General Packers News 2020

[Pckfn23]

https://www.packers.com/news/what-you-m ... grunt-work

Lancaster stepping up!

It's not the defensive line that should be the main worry in stopping the run.

He most definitely is. I was saying that in other threads as well that we are continuing to see ascension of play from Keke, Lancaster and even some positive plays from Montravious Adams.

The only player I haven't seen any improvement on and who tends to be the weakest link on the Dline is Lowry. He is just on the ground way too often.

But Lancaster has put together two really strong weeks of football which is really exciting. He can both spell and supplement Clark at that Nose spot and Keke is showing improvement in the run game too. We already know Keke has shown good flashes in the pass rush.

My enthusiasm for brining in someone external quieted after Atlanta and it is because the players we have on the Dline are pointing up. They just need to play more and Dean Lowry play less.

I would really like to look into Lowry more. I am not certain you or right or wrong. We continue to play him a lot, but that is about all I have to go on is that the coaches feel comfortable with him in there.

[Drj820]

We truly may have improved at stopping the run, but I am hesitant to think the issue is fixed just bc we did pretty well against the Falcons. They were playing from behind and they abandon the run very quickly.

[go pak go]

https://www.packers.com/news/what-you-m ... grunt-work

Lancaster stepping up!

It's not the defensive line that should be the main worry in stopping the run.

He most definitely is. I was saying that in other threads as well that we are continuing to see ascension of play from Keke, Lancaster and even some positive plays from Montravious Adams.

The only player I haven't seen any improvement on and who tends to be the weakest link on the Dline is Lowry. He is just on the ground way too often.

But Lancaster has put together two really strong weeks of football which is really exciting. He can both spell and supplement Clark at that Nose spot and Keke is showing improvement in the run game too. We already know Keke has shown good flashes in the pass rush.

My enthusiasm for brining in someone external quieted after Atlanta and it is because the players we have on the Dline are pointing up. They just need to play more and Dean Lowry play less.

I would really like to look into Lowry more. I am not certain you or right or wrong. We continue to play him a lot, but that is about all I have to go on is that the coaches feel comfortable with him in there.

I want to watch the All 22 of the Saints and Falcons too. I just don't have time as I am CPA with an October 15 deadline but I am hoping to watch for myself here soon.

Most of my thoughts on this arrive from my own eyes watching live (which is very unreliable I do know) and also confrimation from Any Herman who grades each player.

Herman basically grades Lowry and Preston Smith the lowest each game and Herman is a far better scout than I would ever dream to be.

[go pak go]

We truly may have improved at stopping the run, but I am hesitant to think the issue is fixed just bc we did pretty well against the Falcons. They were playing from behind and they abandon the run very quickly.

I'm not saying we are there. But there has been steady improvement by our Dline since Clark went down. There was improvement with NO's too. Just one really poorly executed running play skewed those stats.

But our run stopping has gotten significantly better in terms of plugging holes. Now they need to finish the tackles.

And this is all done with our all pro on the sidelines. So yes my expectations are low. But you could see ascension which is what got me excited.

[NCF]

I would really like to look into Lowry more. I am not certain you or right or wrong. We continue to play him a lot, but that is about all I have to go on is that the coaches feel comfortable with him in there.

We talked about it a TON in the rank-the-roster thing. They are playing him out of position. If they play a true 3-4 and play him as a base end 5T, he is and always has been super effective. But, when they insist in caving him down inside to 3T in Nickel, he just isn't physical enough to handle everything he sees inside. They should be playing everyone else in those spots ahead of him because he doesn't belong there. And, due to all the Nickel they play, it was a very curious contract extension from the get go. I think they were covering themselves for the loss of Mike Daniels, but still, they knew back then that Nickel was their true base and Lowry doesn't fit into it, but they tried to force it and it bit them.

[Pckfn23]

For what it's worth, here is the only mentions of Lowry over at the Athletic (all McGinn):

Defensive line (3 ½)
Last season, Kenny Clark was the only defensive lineman to post as many as two sacks in a game. He had two in Game 14 against the Bears. With Clark (groin) sitting out another week, the chance of anyone doing that Sunday had to be considered remote. Entering the game, Dean Lowry, Tyler Lancaster, Kingsley Keke, Montravius Adams and Billy Winn had combined for 13 ½ career sacks. Keke, the only one still looking for a sack, became the man of the hour with a pair. His first, in 3.2 seconds, came on a stunt with Rashan Gary against LT Terron Armstead and LG Andrus Peat. His second, in 3.7 seconds, came when he used his hands to jerk past Peat on the inside. The Saints double-teamed Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith on the second sack, and Keke beat the one-on-one matchup. The coaches seemed to make an effort to keep Keke, who played 28 of the possible 61 snaps on defense, fresh for rush situations. The only two tackles missed by a lineman were by Keke. His burst to Drew Brees was impressive. Lowry (32) and Lancaster (29) handled most of the 17 snaps in the 3-4 front. They did respectable jobs staying square against the run. On Alvin Kamara’s 52-yard TD, Lancaster tackled Kamara as he crossed the goal line after a long chase. The Smiths and Lowry, who had rushed on the play with Lancaster, didn’t show that type of effort. Adams (11) aggressively shed rookie RG Cesar Ruiz and stopped a draw play. He was active this week, but his undisciplined approach and lack of body control might make him a liability when it comes to rush lane integrity. Winn, 30, was the Browns’ sixth-round pick in 2012. He’s 6-3 ½ and 305 with short arms (32 ½ inches) and small hands (9 inches). The Packers, his fourth team in a 24-game career, signed him to the practice squad Sept. 16 and gave him a uniform Sunday. Winn’s highlight in six snaps was batting down a pass.

Defensive line (2)
Without Kenny Clark (groin), the Packers were highly vulnerable against the run. He’s their anchor, the one man in the group that can shed a block consistently and make tackles. Coordinator Mike Pettine reacted as expected, building eight-man fronts to prevent Lions play-caller Darrell Bevell from controlling the game with the formidable trio of Adrian Peterson, Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift. After the backs carried 14 times in the first 25 plays, the Lions began to pass on almost every down despite leading, 14-10. Maybe Bevell lacked confidence in the run because RT Halapouliveati Vaitai (foot) and LG Joe Dahl (groin) sat out. Their replacements, RT Tyrell Crosby and LG Oday Aboushi, performed like the backups they are. Dean Lowry, who played 44 of the 59 possible snaps on defense, proved hard to move for rookie RG Jonah Jackson. He was considerably better than the week before. Tyler Lancaster (33) stayed square often enough in a difficult matchup against C Frank Ragnow, probably the Lions’ best lineman. Kingsley Keke (35) started in the base and filled in for Clark as the lone big man in the 4-1 pass-rush package. He made two tackles on plays for no gain and, as always, showed some athleticism and range. He didn’t get anything done as a rusher. The Packers are in their fourth year trying to make something out of Montravius Adams (12), their third-round draft choice in 2017 from Auburn. His 2020 debut didn’t look much different from his other 39 games.

Defensive line (3 ½)
In the 17 snaps, the Packers were in their base 3-4 defense Tyler Lancaster was at nose tackle. It’s his best position. Kenny Clark (groin) will be back before long and Lancaster probably will have to play 3-technique. On Monday, Lancaster turned in his second strong outing in a row. His opponent, 12-year veteran Alex Mack, has been voted to the Pro Bowl five times, most recently in 2018. Twice Lancaster shed Mack on carries for no gain. Lancaster, who played 35 of the 70 possible snaps on defense, and Dean Lowry (43) didn’t generate any pressure but had mostly stay-square snaps against the Todd Gurley-led ground game. He averaged just 3.6 yards on 16 rushes; his better advances came when the middle was sealed off and he bounced to the perimeter. Unlike Lancaster, there were occasions when Lowry’s pad level was up and he got rolled out of there. Kingsley Keke (35), the other starter, has improved taking on double–team blocks. More importantly, he might have a better nose for the ball than either Lancaster or Lowry. He’s seeing it and finding it. Mack, of course, studied Keke’s two-sack performance against the Saints and frequently offered the guard blocking him help in pass pro. Newcomer Billy Winn (11) and Montravius Adams (10) held their own, too.

[Pckfn23]

PFF doesn't like Lowry and I think that is where Herman and some others get their narrative from. I am not saying they are wrong, but tracing the source.

[go pak go]

This one is for Lupe.

The tackle with over 75 snaps during 2020 with the highest win rate % in the league belongs to....Billy Turner - Packers.

[YoHoChecko]

Packers roster moves: TE Josiah Deguara: injured reserve. C Jake Hanson: injured reserve/practice squad. WR Kalija Lipscomb: signed to practice squad.

Huh, wonder what happened to Hansen.

Seems like we now have three open roster spots. Might be a good sign about our IR guys returning.

[BSA]

New WR added to PS, former Chief Kalija Lipscomb 6'2 205

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2020/1 ... ice-squad/

[paco]

This one is for Lupe.

The tackle with over 75 snaps during 2020 with the highest win rate % in the league belongs to....Billy Turner - Packers.

As a big supporter of paying Bulaga, our oline situation is pretty damn good so far.

[lupedafiasco]

This one is for Lupe.

The tackle with over 75 snaps during 2020 with the highest win rate % in the league belongs to....Billy Turner - Packers.

As a big supporter of paying Bulaga, our oline situation is pretty damn good so far.

Gotta see more. So far Im not impressed. Of the starting 5 hes the still the weakest link and by far the worst run blocker. I think Wagner has outperformed him.

[Pckfn23]

[NCF]

This one is for Lupe.

The tackle with over 75 snaps during 2020 with the highest win rate % in the league belongs to....Billy Turner - Packers.

As a big supporter of paying Bulaga, our oline situation is pretty damn good so far.

Gotta see more. So far Im not impressed. Of the starting 5 hes the still the weakest link and by far the worst run blocker. I think Wagner has outperformed him.

Turner or Wagner, however you slice it, the FO was right, again, on not paying Bulaga. I think he has already missed a ton of time in LA with nagging injuries, including a back injury, which is never, ever good for an OT.

[lupedafiasco]

As a big supporter of paying Bulaga, our oline situation is pretty damn good so far.

Gotta see more. So far Im not impressed. Of the starting 5 hes the still the weakest link and by far the worst run blocker. I think Wagner has outperformed him.

Turner or Wagner, however you slice it, the FO was right, again, on not paying Bulaga. I think he has already missed a ton of time in LA with nagging injuries, including a back injury, which is never, ever good for an OT.

Oh yeah I thought there was no chance we paid Bulaga for 3rd contract. I was perfectly fine with that given his injury history. That’s only gonna stack up as he gets older.

Turner though... I’ll probably never be a fan of that ludicrous signing.

[Pckfn23]

Don't need to be a fan, but do listen to reason. He is playing well.

[BSA]

Highest percentage of drives ending in a score:
1. Packers - 64.1%
2. Raiders - 56.0%
3. Dolphins - 52.9%
4. Titans - 51.5%
5. Chiefs - 50.0%

Pts per drive:
1. Packers - 3.67
2. Raiders - 3.04
3. Bills - 3.02
4. Seahawks - 2.98
5. Chiefs - 2.86

— ProFootballReference (@pfref) October 13, 2020

[salmar80]

Gotta see more. So far Im not impressed. Of the starting 5 hes the still the weakest link and by far the worst run blocker. I think Wagner has outperformed him.

Turner or Wagner, however you slice it, the FO was right, again, on not paying Bulaga. I think he has already missed a ton of time in LA with nagging injuries, including a back injury, which is never, ever good for an OT.

Oh yeah I thought there was no chance we paid Bulaga for 3rd contract. I was perfectly fine with that given his injury history. That’s only gonna stack up as he gets older.

Turner though... I’ll probably never be a fan of that ludicrous signing.

It's kinda hard to evaluate the Oline by comparing it with previous years, since the O is so different. AR is getting rid of the ball quickly, misdirection and AR's cadence is causing folks to hesitate. It's not like "it's a pass and OTs have to hold 1-1 blocks for 5 secs for AR to get rid of it".

So I can't say Turner has been great - he doesn't have the talent Bulaga had. But I can say he has not been a detriment to this particular O. I haven't seen him need frequent help, nor have I seen him get beat easily. Hasn't ruined the running game.

Wagner is a potential cap cut next year. Turner an affordable guy for next year or two whether as tackle or guard. I think the staff will keep him in there until he really fails.

[lupedafiasco]

Don't need to be a fan, but do listen to reason. He is playing well.

Average.

[Pckfn23]

Don't need to be a fan, but do listen to reason. He is playing well.

Average.

Evidence suggests he is better than that at the moment.