Nick Barnett

[Patler]

Is he playing as well now as ever; maybe even better?
Seems like he makes at least one eye-catching play for a loss each week. Seems to be tackling better too.

Before camp, they talked about how during his recovery from surgery he was a maniac in the weight room, and that he was very noticeably bigger and stronger in his chest, shoulders and arms.
Maybe this has helped.
Maybe the torn ACL has made him into a better player.
Maybe the new defensive staff is just able to use him better.

[RashanGary]

Barnett is playing great. I was very wrong about him. He's a hell of a player this year.

[Willard]

Barnett is playing great. I was very wrong about him. He's a hell of a player this year.

Agreed. It seems like he, and a few others on this D, are much better open field tacklers than they were last year. Is that good coaching?

[Fritz]

He really does stand out now, doesn't he?

But then again, so do Hawk now and Matthews. Perhaps it's also the defensive scheme.

Whatever it is, I'm happy, and I'm happy too that all the Barnett haters from early in the year have gone back into their holes.

[rbaloha1]

Playing well along with the entire front 7. Finally Capers is increasing the use of multiple fronts and blitzes.

[Fritz]

How about that crazy two down linemen formation? Wow. Then he'd send linebackers from different spots.

The only formation I don't like - I never did and I never will - is the three man rush. If you gave my mom that much time to throw she'd hit the receiver who inevitably comes open.

And my mom has a lousy arm.

[Willard]

How about that crazy two down linemen formation? Wow. Then he'd send linebackers from different spots.

The only formation I don't like - I never did and I never will - is the three man rush. If you gave my mom that much time to throw she'd hit the receiver who inevitably comes open.

And my mom has a lousy arm.

There was one play in the first half where Cullen Jenkins appeared to be the only down lineman in the defense. Nonetheless, he broke though the OL almost untouched, and blew up the play. Total confusion on the OL. It was beautiful!

[mission]

I was one of these Barnett haters. Not in the 'trade him' camp quite yet at the time, but I think he's playing as good as he ever has if not better.

That blowup on the screen today was awesome and he seemed to be all over the place.

[crosbiegrad]

In previous years i always thought that Barnett looked a little undersized for a middle linebacker but this year I've noticed he looks bigger and he's playing stronger, stuffing rb's at the line of scrimmage rather than being dragged an extra yard or two. I'm sure having a capable DC helps too.

[MOBB DEEP]

he is STIL suspect imo...when's the last time he made key play in BIG game?

[packers11]

he is STIL suspect imo...when's the last time he made key play in BIG game?

haha u sound like a kid I played in madden the other week.. He kept calling my D suspect and I ended the game with a INT 6... You don't happen to play madden 10 on xbox 360 . Do you?

[Willard]

he is STIL suspect imo...when's the last time he made key play in BIG game?

vs. Dallas (11/15): Led the team with a career-high two sacks,
bringing QB Tony Romo down for a 10-yard loss on the first play of the
second quarter and again for an 8-yard loss on the second play of the second
half...Finished with seven tackles (five solo), moving past safety Mark
Murphy (926) for No. 5 on the team’s all-time list for tackles...Also broke
up a Romo pass intended for WR Patrick Crayton in the fourth quarter.

Vs. Baltimore (12/7): Registered six tackles (five solo) and two QB
pressures...Brought down RB Ray Rice for a 7-yard loss on a lateral early
in the fourth quarter.

[wist43]

My favorite player, lol...

I didn't watch him much, but when I did, and he made a play... it was a function of the defense, and unbiasedly, he didn't screw it up...

That said - and you guys know I can't stand the guy - I did notice a couple of times where he actually reacted ahead of the play, shot the gap, closed down the angle, and made the tackle...

... since he has historically never done this, I have to attribute it to 3 things - scheme, coaching, and the players around him.

Barnett is not the kind of guy you can build around, and heretofore, he has, sans one year, never been a guy that could be relied upon to even do his job - however, perhaps with better coaching, and offenses having to pay more attention to Matthews, he can be counted on to at least not get us beat, as he has in the past.

Still hate the guy

[pbmax]

Barnett has been solid weaving through traffic to get into the holes and he has been filling behind Hawk very well. On a Bear run that bounced outside to the Packers' left, Hawk took on a block and forced the RB to cut back to the middle. There was no way he could have made the tackle unless the blocker just fell down off him. But it was the right leverage to play because Barnett was right behind him to make a (now) easy tackle.

So Hawk's improved play has probably helped Barnett.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Barnett has been solid weaving through traffic to get into the holes and he has been filling behind Hawk very well. On a Bear run that bounced outside to the Packers' left, Hawk took on a block and forced the RB to cut back to the middle. There was no way he could have made the tackle unless the blocker just fell down off him. But it was the right leverage to play because Barnett was right behind him to make a (now) easy tackle.

So Hawk's improved play has probably helped Barnett.

I love Hawk. I think this change to 3-4 was great for him.