Defense A Work In Progress

Holding the Cleveland Browns to 11 points was a bit of an illusion. Actually the Packers could have lost the game if the touchdown pass in the second quarter had counted. What I saw didn't look good as far as the starters were concerned.



Defensively it was sadly same old, same old. First: Missed tackles. Second: Busted plays resulting in long gains. Third: Being suckered into being out of position on outside containment resulting in long gains, especially the left side. Four: Only two passes defensed on 23 pass attempts. NOT GOOD.

 

Dean Lowry (#94) Has Jumped Ahead Of No. 1 Pick Kenny Clark

The defensive scheme was basically a 2-4-5 most of the game after starting the game in a 3-4-4. The official starting unit was #4 pick Dean Lowry at left end, Letroy Guion at nose tackle and Mike Daniels at right defensive tackle. I hope you notice there is no right defensive end in Dom Capers' scheme, but 2 interior linemen.

 

The linebackers were No. 4 pick Blake Martinez and Joe Thomas inside and Nick Perry and Jayrone Elliott on the outside. Here surprise, surprise NOT injuries and age have taken their toll.

 

Outside Clay Matthews sat out with an ankle injury and Julius Peppers sat out because he is old and being rested every other minute during camp and the current plan is for him to be only be a third down pass rusher during the games.

 

Inside Jake Ryan and Sam Barrington didn't dress. Ryan is suffering from the Packers annual hamstring injuryfest and Barrington still isn't allowed to play recovering from foot surgery.

 

The starting backfield was left corner Damarious Randall, right corner Sam Shields, free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and strong safety Micah Hyde. The only thing I've seen about Morgan Burnett not playing was he was a healthy scratch. Well, technically he wasn't a scratch because he was dressed and on the sidelines. He just didn't play. And surprise, surprise NOT again no word why.

 

Micah Hyde With the Play Of The Game

Hyde played well in Burnett's place with a key interception that kept the Browns from taking a 7-0 or 3-0 lead, but as the football gods like to do with the Packers they took it away when the ball was placed on the one and James Starks was tackled in the end zone for a safety for a 2-0 lead.

 

Randall got beat badly on the first offensive play for the Browns when former quarterback Terrelle Pryor caught a 49-yard pass down the right sideline to open the drive that ended with the Hyde interception at the one.

 

Joe Thomas Making the Most of His Time As a Starter

The first Brown drive was against basically the starting defense without Matthews, Ryan, Burnett and Peppers if you count him a starter any more. We don't know if Barrington is a starter, so either Joe Thomas or Blake Martinez has to be considered the other starter at the moment.

 

The first drive started at the Browns 20. Play 1: 49-yards from Robert Griffin III to Pryor. Play 2: RGIII fumbles snap and is tackled by Daniels for a 3-yard loss. Play 3: RGIII short pass left to tight end Gary Barnidge for 7 yards tackled by Perry and Quinten Rollins. Play 4: 3rd-and-6: RGIII short pass left to Pryor for 8 yards. Play 5: 1st-and-10 at the 19: Running play left for -2 yards tackled by Thomas on a great hit in the hole. Play 6: Hyde intercepts RGIII.

 

Analysis: A converted quarterback and a No. 1 draft pick bust lit up the Packers starting defense. NOT GOOD.

 

The second drive started at the Browns 19 and the backfield and line reserves took over, but the linebackers were still in. Kenny Clark replaced Daniels and the rest of the game the Packers played a 2-man line.

 

At various times the 2-man line was Clark and Lowry; Christian Ringo and Brian Price; Lowry and Price and late in the game Mike Pennel and Tyler Kuder.

 

Think about this. Kuder is wearing #90. If anyone thinks B.J. Raji was going to return to the Packers they should give up that notion because they would save his number if he was. He may try to return after his 1-year hiatus, but the Packers have moved on so it will have to be with another team.

 

Rollins was playing in the slot most of the game with Josh Hawkins replacing him. Chris Banjo took over for Clinton-Dix and later undrafted free agent Kentrell Brice and Jermaine Whitehead. Marwin Evans replaced Hyde.

 

LaDarius Gunter replaced Shields and Robertson Daniel for Randall. Later on Warren Gatewood and Demetri Goodson played the Shields position and Gatewood also played the Randall position along with Randall Jette.

 

At outside linebacker Lerentee McCray replaced Perry on the right side and converted Datone Jones played the left side. Later #3 pick Kyler Fackrell played the right and Reggie Gilbert on the left.

 

At inside linebacker Carl Bradford replaced Martinez with Beniquez Brown and Derrick Matthews also playing.

 

Former No. 1 Bust Datone Jones Has Been Reincarnated As An Elephant

I saw some good things. Jones seems to have taken to the elephant linebacker position. He finished with one sack and two quarterback hits. Bradford was active finishing as the second leading tackler with 3 solo tackles and one pass defensed. Brown played well with 2 solo and 2 assisted tackles.

 

Kyle Fackrell Seems To Be Living Up To His Post-Draft Hype

Thomas had a good game overall with 2 solo and 1 assisted with one tackle for a loss. Fackrell and Gilbert played well with a sack each. Gilbert also had a safety along with Ringo and Perry and Guion had a quarterback hit each.

 

Brice was a demon on special teams with 3 of the 5 tackles. Thomas and Goodson had the other 2.

 

Elliott did not have a good game and he is in trouble of not making the team after bursting on the scene 2 years ago with a 3-sack performance in a preseason game. Last year he had 3 sacks, 1 interception, 2 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble. However,Friday in addition to only having an assisted tackle he was caught inside and beat badly for a long gain.

 

While Lowry was very visible No. 1 pick Kenny Clark was almost invisible finishing with just one tackle.

 

Demitri Goodson Blowing His Chance

Randall also didn't have a good game and Goodson was terrible. He showed bad judgment getting a 15-yard penalty to keep a drive alive by hitting a man way out of bounds. He was also the one beaten for the touchdown pass that was called back. He should be in trouble to make the team, despite having to serve a 4-game suspension to open the season for PEDs.

 

To sum it up. The Packers defense against a very inferior opponent was making the same mistakes it has for many years. I hope things turn around this week.