Don't blame Capers, blame Ted.

The point was not about comparing the stats and teams side by side. The point was that you don't have to win a SB every to be considered a good coordinator. And winning in the playoffs doesn't necessarily mean you're a great coordinator either...what is Steve Spagnuolo doing now? He's a position coach somewhere. Terrible DC, but he had unreal talent in '09, won a SB, and all the sudden he was hot stuff. Once he left New York he didn't throw together a competent defense anywhere. Give any coordinator the talent and he will look like a geenyous. Even good coordinators can struggle when they don't have the horses...just as Dick Lebeau this year. 

To be clear, you are suggesting there is a talent shortage and TT is to blame?

Reality probably is that it's a combination of slightly inferior talent and slightly inferior coaching.  Given that TT has shown ability to provide superior talent on the other side of the ball, the solution should be obvious. 

Improve the coaching by getting someone who can do more with the slightly inferior talent.   If we stick with Dom too long we run the risk of wasting the window of Rodgers best years.   Sure, there is a risk the new guy will be worse, but after this many years of watching him fail, it's a risk worth taking IMO.

Yeah think I've been pretty vocal that I think the order of blame goes: players, Thompson, Capers/position coaches. Players have to execute, it's what they get paid for. Thompson needs to give him better talent than MD Jennings, Nate Palmer, and Jarrett Bush. You say we should find a DC who can do more with the inferior talent, why don't we save time and just improve the talent and keep our current DC? He has shown when he has talent to work with like Nick Collins, Charles Woodson, and Cullen Jenkins then he can field a championship D. 

>>THIS>> I couldn't have agreed more.

 

Palmer and Bush are on the roster for ST play and are not really expected to see the field on defense. Jennings I agree with though.

It's worth noting that the guy Lacy steamrolled on his 4yd TD in NY was named Cullen Jenkins. Woodson is a better option than Jennings. But barely. Good bet Woodson is missing time this year if he's still a Packer As well. 

 

Collins is the groin kick that Ted has no choice but to do over. Not fair a GM is forced to find pro bowl talent twice for the same position but that's just the way things worked out. 

 

Ive said it before. I just want to see all the defensive picks over the past 3 years all healthy, go through camp together, and play a full season so we actually know how much talent GB has or doesn't have....except for Jennings. No getting around the fact Ted needs to upgrade S. Good defense is scheme as well as familiarity that all 11 know what the other 11 are expected to do and actually do it. Really hard to be consistent for 60 minutes each week when it's constantly 11 different guys lining up on D.

Richardson has been cleared to play by Dr. McKenzie (back on 10/23) - "They sent the images out to five different doctors, and they all gave their opinions and they all gave me the green light," Richardson said. "That was awesome. It's a blessing."  He began practicing last week... He may not supplant Jennings, but he was playing well on ST before the injury and they need the help there to get a guy like Lattimore into the defensive rotation.

 

Gotta win Sunday. They may need to win out to win the division.

I agree that Collins injury and departure isn't on Thompson, but he was injured over 2 years ago. I give him a pass for the 2011 season because I can't imagine there was anyone available to replace him almost mid-season.  But he had the 2012 offseason, 2012 season, and the 2013 offseason to find a competent replacement or even a competent bandaid. I'm not expecting another Pro Bowl player, but someone who is merely competent. MD Jennings hasn't shown he can be more than scout team player honestly. I don't think it's unfair to criticize Thompson for not properly replacing one of the absolute key positions on any defense. For almost all defenses that Safety is the QB of the defense and we are playing with the BJ Coleman of Safetys back there. 

It seems a consensus here is management screwed up with respect to safety.  I agree.

 

I remember Wolf stating one of his GM mistakes was letting one half of the 1996 starting secondary go (Doug Evans and Eugene Robinson).  Just too much to lose.

 

Anyway, the team NEEDS more talent at safety and has needed it ever since Collins was lost.

 

It has been awhile since that time.

Ive said it before. I just want to see all the defensive picks over the past 3 years all healthy, go through camp together...

I've said that before too and that's all I want for Christmas...

We all would like to see that.  Until that happens I'd like to see some of the backups make a freakin play.......it's not against the rules for a reserve player to make a interception, put pressure on the QB,etc.  

Good rebuttal, Grave Digger.

 

I have no defense of his mishandling of the S position.  I'd even argue in your favor and say he has struggled at LB as well.  Big contracts to Jones and Hawk, though he rectified it some by redoing Hawks deal.  

That said, I still think there is enough there with CM3, Burnett, Raji, Pickett Shileds and, prior to the injury, Tramon to have a defense that isn't a complete bust like it has been. 

 

 

I think CM is the linchpin to that group and he's been out or less than 100% since the last time the D looked good.  Should one player make that big a difference?  Ask AR.  But really, it's a fair argument to expect the other guys left on the field to pick up the slack but just like we're seeing on offense, at some point you have guys covering for backups that are covering for backups.

Whats the Safety position looking like for the 2014 draft?  I agree TT needs to get a stud for that position, and should have already. From a quick look, it seems only HaHa from Alabama is a 1st round Safety this year? Dont know what kinda depth the position will have in the next draft for TT to pick from.

OSU has Roby listed as a CB but he has all the measureables and attitude for S.  He's been headhunting but I think that can be cleaned up.  He was great last year but has been up and down this year so it will be interesting to see if NFL teams want him to stay at CB or not. 

Only one name you need to know, HaHa Clinton-Dix. If you have a defense with HaHa and Jolly, what more do you need?

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is your best bet as a Free Safety who has great range, great ball skills, and great instincts. Those are the qualities that all our Safeties lack and that Collins had. Depending on draft position, he's your top guy. Alabama DBs tend to get good ratings in the draft so he would be a target in the teens.

Beyond that you're looking at Ed Reynolds (Stanford) and Lamarcus Joyner (Florida St.) in round 2. Reynolds has great size, but lacks high end speed. Joyner is arguable the 2nd best defensive player in the draft behind Clowney but his size (5'9" 190) kills his stock. If Joyner was 2" taller he would easily be a high pick in round 1. He reminds me a lot of a shorter Eric Berry.

Beyond those guys you're looking at projects. Guys who don't quite measure up but are still good players or converted CBs. It's deep with those kinds of players.

Well played, snooze.

Looking at Burnett & the rest of our dbackfield it just appears that we have some dumb football players back there, that or Capers scheme is too complicated. I'm not saying they are "dumb" but rather low football IQ. 

How are Darren Perry and Joe Whitt escaping criticism? They are responsible for putting the right players in there and getting them prepared to play. People are quick to blame James Campen instead of McCarthy/Clements, but the defensive staff gets no blame while Capers gets it all...heck some suggested Perry or Whitt should get promoted to DC. Their positions are the weakest.

IMO, the entire defensive staff needs to go a la 2008. It's time for new voices, new ideas and new energy. 

And better players.

"My son broke his ankle and can't mow the lawn this summer.  We need to put him up for adoption and have another kid who can actually get something done around here."

I wanna know why a lot of posters include Burnett when talking about the actual talent on the defensive side of the ball. If you were to stand back and take an impartial view of his body of work, it is not very impressive. imho both safety spots need to be filled.

 

Is he injury prone?  He should try yoga.

You have starters and you have guys who made the teams for special team play. The second type of guys  are now our starters.

 

Finished the Eagles game without enough LBs to play a 3-4. Also with our very last OL player on the field (Lane). Today, we will probably see our last DB on the field in the dime.  One game we were down to our last RB. Already starting our practice squad QB. Relying on a practice squader at TE (Bostic). Going 3 WRs means seeing Miles White, another practice squad player.

 

It's like a high school team that ends up starting sophomores late in the season. Wishing that our practice squad players were all-pro is just unrealistic. I think we got lucky/smart with Tolzein, who looks as good as Geno Smith at least, but Miles White just isn't Randall Cobb.

 

Play on, hope to get healthy, make the playoffs.

HOF...

 

Very well-thought out and perceptive post.

 

BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THOMPSON AND MCCARTHY SUCK?

Particularly when he is paid pro-bowl money. They were banking on him developing this year a la Collins, but the fact is that the talent level (i.e. range, playmaking ability, etc...) does not match.

 

They need 2 starting safeties. Tramon is too inconsistent and needs to go. They need to keep Shields and find another starter. Hopefully Hayward will be good enough for the slot unless he continues to attend the "Clay Matthews workout school - (i.e. "guaranteed to rip your hamstrings during training camp or at the beginning of the season").

 

And you need OL of starting quality instead of Newhouse. And a legit TE (forget about Finley even if he can come back - injury machine). And a stud inside linebacker (Jones is not going to cut it long-term).

 

 

I thought Lattimore brought some attitude to the D and now he is on the bench, go figure

I just don't see how Capers survives this season. And seriously, it is not just this season or since Rodgers got hurt.  The Giants playoff game where Eli had all day to throw, the 49er playoff game where Kaeperpunk looked like he would have run for 1000 yards if he wanted. And that carried over to the first game this year when the offense was begging for the defense to stop them and slow footed Bouldin looked like Jerry Rice. Then the Bear game, EAgle game, Giant game, and yesterday one of the worse teams in the league looked like one of the best running teams of all time.

 

the defense looked defeated again. How can Capers get that back? He may get it back for a series but as we saw yesterday as soon as adversity hits again, the team will go back into its shell. He cannot survive this.

 

Who knows who comes next but someone from the 49er or Seahawk staff would be welcome. Maybe even the Patriots staff. Wade Phillips would probably get most consideration after that staff is fired by Houston because of his relationship with Thompson. I would prefer someone else but he can';t be any worse than Capers.

Just so I'm clear we need a starting OL, a legit TE, a stud ILB, 2 starting safeties and a starting CB.  That's 6 starters/studs that we need to find, that no other teams are looking for.  Are we going to get all of these players next year in the draft?  Do we need to go to Target?  

 

Reality check.  

 

 

In TT we trust!

Not Capers fault

oh my

woooooooooooo