Aaron Rodgers' Neighborhood » nfc championship

Brett Favre Really Got Roughed Up

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:42:37 +0000

Everyone saw Brett Favre get hit with some pretty tough shots in the NFC Championship against the Saints. Today Bus Cook, Favre’s agent, released photos that he says are of Favre after the game. If you want to see what taking a beating in the NFL looks like this is it. No one can doubt Favre’s toughness…especially after knowing he kept playing after getting hit the way he did.

Ruh Roh Vikings Fans…Injuries Mounting

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:46:11 +0000

I’m feeling even better about that Saints pick today because Vikings injuries are mounting today. According to the injury report 75% of the Vikings vaunted defensive line, the one that needs to pressure Drew Brees to win, is listed as questionable. Pat Williams apparently injured his foot and missed practice friday, while Kevin williams and Ray Edwards practiced on a limited basis. While there is a decent probablity that all of these guys will play because it is the NFC title game after all, the Saints have got to feel better about their ability to pass protect with Edwards slowed down and the possibility of running up the middle with Mike Bell/Pierre Thomas with run stopper Pat Williams’s fresh injury.

Also, electric rookie of the year Percy Harvin was held out of practice again Friday with migrane headaches. No word if these headaches were brought on by listening to Prince’s Vikings fight song. Seriously though, these headaches have been a persistent problem for Harvin- and according to John Clayton of ESPN, the team is worried about Harvin’s ability to get on a plane to fly to New Orleans with the migranes as bad as they currently are. Migrane headaches are a big deal- so much so that Terrell Davis’s migrane headache in Super Bowl XXXII forced him to miss the entire second quarter of the most important game of his life- so don’t underestimate them. If Harvin doesn’t go, expect for forgotten Bernard Berrian to get more targets. Berrian is a speedy deep threat himself, so I don’t think Harvin sitting out is as big a deal as the defensive line’s health.

Regardless, the Vikings better get healthy fast if the want to beat the Saints Sunday.

NFC Championship Preview and Prediction

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:59:24 +0000

The Fightin’ Favres square off against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game. This game matches up the number 1 offense in the NFL (Saints) against the number 2 offense in the NFL (Vikings). So who prevails? Let’s scope it:

The Saints Win if…the defense gets turnovers and the offensive line protects Drew Brees. The Saints defense has done one thing well consistently all season: generating turnovers. New Orleans finished the season third in turnover margin at +11, forcing 29 turnovers during the season. New Orleans plays a bend-don’t break style of defense that relies on getting turnovers, usually involving Darren Sharper. They also are great at getting after the passer once if they are playing with a lead. If the Saints can slow the Vikings offensive attack by doing what they do best and getting turnovers either from fumble prone Adrian Peterson or gunslinger Favre they will be in good shape. On the offensive side of the ball, the key for the Saints is to protect Drew Brees. The Vikings biggest strength on defense is their defensive line, with Jared Allen on the edge and the Williamses in the middle. The Vikings made Tony Romo look uncomfortable in the pocket last weekend, and they will likely seek to do the same to Brees. If Drew has time, he is as accurate as any quarterback in the game. This game is going to require scoring some points, which necessitates keeping Brees upright. If the Saints can run the ball effectively to keep the pass rush at bay that will help the Saints offensive line out. Brees and an opportunistic defense is a winning formula for the Saints.

The Vikings Win If…the run gets going and the rush gets to Brees. The Saints defense is especially weak against the run, finishing 21st against it in the regular season. If the Vikings can exploit this weakness, it will be hard for the Saints to win, since it will be difficult to get their offense on the field to score enough. Adrian Peterson can be an absolute beast if he gets going, as everyone knows. An effective run game will in turn open up the deep ball for Brett Favre, where he can connect with Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice. The run game will also minimize Brett Favre’s tendency to force the ball in close games and minimize the ability for the Saints defense to generate turnovers. I won’t be shocked if the Vikings come out run heavy for this very reason. On the defensive side, the Vikings have got to get to Drew Brees like they got to Tony Romo last week. If they do, they can disrupt the Saints’ potent passing attack much like they stifled the Cowboys offense. The Vikings’ strength is their line, and if they set the tempo it can will be hard for the Saints to overcome.

And the Winner Is…The New Orleans Saints. This game will be close, really really close. A couple things favor the Saints. First, they are at home in the Super Dome, which is still a very very difficult place to play, especially since this is the first time New Orleans has hosted the NFC Championship and the crowd will be pumped. Second, Adrian Peterson hasn’t gotten it going in a while: in fact he hasn’t rushed for over 100 yards in a game in two months. It’s hard to believe that he will suddenly get it together against a team he rushed for under 40 yards against last year. Third, the defensive line of the Vikings is banged up. DT Kevin Williams and DE Ray Edwards both missed practice today, and both will be crucial in slowing the Saints offense. Fourth, I don’t trust Brett Favre. The last time Favre was in the NFC Championship he single-handedly lost the game for the Packers in OT by throwing a terrible interception to the Giants in Packers territory. Favre can’t help himself to try to make a big play when a big, close game is on the line. Sometimes it works out, but that impulse can also result in really bad turnovers that can cost his team the game. I think Favre throws a couple picks in this one as the game gets close and Favre starts sweating about getting to the Super Bowl. Final score: Saints 30, Vikings 27.

Irrational Reason for Pick…city of Mardi Gras vs…site of the Republican National Convention. Advantage: New Orleans.