Zero2Cool
14 years ago
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Injuries hampered his effectiveness

Green Bay - With a 4-inch thick playbook bursting with opportunity tucked under his right arm, Atari Bigby tried to calm himself.

For the first time in months, I'm nearly healthy.

Deep breath.

I'm going to play the same position as Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Deep breath.

I'm on the cusp of being a big-time playmaker in this league.

Deep breath.

Yes, it's enough to make a guy get too far ahead of himself, which is exactly why the Green Bay Packers' strong safety was making like a yoga student.

"Listen, I'm going to have fun," Bigby said Thursday. "I'm going to have fun in this defense and I'm so excited. I'm just trying to be calm right now just because of this season I'm coming off. That was a humbling season."

That might be an understatement.

After spending most of two seasons on the Packers' practice squad, Bigby finally got a chance to play in 2007. He responded by starting all 16 games (plus two in the playoffs), finishing third on the team with 121 tackles and second with 95 solo takedowns.

Most figured that season would provide the launching point for a breakout '08 campaign for the physical tone setter on the Packers' defense.

But after spraining his ankle in the third exhibition game, Bigby's season devolved into an injury-filled mess. He only played in seven games (six starts). When he did play, he was torched by running backs and burned by receivers.

But he was battered. More so than anybody outside the Packers knew.

"You guys don't even know how bad it was," Bigby said. "But it was something serious. But I wasn't at liberty to explain it."

The Packers, like many National Football League teams, do not like their players talking about the extent of their injuries.

If an opponent knew Bigby's ankle was the ailment that gave him problems all season - more than the hamstring and shoulder injuries that were also put on the injury report - they might alter their game plans to take advantage.

According to the injury reports the Packers filed with the league, Bigby's ankle was only a problem in Week 1 and Week 13. A hamstring injury against Detroit in Week 3 kept him out of the next five games. A shoulder injury was listed as his injury in Weeks 14 and 15 when he did not play.

He was not listed as injured during Weeks 9-12, so he was presumed to be completely healthy.

But he wound up being benched at times in Week 10 (at Minnesota) and Week 12 (at New Orleans) because injuries left him ineffective.

Even when he was placed on injured reserve Dec. 18, the reason stated in the team's press release was a shoulder injury.

Eight days later he had ankle surgery in Charlotte, N.C.

Often, the gray areas left open to teams by the injury report policy can lead to the wrong impression of a player.

"In some ways but you know what, I think if you know a player then you just trust that whoa, that's not the same guy. You know what I mean?" Bigby said. "And the whole season last year, I mean from Game 1 on, that wasn't me. But I try to be a team player and I stuck it out for them even through the pain. I wanted to show them that I was there for them."

Bigby would not say if he had an issue with the way the Packers handled his injury.

"I might go down taking the blame and I might look like a bad player for it but that's me, you know what I mean? That's the way I handle my business," Bigby said. "When I have a guy's back, I've got your back."

Soon, Bigby is going to have his injury woes fully behind him. When that happens, he'll be able to assert himself as a playmaking machine in the mold of Polamalu, who has thrived in Pittsburgh's similar scheme.

It's a role Bigby seems perfect for.

"I think we want to get Atari back to 2007 and that's his goal," said safeties coach Darren Perry, who tutored Polamalu with the Steelers. "He's eager to get back out there, but he knows he has to be a little bit patient and not rush it. Our goal is to get him back to that form and get him comfortable in this system so he can go out and show what kind of player he's going to be."

Until then, Bigby's going to be taking a lot of deep breaths.

"I don't want to talk about what I think or whatever," Bigby said. "I just want to go out and play when it's time."


UserPostedImage
Dulak
14 years ago
I hope to see bigby kick some ... no more missed tackles from this guy
Bigbyfan
14 years ago
He is gonna be a big part to our defensive success this year. He is gonna be a playmaker for us.... at least I hope 😉
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dfosterf (32m) : Maybe
Mucky Tundra (45m) : Yes
Zero2Cool (1h) : No.
Mucky Tundra (4h) : End of a Degu-era
dhazer (4h) : Steelers sign Patterson because of new kickoff rule interesting
Zero2Cool (7h) : Former #Packers TE Josiah Deguara is signing a 1-year deal with the Jaguars, per source.
Zero2Cool (8h) : They do not do it for "content sake".
dfosterf (18h) : For the record, I enjoy Beast and Mucky drafts
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Haha
Mucky Tundra (27-Mar) : No time for talking! Back to work beast!
beast (27-Mar) : You saw only 4,201 of my mocks? 🥺 I think that means you missed more than half of them 😢
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Does anyone know what Lambeau field improvements got put on hold? My guess would be for the 2025 draft
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : It's like listen, you made 4,201 mocks, no shit.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Cuz during the draft "I had them mocked there!" as if it's amazing.
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : They're fun to do once in awhile. It's people who think they are "content" that annoy me.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Against tbd
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Answer to your question is yes, it's a Thursday, will be the Chiefs aga
dfosterf (27-Mar) : Luckily for all concerned, I don't post them. I did one, but that was like 25 mocks ago
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : NFL 2024 gonna start Sept 5th isn't it???
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Ugh... kids these days!
dfosterf (27-Mar) : I'm gonna go do some more mock draft hell instead 🤪
Zero2Cool (27-Mar) : Did we do one of those prediction threads yet for 2024 season?
dfosterf (27-Mar) : In my city, they are playing the nimby game, in order to keep some railroad tracks vs. 2 professional sports teams and a concert venue.
dfosterf (27-Mar) : And/Or a city council, of which I haven't seen a good one in a very long time
dfosterf (27-Mar) : That sounds like a Mayor, not a city.
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers halt scheduled 80mil upgrade of stadium until lease agreement talks are restarted
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : City of Green Bay puts Packers' Lambeau Field lease talks on hold
buckeyepackfan (26-Mar) : Packers 1 of 3 teams to vote no on new kickoff rule.
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Packers sign another Kicker
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Lengthy explanation at PFF if you click the link
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Kickoff rules officially changed.ngthy explan
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : lol
Cheesey (26-Mar) : 2009? No thanks! One open heart surgery is enough!
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Good for you!
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Yes. That's the one.
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Is that "Lady Dugan" per chance?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Crystal?
dfosterf (26-Mar) : Please refresh my memory
Zero2Cool (26-Mar) : Alan posts. Crystal back in my life. It's 2009 all over again! Lol
Mucky Tundra (26-Mar) : BAH GAWD! THAT'S CHEESEYS MUSIC!
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Gutekunst said early stages of Jordan Love contract being discussed.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Shouldn't be penalized cuz official screwed up
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Yeah, challenge until you are incorrect twice.
Zero2Cool (25-Mar) : Fining them is the goal, per the people who made the rule anyway.
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still waiting on the kickoff rule changes. Did hear yesterday that the touchback proposal will now be the 30 yard line, not the 35
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Probably speed of game issues with your proposal
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Hopefully the refs don't get in the habit of throwing flags on this
beast (25-Mar) : I think when it comes to Challenges should get two strikes, so unlimited challenges as long as they keep winning them, but 2 wrong then done
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Still subject to the fines etc
dfosterf (25-Mar) : Yes, I should have been more specific. Also, they are now saying it would be a 15 yard penalty. That makes more sense .
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