With Al Harris coming back do we start T-Will till he's 100%

[SnakeLH2006]

Personally great news that Al is coming back after the bye. Do I think Al is the lockdown corner he thinks he is. NOT ANYMORE. I jestfully hung with some buddies this weekend and referred to Al Harris as "Big Game Al" which got some hilarious retributes from hardcore Packer fans. All agreed with the Big Game Al joke.

Al is very good, but on the biggest games we relied on him last year he failed (TO-Dallas, Plaxico-NFC championship game). I'm not dissing Al, but his best games are behind him as seems pretty ego-driven and lacking major speed and now injured and only getting older at an ancient 34 at CB. He was timed at 4.63 at his fastest when he was younger in his 20's and LB's can run faster than him now (well all the Packer starter LB's for that matter).

Granted speed isn't his best attribute (he's a scrapper and good at it) and I DO like Al as a player as he's a tough SOB with attitude but we've done VERY well without him.

T-Will's 4.3 speed has made a difference as has his shadowing ability of opposing WR's and his crazy catch up speed (I remember two plays where others got burnt this year where he appeared out of nowhere to save the TD resulting in FG's).

Al could not do that. Am I saying T-Will is better than AL at this point. Possibly. Are they so close that I would start T-Will until Al proves he's healthy? YES.

Proof? Well here's numbers thus far this year:

51.7 completion %, 186 yards/game, 9 TDs, 13 interceptions, 5.0 yards allowed/pass play


T-Will has shown he's worth a 5 year deal if we are lucky with TT for a reasonable contract. Al's best days are behind him. Keep Al but groom and give T-Will his spot now.

[mission]

I'm glad you posted this a second time so, you know, I could read it um ... twice...

[SnakeLH2006]

I'm glad you posted this a second time so, you know, I could read it um ... twice...

Yeah, I could post this one as this seems a topic that many would have a good opinion on. LOL. What's your take Mission? We are both late nite Rats with some opinions? LOL

[bobblehead]

I voted al...it will actually help us with TWill's contract. I know that isn't fair, but that is life. I call them very close right now, I still favor AL (twill doesn't run a 4.3...almost no one on the planet does.) The nickel will be on the field plenty so its barely a reduction in downs for tramon.

In likelyhood next year it will all be williams with al playing corner..what will we do if blackmon or Lee developes? (what a great problem that would be)

[ahaha]

Have Harris play nickel for a game or two, until he gets back into football shape. Then, if he looks alright, make him the starter. T-Will will still be on the field plenty.
Harris was a big disappointment vs. Owens last year. But, I don't think he played that bad in the NFC championship. I've watched that game a few times, and Harris had good coverage most of the time. What stands out is the phenominal play of Manning and Burress. When a QB and WR are playing that well there isn't much a CB can do.

[mraynrand]

I like Al Harris a lot. He's played well for a long time. His injury was a blessing in disguise for the Packers. Teams were game planning for him and exploiting his lack of speed with crossing patterns, and his complete inability to play zone or play in space by motioning receivers. I really don't want to see him on the field except to play dime against the outside receiver, perhaps even only with a safety over the top. At the very least, he should never be put in a situation where he has to play zone. I think he's slipped that far - even before the injury.

[SkinBasket]

I've maintained Harris would be great in the nickel for the past season and a half. I think his INTs would leap covering the 3rd WR and staying short instead of being asked to run deep, which exposes his greatest weakness, would be a good thing.

That being said, a guy doesn't lose his starting spot because he tore his spleen. And while Al might be a great teammate, I don't see him accepting the demotion without some rancor anyway. I've been on board with Williams since he came to town, but a handful of games doesn't tell the story of how good he will be. Deciding he's better than Harris because of the last month seems a little short sighted.

[falco]

I've maintained Harris would be great in the nickel for the past season and a half. I think his INTs would leap covering the 3rd WR and staying short instead of being asked to run deep, which exposes his greatest weakness, would be a good thing.

That being said, a guy doesn't lose his starting spot because he tore his spleen. And while Al might be a great teammate, I don't see him accepting the demotion without some rancor anyway. I've been on board with Williams since he came to town, but a handful of games doesn't tell the story of how good he will be. Deciding he's better than Harris because of the last month seems a little short sighted.

agree 100%

[mraynrand]

I've maintained Harris would be great in the nickel for the past season and a half. I think his INTs would leap covering the 3rd WR and staying short instead of being asked to run deep, which exposes his greatest weakness, would be a good thing.

That being said, a guy doesn't lose his starting spot because he tore his spleen. And while Al might be a great teammate, I don't see him accepting the demotion without some rancor anyway. I've been on board with Williams since he came to town, but a handful of games doesn't tell the story of how good he will be. Deciding he's better than Harris because of the last month seems a little short sighted.

agree 100%

I disagree. The third guy comes in, lines up wide and runs some kind of deep route. Harris doesn't get his hands on him, the guy will be wide open. No safety help - TD. Harris is that slow. If we were looking at tape together, I could show you multiple times he got flat out beat on go routes. And watching him lost in space in zone coverage is downright painful. I think he will be a liability coming back.

[falco]

I've maintained Harris would be great in the nickel for the past season and a half. I think his INTs would leap covering the 3rd WR and staying short instead of being asked to run deep, which exposes his greatest weakness, would be a good thing.

That being said, a guy doesn't lose his starting spot because he tore his spleen. And while Al might be a great teammate, I don't see him accepting the demotion without some rancor anyway. I've been on board with Williams since he came to town, but a handful of games doesn't tell the story of how good he will be. Deciding he's better than Harris because of the last month seems a little short sighted.

agree 100%

I disagree. The third guy comes in, lines up wide and runs some kind of deep route. Harris doesn't get his hands on him, the guy will be wide open. No safety help - TD. Harris is that slow. If we were looking at tape together, I could show you multiple times he got flat out beat on go routes. And watching him lost in space in zone coverage is downright painful. I think he will be a liability coming back.

you may be right - i don't follow it that closely. but it seems to me that harris played fine this year before getting hurt. even if he is a drop off, I think the coaching staff makes him the "nominal" starter for the rest of the year at least

[mraynrand]

I've maintained Harris would be great in the nickel for the past season and a half. I think his INTs would leap covering the 3rd WR and staying short instead of being asked to run deep, which exposes his greatest weakness, would be a good thing.

That being said, a guy doesn't lose his starting spot because he tore his spleen. And while Al might be a great teammate, I don't see him accepting the demotion without some rancor anyway. I've been on board with Williams since he came to town, but a handful of games doesn't tell the story of how good he will be. Deciding he's better than Harris because of the last month seems a little short sighted.

agree 100%

I disagree. The third guy comes in, lines up wide and runs some kind of deep route. Harris doesn't get his hands on him, the guy will be wide open. No safety help - TD. Harris is that slow. If we were looking at tape together, I could show you multiple times he got flat out beat on go routes. And watching him lost in space in zone coverage is downright painful. I think he will be a liability coming back.

you may be right - i don't follow it that closely. but it seems to me that harris played fine this year before getting hurt. even if he is a drop off, I think the coaching staff makes him the "nominal" starter for the rest of the year at least

It will be interesting to see what happens, for sure!

[Zool]

Harris does not play the slot reciever in any package. He's been either locked on the #1 or lined up on the D right. In the nickel, Woodson generally plays the slot reciever 1 on 1 and the 3rd DB covers D left or the #2 with safety help.

The only time he played any against the slot was the disaster in Dallas last season when the Cowboys lined TO up all over the place.

[LL2]

I like Al Harris a lot. He's played well for a long time. His injury was a blessing in disguise for the Packers.

I agree. Looks like the Packers secondary will be ok after Harris and Woodson are done. Although, the way Woodson is playing looks like he has a few years left in him.

[sharpe1027]

Re: With Al Harris coming back do we start T-Will till he's

When was T-Will asked to shut down an Owens or Plax mostly by himself?

Until he does, I don't think it is fair to compare how Harris faired against those guys to how T-Will has played so far.

That being said, T-Will has done something Harris didn't, he's making interceptions.

It is a good problem to have, and I don't think they can go wrong.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I agree with ahaha, put Al in as the nickel back to get him back up to game speed and get any rust off for a game or two. After that, decide who the better CB is.

Just because Al's healthy is not a reason in and of itself to give him his starting job back. If T-Will continues to show that he should start and plays better than Al, T-Will starts. That's life in the NFL.