Just as I suspected: Bob Sanders had been blitzing more in the past few games, but he chickened out against he Saints after getting burned for a TD on that blitz by Woodson. Here is a quote from an article in today's GB Press Gazette:

DC Bob Sanders had done his part by dialing up more pattern pressures the previous three games. But he might have gotten a little gun-shy after Brees burned the first he called a slot blitz by CB Charles Woodson for a 70-yard catch-and-run TD to WR Lance Moore. The Packers blitzed on only six of Brees 29 dropbacks (20.7 percent), their lowest percentage since Oct. 19 against Indianapolis (12.5 percent).

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I haven't watched the game, but this has bothered me for a while.

It's not that much that Bob Sanders isn't calling blitzes, but we seem to have bad personnel for it. None of your CBs seem to be able to blitz, except for Woodson, but everytime we get him away from coverage it's either a sack or a big gain, it seems.

Our LBs can't seemt to shed a single block, our DL isn't that great anymore and the safety's are obviously lined up to far away (Some Bigby blitzing?).

Ofcourse you can't blame the players for all of this (and most of you don't), but I don't think Sanders is doing that bad of a job here.

On this game though, yes, maybe he should've blitzed some more, let Tramon rush in there a few times in Nickel or Dime formation. Woodson is to important in coverage most of the time.

Yeah, I can't fault Sanders for not calling more blitzes, especially against a QB as cool as Brees.

(Get it? Cool as Brees? Cool breeze? Get it?)

(Sorry...)

I can, however, and do, blame Sanders for allowing our blitzing to suck as badly as it does. Our blitzes, with few exceptions, have been telegraphed and ineffective for years.

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I think much of our failed blitzes come from no push in the middle. The Williams trade looms large here as he was our only effective blitzing nose tackle. The way williams disrupted the middle and drew double coverage on passing downs left a gapping hole in the middle for delayed stunt blitzes up the middle. This also made life much easier for any outside pass rusher.

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Williams, meh. He's not doing crap in Cleveland. He's got .5 sacks, with a supposedly good supporting cast. they broke the bank for him and gave up a 2nd round (i think) pick for him. Right now, it still looks like we got the better end of that deal. I don't fault Sanders for not blitzing. my problem with him is an inability or unwillingness to amend the gameplan during the game. a good coach needs to be able to roll with the punches.

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This year we are 25th in the league with 18 sacks through 11 games...last year we were 13th in the league with 36 sacks for the season. Now tell me williams 7 sacks from the nt possition wasn't a factor.

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or maybe cullen jenkins being out is the bigger factor. couple that with KGB total ineffectiveness and then being cut. Williams wasn't worth what he wanted to be paid and its showing this year. It was a good trade.

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Exactly.. Williams did one thing that we are missing right this moment from the interior.. push the pocket, he was able to beat a man straight up and shoot the gaps...

In Cleveland, watch how they are using Corey.. they are asking him to take on the double team and eat up blockers for the 3-4 Backers have the ability to penetrate the backfield.. he is doing that decently.. but I thought on the outside he would be better than he is showing right now.

Don't get me wrong.. the trade wasn't a bad one, it basically brought Nelson here.. but we are missing that element from this defense right now.. a guy that can collapse and push the pocket from the inside.. that along with consistent pressure from Monty/Thompson/Hunter combo.

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Back to Sanders.. blitz.. don't blitz.. whatever.. part of the problem is that the blitzes in general are not disguised very well and ineffective for the most part... he is my problem with the blitz schemes..

Our safeties are for the most part, are most effective in playing the two deep over coverage to protect and assist the press coverage scheme.. when we blitz it forces the safeties into man coverages, which maybe other than Collins they are not built for it or experienced enough in it.. and we play an awful zone coverage period as a overall secondary.

So you are complexing a problem.. the blitz are ineffective and telegraphed and the coverage behind it is somewhat soft in nature because the QB can identify the match up he wants and takes it.. our backers on the field aren't fast enough to show blitz and then effectively drop into a deep enough zone to assist...

Without pressure from the front four.. all the pressure falls on the corners right now.. when you have a smoking hot QB like Brees was.. we are going to give up yards.. but come on man.. at least one stop would have been nice.

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I still can't beleive that we only stopped Brees once the whole game ... I mean ya I know Brees is good but how is it possible to stop a team in a whole game only 1 time ... Can someone check up if that's actually a record a team stopping the opposing team only once 3 and out ...

If Brees did that to our defense ... scary ... 😞

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