Gameplan for a potential NFC Championship game against GB

IMO, we really shouldn't play Sope/Haralson and just go nickel vitually all game...d-line of Brooks, RayMac, J. Smith, and A. Smith with Bowman and Willis at 'backer and Rogers, Brown, Culliver, Goldson, and Whitner (or maybe even R. Smith sometimes, esp. on 3rd downs). We will still be able to shut down their run game. As for the pass - Carlos Rogers would be matched up in the slot vs. either James Jones or Donald Driver and should be able to lock them down without help. I like Culliver playing press on Jennings with Whitner over the top and Brown playing press on Nelson with Goldson over the top (This will also enable CC/TB to be able to undercut routes/be aggressive/gamble at times since there will be safety help on each side of the field. Should be able to intercept a pass or 2 this way). Willis will do his thing on Finley and Bowman can kinda be the wild card, either guarding a zone, covering a back, or blitzing. With that nickel d-line being composed of arguably the best quartet of pass rushers of any team in the NFL PLUS GB having a very mediocre o-line, Aaron Rodgers WILL be under heat. We DO have the matchups in the back end to hold up. And we can still probably afford to allow at least 2 TD's in the air because I think our offense should absolutely be able to score 20+ points on their D. Man that should be a helluva game.

~ Clinch division first.
~ Work on playoff seed next.
~ Try to win first playoff game vs. whoever.

This year is fun but we are getting grandiose and ahead of ourselves. Stay humble and keep working...

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
~ Clinch division first.
~ Work on playoff seed next.
~ Try to win first playoff game vs. whoever.

This year is fun but we are getting grandiose and ahead of ourselves. Stay humble and keep working...

It's thanksgiving time. The picture is starting to look clearer and clearer. There's no way we don't win the division. There's virtually no chance we don't have a first round bye. There's a VERY good chance we play New Orleans in the 2nd round and they can NOT play outdoor football in January. I'd say there's at least an 80% chance the NFC championship game is 49ers-Packers with arguably the biggest impediment to that being a team like Detroit or NYG going into Lambeau and actually beating the Packers for us.

double post

Originally posted by andes14:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
~ Clinch division first.
~ Work on playoff seed next.
~ Try to win first playoff game vs. whoever.

This year is fun but we are getting grandiose and ahead of ourselves. Stay humble and keep working...

It's thanksgiving time. The picture is starting to look clearer and clearer. There's no way we don't win the division. There's virtually no chance we don't have a first round bye. There's a VERY good chance we play New Orleans in the 2nd round and they can NOT play outdoor football in January. I'd say there's at least an 80% chance the NFC championship game is 49ers-Packers with arguably the biggest impediment to that being a team like Detroit or NYG going into Lambeau and actually beating the Packers for us.

That's all pretty logical. I agree the playoff picture is a bit clearer at this point than some people want to admit. Of course the Cutler injury could let someone else in.

ehh i see no problems with looking ahead to GB

i could say "put pressure on rodgers" "keep rodgers off the field" but honestly that's what every team tries to do. i think the emphasis clearly lies on our offense to score TDS NOT FG's..and we should be fine

Originally posted by DonnieDarko:
ehh i see no problems with looking ahead to GB

i could say "put pressure on rodgers" "keep rodgers off the field" but honestly that's what every team tries to do. i think the emphasis clearly lies on our offense to score TDS NOT FG's..and we should be fine

Yeah, it's a matter of keeping up. GB is not perfect, but they will score on us. Against most teams, they will score most drives. Against our top defense, they will probably still score three or four TDs, which means we have to convert.

Lmao we might actually have to play nickel the entire game. Come playoff time though, I'm sure the Packers will try and get their running game going. Starks was money last postseason

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
~ Clinch division first.
~ Work on playoff seed next.
~ Try to win first playoff game vs. whoever.

This year is fun but we are getting grandiose and ahead of ourselves. Stay humble and keep working...

9-1 is already "grandiose", we are already there. We are not the players. They have to obviously "keep working". We are the talkers.

I like what the poster is talking about. A pass rush of Brooks, McDonald, Smith, Aldon is what we need to do a LOT more of. It's what we need to do ALL DAY if we play the Packers.

We play too darn cute on defense. If we can just iso Aldon on a tackle, he can dominate. Instead we keep him off the field, move him to the left side, float him out wide and jam him up. We need to keep it simple with our pass rush, that is when it is at its best.

Originally posted by BrianGO:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
~ Clinch division first.
~ Work on playoff seed next.
~ Try to win first playoff game vs. whoever.

This year is fun but we are getting grandiose and ahead of ourselves. Stay humble and keep working...

9-1 is already "grandiose", we are already there. We are not the players. They have to obviously "keep working". We are the talkers.

I like what the poster is talking about. A pass rush of Brooks, McDonald, Smith, Aldon is what we need to do a LOT more of. It's what we need to do ALL DAY if we play the Packers.

We play too darn cute on defense. If we can just iso Aldon on a tackle, he can dominate. Instead we keep him off the field, move him to the left side, float him out wide and jam him up. We need to keep it simple with our pass rush, that is when it is at its best.

Maybe you're right. I've been frustrated by how quiet our pass rush has been the last couple weeks. After week 5 or 6 I remember a lot of hype about how much pressure we were getting with the 4-man rush. It seems our sacks have really slowed down since then.

Has anyone noticed that most teams have stumbled like punch drunk fighters after playing the niners? They have been beaten in several ways that makes teams feel less confident. I think the Packers too may be stunned when they meet the niners. IMO the sheer toughness besides bunging up key players just does teams in.

Originally posted by YungAce:
Lmao we might actually have to play nickel the entire game. Come playoff time though, I'm sure the Packers will try and get their running game going. Starks was money last postseason

We can shut down Starks in our nickel.

Tampa Bay probably demonstrated that this Green Bay team is susceptible. There might be another team out there, which can defeat them with the right game plan. Although there is no certainty that the opponent in the NFC championship game would be GB, Blount's touchdown against the Packers was an eye opener. A defense that allows no big plays and creates turnovers and an offense that utilizes the power running game could be best suited to upstage the Packers, it seems. Tampa played them close but possibly underutilized Blount. Also, the Packers may not have devoted enough attention to their running game and if their passing game falters, they could find it difficult. In '92 Steve Young was having an MVP year, having won the passing title, while leading a high octane passing offense but the Cowboys managed to slow them down at muddy Candlestick and exploit the defense by unleashing a unique power running game. Packers appear to veer towards becoming mostly pass oriented and that could lead to interceptions in postseason weather.

1. Eat their souls.
2. Floss.

we could win. yes. Compete in a shootout? We don't get in shootouts jr.!