Hawk.. Starting slow?

warhawk

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I think he just needs to make his reads a little better and he will be fine. I have seen him get caught often one spot off where the RB is going and get tangled up with his own guy in front of him and the blocker.

That's just misreading where the play is going and not filling the actual lane being created for the back. He just seems to get caught a couple of feet left or right of where he needs to be so he can step up and make the play.

I hope he comes around this week. We need him making all the right reads or LT WILL make us pay if the play comes that way and Hawk's out of position.

Chicago took him out of the game by getting to him within a couple steps of taking the handoff. We darn sure don't need someone missing a lane assignment on this guy for sure.
 

TOPackerFan

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TOPackerFan said:
Here's what Bob McGinn has to say about Hawk's play thus far. Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but I think it's spot on.

"A.J. Hawk is off to a very average start. In some ways, he is starting to play like Nick Barnett used to play. Barnett is becoming the more physical of the two even though he's 15 pounds lighter. Barnett is attacking guards and the center before they can lower the boom on him, then scraping off and finding the ball. His temperament is outstanding. On the other hand, Hawk seems slow to see and go. He was fooled on a draw and a bootleg, had some problems downfield with Jeremy Shockey in coverage and delivered just one smashing hit."

I agree with Bob about Hawk vs the run. That will change as the season goes on, but also it could be part of his role in the system. However I disagree with "having trouble in coverage with shockey" as shockey had 5 catches overall, but only 2 on Hawk.

you could read it as Hawk gave up 40% of Shockey's catches.
 

Cory

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Cory said:
TOPackerFan said:
Here's what Bob McGinn has to say about Hawk's play thus far. Not exactly a glowing endorsement, but I think it's spot on.

"A.J. Hawk is off to a very average start. In some ways, he is starting to play like Nick Barnett used to play. Barnett is becoming the more physical of the two even though he's 15 pounds lighter. Barnett is attacking guards and the center before they can lower the boom on him, then scraping off and finding the ball. His temperament is outstanding. On the other hand, Hawk seems slow to see and go. He was fooled on a draw and a bootleg, had some problems downfield with Jeremy Shockey in coverage and delivered just one smashing hit."

I agree with Bob about Hawk vs the run. That will change as the season goes on, but also it could be part of his role in the system. However I disagree with "having trouble in coverage with shockey" as shockey had 5 catches overall, but only 2 on Hawk.

you could read it as Hawk gave up 40% of Shockey's catches.

Then you'd just be spinning. Two catches to Jeremy Shockey whom is one of the best recieving TEs in the league? Sounds pretty good to me.
 

Favreforever721

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He's saving it all for Ladanian Tomlinson this week. He is going to have a break out game this week, I just have a feeling about it.
 

TOPackerFan

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i don't think anyone's saying he sucks, just that he hasn't played that well so far this year, and certainly hasn't lived up to being the #5 pick in the draft.
 

Cory

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2 of 5 (and the only LB to give one up) sounds pretty bad to me.

Sounds pretty bad to you because you're obviously looking for a reason to **** and moan. I doubt anyone would be disapointed in Hawk giving up 2 catches to Shockey and btw...he was the ONLY LBer to cover Shockey. Two out of Five against one of the best recieving TE's in the league sounds like he pretty much made him a non factor while he was his responsibility.

Edit-The way I see it he allowed 2 receptions to a TE that when healthy averages 50-60 a year. A 2 reception average for the year would give Shockey 32 which would be well below his average. So Hawk himself actually held Shockey to below average play for himself.
 

dhpackr

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I know in pre-season we saw hawk and bigby being sent on blitzes, so far the coaching staff has been content getting a pass rush from the front four, so no saftey cb or LB has been asked to do any blitzing.

Hawk replaces Poppinga in the 4-2-5 package, and has done a decent job in coverage.

What would you consider a fast start for a Mike LBer?
 

TOPackerFan

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TOPackerFan said:
2 of 5 (and the only LB to give one up) sounds pretty bad to me.

Sounds pretty bad to you because you're obviously looking for a reason to **** and moan. I doubt anyone would be disapointed in Hawk giving up 2 catches to Shockey and btw...he was the ONLY LBer to cover Shockey. Two out of Five against one of the best recieving TE's in the league sounds like he pretty much made him a non factor while he was his responsibility.

Edit-The way I see it he allowed 2 receptions to a TE that when healthy averages 50-60 a year. A 2 reception average for the year would give Shockey 32 which would be well below his average. So Hawk himself actually held Shockey to below average play for himself.

Hawk wasn't the only LB to cover Shockey. Poppinga had him a bunch of times in the base package and gave up no completions. I'm not looking for a reason to **** and moan - AJ Hawk hasn't played that well this year and I don't think anyone who's being honest would disagree with that. He's been average (no better than 5th round draft choice Brady Poppinga) and certainly hasn't looked like a #5 overall draft choice. I'm not saying he won't play better at some point this year, but he hasn't done jack yet.
 

TOPackerFan

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I know in pre-season we saw hawk and bigby being sent on blitzes, so far the coaching staff has been content getting a pass rush from the front four, so no saftey cb or LB has been asked to do any blitzing.

Hawk blitzed at least three times that I can remember on Sunday. He generated some pressure on one of the blitzes, but on the other two, got nowhere near Eli, though on at least one of those, he came on a delay and Eli hit his hot read.
 

warhawk

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We are two and oh and have gotten little out of three guys we expected to be a very big part of this team. Hawk, Jennings, and, Morency.

That bodes well for us because when those guys come around and hit there stride we will be that much better. Just think how we will be when AJ gets double digit tackles, Greg catches six for seventy five, and Morency breaks two for over twenty.
 

dhpackr

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Hawk blitzed at least three times that I can remember on Sunday. He generated some pressure on one of the blitzes, but on the other two, got nowhere near Eli, though on at least one of those, he came on a delay and Eli hit his hot read.

i remeber 1 blitz, not three. I thought Hawk did a fine job on Shockey. Are you really complaing about two passes? I know AJ had a nice hit on Shockey.

I need to watch the game again, b/c i don't remember Poppinga on Shockey one on one even once. I saw Bigby and Hawk covering Shockey on quite a few plays.

I have to say, A.J. hawk is one of the least guys on the Packers I am worried about.

a pressure on a blitz, holding an all-pro TE to 2 catches, that is nothing to complain about in my book!
 

porky88

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TOPackerFan said:
Hawk blitzed at least three times that I can remember on Sunday. He generated some pressure on one of the blitzes, but on the other two, got nowhere near Eli, though on at least one of those, he came on a delay and Eli hit his hot read.

i remeber 1 blitz, not three. I thought Hawk did a fine job on Shockey. Are you really complaing about two passes? I know AJ had a nice hit on Shockey.

I need to watch the game again, b/c i don't remember Poppinga on Shockey one on one even once. I saw Bigby and Hawk covering Shockey on quite a few plays.

I have to say, A.J. hawk is one of the least guys on the Packers I am worried about.

a pressure on a blitz, holding an all-pro TE to 2 catches, that is nothing to complain about in my book!

The reason Poppinga wasn't on Shockey is because the Packers play more nickel. They sub Poppinga out for an extra DB which is Jarrett Bush. So far it as worked very well and I expect them to use it against San Diego too.
 

millertime

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The thing about AJ Hawk:

AJ Hawk in a slump is stll better than 75% of the linebackers in the league.

Give him some time. He's just getting his engine revved up.

I don't see anyone pining for Roy Manning or Hannibal Navies.
 

Cory

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Cory said:
TOPackerFan said:
2 of 5 (and the only LB to give one up) sounds pretty bad to me.

Sounds pretty bad to you because you're obviously looking for a reason to **** and moan. I doubt anyone would be disapointed in Hawk giving up 2 catches to Shockey and btw...he was the ONLY LBer to cover Shockey. Two out of Five against one of the best recieving TE's in the league sounds like he pretty much made him a non factor while he was his responsibility.

Edit-The way I see it he allowed 2 receptions to a TE that when healthy averages 50-60 a year. A 2 reception average for the year would give Shockey 32 which would be well below his average. So Hawk himself actually held Shockey to below average play for himself.

Hawk wasn't the only LB to cover Shockey. Poppinga had him a bunch of times in the base package and gave up no completions. I'm not looking for a reason to **** and moan - AJ Hawk hasn't played that well this year and I don't think anyone who's being honest would disagree with that. He's been average (no better than 5th round draft choice Brady Poppinga) and certainly hasn't looked like a #5 overall draft choice. I'm not saying he won't play better at some point this year, but he hasn't done jack yet.

I apologize for getting revved up about the conversation, but I feel talking about two completions is whining. I actually agree with you that Hawk hasn't played uo to snuff this year, but 2 completions to shockey isn't exactly struggling. Poppinga did not cover him a bunch of times. I know this because the Packers played primarily nickle almost the entire game. I'm not saying Brady didn't cover him at all, but it wasn't nearly as much as Hawk.

Speaking of the blitzes I remember on two occasions Hawk getting pressure and a couple other occasions taking on the guard.
 

Mortfini

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seemed to play better against the chargers apart from beening burned by gates every time but there anit many people who can keep up with gates
 

dhpackr

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seemed to play better against the chargers apart from beening burned by gates every time but there anit many people who can keep up with gates

yeah..... gates beat collins, bigby, woodson, hawk, poppinga, barnett, we really had no answer for him
 

wpr

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5 tackles and 6 assists is not a bad day's work.
Some of the time the ball is going the other way and it is hard to make the tackle then.
 

TOPackerFan

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seemed to play better against the chargers apart from beening burned by gates every time but there anit many people who can keep up with gates

I thought Bush was on Gates for most of the game (correct that, supposed to be on Bush for most of the game, no one was even near him for the most part). AJ looked pretty good early on, but didn't seem to be around the ball much after the first quarter (could have been because they went away from him). LT did make him look pretty bad on that one play in the first half though (not really a lot of shame in that though - he's made a lot of guys look bad).
 

warhawk

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Gates and Tomlinson are linebacker killers.

You end up with a LB on either of these guys and they will end up looking silly.

CB's have a hard enough time staying with those two.
 

porky88

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Mortfini said:
seemed to play better against the chargers apart from beening burned by gates every time but there anit many people who can keep up with gates

yeah..... gates beat collins, bigby, woodson, hawk, poppinga, barnett, we really had no answer for him

Bush actually had a bad game. The Chargers went after him the most and then Harris. Whenver Bush was on Gates they tried to get him the ball. Woodson actually played a pretty solid game. I don't think many catches were made on him.
 
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Pack93z

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Bush couldn't compete with Gates in terms of size and strength, it was a bad matchup for the Pack. I wonder how much Bush learned yesterday though? It could bode well for his future to get locked into matchups like that early in his career when he has help around him.

Gates is a talent no doubt, not many with the size speed hands combination he has.
 

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