Studs/ Duds Week 1

[esoxx]

AR played terrible last night, looked SCARED out there, threw away an easy first down, missed passes that should have been hit, just a bad bad game for the "fearless" Leader.

One other thing I didn't like about AR last night is when he got up in Linsley's grill b/c he didn't snap it and a time out had to be called. AR, I don't know if you remember your rookie year but not easy. Throw in against the 12th man crowd and first NFL start, I think Linsely acquitted himself rather well. Getting in his face with fists balled up and gestruring, not helpful. In fact, it shows you don't have your cool about you and as the leader you set the tone. No one likes to get called out like that. Get it together man.

[call_me_ishmael]

The thing that gets me is many of Seattle's stud players are from the scrap heap.

Why are we not doing something similar and trying to find elite athletes where the sizing might not be perfect? Their LBs are just so much faster than ours. Their DL is just much, much quicker and better.

I would like to see the Packers play press coverage and blitz 5-6 on just about every play. I would like speedy linebackers that can cover. They'll be fine if they do this.

[Freak Out]

AR played terrible last night, looked SCARED out there, threw away an easy first down, missed passes that should have been hit, just a bad bad game for the "fearless" Leader.

Lacy looked ok he is a guy that should get stronger the longer the game goes on but he was Deboed last night with a head shot.

Jordy gave up a sweet pick

Cobb was under utilized...hey MM did you see what Harvin did? Yeah take notes from Bevel

O line was just not good.

Did the D line play?

I liked Peppers and CMIII attacking the passer...would be real nice if we get ahead they can just pin their heads back

Hawk was bad

Jones made Hawk look like Ray Lewis, he should be Rubly'd

DBs were not terrible actually, got burned by a Hawk pick, a sweetly designed play and play action...shocker

Safteys...HA HA HA HA...thats what Lynch was yapping...could tackle...at all.

MM get your head out of the Perkins Menu and realize that the short passing East West Flare routes didnt work and were not working. Attack down field. You have to throw against Sherman regardless if it works just to make sure the safties have to respect that side of the field!

Mastay WHAT THE MONKEY F*CK!!!! Did you lose your leg? Did someone punch you in the thigh so you cant punt anymore?

Crosby...I am not mad at you for some reason and it feels wrong.

Nice post.

[3irty1]

LOL, a trendline after one game? C'mon man, you're an engineer. Act like it. While I agree the run defense is likely to be bad - your assessment is not fair.

I don't think they'll actually be historically bad, but I'm suggesting the only thing that will prevent it is that we'll be playing from ahead and not encountering rushing offense as much. When our offense doesn't do their part things are going to get ugly on defense.

[call_me_ishmael]

I don't think they'll actually be historically bad, but I'm suggesting the only thing that will prevent it is that we'll be playing from ahead and not encountering rushing offense as much. When our offense doesn't do their part things are going to get ugly on defense.

Absolutely. Though weren't you just saying last seek they had top 10 talent or something like that? That D is going to be bad. I think they'll get better as the year goes on but I think they have massive liabilities on the DL, ILB and potentially S.

After week one, I feel better about S, but feel worse about the DL. It's very possible they have the worst DL in the NFL. Mike Daniels could be a good player but he is not a starter. He is a very good situational inside pass rusher. I have no opinion on Guion, but I cannot see any situation where Daniels is successful or being used optimally as a starting end.

[3irty1]

Absolutely. Though weren't you just saying last seek they had top 10 talent or something like that? That D is going to be bad. I think they'll get better as the year goes on but I think they have massive liabilities on the DL, ILB and potentially S.

After week one, I feel better about S, but feel worse about the DL. It's very possible they have the worst DL in the NFL. Mike Daniels could be a good player but he is not a starter. He is a very good situational inside pass rusher. I have no opinion on Guion, but I cannot see any situation where Daniels is successful or being used optimally as a starting end.

Well I compared us to the Saints who were a top 5 D last year but they just had their shit pushed in as well so maybe that comparison wasn't the compliment I thought it was. They sucked against the run and still make it work by using the clock as a run defense. We might have the worst DL out there but Daniels is the brightest spot. He's good enough with leverage to do anything but in a 1-gapping 3-4 scheme I think it'd be tough to find someone more optimal than him to play DE. Datone Jones fits your description of Daniels better than Daniels IMO. Guion is just camp fodder we're forced to use right now. Pennel better be active next week. That just leaves Boyd who outplayed most of the old guard last year so I'm not too concerned with him. Sure seemed like we'd be playing more 1-gapping type defense this season in which case I think this group would be fine. If Jones and Daniels are asked to be Raji, Pickett, Jolly, or CJ Wilson they are going to suck and make our ILB look even worse.

[call_me_ishmael]

I like Datone Jones - though I do think he hasn't shown much to be excited about. Certainly not a star type guy. I have to imagine w/ his athleticism and length that he'll be "solid" at a bare minimum. I wish we would have signed somebody like Tyson Jackson to man the other end spot.

I disagree w/ your assessment about Daniels. He may have the highest ceiling as an internal pass rusher but I don't see an end there. He is too short. How can a guy that's 6' go against a guy with 6'4" or 6'6"? That would be a very difficult order to consistently win that battle.

I think I like Pennel more than Guion simply on body type. I have been stressing all off-season how I want to go to a early 2000s Jaguar defensive line w/ 6'6" Marcus Stroud and 6'7" John Henderson. I'm tired of these short and squatty guys. JJ Watt body type is the new 3-4 prototype at end. Athletic, 6'5" and 290-300ish.

Moving beyond personnel, I look at how Seattle plays D and it appears to me that they are run blitzing and guessing on just about every first and second down. They are just swarming off the snap. I wish we'd do something like that instead of playing read-and-react. I think guys get excited and will play closer to their potential when they're attacking versus reacting.

[3irty1]

I like Datone Jones - though I do think he hasn't shown much to be excited about. Certainly not a star type guy. I have to imagine w/ his athleticism and length that he'll be "solid" at a bare minimum. I wish we would have signed somebody like Tyson Jackson to man the other end spot.

I disagree w/ your assessment about Daniels. He may have the highest ceiling as an internal pass rusher but I don't see an end there. He is too short. How can a guy that's 6' go against a guy with 6'4" or 6'6"? That would be a very difficult order to consistently win that battle.

I think I like Pennel more than Guion simply on body type. I have been stressing all off-season how I want to go to a early 2000s Jaguar defensive line w/ 6'6" Marcus Stroud and 6'7" John Henderson. I'm tired of these short and squatty guys. JJ Watt body type is the new 3-4 prototype at end. Athletic, 6'5" and 290-300ish.

Moving beyond personnel, I look at how Seattle plays D and it appears to me that they are run blitzing and guessing on just about every first and second down. They are just swarming off the snap. I wish we'd do something like that instead of playing read-and-react. I think guys get excited and will play closer to their potential when they're attacking versus reacting.

He doesn't look the part but neither does Aaron Donald. He plays low and balanced, has the violence and hands to slip blocks, the speed to stop plays before they start, and the motor to get it done in pursuit. His production speaks for itself, its not the normal way to skin a cat but that's why we got him where we did in the draft.

Everything Ted did and MM said before this season made me think we were going to see more of an attacking type of assignments. Sure seems like the way to go with the guys we have. Seattle has Mebane, McDaniels, and last year Red Bryant who are all good block eatters so they can pretty much run any kind of scheme they want and it seems to work.

[call_me_ishmael]

He doesn't look the part but neither does Aaron Donald. He plays low and balanced, has the violence and hands to slip blocks, the speed to stop plays before they start, and the motor to get it done in pursuit. His production speaks for itself, its not the normal way to skin a cat but that's why we got him where we did in the draft.

Everything Ted did and MM said before this season made me think we were going to see more of an attacking type of assignments. Sure seems like the way to go with the guys we have. Seattle has Mebane, McDaniels, and last year Red Bryant who are all good block eatters so they can pretty much run any kind of scheme they want and it seems to work.

I don't think Aaron Donald would be great outside, either. Tackles are going to be much quicker and longer than guards and will tear up those short guys.

If we have ILBs that could cover, we could aggressively get after the run a lot better and send some heat. However, I don't think AJ or Brad can run with most TEs these days.

[pbmax]

Packers front four in the new 4-3. I have no numbers how often this was the alignment, but coverage makes it seem like most common. and Butler on JSO was referring to it as the new lineup.

(from D backfield)

Peppers (6' 7", 287) - DJones (6' 4", 285) - Daniels (6' 0", 305) - Neal (6' 3", 285)

Now tell me how that is a 2 man line with no beef.

[smuggler]

Are Peppers and Neal really that heavy right now?

[call_me_ishmael]

Packers front four in the new 4-3. I have no numbers how often this was the alignment, but coverage makes it seem like most common. and Butler on JSO was referring to it as the new lineup.

(from D backfield)

Peppers (6' 7", 287) - DJones (6' 4", 285) - Daniels (6' 0", 305) - Neal (6' 3", 285)

Now tell me how that is a 2 man line with no beef.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/274388821.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Good read above.

Neal is closer to 265 I think.

If they run that front pretty consistently, I'll be happy with it. It seems much more desirable than their traditional 3-4 personnel.

I would like to see Nick Perry start in place of Brad Jones. I realize they don't play the same position but I just want athletic, big, strong and fast guys on the field and I want them running run blitzes, stunts, etc. All of the different things we don't normally do!

[Zool]

Packers front four in the new 4-3. I have no numbers how often this was the alignment, but coverage makes it seem like most common. and Butler on JSO was referring to it as the new lineup.

(from D backfield)

Peppers (6' 7", 287) - DJones (6' 4", 285) - Daniels (6' 0", 305) - Neal (6' 3", 285)

Now tell me how that is a 2 man line with no beef.

Isn't the counter to that not bulk but positioning?

Also, when Hawk and Jones are part of the 3, we are sunk no matter the line. I actually long for Paris Lennon.

[pbmax]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports...ce=twitterfeed

Good read above.

Neal is closer to 265 I think.

If they run that front pretty consistently, I'll be happy with it. It seems much more desirable than their traditional 3-4 personnel.

I would like to see Nick Perry start in place of Brad Jones. I realize they don't play the same position but I just want athletic, big, strong and fast guys on the field and I want them running run blitzes, stunts, etc. All of the different things we don't normally do!

Entirely possible, it was reported he lost some more weight but I didn't remember the official or reported number. So I played it even by going with listed weights.

However, even at 265 Neal is a pretty typically sized pass rushing DE. He is not small and my bet is he is still pretty strong. He isn't KGB out there.

[pbmax]

Isn't the counter to that not bulk but positioning?

Also, when Hawk and Jones are part of the 3, we are sunk no matter the line. I actually long for Paris Lennon.

Positioning for the 4 isn't as important as the fits with them and the LB. Butler made the point on the JSO video casts with Silverstein that Jones and Hawk too often seem to be making uncoordinated movements, like they are playing two different calls or seeing two different plays.

But Matthews is no more an ILB than Jones.