Because what makes him explosive is also causing him to make potential game-turning mistakes, Green Bay Packers rookie returner Randall Cobb plans on taking a page out of John Wooden’s playbook.
Be quick, but don’t hurry.
For the second time in three games, Cobb muffed a punt against the Minnesota Vikings, a miscue that led to the Vikings’ lone points Monday night in a 45-7 Packers victory. Cobb made the same mistake Oct. 23 against the Vikings in Minneapolis, and that fumble also led to a Minnesota touchdown. Cobb also lost a fumble on a kickoff at Carolina on Sept. 18, helping the Panthers to a 13-0 first-half lead.
So while Cobb had two explosive plays on Monday night – his 80-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Packers’ their first points of the game, and a 55-yard kickoff return immediately after the touchdown he’d gift-wrapped for the Vikings – Cobb plans on slowing himself down just a tiny bit Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It comes down to just the focus on my part,” said Cobb, who burst onto the scene with a franchise-record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Packers’ season-opening win over New Orleans on Sept. 8. It’s not my technique. I catch the ball fine; I get off the spot fine. It’s looking to the return before I actually catch the ball. It’s something that I have to focus more on — and if that slows me down as far as getting off the spot, then that’s something I just have to take.”
The Packers, who hadn’t returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 2000 and hadn’t returned a punt for a TD since 2008 before Cobb’s returns, are thrilled with the new dimension Cobb has brought them. Improving in the return game had been among coach Mike McCarthy’s goals in the wake of the team’s Super Bowl championship in February, and Cobb has delivered.
But on a team that emphasizes ball security — the Packers entered Week 11 tied for second in the NFL with a plus-11 turnover differential — fumbles cannot be tolerated, special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum said.
“He is a dynamic player, a very talented young man. (But) the two muffed punts and turnover on the kickoff return, we’re going to remove that from his game,” Slocum said. “He has to get that done. (On Monday night), he made a big play and he was anxious to do it again. He lost sight of one of the core fundamentals – making sure that ball is caught before you take off. One of the things he does very well is catch the ball and move immediately off the spot. He didn’t do that well on that particular play.
“The guy is determined to be good. He’s diligent in his work habits. He’s accountable. I expect him to improve.”
That much was evident from the way Cobb ran on the kickoff following his gaffe, but he acknowledged it didn’t make up for his fumble.
“I beat up on myself and I’m my biggest critic. It’s not like I’m out there trying to make mistakes. But when I do, I want to come back stronger and better,” said Cobb, who ranked second in the NFL in kickoff return average (30.0) and 11th in punt return average (11.1) entering this week’s games. “It’s like a quarterback having a bad pass, a receiver having a couple drops, a lineman not setting as far back in pass protection as they usually do — it’s not something that happens every single time, it’s just something that I have to eliminate as many as I’ve had.”
What makes Cobb dangerous as a punt returner is how quickly he transitions from catching the ball to exploding upfield. According to Cobb, because other returners pause longer after catching the ball, he is able to use that split-second advantage to find open running lanes before they close.
“The advantage of catching the ball and getting off the spot and moving is, I mess up every single person that’s trying to cover — their angles,” Cobb said. “That’s one thing I’m pretty good at. Because when they’re covering, they’re covering where the ball’s coming (down) and where they see me set up and catch the ball. So the faster I can move off that angle, the easier it is to create windows.
“Taking that extra .2 seconds to secure the catch, it’s not going to change that much. It’s just a matter of me practicing focusing a little bit more to make the catch and secure the catch first.”

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Going into Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, the feeling is becoming familiar for the Green Bay Packers: Another week, another win, another uneasy feeling about the state of the defence.

The reigning Super Bowl champions are the NFL’s only undefeated team at 8-0 and have won a franchise-record 14 straight games going back to last season, including playoffs. It has been so long since the Packers actually lost a game that defensive players now seem to be stewing about substandard performances in victories the same way they might after a loss.

That certainly was the case after the Packers’ Oct. 23 victory at Minnesota, where Green Bay allowed rookie quarterback Christian Ponder to play with poise in his first career start and gave up 175 yards to Adrian Peterson.

“Last time, we didn’t feel like we played as good as we could have played in Minnesota,” defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said. “We feel like we could have put it away, and then we kind of let them back in the game. ‘AP’ rushed for 175 yards. We felt sick after we even won that game. So this is a good opportunity for us to right our wrongs.”

Going into the second game between the two division rivals in less than a month, the Packers are giving up 299.6 yards passing per game this season, second-most in the NFL behind New England. They nearly coughed up a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s win at San Diego.

The Packers remain dominant on offence behind Aaron Rodgers. And while their defence does lead the NFL with 16 interceptions and has been good enough to win all eight games so far, the porous nature of their pass defence means they can’t take anybody for granted.

“If you look at it, it’s kind of good,” Pickett said. “We’re feeling sick and we’re 8-0. We definitely know we’ve got a lot of room to grow, and we know we’re going to get there. Especially as a defensive unit, we have segments of great games, but we have yet to put a complete game, the way we want to play, out there. We know it’s coming, and we’re going to just keep fighting til we get there.”

Ponder helped Minnesota beat Carolina two weeks ago for his first career win — the Vikings had a bye last week — and he sees no reason why the Vikings can’t make it a game Monday night.

“That’s kind of what their defence is, bend but don’t break,” Ponder said. “They’ve given up some yards but not a lot of scoring. Obviously my two mistakes I had last game, you’ve got to be careful with the ball but capitalize with the opportunities we’re given. I think as the offence if we do things right we can be pretty good.”

And Ponder says he can play better than he did in his first career start.

“The biggest thing is we kept it close, which should give us the confidence that we can hang in with those guys,” Ponder said. “Completion per cent around 40 per cent’s not good. Two turnovers isn’t good. So, there’s a lot to fix there. But still, with a 40 per cent completion rating with two interceptions and we still had the ability to win the game, I think that’s a good sign.”

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has no concerns about Ponder’s poise going into a prime-time road game.

“To come out there in your first start against the defending Super Bowl champions and play as well as he play and to make some of the plays that he made in the fourth quarter, just gives you the idea that he can handle adverse situations, he can handle being on the road and playing well like he did against Carolina,” Frazier said. “I don’t foresee him being in a situation on Monday Night where you go, ‘Oh, this is not a good situation for Christian.’ I just don’t foresee that.”

The Packers still will be most worried about stopping Peterson, who says the Vikings are comfortable with Ponder at quarterback.

“I really think the sky’s the limit for him with what he has shown in the past two weeks before the bye,” Peterson said. “I feel like we can do some really good things. We just can’t keep doing things that hurt us. Offensively, defensively, make sure we’re eliminating some penalties and make sure we take advantage of the opportunities that present (themselves).”

Peterson is plenty impressed with Rodgers, who threw for 335 yards and three touchdowns with an 80 per cent completion rate on Oct. 23.

“I feel like he’s the best quarterback in the league,” Peterson said. “I’ve always like Rodgers, even before he blew up. I could see the potential in him, just how he played, the attitude he played with. His passion shows. So it’s not really surprising to me.”

The Vikings’ defence will welcome back cornerback Antoine Winfield, who is set to return to the starting lineup after missing the last four games because of a neck injury. Defensive end Jared Allen leads the NFL with 12 1/2 sacks and Rodgers was sacked four times by San Diego, some of which were the result of good downfield coverage.

Still, stopping Rodgers will be a tough test for the Vikings. Linebacker E.J. Henderson made it sound like he’d rather be facing Brett Favre.

“He’s pretty hot right now,” Henderson said of Rodgers. “Even Brett in his (heyday) when we used to play the Packers he was still good for a couple three interceptions here and there. I definitely think he’s playing at a high level, we all know that, we know what a challenge it’s going to be for us Monday to come out and slow him down but we’re looking forward to it.”

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder faces the toughest test in his rookie ascension at the same time his team needs a savior from its prime-time ineptitude.

The Vikings enter Monday night’s game at Green Bay with a 2-8 record in their last 10 prime-time games and have been outscored 279-185 in those games, including a 39-10 pounding by Chicago in Week 6 on Oct. 16.

After recording a 4-2 record on Monday Night Football from 2005-08, the Vikings have lost four of their past five MNF games.

ESPN doesn’t plan to focus on the Vikings’ prime-time struggles. Bill Hofheimer, spokesman for Monday Night Football, said in an email the broadcast team of Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden and Mike Tirico likely will discuss the state of the current Vikings and “where the franchise goes from here with Ponder now at the helm.” Ponder’s early graduation from Florida State will be among the topics of discussion, Hofheimer said.

As if there won’t be enough eyes on Ponder as he plays in front of 70,000-plus fans at Lambeau Field who expect to watch the Packers go 9-0.

For all the talk about the No. 1 draft pick being unafraid of big moments – coach Leslie Frazier called him “unflappable” this week – Monday night is the perfect stage for him to validate his coach’s words.

Ponder understands the enormity of the moment, but doesn’t plan on it affecting his play.

“Undefeated team, at their house, in Lambeau, historic Lambeau, on Monday night, there’s a lot of things

to get excited about,” said Ponder, whose Vikings are 2-6. “But you have to treat it like any other game…It will be an electrifying atmosphere, but the crowd’s not playing.”

Frazier is confident Ponder, who completed 9-of-10 passes for 101 yards on third downs in a 24-21 win at Carolina on Oct. 30, can handle the pressure. In the Vikings’ 33-27 loss to the Packers at the Metrodome, Ponder threw for 219 yards despite completing 40.6 percent of his passes.

“I’ve got a feeling whatever we tell him, he’s still going to be able to handle the situation,” Frazier said. “He’s shown an ability to not let the moment overwhelm him…He has a way about him for being able to handle situations. Now, of course, we’ll do some things to prep him, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll be able to absorb it.”

The level of opposition helps explain the Vikings’ prime-time woes: Seven of the nine teams the Vikings faced from 2009-10 made the playoffs the same year. And this year’s Bears, at 5-3, are poised for a second consecutive playoff run.

In Ponder’s prime-time debut as the starter, these Vikings have a different dynamic – and perhaps more optimism – than the 2010 team that went 0-4 in prime time under quarterback Brett Favre. Backup quarterback Joe Webb replaced an injured Favre to lead the Vikings to a snow-delayed, 24-14 win at Philadelphia on a Tuesday night.

The 2009 Vikings’ 1-3 prime-time record still seems unexplainable considering the team’s 12-4 finish on its way to the NFC championship game.

But the 2010 Vikings were marred by the poor play of Favre on the field and his off-the-field sexting scandal, the Randy Moss trade, the firing of Brad Childress and a Metrodome roof collapse that forced the team to play games at TCF Bank Stadium and a game at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Vikings through this season’s first six games struggled to sustain drives with Donovan McNabb under center, a harsh reality on display in the ugly loss to Chicago. Ponder played in the fourth quarter and completed 9-of-17 passes for 99 yards.

Since then, Ponder has given the Vikings a downfield passing game averaging nearly 15 yards per completion. Running back Adrian Peterson also has some room to breathe, rushing for a season-high 175 yards against the Packers.

Frazier said the Vikings will add “some (offensive) wrinkles” to combat Green Bay’s 3-4 defensive scheme but added, “It won’t be a lot of new offense.”

Ponder will be adding some pre-game wrinkles, too, taking Lambeau Field early to find the play clock, get a feel for the end zone, “get your depth perception right.”

This was Ponder’s routine as a Florida State quarterback when the Seminoles played rivalry games against Florida and Miami.

“I don’t really know what to expect,” Ponder said about playing at Lambeau.

Packers linebacker Clay Matthews expects Ponder to play well Monday night.

“He was very poised, made plays when he needed to,” said Matthews about the Oct. 23 game. “We don’t expect anything different.”

Frazier likely won’t shower Ponder with motivational speeches this week because “there’s not a whole lot that intimidates or frightens him,” he said.

He just wants to get him on the field to see how the rookie responds.

“Once you get out there and start playing, all of that goes by the wayside,” said Frazier about Ponder playing at Lambeau Field.

Also, they essentially ended the Vikings’ season. At 0-3 and being outscored, 67-6, after halftime of those losses, the Vikings are done. Minnesota’s Leslie Frazier had his Marty Mornhinweg moment (remember when as Lions’ coach he took the wind rather than the ball against the Bears in overtime), deciding to go for it on fourth and short deep in Lions’ territory — and the handoff went to Toby Gerhart rather than All-Pro Adrian Peterson. In retrospect, if the Vikings kick the field goal there, they probably win the game.

That is not the Lions’ issue. It doesn’t taint their victory. It only enhanced it because in the past, it was Lions’ who were making similar mistakes.

The Lions let the Vikings dictate the first half. That’s not necessary when they possess a receiver like Johnson. When they started to throw the ball down the field to him, it opened up their passing game.

The Lions offensive line is a concern. Backus did not fare well in one-on-one matchups with Allen. It took the Lions too long to start double teams. Overtime, actually. The Lions still don’t have much of a running attack. They clearly have to pass to set up any sort of running game, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when the ball is in the hands of Stafford, who is playing as well as any QB in the NFL right now.

Momentum is building toward the Monday night game against the Bears on Oct. 10. The Lions are capable of beating the Cowboys in Dallas this week. They should start the season 4-0, setting up a national stage they haven’t been on, really, since the NFC championship game 20 years ago.

There are still plenty of their fans, who are fighting the urge to get really excited about the Lions because of the past.

That perception is changing.

The Lions have not had a quarterback like Matthew Stafford since Bobby Layne in the 1950s. Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh are special players. There is a really good cast surrounding the Big Three. They are well coached.

Trouble is relative in the NFL. Used to be when the Lions were down, they were out. They weren’t coming back. First sign of something gone awry, the game was over.

Now it’s down, but never out. We saw that Sunday. Continued…

Much went right for the Lions Sunday that could define their 26-23 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Calvin Johnson’s over-the-shoulder catch deep along the sideline, which set up the game-winning field goal, was one of the great plays in Lions’ history. Not only was it a brilliant display of athleticism, but the timing was obviously crucial.

There was quarterback Matthew Stafford, the fastest gun in the NFL these days, taking control in the second half and during overtime. Stafford, after halftime, threw for 314 yards. He hit the Vikings short, deep, over the middle, along the sidelines. There wasn’t a throw he didn’t make. An he was often under duress. The Vikings’ defensive line, particularly end Jared Allen, clearly got the best of veteran tackle Jeff Backus and the Lions’ offensive line.

There was kicker Jason Hanson, whose career was on the line during training camp, just drilling a 50-yard field goal to tie the game. It was like it was an extra point. The Lions had lost 13 straight games at Minnesota. Hanson was there for all of them.

However, this victory was more defined by what didn’t go right for the Lions — and the manner they responded to it.

Falling behind 20-0 at halftime. Mistakes that could have been very costly. An offensive line that appeared on the brink of collapse near the end of regulation time.

Yet, winning the game at the end when Hanson hugged the left upright with a 32-yard field goal, which only haunted the Vikings more.

This was a huge win. It doesn’t matter the Vikings have made this habit, blowing similar leads during their first two games against San Diego and Tampa Bay.

The Lions continue to earn cache one victory at a time.

Also, they essentially ended the Vikings’ season. At 0-3 and being outscored, 67-6, after halftime of those losses, the Vikings are done. Minnesota’s Leslie Frazier had his Marty Mornhinweg moment (remember when as Lions’ coach he took the wind rather than the ball against the Bears in overtime), deciding to go for it on fourth and short deep in Lions’ territory — and the handoff went to Toby Gerhart rather than All-Pro Adrian Peterson. In retrospect, if the Vikings kick the field goal there, they probably win the game.

That is not the Lions’ issue. It doesn’t taint their victory. It only enhanced it because in the past, it was Lions’ who were making similar mistakes.

The Lions let the Vikings dictate the first half. That’s not necessary when they possess a receiver like Johnson. When they started to throw the ball down the field to him, it opened up their passing game.

The Lions offensive line is a concern. Backus did not fare well in one-on-one matchups with Allen. It took the Lions too long to start double teams. Overtime, actually. The Lions still don’t have much of a running attack. They clearly have to pass to set up any sort of running game, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when the ball is in the hands of Stafford, who is playing as well as any QB in the NFL right now.

Momentum is building toward the Monday night game against the Bears on Oct. 10. The Lions are capable of beating the Cowboys in Dallas this week. They should start the season 4-0, setting up a national stage they haven’t been on, really, since the NFC championship game 20 years ago.

There are still plenty of their fans, who are fighting the urge to get really excited about the Lions because of the past.

That perception is changing.

The Lions have not had a quarterback like Matthew Stafford since Bobby Layne in the 1950s. Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh are special players. There is a really good cast surrounding the Big Three. They are well coached.

Trouble is relative in the NFL. Used to be when the Lions were down, they were out. They weren’t coming back. First sign of something gone awry, the game was over.

Now it’s down, but never out. We saw that Sunday.

It wouldn’t be surprising if we see it again … and again … and again.

The 3-0 start isn’t a fluke. It’s a beginning.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98.

The Lions continue to earn cache one victory at a time.

Also, they essentially ended the Vikings’ season. At 0-3 and being outscored, 67-6, after halftime of those losses, the Vikings are done. Minnesota’s Leslie Frazier had his Marty Mornhinweg moment (remember when as Lions’ coach he took the wind rather than the ball against the Bears in overtime), deciding to go for it on fourth and short deep in Lions’ territory — and the handoff went to Toby Gerhart rather than All-Pro Adrian Peterson. In retrospect, if the Vikings kick the field goal there, they probably win the game.

That is not the Lions’ issue. It doesn’t taint their victory. It only enhanced it because in the past, it was Lions’ who were making similar mistakes.

The Lions let the Vikings dictate the first half. That’s not necessary when they possess a receiver like Johnson. When they started to throw the ball down the field to him, it opened up their passing game.

The Lions offensive line is a concern. Backus did not fare well in one-on-one matchups with Allen. It took the Lions too long to start double teams. Overtime, actually. The Lions still don’t have much of a running attack. They clearly have to pass to set up any sort of running game, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when the ball is in the hands of Stafford, who is playing as well as any QB in the NFL right now.

Momentum is building toward the Monday night game against the Bears on Oct. 10. The Lions are capable of beating the Cowboys in Dallas this week. They should start the season 4-0, setting up a national stage they haven’t been on, really, since the NFC championship game 20 years ago.

There are still plenty of their fans, who are fighting the urge to get really excited about the Lions because of the past.

That perception is changing.

The Lions have not had a quarterback like Matthew Stafford since Bobby Layne in the 1950s. Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh are special players. There is a really good cast surrounding the Big Three. They are well coached.

Trouble is relative in the NFL. Used to be when the Lions were down, they were out. They weren’t coming back. First sign of something gone awry, the game was over. Continued…

For the News-Herald

Much went right for the Lions Sunday that could define their 26-23 overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Calvin Johnson’s over-the-shoulder catch deep along the sideline, which set up the game-winning field goal, was one of the great plays in Lions’ history. Not only was it a brilliant display of athleticism, but the timing was obviously crucial.

There was quarterback Matthew Stafford, the fastest gun in the NFL these days, taking control in the second half and during overtime. Stafford, after halftime, threw for 314 yards. He hit the Vikings short, deep, over the middle, along the sidelines. There wasn’t a throw he didn’t make. An he was often under duress. The Vikings’ defensive line, particularly end Jared Allen, clearly got the best of veteran tackle Jeff Backus and the Lions’ offensive line.

There was kicker Jason Hanson, whose career was on the line during training camp, just drilling a 50-yard field goal to tie the game. It was like it was an extra point. The Lions had lost 13 straight games at Minnesota. Hanson was there for all of them.

However, this victory was more defined by what didn’t go right for the Lions — and the manner they responded to it.

Falling behind 20-0 at halftime. Mistakes that could have been very costly. An offensive line that appeared on the brink of collapse near the end of regulation time.

Yet, winning the game at the end when Hanson hugged the left upright with a 32-yard field goal, which only haunted the Vikings more.

This was a huge win. It doesn’t matter the Vikings have made this habit, blowing similar leads during their first two games against San Diego and Tampa Bay.

The Lions continue to earn cache one victory at a time.

Also, they essentially ended the Vikings’ season. At 0-3 and being outscored, 67-6, after halftime of those losses, the Vikings are done. Minnesota’s Leslie Frazier had his Marty Mornhinweg moment (remember when as Lions’ coach he took the wind rather than the ball against the Bears in overtime), deciding to go for it on fourth and short deep in Lions’ territory — and the handoff went to Toby Gerhart rather than All-Pro Adrian Peterson. In retrospect, if the Vikings kick the field goal there, they probably win the game.

That is not the Lions’ issue. It doesn’t taint their victory. It only enhanced it because in the past, it was Lions’ who were making similar mistakes.

The Lions let the Vikings dictate the first half. That’s not necessary when they possess a receiver like Johnson. When they started to throw the ball down the field to him, it opened up their passing game.

The Lions offensive line is a concern. Backus did not fare well in one-on-one matchups with Allen. It took the Lions too long to start double teams. Overtime, actually. The Lions still don’t have much of a running attack. They clearly have to pass to set up any sort of running game, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when the ball is in the hands of Stafford, who is playing as well as any QB in the NFL right now.

Momentum is building toward the Monday night game against the Bears on Oct. 10. The Lions are capable of beating the Cowboys in Dallas this week. They should start the season 4-0, setting up a national stage they haven’t been on, really, since the NFC championship game 20 years ago.

There are still plenty of their fans, who are fighting the urge to get really excited about the Lions because of the past.

That perception is changing.

The Lions have not had a quarterback like Matthew Stafford since Bobby Layne in the 1950s. Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh are special players. There is a really good cast surrounding the Big Three. They are well coached.

Trouble is relative in the NFL. Used to be when the Lions were down, they were out. They weren’t coming back. First sign of something gone awry, the game was over.

Now it’s down, but never out. We saw that Sunday.

It wouldn’t be surprising if we see it again … and again … and again.

The 3-0 start isn’t a fluke. It’s a beginning.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98.