I think a lot of people are comparing them to the defense of last season and finding the comparison lacking. Surely they are not as they were last year but they are far from worst in the league. We have pass rushing issues but we are not the only team to have those issues and our pass rushing issues have not affect the defense as a whole. I also think the offense has overshadowed the defense a bit this year. But what really matters is when the game is on the line, we can rely on this defense. They come through when it matters. I trust in them.
It's amazing what one player will do to your defense. Here's the rankings of the Packers defense, with and without Woodson, in interceptions. 2004 - 31st 2005 - 26th 2006 (Woodson's first year) - 3rd 2007 - 6th 2008 - 3rd 2009 - 1st 2010 - 2nd 2011 - 1st
While his picks alone are a huge boost, he's such a leader to the team even off the field. You know he teaches the entire secondary his film study habits and what not, thus boosting the entire team's interception totals.
Truth be told, I think he only started being this leader in 09, if I'm not mistaken. I know that he clashed with MM his first year, it took Woodson a while to accept his position and to develop the leadership.
Before this gets merged with the defensive thread. A couple of things about the Packers defense. First. They get more interceptions than any other team. Second. Only 4 teams gave up more passing TD's than the Packers, the Vikings, Raiders, Bills and Bucs. The Packers are 19th in rushing TDs giving up and 19th in total points given up. They give up 6.3 yards per play on defense. Tied for worst in the league. The best thing about the Packers D is that they have come up with some well timed turnovers to help win games. But ask yourself this. Do you really want to count on them getting a turnover to win the game?
I think our d-line has given up yards,but like you say they will stop you from scoring I think they will be a different d-line for playoffs and think our o-line will be better,they one 15 games with the d-line and think they will win it all this year.
I'm with Bogart. We've won because of our offense not because of our defense. I'm not brainwashed by ESPN. I've watched 16 games!!!! I have a brain and very good eyesight. You can tie a bow on a pig but at the end of the day it's still a pig.
The Packers won 15 and lost one this year because of the offense and not the defense. 15-1; I'll take those odds.
Yup. I don't expect any changes during the bye. With a little luck, she'll come away from the prom with a ring on her finger.
They were 12th in points before the Lions game. Sorry, but I'm not going to count a game where we are sitting 4 Pro Bowlers.
I kind of agree with you here. This team has the ability to get that crucial turnover in the last minute of the game to seal the deal. I just wish it didn't always have to come down to that.
No. But IMO if Aaron Rodgers is at the top of his game - if he is as pin-point accurate as he’s been for most of the season and if the protection schemes protect him - it will be very difficult for any team to beat the Packers at home whether or not the Packers’ defense takes the ball away. But that’s asking a lot from the offense. Most likely some players on defense will have to step up. Like BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett. Clay Matthews and Desmond Bishop. Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Sam Shields. If they can’t take the ball away the defense will have to play well enough not to ‘break’ while employing their ‘bend but don’t break’ strategy. The good news for Packers fans is there are some very good players listed. If the Packers win the turnover battle they should be damn near impossible to beat. But it’s not like they won’t have a chance if the defense doesn’t take the ball away.
Like it would have made that big of a difference? What, maybe 100 yards and 7 points? Face it, the Packers can't stop anyone.
The Defense.... a wall ...but not an impervious one. Pickett and Raji are line pluggers but don't really get a big rush on the QB. The Packers have not had a dominating middle linebacker in years. Barnett was, and is small and slow for his size. Hawk is undersized and not particularly strong. Add a DOMINANT player in the middle (and I'm not saying they grow on trees...) ...and the Packers are all together different. Part of the reason that the Green Bay Secondary is much maligned is that offenses seem to get all day to protect the passer and pick out receivers when they ultimately DO get open. Other offenses have figured out that Clay Matthews is the only good rusher we have. Block him...and the QB gets loads of time to pick apart the Secondary. Our only loss was a TEAM loss, but the Defense probably had the WORSE day. KC, for November and December had point totals of 3, 10, 3, 9, 10, 10, 19 (G.B.), 13, and 7. For the last 2 months of the season KC averaged 8.125 points (not including the GB game. Aaron had an OFF day but GB still scored 13 points. That should be enough most times against a team as weak as KC. But I din't think the game was that close. KC seemed to be able to move the ball whenever they needed to. And that's a shame. Only one team comes out of the playoffs unbeaten.......and I really DO hope it's GB. If it isn't ...... I wouldn't be surprised if we don't do a whole lot of talking about the Defense over the Winter.
I agree with everyone that our defense isn't as bad as it looks on paper. Yards aren't points. I think that point has been made enough times that everyone should get it now. My only concern with the defense bleeding yards this post season is that it's eats up the clock while keeping our best player on the sidelines. Yes we can score quick, but if the other team can slow down the pace of the game by going on long, extended scoring drives, which is what KC did for the most part, that limits the overall opportunities we'll have to put points on the board. The formula for beating us is to move the chains, control the clock and keep Rodgers off the field. Unfortunately our defense seems to allow for a fair amount of that. I think our defense is consistent enough at getting turnovers that it's definitely not an accident when it happens, but KC also provided a blueprint for what happens when the other team doesn't turn the ball over. This could make for a long day against a team like the 49ers or Giants, both of whom are capable of long drives with few turnovers. That said, it is the post season, and I think our guys know it. They know what lays ahead and will hopefully play like their season depends on it.
