http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=685781
Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH:
1.BACK FROM THE GRAVE: Ageless Vinny Testaverde, who turned 44 on Tuesday, figures to be the Panthers' starter Sunday. Testaverde, the No. 1 overall pick in 1987, began the year out of football, but was signed when injuries hit the Panthers. Testaverde's arm is still potent, but he can't move at all.
2.MISSING MORGAN: Panthers MLB Dan Morgan, who Green Bay nearly selected in 2001 before taking Jamal Reynolds, just can't stay healthy. When Morgan is healthy, the Panthers' linebackers are among football's best. Without him, the group is ordinary.
3.WELCOME BACK: Left guard Mike Wahle left Green Bay after signing a five-year, $28.5 million deal with the Panthers in March 2005. Meanwhile, the jury remains out on Daryn Colledge, the man trying to replace Wahle in Green Bay.
4.ONE-MAN SHOW: Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith hasn't had a decent sidekick since Muhammad was around in 2004. Smith's numbers are down slightly this season. But he remains one of football's greatest threats and Green Bay's Al Harris figures to have his hands full.
5.WHAT IF? Green Bay drafted CB Ahmad Carroll over Chris Gamble in 2004. Gamble has been up and down a bit during his four years, but he has 16 career interceptions. At worst, Gamble would be a fantastic nickel back in Green Bay today.
MATCHUPS:
QUARTERBACKS: Carolina's Vinny Testaverde was the No. 1 overall pick 20 years ago. The 44-year old Testaverde was out of football at the start of this season, but is now playing for his sixth team following the season-ending injury to Jake Delhomme (elbow). Testaverde still has a big arm, but he can't move at all. Green Bay's Brett Favre continues to play near an MVP level. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
RUNNING BACKS: When Carolina visited Green Bay in 2002, Panthers' color commentator Eugene Robinson told Packer Plus that DeShaun Foster was going to be one of the NFL's next great backs. It hasn't quite worked out that way, but Foster has had a solid season (153-588-2). Green Bay's Ryan Grant is an emerging player, eclipsing 100 yards in two of his last three games. ADVANTAGE: Panthers.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Carolina's 5-foot-9 Steve Smith ranks among the top five in football at his position. He's shifty at the line of scrimmage, tremendous in and out of breaks and fearless. The Panthers haven't been able to find Smith a solid sidekick, though, since Muhsin Muhammad's departure in 2004. Green Bay unleashed a five-wideout look against Minnesota that could be nightmarish for future opponents. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
OFFENSIVE LINE: The Panthers have two studs in RT Jordan Gross and LG Mike Wahle. C Justin Hartwig and RG Jeremy Bridges surprised by winning starting jobs this summer. LT Travelle Wharton is in his first year back from a knee injury. Green Bay's group had its best game of the season against Minnesota, allowing no sacks and helping the Packers run for a season-high 120 yards. ADVANTAGE: Panthers.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Carolina's front four was one of football's best throughout the decade, but has slipped slightly. DE Julius Peppers, in just his sixth NFL season, is already the Panthers' all-time leader in sacks. DE Mike Rucker, 32, has slowed and didn't notch his first sack of the year until last week. The tackle tandem of Kris Jenkins and 350-pound Maake Kemoeatu is fierce. Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is having an impressive bounce-back season with 8½ sacks. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
LINEBACKERS: Carolina's marriage to Dan Morgan is likely over after the injury-prone linebacker went on injured reserve with an Achilles' injury. The Panthers still have first-round draft choices Thomas Davis and Jon Beason starting, along with former Packer Na'il Diggs. Green Bay's A.J. Hawk has come on in recent weeks. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
SECONDARY: Carolina's trio of cornerbacks - Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall - rival almost any in football. The safety tandem of Chris Harris and Deke Cooper can be exposed, though. Former Packers castoffs Marquand Manuel and Patrick Dendy are reserves. Green Bay's Charles Woodson continues to be "Mr. Big Play." ADVANTAGE: Packers.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Carolina's 38-year-old John Kasay continues going strong. He has hit 81.3% of his kicks after making a career-best 88.9% last season. Green Bay's Mason Crosby is having a strong rookie season (18 of 22, 81.8%), punter Jon Ryan (45.5 net, 39.4 gross) is improved. KEY ADVANTAGE: Packers.
COACHING: Carolina's John Fox inherited a 1-15 team in 2001 and had the Panthers in the Super Bowl two years later. Fox is 48-41 overall, but could be under some pressure if the Panthers miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Green Bay's Mike McCarthy is a front-runner for coach of the year. ADVANTAGE [edited]: Packers
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=262602
Packers Keys For Success
1. Double-team Steve Smith. Smith is the Panthers' only proven receiving threat, so naturally Green Bay will look to double-team the star wide receiver and take him out of the game. By rolling their coverage toward Smith, the Packers can bracket him with cornerback Al Harris or Charles Woodson playing up at the line and safeties Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse helping over the top.
2. Spread the field with three- and four-wide receiver sets. Look for the Packers to spread the field with three or four wideouts so they can get all of their talented receivers on the field. The pass-catching trio of Driver, Jones and Jennings is causing tons of matchup problems for defenses, and wide receivers Ruvell Martin and Koren Robinson are solid. The Packers will be better able to afford using this wide-open set this week because they shouldn't need to keep an extra pass protector in the game against the Panthers' poor pass rush.
3. Pressure the quarterback. Regardless of which quarterback is under center for Carolina this week, the Packers will want to put pressure on him and force him out of the pocket. Green Bay probably won't need to call too many blitzes, because its defensive linemen have accounted for 24 of the team's 26 sacks this season...DEs AK and KGB will collapse the pocket off the edge and force the Panthers to keep King in as an extra blocker on most passing downs.
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Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Carolina Panthers
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH:
1.BACK FROM THE GRAVE: Ageless Vinny Testaverde, who turned 44 on Tuesday, figures to be the Panthers' starter Sunday. Testaverde, the No. 1 overall pick in 1987, began the year out of football, but was signed when injuries hit the Panthers. Testaverde's arm is still potent, but he can't move at all.
2.MISSING MORGAN: Panthers MLB Dan Morgan, who Green Bay nearly selected in 2001 before taking Jamal Reynolds, just can't stay healthy. When Morgan is healthy, the Panthers' linebackers are among football's best. Without him, the group is ordinary.
3.WELCOME BACK: Left guard Mike Wahle left Green Bay after signing a five-year, $28.5 million deal with the Panthers in March 2005. Meanwhile, the jury remains out on Daryn Colledge, the man trying to replace Wahle in Green Bay.
4.ONE-MAN SHOW: Carolina wide receiver Steve Smith hasn't had a decent sidekick since Muhammad was around in 2004. Smith's numbers are down slightly this season. But he remains one of football's greatest threats and Green Bay's Al Harris figures to have his hands full.
5.WHAT IF? Green Bay drafted CB Ahmad Carroll over Chris Gamble in 2004. Gamble has been up and down a bit during his four years, but he has 16 career interceptions. At worst, Gamble would be a fantastic nickel back in Green Bay today.
MATCHUPS:
QUARTERBACKS: Carolina's Vinny Testaverde was the No. 1 overall pick 20 years ago. The 44-year old Testaverde was out of football at the start of this season, but is now playing for his sixth team following the season-ending injury to Jake Delhomme (elbow). Testaverde still has a big arm, but he can't move at all. Green Bay's Brett Favre continues to play near an MVP level. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
RUNNING BACKS: When Carolina visited Green Bay in 2002, Panthers' color commentator Eugene Robinson told Packer Plus that DeShaun Foster was going to be one of the NFL's next great backs. It hasn't quite worked out that way, but Foster has had a solid season (153-588-2). Green Bay's Ryan Grant is an emerging player, eclipsing 100 yards in two of his last three games. ADVANTAGE: Panthers.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Carolina's 5-foot-9 Steve Smith ranks among the top five in football at his position. He's shifty at the line of scrimmage, tremendous in and out of breaks and fearless. The Panthers haven't been able to find Smith a solid sidekick, though, since Muhsin Muhammad's departure in 2004. Green Bay unleashed a five-wideout look against Minnesota that could be nightmarish for future opponents. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
OFFENSIVE LINE: The Panthers have two studs in RT Jordan Gross and LG Mike Wahle. C Justin Hartwig and RG Jeremy Bridges surprised by winning starting jobs this summer. LT Travelle Wharton is in his first year back from a knee injury. Green Bay's group had its best game of the season against Minnesota, allowing no sacks and helping the Packers run for a season-high 120 yards. ADVANTAGE: Panthers.
DEFENSIVE LINE: Carolina's front four was one of football's best throughout the decade, but has slipped slightly. DE Julius Peppers, in just his sixth NFL season, is already the Panthers' all-time leader in sacks. DE Mike Rucker, 32, has slowed and didn't notch his first sack of the year until last week. The tackle tandem of Kris Jenkins and 350-pound Maake Kemoeatu is fierce. Green Bay's Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila is having an impressive bounce-back season with 8½ sacks. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
LINEBACKERS: Carolina's marriage to Dan Morgan is likely over after the injury-prone linebacker went on injured reserve with an Achilles' injury. The Panthers still have first-round draft choices Thomas Davis and Jon Beason starting, along with former Packer Na'il Diggs. Green Bay's A.J. Hawk has come on in recent weeks. ADVANTAGE: Packers.
SECONDARY: Carolina's trio of cornerbacks - Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall - rival almost any in football. The safety tandem of Chris Harris and Deke Cooper can be exposed, though. Former Packers castoffs Marquand Manuel and Patrick Dendy are reserves. Green Bay's Charles Woodson continues to be "Mr. Big Play." ADVANTAGE: Packers.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Carolina's 38-year-old John Kasay continues going strong. He has hit 81.3% of his kicks after making a career-best 88.9% last season. Green Bay's Mason Crosby is having a strong rookie season (18 of 22, 81.8%), punter Jon Ryan (45.5 net, 39.4 gross) is improved. KEY ADVANTAGE: Packers.
COACHING: Carolina's John Fox inherited a 1-15 team in 2001 and had the Panthers in the Super Bowl two years later. Fox is 48-41 overall, but could be under some pressure if the Panthers miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Green Bay's Mike McCarthy is a front-runner for coach of the year. ADVANTAGE [edited]: Packers
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=262602
Packers Keys For Success
1. Double-team Steve Smith. Smith is the Panthers' only proven receiving threat, so naturally Green Bay will look to double-team the star wide receiver and take him out of the game. By rolling their coverage toward Smith, the Packers can bracket him with cornerback Al Harris or Charles Woodson playing up at the line and safeties Atari Bigby and Aaron Rouse helping over the top.
2. Spread the field with three- and four-wide receiver sets. Look for the Packers to spread the field with three or four wideouts so they can get all of their talented receivers on the field. The pass-catching trio of Driver, Jones and Jennings is causing tons of matchup problems for defenses, and wide receivers Ruvell Martin and Koren Robinson are solid. The Packers will be better able to afford using this wide-open set this week because they shouldn't need to keep an extra pass protector in the game against the Panthers' poor pass rush.
3. Pressure the quarterback. Regardless of which quarterback is under center for Carolina this week, the Packers will want to put pressure on him and force him out of the pocket. Green Bay probably won't need to call too many blitzes, because its defensive linemen have accounted for 24 of the team's 26 sacks this season...DEs AK and KGB will collapse the pocket off the edge and force the Panthers to keep King in as an extra blocker on most passing downs.
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mg: :yeah: :thumbsup: :beer: 
