Matthews Shines, Hawk Does Not

Rockmolder
Honored Member Topic Starter

14 years ago

While Clay Matthews shines, A.J. Hawk is nowhere to be found

By Gregg Rosenthal

Packers linebacker Clay Matthews shook off his inactive preseason like he shook off Eagles blockers Sunday, leading the Green Bay defense during a superlative defense.

Matthews finished with two sacks, a forced fumble, and seven tackles, including the game-clinching stuff of Michael Vick.

"There's a lot of rust I need to shake off. It was a good way to start the season, let's just leave it at that," Mathews said after the game.

While the team's 2009 first-round pick built off his fabulous rookie season, the No. 4 overall pick didn't play a single snap on defense. A.J. Hawk only plays in Green Bay's base defense. Since the Packers played in their nickel or dime packages all day, Hawk only played on special teams.

Hawk's lack of a role on passing downs is nothing new. But it still says something when a guy making $4.6 million doesn't play a snap on defense all day.

It also says we should probably change our definition of what's a "base defense" in today's NFL.

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Since69
Registered

14 years ago

Hawk plays in the base defense - we were in the nickel all day. That's why Chillar was in and Hawk wasn't.

Hawk will rip some heads off next week against the Bills...

peteralan71
Registered

14 years ago

Hawk will rip some heads off next week against the Bills...

"Since69" wrote:

Not so sure I agree with you on that one. Hawk started his career at GB with energy and a killer attitude, but since then he has dwindled considerably. His tackles for the last four yrs have been 119, 105, 86, and 89. I just don't think that he'll have another killer year, esp with CM3 being a freak, and Brad Jones coming up in the ranks.

Green Bay: Home of the Green & Gold. And the hunter orange. And the camouflage.

evad04
Member

14 years ago

Hawk will rip some heads off next week against the Bills...

"peteralan71" wrote:

"Since69" wrote:

Once again, there's an explanation for the decline in tackles. Green Bay plays a significant amount of sub packages (five DBs) on defense. Hawk has played some in the nickel packages, but he's predominantly used as a ILB in their base 3-4 defense.

When he was drafted, he played OLB in a base 4-3. He also played in a greater portion of sub packages.

What is there NOT to understand? He isn't on the field as much, hence the decline in tackles.

This article -- hell, this overall perception -- about Hawk is already tiring and we just finished week 1. I firmly believe that if you went into McCarthy's office, or Capers' office, or Kevin Greene's office and asked them about A.J. Hawk they would have positive things to say. You wouldn't here, "Well, Matthews looked great out there today. A.J. didn't."

Two long-locked blonde LBs who DON'T PLAY THE SAME POSITION sure are compared a lot to one another -- and unnecessarily if you ask me. Rosenthal sure did his homework. Didn't know Hawk went 4th in the draft :crazy:

William Henderson didn't have to run people over. His preferred method was levitation.
"I'm a reasonable man, get off my case."

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

14 years ago

Winston Moss would be whom you'd talk to about Hawk, not our OLB coach, Kevin Greene. 😛

bozz_2006
Registered

14 years ago

Hawk will rip some heads off next week against the Bills...

"evad04" wrote:

"peteralan71" wrote:

"Since69" wrote:

So, uh, why do you think he's not being played? :crazy: Yeah, if he was on the field more, he'd get more tackles. But if he was one of our best options at LB, he'd get his PT. I am sure you're right. If you ask the coaches about Hawk's play, they'd say positive things... because his play is one dimensional. They've already tested the theory and it's held true. They'd have positive things to say about the one role they have for him. He is good at eating up blockers. If you specifically asked the coaches about his blitzing, pursuit, or pass coverage do you really think they'd have positive things to say? If they did, he'd have seen more than zero defensive plays yesterday.

porky88
Veteran Member

14 years ago

The had to play nickel. They didn't have enough defensive lineman to play base and you can't play base vs. Mike Vick.

http://www.row12.com/

evad04
Member

14 years ago

Hawk will rip some heads off next week against the Bills...

"bozz_2006" wrote:

"evad04" wrote:

"peteralan71" wrote:

"Since69" wrote:

I don't agree with your assessment about Hawk's ability. Hawk is not Green Bay's best option for nickel defense. That doesn't mean he isn't a nice option at LB -- it means for defenses that feature only 2 LBs (you can essentially count the OLBs with their hands in the dirt as DEs) he isn't the best option.

Hawk had a solid year in '09. Yeah, not super flashy, but an improvement upon '08 no doubt.

But hey, let's trade him and stick Desmond Bishop in there, knowing as we do that he's an absolute dynamo and NEVER looks bad in coverage.

William Henderson didn't have to run people over. His preferred method was levitation.
"I'm a reasonable man, get off my case."

LambeauEast
Rookie

14 years ago

I want the 11 best guys defensively on the field that I do the offense. If our best 11 for any situation doesn't include A.J., then I'm good with it. He will get his time, and do so effectively, but until then....let it ride!

go.pack.go.
Veteran Member

14 years ago

#10

I hate people that hate on Hawk. What did he do that is making people so mad at him? He has been a solid linebacker for us every since he got here, and he has been a pro about everything. You don't see him complaining about not getting a lot of playing time, do you?

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