Bruschi: Mayo is a Top 3 Linebacker

[Sicilian]

It's the overrating of the flashy plays that does it.

Lewis is way better than Mayo at doing psychotic looking dances whenever he makes a tackle.

 

[SanAngeloState]

What makes him so great? What plays does he make that other LBs can't make? Forced fumbles? Sacks? Or is he better in pass defense? Fighting through blockers? I don't really see anything, but I'm not an expert at judging.

 

[BritPat]

Yeah a 'bust' who is making 11m on his second deal that is worth 34m .

Rather than reading stories on PFT, I suggest you actually watch the Packers play. He's a bust in every sense of the word.

What makes him so great? What plays does he make that other LBs can't make? Forced fumbles? Sacks? Or is he better in pass defense? Fighting through blockers? I don't really see anything, but I'm not an expert at judging.

Lewis? The fact he probably knows the play the offense is about to run better than some of the guys who will actually be running it. His anticipation of the play, his reading of the game, is other-worldly, even now. Granted he's lost several steps, but there's not a play he hasn't seen or a formation he hasn't seen.

Of course, he still piles on and gets involved in the highlight reel moments, but he's still an outstanding Linebacker. At 36. He's phenomenal.

 

[BaltimorePatsFan]

Patrick Willis is a future Hall of Famer and at this point just on another level.

David Harris, Bart Scott, Lawrence Timmons, and Jerod Mayo are IMO the next tier and honestly I have a hard time placing Mayo above any of the other three guys. Hell, even Takeo Spikes and Urlacher are still playing extremely well.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Rather than reading stories on PFT, I suggest you actually watch the Packers play. He's a bust in every sense of the word.

Thanks for the subtle insult.
This is what my friend, a fellow Packers Writer ( Obrienschofieildismyhero) on a Packers blog wrote.

I hate looking at posts on APC where people call Hawk a disappointment, or a bust. He's consistently the among leading tacklers on the Packers, and, for some reason, people think all ILBs taken early in the draft have to be Ray Lewis or James Farrior. Hawk isn't Ray Lewis; he's not going to record 5 INTs a season, but he will consistently chip in anywhere from 5 to 12 tackles a Sunday. Depending on the formation, and what Capers calls in a game, A.J. may not see a lot of time; for example the Packers deployed a TON of 2-4-5 defensive snaps against the Saints, and that's not a system that Hawk has looked good in. Therefore, Hawk doesn't get too much time. But in a true nickel package (classic 4 down lineman, 2 LBs, 3 CBs, and 2 safeties deep), Hawk is probably the best LB we have, and is also a fairly solid ILB in the 3-4.
He's good, but not amazing. If we had taken him at the draft selection where Bobby Carpenter went in the 06 Draft, instead of the top 5, I imagine there would be less BS about Hawk being a bust. Hawk is not a bust. He's a tackling machine who occasionally is in perfect position for INTs and can get pretty good pressure on the QB. He might not have the blazing acceleration of Clay Matthews, but he can provide good pressure up the middle.

Again. If he was a bust, the Packers would not have signed AJ on a new deal and given up a 34 million dollar contract. The reason they cut him for 2 days was b/c of his cap number. He was signed 2 days later and he still got the same amt of pay that was coming to him in 2011.

 

[BeastModeMayo]

Its funny how some fans think just because he doesn't get sacks of picks he isn't a top 3 linebacker and until he starts getting those they won't consider him that. However the fact is he is always around the ball and your foolish if you don't think this guy is at least a top 5 MLB.

 

[Ring 6]

What makes him so great? What plays does he make that other LBs can't make? Forced fumbles? Sacks? Or is he better in pass defense? Fighting through blockers? I don't really see anything, but I'm not an expert at judging.

LB play is very, very instinctual. Reading a play, a blocking scheme, a pattern grouping, etc is what separates great LBs from good ones.
In addition to that, shedding blocks, forcing fumbles (not so much a skill as it is a random result) and coverage skills (again extemely instinctual) are also part of it. Speed is theoretically a big factor, but instinct and ability to read a play has more to do with getting there quicker than footspeed does.
Mayo is the whole package.

 

[Ring 6]

Thanks for the subtle insult.
This is what my friend, a fellow Packers Writer ( Obrienschofieildismyhero) on a Packers blog wrote.


Again. If he was a bust, the Packers would not have signed AJ on a new deal and given up a 34 million dollar contract. The reason they cut him for 2 days was b/c of his cap number. He was signed 2 days later and he still got the same amt of pay that was coming to him in 2011.

Hawk is an excellent LB, and frankly contributes more to the Packer defense than Matthews, even though Matthews has a stat that everyone is fixated on for what he does well.

 

[fair catch fryar]

AJ Hawk is a huge bust.

Ray Lewis is the best Linebacker of all time.

Mayo's terrific.

But not as good as Willis.

Best LB of all time? Maybe to some, but IMO no one touches LT in his prime.

 

[Deus Irae]

Best LB of all time? Maybe to some, but IMO no one touches LT in his prime.

 

[BritPat]

Thanks for the subtle insult.

It wasn't a subtle insult, merely a push to watch the games rather than reading things.

This is what my friend, a fellow Packers Writer ( Obrienschofieildismyhero) on a Packers blog wrote.

Yeah, because a Packers fan will be completely unbiased and impartial on the subject won't he?

And I would particularly point you to the very first sentence where he's calling out other Packers fans for calling him a bust. Why didn't you post their thoughts?

What he says is a load of nonsense anyway. What are you doing drafting a MLB at 5th overall if you're not anticipating he may be the next Ray Lewis, Mike Singletary or Junior Seau? And why shouldn't fans expect them to be? Granted none of this is the fault of the player, but at 5th overall, well, you'd better be at the least, very good.

Then also, he opines that Hawk is basically pants unless he has linemen clearing holes and leaving him uncovered and untouched to make plays. Before damning him with faint praise with the "and is also a fairly solid ILB in the 3-4" line. Durr, you play 3-4?

My favourite bit of that is the final section, calling him a tackling machine. It's no good being a tackling machine if it's 10 yards downfield. Devin McCourty recorded 10 tackles on Monday night. Did he play well? Number of Tackles is the worst stat in the game full stop. Where do they take place? What has he done to make the tackle?

Again. If he was a bust, the Packers would not have signed AJ on a new deal and given up a 34 million dollar contract. The reason they cut him for 2 days was b/c of his cap number. He was signed 2 days later and he still got the same amt of pay that was coming to him in 2011.

How much was guaranteed? $10M? Sounds about right for an average linebacker. Which he is.

The one thing Hawk still has though, is his youth. He's still only 27. Still time to improve.

 

[BritPat]

Hawk is an excellent LB, and frankly contributes more to the Packer defense than Matthews, even though Matthews has a stat that everyone is fixated on for what he does well.

Mathews, whilst being an outstanding pass rusher, is also very very good against the run. And that's the thing anyway about being a threat to the opposition on every down - it makes them worried about you and their gameplan often revolves around you. If your presence is affecting teams that much, it can only be very beneficial to your team, and allow others to make plays.

 

[LasVegasPatsFan]

Mayo is a top 3 LB. He continues to make plays. Today he had that goal line tackle on 4th&1. The forced fumble on Tolbert. He is always around the ball