FOR THOSE WHO HATE CAPERS.....

[Cleft Crusty]

Jones might fit in a 4-3 but its inside. He played in a 3-4 under Mora and played inside and out on the line.

He has a Santana Dotson kind of build.

[Cleft Crusty]

There are corners who beat the hell out of receivers to knock the receiver off the route, disrupt timing, and hope for the pass rush (as Mr. Max indicated) and there are corners who run with receivers and defense the pass. Seattle and SF have mostly the former, and the Packers have the latter. Mike Holmgren probably would have shifted receivers all over the place to get away from the kind of beatdown Seattle likes to dish out, but the best solution is to have strong receivers who can push right back. Jones and Nelson can do that, but the play selection may not allow for that. Cobb can kill those techniques from the slot, if he's quick enough after the lay off.

[woodbuck27]

There are corners who beat the hell out of receivers to knock the receiver off the route, disrupt timing, and hope for the pass rush (as Mr. Max indicated) and there are corners who run with receivers and defense the pass. Seattle and SF have mostly the former, and the Packers have the latter. Mike Holmgren probably would have shifted receivers all over the place to get away from the kind of beatdown Seattle likes to dish out, but the best solution is to have strong receivers who can push right back. Jones and Nelson can do that, but the play selection may not allow for that. Cobb can kill those techniques from the slot, if he's quick enough after the lay off.

Yes.

[pbmax]

Huh. I always thought that typical zone guys were smaller, faster backs who could cover a lot of ground in a blink like deangelo hall and that the bump and run guys were more physical. I shall bow to your superior name list and your wealth of knowledge.

I think the trend is bigger, with the thought to mainly disrupt the route rather than cover like blanket all over the field. Mostly a response to Moss, Owens, Johnson, Marshall, Jeffrey types. Size to disrupt route and contest for the ball.

Zone guys have to have short area quickness to change direction to find the ball and recover to the receiver. They also need to be able to tackle. Tall here might be a detriment with change of direction.

[pbmax]

Best bet against bump and run (beside a deceptive first step and clean release which renders it ineffective) is the slot guy who is off the LOS and harder to bump and motion for the outside guys. Terry Bradshaw will also tell you crossing routes. But Terry won't remember telling you that from the concussions he has suffered waiting for those routes to uncover versus the Raiders and Cowboys.

[Smeefers]

!!!!

Your right on there.

So something must give like ...... yesterday !

When will they clue in !??

Well, I think that the pack us currently built to play a whole lot bigger than they're playing. As its been said here, they tend to go small even when I think a lot of their best players are big. I'm kind of surprised that they stick with the 34 nickel when they have fantastic personnel for a 43 nickel. Of course, when mathews is healthy, the whole dynamic changes. I don't see him putting a hand in the dirt. The mad scientist should be able to figure out a way to continue to use mathews while still keeping his best players on the field. I'd rather have just about any of our DL on the turf rather than mulumba for a majority of the game.

What I don't understand is that dc found great ways to utilize woodson and his talents. There are plenty of play makers on our D who don't seem to be put in a position to excel. Raji is a beast but they use him as a plug. Neal was born to play on the line but he's wandering around in coverage. Hawk has fantastic swarming ability, but on rush plays, he's always sent in first to absorb a block so someone else can get the pressure. Perry would benifit from a hand in the dirt as well.

Right now our D isn't doing well in any aspect of the game. They can't set the edge, their secondary can't communicate. No one is on the same page. Guys don't have opportunities - and that is what the 34 is all about. Opportunities. If it was just one thing, I would happily give capers a pass. Hell, I was happy with his D as long as they were causing turn overs. I don't mind a high risk/reward when you have Rogers there to bring you back if a mistake is made. Without anything though, its hard to point blame anywhere but at the DC. This year has been a total systemic failure.

[pbmax]

I think the 4-3 nickel is a great point. At one point, Jones was playing outside at essentially DE while Neal went inside to DT. Daniels or Raji at other DT and Matthews would be a nice front four.

You then have to keep Hawk and another LB on the field. Do you move Perry back there or keep BJones?

[Smeefers]

For nickel? Jones for coverage, perry for blitzing. Nothing has to be set in stone there. You could move guys all over. Switch perry in mathews place and then you have all your best guys on the field.

[pbmax]

For nickel? Jones for coverage, perry for blitzing. Nothing has to be set in stone there. You could move guys all over. Switch perry in mathews place and then you have all your best guys on the field.

I agree with Perry at DE and Matthews and Hawk back at LB, but the Packer seem very reluctant to move Matthews again.

[Cleft Crusty]

Well, I think that the pack us currently built to play a whole lot bigger than they're playing. As its been said here, they tend to go small even when I think a lot of their best players are big. I'm kind of surprised that they stick with the 34 nickel when they have fantastic personnel for a 43 nickel. Of course, when mathews is healthy, the whole dynamic changes. I don't see him putting a hand in the dirt. The mad scientist should be able to figure out a way to continue to use mathews while still keeping his best players on the field. I'd rather have just about any of our DL on the turf rather than mulumba for a majority of the game.

What I don't understand is that dc found great ways to utilize woodson and his talents. There are plenty of play makers on our D who don't seem to be put in a position to excel. Raji is a beast but they use him as a plug. Neal was born to play on the line but he's wandering around in coverage. Hawk has fantastic swarming ability, but on rush plays, he's always sent in first to absorb a block so someone else can get the pressure. Perry would benifit from a hand in the dirt as well.

Right now our D isn't doing well in any aspect of the game. They can't set the edge, their secondary can't communicate. No one is on the same page. Guys don't have opportunities - and that is what the 34 is all about. Opportunities. If it was just one thing, I would happily give capers a pass. Hell, I was happy with his D as long as they were causing turn overs. I don't mind a high risk/reward when you have Rogers there to bring you back if a mistake is made. Without anything though, its hard to point blame anywhere but at the DC. This year has been a total systemic failure.

This is a fantastic post. Clefty is still shocked that Capers would throw Matthews at the other teams' best O lineman play after play after play, when, with his quickness, he could be used all over the place, like Woodson. (that's not to say he wasn't sometimes, but there are games where it was rare to see this). The point about Raji is true. Plus, Raji is an emotional fellow. Force him to play two-gap dancing bear all game and he just gets plain bored and listless. You have to know your people.

That second LB next to Hawk, like the second Safety next to Burnett are two tire fires on the defense.

[Guiness]

Max, Capers had the 2-4 alignment on the field when Forte ran it in from 1st and goal at the 1!!!

I don't want to believe you but I'm afraid to look. Losing Boyd hurt, but he still could've trotted out Raji, Pickett and Daniels and had Neale put his hand in the dirt.

[Cleft Crusty]

I don't want to believe you but I'm afraid to look. Losing Boyd hurt, but he still could've trotted out Raji, Pickett and Daniels and had Neale put his hand in the dirt.

Then they would have thrown the ball, probably to M. Bennett.

[pbmax]

I agree with Perry at DE and Matthews and Hawk back at LB, but the Packer seem very reluctant to move Matthews again.

Actually, now that I think about it, when the OLBs were healthy, we say this alignment a few times. It was Neal and Perry at DE/OLB, but Matthews was in the middle threatening blitz.

[Cleft Crusty]

Actually, now that I think about it, when the OLBs were healthy, we say this alignment a few times. It was Neal and Perry at DE/OLB, but Matthews was in the middle threatening blitz.

But probably not enough. They didn't use it in the Dallas game until they were down three scores and desperate. Then they had Jones on the Right side of the line and got a sack on Romo. It will be interesting to see if they come beck next year with the same alignment or keep Perry at ROLB and move Matthews. Matthews is decent in coverage and is more disruptive from locations not across from the LT.

[pbmax]

Perry not being healthy is not helping at all. They could survive Matthews being out if Neal and Perry were at full speed.