Packerlifer
Cheesehead
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2008
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Most of the struggles in this very young season for the Packers have been on the offense and special teams. But in last week's loss to Cincinnati the new defense looked uncomfortably like the old one last year at times.
They did okay at the start but after the "3rd & 34" disaster, which can be fairly said to be the play that was the "hinge" on which the rest of that game swung, the defense seemed to lose its confidence, aggression, communication and play-making ability.
Now they get the Rams, who were shut out by Seattle and held to just 7 pts by Washington in their first two games. If the Packers can't match those defensive performances tomorrow something's wrong.
The Rams are 32nd in the league in scoring, 31st in total offense and passing offense, 20th in rushing.
But St.Louis has some a couple of things well. They've protected the ball; no interceptions, 2 lost fumbles. And they protect their quarterback. Marc Bulger has been sacked only 4 times in 2 games, which is less than half what the Packers have given up on Aaron Rodgers.
They do have an elite back in Steven Jackson and as a team have been averaging over a hundred yards per game; about 20 ypg better than Green Bay's ground game to date.
But if the switch to the 3-4, the new coaching, the moves toward creating a "defensive culture" in Packers football are going anywhere this is a game where it should be evident.
Stopping the run, rushing the passer, creating turnovers, keeping the opponent's offense off the scoreboard and off the field are what good and great defensive teams do.
For the next couple of games, at least, the defense is going to have to be the "carrying wing" of the team so let's see if there's really a G Force out there tomorrow.
They did okay at the start but after the "3rd & 34" disaster, which can be fairly said to be the play that was the "hinge" on which the rest of that game swung, the defense seemed to lose its confidence, aggression, communication and play-making ability.
Now they get the Rams, who were shut out by Seattle and held to just 7 pts by Washington in their first two games. If the Packers can't match those defensive performances tomorrow something's wrong.
The Rams are 32nd in the league in scoring, 31st in total offense and passing offense, 20th in rushing.
But St.Louis has some a couple of things well. They've protected the ball; no interceptions, 2 lost fumbles. And they protect their quarterback. Marc Bulger has been sacked only 4 times in 2 games, which is less than half what the Packers have given up on Aaron Rodgers.
They do have an elite back in Steven Jackson and as a team have been averaging over a hundred yards per game; about 20 ypg better than Green Bay's ground game to date.
But if the switch to the 3-4, the new coaching, the moves toward creating a "defensive culture" in Packers football are going anywhere this is a game where it should be evident.
Stopping the run, rushing the passer, creating turnovers, keeping the opponent's offense off the scoreboard and off the field are what good and great defensive teams do.
For the next couple of games, at least, the defense is going to have to be the "carrying wing" of the team so let's see if there's really a G Force out there tomorrow.