wow. you're not even debating with me...you're just saying the opposite thing i said right after i said it. you didn't actually read the whole thread before you posted, did you, Cheesy?

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There is always room for concern, about both the offense and Defense.

I have seen some missed tackles, and coverages that haven't worked the best. There is always room for improvement.

As for overall performance, I think the D should easily make it into the upper 1/2 in the league. Which should be more than enough to get the team into the playoff hunt.

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What this defense will do is create turnovers and be very sticky in the redzone.

You don't get it both ways. When you run blitz packages you will give up some plays but you will end up with the ball more often as well.

All I know is you win when you win the turnover battle and the way our offense is playing and the pressure coming on defense that stat leans heavily in our favor.

I think it will be very difficult for teams to put up 7 in the redzone. I think our stats will be very positive in that regard. With the kind of pressure our offense will provide by putting a lot of points on the board I can see where teams will have to press and try to catch up falling right into the turnover trap we want.

The nemisis will be allowing a big play from time to time but the way our ofense can put points up it takes the pressure off and will allow the defense to keep after it.

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One thing I'd like to point out is that with the exception of Smith, our secondary pretty much have a month of experience running these zone coverages. There are going to be more blown assignments in coverage now than a couple months from now, a lot more.

Also, on the two drives they scored they had to convert on a 3rd and 9 and a 3rd and 10. When that coverage becomes a little more consistent we're going to be likely to get off the field on those plays. So by the what if game we were just as close to shutting them out.

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another thing to remember is that even with our 1st team D out there in these games...we were STILL keeping certain people on the bench. if everybody's ready to go, we'll be even better than we looked (in theory at least).

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Add to that the other inch and a half of Capers playbook nobody has seen yet.

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every time somebody mentions this my wiener feels weird (in a good way).

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Concerns about the defense... yes... fear not so much with the intensity they have shown.. no fourth quarter collapsing for this defense.. and no coming out flat.

Concern # 1... Edge rush defense.. Kampy against the Cards was twice handled well by the TE.. IMO, he is still adjusting to engaging a blocker from the up stance.. lost the leverage war. On the other side.. Poppinga got buried inside a couple of times. Thompson looked stiff and very out of place.. Jones was up and down.. Obi has a long ways to go.. but I think he is a PS player.

Concern #2.. we were exposed time and time again Friday night on the middle of the field 10 plus yards deep... 1st, 2nd.. didn't matter it appears the Cards found a hole in the coverage and exposed it.. albeit a preseason game but we weren't able to adjust and close it off..

Concern # 3... with Rouse down... I am concerned with our depth at safety.. Bigby hasn't turned it on yet, so that leaves Collins and Smith.. Collins always seems to be nicked up.. that puts pressure on Bush and Preprah... neither have shown a ton.. Either the Packers go shopping the wire or they keep an extra CB or two to allow them to add a little depth here.

Concern #4 ... the communication in the secondary.. albeit preseason.. there have been a couple of minor gaffes in the coverage exchanges..

I think we have played pretty solid ball in the middle of this defense and I am liking what I see in the corner play of the big three and Underwood.. don't forget Lee if he can hit the field.

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When I read some of these posts I get the urge at times to remind some here that the Packers are, after all, playing against NFL football teams working very hard in their own right to do good things.

Our guys are not going to win every battle and the other team has enough talent to make some plays too ya know.

Is it not a work in progress? I am elated that the starting point, where they are now going into the regular season, far exceeds where I would have thought they would be going in.

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Someone raised the possibility that they did not in fact try to close it off but were simply trying out various packages for preseason purposes. I tend to concur with that notion.

Also, warhawk pointed out something I've been wanting to mention, but felt it goes without saying: No matter how good our defense is, it's not going to win every play. I think their performance needs to be measured more in terms of the entire game and season than individual plays. I couldn't care less if our defense gives up "big plays" between the 20s if they keep the opposing offense out of the end zone.

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