Thanksgiving Game Previews
The Three Major Storylines
1) Will Matt Flynn continue his Packers redemption story?
2) Will the Cowboys, as per usual, suffer a let down against an inferior opponent?
3) Can the Steelers or Ravens reassert their superiority in the AFC wildcard race?
The Biggests Matchup to Watch
1) B.J. Raji vs. Larry Watford
1) Will Matt Flynn continue his Packers redemption story?
2) Will the Cowboys, as per usual, suffer a let down against an inferior opponent?
3) Can the Steelers or Ravens reassert their superiority in the AFC wildcard race?
The Biggests Matchup to Watch
1) B.J. Raji vs. Larry Watford
- B.J. Raji is a big name, but he is a streaky player at best and is in the midst of his worst season. A player listed at Raji’s size should never be pushed around in the run game the way he has been this season. Raji’s struggles against the run were on full display against the Minnesota Vikings last week:
- On this play the Packers manage to completely clog up the lane Peterson intends to run though on the left side of the offensive line. However, Peterson being the great back that he is, quickly identifies a cut back lane on the right side of the line and heads for it:
- There is one of two ways Raji can prevent Peterson from breaking the run through this hole. One option he has is he can use his power to push the guard further into the backfield. That would either allow him to make an arm tackle, or stall Peterson enough to let a second level defender to bring him down. Raji could also us his hands to disengage from the guard over the right shoulder and meet Peterson in the hole. However Raji does neither of these things:
- Raji gets lazy with his technique and allows the guard to push him out of the play. Getting turned around was about the worst thing he could do, and allows Peterson to turn a play that should have gone for a loss into a positive gain.
- On Thursday, B.J. Raji will have the pleasure of matching up with the Lions’ right guard Larry Warford, who Pro Football Focus grades as the fourth best guard in the league. Raji is coming off a really bad showing against the Vikings Brandon Fusco, another highly graded player, but certainly not in the same class as Warford. If Raji does not play with better technique against Warford, he will absolutely get washed out in the run game again. The Lions tandem of running backs, Reggie Bush and Joique Bell could be in for big days on the fast track of Ford Field
2) Rod Streeter vs. Morris Claiborne
- Rod Streeter has quietly been playing great with Matt McGloin under center. Streeter has put up eleven catches for 177 yards and a touchdown while clearly being McGloin’s preferred target. Streeter’s not a supreme athletic specimen at the wide receiver position, but he is a sound route runner and does little things well to get open. Morris Claiborne, Dallas’s former top ten draft pick at cornerback, really struggles in coverage. He also has a problem with drawing penalties at inopportune moments. Here is a play from two weeks ago against Houston where Streeter baits another corner into penalizing him:
- Here Streeter faces Brandon Harris in off-man coverage, and will be totally isolated with the cornerback. With Harris have a lapse in focus, something that Claiborne struggles with, Streeter makes a savvy move ten yards into his vertical route to draw a penalty:
- At the crucial point in the route, Streeter draws contact from Harris. The Raiders are already guaranteed to gain a first down out of this play. Streeter wants more however:
- Despite the penalty that has already been drawn, Streeter still manages to make a fantastic catch. A young up and coming receiver in this league, Rod Streeter is a player to watch this holiday season.
- Lions over Packers
- Raiders over Cowboys
- Steelers over Ravens
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