Jared Allen was so wild-eyed relentless with his pass rush against the Green Bay Packers four weeks ago that Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress later referred to it as a "feeding frenzy kind of deal."
With Packers rookie left tackle T.J. Lang set to possibly make his second career start Sunday, the Vikings Pro Bowl defensive end might smell blood in the water again.
While all the hype and hoopla is focused on Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field, the game's outcome might hinge on whether the Packers have any answer for Allen after he terrorized their offense and quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the first meeting.
"I'm not expecting them to let me tee off on him like that again," Allen said. "But we got to put ourselves in position to get in rushing situations."
Much like their first meeting, when Allen collected 4-1/2 of his team's eight sacks in the 30-23 victory. Allen's sack total was a career high and the second highest for a single game in Vikings history.
Allen also finished with four quarterback hurries, eight tackles, a forced fumble and a safety.
His primary victim was backup left tackle Daryn Colledge, who endured a beating in place of injured starter Chad Clifton.
The Packers' entire offensive line has been in flux all season, which has contributed to their 25 sacks allowed, the second most in the NFL. The line still is not settled, but the spotlight will shine the brightest on the Allen-Lang matchup.
Clifton continues to battle an ankle injury that likely will keep him sidelined Sunday. That means Lang would face arguably the league's top pass-rushing defensive end in only his second career start.
"I have to be honest, if I was licking my chops over a dude, I'd be scared of myself," Allen said when asked on a conference call with Packers media what he thought about the matchup. "I'm going to prepare as if Clifton is there, I'm going to prepare as though both of them are starting. We'll see how salivated I am come Sunday."
Regardless of who starts, the Vikings expect the Packers to bring a different game plan for Allen based on his performance the first meeting.
"You would think so," defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. "He had quite a game. He was such a threat. We'll find out early what their plan is and then we'll handle it accordingly. But you would think they will have a plan for Jared Allen."
That probably includes plenty of help for Lang, who scored high marks from the coaching staff for his play against the Cleveland Browns last week. Lang actually played 17 snaps against Allen in the first meeting after Colledge suffered an injury.
"You go in in the situation that he had to go in, backed up with that crowd, it wasn't too big for him," Packers offensive line coach James Campen said. "He didn't jump offsides, he was off on the snap -- the little things that a young player might get in a semi-panic or whatever you want to say. He displayed the ability to stay within his scheme, no mental errors, blocked his guy and did well."
Lang said the Packers used the silent count the entire game because of the Metrodome noise, which made it even more difficult for the linemen. Lang said he gained some confidence from that experience but he hasn't faced Allen for an entire game.
Campen said part of what makes Allen so good is that he never lets up.
"He plays football the right way," he said. "He's going 100 miles an hour and he's going to go until he's exhausted and that's what you want from every player. He's relentless."
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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