Clay Mathews is done.

[thisisnate]

He played very poorly last night and may continue to do so, but if he plays average ball or similar to years previousthe rest of the year, then that is better than any alternative we have at the moment.

 

[pizzle]

pizzle...you need to take a chill pill. forizzle.

Yea-I c exactly what's going on here. Is that supposed to be some "hip colloquialism" to put me in my place?

You guys really are a bunch of "cards". Hope you get the point.

Why don't you guys "chill" with trying to be slick and stick to football. You're derailing the thread and making it about something it's not. You always do this when I make more than one post, especially when it's about Clay Matthews. And it's becoming pretty obvious why...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think the best thing at this point would be to make Clay the #3. Start Gilbert. The only thing Clay had over him was experience/edge-setting in the run anyway. Gilbert covered Tarik Cohen last night on a big play late and was effective. Clay was horrible against the run and didn't do anything as a pass rusher/got that stupid penalty. He no longer is better than #93.

Now that is more meaningful discussion than the BS we all just did the last hour, so I applaud you.

I remember reading a post, by you a number of seasons ago that you thought Clay is much better playing inside. Maybe that is the move now? You start Gilbert and until Burks is healthy, you rotate Clay inside. Whatever Pettine and the Packers do, they do need to get another OLB in Green Bay, not just because of Clay's poor play last night, but lack of quality depth. Not sure why Fackrell is still a Packer, but him being your #4 and last OLB available is a bit scary to me.

 

[pizzle]

Now that is more meaningful discussion than the BS we all just did the last hour, so I applaud you.

I remember reading a post, by you a number of seasons ago that you thought Clay is much better playing inside. Maybe that is the move now? You start Gilbert and until Burks is healthy, you rotate Clay inside. Whatever Pettine and the Packers do, they do need to get another OLB in Green Bay, not just because of Clay's poor play last night, but lack of quality depth. Not sure why Fackrell is still a Packer, but him being your #4 and last OLB available is a bit scary to me.

At this juncture moving Clay inside is not only counterproductive but not feasible.

Pettine ran with 2 ILBs on like 5 snaps last night.

He is a 3 safety, nickel base, quick-to-go-to-dime, will play dollar guy as a DC, or at least he was last night.

Clay playing inside would only be for him to blitz A gap or B gap quicker in Pettine's scheme from what I can tell so far. Clay should be relegated to situational pass rusher duties now.

And for the record, I'm responding to your post not because you dictate what I say. You actually had something constructive to comment on my way so I'm replying civilly. Let's keep it that way...

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I'm willing to wait a couple more games to see how Matthews plays. If he can't do it by the start week 4, get him out of there and let Gilbert take his spot.

I was feeling the same way this Spring, let Pettine install his new defense, add to that a perceived upgrade in talent playing around Clay and see what that does to Clay's game. But man last night, he looked pretty bad in so many phases of the game. I even wondered if we might wake up to "Matthews Cut" news. I'm still hanging on to the hope he turns it around, since it looks like that is all we can do at this point, but the Packers have to be thinking long and hard at what they can do going forward to improve at OLB.

 

[C-Lee]

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[7thFloorRA]

It wasn't just those of us here that thought he sucked big time last night. PFF graded him out at an atrocious number that landed him the 74th ranked performance among edge rushers. There were also only a total of 74 edge rushers that they evaluated.

 

[pizzle]

It wasn't just those of us here that thought he sucked big time last night. PFF graded him out at an atrocious number that landed him the 74th ranked performance among edge rushers. There were also only a total of 74 edge rushers that they evaluated.

Yea-that's definitely not surprising. And for the most part, after learning more about them, I find PFF to be sound in their analysis.

I really am flabbergasted as to why Clay Matthews is still in GB if we're supposed to be "all-in", quite frankly...

 

[Dantés]

I was feeling the same way this Spring, let Pettine install his new defense, add to that a perceived upgrade in talent playing around Clay and see what that does to Clay's game. But man last night, he looked pretty bad in so many phases of the game. I even wondered if we might wake up to "Matthews Cut" news. I'm still hanging on to the hope he turns it around, since it looks like that is all we can do at this point, but the Packers have to be thinking long and hard at what they can do going forward to improve at OLB.

The other options at OLB are what is keeping Clay on the roster. Though his play last season was still strong enough to definitely warrant more opportunities before they decide he's through.

I would expect that one or more FA edge options are brought in for visits this week, as vested veteran contracts aren't binding if signed after week one. Look for Simon, Means, Attaochu, etc. We all know who you and I want. The failed claim on Zettel demonstrates that they're looking.

 

[GleefulGary]

Dude go eat a bag of baby ***** tryna downplay me. Clay is crap. It's clear as day without hgh/steroids he is an average to below average player. Nick is trash. And you're tryna hate on me/other posters instead of walking up and smelling the coffee. That type of mentality is why Aaron only has 1 SB because we can't put a real defense around him, and that's why GB has had 99th percentile QB play for nearly a quarter century and only 2 NFL chips to show for it. That is not good enough, just like your sorry excuse of a response to this thread.

Wow. Somebody’s a *********.

 

[easyk83]

I feel like he has disappeared in games before but yesterday he disappeared and only reappeared to do something foolish

In the past even when he wasn't edge rushing effectively he was still affecting the game in other ways. Last night in every phase he was bad. Thing about that dumb penalty is that he actually did produce pressure and did force Trubisky to throw up a jump ball, it was a good play right up until his boneheaded penalty. I kind of wonder if Matthews just isn't quick enough for the role that he's supposed to play in Pettine's defense.

 

[AmishMafia]

In the past even when he wasn't edge rushing effectively he was still affecting the game in other ways. Last night in every phase he was bad. Thing about that dumb penalty is that he actually did produce pressure and did force Trubisky to throw up a jump ball, it was a good play right up until his boneheaded penalty. I kind of wonder if Matthews just isn't quick enough for the role that he's supposed to play in Pettine's defense.

No, I dont think you can say that. He has been getting less effective each season for a few years now.

 

[easyk83]

IF, that was what would have gotten Mack to GB along with a 6 year, $141,000,000 contract, including a $34,000,000 signing bonus, $90,000,000 guaranteed and you would have been on board with that at the time it happened (not today in hind site), then you probably would have been called crazy, if not, I will be the first to do so. Just the amount of money invested in a defensive player should give you pause, but 3 first rounders on top of that? Really?

First the Bears getting Mack obviously wasn't enough for them last night. Second trading that many first rounders for even an established elite player rarely works out for the team giving up picks. Remember when Bears fans were crowing because they got Jay Cutler? How about the Herschel Walker trade. There's a reason that we don't see this many high level trades like this.

 

[Dantés]

No, I dont think you can say that. He has been getting less effective each season for a few years now.

He's at an age where the final dropoff from useful to no longer useful could be abrupt. There's a chance that his terrible outing last night is the first sign that he is, in fact, "done." But it's also possible that he had a terrible game and he's a useful player for the rest of the season. Week one observations should always be accompanied by a "wait and see" mentality.

 

[Dantés]

First the Bears getting Mack obviously wasn't enough for them last night. Second trading that many first rounders for even an established elite player rarely works out for the team giving up picks. Remember when Bears fans were crowing because they got Jay Cutler? How about the Herschel Walker trade. There's a reason that we don't see this many high level trades like this.

When your QB can't crack 5 YPA passing, it's hard to win even with elite defenders.

The reason the Packers were still in position to come back when Rodgers returned was that Trubisky was almost completely ineffective once Pettine got a handle on what Nagy was doing.

 

[easyk83]

No, I dont think you can say that. He has been getting less effective each season for a few years now.

This is true as an edge rusher, but even last year he was doing a lot of good things in coverage and against the run. I feel dirty saying this but PFF still had him solidly in the "Good" category going into this season.

 

[easyk83]

Yea-that's definitely not surprising. And for the most part, after learning more about them, I find PFF to be sound in their analysis.

I really am flabbergasted as to why Clay Matthews is still in GB if we're supposed to be "all-in", quite frankly...

That same service still rated him as "good" going into this season. We'll see if last night turns into an outlier, but yes he was awful. I don't remember the last time that a starting OLB looked that bad for this team. I don't even think Walden or Zombo ever looked that awful.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I know its been said before, but one has to wonder if Clay isn't going through something similar to what Brian Cushing went through. Injuries and PEDS derailed his career. Did CMIII's 2016 PED accusations make him decide to quit and this is who we are left with?

 

[sschind]

Got news for you, Mack is still available. The Bears will take, 4 first rounders 3 seconds and 5 thirds, King, Jackson, Adams, and Clark. As Pizzle the GM, do you make the trade?

Now you are just being silly. Even pizzle wouldn't include 5 3rd rounders AND Jackson.

 

[Mondio]

I know its been said before, but one has to wonder if Clay isn't going through something similar to what Brian Cushing went through. Injuries and PEDS derailed his career. Did CMIII's 2016 PED accusations make him decide to quit and this is who we are left with?

Could be. Wouldn't even surprise me.

 

[easyk83]

I know its been said before, but one has to wonder if Clay isn't going through something similar to what Brian Cushing went through. Injuries and PEDS derailed his career. Did CMIII's 2016 PED accusations make him decide to quit and this is who we are left with?

Even when he was supposedly taking PEDs he was frequently getting nagging injuries. I remember reading an article years ago that they all take PEDs and that you only get caught if you're greedy and stupid, from an anonymous former player.

 

[Mondio]

Even when he was supposedly taking PEDs he was frequently getting nagging injuries. I remember reading an article years ago that they all take PEDs and that you only get caught if you're greedy and stupid, from an anonymous former player.

Peds will eventually cause more injuries. It inhibits certain processes in the body sometimes, others it creates too much strength and a weakening of connective tissue, etc. they can work well for a while though. But there's no such thing as free lunch in this world. It all has a price, eventually

 

[Dantés]

PED's and injuries aside, he's a 32 year old football player with 9 years of football on his body. Those things might play a role, but I think the explanation for the trend in his play is pretty simple.

 

[rodell330]

I agree. We were. I just think when it got down to the nitty gritty-we were outbid rather quickly.

In fact, I believe Chicago went so hard to keep Mack AWAY FROM GB if anything...

Of course they did...the only real way to beat Aaron Rodgers is a dominant pass rush. Khalil Mack gives them a dominant pass rush with the guys they already have.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

The reason the Packers were still in position to come back when Rodgers returned was that Trubisky was almost completely ineffective once Pettine got a handle on what Nagy was doing.

This....actually might be what separates Pettine from Capers. Too often we saw the opposite out of Capers. Teams would figure out Capers defense and shred it and Dom would have no answers. Meanwhile Pettine watches closely, doesn't panic and says "ok, here is what we are going to do to stop them." Whether it was completely the Packer defense stopping the Bears or the Bears stopping themselves, that second half was what was needed to happen and Pettine had a big role in it. Now imagine if we had that same second half defense with a pass rush

If I am a Bear fan today, I am really questioning Nagy on that eventual FG drive and his not wanting to just hammer the ball on the ground on 3rd and 1, instead a pass play deep is incomplete and the clock stops as well. A first down there and the Packers are really on the ropes.

But I am sure if he calls a run play and its stuffed, Bear fans scream he is too conservative. I guess there is no winning when it comes to losing.