Kickoff:
4:35 EST
Location:
University of Phoenix Stadium
The
upstart Atlanta Falcons, led by the legs of Michael Turner and the
arm of rookie of sensation Matt Ryan, are already in Arizona
preparing for their playoff battle against the Cardinals, powered by
Kurt Warner's timeless arm and deadly trio of receivers, Larry
Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and the oft-forgotten Steve Breaston, all
of whom have topped 1,000 yards receiving this season. General
consensus seems to favor the Falcons, but, as I'm sure they are all
aware, nothing is a given.
So
just what will it take for the Falcons to pull off this win and
extend this already unlikely post-season?
First
of all, the have to run the ball, run the ball, and then to change
things up, run the ball. Michael Turner is one of the toughest
running backs in the league, and Jerious Norwood has demonstrated
time and time again in his NFL career that he can be a game changer.
Arizona has a mediocre rush defense, so the Dirty Birds should be
able to keep things moving forward at all times on the ground.
Time-of-possession will be a major factor for the Falcons in this
game, as the best way to shut down Arizona's powerful passing attack
is to keep Warner and the gang on the bench.
If
the running game gets off to a strong start, the Cards will be forced
to stack the line and keep eight men in the box. This should open up
Ryan's passing game and give Roddy White and Michael Jenkins a good
chance to burn the defense. Matty needs a few timely receptions to
get his confidence up and running, as his last couple of outings were
not as great as many of his previous games. He needs to remain smart
with the ball, because Kurt Warner will most likely be able to
capitalize on any mistakes Ryan makes.
Third,
get pressure on Warner with the front four on defense. It doesn't
help that Jamaal Anderson isn't likely to play, but John Abraham will
be good to go, following his half-game break this past Sunday. If
Abraham is able to harass Warner, Kurt will have to get the ball away
quicker, and keep his talented wide-outs closer to home. Better yet,
if big Grady Jackson can get one sack in, and land his 365 pound body
on Warner, he just might be rattled enough to make mistakes.
With
that in mind, don't count on Warner to be making many mistakes. The
secondary will likely give up a few yards, so they will have to play
smart, avoid penalties, don't get frustrated, and most importantly,
stick their tackles. Anquan Boldin is a monster in
yards-after-catch, and Fitzgerald isn't too shabby, either, so this
game can get out of hand quickly if they are able to slip away from
their coverage. Don't forget about Breaston, either. Dominique
Foxworth, Chris Houston, and Chevis Jackson will have their hands
full from start to finish.
Stop
the run with as few players as possible. Falcons will probably spend
a lot of time in the nickel package, so if Keith Brooking and Michael
Boley, along with the D-line can shut down Edgerrin James and Tim
Hightower, Lawyer Milloy and Erik Coleman will be free to drop back
into coverage and aid the corners.
Lastly,
the special-teams play of this team has been nothing shy of amazing.
Giving up just 49 punt-return yards all season, and being quick to
the ball on both punts and kickoffs, this kicking squad just needs to
keep doing what they've done all season. If Norwood and Harry
Douglas are able to keep control of the ball, the Falcon's return
game will be sturdy as well, giving Matty Ice and his crew great
field position all day.
Original Story:
http://mvn.com/flyinghigh/2009/01/pre...
Original Story:
http://mvn.com/flyinghigh/2009/01/pre...
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January 02, 2009
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