NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

Senior writer jclombardi highlights Packers win over Eagles.

Packers defense wins it: The Green Bay Packers’ defense blitzed and then backed off into Cover 2. It played coverage for several plays and then ramped up the aggression, bringing pressure from different positions and angles. The whole idea was to confuse and contain Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in an NFC wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. The Packers accepted the fact that Vick was going to break containment from time to time. He was going to scramble. He was going to escape the pocket and complete passes downfield. They just wanted to minimize the damage by Vick, whose ability to ad-lib into explosive plays is unparalleled in the NFL. The Packers played it to the hilt in a 21-16 victory. It was Green Bay’s first playoff victory on the road since Jan. 11, 1998. Now it’s on to Atlanta for an NFC divisional game against the No. 1-seeded Falcons. The Packers set the tone on the first play from scrimmage, when linebacker Desmond Bishop blitzed the left-handed Vick from the blind side and slammed him to the turf for a 9-yard loss. But coordinator Dom Capers didn’t dare blitz on every play, or even most of them. He had to mix up coverages and pressure to keep Vick off-balance. In passing situations, the Packers’ main goal was to keep Vick in the pocket. Their secondary goal was to get hits on him; they finished with three sacks and three more quarterback hits. When they did blitz, they tried to make sure Vick couldn’t get wide of the pressure, where he is most dangerous. Vick completed 20 of 36 passes for 292 yards and one touchdown. But he rushed for only 33 yards in eight attempts.

Rodgers finally wins one: "First playoff win," Jennings shouted at Aaron Rodgers, who was only a few stalls away. "It's about time!" Rodgers smiled, then replied in a slightly quieter tone. "Long drought," he said. "Yeah, what's it been," Jennings said, not giving up, "10 years?" With that, the two Green Bay Packers teammates and friends ended their two-man, one-act play entitled, "A-Rod Wins a Playoff Game – Finally." "We joke about it now because it's like, 'Where in the world is that coming from?'" Jennings said following the Packers' 21-16 NFC Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. "The guy has been in two playoff games and everybody acts like he's been in 20. I'm like, 'Can he have an opportunity to win a playoff game?'" A year after losing his first foray into the NFL postseason – a 51-45 overtime loss at Arizona in the NFC Wild Card round in which he threw for 422 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort – Rodgers delivered a less-productive but nearly error-free performance Sunday, completing 18 of 27 passes for 180 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 122.5 passer rating. While he was sacked twice and lost a fumble on the opening possession of the third quarter, Rodgers appeared in complete control of the game from start to finish. It was exactly the kind of efficient performance Rodgers needed to "finally" win a playoff game.

Starks breaks Packers rookie rushing record for postseason–surpasses Travis ‘The Roadrunner’ Williams’ 88 yards in 1967: Starks blew past Williams’ record by 35 yards at Lincoln Financial Field, and his huge day – 123 yards on 23 carries (5.3) average – helped the Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 21-16, in an NFC wild-card playoff game. ”I really take my hat off to everybody on this team because it is not just what I did,” a beaming Starks said in the Packers’ locker room. “The offensive line and the receivers did a great job to make this happen. People got body on body and really gave me the holes to run through.” Starks’ total was a season-high for the Packers and it was only the second time the team had a back go over 100 yards; Brandon Jackson had 115 against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 10. ”It was huge,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said of Starks’ production. “The way James was running the ball tonight was maybe one of the most important factors in this win. ”He ran great, and I was so happy for him. He’s a great kid and he has really grown a lot in the last couple weeks. He was big tonight.”

The Broncos are going to chat Monday with former Panthers coach John Fox according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Fox’s Panthers finished an NFL-worst 2-14 in 2010 in the last season of his deal with the team, but is highly regarded and shouldn’t be without a job for long.

On Sunday the team spoke to Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, an interim coach for Buffalo in 2009, and Eric Studesville, who went 1-3 as interim Broncos coach after his promotion from running backs coach following Josh McDaniels’ firing last month. Denver also would like to speak with Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers, but will probably have to wait after the Pack beat the Eagles Sunday and will play at Atlanta Saturday.

As for Fox, there’s talk that he’s also is getting some interest from the Browns, who fired Eric Mangini a week ago.

In a season where Ravens fans have often needed to have the Alka-Seltzer on standby this one was fun to watch as they cruised to a 30-7 thumping of a young Kansas City team.

There isn't going to be much negative to say about this one, though I will be interested as I comb the message boards and listen to the talk shows Monday morning. There's always someone out there who isn't satisfied.

Did the Ravens finally finish off an opponent in convincing fashion?

Yes! The young Chiefs looked very quick in the first half and I'll admit that I had some concerns. Joe Flacco was effective through the air but until the final drive of the first half the Ravens only had three points to show for it.

I thought they did a fantastic job of making adjustments in the locker room, which has been a sore spot with me most of the year. The Defense was aggressive and relentless for Four Quarters and sacked, intercepted and hit the Chiefs into multiple turnovers until they said – "No Mas!" The Offense generated 390 total yards of offense and used a good mix to get many players involved

If the Ravens can build off of this performance you have to like their chances next week.

Have the Ravens finally flipped the Offensive switch?

That will be the biggest question when they play a top defense like Pittsburgh next Saturday. You'd never expect 30, of course but can they put up enough to keep Ben Roethlisberger out of the equation.

Cam Cameron has taken a beating this season and to a degree rightfully so. But, I loved the game plan today. This is what the offense was supposed to be. A balanced group that can shift focus depending on what the defense wants to try and take away from you.

The Chiefs tried to limit the Wide Receivers and were treated to a hefty helping of Todd Heap who had a Ravens playoff record 10 catches today and was huge on third down. Speaking of receivers I'd like formally welcome Anquan Boldin back to the offensive game plan. He made tough catches to the inside and I smiled as Phil Simms made that point about Boldin's skills. I've heard that somewhere before. The Ravens used some Crossing routes which I can't remember seeing at any point this season with excellent results.

As you look across the board at all the offensive statistics there's a lot to like. The Ravens dominated Time of Possession (41:44 – 18:16), were solid on Third Down (9-17) and moved the ball effectively with 24 First Downs.

This was one game against a team that I felt was untested this season and had little to no playoff experience. That won't be the case next week so we will see.

How would you rate Joe Flacco's performance?

Flacco took a big step forward today. For the first time in six post-season games he wasn't just a bit player but rather a featured performer. He was 25 of 34 for 265 and 2 touchdowns.

He struggled early. He had trouble recognizing the blitz in the first half and was visibly bothered by pressure even before it was truly an issue and fumbled the ball twice. To his credit he ran for first downs when there was space and should have been awarded a penalty on the head shot he received after he was already in full slide. He also took what the defense gave him. Baltimore has been known as a Bomb type passing offense this season and while I like them to take their shots once in a while they often use it too much. Today he used checkdown screens, crosses, and other intermediate throws to keep the chains moving.

That's the most important piece to me, you must have no conscience when it comes to dealing with mistakes and you want your offense to keep piling up First downs and get into a rhythm and attack and keep the defense on their heels.

Who was the Offensive Player of the Game?

Flacco's performance was very good overall.  Todd Heap was the forgotten man in the Chiefs defensive game plan and he made them pay big time. Ray Rice was used as both a runner and as a receiver and made several first downs on his skills alone. I loved seeing Willis McGahee involved in the running game as well. The offensive line adjusted after a rough first half in pass protection. Michael Oher who to be fair has been battling injuries will need to put in a stronger performance against the Steelers blitz next week.

Who was the Defensive Player of the Game?

The Defense were well rested in this one and as a result when they were on the field they were in full attack mode. Terrell Suggs was a force with two sacks, Terrence Cody and Ray Lewis forced fumbles. By the way I think Cody will be a fine player in this league, he showed great athleticism running down Charles from behind. Anyone who isn't sure just check Haloti Ngata's stats from his rookie season.

Speaking of Charles he is crazy fast. He reminds me of Chris Johnson in some respects but his burst is impressive to watch. The Ravens adjusted and took him out of the game in the Second Half. Top receiver Dwyane Bowe was shut down with zero catches too.

The Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) were to host the Green Bay Packers (10-6) in the Wildcard round of the NFC playoffs. The Eagles were able to win out the NFC East, as the Packers were able to get into the playoffs on a late season rally.

Both teams boast some of the most deadly and fast scoring offenses in the entire NFL, and two of the hottest QB's in the entire NFL. It was planned to be an offensive showdown, and as the game progressed it turned into a defensive lockout.

Aaron Rodgers had an incredible game, and he did more than enough to win the Packers the game. Michael Vick did a great job, and was playing through an injury. Although throwing the game ending interception, he was trying to get a quick score and win the game.

There was more than enough moments where everyone was holding their breath, and it was a great game to watch. (Even better if you're a Packers fan). The final score was, 21-16, Green Bay.

Here are 10 things that lost Philadelphia the game at home:

10. The Packers Quieted The Crowd

Throughout the entire game the Packers were faced with consistent third and medium length situations, and the Eagles defense failed to hold. Not only would the Eagles defense fail to hold on those third downs, but they would also give up the big play.

As soon as the crowd would get into the game, the Eagles defense would fail to stop and hold the Packers offense. Giving up big pass plays, and consistent runs against a rookie running back, and allowing the Packers to score.

The Eagles might as well have been playing on the road. The entire home field was just too busy shaking their heads in disappointment.

9. Missed David Akers Field Goals

I have never seen this from David Akers. This is not the type of kicker that he usually is. When he missed the first field goal from 41 yards and a sufficient amount of wind, I was surprised but not totally alarmed. Then he missed an easy 33 yard field goal, with the wind in his favor.

I'm having trouble accepting that Akers was able to miss two field goals in one game. Not just any game. A playoff game.

The Eagles would have had six more points on the board, and with the current score could have won the game.

This played a huge part in the Eagles losing this game.

8. James Starks

Who is James Starks?

This would be a rookie running back out of Buffalo that had more rushing yards on the Eagles defense than Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, and Arian Foster.

This is the same running back that totaled 123 yards on the Eagles defense. The same running back that was able to average 5.3 yards a carry on the tough Eagles rush defense. I was stunned at how easily Starks was able to run all over the Eagles defense. It was like he just had five yards before any player would even attempt to make a tackle on him.

Who needs Arron Rodgers when you suddenly find a ground attack that includes a player like Starks?

7. Lack of Offense

The Eagles have one of the best offenses in the entire NFL, which has been proven once Michael Vick is taking the snaps. The Packers have two big playmakers on their defense, and are above average at about every other position.

Philadelphia's offense was non-exsistent.

Sure, there were plays where the Eagles had big gains and on one of the big plays it went for a touchdown. But mainly the Eagles offense was doing a great job of stalling and not getting the ball into the end zone.

The Eagles have struggled in the past with getting the ball into the end zone, and it showed in this game more than ever.

6. Lack of Pressure on Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers is one of the best QB's in the NFL. He has a lightning fast release and a very high football IQ. There are really few ways to contain and hold off Rodgers from shredding defenses and winning games. The most effective and common method is getting pressure and getting sacks.

The Eagles were only able to get Rodgers on the ground two times the entire game.

This is the Eagles defensive line that has Trent Cole and Broderick Bunkley, who are pass rushing machines. Rodgers had more than enough time to throw the ball, and he almost never looked rushed or under pressure.

The Eagles defensive presence was just not there.

5. Poor Coverage in The Secondary

No one was comfortable with the Eagles current corner back situation. There was a huge gap on the side opposite of Asante Samuel. It was either Dimitri Patterson or Joselio Hanson.

Patterson was able to get the starting job. I wouldn't say that all of the Eagles secondary problems should fall onto Patterson's shoulders, but he did blow several coverages during the game. However, the main portion of blown assignments came from the Eagles young linebackers.

The Packers have a deadly passing attack and they had it on display in this game. Rodgers finished the game with 180 yards and three touchdowns.

4. Lack of Turnovers

The Philadelphia Eagles defense excels at causing turnovers. Besides one mistake on special teams, and a one fumble from Aaron Rodgers, the Eagles defense did nothing to get the ball back. There were no interceptions, even though Asante Samuel should have had one, maybe even two.

As the Packers fumbled the ball three times, the Eagles were only able to get the ball back once. When the ball was on the ground, the Eagles defenders didn't jump quickly enough to get the ball, and looked unaware and unprepared.

If the Eagles could have even recovered one more of those fumbles, it could have been a totally different game.

3. Lack of Rushing Game

LeSean McCoy is one of the Eagles biggest threats on offense, and he has developed into an excellent rusher. The Eagles and Andy Reid have continued to neglect handing the ball off to him. Even though he has been nothing but excellent, Reid still chooses to pass the ball more than ever.

McCoy only 12 touches in the game. But he was able to rush for 46 yards. There is no reason that the Eagles should not have been handing the ball off more. It is easy to defend against an offense, especially like the Eagles, when it is going to be a pass on every down.

Not only did McCoy need more touches in this game, but he deserved it.

2. Failure to Protect Michael Vick and Allow Him Time to Throw

The Packers defense finished the game with three sacks on Michael Vick. That is not an alarming or an impressive number by any means, but they were sacking Vick. One of the most elusive and fast moving QB's in the NFL, and they brought him down three times.

The sacks were not the biggest problem though, it was that every time that Vick dropped back to pass there was a defender in his face. Usually Vick would try to escape and find the open receiver, which resulted in several bad passes and almost no completions.

When Vick didn't try and scramble, he would drop back and get thrown to the ground by a Packers defender on almost every snap as soon as he released the throw. Luckily the hits were not to his thigh or he would have been sidelined after the first drive.

The Eagles offensive line might as well still have been on the bench. Vick had no protection in this game.

1. Poor Coaching

Comeon, Andy.

I love Andy Reid. I think he is one of the best coaches the Eagles could have found, and he has had enormous success in Philadelphia. But he is just not a good postseason coach. He never has been and it is possible that he never will be.

Reid continued to be overly conservative and not take any chances. He relied on his defense when they were just not playing well. He asked his offense to do too much in not enough time. More than anything- He did not win the game.

From the opening drive, it did not seem like Reid was playing in an elimination playoff game, but more of a causal regular season game that had no meaning. His play calls were repetitive and did not lean on the side of aggressiveness.

Let's chalk this one down as another postseason loss for Reid, and another season without a Super Bowl win.

Joe Flacco passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens scored 27 unanswered points Sunday for a 30-7 victory over Kansas City in their AFC Wild Card game.

Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin and Willis McGahee all scored touchdowns and Baltimore forced five turnovers to set up another road game against heated rival Pittsburgh next Saturday.

Matt Cassel was just 9-of-18 for 70 yards and three interceptions for a Chiefs team that had trouble getting out of its own way. The AFC West champions scored their only points on Jamaal Charles’ 41-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Throwing early and often, Flacco completed 25 of his 34 passes, including a nine-yard touchdown pass to Rice in the second quarter that gave the Ravens (13-4) the lead for good.

Baltimore scored on five consecutive possessions between that touchdown and McGahee’s 25-yard run in the fourth quarter, putting the game away with an exacting offense and stifling performance by the defense.

“We were able to keep going, keep going, keep going today,” said Flacco. “It was a really good team victory.”

The Ravens gained a franchise playoff-record 390 yards on offense and had 26 first downs playing on the road at Arrowhead Stadium, typically a tough test for any team.

The defense limited Kansas City (10-7) to 161 yards and eight first downs, picking off Cassel three times and forcing two fumbles.

The Ravens lost the AFC North to Pittsburgh and had to play the Chiefs on the road despite having a superior record in the regular season.

Baltimore will get a chance to renew its heated rivalry with the second-seeded Steelers after the teams split two games during the regular season — both hard-nosed affairs decided by three points.

That game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. (et) on Saturday and figures to be a more competitive affair than this one.

“We’d be happy to see them out of it,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said of the Steelers, “but it seems like it’s poetic justice.”

Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said everybody wants to see the Ravens- Steelers matchup, calling it “Armageddon.”

Among the Ravens stars on Sunday was tight end Todd Heap, who caught 10 passes for 108 yards, setting a franchise playoff record for receptions. Rice rushed for 57 yards on 17 carries and McGahee had 10 runs for 44 yards.

Charles gained 82 yards on nine carries for the Chiefs, while Dexter McCluster had four catches for 17 yards. He was the only Kansas City player with more than one reception.

“A tough ending to a really fun year where we made a lot of progress,” said Chiefs head coach Todd Haley.

The Ravens, behind 196 yards passing from Flacco, carried a 10-7 lead into halftime. They got a 29-yard field goal from Billy Cundiff in the middle of the third quarter, then scored their next 10 points on back-to-back Kansas City turnovers.

Ray Lewis hit McCluster and knocked the ball loose with his left arm, forcing a fumble that the Ravens converted into another 29-yarder by Cundiff.

Safety Dawan Landry then stepped in front of a Cassel pass, picking it off, and Boldin made a leaping grab in the back of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown and 23-7 Ravens lead.

It could have been even worse for the Chiefs. Another fumble was overturned after Cassel was ruled to be in a passing motion when he was hit by corner Lardarius Webb.

Still, Kansas City was forced to punt and the Ravens responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive to put the game away in the fourth quarter, aided by an offsides penalty on the Chiefs that negated a punt.

Flacco completed all three of his passes on the drive, but Rice did most of the damage with 36 yards on the ground and McGahee made a nice cut at the line before dragging two defenders into the end zone for his touchdown.

“I thought our team got stronger as it went on,” Harbaugh said.

Kansas City hosted its first playoff game since 2004 following a full season spent atop the division standings. Haley called the game a great experience for the young guys on his team who had never been to the playoffs, but had no trouble figuring out why they lost.

“You can’t turn the football over and expect to win,” Haley said.

Baltimore’s defense was good, of course, but the offense also stood out.

Flacco passed for 69 yards on the game’s opening drive and the Ravens ran three plays from the Kansas City one-yard line before settling for a Cundiff field goal and the early 3-0 lead.

Baltimore dominated possession for the first 12 minutes of the game, holding the Chiefs to a three-and-out on their first series. But Flacco was unable to recover his own fumble after linebacker Tamba Hali smacked the ball away and the Chiefs converted the turnover into their first postseason lead in 13 years.

Charles only needed to break two tackles on his 41-yard touchdown run, stepping over a defender as he broke through the line and pushing through another tackler in the secondary.

It was the first time since the 2005 season that the vaunted Ravens defense allowed a rushing touchdown over 30 yards.

But Baltimore scored again before halftime when Flacco found Rice wide open in the secondary, giving the Ravens their three-point lead heading into the locker room.

Flacco was 17-of-24 in the first half. He set an NFL playoff record for pass attempts in the first quarter of a game with 17, besting Tom Brady’s old mark of 16 from January 10, 2004.

Senior writer jclombardi looks at Packers vs Eagles game day.

Mettle test rematch game: After a second-half rally came up short in the season opener Sept. 12, the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback let the Green Packers know, in no uncertain terms, that they’d be seeing him again. “We beat them (27-20) and we were kind of celebrating,” said linebacker Desmond Bishop. “We were walking off the field and Asante Samuel was angry. He was like, ‘We’re going to see y’all again in the playoffs. This is Game 1.’ I just took it as he was angry or whatever.” Samuel’s prediction, like that of Aaron Rodgers, has come to pass. Seventeen weeks after Samuel uttered those prescient words, the Packers return to Philadelphia, this time for an NFC wild-card game at Lincoln Financial Field at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. But other than the color of their uniforms, both teams have been so dramatically altered by injury and circumstance that the season-opener might as well have been played five years ago. Vick’s passer rating of 100.2 ranks second in the NFC behind only Rodgers’ mark of 101.2, and Vick actually has the lower interception percentage (1.6 to 2.3). That’s notable because Rodgers is considered among the best in the league at protecting the ball. Besides the Eagles’ change at quarterback, the makeup of both teams has been altered considerably by injuries to key players. The Packers lost running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley struggling to replace them, perhaps one reason the offense has been inconsistent. “They are who they are, despite any injuries they may have,” said Greg Jennings, the Packers’ leading receiver. “Every team goes though that injury phase. They’ve gone through it, as have we. We don’t feel sorry for them; they don’t feel sorry for us. They have who they have back there and it’s our job to execute and to exploit any opportunity that we have.” The constants are that both teams have backups and reserves who have stepped up and sound schemes the coaches and players trust. “A lot of things have changed,” Colledge said. “Guys have gone through injuries, guys are playing different football. But they have talent and they have ability and they’ve done a good job. We’re expecting a fight.”

Commentary: Elite QB Rodgers can win against a patchwork secondary with the Packers being a more talented team to win a shootout. Also, the Packers blitz pressure and coverage defense is much improved to stop the Eagles passing attack and QB Vick. The Packers run defense can be solid too knowing the Eagles game plan. Coach McCarthy knows where the Eagles will attack and game manage against them. Finally, the Eagles are too banged up, too soft on defense and too ripe for the Packers to lose. It is time for the Packers to get beyond the bad 4-26 memory in the playoffs against the Eagles. Frankly, this game should not be close unless the Packers let it be one by playing down to the competition. It really is about the intangibles in life and football. Go Pack!

D.J. Williams, TE, Arkansas, 6′2 250

Position Ranking: #2

Strengths: Williams brings three years worth of experience in a pro-style offense that was diverse in its makeup. He lined up as a traditional end, in the slot, and as a fullback. Shows good release quickness off the line and bends his shoulder with subtlety to avoid the jam when releasing. Very good on the delayed release when chipping defenders.

Knows when to settle into a zone and help his quarterback; was asked to run coverage option routes. Sharp route runner when breaking inside and out on his short and intermediate patterns. Better quickness than long speed; shows the short area burst to separate from tight coverage. Runs determined after the catch, dropping pads and churning his legs through tacklers. No hesitation when facing contact. Very willing blocker who continued to improve his technique on in-line blocking and in space. Highly regarded as a team leader and heavily active in community service.

Needs Improvement: Size and strength is only adequate as an in-line blocker and has trouble driving lineman off the ball. Overpowered by defensive ends in pass protection. Capable of making the tough catch but also dropped a good share of routine throws. Lacks the long speed to be a consistent threat down the seam. Not a big pass target.

Bottom Line: D.J. Williams is a complete team player and showed he could do everything a team would ask from a professional tight end. He played in a combination offense that offered both power and spread formations which will help him acclimate to an NFL playbook. The only thing Williams lacks is overall height and deep speed to be considered an elite prospect.

He was a consistent safety valve for his quarterback at Arkansas and routinely moved the chains as a reliable third down option. Blocking will likely always be a slight concern, but not due to effort or technique, only pure size. Williams has played at a heavier weight in the past but it really affected his athleticism and production. From a skill set standpoint he reminds me a bit of Bo Scaife, and should find a similar niche and production as Scaife has had in an NFL offense. Overall, Williams is a reliable player who brings high character both on and off the field.

Draft Projection: Mid 2nd to early 3rd round.