Unfortunately, during the first three weeks of the season, the addition of Julius Peppers hasn’t enhanced Clay Matthew’s impact on the field. It’s actually minimized his impact. Clay’s stat line so far this season is modest with I sack and a handful of tackles. Where his impact has been diminished most notably is the area he thrives the most—as a pass rusher.

With a creative mind like Dom Capers, why would a guy as explosive as Clay have such a minimal impact? Because the Green Bay Packer defensive coaches have been so overly concerned with putting Peppers in position to thrive that Clay has had to alter what he does best, which is flying around like a crazed animal.

Taking a guy like Clay Matthews, who has made his mark in the NFL as one of the best defenders because of his aggressive style, and putting him in a read & react role is a HUGE coaching mistake. But in the same breath, recognizing your mistake and putting him back in his element is a HUGE coaching accomplishment.