HarveyWallbangers
10-30-2007, 11:18 PM
Week 7: LeRoy Butler analyzes Packers-Broncos game, JSO
Former Packers all-pro safety LeRoy Butler teams up with Journal Sentinel beat writer Tom Silverstein in our "Questions with LeRoy Butler" feature. Following is the Q&A after Monday night's 19-13 overtime victory over Denver.
Q. The Packers rank second in the NFL in passing and are running the ball just 34.1% of the time. Given that they are a passing team, what would be an acceptable percentage for them to run the ball this season?
A. I think they should shoot for 30% run and the reason I say that is New England, Dallas and Indianapolis, the elite teams, they all want to score points, and when you run the ball it's to control the clock. And Ryan Grant showed what he may be in the future, but this year the Packers should shoot for 70-30. If they do, I think they'll win a lot of games because you're riding the arm of Brett Favre, which is the way to go. I wouldn't apologize for being a pass-happy team. I really wouldn't because that's what it's going to take to get to the ultimate goal, winning the division and getting to bigger and better things. The only concern is that if the Packers have big leads, they need to keep the clock running.
Q. As a former safety, what do you think got into Atari Bigby Monday that he committed four penalties, including a personal foul for a late hit and a delay of game for kicking the ball? Should he have been reprimanded?
A. Seeing it was his first Monday night game on a huge stage, I'll give him a pass on some of it. Now kicking the ball is inexcusable and shows lack of discipline. But the way he played and the energy he gives, I think it can be corrected. I don't think you'll see it again. He's a good player right now and sometimes it happens. It's part of the game. I'd like to see him cover better on tight ends, if you're going to go up and play bump and run on the tight end, I don't expect the tight end to get behind you. I think we can show a lot of patience and understanding. These are isolated incidents and won't happen again. I think the Monday night thing got into him because I remember my first Monday night game, I was a little anxious and running around doing a little extra just to show that this night was too big for me. I think that's his way of relaxing because he didn't seem to be bothered when the head coach took him out and said some things to him.
Q. In looking at the Packers' defense, what do you think is their weakness and how can they get better?
A. The weakness right now is covering the tight end and perimeter runs. When I say perimeter runs, I'm saying runs off tackle. It seems like when you put the linemen on the run it's hard for them to get into great position, especially the linebackers. I think in playing Tony Gonzalez next week, he's going to look at that defense and see what Antonio Gates and Chris Cooley and Desmond Clark, and see what they did and feel like he can have a lot of success. The way you can combat this is put a guy right over the tight end and jam him before he goes out. You can use Brady Poppinga to do that or you can use Bigby. They have to get more physical with the tight ends and they have to be able to pursue on the perimeter runs.
Q. Near the end of the half, with 1:26 left, Aaron Kampman sacked Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler for a 10-yard loss, making it second and 20 at the 10-yard line. Rather than call a timeout, Packers coach Mike McCarthy let the clock run until after the Broncos ran another play. Should he have called timeout after the sack so that if the Packers got the ball back the offense would have had more time to score? He had all three of his timeouts left.
A. When you're ahead, 13-7, and you sack the quarterback, you have to think about getting the ball back. Use a timeout on a first and third down, that gives Brett Favre the ball back with one timeout left. Or you try to force a young quarterback to make a mistake and not call a timeout. If it were me, I would have called a timeout and tried to get my offense the ball back and try to be very aggressive at that point. The risk of calling timeout is that you can help Denver gather themselves to make good calls. You can almost shoot yourself in the foot. Maybe they were content with having a 13-7 lead on the road. You have to be careful not to be too greedy. Sometimes it can backfire.
Q. Do you think that Bill Belichick ran up the score on Washington in New England's 52-7 victory and if so, what would you have done if you were Washington's defensive coordinator?
A. Two good questions. The first thing, if I'm Belichick, not only would I have done the same thing, but I would be sending a message to everyone in the league that thinks I'm cheating and that my championships are tainted and that we do anything that's not in the rules. Any chance I get I would score and I would have my defensive team trying to keep people from scoring. Now if I was the defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, and it was 38-0 and they went for it on fourth and 2, I would have sent a message, 'If you're going to do that, someone's going to get hurt.' The one thing you can do is do something about it. You don't have to let them run the score up, 52-0. So the message has been sent that they're going to destroy everyone. If I'm the defensive coordinator I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to go after you. I'm also going to send a message. I'm not saying you hurt anybody, but you play in the rules of the game and you really go in there and make hard, aggressive tackles and send a message. Even if you have to get a 15-yard penalty, the message has been sent that we're not going to stand for this. Especially when it's a team you won't see again unless it's the Super Bowl. You have to get your payback now.
Reader Question
Q. Leroy, what are your thoughts on AJ Hawk? I've caught every game this year and he really hasn't made much of an impact. Shouldn't he make more plays since he plays WOLB, which is probably the easiest of the three linebacker positions? - David Lee, Mequon, WI
A. A.J. right now should be more aggressive at the point of attack, but he has to be put in that position. Remember, when I played I was put in those positions to make those plays. The coaching staff has to do a better job of using his talents. He's a strong, fast guy, I would put him in position to make plays. I would flip-flop him on the strong side, sometimes I would put him in the middle. I would move him around, not just let him be a sitting target that the offense knows where he is. I would move him around and let him blitz up the middle, the left, the right. He would be exhausted. I would say to A.J., "Get in great shape because I'm going to run your tongue to the ground." I want him to have 5-10 sacks, five interceptions, 150 tackles. I would be active in using him. If he's not in the middle like Nick Barnett and you're an outside linebacker you almost have to wait until the play comes to you. But the coaching staff can design plays for him to get in there and blitz and do some aggressive things. Right now, he's not doing anything terrible, but he's not doing anything great. When you're the fifth pick people want to see greatness. I'd take A.J. Hawk as my linebacker because I know what he's going to give me. But I would also help him out by putting him in position to make plays.
Former Packers all-pro safety LeRoy Butler teams up with Journal Sentinel beat writer Tom Silverstein in our "Questions with LeRoy Butler" feature. Following is the Q&A after Monday night's 19-13 overtime victory over Denver.
Q. The Packers rank second in the NFL in passing and are running the ball just 34.1% of the time. Given that they are a passing team, what would be an acceptable percentage for them to run the ball this season?
A. I think they should shoot for 30% run and the reason I say that is New England, Dallas and Indianapolis, the elite teams, they all want to score points, and when you run the ball it's to control the clock. And Ryan Grant showed what he may be in the future, but this year the Packers should shoot for 70-30. If they do, I think they'll win a lot of games because you're riding the arm of Brett Favre, which is the way to go. I wouldn't apologize for being a pass-happy team. I really wouldn't because that's what it's going to take to get to the ultimate goal, winning the division and getting to bigger and better things. The only concern is that if the Packers have big leads, they need to keep the clock running.
Q. As a former safety, what do you think got into Atari Bigby Monday that he committed four penalties, including a personal foul for a late hit and a delay of game for kicking the ball? Should he have been reprimanded?
A. Seeing it was his first Monday night game on a huge stage, I'll give him a pass on some of it. Now kicking the ball is inexcusable and shows lack of discipline. But the way he played and the energy he gives, I think it can be corrected. I don't think you'll see it again. He's a good player right now and sometimes it happens. It's part of the game. I'd like to see him cover better on tight ends, if you're going to go up and play bump and run on the tight end, I don't expect the tight end to get behind you. I think we can show a lot of patience and understanding. These are isolated incidents and won't happen again. I think the Monday night thing got into him because I remember my first Monday night game, I was a little anxious and running around doing a little extra just to show that this night was too big for me. I think that's his way of relaxing because he didn't seem to be bothered when the head coach took him out and said some things to him.
Q. In looking at the Packers' defense, what do you think is their weakness and how can they get better?
A. The weakness right now is covering the tight end and perimeter runs. When I say perimeter runs, I'm saying runs off tackle. It seems like when you put the linemen on the run it's hard for them to get into great position, especially the linebackers. I think in playing Tony Gonzalez next week, he's going to look at that defense and see what Antonio Gates and Chris Cooley and Desmond Clark, and see what they did and feel like he can have a lot of success. The way you can combat this is put a guy right over the tight end and jam him before he goes out. You can use Brady Poppinga to do that or you can use Bigby. They have to get more physical with the tight ends and they have to be able to pursue on the perimeter runs.
Q. Near the end of the half, with 1:26 left, Aaron Kampman sacked Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler for a 10-yard loss, making it second and 20 at the 10-yard line. Rather than call a timeout, Packers coach Mike McCarthy let the clock run until after the Broncos ran another play. Should he have called timeout after the sack so that if the Packers got the ball back the offense would have had more time to score? He had all three of his timeouts left.
A. When you're ahead, 13-7, and you sack the quarterback, you have to think about getting the ball back. Use a timeout on a first and third down, that gives Brett Favre the ball back with one timeout left. Or you try to force a young quarterback to make a mistake and not call a timeout. If it were me, I would have called a timeout and tried to get my offense the ball back and try to be very aggressive at that point. The risk of calling timeout is that you can help Denver gather themselves to make good calls. You can almost shoot yourself in the foot. Maybe they were content with having a 13-7 lead on the road. You have to be careful not to be too greedy. Sometimes it can backfire.
Q. Do you think that Bill Belichick ran up the score on Washington in New England's 52-7 victory and if so, what would you have done if you were Washington's defensive coordinator?
A. Two good questions. The first thing, if I'm Belichick, not only would I have done the same thing, but I would be sending a message to everyone in the league that thinks I'm cheating and that my championships are tainted and that we do anything that's not in the rules. Any chance I get I would score and I would have my defensive team trying to keep people from scoring. Now if I was the defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, and it was 38-0 and they went for it on fourth and 2, I would have sent a message, 'If you're going to do that, someone's going to get hurt.' The one thing you can do is do something about it. You don't have to let them run the score up, 52-0. So the message has been sent that they're going to destroy everyone. If I'm the defensive coordinator I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to go after you. I'm also going to send a message. I'm not saying you hurt anybody, but you play in the rules of the game and you really go in there and make hard, aggressive tackles and send a message. Even if you have to get a 15-yard penalty, the message has been sent that we're not going to stand for this. Especially when it's a team you won't see again unless it's the Super Bowl. You have to get your payback now.
Reader Question
Q. Leroy, what are your thoughts on AJ Hawk? I've caught every game this year and he really hasn't made much of an impact. Shouldn't he make more plays since he plays WOLB, which is probably the easiest of the three linebacker positions? - David Lee, Mequon, WI
A. A.J. right now should be more aggressive at the point of attack, but he has to be put in that position. Remember, when I played I was put in those positions to make those plays. The coaching staff has to do a better job of using his talents. He's a strong, fast guy, I would put him in position to make plays. I would flip-flop him on the strong side, sometimes I would put him in the middle. I would move him around, not just let him be a sitting target that the offense knows where he is. I would move him around and let him blitz up the middle, the left, the right. He would be exhausted. I would say to A.J., "Get in great shape because I'm going to run your tongue to the ground." I want him to have 5-10 sacks, five interceptions, 150 tackles. I would be active in using him. If he's not in the middle like Nick Barnett and you're an outside linebacker you almost have to wait until the play comes to you. But the coaching staff can design plays for him to get in there and blitz and do some aggressive things. Right now, he's not doing anything terrible, but he's not doing anything great. When you're the fifth pick people want to see greatness. I'd take A.J. Hawk as my linebacker because I know what he's going to give me. But I would also help him out by putting him in position to make plays.