ATL - 2026 Playoffs - Harbaugh to Giants

Post #1541 » by **MickeyDavis** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 7:11 pm

The big drop in turnovers is weird. We dropped some INTs but that happens to every team every year. Sometimes luck is involved, deflections, etc. We went from 17 to 7 (the Jets somehow had none). Last year we recovered 14 fumbles, this year 7.

BUCKnation · Post #1542 » by **BUCKnation** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 7:35 pm

Turnovers are generally a luck stat imo. The Bears are pretty terrible in every aspect of defense but turnovers and most of their turnovers aren't something that can be relied upon. In our case, I think opponent game plan of never really attempting to push it down the field has hurt us. Every team we play wants to dink and dunk it down the field and we've, more or less, been happy to let them.

This is also somewhat on MLF for also wanting to slow down the game on offense for some reason. If we could ever get 3 score lead, our turnovers would probably be up. It's one aspect of this season that I've been very annoyed with and I think if we actually played with some pace to start the game, we'd be in a better place now.

With Micah and historically ball-hawking db's, we have to ingredients to get a lot of turnovers, but just haven't.

RRyder823 · Post #1543 » by **RRyder823** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 7:36 pm

Ron Swanson wrote:
RRyder823 wrote:I might be the only Packers fan thats not understanding the buzz with Hafley getting so much consideration for head coaching jobs.

Dont get me wrong I think hes proven to be a good coordinator and the best we've had in GB in a while.

But even before the injuries decimated our front line the D did have some consistency issues and a lack TOs has been an issue all season

I dunno maybe its me but in the modern NFL im only considering a D coordinator for a HC gig if theyve managed to run top 3 units consistently or a guy who manages to make bad D talent look good

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Can't really operate this way in the modern NFL unfortunately. The good coordinators get scooped up too fast, so you can't be the organization that just twiddles their thumbs because you wanna see a larger, multi-season sample size. You identify your guy and you have to pounce, sometimes even before the playoffs start. Just gotta hope he's the right guy because there's always risk. I'd say people are looking just as much at what Hafley did last season without Parsons where the defense was also an elite takeaway unit. Turnover variance is very much a thing.

I agree to extent. Just saying i haven't seen a whole lot that make me say he's an "elite" coordinator. Good yes. But I guess im not seeing how hes been elite as last years D was a top unit largely based off TOs (which i agree are high variance)

I don't want this to come off seeming as me bashing Hafley as I think hes a good coordinator. I dont want him to leave. I think hes good at what he does. Im just having trouble seeing how a defensive coordinator (who hasnt proven to be an elite coordinator) is generating so much buzz

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RRyder823 · Post #1544 » by **RRyder823** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 7:43 pm

BUCKnation wrote:Turnovers are generally a luck stat imo. The Bears are pretty terrible in every aspect of defense but turnovers and most of their turnovers aren't something that can be relied upon. In our case, I think opponent game plan of never really attempting to push it down the field has hurt us. Every team we play wants to dink and dunk it down the field and we've, more or less, been happy to let them.

This is also somewhat on MLF for also wanting to slow down the game on offense for some reason. If we could ever get 3 score lead, our turnovers would probably be up. It's one aspect of this season that I've been very annoyed with and I think if we actually played with some pace to start the game, we'd be in a better place now.

With Micah and historically ball-hawking db's, we have to ingredients to get a lot of turnovers, but just haven't.

I agree theres a fair amount of luck in turning over the ball and argue its due to the vast majority of TOs are based on the offense **** up way more then the D doing something great.

At least in regards to interceptions. How many times after a pick are you thinking "Wth was the QB thinking" or "you just gotta take the sack there" or "the WR ran the wrong route"?

Versus yeah the D just made a great play (Surtain pick against us comes to mind)

Forced fumbles are a little different as ill give the D more credit for ripping a ball away but even then how many times do you think "two hands on the ball you bastard"? lol

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Treebeard · Post #1545 » by **Treebeard** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 7:51 pm

I would think a high level of pressure on a QB leads to more INTs, but it's not just the Edge rushers applying the pressure. How many times do we see across the NFL, where an interior lineman, or a blitzing backer tipping, or just slightly deflecting a pass?

Ron Swanson · Post #1546 » by **Ron Swanson** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 8:09 pm

I mean, Jaire had more INT's in 7-games last season than Nixon, Hobbs, and Valentine had combined in 17-games this season. Bad corner play + teams just not throwing deep/at McKinney anymore + usual year-to-year variance and there's your easy explanation for why the turnovers plummeted. None of which I'd put at Hafley's feet. Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a starting corner with worse "stone hands" than Carrington Valentine in all my years of watching football. Prime Woodson, Collins, Tramon, and Sam Shields, this group is not.....

RRyder823 · Post #1547 » by **RRyder823** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 8:18 pm

Treebeard wrote:I would think a high level of pressure on a QB leads to more INTs, but it's not just the Edge rushers applying the pressure. How many times do we see across the NFL, where an interior lineman, or a blitzing backer tipping, or just slightly deflecting a pass?

Sure preasure obviously is going help force mistakes by the offense. But its still a mistake. Yin/Yang

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BUCKnation · Post #1548 » by **BUCKnation** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 8:55 pm

RRyder823 wrote:
BUCKnation wrote:Turnovers are generally a luck stat imo. The Bears are pretty terrible in every aspect of defense but turnovers and most of their turnovers aren't something that can be relied upon. In our case, I think opponent game plan of never really attempting to push it down the field has hurt us. Every team we play wants to dink and dunk it down the field and we've, more or less, been happy to let them.

This is also somewhat on MLF for also wanting to slow down the game on offense for some reason. If we could ever get 3 score lead, our turnovers would probably be up. It's one aspect of this season that I've been very annoyed with and I think if we actually played with some pace to start the game, we'd be in a better place now.

With Micah and historically ball-hawking db's, we have to ingredients to get a lot of turnovers, but just haven't.
I agree theres a fair amount of luck in turning over the ball and argue its due to the vast majority of TOs are based on the offense **** up way more then the D doing something great.

At least in regards to interceptions. How many times after a pick are you thinking "Wth was the QB thinking" or "you just gotta take the sack there" or "the WR ran the wrong route"?

Versus yeah the D just made a great play (Surtain pick against us comes to mind)

Forced fumbles are a little different as ill give the D more credit for ripping a ball away but even then how many times do you think "two hands on the ball you bastard"? lol

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Yeah, using the Bears again as an example, they basically have no pass rush and the turnovers they've been getting leave you scratching your head as a neutral.

Matches Malone · Post #1549 » by **Matches Malone** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 9:20 pm

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Matches Malone · Post #1550 » by **Matches Malone** » Mon Jan 5, 2026 10:03 pm

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Profound23 · Post #1551 » by **Profound23** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 7:50 pm

Have to hope at least one NFC road team wins because if not it will be Panthers at Bears in the divisional round and potentially Eagles at Bears in NFC title game which would be the easiest path imo.

Post #1552 » by **MickeyDavis** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 8:06 pm

Morris. Good lord. Very few retread coaches should be considered. Stafanski probably but that's it.

M-C-G · Post #1553 » by **M-C-G** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:06 pm

RRyder823 wrote:
Ron Swanson wrote:
RRyder823 wrote:I might be the only Packers fan thats not understanding the buzz with Hafley getting so much consideration for head coaching jobs.

Dont get me wrong I think hes proven to be a good coordinator and the best we've had in GB in a while.

But even before the injuries decimated our front line the D did have some consistency issues and a lack TOs has been an issue all season

I dunno maybe its me but in the modern NFL im only considering a D coordinator for a HC gig if theyve managed to run top 3 units consistently or a guy who manages to make bad D talent look good

Sent from my SM-S918U using RealGM mobile app

Can't really operate this way in the modern NFL unfortunately. The good coordinators get scooped up too fast, so you can't be the organization that just twiddles their thumbs because you wanna see a larger, multi-season sample size. You identify your guy and you have to pounce, sometimes even before the playoffs start. Just gotta hope he's the right guy because there's always risk. I'd say people are looking just as much at what Hafley did last season without Parsons where the defense was also an elite takeaway unit. Turnover variance is very much a thing.

I agree to extent. Just saying i haven't seen a whole lot that make me say he's an "elite" coordinator. Good yes. But I guess im not seeing how hes been elite as last years D was a top unit largely based off TOs (which i agree are high variance)

I don't want this to come off seeming as me bashing Hafley as I think hes a good coordinator. I dont want him to leave. I think hes good at what he does. Im just having trouble seeing how a defensive coordinator (who hasnt proven to be an elite coordinator) is generating so much buzz

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Could be that he is an excellent leader, kind of the most important part of being a head coach.

Profound23 · Post #1554 » by **Profound23** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:19 pm

M-C-G wrote:
RRyder823 wrote:
Ron Swanson wrote:
Can't really operate this way in the modern NFL unfortunately. The good coordinators get scooped up too fast, so you can't be the organization that just twiddles their thumbs because you wanna see a larger, multi-season sample size. You identify your guy and you have to pounce, sometimes even before the playoffs start. Just gotta hope he's the right guy because there's always risk. I'd say people are looking just as much at what Hafley did last season without Parsons where the defense was also an elite takeaway unit. Turnover variance is very much a thing.

I agree to extent. Just saying i haven't seen a whole lot that make me say he's an "elite" coordinator. Good yes. But I guess im not seeing how hes been elite as last years D was a top unit largely based off TOs (which i agree are high variance)

I don't want this to come off seeming as me bashing Hafley as I think hes a good coordinator. I dont want him to leave. I think hes good at what he does. Im just having trouble seeing how a defensive coordinator (who hasnt proven to be an elite coordinator) is generating so much buzz

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Could be that he is an excellent leader, kind of the most important part of being a head coach.

I also don't want this to come off as bashing Hafley, I am good with him as a DC. But his record at Boston College was 22-25:

Year-by-Year Breakdown:
2020: 6-5
2021: 6-6
2022: 3-9
2023: 7-6

If I am looking for a head coach there is no way I am considering Hafley this year UNLESS this Packer defense just comes out and stomps everyone in the postseason. Hafley is not ready for a HC job imo but I could be wrong.

Also, if we lose him there are a lot of capable candidates out there.

Post #1555 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:19 pm

I'd much, much rather have leader/culture guy than a guy who's probably better off as a coordinator.

MoMM · Post #1556 » by **MoMM** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:31 pm

ReasonablySober wrote:I'd much, much rather have leader/culture guy than a guy who's probably better off as a coordinator.

I don't think so, imagine having a leader who relies on his OC/DC and we know that both positions change a lot, it would be a mess, we have a good playoff run and we lose one or both of them, then we have to find a new OC and/or DC.

Matches Malone · Post #1557 » by **Matches Malone** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:36 pm

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Post #1558 » by **ReasonablySober** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:38 pm

MoMM wrote:
ReasonablySober wrote:I'd much, much rather have leader/culture guy than a guy who's probably better off as a coordinator.

I don't think so, imagine having a leader who relies on his OC/DC and we know that both positions change a lot, it would be a mess, we have a good playoff run and we lose one or both of them, then we have to find a new OC and/or DC.

I think good coordinators are a dime a dozen. The hot ones come and go every year and they're almost always dependent on the talent on the field. What I want out of my head coach is someone who can develop a proper, winning culture.

Matches Malone · Post #1559 » by **Matches Malone** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 9:57 pm

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MVP2110 · Post #1560 » by **MVP2110** » Tue Jan 6, 2026 10:02 pm

It's not an accident that when you look at the top coaches in the NFL a vast majority are offensive guys. Reid, Shanahan, McVay, Payton, MLF, KOC, etc. The top new guys this year are Ben Johnson & Liam Coen. It's possible to find a Harbaugh or Vrabel but it's much harder. There isnt a single coach available that I'd rather have over MLF. Looking at culture guys like Sirianni & Campbell and it's not an accident their teams fell off after they lost their good coordinators.