Hodge Doesn't answer the Call

[CaliforniaCheez]

A rookie playing in his first NFL game as a MLB gets a roough welcome to the NFL.

The Seahawks picked on him in the passing game as well.

He now has lots of learning tape to see what went wrong on each play and what he could have done better.

It is part of the process to get burned early in a career. If he does not improve in a year or 2 he will be gone like Carroll. However, most people do not refuse to learn like Carroll. Abdul will improve as he is smarter than Marshall.

 

[porky88]

I think Hawk has gotten faster at his reads, but not quite as fast as he needs to be yet. That'll come with time. He's playing more and more downfield though and thats' a good sign. With Hodge's lack of lateral speed he will have to be exceptional at making his reads. I'm not saying he can't get to that point nor am I going to judge him based off of one game for sure.

Actually one of Hodge's strengths is his lateral speed. It's his straight line speed (40 time) that rated low.

The speed that was missing was reading and reacting to the play. To me it looked like Hodge was reading-thinking-reacting to the offense, when he needed to be reading-reacting. Hawk had the same problems and therefore looked slow and tentative at the beginning of the season. His experience with in the line-up has obviously helped.

This was Hodge's first start and I believe he was injured for about 6 weeks this season. Therefore he didn't get a lot of practice outside of preseason. This wasn't a good game at all for Hodge IMO and Seattle took advantage of both him and Dendy. I believe that he will develop into a good player as he gains experience though. Nonetheless, Barnett shoes are very big ones to fill.

GO PACK GO!!!

From what I see in the game his lateral speed isn't very good. Even when he does react well to a play. Like Ive said in many many posts about this subject already I'm not going to judge him as a player after one game, but I do feel his speed will be a problem for him.

Do keep in mind playing in the snow doesn't exactly make you faster or allow you to make the best cuts.

Barnett is more gifted. I do think he will be a better tackler than Barnett or will be in time but Barnett can go sideline to sideline and play the pass and that's why he's so valuable to this team. In time Hodge should be okay in my opinion but his first NFL start I wasn't expecting him to come in and make us forget about Barnett.

 

[Cory]

I actually thought it was too his advantage to have the snow because it slowed everyone else down as well. He seemed to disappear in the second half when the snow melted. I agree, though, that it's just one game.

 

[DakotaT]

I think we should worry more about who will be playing nickel, free safety, and DE in place of the soon to be unemployed KGB. ...

That would be the same KGB whose sack set up Hodge's TD?

Chris

Well Chris, the KGB I am referring to would be the one that was pushed around by Walter Jones as if he had roller skates on vs football cleates for the majority of those 200 yards Alexander earned. If you feel the Packers are getting their money's worth out of KGB, you are entitled to your opinion.

I believe we are paying everydown DE money to a supposed pass rush specialist who has yet to display anything resembling a bull rush or inside move to the quarterback (one trick pony if you will). Good teams exploit his weakness for stuffing the run.

 

[WestPack]

"Hodge doesn't answer the call"

Aren't we a bunch of hypercritical monday morning quarterbacks!
1st NFL start. yes he did not make some plays, did make some rookie mistakes, but I seem to remember a defensive touchdown and I don't remember seeing any "quit".

Quit whining!

 

[Bruce]

"Hodge doesn't answer the call"

Aren't we a bunch of hypercritical monday morning quarterbacks!
1st NFL start. yes he did not make some plays, did make some rookie mistakes, but I seem to remember a defensive touchdown and I don't remember seeing any "quit".

Quit whining!

Evaluation is not whining.

Yes, it was his first start and that should be factored in when considering the context.

And yes, expectations from unrealistic fans may have set this kid up. He is undersized and relatively slow.

However, writers are payed to evaluate and Christl was not the only one who noticed:

Rating the Packers vs. Seahawks

Posted: Nov. 29, 2006
Bob McGinn

LINEBACKERS (1 - on a 1 to 5 Lichert-scale )

A.J. Hawk continued his pattern of being out of position in coverage. He's just raw on how to handle some basic route combinations (back to the flat, wideout on a curl) and zone drops. There's never anything wrong with Hawk's effort against the run. But he had a long day taking on FB Mack Strong and made too many of his 15 tackles downfield.

Facing Alexander and Holmgren in his first start made it doubly tough on Abdul Hodge. At times, he lined up a yard or two closer to the line than Nick Barnett does and wasn't able to get outside. His low-block shield wasn't good. He missed four tackles. And Holmgren twice exposed him with end-zone passes to TE Jerramy Stevens. Hodge didn't seem overly instinctive, which was mildly surprising.

Brady Poppinga put TE Itula Mili out with a concussion-causing hit.

and...

Packers missed Barnett against Seahawks

By Pete Dougherty
[email protected]

Nick Barnett's broken right hand has strengthened his argument for a contract extension.


The Green Bay Packers' middle linebacker didn't play in Monday night's 34-24 loss in Seattle because of his injury, and it turned out to be no coincidence that the Seahawks' Shaun Alexander rushed for 201 yards on 40 carries.


Rookie Abdul Hodge proved to be a liability in the run game in Barnett's place...


On Wednesday, coach Mike McCarthy was asked how Hodge could start at middle linebacker and make only one solo tackle (and five assists) and have none of them within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage on Alexander's 40 carries.

and...

Packers: Barnett's club a talker
JASON WILDE

[email protected]


After what happened in Monday night's 34-24 loss to Seattle, in which rookie Abdul Hodge started in his place and struggled, the Packers probably would let Barnett write just about anything he wants on the club as long as he's wearing it and playing with it in Sunday's game against the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.


While Hodge did have an in-the-right-place-at-the- right-time 29-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, the rookie third-round pick managed just five tackles and one assist and was beaten for a two-point conversion and a touchdown pass. While Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander carried the ball 40 times for 201 yards, Hodge was in on just three tackles of Alexander (one solo), and each time it was five yards or more downfield.


And for fans to discuss his performance in a football forum ought to be expected.

 

[ChrisC]

I think we should worry more about who will be playing nickel, free safety, and DE in place of the soon to be unemployed KGB. ...

That would be the same KGB whose sack set up Hodge's TD?

Chris

Well Chris, the KGB I am referring to would be the one that was pushed around by Walter Jones as if he had roller skates on vs football cleates for the majority of those 200 yards Alexander earned. If you feel the Packers are getting their money's worth out of KGB, you are entitled to your opinion. ...

Dakota

I understand and respect your point, and I'm not saying that KGB is Reggie, but (if I remember correctly) the Packers paid him the money they had to in order to keep him from signing for the Eagles. Until the D-Line came on strong this year, KGB pretty much was our pass rush.

Now, I accept he has weaknesses - but he also has strengths. Good teams exploit weaknesses - and play to their strengths.

Also, as I said earlier about Alexander, Walter Jones is quite a player!

Chris

 

[Drich318]

he did struggle mightily. Howevr it was his first ***, and he is gonna make rookie mistakes, esp. playing the QB position on the defensive side of the ball. Middle Linebacker calls the plays, calls audilbes, and must understand offensive formations. He sturggled, but oevrall I think he did okay for his first time. he probably should have given up 2 TDs which is too much, and 5 or 6 tackles is not enough for a MLB, but I will have to resevre my judgements until he plays a good dozen or so games.

 

[Bruce]

he did struggle mightily. Howevr it was his first ***, and he is gonna make rookie mistakes, esp. playing the QB position on the defensive side of the ball. Middle Linebacker calls the plays, calls audilbes, and must understand offensive formations. He sturggled, but oevrall I think he did okay for his first time. he probably should have given up 2 TDs which is too much, and 5 or 6 tackles is not enough for a MLB, but I will have to resevre my judgements until he plays a good dozen or so games.

You are correct that he is a rookie and needs time to develop. However, this is the NFL where you need to earn and take advantage of your opportunities. Barnett has started every game at MLB since being drafted and never has put in anything close to as pathetic of a performance as the one our young rookie put up. The Packer's defense gave up the 5th most yards on the ground in Packer history with Hodge in the middle, after holding every single back to under 100 yds per game (and an 8th in the NFL ranking) in all of the games that had Barnett in the middle.

Unless Hodge improves significantly he will not get "a good dozen or so games" for you to reserve your judgements until.

Having said that there are several things that Hodge can do to improve. Study film, watch Barnettand learn, burn the mid-night oil in the film room, stay in town and take advantage of the offseason workout program where he can work on increasing his agility and lower body strength and take advantage of all OTA's, in the meantime he can become a mad man on special teams.

If Hodge lets up in any way there will be hungry young athletes pursuing their NFL dreams happy to steal his opportunities and roster spot. Hodge does not have the talent or upside to have teams wait too long for him to develop. He must seize every opportunity that comes his way hence forth or join the ranks of most young men who never quite made it to where they worked their lives to get to -- playing time in the NFL.

 

[digsthepack]

It used to be KGB got shut out by premier tackles, now he gets shut out by journeymen. He has never expanded his arsenal beyond is speed rush. Go figure, one move and teams have figured it out.

 

[Cory]

I agree people are being ******* Hodge. Also I have to laugh at mgginn talking about Hawk and where he makes his tackles. Eight of them were within 4 yards of the LOS.

 

[Bruce]

I agree people are being ******* Hodge. Also I have to laugh at mgginn talking about Hawk and where he makes his tackles. Eight of them were within 4 yards of the LOS.

I am not sure how you and others think people are being too ******* him?

Alexander carried the ball 21 times in the second half, Hodge didn't have a single tackle, not even an assist.

Ask yourself - how is that possible for a middle linebacker in the NFL??? I have never seen a worse 2nd half performance by a middle linebacker at any level of football.

Making things worse, in the first half (Abdul's better [sic] half) Shaun carried it an additional 19 times and our young middle linebacker didn't have a single tackle, not even an assist, within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

Hodge deserves props for alertly running untouch to the endzone when KGB popped the ball right into his gut, but that is the only highlight in an otherwise horrible debut.

How is commenting on such abysmal play being too ******* him?

We all need to pray that Nick can go today and that Abdul's confidence is not too shattered. He needs to get over last Sunday and at least be able to spell Barnett (if he can go at all).

 

[Zero2Cool]

Unless Hodge improves significantly he will not get "a good dozen or so games" for you to reserve your judgements until.

Kind of like "we dont hire anyone unless they have experience, but ur not good enough to get experience with us".


With that said, he has to take advantage of the minimal oppurtunities he will get. Hodge had some positives, just more negatives that overshadowed them. I see no one mentioned how Hodge was calming down the defense after one of the refs idiotic calls. That's what a leader does. He takes control.

 

[Cory]

I agree people are being ******* Hodge. Also I have to laugh at mgginn talking about Hawk and where he makes his tackles. Eight of them were within 4 yards of the LOS.

I am not sure how you and others think people are being too ******* him?

Alexander carried the ball 21 times in the second half, Hodge didn't have a single tackle, not even an assist.

Ask yourself - how is that possible for a middle linebacker in the NFL??? I have never seen a worse 2nd half performance by a middle linebacker at any level of football.

Making things worse, in the first half (Abdul's better [sic] half) Shaun carried it an additional 19 times and our young middle linebacker didn't have a single tackle, not even an assist, within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

Hodge deserves props for alertly running untouch to the endzone when KGB popped the ball right into his gut, but that is the only highlight in an otherwise horrible debut.

How is commenting on such abysmal play being too ******* him?

We all need to pray that Nick can go today and that Abdul's confidence is not too shattered. He needs to get over last Sunday and at least be able to spell Barnett (if he can go at all).

Believe me I don't disagree. However, people may have built this third round pick into something he isn't and thats a possibility of why he didn't meet expectations in that game.

 

[Bruce]

Believe me I don't disagree. However, people may have built this third round pick into something he isn't and thats a possibility of why he didn't meet expectations in that game.

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That is exactly what happened! I kept saying that he was being set up to disappoint