DarkaneRules;276435Add to that our two tweeners Peppers and Neal. If everyone is healthy, Dom Capers might finally be able to work some of his magic he has rarely been able to use.

Yeah, we really haven't had this much talent up front since the days of Reggie White, Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, Sean Jones, Wayne Simmons, George Koonce and Bernardo Harris/Ron Cox...

This could be really, really good. we have to see how it all comes together, but Capers has some very serious players to work with.

Honestly, look at what our pass rush has been over the last 3 years. And, we have climbed in sacks. Last year we were rated #9 in sacks in the NFL with 45. In 2012 we were rated #4 with 47. In 2011 we were rated #27 with 29...

This year's front 7 should turn in our top numbers alone, minus the blitzing CBs and Ss. The front 7 may very well eclipse that 47 total.

As a result, our secondary will have a field day out there making picks... this is starting to look like a very different defense, on paper. Can't wait to see it for reals!

play2win;276454Yeah, we really haven't had this much talent up front since the days of Reggie White, Santana Dotson, Gilbert Brown, Sean Jones, Wayne Simmons, George Koonce and Bernardo Harris/Ron Cox...

This could be really, really good. we have to see how it all comes together, but Capers has some very serious players to work with.

Honestly, look at what our pass rush has been over the last 3 years. And, we have climbed in sacks. Last year we were rated #9 in sacks in the NFL with 45. In 2012 we were rated #4 with 47. In 2011 we were rated #27 with 29...

This year's front 7 should turn in our top numbers alone, minus the blitzing CBs and Ss. The front 7 may very well eclipse that 47 total.

As a result, our secondary will have a field day out there making picks... this is starting to look like a very different defense, on paper. Can't wait to see it for reals!

I know our sacks have gone up the past two seasons but hasn't our defense efficiency been in the pits? As in, we only get a lot of sacks because our defense is on the field a lot? Hence the high sack numbers but declining TOs.

Mucky Tundra;276456I know our sacks have gone up the past two seasons but hasn't our defense efficiency been in the pits? As in, we only get a lot of sacks because our defense is on the field a lot? Hence the high sack numbers but declining TOs.

Yeah, but that's where the new front 7 comes in. 5.5 of those sacks came from our DBs. How many other times were they forced to blitz and didn't get home to the QB?

Now, if we can get those same numbers just from our front 7, and I think we will, this will make for a far more effective and efficient defense, with what I anticipate will be a return to the pick machine we were used to seeing.

We've gone 3 years without an adequate pass rush opposite Matthews. Now, we've added at the very least, 3 new pass rushers to jump in on that other side, along with a 1st round pick in Datone Jones who should begin making a name for himself this season. Perry can be relegated to working the right side of the D where he is more comfortable and effective, in a rotation with Matthews.

Having Casey Hayward back should be a great help in our secondary, not to mention the addition of Clinton-Dix.

To me, this is looking really good.

Nice Q&A with Todd Graham, ASU's LB coach on Carl Bradford:

On the Packers fit… “The Packer fans are going to get a guy who plays with passion. He’s a perfect fit for the 3-4, he’s a perfect fit for the way you guys attack. Obviously playing opposite one of the best outside linebackers in the country will be something. I think he’s a guy who will start with the potential to be an all-pro.”

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/259074521.html#ixzz31hcRGXpp
Follow us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter

FYI, posted while wearing my Sun Devil jersey... [laughing] No shit.

If you want to read an article that will get you fired up about a player this is it...
p2w, are you sure this guy isn't the next LT?


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/259074521.html

uffda udfa;276508If you want to read an article that will get you fired up about a player this is it...
p2w, are you sure this guy isn't the next LT?


http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/259074521.html

[laughing]

Yeah, well, it is pretty cool to add a player like him to this defense opposite Matthews. I'm not kidding, his playing style is very unique in that he is relentless. He does bring a Tasmanian Devil kind of quality to our pass rush. Doesn't always get home, but no one always does. He can get blocked out. But, he will get there. A lot. He is also able to elude blockers to create some pretty good disruption, in rushing the passer, pass coverage, and stopping the run.

Being an ASU fan, I've watched him the last couple of years and he has really come on. We all know Matthews style, with his arms flailing purposefully to take a blocker out of a play and make his way to the QB. Bradford's is similar, but even more, I guess, unpredictable. Non stop motor. I have hopes that he will turn out to be a great pick for the Packers. 4th Round? Steal.

Who, exactly, will teams be doubling on our front 7? This is going to be awesome. A friend of mine recently pegged this the "Oh Shit!" Defense. Because, that is what our opponents will be saying, every play.

All of a sudden, we are really deep, with a lot of good, solid play makers up there. This is going to be a very different looking defense for the Green Bay Packers. Far better than anything we have seen in some time.

We shall see...
The off season is where hope springs eternal.
We don' t know if we'll head into week one with 3-4 guys injured or all healthy.
Peppers may be finished, or be rejuvenated.
Clay may or may not be the same due to his thumb issue.
Perry may never be able to stay healthy.
Bradford may have too short of arms.
Thornton may be boom or bust.
Our front 7 is dancing in our heads under the very best case scenario and that rarely, if ever, happens.
I keep thinking Eagles and their dream team... total failure.


MM has made these bold proclamations we'll be better on D.
I don't doubt that but by what degree will we be better?
Slight?
Major?
I'll reserve judgment.
Our ILB's still look weak and Ha Ha hasn't played a down next to an underachieving Burnett.
Shields has his big money now... Will he be the same player?
Will any of our young guys show improvement?

The run D scares me to death.
Jolly was a huge part of us being good against it early in the season.
After we lost him, we were freaking terrible.
Jolly is likely done and I don't know if we have anything to replace him with.
Raji is an uninspiring player.
I think our pass D should be better...better pass rush.
Back to run D, Peppers isn't exactly a run stopping wizard coming over from a Chicago line that was abysmal last season.


Lots of wild cards with our UDFA class.
Hoping 1 or 2 can contribute ala Shields from a few years ago.

Temperance is rarely observed but I will bite; You are probably right with everything you just said, but we can hope for the best can't we? I am an optimistic sort of guy. It's in my nature.

Mine too DarkaneRules. Mine too.

This is all on paper. Of course we will have to have a lot of things go right, but, we are due for a change on the injury front, and that would be for the better, because it can't possibly get worse. Add to that, the last time we opened the season against the Super Bowl Champs on a Thursday Night, was the 2010 season where we faced NO, and we went on to win another SB.

So, I think this is going to be a pretty fucking good year for us!

....temperance.... phtuuuu (spit!) [laughing]

DarkaneRules;276520Temperance is rarely observed but I will bite; You are probably right with everything you just said, but we can hope for the best can't we? I am an optimistic sort of guy. It's in my nature.

Absolutely!

I just like a little objectivity with my fandom.
IE:
If I was to go around and look at message boards for the 31 other teams I would find optimism way out of touch with reality.
At the Vikings boards, I watched some of their fans talk about who they wanted and didn't want prior to the draft.
Many were totally against Teddy Bridgewater.
Now, that he's their guy, all of a sudden he's a great pick and he's the one to lead them to the first ring in franchise history.
How is that not laughable?
A week ago you were praying and hoping you drafted anyone but Bridgewater and now you have him and they act like they got the guy they wanted all along.
That stuff doesn't work for me.
I said the one thing I didn't want in Round 1 was a Bama player whether Dix or Mosley.
We got Dix... I will not now change course and think Dix is some kind of answer.
I will continue to be concerned he will never be much of anything other than an upgrade from the woeful MD Jennings which is what I would've felt from a 7th round safety selection.
I was hoping for sizzle players guys with unique measurables.
The D didn't get any of those.
As bad as the D has been, that is a grave concern to me.
So, I hope things are going to be better but I certainly don't, when pressed, believe that all of a sudden we're going to be a defensive powerhouse.
There is no evidence to even suggest that we will be.
We'll need the very best case scenario in order to pull off what many fans have dancing in their heads right now and that is highly unlikely.
I will hope for it, also, knowing that just being a little better is likely the reality with our D.