Blake Martinez

[rodell330]

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.

 

[greengold]

I was very disappointed in Martinez's play, but even more so at the lack of adjustments by Pettine to shore up those deficiencies, yeah, the ones all of us fans have been able to see v. the run and in middle coverage throughout our first 3 games.

What have they been doing to address the way we've been getting gashed? I'm at a loss. They need to adjust their personnel to counter opposition strengths. Did not see that at all... because it DIDN'T HAPPEN!

Might have been reading too many of their press clippings. Maybe this exposure becomes beneficial if they do adjust to correct, in the long run.

 

[rodell330]

They are going to have to fix that. They already Are struggling on offense. If the offense gets behind and they can’t stop the run, teams are just going to pound it down their throats and run out he clock.

 

[XPack]

Agreed, but I'll still give Blake some leeway as he doesn't have good company to stuff runs. Too much for a one person job.

Hop Gute makes some trades/FA moves.

 

[weeds]

He's one of the last guys we need to worry about.

 

[GleefulGary]

I've said it for the whole time.

He's just average.

 

[gopkrs]

I think during film time, we should be looking at what Philadelphia was doing on defense. If we don't stop the run; it could be a long season.

 

[OldSchool101]

I was surprised we didn’t bring down a Safety more for run/short pass support. I would’ve felt comfortable keeping 1 Safety high, relying on our CBs and clogging the running lanes on a higher % of snaps. Make them earn it next time instead of allowing a slow bleed on the ground.

I’m also in the camp of bringing on Ty Summers faster and challenging the Eagles running game more.

 

[rmontro]

I was very disappointed in Martinez's play, but even more so at the lack of adjustments by Pettine to shore up those deficiencies

I get you're talking about game to game adjustments, but:
The national media was making a lot about how the Packers aren't scoring well in the second half, how LeFleur is not able to make adjustments during the game. LeFLeur is a young guy in his first head coaching job though, Pettine's been around awhile. He should be experienced enough to make adjustments.

I think during film time, we should be looking at what Philadelphia was doing on defense. If we don't stop the run; it could be a long season.

Unfortunately, I suspect the problem here is that the Eagles dominated upfront on both sides of the ball, their lines were just bigger and more powerful.

Really, the Eagles could turn out to be the best team in the NFC. They were short handed and beat us at home. If that's the case, it's encouraging that we played them close, but it's discouraging that we are once again behind other teams in the conference.

 

[Poppa San]

I think during film time, we should be looking at what Philadelphia was doing on defense.

Headhunting?? First offensive snap they took out our back best suited to ground and pound a few yards vs their run D.

 

[gopkrs]

Headhunting?? First offensive snap they took out our back best suited to ground and pound a few yards vs their run D.

Well, not the headhunting part. Those plays need some more ejections. But our setup of our 4 D linemen is set up for gaping holes. The Eagles D were packed in tight. So you have to somehow make allowances on how not to let anyone run wide. Just think we could learn something from them. Opens up their passing a bit but we have to stop the run on first down.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Well, not the headhunting part. Those plays need some more ejections. But our setup of our 4 D linemen is set up for gaping holes. The Eagles D were packed in tight. So you have to somehow make allowances on how not to let anyone run wide. Just think we could learn something from them. Opens up their passing a bit but we have to stop the run on first down.

There's no doubt the Packers run defense has to improve but you have to consider the Eagles benefitted from great field position on their first three touchdown drives.

 

[gopkrs]

There's no doubt the Packers run defense has to improve but you have to consider the Eagles benefitted from great field position on their first three touchdown drives.

Yeah, turnover and special team plays/problems help a lot. But they were running at will and may have only used up more clock on a longer field. Gotta stop that first down run before anything else or teams will just use it and have 2nd and short enough to do anything.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Yeah, turnover and special team plays/problems help a lot. But they were running at will and may have only used up more clock on a longer field. Gotta stop that first down run before anything else or teams will just use it and have 2nd and short enough to do anything.

The Packers are ranked ninth in average yards allowed on first down though.

 

[Dantés]

The more focus I put on Martinez, the more I feel he's a player that really makes the defense pick its poison.

He cannot handle blockers. He has no take on skills and doesn't disengage from blockers. He doesn't even arrive with enough pop to squeeze lanes.

But he's a liability in anything other than shallow zone coverage.

So you have to keep him clean like a WILL, but you can't ask him to cover like one.

This makes it really tricky to pair with another player. If you stick him next to a MIKE who can thump, your coverage suffers. If you stick him next to a WILL who can cover, your run defense suffers.

He's a sure tackler and has some range and I'm sure he's smart, but I really don't like the position he puts the defense in.

 

[greengold]

The more focus I put on Martinez, the more I feel he's a player that really makes the defense pick its poison.

He cannot handle blockers. He has no take on skills and doesn't disengage from blockers. He doesn't even arrive with enough pop to squeeze lanes.

But he's a liability in anything other than shallow zone coverage.

So you have to keep him clean like a WILL, but you can't ask him to cover like one.

This makes it really tricky to pair with another player. If you stick him next to a MIKE who can thump, your coverage suffers. If you stick him next to a WILL who can cover, your run defense suffers.

He's a sure tackler and has some range and I'm sure he's smart, but I really don't like the position he puts the defense in.

It's a weird thing isn't it? I love his passion for the game, but, he does readily show his deficiencies. We've all witnessed them for years. However, I do think this was a bad night for not only Martinez, but many of our coaches. I did not see adjustments to problem areas, nor did I see planning that put our players in a better position.

To me, boy, Martinez looked completely gassed, and no wonder. Pettine has other players at his disposal. Rotate some fresh one's in, see how it goes. Can't get worse than where we were at with Martinez gassed through Q3-4. Might be surprised by some players hungry for an opportunity to make big plays.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

To me, boy, Martinez looked completely gassed, and no wonder. Pettine has other players at his disposal. Rotate some fresh one's in, see how it goes. Can't get worse than where we were at with Martinez gassed through Q3-4. Might be surprised by some players hungry for an opportunity to make big plays.

Unfortunately the Packers don't have quality depth at inside linebacker.

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

I was surprised we didn’t bring down a Safety more for run/short pass support. I would’ve felt comfortable keeping 1 Safety high, relying on our CBs and clogging the running lanes on a higher % of snaps. Make them earn it next time instead of allowing a slow bleed on the ground.

I’m also in the camp of bringing on Ty Summers faster and challenging the Eagles running game more.

I was surprised we didn’t bring down a Safety more for run/short pass support. I would’ve felt comfortable keeping 1 Safety high, relying on our CBs and clogging the running lanes on a higher % of snaps. Make them earn it next time instead of allowing a slow bleed on the ground.

I’m also in the camp of bringing on Ty Summers faster and challenging the Eagles running game more.

If we had some more big dlinemen besides Clark... We wouldn't have to consider bringing in our secondary to help our beat up ilb to stop the run.....

 

[GreenBaySlacker]

The more focus I put on Martinez, the more I feel he's a player that really makes the defense pick its poison.

He cannot handle blockers. He has no take on skills and doesn't disengage from blockers. He doesn't even arrive with enough pop to squeeze lanes.

But he's a liability in anything other than shallow zone coverage.

So you have to keep him clean like a WILL, but you can't ask him to cover like one.

This makes it really tricky to pair with another player. If you stick him next to a MIKE who can thump, your coverage suffers. If you stick him next to a WILL who can cover, your run defense suffers.

He's a sure tackler and has some range and I'm sure he's smart, but I really don't like the position he puts the defense in.

He should have the Clemson nose in front of him taking up those blocks..... That's the problem....

 

[Dantés]

He should have the Clemson nose in front of him taking up those blocks..... That's the problem....

As opposed to Kenny Clark? Lol.

 

[Mondio]

He should have the Clemson nose in front of him taking up those blocks..... That's the problem....

Did you really read what you were responding to?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If we had some more big dlinemen besides Clark... We wouldn't have to consider bringing in our secondary to help our beat up ilb to stop the run.....

The Packers defensive line has enough talent to stop the run.

 

[OldSchool101]

https://www.packers.com/news/blake-martinez-excelling-as-packers-field-general-on-defense

Nice article on the topic

 

[HardRightEdge]

The more focus I put on Martinez, the more I feel he's a player that really makes the defense pick its poison.

He cannot handle blockers. He has no take on skills and doesn't disengage from blockers. He doesn't even arrive with enough pop to squeeze lanes.

But he's a liability in anything other than shallow zone coverage.

So you have to keep him clean like a WILL, but you can't ask him to cover like one.

This makes it really tricky to pair with another player. If you stick him next to a MIKE who can thump, your coverage suffers. If you stick him next to a WILL who can cover, your run defense suffers.

He's a sure tackler and has some range and I'm sure he's smart, but I really don't like the position he puts the defense in.

I think that's a fair assessment, a jack of most trades and a master of none. His best look might be the delayed blitz. Lots of mop up work in those tackling numbers. But I'm not sure how smart he actually is.

It seems to be he's often blocked out at the second level because he's flatfooted, not anticipating where the hole is going to be, waiting for the play to come to him, then slides off the block to make the tackle after the gain is made. On a bad day, this is the kind of stuff that get's him compared to the post-2010 A.J. Hawk.

In 2017, they took his play calling responsibilities away and gave them Clinton-Dix and then to Burnett when he moved into the hybrid ILB role. Martinez is in his 4th. year now, so maybe he's got the hang of it now? Then I saw Preston Smith making a line adjustment call on the first snap in the Eagles game, then some kind of hand signal to his helmet on the second snap followed by Martinez making a signal to the secondary. What's that all about?

Martinez is an every-down ILB for a couple of years running, a 4 year starter, and the longest-tenured defensive starter in Green Bay. I assume he's wearing the speaker helmet and making the calls in the huddle. And yet Za', the new guy, is the defensive captain for this season. What does that say?

 

[GreenNGold_81]

I think that's a fair assessment, a jack of most trades and a master of none. His best look might be the delayed blitz. Lots of mop up work in those tackling numbers. But I'm not sure how smart he actually is.

It seems to be he's often blocked out at the second level because he's flatfooted, not anticipating where the hole is going to be, waiting for the play to come to him, then slides off the block to make the tackle after the gain is made. On a bad day, this is the kind of stuff that get's him compared to the post-2010 A.J. Hawk.

In 2017, they took his play calling responsibilities away and gave them Clinton-Dix and then to Burnett when he moved into the hybrid ILB role. Martinez is in his 4th. year now, so maybe he's got the hang of it now? Then I saw Preston Smith making a line adjustment call on the first snap in the Eagles game, then some kind of hand signal to his helmet on the second snap followed by Martinez making a signal to the secondary. What's that all about?

Martinez is an every-down ILB for a couple of years running, a 4 year starter, and the longest-tenured defensive starter in Green Bay. I assume he's wearing the speaker helmet and making the calls in the huddle. And yet Za', the new guy, is the defensive captain for this season. What does that say?

It tells me that Zadarius has played in a defense that's actually worth mentioning as opposed to the units that Blake has been a part of over the last few seasons. So his opinion and take on things will matter significantly.

I think Blake needs a quality partner at ILB. It remains to be seen how Oren Burks will look this year, but I'm happy he's back. Much like the WR position, the ILB's have been devoid of quality prospects for some time now. I'd imagine that will be a focus next year, and probably would have been our pick at 12 if one of the Devins fell to us.