Quarter report: Where are the Packers at on defense?

Let’s keep this thing moving along and talk about the first quarter showing by the Green Bay Packers’ defense.

(If you want to find part one, just scroll down a bit. There you go – keep scrolling and…you’ve got it! Congratulations!)

Defense

The Good

• Charles Woodson (20 tackles, a team-high three interceptions, three passes defended) has been, not only the defensive MVP, but perhaps the team MVP. He continues to shut down one half of the field, week-in and week-out. When opposing QBs decide to challenge him, they usually lose. Bump-and-run, zone coverage – it doesn’t matter to Woodson.

• Good Johnny Jolly. When Jolly (15 tackles, one interception, two passses defended) shows up and wants to play, he is near impossible to block. You saw that against Chicago and St. Louis. He reminds me a little of Shaun Rogers in that respect.

• If we wondered about how Cullen Jenkins (11 tackles, a team-high two sacks) would bounce back from his torn pectoral injury, he’s shown that we need not worry. Jenkins has been great, both against the run and the pass. The 3-4 has played to mixed reviews, but Jenkins is definitely a good fit for the scheme.

• Whether it’s Woodson or Al Harris who runs out of gas first is up for debate. What’s not up for debate is that Tramon Williams (nine tackles, one interception, a team-high four passes defended) is ready to fill one of the starting spots. Williams has been a great nickel back and will only get better once he learns to take less risks.

• In limited playing time, Clay Matthews (seven tackles, one sack, two passes defended) is already showing flashes of real potential. Strong (see: his strip of Adrian Peterson that he returned for a touchdown), quick and more than able to cover, it’s likely only a matter of time before he takes one of the starting OLB spots. Once he gets it, he won’t let it go for a long time.

• Brandon Chillar (a team-high 26 tackles, one sack) has been the team’s best inside linebacker thus far. He’s been a little bit down in terms of his coverage, but he’s shown an improved ability to rush the passer and play the run.

The Bad

• Dom Capers’ use of Aaron Kampman (21 tackles, one sack) has been maybe the biggest head-scratcher so far this season on either side of the ball. Kampman has been okay against the run and in coverage – the latter being a big question mark before the season – but Capers hasn’t really turned him loose on the pass rush. Why? I have no idea, because when he has, Kampman has been pretty good. Capers is taking Kampman’s feet out from under him by using him so often in coverage. He’s got to change that and fast.

• Remember back in camp when everyone was talking so glowingly about how Brady Poppinga (11 tackles) was performing? Yeah, me neither. Poppinga has been a total non-factor through four games. At this rate, he won’t be a Packer next season. Maybe that’s for the best.

• Bad Johnny Jolly. When Jolly doesn’t show up, he becomes almost a complete non-factor, as he did against Cincinnati and Minnesota. He, unfortunately, reminds me a little of Shaun Rogers in that way, too as Rogers sometimes won’t show up for a month at a time.

• In terms of tackles, A.J. Hawk is second on the team with 23. But, once again, Hawk has no playmaking stats to speak of. No interceptions, no fumbles forced or recovered and no sacks. At least all those people who have steadfastly defended Hawk have quieted down. He’s made zero impact and the bust clock continues to tick away.

• I’ll give Nick Barnett (22 tackles) somewhat of a pass because he’s coming back from a serious knee injury and has been stuck in a rotation. But when he’s been in there, he, like Hawk, has made zero impact. That’s got to improve if the defense is to get better as Barnett is the unquestioned leader of that group.

• When Anthony Smith was cut, I questioned the decision. After watching Derrick Martin/Jarrett Bush fill in for the injured Atari Bigby, I now believe the decision was downright stupid. Yes, Smith didn’t want to play special teams and, yes, he takes a lot of gambles. But in terms of pure ability, he’s a million miles ahead of anyone else this team had. Mike McCarthy really dropped the ball on that one.

• Another decision I can’t understand is the under-utilization of Desmond Bishop (five tackles). Bishop, by all accounts, had an outstanding camp and figured to be in the mix at ILB. The team has hardly used him, though, and I can’t figure out why. It’s not like Hawk or Barnett have done anything.

As you can see, most of my problems with the defense have to do with how players have been used, not with how anyone has played.

In the season opener, Capers went blitz heavy, which is what we thought he’d do. The result was four interceptions of Jay Cutler and a dominating showing.

Since then, he’s gone soft and the defense very much resembles that of Bob Sanders (barf). He’s got to get back to bringing pressure. The secondary can dominate games if that happens.

Still, there are definitely a few players (Barnett, Hawk and Poppinga) who need to step things up.

This defense has the talent to be very good. It’s just up to a few players and, most importantly, Capers to improve.

-Chris Lempesis