Manning and Favre will go to Super Bowl
There are no more than four and in a few hours we will know the identity of the last two courses that will feed during the next two weeks, hoping to raise the precious Vince Lombardi Trophy given to the Super Bowl champions.
The clash between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, the first of the weekend was intriguing. We all know the history that unites these teams since the end of the season. Assured of participation in the playoffs, the Colts rested their regular players at the 16th week of activity and the Jets took the opportunity to beat them and improve their chances of qualifying, which they eventually did.
Now the Jets have the chance to return to Indianapolis to prove that their presence there is not a fluke. The Colts, they have the opportunity to close the matter once and for all and move on.
All the pressure is on the back of the Colts. The Jets, it’s good little team that nobody wants to face. They did nothing to lose, have a good attitude and are pumped. Their coach Rex Ryan has the gift of convincing his players they are a great team. This could confuse the issue. The Jets are a team correct, but they think and play like a team that can achieve great things.
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The Jets come to San Diego where they went to beat the Chargers, a team that has always been around to give a headache to the Colts. It’s obvious that Ryan will use it to motivate his troops. Also, in the last game between the Jets and Colts, all the starters were still on the ground in the third quarter and that Indy was leading 15-10. This will be another element of the speech coach, who can compare his team to the 2005 Steelers or the Giants in 2007. Two wild card who have won all their games on the road to win top honors.
It proved, the Jets are hard to beat when they do not take in the foot. Mark Sanchez seems to have finally understood: the last four games, he has suffered only one interception. This is one of the keys to victory for the Jets.
Cons Indianapolis, the Jets will absolutely find ways to steal possessions balloon Peyton Manning and that there are several ways to do this:
- Obviously, by imposing ground game to control time of possession. The dynamic is interesting at this level with the Jets. Rookie Shona Greene seems to have fresh legs: it has raised more rushing yards, 263, than any other running back since the start of the playoffs. He brings the majority of the burden on his shoulders, but when his team will come close to winning short at the door or goals, Thomas Jones returns with his attitude to power.
- By creating turnovers. Easy to say, I tell you, but Manning has still made some small mistakes last week against the Ravens. On one sequence in particular, he was rescued by Peter Boy and a penalty, because he threw two interceptions by Ed Reed for a few minutes.
We know that Manning excels against the blitz, a tactic much like the Jets practice. But basically, what the Colts quarterback will see this weekend, he saw last week. Between philosophy and Ravens defensive of the Jets, the difference is not huge. It’s almost as if the Colts had been entitled to an intensive training a week before finals.
- When you pass a big play on special teams. Sooner or later in the game, it will take one to give momentum to the Jets. It may be a short punt, a fake a punt … anything, but it will probably take calculated risks.
The biggest wish of the Jets probably still be on the ball in the second half. They want that scenario last week to repeat sometime in the third quarter with a gap of a possession. In this situation, all the pressure is on the Colts.
Defensively, the Jets should be able to disguise their intentions. Manning is always well prepared, it has an exceptional photographic memory. You watch him play once and he always recognize thereafter. Thus, its decision is often made even before the ball is put in. You have to organize yourself so that it connects only when the ball is in his hands, not before. You have created a little hesitation in making its decision.
It should also be out of Manning’s show, which is four or five yards behind his center Jeff Saturday. You have to force him to move with the blitz in central zone of protection. Want to make it run, because it proved he is not as good when it is moving.
Clearly, the more you hide your strategies, the less you reveal to the adversary, but the perverse effect is that you walk away from where you should be lifting the ball. The fine line between not wanting to reveal too much to get Manning and behind in his assignments.
What I love about this confrontation is that it’s really old school football against the new generation. The Jets play according to the philosophy of the founding fathers of football, Vince Lombardi of this world. Their success in passing defense and running game, like in the good old days. While with the Colts, 32nd this season for yards amassed by race, it happens in the air.
The Colts can stop the run
For the Colts, the best antidote to the problems facing the Jets is to score early and often. It is imperative that you manage to take a lead of at least two possessions, what the Chargers have never been able to do. We need you to put the Jets uncomfortable, that forces you to go out of their system, you in many applications to their rookie quarterback. The Colts had any interest in hitting hard and early to lower the confidence level of the Jets and send the message that their beautiful dream ends today.
To do this they must first stop the ground game. In the last game between two teams, the Jets had gained 202 yards that way. Well, they are given more or less valid when we know the history of this game then, but still …
By stopping the ground game, Mark Sanchez places you in situations of “third and long.” A rookie quarterback who is faced with this issue in conference final, a stage in super noisy moreover, who sees Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to prepare to take away his head … Say it is not an ideal situation.
And the Colts are capable of curbing the best running backs in the NFL. Last week, they limited the Ravens to 1.7 yards per carry, not Ray Rice traveling only 67 yards. This is 16 fewer than he had collected only on the first play of the game against the Patriots last week! This season, the Colts have allowed only 11 races over 20 yards. That tells me they are good about their tackles and marauders, even without Bob Sanders, are reliable.
The Colts’ defensive players are small and fast. Often, the defensive front will have orders to attack in a coordinated manner, that is to say by corner, diagonal or cross games … The goal is to plug the holes inside, pushing the bearing out. There they can enjoy their great strength, speed. The Colts do not want to get caught in the middle of a straight line. That’s why they are active in the defensive front, trying to thwart the power blocks.
I already talked about Manning’s ability to read the blitz and react. It is probably the best of his profession in this aspect of the game
This is one reason why the Colts have allowed ten sacks in 571 games with the pass this season. Manning launches quickly and makes good decisions. But this is not the only factor. His offensive line is excellent – and underestimated – and passes his receivers are on the same wavelength as him. It also is significant. We often think that protection is a quarter full on five or six lads just before him, but it is far from reality.
Finally, the more nervous at the approach of the duel may be the Colts’ kicker, Matt Stover. Watch the performance of kickers who have faced the Jets in the playoffs, it’s pretty incredible. Shayne Graham, Bengals, missed his two field goals and Nate Kaeding, Chargers, was 0-for-3! It is not to say, Stover must pray for touchdowns!
I think we will get a good game, but I must give the advantage to the Colts. I do not want to deprive the Jets, who have all the elements to give them trouble, but … I do not think the Colts will miss three field goals of accuracy, I do not think the Colts will throw two interceptions, I do not think the Colts will scoop ten penalties. And I think the Colts should be able to score more points than the Chargers have scored.
That should change the whole dynamic of the game.
VIKINGS c. SAINTS
The outcome of the other match of the weekend, pitting the Saints from New Orleans to Minnesota, is much more difficult to predict.
It will be a face-to-face meeting between the two best teams, the best two attacks, the two best quarterbacks in the NFC. Two teams who can pass the ball and score lots of points. So for me, the big question is: which will be able to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks?
The two teams take it in different ways to achieve this goal. The Vikings come with four guys, Jared Allen in the lead, while the Saints, to successfully achieve the same result, are obliged to invite more people to the party. So initially, I would tend to give advantage to the Vikings, because they have the best of both worlds. They can put a good pressure with just four players, which means they can back with seven guys in pass coverage. Not to be overlooked when you face Drew Brees!
Moreover, the collision between the blocker and Allen left the Saints, the reservist Jermon Bushrod will be a battle to watch. Bushrod will surely help a tight end or a second blocker, because it recognizes that there is a disadvantage for the Saints that side. Furthermore, when we focus so hard on a player like Allen, others benefit automatically. Last week, it was Ray Edwards, who had three sacks, five tackles and forced a fumble. It was everywhere. He injured his knee and it is unclear whether he will play, but his reservist, Brian Robison, is very good.
The other existential question to be asked is intimately linked to the first. Who will be better able to protect his shift?
I always said that the best way to protect your quarterback was running the ball effectively. Again, the Vikings have the elements to do that with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor.
What is unbelievable is that despite the fact they have often played with big advances, the Saints ranked in 20th place in fewest points allowed in the NFL. There are eight games in which they have granted over 130 yards rushing, four over 160. And they have had trouble against physical carriers: Michael Turner (151 yards), Stephen Jackson (131 yards) and DeAngelo Williams (135 yards) have all paid a portion of fun at their expense.
But beware, do not sleep on the Saints! Much is said about Brees and his group of receivers, but also can run and they run, they are more dangerous with their passing game. Do not forget that in the game against the Cardinals, four different running backs touched the ball for cumulative gains of more than 170 yards.
In short, the Saints also need their ground game to be explosive. Unless they prepare to face a team that is No. 2 against the ground game. This is another advantage to be given to the Vikings.
Reggie’s shoulders, emotions Brett
I can not wait to see if Reggie Bush goes for a second straight game, surprise us with a more physical style. Last week, he surprised everyone with good shoulder shots and racing in a straight line. Until then, everyone was asking the question: is it really a running back worthy of the NFL and only Mr. Gadget? A guy that will be used only in special circumstances, for game-fixing, or a true carrier?
In his last game, he ran like a true carrier. That makes it even more dangerous, because players in front of him do not know how to deal with. The opponent who has seen the end of his races while robustness will now say “when Reggie Bush’s coming, I must be ready to cash, but if you decide to work around, you look crazy!
I also wait to see how the Vikings will go about trying to handcuff him on kickoff returns. Last year, when they went to play in New Orleans, Bush returned two punts for touchdowns. While Chris Kluwe, Vikings specialist, will be the big work to do to ensure it does not repeat his exploits.
Besides, this game was crazy on special teams. Ryan Longwell had a successful placement with 13 seconds left to win the game. The Vikings had a punt blocked precision and had returned for a touchdown. And Bush returned two for touchdowns clearances. To monitor Sunday!
A word about Brett Favre, who will control their emotions and avoid, as he has done so well this year, committing turnovers. It is still outstanding it has suffered only seven interceptions in 555 passes. And there is not a game where he threw more than one interception. We see that it is now able to accept a sack, throw the ball outside the field or go to his store rather than forcing the game Let’s continue. No choice, because the Saints feed on turnovers.
The X factor, that it should really not ignore, one that ensures that this confrontation is so difficult to predict, is the frenzied crowd to be behind the Saints. The charged atmosphere that the Superdome will be a major asset for the local team. The Vikings will have an incentive not to over commit blunders in early game, to involve their ground game to control the clock and let the storm pass. We must at all costs to avoid them like the Cardinals last week they had committed a change immediately after allowing a touchdown. Two big plays and that was it.
On the one hand, it was the magic of Brett Favre and the other the kind of fate that seems to stick to the city of New Orleans. Since Hurricane Katrina, the Saints are the unifying element of a city and a victory would all share a balm on the wounds of its inhabitants. These are two scenarios strong enough.
In summary, when you look at all that, you realize that you attend a game full of superstars. Brees against Favre, Peterson against Bush, Marques Colston cons Sidney Rice … But I think this game will be won by large. It will play in the trenches and for this reason that I give the advantage to the Vikings.