Training Camp Battle 2: Atari Bigby vs Morgan Burnett

[FrankRizzo]

Which guy will be our starter come playoff week 1/2?

This also comes from the same article someone e-mailed me.

The Packers' secondary was torched by elite QBs last year, some put the blame at Cornerback and others at Safety (how about the pass rush *******!) - I personally subscribe to the latter theory, particularly with the depth at CB if Lee, Harris and Blackmon are fit. (that's a huge IF dammit)

Atari Bigby is not a bad player, he's a good hard-hitting tackler who makes INTs and there are a lot worse safeties out there. However he is consistently injured and outside of a golden period in 2007 is something of a liability in coverage.

He's not quite Roy E. Williams but he's no Ed Reed either. Burnett projects as a guy who'll be better in coverage to be used in obvious passing downs and had 14 interceptions in college. Burnett starts as favourite here but if Bigby raises his game it'll be dead close going into week 1.

 

[lancer84]

In "playoff week two" ? Confused.

IMO Burnett is an upgrade. But thats for the coaches to discover out during training camp. Hope Bigby doesn't get injured, but who knows. I don't believe that he'll have another breakout season like he did in 07, he could come close though. This years gonna be a whole lot better with more competition and etc.

 

[PackersRS]

1 if we go wildcard, 2 if we go straight divisional game...

Bigby has yet to sign his tender. I believe as soon as week 6, Burnett is the starter.

 

[ivo610]

Im a fan of Atari and as long as he is healthy i think he will be a starter.

 

[FrankRizzo]

In "playoff week two" ? Confused.

Playoff opening weekend, #3 seeds vs #6 seeds, #4 vs #5.

#1 & #2 seeds don't play til week 2 of the playoffs.
You need to think bigger lancer84!
No more of this wildcard schit for us! :happy0005:

 

[lancer84]

Playoff opening weekend, #3 seeds vs #6 seeds, #4 vs #5.

#1 & #2 seeds don't play til week 2 of the playoffs.
You need to think bigger lancer84!
No more of this wildcard schit for us! :happy0005:

Hell yeah man! lol thats what i thought after i posted it.

 

[Jess]

Burnett because McCarthy will fall in love with his ball hawking ability.

 

[PackAttackUK]

Burnett

Because him and Collins as safties will be IMMENSE

 

[TheGiftedApe]

1 if we go wildcard, 2 if we go straight divisional game...

Bigby has yet to sign his tender. I believe as soon as week 6, Burnett is the starter.

agreed, by the time the games really start to count, I think Burnett will be out there more and more.

 

[NYPacker]

I don't think there really will be "competition" for someone to get their name on the No. 1 spot on a piece of paper. Burnett is a solid cover guy and I think he can handle Nickel-Dime duties (in the box coverage) like he has in college. Capers will find a way to get both of them on the field.

 

[bravesman18]

It might sound crazy or strange, but I wonder if Bigby could play linebacker in certain situations? As for Burnett, hopefully at the least he'll show more football smarts than Bigby, and earn the starting job by the start of the regular season(the sooner the better).

 

[The Wok]

It might sound crazy or strange, but I wonder if Bigby could play linebacker in certain situations? As for Burnett, hopefully at the least he'll show more football smarts than Bigby, and earn the starting job by the start of the regular season(the sooner the better).

Doesn't sound too crazy. Safety to linebacker (or vice versa) isn't all that uncommon. Two things - he is about twenty pounds light and normally you'd do this to help the LBs in coverage, where Bigby doesn't necessarily excel.

I wouldn't be against trying it at all, though. I think Matthews/Bigby on the outsides could be interesting as a change up and we know Capers doesn't mind using some odd packages every once in a while.

 

[NYPacker]

Doesn't sound too crazy. Safety to linebacker (or vice versa) isn't all that uncommon. Two things - he is about twenty pounds light and normally you'd do this to help the LBs in coverage, where Bigby doesn't necessarily excel.

I wouldn't be against trying it at all, though. I think Matthews/Bigby on the outsides could be interesting as a change up and we know Capers doesn't mind using some odd packages every once in a while.

I could see this happening as well but I doubt they make him bulk up. He's slow as it is. I doubt he could be a good pass rusher. As an in the box coverage guy, it sounds possible.

 

[PackersRS]

Thing is, I don't think the coaches and players will soon forget that Bigby was on the sideline during the playoffs, where he probably could've played. I remember the players' reaction to him being there...

 

[bravesman18]

Thing is, I don't think the coaches and players will soon forget that Bigby was on the sideline during the playoffs, where he probably could've played. I remember the players' reaction to him being there...

What do you mean?... elaborate please.

 

[PackersRS]

What do you mean?... elaborate please.

Yeah, that's it. If I remember it correctly, when he got injuried, he took his helmet off and there were some player (Barnett or Woodson) that reportedly got mad at him. I believe they thought he should've played anyway, that his injury wasn't that serious...

 

[FrankRizzo]

Yeah it was Bigby with the hammy in that game, and I remember seeing Jennings ask him something on the sideline, and Bigby responded, and then Jennings had a look on his face..... hard to describe, but it looked like Bigby wanted no part of that aerial attack on our defense that day. We looked like the Iraqi national air defense the day we launched our initial assault on Baghdad with all our firepower.

Atari no-go.

 

[YouFrgotPoland]

What are the chances Bigby doesn't really even need to compete for his job and Burnett takes over the nickel/dime role?

 

[PackersRS]

What are the chances Bigby doesn't really even need to compete for his job and Burnett takes over the nickel/dime role?

Quite big... In fact, it'll happen, early.

But if he shows promise, I doubt they'll keep him at nickel/dime and not move him to the starting spot...

 

[NYPacker]

Yeah it was Bigby with the hammy in that game, and I remember seeing Jennings ask him something on the sideline, and Bigby responded, and then Jennings had a look on his face..... hard to describe, but it looked like Bigby wanted no part of that aerial attack on our defense that day. We looked like the Iraqi national air defense the day we launched our initial assault on Baghdad with all our firepower.

Atari no-go.

Yup I definitely remember this. I think it was after that roaring speech that Jennings was gave to the team when he noticed Bigby was the only guy not in the huddle. Jennings went up to him to try and figure out was wrong. I remember the announcers saying something along the lines of Bigby getting yelled at by one of the coaches or something but not quite sure. I'm starting to believe that he was not only injured but taken out the game because the staff didn't like what they were seeing.