Comments on: Here Are Packers Starting Outside Linebackers

By: iltarion

iltarion — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:12:39 +0000

Love the #53. That is # for Mike “Mad Dog” Douglas.

At the time, I agreed with the strategy of putting Matthews on the right.

1) Teams typically like to run to their right. Its the more natural handoff for a right-handed RB to take, and teams normally have their best pass blocker on the left. Matthews was clearly the best run-stuffer among the OLBs.

2) A QB hurry can be as good as a sack, and so it made sense to put Matthews where the QB could see him coming.

Unfortunately, what we saw last season was #2 backfiring on us. Since QBs could see Matthews coming, they often dumped the ball off immediately before he got to them. If he is coming from the backside, he probably has at least 4 more sacks last season.

By: peter

peter — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:04:32 +0000

Also your Rt LB in the 3-4 is usually the bigger in size of the two which Perry is. The journal has a good piece about this, can’t wait to see the bash brothers in action.

By: Asimov

Asimov — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:46:56 +0000

Typically you want your best pass rusher against their worst pass blocker. Moving Clay put him against the right tackle, which is usually the less skilled pass blocker of the offensive tackles.

Clay didn’t see double teams on every play two-years ago, which I would attribute more to his lower sack production than his position on the field.

By: David

David — Tue, 22 May 2012 22:27:26 +0000

Also… Clay got more sacks when he came from the right the year before. He was moved to the left because…. well I don’t know the reason but that’s what the coaches did.

Even if Worthy isn’t a fantastic pass rusher… his “quick first step” should help Clay get free since they’ll both be coming hard and fast.