Meet the Packers New Middle Linebacker

by Brandon on Nov 13, 2008 1:43 AM CST in News Comment 8 comments

Whoever he is.

With LB Nick Barnett out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear, the Packers will start someone else at middle linebacker for only the 2nd time since he became the full time starter early in 2003. He broke his hand during the 2006 season and missed one game while former Packer LB Abdul Hodge started in his place.

It's expected by most beat writers that LB A.J. Hawk will start in the middle with LB Brady Poppinga and LB Brandon Chillar on the outside. I would agree that Hawk should be in the middle too, but Mike McCarthy isn't saying who will start:

"(Did you decide what to do at linebacker?)
Yes, we're working all the combinations between A.J. Hawk moving to mike, Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop. We're double-training, and also you could put Brady Poppinga into that sort there. We're going to double-train all those guys to make sure we're ready to get in and out of our different personnel groups.

(Any inclination whom to start?)
They're all going to be ready. You guys go to practice. I'm sure you may have an opinion on who's going to be there. We just can't wait to get to Sunday for a number of reasons, particularly who's going to play mike linebacker. A.J. is getting a lot of work there, and we just have to be ready just to be able to move in and out of our different personnel groups."

Poll

Will A.J. Hawk start at middle linebacker?

Yes

46 votes

No

5 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 8 comments |

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Comments

AJ needs to get a neck brace

Then he’ll look like a middle linebacker. He certainly is big enough to be a mike linebacker, though you just know the Bears are going to iso Matt Forte on AJ similar to what the Buc’s did to Barnett with Warrick Dunn.
But lets look at the bright side: AJ Hawk has a hell of a motor, even at less than 100% and now he can focus that motor more at stopping the run.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Nov 13, 2008 2:22 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I am kinda psyched about this...

I wrote the other night how people (mostly fans) speculated on Hawk being more “natural” at middle linebacker…way back when he came in 2006…I feel he could really gel at this position! we shall see and hopefully it can help the run defense…

by PackFaninFL on Nov 13, 2008 11:23 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Moving Barnett

When Hawk and Hodge were drafted in 2006, I thought it meant Barnett was moving to the outside to chase the TE in pass coverage. Instead Hodge stayed on the bench and Hawk was on the weak side. I’ve always thought it was a poor place to put Hawk.

by Brandon on Nov 14, 2008 12:49 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs