Post-Game Analysis: The Defense - Wart Hog Report

The defensive line is a mess, but you all can take solace because in a Dom Capers defense you don't need a defensive line. The starting defensive ends were out (2012 No. 4 (132) pick Mike Daniels with an ankle and 2014 free agent from the Vikings Letroy Guion with a hamstring) and this week in practice backup defensive tackle Bruce Gaston (who was signed off the Arizona practice squad last year) has been out with an illness.

 

B.J. Raji Closing Off the Middle

The game opened with three down lineman of 2013 No. 5 (167) pick Josh Boyd at left end, 2009 #1 (9) pick B.J. Raji at nose tackle and defensive tackle turned out of necessity right end 2014 undrafted free agent Mike Pennel, who played real well. He finished with 2 tackles and one for a loss and Boyd had one tackle. Raji controlled the middle so much so the Patriots didn't run up the middle.

Mike Pennel

 

Pennel then moved back to the middle when Raji came out with 2013 No. 1 (23) pick Datone Jones taking over left end and 2014 No. 3 (85) pick Khyri Thornton at right end. Jones had a good game with 2 tackles, but both were sacks (although they came against the reserves) and Thornton, who along with Jones is fighting for his life, had an assisted tackle.

 

Khyri Thornton Tasting It

Thornton slide over to left end when (another player out of position) Gaston played right end. Later 2105 No. 6 (210) Christian Ringo (another defensive tackle) also played right end and Gaston went to left end and 2015 undrafted free agent Lavon Hooks took over in the middle.

 

None of the other down linemen had any tackling stats, but that's no surprise because in a Dom Defense they aren't supposed to make tackles.

 

Now that was some what misleading because the only time Capers uses three down linemen is on first down. Most of the time he goes with two down linemen and an extra defensive back.

 

I absolutely hate two down linemen. I would like to go back to a 4-3 and control the line of scrimmage, which would solve two of the many problems the Dom Defense has had - stopping the run and rushing the passer. You would say that seven sacks would seem to a good stat, but most of those sacks came against the reserves.

 

I know you guys think there would be no place for Clay Matthews, but just think how much better he would be as the fifth rusher coming in free. Think about it. How much better would the Packer defense be if you had a front seven comprised of Datone Jones at left end, B.J. Raji at nose tackle, Mike Pennel at defensive tackle and Mike Daniels at right end with Matthews at one outside linebacker, Julius Peppers at the other outside backer and Sam Barrington in the middle.

 

To sum it up Pennel played well and looks like he will be in the rotation. Raji looked good pushing the center back and clogging the middle. Boyd hasn't looked good since he was a rookie and was so-so against the Patriots. Thornton was ok, Jones looked good against reserves, Ringo looked good in spots as did Gaston and Hooks. I thought the line played well, so it would be interesting to see how they play against the Steelers.