The Packers sucked ass against running QBs like McNabb, Culpepper and Vick when they ran the 4-3 too. The problem then, just like it is now was a lack of talent. Too many poor athletes who are unable to flow to the ball or avoid over-running plays and biting on fakes/misdirection. The biggest problems if it had to just be cut down to two are AJ Hawk (possibly the worst football instincts for any starting ILB in the NFL) and the fact that they haven't even come within miles or replacing Nick Collins. No one ever really mentions the loss of Collins anymore, but losing him has just absolutely killed this defense. His savvy, physical presence cannot be replaced with this mix and match crap they played with Woodson/MD Jennings/McMillian last year. Woodson is too old to play in the NFL (too slow, and he can't cover anyone without grabbing now), and Jennings and McMillian are just nice backup/rotation guys. Burnett is an adequate starting safety, who can only be above average if he has an elite talent like Nick Collins on the other half of the field.
One of the reasons we went all D in the draft was because of last year and the playoff loss to the Giants. But lets compare the last few years...
2010, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 2 (of 20 games played)
2010, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 4 (MN, DET, MIA, PHI)
2010, players on IR: 14
2011, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 12 (of 17 games played)
2011, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 2 (MN, CHI)
2011, players on IR: 6
2012, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 4 (of 18 games played)
2012, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 6 (SFx2, MNx3, NYG)
2012, players on IR: 13
I'm not sure what to take from this other than 2010 and 2012 were similar on paper, and we simply had colossal collapses vs two teams this year (MN and SF) in the run game (and MN has been doing this to us for years).
Given the IR numbers and the stats relation to 2010, I'm not sure if this is enough to sink Capers this year. I would have to guess he got a pass in 2011 because of the SB title in 2010, and this year he will get a pass because of of the high IR number and relative similarities to 2010 stats wise.
In the end, I think they keep Capers and attempt to shore up their run defense and o-line for next year.
2010, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 2 (of 20 games played)
2010, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 4 (MN, DET, MIA, PHI)
2010, players on IR: 14
2011, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 12 (of 17 games played)
2011, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 2 (MN, CHI)
2011, players on IR: 6
2012, games were the D gave up 400+ total yards: 4 (of 18 games played)
2012, games were the D gave up ~150+ rushing yards: 6 (SFx2, MNx3, NYG)
2012, players on IR: 13
I'm not sure what to take from this other than 2010 and 2012 were similar on paper, and we simply had colossal collapses vs two teams this year (MN and SF) in the run game (and MN has been doing this to us for years).
Given the IR numbers and the stats relation to 2010, I'm not sure if this is enough to sink Capers this year. I would have to guess he got a pass in 2011 because of the SB title in 2010, and this year he will get a pass because of of the high IR number and relative similarities to 2010 stats wise.
In the end, I think they keep Capers and attempt to shore up their run defense and o-line for next year.
quote:Packers' defense far from Super Bowl-ready
foxsportswisconsin.com
by Paul Imig
The past two postseasons have exposed Green Bay as a team: Good enough to make it to the divisional round of the playoffs, not good enough to avoid a resounding defeat in the divisional round of the playoffs. That won't change until the Packers' defense changes. Whether it's a change in coordinator, a rare leap into free agency or assembling the best draft class in the history of the NFL, nothing is going to make Green Bay a true Super Bowl contender again until its defense sees drastic improvement.
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quote:Originally posted by Maynard:
But somehow, this D under Capers with all of the injuries in 2010 managed to shut down the Eagles and Bears and completely dominate the Falcons in the playoffs, and then make the stand when they needed to against the Steelers to win the Super Bowl. No credit for any of that? Spoiled much, people?
Sure - it was a great 6 game playoff run in 2010. The team was firing on all cylinders. They made the big plays when they needed them - all the TW interceptions, Clay's forced fumble, the Raji TD.
But, that being said, you can't overlook these 3 dreadful performances. Not just bad, but all-time bad. Those were sandwiched around the 2011 defense which was, statistically, the worst in NFL history.
He deserves one more year but another collapse like this and he's got to go.
Ted is going to have to take a chance on a top flight FA this year (probably an ILB to replace Hawk or a SS to fill the gaping hole that losing Collins left), and they need to have a great draft if they want to turn this defense around. Fixing the situation at C and T on the OL to create an offense that can have a long drive every now and then (this is a fast strike, short scoring drive offense) will also do a lot to help. They need to trade away Jennings and Finley for both the cap space and the ammo in the draft (maybe even a player on defense) in order to get the process started.quote:Originally posted by titmfatied:quote:Packers' defense far from Super Bowl-ready
foxsportswisconsin.com
by Paul Imig
The past two postseasons have exposed Green Bay as a team: Good enough to make it to the divisional round of the playoffs, not good enough to avoid a resounding defeat in the divisional round of the playoffs. That won't change until the Packers' defense changes. Whether it's a change in coordinator, a rare leap into free agency or assembling the best draft class in the history of the NFL, nothing is going to make Green Bay a true Super Bowl contender again until its defense sees drastic improvement.
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Fair to say we have the CB horses to go all the way. Also fair to say the combo of walden/jones/williams on the right side of the line (most offenses are right handed in that they predominantly attack the right side of the field) is not stout enough to go very far. If you can't contain over there every day is going to be a long day. Bishop and Perry can go a long way towards fixing that but we still need better back ups cause if one of them goes down it's the same mess all over again. It's a nice luxury not having to swing at corners in the draft. That's an extra 2/3/4 round pick you can devote to our problem at hand.quote:Originally posted by The GBP Rules:
Serious question - do the Rams have more tallant on defense than the Packers do?
I don't forsee safety help of that nature. They are deep and young there and the M.O. is to let the competition sort itself out. McMillian is your guy with the biggest chance to make a jump. I don't think the DL is all that bad they just had no one behind them to make a play. Get some LB's that can cause havok and they can turn this whole thing around right quick.quote:Ted is going to have to take a chance on a top flight FA this year (probably an ILB to replace Hawk or a SS to fill the gaping hole that losing Collins left), and they need to have a great draft.
Agree with you there Tit. The problem is the LB's. I don't even think having Bishop would've made that big of a difference against the Niners. They need a fast, athletic playmaker at the ILB position.
As far as free agency, the only guys i would see TT targeting would be Phillip Wheeler from OAK or Dannell Ellerbe out of Baltimore, but i think both of those guys will be retained by their respective teams.
I could see this. With these read option quarterbacks starting to make noise in the NFL, it might be time to see defenses that feature multiple schemes. Similar to what Les Miles does at LSU or what Belichick does in NE.
As far as free agency, the only guys i would see TT targeting would be Phillip Wheeler from OAK or Dannell Ellerbe out of Baltimore, but i think both of those guys will be retained by their respective teams.
quote:Heck, you may even see situational defenses: 4-3 against option teams, 3-4 against more traditional teams.
I could see this. With these read option quarterbacks starting to make noise in the NFL, it might be time to see defenses that feature multiple schemes. Similar to what Les Miles does at LSU or what Belichick does in NE.
quote:Originally posted by titmfatied:I don't forsee safety help of that nature. They are deep and young there and the M.O. is to let the competition sort itself out. McMillian is your guy with the biggest chance to make a jump. I don't think the DL is all that bad they just had no one behind them to make a play. Get some LB's that can cause havok and they can turn this whole thing around right quick.quote:Ted is going to have to take a chance on a top flight FA this year (probably an ILB to replace Hawk or a SS to fill the gaping hole that losing Collins left), and they need to have a great draft.
Agreed. If they can get a stud Center and an ILB with a mean streak in the draft, with the returns off IR, this will be an altogether different team on both sides of the ball.
The DL is OK for the most part (could use a new big boy, but it's not crucial now). I also don't mind the CBs much since they're all still good in coverage (Tramon's sissyness can be covered up by getting a physical SS and LBs in there, he still is good in coverage). All LBs not named Matthews and the mix-and-match, musical chair situation at SS are glaring holes right now. Maybe Perry and Bishop can help, but Hawk still sucks, and mixing and matching at SS has just been a disaster. It would be foolish to go into next year hoping that Perry and Bishop will fix everything or that McMillian will take steps toward filling the gaping hole that Collins's retirement has left.quote:Originally posted by titmfatied:I don't forsee safety help of that nature. They are deep and young there and the M.O. is to let the competition sort itself out. McMillian is your guy with the biggest chance to make a jump. I don't think the DL is all that bad they just had no one behind them to make a play. Get some LB's that can cause havok and they can turn this whole thing around right quick.quote:Ted is going to have to take a chance on a top flight FA this year (probably an ILB to replace Hawk or a SS to fill the gaping hole that losing Collins left), and they need to have a great draft.
quote:Originally posted by Pack-Man:
They need to trade away Jennings and Finley for both the cap space and the ammo in the draft (maybe even a player on defense) in order to get the process started.
Doubt if either happen. Jennings is a FA so he will be gone on his own. Nobody will what a tag and trade will command in dollars.
Very few teams will want to assume all of Finley's contract either.
There's just more to it than "we had a good run"
Our Offense at the end of 2010 and all the way into December of 2011 probably masked a lot of the defense deficiencies & lack of talent.
The game vs. Atlanta in Jan 2011, we had long, sustained, 15-play drives TWICE in the 1st half & once to open the 2nd half. The defense was over there on the sideline yukking it up & picking splinters out of their ass. Raji was saying..."WHO-DEENIE!! WHO-DEENAY!!" (Houdini) referring to Rodgers ridiculous play spinning out of sacks by John Abraham.
I truly expected more of that type of play from Rodgers vs. the Niners. It didn't happen. Instead of being perfect, our QB was just above average. You make a good point Nerve that our QB shouldn't have to be perfect to win a ball game but that is the team we built in Green Bay (right now anyway).
Our Offense at the end of 2010 and all the way into December of 2011 probably masked a lot of the defense deficiencies & lack of talent.
The game vs. Atlanta in Jan 2011, we had long, sustained, 15-play drives TWICE in the 1st half & once to open the 2nd half. The defense was over there on the sideline yukking it up & picking splinters out of their ass. Raji was saying..."WHO-DEENIE!! WHO-DEENAY!!" (Houdini) referring to Rodgers ridiculous play spinning out of sacks by John Abraham.
I truly expected more of that type of play from Rodgers vs. the Niners. It didn't happen. Instead of being perfect, our QB was just above average. You make a good point Nerve that our QB shouldn't have to be perfect to win a ball game but that is the team we built in Green Bay (right now anyway).
quote:Agree with you there Tit. The problem is the LB's. I don't even think having Bishop would've made that big of a difference against the Niners. They need a fast, athletic playmaker at the ILB position.
Yep. And a physical safety and corner (anti-Tramon).
Yes, the 2010 offense struggled whenever they tried to play the style of offense they play every single week now. The receivers have just developed to the point where that style of play is able to be successful against all but a couple of teams in the NFL. The problem with this mindset is that the 2-4 teams it will not work against will always end up playing the Packers in the playoffs (or worse yet, the Super Bowl). I kept saying over and over yesterday that the Packers needed a long drive, and they never got it. When they were scoring, it was always fast strike stuff that put the defense right out on the field again.quote:Originally posted by Boris:
The game vs. Atlanta in Jan 2011, we had long, sustained, 15-play drives TWICE in the 1st half & once to open the 2nd half. The defense was over there on the sideline yukking it up & picking splinters out of their ass. Raji was saying..."WHO-DEENIE!! WHO-DEENAY!!" (Houdini) referring to Rodgers ridiculous play spinning out of sacks by John Abraham.
I don't see Ted going into free agency. With clay and raji up next season, the money is going there. Plus if Saturday and benson proved anything at all, it's that free agency is a rummage sale. Most of what you pick up is garbage with a once in a great while treasure. Maybe Dom goes but don't see Ted changing the MO on free agency.
quote:The game vs. Atlanta in Jan 2011, we had long, sustained, 15-play drives TWICE in the 1st half & once to open the 2nd half. The defense was over there on the sideline yukking it up & picking splinters out of their ass. Raji was saying..."WHO-DEENIE!! WHO-DEENAY!!" (Houdini) referring to Rodgers ridiculous play spinning out of sacks by John Abraham.
I actually watched this game yesterday before the games started. Another huge play was the kickoff return for a TD. The Packers had just gone on a long TD scoring drive and the Falcon defense had to go right back onto the field. The Packers scored another long TD drive and at that point I think the Falcons realized they had no chance of stopping them on that day.
quote:Originally posted by The GBP Rules:quote:Originally posted by Maynard:
But somehow, this D under Capers with all of the injuries in 2010 managed to shut down the Eagles and Bears and completely dominate the Falcons in the playoffs, and then make the stand when they needed to against the Steelers to win the Super Bowl. No credit for any of that? Spoiled much, people?
Sure - it was a great 6 game playoff run in 2010. The team was firing on all cylinders. They made the big plays when they needed them - all the TW interceptions, Clay's forced fumble, the Raji TD.
But, that being said, you can't overlook these 3 dreadful performances. Not just bad, but all-time bad. Those were sandwiched around the 2011 defense which was, statistically, the worst in NFL history.
He deserves one more year but another collapse like this and he's got to go.
now I start to wonder about that 2010 season. we got obliterated by the Cardinals offense in 09, destroyed by Giants in 2011 and completely run over by Niners this year.
So 2010 is definitely the outlier .
Could it be that we were fortunate in that 2010 postseason run to avoid a strong running team that dominated the trenches.
no team in that NFC field, esp PHI, ATL and CHI had such a team.
though we did play NYG to start that run and beat em at home. looking back Im not sure how we did it
quote:The answer to one question will solve the Packers' needs
packers.com
Vic Ketchman
When last season ended abruptly with a completely unexpected loss to the Giants, we all knew where the Packers needed to turn their attention: to the defense. They did that by using each of their first six draft picks to select defensive players.
Those and other young legs helped make a No. 32 defense in 2011 a No. 11 defense this season, but it didn’t show in either of the two losses to the 49ers. The Packers got gashed. There’s no other way to paint it.
Clearly, more work is necessary on the defensive side of the ball.
Here’s the good news: Rodgers will, again, be the Packers’ quarterback in 2013. In Rodgers, the Packers have one third of the Holy Trinity all championship-caliber teams seem to possess: a quarterback, a head coach and a general manager who are proven winners. The Packers have all three.
The triumvirate of Rodgers, Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson insure the team will be a playoff contender again next season. Somehow, some way you need to take solace in that fact over the next few days, as you lay to rest a season that teased us with promise but failed to deliver the joy we sought.
Look at it this way: When you surrender 323 yards rushing, your offseason needs will be easy to define. After last season, it was about the pass rush. This year, it’s about the run defense. Thompson will find them. The problem will get fixed.
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Coaches coach, players play. And in the case of the GB D, play poorly.quote:Originally posted by BrainDed:
Most of those untouched yards were because our OLB's were confused by the option plays.. That rests on Dom's shoulders..
Which is why Ross's turnover still kills me. They had a chance there to turn it into their type of game and put the 9ers in a hole.quote:Packers Defensive Struggles Go Beyond Capers
jerseyal.com
However, Green Bay’s problems on defense go much deeper than Capers. I don’t think there was any magical scheme that Capers could have come up with that would have stopped the 49ers from winning Saturday. San Francisco was bigger, stronger, faster and tougher than the Packers. It’s too simple to just pin that performance solely on the guy with weird hair who sits in a booth high above the field.
Look at the Packers’ linebackers. Brad Jones, Erik Walden and A.J. Hawk are no match for a team like the 49ers. An elite offensive line combined with an athletic quarterback, bruising running back, and talented tight ends? The 49ers had to be salivating all week while watching film and preparing to face that unfearsome trio.
The Packers are built to take a lead, then play aggressive defense that relies on blitzes and creating turnovers. They’re not the type of team that is able to stand toe-to-toe against physical teams and out-tough them. That’s extremely frustrating, but true.
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9er's spotted us a 7 point lead and we couldn't hold them or score enough to destroy the confidence of a young qb in the biggest game of his career. Capers failed but he wasn't alone offense. 3 and out early was disgusting. Kuhn drops a pass that most high school kids catch. Ross spots them a TD. And A-Rod throws a pick.
Dagger.
Dagger.
Kevin Seifert nailed it with this article. Note that you won't find any of these comments from Woodson or Raji anywhere on the Packers website. No one circles the wagons like 1265.quote:Packers watch as Colin Kaepernick runs by
espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth
by Kevin Seifert
In the end, I'm not sure whether there would have been a schematic solution to counter Kaepernick on this night. We saw a breakout performance on a national scale. But by most accounts, the Packers didn't look hard enough for an answer. The Packers played as if they were waiting for their game plan to kick in rather than trashing it once it became clear it had failed.
Several players implied as much in the postgame locker room, and no one was more blunt than defensive back Charles Woodson.
"We didn't make any adjustments," said Woodson, who later added: "I just think when the game is going the way it is, you've got to try something different. It's hard to just continue to do the same thing over and over again, and continue to get burned. ... We need to figure out: Could we have done something differently as far as our game plan was concerned?"
Nose tackle B.J. Raji, meanwhile, deferred most questions to Capers and/or coach Mike McCarthy. Raji did say: "It's assignment football. Everybody knew their assignments tonight, and it came up short."
Therein lies the problem. Coaching is about putting players in positions in which they can succeed. It was clear from the outset that the Packers' initial approach wasn't working. Kaepernick had 107 yards at halftime, and nothing changed thereafter.
I don't want to minimize Kaepernick's role in his success, but I think we all can agree that NFL-caliber defenses should be able to stop opponents short of historic levels even if it means leaving themselves vulnerable in other areas. What we saw Saturday night was rare in the annals of playoff history.
We've already noted that Kaepernick set an NFL record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback. The 49ers, meanwhile, rolled up the fourth-highest total of offensive yards in a postseason game with 579. This wasn't just a great performance. It was an all-timer.
So it's fair, I think, to step back and ask whether Capers has jeopardized his job. At the very least, should the Packers consider alternatives? Capers has been the Packers' defensive coordinator for four years, and in two of them -- 2009 and 2012 -- season-long issues have directly contributed to a postseason exit.
Woodson said the Packers are playing "the right defense" but consistently qualified his comments by noting a lack of adjustments. At halftime, Woodson said, the Packers talked only about "trying to execute the defense we were running." In the end, Woodson said, "If it works, then it works. If it doesn't, then maybe you change."
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It's easy to blame Capers and while he has his share of blame, injuries finally caught up to them. I know we look at 2010 and say injuries don't matter, but in 2010 the only player that was hurt that was back with the team in a significant role the nest year was Finley. Grant, Barnett, Tauscher, and the rest seemed like devastating injuries at the time but other than Finley, we had a better player behind them. That didn't happen this year. Barclay was not better than Bulaga or Sherrod. Harris/Green/Starks were not better than Benson. Jones/Smith were not better than Bishop. And Walden was not better than Perry. Talent matters in the NFL and when your talent is on the bench, it's tough to beat a good team.
Still, I haven't been impressed with Capers ability to adjust. Not sure if firing him is the answer though.
Still, I haven't been impressed with Capers ability to adjust. Not sure if firing him is the answer though.
To be fair, we have no idea how good Perry is. I'm with you on the last paragraph.
They did say during the broadcast that Greg Roman knew Capers tendencies from when they worked together at Carolina and Houston. It seemed (and felt) like Roman had his number all day. Ordinarily it would make sense that someone like Roman would have a bit of an advantage here, but it also goes both ways, and you can't be that predictable (they worked together over 10 years ago).
When your defense is designed on paper napkins this is the kind of tomfoolery that happens in our lord's year 2013.
Harris is 100% a better running back than Cedric Benson at this point in their careers by any and every measure of a professional athlete. He's younger, stronger, faster, and has a greater upside. Anyone who doesn't believe this will figure it out when Harris owns Benson's roster spot at the start of training camp next year and Benson is doing his darnedest to stay out of the penal system in whichever residence he decides to reside in (no offense CUPackfan).
Harris is 100% a better running back than Cedric Benson at this point in their careers by any and every measure of a professional athlete. He's younger, stronger, faster, and has a greater upside. Anyone who doesn't believe this will figure it out when Harris owns Benson's roster spot at the start of training camp next year and Benson is doing his darnedest to stay out of the penal system in whichever residence he decides to reside in (no offense CUPackfan).
quote:Defense is déjà vu all over again for Packers
jsonline.com
by Tom Silverstein
The Packers were clearly not prepared for the running ability of Kaepernick and the read-option offense Harbaugh expanded during the two weeks the 49ers had to game-plan for the contest. They clearly spent every working moment of the past two weeks dissecting the Packers' defense and figuring out how they could exploit it.
In turn, Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers did not anticipate the heavy use of read-option and it left him without many options to defend it. With just a week to come up with a game plan and three practices to install it, he came up woefully short of an answer for Harbaugh's offense.
"They out-schemed us and out-performed us," nose tackle B.J. Raji said. "The fact is whatever they did was more than enough "
But while Harbaugh was scheming in the other locker room to get Kaepernick free for even more yardage, Capers had very little else on his chalkboard to show his unit.
A big problem was that was the team did not work extensively on the read-option plays the 49ers stressed during the game. The 49ers had used it maybe 10 plays a game at most during the games Kaepernick had started, but it wasn't as prevalent as it was Saturday night.
"It's different," linebacker Dezman Moses said. "It's not what you see every week. It's something that takes special training, a lot of reps in practice, just because you have to train your eyes. Things happen really fast. You need to know your responsibility immediately.
Moses said it was clear that the 49ers spent a lot of time figuring out how the read-option would match up against Capers' scheme.
"They gave us a couple of different looks," Moses said. "They schemed us. They had two weeks off and that gives a team a long time to break you down in every phase. Everything you do, they understood."
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quote:"At the end of the day you have to do the things that you do best. This is not the time of the year to try to go out and trick a football team. I don't believe that's the way you go about it...This week's no different than any week that we prepare for a game. We looked at what they do and we looked at the things we feel are our strengths vs their scheme and their particular players and we go play football-MM Thursday, Jan 10th, 2013 Presser
Haha, none taken Tit. And that was a stretch regarding Benson and Harris. In 2013, I think Benson and Harris would work well splitting carries.
Just my opinion, but I think Benson's age really works against him. 31 is no joke and if they knew Harris would have been that productive they would have brought him in over Benson in the first place. I think Benson is on the bon voyage out of Green Bay. A player Harris's age is also relatively cheaper than the vet minimum for Benson.
quote:Originally posted by ammo:
Where is depth more easily acquired? Dl or LB? That should dictate which way you go.
or where is depth more valuable? i'd say lb for both since they can play special teams.
Which guy in the draft when it's time to make the selection will make the biggest impact should theoretically be the way to choose which position to take.
Ah, but doesn't TT simply draft BPA? 
I could swear I read someplace a year or two ago that it's easier to find LBs than 300+ pound DL, which is one of the reasons more teams are switching to the 3-4.
I could swear I read someplace a year or two ago that it's easier to find LBs than 300+ pound DL, which is one of the reasons more teams are switching to the 3-4.
I know you are being a smart ass, but at some point the growth in the number of 3-4 teams makes the 3-4 lb a rare commodity.
There were no defensive players available in the locker room Sunday to talk about the playoff loss
No small coincidence after Woodson and Raji's comments. I'd bet that was an ugly plane ride home.
No small coincidence after Woodson and Raji's comments. I'd bet that was an ugly plane ride home.
quote:Packers all quiet on the defensive front today
jsonline.com
By Tom Silverstein
Apparently, the Green Bay defense said all it had to say about its embarrassing performance after its 45-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers Ssturday night.
On Sunday at around noon, the locker room was open to media members for the last time this season and not a single defensive starter was around to discuss the game.
Just about every member of the offensive unit was available for comment and talked about its successes and failures following the team's elimination from the playoffs.
But aside from the injured reserve and Saturday inactive players, there were no defensive players around to talk about the future of the unit and the team. A couple of the players who poked their heads into the locker room and were asked for comment said that they had a meeting.
In the locker room after the game, most of the defensive players talked, so it's not like they didn't accept questions about the disappointing performance against the 49ers. But the day after the season ends is usually a time for players to reflect on their season, discuss their health and speak to their future and that of the team.
Whether it was a scheduling conflict or a concerted effort to avoid questions about the future of defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his staff, the game plan from Saturday night or more rehashing of the game, isn't clear. But it was the last shot for media members to speak to the players in the locker room until minicamp later this spring. continue
Maybe it's just me, but I find that extremely interesting.
quote:Originally posted by vitaflo:
They did say during the broadcast that Greg Roman knew Capers tendencies from when they worked together at Carolina and Houston. It seemed (and felt) like Roman had his number all day. Ordinarily it would make sense that someone like Roman would have a bit of an advantage here, but it also goes both ways, and you can't be that predictable (they worked together over 10 years ago).
This is what I've heard opponents say over and over again this year. Ponder said they knew exactly what we would run in certain situations and they capitalized; the very next game they were in the same situation and darned if we didn't run the same D and the only difference was Webb overthrew the receiver, who was wide open AGAIN on the sideline. Other teams have said they anticipated exactly what Capers would call on D, and now the Niners show us they knew exactly what was up. Either Capers is too stubborn to change, too proud to change, or doesn't care enough to change (and I sincerely hope it's not the latter). But it's disconcerting to hear the opponents say they knew what was coming -- and the scary part is we only heard those who were willing to talk.
I remember teams saying the very same thing last year, too. "We knew exactly what they were going to do. We knew exactly where to throw. Soon as we saw who they were sending out onto the field, we knew exactly where the blitz was coming from and who was dropping into coverage." Heard it a number of times last season.
So, either Capers' D scheme is bad or he is more predictable than death and taxes. Maybe both. I guess I would not be sad to see someone new, or someone on the current staff who has some new ideas and new ways of doing things, take over. I appreciate everything Dom has done and he got us straightened out, but I think it's time that MM looks for a new piece.