Packers feel their pass rush is in a "great place'

MintBaconDrivel
Senior Member Topic Starter

3 years ago

Za'Darius Smith predicted a “dominant” season is coming for fellow Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary in 2021 and the team’s defensive coaches believe he’ll have some company on that front.

Smith and Gary are joined by Preston Smith off the edge in Green Bay and outside linebackers coach Mike Smith said recently that he has “a bunch of tough, mean, nasty dudes” in his room. The trio combined for 21.5 sacks in former defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s defense last season and new coordinator Joe Barry said that he thinks the whole group is ready to thrive this time around as well.

“All three of those guys, I’m excited about,” Barry said, via Jason Wilde of Madison.com. “It’s great. Whether we have two of them on the field, all three of them on the field, we’ll get creative and have some fun with it. You can’t have enough great pass rushers, and I’m excited to be working with all three of those guys. All three of those guys are in a great place.

Continue Reading @ Josh Alper

Josh Alper wrote:

How do you feel about the place the Packers pass rush is in? There also seems to be a lot of expectations that Rashan Gary will take another leap in year three.

Delivering the latest and most important updates on the Green Bay Packers for your convenience.

Wanna join the discussion?! Login to your PACKERSHOME forum account or Register a new forum account

Cheesey
Preferred Member

3 years ago

Well, what does anyone expect a coach to say? “My guys suck, and I don’t expect them to be helpful to the team”???
As far as Preston Smith, he backslid bad last season, so who knows what he will do this year.
And Gary? Will he take the next step? I hope so, but nothing is guaranteed.
And me? Of course I’m hoping the coach is right! I would LOVE a dominant D!
That’s what got Tampa a SB trophy last year. A defense that can cause havoc to the opponent.

Zero2Cool
Elite Member

3 years ago

Originally Posted by: Cheesey

NBA Coach, Doc Rivers was asked if Ben Simmons can be the point guard on a championship team. Rivers replied "I don't know that question or the answer to that right now, I don't know the answer to that."

Sometimes, coaches speak truth! Sometimes, like, once every other leap year!

Yeah, we all know coaches won't go out of their way to bury a guy. I am confident Gary will take that leap, big or small, I think he's going to be better this season.

I am unrealistically optimistic about CB Eric Stokes. I say unrealistic because I have not seen the kid play a single snap, yet I feel he's going to be an upgrade at CB2 and that will make our pass rush even gooder.

Cheesey
Preferred Member

3 years ago

You would think a coach would think “hey, if I praise these guys now, and they tank, people will say YOU SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BE GREAT! and they will then say IT MUST BE YOUR LOUSY COACHING!” 😂

KRK
Veteran Member

3 years ago

I guess the rationale is that:
[list=1][*]Gary gets more effective than P Smith gets older. Perhaps resting P Smith with more reps to Gary will make him more effective at the end of the year.[*]D Smith returns to mid-season, pre-kid form will also help...he did not show much v Tampa and[*]Kenny Clark is healthier, as without pressure up the gut, edge pressure is far less effective.[/list]Let's all hope so. It will be telling to see how they do against quality opponents.

In Luce tua Videmus Lucem KRK

beast
Select Member

3 years ago

From some of the things they've said, they're letting the defense be simpler and more aggressive up front... and sounds like they are planning on 3 OLB formations, so you get Smith, Smith, Gary and Clark on the field at the same time, you are going to have a good pass rush!

And based on what the Rams did, when it's pass rush time, they seemed to often have 5 guys up front, so add in Lowry or more likely Keke for pass rush down.

This pass rush has the potential to be great, if the CBs can cover. Of course they also have to stop the run too, but the Rams seemed to do that more by being aggressive... and having one of the Safeties come join the LBers more often. But to do this, your pass rush has to get home before the Coverage let guys open, and I think the question is the coverage, not the pass rush.

Important Information:

The PACKERSHOME uses cookies. By continuing to browse this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. More Details Close

Fan Shout

dfosterf (20h) : There will be a mini camp practice Thursday.

Zero2Cool (11-Jun) : He's been sporting a ring for a while now. It's probably Madonna.

Martha Careful (10-Jun) : We only do the tea before whoopee, it relaxes me.

wpr (10-Jun) : That's awesome Martha.

Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : How's the ayahuasca tea he makes, Martha?

Martha Careful (10-Jun) : Turns out he like older women

Martha Careful (10-Jun) : I wasn't supposed to say anything, but yes the word is out and we are happy 😂😂😂

Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : I might be late on this but Aaron Rodgers is now married

Mucky Tundra (10-Jun) : Well he can always ask his brother for pointers

Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : Bo Melton taking some reps at CB as well as WR

Zero2Cool (10-Jun) : key transactions coming today at 3pm that will consume more cap in 2025

Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jaire played in just 34 of a possible 68 games since the start of the 2021 season

Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : reported, but not expected to practice

Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : Jenkins has REPORTED for mandatory camp

Zero2Cool (9-Jun) : I really thought he'd play for Packers.

buckeyepackfan (9-Jun) : Packers releasing Jaire Alexander.

Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : (Context: he wants his defense to create turnovers)

Mucky Tundra (8-Jun) : Giants DC Shane Bowen tells players to “be a damn pirate."

dfosterf (6-Jun) : Semper fi !

Cheesey (6-Jun) : This is why I have so much respect for those that have gone through battles

Cheesey (6-Jun) : I can't even imagine what that would have been like

wpr (6-Jun) : "Come on, you sons of bitches. Do you want to live forever?"

wpr (6-Jun) : Facing a line of machine guns 2 time medal of Honor recipient, First Sergeant Dan Daly told his men,

wpr (6-Jun) : Another detachment went into the Belleau Wood.

wpr (6-Jun) : On the 6th the Marines took Hill 142 but suffered terrible losses.

wpr (6-Jun) : It’s time to remember dfoster’s Marine brothers in Belleau Wood. The battle went on from June 1-26. Nearly 10,000 casualties.

packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : Nick Collins and Morgan Burnett have signed with the PACK

packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : he won't be wearing #12, maybe he will wear number two

packerfanoutwest (6-Jun) : He will fail this season, should have retired

Mucky Tundra (5-Jun) : Thus the cycle of Hall of Fame Packer QBs going to the Jets and then the Vikings is broken

bboystyle (5-Jun) : Rodgers to steelers on 1 year contract

Zero2Cool (5-Jun) : It's the cycle of civilizations. Get lazier, lazier, softer, softer and vanish.

Martha Careful (5-Jun) : great point. every aspect of society, including art, culture and sports has degraded.

dfosterf (4-Jun) : Green Bay sweep meant something to society about stopping pure excellence. We have the tush push now

dfosterf (4-Jun) : We old Martha.

Martha Careful (4-Jun) : *front four

Martha Careful (4-Jun) : Re frout four, I wish we had some Green "People Eaters" or a fearsome foursome

dfosterf (4-Jun) : *directions*

dfosterf (4-Jun) : Just don't ask him for driving direct

dfosterf (4-Jun) : Jim Marshall was an all-time great DE for the Purple People Eaters. Didn't like him. That's a compliment. RIP

Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : ooppppss

Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : “Kenny Clark played all of last season hurt by the way and got surgery to fix it in January”

Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood How much did the injury affect him last fall? “A lot.”

Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : @ByRyanWood Kenny Clark said he had foot surgery in January. Injured his foot in opener against Eagles and played through it all year.

Zero2Cool (3-Jun) : Golden is wearing guardian cap again. I bet he plays with it on too.

Mucky Tundra (3-Jun) : All the stuff I'm reading from Lions fans are pointing at his toe; he more or less has permanent turf toe in one of his big toes

dfosterf (3-Jun) : Kenny played through it, and a shame he gets little credit for that, imo

dfosterf (3-Jun) : Big men. I hope it's not the undoing of Kenny Clark

dfosterf (3-Jun) : Probably his toe. Pretty much a great center. Toe injuries are brutal to bigen

Mucky Tundra (2-Jun) : Lions All-Pro C Frank Ragnow retires

Please sign in to use Fan Shout

2025 Packers Schedule

Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM

LIONS

Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM

COMMANDERS

Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM

Browns

Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM

Cowboys

Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM

BENGALS

Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM

Cardinals

Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM

Steelers

Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM

PANTHERS

Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM

EAGLES

Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM

Giants

Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM

VIKINGS

Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM

Lions

Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM

BEARS

Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM

Broncos

Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM

Bears

Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM

RAVENS

Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM

Vikings