Blow it up

[Pugger]

I've been thinking about our defense and all of the issues and I'm beginning to feel the lockout really hurt some of our younger guys. Here me out. They missed a lot of TEACHING opportunities in the OTAs and mini-camps. During the season the coaches had to concentrate on implementing the game plans. Plus the fact that there is now a limit on padded practices and you have a recipe for problems with these young players. Young players like Sheilds, Williams, Burnett, House - and some of the veterans - could have benefited from those offseason activities.

[ND72]

I've been thinking about our defense and all of the issues and I'm beginning to feel the lockout really hurt some of our younger guys. Here me out. They missed a lot of TEACHING opportunities in the OTAs and mini-camps. During the season the coaches had to concentrate on implementing the game plans. Plus the fact that there is now a limit on padded practices and you have a recipe for problems with these young players. Young players like Sheilds, Williams, Burnett, House - and some of the veterans - could have benefited from those offseason activities.

agreed.

I think it hurt in a couple of ways...younger guys obviously, but scheme implementation is huge during off season, because guys learn, and they learn to communicate. Did you see the confusion our DB's had last night? I do think Bishop and Hawk got better through the year, and I know they played together last year, but time in the offseason with a coach, breaking down film, and doing work would help them, and I think we're fine in 3/4 of our LB corp. We need another guy though, a threat, on the other side. This loss COULD be the best thing that ever happened...could be a Lombardi "this will never happen to us again" type deal. (I hope)

[sharpe1027]

BFoboaloo, the defense certainly gave up a lot of yards this year; however, the offense was the main factor in the only loses this year.

[Joemailman]

BFoboaloo, the defense certainly gave up a lot of yards this year; however, the offense was the main factor in the only loses this year.

What that means though, is that the Packers were incapable of winning a game in which the offense had an off day. Rodgers had an off day in the NFC Title Game against the Bears last year, but the defense came through. That didn't happen this year.

[sharpe1027]

What that means though, is that the Packers were incapable of winning a game in which the offense had an off day. Rodgers had an off day in the NFC Title Game against the Bears last year, but the defense came through. That didn't happen this year.

I say Pot-aye-to, you say Pot-ah-to. The defense played well enough to win with an off day by the offense. They did not play well enough to win when the offense didn't even show up. It is a team game and the team is good enough to win on the whole. If anything let them down it was the O.

The Packer's offense is geared to score points and they believe they can compete with anyone. They do not come in with a game plan to grind clock to limit the number of possessions and thereby make the defensive stats look good.

IMO, the whole yards/game is a complete waste of time. Craps offensive teams (think KC) try to limit the number of plays and possessions because they know they are the lesser team and their defensive stats look better for it. Good offensive teams (Packers/Pats/Saints) want more plays and possessions and their defensive stats look worse for it.

While I was annoyed with the number of wide-open WRs on 3rd down yesterday, the defense played good enough to win with an above-average offense. Unfortunately, an above-average offense was not in the cards.

[Bossman641]

agreed.

I think it hurt in a couple of ways...younger guys obviously, but scheme implementation is huge during off season, because guys learn, and they learn to communicate. Did you see the confusion our DB's had last night? I do think Bishop and Hawk got better through the year, and I know they played together last year, but time in the offseason with a coach, breaking down film, and doing work would help them, and I think we're fine in 3/4 of our LB corp. We need another guy though, a threat, on the other side. This loss COULD be the best thing that ever happened...could be a Lombardi "this will never happen to us again" type deal. (I hope)

I agree partly, but this doesn't say much for the secondary coaches. It's week 20 and we are still behind from missing a handful of minicamps?

[AtlPackFan]

Bring back the offense and special teams. Overhaul on the defense, but not the scheme. We need a DL (can't assume Mike Neal will be healthy), ROLB, CB, and S (assuming Collins is done). We'll be in the running again next year. It's not easy to win the Super Bowl two years in a row. Disappointing, but I was actually a bit surprised we followed up a Super bowl victory with a 15-1 record. It is what it is.

This!

[AtlPackFan]

Agree with all but #7. Kuhn was OK back this year. Clifton was a liability today. Finley does NOT deserve his payday. His piss poor performance and the amount of drops do not equate to upper echelon talent.

The pass rush was PA-THE-TIC. I don't get the constant zone schemes when the Giants were finding the soft spots most of the game.

The D had no pass rush and played too soft. The loss of Collins hurt, but it was no excuse for the sloppy play.

PISS POOR Fundamentals. Lousy tackling, the amount of drops and lack of ball control was far from championship caliber.

Say what you want about Driver, but he was one of the few guys who caught the tough passes today. Jennings, Finley, Starks, Crabtree all had drops that killed drives. Rodgers wasn't as sharp with the 2 overthrows, but his runs were the only thing that kept this game from being an even worse defeat.

My thought was they were playing zone BECAUSE the pass rush couldn't get home. IMHO, if you play up tight man-to-man, you had better be able to get to the QB and Green Bay couldn't all year without blitzing...and even then they couldn't always get to the QB. I think the Pack needs to somehow bolster that front four....I believe losing Jenkins hurt more than losing Collins.

[AtlPackFan]

Woodson still had a pretty darn good yr. problem is Williams and Shields struggled in front of our safeties. and they all struggled because we couldn't generate any pass rush up front. Mathews had zero help and got double teamed all yr.

Yes, Yes, Yes! THIS!!!

[Tarlam!]

just fix the pass rush. all the blitzing hurt williams and shields. draft heavy on the d side.

Yup. Sounds so simple. I am amazed at posters want massive changes. It's like throwing out the baby with the bathwater!

[red]

go hard after calais campbell, sign him. then go for a stud OLB in the draft.

that would go a long ways towards fixing the d IMO

[Packers4Glory]

I guess what we learn from a season ago is the line between a top 5 defense and a 32nd ranked defense is really fucking thin.

[Joemailman]

go hard after calais campbell, sign him. then go for a stud OLB in the draft.

that would go a long ways towards fixing the d IMO

Cardinals have been working on an extension for Campbell. I highly doubt he'll reach free agency. You're right though. He'd be a great fit.

[denverYooper]

agreed.

I think it hurt in a couple of ways...younger guys obviously, but scheme implementation is huge during off season, because guys learn, and they learn to communicate. Did you see the confusion our DB's had last night? I do think Bishop and Hawk got better through the year, and I know they played together last year, but time in the offseason with a coach, breaking down film, and doing work would help them, and I think we're fine in 3/4 of our LB corp. We need another guy though, a threat, on the other side. This loss COULD be the best thing that ever happened...could be a Lombardi "this will never happen to us again" type deal. (I hope)

I'm hoping that is the result as well.

[bobblehead]

Someone really needs to tell McCarthy that our offense is NOT ideal for January in Green Bay.

8 drops and 3 fumbles (4 if you count jennings) had nothing to do with the scheme. THAT was the story of the game. Kuhn first career fumble, Rodgers 2 TO's, Grant with a rare fumble. Every reciever took turns dropping passes.

This team is still awesome and poised to make another run next year. We need to be tougher on D. Chuck is still a man among boys. Tramon better have been injured, cuz if this was him healthy after the payday....oh shit.

We desperately need an OLB opposite clay and I always thought resigning Hawk to a big deal was a mistake.

If Collins comes back healthy and we land an OLB our outlook is outright awesome. If collins is done, and sherrod can't come back right, and we don't find the answer at OLB.....we will still win 10 games or more.