10 concerns about the 2014 Packers

[Deleted member 6794]

I was just about to go on a rant about how everyone is missing the bigger picture when it comes to our defense and the whole big vs. fast debate with the linemen. I guess I still will while quoting your post. The bigger issue is that outside of Clay, the Packers do not have 3-4 linebackers. Our linebackers are simply not the quick, aggressive type of linebackers you need in a 3-4, especially when it comes to our inside linebackers. In a 3-4 defense it is 20% about the linemen and 80% about the linebackers, which sucks for us because we only have 25% of a 3-4 linebacker group.


I hope I am completely wrong but I firmly believe that as long as our inside linebackers are Hawk and Jones, our defense is doomed to bottom feeders at worst and mediocrity at best.

I think you're absolutely right about Hawk and Jones not being ideal fits for the 2-gap scheme the Packers played over the last few season. I hope using more 1-gap schemes will help them improve as they're only assigned one gap and can attack that gap without having to read the play and react accordingly.

 

[mradtke66]

For example, if Sherrod can play LT, he could be the backup at both tackle spots.

I have heard that isn't actually the ideal. Because of muscle memory and the difference stances involved, it is more common to have "backup left side guy" and "backup right side guy." How that shakes out might mean kicking the LG to LT or having the backup jumping in at LT, but that's a detail.

Assuming Sherrod is healthy and makes it, I presume he'll be the "left side backup," with Barclay taking Center -> RT.