Davon House 2013 Green Bay Packers Evaluation and Report Card

ALLGBP.com All Green Bay Packers All the Time
Packers CB Davon House
Packers CB Davon House

1) Introduction: Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, House, while often showing flashes in training camp, had only suited up for 11 games in his first two seasons. Part of a crowded group of cornerbacks along with Sam Shields, Tramon Williams, Casey Hayward and Micah Hyde, the injury bug forced House into the lineup, as he was able to avoid the training room in his third year, appearing in all 16 games for the Packers. House is cut out of the Al Harris mold–from his 6’1″ frame to his No. 31 and dreadlocks. House could be a beneficiary of the trickle-down effect should Williams and/or Shields move on from Green Bay.

2) Profile: Davon House

  • Age: 24
  • Born: 7/10/1989 in Van Nuys , CA
  • Height: 6’1″
  • Weight: 195
  • College: New Mexico State
  • Rookie Year: 2011
  • NFL Experience: 3 years

Career Stats and more

3) Expectations coming into the season: Before the season, the rookie (Hyde) wasn’t expected to play a significant role on defense, so the three “starters” were expected to come out of a four-man battle fought between House, Williams, Shields and Hayward. Obviously, Hayward’s bid for early-season playing time was exterminated by injury, and Hyde stepped up to the plate. After not winning a starting job to start the season, the outlook for House’s season was cloudy.

4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Pro Football Focus would say House played the best game of his career against the Cleveland Browns in October. He helped blanket breakout-star Josh Gordon, limiting the All-Pro to just two catches on the day; House, himself, caught a pass, as he intercepted Brandon Weeden on fourth down. But while appearing in all 16 games was a big step for House, he went through a rough patch late in the season. After playing 67 snaps on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions, House’s playing time fizzled as the regular season wrapped up, playing just five snaps over the course of the final four games. At one point, the coaching staff opted for Jarrett Bush over House.

5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: House failed the earn a starting job in training camp, but opportunities were plentiful as the season went on. With Shields out of the lineup for two games, Hayward on the sideline for all but 88 plays and Hyde still a rookie, House played more than he may have anticipated and did a solid job overall. Did he do enough to make the front office and coaching staff believe he’s a starting-caliber player? Probably not, but we’ll find out.

6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Everyone remembers the final play of the game; House nearly blocked Phil Dawson’s game-winning field goal, which would have forced overtime. Of course, that’s if House wasn’t flagged for offsides, which he was. House played fairly well in the playoffs, as he was on the field for all but three of San Francisco’s 64 snaps and allowed four completions on eight targets, including one pass deflection.

Season Report Card:

(C) Level of expectations met during the season

(C) Contributions to team’s overall success.

(C) Contributions to team during the playoffs

Overall Grade: C

——————

Follow @MJEversoll

Marques is a Journalism student, serving as the Sports Editor of UW-Green Bay\'s campus newspaper The Fourth Estate and a Packers writer at Jersey Al\'s AllGBP.com. Follow Marques on Twitter @MJEversoll.

——————

22 thoughts on “Davon House 2013 Green Bay Packers Evaluation and Report Card

  1. House has the physical tools but he makes way too many mental mistakes. The fact that Micah Hyde got the playing time over House tells you that something is not quite right here. I am hoping that the coin drops for him because he has the size to play against these big receivers.

    1. The fact that Hyde got more time may very well be due to the fact that he was better-suited to fill Hayward’s slot-CB role than House.

      That said, there are times when House would be out there, playing physical and battling receivers, and times when he looked just plain lost. I agree: the light goes on, and he plays more consistently and he’ll be a great asset.

      But, if this is all House will ever be, the Packers better be looking CB early in the upcoming draft if Shields or Williams go.

    2. House looked great some games last year, too.

      Is it match-ups? My impression is he is better against Megatron/Marshall than smaller guys.

      Is it scheme? Seems to play man better than zone.

      Is it trying to make up for a safety other than Burnett who WILL blow his assignment and make a corner look bad?

    3. House looked great some games last year, too.

      Is it match-ups? My impression is he is better against Megatron/Marshall than smaller guys.

      Is it scheme? Seems to play man better than zone.

      Is it trying to make up for a safety other than Burnett who WILL blow his assignment and make a corner look bad?

    1. What regression?

      He’s a kid learning how to play CB in the NFL. That’s a long way from New Mexico St. If you didn’t think there would be ups and downs along the way, you have unrealistic expectations. All but the very best at CB have plenty of down moments. It’s the nature of the position. A 4th round kid making such a huge jump in competition is no exception to that rule.

      When Shields got hurt early vs SF in the playoffs, they turned to House and he held up ok. Yeah, he got the benefit of officials that were letting them play. But he’s certainly not the only CB to try to get away with stuff.

      1. “Yeah, he got the benefit of officials that were letting them play. But he’s certainly not the only CB to try to get away with stuff.”

        Not only did he look like Rev. Harris (#31, measurables), but he was grabbing like him, too.

        1. I really like his physical play. You hear it said all the time play physical until they call it. Unless a DB can shut a receiver down completely without touching him, he should play to the limit the officials allow.

          He was great early against SF.

          1. Harris and Woodson made the grabbing into an art form. Sure, they’d have a couple calls go against them over the course of a game, but they’d frustrate receivers and rarely gave up a big play.

      2. Let him learn on the Vikings or the Bears this is not grade school for nfl wannabe’s. He and his com padres are the reason the packer defense stunk up the league.

        1. Palmda,

          It’s a good thing an attitude like yours did not carry the day when it came to signing Tramon Williams or Sam Shields. Both guys needed to learn how to play in the NFL. They both learned in GB. And things worked out rather well for the Packers because of it.

          Mike Sherman was a GM that thought guys should learn how to play elsewhere. In the space of a few years as GM, he transformed a young talented team into a one that was lacking in talent and depth, with the bonus of major cap problems. No thanks to going back to those days.

  2. House’s one deficit that all the coaching and maturing in the world won’t fix is the lack of ‘quicks’ and make-up or closing speed.

    When I watch him on the field, he looks like he forgot to take off the ankle weights before he got dressed.

    I think he’s a case where the early hope of what he might grow into has been grounded by the reality that he’s not a very good NFL DB. Backup for sure, Nickel or Dime guy maybe, hopefully for another team.

    1. My guess is that we’ll see a greater number of teams gambling on taller corners like House as time goes by. He might be the poster-child for how those guys turn out.

      1. I totally agree, Dobber.

        Passing offenses are getting really good as using the basketball rebounding principle of “boxing out” to complete passes. The tell their big, physical pass catchers (WR or TE) to get to a spot in such a way that their body shields the DB from being able to stop the completion.

        DBs with the size and length to deal with that are something every NFL team wants these days.

  3. In our defensive backfield, the Packers have 3 legitimate NFL starters; Shields, Williams and Hayward. The rest including House are either backup/role players, inexperienced like Hyde, Banjo and Richardson or incapable like Burnett and Jennings. House may evolve into a starting corner with more playing time but he has not yet shown that he can play CB full time. Is Shields and Williams remain with the team and stay healthy I am not sure of House’s role beyond backup CB. Thanks, Since ’61

    1. Nick Collins didn’t show he could play Safety till his 4th year. Both he and House are small school guys that have the physical tools. Not to say House will be a great CB but he very well could become a good starter. BTW Al Harris wasn’t a starter till he got to GB. He come in in the nickel package and play outside w/ Vincent moving to the slot.

      1. Great points. we not yet have seen House’s best play. He has been brilliant at times, if he becomes consistent, he he could be great.

  4. House showed he had been developing reasonably well as an outside corner. Hopefully he isn’t forced to cover slot receivers in the future, because I think his most effective play is against physical, tall possession receivers.

    I think he is being groomed to one day replace Williams. I’d feel better if that issue doesn’t occur next season.

  5. Did you really watch this guy. He looked like a deer in the head lights all season. He constantly chases the receivers around only showing up long after the ball was caught. This guy and Newhouse should not even be in the NFL. I hope they cut him soon, if they haven’t already.

    1. I watched. They must have put different games on my TV than yours because that is not what I saw from House.

      I do agree about Newhouse, tho.

  6. When I watched House, I saw a guy that was very often in position to make the play. He just didn’t. If he continues to learn and his luck turns, he could be much better than you think.

Comments are closed.