Cornerback Tramon Williams and I agree on at least one thing — the Green Bay Packers defense was terrible in 2011.
While the Packers offense was shredding opponents, the defense looked a lot like the Keystone Kops and ended up ranked dead last in the NFL.
Williams was quick to point out the team’s league-leading interception total, which covered up some flaws, but also admitted the Packers defense wasn’t good last season.
“Obviously, I couldn’t do what I want to do,” Williams said. “But at the end of the day, (did) we have a terrible defense? Yeah, we did, but we were productive out there. We did what we’ve always done. We turned the ball over. We have some things to build off now. We have some more pieces to the puzzle and we’re excited about it, and just ready to get back out there now.”
The Packers addressed the problem this offseason, largely by putting together a defense-heavy draft. All of the team’s picks came on that side of the ball, with the exception of tackle Andrew Datko and quarterback B.J. Coleman. Both were seventh-round picks.
Will it be enough?
Williams thinks so.
“I was convinced when we finished the season, the day that we lost I was convinced,” said Williams of the defense improving in the upcoming season. “Obviously, we know that the guys upstairs were going to get us some help, and they did that. We’re excited about the guys we brought in. To sit here and watch them practice every day, they open up eyes with something every day.”
While that’s all well and good, part of the equation for the Packers improving is Williams returning to form. He suffered a shoulder injury in week one of the 2011 season and still isn’t back to 100 percent.
If he can return to his 2010 form, that should take care of some of the holes in the Packers’ pass defense.
If the Pack can have just an average defense they should roll over most teams.
I was surprised just how good (and bad) ALL the teams played last season. The Packers may not have taken home the Lombadi, but they proved that they can still play awesome football without much (if any) spring/summer training. Granted a better defense may have clinched a Super Bowl win, but we will never know. Face 2011 was a strange yea for the NFL. Good luck and Godspeed in the 2012 season Packers.
Totally agree.
Anyone who watched a game last year knows the Defense was terrible. Yet another player with a gift for stating the obvious.