Young defenders put on spot
McCarthy expects better effort at Seattle
By GREG A. BEDARDGreen Bay - The quarterback position - the success of Aaron Rodgers and whether his two rookie backups are capable of winning games if called upon - will be the one for which Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson is superficially judged.
In reality, the less-publicized decisions Thompson made when it came to the depth on his team especially on defense might ultimately decide whether the injury-plagued Packers can rebound from their three-game skid and return to the playoffs.
Yes, they will (need to play well), Thompson said Tuesday about his young players on defense. The depth and the core of this team is something weve been trying to build up for a number of years.
The groups first extended playing time came Sunday in the 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and they got a failing grade.
We had a number of young players on our defense (Sunday) who had an opportunity and didnt take advantage of it, and thats the facts, coach Mike McCarthy said. I thought some of our veteran players played solid, and we didnt get production that we needed throughout the whole defense. We had some young guys with an opportunity that really didnt take advantage of it.
Injuries to Al Harris, Cullen Jenkins, Atari Bigby and others have thrust some players into larger roles, such as defensive ends Michael Montgomery and Jeremy Thompson, cornerbacks Will Blackmon and Pat Lee, and safety Charlie Peprah.
Montgomery and Thompson were asked to help fill in for Jenkins, who was the Packers best defensive lineman this season.
Against the Falcons, Montgomery finished with two tackles and left with a sprained ankle after about 36 plays. Montgomery didnt have a quarterback pressure, and hasnt since the first game of the season. He was one of the main culprits of the porous run defense against the Falcons because he failed to stay in the right position.
A couple times he jumped out of the gaps and thats something you cant do, defensive ends coach Carl Hairston said. To me, sometimes its trying to do too much. You have to understand theres going to be somebody in that gap. And if you dont, well have a problem the rest of the year. I dont question how hard he plays or how physical he plays, but he just has to do the right things and not do too much and stay right there in your gap.
Jeremy Thompson, the Packers first fourth-round pick this year, was the first player Ted Thompson ever traded up to select. Jeremy Thompson was inactive the first four games before getting his 258-pound frame pushed around by the Falcons. He was not awarded any tackles by the game statistician, but the Packers coaches later gave him two after reviewing the game film. Jeremy Thompson still lacks the aggressiveness that Hairston has been trying to draw out of him since being drafted.
He was a little tentative at times, thinking too much, Hairston said. As a young kid you would just like to see him turn it loose and we talked about that after the meetings. He just has to go out and play and not worry about making mistakes. Thats going to happen anyway. He has to go out and be aggressive and use his athletic ability and talent.
Blackmon, Lee and Peprah all struggled in the secondary.
Both Blackmon and Lee failed multiple times to employ one of the Packers basic tactics and bump Falcons receiver Roddy White at the line of scrimmage. That failure contributed heavily to Whites big day: eight catches for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Thats what we do and what we do best, cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington said. When we dont do it, sometimes youre going to struggle. Theyve got to feel that and understand that.
Peprah also struggled but his biggest mistake not covering Falcons tight end Ben Hartsock was covered up by a poor interception thrown by quarterback Matt Ryan.
Those players will have to play better starting Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks because they are the Packers only option.
When Ted Thompson, despite having more than $20 million in salary-cap space, decided to field the leagues youngest team for the second-straight season, he went solely with inexperienced backups to his starters. Some teams like to have at least a few veteran role players at the thinner positions.
The defense got even younger when Ted Thompson on Tuesday released six-year linebacker Tracy White, the most experienced backup on the roster, and signed rookie Danny Lansanah from the practice squad.
The Packers 11 backups on defense (Lee was included because Colin Cole is the sole backup at defensive tackle) have an average of 2.5 years experience and are 24.3 years old.
After the Falcons game, McCarthy realized hes going to have to dial some things back in order for his younger players to be more successful.
He said in the meeting that hes going to simplify things for us and just let us play football, Jeremy Thompson said. There will be less thinking and more playing.
The Packers better hope thats the answer, because if their younger players dont improve, the team wont be playing past December.
Thats why McCarthy might as well have been talking about all his backups when he talked about Jeremy Thompsons play against the Falcons.
Its a good experience for him, but tryouts are over, McCarthy said.
Indeed they are.
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