The Defense and its improvement. Why?

[sharpe1027]

He is overrated as a wide, OLB/DE rusher versus tackles. He is a great rusher almost anywhere else.

Yes.

[SMBASS]

He is overrated as a wide, OLB/DE rusher versus tackles. He is a great rusher almost anywhere else.

I agree pb. Clay usually gets fairly easily engulfed and neutralized when he has to rush against tackles straight up off of the edge. He's much more effective when you can move him around and the offense doesn't know exactly where he'll be coming from.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Clay is a great rusher wherever you put him. He's been a great rusher, and that's mostly been outside. People act like he's supposed to get a sack every play. Sometimes, the other guy blocking him is good too. Sometimes, a great rusher gets doubled. Sometimes, the opposing QB throws quickly or has a quick release. Clay deservedly got paid because he's been one of the best outside rushers in the league.

[HarveyWallbangers]

The Rams have the best pass rushing DLs in the league. Houston and Hali before are gteat. Those guys get blocked too. The way offenses are set up nowadays, it's hard to get consistent pressure. The best rushers now make a few disruptive or game changing plays per game - like Quinn's sack and forced fumble.

[sharpe1027]

Clay is a great rusher wherever you put him. He's been a great rusher, and that's mostly been outside. People act like he's supposed to get a sack every play. Sometimes, the other guy blocking him is good too. Sometimes, a great rusher gets doubled. Sometimes, the opposing QB throws quickly or has a quick release. Clay deservedly got paid because he's been one of the best outside rushers in the league.

As I said, the conversation about Clay seldom ends well. I'm not getting into it again, but he's a great rusher of the passer. I disagree that he justified his salary until they moved him inside part time. Let's just leave it alone.

[mraynrand]

As I said, the conversation about Clay seldom ends well. I'm not getting into it again, but he's a great rusher of the passer. I disagree that he justified his salary until they moved him inside part time. Let's just leave it alone.

I agree, sort of. because they kept throwing him at the LT, his usefulness was diminished. That was on the coaches. Clay's best attribute is that very quick burst speed, so it helps to create mismatches for him/ line him up in gaps, etc.

[Pugger]

Matthews now causes more confusion than ever before. The defense was better when they flipped him between right and left for a while; now he can show up anywhere.

With Matthews in the middle, he has an impact to some extent on almost every running play, he is that fast and that good. Even if he is not involved in the tackle, he takes up blockers. He attracts attention and takes it away from others.

Raji being back makes the DL rotation better.
Raji having found the fountain of youth, and playing like he did in 2010 makes it even better.

Jayrone Elliot has simple made plays, even big plays. The kinds of plays that influence outcomes. I don't know if he can continue to do it, but so far it has made a difference.

Nick Perry being healthy (apparently) has made an effect. He has made at least one play of note in every game, even with relatively limited snaps.

Pass defense from middle linebackers through the first 4 games is much, much better than it was last year.

DBs are playing well, with no drop off from last year. The rookies so far have not played like rookies.

Perhaps overlooked, but a factor nonetheless: The offense has been more methodical, with fewer long strikes. This keeps the defense off the field, keeps them rested and requires them to play less.

I'd add having several D linemen to rotate in and out of their keeping them fresh has helped our defense too.

[sharpe1027]

I agree, sort of. because they kept throwing him at the LT, his usefulness was diminished. That was on the coaches. Clay's best attribute is that very quick burst speed, so it helps to create mismatches for him/ line him up in gaps, etc.

Thanks, sort of. He is an absolute nightmare for offenses with how he is being used now.

[deake]

Watching the Monday night countdown, they showed the Pack allowing 5 yds per rushing attempt, 2nd most in the league. Is that an improvement from last year?

[esoxx]

Cue wist in 3...2...1...

[Joemailman]

Watching the Monday night countdown, they showed the Pack allowing 5 yds per rushing attempt, 2nd most in the league. Is that an improvement from last year?

Statistically no. But except for the 1st half against the Bears, they've been able to stop the run when they had to. Rams had a lot of rushing yards yesterday after falling behind by 2 scores, probably in an attempt to keep Nick Foles alive. So, they got yards, but not points. Packers have given up about 200 yards rushing to opposing QB's. I think they've missed Burnett there. Also, Packers have faced Matt Forte, Marshawn Lynch, Jamaal Charles, and Gurley, I'll bet few if any teams have faced the caliber of RB's they've faced.

[ThunderDan]

Watching the Monday night countdown, they showed the Pack allowing 5 yds per rushing attempt, 2nd most in the league. Is that an improvement from last year?

Probably not. The D got gassed in the second half with the O playing poorly. That said still 5th in total yardage and 2nd scoring defense is a big improvement.

[run pMc]

Gurley's 55 yard run boosted his average significantly. Fisher ran him like he used to run Eddie George...30 carries, yikes. They had to, Foles was getting killed and not playing well because of it.
Personally, I'm happy they kept Gurley out of the end zone. points >>> yards.

[deake]

Well this week we get to find out if the Pack’s pass defense has improved as we face our first upper echelon QB. Now of course if the Bolts OL was healthy it would be a better test.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Well this week we get to find out if the Pack’s pass defense has improved as we face our first upper echelon QB. Now of course if the Bolts OL was healthy it would be a better test.

You could say the same thing about the health of our defense with Boyd, Barrington, Perry, Burnett, Richardson, maybe Raji being out. As far as I know, none of their OL have been ruled out. Two are out with a concussion, so they could be back this week. The other two had ankle injuries and could play this week.

[deake]

Well this week we get to find out if the Pack’s pass defense has improved as we face our first upper echelon QB. Now of course if the Bolts OL was healthy it would be a better test.

Was at the game, looks like the D has a little work to do yet. Play after play Allen had seperation from Sam. It reminded me of the Bears game.

[Smidgeon]

Did wist show up in the game day thread?

[pbmax]

No, now I am really worried about him.

ANKLE BITER!

[denverYooper]

Was at the game, looks like the D has a little work to do yet. Play after play Allen had seperation from Sam. It reminded me of the Bears game.

Shields was on Floyd most of the time. The Chargers kept getting Allen matched up on the other corners.

[Joemailman]

Shields was on Floyd most of the time. The Chargers kept getting Allen matched up on the other corners.

According to McGinn, Allen was beating Shields too.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/333923701.html

Willowy and precise, Allen caught five for 76 against Sam Shields and four for 40 against Damarious Randall. Just one of the passes thrown to him wasn't complete.

"He's a dynamic guy and he runs really good routes," Packers defensive back Micah Hyde said. "We went with a lot of man-up against him. We kind of told ourselves that we had good enough DB's and were going to match up against him.

"We played it straight. They got the best of us."