Capers

[Tarlam!]

However, I was specifically talking about a possible reason why younger players have not shown as much improvement as might be expected. The Rodgers article doesn't really address that. Not saying it is necessarily the reason, but it's at least plausible.

I agree with that, but ALL teams younger players are at the same disadvantage, so we can't put that forward as an excuse.

[sharpe1027]

I agree with that, but ALL teams younger players are at the same disadvantage, so we can't put that forward as an excuse.

Yes, they all have the disadvantage, but it is not necessarily the same. The Packer's may have suffered more than most because they had less time to recover before the lockout prevented contact between players and their teams. The critical time then was right before the lockout began because after that point they were not supposed to interact. That meant the Packers had less time for the coaches to evaluate the previous season and develop an off-season plan for the players. Just a thought.

[Smidgeon]

Much as I'd hate to see him go, I almost hope Bennett gets that job. He's put in his time, worked his way through the ranks, and that's the next logical step for him - seems like he deserves it.
Greene as a DC seems like quite a jump though. How much coaching did he have before GB? I'm pretty sure it's his first job. He's the OLB coach here, doesn't seem like he'd get much overall insight into what it takes to run the whole defense.

I think Bennett would be a stretch for a promotion. Maybe lateral. But he just took the WR position to expand his resume. I think he'll need a couple more years before he's OC material...

[Bretsky]

We only have 2 legit NFL calibur DL... hard to run any scheme when you can't field even average players.

If we make it to the SB and have to play NE?? It will be the first NFL game ever where over 150 pts are scored, lol.

What Wist said
However you want to spin it, we have Raji, Pickett and a bunch of J.A.G.'s now that we need to play better.
I'm not sure we even have a J.A.G. at OLB oppisite Clay. We're starting Jones tomorrow and I'm having Arizona Nightmares

[Bretsky]

I don't feel like Cullen Jenkins made that that much difference in the pass rush. Hell, the guy didn't even play that much during the playoff run, did he? So why else might the defense have been so much better last year? Were teams not doubling Clay as much? Collins's injury?

What the hell happened?

He was one more guy somebody had to focus on. He got occasional push and his pass rush opened up for others to excel.

[pbmax]

I would be happy if off coverage meant giving up 5-10 yard routes regularly. But with no pressure, those play are hemorrhaging into 20+ yard plays. There are times on 3 and 10 you want to entice a 5 yard pass to the middle or the flat. Add bad tackling and how many times have you seen that preferred short pass go for a first down?

That same lack of pressure also encourages less man to man outside, even putting aside injury adjustments. If the QB get 5+ seconds, its going long. But I still think down and distance (and run game trouble) play the biggest role.

Back to smeefers/Tar on the lockout, those players workouts did not have a lot of hitting and so the value added to your defense and run game would be limited no matter how intense they were in the classroom/walkthoughs.

But one effect the lockout might have had is giving even more of an advantage to the offense. I would bet after this year that the basketball offense we have seen is easier to put together on short work than good, tough, physical, well-tackling defense. I think defenses across the board have suffered versus offense.

[Old School]

When I watch the defense try to tackle, I get confused. Straighten me out if I'm wrong, but this is my take.

There seems to be an over emphasis on stripping the ball. Isn't the first order of business to tackle the ball carrier to the ground? So the attempt to dislodge the ball fails and the defender is now high on the ball carrier. Even WR's are very strong in the upper body, so they can fight off or drag along the defender for extra yardage.

I don't care how strong anyone is; nonbody can run with his knees or ankles held together. Am I mossing something?

[Tarlam!]

I would bet after this year that the basketball offense we have seen is easier to put together on short work than good, tough, physical, well-tackling defense. I think defenses across the board have suffered versus offense.

M3 has oftentimes remarked that it is a product of the reduced practices in pads (new CBA). He's never said anything about the lockout that I recall. I would have thought the missing QB school would have impacted Flynn, hahaha!

[pbmax]

M3 has oftentimes remarked that it is a product of the reduced practices in pads (new CBA). He's never said anything about the lockout that I recall. I would have thought the missing QB school would have impacted Flynn, hahaha!

Good point, though my impression was that hitting in season hasn't changed as much as it did during camp. McCarthy did not run too many 2 padded practices per week in prior years.

[mraynrand]

I would have thought the missing QB school would have impacted Flynn, hahaha!

The guy who actually suffered was Graham Harrell, but even he came around by the end of camp

[Pugger]

What Wist said
However you want to spin it, we have Raji, Pickett and a bunch of J.A.G.'s now that we need to play better.
I'm not sure we even have a J.A.G. at OLB oppisite Clay. We're starting Jones tomorrow and I'm having Arizona Nightmares

I'm with ya about our D line but Jones has to be better than Walden...

[Pugger]

When I watch the defense try to tackle, I get confused. Straighten me out if I'm wrong, but this is my take.

There seems to be an over emphasis on stripping the ball. Isn't the first order of business to tackle the ball carrier to the ground? So the attempt to dislodge the ball fails and the defender is now high on the ball carrier. Even WR's are very strong in the upper body, so they can fight off or drag along the defender for extra yardage.

I don't care how strong anyone is; nonbody can run with his knees or ankles held together. Am I mossing something?

I wonder if the guys do this because they are influenced by Woodson and his propensity to strip the ball? He is, after all, one of our team leaders.

[pbmax]

Well, Walden was fine until the domestic disturbance. He had just the one hole in his game, contain, but since then he has sprung leaks everywhere. Either it got into head or teams decided to test him and found him lacking. I suspect some of the former, but mostly the latter. Once he started yielding big plays, he went into the tank in other facets. Jones isn't the long term answer, but he might put a cork in some of the leaks.

[Smidgeon]

Good point, though my impression was that hitting in season hasn't changed as much as it did during camp. McCarthy did not run too many 2 padded practices per week in prior years.

I thought McCarthy was on record of saying he had already planned on reducing padded practices partly because of all the injuries he had last year, and that the number this year was really just a natural progression of the league's direction. But I could be wrong.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Time for a lot of changes on D. Capers time should be up imo.