Packers D to Decline in 2010?

[vince]

Harv to the rescue. Thank you sir.

I think there is still some concern about getting to the QB and the pass rush/coverage combinations. I expect that getting to the quarterback consistently will still require a lot of creative scheming/blitzing up front, and at times Capers has a tendency to play too soft on the backside and that hurt the Packers last year when it mattered most.

[RashanGary]

Yeah, good points, HW.

[Bretsky]

Players who should get better

Matthews
Jones
Raji


Should drop off

Woodson


Should stay the same

Everyone else (assuming Jolly misses only 4 games)

Just talent, I think we got better. Being in the 2nd year, we should be a little further along early.

I don't see a drop off. Dom is going to work on rezone defense. He seems like a good, experienced coach. I'd expect improvement there. I would expect he will clean up some of the confusion we had with nickle and dime defenses as well.

Overall, I think last years defense was moderately overrated. This year we should have a slightly better defense. I'd call it a good, solid defense. Compared to last year, I'd say it should be similar with less glaring mistakes.

I can buy into all of this, although I'm not drinking as much Jones Kool Aide as most in here.

I'd say an obvious, but slight dropoff would list Al Harris as well. I'm one of his biggest fans, but first year guys coming off of torn ACL's normally have a struggle year one. I still think he'll be fine....just not quite as good.

[retailguy]

No Sophomore slump for Matthews? Why so confident Jones will improve? I think if he's as good as last year, that's good enough. If woodson and Harris both slip, then we're in trouble. Those corners have to be able to play press or we're screwed. Dropoffs on both sides will lead to way too many big plays.

Not sure I buy all the hype about the defense, but I expect it to be good enough, no matter what.

[sharpe1027]

No Sophomore slump for Matthews? Why so confident Jones will improve? I think if he's as good as last year, that's good enough. If woodson and Harris both slip, then we're in trouble. Those corners have to be able to play press or we're screwed. Dropoffs on both sides will lead to way too many big plays.

Not sure I buy all the hype about the defense, but I expect it to be good enough, no matter what.

I tend to agree. When coaches talk about getting more of something, like a pass rush, it is often because there is a problem. Talking about it doesn't solve the problem. The pass rush was better last year than in recent years, but that might be what we are stuck with the same production again this year. I'm not sure they have the right people to improve it.

[wist43]

No Sophomore slump for Matthews? Why so confident Jones will improve? I think if he's as good as last year, that's good enough. If woodson and Harris both slip, then we're in trouble. Those corners have to be able to play press or we're screwed. Dropoffs on both sides will lead to way too many big plays.

Not sure I buy all the hype about the defense, but I expect it to be good enough, no matter what.

I tend to agree. When coaches talk about getting more of something, like a pass rush, it is often because there is a problem. Talking about it doesn't solve the problem. The pass rush was better last year than in recent years, but that might be what we are stuck with the same production again this year. I'm not sure they have the right people to improve it.

Matthews is the real deal, and offenses will scheme for him... since TT didn't add any pass rush via FA or the draft, improvement will necessarily have to come from within.

Jones can be a decent player IMO... but I don't see him as being a world-beater.

Improved pass rush, and improved defense overall is going to have to come from Capers, and game planning... if he gets conservative, ala the Arizona game, we have very little chance of contending... if he gets his head out of his ass and stays aggressive... we have a chance.

[vince]

Regarding Jones, I'm not convinced he'll be the second coming of Matthews this year, and I advocated pretty strongly for a pass rusher this offseason to keep Matthews from gettign double teamed all year.

That said, there is good reason IMO to think Jones will be better, even beyond the fact that he was a rookie who missed most of camp last year. He appears to have taken a pretty good jump in physical maturity over the offseason. He's gained 10 lbs of muscle and and his body seems to be carrying it very well. You could see the speed, athleticism and intelligence with which he played last year, but he lacked strength. There's no question he looks stronger this year. How much better he'll be remains to be seen

[get louder at lambeau]

Not sure I buy all the hype about the defense,

You know you're a Debbie Downer if you mention not buying "all the hype" in a thread predicting a potential decline.

There was hype last year with the 3-4 transition; this year there really isn't much hype to not buy. There are people calling the defense overrated, people complaining that they didn't draft an OLB, and people wondering about a historic pattern of decline in Capers' defenses in year 2. Good thing you're not naive enough to drink all that Kool-Aid, retail.

[GBRulz]

Am I the only one who doesn't think that Harris's injury really didn't even affect us last year? I've always thought the guy was overrated.

[hoosier]

Am I the only one who doesn't think that Harris's injury really didn't even affect us last year?

Yes.

You didn't happen to catch the second Arizona game, did you?

[SkinBasket]

Am I the only one who doesn't think that Harris's injury really didn't even affect us last year? I've always thought the guy was overrated.

I think he's overrated, but I also think he's still better than 3/4 of the DBs out there.

Hard for me to remember the Arizona game that ended our season and think that his injury didn't affect us. The that memory sparks memories of Big Ben throwing for 500+, and it's hard to imagine that happening with Harris and Charles both healthy.

[retailguy]

Not sure I buy all the hype about the defense,

You know you're a Debbie Downer if you mention not buying "all the hype" in a thread predicting a potential decline.

There was hype last year with the 3-4 transition; this year there really isn't much hype to not buy. There are people calling the defense overrated, people complaining that they didn't draft an OLB, and people wondering about a historic pattern of decline in Capers' defenses in year 2. Good thing you're not naive enough to drink all that Kool-Aid, retail.

Blah, blah, blah. Same old bullshit.

You really need to learn to read. I was responding to the post above me. Mainly Harrells which was quoted in Bretsky's reply. Harrell saw NO DROPOFF. (of course).

I saw a dropoff.

Slow down, learn to read and THEN make comments... sheesh.

[get louder at lambeau]

Silly me. I missed ALL this hype!- "Slightly better"? "Good, solid"? "Similar, with less glaring mistakes"? CRAZY TALK!

No wonder you aren't buying "all the hype about our defense"! I somehow didn't realize how unrealistically optimistic JH was being in the post you responded to the first time I read it. You're right, I should learn how to read more betterer. Thanks for the advice.

Here's a little friendly advice for you in return. Get some sunlight and excercise. Maybe even listen to the nice lady in the commercials and ask your doctor about Wellbutrin.

[Bretsky]

Am I the only one who doesn't think that Harris's injury really didn't even affect us last year? I've always thought the guy was overrated.

YES....you might be the only one.

[pbmax]

Last year was an aberration... yes the defense was vastly improved from the previous few years, but they didn't play anyone - half their games came against the worst offenses in the league.

When they came up against a good offense, with a good QB... Capers went and hid in the corner hoping to hold them under 50.

I expect the defense to be marginally improved, but their numbers won't be as good; and, I fully expect Capers to continue to be ultra-conservative against good offenses with good QB's.

One thing about last year was not an aberration of the defense. We played very well on offense, esp. the 2nd half of the season) and frequently had a lead. That helps suppress the opposition's run game. As for the pass, it was very similar to 2007. When they got to the QB, it was a success. When they didn't, all bets were off.