Great post bro!

Uh, I gotta say right now, we have seen WRs and RBs running free through the middle of our defense for over a year. I think our staff needs to address the gaping hole there in AJ Hawk. I mentioned in another thread the notion of "falling in love with your guys," well, this is the number 1 prime example. We cannot continue to leave a mistake like that out there, uncorrected. If he can't get the job done, replace him with someone who will. The onus to fix this is on both Ted and Mike.

When was the last time you saw AJ Hawk make a game changing play to secure a win, or change the course of a game in our favor? I cannot name one. I like the guy fine, but it appears he is a glaring weakness in our defense. Slow, and not a playmaker. The sooner we address this the better.

Originally Posted by: play2win 

As long as we finish strong, that is what matters most. I would think this team was humbled, but I hope they learn from their mistakes and start accumulating successes from this point forward.

It is so funny looking at the whole picture. Most of us become enamored with players we've either added, or who have another year's experience in our system. We expect results, almost immediately. But, it doesn't work that way. This particular team is reminding me a bit of that 2010 team. A lot of young players at super important positions. I'll never forget thinking how we were done after the Lions loss that year. The following week we lose a close one to NE. We played well, almost won but didn't. I thought for certain we were toast.

Then we started the improbable run.

An awful lot has to happen to right this ship, but I do think our talent level improved over last season. We shouldn't forget that we are still in recovery mode from the loss of Nick Collins. Bishop being IR before the season even begins did us no favors. Still trying to find that player who will produce like Cullen Jenkins did for us on the line. Maybe we did in fact add that player in the draft, but we won't realize until after he develops further in the system. Strength, conditioning, instruction, practice at the craft... familiarization with the system, knowing your place. All of those things are developed over time.

I think we'll be OK and I'll continue to hope for the best. I'll be thrilled if we are better than 2-2 after week 4.

Originally Posted by: play2win 

I agree there needs to be an improvement, but do you think there's any option on the roster that could replace Hawk and be better overall, currently? It's often not as simple as just "fixing it." The Packer's have been trying, it just hasn't worked out yet. Obviously the Bishop injury doesn't help things either.

Originally Posted by: doddpower 

Hmmm. On the roster? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, that is one giant weakness that teams have been exploiting. I know it is not simple to fix, but it is their job to address this and get it fixed. I don't care how they do it. Make a trade (not saying "trade Hawk," because he is essentially untradeable). Promote from within if possible. We've got Lattimore, Francois, Manning, Jones and Moses.

We've all heard AJ Hawk is good for getting the rest of the guys lined up properly and calling the D. Well, what else does he bring? Because I haven't really seen it.

Ted gave him insane money, and now he has to own up to that mistake. Or, we'll continue to be thrashed in the middle of our D. That has been really tough to watch.

Originally Posted by: play2win 

Well let's see, Hawk led the team in tackles Sunday, when he did get locked up on a wr , the catch might have been made but I didn't see the wr going anywhere after the catch.

...

A.J. Hawk is not the problem, the problem is the revolving door that seems to be the other LB'ing positions on this team.

But you just keep right on believing A.J. Hawk is the problem.

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan 

I think the loss humbled *some* of the team (looks at Jarrett Bush's CM3 type comment). I think Mike McCarthy is laying it on the team these few days in between games. I really, really hope that Woodson takes it upon himself to fix any possible miscommunications in the defensive backfield.

Sunday was unacceptable and if the team sees it that way, then I think we see a different team on Thursday night.

Originally Posted by: G-Force 

"There's competitive situations that go on throughout your football team all season," coach Mike McCarthy said Tuesday as the team prepared for its Thursday night game against the Chicago Bears. "Some you'd like to see rectified earlier than others.

"But we still don't play with just 11 players on offense and defense. It's really part of that."

It is also because no single player has stood out so much that Capers feels he has to have him on the field every game.


.....

It's a situation where the three mainstays are waiting for the others to catch up so the defense can stop letting quarterbacks like Alex Smith post passer ratings of 125.6.

"It is, but at the end of the day, we've been young for a long time," Williams said. "We can't keep using the same excuse. Guys have to step up. Whenever that guy steps up, whoever that might be, you'll know. We're a work in progress."

....

McCarthy dismissed the notion that all the rotating in the secondary was affecting continuity, and his message earlier in the week was that players with specific roles have to make sure they're doing them regardless of how small they might be.

"I definitely don't think it's an inhibitor," McCarthy said of rotating players. "All players would like to be on the field the full time the defense or offense is on the field. I understand that and maybe it would help them get in a rhythm.

"But frankly, the players are responsible for their performance in a competitive situation and how much they're going to play."

What McCarthy is facing is part of the pitfalls of remaking the roster each year with large numbers of rookies. It takes time for those players to develop, and aside from Woodson there isn't a single guy in the secondary who made an impact in the NFL his rookie season.

Well let's see, Hawk led the team in tackles Sunday, when he did get locked up on a wr , the catch might have been made but I didn't see the wr going anywhere after the catch.

I really. really do wish The Packers would bench and/or cut A.J Hawk, then we would see just how valuable he is.

I'm gonna ask it ONE MORE TIME, AND I want a fuckin' answer,

WHY THE HELL DIDN'T TED THOMPSON LET A.J. HAWK GO 2 YEARS AGO WHEN HE HAD HIS CHANCE?????

Hell Hawk was ready to go, he had his house up for sale, he had Cleveland, Cincinnati, that i personally know of, and there were probably other teams just waiting for him to become a FA.

You say Ted Thompson "GAVE" Hawk insane money. WHY? From what I have seen from Ted, he doesn't just willy nilly throw money around.

A.J. Hawk is not the problem, the problem is the revolving door that seems to be the other LB'ing positions on this team.

But you just keep right on believing A.J. Hawk is the problem.

This reminds me when some on this forum kept screaming how we needed to upgrade our running game by replacing Ryan Grant a few years ago.

Look what has happened since Grants injury, other than a few weeks in 2010, The Packers haven't had that guy who could grind out the tough yards and keep the D honest.

Originally Posted by: buckeyepackfan