important to the Packers than Sunday's game is.

 

[BrewCity Cheesehead]

It's interesting that you mention that many GB fans thought the Pats would win this game before the season started. At that time many, if not most Pats fans thought the packers would win this game; the reasoning being that the Packers' passing game (very good) versus the Patriots' pass defense (a lot of question marks) appeared to be a huge mismatch.

I can't help but wonder how much the loss of Ryan Grant has had a trickle down effect; has it made the Green Bay passing game less effective because the Packer's offense is more predictable?

I understand completely in regards to the importance of this game. A few weeks ago, as well as even now, we were aware of the importance of winning division games and conference games in comparison to non-conference games. Those last two games are far more important to the Packers than Sunday's game is.

The Packers have historically been very good at Lambeau field, so most fans that thought they'd have a good season said they'd go 8-0 at Lambeau and picked 2-4 games they'd lose on the road. The loss of Grant has had a very direct effect on the passing game. The Packers passing game relies heavily on the play-action, and if the defense doesn't bite on the play-action it doesn't work.

 

[jmt57]

So hey, is there anybody besides BrewCity Cheesehead that wants to talk about the game against the Packers?


Packers do have a few injuries:
Green Bay Press Gazette | Insiders Blog Friday practice report: No Rodgers again

The Packers added LB Demonds Bishop (hamstring) and LB Diyral Briggs (ankle) to the injury report. Both were limited. Bishop was probable, Briggs was questionable.

Atari Bigby, S - Hamstring - Full Participation - Probable
Chad Clifton, T - Knees - Limited Participation - Probable
Daryn Colledge, G - Knee - Full Participation - Probable
Korey Hall, FB - Knee - Full Participation - Probable
Cullen Jenkins, DE - Calf - Out
Pat Lee, CB - Ankle - Full Participation - Questionable
Clay Matthews, LB - Shin - Limited Participation - Probable
Ryan Pickett, DE - Ankle - Limited Participation - Probable
Aaron Rodgers, QB - Concussion - Did Not Participate - Doubtful
Josh Sitton, G - Knee - Limited Participation - Probable
Anthony Smith, S - Ankle - Did Not Participate - Questionable
Charles Woodson, CB - Toe/Ankle - Limited Participation - Probable
Frank Zombo, LB - Knee - Did Not Participate - Doubtful

Green Bay Press Gazette | Green Bay Packers offensive line has some leaks to plug before Sunday's game

“The offensive line spoke in private and watched film together, and we’ve done a little more this week and will continue that trend,” said left guard Daryn Colledge, who lasted only two plays against the Lions before spraining his left knee but is expected to start against the Patriots. “We know that there’s some things that we did wrong as an offense last week, but they’re things that we can correct because they’re things we’ve done right all season long. We’d like to think that last week was more of an anomaly.”

Both Campen and Philbin agreed that pass protection has been better than last season.

“I don’t know that it’s been up to our standard, but it’s been adequate I’d say,” Philbin said.

However, the running game unit has been worse. STATS said it has yet to develop a good system to rate run blocking, but the Packers ranked 24th in rushing yards per game and 23rd in average yards per carry through last week’s games.

“I think our run game, everybody’s a little disappointed in it at this stage,” Philbin said. “I don’t want to isolate the offensive line as the reason why our run game’s not good.”

Green Bay Press Gazette | New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's brilliance shines against NFC

New England has won its last 16 games when hosting the NFC. Its last home loss dates to October 2002 when Brett Favre and the Packers orchestrated a 28-10 victory.

The Patriots have been particularly tough on teams from the NFC North as the Chicago Bears discovered in their 29-point loss to New England last Sunday at Soldier Field. Tom Brady and Co. have run off 10 straight victories against the NFC North (regardless of venue) including triumphs over Minnesota (28-18) and Detroit (45-24) this season.

So who from the NFC besides the Packers in 2002 prevailed upon this juggernaut from the East Coast? The Redskins squeezed past 20-17 in 2003, the Panthers got by 27-17 in 2005 and the Super Bowl bound Saints dealt them their most lopsided loss (38-17) of last season.

What, if anything, did these four winners have in common? All forced the Patriots into three or four turnovers while committing no more than one themselves. All jumped out front by halftime and never relinquished the lead.

Good luck with that. With just nine turnovers, New England is on pace to set the NFL record for fewest turnovers in a 16-game season. Furthermore, the Patriots have held halftime leads of 33-0 and 24-3 in their last two outings.

The Packers couldn’t have drawn a tougher assignment in trying to rebound from their devastating loss to the Lions. For them to score an upset in Foxborough might require an effort approaching that of the Giants, who shocked the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Green Bay Press Gazette | Video: Kareem and Pete preview the Packers-Patriots game

Kareem Copeland and Pete Dougherty talk about the Packer's chances Sunday. Is it just me, but considering this is from people who get paid to do this, doesn't it look far less professional than those done by true 'amateurs' here on this site?

 

[Patspsycho]

Hernandez misses practice and I hope it is not for anything to do with the league's office

flu-like symptoms.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Hernandez misses practice and I hope it is not for anything to do with the league's office

Flu-like symptoms for Hernandez - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

 

[jmt57]

How Rodgers' decision affects Pats - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

The Packers' offense leans heavily toward the pass, and Rodgers makes it go with his strong arm, sound decision-making, accuracy, and athletic ability to keep plays alive with his feet. As is often the case when many teams go from their No. 1 to No. 2 quarterback, there is a considerable drop-off from Rodgers and backup Matt Flynn, who will make his first career start.

Earlier this week, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the following on a conference call: "We’re a quarterback-driven system, so it’s important for us to make Matt Flynn successful."

How the Packers attempt to do that, and how the Patriots counter it, is now a top story line.

It is likely that Bill Belichick, who coordinates the Patriots' defense, will mix in some different looks for Flynn to decipher. On the flip side, the Packers and Flynn can look to both Patriots losses this season -- Week 2 against the Jets and Week 9 against the Browns -- as examples of young quarterbacks (Mark Sanchez/Colt McCoy) having success against New England.

One common thread from those games is that both the Jets and Browns stuck with the ground game and eliminated mistakes.

 

[sevengables_2207]

How Rodgers' decision affects Pats - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Unfortunately, the Packers ground game is not at the Browns level or the NY Rats in week 2. I think they will try to utilize the short passing game even more with Flynn, as an extension of the ground game. Whether or not this is what unfolds tomorrow night remains to be seen, but with a banged up offensive line and an inexperienced quarterback in a hostile environment, I doubt the Packers will be working with their entire playbook. I envision a scaled back offensive game-plan from the Packers with an emphasis on the short passing attack to set up the run.

 

[jmt57]

Preview: Packers at Patriots - JSOnline - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

ADMIRATION SOCIETY: Ryan and former Minnesota coach Brad Childress discussed their respect for Patriots coach Bill Belichick before games this season. "There are very few coaches that I steal from and Bill Belichick's one of them," Ryan said Dec. 2. "He's so creative. What he does coverage-wise, putting traps out there. That guy's an amazing coach. The best coach in football. It's not even close. The other one I look at is Pittsburgh. **** LeBeau, but more so Belichick." Childress, on Oct. 27, said: "You're going to get unscouted looks. You prepare for 3-4 and they play even (front) with two guys standing in the A gaps. You have to prepare for a number of different looks."

Oates: Packers' defense has struggled against top quarterbacks, and they'll face one on Sunday - Madison.com - Wisconsin State Journal

Last year, the defense finished No. 2 in the NFL in fewest yards allowed. This year, it has given up its share of yards but is No. 1 in scoring defense and has held opponents to the lowest passer rating in the league.

Rankings can be misleading, however. Those gaudy defensive numbers this year and last were built largely against mediocre or bad quarterbacks. When the Packers have faced a really good one, which hasn't been often, they have struggled on defense and lost the game almost every time.

Remember the two losses to Brett Favre and Minnesota last year? Or how about the late-season game against Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and the playoff game against Arizona's Kurt Warner, losses in which the Packers' opponents totaled 88 points and more than 1,000 yards?

 

[jmt57]

Patriots look to keep Packers' Matthews at bay - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise

“It’s a great defense, I think spearheaded by that guy Matthews (and) A.J. Hawk,” Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch said of the Green Bay Packers team that will be at Gillette Stadium for an 8:20 kickoff tonight. “They have a lot of young guys, but they also have the experienced guys in the right places like Charles Woodson, who is the leader in that secondary.”

At the age of 24, Clay Matthews is already proving that the outside linebacker position in the Packers’ 3-4 scheme is the right place for him, performing at a level beyond his years on a team that has allowed a league-low 189 points this season.

“He has a lot of good qualities,” Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio said. “He’s tough. He’s physical. He runs well. He’s athletic. He plays on his feet and he’s been a good player. We’ll have to block him.”

Good idea, although that act alone is often more of a speed bump than a stop sign where the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Matthews is concerned.

patriots - What to watch for Sunday against the Packers - WEEI | Christopher Price

Keeping Clay Matthews at bay. Matthews is a pass-rushing demon who has compiled 22.5 sacks over the last year-plus for the Packers. There’s an interesting wrinkle to his game: While most premier pass rushers line up to go against the opposing left tackle, Matthews is on the other side, meaning he’ll go up against Patriots right tackle Sebastian Vollmer. Vollmer will likely get some help in the form of a tight end who will either stay in to block or make sure to get a chip on Matthews before he starts his route, but the bulk of the responsibility will be on the big German.

Containing Greg Jennings. Jennings is the Packers’ No. 1 option in the passing game. Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Jennings has 61 catches for 996 yards and 11 touchdowns. In addition, he’s a big-play threat — he leads the NFL with 26 catches of 40 yards or more since 2007 — and presents a formidable test for a young secondary that is still evolving. If Devin McCourty is able to go Sunday night — he was listed as questionable with a rib injury he suffered in last week’s win over the Bears — this will be a matchup worth watching.

Stopping Brandon Jackson. The Packers lost starting running back Ryan Grant in the opener, which has forced them to lean on the 5-foot-10, 216-pounder out of Nebraska as the primary option in the running game. Jackson won’t remind anyone of Grant, but has shown an ability to break out from time to time, including a 10-carry, 115-yard outburst earlier in the season against the Redskins. Overall, he leads Green Bay in ground yardage this season with a career-high 546 rushing yards on 143 carries. (He’s also a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield — he has career-highs this season with 39 catches and 313 receiving yards.) Again, he’s not a particularly overwhelming presence, but with Rodgers out, the Packers might be more inclined to lean on their running game, which would mean more of Jackson.

 

[jmt57]

I know a lot of people here hate him because of his article about Brady's knee, but to me Tom Curran has had a lot of really good columns about the Pats and the NFL this season.

PATRIOTS VS. PACKERS | Comcast SportsNet - CSNNE.com

The Patriots running attack, spearheaded by BenJarvus Green-Ellis, just keeps on gashing. BJGE has a real shot at 1,000 yards which would be a huge accomplishment for a guy who - going into the season - seemed like depth for Fred Taylor. The Packers are giving up 117.3 yard per game on the ground so look for New England to use the same operation against Green Bay that they've been using for weeks - pass to set up the run. The Packers have injuries to Cullen Jenkins and rookie linebacker Frank Zombo to contend with as well so that 3-4 operation could take a beating on the ground. Through the air, Tom Brady will need to take some care since Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams are two very good cover guys who can make plays when the ball is up. Still, at the rate Brady's going, it's hard to see him getting slowed much at home by Green Bay. The Packers like to blitz out of Dom Capers' defense. Brady shreds teams that apply pressure with extra rushers.

Then there's this lightning rod, the guy who grew up as a Packers fan:

CSNNE.com Insider Mike Felger

If you don't want to click, Felger's keys are

1. Stay Healthy!
2. Control and block Clay Matthews
3. Keep your head up in the secondary
4. Have to win the kicking game

 

[jmt57]

Packers defense faces sternest test - JSOnline - Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

In some ways, the Packers match up better with the Patriots than the Bears did. They have a deeper, more talented secondary that can deal with the spread offense the Patriots like to use.

They have a shut-down corner in Tramon Williams, a versatile slot man in Charles Woodson and one of the fastest safeties in the NFL in Nick Collins. A bigger issue may be whether they can pressure Brady and keep him from being a step ahead as he so often is against opposing defenses.

One of the things Brady showed against the Bears was that if you stay in a Cover-2 defense all day, he's going to make you pay. He continually read the slot corner the Bears brought up to the line and predicted almost every time he blitzed.

Several times the Patriots ran screens to wide receiver Wes Welker that looked like the Bears had told them what defense they were going to run.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers' task will be to find a way to pressure Brady without letting him know exactly where it's coming from and then play coverage when Brady thinks he knows pressure is coming.

Capers spent 2008 with coach Bill Belichick as secondary coach and has some insight into how the Patriots attack people. But as Woodson said, it doesn't always come down to Xs and Os.

"It will be the same as far as preparation," he said. "The task is going to be on the field. He (Brady) is as good as it gets. Offensively they're clicking in all the elements, running and passing. That's going to be the real test."