Extra Extra Read All About It. The Packers only got 4 players chosen for the Pro Bowl in America's Pacific Paradise. What I find most revealing about all of this is player reaction. There are certain times when players want to open up to reporters and when reporters seem able to convey the players' words honestly. So as a fan I'm not discouraged when Barnett and Woodson don't make the Pro Bowl (hell, it prolly saves the GBP cash, Mr. Harris' nod cost us $200,000, although gladly spent). Instead I get quotes from Harris affirming that Woodson and Barnett are our best defenders, and that in particular Woodson is the glue of the secondary and is looked up to by the entire unit, including Harris.
The insight gleaned dovetails right into my analysis about the Cowboy game. Jason Garrett, the incredibly able man who almost stole our Paul Chryst, did a great job with formation and motion. He would set up a 3 wide set with TO wide left, a receiver in the slot, and then another receiver on the right side of the formation. In our system, Al Harris takes TO, Woodson shifts in to cover the slot receiver and our 3rd corner (Bush or Walker or Williams) covers the receiver on the right. But Woodson was out. That forced Bush/Walker inside and Walker/Williams/etc. outside right. Garrett recognized this and several times would bring TO in motion from the left and come inside of the slot receiver. This forces Al Harris to now switch to the new outside guy (Hurd/Crayton/Lacky), and Bush to get on TO. This was a bad matchup for us and we were burned quite a few times on crossing routes where our nickel back could not stick with TO. Turns out these matchup problems were magnified by communication and confidence problems without Chucky Heisman.
So folks, don't be sad about the Pro Bowl snubs, be happy knowing that Dallas had everything go right for them that game including: injuries, officiating and lucky bounces. Let's go forth and take care of business.
Another point of note. How bad did Mr. Man want to beat the Rams in their dome, with a fully juvenated Steven J? We played 4 quarters. They were unable to do so. This is our Modus Operandi. We end up beating you. If I knew more I'd say it but we're 12-2 and just beat the Rams 33-14 at their place in a game a lesser team (Dallas) could have stumbled on. Color me pleased with their performance. I'm off to listen to Bears talk radio.
2 comments:
The greatest thing about Bears talk radio is that no one identifies the problem-- they have no impact offensive players. None. Instead, everyone blames the coaches and the playcalls, not realizing that if all you've got is duck shit, even the best chef in the world can't make creme brulee. Hilarious.
the best example of that was when shoop was the offensive coordinator. they cried about his play calling like marty booker was jerry rice and jim miller was erik kramer.
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