Well the clock is ticking as I write this Friday morning (2 DAYS, 3 HOURS, 41 MIN, 25 SEC) to the opening kickoff of the 2015 season. The memory of the Packers last game still haunts me and despite Brandon Bostick being 1,921,04 miles away on the Cardinals practice squad I have a lot of doubts about two of the three units.
 |
| Watch the return of Clueless at noon on Sunday |
NO-DEFENSE: The last time the first-string defense played it was dismantled by four future Hall of Famers (tongue in cheek) Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow (who isn't even in the league anymore).
The starters in that game were Mike Daniels and B.J. Raji on the line. Mike Neal and Julius Peppers at outside linebacker. Clay Matthews and Sam Barrington at inside linebacker. Casey Hayward and Sam Shields at outside cornerback and Micah Hyde at slot corner with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at free safety and Morgan Burnett at strong safety.
Letroy Guion was active for the game against the Eagles, so playing a two-man line was on purpose and not necessitated by injuries (only defensive end Datone Jones and cornerback Kyle Sebetic on the defense sat out the game because of injuries).
Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers opened the game in pass coverage mode and by the time the first stringers left the field in the third quarter the results were an unmitigated disaster.
Bradford was playing in his first game of the pre-season and played three series in the first quarter going 10-for-10 for 121 yards and three touchdown passes with no interceptions and no sacks. Sanchez then directed three series in the second quarter and he went 13-of-19 for 150 yards and two touchdown passes with no interceptions and no sacks. It wasn't all bad the defense actually forced a punt on his first series after giving up three first downs and 40 yards on eight plays.
The starters, especially in the secondary, were still playing in the third quarter when Matt Barkley took over. Finally the defense found somebody they could handle forcing him into two 3-and-out series completing 1-of-4 passes for 9 yards and one sack for no loss.
In the fourth quarter, however when the backup defensive backs began to play Barkley directed one more drive that started at the end of the third quarter and he completed 4-of-5 passes for 19 yards with no TDs and no interceptions. Tim Tebow mopped up with two drives and he was perfect going 2-for-2 for 15 yards with no TDs and no interceptions.
The final stats for the 2015 version of Dom Capers' defense was 401 total yards (6.0 ave.) given up (314 passing on 30-of-40).
This was the last time the starters all played. In the last pre-season game against the Saints only Daniels, Guion and Neal started. While the defense played well (61 yards rushing and 209 yards passing and 10 points) it as playing against the Saints reserves, so we won't know how the defense will play until Matt Forte runs on the first play or, if John Fox is smart, Jay Cutler opens with the first of many passes.
 |
| Jay Cutler licking his lips to face Capers' No-Defense |
I want to say up front I am not a fan of the two-man line for one big reason, because that means we're playing in coverage and that is the one thing a Dom Capers defense can't do.
WE'RE BACK!!!!!!! After the game McCarthy admitted there were communication problems in the secondary. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????????? We are in the seventh year of the Capers Era and we're still having communication problems.
Two years ago Capers seemed to admit his complex schemes of coverage were too complicated for anyone under the IQ of Einstein or Walter O'Brien. After years of gaping holes in coverage, especially in the middle of the field on third-and-long, and totally blown coverage where two men cover the same section of field, so nobody is covering other areas McCarthy seemed to have had enough and decided to help Capers last year and it improved somewhat.
But now we see how long that lasted with McCarthy moving his eye to the special teams. Capers has a hard-on for complexity and he won't give it up it seems unless McCarthy was looking over his shoulder. And now there is a good possibility Burnett and Hyde won't be able to answer the bell. So let me say it, nay YELL it to the rafters for the umpteenth time, FIRE HIS ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT-SO-SPECIAL TEAMS: Bostick not withstanding, special teams under Mike McCarthy have been terrible at best or the worst in the league like it was last year. Supposedly McCarthy has his eye on the kick teams, but so far nothing has changed. Our coverage teams can't tackle, can't stay in their lanes or take the right angle. Our punt and kick protection units have holes in them and, if that isn't enough, there is a penalty on every single G-D kick like against the Eagles. If by some chance something good happens it is called back. I am worried, very worried.
OFFENSE: Oh, hell I will talk about the offense next, but not here and not now. I am too mad and upset and don't want to lose that emotion for the moment. Later in the day I will cast out the doom and gloom I feel going into the Bears game.
At one point I was thrilled to play the Bears first, but after the disaster the Packer no-defense and not-so-special teams has been during the pre-season I am dreading laying an egg and letting even the Bad News Bears and Jay Cutler beat us. I could accept a loss to anyone, but not the Bears and the Vikings and especially not Jay Cutler. Like I said before, I am worried, very, very worried.
Tick, Tick, Tick. (2 DAYS, 2 HOURS, 06 MIN, 00 SEC). Time to take some Pepto or throw up or maybe start drinking early. I may do all three.
 |
| Maybe it's time to start drinking early |
No comments:
Post a Comment