Our 2014 D-Fence has improved

[Deleted member 6794]

Capers primary focus on scoring defense:

http://www.packersnews.com/story/sp...06/scoreboard-defense-adding-capers/16838681/

 

[Mklangelo]

http://www.greenbaypackernation.com/hidden-gems-of-the-packers-defense/

Against mediocre competition their numbers are much improved.

 

[OldSchool101]

Against mediocre competition their numbers are much improved.

Agreed. Vikings were without their starting QB and starting RB. defensively it's not a good team or game to judge improvement on., but it certainly didn't hurt our D units confidence Last Thursday

 

[Mklangelo]

Agreed. Vikings were without their starting QB and starting RB. defensively it's not a good team or game to judge improvement on., but it certainly didn't hurt our D units confidence Last Thursday

No doubt about the confidence builder.

Don't get me wrong now, the Packers are a VERY good team. But the jury is still out on whether or not they are a great team. I hope they are.

That is a question only they can answer and we will see the result of it.

As for the Vikes, they did at one time have a very well deserverd reputation as a run stopping team.

 

[OldSchool101]

I'm gonna preface this is 90% opinion and gut. So you can take or shove it. (just kiddin)
Our D had been "suspect" for years now. While at the Jets home opener, I saw our season flash before my eyes that 1st qtr.(I am not confused when I say I wasn't alone)
In hindsight it was way too early to be mAking season long predictions, but I saw 8-8 at the end of that quarter.
I'm cautiously optimistic. But Optimistic never the less. Here's why;
Our Offense is playoff Caliber and we don't need a top 5 defense like we possessed in '96 to win a Championship. We do need to hover around top 12 or better and that mark is attainable. (I forecast a modest top 18 rushing D with a top 8 passing D) I try my best to take off my rose colored sunglasses when making judgement (but we all get caught up wishing our team a W, it's part of fan-hood) I do see similarities to our bend don't break 2010 D which gave up like 20pts/GM if I recall? Take a look at the yardage we allowed, but then the points over the last 10 qtrs or so. In 2010, Our D traded passing yards for TO ratio and challenged teams to hang with our QB which was a chore and a half for them.
And our QB? The man, the mythe. the legend who I believe could carry a 12th ranked D right into the big game and then anything goes. So yeah. Were right on target in my estimation. We don't need Seattles D numbers. R-E-L-A-X fellow packer backers. Were in the mix. Apologized for being winded... This game, although just Miami, is going to determine more than we think about where we stand

 

[OldSchool101]

I agree 100% that instead of anointing the Pack as the chosen team of 2014, let's temper our optimism with the fact that they have struggled against upper level teams and have beaten teams they should beat. Chicago will never get to the top with that punk at QB. Million dollar arm and a 10Cent head. Minnesota and the NY Jests are nothing to brag about beating.

Until the Pack can show that they can win against elite teams, I'm withholding my praise.

If you would be so kind as to let me add.. That double chin half breed misfit.
Thank you.

 

[NOMOFO]

I agree 100% that instead of anointing the Pack as the chosen team of 2014, let's temper our optimism with the fact that they have struggled against upper level teams and have beaten teams they should beat. Chicago will never get to the top with that punk at QB. Million dollar arm and a 10Cent head. Minnesota and the NY Jests are nothing to brag about beating.

Until the Pack can show that they can win against elite teams, I'm withholding my praise.

Withholding my praise? Huh? I say this almost every year. Would you rather be the Browns, Raiders or Bucs and the 20 or so other teams that have sucked for pretty much all of the past 30 years?! What do you think fans of those teams would tell you if you said you are a fan of the Packers but you are "withholding your praise?"

Here is where I am at. I suffered thru most of my childhood as the Packers SUCKED. Brent gave us a couple fantastic years before he started gagging and he became Jay Cutler before Jay was Cutler. ...or something like that.

Now we have an amazing sure bet HOF QB and as good of players at skill positions as we've had in years. We're continuing our dominance on the Bears and are primed to win another division title. CAN WE JUST ENJOY THAT?!

Do I want to be the best team in the NFL? YES! Would I like us to be talked about as "the" elite team? YES! ...but my Lord...

I'm not gonna temper anything. I'm gonna enjoy the ride.

 

[NOMOFO]

MM, TT, and AR may very well be the trio that gets us to pass the Bears in head-to-head win %. I can't wait for that day.

Me as well. We can also take great pleasure in the fact that the Pack has beat the Bears in 8 of the last 10 and 20 of the last 30!

You know it's bad when we chant the Bears still suck and most Bears fans just look at each other and say "ya...we really do".

I remember what it felt like losing to Dallas every freaking year and just knowing there was no way we were going to beat them. That's how the Bears feel facing the Packers in any big divisional or playoff games.

 

[Mklangelo]

I stand corrected. It could and has been a WHOLE lot worse. We have a pretty good team in the Pack and how many teams can say they've had TWO HOF QB in a row, much less at all. It's all good. The last 20 years have spoiled me.

 

[TJV]

Both the offense and defense were bad against the Seahawks and Lions – and for a half against the Jets. The good news is no matter how a team makes the playoffs, once they’re in its which team is playing the best football that matters. I think the Packers have a decent shot at being that team but IMO improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. The D has to play the run “well enough” against the best teams, and the offensive line has to run and pass block better. BTW I don’t think the current WR corp is up to the standard of past units, even recent ones. But everyone not named Nelson or Cobb has a chance to get better as the season progresses.

 

[OldSchool101]

Both the offense and defense were bad against the Seahawks and Lions – and for a half against the Jets. The good news is no matter how a team makes the playoffs, once they’re in its which team is playing the best football that matters. I think the Packers have a decent shot at being that team but IMO improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. The D has to play the run “well enough” against the best teams, and the offensive line has to run and pass block better. BTW I don’t think the current WR corp is up to the standard of past units, even recent ones. But everyone not named Nelson or Cobb has a chance to get better as the season progresses.

That is one of the most concise and accurate summaries for this date in time I have seen. seriously here TJV I'm not being sarcastic for once in my life.

 

[Carl]

Against mediocre competition their numbers are much improved.

Chicago and Detroit have better than mediocre offenses and those games were solid as far as points allowed.

 

[Carl]

Both the offense and defense were bad against the Seahawks and Lions – and for a half against the Jets. The good news is no matter how a team makes the playoffs, once they’re in its which team is playing the best football that matters. I think the Packers have a decent shot at being that team but IMO improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. The D has to play the run “well enough” against the best teams, and the offensive line has to run and pass block better. BTW I don’t think the current WR corp is up to the standard of past units, even recent ones. But everyone not named Nelson or Cobb has a chance to get better as the season progresses.

The defense gave up 10 points total to the Lions and forced turnovers. Yes, their 3rd down defense wasn't good and the running D late in the game had issues, but I'd take 10 points with turnovers any day.

 

[TJV]

seriously here TJV I'm not being sarcastic for once in my life.

Thanks. And thanks for the laugh!

 

[Forderick]

The problem I see is this defencce is built to play with a huge lead. The offence has to get going and score points because the defence isn't built to be dominant and being able to stop a team from running the ball and burning off the clock and not allowing the offence to be on the field all that much. It works when the offence does put up the points(vikings game).

Until they consistently stop the run, stop teams on third down and stop relying on turnovers to win games. I don't see this team going all that far. I had the same concerns in 2011 but we went 15-1 and the defence couldn't stop anyone without turnovers. Turnovers are great but to be a defence that relies on them to get stops will eventually lose you games., especially in the playoffs.

 

[Mklangelo]

I agree, Forderick.

The competition that we meet in the playoffs will be who we have to defeat.

Poor tackling is the biggest problem. It's been an issue for years.

I read something about A.J. Hawk today and I forget where but he is no Hall of Famer and probably won't get any Probowl nods, but he is solid as a rock as a tackler.

Plus he looses his helmet a lot. lol

He averages around 5 tackles a game consistently.

 

[ivo610]

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/14495/capers-open-door-policy-helps-packers-d

 

[profile_removed]

Based on the eye test it would seem the D has improved. My concern is that we've seen this before. We've seen the D play great for the first 6 weeks of the season, then end up rank 30th in everything. So is it that the D is actually better, or are we in that 'they're getting it right because nobody knows what the hell they're doing' thing like we've seen in years passed.

 

[Mklangelo]

I think things are on the upswing defensively in Green Bay. I think Peppers was a great addition. He is a freak of nature considering that the vast majority of players have their best football behind them at the age of 29.

Now let's see if we can get a second full season out of Clay Matthews, since he's had only one since joining the Pack...

 

[NOMOFO]

Both the offense and defense were bad against the Seahawks and Lions – and for a half against the Jets. The good news is no matter how a team makes the playoffs, once they’re in its which team is playing the best football that matters. I think the Packers have a decent shot at being that team but IMO improvement is needed on both sides of the ball. The D has to play the run “well enough” against the best teams, and the offensive line has to run and pass block better. BTW I don’t think the current WR corp is up to the standard of past units, even recent ones. But everyone not named Nelson or Cobb has a chance to get better as the season progresses.

I said it 8 months ago and I'll say it again. I have no problem at all with our receiving corp and in fact I'm excited about the group. Packer fans forget that before Jones last couple seasons in GB where he was very good, was a guy that dropped A TON of balls. When he was dropping those balls Driver was still a great player. When he started making all those plays (and more), Driver was on a major decline. There was NOT a very large footprint in time when we had three "great" receivers on this team.

I think we have two great ones now that are literally in their prime and have as much potential for a third great one to rise to the top as we've had since Rodgers time here. We are VERY good at that position now with more ceiling than we've had in a decade.

It's ridiculous to show career stats to try to prove otherwise. For instance, Driver had been "just a guy" for a few years. I think by season's end Rodgers will be more of a threat the double d ever was in his last 2 years.

We had this debate last year and I think Jordy and Cobb are proving some of us correct. Those two are arguably as good as any 1/2 in the NFL right now. As Packer fans sometimes we think we need to try so hard to not be "homers" because we want to appear more enlightened than most fans. Sorry, it's just a fact, Cobb and Nelson are right near the top right now for all 1 & 2s. That alone makes this group special.

 

[Mklangelo]

Nelson's work speaks for itself and Cobb is really coming on. Adams is looking like he and Rogers are starting to bond out there with the whole trust thing. I like our receiving corp very much.

And as for Mr. Driver, you just can't have enough classy guys like that around. The Pack were blessed to have such a quality guy on their roster.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I said it 8 months ago and I'll say it again. I have no problem at all with our receiving corp and in fact I'm excited about the group. Packer fans forget that before Jones last couple seasons in GB where he was very good, was a guy that dropped A TON of balls. When he was dropping those balls Driver was still a great player. When he started making all those plays (and more), Driver was on a major decline. There was NOT a very large footprint in time when we had three "great" receivers on this team.

I think we have two great ones now that are literally in their prime and have as much potential for a third great one to rise to the top as we've had since Rodgers time here. We are VERY good at that position now with more ceiling than we've had in a decade.

It's ridiculous to show career stats to try to prove otherwise. For instance, Driver had been "just a guy" for a few years. I think by season's end Rodgers will be more of a threat the double d ever was in his last 2 years.

We had this debate last year and I think Jordy and Cobb are proving some of us correct. Those two are arguably as good as any 1/2 in the NFL right now. As Packer fans sometimes we think we need to try so hard to not be "homers" because we want to appear more enlightened than most fans. Sorry, it's just a fact, Cobb and Nelson are right near the top right now for all 1 & 2s. That alone makes this group special.

The Packers undoubtedly have two very good receivers on the roster with Nelson being an elite one and Cobb on the verge of becoming an elite guy if he can stay healthy. It seems like Davante Adams has earned Rodgers´ trust over the last few weeks and is coming along as well.

There´s no reason for me to believe though that any of the TEs will break out over the course of the season and the Packers would way more dangerous if we had a receiving threat at the position.

 

[NOMOFO]

Ya...I agree...having a decent TE makes the offense better.

There's no reason for you to believe Rodgers WON'T break out over the course of the season however. What proof do you have that he's not capable of being very good for them? All signs point to him getting more snaps as McCarthy is starting to feel more confident in him.

This is a kid that's still wet behind the ears but he's seeing the field more and that alone is a fantastic sign. The fact that the coaches trust him enough to be out there, in most instances protecting their HOF QB and blocking, bodes very well for that kid.

Did you read the reports from his coaches on his blocking against the Panthers? That's the best way to get on the field as a TE on this Packer's team. Can't catch many balls if you're not on the field!

 

[60six]

Did you read the reports from his coaches on his blocking against the Panthers? That's the best way to get on the field as a TE on this Packer's team. Can't catch many balls if you're not on the field!

Or if you're blocking...lol

 

[NOMOFO]

Or if you're blocking...lol

I suppose you're right. ...and he was credited with several big plays.

EDIT: Meanwhile Greg Olson is considered one of the worst blocking TE in the league.