Hawk at MLB?

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think they will stick Hawk at his best natural position, and I don't know where that will be.

Barnett probably stays in the middle, unfortunately, but we'll see. Maybe Hodge will have a killer camp.

[HarveyWallbangers]

We've been having these discussions since the draft, and I think most of us are in agreement that whoever is in the middle, it shouldn't be Barnett. Apparently everyone can see that except the Packers organization.

I'm not in this silent majority. I want Hawk on the weakside. No TE to contend with. He can stay in coverage, stay at the line, or blitz. We don't blitz the MLB much, so why take one of Hawk's strengths away. If Hodge proves to much better at MLB than Taylor is at SLB, then I'm for moving Barnett. If not, keep Barnett in the middle.

[RashanGary]

I'm not in this silent majority. I want Hawk on the weakside. No TE to contend with. He can stay in coverage, stay at the line, or blitz. We don't blitz the MLB much, so why take one of Hawk's strengths away. If Hodge proves to much better at MLB than Taylor is at SLB, then I'm for moving Barnett. If not, keep Barnett in the middle.

I agree with this completely. Hodge might be a play maker in the run game, but that is where his ability seems to end. Hawk on the other hand is extremely explosive. He has a great feel for the entire game of football as opposed to just sniffing out the run. Hawk will have a chance to put pressure on teh QB from teh weakside position and he have enough open space to beable to make ball dropping hits.

I think the coaches want the best players on the field in positions they can succeed at. Putting Hodge anywhere but the middle would expose him to things he is not good at. I think that is a bad move. It's not so much that he'll be better than Barnett as a rookie. It's more because at first glance it looks like Hawk, Hodge, Barnett are the best 3 LB's. There is only one way to get them on the field together.

[Merlin]

We've been having these discussions since the draft, and I think most of us are in agreement that whoever is in the middle, it shouldn't be Barnett. Apparently everyone can see that except the Packers organization.
I'd prefer to see Hodge at mike, Barnett at will, and Hawk at sam... Barnett has no business in the middle.

Most of who? Packer Fans? Your friends? Did you poll all Packer Fans or those in your close circle only? Right away you lend zero creditability to your post. You don't take away a solid middle linebacker and replace him with a rookie. Look at Barnett's stats, oh yeah let's bring up the few times he blew a play. Hawk and Hoidge never did that in college let alone the pro's. I believe it was mentioned earlier in this post that without good DT's, no MLB is a monster because they can't fight off the guards ~ Well DUH. Don't give me this "Hawk can" "Hodge can" crap. At least have the decency to use some logic in your arguments. How many downs in the NFL have Hawk and Hodge played? Think hard it's a toughee...

after reading about A.J Hawk all off-season and now after his first mini-camp i think the Pack should try Hawk at mike and move Barnett to will.moving hawk to the middle will put the most instinctive lb in a position to make plays on both sides of the o.l.i hope the pack didn't spend a #5 on a weak side backer.

And you know this how? Hawk played how many downs in the NFL? His main week ness is listed as over pursuit. Hrmmmm....sounds like Barnett to me....

Wist, you're exactly right on that. Hodge is a natural at MLB (although some say a tad short but look at Zach Thomas and Dat Nguyen) and Barnett with his speed could excel at weakside. Hawk might have a learning curve at strongside but being much more physical than Barnett would likely equate to a better ability to shed the TE and build on his coverage skills.

Are you really comparinhg tackling in college to that of the NFL? Please say it isn't so. Hawk looked good in college there is no doubt, but so did Barnett. Barnett looks good as a pro, Hawk? Do you even know yet?

The only problem I have with putting Hawk in the middle is that he would then be a one dimensional run stuffer. Sure he'll be better than Hodge or Barnett at anything he does but why limit him ot one aspect of the game.

Hodge on the other hand is only good at stuffing the run and he's real good at it. Why not put him where he is most able so succeed.

Barnett is the only really good man cover TE we have. Why not have him cover the TE's?

I just think you're most versitile playmaker should be on the weak side in most defenses. The MLB is a run stuffer only. Those gusy can be had in the 3rd round.

Nice contradiction. I am glad that everyone is so happy about who we drafted, I really am. However comparing a college player to an NFL player is just stupid. Neither of these rookies has played one down in the NFL. Although I am sure Hawk will be good, he will be no better (and in the first season worse) then Barnett in the middle. He needs to be on the weakside and Barnett on the strongside. They are both horiztonal players which is great for stopping the run and blitzing. Hodge needs to be able to defend the pass in the middle. You guys are all spooging over the guy and I mean to tell you every good play he makes you will be all bias and every bad play Barnett makes you will again be bias, but when the real analysis comes, in Hawk, you have another Barnett in the making. Take off your rose colored goggles long enough to see that sometime. In the end I hope you are all right because I want what is best for the Packers. But don't belittle an existing star player by saying a rookie is better then they are. It's not even a fair comparison. To say he "could" be better is appropriate. Unless of course you all aren't true Packer fans and just like to hop on the closest hype bandwagon...

[Deputy Nutz]

Keep Hawk on the Weak side. For crying out loud some of you think that a weakside linebacker lines up on the sideline. Majority of the time the weakside linebacker lines up on the outside shoulder of the backside tackle

[Green Bud Packer]

i think the Pack should try Hawk at mike and move Barnett to will.moving hawk to the middle will put the most instinctive lb in a position to make plays on both sides of the o.l.i hope the pack didn't spend a #5 on a weak side backer.

And you know this how? Hawk played how many downs in the NFL? His main week ness is listed as over pursuit. Hrmmmm....sounds like Barnett to me....

thats why i said the pack should try hawk at mike. key word being try.last time i looked hawk and hodges were nfl players and comparing them to their teammates is a given.what do you think training camp is about.

[Deputy Nutz]

Stop arguing with yourself.

[Noodle]

We don't blitz the MLB much,

Sorry Harvey, but I read this and my mind flashed back to the times when Barnett blitzed last year. He'd put his head down and run full steam right into either a guard or an RB. I'd get juiced that he was going, then depressed to see him running into another brick wall.

So maybe we didn't blitz much from the mike because Barnett showed little skill in getting home?

In any event, I'm on board with keeping Barnett at mike. Hawk at will seems to me a no-brainer. Not sure yet about sam. Is Hodge just too short to play it? I'd like to see what the kid can do. He certainly brings some nasty to the game.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Sorry Harvey, but I read this and my mind flashed back to the times when Barnett blitzed last year. He'd put his head down and run full steam right into either a guard or an RB. I'd get juiced that he was going, then depressed to see him running into another brick wall.

A couple times/game maybe. Seriously, how often have you seen a MLB blitz in this scheme (that includes Zach Thomas in Miami and Dexter Coakley in Dallas)? It's not often. I'd rather have the threat of a blitz on every play from Hawk then the occasional, keep them off balance blitz. It's another reason Barnett should stay in the middle. He's not a very good blitzer. Hawk had 9 1/2 sacks last year.

[pbmax]

Keep Hawk on the Weak side. For crying out loud some of you think that a weakside linebacker lines up on the sideline. Majority of the time the weakside linebacker lines up on the outside shoulder of the backside tackle

Nutz, I don't think the Sanders/Batres defense flops OLBs according to strength of the formation.

I think that was one of the reasons Diggs couldn't get on the field last year until the entire unit was decimated, as a more natural SAM he probably wouldn't fare well if the strong side went away from him.

So saying Hawk or Barnett could or could not play one of the OLBs is a dicey proposition, as the offense will determine the strong side backer by its formation, and it will vary play to play.

[Deputy Nutz]

Well how do they flip? stength of the field, or do they take one side of the field and thats it. Hawk is our left outside linebacker and Barnett or who ever is our right outside linebacker?

[RashanGary]

I think that's how it has worked Nutz. It just so happens the TE is usually on the right side of the offense so practically speaking, whoever is on that side of the defense would be more like a strongside backer.

Does anyone have a theory on why TE's are usually on the right?

[gbpackfan]

I am pretty sure that the Packers LB's DO NOT FLIP regardless of where the TE lines up. Both OLB are required to cover the TE. So the Packers do name the OLB positions but that is all they are, names! They both might as well be called SWLB!

So that being said, stop arguing who should be weak side and who should be strong side! There is NO DIFFERENCE!!!!! They both have to cover the TE!

I would love to see Hawk, Hodge, Barnett.

But I believe it will be Hawk, Barnett, Taylor. Which is still pretty good!

[Tarlam!]

IDoes anyone have a theory on why TE's are usually on the right?

Yeah, the Sports Idiot has a theory, but to prove it, you'll need to assist me.

I would have bet the TE lines up right if the QB is right handed and vice versa if he's left handed. If he's on a blocking assignment, the QB can roll out of the pocket behind the right tackle/ TE if the left side starts to cóllapse and still make an easier throw that way, than rolling left and trying to find an open guy.

Now, where does the TE line up for left handed QB's?

[Noodle]

In college and HS, you see more flipping of the TE due to the wider hashmarks. So if you're on the right hash, you'll have your TE line up on the left, because the right side of the field is so small.

With the NFL's tighter hashes, the "short" side of the field is not as dramatically "short" as it is at the HS/college level. So pro teams can be more right handed in their basic sets.

Don't know if SF with Young or Atlanta with Vick plays the TE on the left -- interesting question.