PACKERS 21 - EAGLES 16
-Milestones-
There were many milestones passed in last night's 21-16 Packers victory. To start, QB Aaron Rodgers notched what many believe will be the first of many postseason victories. Rookie RB James Starks proved that, "hey, the kid can play," galloping for 123 rushing yards - more than any Packers rusher all season. The game also served as a turning of the page, closing the book on the Al Harris chapter. CB Tramon Williams, whose stellar play was directly related to the release of the veteran CB Harris at mid-season, came up with the game saving interception in the end zone, leaving no doubt that the tandem to remember was no longer "Harris and Woodson" but rather "Woodson and Williams." A final milestone is worth mentioning. Until last night, the Packers were yet to beat the Eagles in the postseason.-I Pity The Fool-
To compliment the introduction of their retro 1929 championship jerseys, the Packers ran a formation straight out of that ancient playbook - the "T formation". Also seen as the wishbone, or 3 back set, this formation from the days of Bart Starr and Ray Nitschke usually features 2 halfbacks and a full back or vice versa. Either way the message is smash mouth and up the gut. This formation was only used 34 times in the regular season by all teams combined. The Packers account for 20 of those downs. Kevin Seifert over at ESPN's NFC North blog, has nicely collated RB James Starks success last night in the T formation, and otherwise:.....................T formation..............Otherwise Attempts.............8..............................15
Yds/Att..............7.6............................4.1
1st Downs...........3................................1
In a league that no longer seems to stress the fundamentals of tackling, the Eagles were pushed all over the field by the 3 back set. It just goes to show what dedicated blocking can do for the running game. The Packers, known largely this season for their impotent ground game, seemed comfortable feeding Starks often, leading to a 32-27 run/pass ratio.
-Defenses Stay True-
At the close of the 2010 NFL season, two statistics rang true in this 21-16 wildcard bout. This season, the Philadelphia Eagles defensive unit gave up 21 points per game on average - good for 5th in the NFL. The Packers defense? You guessed it - They gave up an average of 16 points per game, which ranks 2nd in the league. Both offenses took what the opposing defense would give them. The Eagles defense, a young base 4-3 unit, struggled to get off the field, ultimately giving up 3 touchdowns in 32 minutes of Packer possession. The Eagles offense, known for big plays, did just that in driving the ball against Green Bay. But, the Packers stood strong, playing fast enough to confuse QB Michael Vick, who threw 1 TD and 1 INT, and strong enough to hold RB LeSean McCoy to just 46 yards on 12 carries.-Green Akers-
The Packers received some unlikely help to seal this wildcard win. David Akers, Philadelphia's pro-bowl placekicker, missed 2 critical field goal attempts throughout the course of the game. The first was from 41 yards out, and veered to the right as Akers admitted he "guessed wrong" when considering the wind. The second try was a 34-yard chip shot. Akers had no explanation for that one. We'll see if that story holds up in the rough and tumble city of brotherly love.-Bring On The Birds-
An unexplained phenomenon is taking place as flocks of birds are dropping dead in places all over the world. Sources say it happened in Philadelphia last night, when 52 eagles dropped right out of the sky onto Lincoln Financial Field. Scientists now predict that a similar event may happen sometime next Saturday night in Atlanta. Although the Georgia Dome is an indoor facility, some believe a cast of falcons will hit the floor.
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