http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136539983.html

Patriots are #31..I guess a Packers/Patriots Super Bowl would put to rest the cliche about defense winning championships.

adambr2 wrote:http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/136539983.html

Patriots are #31..I guess a Packers/Patriots Super Bowl would put to rest the cliche about defense winning championships.

That would be a sweet Super Bowl.

Brady Rodgers

1000 Yds passing, 12 TD passes......

I would hate that super bowl. I hate watching shoot outs. I like a little balance.

Anyways, does anyone think the defense will step it up during the play offs? I tend to think they will. Basically, I think Capers is smart enough to not play his entire hand, especially when he's got that packers offense, and especially when this team really hasn't played a meaningful game in like 5 weeks. I would be shocked if he didn't bust out some new schemes for the play offs.

Is there precedent for this sort of thing? I don't know. But, I did hear that the reason the Chiefs defensive coordinator was fired was because the chiefs had been practicing a lot of blitzes that they weren't using. The first week they used the blitzes? Against the Packers.

Capers ought to be smart enough to know that the only thing that another NFL team won't stop is something they haven't seen before. See: Tim Tebow. I would almost promise that capers has 3 weeks of new shit to drop in the play offs.

I hope your right but I disagree. I think we have a serious pass rush problem.. The blitzes are not getting home, the DL hasnt done shit all year and Clay is having a down year in terms of QB pressure.

The good news is we just need to hold the opponent under 30 and we should win.

RetardRon wrote:I hope your right but I disagree. I think we have a serious pass rush problem.. The blitzes are not getting home, the DL hasnt done shit all year and Clay is having a down year in terms of QB pressure.

The good news is we just need to hold the opponent under 30 and we should win.

I thought Matthews pressures were nearly identical up until the last week of the season as they were in 2010.

Fan174 wrote:I thought Matthews pressures were nearly identical up until the last week of the season as they were in 2010.

I dont know the numbers... IMO he isnt getting home as often, within a respectable amount of time, this year. So maybe the "pressures" are there. but if its at the 5 second mark, is it really a pressure?

I just read a fairly intelligent sounding post on profootballtalk.com stating that Capers has been playing vanilla schemes since it became apparent the Packers were more than likely to lock up #1 seed, about week 13 or 14.

horsechukk314 wrote:I just read a fairly intelligent sounding post on profootballtalk.com stating that Capers has been playing vanilla schemes since it became apparent the Packers were more than likely to lock up #1 seed, about week 13 or 14.

So why did we play like shit the first 12 or 13 weeks?

Yeah, I'm not buying it.

RetardRon wrote:

Fan174 wrote:I thought Matthews pressures were nearly identical up until the last week of the season as they were in 2010.

I dont know the numbers... IMO he isnt getting home as often, within a respectable amount of time, this year. So maybe the "pressures" are there. but if its at the 5 second mark, is it really a pressure?

I don't know, I've thought the same thing, but they've made a point to repeatedly show graphics(haven't seen them in probably a month though) about how Matthews was having just as big of an impact this year as last year, he just wasn't getting the sacks.

What I see is a guy who can't put together a series of moves because it's so easy to block the Packers when they have 2 DL and Matthews. If he's luck, a RB comes out and chips him with the Tackle on him. Otherwise it's often a guard and a tackle and then maybe a RB also taking a little shot on his way out of the backfield.



It's so fucking rare that you can say this, but I think this team is ONE *good* player away from greatness. If you had a 10 sack guy on the other side of Matthews, I think the ball hawks in this secondary would be that much better than they already are, which is best in the league, teams would have to worry about both sides, and Raji wouldn't play 90+ pct of the snaps rendering him useless later in games.

Macha Man wrote:

horsechukk314 wrote:I just read a fairly intelligent sounding post on profootballtalk.com stating that Capers has been playing vanilla schemes since it became apparent the Packers were more than likely to lock up #1 seed, about week 13 or 14.

So why did we play like shit the first 12 or 13 weeks?

When we didn't lose a game?


Just think back guys to how many of those games we were up by 2-3-4 scores and the other team would put together an 80 yard drive late and get a meaningless TD? We were up by 15 points vs the Saints with 2 minutes left in the game. Carolina same thing, etc..etc...

Second, Capers defenses always improve as the season goes on.



I do think they'll be better in the playoffs. I think having So'oto as a pass rusher in nickel situations could be big for us. Plus, just adding him at 265 and Neal at 300 gives you a lot more epxlosive options. I really believe the Packers are going to do some different things to put some pressure on the QB's.

The Saints, Packers, and Patriots.

24th, 31st, 32nd in total defense Yds allowed

13th, 15th, 19th points allowed per game

1st, 2nd, 3rd in both yards gained, and points per game on offense.

Coincidence, I think not.

Fan174 wrote:

Macha Man wrote:

horsechukk314 wrote:I just read a fairly intelligent sounding post on profootballtalk.com stating that Capers has been playing vanilla schemes since it became apparent the Packers were more than likely to lock up #1 seed, about week 13 or 14.

So why did we play like shit the first 12 or 13 weeks?

When we didn't lose a game?


Just think back guys to how many of those games we were up by 2-3-4 scores and the other team would put together an 80 yard drive late and get a meaningless TD? We were up by 15 points vs the Saints with 2 minutes left in the game. Carolina same thing, etc..etc...

Second, Capers defenses always improve as the season goes on.



I do think they'll be better in the playoffs. I think having So'oto as a pass rusher in nickel situations could be big for us. Plus, just adding him at 265 and Neal at 300 gives you a lot more epxlosive options. I really believe the Packers are going to do some different things to put some pressure on the QB's.

This goes to the heart of the issue for me, along with Medic's stats above. There's so much parity in today's nfl, that it often comes down to gameplan. And consider the huge use of video. If you know you're defense is weaker than your offense, or your defense is questionable, what'd the point in creating 9 hours of video for other teams to analyze?

I think the Bronco's took full advantage of the "modern" nfl on Sunday in overtime. Prior to the first play in OT, the Broncos had ran the ball 21/22 of their first downs. The Steelers knew this. So, what do they do? Sell out to the run to set up the second and long. Result? 80 yd. td. pass.

And consider the Packers' only loss against the Chiefs. That wasn't a shootout. The offense got stumped. And, while I'm sure everyone on the Packers would state otherwise, they clearly didn't get up for that game. And I'd bet McCarthy didn't bring his "A" playbook either. Why would he?

If you're one of the rare teams in the nfl, lke the Packers, who can "outtalent" 95% of the other teams in the NFL, why the hell would you show your advanced gameplan, the one thing that's going to make a difference against the remaining 5%?