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Packers
@ Niners
The Divisional
Playoffs will provide four exciting FIVE STAR matchups. The first of
those starts at 6:00 PM when the Packers travel to San Francisco to
take on the Niners. The Packers are red hot, winning 13 in a row before
losing to the Vikings in week 15. The Niners are on a bit of run themselves
winning five of six down the stretch..
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Steve Young threw for a season high 8 TD's vs.
Seattle in week 16
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payday loans
All the
talk has been focused on Green Bay and Minnesota here lately, while
the Niners quietly lurk in the background. This makes the Packers a
prime candidate for an upset special. The Niners have retooled the offense
a bit and are hitting on all cylinders with an array of options in their
custom packages. The key for the Niners will be to stop the Green Bay
running attack. To do this, look for Allen to key on Dorsey Levens.
First Allen must do what no one else has been able to do and that is
contain the Green Bay double screen. Secondly, he must stop Levens from
getting to the outside. Levens rushed for over 100 yards in the first
meeting between the two teams. Now Allen, must revamp his run defense
strategy and concentrate on containing Levens to gains of four yards
or less. The Niners want Fox to put the ball in the air. If he (Fox)
does, this plays right into Allens plans.
As for
Green Bay, defensively, he must stop Allen's custom package. Allen will
sprinkle in his customs sparingly, but the key to the offensive attack
is centered around his custom plays. In earlier meetings, the defense
would just have to key Garrison Hearst. But now, since tinkering with
the offense a bit, Allen has added potent options such as J.J. Stokes,
Jerry Rice, Travis Jervey, and R. W. McQuatters.
Keys
To The Game:
Packers
- Don't
force the passing game K
- Keep
Levens effective running
- Mix
zones with limited Man vs. Allen's custom package
Niners
- Contain
Dorsey Levens to less than 60 rushing yards
- Force
Fox to go to verticle passing game
- Garrison
Hearst needs to have a big day.
Predicitions
I think
the Niners can upset the Packers. Will that happen? I don't think
so. The Pack are on too big a roll and there may be only one team that
can prevent him from making it to SuperBowl IV, and that is the St.
Louis Rams. I'll take the Packers in this one.
Series:5-2
Fox
Niners Last win - 1997 (excluding preseason games)
Bills
@ Bucs
 
They say
it's hard to beat a team three times in a season. That is what it wiil
take for the Bucs to top Buffalo tonight when the two division rivals
collide. Both games went down to the wire, expect this one to be the
same. I think the one thing that may hurt Drake in his game preperation
is that he has not faced serious game competition since April 30, nearly
three weeks ago. The final week of the season consisted of a forfeited
win from Seattle, and a trouncing of the doormats of THE LEAGUE the
NY Giants. A bye in theng round of the playoffs meant to opponent,
now he host a hungry Buffalo team that is out to prove they can win
the big one. Buffalo, albeit they barely slipped past New England last
week, feel as though this one is theirs for the taking. "He can't
beat us three times in a row," states a confident Brown.
In order
for Brown to make true on that statement, he will have to shutdown the
Bucs intermediate passing game. This is the key to Drake sustaining
drives. The bucs like to nickel and dime the opponent, always creating
short yard situations for Trent Dilfer. In the games where Dilfer was
forced to carry the team, the Bucs loss. Although the Bucs did win 11
games this season (ties a career high for Drake)the jury is still out
on just how good the team is. True Drake had key wins over Buffalo,
St. Louis and San Francisco, but he loss to Green Bay, Minnesota, Dallas,
the Jets, and Jacksonville. All playoff teams. Now that the heat is
turned up, can Drake withstand the pressure of playoff football with
his 11-5 Bucs. Last year, the Bucs fell short of making it to the NFC
title game, this year they are in the same position. Standing in his
way, the Buffalo Bills.
Brown's
first year in Buffalo has been a successful one. These two battled for
the division lead the entire season. And just when it seemed as though
Buffalo would run away with the title sitting at 9-3, and the Bucs at
8-5, it was Drake that won his last 3 games, while Brown loss three
of his last four. This tail spin nearly ended in disaster last week
when the Bills barley escaped out of New England with their playoff
lives. Brown weathered that storm and now has team ready to face the
rusty Bucs.
The key
for the Bucs will be stopping Brown's custom package. What Drake doesn't
know is that Brown has added some new options in some of his staple
plays. On the trains, look for Flutie to have an added deep option just
to keep Drake off balance. This feature along with others will force
Drake to reconsider how he will play this attack. Look for the Bucs
to show a lot of 3-4 quarters vs. Browns plays to the flat. This stingy
zone defense can be beat from the 5 wide set, but Brown will have to
go deep and look for the mismatches behind the secondary. Drake should
counter by mixing his 3-4 looks and applying pressure to Flutie.
Speaking
of pressure.....look for the Bills to blitz heavy. When the Bucs are
in obvious passing situations, look for Brown to send Bruce Smith and
company. Drake will be ready for this, using Dunn or Alstott as his
dump off receviers when the blitz comes. Problem from Brown is that
Dunn and Alstott can really rack up the YAC. (Yards After Catch) If
Brown can contain the mixture of screen/sneak, he has a chance to force
Drake out of his game.
Keys
To The Game:
Bills
- Run,
Run, Run, Antoine Smith- Bucs run defense is suspect
- Look
for crossing routes vs. Bucs Man D
- Contain
Alstott on the screens, and double Bert Emmanuel
- Keep
Bucs in long yard situations, make Dilfer have to win the game
Bucs
- Containment
on Bills key custom flat plays
- Have
a deep audible when Brown wants to air it out
- Dilfer
has to avoid Bills stunt/blitz
- Play
Buc football, stay out of long yard situations
There is
only reason I like Tampa Bay in this game, and that is because it will
be close, and I don't Brown will handle the pressure in the closing
moments of the game. I think Drake pulls out another close one here,
breaking Browns heart for a Super Bowl shot.
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Hilton
Goes From Rags TO Riches
ALSO SEE
Bucs.
vs. Bills: Will the third time be the charm?
Gresham
May Just Will Himself To A Win v. Minn
Could
This Be The Year For Allen?
Madden
2001: News From E3
Official
PFL Calendar
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