Game ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I believe the Packers are currently sitting at #3 in opponent's points per game (18 ppg) -- behind Buffalo and NE.
Without Jaire for most of the season and without Z for all but a few plays,
Wow.
They still play 2 bad offenses (Detroit and Chicago), a mediocre offense (depending upon who is healthy) in Cleveland and have 4 games against good offenses (Minnesota twice, the Rams, and Ravens).
The big additions have obviously been Stokes and Campbell but this is truly a complete turnaround on the defensive side of the ball.
They have not finished in the top 10 in scoring defense since ... 2010.
Rasul Douglas is inching up there as a major contributor as well.
Avengers.... assemble.
I have to wonder how much of that success is due to Campbell's play. Credit Barry for maximizing his talents but that guy is nearly a centerpiece to this thing. Every game he is almost always where he is supposed to be, stays home, disrupts plays and flashes once in a while too. It's been sooooo long....
The difference this year in terms of players is Douglas, Campbell, Lowry playing better, and Stokes.
I think the major difference is Campbell. He makes such an impact it makes everything around him go smoother.
Everybody is playing faster. It's almost like they aren't over thinking assignments or covering for weak spots.
Honestly, I feel like a Bears fan watching a real QB. I'm not sure just how good Campbell is because we haven't had a bench mark for over a decade.
I'm sure scheme is part of it but this defense really does play aggressive.
@Henry posted:Everybody is playing faster. It's almost like they aren't over thinking assignments or covering for weak spots.
Honestly, I feel like a Bears fan watching a real QB. I'm not sure just how good Campbell is because we haven't had a bench mark for over a decade.
I'm sure scheme is part of it but this defense really does play aggressive.
This. So much this.
Throws are made and I expect guys to be open by 5 yards and instead a Packer is draped all over the receiver.
That may have occurred against Trubisky or other trash QBs in the past but against the likes of Murray, Mahomes, and (an admittedly rusty) Wilson?
If it was just Stokes, and I really do think Stokes has been special, it could be chalked up to personnel but by God even King has been more aggressive and not to mention Savage and Amos.
The way the D is playing, giving up under 16 ppg since the opener against the Saints, is just hard to process as a Packer fan.
Sort of like how Bears' fans who watched the 4th quarter of the Monday night game against Pittsburgh with Fields making plays like a bona fide NFL QB must have felt.
You'll often hear/read that it all starts up front. I really have liked what we're seeing from Slaton lately. When he's been in he often is getting a good push.
Imagine what this D will be like once Z and Ja comes back...
What I love about this defense is there are so fewer blown assignments. Good example was the attempted flea flicker screen and Campbell smells it out early and drops the rb for a 6 yard loss.. Lowrey and even Lancaster clogging things up and we actually have a couple of ILBs that can clean up. Also, finally a secondary that can run!
I mentioned that screen defense in an earlier post. It's so refreshing to see a ILB stay home in a situation like that and blow up a play. If he hadn't that play was going to go for big yards, possibly for 6. There was a lot of pasture surrounding Campbell and he beat the blockers to the ball carrier.
Loads of trust amongst all 3 levels of the D. Do your job, because you trust everyone else is doing theirs.
So you're saying you trust the D?
They have earned that trust
I need a couple more years of therapy before I can trust again. I can appreciate, but can't trust.
They're going to have a let down sooner or later, every D does. Maybe vs LAR? They just need to bounce back and hopefully the let down isn't in the post season.
Now do that with Maurice Drayton.
@Fedya posted:Now do that with Maurice Drayton.
Tried to but I was blocked.
i read the âDrayton Pledgeâ but it missed the point.
To be third in points allowed is really impressive considering the struggles they have had allowing points in the red zone this year. It's been better recently but it was BAD early on.
I remember a story about Barry when he showed a tackle form in the meeting room and actually fell to the floor doing it. Itâs was funny but it also showed how dedicated he is to it. It has been showing up on the field. He lets linebackers be linebackers and the team has the players to execute it. Also I must give kudos to Jerry Grey for getting his players to play well on the backend. I believe that he is DC material and we are lucky to have him.
JSO has a great subscriber's only story today on Campbell and Barnes and how they've been so important to the success of the D this year.
#humblebrag
How the Packers' gamble on a new defensive coordinator paid off
Really good piece on Barry and the role of the assistants in the improvement of the defense.
Or maybe we finally have a DC that's not a meat-head and wastes the millions of dollars in FA tallant and first-round draft picks provided to him.
What Barry has that the 2 past DCs didnât is a talented middle at every level. Savage, Amos and Clark were there for Pettine but Savage and Clark are improved with experience. Campbell has been a huge improvement over Kirksey, Martinez and whatever turds were before the,
Kirksey was Pettine's hand-picked ILB.
Barnes is nothing more than a competent backup...if they'd actually spend a top pick on an ILB like Roquan Smiff or Patrick Queen they'd be even better.
The reason Campbell is doing so well this year is largely because the Packers are doing something they haven't done in a long time...get consistent pressure with only four DL/OLB. Pettine and Compers couldn't do that with any sort of regularity.
I shit on the Double L's a lot, but they've both stepped up their game this season. And Slaton I think is also underrated...much like college, he was known for his run D, but his interior pass rush is something we haven't had in a while.
Apparently Slaton has been better at the pass rush than on the run stop.
Yup, the Double Lâs have been pretty good. Not gonna have studs at every position. They are filing the holes and making a play here and there.
They've also apparently learned to tackle.
As long as the same kind of play shows up when it counts. That's always been my beef. Play good enough during the season, shit the bed in the playoffs. Same with the oline. That's why Newman and Patrick need to be off the line sooner rather than later. Not much choice on Patrick unfortunately.
@BrainDed posted:What Barry has that the 2 past DCs didnât is a talented middle at every level. Savage, Amos and Clark were there for Pettine but Savage and Clark are improved with experience. Campbell has been a huge improvement over Kirksey, Martinez and whatever turds were before the,
Yeah, I have zero problems with Pettine. If he played cautious it's because he was playing with absolute shit at ILB. With the Ravens and Jets that was Rexy ball's bread and butter.
Pettine's defensive rankings were pretty damn impressive considering. Compare that to The Wizard (yes, he gets the same acknowledgement of shit talent) and the Packers defense was just shit across the board.
Could tackling technique be the key?
@Henry posted:Yeah, I have zero problems with Pettine. If he played cautious it's because he was playing with absolute shit at ILB. With the Ravens and Jets that was Rexy ball's bread and butter.
Pettine's defensive rankings were pretty damn impressive considering. Compare that to The Wizard (yes, he gets the same acknowledgement of shit talent) and the Packers defense was just shit across the board.
Agree. So far the ranking goes Barry > Pettine > Capers.
Pete Dougherty out with a pretty good column today. Behind the paywall but the crux of it is pretty simple (and accurate): Joe Barry has turned out to be an upgrade over Mike Pettine.