Defensive Issues

[Harlan Huckleby]

Neal: its going to take him 3 or 4 games after his return before he'll be playing full speed. He's for the playoffs.

[Brandon494]

I agree with just about everything that's been written in this thread, except Dom's comment to the media about Hawk. He's had fewer opportunities to make plays due to fewer runs maybe, but I'd like to see him make a play (perhaps even a tackle for loss) in the every once in a while. I don't recall Hawk creating much pressure or making many plays. The play in the Saints game that was called a PI counts I guess since he can't control the fact that a bad call was made, but I'm not remembering any other play that Hawk has made other than being Steady Eddie tackler for a 5 yard gain or 10 yard reception.

When has Hawk ever made a play? What a horrible draft to have the #5 pick.

[mraynrand]

McGinn commented on how much more effective Tramon Williams is in press coverage as opposed to off coverage, which he apparently has been playing exclusively since injuring his shoulder. I haven't watched enough to know if that is true, but I will trust McGinn on that. Assuming Tramon's shoulder heals in the next month and that Burnett and Peprah can figure out what they are doing and what their limitations are in approximately the same amount of time, we could be seeing the Packers D start to gel in the second half of the season. Which, if you look at it the right way, is almost better than starting out hitting on all cylinders, because things usually only go down from there.

Williams has been lining up really deep - basically daring other teams to throw in front of him. He's still wearing the shoulder harness - if he has an A-C separation, it could be two months before that thing is feeling better. It just depends how severe it is...

[mraynrand]

When has Hawk ever made a play? What a horrible draft to have the #5 pick.

2007 against Tony Gonzales

[rbaloha1]

When has Hawk ever made a play? What a horrible draft to have the #5 pick.

Certainly not an Urlacher.

[mmmdk]

Be it DL, LBs or secondary; they've rarely played well simultaneously this season. Packers have good & even great defenders but they're not performing to their ability. All 11 need to have a higher ceiling of play on every down.

[hoosier]

When has Hawk ever made a play? What a horrible draft to have the #5 pick.

Let's assume that the following players were legitimately seen as viable candidates for the #5 spot in 2006. Which one would take today instead of Hawk?

Vernon Davis (despite what he said about playing in GB and thus not Finley)
Michael Huff
Donte Whitner
Ernie Sims
Matt Leinart
Jay Cutler

Ngata is the only guy between picks 4 and 17 that year who is better than Hawk. Let's face it, 2006 was a terrible year to have a high draft pick, and the true stars of that draft (Ngata, Hali, etc.) were all overlooked by multiple teams.

[pittstang5]

So my biggest issue so far with this defense has been the pass rush. I have an idea about helping the pass rush and wondered what others thought. How about using a three man front of either Howard or Pickett at NT, Wynn at DE then put Raji ar DE on the same side as Matthews. Seems like Mathews and Raji are getting double teamed alot...putting them on the same side should free up Wynn or the other OLB (Walden or whoever) to get in there.

[Upnorth]

So I just read on CHFF that our O is on pace for 5116 yrds and 48 Tds by Rodgers. Our D is on pace for 5372 yrds and 36 tds through the air. Both numbers are very high. The real benifit of our defence is that we have 8 picks against 2 pics by our O. If we can maintain that pace I probably should not worry as much as I have been about our D.

[Pugger]

So I just read on CHFF that our O is on pace for 5116 yrds and 48 Tds by Rodgers. Our D is on pace for 5372 yrds and 36 tds through the air. Both numbers are very high. The real benifit of our defence is that we have 8 picks against 2 pics by our O. If we can maintain that pace I probably should not worry as much as I have been about our D.

Interesting stuff, but how long can our offense keep this up? Rodgers is fabulous but also human. I would prefer our pass defense to play better.

[ND72]

So my biggest issue so far with this defense has been the pass rush. I have an idea about helping the pass rush and wondered what others thought. How about using a three man front of either Howard or Pickett at NT, Wynn at DE then put Raji ar DE on the same side as Matthews. Seems like Mathews and Raji are getting double teamed alot...putting them on the same side should free up Wynn or the other OLB (Walden or whoever) to get in there.

Teams will run the opposite way every down. Our pass rush does scare me, a lot. The only good side is a team is gonna have to put up 30 points to beat us, which a lot of teams simply cannot do. I will not be surprised to see Thompson focus on some top tier DL next year, and a pass rush guy from that opposite OLB. I would like to see what So'oto can bring (I'm on the bus), but he might be a 3rd down pass rush guy only, but if that is the case, well ok. Our defense scares me right now with it's ineffectiveness and inconsistency. Tramon seems timid since his injury, teams try to stay away from Woodson, Shields seems a step back from last year right now, and then we have Peprah and Burnett. I like them both, but not having Collins worries me, really felt he was just starting to get into the "ed reed/troy polamalu" area as a dominate safety in the NFC.

[mraynrand]

Someone else has to defeat a single block to generate pass rush.

On the back side, you essentially have a rookie (Burnett) and a JAG (Peprah) at safety. Woodson isn't getting any younger, and so long as he's called upon to shore up the coverage, he isn't going to be rushing the passer as much.

The good news: Burnett will get better as the season progresses, Williams will heal, and passing attacks will get hindered by the increasingly bad weather - except in those lousy domes. Consistency from wither Wynn or Wilson and something from Zombo or So-so might be enough.

[rbaloha1]

Packers defense will be severely tested this week with stud receivers.

The bye week will be important in fixing problems. IMO the personnel is fine (even with a missing Collins). Agree that players need to play better (i.e. peprah and shields).

[Upnorth]

I dont think our defense will be tested as much in this game as against carolina. Ryan is good, not great, and his recievers are good, not great. Jones and White are good, as is Gonzo, but I really don't fear this group. Ryan checks down a lot and this will play to our d's strenght. Okay maybe not strenght, but our weakness has been down feild and Ryan does not go down feild so they aren't attacking our weakness.

[denverYooper]

I dont think our defense will be tested as much in this game as against carolina. Ryan is good, not great, and his recievers are good, not great. Jones and White are good, as is Gonzo, but I really don't fear this group. Ryan checks down a lot and this will play to our d's strenght. Okay maybe not strenght, but our weakness has been down feild and Ryan does not go down feild so they aren't attacking our weakness.

From what I've seen of the Falcons this year, they've tried to go vertical a lot more but have not been very good at it.