Chad Clifton. Hang em up buddy, it's over.

[Joemailman]

CC is proving many of us wrong -- played exceedingly well against a premier pass rusher. Appears healthier.

It's quite debatable if JA is a premiere pass rusher this year. His falloff has been quite steep. Ray Edwards is probably the bigger threat at DE there now.

(this takes nothing away from the job Clifton did)

Didn't Allen get most of his sacks LAST season against Barbre and Colledge?

7 out of 13.5, I believe. Still, Clifton was moving really well, better than I thought we'd see. He can probably pass block in his sleep, and when he's reasonably healthy, there are few better.

[bobblehead]

this wasn't quite from out of nowhere....he stoned Andre Carter and Cameron Wake as well...no slouches.

I have railed on Cliffy in recent times as much as anyone, but I will be giddy if he simply plays this well the rest of the season. The dancing bear may be healthy.

[packerbacker1234]

this wasn't quite from out of nowhere....he stoned Andre Carter and Cameron Wake as well...no slouches.

I have railed on Cliffy in recent times as much as anyone, but I will be giddy if he simply plays this well the rest of the season. The dancing bear may be healthy.

Yeah, it only seemed out of nowhere to people who haven't been paying attention, just because JA is a big name player, evne though he is having a down year.

Cameron Wake was purely impressive. They moved him to the other side of the defense BECAUSE of how much Clifton was owning him. You know a player is at the top of his game when the defense moves the player away from you because your that good right now. This is really 3 weeks in row where clifton has been kicking some serious arse, and he is actually looking decent in the run game as well.

IT may have taken him a few games to get past that injury and get back into the flow, but he definitely looks like a top tier LT right now. We can only hope he holds up all year.

[KYPack]

Bulaga is a LT and he played RT. Now, I'm no expert, but I expect there's a difference?

There is a difference. Its something he should be past by now after several weeks. A tackle uses an almost reggie white club like move to ride a speed rusher upfield (to force his momentum so he can't turn the corner). A left tackle uses his right arm and leg. Opposite for RT. Same with a bull rush you try to leverage him inside to the help and its opposite from the hips. A guy with a great base like Bulaga should struggle with it for about 2 weeks before he is comfortable....I didn't watch him that close last night. Did he look comfortable??

He was like a man wearing an old comfortable pair of sneakers. Perfect footwork in every PR situation.


It's also important that the LT has a quick,seamless glide and/or quick step. when Cliffy's healthy, he's the Zen Master of the quick step. He's had a great one from day one. When he gets banged up, he loses the ability to make that lightening quick step. Now he's healthy and his quick step is working, he's one of the best LT's in the league.

A guy who is slow and clumsy with his quick step will have a day like Barbre did last year against Ogunleye. IOW, a brutal afternoon. Cliffy has all the moves and with his experience, he should continue be a force for us this season. Just as long as he stays healthy.

Bulaga? A good hustling kid who battles to the whistle. He gives it his all, but his experience makes him a "C" student that will grow into the job

[Pugger]

CC is proving many of us wrong -- played exceedingly well against a premier pass rusher. Appears healthier.

It's quite debatable if JA is a premiere pass rusher this year. His falloff has been quite steep. Ray Edwards is probably the bigger threat at DE there now.

(this takes nothing away from the job Clifton did)

Didn't Allen get most of his sacks LAST season against Barbre and Colledge?

7 out of 13.5, I believe. Still, Clifton was moving really well, better than I thought we'd see. He can probably pass block in his sleep, and when he's reasonably healthy, there are few better.

Yes, Cliffy played great! So much so that NBC kept showing highlights of his play (they even showed Bulaga blocking as well). I hope Cliffy continues to play so well.

[Tarlam!]

Chilly accused Cliffy of constantly holding Allen. Any truth to that?

[pbmax]

Chilly accused Cliffy of constantly holding Allen. Any truth to that?

There is holding on every play. It used to be that if tackles could keep their hands inside the defenders shoulders, that they could grab whatever they wanted and not get called. That interpretation will hold until the defender starts to fall or go by you. If that happens and you are hanging on to a shirt or piece of equipment as the defender is separating from you, you then stand to get a flag.

But more recently, tackles have been able to grab the little outside flap of shoulder pads with impunity. Tackles no longer seem to want to get the inside position with their hands. My guess is that pad gives them a better grip that compensates for not having inside leverage.

And I suspect that teams found a way to hide and smooth the jersey and equipment edges inside a defenders shoulders, and that forced an adjustment by O lineman.

[bobblehead]

Chilly accused Cliffy of constantly holding Allen. Any truth to that?

There is holding on every play. It used to be that if tackles could keep their hands inside the defenders shoulders, that they could grab whatever they wanted and not get called. That interpretation will hold until the defender starts to fall or go by you. If that happens and you are hanging on to a shirt or piece of equipment as the defender is separating from you, you then stand to get a flag.

But more recently, tackles have been able to grab the little outside flap of shoulder pads with impunity. Tackles no longer seem to want to get the inside position with their hands. My guess is that pad gives them a better grip that compensates for not having inside leverage.

And I suspect that teams found a way to hide and smooth the jersey and equipment edges inside a defenders shoulders, and that forced an adjustment by O lineman.

Great breakdown PB, and yes, the DL are wearing tighter fitting jerseys in the upper body now days to make it harder to grab hold of.

I would venture to guess that cliffy's transgressions were consistently less than the hands to the face against CMIII all game long. I go by my standard of "are they calling it equal". I have no problem with holding, but its games like the bears game where its called one way I have issues. Its a subjective call, I simply want the same standard applied both ways.

[mraynrand]

Chilly accused Cliffy of constantly holding Allen. Any truth to that?

Absolutely true. And Chilly also blamed the officials for global warming.

[vince]

When Cliffy was reported to have aggravation and swelling in the knee before the first game of the year, it looked like it could be the end of the road for him. They've obviously figured out how to deal with it, and after the first two poor games this year, he's been great once again.

Here's a good article from Wilde on Cliffy. It's great to see how he approaches his relationship with Bulaga. He helps him out every chance he gets and says he'll be open to staying on as a back-up if the knee is still holding out at the time the team wants Bulaga to take over the reins at left tackle. Cliffy's a pro's pro if there ever was one.

http://www.espnmilwaukee.com/includes/news_items/40/news_items_more.php?id=4661&section_id=40&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[packerbacker1234]

Yeah Clifton is a true team player. He knows his years of play are numbered. Clearly he still has "it" this season, and barring any unforseen problems he should still be solid for next season.It's that 3rd year of his deal where you may have to start looking at wether or not his knee and such is holding up enough for him to be an every week starter. The health of Taucher may have a lot to do with his starting role as well, since if taucher just can't stay ont he field Bulaga will continue to be asked to be the RT starter even heading into next season. This leaves Clifton's starting role never in doubt, as we have to draft yet another tackle for depth.