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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HardRightEdge" data-source="post: 757339">Actually, I have observed this not to be the case.  Clearly, Capers approach was to have the OLBs maintain pocket contain.  There was very little stunting and virtually no freelance inside moves.  Snap after snap it was the same outside loop, or with Perry in a bull rush with contain.Further, given the blitzers have not been very effective, second effort opportunities when the QB moves off his mark are not what an edge rusher would get when other guys are not excelling.That's not to say Matthews has not been showing decline.  There were quite a few opportunities where he got to the QB just a bit late, got a hand on him, but ended up barely missing.  The fall off is there, but not as dramatic as some want to claim.  I think the issue is more an endless string of minor injuries that, if they have not taken their toll, at least limited his games and snaps the last couple of years.  And he's still about the same run defender as always:  adequate when the play run at him, very effective from the backside.I think what we saw this past season was not that far off a $10 million edge rusher.  The question is can he stay healthy, or will yet another shade of quickness get lost with age, and there lies the rub.</blockquote>

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