Clay = Brian Urlacher now?

Vrill

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That is who he reminds me of this season at ILB. High energy, sideline to sideline and makes plays all over the field and in pass defense too. Hes playing like a man possessed out there and IMO hes in the discussion for DPOY.
 

Mondio

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agreed, and I have no idea why there are some that want to relegate a player of that ability to one position
 

Mondio

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Really anxious to see what Aaron can do at someplace other than QB. :)
Pretty sure his skill set is unique to the QB position besides being in a front office or breaking down the game and coaching. Clay is completely different. His athleticism allows you to use him all over on defense and when teams have to key on him, it opens up this defense when he can attack from all over the field. or, you just put him on the right side of the line every time.
 

easyk83

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agreed, and I have no idea why there are some that want to relegate a player of that ability to one position

I certainly don't think he should just be an OLB, but we need to use him to rush the passer as much as possible, that's still his greatest strength and he's still our best and most explosive pass rusher. It's really since Clay has been turned loose as a pass rusher that our Defense has really looked dominant.
 
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Vrill

Vrill

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DC's can't really gameplan for Clay anymore. He blitzes from everywhere and anywhere now. I have noticed that Clay is getting comfortable rushing through the A-gap.
 

TJV

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agreed, and I have no idea why there are some that want to relegate a player of that ability to one position
Because he's so damn good at rushing the passer and generally disrupting plays at the LOS. He is getting more comfortable at ILB - so is Palmer BTW - but on an obvious passing downs he is better used rushing the passer (that's why Thomas has been inserted at MLB in the dime) than in coverage. Don't get me wrong, they need him to take snaps at ILB and be in coverage more than he would be at OLB, but the answer to your question is except for that need, he'd be better at OLB (and the others rushing the passer would be too).
 

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and he mostly rushes the passer, never said he shouldn't, but when all you do is come from the right side of the defense, it's not hard to stop 1 guy coming from 1 spot on the field. I like moving him and Peppers around. They line up on the same side, Peppers lines up as a down lineman, they line up stacked, they line up inside, they line up on opposite sides.
 

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Really anxious to see what Aaron can do at someplace other than QB. :)

I know that you were just joking, but a good comparison would be with Cobb, who's ability to play several positions makes him a nightmare to game plan for.
 
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HardRightEdge

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With this defense as currently constituted, Matthews is most valuable taking a high percentage of snaps at ILB. I didn't think I'd say that about an All Pro edge rusher, but there it is. Opponents have had a great deal of difficulty accounting for him in the middle of the field, an he's in position to lead and go sideline-to-sideline to make plays as well as rush the passer.
 
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Vrill

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Besides, who are your top 5 "In the discussion" DPOY candidates this season? Can you name 5 other defenders having a better year and bigger impact on their defenses?
 
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HardRightEdge

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I haven't seen the impact I would expect from a dpoy year. He's good, not great. That could change as it's still very early into the season
I see "great".

Matthews makes some wrong guesses from time to time, a factor no player is immune from, but that's well compensated for by intangible factors that complement his play making that still goes on from that spot. The D-Line plays with more aggression when he's standing behind them, which looks to be a function of confidence that somebody has their backs. The defense looks more coherent with Matthews making the calls.

Woodson won the DPOY in 2009 on the strength of 9 INTs, then earned first team All Pro in 2011 on the strength of 7 INTs. But to my eye 2010 was his best season when he snagged only 2 picks and played a lot of downs prowling the box. There was a glue factor at work, where a guy just made the defense more coherent without sacrificing aggression. Instead of a handful of big plays that show up in the box score, 2010 was more of the down-in-down-out play making of being in the right place at the right time, always around the ball. I see that kind of contribution in Matthews play so far this season.

It's still early. There are a couple of pretty fair teams with pretty fair QBs coming up on the schedule. We'll see what transpires. But so far, it's hard not be very impressed with what Matthews is bringing to this defense out of the ILB spot.
 
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ivo610

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Besides, who are your top 5 "In the discussion" DPOY candidates this season? Can you name 5 other defenders having a better year and bigger impact on their defenses?

are you quoting yourself? As you were the one who said in the discussion...

but you want 5 with a bigger and better year so far? Sure.
Watt. Donald. Ware (im open to putting Miller here). Norman. Wilkerson.
 
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HardRightEdge

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Besides, who are your top 5 "In the discussion" DPOY candidates this season? Can you name 5 other defenders having a better year and bigger impact on their defenses?
I think this misses the point. No single individual on the face of the earth will have examined every player on every play.

The point being, if you've seen DPOY players in the past doing DPOY things beyond the box score, then you know what it looks like.

Matthews should be in the conversation.
 

ivo610

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I see "great".

Matthews makes some wrong guesses from time to time, a factor no player is immune from, but that's well compensated for by other intangible factors that complement the play making that still goes on from that spot. The D-Line plays with more aggression when he's standing behind them, which looks to be a function of confidence that somebody has their backs. The defense looks more coherent with Matthews making the calls.

Woodson won the DPOY in 2009 on the strength of 9 INTs, then earned first team All Pro in 2011 on the strength of 7 INTs. But to my eye 2010 was his best season when he snagged only 2 picks and played a lot of downs prowling the box. There was a glue factor at work, where a guy just made the defense more coherent without sacrificing aggression. Instead of a handful of big plays that show up in the box score, 2010 was more of the down-in-down-out play making of being in the right place at the right time, always around the ball. I see that kind of contribution in Matthews play so far this season.

It's still early. There are a couple of pretty fair teams with pretty fair QBs coming up on the schedule. We'll see what transpires. But so far, it's hard not be very impressed with what Matthews is bringing to this defense out of the ILB spot.
do you expect him to be in the national conversation at the end of the season for DPOY?
 
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HardRightEdge

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do you expect him to be in the national conversation at the end of the season for DPOY?
We'll see. The "national conversation" is largely an echo chamber based on box score stats and fantasy points.

If the defense holds up and doesn't relapse down the Capers rabbit hole, and Matthews registers double digit sacks to get the echo chamber's attention, it's possible some enlightened souls will pound the table regarding the intangibles that might get some reverberation.

What Matthews is doing is quite impressive, and quite unique beyond mere gimmickry. Taking on a job few marquee players would agree to is an intangible unselfishness that nust resonate in the locker room as it seems to resonate on the field. I am also aware that unselfishness gets you next to bupkis in post season award voting.

As far as Watt is concerned, regardless of what the advanced analytics might say, a 3-13 finish might provoke a "been there, done that" reaction.

For me this is just a point of conversation to highlight a player's outstanding play. If in the end I believe he put up a DPOY-caliber year, regardless of what the echo chamber might think, that's good enough for me.
 
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ivo610

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We'll see. The "national conversation" is largely an echo chamber based on box score stats and fantasy points.

If the defense holds up and doesn't relapse down the Capers rabbit hole, and Matthews registers double digit sacks to get the echo chamber's attention, it's possible some enlightened souls will pound the table regarding the intangibles that might get some reverberation.

What Matthews is doing is quite impressive, and quite unique beyond mere gimmickry. Taking on a job few marquee players would agree is an intangible unselfishness that nust resonate in the locker room as it seems to resonate on the field. I am also that unselfishness gets you next to bupkis in post season award voting.

As far as Watt is concerned, regardless of what the advanced analytics might say, a 3-13 finish might provoke a "been there, done that" reaction.

For me this is just a point of conversation to highlight a player's outstanding play. If in the end I believe he put up a DPOY-caliber year, regardless of what the echo chamber might think, that's good enough for me.
Because of his unique position on the field I could see him getting all pro honors.
 

El Guapo

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You need to do it as long as Urlacher to be put in the same light. Matthews certainly is playing like that right now. I also see him playing great, blazing through gaps to make stops behind the line of scrimmage. Tenacity in the middle with range and coverage skills is very rare. Kevin Greene is smiling from his comfy sofa somewhere....
 

easyk83

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are you quoting yourself? As you were the one who said in the discussion...

but you want 5 with a bigger and better year so far? Sure.
Watt. Donald. Ware (im open to putting Miller here). Norman. Wilkerson.

Matthews is right there with those guys with his 3 sacks and let's not forget that he barely got to rush the passer the first two games. Oh and Matthews is the only one of those pass rushers with a pick.
 

ivo610

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Matthews is right there with those guys with his 3 sacks and let's not forget that he barely got to rush the passer the first two games. Oh and Matthews is the only one of those pass rushers with a pick.

Sacks at this point in the season are a terrible way to measure impact. 27 players have 2.5 sacks or more including clay with 3. Not all those players deserve to be the conversation of DPOY, even though you seem to be arguing that.

Nick Perry has the same amount of sacks as Matthews and has a forced fumble, lets not get too carried away with the sack numbers just yet.
 

ivo610

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At this point in the season I feel Daniels has had the most impact on the defense.
 

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