CMIII at middle linebacker

AJ Hawk.

Methane from Stupidface's taco buffet trips now that he's married and doesn't care.

Dom's toupee or what is under it.

Agree.  The only thing I would do differently is against heave run teams my nickle back would be Richardson..  Obviously dependent on offensive personnel groupings.  I'm not suggesting Richardson replace Heyward in the slot against a WR, but against a base set, if you stay Nickle than put the big boy in there instead of a cover corner. 

#ThanksObama 

I've only seen canckles pointed at Catts, never our D.

But, maybe it needs to be...

Would that help or hurt lateral mobility?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/...campaign=Twitter_atl

According to Casey, Clay doesn't exactly love playing inside.

"He did well, so you've got to assume he'll play more of it," Casey Matthews told the Philadelphia Daily News' Les Bowen. "I don't think he liked too much about it. He was happy to get that sack (of Jay Cutler), but that was when he was back to outside (in the Packers' dime package). He likes getting after the passer, taking on the linemen ... I told him to look at it this way: He's the highest-paid inside linebacker in the league. He got a laugh out of that."

Article in Philly paper also said that Clay didn't ask Casey for any tips on how to play ILB. He's no fool.

My philly friends have dubbed Casey Matthews " Fredo" in a nod to The Godfather movies and Michael Corleone's inept brother....

Thanks Goldie.

Shouldn't you be packing for your one- way trip to Ghana ?

Oh yeah! Do, they allow spears in the carry on luggage? I think that is a better question for Fond of Dudes.

reminds me of the guy who played football in the M*A*S*H movie

LMAO. Those wacky racist 70's.

Fred "The Hammer" Williamson played Spearchucker in the movie, Tim Brown was in the TV series.

Tim Brown or Jim Brown?

Timothy.

quote:

According to Casey, Clay doesn't exactly love playing inside.

exactly.  A highly inflammatory statement like that will certainly be a rallying point for the entire team for many, many years.  

Or, send antiworst's posts to 1265.

I think they hand them out when you land at the airport.

It does seem like Clay & Casey have talked.  But I will bet that Clay likes winning as opposed to getting shredded every week.  Being the team player he is, Clay will play inside and do what it takes. 

I won't believe it until I hear it straight from Greg Jennings' sister.

Maybe that's why Clay was such a force on Sunday -- he was so po'd about having to play the middle that he had to take it out on someone and the Bears were in the way.  

ILB might not be as glamorous as pass-rushing DE, but Clay was more Urlacher-like on Sunday than he has been Reggie-like last year or this year. If he replicates Sunday's performance this week against a far better and more interested opponent, then I think he'll learn to love ILB when he sees the adulation that will come his way. (Hey, Boris, can we get one of those little emoticon thingys that flips back its long hair?   

What have you wrought, little bro?

... As it was in Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Matthews played three different spots, one of which doesn't exactly have a name. 

A week after he debuted at inside linebacker against the Chicago Bears, Matthews once again played the majority of his snaps there against the Eagles. He hardly ever played his old outside linebacker spot, instead playing another new position in which he lined up outside of the outside linebacker at times on either side of the line of scrimmage. 

Here's how Matthews' 57 snaps broke down:

• Inside linebacker: 37 snaps
• Outside linebacker: 4
• Outside of the outside linebacker: 16

Capers described the position with Matthews lined up to the right or left of a five-man defensive line like this: "He's basically the dime in that defense, but he's a big dime. It's a different look when we do it with him." 

A typical dime package features six defensive backs. In this case, Matthews replaced the sixth defensive back, who typically would play in the slot. 

Matthews recorded his second-quarter sack of Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez while in that outside-outside position, which, if Matthews rushes from that position, is equivalent to a wide-9 technique that some teams use with their defensive ends to get them matched up against tight ends. Matthews, who was unblocked on his sack, said that position is not much different than the traditional outside linebacker spot. 

"It depends on whether I'm rushing or playing the run," Matthews said. "But much like the outside linebacker, it's a lot of the same responsibilities as far as whatever that responsibility is, but it's played very much the same." ...

Someone should ask Casey how much he likes playing that position. 

Nothing beats players making plays. Put your best 11 out there in positions to succeed.

That's the key to the whole move cuqui. In my mind the move came down to: is Nick Perry a better DE/OLB than Barrington, Jones, or Lattimore is an ILB? Moving your premier pass rusher is a BIG move so whichever player you put there better not be a scrub. Perry has been inconsistent and injured his whole career thus far, but obviously he is showing the coaches much more and instilling some faith. He's showing up on the field too. That's the only way this move works. Put the best 11 on the field, that's all. 

I think they probably wanted to wait to use it, but they needed to try it out at some point. The Bears game was probably the best opportunity really. They had the BYE week so Clay could practice more to get comfortable and the Bears were probably one  of the few teams remaining on the schedule that you would feel comfortable trying something new and different against. It was probably the best chance to throw in this curve ball other than the Vikings or Falcons games. My guess is that they wanted to have this wrinkle available for the Eagles and for the Patriots. 

There is no way, NO way that you came from my loins. The first thing I'm gonna do when I get home is punch your momma in the mouth.

I think you give Capers way to much credit.  Is this the same thing as not showing your hand in the first game of the playoffs as you exit?  

I think it's more, "we're getting trucked on a regular basis" move.

From McCarthy yesterday

On run defense:

Definitely. I think we're doing a better job fitting the runs, pursuit, getting off blocks. I think they all factor into improvement.

 

On nickel package:

It's about creating opportunities for as many players as you can. Seeing players going in and out of packages, I'm very pleased with the way we have the different combinations of playing these guys. Our perimeter group is playing extremely well with these opportunities.

 

On Capers' opening up defense with Matthews inside:

I think we're moving around our ready list. It's not like we're drawing up new things. It's scheme we've been working on since Day 1. Idea of moving Clay around in our defense is something we talked about in April.

It has been asked why they didn't do this (move CM3 inside) sooner and now Boris asks if they were saving it for the playoffs? I agree with Henry that the change was made partly because they were getting bitch slapped in the run game and the short middle in the passing game, but I also don't think Capers was confident Perry and Neal were ready for more snaps and ultimately McCarthy told him it is time©. It has often been mentioned that the Capers and LeBeau defense need experienced players. That's tough to do in GB when Thompson is turning over the bottom half of the roster every 2-3 years. Thompson drafts football players, so let them play.

Agree H5. I believe MM told Capers "It is time".

Henry, I was joking about the wizard. This defensive change is all MM....IMO

Another significant change for yesterdays game.

AJ Hawk played just 26 of 56 defense snaps vs. NE. Only played in the base D, not in nickel or dime. Sam Barrington played 47/56

I could hardly believe it, when I heard the news today. I had to come and get it straight from you...

They said you were leaving, You took your suck away. From that look upon your face I'd say it's true...

Baby I can hardly wait to live without you....