Python
12-01-2006, 10:11 PM
(Dec. 1, 2006) -- Four burning questions for Week 13:
Are the Chicago Bears going to rebound from their sloppy performance at New England in Week 12 to beat the Minnesota Vikings and clinch the NFC North championship?
Yes.
Chester Taylor needs just one more yard to hit 1,000 for the first time in his career.
But it won't be easy. For one thing, the Bears don't make any win look easy these days. For another, the Vikings pushed them to the limit in Week 3 before a late Chester Taylor fumble allowed the Bears to escape with a 19-16 victory.
The Bears remain the better team, but they are in for another stiff challenge. Their top priority in this game is to shut down Taylor, who has emerged as focus of the Vikings offense. His rushing success has allowed the Vikings to set the tempo and is critical to Brad Johnson's effectiveness in throwing the ball. Johnson showed clear signs that he can still be a force with his three touchdown passes against Arizona in Week 12 after throwing only one scoring pass against six interceptions in the previous four games. The Vikings like to run to their left, which means Chicago's defense will be set up to slant to the right or simply rely on its superb pursuit to minimize Taylor's impact.
The Bears' No. 1 offensive goal is to try and run the ball successfully against the NFL's top-ranked run defense. A major reason the earlier game against Minnesota was so close was that they gained only 51 yards on the ground. Although most opponents are even reluctant to attempt to run on the Vikings, the Bears will likely use misdirection plays that would force the dominant tackle duo of Pat Williams and Kevin Williams to take on blocks from a variety of angles.
Establishing at least the presence of the run should help quarterback Rex Grossman get his inconsistent game in order. So should throwing the ball to tight end Desmond Clark, who has become forgotten in the Bears' offense the past four games. Grossman was at his best earlier this season when he was consistently connecting with Clark, who has outstanding speed and the ability to get open deep.
Will the New Orleans Saints keep up their pass-happy ways and continue to run away with the NFC South against a San Francisco 49ers team fading fast from the playoff picture?
Yes.
The Saints have the most prolific quarterback in the league in Drew Brees, who has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his last five games. Brees is on pace to break the single-season record that Dan Marino set in 1984 when he threw for 5,084 yards. With his multiple game-breaking receivers and excellent skills in reading coverages and making decisions with the ball, Brees should be able to put up more impressive numbers against one of the worst pass defenses in the league.
Ask Vic!
Have a question for Vic on anything NFL related? Don't just sit there -- send it to [Only registered and activated users can see links], and the best questions will be answered throughout the season right here on NFL.com!
The Saints took far better care of the ball in their Week 12 victory over Atlanta than they did in losing three of their previous four games. They had a combined 12 turnovers in those losses. It is up to Brees and running back Deuce McAllister to avoid giving the 49ers any unnecessary gifts.
By grabbing a big lead early in the game, the Saints will be able to force the 49ers out of their offensive strength, which is pounding the ball with Frank Gore. That is especially important, because New Orleans has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. The Saints are more comfortable if San Francisco has to rely on Alex Smith to try and win the game with his arm. The 49ers don't have enough playmakers to put a great deal of pressure on New Orleans' pass coverage. As a result, the Saints should be able play man-to-man coverage while using one safety to help with run defense and the other in the middle of the field. The Saints would consider it an advantage if they can cause Smith to try and put together drives by using a short and intermediate passes.
Will the Dallas Cowboys continue their roll with Tony Romo against the New York Giants, who are still reeling from their monumental Week 12 collapse against Tennessee and internal strife?
Yes.
Tony Romo leads the league with an astounding 110.8 passer rating.
When the teams met in Week 7, the Cowboys lost 36-22. But that proved to be a turning-point game for the Cowboys because Bill Parcells benched Drew Bledsoe and replaced him with Romo, who has since gone 4-1. As vulnerable as the Giants seem, Romo will be tested by a loud and cranky sellout crowd, and windy conditions at Giants Stadium. His mobility and ability to make plays on the move should be difficult for the Giants defense to handle.
The Cowboys' defensive mission is to stop Tiki Barber. Look for Dallas' linebackers, led by DeMarcus Ware, to consistently swarm around Barber. In the previous meetings between the teams, Barber was a difference-maker by rushing for 114 yards. The Cowboys defense also must be aware of Barber's impact as a receiver.
If Dallas can put the game into the hands of quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants could be in trouble, given his repeated struggles to make proper reads and good decisions with the ball. The Cowboys will add to Manning's stress by involving safeties Keith Davis and Roy Williams in double-covering Plaxico Burress, who has become his lone big-play threat since Amani Toomer was lost to a season-ending injury.
Given the severe winds that are expected to swirl in Giants Stadium, another key factor in the game's outcome will be the punters. The Cowboys have the edge with Mat McBriar, who leads the league in average yards per punt, whereas Jeff Feagles is last in this category.
Is new rookie starter Jay Cutler going to give the Denver Broncos the lift they need to turn around their season, beginning with a win against the Seattle Seahawks?
No.
Cutler might very well prove to be a significant improvement over Jake Plummer, although it is hard to believe he is going to make that much of a difference in his first NFL start. The Seahawks, who rank third in the league with 37 sacks, should be able to make Cutler's life miserable by applying heavy pressure on him from the moment he drops back for his first pass. They will mix up fronts and coverages in hopes of forcing the rookie to hesitate and hold the ball too long, and become susceptible to mistakes.
The Seahawks' offense is steadily getting stronger now that running back Shaun Alexander has played two games since being out with a broken foot and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has had one start since returning from a knee injury. Alexander returned to his dominant form in Seattle's Week 12 victory against Green Bay, rushing for more than 200 yards. He should have another strong performance against Denver's run defense, which struggled in the last two games against two other premier backs, San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Kansas City's Larry Johnson. The Seahawks are confident they can wear down Denver's smallish defensive front.
With injuries having depleted the depth of the Broncos' secondary, the Seahawks can be expected to often go with three- and four-receiver sets to create favorable coverage matchups for Hasselbeck to exploit. Spreading the defense also should help open some running room for Alexander.
source ([Only registered and activated users can see links])
Are the Chicago Bears going to rebound from their sloppy performance at New England in Week 12 to beat the Minnesota Vikings and clinch the NFC North championship?
Yes.
Chester Taylor needs just one more yard to hit 1,000 for the first time in his career.
But it won't be easy. For one thing, the Bears don't make any win look easy these days. For another, the Vikings pushed them to the limit in Week 3 before a late Chester Taylor fumble allowed the Bears to escape with a 19-16 victory.
The Bears remain the better team, but they are in for another stiff challenge. Their top priority in this game is to shut down Taylor, who has emerged as focus of the Vikings offense. His rushing success has allowed the Vikings to set the tempo and is critical to Brad Johnson's effectiveness in throwing the ball. Johnson showed clear signs that he can still be a force with his three touchdown passes against Arizona in Week 12 after throwing only one scoring pass against six interceptions in the previous four games. The Vikings like to run to their left, which means Chicago's defense will be set up to slant to the right or simply rely on its superb pursuit to minimize Taylor's impact.
The Bears' No. 1 offensive goal is to try and run the ball successfully against the NFL's top-ranked run defense. A major reason the earlier game against Minnesota was so close was that they gained only 51 yards on the ground. Although most opponents are even reluctant to attempt to run on the Vikings, the Bears will likely use misdirection plays that would force the dominant tackle duo of Pat Williams and Kevin Williams to take on blocks from a variety of angles.
Establishing at least the presence of the run should help quarterback Rex Grossman get his inconsistent game in order. So should throwing the ball to tight end Desmond Clark, who has become forgotten in the Bears' offense the past four games. Grossman was at his best earlier this season when he was consistently connecting with Clark, who has outstanding speed and the ability to get open deep.
Will the New Orleans Saints keep up their pass-happy ways and continue to run away with the NFC South against a San Francisco 49ers team fading fast from the playoff picture?
Yes.
The Saints have the most prolific quarterback in the league in Drew Brees, who has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his last five games. Brees is on pace to break the single-season record that Dan Marino set in 1984 when he threw for 5,084 yards. With his multiple game-breaking receivers and excellent skills in reading coverages and making decisions with the ball, Brees should be able to put up more impressive numbers against one of the worst pass defenses in the league.
Ask Vic!
Have a question for Vic on anything NFL related? Don't just sit there -- send it to [Only registered and activated users can see links], and the best questions will be answered throughout the season right here on NFL.com!
The Saints took far better care of the ball in their Week 12 victory over Atlanta than they did in losing three of their previous four games. They had a combined 12 turnovers in those losses. It is up to Brees and running back Deuce McAllister to avoid giving the 49ers any unnecessary gifts.
By grabbing a big lead early in the game, the Saints will be able to force the 49ers out of their offensive strength, which is pounding the ball with Frank Gore. That is especially important, because New Orleans has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. The Saints are more comfortable if San Francisco has to rely on Alex Smith to try and win the game with his arm. The 49ers don't have enough playmakers to put a great deal of pressure on New Orleans' pass coverage. As a result, the Saints should be able play man-to-man coverage while using one safety to help with run defense and the other in the middle of the field. The Saints would consider it an advantage if they can cause Smith to try and put together drives by using a short and intermediate passes.
Will the Dallas Cowboys continue their roll with Tony Romo against the New York Giants, who are still reeling from their monumental Week 12 collapse against Tennessee and internal strife?
Yes.
Tony Romo leads the league with an astounding 110.8 passer rating.
When the teams met in Week 7, the Cowboys lost 36-22. But that proved to be a turning-point game for the Cowboys because Bill Parcells benched Drew Bledsoe and replaced him with Romo, who has since gone 4-1. As vulnerable as the Giants seem, Romo will be tested by a loud and cranky sellout crowd, and windy conditions at Giants Stadium. His mobility and ability to make plays on the move should be difficult for the Giants defense to handle.
The Cowboys' defensive mission is to stop Tiki Barber. Look for Dallas' linebackers, led by DeMarcus Ware, to consistently swarm around Barber. In the previous meetings between the teams, Barber was a difference-maker by rushing for 114 yards. The Cowboys defense also must be aware of Barber's impact as a receiver.
If Dallas can put the game into the hands of quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants could be in trouble, given his repeated struggles to make proper reads and good decisions with the ball. The Cowboys will add to Manning's stress by involving safeties Keith Davis and Roy Williams in double-covering Plaxico Burress, who has become his lone big-play threat since Amani Toomer was lost to a season-ending injury.
Given the severe winds that are expected to swirl in Giants Stadium, another key factor in the game's outcome will be the punters. The Cowboys have the edge with Mat McBriar, who leads the league in average yards per punt, whereas Jeff Feagles is last in this category.
Is new rookie starter Jay Cutler going to give the Denver Broncos the lift they need to turn around their season, beginning with a win against the Seattle Seahawks?
No.
Cutler might very well prove to be a significant improvement over Jake Plummer, although it is hard to believe he is going to make that much of a difference in his first NFL start. The Seahawks, who rank third in the league with 37 sacks, should be able to make Cutler's life miserable by applying heavy pressure on him from the moment he drops back for his first pass. They will mix up fronts and coverages in hopes of forcing the rookie to hesitate and hold the ball too long, and become susceptible to mistakes.
The Seahawks' offense is steadily getting stronger now that running back Shaun Alexander has played two games since being out with a broken foot and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has had one start since returning from a knee injury. Alexander returned to his dominant form in Seattle's Week 12 victory against Green Bay, rushing for more than 200 yards. He should have another strong performance against Denver's run defense, which struggled in the last two games against two other premier backs, San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Kansas City's Larry Johnson. The Seahawks are confident they can wear down Denver's smallish defensive front.
With injuries having depleted the depth of the Broncos' secondary, the Seahawks can be expected to often go with three- and four-receiver sets to create favorable coverage matchups for Hasselbeck to exploit. Spreading the defense also should help open some running room for Alexander.
source ([Only registered and activated users can see links])