I've seen enough...

[tynimiller]

Look everyone here knows I am NOT one to make knee jerk reactions...if anything my quick reactions are just wait and see type responses...HOWEVER. I'm beginning to wonder how much control or influence Gute or maybe MLF or what not has on defensive personnel choices.

I will bring up three things that IMO must change...

Linebackers - Look, 56 LBs have played 75 snaps or more in the first two weeks of the league year so far...Quay and McDuffie are literally 46th and 50th graded backers at their positions. Now mind you Gute/Co so enough of a need DESPITE having a former first round pick of ours (Quay) and a former LB for Hafley in college (McDuffie) to go out and spend not one but TWO picks inside the top 100. Yet we are still just seeing essentially Quay / McDuffie and Wilson rotations with Cooper barely used and Hopper ONLY getting ST snaps.... FIGURE THIS CRAP OUT STAFF. Quay is not the answer....put Cooper in, he can fly to the wrong hole just as fast as Quay can worst case....

Nickle/Slot - The amount of snaps that Keisean Nixon is stealing from Bullard is enough to make me want someone fired. Nixon is just simply put a depth guy that his primary role is Special Teams and being a commendable to above average maybe defender...Nixon ought never be on the field if Bullard is on the sideline. Shoot...if Carrington continues to play well, put Jaire in the slot and you got Stokes/Valentine wide with Bullard patrolling with X.

Brenton Cox - Everyone knows I am a Kingsley Enagbare guy...but to me let's see if Brenton Cox is something that has flashed so well and isn't a fluke. We gotta get some more edge pressures when dialed up and right now Kingsley just doesn't seem to have it at all.

 

[OldSchool101]

I agree I’d like to see more of our 2 draftees. We’re talking TWO top 100 prospects at a position that has earlier success. Both played great this Preseason.

I did notice that Cox Jr was on the injury report. Must be dealing with a nagging injury?

 

[El Guapo]

Look everyone here knows I am NOT one to make knee jerk reactions...if anything my quick reactions are just wait and see type responses...HOWEVER. I'm beginning to wonder how much control or influence Gute or maybe MLF or what not has on defensive personnel choices.

You made good points, but I'll be honest, this is a knee jerk reaction. It's a new scheme, a new coordinator, and new, base defensive alignment. No matter what happens in the first half of the season, I think that it's reasonable to give the incumbent players and DC time to figure it all out.

It always takes longer than fans want to switch to a new system. You may be right and by the second half of the season we may see those new guys starting. However, it's just to early IMO.

 

[mradtke66]

You made good points, but I'll be honest, this is a knee jerk reaction. It's a new scheme, a new coordinator, and new, base defensive alignment. No matter what happens in the first half of the season, I think that it's reasonable to give the incumbent players and DC time to figure it all out.

It always takes longer than fans want to switch to a new system. You may be right and by the second half of the season we may see those new guys starting. However, it's just to early IMO.

I don't think the base alignment is that big of a change. The summary of that is "Oh look, Gary, Smith, and LVN put their hand in the dirt now." To me, the bigger change is the backend and more willingness to play single high, press, etc, compared to Barry.

Of course, with all that, I do agree that the team is feeling out their identity and matching what the scheme is trying to do and matching up what everyone is good at.

The last two weeks also is an example of how the modern NFL offense works. Come out with 3 WRs, "force" the defense to go nickel, run against the spread out front. We were in nickel about 2/3s of the time in 2023. I don't see that changing, no matter who the DC is.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Look everyone here knows I am NOT one to make knee jerk reactions...if anything my quick reactions are just wait and see type responses...HOWEVER. I'm beginning to wonder how much control or influence Gute or maybe MLF or what not has on defensive personnel choices.

I will bring up three things that IMO must change...

Linebackers - Look, 56 LBs have played 75 snaps or more in the first two weeks of the league year so far...Quay and McDuffie are literally 46th and 50th graded backers at their positions. Now mind you Gute/Co so enough of a need DESPITE having a former first round pick of ours (Quay) and a former LB for Hafley in college (McDuffie) to go out and spend not one but TWO picks inside the top 100. Yet we are still just seeing essentially Quay / McDuffie and Wilson rotations with Cooper barely used and Hopper ONLY getting ST snaps.... FIGURE THIS CRAP OUT STAFF. Quay is not the answer....put Cooper in, he can fly to the wrong hole just as fast as Quay can worst case....

Nickle/Slot - The amount of snaps that Keisean Nixon is stealing from Bullard is enough to make me want someone fired. Nixon is just simply put a depth guy that his primary role is Special Teams and being a commendable to above average maybe defender...Nixon ought never be on the field if Bullard is on the sideline. Shoot...if Carrington continues to play well, put Jaire in the slot and you got Stokes/Valentine wide with Bullard patrolling with X.

Brenton Cox - Everyone knows I am a Kingsley Enagbare guy...but to me let's see if Brenton Cox is something that has flashed so well and isn't a fluke. We gotta get some more edge pressures when dialed up and right now Kingsley just doesn't seem to have it at all.

Tyni, 100% agree with you on McDuffie you know I can't stand him. Quay I'm wondering if he isn't trying to play HIS assignment and McDuffie's, and being only 1 man he can't do both. Remember last year when the D gave up a TD cause Campbell tried to cover Owens assignment?

 

[tynimiller]

Tyni, 100% agree with you on McDuffie you know I can't stand him. Quay I'm wondering if he isn't trying to play HIS assignment and McDuffie's, and being only 1 man he can't do both. Remember last year when the D gave up a TD cause Campbell tried to cover Owens assignment?

I would rewatch, Quay in zero way is trying to do two jobs, he isn’t even trying to do his half the time IMO.

McDuffie is twice the football player but half the physical specimen. If those two could be one person you’d have a legit rock solid off ball LB.

 

[Schultz]

If my wife and my girlfriend were one person I would have twice as much money and half of the headaches!

 

[gopkrs]

One thing I noticed about Q. Maybe it's just one play but I don't think so. We had the middle jam packed with linemen and still Q goes in right there and pushes at the pile. The RB just just swerved when he was at the line of scrimmage and ran a bit to the left where there wasn't anyone. Where Q should have been. Because in no way was he helping by just stacking up the D. I hope he gets a middle linebacker mentality but I've finally come around to thinking he just does not have that capability. And I worry that he'll just get juked on a one on one in the flat. But I think we should try him at outside linebacker and put Hopper or Cooper in the middle. At least on a probable running down.

 

[lambeaulambo]

Sounds like a job for Campinile. Coach Q up and see. When and if he is uncoachable, then make a switch.

 

[Pugger]

Q may not be the sharpest bulb in the knife drawer but you can't coach his athleticism. He probably should not be an ILB. Put him on the edge and let him be the distrupter instead.

 

[tynimiller]

Q may not be the sharpest bulb in the knife drawer but you can't coach his athleticism. He probably should not be an ILB. Put him on the edge and let him be the distrupter instead.

I know I've floated that out there, but he isn't physically structured for that however presently....but if I'm the team I am strongly considering telling him if wants to make it in the league this might be where he is best suited and take offseason adding some weight and lower body strength.

Quay to his credit this week played the run VERY WELL.

He didn't even play the pass.....well he was in their for snaps when they passed but he failed miserably to actually play the pass IMO.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Tyni,

I agree with a lot of this but I probably see different fixes.

I think our starting LB corps ends up being Hopper Cooper Walker in the base. I know Walker has been a liability in the run game shooting wrong gaps getting himself blocked out of plays with bad leverage etc...but I find it hard to believe he forgot how to play football in 1 off season despite how things look. The eye test is telling me Walker at times, and not ALL the time is trying to cover for McDuffie and that's why he's so bad.

Kesean Nixon I've been complaining about at least a little bit since late last season. He is a returner ONLY, and he's not even doing that right now. I can't speak to him stealing snaps from Bullard, as I haven't noticed that, but will look for it going forward.

I too do agree Brenton Cox should be getting snaps but at the expense of Enagbare? JJ's been around the ball a lot in both the run and pass, at least according to the eye test. I think if any of our current DEs/former EDGE rushers are stealing snaps is Preston Smith. The price and age are and have been greater than the output since mid-season 2023.

 

[Magooch]

Quay is just such a frustrating player sometimes. Just feels very "low floor, high ceiling" - like, when he is doing the right things, he does them very well. That's that high ceiling. When he's at his best he does some really brilliant stuff. At the same time he still messes up on stuff that should be so basic/fundamental and can end up being really poor - that's the low floor. With a lot of these guys who are seen as "physical freaks" it's tough - he can do stuff that makes you double-take, stuff that other players simply do not have the physical ability to do...but then you see "lesser" players having overall better games, even though they're not as talented/gifted/athletic/etc. Just hard for me to figure out what to do with him. Kind of feels like one of those "tweener" players that is awfully hard to place.

 

[milani]

You made good points, but I'll be honest, this is a knee jerk reaction. It's a new scheme, a new coordinator, and new, base defensive alignment. No matter what happens in the first half of the season, I think that it's reasonable to give the incumbent players and DC time to figure it all out.

It always takes longer than fans want to switch to a new system. You may be right and by the second half of the season we may see those new guys starting. However, it's just to early IMO.

The good thing about the last 2 weeks is that we played 2 GREEN QBs with not so powerful offenses. As a result we racked up turnovers and sacks. If you were going to pick a time for Love to miss these last 2 games were it. I commend MLF and Gute for prepping Willis. When Rodgers suffered his 2 devastating injuries MM produced virtually no success with the back ups.

 

[Poppa San]

When Rodgers suffered his 2 devastating injuries MM produced virtually no success with the back ups.

Need to recall that one of those times, the backup went down for the season in his first start. It'd be like willis going down v Colts and Clifford having to start this week with someone off the street being his backup. Except Clifford was with the team last season and through camp not like what MM had to get through.

 

[El Guapo]

True for that situation.

Also true was that Brett Hundley just didn't have what it takes.

 

[milani]

Need to recall that one of those times, the backup went down for the season in his first start. It'd be like willis going down v Colts and Clifford having to start this week with someone off the street being his backup. Except Clifford was with the team last season and through camp not like what MM had to get through.

I do not think Seneca Wallace would have done much of anything. He threw an INT shortly after entering the game for Rodgers and we then proceeded to lose. The following week he gets a season ending injury just dropping back for a pass. We finally re-signed Matt Flynn who salvaged 2 wins and a tie for us. Clifford would still be better than either Tolzien or Hundley could ever be.

 

[Pugger]

The good thing about the last 2 weeks is that we played 2 GREEN QBs with not so powerful offenses. As a result we racked up turnovers and sacks. If you were going to pick a time for Love to miss these last 2 games were it. I commend MLF and Gute for prepping Willis. When Rodgers suffered his 2 devastating injuries MM produced virtually no success with the back ups.

I don't think Gute is involved with prepping any player let alone Willis. That should go to MLF, Stenavich and Clements.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Need to recall that one of those times, the backup went down for the season in his first start. It'd be like willis going down v Colts and Clifford having to start this week with someone off the street being his backup. Except Clifford was with the team last season and through camp not like what MM had to get through.

I've always thought that Wallace going down with an injury in the first series was a bit suspect. I think McCarthy just went "NOPE...you're injured now"

 

[gopkrs]

Quay is just such a frustrating player sometimes. Just feels very "low floor, high ceiling" - like, when he is doing the right things, he does them very well. That's that high ceiling. When he's at his best he does some really brilliant stuff. At the same time he still messes up on stuff that should be so basic/fundamental and can end up being really poor - that's the low floor. With a lot of these guys who are seen as "physical freaks" it's tough - he can do stuff that makes you double-take, stuff that other players simply do not have the physical ability to do...but then you see "lesser" players having overall better games, even though they're not as talented/gifted/athletic/etc. Just hard for me to figure out what to do with him. Kind of feels like one of those "tweener" players that is awfully hard to place.

Yeah, I'm disappointed in Q. As you can see, I put him above my name. For me, he just does not hit. I mean even if he does attack or at least see the hole the runner is going through. He doesn't HIT when he makes a tackle. I've not given up on him but I don't think he'll ever hit or be the middle linebacker like I was hoping. How can he be if he only wraps up with his arms and wrestles them to the ground? Like Lombardi said, Grab, Grab, Grab. Nobody's tackling.

 

[milani]

I don't think Gute is involved with prepping any player let alone Willis. That should go to MLF, Stenavich and Clements.

I agree. But Gute had a lot to do with acquiring Willis just as Ted Thompson acquired Brett Hundley, Seneca Wallace, and Scott Tolzien.

 

[tynimiller]

I agree. But Gute had a lot to do with acquiring Willis just as Ted Thompson acquired Brett Hundley, Seneca Wallace, and Scott Tolzien.

However the post said he deserved kudos for prepping him...in all my years I've never once heard of Gute in a meeting room going over film with guys or on the practice field instructing. I think that's why the disagreement - I think we all agree Gute deserves a massive kudos for bringing Willis in because man was it clutch and paid MASSIVE dividends.

 

[milani]

However the post said he deserved kudos for prepping him...in all my years I've never once heard of Gute in a meeting room going over film with guys or on the practice field instructing. I think that's why the disagreement - I think we all agree Gute deserves a massive kudos for bringing Willis in because man was it clutch and paid MASSIVE dividends.

I should have said kudos to MLF for prepping and kudos to Gute for ACQUIRING him.

 

[AmishMafia]

I should have said kudos to MLF for prepping and kudos to Gute for ACQUIRING him.

Well Gute DID prep work ON Willis back when he came out. I am sure when he found out Willis was potentially available, he was quick and decisive in pulling that trigger. By all accounts Willis is a great person and has all the physical and mental tools to be successful.

 

[OldSchool101]

once Love blossomed that became the defining moment for Gutey. Overall Gute was a Top 10 GM in coaching and player acquisition.. maybe Top 5 arguments. After that Willis move? He’s either hit a large magic Clover up his kazoo or he’s an easy Top 5 GM. That could very well be the most defining trade of this season IF we end up going Postseason or Winning our Division. Moves like this define a season. We also might not be finished adding to our Roster.

The other aspect is that we’ve barely gotten any production from this Rookie class. That needs to change. Ok injuries and all that but nobody is on IR with a season ending injury. This Draft class has at minimum 3-4 players who I think deserve more playing time. The best way to motivate Quay is by reducing his snap count and getting a good look at Edgerrin. Ge was the best LB In College last year and bordering on a Day 1 selection. There is a healthy Fear of losing your job that elevates your play and I’d balance LB more Edgerrin these next several weeks as MN is more dynamic in Pass. Look at LB Wilson, he’s went from good Starter to having to earn his way back up the ladder with ST and so on. Now he’s a legit Starter again and that was all him fighting for a spot