Jarrett Bush: 2011 Green Bay Packers Evaluation and Report Card

ALLGBP.com All Green Bay Packers All the Time
Packers Defensive Back Jarrett Bush
Jarrett Bush

1) Introduction: Like any other player on the Green Bay Packers’ secondary, 2011 was not exactly a banner year for Jarrett Bush.  Still, he recorded a career high in interceptions (two, but hey it’s still a career high!) and recorded his first NFL sack finishing with one and a half on the season.  Known as a special teams ace, Bush once again was a big contributor on an improved special teams unit.

2) Profile:

Jarrett Bush
Height: 6’0”
Weight:  200
AGE: 27

Career Stats:

3) Expectations coming into the season: Bush made a big interception of Ben Roethlisberger in Super Bowl XLV and played decent ball with Charles Woodson suffering a broken collarbone.  Bush’s expectations for 2011 therefore were to keep improving and be ready to play should Woodson suffer an injury.

 4) Player’s highlights/low-lights:  As it turned out, Bush started two games during the 2011 season.  A big highlight for him came during the regular season finale against the Lions with Woodson and many of the other defensive starters resting up for the divisional playoffs.   The Lions were driving deep in Packers territory when Bush intercepted Matthew Stafford and helped the Packers eek out a 45-41 win over their divisional rivals.

As for the low-light of the year, the hail mary in the playoffs to end the first half against the Giants will go down as the most embarrassing play for the Packers defense in the playoffs since the 4th and 26 debacle in Philadephia.  Bush and Sam Shields allowed THREE Giants receivers to run up the field without jamming them at the line of scrimmage.  The rest of the play is history, unfortunately.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Bush overall made plays when they counted.  He saved a touchdown in the Lions game with his interception deep in Packers territory and against the Atlanta Falcons earlier in the season.  His pick of Matt Ryan and long return helped propel the Packers to victory after trailing 14-3 earlier in the game.

 6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: This is going to sound like a broken record, but the secondary didn’t show up in that game.  The Giants have a tough trio of receivers in Victor Cruz, Mario Mannningham and Hakeem Nicks but the Packers should have been able to force some turnovers and they couldn’t.

Season Report Card:

(B-) Level of expectations met during the season
(C) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(D) Contributions to team during the playoffs

Overall Grade: C-

——————

Kris Burke is a sports writer covering the Green Bay Packers for AllGreenBayPackers.com and WTMJ in Milwaukee. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) and his work has been linked to by sites such as National Football Post and CBSSports.com.

——————

12 thoughts on “Jarrett Bush: 2011 Green Bay Packers Evaluation and Report Card

  1. C- is right on, Kris. He makes his bones on special teams and is an adequate replacement for the DB’s. He can handle Saftey and Corner adequately as a short-term replacement. Unless he improves dramatically he’ll never be a long-term starter. He is definetely worht keeping around, especially for his ST prowess.

    I’m looking forward to your future DB evaluations. this is a key area for revitalizing the defense. Good job Kris!

  2. With Woodson getting older and losing his cover skills, I hope house has a good off season and develops into a solid CB. If not, I hope TT can find a corner in the draft because bush will never be the guy we need him to be

  3. I give the guy credit for his all out play on special teams, and shouldering all that fan hatred for those years and never seeming to let it get him down. the guy has to be tough on the inside and though he will never learn to pick up the ball in man to man coverage, he did learn how not to get called for penalties on special teams.

    1. I’m one of those fans that has hammered hard on J-Bush. I’m glad the Packers kept him, although I hope we don’t have to count on him in the secondary too much.

  4. A contract slightly more than the veteran min. for three years and a low bonus is the most we can afford for an excellent ST player.We can’t give more for a veteran player that is a liability on D.

  5. Here’s the controversial statement of the day:

    Jarret Bush is the closest thing to a replacement for Charles Woodson the Packers have.

    Now, now- put down the torches and the pitchforks for a second.

    No; he’s not a guy who is going to rake in 6 interceptions in year. It’s well documented that Bush has no feel for playing the ball when his back is to the LOS- he just can locate the ball and play it when he’s running down field with a WR.

    ..However…

    Bush is an excellent playmaker when he’s facing the QB, is an exceptional athlete, is VERY aggressive, plays EXTREMELY physical. He’s a great tackler, sure isn’t shy of contact. He’s also very good at the LOS and a pretty good blitzer- that’s why he’s a ST ace, btw.

    Umm, does the above description sound familiar? Yeah, that’s right.. Kinda sounds like another guy the Packers have on the roster. Not a great cover guy anymore, gives up big plays down the field, but excels at roaming the LOS, blitzing, run support, physical tackler as a DB, and playing coverage facing the QB..

    I’m not saying Bush is the next coming of Woodson by any means.. I’m just saying, he’s the only other player on the roster who has the tools to step in and fill the role Wood plays should he go down injured or retire.

    Think outside the box for a second on this one.

    Oh, yeah, and the other thing about Jarrett Bush?

    He’s such a nice boy.

  6. Edit:

    he just **CAN’T** locate the ball and play it when he’s running down field with a WR.

Comments are closed.