Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 50+ pass attempts later, I've finally finished. The Packers couldn't make it easy on me against the LIONS, could they? In all honesty, this was a tough week to grade out being that we play a mesh of zone and man with a lot of switching. Scott Linehan came in with a great game plan and killed us with screens in the first half, though surprisingly they didn't continue to reach into that well much in the 2nd half. They did make a living off dumping balls into the flats to their backs and the tight ends in our hook zones.
Cumulative Totals for the 1st quarter are posted below, beneath this week's analysis.
Week 4 (Vs. Detroit Lions):
My Coverage Player of the Week:Week 1: Tramon Williams
Week 2: Sam Shields
Week 3: Nick Collins
Week 4: Charles WoodsonThis game was more about team defense than anything individual match-ups and individual play. The Lions were perfect on the day in using screens to shred the defense and extend drives in the first half. The "Other" incompletions were all throwaways today, with the completions coming in vacant areas of the field, or holes in the zone. One was a beautiful pass to Pettigrew on the final drive. It was well behind Poppinga and in front of the safeties, splitting both as well. Most of the other plays were just either in the flats or in other short zones that were left empty.
As the numbers show, Barnett and Hawk were tested the most and neither played a great game. It's hard to fault them when they have to worry about getting a little bit of depth in their drops, but worry about short crossing routes. Maybe this week should have been the time where Dom dropped Raji into coverage once or twice, but the Packers simply had no response today. Hawk made two nice plays, including the pick, but took a couple "interesting" angles, but on the whole wasn't terrible. I doubt Chillar could have done a lot better. Barnett looked a little later to react to passes thrown his direction and uncharacteristically missed a couple tackles. This is the one big area where we're going to need improvement for this defense to take the next step. Dom called a fairly bland game, but we should have maybe seen a little more disguise. Basically though, hats off to the Lions for identifying and exploiting a weakness in this pass D, essentially the only one.
Tramon, again, one helluva game. In 54 pass attempts, forgive me forgetting the play in which he allowed a completion, but it was definitely zone coverage and I'm pretty sure it was to a running back in the flat. Both of his deflections were huge as one prevented a touchdown and the other ended a drive. Didn't have the toughest match-up today, but made the most of it, shutting down his assignment play after play.
I was wrong last week...Nick yet again almost had his 1st of the season. Nick's hands of stone continues this year. This week it may have been a good thing as I believe it was the next play where Woodson took it to the house. When he officially gets his first, it's gonna be a huge relief and could bust open the floodgates currently held back by a lack of confidence.
Jarrett Bush played a very nice game as well. With Shields out, he bumped into the nickel role and made a couple nice plays. He nearly had a pick as well. I, for one, feel okay with him playing the dime role all season. As far as dime corners are concerned, he has more experience and can do more than most.
And, saving the best for last, our Charles Woodson finally put in his best game of the season. He shadowed Calvin for probably 75% of the game and did a nice job on him. At least half of Calvin's receptions, including his first touchdown (which I marked on Burnett...TERRIBLE camera angles), were against zone coverage. Laundry was hurled at him for the 4th consecutive week, but I can live with it. He allowed 3 total first downs and showed signs that he lost his UMICH hops with the TD at the end of the half, but played a great game on Calvin otherwise. He was targeted 10 times and stepped up his play when we needed him most. He scored our only points of the 2nd half, without which we may have lost the game, and also broke up 2 passes to force the Lions to a field goal on their final drive. Keep in mind this man also had 13 tackles (11 solo) and gave up only 4 receptions. What does that tell you about his involvement in the run game and his reactions in dropping off his player to get to a teammates' responsibility before they can?
1st Quarter (Games 1-4):
(QB Rating is actually 74.6...formula was messed up a bit)