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2012 Packers First Round Pick DE/OLB Nick Perry and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

Can lightning strike twice?

Packers general manager Ted Thompson hopes so after selecting USC defensive end/outside linebacker Nick Perry with the 28^th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.  For the second time in four years, the Packers used a first round pick on linebacker from Southern California.

The other pick? A certain Clay Matthews III, drafted in 2009.  Three years later, Thompson recognized his defense desperately needed another elite pass rusher to complement the Claymaker and once again took a player from USC.

Matthews has panned out very well for the Packers so far, so what does the future hold for Perry, who spent one season on the same team as Matthews at USC?

Well, to place Matthews-like expectations on Perry would be incredibly unfair.  No one expected the results Matthews produced in 2009 and since he and Perry played for the same college, some fans may be expecting Perry to duplicate Matthews’ rookie season.  Read more... (955 words + 1 image, estimated 3:49 mins reading time)

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North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins

I highly doubt CB Janoris Jenkins will still be avaliable when the Packers pick late in the first round of the NFL draft, but if he is, Ted Thompson has an interesting decision to make.

On paper, Jenkins vs. Harrison Smith is a complete mismatch. Jenkins is by far the more talented and superior player. But when you factor in concerns about Jenkins off the field and the Packers need for a safety after releasing Nick Collins, the matchup becomes closer.

Jenkins is a cocky, in-your-face, man-to-man, physical cover corner. You can put him on an island against any WR and he’s not going to back down. He’ll take on whomever he’s asked to cover, not ask for any help, and have a good chance of winning the battle.

Smith is one of the better safeties in a weak safety class and almost plays like an extra linebacker. I don’t see him as a guy who can cover the field against deep passing attacks, but I do think he’ll be good in the box against the run and as a blitzer. Think of him sort of as a lite version of Charles Woodson.  Read more... (360 words + 1 image, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

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Shea McClellin OLB Boise State

Both Shea McClellin and Whitney Mercilus could be considered late risers on most NFL draft boards, including the Packers’ board. Different types of late risers, but late risers nonetheless.

Mercilus had only two sacks and didn’t do much of anything at Illinois in 2009-10 before exploding for 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 2011. McClellin wasn’t a highly regarded recruit coming into Boise St., but kept improving and became a feared edge rusher and versatile hybrid LB/DE. While Mercilus was projected as a first-rounder as soon as “draft season” started, it took a while for McClellin to get the attention he deserved and start rising up boards.

If McClellin and Mercilus are still avalaible when the Packers pick in the first round, I would take McClellin. I think McClellin still has some room to grow as a pass rusher and I’d love to see him develop opposite of Clay Matthews. I also think McClellin is a better fit in Dom Capers’ defense. He can rush from the edge, drop into coverage, stunt up the middle and move around if needed as Capers disguises his coverages and schemes.  Read more... (278 words + 1 image, estimated 1:07 mins reading time)

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2012 NFL Draft

This has to be the year the Packers select an outside linebacker (OLB) early in the draft… right? Right? This is now the third draft where I’ve been expecting one of the first 2-3 picks to be a bookend linebacker to pair with Clay Matthews. I don’t anticipate being disappointed again.

So, I want you to be ready. I’m sure you’ve all read various position rankings from media experts, draftniks and bloggers, but have you seen what the real scouting organization used by NFL teams has to say? I think not.

This particular report deals with the general category of “rush defensive ends.” These are the college defensive ends athletic enough to be considered pass-rushing 4-3DEs or 3-4 OLBs in the pros.

We can’t show you everything (at least until after the draft), but here is something to help you out when the Packers select that 3-4 OLB. Which they will, right? Right?

   Read more... (819 words + 1 image, estimated 3:17 mins reading time)

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Surviving Sundays With no Packers Football

If you missed the three-hour ESPN special unveiling the NFL schedule, congratulations. I was open minded enough to give it a shot, but only managed to last about five minutes before trying to leap through my living-room window.

Three hours to unveil the NFL schedule?! I allow the NFL and the Green Bay Packers to monopolize my life from September through January. I can’t let them do the same in April.

Besides, why watch an ESPN anchor read off a cue card and a bumbling former player or two unveil the schedule in Bristol, CT, when you could just visit ALLGBP.com and find out all you need to know? Here’s a link to the NFL schedule, and below are some random thoughts on the portion of the schedule that involves the greatest franchise in the history of sports, the Packers.

   Read more... (1129 words + 1 image, estimated 4:31 mins reading time)

• I was hoping the Packers would play the Giants in the NFL’s Wednesday kickoff game. I didn’t care about exacting revenge for the playoff loss, but it would’ve been nice for the Packers to get 10 days off after the season opener. It turns out the Packers will get 10 days off early in the season, but it comes after playing the Bears on Thursday night in week two.

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Shields just one of many who had down years...

It is no secret that Sam Shields struggled at cornerback for the Packers last season. After a surprisingly successful rookie year following being undrafted out of Miami, Shields took a step back in year two.

The future looked brighter than ever when Shields capped his sensational rookie campaign with a marvelous game against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship. He finished with two interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. His last minute interception sealed the game and sent the Packers to the Super Bowl.

This excitement was dulled in 2011 as Shields not only failed to improve, but regressed.

Shields had a better season statistically in 2011 when it comes to tackles, interceptions and passes defended, mostly based on increased playing time. Despite the jump is basic numbers, Shields’ year was filled with missed tackles and blown assignments. On the season, Shields was responsible for 10 missed tackles and gave up 9 passes of 20-plus yards.

It has been said over and over that Shields was probably the player most hurt by the lockout. It will be interesting to see how Shields reacts to having a full off-season in Green Bay.  Read more... (431 words + 1 image, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

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As you may know from reading my past blog posts, I love me some stats. I don’t think they’re the be-all and end-all when it comes to football, but I do think they are a useful tool to use when analyzing a team, a unit, or a player. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy following sites like Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Football Outsiders (FO).

These two groups of data crunchers put a lot of time and critical thought into representing the performance of players and teams in the form of numbers. Through careful observation and grading of every play of every football game of the year, these statisticians are able to eventually tell us which team’s offense is performing the best based on their results and the strength of the defenses they’ve played.  Or they can present a numerical “grade” for an individual player for something like “pass blocking efficiency.”

Like I said before, they provide a great tool for professional football analysis. We can use the information to either support what we think we’ve seen, or use it as a jumping off point to examine something further.  Read more... (1203 words + 1 image, estimated 4:49 mins reading time)

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