I was at the Minnesota game where Barnett got hurt last year. I remember Bishop getting torched on two very very important plays. I know i'm not being fair, but that left a pretty sour taste in my mouth.

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At the end of the day, whether it is Bishop or the rookie from A&M.. I want my linebackers jacked up, playing balls out, and hitting like a ton of freaking bricks... anything short of that will be disappointing..

Bishop showed that the most last season.. don't care whom starts.. those 4 better be knocking heads around..

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Then there was an awful lot of sour tastes in your mouth last season.. the man up coverage every stinking play by the backers was a recipe for getting played like a drum.. and that drum beat often against Poppinga, Barnett, Hawk.. Chillar was the only one somewhat equipped to play that coverage...

Bishop isn't going to be asked to cover in man up situation.. Inside backers almost always drop into zones when they are green lit to rush the passer.. additionally, helping the backers out with any type of disguise in their coverage would help.. not that straight up react defense of Sanders.

Gotta find a happy medium between Sanders vanilla D and Slowick's all out all the time slap happy defense.. I have that confidence in Capers and company..

The only negative to date.. that he has to be coached by Moss.. whom is on my short list of question marks retained this season.. Fan Fest he talked a decent game.. we shall see.

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Yes there were.

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You can't really hold him that accountable for that first TD run he gave up. He just came off the sideline and was matched up in man with Chester Taylor. That's an easy read, even for T-Jack.

Anyway, he might have some blitzing potential. To me, defenses are all about pressure, so I hope that he shores up his coverage skills a bit and we'll have a very good potential rotation at ILB. Still hoping that Hawk and Barnett just play on a high level, though.

I think that he could make a really strong push as a player who we can just plug in all around the line. Maybe have him starting in some of the more exotic nickel and dime packages as the fifth LB. If we don't need Chillar at ILB to cover a TE or RB, he could be perfect to bring some pressure and aggresiveness on the inside as well.

I like the Jack Lambert/Dick Buttkiss/Ray Nitschke types. I'd even include Ray Lewis in his hayday.

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And you can't leave out Terry Tate!
[youtube]J8702Im2P18&feature=related[/youtube]

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After watching him in "coverage" against Chester Taylor in the VIkings game last year i'm not sure If I want to see him on the field again anytime soon, still makes my stomach churn seeing that play.

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I don't look at that play so critically because they had just put him in the game and he was about one step out of position there. That happens when you don't play a whole lot and haven't gotten in in the flow of the game.

It was actually a good call by the OC there to put Bishop out there one on one with Taylor having just come into the game.

I did not like the fact our LB's were in as much man coverage as they were and having to take on faster RB's and TE's and run all over the field with them. That was only going to work with excellent pressure from the front four on the QB and we all saw how that went.

Bishop made mistakes guys that haven't gotten a lot of playing time make but he also made a lot of plays when he did get in there for more than a few plays at a time. It was refreshing to see a LB actually make a tackle behind the LOS on run plays once in awhile.

I think in this defense where he would be in zone middle coverage and attacking the LOS more he could be a very good player for them.

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Good stuff there. Made my day.

As for Bishop.... Hope he works out.