Whats with the D?

[sheepshead]

Just to be clear, I was talking about last year's defense as in, "Except this (Packer) D got better (in 2010) after he (Barnett) got hurt."

And I understood you meant leadership. But if we are to believe JSO, Hawk is a more calming influence in the huddle which allows the fellows to settle down before the next play and receive his signals clearly. This is why everyone maintained Hawk was worth his new contract.

But my main objection to tagging this to Barnett's departure is that Bishop is his replacement and he has played better than Barnett.

I know, and I was strictly talking intangibles. I have nothing to base it on, just a hunch.

[Harlan Huckleby]

we don't need no stinkin D

[Harlan Huckleby]

Barnett was and is a very good player. I seriously doubt D improved because he went down last year. This is all crap because of his off the field nonsense.

[Guiness]

Barnett was and is a very good player. I seriously doubt D improved because he went down last year. This is all crap because of his off the field nonsense.

While it's hard to judge, and probably a push, if the ILB corps got better when Barnett went down, it certainly did seem that when he was no longer the defensive play caller (and Hawk was) the front 7 improved.

[pbmax]

Barnett was and is a very good player. I seriously doubt D improved because he went down last year. This is all crap because of his off the field nonsense.

Its possible Burnett and/or Peprah are still in over their head in terms of recognition and adjustments on the fly.

[Harlan Huckleby]

the D misses Collins big time. duh.

[Harlan Huckleby]

While it's hard to judge, and probably a push, if the ILB corps got better when Barnett went down, it certainly did seem that when he was no longer the defensive play caller (and Hawk was) the front 7 improved.

Barnett went down very early in the season. Defense got better late in year. I don't believe hawk calling plays made difference.

[pbmax]

I think we miss the understated leadership shown by Daryn Colledge. By allowing defenders to routinely beat him in practice, he raised everyone's confidence level. On the defensive side of the ball.

[Joemailman]

Per MM's PC:

Frank Zombo will likely miss the Minnesota game. Mike Neal expected to practice on Thursday

Main focus on defense will be communication.

[pbmax]

Per MM's PC:

Frank Zombo will likely miss the Minnesota game. Mike Neal expected to practice on Thursday

Main focus on defense will be communication.

You know, of all the problems to have, that's not a such a bad one. I just wish it hadn't been semi-consistent since 2009.

[pbmax]

Color me skeptical, but hasn't Neal done the one practice a week thing before only to be shut down again? Or was that Zombo?

[denverYooper]

Color me skeptical, but hasn't Neal done the one practice a week thing before only to be shut down again? Or was that Zombo?

I thought it happened with Neal once, earlier in the season.

[Fritz]

It is, of course, not just one factor, as several have noted. One of the coaches in a recent JSO or GBPG article - I can't put my finger on it just now - mentioned that Jenkins was nice because he played the run or pass equally well, so the coaches didn't have to mix-and-match to down-and-distance as much as they do now at the end position.

Another factor seems to be Neal's injury. He did show much promise in the few games he played before his first injury, and losing him has affected what Capers can and can't call.

Williams is still hurt, it appears, and Shields seems to have gone a bit backward since last year.

Losing Collins. He was, it would seem, more important than we knew in terms of getting the coverages right in the back end. Plus, Collins/Burnett is way better than Collins/Peprah. One of the reasons the Collins/Burnett package didn't work great at the beginning of the year is that the coaches said they were still trying to figure out how to best utilize both players' skills together.

Raji playing more snaps has to hurt his production.

One more factor - I believe I read a thread here a couple years ago in which evidence was given that a Capers defense showed great improvement in its first year of implementation, then stayed the same the second year, then backslid thereafter. Is Capers becoming too predictable with this group? I dunno. I'd guess not, but I'm just throwing it out there.

I'd love to know what the hell happened to Brad Jones that he's so low on the depth chart I'm more likely to be called in for a few snaps than he is these days.

I wonder if it's time to unveil the Vic So'oto show.

[hoosier]

Raji isn't really playing more snaps this year by any appreciable measure. He played 85% of snaps last year. This year it's what, 90%?

[Brandon494]

I think Capers is taking more chances on defense because he knows that our offense is a lock to put up 28+ every night. Still need to get communication fixed in the secondary and create some sort of pass rush.