Jarrett Bush - is it time for fans to reconsider?

[Patler]

Good article about what his coaches and team mates feel about him:

http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110805/PKR07/110805117/Mike-Vandermause-Has-CB-Jarrett-Bush-gotten-bad-rap-?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|FRONTPAGE (http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110805/PKR07/110805117/Mike-Vandermause-Has-CB-Jarrett-Bush-gotten-bad-rap-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Cimg%7CFRONTPAGE)

When and why did it go wrong with Bush and the fans? When he came to GB, he actually was an upgrade over some of the really poor CB depth the team had, and for a while was the nickel back off and on until Tramon Williams got up to speed. He's a hard working special teamer, should be a player fans can relate to. Are fans expecting too much from him?

[Fosco33]

Congrats on hitting 10K, Patler. Impressive.

Funny - every couple years - local GB press has this sorta article on Bush.

He may have been an upgrade at the time of UDFA - but I felt like he was always the guy I expected to get cut year over year and other player lost a chance (like Rouse or others).

And yes, he is a ST guy. Which made it all the more frustrating watching the stupid penalties that either killed field position. He also was quite visible in a few losses over the years (last second losses to Steelers, the game he had vs. AZ in the playoffs as examples).

To me - he's JAG.

And yes, this year - some fan favorite long shot will lose out to Bush on the roster - and we'll never know...

[Joemailman]

Bush was summoned to replace an ailing Sam Shields, and he responded with the play of his career. Long hours in the film room paid off for Bush, who recognized the Pittsburgh Steelers pass play and beat receiver Mike Wallace to the ball.

Predictably, some of his critics weren’t impressed, calling the interception lucky and blaming Bush for allowing a Steelers tight end to run free on the play.

Packers cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt set the record straight.

“Jarrett on that play played it perfectly,” Whitt said. “Everybody keeps saying the tight end was running free, but it wasn’t because of what he did. He did the right thing on that play.”

This is something I was wondering about. Was Bush lucky, or did he anticipate the play? It was apparent from Roethlisberger's reaction that he didn't expect Bush to be there. Obviously Whitt gives Bush credit for anticipating the play.

[Bretsky]

I'm on board with Bush as a #6
No More
I use to want him gone

[smuggler]

Bush could stay or go, and I wouldn't care. He's a good guy, but he's just an average football player, if not worse.

[gbgary]

I'm on board with Bush as a #6
No More
I use to want him gone

this pretty much. love his st play but want to see him making plays on d when teams target him when he's on the field.

[Patler]

I think too many of us expect Bush to play like a starting corner. He is not one and never will be. I really wonder how he compares to the #4, #5 or #6 corners on other teams. I suspect he might be an upgrade for a lot of teams at those positions.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Fans dislike Bush b/c he can't cover for shit. The guy almost always looks lost. He's not bad on sp teams, but I don't want him out there playing corner. I have wanted him gone since he couldn't pick up that fumble in the 4th quarter of the NFCCG in 07.

[Patler]

I have wanted him gone since he couldn't pick up that fumble in the 4th quarter of the NFCCG in 07.

I think that is more the cause of the dislike for him than anything else.

[Bossman641]

Early on, all the criticism Bush received was warranted. Over the past 1-1.5 years though, he has taken a lot of unfair shots. Once he received the reputation as an awful player it stuck, even if he has played better as of late.

[Brandon494]

You know you have a good team when fans start complaining about the 6th string CB. :) A lot of fans questioned TT for matching the Titans offer and bringing back Bush including myself then the guy makes a great interception in the Super Bowl which leads to 7 points in a 6 point victory. Funny how shit works out.

[3irty1]

I never bought in to the Bush hate. He's a special teams ace, and has good cover skills. My theory on Bush as always been that his putrid ball skills are the cause of his struggles on defense. He's a nice fluid cover man who can be in the right spot but since he can't play the ball worth a shit, there is no penalty for throwing at him.

His real value to us is his ability to play in the slot. Sam Shields will always be a perimeter corner like Harris was, Pat Lee has the size but still needs the sideline to be effective. If you want 4 corners on the field, two of them have to be inside, Woodson is the best in the league at that but who is your other one? Either you move Tramon in (probably off of their best WR) and put Lee outside, or leave Tramon outside and put Bush inside.

We'll have to see if House has the fluidity to cover those waterbug type receivers and is physical enough to cover the middle of the field.

[Guiness]

PaCkFan_n_MD[/B]] I have wanted him gone since he couldn't pick up that fumble in the 4th quarter of the NFCCG in 07.



I think that is more the cause of the dislike for him than anything else.

This, and I have a memory of him having a couple of bad weeks in a row, and he obbviously botched a couple of kick/punt returns two weeks in a row. I think cost us those games. He was supposed to be the ST guy, and laid an egg there as well.

While it was him that screwed up, everyone does it. But ST guys (who are not punt returners) like wedge breakers rarely see the spotlight. He ended up right there in a bad way, and until the SB, didn't have an opportunity to redeem himself in a prominent way.

[hoosier]

This is something I was wondering about. Was Bush lucky, or did he anticipate the play? It was apparent from Roethlisberger's reaction that he didn't expect Bush to be there. Obviously Whitt gives Bush credit for anticipating the play.

According to Bush he anticipated it and jumped it, and it was all due to his diligence in the film room:



For those two weeks before the Super Bowl, the corner said he stayed up until 2 a.m., pounding away at film. Eminem looped in the background to keep his adrenaline pumping. On the film, he noticed that in one specific empty-set formation, Ben Roethlisberger zeroed in on Mike Wallace. Every time. He took a few steps and zipped a slant to Wallace without hesitation.
With the second quarter winding down, and is team up 14-3, Bush saw the play.
“I saw it, I recognized it. I said, ‘This is the play! This is the play!’” he said. “I knew the play and knew the route. We had six DBs on the field with four corners and two safeties. I saw Mike Wallace come on the cross route, I saw Heath come out and I saw Hines Ward but I disregarded that because I knew the route. Every time I saw this formation, Ben threw it to Mike Wallace. Every time, every time."

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/126023058.html

[rbaloha1]

Nah. JB is too inconsistent. The Super Bowl was a surprisingly good performance. Always a good blitzer and st monster.

Watch when JB is on the field -- opposing qbs always target him. Overall, I hope JB is replaced.

[Patler]

Nah. JB is too inconsistent. The Super Bowl was a surprisingly good performance. Always a good blitzer and st monster.

Watch when JB is on the field -- opposing qbs always target him. Overall, I hope JB is replaced.

He was the 5th/6th CB, the 4th safety. Do you expect QBs not to target him? That happens to every deep backup DB. They get picked on as soon as they get into the game. Happens for every team, not just Bush.

[pbmax]

Early on, all the criticism Bush received was warranted. Over the past 1-1.5 years though, he has taken a lot of unfair shots. Once he received the reputation as an awful player it stuck, even if he has played better as of late.

Not really true. He was given a very good contract for a backup DB due almost entirely to his ability to play on Special Teams (the Titans, who actually had good ST, wanted him). His poor reputation prior to this was mainly due to failures as a nickel back.

He had one lost year on ST immediately after that contract I think (that was the year of the penalty on ST (2009?) but was far better last year. Fans only remember the struggle as nickel back AND THEN a disaster of a year at his specialty, Special Teams. Thus, a reputation is born.

[vince]

Not really true. He was given a very good contract for a backup DB due almost entirely to his ability to play on Special Teams (the Titans, who actually had good ST, wanted him). His poor reputation prior to this was mainly due to failures as a nickel back.

He had one lost year on ST immediately after that contract I think (that was the year of the penalty on ST (2009?) but was far better last year. Fans only remember the struggle as nickel back AND THEN a disaster of a year at his specialty, Special Teams. Thus, a reputation is born.
QFT. He redeemed himself in spades on ST last year. He's reportedly having a good camp so far at DB. Maybe he'll be OK there too. He has the speed and agility, but I'm not sure his instincts and ball skills will ever be good enough to be reliable. He had the huge play in the Super Bowl, but he was abused as well. He gave up a TD where he got turned in circles while the Steelers mounted their comeback, among others.

He's the 5th or 6th DB, which is a good thing. He can play ST and maybe he's getting a bit better. Hopefully he is because it's pretty clear at this point that he's gonna make the team. Since he's cut down on penalties on ST, I'm not arguing against him anymore.

[3irty1]

I think a lot of his reputation also comes from his tease of a preseason his rookie year. He had 3 picks in one game and then went three years without getting another. Dick.

[Upnorth]

I have seen bush makes some amazingly good and amazingly stupid plays, and I want him on our roster until he is not as good as those who will replace him.

[Packers4Glory]

He's fine where he is. He knows the defense and he is what he is. A guy who can be really good or look really bad on defense. He's a back up and thats how a lot of back up guys are. I'd look to replace him if and when he starts to become a non-factor in ST. that's where he makes his money. thats where he is good. This team can't afford to get rid of perhaps its best ST player.

[rbaloha1]

JB probably makes the roster due to Underwood's injury.

[pbmax]

JB probably makes the roster due to Underwood's injury.

Horsebleep. I would guarantee you* that Bush is above Underwood on the depth chart if only based on Special Teams. The guy that replaces Bush will either need to be, or will have to help McCarthy and Slocum find, a replacement for Bush on ST.

Underwood is the picture for project in the dictionary at this point. Moving to safety was not for his health. He was in trouble.

* I won't, simply because its the Internet and it would be meaningless.

[Smidgeon]

This, and I have a memory of him having a couple of bad weeks in a row, and he obbviously botched a couple of kick/punt returns two weeks in a row. I think cost us those games. He was supposed to be the ST guy, and laid an egg there as well.

While it was him that screwed up, everyone does it. But ST guys (who are not punt returners) like wedge breakers rarely see the spotlight. He ended up right there in a bad way, and until the SB, didn't have an opportunity to redeem himself in a prominent way.

Didn't Bush basically win the Eagle's game by himself in 2007 (was it 2007?)?