It sounds so simple, but those are the things that wrecked the Green Bay Packers’ defense far too often last season.
So it’s no wonder the team’s new defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine, china nfl jersey wholesale has put that message out to his players even before they officially go to work on Monday, when the offseason workout program begins.
“He wasn’t going to let anything fly if you’re a Pro Bowler or a rookie coming in,” Martinez said. “I think that was kind of the cool stance hearing from him and talking to him about that because that was one of my things that I wanted to voice my opinion on, just making sure everyone is on the right page at the right time and nothing is confused going into Sunday or Monday or Thursday games. It’s going to be interesting to see how we implement that kind of going into this OTA process.”
It’s perhaps one reason coach Mike McCarthy reduced the number of former players on his coaching staff. The thinking could have been that former players go softer on current players when it comes to grading their performances.
The goal, of course, is to put an end to the pre-snap confusion that befell the Packers at times last season under former defensive coordinator Dom Capers.
Who could forget the first-quarter play against the Vikings in Week 16 when linebacker Jake Ryan’s back was to the ball at the snap? Ryan appeared to be out of position, and safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix looked like he tried to direct him. By that time, quarterback Case Keenum already had the ball in his hand, ready to give it to running back Latavius Murray. The play went right toward Ryan’s spot, and by the time he turned around he already was being blocked. The play went for the easiest 11 yards Murray would ever gain before Clinton-Dix ran him out of bounds.
Martinez could play a key role in correcting those issues.
The studious Martinez, a fourth-round pick from Stanford in 2016, might be just the player to take over the communication helmet full-time from departed safety Morgan Burnett, who signed with the Steelers in free agency. nfl gear for women Burnett was often the one who received the defensive call from Capers and then relayed it in the huddle. Only one player is allowed to have the speaker helmet at a time, but Martinez was usually the backup.
