Clay Matthews, one-hit wonder

[SnakeLH2006]

[IMG]http://media.nbc26.com/images/640*351/620wtmj_090813packersniners12.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.nbc26.com/sports/green-bay-packers-news/Clay-Matthews-One-hit-wonder-223538091.html

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So here's the deal. That late hit had a lot to do with the rebooted Packer D led by CMatty wanting to instill some fear in opponents. The talk was one thing..but going out and doing it is another and even though it cost us a TD..erroneous at that..it was worth it for the rest of the season.

Reason being that it makes QB's around the league take notice that CMatty and Packer D ain't no pussies and will hit anyone hard. It didn't matter in the the SF game as K tore us up passing, but with two returning DB's this week it will help our pass D. That hit made sense as we lack some toughness with Bishop getting cut, but props to CMatty for following through...even though he looked like a drunk guy talking shit to some biker dudes lady at a bar when the 330 lb OL grabbed him up. Hey it helps us establish a tougher D. Our run D looked great (Snake always loved Jolly and no coincidence our run D was number 1 back in his last season in 2009), and our pass D is a work in progress with all the youth and week 1 injuries but I have no doubt our D has an AWESOME not DIRTY leader (check the ESPN poll if you didn't see it about CMatty) that understands the psychology of D.

Thoughts?

[SnakeLH2006]

I doubt RG3 runs all over the field after seeing CMatty and the Packer run D against SF. It puts a load on the pass D, but I'm confident it will get better. SF is prob the best team in the NFL..I thought it last year and still think it. Good system, smart players, great coach, and tough as shit. Right now they have our number...and makes me reminisce on my young Packer days of watching the Cowboys manhandle the young Favre-led Packers in the early-mid 90's until we bested them. Good rivalry and we gotta figure the Niners out, but I don't see anyone in the AFC worth a shit other than Denver..and the NFC is loaded but it comes down to SF and GB IMO.

[Maxie the Taxi]

...and we gotta figure the Niners out...

That's the operative phrase in my opinion. It comes down to being smarter, not tougher. Snappy Kappy needs to be pressured into making mistakes. He ain't going to be intimidated into making them (until he gets bad injured like RGIII). The problem Capers faces is to contain and to pressure him at the same time or alternately at the right times. We've got the personnel now to hang with the 9ers.

[Guiness]

I doubt RG3 runs all over the field after seeing CMatty and the Packer run D against SF. It puts a load on the pass D, but I'm confident it will get better. SF is prob the best team in the NFL..I thought it last year and still think it. Good system, smart players, great coach, and tough as shit. Right now they have our number...and makes me reminisce on my young Packer days of watching the Cowboys manhandle the young Favre-led Packers in the early-mid 90's until we bested them. Good rivalry and we gotta figure the Niners out, but I don't see anyone in the AFC worth a shit other than Denver..and the NFC is loaded but it comes down to SF and GB IMO.

I don't think RG3 runs all over either, but I hope the Pack defense doesn't sell out against the read option and leave the pass rush at home again.

It might come down to SF and GB, but more than one pundit is calling for an SF loss in Seattle this week-end.

[Pugger]

I for one didn't think that hit on Kaep out of bounds was all that fierce. Folks act like Clay was foaming at the mouth and intent on bodily harm to CK there. If it was so brutal how come Goodell didn't fine him afterwards?

I find it incredible how national pundits are all on the SEA bandwagon. I know it was the preseason but Wilson and company didn't look all that imposing against us and they didn't light up in Carolina last week. Unless the 9ers screw up with turnovers I expect them to win this game Sunday night.

[pbmax]

Agree about pressure. Kap was 3 of 7 under duress. He is not skilled at going through progressions yet. Pressure would work.

Run game defense was fantastic and the secondary was leak proof enough that the passing game did not produce the monstrous plays of last year's playoff game. But that was not enough. San Fran is too one dimensional to throw all your eggs into the run defense and contain basket. Somehow the Seahawks held them to 12 points, has to be a way to do it.

I still think its more speed.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Agree about pressure. Kap was 3 of 7 under duress. He is not skilled at going through progressions yet. Pressure would work.

Run game defense was fantastic and the secondary was leak proof enough that the passing game did not produce the monstrous plays of last year's playoff game. But that was not enough. San Fran is too one dimensional to throw all your eggs into the run defense and contain basket. Somehow the Seahawks held them to 12 points, has to be a way to do it.

I still think its more speed.

More speed and a big push up the middle. Seattle's DL seems to be good at that.

[Cheesehead Craig]

We don't need more speed, just more toughness. Toughness is the answer for everything.

[denverYooper]

Agree about pressure. Kap was 3 of 7 under duress. He is not skilled at going through progressions yet. Pressure would work.

Run game defense was fantastic and the secondary was leak proof enough that the passing game did not produce the monstrous plays of last year's playoff game. But that was not enough. San Fran is too one dimensional to throw all your eggs into the run defense and contain basket. Somehow the Seahawks held them to 12 points, has to be a way to do it.

I still think its more speed.

I'd bet the Jones and Worthy picks were made with an eye towards getting athletic, fast ends. Jones, in particular, strikes me as a Giants-type DL.

Agree also wrt pressure. Kaep clearly can run and throw. Given the protection he gets from the SF line + run game, we haven't had a chance to see how he'd perform when constantly harassed. That's a big reason that a lot of analysts need to slow their roll on the kid. Can he produce when he's not offered the relatively safe environs of the current 49ers line?

[CaptainKickass]

We don't need more speed, just more toughness. Toughness is the answer for everything.

... and pad level. Don't forget pad level.

[pbmax]

I wonder how much of the different reaction to last year's playoff game and this year's opener is influenced by:

1. Playoff game

2. Run dominance versus Pass dominance

3. Improvement, relatively speaking

[mraynrand]

I wonder how much of the different reaction to last year's playoff game and this year's opener is influenced by:

1. Playoff game

2. Run dominance versus Pass dominance

3. Improvement, relatively speaking

All of the above. I think it's pretty clear the Packers have closed the gap with the Niners. It's pretty much even. Both teams, playing full strength are going to beat the hell out of each other. I like the Packer's chances of improving come playoff time and the Niners getting longer in the tooth by that time.

Nothing is so obvious in the NFL today that it is extremely hard - not just to stay on top - but to win it all - to do so, you have to have things fall your way.

It's very exciting. I hope we don't have a season of complaining about injuries, because a Packer-Niner rematch in the playoffs should be awesome.

[Guiness]

All of the above. I think it's pretty clear the Packers have closed the gap with the Niners. It's pretty much even. Both teams, playing full strength are going to beat the hell out of each other. I like the Packer's chances of improving come playoff time and the Niners getting longer in the tooth by that time.

Nothing is so obvious in the NFL today that it is extremely hard - not just to stay on top - but to win it all - to do so, you have to have things fall your way.

It's very exciting. I hope we don't have a season of complaining about injuries, because a Packer-Niner rematch in the playoffs should be awesome.

This is a very big reality in today's NFL. No team has the depth to withstand multiple serious injuries to starters without some really serious luck with the replacements. I'd say generally, take any team you'd consider in the top 10, and the one that stays the healthiest will be in the hunt in the post season.

The obvious recent exception would be the Pack saw it in 2010, guys who played over their heads were Shields, Bishop, Peprah and Starks. All of those players were first time starters.

[mraynrand]

The obvious recent exception would be the Pack saw it in 2010, guys who played over their heads were Shields, Bishop, Peprah and Starks. All of those players were first time starters.

Sure, and Starks wasn't even active til late in the season. And you can't forget the weird stuff like Walden having that exceptional game against Chicago just to get into the playoffs.

[Guiness]

Sure, and Starks wasn't even active til late in the season. And you can't forget the weird stuff like Walden having that exceptional game against Chicago just to get into the playoffs.

Walden, of course, forgot about that. I'm not so sure the Pack wins that game without his play.

Interesting that 3 of the 5 players haven't approached that level of play again. Bishop played very well in 2011, I'd say he's the only one that duplicated his effort. Shield's fell off but seems to be coming back, although he didn't end up being the plug and play replacement for Al Harris he looked to be in 2010.