Blake Martinez

[tynimiller]

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

Adams continues to progress...he shows flashes when I'm watching him, but just IMO still hesitates at times in his diagnosis abilities. Dude is growing into something though IMO...


As for Blake, I'm slowly coming around to the camp we may be better served to not pay him what he will no doubt be garnering for his next contract. Purely statwise the dude is awesome....but I almost think we can get a safe third contract veteran to plug his spot for less and still get the same thing delivered to us.....with then making ILB a draft target (but not a reach). This and how we handle our OL moving forward are the two off season things I'm curious of offhand that Gute and such will handle.

 

[greengold]

Thanks Bud! Anyone see more of Montravius Adams yesterday?

I will say, Martinez was still a part of a defense, the main signal caller, that held Dak 0-3 and 2 sacks for a 39% QB rating, as well as DAL 2-8 25% overall on 3rd down yesterday.

 

[mongoosev]

imagine if they got rid of devante adams? now that would have been funny. so many people were demanding for his head. we just can't be happy!

 

[greengold]

4 weeks ago it was Kevin King. 3 weeks ago it was Kevin King. 2 weeks ago it was Kevin King. Last week it was Kevin King.

Wonder what he will do this week to F everything up?

 

[swhitset]

imagine if they got rid of devante adams? now that would have been funny. so many people were demanding for his head. we just can't be happy!

I always use Adams as my personal example to remind myself to be patient with young players that struggle early on...yet have a potentially great upside.

 

[Dantés]

I always use Adams as my personal example to remind myself to be patient with young players that struggle early on...yet have a potentially great upside.

It's a good lesson to remember.

That said, Adams was balling out by year three and a lot of his early problems were injury related.

Martinez is in year 4 and still basically has the same limitations that he's always had.

 

[swhitset]

It's a good lesson to remember.

That said, Adams was balling out by year three and a lot of his early problems were injury related.

Martinez is in year 4 and still basically has the same limitations that he's always had.

Agreed. I’m thinking more about players like MVS.... second year and has a lot of potential.... the jury is still out on him. With Martinez... I think we know what he is and isn’t.

 

[GleefulGary]

Adams had an injury his 2nd year that hampered him, and seriously hindered his release, which as we know, is a big part of his game. He was also asked to play a bigger role than expected.

It's not the same with Martinez.

He has athletic limitations. He doesn't play downhill enough. He just doesn't impact the game. Rarely does he make a big play that wasn't schemed up. He's not bad, he was great value for his draft pick, but he's not worth a big contract either.

 

[TosaFan76]

Was on the bench in the 4th. I mean I like the guy, but this is a business. Fir the third straight week I’ve seen the guy not be a factor on defense.hes also pretty much useless bs the pass as well. He’s AJ Hawk 2.0. Will get a ton of chase Down tackles and that’s it.

Seriously? Martinez leads the team in tackles nearly every game (exceptions are when the opponents have to pass nearly every down). Aikman called him "a tackilng machine." Not "a factor"? He led the team in tackles and solo tackles in each of the first 4 games!

 

[OldSchool101]

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.

At the same points in their career? Ok, but let’s be fair to Blake and not cherry pick AJs best years.
Let’s look at that Mondio. We can even use you’re offered argument. Let’s be fair and use both players first 2 FULL starting seasons, let’s Apple to Apple so to speak.

I want you to be objective and compare Blake’s first 2 FULL (his only 2 full seasons) seasons (2017/2018) 32 games started with AJ (2006/2007) 32 games started.

I’d say Blake not only held his own, but many teams would blindly choose Blakes stats. Something I didn’t even know, was that the very first site I hit for stats notice on the far right had Martinez (AV 8-9) rated higher in their system than Hawk (AV 8-8).

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HawkA.20.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MartBl01.htm



Blake has been a FAR better value. Especially when considering the draft stock spent on Hawk. Hawk was a 5th (1700 draft points) overall pick! Blake was picked 131st (41 draft points).
Yet, if you objectively and blindly looked at their stats you would’ve never guessed that.

He’s been #2 in the league in consecutive years (2017-2018) in total Tackles.
http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap3000001022971/top-10-tackle-leaders-of-the-2018-season

An anomaly?? Old news???
How about in 2019?? He’s stepping up his game.
he’s 1 tackle (55) behind another familiar name and the current NFL leader Luke Kuechly (56). Yet Blake has 10 more Solo than Luke! Take a look for yourself.
http://www.nfl.com/stats/player
What’s the common denominator in elite level Tackles 3 years running? Blake Martinez.

 

[Mondio]

I didn't cherry pick any years, I picked where they are at the start of their careers. Blake has a ways to go to have Hawks career in terms of years. I never brought up value, I think Blake is fine value for a 4th rounder.

Blake makes a lot of tackles, downfield, just like everyone bagged on AJ for later in his career. He rarely makes impact plays. If he doesn't have a DL in front of him making it easy for him, nobody knows Blake Martinez. At least AJ did the dirty work for guys like Woodson. Blake doesn't even do the dirty work for someone else to come free to make a play and with guys doing the work in front of him about the best he can do is make tackles downfield. He can't take on blockers, he's a liability in pass coverage. He had a free shot at the RB 2 yards before the goalline and got run over against the Eagles. It happens to everyone, I know, but the problem is I don't ever see him stone that guy there either on his won like I see the good ones do.

 

[Poppa San]

Any of you this guy??

 

[XPack]

Blake has a nose for the ball and can read plays well. I've watched him identify and stuff an open run lane saving big yardage. The team would definitely be worse off without him.

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[Mondio]

Blake has a nose for the ball and can read plays well. I've watched him identify and stuff an open run lane saving big yardage. The team would definitely be worse off without him.

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A stuff by Mike Daniels and a tackle 6 yards downfield aren't exactly things to write home about

 

[Mondio]

Go to 9:30 about in this video, lazy rush attempt, slow run up into the wash leaving a gaping hole on the left. Maybe that was his gap, well attack it at least. and on the 2, he has one lane to fill, the only one open and he loses despite a clean shot at the RB for a TD.

If you go back and watch the Eagles game, it was a terrible game for him. Go to about the 1130 mark, we have them backed up on like the 1 yard line after our failed 4th down. The run is right at him, look at how lazily he attacks the LOS and easily gets bumped aside letting eagles off the goalline.

I'm sorry, you're going to have a really tough time convincing me he's a playmaker on this defense.

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[XPack]

'm sorry, you're going to have a really tough time convincing me he's a playmaker on this defense.

All I was trying it to dispute that he's a weakness. He has proved himself worth the 4th round pick we spent on him and is valuable part of defence, playmaker or not.

Agree that Eagles was the worst performance till date and that's probably because we missed Burks/Greene. Once we get Burks or Greene back,they'd become a solid combo.

 

[Mondio]

he's everything I'd expect and then a little more out of a 4th rounder. i'm not sorry we have him, but I think some are inflating his worth as well. When I see values of 12 million tossed around talking about what it will take to Martinez, I don't have to look very hard and see he's not that type of player. Watch that play at 1130 mark or so, the LB next to him attacks his gap, Martinez is very passive in his filling of the gap if you ask me and is easily taken out of the play.

What was a great position for our defense, turned into letting Eagles off the hook.

Heck watch the entire sequence of plays after that, 2 plays in a row #65 does nothing more than give Martinez a shove and completely removes him from the play for a 1st down off the goal line. YOu can't have that. Watch what looks like 50% effort on an outside rush? watch go after a pass catcher and then the play immediately after watch #93. Big difference in effort between the 2.

 

[greengold]

Any of you this guy??

THAT is a FANTASTIC breakdown of what Blake Martinez is in this Packers D.

I cannot understand why they are not trying Summers there instead. Wouldn’t lose anything, and might have plenty to gain.

A MONSTER in the middle is supposed to create TOs. I always look at INTs, PDs, FFs and FRs as “hustle” plays. Imagine, the narrator couldn’t even discuss those, because Martinez makes zero. There were none to discuss. That is VERY telling.

Thx Poppa San.

 

[OldSchool101]

Blake makes a lot of tackles, downfield, just like everyone bagged on AJ for later in his career. He rarely makes impact plays. If he doesn't have a DL in front of him making it easy for him, nobody knows Blake Martinez. At least AJ did the dirty work for guys like Woodson. Blake doesn't even do the dirty work for someone else to come free to make a play and with guys doing the work in front of him about the best he can do is make tackles downfield. He can't take on blockers, he's a liability in pass coverage. He had a free shot at the RB 2 yards before the goalline and got run over against the Eagles. It happens to everyone, I know, but the problem is I don't ever see him stone that guy there either on his won like I see the good ones do.

You’re entitled to think he’s a bad player Mondio and you actually make some valid points and I enjoy the debate, so it’s nothing personal.


There’s something glaring that has to have negatively affected his performance and that’s the absence of a formidable Will LB next to him.

You have to be seeing it this season, he’s completely on an island on many plays in the middle. Its almost ridiculous it’s been so obvious and that why opponents have been exploiting us in the middle.
We saw this countless times in that Eagles game and again last Sunday in Arlington. He’s being asked to man both positions. They would never ask him to do that unless they thought he could live up to the job to keep the ship afloat until the coaching staff and finds an answer to a position that’s been our Achilles heel for years now.

Make no mistake he’s playing 2 positions in the middle. You can’t ask a guy to do that and also ask him to win you both positions’ Probowl nods.
That’s just completely unreasonable. If anything, he deserves a Medal of Honor for being the Captain and Engineer of his own freighter. I don’t know of any other player that could wear two hats and be ultra successful in the backfield, coverage, sideline to sideline, all areas at once etc..

Its no wonder he’s on pace to break several historic solo and combined tackle records. No other NFL player has more tackles than Blake since he became the presumed starter to begin the 2017 season.
That in itself is ultra impressive. Not an ILB, OLB, FS, SS, CB, DT, DE, not any player from any of the 32 NFL teams.

 

[greengold]

Good points OldSchool101.

I like how motivated he is in the film room, and on the field. He's definitely been compromised without more help. Really surprised to have not seen more adjustments from Pettine. One of the things that kind of got me with Capers was his unwillingness to play rookies. I do think Ty Summers could have provided a bit of relief. Not understanding why they haven't given him more of a shot.

Regardless, Blake lacks some size/speed/ability, and that has been apparent. He makes up for some of that with being well studied and grit. Really wanting to see more adjustments personnel wise. Immediately thought their throwing Goodson in the same week they signed him was a bit short sighted and reckless in week 2.

 

[Mondio]

He may be the lone guy in the middle at times, but he’s not being asked to be 2 players. He’s not responsible for twice as much field or has two guys to cover instead of one. He has a role in the defense. Go watch those time frames I referenced in that video. Even his effort was poor

 

[Calvin]

Great backup and the video the The Franchise guy made is on point. I hope GB doesn't play dumb because they are winning. Great value for the pick thats all. No NFL team can have their main LB playing prevent on Defense. No comparison to Hawk, Hawk played with way better instincts. All i see is letting the RBs get 5-10 followed by a tackle. Get 12 of those a game and you might lead the NFL in tackles. '

Seriously, just watch the film. When the ball is hike immediately pause the film. Someone is going to be in same spot. As the ball is being handed off to the RB, someone is going to be in the spot. Just watch the film!

 

[greengold]

I would rather see Summers & Goodson together, to see what they do. I mean, does Martinez need 70-80 snaps?

That would be pretty simple.

 

[Calvin]

Just watch the prevent defense he plays vs Detroit. He is either going to back up or tackle the RB 7 yds downfield after the snap. Unless its goal line, no instincts to make a play. Basically a mlb playing as a defensive back in prevent, crazy thing is when the runner gets to ball, its like he's lazy, he skips to the ball, I'm done, GB would be a fool to resign him.

 

[XPack]

https://www.packers.com/news/blake-martinez-s-hustle-defense-s-goal-line-stand-lift-packers

For all of the touchdowns and explosive plays on Sunday, there was one moment in particular quarterback Aaron Rodgers singled out as perhaps the most important of all during the Packers’ 42-24 win over Oakland. It was the hustle inside linebacker Blake Martinez showcased on the play in which Raiders quarterback Derek Carr fumbled into Green Bay’s end zone near the end of the first half.

With Oakland threatening to retake the lead before halftime, Carr scrambled right on second-and-goal from the Green Bay 2 when Martinez met him near the goal line with 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining. The pressure forced Carr to lunge for the pylon, losing the ball in the process.