LB A.J. Hawk (Green Bay Packers)

[OregonBuckeye]

Honestly thought he'd have a hall of fame career. I thought he was about as can't-miss as you could ask for.

[Buckskin86]

Former Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk was in on only nine plays last week for the Packers but led them in tackles against the Browns with eight (seven solos) and three tackles for losses.

Ohio.com - Game feels different for Wright

[Buckskin86]

Hawk's rebirth

A week after playing just nine snaps against Detroit, linebacker A.J. Hawk returned to a prominent role in the defense.

Hawk, who remains a starter but has been relegated to only the base defense, led the Packers with eight tackles (including three for losses).

?I?ve said all week, the last couple of games we played a lot more nickel,? defensive coordinator Dom Capers said. ?But it wasn?t any indication on A.J. I knew he was going to play more today, and I figured he?d play well.?

Capers used more of his base alignment and the ?Big Okie? package against the Browns, which meant Hawk?s snaps increased.

Hawk, whose value to the Packers was widely questioned last week in the media, insisted that had nothing to do with his seemingly inspired performance.

?I wasn?t trying to prove a point or anything,? Hawk said. ?I was just playing normal, but I had some good opportunities today. Some games as a linebacker, you?re kind of set up to make some plays, and some games you?re not. Today was one of those games where I got to run around a little bit. I?ve got to give credit to those guys up front. They took up a lot of blocks.?

Injury puts Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley's status in doubt for Minnesota Vikings game | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

[Buckskin86]

Hawk, Bishop could replace injured Chillar
By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Nov. 2, 2009

Green Bay ? fore the week is out, the Green Bay Packers will have a new nickel linebacker.

Who that is has not yet been determined.

Brandon Chillar broke his hand in the Packers' 38-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, leaving a void in the pass defense. Chillar had surgery Monday and will be out at least several weeks before being allowed to play with heavy padding around his hand.

Chillar plays two big roles for the defense: inside linebacker in the nickel and the fifth linebacker in the team's "Big Oakie" defense. The latter was designed specifically with Chillar in mind and will probably be abandoned while he's out, but the nickel is a staple of coordinator Dom Capers' defense and will require a replacement.

Against the Vikings, backup inside linebacker Desmond Bishop filled in for Chillar in the nickel, playing alongside Nick Barnett. The other option would be to play starter A.J. Hawk there. Hawk has been playing only in the base defense and the "Big Oakie" but has played in the nickel each of the last three years.

"I think A.J. is playing well," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think he had 25 reps in there. We'll look at A.J. and Desmond there. I'm very comfortable with A.J. I think the way he is playing, I think he has been very consistent. Desmond has made some big plays, but I like the consistency of A.J."

Bishop has to become less of a boom-or-bust player for the coaches to trust him. Though he's known to make big hits and force turnovers, he also takes too many chances, and that gets him in trouble.

Against the Vikings, he made a critical error on the screen pass that running back Adrian Peterson turned into a 44-yard gain late in the game. Bishop was supposed to play contain on the screen, but he bit too hard in the middle and allowed guard Steve Hutchinson to take him out of the play.

"He made one critical error at a critical point in the game that's unacceptable," linebackers coach WinstonMoss said. "That being said, it goes back into evaluating whether he's the best guy for that position going into next week. We'll evaluate that. We'll come up with the best scenario to see who should play the position."

Hawk offers assignment security, but Moss wants to see him turn it loose a little more and play with a little more purpose.

Hawk, Bishop could replace injured Chillar - JSOnline

[Buckskin86]

Linebacker Brandon Chillar (hand surgery) has been ruled out. McCarthy said A.J. Hawk will take the majority of snaps in base and nickel defenses this week.

Jenkins regrets going public over frustrations with defense - JSOnline

[Buckskin86]

Quick hits
♦ With Brandon Chillar out this week because of a broken hand, inside linebacker A.J. Hawk will see expanded action in his place in the Packers? nickel defense.

Hawk is a starter, but Chillar replaces him in the nickel. Against several opponents, the Packers have been in their nickel personnel for most of the game, which has limited Hawk?s snaps. He played only 15 snaps in last week?s loss to Minnesota, and for the season he has only 34 tackles. That?s way down from the past three seasons, when he had 155, 129 and 121, respectively.

?I hope to be in there more, obviously,? Hawk said. ?But I?m not going into it trying to prove anything and prove that I should be in or anything like that. It has nothing to do with that. I?m just going to go in there and try to help the team win.?

Green Bay Packers Mark Tauscher gears up for 'game speed' | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

Amid down season, Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk gets a shot Sunday against Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Green Bay Press-Gazette
In Print: Friday, November 6, 2009

PACKERS UPDATE

Hawk gets a shot amid down season

GREEN BAY, Wis. ? With Brandon Chillar out with a broken hand, LB A.J. Hawk will see more time Sunday against the Bucs.

Because the Packers have played five defensive backs extensively this season, Hawk's snaps have been limited.

Sunday against the Vikings, the No. 5 overall pick in 2006 out of Ohio State played only 15. And he has just 34 tackles, down from the past three seasons of 155, 129 and 121, respectively.

But Hawk said he doesn't view this as an opportunity to prove he deserves more playing time. "I'm just going to go in there and try to help the team win," he said. "You like to be in there and get a rhythm, get a feel for the game, feel how they're trying to attack and what they're doing. But ? that's a perfect world."

Asked if his reduced role has hurt him on a personal level, Hawk chuckled.

"It doesn't hurt," he said. "This doesn't do anything to my confidence or how I feel what I can do, personally."

Amid down season, Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk gets a shot Sunday against Tampa Bay Buccaneers - St. Petersburg Times

[Buckskin86]

Time for Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk to showcase skills
November 6, 2009

OK, A.J. Hawk. Here?s your chance.

The former first-round draft pick, who had slipped into a part-time role, is expected to be back in all the Packers? defensive packages this Sunday at Tampa Bay and possibly for several more games.

Hawk has been one of the starting inside linebackers in the base defense but lost his spot in the nickel package to Brandon Chillar. However, Chillar is expected to miss at least two weeks after sustaining a broken hand in last Sunday?s loss to Minnesota. That means Hawk returns to the nickel package ? a defense that coordinator Dom Capers has favored this season.

The Packers chose Hawk over Desmond Bishop, who actually replaced Chillar in the nickel against the Vikings, because he?s more assignment-sure than Bishop, who was at least partially responsible for the 44-yard screen pass to Adrian Peterson that helped seal the game.

But now it?s time for Hawk to show that he?s a playmaker worthy of being the fifth overall pick in the 2006 draft. To date, Hawk has been steady but unspectacular, and that has cost him playing time. Against the Detroit Lions on Oct. 18, Hawk played only nine snaps because Capers used so much nickel.

This stretch of the season could determine Hawks? future with the Packers. He?s due to make $4.1 million next season and unless can show he should be a full-time player, it?s unlikely the Packers would keep him around at that salary.

Time for Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk to showcase skills | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

[JohnnyCockfight]

Is it just my biased opinion, or did the referees just take away a game-winning interception by A.J. Hawk and call him for a hold that wasn't there, a penalty which led to Tampa Bay's game winning touchdown?