Breaking Down the Packers: Linebackers

[wizard 87]

This week we breakdown are linebacker corp.:
Nick Barnett returns stoked for 2010, I believe he can have a great year at backer but wonder if maybe he isn't better suited to OLB? On that Note I have to see more of Brad Jones before I can say he's the answer on the outside.
My thoughts are to try this lineup, Matthews,Hawk,Bishop and Barnett. I think Hawk should be the guy who plugs up the run lanes and let the other 3 flow and float.
Speaking of Hawk many people are down on him but truthfully I don't think he is being allowed to attack the run lanes and inside gaps which is his strength,the man should NOT be covering a TE.
Bishop has shown so much and yet plays so little. Time to give him a shot at the starting line up.
Chillar and Poppinga are nice back ups that can help out in time of injury and ST.
Would or Should the Packers get some more Backer help? Right now I don't think so unless you pick up a gem on cut day or a great value trade. I believe the coaching staff has yet to put the best combination on the field.

 

[Oklahoma_Packer]

Man, Mathews is going to wrecking ball this year. I just know it. 10.5 sacks as a rookie.... Imagine what he'll do with even more experience, and another year under Caper's 3-4.

As for getting more help at backer, I thought we were going to pick up someone in the draft, but instead we got a Tight End. But I doubt we'll pick anybody up, unless someone gets hurt.

As for possibly moving Barnett to OLB, I always thought he might do that anyway, while also playing MLB. Like he'll line up as a MLB for a couple plays, then as subs start working their way in, Barnett might slide over to OLB. I thought he did play outside a few times last year, but I'm sure I'm thinking of someone else. Anyways Barnett is a bad-***, so I'm sure he could do anything you wanted him to when it comes to Linebacker.

Just my thoughts.

 

[NYPacker]

Man, Mathews is going to wrecking ball this year. I just know it. 10.5 sacks as a rookie.... Imagine what he'll do with even more experience, and another year under Caper's 3-4.

As for getting more help at backer, I thought we were going to pick up someone in the draft, but instead we got a Tight End. But I doubt we'll pick anybody up, unless someone gets hurt.

As for possibly moving Barnett to OLB, I always thought he might do that anyway, while also playing MLB. Like he'll line up as a MLB for a couple plays, then as subs start working their way in, Barnett might slide over to OLB. I thought he did play outside a few times last year, but I'm sure I'm thinking of someone else. Anyways Barnett is a bad-***, so I'm sure he could do anything you wanted him to when it comes to Linebacker.

Just my thoughts.

Idk there's always the possibility that Matthews might regress. Not that he's getting better but teams are going to key on him now more than they did last year. I don't believe we ever saw Matthews getting double teamed until the Arizona playoff game. Fact is, Matthews didn't do quite well against two blockers. Hopefully this is what the added 16 pounds were.

I think it was Chillar who got a significant amount of snaps at OLB last season. Remember that leapfrog sack against Jay Cutler in Week 1? Personally I'd like to see Barnett get some reps in there too. Barnett is a speed backer, so I think he'll do a nice job of coming off the edge and providing instant pressure.

 

[PackersRS]

This week we breakdown are linebacker corp.:
Nick Barnett returns stoked for 2010, I believe he can have a great year at backer but wonder if maybe he isn't better suited to OLB? On that Note I have to see more of Brad Jones before I can say he's the answer on the outside.
My thoughts are to try this lineup, Matthews,Hawk,Bishop and Barnett. I think Hawk should be the guy who plugs up the run lanes and let the other 3 flow and float.
Speaking of Hawk many people are down on him but truthfully I don't think he is being allowed to attack the run lanes and inside gaps which is his strength,the man should NOT be covering a TE.
Bishop has shown so much and yet plays so little. Time to give him a shot at the starting line up.
Chillar and Poppinga are nice back ups that can help out in time of injury and ST.
Would or Should the Packers get some more Backer help? Right now I don't think so unless you pick up a gem on cut day or a great value trade. I believe the coaching staff has yet to put the best combination on the field.

My take is VERY different.

From what I've seen from Jones, I think we got a solid OLB.
At the same time, Barnett was one of the best ILB, when fully healthy, last year. So moving him to the outside would be a mistake
Hawk is solid against the run, but is a liability in the passing game. He should rotate with Chillar, who, when healthy, did a great job, specially in the passing game.
As for Bishop, he plays like a mad man. He wreaks havoc in preseason, against lesser opponents, but when he plays agains better ones, he's consistantly beat.

So the formation is CM3, Hawk(Chillar), Barnett, Jones.

 

[YouFrgotPoland]

Now here's where I need some info from some people who understand the 3-4 better than myself. I know the big deal with our LB's lately has been figuring out who's gonna be the OLB opposite of CM3, because he was our best pass rusher. All I keep hearing is that the 3-4 relies on its OLB's to get to the qb, making CM3 and Brad Jones extremely important. But I do remember last season, Nick Barnett got some sacks himself. Particularly I remember him getting to Romo a few times. I suppose my question is, why can't we expect to see more of that kind of thing from Nicky and others, instead of just relying on Jones and Matthews?

 

[PackersRS]

Now here's where I need some info from some people who understand the 3-4 better than myself. I know the big deal with our LB's lately has been figuring out who's gonna be the OLB opposite of CM3, because he was our best pass rusher. All I keep hearing is that the 3-4 relies on its OLB's to get to the qb, making CM3 and Brad Jones extremely important. But I do remember last season, Nick Barnett got some sacks himself. Particularly I remember him getting to Romo a few times. I suppose my question is, why can't we expect to see more of that kind of thing from Nicky and others, instead of just relying on Jones and Matthews?

The 3-4 from the 80's, was basically a 5-2. The DL was only supposed to hold the point of attack, and then one or two OLB would rush the passer. That was the basic play.

Nowadays, the rush from the 3-4, specially the one Capers use, the one the Ravens use (which is an hybrid), differently from what the Steelers and the Cowboys employ, is based on confusion. The Steelers have those zone blitz principles, but because they've found amazing pass rushers in Woodley and Harrison, they tend to let them rush more. And the Cowboys have bigger ILB, so that Ratliff is able to gap-penetrate, instead of occupying 2 blockers.

The majority of the sacks will always come from the outside, simply because they are the better athletes, and it's harder to avoid for the QB. But the rush won't necessarily come from them. Last year, we used a buttload of cross-blitzes, where the 3 DL hold the point of attack, one ILB cross to take the opposing G, and, usually, the other ILB is able to get to the QB, with a RB or noone to block him. (NFL Videos: Playbook: Cowboys vs. Packers recap 1:46 mark).

So, to respond, some plays will be designed around Barnett, some on Jenkins, some on Raji, and, in sub packages, sometimes there will be no designated player. Everybody will rush from a gap, like in a 4-3. But, in the end, who are the best pass rushers? The OLBs. So it will be up to them to at least concentrate the focus of attention. It's a rarity a team to have Woodley and Harrison, or Freeney and Mathis. But with a talent like CM3, the opposing blitzer will have a lot more freedom, be him Raji, Jenkins, Barnett, and usually Jones.

 

[Oklahoma_Packer]

Not that he's getting better but teams are going to key on him now more than they did last year.

You know, I never thought of that...


Thanks for pointing that out.

As for that game against the Cards, I don't remember much from it, other than we weren't getting good/enough pressure on Warner... Or at least it didn't seem like we were...

 

[Aaron rodgers is god]

I like our linebackers. Only two spots worry me. AJ Hawks spot and Brad jones. AJ Hawk needs to play much more consistent and be a better pass coverage guy. Brad Jones filled the spot fine last year but we dont know how he will show up next year. If he fails we are left with chillar, poppinga and bishop. I feel bishop and chillar are more suited for Middle line backers rather then OLB. Poppinga is not that good so we have a weak spot in one of our OLB. Not much depth and not much experience. We should get keith bullick but we know TT wont do that

 

[NYPacker]

I don't get why people are critiquing Hawk's cover skills as he's the only one of our LB corps that got INTs last season. I did see a few games where Hawk gave up multiple passes to a TE or a RB out of the backfield. However there were games like the Tampa and Baltimore game where he was superb at covering his zone. It seems that with Hawk, he's on and off in certain games but has the potential to be good week in and week out. As compared to Chillar who I have yet to see make a play on the ball, covers his man well but lacks the final burst on the play. He was also burned by that Rams TE for 2 TDs which still haunts me to this day. IMO I think Chillar's at his peak whereas Hawk has some room to grow.

 

[Aaron rodgers is god]

Linebackers are not suppose to be a big leader in interceptions. It doesn't matter that hawk got a interception and other line backers didn't. That most likely mean there was a huge pass rush, didn't see him, or he simply made a bad play decision. What you want your linebackers to do is get pass defends and cover your guy so he doesn't get the ball. If he gets toast with about 50 plays throughout the year and gets 2 picks as a linebacker doesn't mean hes good at covering.