Packers still have secondary questions..

I'd say that is a primary concern

Just hoping House will not need surgery and can stay healthy. If Bush starts, no mystery who QB's like Cutler will be throwing to towards all season.

A good to very good pass rush will mask some of the ?? marks.

It's going to be tough for House to get back up to speed and the Packers are known for easing guys back in. I think that's going to take him out of the equation for week one.

Bush is close to being good but is so terawfulrible at ball awareness that it makes him a disaster waiting to happen. And it's not like other teams don't already know it. If they choose him he'll make everyone happy with his tackling until he gets abused and they have to pull him. I don't want him in the game when it's near the red zone at all. Been there, done that. That removes him from the process and we're left with Hayward and Shields

I think Hayward is too much of a wildcard right off the bat. There's already going to be one real green guy out there at safety in sub packages. Having two green DBs is just asking for trouble, imo. I think he has the biggest upside if he can figure it out but it's real, real early for him.

I have a gut feeling that at the end of the day they go back to Shields. There's a step up in speed when the regular season starts. Shields has dealt with it before. He's actually played consistently before. If he somehow gets his confidence back in the first game he might be able to run with it. I think he benefits the most with the (hopefully) improved pass rush and I think he represents the best of a bunch of not so good options.

I think McMillian is the guy I'm most intrigued by and I think the thing that's unsaid about all this is it may be best (though unprobable) if Woodson plays safety in the subs and they bring McMillian up by the line where Woodson usually plays.

I think Burnett/Woodson is the best safety tandem they have and I think Burnett benefits the most by not having pressure to be the leader of an inexperienced guy back there If Woodson is back there full time there's a sure tackler for the inevitable busted plays and he can put all his efforts into one position.

No surgery for House but it still doesn't sound.. No sense in sending out a green player who only has one good arm..

http://m.jsonline.com/more/spo...erblog/167488405.htm

@titm

I think that's a solid take. But I wouldn't assume Barnett to really be inexperienced anymore. He's only in his second full year but he's been in battle and he's had good people around him. They threw Collins into the fire as a rook so I wouldn't be shocked to see more of McMillian than MD or anyone else in the subs. I know there are other holes that makes a rook at S more vulnerable this year but I'm not sure the other options are any better.

The interesting thing will be who they send to the PS and/or cut. The new kids are making it tough.

The things I recently read about House's shoulder, it sounds like he'll be wearing a harnass. But it doesn't say for how long. It also didn't say how long he would have to sit for it to heal completely so that he could play without a harnass. Nice reporting.

edit: just read another article says he'll have the harnass all year. SOB.

I agree with Tit's take and think it ends up being Shields. But I wouldn't be surprised to see opponent and packages dictate playing time more than the official "starter" title.

For example, San Fran is probably going to run the ball 30+ times Week One. With Smith posing no real threat through the air, are you better off with Bush's tackling than Shields speed/coverage?

Probably go with Shields because of the injury to House and my money's on McMillian at safety.

quote:

Originally posted by IL_Pack_Fan:
I agree with Tit's take and think it ends up being Shields. But I wouldn't be surprised to see opponent and packages dictate playing time more than the official "starter" title.

For example, San Fran is probably going to run the ball 30+ times Week One. With Smith posing no real threat through the air, are you better off with Bush's tackling than Shields speed/coverage?

They're going to try to confuse the coverage assignments and get Shields or Bush matched on Moss for a few long balls, you can bet on that. Randy Moss may be a quitter with a crappy attitude, but he still has the ability to make those plays. If the pass rush isn't there, Smith is capable of connecting on at least one or two of those.

If Bush is one-on-one with Moss I can guarantee a reception. Moss will have his way with Bush but I think/hope Capers is shmarter than that. If there's one thing Randy's good at it's not letting on to if the ball is in the air and/or where it is. Bush has no idea where the ball is so it's like candy from a babe.

Capers can't stop everything, if the defense is on their heels after a quick series of a few good runs/short passes in a no-huddle (for a gain of a combined 20-30 yards lets say), they'd just need to stack their WRs and there's a good chance the DBs would mix up their assignments.

Moss is 35 years old. While I think he can still get it done deep at times, if GB loses in week 1 to the Niners it probably won't have much to do with Randy Moss.

Why would Bush be 1 on 1 with Moss? If anyone is covering Moss I would say it would be Tramon. A savvy vet like Moss could get inside Bush or Shields head in a heartbeat, but I bet Michael Crabtree couldn't. Tramon will blanket Moss while either Woodson or Shields/Bush will get inside Crabtree's head. The coverage should be meaningless because the pass rush shouldn't allow Smith to get the ball away to anyone.

I got 2 letters for ya...

V. D.

They better figure it out! I don't believe C-Wood can handle a guy like that anymore

The biggest concerns with the Niners is Vernon Davis down the middle, Frank Gore and blocking for Arod against a very good pass rush.

quote:

Originally posted by Grave Digger:
Why would Bush be 1 on 1 with Moss? If anyone is covering Moss I would say it would be Tramon. A savvy vet like Moss could get inside Bush or Shields head in a heartbeat, but I bet Michael Crabtree couldn't. Tramon will blanket Moss while either Woodson or Shields/Bush will get inside Crabtree's head. The coverage should be meaningless because the pass rush shouldn't allow Smith to get the ball away to anyone.

Assignng one man to a WR doesn't count for much if you're rolling on a no huddle, something like a quick shift into a WR stack can open the opportunity for one of those mismatches via panic or miscommunication. The number one focus of the defense needs to be on nullifying their ground assault. If they don't, they'll start hitting short routes to Davis, which will open up the possibility of one of these quick, no huddle drives where a killer long shot to Moss becomes a real threat. It doesn't even have to be a single team, a poorly positioned double team can be shredded just the same.

Actually in their last game, Vernon Davis did all of his damage on the right side of the field and not the middle. He had 1 catch for 60+ along the deep right side and 3 catches for 60+ yards short right.

And really, 120+ yards were the only offense they could muster that day. He will be a threat, but it takes more than 1 good receiver to win a shootout with Aaron Rodgers.

quote:

Packers still have secondary questions..

Yup. Except for all the interceptions.

Bush still listed as the starter going into the game tonight... Shields is the dime.