Packers' run defense has improved since Clay Matthews moved inside

[Half Empty]

ILBs at the top end have contracts roughly $2 mil less than OLBs, at least as identified that way on sportrac.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

ILBs at the top end have contracts roughly $2 mil less than OLBs, at least as identified that way on sportrac.

Matthews´ average salary is $3.2 million higher than the $10 million Patrick Willis is making. That´s not the reason why Matthews should move back to OLB permanently for next season. While he´s better than Hawk, Jones, Barrington and Lattimore he´s just not a good ILB compared to many guys in the league, that´s why the Packers should move him back outside.

 

[adambr2]

Matthews´ average salary is $3.2 million higher than the $10 million Patrick Willis is making. That´s not the reason why Matthews should move back to OLB permanently for next season. While he´s better than Hawk, Jones, Barrington and Lattimore he´s just not a good ILB compared to many guys in the league, that´s why the Packers should move him back outside.

How do we know he's not a good ILB? The few times I saw him inside he looked plenty athletic to play the position at a high level.

I haven't really seen him do enough as an OLB this year to say he's still a mainstay there at this point in his career. He's fallen very far behind the elite 3-4 OLB's -- Houston, Dumervil, etc, in terms of pass rushing effectiveness.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

How do we know he's not a good ILB? The few times I saw him inside he looked plenty athletic to play the position at a high level.

I haven't really seen him do enough as an OLB this year to say he's still a mainstay there at this point in his career. He's fallen very far behind the elite 3-4 OLB's -- Houston, Dumervil, etc, in terms of pass rushing effectiveness.

He´s athletic enough to play inside but he´s out of position way too often.

 

[AmishMafia]

He's not a true ILB because he plays the position like an edge rusher. His reads are often incorrect and they get him out of position. His motor helps in recovery, but it also gets him attacking when he should be reading. They have him playing Will crashing the line and he's going to get hurt if he keeps it up; he doesn't have the build for it.

You're going to see 2 guys you never heard of this coming Sunday who play the position at an equal or better level who get paid peanuts. The Bills played nickel all day against Denver, sitting their ILB backer Spikes except for the 4th. quarter, with Brown and Bradham inside playing 6 in the box. The B's read well, can stand up runners in the hole, play sideline to sideline, and are sure tacklers in space. Browns logs the tackle stats; Bradham is the better all around player being the go-to cover guy between the two. Watch these guys and you'll see the kinds of players the Packers could use inside.

If Hawk spent less time reading back there and more time attacking, he wouldn't need to be replaced.

The true value of moving Clay inside for a few games, is the obvious impact improved ILB play has demonstrated to the Packers. CertainlyMM and TT have noticed the improvement and will have that on their minds during the next draft.

 

[NOMOFO]

Here is an interesting stat that I read in the article linked below. It speaks to the issue of yards allowed in mop up time.

Packers Defensive Rank by Quarter
Quarter Rank
First 10th
Second 14th
Third 14th
Fourth 28th

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...nd-seahawks-o-line-lies-my-statistics-told-me

 

[OldSchool101]

Good talking points, because lets face it, our Defense must improve in consistency to get us through the playoffs. Listen, we can make all the exceptions and excuses to why we let a mediocre team almost beat us in our house after a 24 point lead at the half.. when even with a prevent game plan it should've been a 14 point game minimum (this will allow fewer cardiac arrests late night Mondays)
I am also of the belief that our opponent has been forced to turn to passing and bigger yardage plays to keep up. I think we all can agree the D is improving on inside rushing but not as dramatic an improvement as the stats show.. maybe somewhere in between.
I'd like to prophesy that a key strategy to our success in the playoffs will be determined by minimizing the opposing QB's run output. We can't allow the Wilson's to reap havoc and convert the 3rd downs. When we leave something valuable on our drivers seat and walk into a Quick Trip or 7 Eleven.. it is going to get pillaged.. If we simply put that same item under our seat and out of plain sight.. we reduce theft by 75% (oddly even if we leave the door unlocked too)
Lets apply that theory to coverage.. It needs to be very apparent we are shadowing the running QB's every move these playoffs.. even if that Defender doesn't have the speed to catch him (the unlocked door)

 

[gopkrs]

It seems to me that Clay rushes better when he is off the line of scrimmage. He does not do well against big and fast defensive tackles. He pretty much did not do anything good when up against his cousin last week. I like him in the middle and think he should switch defensive end sides sometimes. Because, lets face it. he plays defensive end when he is on the line. they should not even call it a 3/4. Still, I am totally optimistic about this season. Just my 2 cents. And I would not mind Arizona and GB both winning out.

 

[SoonerPack]

If Hawk spent less time reading back there and more time attacking, he wouldn't need to be replaced.

The true value of moving Clay inside for a few games, is the obvious impact improved ILB play has demonstrated to the Packers. CertainlyMM and TT have noticed the improvement and will have that on their minds during the next draft.

AMEN! If nothing else the move has shown flashes of what a good athlete at that position can do. I can say with certainty that ILB will be addressed early in the draft or via free agency. I would absolutely love to see us get a young stud early in the draft and stick him in from day one. Let him take his lumps and by the time the PO's roll around he should be playing fast and with confidence. A young athletic guy may be a liability while he is learning but to be honest Hawk has been just that knowing full well what he was doing. So long as the upside is there I am sure the coaching staff could live with some gaffs. Man you hit it right in the head (at least for me) Amish. Excellent point.

 

[SoonerPack]

Below is one reason I have never been too ******* 50. He is a stand up guy and knows/excepts the fact that his time is coming to an end. If/when he does leave I will remember him for being a pro and not a cat that didn't live up to his draft pick. There are a lot of young players that could take a page from AJ and read the following...


“So I don’t think I let like my mind wander or anything towards what could happen,” Hawk said. “That’s not up to me, but try to hopefully get another ring at least before they give me the boot.”

The nine-year veteran has seen his snaps diminish significantly the last weeks.

A player who didn’t come off the field before has played 46% (26 snaps) and 12% (eight snaps) of the Packers’ defensive snaps the last two weeks, only in the base 3-4 alignment.

The end? Hawk said it’s “not something I’m scared of,” that it makes him enjoy this ride. To him, this hasn’t been a blow to his ego. If so, he said he’d be “long gone for sure by now.”

Green Bay has decided to roll with second-year pro Sam Barrington (44 snaps against Atlanta) next toClay Matthews in nickel of late. Since he was drafted fifth overall in 2005, Hawk has been the most durable player on the team, a fixture all along with the one hiccup the 2010 season opener.

Even so, he was clear in saying his demotion isn’t worthy of discussing.

From here, it’s the coaches’ call.

“You’re not going to earn a job in December on the practice field, that’s for sure,” Hawk said. “But yeah, I’m still going to be out there working. That’s kind of been what I’ve done my whole life is keep going, keep your head down, keep working and you don’t need to sit there and whine about it, talk about it. It doesn’t matter. No one cares. Everyone is in their own life and they should be.

“This team is playing really well. That’s why I was hesitant to even come in here. Nothing is about me. It shouldn’t be about me. It’s dumb to talk about me. We’re 10-3.

“I shouldn’t be a storyline.”

Barrington, Hawk added, is “playing great."

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Here´s Pete Dougherty´s take on Matthews´ future at ILB:

http://www.packersnews.com/story/sp...tthews-future-not-inside-linebacker/20286317/

 

[TJV]

i really don't get all the bashing of Hawk on here, is he really that bad? i have admitted my own ignorance/lack of knowledge here before, and if this is the case again, ok. but while AJ Hawk is not one of the top in his position, is he not a steady performer? does he make lots of mistakes? what should i be looking at here?

Hawk has been “bashed” by Packers fans for a long time because he never lived up to his draft position. While it’s not his fault where he was drafted, fans expect more from a player picked #5 overall in the draft. As far as Hawk’s recent play, Hawk knows the defense better than any other defender on the team. When he’s out of position it’s because his body can’t “obey” his mind (depending upon your age you either already know about that or you will). So Hawk’s mistakes are physical, not mental. He lost weight to gain speed/quickness but it didn’t work. He still struggles in coverage and now at times dives at RB’s feet because he can’t take them on as an ILB should. Barrington should get better and better with experience. Even Matthews should get better inside the more he plays there. But there’s no cure for what ails Hawk.

Here’s what McGinn had to say about the ILBs in the Falcons game:

Clay Matthews led the way with four pressures… The breakdown of his 67 snaps was 36 inside, 27 outside, two as the fifth end and two as a middle rusher…At ILB, he played the run better away than frontally. Sam Barrington (44) joined Matthews in nickel and A.J. Hawk (eight) in base, and Brad Jones (23) was the dime. Barrington's alignments are far from precise. He does play downhill, and is a heavier hitter than Hawk or Jones. His vulnerability in coverage was apparent on a 14-yard pass to Jacquizz Rodgers when he was slow reacting and didn't get through a pick. Jones wasn't a dependable presence in the middle. Hawk didn't see the field until 4 minutes remained in the half.

McGinn gets this week’s award for understatement for the bolded, underlined sentence.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/rating-the-packers-vs-falcons-b99405554z1-285318851.html