Breaking Down The Packers: Defensive Backfield

[wizard 87]

We now arrive at the catalyst of our series and my personal specialty and interest.
The Packers defensive backfield is led by my team MVP Charles Woodson. CW is the cream of the crop and as long as healthy is a guy every team will avoid.
The big issue starts after CW, Tramon Willams is going to start the year at the other corner and while solid he struggles against bigger /quicker wide outs in zone.
Al Harris is coming back from a big injury and I expect
him to not be a starter again until at least week 6.
Here in the CB slot is where it gets rather interesting,Pat Lee and Jarrett Bush look to start the season as back ups here but in honesty Bush might be one of the worst instinctive cover men I have seen since Ahmad Carroll.
Special teams or not I prefer to see him cut and the sooner the better.
Lee has the tools but just can't stay healthy.
The table is rather thin after those two. Josh Bell and Sam Shields jump out as the next two on the depth chart ..Shields could be a return gem if he can learn to catch the ball.
We now turn to the Safety spot led by Nick Collins who had a solid year and is entrenched at FS with Derrick Martin listed as his back up.
The SS safety will depend on Atari Bigby and his camp status. I expect Atari to start but give way too second round pick Morgan Burnett some where in the first 4 weeks.
However the Achilles heel on this whole group is that there not built for the scheme, this group was really built for a cover one man under in your face scheme. They tend to struggle in zone and get ***** in spread and stack situations.
The packers must apply pressure consistently for this group to be effective in 2010. Depth is still an issue in my opinion and a good slot defender would certainly not hurt the roster at all.
We will wrap it up next week with Special teams !
Go Pack Go !

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[PackersRS]

Why did you ommit Brandon Underwood? Last time I checked, he was playing in OTAs and minicamp ahead of Bush on the depth chart...

 

[NYPacker]

Dom Capers' defense is very complicated in that in certain situations you need you No. 2 or 3 CB to cover the other teams' best reciever. This is why our defense was limited after the Harris injury. Tramon had to cover the No. 1 WR on the other team, while he can certainly get there one day, Williams isn't ready just yet. This is whywe really need solid guys like Pat Lee and Underwood to step up. They have the heighest cielings of our CB corps. with Lee being the guy who's supposed to be a starter by now.

I think our Safeties fit this scheme just fine. It's not that they didn't know how to play that hurt us in the wildcard game, but that they didn't play effectively. Bigby is great if you put him on a deep cover zone, alternating him with Collins whenever possible. The problem with him that I'm seeing is that maybe he just didn't get all of the plays and assignments down in year 1. Hopefully after showing up to camphe'll get down to business and put his contract status behind him.

 

[PackersRS]

Dom Capers' defense is very complicated in that in certain situations you need you No. 2 or 3 CB to cover the other teams' best reciever. This is why our defense was limited after the Harris injury. Tramon had to cover the No. 1 WR on the other team, while he can certainly get there one day, Williams isn't ready just yet. This is whywe really need solid guys like Pat Lee and Underwood to step up. They have the heighest cielings of our CB corps. with Lee being the guy who's supposed to be a starter by now.

I think our Safeties fit this scheme just fine. It's not that they didn't know how to play that hurt us in the wildcard game, but that they didn't play effectively. Bigby is great if you put him on a deep cover zone, alternating him with Collins whenever possible. The problem with him that I'm seeing is that maybe he just didn't get all of the plays and assignments down in year 1. Hopefully after showing up to camphe'll get down to business and put his contract status behind him.

In most man to man schemes, they put their #1 CB against the opposing #2 Wr, and double their #1. Some teams are able to put their #1 on #1 and don't have to double anyone, like the Jets, the Raiders, the Broncos did it for a long time with Bailey.

Capers last year put Harris onto that role, and he was doing fine. Williams couldn't, like you say, but that's not really a knock on him. Most #1 CBs can't. Unfortunately, Capers' entire gameplan revolved on Harris being able to do this and Woodson roaming free. Once there was no Harris...

This year, Capers will prepare differently. Count on it.

 

[YouFrgotPoland]

In most man to man schemes, they put their #1 CB against the opposing #2 Wr, and double their #1. Some teams are able to put their #1 on #1 and don't have to double anyone, like the Jets, the Raiders, the Broncos did it for a long time with Bailey.

Capers last year put Harris onto that role, and he was doing fine. Williams couldn't, like you say, but that's not really a knock on him. Most #1 CBs can't. Unfortunately, Capers' entire gameplan revolved on Harris being able to do this and Woodson roaming free. Once there was no Harris...

This year, Capers will prepare differently. Count on it.

I really hope so. But I was also hoping he'd have prepared different for the playoff game vs the cards.