If We Only Had Defense

"We could while away the hours, conferrin' with the powers, consultin' with Mike Pence. And my head I'd be scratchin' while playoff thoughts were hatchin' if we only had defense."

 

Prior to the win over the Eagles last Monday Night the Packers suffered through a four-game losing streak, the longest since a 5-game streak in 2008 when Aaron Rodgers became the starter and the team fell to 6-10.

 

While the Packers offense in general and Aaron Rodgers in particular had been dysfunctional at best and downright awful at worse for 14 straight regular season games it wasn't the offense that let a 4-2 record fall to 4-6.

 

The Defensive Wheels Fell Off

For the umpteenth time since 2010 the defense let down the Packer offense in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons Sunday.

 

With Aaron "R-E-L-A-X" Rodgers seemingly channeling his old self for the second week in a row it was left to the Ted Thompson/Dom Capers led defense to come up with a big play or shut down the Matt Ryan and the Falcons air game, but as could be predicted, and I did at the time, they didn't and the Packers lost 33-32.

 

Before I get into my analysis I want to say something about the argument being made for why the Packers defense is below par. The Tedders are hanging their "suckup" hats on injuries being the main culprit (i.e. being without Clay Matthews, Sam Shields, Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins), but injuries are part of the NFL and the truly great teams have backups that step in and step up.

 

Is The Defense Really Good?

The Packers are 3-1 with the defense allowing 20.8 points a game and ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rushing defense allowing just 42.8 yards a game, 24th in passing defense (274.5) and 9th overall (317.2).

 

Under Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers the defense has been ranked 2015-15th (346.7), 2014-15th (346.4), 2013-25th (372.2), 2012-11th (336.8), 2011-32nd (411.6), 2010-5th (309.1) and 2009-2nd (284.4).

 

General Manager Ted Thompson has been trying to improve the defense through the draft with 15 draft picks, including 6 No. 1 picks, 1 No. 2, 2 No. 3, 3 No. 4, 1 No. 5, and 2 No. 6. The remaining 12 of the 27 defensive players are undrafted (9) or street free agents (3), including acquiring former Panthers No. 1 pick Julius Peppers as a street free agent from the Bears. On the practice squad there is a No. 4 pick and a three undrafted free agents.

 

Belichick is alive and well on Day 2 of the Packers Training Camp

A Packed Stands Watches Packers Stretch

Evidently the only people covering the Packers training camp are Packers News and the Milwaukee Journal. Those two outlets seem to be the only ones to get Packernet and you have to pay Packers News to read their dispatches and the JSonline isn't what it used to be.

Two Thoughts

Peppers Blew It Again

Heading into the overtime the Packer defense was spent. It had played a good three quarters, but reverted to old habits in the fourth quarter leaving receivers wide open and not getting pressure on Carson Palmer. Andrew asked me if I thought we would win it in overtime and I didn't hesitate to say, "NO".

Our only chance was to get the ball and go down and score a touchdown. However, the Packers aren't that lucky, so the result of the "flip" was probably going to be in the Cardinals favor. If the defense was first on the field the game was over and, of course, it was.

How can anyone with a brain cell left firing could leave Larry Fitzgerald uncovered in overtime? On that play Julius Peppers was out of position by breaking coverage when he should have been in between Palmer and Fitzgerald.

Mike McCarthy said simply, 'blown coverage". If Peppers held his assignment he could have intercepted the long slow cross field pass or tipped it or forced Palmer to stop scrambling to square up and throw the ball over Peppers and if Palmer did do that then Mike Daniels would have hit him or sacked him or Palmer would have just kept running and I will assure you he would not have run 75 yards down field. If given a choice between covering an immobile Palmer or a wide receiver, who would you choose?

Defensive Thoughts

Damarious Randall Picking Off Superman

Let me start off saying the defense got some recognition this week when rookie cornerback Damarious Randall was named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month for November.

The man with the Johnny Unitas hightops led all rookies with two interceptions on back-to-back pickings of Peyton Manning and Cam Newton. He leads the team with 12 pass breakups and recovered the onside kick in the first game against the Lions to give the Packers a chance to win the game. Sadly they didn't.

Panther Preview

Cam Newton after hearing he is facing the Packer defense

Now to the game at hand. The road game against the 7-0 Panthers has some interesting aspects.

 

First Sam Shields (shoulder-injured when he fell down and not after being hit), Ty Montgomery (sprained ankle) and Quinten Rollins (neck) are most likely out. Bryan Bulaga (knee), T. J. Lang (illness) and Mike Neal (hip) have been added to the injury list on Saturday and Bulaga and Land are listed as probable and Neal questionable. Clay Matthews (ankle/knee), Nick Perry (shoulder/hand) and Aaron Ripkowski (illness) are also probable.

 

Defensive Resurgence

Dom Capers suddenly has answers

Whether it was Mike McCarthy looking over his shoulder last season, a séance with Phil Bengston or Fritz Shurmur or a head injury from a fall down the stairs or a combination of all three Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers has seen the light and for the last four games the Packers defense has been playing the best since the Super Bowl season.

 

Starting with Seattle the Packers defense has been on the whole very solid. Marshawn Lynn was held to 41 yards on 15 carries (2.7 average) and Russell Wilson 19-of-30 for 206 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception while being sacked twice officially, but the loss was only for one yard so those were actually being caught behind the line of scrimmage when he attempted to scramble. For the game Wilson was their leading rusher with 78 yards on 10 carries.

Injuries, Defense and Bakhtiari

One thing is for sure after last night's 38-28 win over the Chiefs is that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' offense is good, very good. The Chiefs have a very stout defense and, despite, being rushed Rodgers was unstoppable.

 

However, the victory was marred by three things. 1. Injuries. 2. Late defensive effort. 3. David Bakhtiari.

 

Injuries:

 

Eddie Lacy was able to play and finish on a sprained ankle, but I thought it would have been best if he rested this game and let James Starks and Alonzo Harris handle the rushing duties. That gamble paid off, but I still feel it was too much of a gamble to take at this time of the season.

 

Eddie Lacy made it through the game without further injury

Davante Adams lasted just one play and now may be out for an extended period of time after re-aggravating his high ankle sprain. I also thought playing him was a risk and in this case it didn't pay off.

 

My Defensive Cuts Are In

The final 35 cuts are due this week with 13 coming on Tuesday and the final 22 next Saturday. Here are my thoughts on the final defensive cuts and how the defensive roster with look going into the season opener at the Bears.

 

The defense has the biggest question marks going in and I don’t see a much different group than played last year. On the defensive line I would cut defensive end Khyri Thornton and nose tackles Bruce Gaston and Lavon Hooks.

 

That leaves Letroy Guion (suspended for the first three games) and Datone Jones (suspended for the first game) at left defensive end. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers seems to be preparing to use a two-man line early, so I wouldn’t keep one of those three until Guion comes back.

 

B.J. Raji and Mike Pennel will be at nose tackle with Pennel also available at left end. While Gaston has played well and often there is no room for him. I would try to sign him to the practice squad.

 

Right defensive end will be Mike Daniels, Josh Boyd and Christian Ringo. I am keeping Ringo and Boyd, for that matter, because both can play inside and Ringo has played well. Boyd hasn’t been as good as he was before being injured, but I think he still has an upside.

Post-Game Analysis: The Defense - Backfield in Motion

The play of the secondary has been much better than I would have guessed, but in a different way. With the loss of Tramon Williams and Davon House to free agency there is a big hole to fill on the left side at cornerback and it seems it just might have been filled, but not by the person everyone would have thought, except for me, of course.

On the Island:

The game started with Casey Hayward manning Williams' spot and Sam Shields on the right side. Neither had any stats, but did a decent job of keeping Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo in check holding them to 2-of-4 with one long pass by Garoppolo for 16 on the left side.

Quinten Rollins

2015 #2 (62) draft pick Quinten Rollins took over for Hayward and undrafted free agent rookie LaDarius Gunter replaced Shields. These two have been the talk of the camp leading up to the game and Rollins has been the talk of the town afterwards.

Post-Game Analysis: The Defense - Backer Report

The starting unit was (left to right) Andy Mulumba, Sam Barrington, Nate Palmer and Julius Peppers with Clay Matthews (knee soreness), Mike Neal (hernia), Nick Perry (groin), and inside linebacker Tavarus Danzler (?) sitting out.

 

The first thing I can say is on the depth chart the often injured Matthews (he is now out with an elbow injury) is listed at left outside linebacker. I hate that move, but knew it was coming. I noted a few posts back how the defense changed for the better when Matthews moved to the middle. However, some times things get stuck in your brain and you can't get past it. Dom Capers thinks in linear terms and Matthews is an outside rusher (2.5 sacks and 19 tackles in the first eight games) plain and simple, conversation over when he actually proved he was a great inside rusher (8.5 sacks with 49 tackles in the last eight games after the move). Facts can be stubborn things and so can some coaches who can't see the forest for the trees. Some people are so hard-headed.

 

Mulumba has been the talk of training camp, but in the game he had only 3 assisted tackles and a half a sack. He was also the one who got caught inside when Jonas Gray broke outside for the 55-yard touchdown run. He was very sketchy.

 

Barrington has had a silent camp and didn't do much in the game with one assisted tackle. I hope its just one of those games and not Brad Jones all over again. Speaking of Jones he led the Eagles against the Colts with six tackles and 1 assisted tackle.

 

Nate Palmer has become the starter at Matthews' inside backer spot. Palmer was converted from outside linebacker (sounds familiar). He missed all of last year after suffering a serious knee injury in the final pre-season game. He has less stats than Barrington with no tackles, solo or otherwise. The starting inside duo were invisible.

 

Old Man River Peppers

Old Man River Peppers had a good game despite also having no stats. He was always around the ball. I hope he has another good year and not fade out as the season progresses. However, I predicted he would fade and stick with it.

 

Jayrone Elliott is the Sack Master

The second unit was Adrian Hubbard, Carl Bradford, Jake Ryan and Jayrone Elliott. This group was very productive. Elliott was the leading tackler (3 solo, 4 assisted, half a sack, 1 quarterback hit), Ryan the second leading tackler (3 solo, 3 assisted, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hits), Hubbard the sixth (2 solo, 1 assisted, 1 sack) and Bradford (1 solo, 1 assisted, 1 sack).

 

Jake Ryan getting to Jimmy Garoppolo

These four guys are making camp very interesting. I didn't notice any problems with their performance unlike the starters. The only thing I can add is Elliott was the pre-season phenom last year and then never saw the field during the season. I would like to see him more in the rotation. Ryan may be pushing Palmer for the starting job.

The third string was Jermauria Rasco, Joe Thomas, Josh Francis and James Vaughters. Vaughters had 2 tackles and Rasco had 1 solo, 1 assisted and 1 sack.

 

Injuries continue to plague Matthews, but I guess its good he hasn't had a recurrence of the hamstring issues he had his first four seasons. 2013 he had a broken thumb and last year a groin issue when he was playing outside linebacker, but no injuries when he was moved inside. Now that he's outside again the injuries have returned. Is there a connection there? I say there is. But what do I know.

 

Speaking of injuries Neal and Perry continue to be injury prone. Neal seems to be able to play at a high enough level to not be in trouble, but Perry is on his last rodeo. His option was not picked up and I would guess Perry will end up being put into the bust category when he is cut this year. I guess I just made another prediction.

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.