Blake Martinez

[Mondio]

Brooke Burke is a Packer?

 

[HardRightEdge]

He was talking about Dexter Lawrence who he was in favor of the Packers selecting in this year's draft.

Oh. One of those.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I eagerly await Oran Birks return

I question whether Whorin' Twerks has the loose hips needed for coverage.

Too far?

 

[Calvin]

Still feeling the Ted Thompson decisions

 

[OldSchool101]

I wish people would stop with Burks. The guy has done nothing, except show that he's a major work in progress. And that's the rare times when he's actually available. This guy isn't the great savior at the position.

Not sure who’s overzealous about Burks? Maybe I missed that.
Anyhow. I will say this. He is our presumed starter next to Martinez at the top of the depth chart. You always want your starter getting snaps. I don’t think we have to pretend like he’s irrelevant either. How’s he supposed to develop in street clothes?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He is our presumed starter next to Martinez at the top of the depth chart. You always want your starter getting snaps.

Actually I would have preferred to have another player than Burks being the dedicated starter next to Martinez entering the season.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Still feeling the Ted Thompson decisions

He assembled the best basketball team in the NFL. At least Adams' 360 degree dunk worked out.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Actually I would have preferred to have another player than Burks being the dedicated starter next to Martinez entering the season.

He missed the early games last season with a shoulder injury, played 20-some defensive snaps in weeks 4-6, then benched after the bye week, getting only 41 defensive snaps the rest of the way. This year he missed nearly all of preseason with the pec injury. He's at a stage equivalent to a rookie with a couple of games under his belt.

ILB transition from college read options, RPOs and spreads to the NFL game is not easy.

I found it interesting that Vander Esch, the All-Rookie ILB last season, was pulled from a playoff game (I forget which) for the vet Lee because he was getting fooled and kinda lost. The sideline shot showing Lee on one side and a coach on the other trying to coach him up on the fly was telling.

My expectations for Burks at this moment are not high. I expect him get base D snaps, then back to Amos again in nickel. Redmond has been sketchy at safety with Amos in the box. I'm not sure what they can do about that. With King and Brown down, it's not like they can put Williams back there. Maybe Sullivan gets a shot back there. Isn't he purported to be a CB/S swing man?

 

[greengold]

HRE, I wouldn't mind seeing Josh Jackson back there at S with Savage, if they are running Amos up. Agree, Sullivan could be the guy too. Yeah, he's projected there from what I'd read earlier. If our main goal is stopping the run, I would seriously consider pairing Summers with Martinez, just to see what we get. Both can diagnose well and rock the line of scrimmage.

I'm VERY, VERY interested to see what Pettine does to stop Zeke Elliott. Also to see what he does to shut down Witten. Two monster components to that DAL offense.

Encouraged to have Montravius Adams back too.

 

[OldSchool101]

Actually I would have preferred to have another player than Burks being the dedicated starter next to Martinez entering the season.

I agree. I think he’d improved enough to shore up the position and win the battle, but that also doesn’t imply he’s a strength at ILB either. He’s the best of an underwhelming pool inside. Although I’m still watching because he’s been barely relegated to any meaningful snaps against 1st team opponents. IMO, He was all about his long-term potential all along.
Also, healing from a torn pectoral is concerning to me. I cringe thinking he comes back too early and re-injures. I hope I’m wrong

 

[Deleted member 6794]

He missed the early games last season with a shoulder injury, played 20-some defensive snaps in weeks 4-6, then benched after the bye week, getting only 41 defensive snaps the rest of the way. This year he missed nearly all of preseason with the pec injury. He's at a stage equivalent to a rookie with a couple of games under his belt.

Just to clarify, I wasn't comfortable about Burks being the designated starter before he suffered the torn pectoral.

If our main goal is stopping the run, I would seriously consider pairing Summers with Martinez, just to see what we get. Both can diagnose well and rock the line of scrimmage.

I'm VERY, VERY interested to see what Pettine does to stop Zeke Elliott. Also to see what he does to shut down Witten. Two monster components to that DAL offense.

Unfortunately Summers hasn't proven that he's capable of diagnosing plays well. If the Packers can stop the run I'm not worried about Witten having a huge impact.

IMO, He was all about his long-term potential all along.

True, therefore it wasn't a great idea to rely on him starting this season.

 

[Calvin]

Watching him vs dallas, Martinez basically plays prevent the whole game. Solid starter, not someone you sign to a big contract. If you took someone new to watching football for the first time, martinez, he will never stand out. When GB plays the Jet, Miami, 15 tackles, etc. AJ Hawk was not sideline to sideline but he could tackle

 

[Dantés]

Not explosive or powerful enough to impact the running game and not athletic enough to hold up in man coverage. Let him go.

 

[OldSchool101]

Watching him vs dallas, Martinez basically plays prevent the whole game. Solid starter, not someone you sign to a big contract. If you took someone new to watching football for the first time, martinez, he will never stand out. When GB plays the Jet, Miami, 15 tackles, etc. AJ Hawk was not sideline to sideline but he could tackle

Martinez is better than AJ Hawk and we got Blake day 3 draft verses Hawk day 1 draft, so his cost/benefit is in another level. Martinez will sign fur substantial $ here or somewhere unless, heaven forbid, he succumbs to an injury beforehand.

 

[greengold]

Not explosive or powerful enough to impact the running game and not athletic enough to hold up in man coverage. Let him go.

These guys do not make every play... No one does. I think Martinez is better than many others believe. JMTC

 

[Mondio]

Martinez is better than AJ Hawk and we got Blake day 3 draft verses Hawk day 1 draft, so his cost/benefit is in another level. Martinez will sign fur substantial $ here or somewhere unless, heaven forbid, he succumbs to an injury beforehand.

at comparable points in their career, I don't think Martinez is better than Hawk. I think he's very similar to post 2012 Hawk, but 2006-2010-11? I wouldn't agree that he's even the same let alone better.

 

[GleefulGary]

These guys do not make every play... No one does. I think Martinez is better than many others believe. JMTC

You think everybody on the roster is better than others do.

 

[greengold]

Not really. But, I do try look at these player performances for what they are, without emotion attached.

What? Was Leighton Vander Esch so vastly superior? Vander Esch couldn’t handle Aaron Jones as a runner, nor as a receiver. All day.

I mean, hell. Can’t even say Ty Summers’ name around here without incurring the insane wrath of some others.

Jimmy Graham? Seems he caught all 3 of his targets yesterday, great plays too. Eh. I’m happy with that.

Seems I was willing to give Kevin King a chance when few others would, and it was for good reason. I studied him. Look at what he’s done for this team through 5 games.

You don’t hear me shouting to the mountain tops about Kyler Fackrell. I’m probably wrong about him. I’m just a fan.

So, what is your point, GleefulGary?

 

[Dantés]

These guys do not make every play... No one does. I think Martinez is better than many others believe. JMTC

I'm not asking him to make every play. I'm just asking what he does well.

Having focused on him a lot more closely this season, I don't have many answers to that question. He can make a lot of tackles when the DL keeps him clean and he can drop into shallow zone coverage.

But he doesn't create negative plays unless they are clearly schemed for him, he doesn't beat blockers, he doesn't squeeze rushing lanes, and he doesn't provide man coverage.

So he is an inherently limiting player. Put a true MIKE next to him to stiffen the run defense and you get exposed in coverage. Put a true WILL or Dime linebacker next to him to address coverage weaknesses, and you get gashed on the ground.

I'm becoming convinced that not only could they adequately replace him, but they could actually improve upon him in the offseason. Also just my two cents.

 

[Mondio]

But he doesn't create negative plays unless they are clearly schemed for him, he doesn't beat blockers, he doesn't squeeze rushing lanes, and he doesn't provide man coverage.

I pretty much agree with everything you've written in that post, just wanted to highlight that part because I think it's a big one. There are times when he's blocked, but can't even close down the lane a little. He might not make the tackle, most ILB's might not make that tackle, but the good ones help make the play by either closing it enough to make the runner hesitate, change direction, make some contact that slows them up for someone else. Many times Blake is just blocked and the lane stays open with an unimpeded runner.

 

[greengold]

I'm not asking him to make every play. I'm just asking what he does well.

Having focused on him a lot more closely this season, I don't have many answers to that question. He can make a lot of tackles when the DL keeps him clean and he can drop into shallow zone coverage.

But he doesn't create negative plays unless they are clearly schemed for him, he doesn't beat blockers, he doesn't squeeze rushing lanes, and he doesn't provide man coverage.

So he is an inherently limiting player. Put a true MIKE next to him to stiffen the run defense and you get exposed in coverage. Put a true WILL or Dime linebacker next to him to address coverage weaknesses, and you get gashed on the ground.

I'm becoming convinced that not only could they adequately replace him, but they could actually improve upon him in the offseason. Also just my two cents.

Oh, I agree. I’m not carrying Martinez’s water. We can and should find a better ILB. I don’t want us throwing monster money at him this offseason. He did, however, grade out fairly high last season.

 

[Dantés]

Oh, I agree. I’m not carrying Martinez’s water. We can and should find a better ILB. I don’t want us throwing monster money at him this offseason. He did, however, grade out fairly high last season.

Yes he did, according to PFF... which I personally consider to be pretty much meaningless.

 

[greengold]

I don’t discard PFF, just take it for what it is. More info to consider.

Pretty sure we are close in this. Eye test tells me we can do much better. Blake is not a difference maker there.

 

[Dantés]

I pretty much agree with everything you've written in that post, just wanted to highlight that part because I think it's a big one. There are times when he's blocked, but can't even close down the lane a little. He might not make the tackle, most ILB's might not make that tackle, but the good ones help make the play by either closing it enough to make the runner hesitate, change direction, make some contact that slows them up for someone else. Many times Blake is just blocked and the lane stays open with an unimpeded runner.

The run defense issues are not 100% on Martinez, but I would say that he bears more blame than any other single player on the defense.

What you're describing here about his inability to squeeze lanes is a primary reason why so many of the runs opposing teams have had have featured wide open lanes.

 

[greengold]

I’m more of a Football Outsiders guy than PFF.

DAL was ranked the #2 overall Offense in the NFL, solid #2 both pass and run. Even those rankings I questioned based on the weak sisters they beat outside of NO.

I’m just happy we stopped them when it mattered, forced DAL to play away from their strengths.

GB’s D has now faced 3 of the NFL’s Top 7 RBs, winning 2 of 3.

Kinda pissed at myself. Entertaining yesterday, and I forgot to record game. Ouch.

Anyone happen to catch how Montravius Adams performed yesterday? Just curious and I really like what he brings to our D.