evad04;196631Well in Raji's defense he commands double teams. He doesn't just "get" them -- he "commands" them. He's a lot more disruptive when they bring some kind of pressure that frees him up for a one-on-one.

Formo;196543Ponder is in as you all know.
Not sure on the injury front for your guys' team, but the Vikings may be out 4 starters.
3 of which won't be noticed much, IMO.
The only one I'm remotely concerned about as a Viking fans is Winfield.
I don't want him on the field if he isn't healthy, though.
It's a neck injury so its something to take caution on.

No one here has the nuts to take a sig/avatar bet with me, so I'll make a reserved projection that the Packers will win, but not by as much and ZS wants them to.
I think it'll be a scrappy game.

flep;196663I'll take you on Mr Formo

And I'll spot you 10 points as well.

C'mon you know you want to.

Silentio;196632I don’t know that you’re wrong, but I am always wary of fans evaluating effort. I just don’t see how a fan watching on television can say with much confidence, "that guy isn’t showing much effort”. Maybe where a wide receiver is concerned it’s a little easier to make that call, but on the D line it seems tougher.

Offenses have been bringing in max protect schemes and running the football with cutesy misdirections plays, then taking what they can get downfield in plays that take forever to develop. Dom has been playing bend but don’t break style defense until the redzone, on one hand, or the Packers have a healthy lead, on the other. I don’t think you’re going to see Raji (and the rest of the D line) streaking toward the QB while Dom is rushing three guys against an entire offensive line, two tight ends and a fullback. On the other hand, I think it was during the Atlanta game that they showed a replay of Raji blocking up two gaps singlehandedly, waiting for the running back to make his cut, and stopping the play for no gain. That takes effort. It’s not QB sack effort but it gets the job done, within the scheme, when a team is trying to trudge down the field 4 yards at a time.

bozz_2006;196697Any word on Shields? Has he practiced at all?

Cornerback Sam Shields (concussion), linebacker Frank Zombo (knee), linebacker Jamari Lattimore (shoulder), tackle Chad Clifton (knee/hamstring) and defensive end Mike Neal (knee) were all out. Neal, Zombo and Clifton have already been declared out for Sunday’s game in Minnesota.

bozz_2006;196697Any word on Shields? Has he practiced at all?