Ravens game Champs and Chumps

[Dantés]

Inside linebackers: Bolton is too slow to run the LeRoy Butler/Charles Woodson blitz. Summers seems to have regressed from last week. Gonna need one of these kids to go balls out next week and steal the spot.

If by this you're referring to when Bolton jumped over the guard into the backfield, the issue was not speed. He clearly had responsibility for the QB on that play-- which is needed against the Ravens. But the QB handed the ball off.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

If by this you're referring to when Bolton jumped over the guard into the backfield, the issue was not speed. He clearly had responsibility for the QB on that play-- which is needed against the Ravens. But the QB handed the ball off.

He tried that blitz 6 times in the 1st half he may have succeeded once. Great job there!

 

[HardRightEdge]

Just a guess, but I think that's mainly because the public now has FAR more information about what's going on in camp than we used to. 15 years+ years ago, preseason and training camp were most fans' first exposure to the team and preseason was where most saw players actually doing football stuff. Now fans can see video of practices and minute-by-minute analysis of everything that happens in practices.

The biggest difference from 15 years ago is the 2010 CBA that sharply curtailed full contact practices.

 

[Mavster]

Chumps: Lack of push by both lines.

The run game has been awful so far in the preseason. 6 rushing 1st downs in two games. Backups or not that’s ugly.
O line needs to open holes and not get pushed back 2 yards.

Meanwhile on the other side the dline has been getting dominated.

There’s at least some hope that Jones can improve the running game but I’m very worried about how bad the dline has looked.

 

[gopkrs]

Chumps: Lack of push by both lines.

The run game has been awful so far in the preseason. 6 rushing 1st downs in two games. Backups or not that’s ugly.
O line needs to open holes and not get pushed back 2 yards.

Meanwhile on the other side the dline has been getting dominated.

There’s at least some hope that Jones can improve the running game but I’m very worried about how bad the dline has looked.

I'm always worried about the O line. Maybe the new coach... As far as Linsley is concerned, I think we gave up the better center to begin with and now I think Jenkins should play there. Anyway, so hard to tell this early on as to improvements on the O line.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I'm always worried about the O line. Maybe the new coach... As far as Linsley is concerned, I think we gave up the better center to begin with and now I think Jenkins should play there. Anyway, so hard to tell this early on as to improvements on the O line.

It definitely made sense to let Tretter walk away in free agency with Linsley still on his rookie deal. In my opinion he's one of the best centers in the league.

 

[gopkrs]

It definitely made sense to let Tretter walk away in free agency with Linsley still on his rookie deal. In my opinion he's one of the best centers in the league.

imho sometimes we worry a little too much about rookie deals. Yeah, it's important. But there are a host of considerations. And often it is too much wishful thinking. I believe Jenkins will make Linsley look like the journeyman he really is.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

imho sometimes we worry a little too much about rookie deals. Yeah, it's important. But there are a host of considerations. And often it is too much wishful thinking. I believe Jenkins will make Linsley look like the journeyman he really is.

Linsley and Tretter performed on a similar level, therefore it made sense to keep Linsley on a rookie deal. I wouldn't mind Jenkins being an upgrade over him.

 

[PackFan2]

Champ

• C .Bolton. BUZZY. He is what I saw since the signing and his college days. Fast, instinctive, and not afraid to hit. He's what we wanted in Burks. Burks didn't get a chance to show it yet but Bolton has taken this opportunity and has it by the horn at this moment. Only thing I worry is that Bolton isn't as big as the typical linebacker wonder how much he can take but he plays as if he's Burks size. Can't teach size but you also can't teach heart
• JK Scott. Them hang time and length. If he do them during cold times, we Gucci.
• Shepard and Kumerow. Both had one drop but did not let that affect them. Shepard looked smooth returning kicks - not blazing fast but smooth and calculated. Kumerow is reliable. Right place, right time. Made catches to move the chain.

Chump

• Run game- I know Williams and Jones weren't running but behind them I'm alittle worried. Dexter Williams looked lost and danced too much at the line of scrimmage. That fumble took him out the game. I wonder what LaFleur will do if the run game doesn't develope in games. How will he adjust?
• Tackling- Horrid. From Vets to rooks. Everyone is arm tackling, no one seems to be tackling through the ballcarriers. Summers had 5 missed tackles in one drive, this game made it clear why Bolton started over Summers. Potential is there for Summers more reps will help.

Additional

• Rashan Gary- lots of reps but barely did anything. Lost contain on multiple plays. Hope he learns from this. Better in preseason than later.
• Tony Brown- stacking sucesss.
• Where's JMon Moore?

 

[Sunshinepacker]

The biggest difference from 15 years ago is the 2010 CBA that sharply curtailed full contact practices.

You think the lack of full contact practices is why some fans aren't as excited for training camp or preseason?

 

[HardRightEdge]

You think the lack of full contact practices is why some fans aren't as excited for training camp or preseason?

And by extension sharply limited play from starters in preseason. Camp and preseason are now oriented toward getting to week 1 with as few injuries as possible, particularly starters. Some of these injury sit-outs are precautionary; some these guys would be playing if it were money games.

You now have a lot of second and third level guys getting a lot of snaps against second and third level guys. You can't tell what you've got until the guys play the money games. Practice warriors can wilt under the bright lights where they actually have to hit or be hit. Starters are only out there to get in "contact condition", getting enough snaps to get reaccustomed to that hit-and-be-hit.

If there is more inforation about what is going on than 15 years ago, shouldn't that make you more engaged? Or are you saying that when you were blind to what was going on you were free to be as optimistic as you chose to be? Or is it that all this information has made fans smarter, now realizing how little you can glean from non-contact practices and that preseason performance needs to be taken with a grain of salt?

I would point to other factors. First, there's fantasy football where many fans are primarily focused on their collection players while attention paid to a particular team is secondary. Second, as far as some Packer fans are concerned, having sucked for the last two seasons dampens enthusiasm. Third, as little as we've seen so far with no Rodgers yet in preaseason and a few other starters sitting out, this team has not impressed.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

If there is more inforation about what is going on than 15 years ago, shouldn't that make you more engaged? Or are you saying that when you were blind to what was going on you were free to be as optimistic as you chose to be? Or is it that all this information has made fans smarter, now realizing how little you can glean from non-contact practices and that preseason performance needs to be taken with a grain of salt?

No, more information creates burnout and the knowledge that pointless games are, in fact, pointless and only result in injury. 15 years ago I didn't know how Rashan Gary or Darnell Savage or UDFA #7 was doing until I saw them in the game; now, I know exactly how they're doing long before the game and now I can focus on the meaninglessness of the game. If I already know that Kumerow is playing REALLY well and moving up the depth chart then the excitement of watching the WR battle in a pointless game is lessened substantially. I'm not saying the games aren't interesting at all; just that much of the information the public used to get from games they can now get elsewhere.

 

[Mondio]

I don't know how anyone is doing until I see them. The coverage is just that, coverage of what someone else is seeing. I've learned my eyes don't often see the same and many writers are just parrots.

 

[HardRightEdge]

He tried that blitz 6 times in the 1st half he may have succeeded once. Great job there!

Oh. My first take was you meant Bolton wasn't fast enough for man coverage on a corner or safety blitz.

Now I see you meant Bolton is not an All Pro like Butler or Woodson doing All Pro things on a blitz. I'm sure we're all shocked and disappointed with that realization.

Of course a corner blitz off the edge or safety blitz on a delay after the center has picked up somebody else are different animals, but we don't care, dammit.

 

[HardRightEdge]

No, more information creates burnout and the knowledge that pointless games are, in fact, pointless and only result in injury. 15 years ago I didn't know how Rashan Gary or Darnell Savage or UDFA #7 was doing until I saw them in the game; now, I know exactly how they're doing long before the game and now I can focus on the meaninglessness of the game. If I already know that Kumerow is playing REALLY well and moving up the depth chart then the excitement of watching the WR battle in a pointless game is lessened substantially. I'm not saying the games aren't interesting at all; just that much of the information the public used to get from games they can now get elsewhere.

But you wouldn't really know that Kumerow is "playing REALLY well" and "moving up the depth chart" if you have not seen him in these preseason games. That's the point of these games...for the coaches to see inexperienced players in live NFL action.

As with a previous poster, I pose the question, "Are you sure you haven't gotten smarter rather than the games getting more meaningless?"

But is Kumerow actually moving up the depth? The fact he's the first guy off the bench would indicate that he is the #4. But all his catches are on skinny posts. What else does he have? That takes us to the next level: money games.

Come to think of it, it seems like all the completions that have gone for any yardage in these two games have been in the intermediate middle. So maybe we've learned something about LaFluer's offense in the process? Until Rodgers audibles?

 

[JK64]

Champs: Lazard and Sheppard just blew right by J'Mon Moore and possibly Davis on the Depth charts. Unless Moore is absolutely looking phenomenal in practice, I don't see how he makes the 53.

If the Packers only keep 6 WR's and Kumerow is one of the 6, the final cuts are going to come down to which of those 3 (Lazard, Sheppard or Davis) provide the most for the Packers on Special Team. As much as I like Lazard, it is going to be tough for him to beat out a healthy Davis and maybe even Sheperd, because of what both of them can do on special teams.

Keep Sheppard and get rid of Davis who is always hurt.

 

[OldSchool101]

Bolton looked better than I expected, but I think the Packers are fooling themselves if they think that they have all the ILB's they need for the 2019 season. IMO Burks was questionable as a starter and now they hope to replace him with an UDFA rookie or 7th rounder (Summers)? If Martinez goes down? I came to expect this kind of stuff from TT, but I thought Gute was more proactive on making sure he had enough experienced depth at every position.

Still hoping and waiting for a veteran ILB to be signed in the next 2 weeks.

We have opened the cap enough to at least plug that hole similar to the Morrison signing last year at the very least. If we found someone who made that a position of strength? we’d be exponentially better in the middle.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

We have opened the cap enough to at least plug that hole similar to the Morrison signing last year at the very least. If we found someone who made that a position of strength? we’d be exponentially better in the middle.

I could be wrong, but I think there are upgrades at ILB out there and that might have been even if Burks hadn't gotten hurt. Or just maybe the memories of the position and the pitfalls of it to the overall defense for so many years, is just too fresh in my brain.

 

[OldSchool101]

I could be wrong, but I think there are upgrades at ILB out there and that might have been even if Burks hadn't gotten hurt. Or just maybe the memories of the position and the pitfalls of it to the overall defense for so many years, is just too fresh in my brain.

At the very least, we lost a prime ILB candidate through several regular season games I would think. Then we don’t want to be in the position of rushing Burks back, so let’s go ahead and get a veteran now while he has a few weeks to mesh prior to regular season. Then gradually work Burks back in as the weeks progress (assuming he’s 100% healed).
What’s the worse that can happen? We’d have a solid rotational player with little or no drop off.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

We have opened the cap enough to at least plug that hole similar to the Morrison signing last year at the very least. If we found someone who made that a position of strength? we’d be exponentially better in the middle.

The Packers can definitely afford to sign a player like Morrison who played for the league minimum for a player with two accrued seasons last year.

I highly doubt there's a veteran available who would make inside linebacker a position of strength though.

 

[Mondio]

I don't see anyone available that is going to plug that position. At best at cut downs we could find someone to fill a role adequately, but will likely be much like we have now. A liability in the run game or a liability in the passing game and have a limited role.

 

[OldSchool101]

I could be wrong, but I think there are upgrades at ILB out there and that might have been even if Burks hadn't gotten hurt. Or just maybe the memories of the position and the pitfalls of it to the overall defense for so many years, is just too fresh in my brain.

Absolutely. we were kinda gambling there to begin with. I don’t see the harm in seeking out a cheap stop gap LB.

 

[GreenNGold_81]

Keep Sheppard and get rid of Davis who is always hurt.

Speaking of Davis, I've been away for a week, is he injured again?

 

[Dantés]

Speaking of Davis, I've been away for a week, is he injured again?

He got hurt in one of the joint practices with the Texans while returning a kick.

Despite all the positivity around him early in camp, I'm not liking his odds right now. He needs to get back in a hurry or they're going to move on. He's just hurt too often.

 

[gopkrs]

We do need to pick up an inside linebacker it looks like. Unless that Brady ? can play. But Summers is not good. I think we should be looking for a guy who can play the run. We are just not going to find a 3 down inside linebacker w/o trading for him.