San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Bob McGinn who is a very respected NFL writer in Milwaukee wrote a lengthy piece on the quick and surprising demise of the Green Bay defense this year. I think most of us are astounded how quickly and far they fell off from last year's performance. The main theme in the piece is the Packers curious decision to re-sign AJ Hawk and as a result, severe ties with Nick Barnett. Linked via Pro Football Talk: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/plenty-share-blame-for-packers-titlekilling-defense-7l3sfap-137833503.html Besides the Barnett/Hawk stuff, it's a very lengthy article which delves into several facets of the Packers' defensive deterioration. A very good read. "If Barnett ruffled a few feathers by exposing McCarthy's plan to exclude injured-reserve players from the Super Bowl team photo, that's too bad. He was right. Barnett is no choir boy, but not everyone wearing a Green Bay uniform is. Barnett is no Patrick Willis or NaVorro Bowman, his sidekick in San Francisco. But when compared to Hawk, Barnett is faster, tougher, more instinctive, slightly better in coverage, a stronger blitzer and a hell-raising, more emotional leader. A less than enthusiastic defense under Hawk's measured signal-calling could have used a kick in the butt." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I didn't follow their d closely this year but last year hawk was not an every down player, even with Barnett out. Was he this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I saw that - interesting article. I thought it took a few unnecessary cheap shots at Ted Thompson, i.e., blasting his 6th round pick, etc. But that defense has too many good players to finish the way that they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 I saw that - interesting article. I thought it took a few unnecessary cheap shots at Ted Thompson, i.e., blasting his 6th round pick, etc. But that defense has too many good players to finish the way that they did. Well, kudos to any beat writer that's highly critical of a good team. It'll certainly make his job much tougher and his visits to the locker room and practice a lot less pleasant. And Ginn did spread a lot of blame including Charles Woodson. So I respect the writer for the piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I've been saying for years what an over-drafted, over-rated barely adequate LB that AJ Hawk his. I didn't think he was any better than Bobby Carpenter coming out of Ohio State and with Nick Barnett gone, Hawk has now moved up to the coveted spot of 3rd best LB on the Packers. He should be carrying Nick Barnett's luggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 All I can say is...I could care less about AJ Hawk...Barnett is a beast and has been one of the best free agent pick-ups for us in a long, long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardinalScotts Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Barnett is a nice player when surrounded by other good player he's of course even better. Hawk was never that good and I think they had the pick over. Matthews is the whole defense creates the turnovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 All I can say is...I could care less about AJ Hawk...Barnett is a beast and has been one of the best free agent pick-ups for us in a long, long time. Amazing what Buddy Nix can accomplish while napping. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 To say Green Bay's D fell apart this season because they let Barnett go isn't the whole story. First off when GB was 2nd in D last season they didn't have Barnett for most of the season. The decline of the D was a multiple-layered thing. Cullen Jenkins left and that weakened their D-line, Nick Barnett was let go and he could have been their second best LB, the sever decline in play of BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett hurt their D-line, AJ Hawk is an average player, Charles Woodson is no longer a lock down corner, and overall the only player on the D that player as good as they did last season was Clay Matthews. The Green Bay D is just one example of how volatile the NFL can be. A couple of bad personnel decisions (Jenkins and Barnett), a couple of players get old (Pickett and Woodson), and some players don't play up to form (Raji) and suddenly you can go from one of the best units to one of the worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 AJ Hawk is almost a poz clone IMO. Barnett has been the best buffalo linebacker since spikes/ Fletcher... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 To say Green Bay's D fell apart this season because they let Barnett go isn't the whole story. First off when GB was 2nd in D last season they didn't have Barnett for most of the season. The decline of the D was a multiple-layered thing. Cullen Jenkins left and that weakened their D-line, Nick Barnett was let go and he could have been their second best LB, the sever decline in play of BJ Raji and Ryan Pickett hurt their D-line, AJ Hawk is an average player, Charles Woodson is no longer a lock down corner, and overall the only player on the D that player as good as they did last season was Clay Matthews. The Green Bay D is just one example of how volatile the NFL can be. A couple of bad personnel decisions (Jenkins and Barnett), a couple of players get old (Pickett and Woodson), and some players don't play up to form (Raji) and suddenly you can go from one of the best units to one of the worst. Yes. It's a good piece and the writer points to numerous factors for the decline in play of the Pack defense. He touches on Jenkins, and Woodson, and the drafting, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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