In 2020. The defense is what it is. Playoffs are about fixing ST. Defense won’t be why things don’t work out if things don’t work out.
Listened to Pettine's presser from yesterday & he was again asked about the Smith's & Clark going to him and asking to "simplify things"(LaFeur was asked about it earlier in the week) and let them get after the QB. Both were very diplomatic in their responses. Players are ALWAYS going to advocate for situations that allow them to make the "big / splash" play. The danger of course, especially with the cut back ability of today's running backs is that when d-front guys get too much space vertically from each other is when they are most susceptible to the explosive play in the running game. I think it was Pettine who made reference to (as did Gravedigger here) Z freelancing too much at times. Coaches have to walk that line of getting players input but not always doing what they exactly would like to do.
That is called "Shermaning"
@FLPACKER posted:Listened to Pettine's presser from yesterday & he was again asked about the Smith's & Clark going to him and asking to "simplify things"(LaFeur was asked about it earlier in the week) and let them get after the QB. Both were very diplomatic in their responses. Players are ALWAYS going to advocate for situations that allow them to make the "big / splash" play. The danger of course, especially with the cut back ability of today's running backs is that when d-front guys get too much space vertically from each other is when they are most susceptible to the explosive play in the running game. I think it was Pettine who made reference to (as did Gravedigger here) Z freelancing too much at times. Coaches have to walk that line of getting players input but not always doing what they exactly would like to do.
Read a clip from P. He said there was no defense meeting rather he and Clark went to Pettine individually to talk. He appreciated that Pettine was open to the input.
@BrainDed posted:Z is starting to play better and Gary is starting make up for the lack of production from P.
Adams and Keke are playing better making up for the drop from Clark.
That said, run D is still our weakness and a good coach with a good OL will exploit it. That's why I hope to hell San Fran doesn't get in the dance.
Can we also acknowledge that Preston played really well last week?
@Goalline posted:Can we also acknowledge that Preston played really well last week?
Oh yeah? How many passes defensed did he have?
@Packdog posted:Well....Philly has the worst O-Line in the league....but yeah Preston brought it !!!
Broke down that tape like a pro...as usual.
@PackerHawk posted:Oh yeah? How many passes defensed did he have?
He looked awesome in that backpedal.
Any chance Pettine lets Keke see some more snaps on Sunday?
Rex Ryan talking about Packers defense at the 3:10 mark ...says we are improving, mentions pass rush & DBs , but not ILBers
The biggest god send to this team would be Keke emerging at the right time. Nothing is changing at ILB. Another legit fat body would go a long way in covering up that collection of cat turds.
GB's def has to be better on 1st/2nd & long:
— Andy Herman (@AndyHermanNFL) December 16, 2020
There have been 26, 1st/2nd & 12+ yard situations.
14/26 - the offense picked up a 1st
11/14 firsts ended in points (8tds, 3fgs)
12/26 times the very next play resulted in a 1st, a penalty, or they got at least half the yards back.
A big weakness of this defense.
Shout out to all the haters and losers who wanted Pettine fired. Packers in the driver’s seat for a super bowl run. Defense is CLICKING
— Steve Packer Fan (@PackerFanSteve1) December 28, 2020
https://theathletic.com/229282...ense-brandon-staley/
Interesting piece on the Rams new defensive wunderkind. This quote specifically grabbed me because I see it so hard with GB’s defense:
Even in today’s pass-happy NFL, most defensive coaches think about their defensive fronts first and coverages second. Playing in single-high looks and a heavy box is the only way to ensure that every gap in the running game is immediately accounted for, and most defensive coordinators will tell you that stopping the run is their first priority. Staley has flipped that thinking, and his defense has benefitted from it.
When I asked Staley why he thought he could get away with playing this style of defense in the NFL, his answer was somehow obvious yet shocking, considering the typical discourse around defense. “I know that the quickest way to lose is to give up explosions in the passing game,” Staley said. “It takes a lot of 4 and 5-yard runs to add up to a 50-yard pass. If you truly believe that explosions are how you lose in the NFL, you really need to start there in your philosophical structure and how you construct your defense.” On its face, that point makes a lot of sense, but for anyone who’s listened to mainstay NFL coordinators talk about defense, it’s still jarring.
Theres a lot we can criticize Pettine for and I don’t know how much I buy into this theory, but GB is NOT giving up explosive plays in the pass game this year. Currently we’re third in passes of 20+ given up. I think the downside is that you’re relying heavily on your DBs covering well and your DL getting home. It’s easy to think this way when you have Aaron Donald wrecking game plans, but I think the point is that you can drive slowly all you want it doesn’t matter if you’re getting behind on the scoreboard to Aaron Rodgers. It’s exactly what they did to Tennessee. If TEN’s D could have slowed down Rodgers then Henry could have won them the game 4 yards at a time.
I've posted this before: It is based on analytics. The two variables that correlate highest with winning an individual game are 1) Turnover differential 2) Average yards gained per pass attempt. Not rushing yards or time of possession or penalties. Of course it is easier for Rams to play this way because they have guys taken in the upper half of the first round in 3 of their front 4 positions when playing nickel / dime. Our defense is playing better not just due to paying more 5 man fronts on early downs, but rather because Clark is playing much better and Kirksey has been moved out of Mike position.
@Boris posted:Shout out to all the haters and losers who wanted Pettine fired. Packers in the driver’s seat for a super bowl run. Defense is CLICKING
— Steve Packer Fan (@PackerFanSteve1) December 28, 2020
These kind of posts are like triggering an MMO flag. It's almost like saying Dillon is a stiff after 2 whole carries.
Please shut your pie hole Steve Packer Fan.
A lot of people who give God all the credit?
Except Lazard who uses Twitter for business opportunities. Awesome.
Think.....
It's Pettine's burner account.
Sorry, not convinced Pettine has it all figured out now.
Hope this is thrown in my face in Feb.
Just found this guy. Grades every player every game.
Trending in the right direction, Pretty cool picture in the background,
@FLPACKER posted:Just found this guy.
Herman is usually an interesting listen. He certainly has a much higher opinion of Tyler Lancaster than many here do (I agree with him).
Even had good things to say about 2020's favorite whipping boy Kirksey.
@FLPACKER posted:Just found this guy. Grades every player every game.
Lost me at him rambling about his "grades".
Summary: Pettine stopped playing 5 to 6 man coverage along with dropping Preston into coverage, which makes JAGs like Lancaster and Lowry look better and helps to spring Kenny Clark and let Z get to the QB.
But those are just my grades.
I disagree .... winning one-on-ones now that guys were not earlier in the year regardless of scheme or play call. Lafleur alluded to it earlier in the year when he said "I think we have some great players on defense ... they just have to start playing like it".
I don’t disagree that individual players are playing better but a big chunk of that is the star players are playing to their natural skill set. Amos is hitting at the LOS and backfield, Savage is ball hawking, Alexander is doing what he always does and never needed the backup in the first place. P is RUSHING the passer, not playing CB. Safety and CB blitzes, rotation of Z across the line while putting Gary, P and Z on the field at the same time.
For me, the one thing Pettine really pooched was not trusting his talent in the backfield. Lancaster and Lowry may be stepping up their game but they are still JAGs. You don’t scramble to sign Harrison if those two are somehow sufficient in their level of play. They aren’t. They’re rotation and that’s it. Gary coming on has been a huge factor. Having to account for guys like Gary and P around the line is of course going to make those two turds look better.
For the life of me I still can’t figure out why P was ever lined up as a fucking CB! That’s like when the Dolphins lined Jay Cutler up at WR.
Grades and stats are fantastic, if not part of the sport overall when it comes to baseball. Even hoops has a place for stats as a solid reflection of what’s happening on the court. Football, no. So it’s great Herman is trying to carve out a gig for himself just like that cluck Nagler but to me it’s the equivalent of the Henry Theory of Economics in the post post modern millennial hyper capitalist/communism hybrid age.
Grades don't have a place in football? Someone should have told Lombardi that.... he graded every player on every play, which I believe he learned from Colonel Blaik at West Point. This guy is doing essentially what PFF does (who many disparage but recently read that every NFL team subscribes to it). As Lomabrdi used to say; "I don't care what the scoreboard says, you have to beat the man in front of you, that is the measure" ....since Clark has been doing that it has set the whole defense up. I do think that your assessment of Pettine's reluctance to trust his DBs inhibited the defense earlier in the year. Knight always said that coaches fell into 2 categories "simplicity & execution" or "surprise and change". I think Pettine may have leaned to the surprise & change a little too much with the backend earlier in the season, which led to blown assignments (and the sin of sending P Smith into coverage which will NEVER be forgiven by some!). The one thing that I do think Pettine has to take responsibility for is bringing Kirksey in to play Mike. He never played that position before and Pettine should have been familiar enough with Kirksey's skill set to realize that mentally he wouldn't be able to do it.
"I don't care what the scoreboard says, you have to beat the man in front of you, that is the measure"
How do you grade that? The player kind a sorta beat the guy in front of him or he REALLY beat the guy in front of him.
No offense Vince, pretty sure the scoreboard does matter.
I’d also wonder what Vince’s grading system, a guy who played and coached championship teams, used for his own purpose, is compared to Andy Herman and fucking PFF.
The concept of “next gen” stats is for making money for the clown the dreamt it up, not any real analysis.
@Henry posted:Lancaster and Lowry may be stepping up their game but they are still JAGs. You don’t scramble to sign Harrison if those two are somehow sufficient in their level of play.
They didn't "scramble" to sign fatty. He was scheduled to visit GB earlier in the season after his visit to Seattle. Never had the opportunity as tubbs signed with the 'hawks. Then Snax was waived, and the only team to put in a claim was GB. If Billy Winn doesn't get DL'd and Keke not in concussion protocol, maybe GB passes on the big guy. Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, it's a no lose situation and adds depth of a veteran. Hardly a "scramble".