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Packers hiring former MN Jerry Gray


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4 hours ago, TENINCH said:

In his defense we had all of our starters sitting for the final Bears game.

True.  Let's throw that out.  0-3 against the Packers and Bears when it counted.  That's not a good look for Zimmer.  Your team was too talented to not get any W's from Chicago or GB.

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On 1/28/2020 at 4:17 PM, Leader said:

Some Jerry Gray data......

Bill Huber:  The Green Bay Packers have filled the lone hole on their coaching staff by hiring Jerry Gray as defensive backs coach.

The hiring was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gray will replace Jason Simmons, who joined new coach Matt Rhule in Carolina. Rhule hired Phil Snow as his defensive coordinator; Snow was an assistant coach at Arizona State during Simmons’ college career.

Gray has no ties to either coach Matt LaFleur or defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. On an otherwise-young staff, the 57-year-old Gray stands out in terms of experience (32 years in the NFL as a player and coach) and age (57).

Gray was defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings under Mike Zimmer from 2014 through 2019. Zimmer elected not to retain Gray at the end of the season. He will inherit a group that’s young but experienced. Starting cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King were the Packers’ top picks in 2018 and 2017, respectively, and Josh Jackson was a second-round pick in 2018. Safeties Adrian Amos (free agent) and Darnell Savage (first round) were added in 2019. They helped the Packers finish sixth in opponent passer rating (after finishing 28th in 2018) and third in interception percentage. Minnesota was 10th in passer rating and fourth in interception percentage.

From a technique perspective, he said he likes to let his players do what they do best rather than rigidly stick to press or off coverage.

“To me, being a teacher, it's your job to figure out what the guy can do best,” Gray said. “And if you can do that, the guy will play for you. Any time a player has success, they're going to love you as a coach. If they don't, they're going to hate you as a coach. That's the bottom line.”

I really liked reading this. I'm all for letting the talent do what they do best,

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Simmons had to be told he was going to be let go, in order for him to take the same position elsewhere. Maybe it coincided with Gray being let go. Simmons was a McCarthy promotion guy who probably wasn't qualified for the job as DB coach. Pettine had to settle with him due to McCarthy and no-one significantly better was available last year.

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19 minutes ago, Fox_NFLs_GG said:

Simmons had to be told he was going to be let go, in order for him to take the same position elsewhere. Maybe it coincided with Gray being let go. Simmons was a McCarthy promotion guy who probably wasn't qualified for the job as DB coach. Pettine had to settle with him due to McCarthy and no-one significantly better was available last year.

Why would you assume that? 

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1 hour ago, Rainmaker90 said:

I really liked reading this. I'm all for letting the talent do what they do best,

Agreed.....and if you apply the concept to the Rhodes FA discussion......

If Rhodes was doing what he did best...yet allowed for an 84% completion rate.....one has to wonder if we really want this guy.
Now - as a general principle - the "let them do what they do best" might sound nice and work out - but theres all sorts of factors that could easily derail it in practice. Notably (and the most obvious) would be injury - to the individual (which would diminish their ability to perform) or those around them (which might mandate a defensive scheme that doesnt work to his strengths) - and I know nothing about either of those factors as it applies to the 2019 MN Vikings.

Edited by Leader
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1 hour ago, Fox_NFLs_GG said:

Simmons had to be told he was going to be let go, in order for him to take the same position elsewhere. Maybe it coincided with Gray being let go. Simmons was a McCarthy promotion guy who probably wasn't qualified for the job as DB coach. Pettine had to settle with him due to McCarthy and no-one significantly better was available last year.

The DC in Carolina was Simmons' DC during his college years at Arizona St. It makes a lot of sense for him to go somewhere he has a 20+ odd year connection with as opposed to his situation in GB.

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1 hour ago, Arthur Penske said:

Not based on the only data available, 2019-2020, LaFluer replicated Zimmer's most successful season in his first go at it.

That wasn't the point of Steelking's post.  I was agreeing with his comment that GB overachieved and Minny underachieved this season, based upon expectations.  His comment had nothing to do with Zimmer vs. LaFluer.

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9 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

That wasn't the point of Steelking's post.  I was agreeing with his comment that GB overachieved and Minny underachieved this season, based upon expectations.  His comment had nothing to do with Zimmer vs. LaFluer.

A subtle disagreement........

MN didnt underachieve this season. They couldnt. They're entire history is one of underachievement. It's their norm. So when considering their 2019 season, I say they played up to their averages :)

(p.s. thats kind of a joke left for any MN fans who may wander by.......)

Edited by Leader
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1 minute ago, Leader said:

A subtle disagreement........

MN didnt underachieve this season. They couldnt. They're entire history is one of underachievement. It's their norm. So when considering their 2019 season, I say they played up to their averages :)

(p.s. thats kind of a joke left for any MN fans who may wander by.......)

Careful.  GB is permanently locked into Minny fans brains, and they have a long memory.  If and when GB regresses next season, they'll assuredly find this post, lol.  

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1 hour ago, Sasquatch said:

That wasn't the point of Steelking's post.  I was agreeing with his comment that GB overachieved and Minny underachieved this season, based upon expectations.  His comment had nothing to do with Zimmer vs. LaFluer.

Either our reading comprehension is different or you're referring to a different post.

23 hours ago, Arthur Penske said:
On ‎1‎/‎29‎/‎2020 at 6:44 AM, SteelKing728 said:

I think Minnesota decided to let Gray due to the regression/lack of progression of our defensive backfield (with the exception of Anthony Harris). It didn't help that Hughes was coming

 

back from a torn ACL either.

This isn't a bad hire, but maybe not a great one either. Can't blame LaFleur trying to catch up to the best coach in the NFC North though!

 

Guy who he swept in his first season? Are you as bitter as Zimmer?

 

Image result for matt lafleur mike zimmer

 

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