|
| |
| ||
|
| ||
|
War Room Edge: Keys to Victory
Posted: Wednesday January 13, 1999 01:33 PM As we enter "NFL Championship Weekend," we have a year in which the four best teams are still in contention for the Super Bowl. These games have tremendous excitement and marquee matchups full of subplots and interesting story lines. As The War Room takes an early look at these games, there are a few specific keys to success for each team that may be critical to winning these games. Jets will win if ...1. They keep this game close early. Denver is a very tough environment for an opposing team, and much like Minnesota, Denver can put you away early. If the Jets are competitive in the first half, they will not only partially neutralize the crowd, but they will build confidence that they can compete with the Broncos. Any early adversity for the Jets could make this game a blowout. 2. They can find balance on offense, with a nice mixture of pass and run. They must be diversified in their offensive attack. The Broncos will likely try to take away Curtis Martin and the run, and force Vinny to win this game. In a game of this magnitude, Vinny is capable of pressing and making mistakes if he has to carry this offense, although he has done an excellent job this year. If the Jets don't become one-dimensional, they have a chance to move the ball on this Denver defense. 3. They don't give up big plays on defense. This will be the biggest challenge for defensive coordinator Bill Belichick. The Broncos are explosive and can score in bunches. The Jets must keep everything in front of them and force Denver to drive the length of the field. If they are able to do this and create a turnover or two, they could stay in this game. Obviously, nobody is going to confuse QB John Elway with gimmicks, so the Jets will have to play sound and fundamental defense and hope for the best. Broncos will win if ...1. They mix it up on defense and force Vinny to carry the Jets offense. The Broncos will likely try to take Curtis Martin out of the game and put the outcome in Vinny's hands. They will try to confuse him with a variety of blitzes and looks, and will pressure him enough to make him throw the ball up for grabs. Vinny is at his best when he has a strong run game around him, and he can be a complementary part of the offense, but look for the Broncos to try to turn this into a one-dimensional Jets offense. 2. They wear down the Jets defense with a heavy dose of Terrell Davis. The Broncos would love to make this a ball-control power offense, and Terrell Davis could see 30-plus carries. If he has a huge day, it won't matter what the Jets do on offense because the Broncos will have absolute control of this game and will run away from the Jets in the second half. 3. They stop RB Curtis Martin and force the Jets to become one-dimensional. This point has already been mentioned, but it is critical to the Broncos' success. Both teams would like a physical game dominated by the run, and weather could be a factor. Although both teams are capable of throwing the football, that is not their forte. If Denver can render the Jets one-dimensional, this should be an easy day for them. Curtis Martin is a huge key to the Jets' success.
| |||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||
