Sam Shields

[mission]

Did not see it. Will be interesting to see if it gets discussed.

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it was on the goal line and no CB would have stopped the carrier from scoring there either. High effort or no. Maybe Antoine Winfield, but the momentum would have carried them in...

[rbaloha1]

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it was on the goal line and no CB would have stopped the carrier from scoring there either. High effort or no. Maybe Antoine Winfield, but the momentum would have carried them in...

Its not that play. It was in the third or fourth quarter on a sideline completion on a second down.

[Joemailman]

If your nickel back is benched, isn't it possible they were in base defense?

[smuggler]

Safety: It's a judgment call. If he'd turned around and tried to move forward at any point, he would have lost access to forward progress and could have been tackled in the end zone for a safety.

Once he continued the play, and turned to face the other endzone, if he'd been tackled in the end zone, it would have been a safety.

This happened to Doug Evans once in Carolina. Honestly, it's a shitty rule.

[rbaloha1]

On one third down against Denver, coaches replaced Shields with Bush in nickel.

The play before was the matador defense.


Before Sunday, Shields had just one more tackle (seven) than missed tackles (six). He said that cornerbacks Joe Whitt Jr. has been on him about this. To stick around in this defense long term, he must play more physical.

[hoosier]

Re. the Shields momentum question, if he establishes possession in the field of play (say, the three yard line) and then his momentum carries him into the end zone where he gets tackled, the Packers get the ball wherever he first established possession (the 3). If he were juggling the ball when he went into the end zone and got tackled there, it would be a TB. It can only be a safety if the officials judge that he went into the end zone on his own volition. Whether he is trying to run it back out of the end zone or not is immaterial, the only thing that matters is how he got into the EZ in the first place.

[Smidgeon]

Maybe because of our lack of a pass rush? If you give any NFL QB enough time back there somebody's gonna get open. DBs can only cover so long. CM3 is continually double and triple teamed so somebody else has to get in there. It was nice to see Wynn get in there a couple of times against the bares last Sunday. Let's hope this is repeated tomorrow afternoon.

I think it's because the yards given up is basically irrelevant. Someone else recently brought up the point that there's a high correlation between pass rating differential and successful championship teams. While the Pack is giving up yards, they're also intercepting the ball well, creating turnovers, and capitalizing. I'm pretty sure they're in the Top 5 in the NFL in pass rating differential (but that's a guess)...

[hoosier]

I think it's because the yards given up is basically irrelevant. Someone else recently brought up the point that there's a high correlation between pass rating differential and successful championship teams. While the Pack is giving up yards, they're also intercepting the ball well, creating turnovers, and capitalizing. I'm pretty sure they're in the Top 5 in the NFL in pass rating differential (but that's a guess)...

Yup. Their current QB rating differential is 32.4 (120.8 vs. 88.6). That is minimally better than last year's Packers who lead the league with 31.7.

[smuggler]

I have seen this safety question called the other way. The point is, officials are the ones who determine your intent when entering the endzone after the pick. If you were running at full speed and then continued running at full speed out of the back of the endzone, it's a safety. If you tried your best to stop your momentum and then slid down in the endzone and stayed down, you get a touchback.

The way Shields played it, it would probably have been ruled a safety in the endzone.

[Guiness]

As far as I can see smuggler, there's nothing in the rule, as it is written, that would say that it's a safety because he tried to run it back - it was obviously his momentum that carried him in. However, I tend to agree with you, and could see the officials awarding the safety after Shields juked a guy or two and was obviously trying to run it back.

[Fritz]

I'm a little concerned with Shields's comments in the JSO the other - his tone seemed casual, in a way. Like "Oh, that tackling thing - yeah, I'm definitely going to start doing that on Sunday." He mentioned Whitt had been on him about tackling, but he seemed a bit mystified as to why it was a big deal, this tackling thing.

I suppose part of being a young man learning the craft is also simply growing up and maturing and taking the job seriously - all of it. Like Finley with blocking.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Good player. Still a dumb ass. I remember him showing no remorse for trying to house that game clinching interception in the NFC Championship Game (and then nearly fumbling). He said he'd do it again. I like ya, Sam, but you need to wise up.

[woodbuck27]

Man, people are harsh. He's still a young player, still developing. What is he, like 23 years old? He's still learning the craft.

Yup. That afterall is the Packer way. He has to be given a break and allowed to develop his full potential.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

He's one of my favorite players. I think he can be really good, but he has to start playing like he wants it. What I mean by that is he has to start tackling better and follow Tramon and Charles lead and study study study. If he does that he can be as good as Tramon.

[Guiness]

Any word on his injury? Did he come back into the game against the Rams?